• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.200-204
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• 1996

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is literally known to promote neural differentiation and survival in several peripheral and central neurons. Thus, it is Widely believed that NGF may serve as a therapeutic agent for many types of neuronal diseases. One of the mechanisms suggested to explain the protective role of NGF is that the trophic factor can prevent the increase of intracellular calcium ions which might be responsible for neural death. To examine whether or not the calcium hypothesis works even under pathological conditions, we applied NGF to cultures deprived of glucose. Surprisingly, what was observed here is that NGF rather promoted cell death under a glucose-deprived condition. What we call the NGF paradox phenomenon occurred in a calcium concentration-dependent manner, indirectly suggesting that NGF might increase intracellular calcium ions in cells deprived of glucose. This suggestion is further supported by the fact that nifedipine, a well-known L-type calcium channel blocker, could block the cell death potentiated by NGF. Here it is still premature to propose the complete mechanism underlying the NGF paradox phenomenon. However, this study certainly indicates that NGF as a therapeutic agent for neuronal diseases should be carefully considered before use.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2006

Lethal toxin is a critical virulence factor of anthrax. It is composed two protein: protective antigen (PA) and lethal factor (LF). PA binds to specific cell surface receptors and, forms a membrane channel that mediates entry of LF into the cell. LF is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease, which cleaves MKKs [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases] at peptide bonds very close to their N-termini. In this study, we suggest application of cell-based assays in the early phase of drug discovery, with a particular focus on the use of yeast cells. We constructed MEK1 expression system in yeast to determine LF activity and approached cell-based assay system to screen inhibitors, in which the results covering the construction of LF-substrate in yeast expression vector, expression, and LF-mediated proteolysis of substrate were described. These results could provided the basic steps in design of cell-based assay system with the high efficiency, rapidly and easy way to screening of inhibitors.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.30-35
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• 2018

In contemporary society, neglected families increase adolescents' maladjustment behaviors, causing academic problems, psychological and emotional problems, and showing flight behavior. By identifying the nature of the protective factor against the dangerous environment of a neglected family and increasing the protection factor for the children in a dangerous environment, it is necessary to create the environment so that the young can grow up positively rather than adversely. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of adolescents who are psychologically adaptive at the level of general family children among the adolescents who are in a dangerous environment. The results showed that self - esteem, ego - resilience, ego - identity, and community variables had a significant effect on discriminating adolescents who showed high psychological adjustment from risk factors of neglect while controlling other factors. SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the data.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.165-172
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• 2013

Acetaminophen (APAP) known as paracetamol is the main ingredient in Tylenol, which has analgesic and anti-pyretic properties. Inappropriate use of APAP causes major morbidity and mortality secondary to hepatic failure. Overdose of APAP depletes the hepatic glutathione (GSH) rapidly, and the metabolic intermediate leads to hepatocellular death. This article reviews the mechanisms of hepatotoxicity and provides an overview of current research studies. Pharmacokinetics including metabolism (activation and detoxification), subsequent transport (efflux)-facilitating excretion, and some other aspects related to toxicity are discussed. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-regulated gene battery plays a critical role in the multiple steps associated with the mitigation of APAP toxicity. The role of Nrf2 as a protective target is described, and potential natural products inhibiting APAP toxicity are outlined. This review provides an update on the mechanism of APAP toxicity and highlights the beneficial role of Nrf2 and specific natural products in hepatoprotection.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2012

Purpose: Cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome associated with wasting of skeletal muscle which contributes to nearly one-third of all cancer deaths. Cachexia lowers the frequency of response to chemotherapy and radiation and ultimately can impact survival as well as quality of life during treatment. NF-kappa B is one of the most important molecular mediators of cachexia. In this study, therefore, possible candidates for inhibitors of NF-kappa B were searched. Methods: Amino acids that regulate cellular redox potential by adjusting the level of NAD/NADH ratio, such as aspartate, pyruvate, and isocitrate were selected. Results: Pyruvate effectively inhibited luciferase activity in TNF-stimulated 293T cells transfect with an NF-kB dependent luciferase reporter vector. Pyruvate also showed protective effect on muscle atrophy of differentiated C2C12 myocyte induced by TNF/IFN. Conclusion: We might be able to develop the nutritional management strategy for cancer cachexia patients with pyruvate supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.127-156
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• 2008

This study aimed to verify the mediating effects of cognitive function and social support and to establish a structural relationship between child maltreatment and resilience in school-age children (n=357) taken in by child protection service. In the first model (linear arrangement), each protective factor mediates independently between maltreatment and resilience; in the second model (arrangement in due order), cognitive function has mediating effects prior to social support. Analysis of data included descriptive statistics, Cronbach's a, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results of the first model showed indirect effects of cognitive function and social support. Results of the second model significantly affirmed that the mediators, cognitive function and social support, diminish negative effects of maltreatment by bolstering resilience.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

This study explored the determinants of smartphone addiction among mothers of infants, focusing on their socio-demographic characteristics, parental stress, and parental knowledge. A total 220 mothers of infants were surveyed and the collected data were analyzed by binary logistic regression. A considerable percentage (16%) of mothers of infants were observed to be at a risk of smartphone addiction, which was significantly higher than the percentage (8%) of adult population at risk of smartphone addiction reported by the Korean government. Parental stress from dysfunctional parent-child relationships was a risk factor and parental knowledge about infant development was observed to be a protective factor when it came to the smartphone addiction of mothers' with infants. However, socio-demographic characteristics (number of children, age, education, family income, and job) did not have statistically significant associations with their smartphone addiction.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.44-45
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• 2008

The zone 3 elements of distance relays play an important role during the propagation of cascaded events. The most challenging problem to mitigate catastrophic failures is to distinguish between actual faults with line flow transfer from other disconnected lines. This paper presents an adaptive protective relaying scheme based on Line Outage Distribution Factor(LODF) and Generation Shift Factor(GSF) to prevent zone 3 tripping during the cascaded events. Internet based secure peer to peer communication is recommended as a communication method of proposed scheme. Several communication issues such as reliability, speed and cyber security are discussed. In order to establish the feasibility of the proposed scheme, computer simulations for a six bus system has been performed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1475-1481
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• 2009

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, and well recognized as a potential agent for bioterrorism. B. anthracis can be identified by detecting the virulence factors genes located on two plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of virulence genes in 27 isolates of B. anthracis isolated from clinical and environmental samples. For this purpose, multiplex PCR and DNA probes were designed to detect protective antigen (pag), edema factor (cya), lethal factor (lef), and capsule (cap) genes. Our results indicated that all the isolates contained all the above virulence genes, suggesting that the isolates were virulent. To the best our knowledge, this is the first study about the determination of virulence marker genes in clinical and environmental isolates of B. anthracis using multiplex PCR and DNA probes in India. We suggest that the above methods can be useful in specific identification of virulent B. anthracis in clinical and environmental samples.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07c
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• pp.834-836
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• 1998

Current transformer (CT) saturation may cause a variety of protective relays to malfunction. The conventional CT is designed that it can carry up to 20 times the rated current. However, the possibility of CT saturation still remains, because the fault current may have substantial amounts of ac and/or de components. This paper presents a iron-cored CT design method to prevent CT saturation. The proposed method employs the overdimensioning factor $(K_{ta})$ considering dc components contained as well as symmetrical ac components in the fault current.