• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1997-2003
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• 2004

This paper presents a new method and an associated device, capable of detecting protein presence and size from the shift of the mechanical stiffness changing points due to the presence and size of proteins in a nano-gap actuator. Compared to the conventional resonant detection method, the present nanomechanical stiffness detection method shows higher precision for protein detection. The present method also offers simple and inexpensive protein detection devices by removing labeling process and optical components. We design and fabricate the nanomechanical protein detector using an electrothermal actuator with a nano-gap. In the experimental study, we measure the stiffness changing points and their coordinate shift from the devices with and without target proteins. The fabricated device detects the protein presence and the protein size of 14.0$\pm$7.4nm based on the coordinate shift of stiffness changing points. We experimentally verify the protein presence and size detection capability of the nanomechanical protein detector for applications to high-precision biomolecule detection.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.39-44
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• 2019

[Purpose] Weight loss can reduce obesity-induced arterial stiffening that is attributed to decreased inflammation. Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) is a pro-inflammatory adipokine that is upregulated in obesity and is important in the progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of dietary modification on circulating ANGPTL2 levels and arterial stiffness in overweight and obese men. [Methods] Twenty-two overweight and obese men (with mean age of 56 ± 2 years and body mass index of 28.6 ± 2.6 kg/m²) completed a 12-week dietary modification program. We measured the arterial compliance and β-stiffness index (as the indices of arterial stiffness) and serum ANGPTL2 levels before and after the program. [Results] After the 12-week dietary modification, body mass and daily energy intake were significantly reduced. Arterial compliance was significantly increased and β-stiffness index was significantly decreased after the 12-week dietary modification program. Serum ANGPTL2 levels were significantly decreased. Also, the changes in arterial compliance were negatively correlated with the changes in serum ANGPTL2 levels, whereas the changes in β-stiffness index were positively correlated with the changes in serum ANGPTL2 levels. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the decrease in circulating ANGPTL2 levels can be attributed to the dietary modification-induced reduction of arterial stiffness in overweight and obese men.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.501-514
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Chikusetsusaponin V (CsV) on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular endothelial cell functions. Different concentrations of CsV were added to animal models, bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in vitro. qPCR, Western blotting (WB), and B ultrasound were performed to explore the effects of CsV on mouse endothelial cell functions, vascular stiffness and cellular eNOS mRNA, protein expression and NO release. Bioinformatics analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking and protein mass spectrometry analysis were conducted to jointly predict the upstream transcription factors of eNOS. Furthermore, pulldown and ChIP and dual luciferase assays were employed for subsequent verification. At the presence or absence of CsV stimulation, either overexpression or knockdown of purine rich element binding protein A (PURA) was conducted, and PCR assay was employed to detect PURA and eNOS mRNA expressions, Western blot was used to detect PURA and eNOS protein expressions, cell NO release and serum NO levels. Tube formation experiment was conducted to detect the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. The animal vasodilation function test detected the vasodilation functions. Ultrasonic detection was performed to determine the mouse aortic arch pulse wave velocity to identify aortic stiffness. CsV stimulus on bovine aortic cells revealed that CsV could upregulate eNOS protein levels in vascular endothelial cells in a concentration and time dependent manner. The expression levels of eNOS mRNA and phosphorylation sites Ser1177, Ser633 and Thr495 increased significantly after CsV stimulation. Meanwhile, CsV could also enhance the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. Following the mice were gavaged using CsV, the eNOS protein level of mouse aortic endothelial cells was upregulated in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and serum NO release and vasodilation ability were simultaneously elevated whereas arterial stiffness was alleviated. The pulldown, ChIP and dual luciferase assays demonstrated that PURA could bind to the eNOS promoter and facilitate the transcription of eNOS. Under the conditions of presence or absence of CsV stimulation, overexpression or knockdown of PURA indicated that the effect of CsV on vascular endothelial function and eNOS was weakened following PURA gene silence, whereas overexpression of PURA gene could enhance the effect of CsV upregulating eNOS expression. CsV could promote NO release from endothelial cells by upregulating the expression of PURA/eNOS pathway, improve endothelial cell functions, enhance vasodilation capability, and alleviate vessel stiffness. The present study plays a role in offering a theoretical basis for the development and application of CsV in vascular function improvement, and it also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the pharmacodynamics of CsV.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.45.2-45.2
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• 2010

Possessing of carbon nanotubes in biopolymer intrigued much interest due to their mechanical and unique nanoscale surface properties. Surface stiffness can be controlled by the amount of carbon nanotubes in polymer and surface wettability can be altered by the order of nanoscale surface roughness. Protein adsorption mechanism on nanostructured carbon nanotube/polymer thin film will be discussed in this study. In addition, we identified that mechanical stimuli also contribute the messenchymal stem cell and bone cell interactions. Importantly, live cell analysis system also showed altered morphology and cellular functions. Thus, embedding of carbon nanostructures simultaneously contribute to protein adsorption and cellular interactions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the evidence that nanoscale surface features determine the subsequent biological interactions, such as protein adsorption and cellular interactions.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.738-746
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• 2020

Background: Red ginseng contains components, including microelements, vitamins, essential oils, and fatty acids, that can be used in skincare to delay the aging process. We investigated the effects of red ginseng treatment on skin elasticity by assessing cellular stiffness and measuring collagen protein synthesis. Methods: Human dermal fibroblasts were treated with red ginseng, and the resulting changes in stiffness were investigated using atomic force microscopy. Cytoskeletal changes and mRNA expression of biomarkers of aging, including that of procollagens I and VII, elastin, and fibrillin-1, were investigated. Collagen in a human skin equivalent treated with red ginseng was visualized via hematoxylin and eosin staining, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Results and conclusion: The stiffness of fibroblasts was significantly reduced by treatment with red ginseng concentrations of ≥ 0.8 mg/mL. The ratio of F-actin to G-actin decreased after treatment, which corresponded to a change in fibroblast stiffness. The storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') of the skin equivalent were both lowered by red ginseng treatment. This result indicates that the viscoelasticity of the skin equivalent can be restored by red ginseng treatment.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1643-1646
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• 2008

In this study, an elastic network model is established in order to find dominant factors which reflect thermostability of protein structures. The connections in the elastic network model are selected with respect to the free energy between alpha-carbons, which is representatives of residues in the elastic network model. We carried out normal mode analysis and compared eigenvalues of the stiffness matrix from the elastic network model. In most cases, thermophilic proteins are observed to have higher values of lowest natural frequency than mesophiles and psychrophiles have. As a result, the thermophiles are calculated to be stiffer than other proteins in view of dynamic vibration.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.97-99
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• 2000

Considerable beneficial effects on osteoporosis from soy intake in postmenopausal women are being reported (Murkies et al.1998, Arjmandi et al. 1996). Isoflavones(IF), one of phytoestrogenic substances in the soybean, have been suggested for the effect. Our preliminary study showed that even the young chicks fed IF-rich diet tended to have higher bone ash content than those fed IF-poor diet. IF have been reported to decrease bone ash content than those fed IF-poor diet, IF have been reported to decrease bone loss by reducing bone resorption. Soybean meal has been one of the most important protein sources in poultry diets. We assume that the IF intake through dietary soybean meal could give meaningful influences on the birds. This study was carried out to determine effects of dietary IF from soybean sources on bone development in young chicks. Soy protein concentrate (SPC, IF-poor)and an IF concentrate(Phyto-Nutramin) were formulated together with purified-type ingredients to provide three different levels(25, 240 and 480 mg/kg) of total IF. Control diet(240 mg/kg) was prepared with isolated soyprotein(ISP, IF-rich). The diets were fed to 96, 3-day old, layer-type, male chicks, divided into 4 treatments with 3 replications for 3 weeks. Chicks fed the ISP diet had better gain/feed ratios than fed the SPC diets. Birds fed the diets with higher levels of IF tended to show higher values in serum total and ionized Ca% and tibial bone density, length % ash, stiffness and strain. This trend however, appeared less significant at the end of third week. No noticeable differences in sizes of comb and testicle and serum alkaline phosphatase activities were observed among the dietary groups. These results suggest that dietary isoflavones from soybean sources could be associated with chemical composition and physical properties of bone in sizes of comb and testicle and serum alkaline phosphatase activities were observed among the dietary groups. These results suggest that dietary isoflavones from soybean sources could be associated with chemical composition and physical properties of bone in young chicks.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-82
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• 2013

Arterial stiffness(AS) is an important pathologic state of vascular injury. This study was carried out to elucidate the effect of physiological variables on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BAPWV), index of AS. Four hundred adults(volunteers) participated in this study. Body indices, biochemical, cardiac and inflammatory markers, and right(Rt)- and left(Lt)-BAPWV were measured. Body mass index(BMI), Rt- and Lt-BAPWV, glucose, triglyceride, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), creatinine, uric acid, troponin-I(TNI), NT-proBNP and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) levels were higher than the reference value of each variable. Rt- and Lt-BAPWV were directly correlated with age, body weight, BMI, glucose, ketone, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, ALP, GGT, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein-B, blood urea nitrogen, heart rate, TNI, creatine kinase, CK-MB, lactic dehydrogenase, myoglobin, hs-CRP, lipase, reumatoid factor, fibrinogen and D-dimer (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001 or P<0.000, respectively), but inversely associated with total bilirubin, uric acid, apolipoprotein-A1 and GFR (P<0.05). These observations suggest that a variety of physiological variables may influence BAPWV, resulting in increased risk or prevention of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular attacks. Therefore, physiological variables affecting BAPWV should be regularly controlled.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.195-202
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• 2002

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, involves the destabilization of the normal balance between the degradation and the synthesis of articular cartilage and subchondral bone within a joint. As articular cartilage degrades over time, its smooth surface roughens and bone-against-bone contact ensues, producing the inflammation response symptomatic of this 'wear and tear' disease. Although a variety of genetic, developmental, metabolic, and traumatic factors may initiate the development of osteoarthritis, its symptoms (joint pain, stiffness, and curtailed function) typically evolve slowly, and patients experience periods of relative calm alternation with episodes of inflammation and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic synovitis and cartilage destruction, affect 1% of the total population. Cartilage is a specialized connective tissue in which the chondrocytes occupy only 5% of the volume. Cartilage is particularly rich in extracellular matrix, with matrix making up 90% of the dry weight of the tissue chondrocytes have cell processes that extend a short distance into the matrix, but do not touch other cells thus in cartilage, cell-matrix interactions are essential for the maintenance of the extracellular matrix. In this study, subtractive hybridization method was utilized to detect genes differentially expressed in chondrocytes treated with methylprednisolone. We have isolated 57 genes that expressed differentially in the chondreocytes by methylprednisolone. 13 clones of them were analyzed with sequencing and their homologies were searched. 8 cDNAS included KIAA 0368, upregulated during skeletal muscle growth 5 (usmg 5), ribosomal protein S 18 (RPS 18), skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor, radial spoke protein 3 (RSP 3), ribosomal protein QM, ribosomal protein L37a (RPL37A), cytochrome coxidase subunit VIII (COX8).

• CELLMED
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.4.1-4.8
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• 2019

Now researchers have focused attention on exploring the mechanism of acute responses of heat stress given in heat therapy that ultimately promotes the long term health benefits. Heat therapy is not a new idea rather it was practiced since thousands years back in the form of hot bath, sauna bath, steam room. Similarly in Ayurveda there is very comprehensive description of heat therapy in the form of Svedan karma (Sudation therapy). Svedan is a process to induce sweating artificially in a patient who had already undergone Snehan. Svedan is applied for purification of body, as well as in management of various disorders originated due to vitiation of Vata, Kapha Dosha, Meda Dhatu and musculoskeletal disorders. It produces various beneficial effects by augmenting the Agni like clears the channels, liquefies the deposited Dosha, regulates Vata Dosha, helps in removal and pacification of Dosha, augments metabolism (Agni Deepan), increases appetite, flexibility in body parts, softness and shining of skin, removes coldness, stiffness, drowsiness, improves joint motility. However, Svedana karma is vastly used by Ayurveda Physicians in treatment of various disorders but the mechanisms of beneficial effects produced by Svedan Karma are yet not completely explored on scientific basis. In this article, we will discuss and try to establish a possible mechanism of action of Svedana karma in relation to heat stress, mitochondrial adaptation, heat shock protein (HSP) and glucocorticoids as these are secreted under stressful conditions.