• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.384-394
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) play an important role in the repair of tooth injuries. Electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) is a Na⁺-coupled HCO₃^- transporter encoded by the solute carrier 4A4 (SLC4A4) gene and plays a crucial role in maintaining the pH of DPSCs. Our previous research confirmed that NBCe1 is highly expressed in odontoblasts during the development of the tooth germ. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of NBCe1 on odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs and further clarify the underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results: DPSCs were isolated and identified, and the selective NBCe1 inhibitor S0859 was used to treat DPSCs. We used a cell counting Kit-8 assay to detect cell proliferative ability, and intracellular pH was assessed using confocal microscopy. Odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs was analyzed using real-time PCR and Alizarin Red S staining, and the NF-κB pathway was assessed using western blotting. Our results indicated that 10 µM S0859 was the optimal concentration for DPSC induction. Intracellular pH was decreased upon treatment with S0859. The mRNA expressions of DSPP, DMP1, RUNX2, OCN, and OPN were upregulated in the NBCe1 inhibited group compared to the controls. Moreover, NBCe1 inhibition significantly activated the NF-κB pathway, and a NF-κB inhibitor reduced the effect of NBCe1 on DPSC differentiation. Conclusions: NBCe1 inhibition significantly promotes odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs, and this process may be regulated by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.465-481
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• 2004

We determined Asian dust days by constructing the standard of Asian dust using PM$_{10}$ concentrations ($\geq$150 $\mu\textrm{g}$m$^{-3}$ , 24-hr average) and TOMS aerosol index ($\geq$0.7) for 5 years (1998-2002), and grouped Into long-lasted cases (LLCs, $\geq$4 days) and short-lasted cases (SLCs, $\leq$2 days) concerning the mean lasting time (about 3 days) of Asian dust. Further we performed the specific analyses associated with concentration variations and synoptic conditions by using PM$_{10}$ and TOMS data, weather maps during the dusty cases (LLCs and SLCs). As a result, the LLCs (9 cates) had large variations of PM$_{10}$ concentration as the mean of 131.1$\mu\textrm{g}$m$^{-3}$ and the maximum mean of 379.8$\mu\textrm{g}$m$^{-3}$ , and showed dominant features the continuous passage of deep trough caused by blocking effect and weak trough (56%, 5 cases) over Korea. The SLCs (11 cases) had relatively small variations of PM$_{10}$ concentration as the mean of 133.3$\mu\textrm{g}$m$^{-3}$ and the maximum mean of 247.2$\mu\textrm{g}$m$^{-3}$ , and showed passage of one weak trough (64%, 7 cases) over Korea. Thereafter, the case studies (April 7-13, 2002 of LLC and March 23-24, 2000 of SLC) performed by the simulation of MM5 with meteorological variables of the horizontal wind, potential temperature, isentropic potential vorticity, and helped to better understand the features of synoptic conditions in connection with the concentration variations for each case.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1331-1338
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• 2018

Although there have been plenty of dominance deviation analysis, few studies have dealt with multiple phenotypes. Because researchers focused on multiple phenotypes (final weight and backfat thickness) of Landrace pigs, the classification of the genes was possible. With genome-wide association studies (GWASs), we analyzed the additive and dominance effects of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The classification of the pig genes into four categories (overdominance in final weight, overdominance in backfat thickness and overdominance in final weight, underdominance in backfat thickness, etc.) can enable us not only to analyze each phenotype's dominant effects, but also to illustrate the gene ontology (GO) analysis with different aspects. We aimed to determine the additive and dominant effect in backfat thickness and final weight and performed GO analysis. Using additive model and dominance deviation analysis in GWASs, Landrace pigs' overdominant and underdominant SNP effects in final weight and backfat thickness were surveyed. Then through GO analysis, we investigated the genes that were classified in the GWASs. The major GO terms of the underdominant effects in final weight and overdominant effects in backfat thickness were ion transport with the SLC8A3, KCNJ16, P2RX7 and TRPC3 genes. Interestingly, the major GO terms in the underdominant effects in the final weight and the underdominant effects in the backfat thickness were the regulation of ion transport with the STAC, GCK, TRPC6, UBASH3B, CAMK2D, CACNG4 and SCN4B genes. These results demonstrate that ion transport and ion transport regulation genes have distinct dominant effects. Through GWASs using the mode of linear additive model and dominance deviation, overdominant effects and underdominant effects in backfat thickness was contrary to each other in GO terms (ion transport and ion transport regulation, respectively). Additionally, because ion transport and ion transport regulation genes are associative with adipose tissue accumulation, we could infer that these two groups of genes had to do with unique fat accumulation mechanisms in Landrace pigs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.122-127
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• 2006

The innermost structures of synovium consist of one to three layers of cells generally identified as synovial lining cells(SLC). The present studies were initiated to determine the protein expression patterns of fibroblast-like synovial(FLS) cells derived from the synovia of rheumatoid arthritis. Post-traumatic arthritis(PTA) is one of the most common causes of secondary osteoarthritis, and usually affects younger people. The proteins were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and RNA expression investigated by RT-PCR Proteome analyses led to the identification of more than 1,500 protein spots and of 11 differently expressed protein spots among them. Six proteins were down-regulated, and five proteins were up-regulated in ACL-transected synovial tissue. Among these, spots 3 and 8 were identified as cofilin-1 and smooth muscle protein $22-\alpha$, respectively, Therefore, the proteome analysis of synovial tissue is a useful approach to investigate a joint after an injury and can be used to understand the pathogenesis of PTA.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.53-65
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• 2006

Calcium concentration in the bone resorption lacunae is high and is in the mM concentration range. Both osteoblast and osteoclast have calcium sensing receptor in the cell surface, suggesting the regulatory role of high extracellular calcium in bone metabolism. In vitro, high extracellular calcium stimulated osteoclastogenesis in coculture of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. Therefore we examined the genes that were commonly regulated by both high extracellular calcium and $1,25(OH)_2vitaminD_3(VD3)$ by using mouse oligo 11 K gene chip. In the presence of 10 mM $[Ca^{2+}]e$ or 10 nM VD3, mouse calvarial osteoblasts and bone marrow cells were co-cultured for 4 days when tartrate resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells start to appear. Of 11,000 genes examined, the genes commonly regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3 were as follows; 1) the expression of genes which were osteoclast differentiation markers or were associated with osteoclastogenesis were up-regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3; trap, mmp9, car2, ctsk, ckb, atp6b2, tm7sf4, rab7, 2) several chemokine and chemokine receptor genes such as sdf1, scya2, scyb5, scya6, scya8, scya9, and ccr1 were up-regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3, 3) the genes such as mmp1b, mmp3 and c3 which possibly stimulate bone resorption by osteoclast, were commonly up-regulated, 4) the gene such as c1q and msr2 which were related with macrophage function, were commonly down-regulated, 5) the genes which possibly stimulate osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were commonly down-regulated; slc8a1, admr, plod2, lox, fosb, 6) the genes which possibly suppress osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were commonly up-regulated; s100a4, npr3, mme, 7) the genes such as calponin 1 and tgfbi which possibly suppress osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were up-regulated by high extracellular calcium but were down-regulated by VD3. These results suggest that in coculture condition, both high extracellular calcium and VD3 commonly induce osteoclastogenesis but suppress osteoblast differentiation/mineralization by regulating the expression of related genes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1930-1939
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• 2013

It has been reported that Chungkukjang, one of Korean traditional fermented soybean products, may improve hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we sought to investigate the immunoenhancing effects of Chungkukjang in ovariectomized mice. For the first period, female SLC ddy mice were either sham-operated (Sham; n=27) or ovariectomized (OVX; n=27). As a basal diet, ovariectomized mice were fed low-calcium diet for faster induction of osteoporosis for six weeks, and those in the Sham group were fed AIN-76 diet. For the second period, half of the OVX group (n=9) and the Sham group (n=9) were fed a Chungkukjang-based diet (CKJ); whereas the other half (OVX; n=9/ Sham; n=9) were fed a casein-based diet (CSI) for 8 weeks. After a second period, we collected the blood via heart puncture and measured the splenocytes proliferation, T lymphocyte subsets by flowcytometry, and levels of serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$) by ELISA assay. The OVX+CKJ group showed higher splenocytes proliferation, higher ratio of CD4/CD8, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ cytokines compared to the OVX+CSI group. The Sham+CKJ group showed cytokine productions, such as higher levels of IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ compared to the Sham+CSI group. The result of this study suggests that Chungkukjang may lower the proinflammatory cytokine levels in both the OVX and Sham groups. In addition, Chungkukjang could make a balance of T cell subset proliferations and enhance the splenocyte proliferations in the OVX group.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.238-247
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• 2012

To determine the possibility of solidified se wage sludge for use as a soil cover material in reclaimed land, the growth of energy crops and soil chemical properties investigated in each experimental plots during 2 years (2010 and 2011). The experimental plots consisted of the mixing with solidified sewage sludge plot (SS50), the covering with solidified sewage sludge plot (SS100), and the original reclaimed land plot (ORL) on reclaimed land for the intended landfill in Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation (SLC). Plant height, measured in the second year (2011), was highest in the Geodae 1 grown at plots treated with solidified sewage sludge. The growth of energy crops cultivated in both SS50 and SS100 were better than in ORL. The contents of organic matter (OM) and total nitrogen (T-N) at both SS50 and SS100 were considerably higher than that of the ORL over 2 years. However, the soil from ORL showed higher salinity with high contents of exchangeable $Na^+$ cation than that of SS50 and SS100 over 2 years. We consider that soil chemical and physical properties on reclaimed land used in this study could be improved by the application of solidified sewage sludge due to following reasons. Firstly, the application of solidified sewage sludge may provide soil nutrients on reclaimed land i.e. the growth of energy crops better than in ORL, resulted in more OM and T-N contents in SS50 and SS100. Secondly, the top layers mixed or covered with solidified sewage sludge on reclaimed land may be prevented the salinity accumulation due to capillary rise to surface soil, and improved the cultivation layer for effectively propagating the rhizomes of energy crops. Thus the solidified sewage sludge may be a great soil cover materials for cultivation of bioenergy crops in reclaimed land.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.299-307
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• 2011

This study was carried out to obtain the basic data for selecting the cultivatable bioenergy crops through application of solidified sewage sludge in reclaimed lands. The experimental plots consisted of the mixing with solidified sewage sludge plot (SS50), the covering with solidified sewage sludge plot (SS100), and the original reclaimed land plot (ORL) on reclaimed land for the intended landfill in Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation (SLC). The growth of energy crops (Geodae-Uksae 1, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, and Phragmites australis) were investigated from May to October, 2010 in each experimental plot. The soil from ORL showed higher salinity with high contents of exchangeable $Na^+$ cation than that of SS50 and SS100. Soil properties on reclaimed land used in this study must be improved by increasing the buffering capacity of saline with the treatment of solidified sewage sludge due to the fact that the contents of organic matter (OM) in both of SS50 and SS100 were higher than that of the ORL. Thus the growth of energy crops cultivated in the solidified sewage sludge plots were better than in ORL. Geodae-Uksae 1 which showed an excellent adaptability on reclaimed land treated with the solidified sewage sludge has considerably higher biomass than those of other energy crops (M. sacchariflorus and P. australis). This study suggested that Geodae-Uksae 1 is the most suitable biomass feedstock crop for bioenergy productions, and the solidified sewage sludge may be possible to utilize as a soil cover materials for cultivation of bioenergy crops in reclaimed land.