• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.405-413
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• 2020

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) play a crucial role in initiating rheumatoid arthritis. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) plays a role in FLS survival as well as in B cell maturation and maintenance. Here, we investigated whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced BAFF expression controls FLS migration and whether BAFF expression in FLS could be regulated by KR33426 which is the inhibitor of BAFF binding to BAFF receptors (BAFF-R) by using MH7A synovial cells transfected with the SV40 T antigen. More TNF-α-treated cells migrated compared to the control. TNF-α increased BAFF expression in FLS, significantly. FLS migration was inhibited by the transfection with BAFF-siRNA. KR33426 also inhibited BAFF expression increased by TNF-α treatment in FLS as judged by western blotting, PCR, and transcriptional activity assay. Kinases including JNK, p38 and Erk were activated by TNF-α treatment. While JNK and p38 were inhibited by KR33426 treatment, no changes in Erk were observed. Transcription factors including p65, c-Fos, CREB and SP1 were enhanced by TNF-α treatment. Among them, c-Fos was inhibited by KR33426 treatment. Small interference(si)-RNA of c-fos decreased BAFF transcriptional activity. FLS migration induced by TNF-α was inhibited by the transfection with BAFF-siRNA. KR33426 increased Twist, Snail, Cadherin-11 and N-Cadherin. In contrast, KR33426 decreased E-cadherin and TNF-α-enhanced CCL2. Taken together, our results demonstrate that synovial cell migration via CCL2 expression could be regulated by BAFF expression which is decreased by KR33426 and c-Fos-siRNA. It suggests for the first time that the role of BAFF-siRNA on FLS migration might be matched in the effect of KR33426 on BAFF expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.133-150
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• 2005

Objective : The purpose of this study is to examine the tendency of experimental studies on the physiological effects of acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli). Methods : We investigated 69 theses (10 Korean and 59 international) which were searched by the keyword 'Zusanli' through PubMed website, and that were experimented with manual acupuncture or electroacupuncture on healthy human subjects or normal animals. Results : The 69 theses were classified into iou groups based on the main topic which is related with the influence of acupuncture stimulation at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli), such as digestive system, nervous system, immune system, and cardiovascular system. The main results found in this study are : 1. Acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli) increases gastric mobility. And such effect is related with vagal nerve and opioid pathway. 2. Acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli) is valuably related with cerebral cortex. And it influences on the cerebrum activities. 3. Acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli) has noticeable analgesic effect, which is related with Opioid mechanism, Gate control and SP 4. Acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli) increases immunity Conclusion . Acupuncture at $ST_{36}$(Zusanli) has many effects on digestive system, nervous system, immune system, and cardiovascular system.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.203-208
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• 2020

Objectives : Since there are complex associations between diseases/symptoms and acupoints, one-to-one correspondence may not be the proper approach. Pattern identification has been being used as a clinical framework to make treatment decisions by extracting and synthesizing clinical data including patients' signs and symptoms. In this article, we propose two different models explaining the relationships between diseases and acupoints based on the branch treatment [Zhibiaofa] and the root treatment [Zhibenfa]. Methods : We explained the relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints from the example data from our previous study on traditional acupuncture point selection patterns for pain control. Diseases include low back pain, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, ankle sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and dysmenorrhea, and acupoints included LI4, BL23, BL25, SP6, BL60, TE5, and CV4. Results : The relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints can be explained directly based on the branch treatment, and also can be explained indirectly through pattern identification based on the root treatment. Pattern identifications included both meridian-based pattern identification based on the spatial information of diseases and visceral organ-based pattern identification based on the characteristics of diseases. Conclusions : In the East Asian traditional medicine, Korean medicine doctors choose the most appropriate acupoints based either on the diseases/symptoms (i.e., branch treatment) or on the results of pattern identifications (i.e., root treatment). It is necessary to understand the two different approaches to choose specific acupoints for the targeted diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.363-370
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• 2017

Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC), a malignant tumor of biliary origin, has a poor prognosis with limited treatment options. The KRAS oncogene is the most commonly mutated gene in ECC and one of the factors that predicts a poor prognosis and low survival rate. L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) is expressed in ECC cells and acts as an independent poor prognostic factor in predicting patient survival. In this study we investigate the functional significance of L1CAM in ECC cells with activating KRAS mutation. We selected an ECC cell line, EGI-1, with activating KRAS mutation, and then confirmed its expression of L1CAM by RT-PCR, western blot analysis, and flow cytometry. The suppression of L1CAM expression (using a specific lentivirus-delivered shRNA) significantly decreased the migratory and invasive properties of EGI-1 cells, without altering their proliferation or survival. Analyses of signaling effectors in L1CAM-depleted and control EGI-1 cells indicated that L1CAM suppression decreased the levels of both phosphorylated MKK4 and total MKK4, together with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation. Further, exposure to a JNK inhibitor (SP600125) decreased migration and invasion of EGI-1 cells. These results suggest that L1CAM promotes cellular migration and invasion via the induction of MKK4 expression, leading to JNK activation. Our study is the first to demonstrate a functional role for L1CAM in ECC carrying the activating KRAS mutation. Given that KRAS is the most commonly mutated oncogene in ECC, L1CAM may serve as an attractive therapeutic target for ECC cells with activating KRAS mutation.

• 생태와환경
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.86-94
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• 2015

Chironomous is aquatic insect belonging to order Diptera, family Chironomidae. Their larval stage can be found mainly in aquatic benthic environment, hence good model organism to study environmental toxicology assessments and consider as useful bio indicators of contamination of the aquatic environment. In this study, Chironomus Heat Shock Proteins, Cytochrome 450, Glutathione S-transferase, Serine-type endopeptidase gene expressions were compared between polluted field areas (Chironomus plumosus) and under laboratory conditions (Chironomus riparious) to investigate molecular indicators for environmental contaminant stress assessment. Heavy metal (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Zn, Se, Pb, As, Cd) concentrations in sediments collected from three study areas exceeded the reference values. Moreover, HSPs, CYP450 and GST gene expression except SP for C. plumosus showed higher expression than C. riparious gene expression. Similar gene expression pattern was observed in C. riparious that exposed environment waters up to 96 h when compared to C. plumosus exposed to waters that grown in lab conditions. In summary, this comparative gene expression analysis in Chironomous between field and laboratory condition gave useful information to select candidate molecular indicators in heavy metal contaminations in the environment.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.173-180
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• 2012

비브리오 감염증 (Vibriosis) 은 해산어에서 흔히 발생하는 세균성 감염증으로 어종에 따라 다양한 종이 분리, 발견되어지고 있다. 본 보고에서 병어로부터 TCBS한천배지에서 노란색 colony를 생성하는 비브리오속 세균이 분리되었고, 16S rRNA염기서열분석을 통하여 Vibrio scophthalmi로 확인하였다. 병어의 주요 증상으로 체표 출혈, 복강 내벽 출혈, 심한 장염, 복수 저류가 나타났다. 병리조직학적 관찰을 통하여 비장과 신장의 괴사, 장내 상피조직의 괴사, 탈락, 장의 상피하층인 점막고유층에서의 충, 출혈이 관찰되었다. 본 보고는 극동산 양식뱀장어에서의 V. scophthalmi 감염증례에 대한 첫 보고이다.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.462-465
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• 2006

In order to extend the shelf life of sliced raw flatfish, the antimicrobial effects of natural essential oil from mustard and a mixture of ginger and mustard essential oils were tested at various temperatures. In addition, volatile components of the mixed essential oils were analyzed using gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The viable cell counts of Vibrio parahaemolyticus treated with mixed essential oils from ginger and mustard was 0.7-1.3 log CFU/g lower than those of other treatments during storage at $5^{\circ}C$. During storage at $20^{\circ}C$, the viable cell counts of V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus 01, and V. vulnificus 02 treated with the essential oils increased slightly from 6.53-6.64 log CFU/g at initial stages to 6.77-7.72 log CFU/g after 24-hr of storage, however they were 1.38-1.97 log CFU/g lower than those of the control group (8.74-9.10 log CFU/g). These results show that the growth of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus inoculated on sliced raw flatfish could be inhibited by treatment with natural essential oils from ginger and mustard at $5^{\circ}C$ of storage. However, the antibacterial effects of the essential oils on Vibrio species observed in this study were not sufficient to merit their use in sliced raw flatfish at temperatures exceeding $20^{\circ}C$.

• 환경생물
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.677-683
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• 2017

The Korean aquaculture industry was generally began in the 1970s and has gradually increased. Now, the number of households is about 7,068 and the scale of an aquaculture farm is about 248,014 ha; the value of all production in the industry is estimated to be about 1602.2 billion won. The aquaculture industry is very valuable and important for future food resources. However, the aquaculture industry was damaged by several marine ecological disturbance causing organisms. The Ascdiella aspersa colonized on the shell of scallop and then scallops were detached from rope. The patterns of damage in the aquacultures were observed in Tongyeong (oyster), Geojedo (oyster), and Gangneung (sea squirt) in June, 2017, as well as in Tongyeong (oyster) in November, 2017 by SCUBA divers. The species Halichondria bowerbanki, Bugula neritina, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Balanus amphitrite, Ascidiella aspersa, Ciona intestinalis, Didemnum sp, Styela plicata in Tongyeong, M. galloprovincialis, A. aspersa, C. intestinalis, D. vexillum, S. plicata in Geojedo, and M. galloprovincialis in Gangneung were all usually found in their farms. The marine ecological disturbance causing organisms gave rise to a reduced number of aquaculture products.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.130-135
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• 2012

Hydrogen charging was electrochemically conducted at high strength DP steels and TRIP steel with varying charging time. The penetration depths and the mechanical properties with charging conditions were investigated through the distribution of micro-hardness and the microstructural observation of the subsurface zone. The micro-Vickers hardness was measured to evaluate the hydrogen embrittlement of subsurface zone in addition to the microscope investigation. It was shown that the hydrogen amounts decreased in DP steels and TRIP steel with increasing hydrogen charging time. As shown by micro-Vickers hardness test and small punch test results, micro-Vickers hardness and SP energy for DP steels and TRIP steel decreased with increasing hydrogen charging time, for constant value of charging current density. SEM investigation results for the hydrogen contained samples showed that the major fracture behavior was brittle fracture which results in dimples on fractured surface and the size of dimples were decreased with increasing hydrogen charging time. These results indicate that hydrogen embrittlement is the major cause for the fracture of high strength steels and also micro-Vickers hardness test and small punch test is a valuable test method for hydrogen embrittlement of high strength sheet steels.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.557-567
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• 2018

Cylindrical shell structures buckle at service loads which are much lower than their associated theoretical buckling loads. The main source of this discrepancy is the presence of various imperfections which are created on the cylinder body during different processes as manufacturing, handling, assembling and machining. Many cylindrical shell structures are still designed against buckling based on the experimental data introduced by NASA SP-8007 as conservative lower bound curves. This study employed the numerical based Linear Buckling mode shape Imperfection (LBMI) method and modified it using a stochastic method to assess the effect of geometrical imperfections in more details on the buckling of cylindrical shells with and without the cutout. The comparison of results with those obtained from the numerical Simcple Perturbation Load Imperfection (SPLI) method for cylinders with and without cutout revealed a good correlation. The effect of two parameters of size and number of cutouts on the buckling load was investigated using the linear buckling and Modified LBMI methods. Results confirmed that in cylinders with a small cutout inserting geometrical imperfection using either SPLI or modified LBMI methods significantly reduced the value of the predicted buckling load. However, in cylinders with larger cutouts, the effect of the cutout is dominant, thus considering geometrical imperfection had a minor effect on the buckling loads predicted by both SPLI and modified LBMI methods. Furthermore, the modified LBMI method was employed to evaluate the combination effect of cutout numbers and size on the buckling load. It is shown that in small cutouts, an increasing in the cutout size up to a certain value resulted in a remarkable reduction of the buckling load, and beyond that limit, the buckling loads were constant against D/R ratios. In addition, the cutout number shows a more significant effect on decreasing the buckling load at small D/R ratios than large D/R ratios.