• ALGAE
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.265-279
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• 2022

The primary production (PP) by phytoplankton in marine ecosystems is essential for carbon cycling and fueling food webs. Hence, estimating the PP in the territorial sea of each country is a necessary step to achieving carbon neutrality. To estimate the PP in the territorial sea of the Republic of Korea from 2005 to 2021, we analyzed various physiochemical parameters, such as sea surface temperature (SST), Secchi depth, and concentrations of chlorophyll-a and nutrients in the seas of five regions, including the East Sea, West Sea, western South Sea, eastern South Sea, and the waters off Jeju Island. During the 17-year study period, the SST tended to increase, while the nutrient concentrations declined, except in the Jeju area. Overall, the PP did not show a specific temporal trend, but daily PP in the western South Sea was the highest among the five regions. Moreover, the maximum PP in the Korean territorial waters (76,450 km²) was estimated at 11,227 Gg C y^-1, which accounts for 0.03% of the global PP. The results may give insights into a better understanding of the PP, further resource utilization, and environmental sustainability in the studied region.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.299-310
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• 2022

Environmental protection has been infused into the development of numerous fields by the Chinese government. The government's implementation of green development has also shifted its focus to green transformation and governance of highpolluting companies. In the context of green and sustainable development, this study employs DEA data envelopment analysis to compare the operating efficiency of listed firms that implemented Green Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in China in 2018. The conclusions of this study are as follows: First, China's green M&A enterprises are unevenly dispersed among the country's east, middle, and western regions. Second, compared to before the implementation of Green M&A, operational efficiency has improved in most industries. Third, the difference in Green M&A across industries is generally favorable, showing that most organizations have improved their operational performance as a result of Green M&A implementation. In 2018, however, the gap in operating efficiency is more negative. Fourth, whereas the eastern and western areas' operational efficiency has improved as a result of Green M&A, the central region's has not. Based on this conclusion, this study makes recommendations for China's future sustainable development of heavily polluted firms.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.531-539
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• 2024

Sleep is one of the most essential physiological phenomena for maintaining health. Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, are often accompanied by psychiatric or physical conditions such as impaired attention, anxiety, and stress. Medication used to treat insomnia have concerns about potential side effects with long-term use, so interest in the use of alternative medicine is increasing. In this study, we investigated the hypnotic effects of β-lapachone (β-Lap), a natural naphthoquinone compound, using pentobarbital-induced sleep test, immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, and western blot in mice. Our results indicated that β-Lap exerts a significant hypnotic effect by showing a decrease in sleep onset latency and an increase in total sleep time in pentobarbital-induced sleep model. The results of c-Fos immunostaining showed that β-Lap decreased neuronal activity in the basal forebrain and lateral hypothalamus, which are wakefulness-promoting brain regions, while increasing in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus, a sleep-promoting region; all these effects were significantly abolished by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), an adenosine A₁ receptor (A₁R) antagonist. Western blot analysis showed that β-Lap increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and nuclear factor-kappa B translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus; these effects were inhibited by DPCPX. Additionally, β-Lap increased the mRNA levels of A₁R. Taken together, these results suggest that β-Lap exerts hypnotic effects, potentially through A₁R.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.205-209
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• 2014

Echinococcus granulosus is the causative agent of cystic echinococcosis with medical and veterinary importance in China. Our main objective was to discuss the genotypes and genetic diversity of E. granulosus present in domestic animals and humans in western China. A total of 45 hydatid cyst samples were collected from sheep, humans, and a yak and subjected to an analysis of the sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene. The amplified PCR product for all samples was a 1,068 bp band. The phylogenetic analysis showed that all 45 samples were identified as E. granulosus (genotype G1). Ten haplotypes were detected among the samples, with the main haplotype being H1. The haplotype diversity was 0.626, while the nucleotide diversity was 0.001. These results suggested that genetic diversity was low among our samples collected from the west of China based on cytb gene analysis. These findings may provide more information on molecular characteristics of E. granulosus from this Chinese region.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.3705-3709
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• 2013

Background: To investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to analyze any relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Materials and Methods: EGFR gene exons 18-21 in 48 specimens of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from NSCLC patients were amplified by PCR, followed by direct sequencing and analysis of links to clinicopathological features and prognosis. Results: EGFR mutations were detected in 18 of 48 (42.6%) patients with NSCLC. There were 9 cases of mutations in exon 20, 7 in exon 19 and 2 in exon 21. Mutations were more frequently observed in women (5/7 pts, 71.4%) than in men (13/41 pts, 31.7%) (p=0.086) and in non-smokers (5/5 pts, 100%) than smokers (13/43 pts, 30.2%). There was negative correlation of EGFR mutations with smoking status (p=0.005). EGFR mutations were more frequently observed with adenocarcinoma histology (13/32 pts, 40.6%) than in other types (5/16 pts, 31.3%) (p=0.527). The patients with EGFR mutations had better survival than those with wild-type EGFR (p=0.08). There was no association of EGFR mutations with metastatic spread. Conclusions: EGFR mutations in NSCLC were here demonstrated more frequently in females, non-smokers and adenocarcinoma histology in the western region of Turkey. Patients with EGFR mutations have a better prognosis.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.97-102
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to analyzed pattern of proteins expression abnormally in cloned bovine placenta. TIMP-2 protein whose function is related to extracellular matrix degradation and tissue remodeling processes was one of differentially up-regulated proteins in SCNT placenta. And one of down-regulated protein in SCNT placenta was identified as vimentin protein that is presumed to stabilize the architecture of the cytoplasm. The expression patterns of these proteins were validated by Western blotting. To evaluate how regulatory loci. of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was programmed reprogramming in cloned placenta. the status of DNA methylation in the promoter region of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was analyzed by sodium Bisulfite mapping. The DNA methylation results showed that there was not difference in methylation pattern of TIMP-2 and vimentin loci between cloned and normal placenta. Histone H3 acetylation state of the nucleosome was analyzed in the cloned placental and normal placenta by Western blotting. A small portion of the protein lysates were subjected to Western blotting with the antibodies against anti acetyl-Histone H3. Overall histone H3 acetylation state of SCNT placenta was significantly higher than those of normal placenta cells. It is postulated that cloned placenta at the end of gestation seems to be unusual in function and morphology of placenta via improper expression of TIMP-2 and vimentin by abnormal acetylation states of cloned genome.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.301-308
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• 2002

As part of perfluorocarbon (PFC) tracer release experiment conducted at the western coastal area of Korea in February 2001, the background concentration level of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) in the atmosphere was determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detector. Prior to the PFC tracer release experiment in the field, air samples were collected using active samplers and the background concentrations of PFCs were determined. The concentrations of perfluoromethylcyclohexane ($C_7F_{14}$, PMCH) in the western coastal area of Korea were in the range of 5.8-8.7 fL/L. The mean concentration of the PMCH in the region exhibited no significant spatial and temporal variations. This concentration level is somewhat higher and has larger standard deviation than those of studies previously conducted in USA and Europe on the background concentration levels of PFCs. Because the background concentration of PMCH in Korea is still very low and consistent temporally and spatially, the PMCH tracer can be used suitably for the studies of long-range atmospheric transport.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.18-22
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• 1998

Bacillus licheniformis를 화학적 돌연변이를 시켜 내열성 ${\alpha}-amylase$ 고생산성 변이주 SK-5를 얻었다. 변이주는 모균에 비하여 약 50배 정도의 ${\alpha}-amylase$를 생산하였으며, 그 모양이 가늘고 길이가 길어졌고, 성장속도가 감소되었다. 이 효소의 유전적 변화를 분석하기 위하여 변이주 SK-5로부터 ${\alpha}-amylase$ 유전자 염기배열을 결정한 결과 구조유전자의 염기배열은 동일하였으나 promoter 지역에서 일부 변이가 일어난 것이 확인되어 이것이 부분적으로 효소생산성 증가에 영향을 미칠 것으로 여겨진다. SK-5의 ${\alpha}-amylase$ 생산성이 높기 때문에 이의 배양상층액으로부터 열처리와 황산암모늄 침전 후 한 단계의 hydroxyapatite 컬럼을 사용하여 순수하게 정제된 ${\alpha}-amylase$를 얻을 수 있었다. 변이에 따른 세포외 단백질분해효소의 영향을 검증하기 위하여 SK-5 배양액을 시간별로 준비하여 Western blot으로 분석한 결과 변이주에서 분비되는 ${\alpha}-amylase$의 구조에 변화가 없음을 확인하였다.

• 한국잡초학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.364-370
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• 1998

1981 및 1992년도 우리 나라 논잡초 조사자료를 이용한 생태학적 종합우점도 분석과 GIS에 의한 분석결과에 대한 요약을 하여 보면 다음과 같다. 1. 1981년 생태학적 종합우점도 분석에 의하여 가장 우점도가 높았던 잡초는 물달개비이었으며, 이는 전국적인 논에 걸쳐 가장 발생밀도가 높은 것으로 이해되지만 GIS분석에 의한 전국지역에 걸친 발생밀도는 이와 큰 차이가 나타났다. 2. 1981년 GIS분석에 의한 일년생 광엽잡초 물달개비의 발생우점 지역으로서는 경기의 시흥, 여주지역, 충남의 당진, 예산, 아산, 공주, 청양, 부여, 논산, 천안, 금산 등이었으며, 경북지방은 점촌, 청도, 영천, 봉화, 영풍 등이 상대적으로 매우 높은 발생량을 보였다. 3. 1992년 우점도가 가장 높았던 잡초는 다년생 사초과 잡초인 올방개이었으며. GIS분석에 의한 지역별 발생밀도는 현저한 차이를 보였으며, 주로 경기남부지역과 충남 중 서부지역, 전남 남 서부지역 등이 상대적으로 발생밀도가 높았다. 4. 1992년 올방개 발생이 극심한 지역은 경기 용인, 안성, 화성, 평택, 이천, 여주 일원과 충남의 서산, 당진, 태안, 천안, 공주, 아산, 청양, 예산, 대전일원, 전북의 장수, 전남의 무안, 나주, 해남 등으로 나타났다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권21호
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• pp.9467-9470
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• 2014

Background: Research indicates that oxidative stress induced by smoking plays a role in breast cancer. In view of these reports, we aimed to study th relationship between smoking and oxidative stress in breast cancer patients from the western region of Nepal. Materials and Methods: The study included a control group of 42 females (non-smoking healthy women) and a test group sudivided into Group I consisting of 46 female breast cancer patients who were smokers and Group II consisting of 42 non-smoking breast cancer patients. Detailed history of the patients was collected with the help of pre-test proforma. Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant activity (TAA) which represents total dietary antioxidants, vitamin C and ${\alpha}$- tocopherol were estimated by standard methods. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Results: The plasma MDA, TAA, vitamin C and ${\alpha}$- tocopherol were $1{\pm}1.4nmol/ml$, $918{\pm}207{\mu}mol/L$, $1{\pm}0.24mg/dL$ and $0.94{\pm}0.31mg/dL$ in controls, $5{\pm}1.2nmol/ml$, $458{\pm}166{\mu}mol/L$, $0.64{\pm}0.32mg/dL$ and $0.5{\pm}0.3mg/dL$ in Group-I and $2.56{\pm}1.2nmol/ml$, $663{\pm}178{\mu}mol/L$, $0.78{\pm}0.2mg/dL$ and $0.77{\pm}0.2mg/dL$ in Group- II, respectively. Vitamin C, ${\alpha}$- tocopherol and TAA (p=0.001) were significantly reduced whereas MDA (p=0.001) was significantly raised in Group-I when compared to controls and Group-II. Conclusions: We observed a significant rise in oxidative stress and low levels of antioxidants in breast cancer patients with smoking habit. It is well known that free radicals facilitate the progression of breast cancer, possibly increasing the risk of progression to the next stage.