• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.10
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• pp.702-717
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• 2022

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV employs diverse strategies to evade host antiviral innate immune responses to mediate a persistent infection. In the present study, we show that nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) interacts with an NF-κB inhibitor immunomodulatory kinase, IKKε, and subsequently downregulates beta interferon (IFN-β) promoter activity. We further demonstrate that NS5A inhibits DDX3-mediated IKKε and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) phosphorylation. We also note that hyperphosphorylation of NS5A mediates protein interplay between NS5A and IKKε, thereby contributing to NS5A mediated modulation of IFN-β signaling. Lastly, NS5A inhibits IKKε-dependent p65 phosphorylation and NF-κB activation. Based on these findings, we propose NS5A as a novel regulator of IFN signaling events, specifically by inhibiting IKKε downstream signaling cascades through its interaction with IKKε. Taken together, these data suggest an additional mechanistic means by which HCV modulates host antiviral innate immune responses to promote persistent viral infection.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.205-212
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• 2022

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating chronic disorder characterized by suprapubic pain and urinary symptoms such as urgency, nocturia, and frequency. The prevalence of IC/BPS is increasing as diagnostic criteria become more comprehensive. Conventional pharmacotherapy against IC/BPS has shown suboptimal effects, and consequently, patients with end-stage IC/BPS are subjected to surgery. The novel treatment strategies should have two main functions, anti-inflammatory action and the regeneration of glycosaminoglycan and urothelium layers. Stem cell therapy has been shown to have dual functions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic option for IC/BPS, but they come with several shortcomings, such as immune activation and tumorigenicity. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) hold numerous therapeutic cargos and are thus a viable cell-free therapeutic option. In this review, we provide a brief overview of IC/BPS pathophysiology and limitations of the MSC-based therapies. Then we provide a detailed explanation and discussion of therapeutic applications of EVs in IC/BPS as well as the possible mechanisms. We believe our review will give an insight into the strengths and drawbacks of EV-mediated IC/BPS therapy and will provide a basis for further development.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.337-347
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently a pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 are directly associated with hyper-activation of innate immune response that excessively produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and induce cytokine storm, leading to multi-organ-failure and significant morbidity/mortality. Currently, several antiviral drugs such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) and molnupiravir are authorized to treat mild to moderate COVID-19, however, there are still no drugs that can specifically fight against challenges of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Panax ginseng, a medicinal plant widely used for treating various conditions, might be appropriate for this need due to its anti-inflammatory/cytokine/viral activities, fewer side effects, and cost efficiency. To review Panax ginseng and its pharmacologically active-ingredients as potential phytopharmaceuticals for treating cytokine storm of COVID-19, articles that reporting its positive effects on the cytokine production were searched from academic databases. Experimental/clinical evidences for the effectiveness of Panax ginseng and its active-ingredients in preventing or mitigating cytokine storm, especially for the cascade of cytokine storm, suggest that they might be beneficial as an adjunct treatment for cytokine storm of COVID-19. This review may provide a new approach to discover specific medications using Panax ginseng to control cytokine storm of COVID-19.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.449-459
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• 2023

This study focuses on online communities and the ritual conversations of users when participating in sharing activities. The study aims to understand the social and psychological phenomena that occur between users within the context of Erving Goffman's impression management theory. Case studies and a content analysis were conducted by collecting posts and comments related to fashion products in the sharing activities category on Naver Cafe "Family Sale." On the one hand, the study identified various disposition motives among givers, including a desire for recognition, self-expression, activation of the community, emotional sympathy, goodwill, play, and simple disposition. On the other hand, receivers' purchase motives included the need for a product, reciprocation based on a sense of belonging, play, gift-giving, and simple response. Analyzing the posts of givers and the comments of receivers of fashion products using impression management strategies and dramaturgical analysis, the study interpreted users' impression management and revealed propensities in fashion consumption: fashionability, conspicuousness, value orientation, and economic feasibility. Through ritual conversations, users managed to attain emotional stability on an individual level, while they reinforced collective bonds on a social level. They fulfilled their roles with their own narratives to achieve personal and collective goals in a non-face-to-face situations and non-monetary transactions. This study is significant in that it examines normative communication in an online community and user relationships to understand a recent phenomenon in the fashion industry.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.543-551
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is a representative Chinese herbal medicine with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) has been isolated from ginseng and shown to have promising pharmacological activities. However, effects of PDD on pulmonary fibrosis (PF) have not been reported. We hypothesize that PDD may reverse inflammation-induced PF and be a novel therapeutic strategy. Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a model of PF induced by bleomycin (BLM). The pulmonary index was measured, and histological and immunohistochemical examinations were made. Cell cultures of mouse alveolar epithelial cells were analyzed with Western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, siRNA transfection, cellular thermal shift assay and qRT-PCR. Results: The survival rate of PPD-treated mice was higher than that of untreated BLM-challenged mice. Expression of fibrotic hallmarks, including α-SMA, TGF-β1 and collagen I, was reduced by PPD treatment, indicating attenuation of PF. Mice exposed to BLM had higher STING levels in lung tissue, and this was reduced by phosphorylated AMPK after activation by PPD. The role of phosphorylated AMPK in suppressing STING was confirmed in TGF-b1-incubated cells. Both in vivo and in vitro analyses indicated that PPD treatment attenuated BLM-induced PF by modulating the AMPK/STING signaling pathway. Conclusion: PPD ameliorated BLM-induced PF by multi-target regulation. The current study may help develop new therapeutic strategies for preventing PF.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2023

Humanities are as crucial as the technology itself in the intelligent information society. Human-centered convergence information technology (IT), which reflects emotional and human nature, can be considered a unique technology with an optimistic outlook in the unpredictable future. Based on this research background, this paper proposed an education model that can improve the IT humanities capabilities of various learners, including elementary and secondary students, prospective teachers, incumbent teachers, school managers, and the general public, through analysis of previous studies on convergence education models. Furthermore, the practical aspects of the proposed model were closely examined so that the proposed education model could be stably incorporated and utilized in the educational field. There are seven strategies for implementing the education model proposed in this paper, including research on textbooks, teaching and learning materials, activation of research results, maker space creation, global joint research, online education operation, developing living lab governance, and diversification of self-sustaining platforms for sustainable and practical education. In the future, validity verification through expert Delphi is required as a follow-up study.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.175-186
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• 2023

This study was conducted to explore the necessary conditions and support for stable operation of an expanded AI curriculum in education. A high school that has implemented an AI curriculum since 2020 was targeted, and students and teachers were surveyed on their perceptions of the AI curriculum, implementation and support strategies. The survey items were categorized into 1) experience with AI education, 2) implementation direction of AI education, and 3) expected effects through AI education, and the results were derived focusing on frequency analysis to identify trends. The analysis resulted in three implications. First, it was suggested that the activation of AI education. Second, the need to develop a hands-on AI curriculum and incorporate AI throughout the entire curriculum was highlighted. Third, it was emphasized that efforts to enhance the capabilities of teachers to implement AI teaching and learning, along with the expansion of physical infrastructure for hands-on education, are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2023

Although user satisfaction and activation are noting new, factors related to user emotion have been a part of the important subject shared by most people for management. But few studies have known in culture and welfare facilities using closed rural schools. The samples were collected through self-completed a questionnaires, a total of 322 users data were identified by SPSS 25.0 and frequency and descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. The main results are as follows: 1) General user satisfaction of culture and welfare facilities using closed rural schools reach a total or 8.52 points(out of a total of 10 points), 2) significant factors related to user satisfaction are comparative satisfaction, recognition of contribution to the local economy, age, job. A key insight from these results is that most users are satisfied with the culture and welfare facilities using closed rural schools. And relationship between user satisfaction and a variety of variables indicates the essential for differentiation and utilization of services. It is necessary to implement several practical and political strategies taking the context and the needs of users as a way of enhancing the urban and rural welfare services.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.933-941
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• 2023

Since the Industrial Age, economic activities have raised environmental concerns, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity conservation areas. However, a fundamental contradiction exists between conservation and utilization, leading to conflicting interests. In light of these issues, the aim of this study was to propose efficient operational strategies for future urban biodiversity conservation areas, while also promoting local community economic development. Accordingly, the focus was the Gwangneung Forest Biosphere Reserve as a case study. The findings reveal the following. First, all local residents recognize the importance of the biosphere reserve and hold a high regard for its direct role in conservation. Second, developing and promoting brands appears to have a more positive impact on local economic activation than activating projects linked to the biosphere reserve. Simultaneously, local residents have expressed negative evaluations of indiscriminate facility development, fearing reckless expansion. Third, if governance is promoted in the future, community participation will likely increase, leading to a strengthening of conservation awareness and the establishment of a framework among local residents and those in adjacent areas. Findings of this study are expected to serve as fundamental data for establishing effective communication among local residents in protected areas facing similar challenges, thus facilitating efficient decision-making processes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.527-534
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• 2023

Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is the main cause of organ dysfunction and failure after liver surgeries including organ transplantation. The mechanism of liver IRI is complex and numerous signals are involved but cellular metabolic disturbances, oxidative stress, and inflammation are considered the major contributors to liver IRI. In addition, the activation of inflammatory signals exacerbates liver IRI by recruiting macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, and activating NK cells, NKT cells, and cytotoxic T cells. Technological advances enable us to understand the role of specific immune cells during liver IRI. Accordingly, therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat liver IRI have been proposed but no definitive and effective therapies exist yet. This review summarizes the current update on the immune cell functions and discusses therapeutic potentials in liver IRI. A better understanding of this complex and highly dynamic process may allow for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches and optimize patient outcomes.