• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2015

Facile immobilization of growth factors in hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels using dual enzymes is reported in the paper. The hydrogels were formed by using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and transforming growth factor-${\beta}3$ (TGF-${\beta}3$) was covalently conjugated on the hydrogels in situ using tyrosinase (Ty) without any modifications. For the preparation of hydrogels, HA was grafted with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), which was modified with a tyrosine. The gelation times of the HA hydrogels were ranging from 415 to 17 s and the storage moduli was dependent on the concentration of $H_2O_2$ and Ty (470-1600 Pa). A native TGF-${\beta}3$ (200 ng/mL) was readily encapsulated in the HA hydrogels and 17% of the TGF-${\beta}3$ was released over 1 month at the Ty concentration of 0.5 KU/mL, while the release was faster when 0.3 KU/mL of Ty was used for the encapsulation (27%). It can be suggested that the growth factors resident in the hydrogels for a long period of time may lead cells proliferating and differentiating, whereas the growth factors that are initially released from the hydrogels can induce the ingrowth of cells into the matrices. Therefore, the dual enzymatic methods as facile gel forming and loading of various native growth factors or therapeutic proteins could be highly promising for tissue regenerative medicines.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.24 no.1_2
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• pp.437-448
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• 2007

Suppose K is a nonempty closed convex nonexpansive retract of a real uniformly convex Banach space E with P as a nonexpansive retraction. Let $T_1,\;T_2\;and\;T_3\;:\;K{\rightarrow}E$ be nonexpansive mappings with nonempty common fixed points set. Let $\{\alpha_n\},\;\{\beta_n\},\;\{\gamma_n\},\;\{\alpha'_n\},\;\{\beta'_n\},\;\{\gamma'_n\},\;\{\alpha'_n\},\;\{\beta'_n\}\;and\;\{\gamma'_n\}$ be real sequences in [0, 1] such that ${\alpha}_n+{\beta}_n+{\gamma}_n={\alpha}'_n+{\beta'_n+\gamma}'_n={\alpha}'_n+{\beta}'_n+{\gamma}'_n=1$, starting from arbitrary $x_1{\in}K$, define the sequence $\{x_n\}$ by $$\{zn=P({\alpha}'_nT_1x_n+{\beta}'_nx_n+{\gamma}'_nw_n)\;yn=P({\alpha}'_nT_2z_n+{\beta}'_nx_n+{\gamma}'_nv_n)\;x_{n+1}=P({\alpha}_nT_3y_n+{\beta}_nx_n+{\gamma}_nu_n)$$ with the restrictions $\sum^\infty_{n=1}{\gamma}_n<\infty,\;\sum^\infty_{n=1}{\gamma}'_n<\infty,\; \sum^\infty_{n=1}{\gamma}'_n<\infty$. (i) If the dual $E^*$ of E has the Kadec-Klee property, then weak convergence of a $\{x_n\}$ to some $x^*{\in}F(T_1){\cap}{F}(T_2){\cap}(T_3)$ is proved; (ii) If $T_1,\;T_2\;and\;T_3$ satisfy condition(A'), then strong convergence of $\{x_n\}$ to some $x^*{\in}F(T_1){\cap}{F}(T_2){\cap}(T_3)$ is obtained.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2009

The glycoprotein hormone family represents a class of heterodimers, that includes the placental hormone equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and the anterior pituitary hormones- follitropin (FSH), lutropin (LH), and thyrotropin (TSH). The 4 hormones are heterodimers, with a common $\alpha$-subunit and unique $\beta$-subunits. eCG is the most heavily glycosylated of the known pituitary and placental glycoprotein hormones. Recent observations using single chain glycoprotein hormone analogs in which, the $\beta$-and $\alpha$-subunits are linked, implied that heterodimeric-like quaternary configuration is not a prerequisite for receptor/signal transduction. To study the function and signal transduction of tethered rec-eCG, a single chain eCG molecule was constructed and rec-eCG protein was produced. Molecular mass of the single chain is about 45 kDa. All mice were ovulated by tethered rec-eCG treatment. The dual activity of tethered rec-eCG was determined in receptor cell lines of nonequid species; in fact, this dual activity was proven in species other than horse. Tethered rec-eCG in equids does not bind to FSH receptors, suggesting that eCG is primarily an LH-like hormone in the horse. Taken together, these data suggest that tethered rec-eCG has dual activity in nonequid species in vitro. However, it has only LH-like activity in equid species in vitro.

• Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2014

Voronoi diagrams are powerful for solving spatial problems among particles and have been used in many disciplines of science and engineering. In particular, the Voronoi diagram of three-dimensional spheres, also called the additively-weighted Voronoi diagram, has proven its powerful capabilities for solving the spatial reasoning problems for the arrangement of atoms in both molecular biology and material sciences. In order to solve application problems, the dual structure, called the quasi-triangulation, and its derivative structure, called the beta-complex, are frequently used with the Voronoi diagram itself. However, the Voronoi diagram, the quasi-triangulation, and the beta-complexes are sometimes regarded as somewhat difficult for ordinary users to understand. This paper presents the two-dimensional counterparts of their definitions and introduce the BetaConcept program which implements the theory so that users can easily learn the powerful concept and capabilities of these constructs in a plane. The BetaConcept program was implemented in the standard C++ language with MFC and OpenGL and freely available at Voronoi Diagram Research Center (http://voronoi.hanyang.ac.kr).

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2007

In this communication, we report the efficacy of $\beta$-carotene towards differentiation and apoptosis of leukemia cells. Dose ($20{\mu}M$) and time dependence (12 h) tests of $\beta$-carotene showed a higher magnitude of decrease (significance p < 0.05) in cell numbers and cell viability in HL-60 cells than U937 cells but not normal cell like Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). Microscopical observation of $\beta$-carotene treated cells showed a distinct pattern of morphological abnormalities with inclusion of apoptotic bodies in both leukemia cell lines. When cells were treated with $20{\mu}M$ of $\beta$-carotene, total genomic DNA showed a fragmentation pattern and this pattern was clear in HL-60 than U937 cells. Both the cell lines, on treatment with $\beta$-carotene, showed a clear shift in $G_1$ phase of the cell cycle. In addition the study also revealed anti-oxidant properties of $\beta$-carotene since there was reduction in relative fluorescent when treated than the control at lower concentration. Collectively this study shows the dual phenomenon of apoptosis and differentiation of leukemia cells on treatment with $\beta$-carotene.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.383-384
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• 2009

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dual-task training with cognitive tasks on cognitive functions and β-amyloid levels in the elderly with mild dementia. METHODS: The subjects were 36 elderly inpatients diagnosed with mild dementia at S Hospital located in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. The patients were randomly divided into a dual-task training group (DTG; n = 18) or a single-task training group (STG; n = 18). DTG performed dual-task training with cognitive tasks while STG performed only exercise tasks. These groups performed their respective exercises during a 30-minute session occurring three times a week over an 8-week period. MMSE-K and GDS were used to measure the subjects' cognitive function. To assess the subjects' dementia-related factors, their β-amyloid levels were measured by blood analysis. RESULTS: The results of the experiment were as follows: DTG showed statistically significant differences between their MMSE-K scores and β-amyloid levels before and after training (p < .05), whereas they exhibited no statistically significant differences in their GDS scores. MMSE-K scores and β-amyloid levels were significantly different between DTG and STG after training. CONCLUSION: The present study's overall results indicate that dual-task training with cognitive tasks is more effective than single-task training in improving cognitive functions and β-amyloid levels in the elderly with mild dementia. In other words, regular dual-task training can be considered as effective in improving cognitive function and dementia-related factors in the elderly with mild dementia and thus may be suggested as an effective exercise method for the treatment and early prevention of dementia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2005

HtrA2/Omi is a mammalian mitochondrial serine protease homologous to the E. coli HtrA/DegP gene products. Recently, HtrA2/Omi was found to have a dual role in mammalian cells, acting as an apoptosis-inducing protein and being involved in maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. By screening a human brain cDNA library with $A{\beta}$ peptide as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified HtrA2/Omi as a binding partner of $A{\beta}$ peptide. The interaction between $A{\beta}$ peptide and HtrA2/Omi was confirmed by an immunoblot binding assay. The possible involvement of HtrA2/Omi in $A{\beta}$ peptide metabolism was investigated. In vitro peptide cleavage assays showed that HtrA2/Omi did not directly promote the production of $A{\beta}$ peptide at the ${\beta}/{\gamma}$-secretase level, or the degradation of $A{\beta}$ peptide. However, overexpression of HtrA2/Omi in K269 cells decreased the production of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ by up to 30%. These results rule out the involvement of HtrA2/Omi in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. However, the fact that overexpression of HtrA2/Omi reduces the generation of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ suggests that it may play some positive role in mammalian cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.433-445
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• 2012

During the course of evolution, animals encountered the harmful effects of fungi, which are strong pathogens. Therefore, they have developed powerful mechanisms to protect themselves against these fungal invaders. ${\beta}$-Glucans are glucose polymers of a linear ${\beta}$(1,3)-glucan backbone with ${\beta}$(1,6)-linked side chains. The immunostimulatory and antitumor activities of ${\beta}$-glucans have been reported; however, their mechanisms have only begun to be elucidated. Fungal and particulate ${\beta}$-glucans, despite their large size, can be taken up by the M cells of Peyer's patches, and interact with macrophages or dendritic cells (DCs) and activate systemic immune responses to overcome the fungal infection. The sampled ${\beta}$-glucans function as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on innate immune cells. Dectin-1 receptor systems have been incorporated as the PRRs of ${\beta}$-glucans in the innate immune cells of higher animal systems, which function on the front line against fungal infection, and have been exploited in cancer treatments to enhance systemic immune function. Dectin-1 on macrophages and DCs performs dual functions: internalization of ${\beta}$-glucan-containing particles and transmittance of its signals into the nucleus. This review will depict in detail how the physicochemical nature of ${\beta}$-glucan contributes to its immunostimulating effect in hosts and the potential uses of ${\beta}$-glucan by elucidating the dectin-1 signal transduction pathway. The elucidation of ${\beta}$-glucan and its signaling pathway will undoubtedly open a new research area on its potential therapeutic applications, including as immunostimulants for antifungal and anti-cancer regimens.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.401-406
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• 1994

The medium compositions of Alcaligenes eutrophus were optimized for increasing PHB productivity. It is very important to optimize the concentrations of inorganic salts and trace eleme- nts as well as carbon and nitrogen sources to maximize cell growth rate and productivity. The fed-batch culture of Alcaligenes eutrophus by dual feeding of ammonia water and glucose under optimized initial medium concentrations was carried out. Glucose was fed manually according to glucose consumption rate and ammonia water by pH-stat. The final cell concentrations and PHB content in 30 hours were 122 g/l and 65% of dry cell weight(yielding 79 g of PHB/l), respectively and 2.64 g/l/hr of PHB production rate was obtained.