• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.265-271
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• 2012

HoxB4, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, is involved in the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro, and plays a key role in regulating the balance between hematopoietic stem cell renewal and cell differentiation. However, the biological activity of HoxB4 in other cells has not been reported. In this study, we investigated the effect of overexpressed HoxB4 on cell survival under various conditions that induce death, using the Ba/F3 cell line. Analysis of phenotypical characteristics showed that HoxB4 overexpression in Ba/F3 cells reduced cell size, death, and proliferation rate. Moreover, the progression from early to late apoptotic stages was inhibited in Ba/F3 cells subjected to HoxB4 overexpression under removal of interleukin-3-mediated signal, leading to the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and attenuated cell death by Fas protein stimulation in vitro. Furthermore, apoptotic cell death induced by doxorubicin-treated G2/M phase cell-cycle arrest also decreased with HoxB4 overexpression in Ba/F3 cells. From these data, we suggest that HoxB4 may play an important role in the regulation of pro-B cell survival under various apoptotic death environments.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.503-511
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• 2007

Heart rate variability(HRV) is the clinical consequence of various influences of the autonomic nervous system(ANS) on heart beat. HRV can estimate the potential physiologic rhythm from the interval between consecutive beats(RR interval or HRV data), but cardiovascular system governed by ANS is in relation to respiration and autonomic regulation. It is known as RSA representing respiration-related HR rhythmic oscillation. Because the mechanism linking the variability of HR to respiration is complex, it has so far been unknown well. In this paper, we tried to evaluate 5-min RR interval segments under control of respiration in order to find out a proper respiration rate that can estimate the ANS function. 10 healthy volunteers were included to evaluate 5-min HRV data under 4 different respiration-controlled environments; 0.03Hz, 0.1Hz, 0.2Hz, and 0.4Hz respiration. HRV data were analyzed both in the frequency and the time domain, with cross-correlation coefficient(cross-coeff.) for HRV and respiration signal. The results showed maximum cross-coeff. of 0.84 at 0.1 Hz and minimum that of 0.16 at 0.4Hz respiration. Cross-coeff was decreased at a faster rate from 0.1Hz respiration. All mean SDNN, RMSSD, and pNN50 of time domain measures were 108.7ms, 71.85ms, and 28.47%, respectively, and LF, HF, and TP of frequency domain measures were $12,722ms^2,\;658.8ms^2$, and $7,836.64ms^2$ at 0.1Hz respiration, respectively. In conclusion, 0.1Hz respiration was observed to be very meaningful from time domain and frequency domain analysis in relation to respiration and autonomic regulation of the heart.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.539-548
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• 2007

In the paper, a wireless charger with the function of auto-shutdown for fully implantale middle ear hearing devices (F-IMEHD) has been designed. The wireless charger can communicate with an implant module to be turned off automatically shutdown after an internal rechargeable battery has been fully-charged by electromagnetic coupling using two coils. For the communication with an implant module, the wireless charger uses the load shift keying (LSK) method. But, the variation of the mutual inductance due to the different distance between two coils can cause the communication error in receiving the fully-charged signal from an implant module. To solve the problem, the implemented wireless charger has a variable reference generator for LSK communication. The wireless charger generates proper level of the reference voltage for a comparator using an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) and a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). Through the result of experiment, it has been confirmed that the presented wireless charger can detect signals from implantable module. And wireless charger can stop generating electromagnetic flux after an implanted battery has been fully charged in spite of variable coil distance according to different skin thickness.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.203-210
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• 2014

Wearable medical device has been a resurgence of interest thanks to the development of technology and propagation of smart phone in recent years. Various types of wearable devices have been introduced and available in market. Capacitive coupled electrode which measures electrocardiogram over cloth is able to be applied wearable device. In previous approaches of capacitive electrode, they need proper pressure for stable contact of the electrode to body surface. However, wearable device that gives pressure on body surface is not suitable for long-term monitoring. In this study, we proposed adhesive polyurethane-based capacitive electrode for patch-type wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device. Self-adhesive polyurethane make the electrode and whole system be adhered to the surface of skin without any pressure. The patch-type system is consisted of analog filter, analog-to-digital converter and wireless transmission module and designed to be attached on the body as a patch. To validate the feasibility of the developed system, we measured ECG signal in stable and active state and extracted heart rate. Therefore, we observed skin response after long-term attachment for biocompatibility of the adhesive polyurethane and adhesive strength of it. The result shows the possibility of applying the developed system for ECG monitoring in real-life.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.227-233
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• 2014

In this paper, to quantitatively evaluate the degree of rehabilitation for the disabled of unilateral lower extremity, we compared the EMG pattern of normal and simulated abnormal gait. The EMG signal was measured at a rate of 1 kHz on the quadriceps and biceps femoris, the pressure sensor was attached to the sole in order to distinguish the gait cycle. Integrated EMG (IEMG) was obtained by the gait cycle, and classified four patterns that were the normal gait pattern, amplitude decrease pattern, reversed pattern, and irregular pattern. For comparison of the patterns, a curve fitting was performed using the trigonometric functions. The result of curve fitting, the method using a variable A that corresponds to the amplitude of the regression curve was able to distinguish the reverse pattern and remaining pattern. The coefficient of determination ($R^2$) representing coincidence of the pattern of the regression curve and EMG was confirmed the biggest value at the normal gait. Therefore, the degree of normal gait can be confirmed using the coefficient of determination. This results show that it is possible to quantitatively confirm the degree of unilateral lower extremity disabled rehabilitation, and it will be contributed to the study of efficient rehabilitation methods by objective analysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2012

Reproduction in ruminant species is a highly complex biological process requiring a dialogue between the developing conceptus (embryo-fetus and associated placental membranes) and maternal uterus which must be established during the peri-implantation period for pregnancy recognition signaling and regulation of gene expression by uterine epithelial and stromal cells. The uterus provide a microenvironment in which molecules secreted by uterine epithelia and transported into the uterine lumen represent histotroph, also known as the secretome, that are required for growth and development of the conceptus and receptivity of the uterus to implantation by the elongating conceptus. Pregnancy recognition signaling as related to sustaining the functional lifespan of the corpora lutea, is required to sustain the functional life-span of corpora lutea for production of progesterone which is essential for uterine functions supportive of implantation and placentation required for successful outcomes of pregnancy. It is within the peri-implantation period that most embryonic deaths occur in ruminants due to deficiencies attributed to uterine functions or failure of the conceptus to develop appropriately, signal pregnancy recognition and/or undergo implantation and placentation. The endocrine status of the pregnant ruminant and her nutritional status are critical for successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. The challenge is to understand the complexity of key mechanisms that are characteristic of successful reproduction in humans and animals and to use that knowledge to enhance fertility and reproductive health of ruminant species in livestock enterprises.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1061-1068
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• 2010

The biological synthesis of nanoparticles has gained considerable attention in view of their excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity. We isolated and purified rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BS-161R, and these purified rhamnolipids were used to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The purified rhamnolipids were further characterized and the structure was elucidated based on one- and two-dimensional $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, FT-IR, and HR-MS spectral data. Purified rhamnolipids in a pseudoternary system of n-heptane and water system along with n-butanol as a cosurfactant were added to the aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and sodium borohydride to form reverse micelles. When these micelles were mixed, they resulted in the rapid formation of silver nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The nanoparticles formed had a sharp adsorption peak at 410 nm, which is characteristic of surface plasmon resonance of the silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were monodispersed, with an average particle size of 15.1 nm (${\sigma}={\pm}5.82$ nm), and spherical in shape. The EDS analysis revealed the presence of elemental silver signal in the synthesized nanoparticles. The formed silver nanoparticles exhibited good antibiotic activity against both Grampositive and Gram-negative pathogens and Candida albicans, suggesting their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.622-629
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• 2018

Expansins are cell wall proteins that mediate cell wall loosening and promote specific tissue and organ morphogenesis in plants and in some microorganisms. Unlike plant expansins, the biological functions of fungal expansin-like proteins have rarely been discussed. In the present study, an expansin-like protein-encoding fvexpl1 gene, was identified from Flammulina velutipes by using local BLAST. It consisted of five exons with a total length of 822 bp. The deduced protein FVEXPL1 contained 274 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass and isoelectric point of 28,589 Da and pH 4.93, respectively. The first 19 amino acids from the N terminal are the signal peptide. Phylogenetic analysis and multiple protein alignment indicated FVEXPL1 was an expansin-like protein. The expression level of fvexpl1 gene in the stipe was significantly higher than that in the mycelia, primordia, and cap. However, the expression level of fvexpl1 gene was significantly higher in the fast elongation region of the stipe as compared with the slow elongation region. Expression analysis indicated that fvexpl1 gene might have an auxiliary role in the stipe morphogenesis of F. velutipes.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.676-683
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• 2007

A non-invasive respiratory gated radiotherapy system like those based on external anatomic motion gives better comfortableness to patients than invasive system on treatment. However, higher correlation between the external and internal anatomic motion is required to increase the effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory gated radiotherapy. Both of invasive and non-invasive methods need to track the internal anatomy with the higher precision and rapid response. Especially, the non-invasive method has more difficulty to track the target position successively because of using only image processing. So we developed the system to track the motion for a non-invasive respiratory gated system to accurately find the dynamic position of internal structures such as the diaphragm and tumor. The respiratory organ motion tracking apparatus consists of an image capture board, a fluoroscopy system and a processing computer. After the image board grabs the motion of internal anatomy through the fluoroscopy system, the computer acquires the organ motion tracking data by image processing without any additional physical markers. The patients breathe freely without any forced breath control and coaching, when this experiment was performed. The developed pattern-recognition software could extract the target motion signal in real-time from the acquired fluoroscopic images. The range of mean deviations between the real and acquired target positions was measured for some sample structures in an anatomical model phantom. The mean and max deviation between the real and acquired positions were less than 1mm and 2mm respectively with the standardized movement using a moving stage and an anatomical model phantom. Under the real human body, the mean and maximum distance of the peak to trough was measured 23.5mm and 55.1mm respectively for 13 patients' diaphragm motion. The acquired respiration profile showed that human expiration period was longer than the inspiration period. The above results could be applied to respiratory-gated radiotherapy.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2010

In this study we have designed and fabricated an inexpensive micro electronic system that we call Alvitek. It can indirectly but accurately predict and display the partial pressures of alveolar oxygen and carbon dioxide for the patients in the ICU of a hospital. Alvitek consists of both hardware part and software part. Performance of the system is tested by animal experiment with pigs for various $F_{t}e_{2}$ and RR(Respiratory Rate) values under the mechanical ventilation. The predicted alveolar gas partial pressures are cprpared with the approximate alveolar oxygen partial pressures easily calculated by the physician’s bedside formula. As a result, we have concluded that the relative error of A-$aDe_2$ calculated by the bedside formula grows seriously for lower $F_{t}e_{2}$ values. The present prediction method of Alvitek is henceforth believed very meaningful to the physicians. The system hardware and software are described in the text.