• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.277-285
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• 2007

PCD (programmed cell death) is important mechanism for development, homeostasis and disease. To analyze the gene expression pattern in brain cells undergoing PCD in response to serum deprivation, we analyzed the cDNA microarray consisting of 2,300 genes and 7 housekeeping genes of cortical cells derived from mouse embryonic brain. Cortical cells were induced apoptosis by serum deprivation for 8 hours. We identified 69 up-regulated genes and 21 down-regulated genes in apoptotic cells. Based on the cDNA microarray data four genes were selected and analyzed by RT-PCR and northern blotting. To characterize the role of UNC-51-like kinase (ULK2) gene in PCD, we investigated cell death effect by ULK2. And we examined expression of several genes that related with PCD. Especially GAPDH was increased by ULK2. Theses findings indicated that ULK2 is involved in apoptosis through p53 pathway.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2019

Sparassis latifolia is a fungus abundant in β-glucan and amino acids and is highly valued as a medicinal mushroom. Among amino acids, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a free amino acid and has biological effects, such as increase/decrease of hypertension, improvement of cerebral blood flow, and prevention of dementia. In this study, biological elicitors were used to increase bioactive substances as a biofortification method. Sodium alginate extracted from seaweed (Sargassum horneri, Sargassum fulvellum, Sargassum fusiforme) were used as the elicitor. The levels of β-glucan and GABA in the mycelium and fruiting body grown by adding the elicitor to the medium were investigated. Addition of sodium alginate positively affected GABA production and negatively affected the β-glucan production in these fungi. Sodium alginates extracted from S. fulvellum induced the highest increase in GABA in the mycelium and fruiting bodies. Moreover, we investigated the effects of the extracts from mycelium and fruiting bodies on dendrite development in primary cortical neurons. We found that the extract from the fruiting bodies of sodium alginate treated fungi with increased levels of GABA inhibited the dendrite outgrowth of excitatory neurons, but not inhibitory neurons.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.13-22
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• 1970

The rice variety, Kwanok, was reared in the water, land and salt seed beds and transplanted to the reclaimed soil area having an average of 0.48% salt content (0.67% at the end of April). The plant height of land bel seedlings at transplanting stage was short but the dry-weight/plant-height ratio was large and the rooting ability was vigorous remarkably after transplantation in the salty area. The central cylinder, vessels, sclerenchyma, endodermis and other mechanical tissues of the root of land bed seedlings were well developed while the size of cortical cell layers were small. The cytoplasm of the cortical parenchyma at the root tips seemed to be most abundant in the land bed seedlings. The formation of the aerial cavity in the cortex of primary root was rapid and it seemed that the developmental mechanism of the aerial cavity in the rice plant roots was related to the development of the lateral roots.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.280-290
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• 2017

Several lines of evidence suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is known to regulate the ER stress signaling pathway, but its role in neuronal systems in terms of ER stress remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that rotenone-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma cell lines and mouse primary cortical neurons was ameliorated by PTP1B inhibition. Moreover, the increase in the level of ER stress markers ($eIF2{\alpha}$ phosphorylation and PERK phosphorylation) induced by rotenone treatment was obviously suppressed by concomitant PTP1B inhibition. However, the rotenone-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was not affected by PTP1B inhibition, suggesting that the neuroprotective effect of the PTP1B inhibitor is not associated with ROS production. Moreover, we found that MG132-induced toxicity involving proteasome inhibition was also ameliorated by PTP1B inhibition in a human neuroblastoma cell line and mouse primary cortical neurons. Consistently, downregulation of the PTP1B homologue gene in Drosophila mitigated rotenone- and MG132-induced toxicity. Taken together, these findings indicate that PTP1B inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach for ER stress-mediated neurodegenerative diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.187-191
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• 2006

Purpose : Malformation of cortical development(MCD) constitutes an important etiology of intractable epilepsy and is considered an indication for surgical treatments, though their efficacy is limited and variable depending on MCD's location or distribution. Ketogenic diets are widely known to be effective, but as little study has been made concerning their efficacy on epilepsy with MCD, we evaluated the efficacy of ketogenic diets on MCD patients compared with that of epileptic surgery, which is more invasive. Methods : We performed retrospective studies and analyse on 30 patients with MCD diagnosed by brain MRI and treated with ketogenic diets for intractable epilepsy since 1998, checking decreases in their seizure episodes after starting the diets. Results : Cortical dysplasia was observed in 24(80.0 percent) patients as the most common type of MCD. Also, MCD was observed in unilateral hemisphere most commonly, in 23(76.7 percent) patients; it was observed in both hemispheres in 7(23.3 percent) patients. Nine(30.0 percent) out of 30 patients became seizure-free after starting ketogenic diets, and 14(46.7 percent) patients experienced 50 percent seizure reductions as well. Age of starting the diet or the duration of epilepsy period before starting showed no statistical relationship with the efficacy of the diet. Though the younger the patient and the longer the treatment the more effective the diet seemed to be, there was no statistical correlation between them. The location of MCD showed no significance neither. Conclusion : Considering various limits and invasiveness of surgical treatment, a ketogenic diet could be a good tool in treating children with intractable epilepsy with MCD.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 1999

In order to examine the effect of $Ca^{2+}$ -chelation on in vitro fertilization of rat zona-free oocyte, the formation of cortical granule envelope (CGE) and the rate of fertilization related to monospermy and polyspermy were determined. The ultrastructural characteristics of oocytes were observed with the scanning electron microscope and BAPTA/AM was used for calcium-chelation. The CGE formed by cortical reaction was observed in zona-free oocyte inseminated in vitro and it was also observed in the calcium chelator (1, 5, 10$\mu$M BAPTA/AM) treated zona-free oocytes inseminated in vitro. The CGE developed according to incubation time. The fertilization rate was decreased in the calcium chelator-treated group (59.8, 38.1, 37.0%) compared to the control group (60.6%) but monospermy rate was increased in the calcium chelator-treated group (45.0, 47.3, 50.9%) compared to control group (37.5%). The above results demonstrate that the CGE is formed during fertilization in rat and the extracellular calcium is used in cortical reaction. Also the results suggest that proper concentration of free calcium in oocyte acts as important factor in fertilization.n.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.11-16
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• 2001

The development of the central nervous system is a continuous process during the embryonic and fetal periods. For a better understanding of congenital anomalies of central nervous system, three major events of normal development, i.e., neurulation (3 to 4 weeks), brain vesicle formation (4 to 7 weeks) and mantle formation (over 8 weeks) should be kept in mind. The first category of anomalies is neural tube defect. Neural tube defects encompass all the anomalies arise in completion of neurulation. The second category of central nervous system anomalies is disorders of brain vesicle formation. This is anomaly that applies for "the face predicts the brain". Holoprosencephaly covers a spectrum of anomalies of intracranial and midfacial development which result from incomplete development and septation of midline structures within the forebrain or prosencephalon. The last category of central nervous system malformation is disorders involving the process of mantle formation. In the human, neurons are generated in two bursts, the first from 8 to 10 weeks and next from 12 to 14 weeks. By 16 weeks, most of the neurons have been generated and have started their migration into the cortex. Mechanism of migration disorders are multifactorial. Abnormal migration into the cortex, abnormal neurons, faulty neural growth within the cortex, unstable pial-glial border, degeneration of neurons, neural death by exogenous factors are some of the proposed mechanism. Agyria-pachygyria are characterized by a four-layerd cortex. Polymicrogyria is gyri that are too numerous and too small, and is morphologically heterogeneous. Cortical dysplasia is characterized by the presence Q[ abnormal neurons and glia arranged abnormally in focal areas of the cerebral cortex. Neuroglial malformative lesions associated with medically intractable epilepsy are hamartia or hamartoma, focal cortical dysplasia and microdysgenesis.ysgenesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.416-423
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• 2007

Alterations in the glycan chains of cell surface glycoconjugates are frequently involved biological processes such as cell-cell interaction, cell migration, differentiation and development. Cultured embryonic (E18) rat cortical neurons underwent apoptosis in response to camptothecin, and lectin histochemistry showed that binding to apoptotic neurons of FITC-conjugated Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA), which is specific for terminal ${\alpha}2,3$-sialic acid residues, increased progressively with increasing concentrations of camptothecin. Analysis of the total proteins of apoptotic neurons by SDS-PAGE, and lectin blotting using HRP-labeled MAA, revealed that the expression of terminal ${\alpha}2,3$-sialic acid residues on an unknown protein with an apparent molecular mass of 25.6 kDa also increased in apoptotic neurons. NP-HPLC analysis of the total cellular N-glycans of normal and apoptotic neurons demonstrated that the expression of structurally simpler biantennary types of N-glycans fell by 49% during apoptosis whereas the more branched triantennary types of N-glycans with terminal sialic acid residues increased by up to 59%. These results suggest that increased surface expression of ${\alpha}2,3$-sialic acid residues and hyperglycosylation of N-glycans is a common feature of cellular responses to changes in cell physiology such as tumorigenesis and apoptosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 1996

This laboratory has recently reported the synthesis and in vitro antitumor activity of PT(II) complexes containing ethylenediamine and diphosphine. In view of the reports of others, cisplatin is toxic to the kidney since the kidney's vulnerability to PT(II) complexes may originate in its ability to accumulate and retain platinum to a greater degree than other organs. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these synthetic PT(II) complexes on the primary cultured proximal tubular cells of rabbit kidney and renal cortical cells of human kidney was investigated. Three endpoints for cytotoxicity tests were evaluated:3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), $^3H$-thymidine uptake and the glucose consumption tests. The rank order of sensitivity exhibited $^3H$-thymidine uptake>MTT>glucose consumption test. The agents with diphosphine leaving group were significantly less cytotoxic than cisplatin. Moreover, 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (DPPE) exhibited less cytotoxicity than 1.3-bis (diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPP) against on rabbit and human cultured kidney cells. Based on these results, the decreased nephrotoxicity of these new complexes over cisplatin appeared to be partially attributable to a leaving group of DPPP and DPPE. This novel class of platinum compound represents a valuable lead in the development of a "third-generation" agent.

• Advances in biomechanics and applications
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.187-210
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• 2014

With the goal of increasing the survivorship of the prosthesis and anticipating primary stability problems of new prosthetic implants, finite element evaluation of the micromotion, at an early stage of the development, is mandatory. This allows assessing and optimizing different designs without manufacturing prostheses. This study aimed at investigating, using finite element analysis (FEA), the difference in the prediction of the primary stability of cementless hip prostheses implanted into a $Sawbones^{(R)}$ 4th generation, using the manufacturer's mechanical properties and using mechanical properties close to that of human bone provided by the literature (39 papers). FEA was carried out on the composite $Sawbones^{(R)}$ implanted with a straight taper femoral stem subjected to a loading condition simulating normal walking. Our results show that micromotion increases with a reduction of the bone material properties and decreases with the augmentation of the bone material properties at the stem-bone interface. Indeed, a decrease of the cancellous Young modulus from 155MPa to 50MPa increased the average micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ up to $41{\mu}m$ (+42%), whereas an increase of the cancellous Young modulus from 155MPa to 1000MPa decreased the average micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $5{\mu}m$ (-83%). A decrease of cortical Young modulus from 16.7GPa to 9GPa increase the average global micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $35{\mu}m$ (+33%), whereas an increase of the cortical Young modulus from 16.7GPa to 21GPa decreased the average global micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $27{\mu}m$ (-7%). It can also be seen that the material properties of the cancellous structure had a greater influence on the micromotion than the material properties of the cortical structure. The present study shows that micromotion predicted at the stem-bone interface with material properties of the $Sawbones^{(R)}$ 4th generation is close to that predicted with mechanical properties of human femur.