• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1672-1679
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• 2012

The effect of high stocking density (HSD) on the expression of stress and lipid metabolism associated genes in the liver of broiler chickens was examined by chicken genome array analysis. The chickens in a control group were randomly assigned to a $495cm^2/bird$ stocking density, whereas the chickens in a HSD group were arranged in a $245cm^2/bird$ stocking density with feeding ad libitum for 35 days. The chickens assigned to the HSD group had a significantly lower body weight, weight gain, and feed intake compared with those of the control group (p<0.05). The mortality of chickens was higher in the HSD group than in the control group. The microarray analysis indicated up-regulation of stress associated genes such as HMGCR, $HSP90{\alpha}$, HSPA5 (GRP78/Bip), DNAJC3 and ATF4, and down-regulation of interferon-${\gamma}$ and PDCD4 genes. The endoplasmic reticulum stress associated genes, HSPA5 (GRP78/Bip), DNAJC3 and ATF4, were highly expressed in the HSD group. The genes, ACSL5, TMEM195 and ELOVL6, involved in fatty acid synthesis, were elevated in the HSD group. The genes, ACAA1, ACOX1, EHHADH, LOC423347 and CPT1A, related to fatty acid oxidation, were also activated in the HSD group. These results suggest that a HSD rearing system stimulates the genes associated with fatty acid synthesis as well as fatty acid oxidation in the liver of broiler chickens.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1054-1065
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• 2010

SH21B is a natural composition composed of seven herbs: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Prunus armeniaca Maxim, Ephedra sinica Stapf, Acorus gramineus Soland, Typha orientalis Presl, Polygala tenuifolia Willd and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner (Ratio 3:3:3:3:3:2:2). In our previous study, we reported that SH21B inhibited adipogenesis and fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells through modulation of various regulators in the adipogenesis pathway. The aim of this study was to analyze the transcriptome profiles for the anti-adipogenic effects of SH21B in 3T3-L1 cells. Total RNAs from SH21B-treated 3T3-L1 cells were reverse-transcribed into cDNAs and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Gene 1.0 ST array. From microarray analyses, we identified 2,568 genes of which expressions were changed more than two-fold by SH21B, and the clustering analyses of these genes resulted in 9 clusters. Three clusters among the 9 showed down-regulation by SH21B (cluster 4, cluster 6 and cluster 9), and two clusters showed up-regulation by SH21B (cluster 7 and cluster 8) during the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells. It was found that many genes related to cell proliferation and adipogenesis were included in these clusters. Clusters 4, 6 and 9 included genes which were related with adipogenesis induction and cell cycle arrest. Clusters 7 and 8 included genes related to cell proliferation as well as adipogenesis inhibition. These results suggest that the mechanisms of the anti-adipogenic effects of SH21B may be the modulation of genes involved in cell proliferation and adipogenesis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.203-211
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• 2022

Melanogenesis is the production of melanin from tyrosine by a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, in which tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase play key roles. The melanin content in the skin determines skin pigmentation. Abnormalities in skin pigmentation lead to various skin pigmentation disorders. Recent research has shown that the expression of EMP2 is much lower in melanoma than in normal melanocytes, but its role in melanogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of EMP2 in the melanogenesis of MNT1 human melanoma cells. We examined TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR expression levels during melanogenesis in MNT1 melanoma cells by gene silencing of EMP2. Western blot and RT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of TYR and TRP-2 were decreased when EMP2 expression was knocked down by EMP2 siRNA in MNT1 cells, and these changes were reversed when EMP2 was overexpressed. We verified the EMP2 gene was knocked out of the cell line (EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9) by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the expression levels of TRP-2 and TYR were significantly lower in the EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines. Loss of EMP2 also reduced migration and invasion of MNT1 melanoma cells. In addition, the melanosome transfer from the melanocytes to keratinocytes in the EMP2 KO cells cocultured with keratinocytes was reduced compared to the cells in the control coculture group. In conclusion, these results suggest that EMP2 is involved in melanogenesis via the regulation of TRP-2 expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.419-430
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• 2016

Powdery mildew disease caused by Podosphaera xanthii is a major concern for Cucumis melo production worldwide. Knowledge on genetic behavior of the related genes and their modulating phytohormones often offer the most efficient approach to develop resistance against different diseases. Mildew Resistance Locus O (MLO) genes encode proteins with seven transmembrane domains that have significant function in plant resistance to powdery mildew fungus. We collected 14 MLO genes from ‘Melonomics’ database. Multiple sequence analysis of MLO proteins revealed the existence of both evolutionary conserved cysteine and proline residues. Moreover, natural genetic variation in conserved amino acids and their replacement by other amino acids are also observed. Real-time quantitative PCR expression analysis was conducted for the leaf samples of P. xanthii infected and phyto-hormones (methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid) treated plants in melon ‘SCNU1154’ line. Upon P. xanthii infection using 7 different races, the melon line showed variable disease reactions with respect to spread of infection symptoms and disease severity. Three out of 14 CmMLO genes were up-regulated and 7 were down-regulated in leaf samples in response to all races. The up- or down-regulation of the other 4 CmMLO genes was race-specific. The expression of 14 CmMLO genes under methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid application was also variable. Eleven CmMLO genes were up-regulated under salicylic acid treatment, and 7 were up-regulated under methyl jasmonate treatments in C. melo L. Taken together, these stress-responsive CmMLO genes might be useful resources for the development of powdery mildew disease resistant C. melo L.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.227-235
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• 2016

This paper emphasized the necessity of the marine spatial planning (MSP) through the analysis of the major developmental projects which could make a contradiction based on the adequacy of the site selection and environmental impacts. The conflicting affairs between space utilization and management plan happen in the following ways: marine renewable energy development, sand mining, reclamation, construction of golf course in coastal area, thermal effluent and waste heat, erosion causing port development. The conflict of stakeholder continues caused by the accumulated environmental impact. For the reasons mentioned above, we found two things. First, it is necessary to comprehend the fact of developmental planning and MSP. Second, it is still unsatisfactory to connect the relevance of laws related to the spatial planning. For the reinforcement of marine environmental policy management, it is necessary to consolidate the property of site selection and assessment of developmental scale. Especially, while the strategic environmental assessment is in progress based on site selection and property of scale, consistent diagnosis is needed in the following concerns: the fact of the marine spatial planning, the relevance between national developmental plan and regional developmental plan, fisheries regulation, marine protected animals. For the environmentally sound and sustainable development (ESSD), MSP should have to be prepared based in a way of top-down including coastal and EEZ plan, relevance of ocean-use zoning and sector planning, 3-D spatial information. And also integrated information system have to be prepared through high-tech marine spatial information. In conclusion, consistent and relevant strategy for MSP should have to include the whole information related to the maritime affairs such as harbor, fishing port, fishing ground, coastal management, marine ecosystem generally.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.254-261
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• 2000

The present study has attempted to look into the mechanism of ras-induced carcinogenesis in a human epithelial cell system. Human epithelial cells immortalized with Ad12-SV40 hybrid virus were used to assess carcinogenic potential of the ras-oncogene. Cells transfected with pSV2-ras showed characteristics of cellular transformation. The transformation parameters such as cell density, soft-agar colony formation, and cell aggregation were significantly increased in the cells expressing ras oncoprotein. In addition, the duration required for the appearance of foci was shortened in the ras-transfected cells. Consistent with other reports, our results demonstrated an evidence that the ras-oncogene induced the cellular transformation of human epithelial cell system. When a high concentration of glucocorticoid was added into the media, transformation process was accelerated. It is speculated that glucocorticoid may provide an advantageous environment for the proliferation of the transformed cells. The induction of the intracellular free calcium concentrations following agonist treatment was significantly lower in the transformed cells than in the control cells. These effects were more manifested in the presence of extracellular cacium, indicating that the transformation process may alter the influx pathway of extracellular calcium. The induction of $IP_3$ following agonist treatment was also lower in the transformed cells than in the control cells. Thus, it is suggested that phospholipase C-coupled pathway was down-regulated in the process of the ras-induced transformation. While the levels of $TGF-{\beta}_1$ and PAI-2 mRNAs were decreased, the level of fibronectin mRNA was increased. The results indicate that mechanism of the ras-induced transformation may be associated with the altered expressions of growth regulatory factors. The present study demonstrates an evidence that the ras-induced cellular transformation may be associated with alteration of signal transduction and growth regulatory factors. The study will contribute to improve the understanding of molecular mechanism of epithelium-derived cancers including oral cancer.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.607-618
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• 2015

Five years have passed since the first set of environmental samples was taken in 2011 to represent various ecosystems which would help future generations lead back to the past environment. Those samples have been preserved cryogenically in the National Environmental Specimen Bank(NESB) at the National Institute of Environmental Research. Even though there is a strict regulation (SOP, standard operating procedure) that rules over the whole sampling procedure to ensure each sample to represent the sampling area, it has not been put to the test for the validation. The question needs to be answered to clear any doubts on the representativeness and the quality of the samples. In order to address the question and ensure the sampling practice set in the SOP, many steps to the measurement of the sample, that is, from sampling in the field and the chemical analysis in the lab are broken down to evaluate the uncertainty at each level. Of the 8 species currently taken for the cryogenic preservation in the NESB, pine tree samples from two different sites were selected for this study. Duplicate samples were taken from each site according to the sampling protocol followed by the duplicate analyses which were carried out for each discrete sample. The uncertainties were evaluated by Robust ANOVA; two levels of uncertainty, one is the uncertainty from the sampling practice, and the other from the analytical process, were then compiled to give the measurement uncertainty on a measured concentration of the measurand. As a result, it was confirmed that it is the sampling practice not the analytical process that accounts for the most of the measurement uncertainty. Based on the top-down approach for the measurement uncertainty, the efficient way to ensure the representativeness of the sample was to increase the quantity of each discrete sample for the making of a composite sample, than to increase the number of the discrete samples across the site. Furthermore, the cost-effective approach to enhance the confidence level on the measurement can be expected from the efforts to lower the sampling uncertainty, not the analytical uncertainty. To test the representativeness of a composite sample of a sampling area, the variance within the site should be less than the difference from duplicate sampling. For that, a criterion, ${i.e.s^2}_{geochem}$(across the site variance) <${s^2}_{samp}$(variance at the sampling location) was proposed. In light of the criterion, the two representative samples for the two study areas passed the requirement. In contrast, whenever the variance of among the sampling locations (i.e. across the site) is larger than the sampling variance, more sampling increments need to be added within the sampling area until the requirement for the representativeness is achieved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1134-1141
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• 2002

Adhesion of leukocytes to the activated vascular endothelium and their subsequent recruitment/migration into the artery wall are key features in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and inflammatory diseases. These features have been mediated by cell adhesion molecules including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and in tracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). This study examined whether flavonoids inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-$\alpha$-induced monocyte adhesion via a modulation of the protein expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). TNF-$\alpha$ markedly increased the adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to endothelial cells and induced the expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin proteins in HUVECs. Micromolar concentrations of the flavones luteolin and apigenin and the flavonol quercetin near completely blocked the monocyte adhesion to the activated endothelial cells and the induction of these adhesion molecules. However, equimicromolar catechins of (-)epigallocatechin gallate and (+)catechin, the flavonol myr- icetin and the flavanones of naringin and hesperidin had no effect on TNF-$\alpha$-activated monocyte adhesion. (-)Epigallocatechin gallate, (+) catechin, and naringin did not attenuate the TNF-$\alpha$ induction of these adhesion molecules. Furthermore, culture with luteolin and apigenin strongly blocked the expression of TNF-$\alpha$-induced VCAM-1 mRNA and modestly attenuated ICAM-1 mRNA. Quercetin modestly decreased the TNF-$\alpha$-activated VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 mRNAs. These results demonstrate that flavonoids classified as flavones and flavonols may inhibit monocyte adhesion to the TNF-$\alpha$-activated endothelium, most likely due to a blockade of expression of functional adhesion molecules down-regulated at the transcriptional level, indicating a definite linkage between the chemical structure of flavonoids and the expression of cell adhesion molecules. Furthermore, the antiathero-genic feature of flavonoids appears to be independent of their antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1422-1430
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the modulatory effects of two prototypes of Panax ginseng saponin fractions, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol saponins (PDS) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol saponins (PTS), on the induction of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells. For this purpose, RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS ($10{\mu}g/ml$) before, after, or simultaneously with PDS or PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$), and the released level of nitric oxide (NO) and expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were evaluated. When RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS and ginseng saponin fractions simultaneously for 24 hr, PTS, compared to PDS, more strongly attenuated the NO production induced by LPS treatment. When the cells were pretreated with LPS for 2 hr followed by PDS or PTS treatment for 24 hr, both ginseng saponins strongly reduced NO release. The pretreatment of RAW264.7 cells with PDS or PTS for 2 hr followed by LPS treatment for 24 hr significantly attenuated the LPS-induced production of NO. PTS showed stronger inhibitory potency to NO generation than PDS. Our western blot experiment showed that both PDS and PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$) also significantly down-regulated the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 induced by LPS treatment. Our results suggest that both PDS and PTS possess strong protective effects against LPS-stimulated inflammation and that their protective effects are mediated by the suppression of NO synthesis via down-regulation of pro-inflammatory enzymes, iNOS, and COX-2 in the RAW264.7 cells.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.28-36
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• 2012

Forests are one of the basic assets nearest our daily lives that provide the foundation of life necessities, culture and even survival. These assets pervade local residents' lives as culture and the necessities of life, and they will be handed down to posterity. Therefore, this study was conducted to carry out a field survey on old trees, plant communities and forests in the southern coastal areas in Korea, where not many surveys were not conducted on the forest cultural assets, further examining a possibility that some of the trees should be designated as law-protected. As for the survey of plants, this study investigated 80 different spots of old trees, plant communities and forests, located in 11 cities and counties in Gyengnam Province and Jeonnam Province adjacent to the southern coast of Korea. To measure the health and actual maintenance conditions of old trees and plant communities objectively, the standard of judgment was established through the brain storming of experts. As a result of the field survey, out of all the old trees and plant communities that are not law-protected, this study selected old trees and plant communities that are in good health and likely to pass the standard of designating law-protected trees according to the Established Rule 574 of the Korea Forest Service Regulation. As for the plant community and old trees likely to be law-protected, this study judged that the torreya forest in Naneum Li, Namhae and old trees in 13 spots, in cluding so-called 'Couple Pine Tree' in Pyeongsa Li, Hadong, have a high possibility of being designated as a law-protected plant community and old trees. As for the species of old trees, there were 3 zelkova serrata trees, 3 celtis sinensis persoon trees, 2 pinus densiflora trees, 1 castanopsis cuspidata tree, 1 salix chaenomeloides tree and 1 machilus thunbergii tree found in the survey areas. Overall, this study judged that those old trees and plant communities require a national systematic maintenance by being designated as law-protected ones, and their values should be handed down to posterity as our forest cultural assets.