• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.8
• /
• pp.612-622
• /
• 2023

T-cell deficiency may occur in various clinical conditions including congenital defects, cell/organ transplantation, HIV infection and aging. In this regard, the development of artificial thymus has recently been attracting much attention. To achieve this aim, the development of techniques for 3D culture of thymic stromal cells is necessary because thymocytes grown only in a 3D thymic microenvironment can be differentiated fully to become mature, immunocompetent T cells; the same cannot be achieved for thymocytes grown in 2D. This study aimed to develop a nanotechnology-based 3D culture technique using polymeric scaffolds for thymic epithelial cells (TECs), the main component of thymic stromal cells. Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that the pores of both PCL and PCL/PLGA scaffolds were filled with TECs. Interestingly, TECs grown in 3D on polydopamine-coated scaffolds exhibited enhanced cell attachment and proliferation compared to those grown on non-coated scaffolds. In addition, the gene expression of thymopoietic factors was upregulated in TECs cultured in 3D on polydopamine-coated scaffolds compared to those cultured in 2D. Taken together, the results of the present study demonstrate an efficient 3D culture model for TECs using polymeric scaffolds and provide new insights into a novel platform technology that can be applied to develop functional, biocompatible scaffolds for the 3D culture of thymocytes. This will eventually shed light on techniques for the in vitro development of T cells as well as the synthesis of artificial thymus.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.19-25
• /
• 2023

Addition of spice for inhibition of bacterial growth in ground chicken meat was investigated. The ground chicken meat approximately contained 72.98±0.15% moisture, 23.37±0.46% crude protein, 1.00±0.03% crude fat, and 1.90±0.03% ashes. Addition of rosemary showed the maximum bacterial inhibition, followed by garlic and mustard. The inhibitory effect increased with the addition of a greater quantity of spices. The optimal added concentration of spices for inhibition of total viable cell and proliferation of Escherichia coli in ground chicken meat was 2%, 4%, and 1.2% for rosemary, garlic, and mustard, respectively. The growth inhibition of total viable cells and E. coli differed during storage period for MixA (97.4%) > rosemary (96.9%) > MixB (96.3%) > garlic (53.7%) > mustard (33.3%). The addition of sterilized garlic to ground chicken meat showed that the total viable cells was low at 2.6-3.0 log CFU/g on the 0-day and 2.4-3.2 log CFU/g on the 9-day, and the number decreased as the storage lengthened. Non-sterilized garlic treatment showed a higher number of total viable cells than the control group, and this increased with elapse of storage time. The number of E. coli, was low at 0.4-1.0 log CFU/g on the 0-day and 0.5-1.5 log CFU/g on the 9-day for the sterilized group, and the change during the storage showed a similar trend for the total viable cells. In conclusion, the microbial safety of ground chicken meat products was improved by various mixed applications of rosemary, garlic, and mustard.

• The Journal of Information Systems
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.211-227
• /
• 2023

Purpose In the contemporary landscape, marked by the enduring impact of COVID-19 and the recent disruptions stemming from the conflict in Ukraine, the purpose of this study is to navigate the era characterized by pervasive risk and uncertainty. Specifically, the study aims to dissect the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on digital transformation, exploring the factors influencing this process and considering the multifaceted dynamics at play. The focus extends to the post-COVID-19 landscape, scrutinizing the implications and meanings of digital transformation both before and after the pandemic. Additionally, the study delves into future digital trends, with particular attention to climate and environmental issues, emphasizing corporate responsibilities in averting crises similar to COVID-19. The overarching goal is to provide a holistic perspective, shedding light on both positive and negative facets of digital transformation, and advocating for regulatory enhancements and legal frameworks conducive to a balanced and resilient digital future. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a comprehensive approach to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on digital transformation. It considers various facets, such as smart devices reshaping daily routines, transformative changes in corporate ecosystems, and the adaptation of government institutions to the digital era within the broader context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The analysis extends to the post-COVID-19 landscape, examining the implications and meanings of digital transformation. Future digital trends, especially those related to climate and environmental issues, are prognosticated. The methodology involves a proactive exploration of challenges associated with digital transformation, aiming to advocate for regulatory enhancements and legal frameworks that contribute to a balanced and resilient digital future. Findings The findings of this study reveal that the digital economy has gained momentum, accelerated by the proliferation of non-face-to-face industries in response to social distancing imperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation, both preceding and succeeding the onset of the pandemic, has precipitated noteworthy shifts in various aspects of daily life. However, challenges persist, and the study highlights factors that either bolster or hinder the transformative process. In the post-COVID-19 era, corporate responsibilities in averting crises, particularly those resembling the pandemic, take center stage. The study emphasizes the need for a holistic perspective, acknowledging both positive and negative facets of digital transformation. Additionally, it calls for proactive measures, including regulatory enhancements and legal frameworks, to ensure a balanced and resilient digital future.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.298-305
• /
• 2023

Burkitt's lymphoma is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma originating from B-cells that is notorious for its aggressive growth and association with immune system impairments, potentially resulting in rapid and fatal outcomes if not addressed promptly. Optimizing the use of Food and Drug Administration-approved medications, such as combining known safe drugs, can lead to time and cost savings. This method holds promise in accelerating the progress of novel treatments, ultimately facilitating swifter access for patients. This study explores the potential of a dual-targeted therapeutic strategy, combining the bruton tyrosine kinase-targeting drug Ibrutinib and the epidermal growth factor receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-targeting drug Lapatinib. Ramos and Daudi cell lines, well-established models of Burkitt's lymphoma, were used to examine the impact of this combination therapy. The combination of Ibrutinib and Lapatinib inhibited cell proliferation more than using each drug individually. A combination treatment induced apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases. This approach is multifaceted in its benefits. It enhances the efficiency of the drug development timeline and maximizes the utility of currently available resources, ensuring a more streamlined and resource-effective research process.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.61 no.1
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to establish optimized ${\beta}-glucan$ extraction method through enzymatic hydrolysis from Phellinus baumii and investigate ${\beta}-glucan$ contents and physicochemical properties. The optimal condition was obtained with the enzyme concentration of 0.66% (v/v), reaction time of 6.08 h ($R^2=0.9245$) and the ${\beta}-glucan$ contents from the Phellinus baumii extracts under the optimized condition was 1.9594 g/100 g. ${\beta}-Glucan$ yield (0.76-16.40%) of enzyme beta-glucan extract (EBE) was three fold higher than that of non-enzyme beta-glucan extract (NEBE). ${\beta}-Glucan$ purity (11.15-59.05%) of non-enzyme beta-glucan (NEB) and that of enzyme beta-glucan (EB) were higher than that of NEBE and that of EBE. ${\beta}-Glucan$ purity of EB (59.05%) and ${\beta}-glucan$ contents of EB (3.38 g/100 g) showed higher than those of others. Total sugar contents (0.61-1.17 mg/mL) showed that NEB and EB were higher than that of NEBE and EBE, EB had the highest total sugar content as 1.17 mg/mL, respectively. Protein contents (0.44-11.73 mg/mL) of NEBE and that of EBE were higher than that of NEB, that of EB. In FT-IR spectrum, the band at $890cm^{-1}$ of microcapsule was attributed to a ${\beta}-1,3-glucan$. The toxicities of ${\beta}-glucan$ from Phellinus baumii in both melanoma cell lines was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoli um bromide assay and ${\beta}-glucan$ from Phellinus baumii has no toxicity until $30{\mu}g/mL$. The effects of ${\beta}-glucan$ from Phellinus baumii on inhibition of cancer cell proliferation were detected by using a wound healing assay. The effect of NEB and EB were higher than NEBE and EBE, especially $30{\mu}g/mL$ of EB had the highest in both melanoma cell lines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.7
• /
• pp.1017-1025
• /
• 2016

This study was performed in order to investigate changes in platycosides, as well as antimicrobial activities of bronchus diseases-inducing bacteria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes) of Platycodon grandiflorum root (PGR) fermented by lactic acid bacteria (Leuconostoc mesenteroides N12-4, Leuc. mesenteroides N58-5, Lactobacillus plantarum N76-10, L. plantarum N56-12, Lactobacillus brevis N70-9, and L. brevis E3-8). Growth of L. plantarum on PGR was most active during lactic acid fermentation using different strains. Total platycoside, platycoside E, platycodin A, polygalacin $D_2$, polygalacin D, and diapioplatyco-side E contents of PGR fermented for 96 h at $37^{\circ}C$ by Leuc. mesenteroides and L. plantarum increased, whereas contents of platycodin D and platycodin $D_3$ were reduced. The antimicrobial activity on PGR fermented by L. plantarum N56-12 exhibited strong microbial proliferation for all four kinds of bronchus disease-inducing bacteria and was higher than that of non-fermented PGR extract. MIC of fermented PGR extract by L. plantarum N56-12 on C. diphtheriae, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and S. pyogenes were 45, 10, 50, and 25 mg/mL, respectively. Thus, this result shows that the antimicrobial activities of bronchus disease-inducing bacteria and platycoside content of PGR by L. plantarum N56-12 were higher than that of non-fermented PGR extract.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.261-284
• /
• 2018

The current international legal system does not provide a safeguard against the militarization and the weaponization of outer space. Although the term "peaceful use of outer space" in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty(OST) appears in official government statements or in multilateral space treaties, it is still without an authoritative definition in reviewing national practices. The ambiguous ban on weapons in Article IV of the OST allows countries to loophole on the deployment of other weapons other than nuclear weapons. Meanwhile "Draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapon in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects(PPWT)" to Conference on Disarmament (CD) commissioned by the UN General Assembly's Special Session jointly submitted by China and Russia in 2008 and later revised in 2014, attempting to define and prohibit the proliferation of weapons in outer space and provided definitions of prohibited weapons, are opposed by the US on the grounds that currently there is no arms race in outer space. Some experts support a hard law approach in which binding laws aimed at ultimately creating integrated and binding legal instruments in all aspects of the use of outer space should be adopted to regulate the military use of space. However as a temporary measure the soft law guidelines should be developed for the non liquiet, a situation where there is no applicable law. The soft law could be used to create support for the declaration of the treaties and to create international customary law. For example, the 1963 Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space that regulates the activities of the state in the exploration and use of the universe, and the 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space will illustrated. While substantial portions of the former was codified later in the 1967 OST, the latter which, although written in somewhat mandatory terms, have been consistently complied with by states, have arguably become part of customary international law. On November 12, 1974, the General Assembly reaffirmed that the development of international law may be reflected inter alia, by declarations and resolutions of the General Assembly which may to that extent be taken into consideration by the International Court of Justice.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.1795-1803
• /
• 2011

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease accompanies the rise in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and the tendency toward high-fat dietary habits. Specifically, the higher prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in men and postmenopausal women seems to be caused by the protective effects of estrogen against liver fibrosis, or lack thereof. There are no effective preventive therapies for liver diseases because the mechanisms underlying the progression of fatty liver diseases to chronic liver diseases and the protective effects of estrogen against fibrogenesis remain unclear. Recently, it has been reported that the hedgehog signaling pathway plays an important role in the progression of chronic liver diseases. Hedgehog, a morphogen regulating embryonic liver development, is expressed in injured livers but not in adult healthy livers. The level of hedgehog expression parallels the stages of liver diseases. Hedgehog induces myofibroblast activation and hepatic progenitor cell proliferation and leads to excessive liver fibrosis, whereas estrogen inhibits the activation of hepatic stellate cells to myofibroblasts and prevents liver fibrosis. Although the mechanism underlying the opposing actions of hedgehog and estrogen on liver fibrosis remain unclear, the suppressive effects of estrogen on the expression of osteopontin, a profibrogenic extracellular matrix protein and cytokine, and the inductive effects of hedgehog on osteopontin transcription suggest that estrogen and hedgehog are associated with liver fibrosis regulation. Therefore, further research on the estrogen-mediated regulatory mechanisms underlying the hedgehog-signaling pathway can identify the mechanism underlying liver fibrogenesis and contribute to developing therapies for preventing the progression of fibrosis to chronic liver diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.465-484
• /
• 2004

Background : Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by inducing apoptosis. Methods : In this study, we investigated whether hypermethylation of IGFBP-3 promoter play an important role in the loss of IGFBP-3 expression in NSCLC. We also studied the mechanisms that mediate the silencing of IGFBP-3 expression in the cell lines which have hypermethylated IGFBP-3 promoter. Results : The IGFBP-3 promoter has hypermethylation in 7 of 15 (46.7%) NSCLC cell lines and 16 (69.7%) of 23, 7 (77.8%) of 9, 4 (80%) of 5, 4 (66.7 %) of 6, and 6 (100%) of 6 tumor specimens from patients with stage I, II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV NSCLC, respectively. The methylation status correlated with the level of protein and mRNA in NSCLC cell lines. Expression of IGFBP-3 was restored by the demethylating agent 5'-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5'-aza-dC) in a subset of NSCLC cell lines. The Sp-1/ Sp-3 binding element in the IGFBP-3 promoter, important for promoter activity, was methylated in the NSCLC cell lines which have reduced IGFBP-3 expression and the methylation of this element suppressed the binding of the Sp-1 transcription factor. A ChIP assay showed that the methylation status of the IGFBP-3 promoter influenced the binding of Sp-1, methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP2), and histone deacetylase (HDAC) to Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element, which were reversed by by 5'-aza-dC. In vitro methylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter containing the Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element significantly reduced promoter activity, which was further suppressed by the overexpression of MeCP2. This reduction in activity was rescued by 5'-aza-dC. Conclusion : These findings indicate that hypermethylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter is one mechanism by which IGFBP-3 expression is silenced and MeCP2, with recruitment of HDAC, may play a role in silencing of IGFBP-3 expression. The frequency of this abnormality is also associated with advanced stages among the patients with NSCLC, suggesting that IGFBP-3 plays an important role in lung carcinogenesis/progression and that the promoter methylation status of IGFBP-3 may be a marker for early molecular detection and/or for monitoring chemoprevention efforts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems Conference
• /
• 1993.06a
• /
• pp.1051-1054
• /
• 1993

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Statute in Article III.A.5 allows it“to establish and administer safeguards designed to ensure that special fissionable and other materials, services, equipment, facilities and information made available by the Agency or at its request or under its supervision or control are not used in such a way as to further any military purpose; and to apply safeguards, at the request of the parties, to any bilateral or multilateral arrangement, or at the request of a State, to any of that State's activities in the field of atomic energy”. Safeguards are essentially a technical means of verifying the fulfilment of political obligations undertaken by States and given a legal force in international agreements relating to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The main political objectives are: to assure the international community that States are complying with their non-proliferation and other peaceful undertakings; and to deter (a) the diversion of afeguarded nuclear materials to the production of nuclear explosives or for military purposes and (b) the misuse of safeguarded facilities with the aim of producing unsafeguarded nuclear material. It is clear that no international safeguards system can physically prevent diversion. The IAEA safeguards system is basically a verification measure designed to provide assurance in those cases in which diversion has not occurred. Verification is accomplished by two basic means: material accountancy and containment and surveillance measures. Nuclear material accountancy is the fundamental IAEA safeguards mechanism, while containment and surveillance serve as important complementary measures. Material accountancy refers to a collection of measurements and other determinations which enable the State and the Agency to maintain a current picture of the location and movement of nuclear material into and out of material balance areas, i. e. areas where all material entering or leaving is measurab e. A containment measure is one that is designed by taking advantage of structural characteristics, such as containers, tanks or pipes, etc. To establish the physical integrity of an area or item by preventing the undetected movement of nuclear material or equipment. Such measures involve the application of tamper-indicating or surveillance devices. Surveillance refers to both human and instrumental observation aimed at indicating the movement of nuclear material. The verification process consists of three over-lapping elements: (a) Provision by the State of information such as - design information describing nuclear installations; - accounting reports listing nuclear material inventories, receipts and shipments; - documents amplifying and clarifying reports, as applicable; - notification of international transfers of nuclear material. (b) Collection by the IAEA of information through inspection activities such as - verification of design information - examination of records and repo ts - measurement of nuclear material - examination of containment and surveillance measures - follow-up activities in case of unusual findings. (c) Evaluation of the information provided by the State and of that collected by inspectors to determine the completeness, accuracy and validity of the information provided by the State and to resolve any anomalies and discrepancies. To design an effective verification system, one must identify possible ways and means by which nuclear material could be diverted from peaceful uses, including means to conceal such diversions. These theoretical ways and means, which have become known as diversion strategies, are used as one of the basic inputs for the development of safeguards procedures, equipment and instrumentation. For analysis of implementation strategy purposes, it is assumed that non-compliance cannot be excluded a priori and that consequently there is a low but non-zero probability that a diversion could be attempted in all safeguards ituations. An important element of diversion strategies is the identification of various possible diversion paths; the amount, type and location of nuclear material involved, the physical route and conversion of the material that may take place, rate of removal and concealment methods, as appropriate. With regard to the physical route and conversion of nuclear material the following main categories may be considered: - unreported removal of nuclear material from an installation or during transit - unreported introduction of nuclear material into an installation - unreported transfer of nuclear material from one material balance area to another - unreported production of nuclear material, e. g. enrichment of uranium or production of plutonium - undeclared uses of the material within the installation. With respect to the amount of nuclear material that might be diverted in a given time (the diversion rate), the continuum between the following two limiting cases is cons dered: - one significant quantity or more in a short time, often known as abrupt diversion; and - one significant quantity or more per year, for example, by accumulation of smaller amounts each time to add up to a significant quantity over a period of one year, often called protracted diversion. Concealment methods may include: - restriction of access of inspectors - falsification of records, reports and other material balance areas - replacement of nuclear material, e. g. use of dummy objects - falsification of measurements or of their evaluation - interference with IAEA installed equipment.As a result of diversion and its concealment or other actions, anomalies will occur. All reasonable diversion routes, scenarios/strategies and concealment methods have to be taken into account in designing safeguards implementation strategies so as to provide sufficient opportunities for the IAEA to observe such anomalies. The safeguards approach for each facility will make a different use of these procedures, equipment and instrumentation according to the various diversion strategies which could be applicable to that facility and according to the detection and inspection goals which are applied. Postulated pathways sets of scenarios comprise those elements of diversion strategies which might be carried out at a facility or across a State's fuel cycle with declared or undeclared activities. All such factors, however, contain a degree of fuzziness that need a human judgment to make the ultimate conclusion that all material is being used for peaceful purposes. Safeguards has been traditionally based on verification of declared material and facilities using material accountancy as a fundamental measure. The strength of material accountancy is based on the fact that it allows to detect any diversion independent of the diversion route taken. Material accountancy detects a diversion after it actually happened and thus is powerless to physically prevent it and can only deter by the risk of early detection any contemplation by State authorities to carry out a diversion. Recently the IAEA has been faced with new challenges. To deal with these, various measures are being reconsidered to strengthen the safeguards system such as enhanced assessment of the completeness of the State's initial declaration of nuclear material and installations under its jurisdiction enhanced monitoring and analysis of open information and analysis of open information that may indicate inconsistencies with the State's safeguards obligations. Precise information vital for such enhanced assessments and analyses is normally not available or, if available, difficult and expensive collection of information would be necessary. Above all, realistic appraisal of truth needs sound human judgment.