• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.555-569
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• 2023

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of N⁶-Methyladenosine modification-circRNA-zinc finger protein 638 (m⁶A-circRNA-ZNF638) on the induced activation of secondary hair follicle (SHF) stem cells with its potential mechanisms in cashmere goats. Methods: The m⁶A modification of ZNF638 was analyzed using methylation immunoprecipitation with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique in SHF stem cells. The effects of circRNA-ZNF638 on the induced activation of SHF stem cells in m⁶A dependence were evaluated through the overexpression of circRNA-ZNF638/its m⁶A-deficient mutants in circRNA-ZNF638 knockdown SHF stem cells. The competitive binding of miR-361-5p to circRNA-ZNF638/Wnt5a 3'- untranslated region was analyzed through Dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: The m⁶A-circRNA-ZNF638 had significantly higher transcription at anagen SHF bulge of cashmere goats compared with that at telogen, as well as it positively regulated the induced activation of SHF-stem cells in cashmere goats. Mechanismly, m⁶A-circRNA-ZNF638 sponged miR-361-5p to heighten the transcriptional expression of Wnt5a gene in SHF-stem cells. We further demonstrated that the internal m⁶A modification within circRNA-ZNF638 is required for mediating the miR-361-5p/Wnt5a pathway to regulate the induced activation of SHF stem cells through an introducing of m⁶A-deficient mutant of circRNA-ZNF638. Conclusion: The circRNA-ZNF638 contributes the proper induced activation of SHF-stem cells in cashmere goats in m⁶A-dependent manner through miR-361-5p/Wnt5a axis.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.29
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• pp.99-110
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• 2023

The stone fragments that are missing from the stone cultural heritage have limited use beyond being directly fitted to identify their original position, as they are relatively heavy and bulky, and there is the further risk of secondary physical damage during manual work. Therefore, in this study, morphological relationships between the missing parts and the stone fragments were identified through digital restoration, and a three-dimensional (3D) printed replica was created for use at the exhibition for Stone Buddhas in Four Directions in Hwajeon-ri, Yesan, where 72 stone fragments had been excavated together. First, for the digital restoration, stone fragments of similar shapes were selected after the coordinates of the 3D scanning model were aligned in virtual space. In addition, the stone fragments were printed using a 3D printer to check whether they were physically related to the missing parts. Thus, the original positions of a total of nine stone fragments were identified. To utilize these research results in the exhibition, a 1:1 replica of the Stone Buddhas in Four Directions was produced using 3D printing technology, and the nine stone fragments were also restored to their original positions. The digital technology used in this study is of great importance in that it not only made up for the limitations of the direct manual method but also suggested the possibility of expanding its application to the fields of documentation, restoration, and replication of similar cultural heritage.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.593-604
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• 2023

The ocean accounts for over 70% of the Earth's surface and is a space of largely unexplored unknowns and opportunities. Korea is a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides, emphasizing the importance of marine research. The ocean has an extremely complex environment with immense biological diversity. In terms of microbiology, the marine environment has varying factors like extreme temperature, pressure, solar radiation, salt concentration, and pH, providing ecologically unique habitats. Due to this variety, marine organisms have very different phylogenetic classifications compared with terrestrial organisms. Although various microorganisms inhabit the ocean, studies on the diversity, isolation, and cultivation of marine microorganisms and the secondary metabolites they produce are still insufficient. Research on bioactive substances from marine microorganisms, which were rarely studied until the 1990s, has accelerated in terms of natural products from marine Actinomycetes since the 2000s. Since then, industries for bioplastic and biofuel production, carbon dioxide capture, probiotics, and pharmaceutical discovery and development of antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory drugs using bacteria, archaea, and algae have significantly grown. In this review, we introduce current research findings and the latest trends in life science and biotechnology using marine microorganisms. Through this article, we hope to create consumer awareness of the importance of basic and applied research in various natural product-related discovery fields other than conventional pharmaceutical drug discovery. The article aims to suggest pathways that may boost research on the optimization and application of future marine-derived materials.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.5B
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• pp.497-502
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• 2009

The wastewater treatment by photocatalyst decomposes pollutants directly in water, and it is easy to decompose indecomposable organics and inorganic. and Especially, it has an advantage that there is no secondary production of pollutants. However, there will be many problems which are generated depending on the type of photocatalyst. The type of rotating photocatalyst minimizes previous problems, and advanced oxidation processes is possible by the application of rotating disc method. The consideration of the characteristics about various designs and operation factors is needed for the application of rotating photocatalyst system. In this study, rotating photocatalyst was manufactured for rotating disc method by fixing of $TiO_2$. The operation factors were derived for the wastewater treatment by the reaction of rotating photocatalyst. The contained quantity of $TiO_2$ was limited about 70%. The more the contained quantity of $TiO_2$ was increased, the more the treatment rate was continually increased. The optimum rotating photocatalyst was R4, and the contained quantity of $TiO_2$ was 36.8%. The more the exposed amount of UV is increased, the more the decomposition effect of TCODcr was continually increased. However, the adequate strength of light source must be determined by the consideration of economical efficiency. The more the speed of rotating photocatalyst is increased, the more treatment efficiency was increased. When UV lamp was not submerged in reactor, the wastewater treatment was efficient in the order of the depth of water 50%, 30%, 10%, 70%, 100%. This study is a basic research for the development of a system which treats organics in solar light.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-81
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper is to seek ways to improve the competitiveness of Korea's fashion industry by utilizing the source of competitiveness of Japan's fashion industry, which represents the world's leading countries in terms of fashion, so that Korea can better enter the global fashion market. The study shall first compare the competitiveness of the Japanese and Korean fashion industries by utilizing the generalized double diamond model; second, provide an understanding of what the Japanese fashion industry can offer to Korean fashion industry and companies - that is, understand what the Japanese fashion industry's competitive edge is; and third, study the kind of global competitiveness that Korea's fashion industry must achieve. To adopt a generalized double diamond model to compare the competitiveness of the Korean and Japanese fashion industries, we selected 31 sub-variables to act as determinants of the model. That is, we extracted 31sub-variables by doing research of literature to analyze national competitiveness of the fashion industries. To measure these 31 sub-variables, secondary data was gathered. We collected data related to each sub-variable from various sources of Korea and Japan. And to calculate the competitiveness index, we took three steps with reference to previous studies. We found that status of the fashion industry of the two countries as it stands. That is, Japan is an advanced country of which fashion industry is domestic market-oriented while Korea is a small open economy that mainly focuses on the foreign market. Out of 31 proxy variables, Korea's fashion industry shows higher measurements relating to production and export than Japan, but Japan's fashion industry reports higher measurements than Korea in the fields of R&D, design and brand power, the rate of value added, the efficiency of companies and globalization. In order for Korea's fashion industry to achieve competitiveness in the global market, it should pursue the following development direction. First, it is very difficult for Korea to follow the footsteps of the U.S. and Japanese fashion industries that are able to take advantage of economies of scale, because Korea is smaller than those countries. Therefore, in the case of small economies such as Singapore, strengthening of international activities will practically improve domestic determinants that Korea should improve its domestic diamond by enhancing the current competitiveness of its international diamond. In other words, Korea needs to further endeavor to develop and expand global resources and markets as well as improve its competitiveness in terms of R&D, design and brand power, the rate of value-added, and the efficiency of companies. As the Korean fashion industry shows relatively advanced level of information technology and the fashion education system, it has considerable potential to grow. Korea is expected to have a huge growth potential since it has relatively higher level of information technology, fashion education system and activities than those of Japan in both the domestic diamond and international diamond. In particular, a better environment is laid out before Korea to gain competitiveness in the fashion industry due to the recently growing influence of the Korean Wave that Korea is expected to grow as a leader in the Asian market as well as in the global market.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.114-114
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• 2022

There are 28 families and 166 species of exotic weeds on agricultural land and among these, 23 families and 80 species of exotic weeds occur on pastures. Among them, the Solidago altissima is a perennial weed belonging to the asteraceae family and it is an exotic weed that spreads to the surrounding area using methods such as high seed production, vegetative propagation using underground rhizomes and allelochemical. Accordingly, in 2009, the Ministry of Environment designated it as an ecosystem-disrupting species. This study was conducted to obtain basic data about the effects of S.altissima derived allelochemicals on forage crops. The root of S.altissima was separated, dried in the shade and then pulverized to prepare an root powder. Powder was repeatedly extracted with methanol for 3 days and concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain an root methanol extract. Dissolve the extract in distilled water, dispense it in a separate-funnel and proceed with liquid-liquid extraction by adding equal amounts of n-haxane (Hex), chloroform (CHCI₃), ethyl acetate (EtoAC), and butanol (BuOH) in order of increasing polarity. A seed-bioassay was performed using fractions for each solvent, followed by separation and purification by silica gel column chromatography. As a result of the fraction germination test for each solvent, the IC₅₀ values using the fresh weight of each fraction were 898.3 mg L^-1, 676.3 mg L^-1, 1160 mg L^-1 and 1360 mg L^-1. CA, CB, and CC fractions were obtained through primary silica gel column chromatography that used CHCI₃ fraction. As a result of seed-bioassay using each fraction, the IC₅₀ values for the fresh weight of each fraction was 537.3 mg L^-1, 1280 mg L^-1 and 1947 mg L^-1. Based on this, 5 fractions were obtained as a result of secondary silica gel column chromatography using the CA fraction. A seed-bioassay was performed, as a result, the lowest IC₅₀ value was calculated as 226.7 mg L^-1 in the CAE fraction. Based on this, the fraction was analyzed by GC-MS. The results of this study can be used as basic research data on the effects of weeds on forage crops and allelochemicals secreted from S. altissima.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.174-180
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• 2023

Porcelain (white ware, celadon ware) coated with a ferrous sulfate and ferrous/cobalt sulfate was sintered at 1250℃. The specimens were investigated by HR-XRD, FE-SEM, HR-EDS, and UV-vis spectrophotometer. Through X-ray rietveld quantitative analysis, quartz and mullite were found to be the main phases for white ware, and mullite and plagioclase were found to be the main phases for celadon ware. When the pigment of ferrous/cobalt sulfate was applied, were identified as an andradite phase for celadon ware and a spinel phase for the white ware, and the amorphous phase, respectively. The L^* value, which was the brightness of the specimen, was 72.01, 60.92 for white ware and celadon ware, respectively. The ferrous and ferrous/cobalt pigment coated porcelain had L^* values of 44.89, 52.27 for white ware and celadon ware, respectively; with a^* values of 2.12, 1.40, an d at b^* values of 1.45 and 13.79. As for the color of the specimens, it was found that the L^* value was greatly affected by the white ware, and the b^* value differed greatly depending on the clay. It was thought to be closely related to the production of the secondary phase such as Fe₂O₃ and andradite phase produced in the surface layer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.842-850
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• 2023

Pyrrolnitrin, pyrrolomycin, and pyoluteorin are functional halogenated phenylpyrrole derivatives (HPDs) derived from microorganisms with diverse antimicrobial activities. Pyrrolnitrin is a secondary metabolite produced from L-tryptophan through four-step reactions in Pseudomonas fluorescens, Burkholderia cepacia, Serratia plymuthica, etc. It is currently used for the treatment of superficial dermatophytic fungal infections, has high antagonistic activities against soil-borne and foliar fungal infections, and has many industrial applications. Since pyrrolnitrin is easily decomposed by light, it is difficult to widely use it outdoors. As an alternative, fludioxonil, a synthetically produced non-systemic surface fungicide that is structurally similar and has excellent light stability, has been commercialized for seed and foliar treatment of plants. However, due to its high toxicity to aquatic organisms and adverse effects in human cell lines, many countries have established maximum residue levels and strictly control its levels. Pyrrolomycin and pyoluteorin, which have antibiotic/antibiofilm activity against Gram-positive bacteria and high anti-oomycete activity against the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum, respectively, were isolated and identified from microorganisms. This review summarizes the biosynthesis and production of natural pyrrolnitrin derived from bacteria and the characteristics of synthetic fludioxonil and other natural phenylpyrrole derivatives among the HPDs. We expect that a plethora of highly effective, novel HPDs that are safe for humans and environments will be developed through the generation of an HPD library by microbial biosynthesis and chemical synthesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.978-986
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• 2023

Inflammation by the innate immune system is a protective mechanism of the organism against infection-mediated environmental factors. It is also responsible for the pathogenesis of various human diseases, including the progression of cancer. Lichens are receiving increasing attention as a source of bioactive molecules with therapeutic potential for a variety of diseases. Additionally, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer potential of lichen and its secondary metabolites have been widely reported. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, to investigate molecular mechanisms of anti-inflammation and anti-cancer activity in the Antarctic lichen, Usnea aurantiaco-atra, methanol extract of Usnea aurantiaco-atra (MEUS) was used in vitro assays in RAW 264.7 macrophages cell and HCT116 colon cancer cells. Based on our data, MEUS had the anti-inflammatory activity through the modulation of main inflammatory indicators such as COX-2, IL-6, iNOS, TNF-α and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, we observed that MEUS had cytotoxic activity against HCT116 colon cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner, leading to a significantly reduced proliferation of the cancer cells through apoptotic induction by activating caspase-3. Taken together, this work firstly reported the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of an Antarctic lichen, Usnea aurantiaco-atra, and MEUS may provide a new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying a link between inflammation and cancer.