• Title/Summary/Keyword: translational research

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Comparison of the marginal fit of milled yttrium stabilized zirconium dioxide crowns obtained by scanning silicone impressions and by scanning stone replicas

  • Yus, Estefania Aranda;Cantarell, Josep Maria Anglada;Alonso, Antonio Minarro
    • The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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    • v.10 no.3
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    • pp.236-244
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    • 2018
  • PURPOSE. To determine the discrepancy in monolithic zirconium dioxide crowns made with computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems by comparing scans of silicone impressions and of master casts. MATERIALS AND METHODS. From a Cr-Co master die of a first upper left molar, 30 silicone impressions were taken. The 30 silicone impressions were scanned with the laboratory scanner, thus obtaining 30 milled monolithic yttrium stabilized zirconium dioxide (YSZD) crowns (the silicone group). They were poured and the working models were scanned, obtaining 30 milled monolithic yttrium stabilized zirconium dioxide (YSZD) crowns (the plaster group). Three predetermined points were analyzed in each side of the crown (Mesial, Distal, Vestibular and Palatal), and the marginal fit was evaluated with SEM (${\times}600$). The response variable is the discrepancy from the master model. A repeated measures ANOVA with two within subject factors was performed to study significance of main factors and interaction. RESULTS. Mean marginal discrepancy was $22.42{\pm}35.65{\mu}m$ in the silicone group and $8.94{\pm}14.69{\mu}m$ in the plaster group. The statistical analysis showed significant differences between the two groups and also among the four aspects. Interaction was also significant (P=.02). CONCLUSION. The mean marginal fit values of the two groups were within the clinically acceptable values. Significant differences were found between the groups according to the aspects studied. Various factors influenced the accuracy of digitizing, such as the design, the geometry, and the preparation guidance, as well as the texture, roughness and the color of the scanned material.

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Using Stepped Chirp Waveform (계단 첩 파형(Stepped Chirp Waveform)을 이용한 ISAR 영상 형성)

  • Lee, Seong-Hyeon;Kang, Min-Suk;Park, Sang-Hong;Shin, Seung-Yong;Yang, Eunjung;Kim, Kyung-Tae
    • The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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    • v.25 no.9
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    • pp.930-937
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    • 2014
  • Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images can be generated by radar which radiates the electromagnetic wave to a target and receives signal reflected from the target. ISAR images can be widely used to target detection and recognition. This paper proposed a method of generation of high resolution ISAR images by synthesizing frequency spectrums of each stepped chirp waveform in one burst and sub-sampling in frequency domain. This process is performed over entire bursts during coherent processing interval. Conventional ISAR image generation method using stepped frequency waveform has a severe problem of short unambiguous range, loading to ghost phenomenon. However, this problem can be resolved by the proposed method. In simulations, we generate high resolution ISAR image of the moving target which is Boeing-737 aircraft model composed of several ideal point scatterers.

Construction of Static 3D Ultrasonography Image by Radiation Beam Tracking Method from 1D Array Probe (1차원 배열 탐촉자의 방사빔추적기법을 이용한 정적 3차원 초음파진단영상 구성)

  • Kim, Yong Tae;Doh, Il;Ahn, Bongyoung;Kim, Kwang-Youn
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.128-133
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    • 2015
  • This paper describes the construction of a static 3D ultrasonography image by tracking the radiation beam position during the handy operation of a 1D array probe to enable point-of-care use. The theoretical model of the transformation from the translational and rotational information of the sensor mounted on the probe to the reference Cartesian coordinate system was given. The signal amplification and serial communication interface module was made using a commercially available sensor. A test phantom was also made using silicone putty in a donut shape. During the movement of the hand-held probe, B-mode movie and sensor signals were recorded. B-mode images were periodically selected from the movie, and the gray levels of the pixels for each image were converted to the gray levels of 3D voxels. 3D and 2D images of arbitrary cross-section of the B-mode type were also constructed from the voxel data, and agreed well with the shape of the test phantom.

Novel Dioxygenases, HIF-α Specific Prolyl-hydroxylase and Asparanginyl-hydroxylase: O2 Switch for Cell Survival

  • Park, Hyun-Sung
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.101-107
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    • 2008
  • Studies on hypoxia-signaling pathways have revealed novel Fe(II) and $\alpha$-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases that hydroxylate prolyl or asparaginyl residues of a transactivator, Hypoxia-Inducible $Factor-\alpha(HIF-\alpha)$ protein. The recognition of these unprecedented dioxygenases has led to open a new paradigm that the hydroxylation mediates an instant post-translational modification of a protein in response to the changes in cellular concentrations of oxygen, reducing agents, or $\alpha$-ketoglutarate. Activity of $HIF-\alpha$ is repressed by two hydroxylases. One is $HIF-\alpha$ specific prolyl-hydroxylases, referred as prolyl-hydroxylase domain(PHD). The other is $HIF-\alpha$ specific asparaginyl-hydroxylase, referred as factor-inhibiting HIF-1(FIH-1). The facts (i) that many dioxygenases commonly use molecular oxygen and reducing agents during detoxification of xenobiotics, (ii) that detoxification reaction produces radicals and reactive oxygen species, and (iii) that activities of both PHD and FIH-1 are regulated by the changes in the balance between oxygen species and reducing agents, imply the possibility that the activity of $HIF-\alpha$ can be increased during detoxification process. The importance of $HIF-\alpha$ in cancer and ischemic diseases has been emphasized since its target genes mediate various hypoxic responses including angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, glycolysis, pH balance, metastasis, invasion and cell survival. Therefore, activators of PHDs and FIH-1 can be potential anticancer drugs which could reduce the activity of HIF, whereas inhibitors, for preventing ischemic diseases. This review highlights these novel dioxygenases, PHDs and FIH-1 as specific target against not only cancers but also ischemic diseases.

Codon Usage Bias and Determining Forces in Taenia solium Genome

  • Yang, Xing;Ma, Xusheng;Luo, Xuenong;Ling, Houjun;Zhang, Xichen;Cai, Xuepeng
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.53 no.6
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    • pp.689-697
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    • 2015
  • The tapeworm Taenia solium is an important human zoonotic parasite that causes great economic loss and also endangers public health. At present, an effective vaccine that will prevent infection and chemotherapy without any side effect remains to be developed. In this study, codon usage patterns in the T. solium genome were examined through 8,484 protein-coding genes. Neutrality analysis showed that T. solium had a narrow GC distribution, and a significant correlation was observed between GC12 and GC3. Examination of an NC (ENC vs GC3s)-plot showed a few genes on or close to the expected curve, but the majority of points with low-ENC (the effective number of codons) values were detected below the expected curve, suggesting that mutational bias plays a major role in shaping codon usage. The Parity Rule 2 plot (PR2) analysis showed that GC and AT were not used proportionally. We also identified 26 optimal codons in the T. solium genome, all of which ended with either a G or C residue. These optimal codons in the T. solium genome are likely consistent with tRNAs that are highly expressed in the cell, suggesting that mutational and translational selection forces are probably driving factors of codon usage bias in the T. solium genome.

Regulation of HIF-1α stability by lysine methylation

  • Baek, Sung Hee;Kim, Keun Il
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.49 no.5
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    • pp.245-246
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    • 2016
  • The level and activity of critical regulatory proteins in cells are tightly controlled by several tiers of post-translational modifications. HIF-1α is maintained at low levels under normoxia conditions by the collaboration between PHD proteins and the VHL-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. We recently identified a new physiologically relevant mechanism that regulates HIF-1α stability in the nucleus in response to cellular oxygen levels. This mechanism is based on the collaboration between the SET7/9 methyltransferase and the LSD1 demethylase. SET7/9 adds a methyl group to HIF-1α, which triggers degradation of the protein by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, whereas LSD1 removes the methyl group, leading to stabilization of HIF-1α under hypoxia conditions. In cells from knock-in mice with a mutation preventing HIF-1α methylation (Hif1αKA/KA), HIF-1α levels were increased in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Hif1αKA/KA knock-in mice displayed increased hematological parameters, such as red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration. They also displayed pathological phenotypes; retinal and tumor-associated angiogenesis as well as tumor growth were increased in Hif1αKA/KA knock-in mice. Certain human cancer cells exhibit mutations that cause defects in HIF-1α methylation. In summary, this newly identified methylation-based regulation of HIF-1α stability constitutes another layer of regulation that is independent of previously identified mechanisms.

Structural Analyses of Zinc Finger Domains for Specific Interactions with DNA

  • Eom, Ki Seong;Cheong, Jin Sung;Lee, Seung Jae
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.26 no.12
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    • pp.2019-2029
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    • 2016
  • Zinc finger proteins are among the most extensively applied metalloproteins in the field of biotechnology owing to their unique structural and functional aspects as transcriptional and translational regulators. The classical zinc fingers are the largest family of zinc proteins and they provide critical roles in physiological systems from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Two cysteine and two histidine residues ($Cys_2His_2$) coordinate to the zinc ion for the structural functions to generate a ${\beta}{\beta}{\alpha}$ fold, and this secondary structure supports specific interactions with their binding partners, including DNA, RNA, lipids, proteins, and small molecules. In this account, the structural similarity and differences of well-known $Cys_2His_2$-type zinc fingers such as zinc interaction factor 268 (ZIF268), transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA), GAGA, and Ros will be explained. These proteins perform their specific roles in species from archaea to eukaryotes and they show significant structural similarity; however, their aligned amino acids present low sequence homology. These zinc finger proteins have different numbers of domains for their structural roles to maintain biological progress through transcriptional regulations from exogenous stresses. The superimposed structures of these finger domains provide interesting details when these fingers are applied to specific gene binding and editing. The structural information in this study will aid in the selection of unique types of zinc finger applications in vivo and in vitro approaches, because biophysical backgrounds including complex structures and binding affinities aid in the protein design area.

Behavior of Weld Pool Shape and Weld Surface Deformation as a Function of Spot-GTA Welding Position for 304 Stainless Steel (Spot-GTA 용접자세에 따른 304 스테인리스강 용융지 표면 및 용접부 형상 거동)

  • Kang, Nam-Hyun;Park, Yeong-Do;Cho, Kyung-Mox;Singh, Jogender;Kulkarni, Anil
    • Journal of Welding and Joining
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.62-68
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    • 2008
  • Effects of gravitational orientation on gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) for 304 stainless steel were studied to determine the critical factors for weld pool formation, such as weld surface deformation and weld pool shape. This study was accomplished through an analytical study of weld pool stability as a function of primary welding parameters (arc current and arc holding time), material properties (surface tension and density), and melting efficiency (cross-sectional area). The stability of weld pool shape and weld surface deformation was confirmed experimentally by changing the welding position. The arc current and translational velocity were the major factors in determining the weld pool stability as a function of the gravitational orientation. A 200A spot GTAW showed a significant variation of the weld pool formation as the arc held longer than 3 seconds, however the weld pool shape and surface morphology for a 165A spot GTAW were 'stable', i.e., constant regardless of the gravitational orientation. The cross-sectional area of the weld (CSA) was one of the critical factors in determining the weld pool stability. The measured CSA ($13.5mm^2$) for the 200A spot GTAW showed a good agreement with the calculated CSA ($14.9mm^2$).

The Use of Electrostatic Repulsion-Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (ERLIC) for Proteomics Research

  • Ng, Justin Tze-Yang;Hao, Piliang;Sze, Siu Kwan
    • Mass Spectrometry Letters
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    • v.5 no.4
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    • pp.95-103
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    • 2014
  • Characterization and studies of proteome are challenging because biological samples are complex, with a wide dynamic range of abundance. At present the proteins are identified by digestion into peptides, with subsequent identification of the peptides by mass spectrometry (MS). MS is a powerful technique for the purpose, but it cannot identify every peptide in such complex mixtures simultaneously. For accurate analysis and quantification it is important to separate the peptides first by chromatography into fractions of a size that MS can handle. With these less complex fractions, the probability is increased of identifying peptides of low abundance that would otherwise experience ion suppression effects due to the presence of peptides of high abundance. Enrichment for peptides with certain post-translational modifications helps to increase their detection rates as well. Electrostatic repulsion-hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ERLIC) is a mixed-mode chromatographic technique which combines the use of electrostatic repulsion and hydrophilic interaction. This review provides an overview of ERLIC and its various proteomics applications. ERLIC has been demonstrated to have good orthogonality to reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), making it useful as a first dimension in multidimensional liquid chromatography (MDLC) and fractionation of digests in general. Peptides elute in order of their isoelectric points and polarity. ERLIC has also been successfully utilized for the enrichment for phosphopeptides and glycopeptides, facilitating their identification. In addition, it is promising for the study of peptide deamidation. ERLIC performs comparably well or better than established methods for these various applications, and serves as a viable and efficient workflow alternative.

Biosynthesis of a Biological Active Single Chain Equine Chorionic Gonado-tropin

  • Min, Kwan-Sik
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.103-107
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    • 2001
  • The equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) subunits $\alpha$ and ${\beta}$ are transcribed from different genes and associate noncovalently to form the bioactive eCG heterodimer. Dimerization is rate limiting for eCG secretion, and dissociation leads to hormone inactivation. The correct conformation of the heterodimer is alto important for efficient secretion, hormone-specific post-translational modifications, receptor binding and signal transduction. To determine whether ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ subunits can be synthesized as a single polypeptide chain (tethered-eCG) and also display biological activity, the tethered-eCG molecule by fusing the carboxyl terminus of the eCG ${\beta}$-subunit to the amino terminus of the af-subunit was construe-ted and transfected into chinese hamster ovary (CHO-Kl) cells. LH- and FSH-like activities were assayed in terms of testosterone production and aromatase activity in primary cultured rat Leydig cells and granulosa cells, respectively. The tethered-eCG was efficiently secreted and showed similar LH-like activity to the dimeric eCG ${\alpha}$/${\beta}$ and native eCG. FSH-like activity of the tethered-eCG was also shown similarly in comparison with the native and wild type eCG ${\alpha}$/${\beta}$. Our data for the first time suggest that the tethered-eCG can be expressed efficiently and the produced product by the CHO-K1 cells is fully LH- and FSH-like activities in rat in vitro bioassay system. Our results also suggest that this molecular can imply particular models of FSH-like activity not LH-like activity in the eCG. Taken together, these data indicate that the constructs of tethered molecule will be useful in the study of mutants that affect subunit association and/or secretion.

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