The role of Cl channels in regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in human salivary gland acinar cells was examined using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. Human tissues were obtained from healthy volunteers or from patients with oromaxillofacial tumors. During the measurements, K+-free solutions were employed to eliminate contamination of whole-cell conductance by K+ currents. When the cells were exposed to a 70% hypotonic solution, outward-rectifying currents, which were not observed in the resting state, were found to have significantly increased both in human labial and parotid gland acinar cells. The amplitudes of the currents were reduced in a low CI bath solution. Furthermore, the addition of 100μM 5-Nitro-2- (3-phenyl propylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) or 100μM 4,4'-diisothio cyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS), known to partially block Cl channels, significantly inhibited these currents. Its outward-rectifying current profile, shift in reversal potential in a low Cl bath solution and pharmacological properties suggest that this is a Cα2+ independent, volume activated Cl current. We conclude therefore that volume activated Cl channels play a putative role in RVD in human salivary gland acinar cells.

18th of May means the memorial (symbolic) day for Kwang-Ju citizens who resisted against Korean army in order to democratize South Korea in 1980. <Fig.1> illustrates the still image of 5.18 Kwang-Ju affairs. This work was shown in Hub City of Asian Culture Project, “Integrating”, administered by the national government of Korea in Kwang-Ju, 2007, for memorial of 5.18 Kwang-Juaffairs[1]. As the proverb says, “It's better to see it once than hearing it a thousand times.” Eyes as the visual organ play an important role in order to operate human sense organ. These visual images of 5.18 affairs are aroused from their resistance souls and reported for the live scene in those days. Indirectly we are able to feel an emotion of tremble like a fear of 5.18. Inspiration of visual scene propagates through human brain-waves.

The sublingual locus has recently received great attention as a delivery site for various immunotherapies, including those that induce allergen-specific tolerance, and for vaccines that generate protective immunity. To further understand the immune functions of the human sublingual mucosa, we characterized the distribution of various immunocytes therein by immunohistochemistry. We identified professional antigen presenting cells (APCs), including Langerhans cells (LCs) and macrophages. CD1α+ and longerin+ LCs were further found to be distributed in the basal and supra-basal layers of the epithelium, and macrophages were identified in the lamina propria. HLA-DR+ cells were observed in both the epithelium and the lamina propria, which mirrors the tissue distribution of LCs and macrophages within these tissues. CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells were found to be distributed along the basal layer of the epithelium and also in the lamina propria. Although B cells, plasma cells, and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were only occasionally observed in the human sublingual mucosa in the absence of inflammation, they did show enrichment at inflammatory sites. Hence, we have further elucidated the immune cell component distribution in human sublingual mucosa.

The trace element nutrient selenium discharges its well-known nutritional anti-tumor activity. Converging data from epidemiological, ecological and clinical studies have shown that selenium can decrease the risk for some types of human cancers, especially those of the prostate, lung, and colon. Mechanistic studies have indicated that selenium has many desirable attributes of chemoprevention targeting cancer cells through DNA single strand breaks, the induction of reactive oxygen species. However, there is no reports about the relationship between methylseleninic acid (MSeA), one of methylselenol metabolites and cell cycle arrest in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Our data showed that MSeA arrested G1/S pahse of cell cycle arrest and inhibited DNA synthesis in LNCaP cells and those cellular events by MSeA were due to the induction of p27 protein which is a well-known cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Taken together, cell cycle arrest occurred by MSeA may contribute to the growth-inhibition of prostate cancer cells.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of human follicular fluid and gonadotropin (FSH+HCG+rhEGF) on in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of human immature oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected following for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles of the patients. At the time of oocytes collection, oocytes were classified into MII, MI and GV in accordance with their appearance (MII: Fully mature oocyte at metaphase II of meiosis; MI: Nearly mature oocytes at metaphase I of meiosis; GV: Immature oocytes at prophase I of meiosis). After controlled ovarian stimulation using gonadotropin(FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in 70 ICSI cycles, 158 MI to MII matured oocytes were intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) h after in vitro culture and 553 MII oocytes were ICSI after denudation. The aspirated MI and GV oocytes were cultured in culture medium containing 10% (v/v) serum protein substitute (SPS), 10% (v/v) human follicular fluid (hFF) and 10% (v/v) serum protein substitute (SPS)+1 IU/ml FSH+10 IU/ml HCG+10 ng/ml recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF). The maturation rate of immature oocytes was similar among the three group. When maturation medium was supplemented with 10% SPS, 10% hFF or gonadotropins, the fertilization rate of in vitro matured oocytes was higher in 10% SPS (80.0%), but there was no statistical significance (78.2%; hFF, 76.9%; gonadotropin, p>0.05). The development rate of human embryos developed to cells were not significant difference in the medium containing SPS, hFF and gonadotropins (65.6%, 65.9% and 66.7%). The results of these study suggest that human follicular fluid and gonadotropins supplemented in the culture medium was not effected on the in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of human immature oocytes.

Recently, Clinical reports about reducing the delivery time, pain, instrument delivery, and C-section by increasing intrauterine pressure through giving a steady pressure on fundus have been released. However, the use of fundal pressure during the labor is a cause of great concern about medical malpractice and accidents caused by overpressure on fundus. To practice fundal pressure in safe way, medical device is designed. The device consists of inflatable belt, controller, and TOCO transducer; it inflates the belt to give air pressure onto fundus. In this study, we propose the shape of belt to give an air pressure on fundus equally, efficiently, and safely.

Cytosolic Ca2+ is an important regulator of tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Recently, the strategy of blocking receptors and channels specific to certain cancer cell types has emerged as a potentially viable future treatment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive form of cancer with a high metastasis rate but the receptor-mechanisms involved in Ca2+ signaling in these tumors have not yet been elucidated. In our present study, we report that bradykinin induces Ca2+ signaling and its modulation in the human oral squamous carcinoma cell line, HSC-3. Bradykinin was found to increase the cytosolic Ca2+ levels in a concentration-dependent manner. This increase was inhibited by pretreatment with the phospholipase C-β inhibitor, U73122, and also by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inhibitor of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. Pretreatment with extracellular ATP also inhibited the peak bradykinin-induced Ca2+ rise. In contrast, the ATP-induced rise in cytosolic Ca2+ was not affected by pretreatment with bradykinin. Pretreatment of the cells with either forskolin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (activators of adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase C, respectively) prior to bradykinin application accelerated the recovery of cytosolic Ca2+ to baseline levels. These data suggest that bradykinin receptors are functional in Ca2+ signaling in HSC-3 cells and may therefore represent a future target in treatment strategies for human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Cordycepin (3’-deoxyadenosine) is a polyadenylation specific inhibitor, one of the components of Cordyceps militaris. It has been shown to possess many pharmacological activities including immunologically stimulating, anti-tumor, anti-virus, and anti-infection effects. However, its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, the apoptotic effects by cordycepin were investigated in human leukemia cells. Cordycepin treatment inhibited leukemia cells growth a concentration-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis,as evidenced by morphological change and apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation and increased populations of apoptoticsub G1 phase. Induction of apoptosis by cordycepin in leukemia cells were associated with modulation of Bcl-2 member and inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins expression. Cordycepin also increased ROS generation, activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), -catenin and phospholipase (PLC)-1 protein. Both the this effect by cordycepin treatment were significantly inhibited by NAC, a ROS scavenger, demonstrating the important role of ROS in the observed cytotoxic effect. This results suggested that cordycepin may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of leukemia patients.

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resin produced from the stem and leaves of Pistiacia lentiscus L var chia, a plant which grows only on Chios Island in Greece. CGM has been used for many centuries as a dietary supplement and folk medicine for stomach and duodenal ulcers in many Mediterranean countries and is known also to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in some cancer cells. In this study, we further investigated the induction and mechanisms underlying the apoptotic response to CGM treatment in the SCC25 human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line. The viability of SCC25 cells, human normal keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1 cells), and the growth inhibition of SCC25 cells were assessed by MTT assay and clonogenic assay, respectively. Staining with Hoechst and hemacolor dyes and TUNEL assays were employed to detect SCC25 cells undergoing apoptosis. SCC25 cells were treated with CGM, and this was followed by western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, FACScan flow cytometry, MMP activity and proteasome activity analyses. CGM treatment of SCC25 cells was found to result in a time- and dosedependent decrease in cell viability, a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth, and apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, CGM showed a remarkable level of cytotoxicity in SCC25 cells but not in normal cells. Tested SCC25 cells also showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation. Taken together, our present findings demonstrate that CGM strongly inhibits cell proliferation by modulating the expression of G1 cell cycle-related proteins and induces apoptosis via the proteasome, mitochondria and caspase cascades in SCC25 cells.

The Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) such as Glucose-tyrosine (Glu-Tyr) and Xylose-arginine (Xyl-Arg) have antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antibacterial effects. However, to date, still little is known about the other biological effects of the MRPs. In this study, we investigated whether the fructose-tyrosine MRP, 2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (Fru-Tyr), could modulate cell cycle progression and NF-κB activity, and thereby induce apoptotic cell death of colon cancer cells. Treatment with different concentrations (10-40 μg/ ml) of Fru-Tyr for 24 h inhibited colon cancer cell (SW620 and HCT116) growth followed by induction of G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that Fru-Tyr suppressed tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB transcriptional activity. Moreover, Fru-Tyr induced the expression of apoptotic gene, cleaved caspse-3. These results suggest that Fru-Tyr inhibited colon cancer cell growth through induction of G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death by modulating of NF-κB.

Periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue is a connective tissue that is interposed between the roots of the teeth and the inner wall of the alveolar bone socket. PDL is always exposed to physiologic mechanical force such as masticatory force and PDL cells play important roles during orthodontic tooth movement by synthesizing and secreting different mediators involved in bone remodeling. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was recently shown to play a significant role in the control of bone formation. In the present study, we applied cyclic tensile stress of 20% elongation to cultured human PDL cells and assessed its impact after six days upon components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. RTPCR analysis showed that Wnt1a, Wnt3a, Wnt10b and the Wnt receptor LRP5 were down-regulated, whereas the Wnt inhibitor DKK1 was up-regulated in response to these stress conditions. In contrast, little change was detected in the mRNA expression of Wnt5a, Wnt7b, Fz1, and LRP6. By western blotting we found decreased expression of the β-catenin and p-GSK-3β proteins. Our results thus show that mechanical stress suppresses the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in PDL cells.

This study develops reeducation programs to satisfy needs conducted by the analyses of potential customers and present R&D education programs. The results of this study were derived using the data collected from 200 R&D researchers and control managers occupied in research centers. By analyses of the survey, results showed that the professional R&D reeducation institution and specialized education programs according to career and position were needed. To bring solution of the researcher's reeducation, the establishment of R&D Supreme Academy is essential for effective human resource development and management in R&D.

국내 게임 산업은 10년간 지속적인 발전을 하고 있지만 인력에 대한 구조와 양성에 대한 변화는 미흡하게 이루어지고 있다. 게임 산업이 중심이 되어 파생되는 새로운 산업은 증가하고 있지만 인력 구조 변화는 신규 직업과 맞지 않게 흐르고 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 국내 게임 시장의 인력 현황을 살펴보고 적재적소의 인력 배치 방안에 대해 고찰하고자 한다.

Since the computer technology has been drastically developed and broadly employed for the design of human machine system, human system interface was somehow digitalized. Actually the operator’'s working environment employing the digital devices are not be

본 연구에서는 인체 내 장내 세균 및 병원성 식중독 세균에 선인장 추출물이 미치는 영향과 항산화, 항고혈압 활성에 대하여 분석하였다. 항균활성은 96well- plate법과 paper disc법을 이용하여 실험하였으며 줄기 추출물의 경우 96well-plate 및 paper disc법의 결과, 장내유해균인 Eubacterium limosum 및 Clostridium perfringens, C. butyricum, C. difficile과 Staphylococcus aureus에 대하여 높은 억제율을 보였으나 Bacteroides fragilis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilis, Streptococcus thermophilus의 경우 억제율을 나타내지 않았다. 열매 추출물의 경우 장내유해균 및 장내유익균에 Bacteroides fragilis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilis, and Streptococcus thermophilis에 대하여 억제율을 나타내지 않았다. 또한 줄기 추출물의 경우 열 및 pH에서도 장내미생물에 대한 항균활성에 안정함을 나타내었다. 선인장 추출물의 폴리페놀과 플라보노이드 함량 및 DPPH 전자공여능을 측정한 결과 열처리하지 않은 열매와 줄기 추출물의 폴리페놀은 3.02 mg/g, 5.85 mg/g, 플라보노이드는 1.04 mg/g, 2.1 mg/g, 전자공여능은 87, 88%로 높은 수율을 나타내었다. 선인장 추출물의 항고혈압활성은 줄기 추출물의 경우 88.8% 열매 추출물의 경우 69.2%의 항고혈압활성을 보였으며 상기 결과를 종합할 때, 선인장 줄기추출물은 장내 유해균의 억제 및 유익균의 증진을 통한 장내 균총 개선을 위한 기능성 식품소재로 활용할 수 있다고 판단된다.