Publications by authors named "Daegyu Jang"

Tissue growth is controlled by various signaling pathways, such as the insulin/IGF-signaling (IIS) pathway. Although IIS activation is regulated by a complex regulatory network, the mechanism underlying miRNA-based regulation of the IIS pathway in wing development remains unclear. In this study, we found that the wing size of adult flies was negatively affected by miR-263b expression.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study explores how metal levels in plasma and urine relate to the risk and survival of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), focusing on both genetic and environmental influences.
  • In the analysis of samples from 454 ALS patients and 294 control subjects, higher levels of metals like copper, selenium, and zinc were linked to increased ALS risk and lower survival rates.
  • The findings emphasize the importance of both occupational and non-occupational metal exposure in contributing to ALS progression, independent of genetic predispositions.
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is a well-established insect model system for studying various physiological phenomena and developmental processes, with a focus on gene regulation. development is controlled by programmed regulatory mechanisms specific to individual tissues. When key developmental processes are shared among various insects, the associated regulatory networks are believed to be conserved across insects.

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Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia because of insulin resistance. Diabetes with chronic hyperglycemia may alter brain metabolism, including brain glucose and neurotransmitter levels; however, detailed, longitudinal studies of metabolic alterations in T2D are lacking. To shed insight, here, we characterized the consequences of poorly controlled hyperglycemia on neurochemical profiles that reflect metabolic alterations of the brain in both humans and animal models of T2D.

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Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) are common complications of type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of these complications are unclear. In this study, we optimized a streptozotocin-induced db/+ murine model of T1D and compared it to our established db/db T2D mouse model of the same C57BLKS/J background.

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Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurogenerative disease caused by combined genetic susceptibilities and environmental exposures. Identifying and validating these exposures are of paramount importance to modify disease risk. We previously reported that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) associate with ALS risk and survival and aimed to replicate these findings in a new cohort.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease of motor neuron degeneration with typical survival of only 2-5 years from diagnosis. The causes of ALS are multifactorial: known genetic mutations account for only around 70% of cases of familial ALS and 15% of sporadic cases, and heritability estimates range from 8% to 61%, indicating additional causes beyond genetics. Consequently, interest has grown in environmental contributions to ALS risk and progression.

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Animal growth is controlled by a variety of external and internal factors during development. The steroid hormone ecdysone plays a critical role in insect development by regulating the expression of various genes. In this study, we found that fat body-specific expression of miR-276a, an ecdysone-responsive microRNA (miRNA), led to a decrease in the total mass of the larval fat body, resulting in significant growth reduction in Drosophila.

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Basement membranes (BMs) play important roles under various physiological conditions in animals, including ecdysozoans. During development, BMs undergo alterations through diverse intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory mechanisms; however, the full complement of pathways controlling these changes remain unclear. Here, we found that fat body-overexpression of , which is highly expressed during the larval-to-pupal transition, resulted in a decrease in the overall size of the larval fat body, and ultimately, in a severe growth defect accompanied by a reduction in cell proliferation and cell size.

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The hematopoietic system plays a crucial role in immune defense response and normal development, and it is regulated by various factors from other tissues. The dysregulation of hematopoiesis is associated with melanotic mass formation; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Here, we observed that the overexpression of in the fat body resulted in the formation of melanotic masses.

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Article Synopsis
  • Patients with type 2 diabetes often face complications like diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), which negatively affect their health and life quality.
  • This study assessed the effects of three dietary interventions—low carbohydrate, caloric restriction, and alternate day fasting—on a type 2 diabetes mouse model to see if they could improve DKD and DPN.
  • The results showed that while all three diets led to weight loss and better blood sugar levels, they mainly improved DKD and had no significant effect on DPN, although reducing fat mass might help enhance nerve function related to DPN.
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Background: To investigate the frequency of pain among subjects with advanced radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) defined as Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade 4 and clinical features associated with pain.

Methods: Subjects from the Hallym Aging Study (HAS), the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), and the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) were included. Participants were asked knee-specific questions regarding the presence of knee pain.

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Algal growth potential (AGP) of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa, NIES-298) using reclaimed water from various wastewater reclamation pilot plants was investigated to evaluate the feasibility of the reclaimed water usage for recreational purposes. After completing the coagulation and ultrafiltration processes, the concentrations of most contaminants in the reclaimed water were lower than the reuse guidelines for recreational water.

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