Publications by authors named "Kang Nam"

, a halophilic unicellular chlorophyte, produces bioactive compounds and biofuels applicable to various industries. Despite its industrial significance, comprehensive studies on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of the genus remain challenging. In this study, we characterized an axenically isolated green alga from a salt pond in Taean, Republic of Korea, and assessed its industrially relevant traits.

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The biological production of lipids presents a sustainable method for generating fuels and chemicals. Recognized as safe and enhanced by advanced synthetic biology and metabolic engineering tools, yeasts are becoming versatile hosts for industrial applications. However, lipids accumulate predominantly as triacylglycerides in yeasts, which are suboptimal for industrial uses.

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  • Strain AQYS21, a green microalga from Korea, shows promise for bioactive compounds and biofuels.
  • The study explored its morphology, molecular traits, and optimal growth conditions, confirming its identity and unique features.
  • The strain's high omega-3 fatty acid content and favorable biodiesel properties indicate its potential as a sustainable feedstock for biofuel production.
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During the 2022-2023 mpox outbreak in the United States, the federal government distributed mpox vaccines to individual states. Significant variation in vaccine coverage was noted across states. State-level factors associated with higher vaccine coverage were Democratic political orientation, higher public health spending, higher proportion of at-risk population, and higher mpox cases.

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  • Schizochytrium is a promising marine protist for producing biofuels and omega-3 fatty acids, but advancements in genetic engineering are needed for improved lipid production.
  • A new safe-harbor transgene expression system was developed to address issues with gene integration stability, achieving enhanced expression of the sfGFP gene at a specific genomic location (HRsite 2).
  • By integrating the 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase (KR) gene at HRsite 2, researchers achieved a 25% increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, demonstrating the potential for efficient biotechnological applications in lipid production.
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: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is the most prevalent cancer in the head and neck region, originating from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. The solute carrier (SLC) transporter superfamily, consisting of over 400 proteins across 65 families, plays a crucial role in cellular functions and presents promising targets in precision oncology. This study aims to analyze the expression of SLC transporters in HNSC and their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

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  • Reliable and sensitive virus detection is crucial to prevent airborne transmission, with PCR being a primary diagnostic method, but it is often slow due to traditional thermocycling processes.
  • Plasmonic PCR offers a faster alternative by using light-driven heating with gold nanorods, allowing for quicker detection of the air-sampled influenza virus H1N1.
  • This new methodology achieved virus detection in just 12 minutes, demonstrating a sensitivity level similar to commercial PCR devices, making it effective for rapid on-site pathogen identification.
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Microalgae, recognized as sustainable and eco-friendly photosynthetic microorganisms, play a pivotal role in converting CO into value-added products. Among these, Nannochloropsis salina (Microchloropsis salina) stands out, particularly for its ability to produce eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a crucial omega-3 fatty acid with significant health benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties and cardiovascular health promotion. This study focused on optimizing the cultivation conditions of Nannochloropsis salina to maximize EPA production.

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Microalgae, valued for their sustainability and CO fixation capabilities, are emerging as promising sources of biofuels and high-value compounds. This study aimed to boost lipid production in by overexpressing chloroplast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a key enzyme in the Calvin cycle and glycolysis, under the control of a nitrogen-inducible NIT1 promoter, to positively impact overall carbon metabolism. The standout transformant, PNG#7, exhibited significantly increased lipid production under nitrogen starvation, with biomass rising by 44% and 76% on days 4 and 16, respectively.

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This study presents a cost-effective strategy for producing organic acids from glucose and xylose using the acid-tolerant yeast, Issatchenkia orientalis. I. orientalis was engineered to produce lactic acid from xylose, and the resulting strain, SD108XL, successfully converted sorghum hydrolysates into lactic acid.

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  • This study analyzed a phase II trial to find important prognostic factors for overall and progression-free survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy.
  • The analysis included 86 patients, revealing three-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates of 87.1% and 76.5%, respectively, with various tumor size measurements linked to survival outcomes.
  • Key findings highlighted that initial tumor size and restaging tumor volume, measured via MRI, could serve as effective indicators for prognosis during treatment.
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Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the treatment outcomes and adverse effects of moderately hypofractionated partial breast irradiation (PBI) in patients with early breast cancer.

Methods: In total, 473 patients with early breast cancer or carcinoma were diagnosed with Tis or T1N0 disease and underwent PBI following breast-conserving surgery. All histologic tumor types, close surgical margins within 1 mm of the tumor, and multifocal tumors were included in this study.

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Human breastmilk is an invaluable nutritional and pharmacological resource with a highly diverse metabolite profile, which can directly affect the metabolism of infants. Application of metabolomics can discriminate the complex relationship between such nutrients and infant health. As the most common biological fluid in metabolomic study, infant urinary metabolomics may provide the physiological impacts of different nutritional resources, namely human breastmilk and formulated milk.

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Mixed-lineage protein kinase 3 (MLK3) is implicated in several human cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. A series of 3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as novel MLK3 inhibitors. A homology model of MLK3 was developed and all designed compounds were docked to assess their binding pattern and affinity toward the MLK3 active site.

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In this study, Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics profiling was conducted to elucidate the urinary profiles of premature infants during early and late postnatal stages. As a result, we discovered significant excretion of maternal drugs in early-stage infants and identified crucial metabolites like hormones and amino acids. These findings shed light on the maternal impact on neonatal metabolism and underscore the beneficial effects of breastfeeding on the metabolism of essential amino acids in infants.

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Despite significant improvements in vaccines and chemotherapeutic drugs, pathogenic RNA viruses continue to have a profound impact on the global economy and pose a serious threat to animal and human health through emerging and re-emerging outbreaks of diseases. To overcome the challenge of viral adaptation and evolution, increased vigilance is required. Particularly, antiviral drugs derived from new, natural sources provide an attractive strategy for controlling problematic viral diseases.

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Due to the large size and high flexibility of the catalytic active site of BACE1 enzyme, the development of nonpeptide inhibitors with optimal pharmacological properties is still highly demanding. In this work, we have discovered 2-aminobenzimidazole-containg ether scaffolds having potent and selective inhibitory potentials against BACE1 enzyme. We have synthesized novel 29 compounds and optimization of aryl linker region resulted in highly potent BACE1 inhibitory activities with EC values of 0.

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The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak triggered global concern and emphasized the importance of virus monitoring. During a seasonal influenza A outbreak, relatively low concentrations of 10-10 viral genome copies are available per 1 m of air, which makes detection and monitoring very challenging because the limit of detection of most polymerase chain reaction (PCR) devices is approximately 10 viral genome copies/mL. In response to the urgent need for the rapid detection of airborne coronaviruses and influenza viruses, an electrostatic aerosol-to-hydrosol (ATH) sampler was combined with a concanavalin A (ConA)-coated high-throughput microfluidic chip.

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Methane (CH), one of the greenhouse gases, is considered a promising feedstock for the biological production of fuels and chemicals. Although recent studies have demonstrated the capability of methanotrophs to convert CH into various bioproducts by metabolic engineering, the productivity has not reached commercial levels. As such, there is a growing interest in synthetic methanotrophic systems as an alternative.

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The continuous emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with multiple spike (S) protein mutations pose serious threats to current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) therapies. A comprehensive understanding of the structural stability of SARS-CoV-2 variants is vital for the development of effective therapeutic strategies as it can offer valuable insights into their potential impact on viral infectivity. S protein mediates a virus' attachment to host cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through its receptor-binding domain (RBD), and mutations in this protein can affect its stability and binding affinity.

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Third-generation biomass production utilizing microalgae exhibits sustainable and environmentally friendly attributes, along with significant potential as a source of physiologically active compounds. However, the process of screening and localizing strains that are capable of producing high-value-added substances necessitates a significant amount of effort. In the present study, we have successfully isolated the indigenous marine diatom OAOSH22 from the east coast of Korea.

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Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a well-established and effective method for generating diverse and novel hits in drug design. Kinases are suitable targets for FBDD due to their well-defined structure. Water molecules contribute to structure and function of proteins and also influence the environment within the binding pocket.

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This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of var. (CG) in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The mice received CG water extract (CGWE) treatment for 8 weeks, and changes in body weight and serum lipid levels were analyzed.

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  • Microalgae like Chlorella sp. ABC-001 struggle with high CO levels, but this study aimed to explore how these organisms can improve carbon fixation and lipid production in such environments.
  • Research found that under 10% CO conditions, microalgae demonstrated up to 2.5 times higher cell density and doubled lipid content within a week, driven by metabolic changes and gene expression.
  • Key findings indicate increased development of chloroplasts and specific gene expressions related to metabolism and growth under high CO, while repression of certain carbon-concentrating enzymes was noted throughout the process.
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(family ) is a natural product broadly used as an antioxidative, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory agent in East Asia. In the present study, eupatilin, the main constituent of , was investigated as an antihyperlipidemic agent. Eupatilin inhibited 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (HCR), an enzyme that is a therapeutic target for hyperlipidemia, in an assay using rat liver.

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