• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2018

The structure of glycan residues attached to glycoproteins can influence the biological activity, stability, and safety of pharmaceutical proteins delivered from transgenic pig milk. The production of therapeutic glycoprotein in transgenic livestock animals is limited, as the glycosylation of mammary gland cells and the production of glycoproteins with the desired homogeneous glycoform remain a challenge. The ${\beta}$-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminylatransferase1 (B3GNT1) gene is an important enzyme that attaches N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to galactose (Gal) residues for protein glycosylation; however, there is limited information about pig glycosyltransferases. Therefore, we cloned the pig B3GNT1 (pB3GNT1) and investigated its functional properties that could attach N-acetylglucosamine to galactose residue. Using several different primers, a partial pB3GNT1 mRNA sequence containing the full open reading frame (ORF) was isolated from liver tissue. The ORF of pB3GNT1 contained 1,248 nucleotides and encoded 415 amino acid residues. Organ-dependent expression of the pB3GNT1 gene was confirmed in various organs from adult and juvenile pigs. The pB3GNT1 mRNA expression level was high in the muscles of the heart and small intestine but was lower in the lungs. For functional characterization of pB3GNT1, we established a stable expression of the pB3GNT1 gene in the porcine kidney cell line (PK-15). As a result, it was suggested that the glycosylation pattern of pB3GNT1 expression in PK-15 cells did not affect the total sialic acid level but increased the poly N-acetyllactosamine level. The results of this study can be used to produce glycoproteins with improved properties and therapeutic potential for the generation of desired glycosylation using transgenic pigs as bioreactors.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2010

In this study, a comprehensive exploration and evaluation of washland candidate locations by means of field monitoring as well as spatial analysis in six major river system (Han, Nakdong, Nam, Geum, Youngsan, and Seomjin Rivers). Washland(in other words, river detention basin) is an artificial wetland system which is connected to streams or rivers likely to riverine wetlands. Major purpose of washland creation is to control floodings, water supply and purification, providence of eco-cultural space to human and natural populations. Characteristics and functions of riverine wetlands can be expected as well, thus it is believed to be an efficient multi-purpose water body that is artificially created, in terms of hydrology and ecology. Geographical information and field monitoring results for the washland candidate locations were evaluated in 2009, with respect to optimal location exploration, ecosystem connectivity and educational-cultural circumstances. A total of $269\;km^2$ washland candidate locations were found from spatial analysis (main channel of Rivers South Han, 71.5; Nakdong 54.1; Nam, 2.3; Geum, 79.0; Youngsan 46.4; Seomjin 15.7), and they tended to be distributed in mid- to lower part of the rivers to which tributaries are confluent. Field monitoring at 106 sites revealed that some sites located in the Rivers Nam and Geum is appropriate for restoration or artificial creation as riverine wetlands. Several sites in the Nakdong and Seomjin Rivers were close to riverine wetlands (e.g., Upo), habitats of endangered species (e.g., otters), or adjacent to educational facility (e.g., museums) or cultural heritages (e.g., temples). Those sites can be utilized in hydrological, ecological, educational, and cultural ways when evidence of detailed hydrological evaluation is provided. In conclusion, determination of washland locations in the major river basins has to consider habitat expansion as well as hydrological function (i.e. flood control) basically, and further utility (e.g. educational function) will increase the values of washland establishment.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.457-468
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• 2020

Problems arising during pile design works for plant construction, civil and architecture work are mostly come from uncertainty of geotechnical characteristics. In particular, obtaining the N-value measured through the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is the most important data. However, it is difficult to obtain N-value by drilling investigation throughout the all target area. There are many constraints such as licensing, time, cost, equipment access and residential complaints etc. it is impossible to obtain geotechnical characteristics through drilling investigation within a short bidding period in overseas. The geotechnical characteristics at non-drilling investigation points are usually determined by the engineer's empirical judgment, which can leads to errors in pile design and quantity calculation causing construction delay and cost increase. It would be possible to overcome this problem if N-value could be predicted at the non-drilling investigation points using limited minimum drilling investigation data. This study was conducted to predicted the N-value using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) which one of the Artificial intelligence (AI) method. An Artificial Neural Network treats a limited amount of geotechnical characteristics as a biological logic process, providing more reliable results for input variables. The purpose of this study is to predict N-value at the non-drilling investigation points through patterns which is studied by multi-layer perceptron and error back-propagation algorithms using the minimum geotechnical data. It has been reviewed the reliability of the values that predicted by AI method compared to the measured values, and we were able to confirm the high reliability as a result. To solving geotechnical uncertainty, we will perform sensitivity analysis of input variables to increase learning effect in next steps and it may need some technical update of program. We hope that our study will be helpful to design works in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.1
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• pp.38-58
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• 2013

The existence of endemism in many parts of the world is an important factor for conservationists. Conservation can only be carried out under national legislation, and national endemics, which have very limited ranges, fully depend on the effort and success of conservation. A total of 523 vascular plant taxa were listed in the latest national checklist by Ministry of Environment in 2005, while the 'Creation and Furtherance of Arboretums Act' including a national endemic list (appendix 4-1) was established by Korea Forest Service and was legislated as a law in late 2011. This legislation by Korea Forest Service on endemism of Korean vascular plants have required much attention because of discrepancies of nomenclature, taxonomic bias and inflation. Examining data for both lists proposed by Ministry of Environment and Korea Forest Service, of the total of 360 legislated taxa, around 286 taxa are shared with the list of Ministry of Environment, of which about 80% have been found as common taxa. Around 67(18.7%) are typographic errors, and 14 taxa (3.9%) are recorded as illegitimate and invalidly published names. Through this analysis 12 taxa (3.4%) were found in China as well as in Korea and these are thought to be non Korean endemic taxa. Taken together, the legislated list displayed 1/4 (24.9%) errors out of the total list. Only 59 taxa (16.5%) are identified as national endemic species. The remainder are either unresolved candidates (73 taxa, 20.4%) or synonyms (196 taxa, 54.7%) status. It must be noted, that the concept of endemism very much depends on the knowledge of the species concept, taxonomic bias and geographical range of a species. Also, the most major nomenclatural problem tend to be more stable if the information on database about Korea Plant Name, which is managed by Korea National Arboretum are well updated year to year. These exaggerated numbers underscore the urgency for regional conservation planning and implementing effective strategies to preserve these real endemic taxa into the future.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: As a result of rural exodus, aging of rural population, development of high-yield rice varieties and so on, abandoned paddy fields of South Korea have generally increased. The phytosociological studies are needed to recommend the effective vegetation management methods of abandoned paddy fields. The current study performed an analysis of vegetation characteristics by classifying plant communities for abandoned paddy fields in South Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: A comparative analysis of syntaxonomy, synecology, and syndynamics was performed by using the Z.-M. method of phytosociology and vegetation survey which was obtained from an enumeration district of total 203 phytosociological releves of 5 regions in Gangwon-do, 5 regions in Gyeonggi-do, 2 regions in Chungcheong-do, 18 regions in Gyeongsang-do, and 10 regions in Jeolla-do. Alopecurus aequalis community, Juncus effusus var. decipiens community and Salix koreensis community were, respectively, identified as successional plant communities of the early stage, the middle stage, and the late stage in the vegetation of abandoned paddy field. Sere of abandoned paddy field can be classified, developmentally, into annual plant stage, perennial plant stage, shrub plant stage, and forest tree stage. Several kinds of dominant species rather than a distinct species were found in the middle stage of abandoned paddy field. CONCLUSION(S): In this study, changing pattern in vegetational communities of abandoned paddy field were understood. These results will provide important information for restoring and conserving the ecology of fallow ground.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2007

The spermiogenesis of Crocidura shantungensis were studied by electron microscope. All process of spermiogenesis was divided into 11 phases 15 steps, based on the morphological features of the nucleus and cell organelles in cytoplasm of spermatids. The spermatids in Golgi and cap phases were a spherical shape. On the other hand, at the early acrosomal phase they changed into an oval shape, and the tail was created in this phase. In maturation phase, the shapes of spermatid head were thin and longish. Until step 7 the direction of spermatids head turned toward the lumen of the seminiferous tubule. From step 8 to step 15 their heads turned toward the basal lamina. In step 12, the nucleus and acrosome shown maximal elongation. From Step 13 the nucleus of spermatids became flat, simultaneously with flat expansion of the acrosome expanded, and the visible whole lengths of spermatids were tend to be shorten. Spermatid heading which arrived to step 14 was taken the final shape. The nucleus was doing the wedge shape, and the nuclear chromatins condensed completely and homogenized. In the spermiation phase, the spermatids were gradually disconnected from the cytoplasm of the Sertoli cell. In this phase, the acrosome of the spermatids were fully shorten and flat, and the spermatozoa completed the process of heading and the tailing. Considering all the results, the spermiogenesis may be useful information to analyze the differentiation of spermatogenic cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.326-335
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• 2015

Citrus is an economically important fruit tree with the largest amount of fruit production in the world. It provides important nutrition such as vitamin C and other health-promoting compounds including its unique flavonoids for human health. However, it is classified into the most difficult crops to develop new cultivars through conventional breeding approaches due to its long juvenility and some unique reproductive biological features such as gamete sterility, nucellar embryony, and high level of heterozygosity. Due to global warming and changes in consumer trends, establishing a systematic and efficient breeding programs is highly required for sustainable production of high quality fruits and diversification of cultivars. Recently, reference genome sequences of sweet orange and clementine mandarin have been released. Based on the reference whole-genome sequences, comparative genomics, reference-guided resequencing, and genotyping-by-sequencing for various citrus cultivars and crosses could be performed for the advance of functional genomics and development of traits-related molecular markers. In addition, a full understanding of gene function and gene co-expression networks can be provided through combined analysis of various transcriptome data. Analytic information on whole-genome and transcriptome will provide massive data on polymorphic molecular markers such as SNP, INDEL, and SSR, suggesting that it is possible to construct integrated maps and high-density genetic maps as well as physical maps. In the near future, integrated maps will be useful for map-based precise cloning of genes that are specific to citrus with major agronomic traits to facilitate rapid and efficient marker-assisted selection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2009

The proposal of the $CO_2$ ocean sequestration necessitates a thorough understanding of its consequences to aquatic organisms. This paper describes acute toxic responses to high $CO_2$ environment of a cephalopod, Octopus vulgaris. O. vulgaris was chronically cannulated in the abdominal aorta and recovered in a restrained chamber. Acid base variables as well as ion concentrations were estimated in samples of the blood collected from recovered O. vulgaris. 100% mortality occurred within 72h during exposure to 3%-$CO_2$ environment. Hemolymph pH significantly decreased after 30 min during exposure to 1%-$CO_2$ environment without any compensation thereafter. $[HCO_3^-]$ significantly increased from 2.2 mM at 0h to 7.8 mM at 8h, but gradually decreased thereafter. Hemolymph ions $([Cl^-],\;[Na^+],\;[K^+])$ showed no significant changes. O. vulgaris may be more sensitive than teleost, yellowtail, flounder and dogfish.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2003

The Transformation-Associated Recombination (TAR) cloning technique allows selective isolation of chromosomal regions and genes from complex genomes. The procedure requires knowledge of relatively small genomic sequences that reside adjacent to the chromosomal region of interest. This technique involves homologous recombination during yeast spheroplast transformation between genomic DNA and a TAR vector that has 5'and 3' gene targeting sequences. In this study, we examined the minimum size of specific hooks required for a single-copy gene isolation and compared the utility of different TAR vectors, radial and unique vectors, by cloning the same single-copy gene. The efficiency of TAR cloning of the hHPRT gene was same using hooks varying from 750 to 63 bp. The number of transformants decreased approximately 20-fold when the TAR vector contained two unique hooks versus using a radial vector, but the percentage of positive recombinants increased over 2-fold when a unique TAR vector was used. Therefore, we suggest that the two-unique TAR vector is suitable for general TAR cloning given its high selectivity, and the radial TAR vector is more suitable when genomic DNA is in limited quantity, for example, DNA isolated from pathological specimens. Moreover, we confirm the minimal length of a unique sequence in a TAR vector is approximately 60 bp for a single-copy gene isolation.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2016

The natives of the genus Corbicula have shown worldwide dispersion in recent times, which has caused great ecological and economic impacts on the introduced ecosystems. The species reported from the genus have been consumed as food and explored for medicine with pharmacological activity. Consequently, the demand of Corbicula sp. in the South Korean domestic market has increased and so also it's associated import to the country. However, due to the absence of identification keys of imported Corbicula, the market is facing confronting situations. We hypothesized that the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I gene (CO-I) based molecular profiling could be a necessary technique for identification of Corbicula sp. in the South Korea domestic market. The genetic analysis identified both Corbicula japonica and Corbicula fluminea from the market foods. C. japonica and C. fluminea are inhabitants in Korea, but C. fluminea production has decreased in Seomjingang river basin. Therefore, C. fluminea identified from this study, is expected to be imported from China and would have a mixed sales in Seomjingang river side basin.