• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.551-561
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• 2021

Atherectomy has become a promising treatment option for peripheral artery disease caused by diabetes mellitus or end-stage renal disease. Atherectomy refers to the removal of atheromatous tissue by mechanical method, resulting in an enlarged lumen of the treated blood vessel. Based on this method, the term is limited to the percutaneous minimally invasive approach, and there are currently two types of atherectomy devices available in Korea. The increased prevalence of atherectomy has led to the concept of "vascular preparation" and a new treatment concept of "leave nothing behind." Various studies have proven the safety and effectiveness of atherectomy; however, there are some limitations. We need to remain focused on patient selection and subsequent large-scale research.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1473-1480
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• 2011

Perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) is a contaminant found in surface water and soil/ground water. Microbial removal of perchlorate is the method of choice since microorganisms can reduce perchlorate into harmless end-products. Such microorganisms require an electron donor to reduce perchlorate. Conventional perchlorate-removal techniques employ heterotrophic perchlorate-reducing bacteria that use organic compounds as electron donors to reduce perchlorate. Since continuous removal of perchlorate requires a continuous supply of organic compounds, heterotrophic perchlorate removal is an expensive process. Feasibility of autotrophic perchlorate-removal using elemental sulfur granules and activated sludge was examined in this study. Granular sulfur is relatively inexpensive and activated sludge is easily available from wastewater treatment plants. Batch tests showed that activated sludge microorganisms could successfully degrade perchlorate in the presence of granular sulfur as an electron donor. Perchlorate biodegradation was confirmed by molar yield of $Cl^-$ as the perchlorate was degraded. Scanning electron microscope revealed that rod-shaped microorganisms on the surface of sulfur particles were used for the autotrophic perchlorate-removal, suggesting that sulfur particles could serve as supporting media for the formation of biofilm as well. DGGE analyses revealed that microbial profile of the inoculum (activated sludge) was different from that of the biofilm sample obtained from enrichment culture that used sulfur particles for $ClO_4^-$-degradation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2012

The sporulation-specific glucoamylase (SGA) of Saccharomyces diastaticus is known to be produced in the cytoplasm during sporulation. For the purpose of proving that SGA has secretory potential, we constructed a hybrid plasmid, pYESC25, containing the promoter and the putative signal sequence of the SGA fused in frame to the endo-1,4-${\beta}$-D-glucanase (CMCase) gene of Bacillus subtilis without its own signal sequence. The recipient yeast strain of S. diastaticus YIY345 was transformed with the hybrid plasmid. CMCase secretion from S. diastaticus harboring pYESC25 into culture medium was confirmed by the formation of yellowish halos around transformants after staining with Congo red on a CMC agar plate. The transformant culture was fractionated to the extracellular, periplasmic, and intracellular fraction, followed by the measurement of CMCase activity. About 63% and 13% enzyme activity were detected in the culture supernatant (extracellular fraction) and periplasmic fraction, respectively. Furthermore, ConA-Sepharose chromatography, native gel electrophoresis, and activity staining revealed that CMCase produced in yeast was glycosylated and its molecular weight was larger than that of the unglycosylated form from B. subtilis. Taking these findings together, SGA has the potential of secretion to culture medium, and the putative signal sequence of SGA can efficiently direct bacterial CMCase to the yeast secretion pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 2012

Three protease-producing halophilic bacteria were isolated from fermenting anchovy. Isolated FAM 10, FAM 114, and FAM 115 were found to grow optimally at salt concentrations of 2-4%, 10%, and 6%, respectively, and could grow in salinity of up to 18-22%. The salinity conditions for optimum protease production were 6% in FAM 10 and 10% in FAM 114 and FAM 115. The protease activity of FAM 10 was gradually inhibited by the addition of NaCl up to 10%, and was not evident at 14%, whereas FAM 114 and FAM 115 displayed protease activity at 14% NaCl and could not be measured at 18%. These results demonstrated that the three isolated strains belong to protease-producing, moderately halophilic bacteria. Strain FAM 10, FAM 114, and FAM 115 were identified as Salinivibrio sp., Halobacillus sp., and Halobacillus sp. respectively, based on comparative analyses of the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S intergenic space sequence (IGS), biochemical testing, and Gram staining. Salinivibrio sp. FAM 10 had two 16S rDNAs containing different sequences at position 191 and four IGSs that harbored no tRNA gene and tRNA genes for isoleucine, alanine, glutamate, lysine, and/or valine. Halobacillus sp. FAM 114 and FAM 115 had completely identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and showed 99% identity to the sequences of various Halobacillus strains. The three IGSs found in the genome of both strains displayed 99% sequence identity with Halobacillus aidingensis and Halobacillus sp. JM-Hb, and had $IGS^0$ with no tRNA gene and $IGS^{IA}$ with tRNA genes for isoleucine and alanine.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.25-31
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• 2013

Civil and military firing ranges are usually contaminated with heavy metals such as lead and copper and remediation is required. Acid washing and extraction are common remediation methods. Lead contaminated firing range soil samples were collected and a preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of the contamination and the contribution of high specific gravity particles. Ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid(EDTA) extraction was applied for the removal of heavy metal but the extraction was not feasible for the firing range soil. Even after the repeated EDTA extraction, the contamination were still over the Korean environmental standard indicating that soil particles highly contaminated with heavy metal which release the heavy metal ion even after the repeated extraction. Some colored and higher specific gravity particles were separated from the soil samples and analyzed. The colored particles have specific gravity of 2.5-6.6. The saturation ratio of Pb and EDTA was 4.9-32%. After removal of these colored particles, the sandy soil showed moderate contamination which can be treated with soil washing. This was proved with the five-level sequential extraction and TCLP tests.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2004

Cytochrome P450 aromatase is the enzyme responsible for biosynthesis of female sex hormone(estrogen) and 19-nortestosterone(nandrolone), a unique steroid hormone endogenously synthesized in the pig. By use of RT-PCR coupled with DHPLC technique (WAVE analysis), expression pattern of isoforms of porcine cytochrome P450 aromatase gene was investigated. Relatively higher expression of aromatase mRNA was observed in testis than in ovary and this result accounted for the previous findings of higher blood estrogen level in male compared with female in this species. The result from the DHPLC demonstrated that PCR amplified DNA fragments of ovary and testis tissues. using unique PCR primers for all three types of aromatase genes, were different from those of type II and ill genes. Further nucleotide sequence analyses of the plasmid clones containing the PCR products revealed that nucleotide sequences of all clones were identical to type I aromatase gene(ovary type). Thus, the result from the present study indicates that the ovary and testis express the same type of aromatase gene. Therefore, the efficacy of DHPLC techniques used for this study helped us to analyze tissue-specific expression of isoform of genes containing the nucleotide sequences with high homology.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 1960

The amino acid compositions of the protein and the nonprotein fractions obtained from a marine brown alga, 'Undaria pinnatifida' were determined by use of Ion Exchange Column Chromatography. The protein nitrogen in the alga was about ten times of the nonprotein nitrogen. Nonprotein fraction obtained from the extraction with 80 percent ethanol contains considerable amount of tree citrulline. Alanine content in the alga was the highest (about 1 per cent in dry weight) and one third of which was found in free state. The amino acid composition of the alga was well balanced and the content of the essential amino acids were relatively higher, than soybean protein. In addition, several peptide like substances were fractionated from nonprotein fraction, in which one way identified as a naturally occurring new tripeptide composed of alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, and the remaining unknown substances are under investigation for the further information.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.432-442
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• 1992

To identify the histological site of synthesis of yolk protein precursor, vitellogenin, by immunocytochemical method in the freshwater crab Eriocheir japonicus, we purified the yolk protein, vitellin, from crude egg extracts, and prepared the anti-rabbit serum against vitellin. Then, the site of vitellogenin synthesis was demonstrated by immunotytochemical method with PAP(peroxidase-antiperoxidase) reaction using the rabbit antiserum aganist vitellin. Female specific serum protein was identified in female serum by immunoelectrophoresis and Ouchterlony's immunodiffusion test for mature male and female sera. Based on the immunoelectrophoresis and Ouchterlony's diffusion test for mature male and female sera and crude egg extracts using antiserum against vitellogenic female serum absorbed with male serum, the female specific serum protein was identified as vitellogenin, detected in female serum only. The major yolk protein, vitellin, was purified from the crude egg extracts by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography, followed by sepharose CL-4B gel filteration chromatography. The molecular weight of vitellin was estimated to be about 245,000 dalton by sepharose CL-4B gel filteration chromatography. from the results of immunological analysis for vitellin, it was found that the vitellin antiserum contained the antibody against vitellogenin. In the results of immunocytochemical reaction by PAP method with the rabbit antiserum against vitellin, the vitellogenic oocytes and the hepatopancreas of mature female showed positive PAP reaction, but not in follicle cells and previtellogenic oocytes nf ovary, muscle of female and mature male hepatopancreas. Therefore, it showed that the hepatopancreas of mature female is the site of vitellogenic synthesis.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2012

Natural moisturizing factors (NMFs) are hydrophilic and water-soluble components in stratum corneum of the skin. NMFs absorb water from outer environment and enhance the water-holding capacity of stratum corneum and thereby, prevent the dryness and increase flexibility and plasticity of skin. NMFs are mainly composed of amino acids and their metabolites that are produced from the degradation of filaggrin. Here we established a simultaneous quantification method for 22 amino acids in tape-stripped stratum corneum samples using UPLC-PDA. With this method, we analyzed amino acid contents from tape-stripped stratum corneum samples of forearm and forehead regions from 15 healthy volunteers. Amino acid contents of inner (or upper) region were higher than outer (or lower) region of stratum corneum. Amino acid contents of stratum corneum of forearm were higher by 1.5 fold than forehead region. Of note, total amino acid contents were significantly and inversely correlated with trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), an index for skin barrier function. Especially, Ser, Glu, Gly, Ala and Thr were determined to positively affect skin mositurizing activities. In conclusion, we could demonstrate that amino acid contents of stratum corneum are closely linked with skin barrier and moisturizing function, providing an important and fundamental methodology for the study of amino acids in skin physiology.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.435-438
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• 2017

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) contains M. avium-intracellular complex (MAC), M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, M. abscessus, M. kansasii, etc., which causes infections in swine, poultry, and other animals. These bacteria are opportunistic pathogens that can contaminate people, and in doing so, cause various social economic problems. This study proved that NTM are also present in air conditioners of multiuse facilities in frequently visited populated areas. The results of this study are meaningful because they showed that pathogenic microbes can live in the surroundings and cause diseases to people with impaired immunity. This study used the AFB stain, L-J medium culture, and PCR method for the detection of MTB and NTM in air conditioner dust. MTB was not detected in any of the collected samples, while NTM was detected in 2 out of 40 samples (5%). Most people living in the modern environment cannot avoid being exposed to air conditioners so special attention is needed for sanitary inspections and the management of air conditioners. Moreover, it is important to study NTM through various individuals, accumulate the related data and establish the methods and standards of hygiene management system to reduce NTM infections in public areas. Moreover, it would be necessary to identify the precise species of NTM through DNA sequencing and evaluate the effects of NTM on the pulmonary tuberculosis in immunodeficiency patients.