• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2011

The faulty regulation of imprinting gene lead to the abnormal development of reconstructed embryo after nuclear transfer. However, the correlation between the imprinting status of donor cell and preimplantation stage of embryo development is not yet clear. In this study, to determine this correlation, we used the porcine spermatogonial stem cell (pSSC) and fetal fibroblast (pFF) as donor cells. As the results, the isolated cells with laminin matrix selection strongly expressed the GFR ${\alpha}$-1 and PLZF genes of SSCs specific markers. The pSSCs were maintained to 12 passages and positive for the pluripotent marker including OCT4, SSEA1 and NANOG. The methylation analysis of H19 DMR of pSSCs revealed that the zinc finger protein binding sites CTCF3 of H19 DMRs displayed an androgenic imprinting pattern (92.7%). Also, to investigate the reprogramming potential of pSSCs as donor cell, we compared the development rate and methylation status of H19 gene between the reconstructed embryos from pFF and pSSC. This result showed no significant differences of the development rate between the pFFs ($11.2{\pm}0.8%$) and SSCs ($13.3{\pm}1.1%$). However, interestingly, while the CTCF3 methylation status of pFF-NT blastocyst was decreased (36.3%), and the CTCF3 methylation status of pSSC-NT blastocyst was maintained. Therefore, this result suggested that the genomic imprinting status of pSSCs is more effective than that of normal somatic cells for the normal development because the maintenance of imprinting pattern is very important in early embryo stage.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.49-57
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this study is evaluation for significance of skin meridian-acupoints energy measurement system, and is verification of principle to measure the bio-ion charge on acupoints. Methods : To check a correlation between the MEP(Meridian Energy Potential) and bio-electric charge condition, ten acupoints(left/right BL meridian : BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23) were chosen. Based on basic theory concerning the upward trend of the bio-electric charge by cupping therapy, we measured MEP change before and after 600mmHg(80kPa) Negative pressure stimulation using cupping. Results : We could identify the correlation between MEP and the condition of bio-electric charge in acupoints. Also, we checked the balance or imbalance of left/right the MEP and unusual cases. Conclusions : We confirmed significance of proposed principle and meridian energy measurement system.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.8.1-8.8
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• 2014

Objectives An ecofriendly alternative to chemical pesticides is bio-pesticides, which are derived from natural sources. The interest in bio-pesticides is based on the disadvantages associated with chemical pesticides. Methods We conducted acute toxicity assessments of camphor, a major component of bio-pesticides, by using Daphnia magna (D. magna) as well as assessed the morphological abnormalities that occurred in Danio rerio (D. rerio) embryos. Results The median effective concentration of camphor on D. magna after 48 hours was $395.0{\mu}M$, and the median lethal concentration on D. rerio embryos after 96 hours was $838.6{\mu}M$. The no observed effect concentration and predicted no effect concentration of camphor on D. magna, which was more sensitive than D. rerio, were calculated as $55.2{\mu}M$ and $3.95{\mu}M$, respectively. Morphological abnormalities in D. rerio embryos exposed to camphor increased over time. Coagulation, delayed hatching, yolk sac edema, pericardial edema, and pigmentation of embryos mainly appeared between 24 and 48 hours. Further, symptoms of scoliosis and head edema occurred after 72 hours. In addition, bent tails, ocular defects and collapsed symptoms of fertilized embryonic tissue were observed after 96 hours. Conclusions The camphor toxicity results suggest that continuous observations on the ecosystem are necessary to monitor toxicity in areas where biological pesticides containing camphor are sprayed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2013

It is time to develop new renewable energy that could fundamentally replace fossil fuel, which has been increasingly needed due to environmental pollution and energy security. Korean marine bio-energy development project is planned to produce 50% of total bioenergy. This study attempts to measure the greenhouse gas emission reduction benefits of marine bio-energy development project through contingent valuation method. Single bounded dichotomous choice (SBDC) is applied with spike model. The results show that the average willingness to pay are estimated to be KRW 4,190 at SBDC, per household per year. If the result has been expanded to the region which is survey conducted, KRW 50.1 billion annually. These quantitative information can be usefully utilized in the cost benefit analysis to implement project and policy-making for the industrialization of marine bio-energy development project.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.598-609
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• 2017

Pediococcus pentosaceus ID-7 was isolated from kimchi, a Korean fermented food, and it showed high activity for lactose hydrolysis. The ${\beta}$-galactosidase of P. pentosaceus ID-7 belongs to the GH2 group, which is composed of two distinct proteins. The heterodimeric LacLM type of ${\beta}$-galactosidase found in P. pentosaceus ID-7 consists of two genes partially overlapped, lacL and lacM encoding LacL (72.2 kDa) and LacM (35.4 kDa). In this study, Escherichia coli MM294 was used for the production of LacL, LacM, and LacLM. These three types of recombinant proteins were expressed, purified, and characterized. The specific activities of LacLM and LacL were 339 and 31 U/mg, respectively. However, activity was not detected with LacM alone. The optimal pH of LacLM and LacL was pH 7.5 and pH 7.0, and the optimal temperature of LacLM and LacL was $40^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The optimal temperature changes indicate that LacLM is able to achieve higher activity at a relatively lower temperature. LacLM was strongly activated by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, and $Zn^{2+}$, which was not true for LacL. Consistent with this, EDTA strongly inactivated LacLM and LacL, but the presence of reducing agents did not dramatically alter the activity. Taken together, multiple alignment of amino acid sequences and phylogenetic analysis results of LacL and LacM of P. pentosaceus ID-7 suggest the evolution of LacL into LacLM and that the use of divalent metal ions results in higher activity.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.405-412
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• 2002

The principle of Acupuncture effect on meridians is what physical stimulation does on general physiology so that is gets into new equilibrium from the fallen function state of human body. However, in western medicine, it is generally accepted that the action passageway of various kinds stimulation has been regarded as nerve-endocrine-immune system. Acupuncture effect has been regarded any action for all meridians as a respones by the stimulation. Western medicine doesn's accept treatment for transmission of the bio-energy. In this paper, we compared change of electric potential when an acupuncturist's bio-energy is passed on and when is not. As a result of clinics, the acupuncture effect is different as acupuncture method, when an acupuncturist's bio-energy is passed on the meridian and it isn's. It implies that acupuncture effect can complicately respond by simple acupuncture stimulus and transmission of bio-energy, on same meridian. We could confirm the relationship between an acupuncturist's energy transmission and acupuncture effect. Therefore, we could diagnosis the state of meridian using change of electric potential on the same meridian.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.933-938
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• 2006

Decaprenyl diphosphate synthase (DPS) is the key enzyme for the production of coenzyme $Q_{10}$ ($CoQ_{10}$). A dps gene from Sinorhizobium meliioti KCCM 11232 (IFO 14782) was isolated by PCR and then cloned in Escherichia coli. DNA sequencing analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1,017 bp encoding a 338-amino-acid protein. The protein was identical at the 98% level to the putative octaprenyl diphosphate synthase (IspB) of S. meliloti 1021. The deduced amino acid sequence included the DDxxD domains conserved in the majority of the prenyl diphosphate synthases. Heterologous expression in E. coli BL21 (DE3) was carried out, and the $CoQ_{10}$ produced was then analyzed by HPLC. E. coli BL21 (DE3) harboring the dps gene from S. melioti produced CoQ$_{10}$ in addition to endogenous coenzyme Q$_8$ (CoQ$_8$), whereas wild-type E. coli BL21 (DE3) host did not have the ability of producing CoQ$_{10}$. The results suggest that the putative dps from S. meliloti KCTC 2353 encoded the DPS.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.250-254
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• 2009

Contamination of microcystins, a family of heptapeptide hepatotoxins, in eutrophic water bodies is a worldwide problem. Due to their poisoning effects on animals and humans, there is a requirement to characterize and quantify all microcystins present in a sample. As microcystins are, for most part, intracellular toxins produced by some genera of cyanobacteria, lysing cyanobacterial cells to release all microcystins is considered an important step. To date, although many cell lysis methods have been used, little work has been conducted comparing the results of those different methods. In this study, various methods for cell lysis and toxin extraction from the cell lysates were investigated, including sonication, bead beating, freeze/thaw, lyophilization and lysing with TritonX-100 surfactant. It was found that lyophilization, followed by extraction with 75% methanol, was the most effective for extracting toxins from Microcystis aeruginosa cells. Another important step prior to the analysis is removing impurities and concentrating the target analyte. For these purposes, a C18 Sep-Pak solid phase extraction cartridge was used, with the percentage of the eluent methanol also evaluated. As a result, methanol percentages higher than 75% appeared to be the best eluting solvent in terms of microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) recovery efficiency for the further chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.112-115
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• 2010

We have investigated a surfactant-assisted sonochemical approach to produce monodisperse $Fe_3O_4$ nanoparticles (NPs). The non-ionic surfactant Igepal CO-520 (Poly(oxyethylene)(5) nonylphenyl ether) has been used for the preparation of NPs and the effects on the NP size, size distribution, and magnetic properties have been studied. The $Fe_3O_4$ NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The results reveal that the NPs prepared by a Igepal CO-520-assisted sonochemical method exhibit a narrow range of size distributions and a high monodispersity compared to the NPs from the conventional sonochemical method. The analysis of NPs prepared in the presence of the surfactant suggested that it could be used not only as a protector to prevent the oxidation of Fe (II), but also as a controller to vary the size of the NPs.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2008

In this paper, we present a performance analysis and design and implementation results of a 2.4 GHz bio-radar system that can detect human heartbeat and respiration signals. In order to design a 2.4 GHz bio-radar system qualitatively, we investigate the electromagnetic properties of human tissues and calculate the target SNR of demodulation output with respect to distance. The target SNR is defined by the 90 % success ratio for detecting heartbeat signal. With this target SNR value, the performance and link budget of the bio-radar system is simulated using MATLAB. Using this link budget results, the direct conversion receiver is designed and Implemented in 4 layer printed circuit board(PCB). With output power of 0 dBm and 5 Hz bandwidth, 80 % success ratio of 50 cm is measured. Measurement results show a good agreement with simulation results.