• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2020

Standardization of vitamin analysis continues around the world, and much effort has been made to improve the accuracy of the results. This study analyzed the sigma metrics of the vitamin D test using the external quality assessment (EQA) program. Sigma metrics is used for quantitative tests performed in the laboratory, and the test results can be objectively visualized in terms of quality. This analysis was performed based on the accuracy of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) using the results of the 2019 accuracy-based vitamin D (ABVD) survey, and about 300 laboratories participated in the survey. Reference values were obtained by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference laboratory. At six different concentrations, the sigma metrics were analyzed to be 1.00, 1.85, 2.42, 1.01, 1.54 and 0.78, respectively. An average of 1.43 sigma metrics was determined. In particular, only positive biases for ABVD-16 and 17 were shown in the liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which is the standard method for vitamin D determination when compared to the reference values. The causes of the difference can be explained by cross reactivity to various vitamin D metabolites. Laboratories need to improve their overall performance.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 2020

This study is aimed to evaluate and compare the surface roughness and microbial adhesion to alkasite restorative material (Cention N), resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI), and composite resin. And to examine the correlation between bacterial adhesion and surface roughness by different finishing systems. Specimens were fabricated in disk shapes and divided into four groups by finishing methods (control, carbide bur, fine grit diamond bur, and white stone bur). Surface roughness was tested by atomic force microscope and surface observation was performed by scanning electron microscope. Colony forming units were measured after incubating Streptococcus mutans biofilm on specimens using CDC biofilm reactor. Cention N surface roughness was less than 0.2 ㎛ after finishing procedure. Control specimens of resin and Cention N specimens were significantly (p = 0.01) rougher. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC = 0.13) indicated a weak correlation between surface roughness and S. mutans adhesion to the specimens. Compared with resin specimens, RMGI and Cention N showed lower microbial adhesion. Surface roughness and bacterial adhesion were not significantly different, regardless of the finishing systems.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2017

Variant surface antigens (VSAs) encoded by pir families are considered to be the key proteins used by many Plasmodium spp. to escape the host immune system by antigenic variation. This attribute of VSAs is a critical issue in the development of a novel vaccine. In this regard, a population genetic study of vir genes from Plasmodium vivax was performed in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Eighty-five venous blood samples and 4 of the vir genes, namely vir 27, vir 21, vir 12, and vir 4, were selected for study. The number of segregating sites (S), number of haplotypes (H), haplotype diversity (Hd), DNA diversity (${\pi}$ and ${\Theta}_w$), and Tajima's D test value were conducted. Phylogenetic trees of each gene were constructed. The vir 21 (S=143, H=22, Hd=0.827) was the most genetically diverse gene, and the vir 4 (S=6, H=4, Hd=0.556) was the opposite one. Tajima's D values for vir 27 (1.08530, P>0.1), vir 12 (2.89007, P<0.01), and vir 21 (0.40782, P>0.1) were positive, and that of vir 4 (-1.32162, P>0.1) was negative. All phylogenetic trees showed 2 clades with no particular branching according to the geographical differences and cluster. This study is the first survey on the vir genes in ROK, providing information on the genetic level. The sample sequences from vir 4 showed a clear difference to the Sal-1 reference gene sequence, whereas they were very similar to those from Indian isolates.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.397-405
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• 2005

Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate derived from hydrolysis of glucoraphanin in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, was shown to induce phase II detoxification enzymes and inhibit chemically induced mammary tumors in rodents. Recently, sulforaphane is known to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human cancer cells, however its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that sulforaphane acted to inhibit proliferation and induce morphological changes of human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells. Treatment of HeLa cells with $10{\mu}M\;or\;15{\mu}M$ sulforaphane resulted in significant G2/M cell cycle arrest as determined by flow cytometry. Moreover, $20{\mu}M$ sulforaphane significantly induced the population of sub-G1 cells (9.83 fold of control). This anti-proliferative effect of sulforaphane was accompanied by a marked inhibition of cyclin A and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)4 protein and concomitant induction of Cdc2, Cdk inhibitor p16 and p21. However, sulforaphane did not affect the levels of cyelooxygenases and telomere-regulatory gene products. Although further studies are needed, the present work suggests that sulforaphane may be a potential chemoprevetive/ chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of human cancer cells.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.264-276
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to introduce the methods of soil respiration measurement, to review soil respiration studies conducted in Korea, and to suggest potential issues generated from using various methods for soil respiration measurement. According to the measurement principles, the methods of soil respiration measurements are classified as: alkali absorption method (AA), closed chamber method (CC), closed dynamic chamber method (CDC), and open flow method (OF). Based on the litereaure review on soil respiration studies in Korea, the CDC method was mostly used by the researchers (62%), followed by the AA (17%), OF (13%) and CC (8%) methods. Along with these methods, various instruments were used such as LI-6400-09, EGM-3, EGM-4, and automatic soil respiration chamber. Most of the soil respiration measurements were carried out in forest ecosystems and the reported soil respiration showed a wide range of variations from 130 to 900 mg $CO_2\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$. Continuous monitoring of soil respiration with minimal disturbance and the potential inconsistency in measurements are still the challenges facing the researchers, causing a paucity in quality datasets of sufficient quantity. Few attempts of intercomparison among different methods hinder the data users from synthetic analysis and assessment of the collected datasets. In order to better estimate soil carbon budget and understand their exchange mechanisms in key ecosystems of Korea, it is necessary to measure soil respiration at various plant functional types, soils, and climate conditions over a decadal time scale along with the study on the partitioning of soil respiration into autotrophic and heteorotrophic components.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.211-219
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• 2021

Alopecia is a distressing condition caused by the dysregulation of anagen, catagen, and telogen in the hair cycle. Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) regulate the hair cycle and play important roles in hair growth and regeneration. Myristoleic acid (MA) increases Wnt reporter activity in DPCs. However, the action mechanisms of MA on the stimulation of anagen signaling in DPCs is not known. In this study, we evaluated the effects of MA on anagen-activating signaling pathways in DPCs. MA significantly increased DPC proliferation and stimulated the G2/M phase, accompanied by increasing cyclin A, Cdc2, and cyclin B1. To elucidate the mechanism by which MA promotes DPC proliferation, we evaluated the effect of MA on autophagy and intracellular pathways. MA induced autophagosome formation by decreasing the levels of the phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin (phospho-mTOR) and increasing autophagy-related 7 (Atg7) and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3II (LC3II). MA also increased the phosphorylation levels of Wnt/β-catenin proteins, such as GSK3β (Ser9) and β-catenin (Ser552 and Ser675). Treatment with XAV939, an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, attenuated the MA-induced increase in β-catenin nuclear translocation. Moreover, XAV939 reduced MA-induced effects on cell cycle progression, autophagy, and DPC proliferation. On the other hand, MA increased the levels of phospho (Thr202/Tyr204)-extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK). MA-induced ERK phosphorylation led to changes in the expression levels of Cdc2, Atg7 and LC3II, as well as DPC proliferation. Our results suggest that MA promotes anagen signaling via autophagy and cell cycle progression by activating the Wnt/β-catenin and ERK pathways in DPCs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.581-586
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• 2008

The pre-replication complex (pre-RC), including the core hexameric MCM2-7 complex, ensures that the eukaryotic genome is replicated only once per cell division cycle. In this study, we identified a rice $\underline{m}ini\underline{c}hromosome$ $\underline{m}aintenance$ (MCM) homologue (OsMCM2) that functionally complemented fission yeast MCM2 (CDC19) mutants. We found OsMCM2 transcript expression in roots, leaves, and seeds, although expression levels differed slightly among the organs. Likewise, the OsMCM2 protein was ubiquitously expressed, but it was downregulated when nutritients were limiting, indicating that MCM2 expression (and therefore cell cycle progression) requires adequate nutrition. Yeast two-hybrid and GST pull-down assays demonstrated that OsMCM2 interacted with the COP9 signalosome 5 (CSN5). Taken as a whole, our results indicated that OsMCM2 functions as a subunit of the rice MCM complex and interacts with CSN5 during developmental regulation.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.261-265
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• 2007

Carbide-derived carbon coating has been synthesized by low temperature treatment of TiC disk with $H_2/Cl_2$ mixture gases. A variety of physical measurements indicated that Ti was extracted and carbon layer was formed by exposure of $Cl_2$ gas. The $I_D/I_G$ ratio increased with increasing $Cl_2$ gas concentration. Wear coefficient and frictional coefficient varied with $Cl_2$ gas concentration. When the $Cl_2$ gas concentration decreased to 3.3 vol%, the friction coefficient approach a minimum. The results showed that degree of graphite crystallinity and variation of porosity due to the $Cl_2$ gas content were responsible for different tribology performance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.204-213
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the school health indicator system for the health promotion of school children. Methods: Logic model was adopted for developing conceptual framework of school health indicator system and reviewed school health indicators developed by WHO, CDC, MEST and KCDC. Results: School health contents were classified into five area; school health policy, health promotion of school children, school health education, physical environment and community linkage. School health indicator system was developed for each area based on the logic model. Conclusion: Conceptual framework of school health indicator system was developed and school health indicator system was suggested according to the five school health areas.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.77-79
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• 2003

Current therapeutic strategies far anthrax have had no significant impact on anthrax mortality over the last several decades. This study used a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) discovery platform to generate protein expression profiles in search of overexpressed proteins in murine macrophage cells (RAW264.7) which infected with Bacillus anthracis spores as potentially novel molecular targets. Two differentially expressed proteins were identified in infected murine macrophage cells as Syndapin and CDC46, respectively. Syndapins are potential links between the cortical actin cytoskeleton and endocytosis. Other two proteins were identified from murine macrophage cells infected with avirulent spores as ITBG-2 (CD18) and HSPA5, respectively. These data demonstrate the feasibility of using a MALDI-TOF platform to generate protein expression profiles and identify potential molecular targets for anthrax therapeutics.