• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.219-224
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• 2010

This study has been conducted to estimate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water supplies in the Metropolitan area of Seoul, South Korea, for 10 years from 2000 to 2009. Water samples were collected quarterly at 6 intakes in the Han River and its largest stream and 6 conventional Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) serving drinking water for 10 million people of Seoul. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 22.5% of intake water samples and arithmetic mean was 0.65 oocysts/10 L (range 0-22 oocysts/10 L). Although the annual mean of oocyst number was as low as 0.04-1.90 oocysts/10 L, 3 peaks in 2004 and 2007 were observed and the pollution level was a little higher in winter. The lowest density was observed at Paldang intake and the pollution level increased at Kuui and Jayang intakes. At the end of the largest stream, oocysts were found in 70% of collected samples (mean 5.71 oocysts/10 L) and it seemed that its joining the Han River resulted in the increase at Kuui intake and downstream. Oocyst removal by physical process exceeded 2.0-2.3 log and then all finished water samples collected at 6 WTPs were negative for Cryptosporidium in each 100 L sample for 10 years. These results suggested that domestic wastewater from the urban region could be a source of Cryptosporidium pollution and separating sewage systems adjacent to the intakes could be meaningful for some intakes having weakness related to parasitological water quality.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.902-909
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• 2009

With various reservoirs, dams and reduction of water velocity in downstream, rivers in Korea often have characteristics of accumulation of pollutants. Therefore, the main focus of water quality modeling in Korea needs to be shifted from DO to algae and organic matter. Moreover the structures of water quality models should be modified to have capability of simulating BOD which is a key factor of total water pollution load management in Korea as laboratory experiment BOD (Bottle $BOD_5$). In the SWAT model which is one of the widely used water quality models in Korea, the channel water quality module is using main algorithm of the QUAL2E model which has limitations in simulating algae, organic matter and Bottle BOD5 etc. To overcome this hindrance, in this study, the improved channel water quality module of the SWAT model (Q-SWAT) was proposed by linking the algorithms of the QUAL-NIER model which was developed based on the QUAL2E model to the SWAT model. The algorithms estimating the increase of internal organic matter by fractionization algal metabolism process and calculating Bottle $BOD_5$ were added and the results of proposed model were compared to those of the original SWAT model. The results of comparison test are showing that more accurate BOD values can be obtained with the Q-SWAT model and it is anticipated that the Q-SWAT model can be used as an effective tool of decision support through the water quality simulation and long term pollution source analysis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.452-456
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• 2015

Obesity is the fifth leading risk for death globally, and a significant challenge to global health. It is a common, complex, non-malignant disease and develops due to interactions between the genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals; analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. To assess the effects of excessive weight and obesity on gene-specific methylation levels of promoter regions, we determined the methylation status of four genes involved in inflammation and oxidative stress [interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and glucose transport 4 (GLUT4)] in blood cell-derived DNA from healthy women volunteers with a range of body mass indices (BMIs) by methylation-specific PCR. Interestingly, the samples from obese individuals ($BMI{\geq}30kg/m^2$) showed significantly increased hypermethylation for IL6 gene compared to normal weight ($BMI<23kg/m^2$) and overweight sample ($23kg/m^2{\leq}BMI<30kg/m^2$) (P = 0.034 and P = 0.026). However there was no statistically significant difference in promoter methylation of the other 3 genes between each group. These findings suggest that aberrant DNA methylation of IL6 gene promoter may play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity and IL6 methylation could be used as molecular biomarker for obesity risk assessment. Further studies are required to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• 물과 미래
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.149-156
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• 1986

저수용량을 결정하기 위한 Rippl의 누가곡선법은 과거의 유량자료가 미래에 동일한 기록으로 반복되리라는 가정하에 오랫동안 사용되어 왔다. 본 연구의 목적은 추계학적 이론에 의한 저수용량을 결정하는 더 좋은 방법을 찾아내는데 있다. 그러므로 본 논문에서는 3개의 다목적 댐과 3개의 단일목적댐에 대한 하천의 월 유량을 Tomas-Fiering 법으로 모의발생하였으며 모의발생된 월 유량은 Range 개념으로 해석하였다. 또한 물의 이용을 최대화하는 저수지의 최적운영 법칙을 이용함으로서 저수지로 부터의 유출량을 결정하고 월 유량의 Range와 평균 유입량을 적절하게 고려함으로서 필요한 저수용량은 추계학적으로 결정하였다. 그러므로 본 연구에서 얻어진 결과는 기본설계 단계에서 제한된 자료, 즉 저수지의 운영기간과 월 평균유량을 가지고 필요한 저수지의 용량을 근사적으로 구할 수 있다.

• 한국습지학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.277-288
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• 2012

기수역은 하천의 종횡단 방향으로 수질 하안 저질 재료 및 미지형이 변화하는 환경변화가 매우 큰 공간으로 이러한 환경의 질적 차이에 의하여 생물 서식처가 달라지는 특수한 공간이다. 본 연구는 신곡 수중보의 건설과 수중보 하류의 과도한 준설 등이 수리적인 여건 변화를 제공하였고 이로 인하여 사주 변화가 급격히 진행된 한강의 장항습지를 대상으로 하구습지의 공간적 변화 추이와 장항습지의 물리 생태적 특성을 분석하여 사주부 식생의 정착과 확장과정을 규명하였다. 그 결과 장항습지의 사주면적은 1985년과 비교하여 2006년도에는 6배정도로 습지가 확장되었고, 갈대군락은 점차 감소하는 반면 선버들 군락은 증가하였다. 또한 토층분석 결과 장항습지는 하천의 영향을 받아 형성되었으며, 습지의 중류역에서부터 목본류가 정착하여 상하류로 확산된 것으로 분석되었다.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.141-158
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• 2020

Skin is a major thermoregulatory organ in the body controlling homeothermy, a critical function for climate adaptation. We compared genes expressed between tropical- and temperate-adapted cattle to better understand genes involved in climate adaptation and hence thermoregulation. We profiled the skin of representative tropical and temperate cattle using RNA-seq. A total of 214,754,759 reads were generated and assembled into 72,993,478 reads and were mapped to unique regions in the bovine genome. Gene coverage of unique regions of the reference genome showed that of 24,616 genes, only 13,130 genes (53.34%) displayed more than one count per million reads for at least two libraries and were considered suitable for downstream analyses. Our results revealed that of 255 genes expressed differentially, 98 genes were upregulated in tropically-adapted White Fulani (WF; Bos indicus) and 157 genes were down regulated in WF compared to Angus, AG (Bos taurus). Fifteen pathways were identified from the differential gene sets through gene ontology and pathway analyses. These include the significantly enriched melanin metabolic process, proteinaceous extracellular matrix, inflammatory response, defense response, calcium ion binding and response to wounding. Quantitative PCR was used to validate six representative genes which are associated with skin thermoregulation and epithelia dysfunction (mean correlation 0.92; p < 0.001). Our results contribute to identifying genes and understanding molecular mechanisms of skin thermoregulation that may influence strategic genomic selection in cattle to withstand climate adaptation, microbial invasion and mechanical damage.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.59-70
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated the therapeutic effect of AEE788, a dual inhibitor of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinases on human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) cells growing in nude mice. Experimental Design: We examined the effects of AEE788 on salivary ACC cell growth and apoptosis. To determine the in vivo effects of AEE788, nude mice with orthotopic parotid tumors were randomized to receive oral AEE788 (50 mg/kg) three times per week, injected paclitaxel ($200{\mu}g$) once per week, AEE788 plus paclitaxel, or placebo. Mechanisms of in vivo AEE788 activity were determined by immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Treatment of salivary ACC cells with AEE788 led to growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis. AEE788 inhibited tumor growth and prevented lung metastasis in nude mice. Furthermore, AEE788 potentiated growth inhibition and apoptosis of ACC tumor cells mediated by paclitaxel. Tumors of mice treated with AEE788 and AEE788 plus paclitaxel exhibited down-regulation of activated EGFR and its downstream mediators (Akt and MAPK), increased tumor and endothelial cell apoptosis, and decreased microvessel den-sity, which correlated with a decrease in the level of MMP-9, MMP-2 and bFGF expression and a decrease in the incidence of vascular metastasis. Conclusions: These data show that tumor-associated endothelial cells are important in the process of tumor-metastasis. And VEGFR can be a molecular target for therapy of metastatic lung lesion of salivary ACC.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.467-472
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• 2014

Obesity is known to be strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and develops owing to interactions between genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals, and analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. Global DNA methylation of peripheral blood cells has recently been proposed as a potential biomarker for disease risk. Repetitive element DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with prominent obesity-related chronic diseases, but little is known about its relationship with weight status. In this study, we quantified the methylation of Alu elements in the peripheral blood DNA of 244 healthy women with a range of body mass indexes (BMIs) using pyrosequencing technology. Among the study participants, certain clinical laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic- pyruvic transaminase, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were found to be strongly associated with BMI. Moreover, a U-shaped association between BMI and Alu methylation was observed, with the lowest methylation levels occurring at BMIs of between 23 and $30kg/m^2$. However, there was no significant association between Alu methylation and age, smoking status, or alcohol consumption. Overall, we identified a differential influence of BMI on global DNA methylation in healthy Korean women, indicating that BMI-related changes in Alu methylation might play a complex role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.459-463
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• 2015

This study evaluated the microbial conversion of coconut oil waste, a major agro-residue in tropical countries, into single cell oil (SCO) feedstock for biodiesel production. Copra cake was used as a low-cost renewable substrate without any prior chemical or enzymatic pretreatment for submerged growth of an oleaginous tropical mangrove fungus, Aspergillus terreus IBB M1. The SCO extracted from fermented biomass was converted into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) by transesterification and evaluated on the basis of fatty acid profiles and key fuel properties for biodiesel. The fungus produced a biomass (8.2 g/l) yielding 257 mg/g copra cake SCO with ~98% FAMEs. The FAMEs were mainly composed of saturated methyl esters (61.2%) of medium-chain fatty acids (C12-C18) with methyl oleate (C18:1; 16.57%) and methyl linoleate (C18:2; 19.97%) making up the unsaturated content. A higher content of both saturated FAMEs and methyl oleate along with the absence of polyunsaturated FAMEs with ≥4 double bonds is expected to impart good fuel quality. This was evident from the predicted and experimentally determined key fuel properties of FAMEs (density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value, acid number, cetane number), which were in accordance with the international (ASTM D6751, EN 14214) and national (IS 15607) biodiesel standards, suggesting their suitability as a biodiesel fuel. The low cost, renewable nature, and easy availability of copra cake, its conversion into SCO without any thermochemical pretreatment, and pelleted fungal growth facilitating easier downstream processing by simple filtration make this process cost effective and environmentally favorable.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권10호
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• pp.1463-1470
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• 2010

E. coli has long been widely used as a host system for the manufacture of recombinant proteins intended for human therapeutic use. When considering the impurities to be eliminated during the downstream process, residual host cell DNA is a major safety concern. The presence of residual E. coli host cell DNA in the final products is typically determined using a conventional slot blot hybridization assay or total DNA Threshold assay. However, both the former and latter methods are time consuming, expensive, and relatively insensitive. This study thus attempted to develop a more sensitive real-time PCR assay for the specific detection of residual E. coli DNA. This novel method was then compared with the slot blot hybridization assay and total DNA Threshold assay in order to determine its effectiveness and overall capabilities. The novel approach involved the selection of a specific primer pair for amplification of the E. coli 16S rRNA gene in an effort to improve sensitivity, whereas the E. coli host cell DNA quantification took place through the use of SYBR Green I. The detection limit of the real-time PCR assay, under these optimized conditions, was calculated to be 0.042 pg genomic DNA, which was much higher than those of both the slot blot hybridization assay and total DNA Threshold assay, where the detection limits were 2.42 and 3.73 pg genomic DNA, respectively. Hence, the real-time PCR assay can be said to be more reproducible, more accurate, and more precise than either the slot blot hybridization assay or total DNA Threshold assay. The real-time PCR assay may thus be a promising new tool for the quantitative detection and clearance validation of residual E. coli host cell DNA during the manufacturingprocess for recombinant therapeutics.