• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.44.1-44.13
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• 2022

Brugada syndrome (BS) is an autosomal dominant inheritance cardiac arrhythmia disorder associated with sudden death in young adults. Thailand has the highest prevalence of BS worldwide, and over 60% of patients with BS still have unclear disease etiology. Here, we performed a new viral metagenome analysis pipeline called VIRIN and validated it with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of HeLa cell lines and hepatocellular carcinoma. Then the VIRIN pipeline was applied to identify viral integration positions from unmapped WGS data of Thai males, including 100 BS patients (case) and 100 controls. Even though the sample preparation had no viral enrichment step, we can identify several virus genes from our analysis pipeline. The predominance of human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) viruses was found in both cases and controls by blastn and blastx analysis. This study is the first report on the full-length HERV-K assembled genomes in the Thai population. Furthermore, the HERV-K integration breakpoint positions were validated and compared between the case and control datasets. Interestingly, Brugada cases contained HERV-K integration breakpoints at promoters five times more often than controls. Overall, the highlight of this study is the BS-specific HERV-K breakpoint positions that were found at the gene coding region "NBPF11" (n = 9), "NBPF12" (n = 8) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) "PCAT14" (n = 4) region. The genes and the lncRNA have been reported to be associated with congenital heart and arterial diseases. These findings provide another aspect of the BS etiology associated with viral genome integrations within the human genome.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.829-839
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• 2021

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3-tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) for the detection of visceral pleural surface invasion (VPSI). Visceral pleural invasion by non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be classified into two types: PL1 (without VPSI), invasion of the elastic layer of the visceral pleura without reaching the visceral pleural surface, and PL2 (with VPSI), full invasion of the visceral pleura. Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients with pathologically confirmed VPSI by NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Multidetector CT and contrast-enhanced 3T MRI with a free-breathing radial three-dimensional fat-suppressed volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) pulse sequence were compared in terms of the length of contact, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. Supplemental evaluation of the tumor-pleura interface (smooth versus irregular) could only be performed with MRI (not discernible on CT). Results: At the tumor-pleura interface, radial VIBE MRI revealed a smooth margin in 20 of 21 patients without VPSI and an irregular margin in 10 of 12 patients with VPSI, yielding an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F-score for VPSI detection of 91%, 83%, 95%, 91%, 91%, and 87%, respectively. The McNemar test and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed no significant differences between the diagnostic accuracies of CT and MRI for evaluating the contact length, angle of mass margin, or arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio as predictors of VPSI. Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3T MRI and CT were equal in terms of the contact length, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. The advantage of MRI is its clear depiction of the tumor-pleura interface margin, facilitating VPSI detection.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 1992

Two crystal structures of bromine sorption complexes of vacuum dehydrated Cd(ll)-exchanged zeolite A have been determined by single-crystal xray diffraction techniques in the cubic space group Pm3m at 21(1) ℃. Both crystals were ion exchanged in flowing streams of exchange solution In which mole ratio of Cd(NO3)2 and Cd(OOCCH3)B was 1:1 with a total concentration of 0.05 M. First crystal was dehydrated at 450℃ and 2 ×10-6 Torr for two days. Second crystal was dehydrated at 650℃ and 2 ×10-6 Torr for two days. Both crystals were then treated with 160 Torr for two days. Second crystal was dehydrated at 650℃ and 2 × 10-6 Torr for two days. Both crystals were then treated with 160 Torr of zeolitically dried bromine vapor at 24℃. Full-matrix least-squares refinements of toe first crystal(a: 12.250(1) A )· and the second crystal(a: 12.204(2) A ) have contecoed to final error indices, Rl:0.075 and Ra:0.079 with 212 reflections, and Rl : 0.089 and Ra = 0.078 with 128 reflections, respectively, for which I >3σ(I). Crystallographic analyses of both crystals show that six Cd2+ ions are located on two different threefold axes of unit cell associated with 6-ring oxygens. Each 4.5 Cd2+ ion is recessed ca.0. 441 A Into the large cavity to complex either with Brsor with Br3from the (111) plane of 0(3), whereas each 1.5 Cd2+ ions recessed ca. 0.678 A into we sodalite unit. Approximately 1.5 Br5-and 1.5 Br3-ions are sorbed per unit cell. Each Brsion interacts and stabilized by complexing with two Cd2+ ions and framework oxide ions, while each Br3ion interacts with one Cd2+ ion and framework oxide ions. Because of residual water molecules the following reactions may be occurred inside of zeolite cavity:

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 1990

To determine the correlation between the response to induction chemotherapy and subsequent radiotherapy we analyzed the clinical records of 60 patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the head and neck retrospectively who had completed a full course ($2\~3$ cycle) of induction chemotherapy and curative radiotherapy in Korea Cancer Center Hospital between 1986 and 1989. Chemotherapy was administeredd with CDDP+Bleomycin (BP) in 20, CDDP+5-FU (FP) in 37, and hybrid of BP and FP in three patients. Radiotherapy was giver conventionally with a dose of 65 to 75 Gy or more over seven to eight weeks according to the size of lesion. Response rates following induction chemotherapy were $80\%$ for the tumors and $879\%$ for the nodes whereas complete reponse rates were $12\%\;and\;13\%$, respectively. Six months after radiotherapy $67\%$ of the tumors and $77\%$ of the nodes achieved a complete response. Among the 48 tumor responders and the 31 nodal responders to chemotherapy,39 ($81\%$) and 28 ($90\%$), respectively, achieved complete response after radiotherapy. Thus, whether or not the tumor and node respond to induction chemotherapy was predictive of the response to subsequent radiotherapy (p<0.0005 in tumor, p<0.0001 in node). By reanalyzing according to disease subsets (i.e. primary site, T-stage, N-stage) this relationship was not observed at T1-T2 disease (p>0.3). Therefore the tumor or node's response to induction chemotherapy is a predictor for subsequent radiotherapy except in T1-T2 tumors, and complete response to radiotherapy can be expected despite the failure of induction chemotherapy in $T_1-T_2$ tumors.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.959-965
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• 2016

In 1994, a new cultivar 'Joyskin' was created from a cross between the cultivars 'Whangkeumbae' and 'Waseaka' at the Pear Research Institute of the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration. In 2006, the 'Joyskin' was selected from among the 317 seedlings resulting from the cross for its skin and taste qualities. Regional adaptation tests were conducted in nine regions and in ten experimental plots from 2006 to 2011. The cultivar was named in 2011. 'Joyskin' showed a vigorous growth habit and semi-spread characteristics similar to 'Whangkeumbae'. The average full bloom date for 'Joyskin' was April 21st, which was also similar to 'Whangkeumbae'. The optimum fruit ripening time was September 6-8th, which was six or eight days earlier than 'Whangkeumbae'. The fruit was round in shape and the skin was a golden yellow color at maturity. The average fruit weight was 320 g and the flesh firmness was $2.5kg/8mm{\varphi}$. The firmness of the fruit skin determined by a blade-type plunger of texture analyzer was 22.9 N, which was significantly different from that of 'Whangkeumbae' 29.9N. Stone cell analysis of 'Joyskin' by phloroglucinol-HCl, showed that 'Joyskin' stone cells were small in size and few in numbers cpmpared to those of cultivars of was 'Manpungbae', 'Niitaka', and 'Whangkeumbae'. The patent application for 'Joyskin' was submitted in April, 2012 (Grant No. 2012-337). In 2016, 'Joyskin' (Grant No. 5895) was registered as a separate record, with uniformity and stability per Korean Seed Industry Law.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.186-196
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• 1994

Three fully dehydrated partially $Ag^+$-exchanged zeolite A(Ag_4Na_8-A, Ag_6Na_6-A, and Ag_8Na_4-A) were treated at $250^{\circ}C$ with 0.1 torr Rb vapor at 4 h. Their structures were determined by singlecrystal X-ray diffraction methods in the cubic space group $Pm{\bar3}m$ (a = 12.264(4) $\AA$, a = 12.269(1) $\AA$, and a= 12.332(3) $\AA$, respectively) at $22(1)^{\circ}C$, and were refined to the final error indices, R(weighed), of 0.056 with 131 reflections, 0.068 with 108 reflections, and 0.070 with 94 reflections, respectively, for which I > $3\sigma(I).$ In these structures, Rb species are found at three different crystallographic sites; three $Rb^+$ ions per unit cell are located at 8-ring centers, ca. 6.0∼6.8 $Rb^+$ ions are found opposite 6-rings on threefold axes in the large cavity, and ca. 2.5 $Rb^+$ ions are found on three fold axes in the sodalite unit. Also, Ag species are found at two different crystallographic sites; ca. 0.6∼1.0 $Ag^+$ ion lies opposite 4-rings and about 1.8∼4.2 Ag atoms are located near the center of the large cavity. In these structures, the numbers of Ag atoms per unit cell are 1.8, 3.0, and 4.2, respectively, and these are likely to form hexasilver clusters at the centers of the large cavities. The $Rb^+$ ions, by blocking 8-rings, may have prevented silver atoms from migrating out of the structure. Each hexasilver cluster is stabilized by coordination to 6-ring, 8-ring $Rb^+$ ions, and also by coordination to a 4-ring $Ag^+$ ion.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2007

The cellulase gene of Bacillus licheniformis K11 which has plant growth-promoting activity by auxin and antagonistic ability by siderophore was cloned in pUC18 using PCR employing heterologous primers. The 1.6kb PCR fragment contained the full sequence of the cellulase gene, denoted celW which has been reported to encode a 499 amino acid protein. Similarity search in protein data base revealed that the cellulase from B. licheniformis K11 was more than 97% identical in amino acid sequence to those of various Bacillus spp. The cellulase protein from B. licheniformis K11, overproduced in E. coli DH5${\alpha}$ by the lac promoter on the vector, had apparent molecular weight of 55 kDa upon CMC-SDS-PAGE analysis. The protein not only had enzymatic activity toward carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC), but also was able to degrade insoluble cellulose, such as Avicel and filter paper (Whatman$^{\circledR}$ No. 1). In addition, the cellulase could degrade a fungal cell wall of Phytophthora capsici. Consequently B. licheniformis K11 was able to suppress the peperblight causing P. capsici by its cellulase. Biochemical analysis showed that the enzyme had a maximum activity at 60$^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0. Also, the enzyme activity was activated by Co$^{2+}$ of Mn$^{2+}$ but inhibited by Fe$^{3+}$ or Hg$^{2+}$. Moreover, enzyme activity was not inhibited by SDS or sodium azide.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.105-112
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• 2020

Transition metal oxide, which undergoes a conversion reaction in the negative electrode material for a lithium-ion batteries, has a high specific capacity, but still has several critical problems. In this study, manganese pyrophosphate (Mn₂P₂O₇), nickel pyrophosphate (Ni₂P₂O₇), and carbon composite materials with pyrophosphates as novel negative electrode materials instead of transition metal oxide, are synthesized through simple solid-state reaction. The initial reversible capacity of Mn₂P₂O₇ and Ni₂P₂O₇ are 333 and 340 mAh g^-1, and when the composite materials are composed with carbon, the reversible capacity increases to 433 and 387 mAh g^-1, respectively. The initial Coulombic efficiency is also improved by about 10%. The Mn₂P₂O₇ and carbon composite material has the highest initial capacity and efficiency, and has the best cycle performance. Mn₂P₂O₇ containing polyanion, has a lower specific capacity due to the large mass of polyanion compared to MnO (manganese oxide). However, since Mn₂P₂O₇ shows a voltage curve with a slope, the charging (lithiation) voltage increases from 0.51 to 0.57 V (vs. Li/Li⁺), and the discharge (delithiation) voltage decreases from 1.15 to 1.01 V (vs. Li/Li⁺). Therefore, the voltage efficiency of the cell is improved because the voltage difference between charging and discharging is greatly reduced from 0.64 to 0.44 V, and the operating voltage of the full cell increases because the negative electrode potential is lowered during the discharging process.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.474-482
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• 1996

Two crystal structures of the vacuum dehydrated $Ag^+$-exchanged zeolite X have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques in the cubic space group Fd3 at 21(1)$^{\circ}C$ (a=24.922(1)${\AA}$ and a=24.901(1)${\AA}$, respectively). Each crystal was ion exchanged in flowing streams of aqueous $AgNO_3$ for three days. The first crystal was dehydrated at 300$^{\circ}C$ and $2{\times}10^{-6$torr for two days. The second crystal was similarly dehydrated at 350$^{\circ}C$. Their structures were refined to the final error indices, $R_1=0.095\;and\;R_2=0.092$ with 227 reflections, and $R_1=0.096\;and\;R_2=0.087$ with 334 reflections, respectively, for which I > 3${\sigma}$(I). In the first crystal, Ag species are found at five different crystallographic sites: sixteen $Ag^+$ ions fill the site I, the center of the double 6-ring, thirty-two Ag0 atoms fill the I' site in the sodalite cavities opposite double six-rings, seventeen $Ag^+$ ions lie at the 32-fold site II' inside the sodalite cavity at the single six-oxygen ring in the supercage, fifteen Ag+ ions lie at the 32-fold site II, in the supercage, and the remaining twelve $Ag^+$ ions lie at site III' in the supercage at a little off two-fold axes. In the second crystal, all Ag species are located similarly as crystal 1; 16 at site I, 28 at site I', 16 at site II, 16 at site II', 6 at site III and 6 at site III'. Total 88 silver species were found per unit cell. The remaining four Ag atoms were migrated out of the zeolite framework to form small silver crystallites on the surface of the zeolite single crystal. In the first structure, the numbers of Ag atoms per unit cell are approximately 32.0 and these may form tetrahedral $Ag_4$ clusters at the centers of the sodalite cavities. The probable four-atom cluster is stabilized by coordination to two $Ag^+$ ions. The Ag-Ag distance in the cluster, ca. 3.05 ${\AA}$, is a little longer than 2.89 ${\AA}$, Ag-Ag distance in silver metal. At least two six-ring $Ag^+$ ions on sodalite cavity (site II') must necessarily approach this cluster and this cluster may be viewed as a distorted octahedral silver cluster, (Ag6)2+.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1993

The crystal structures of $Cd_{6-}A$ evacuated at $2{\times}10^{-6}$ torr and $750^{\circ}C$ (a = 12.204(1) $\AA$) and dehydrated $Cd_{6-}A$ reacted with 0.1 torr of Cs vapor at $250^{\circ}C$ for 12 hours (a = 12.279(1) $\AA$) have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques in the cubic space group Pm3m at $21(1)^{\circ}C.$ Their structures were refined to final error indices, $R_1=$ 0.081 and $R_2=$ 0.091 with 151 reflections and $R_1=$ 0.095 and $R_2=$ 0.089 with 82 reflections, respectively, for which I > $3\sigma(I).$ In vacuum dehydrated $Cd_{6-}A$, six $Cd^{2+}$ ions occupy threefold-axis positions near 6-ring, recessed 0.460(3) $\AA$ into the sodalite cavity from the (111) plane at O(3) : Cd-O(3) = 2.18(2) $\AA$ and O(3)-Cd-O(3) = $115.7(4)^{\circ}.$ Upon treating it with 0.1 torr of Cs vapor at $250^{\circ}C$, all 6 $Cd^{2+}$ ions in dehydrated $Cd_{6-}A$ are reduced by Cs vapor and Cs species are found at 4 crystallographic sites : 3.0 $Cs^+$ ions lie at the centers of the 8-rings at sites of $D_{4h}$ symmetry; ca. 9.0 Cs+ ions lie on the threefold axes of unit cell, ca. 7 in the large cavity and ca. 2 in the sodalite cavity; ca. 0.5 $Cs^+$ ion is found near a 4-ring. In this structure, ca. 12.5 Cs species are found per unit cell, more than the twelve $Cs^+$ ions needed to balance the anionic charge of zeolite framework, indicating that sorption of Cs0 has occurred. The occupancies observed are simply explained by two unit cell arrangements, $Cs_{12}-A$ and $Cs_{13}-A$. About 50% of unit cells may have two $Cs^+$ ions in sodalite unit near opposite 6-rings, six in the large cavity near 6-ring and one in the large cavity near a 4-ring. The remaining 50% of unit cells may have two Cs species in the sodalite unit which are closely associated with two out of 8 $Cs^+$ ions in the large cavity to form linear $(Cs_4)^{3+}$ clusters. These clusters lie on threefold axes and extend through the centers of sodalite units. In all unit cells, three $Cs^+$ ions fill equipoints of symmetry $D_{4h}$ at the centers of 8-rings.