• Title/Summary/Keyword: Graduate Program

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Effect of the Artificial Shrinkage on the Development of the Vitrified Bovine Embryos

  • Ha, A-Na;Cho, Su-Jin;Deb, Gautam-Kumar;Bang, Jae-Il;Kwon, Tae-Hyeon;Choi, Byeong-Hyun;Kong, Il-Keun
    • Journal of Embryo Transfer
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.9-14
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    • 2010
  • This study was conducted to find out the effects of artificial shrinkage (AS) on post-thaw development of bovine embryos. The blastocoelic cavity of blastocyst was punctured to remove its fluid contents and then incubated in the holding medium (HM) for 10 min. The punctured and non-punctured (control) blastocysts were equilibrated in vitrification solution 1 (VS1; TCM-199+20% FBS+10% EG) for 5 min and vitrification solution 2 (VS2; TCM199+20% FBS+35% EG+5% PVP+0.5 M Sucrose) for 1 min and vitrified by direct dropping into the liquid nitrogen. Vitrified blastocysts (punctured and control) were thawed and cultured in vitro (12 hr) for studying survival and hatching rates. The levels of shrinkage were measured by the volume of the blastocyst during equilibration in VS1 (at 1, 3 and 5 min of equilibration) and VS2 (at 30 and 60 sec of equilibration) that was considering the volume of non-punctured blastocyst in HM as 100%. The levels of shrinkage were higher in punctured group (62.4, 64.6, 64.3% at 1, 3 and 5 min in VS1; 50.6 and 52.7% at 30 and 60 sec in VS2) than control group (84.8, 86.6, 86.4% at 1, 3 and 5 min in VS1; 72.1 and 68.8% at 30 and 60 sec in VS2), but within each group the levels of shrinkage were similar. The survival (90.9%) and hatching (50.0%) rates of vitrified blastocysts at 12 hr post-thaw were higher in punctured group than that in control group (76.9% and 0.0% respectively). We confirmed that vitrification solutions (VS1 and VS2) have no toxic effect on the survival of blastocysts because the survival rates of blastocysts exposed to VS1 and VS2 for 24 hr were similar between punctured and control groups (94.3 vs. 96.0%; p>0.05). In conclusion, the preliminary data show that AS of blastocyst may improve survival and hatching rate after thawing.

Functional Characterization of the ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-Subunits of a Group II Chaperonin from Aeropyrum pernix K1

  • Lee, Jin-Woo;Kim, Se Won;Kim, Jeong-Hwan;Jeon, Sung-Jong;Kwon, Hyun-Ju;Kim, Byung-Woo;Nam, Soo-Wan
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.23 no.6
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    • pp.818-825
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    • 2013
  • We isolated and functionally characterized the ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-subunits (ApCpnA and ApCpnB) of a chaperonin from Aeropyrum pernix K1. The constructed vectors pET3d-ApCpnA and pET21a-ApCpnB were transformed into E. coli Rosetta (DE3), BL21 (DE3), or CodonPlus (DE3) cells. The expression of ApCpnA (60.7 kDa) and ApCpnB (61.2 kDa) was confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis. Recombinant ApCpnA and ApCpnB were purified by heat-shock treatment and anion-exchange chromatography. ApCpnA and ApCpnB were able to hydrolyze not only ATP, but also CTP, GTP, and UTP, albeit with different efficacies. Purified ApCpnA and ApCpnB showed the highest ATPase, CTPase, UTPase, and GTPase activities at $80^{\circ}C$. Furthermore, the addition of ApCpnA and ApCpnB effectively protected citrate synthase (CS) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from thermal aggregation and inactivation at $43^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. In particular, the addition of ATP or CTP to ApCpnA and ApCpnB resulted in the most effective prevention of thermal aggregation and inactivation of CS and ADH. The ATPase activity of the two chaperonin subunits was dependent on the salt concentration. Among the ions we examined, potassium ions were the most effective at enhancing the ATP hydrolysis activity of ApCpnA and ApCpnB.

Production of Cheonggukjang by Using a Recombinant Bacillus licheniformis Strain

  • Jeong, Woo-Ju;Kwon, Gun-Hee;Lee, Ae-Ran;Park, Jae-Yong;Lee, Mee-Ryung;Chun, Ji-Yeon;Cha, Jae-Ho;Song, Young-Sun;Kim, Jeong-Hwan
    • Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.90-93
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    • 2009
  • Cheonggukjang was prepared from soybean inoculated with B. licheniformis ATCC 10716 cells transformed with pHY3-5 carrying a fibrinolytic enzyme gene. During the 54 hr of fermentation at $37^{\circ}C$, fibrinolytic activities of cheonggukjang were significantly higher than cheonggukjang fermented with B. licheniformis 10716 control cells. The plasmid, pHY3-5 was stably maintained during the 54 hr without antibiotic selection and more than 52% of cells retained the plasmid.

Computational Method for Searching Human miRNA Precursors (인간 miRNA 전구체 탐색을 위한 계산학적 방법)

  • Nam, Jin-Wu;Joung, Je-Gun;Lee, Wha-Jin;Zhang, Byoung-Tak
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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    • 2003.10a
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    • pp.288-297
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    • 2003
  • 본 논문은 진화 알고리즘(Evolutionary algorithm)의 기법중의 하나인 유전자 프로그래밍(Genetic programming)을 이용하여 miRNA 유전자를 발굴하기 위한 알고리즘을 소개하고 있다 miRNA는 세포내에서 유전자의 전사를 중지시킴으로써 유전자의 발현을 직접적으로 조절하게 되는 작은 RNA 집단 중의 하나이다. 그러므로 miRNA를 유전체 데이터에서 동정해내는 작업은 생물학적으로 상당히 중요하다. 한편 유전체 데이터에서 miRNA를 동정해내는 알고리즘은 생물학적 실험에서의 시간과 비용을 상당히 절감할 수 있으며, 생물학적으로 miRNA를 동정하는 많은 어려움을 덜어주게 된다. 하지만 계산학적으로 miRNA의 동정은 1차 염기서열상의 통계적인 중요도가 부족하여 기존의 유전자 예측 알고리즘을 적용하기에는 어려움이 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 miRNA의 염기서열보다는 2차구조에서 더 많은 유사성을 갖는다는 점을 착안하여, 2차구조내에서 공통적인 구조를 찾아내고, 그 정보를 이용하여 miRNA를 동정해내는 방법으로 접근하였다. 이 알고리즘의 성능평가를 위해 우리는 test set을 이용하여 학습된 모델의 특이도(= 34/38)와 민감도(= 38/67)를 계산하였다. 평가결과 본 알고리즘이 기존의 miRNA 예측 프로그램보다 높은 특이도를 갖고 있으며, 유사한 수준의 민감도를 갖고 있음을 보여 주고 있다.

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Systems Engineer Program for Practical Nuclear Power Plant Engineering Education (실용적인 원전공학 교육을 위한 시스템즈 엔지니어 프로그램)

  • Chang, Choong-koo;Jung, Jae-cheon;DIA, Aminata
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.31-40
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    • 2015
  • KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS) is dedicated to nurturing leadership-level professionals in nuclear power plant (NPP) engineering. KINGS have designed curriculum based on two philosophies. First, we balance aspects of discipline engineering, specialty engineering, and management engineering in the framework of systems engineering. Second, KINGS have designed the curriculum so that students can learn and experience the know-what, know-how and know-why level knowledge of NPP engineering and management. The specialization programs are opened during the 2nd year for 3 trimesters and those are a process of learning through practical project courses. The objectives of the specialization programs are to help students to learn the NPP life cycle technologies in highly structured and systematic ways. The systems engineer program (SEP) is one of the specialization programs. A practical case of the SEP which was applied to the project course for the NPP electric power system design education will be elaborated in this paper.

Cloning of aprE86-1 Gene Encoding a 27-kDa Mature Fibrinolytic Enzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH86-1

  • Lee, Ae-Ran;Kim, Gyoung-Min;Kwon, Gun-Hee;Lee, Kang-Wook;Park, Jae-Yong;Chun, Ji-Yeon;Cha, Jae-Ho;Song, Young-Sun;Kim, Jeong-Hwan
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.370-374
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    • 2010
  • A gene encoding the major secreted fibrinolytic protein of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH86-1 was cloned from genomic DNAs. DNA sequencing showed that the gene, aprE86-1, could direct the synthesis of a mature protein 275 amino acids in length after processing. When aprE86-1 was introduced into B. subtilis, a mature 27-kDa protein was produced as expected. The fibrinolytic activity of the B. subtilis transformant (TF) was higher than that of B. amyloliquefaciens CH86-1, showing the possibility of increasing the fibrinolytic activity of Bacillus strains through genetic engineering.

Firm Characteristics and Modes of University-Industry Collaboration: Cases of Japan and Thailand

  • Pittayasophon, Siriporn;Intarakumnerd, Patarapong;Sumikura, Koichi;Saito, Hiromi;Suzuki, Jun
    • STI Policy Review
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.17-39
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    • 2016
  • Despite the importance of university-industry collaboration, issues pertaining to the characteristics of collaborating firms, their modes of interaction, and the relationship between these modes and outcomes are not well-researched. The impact of country's development on these issues is also unclear. This case study examines Japan and Thailand-respectively representing developed and developing countries-and features the following key findings: 1) the characteristics of firms affect modes, with large Japanese firms being more collaborative with universities, whereas Thai SMEs significantly collaborate more with universities; 2) the relationship between modes in Thai firms is stronger than those of Japanese firms because in Thailand, perhaps due to weak technological capacity, R&D collaboration is conducted alongside university consultancy services; and 3) in Japan, R&D and human resource development collaboration lead to product innovation, whereas different outcomes are expected from different modes in Thailand. Apparently, trivial informal collaborations do have significant impact on innovation.

Biochemical characterization of the lipid-binding properties of a broccoli cuticular wax-associated protein, WAX9D, and its application

  • Ahn, Sun-Young;Kim, Jong-Min;Pyee, Jae-Ho;Park, Heon-Yong
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.42 no.6
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    • pp.367-372
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    • 2009
  • In this study, we showed that WAX9D, a nonspecific lipid-transfer protein found in broccoli, binds palmitate (C16) and stearate (C18) with dissociation constants of 0.56 ${\mu}M$ and 0.52 ${\mu}M$, respectively. WAX9D was fused to thioredoxin protein by genetic manipulation to enhance its solubility. The data revealed strong interaction of Trx-WAX9D with palmitate and stearate. The dissociation constants of Trx-WAX9D for palmitate and stearate were 1.1 ${\mu}M$ and 6.4 ${\mu}M$, respectively. The calculated number of binding sites for palmitate and stearate was 2.5 to 2.7, indicating that Trx-WAX9D can bind three molecules of fatty acids. Additionally, Trx-WAX9D was shown to inhibit the apoptotic effect of palmitate in endothelial cells. Our data using Trx-WAX9D provide insight into the broad spectrum of its biological applications with specific palmitate binding.

Structure of Ni and NiO Nanoparticles Observed by X-ray Coherent Diffraction Imaging

  • Kim, Chan;Kim, Yoon-Hee;Hamh, Sun-Young;Son, Jun-Gon;Khakurel, Krishna Prasad;Iqbal, Mazhar;Noh, Do-Young
    • Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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    • 2012.02a
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    • pp.542-543
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    • 2012
  • Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) method using hard x-ray at 5.46 keV was applied to study assembly of Ni and Ni oxide nano structures formed on a Si3N4 membrane. Density distribution of Ni nano-particles was obtained quantitatively with about 15 nm lateral resolution by reconstructing images from the speckle diffraction pattern. In addition, reconstructed images of nickel oxide particles indicated that Ni atoms diffuse out during the oxidation process leaving pores inside the nickel oxide crust. Furthermore, we recognize that really weak phase object, less than 5 nm thickness of Ni residues, can be reconstructed due to the reference particles. We achieved quantitative information of nanometer sized materials and demonstrate the effect of reference particles by using hard x-ray coherent diffractive imaging method.

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A Study on Suitable Condition of Accelerated Aging Test and Evaluation Criteria of Data Stability for Archival Performance Analysis of BD-R media (BD-R 장기보존 특성 평가를 위한 가속 열화 실험 조건과 안정성 평가 기준에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Kwan-Yong;Park, Sun-Joo;Kim, Do-Hyun;Jo, Yi-Hyung;Kim, Young-Joo
    • Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.7-13
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    • 2014
  • The Blu-ray Disc Recordable(BD-R) is one of strong candidates for archival application among optical media formats, because of its large capability. However, the well-defined accelerated aging test conditions and evaluation criteria have not yet been fully confirmed for BD-R. In this study, the data stability and degradation aspect of BD-R were analyzed by the random-symbol error rate(R-SER) measurement after the accelerated aging test. And a reasonable test condition of accelerated aging for BD-R and the appropriate evaluation criterion using R-SER measurement were discussed.