• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1482-1487
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• 2007

Four taxa of the genus Phyllostachys were analysed with PCR-based molecular inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) determine markers to determine their phylogenetic relationships. Many species of this genus are regarded as economical and ecologically important in the world. With the nine primers screened, ISSR assay generated a total of 64 reproducible bands. Analysis of ISSR from individual plants of genus Phyllostachys resulted in 43 polymorphic bands with 70.49%. When species were grouped by four taxa, within group diversity was 0.092 (Hs), while among group diversify was 0.499 (Gst) on a per locus basis. The estimated gene flow (Nm) between the pairs of species was 0.559. Hence, we can expect weak or low gene flow among species. Total mean genetic diversity ($H_T$) for four taxa was 0.291. The ISSR data allowed us to resolve well-supported clades in the genus Phyllostachys. The four taxa of the genus Phyllostachys analyzed were distinctly related to a monophyletic.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.131-131
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• 2010

We compared the electrical, optical, structural, and interface properties of indium zinc oxide (IZO)-Ag-IZO and IZO-Au-IZO multilayer electrodes deposited by linear facing target sputtering system at room temperature for organic photovoltaics. The IZO-Ag-IZO and IZO-Au-IZO multilayer electrodes show a significant reduction in their sheet resistance (4.15 and 5.49 Ohm/square) and resistivity ($3.9{\times}10^{-5}$ and $5.5{\times}10^{-5}$Ohm-cm) with increasing thickness of the Ag and Au layers, respectively. In spite of its similar electrical properties, the optical transmittance of the IZO-Ag-IZO electrode is much higher than that of the IZO-Au-IZO electrode, due to the more effective antireflection effect of Ag than Au in the visible region. In addition, the Auger electron spectroscopy depth profile results for the IZO/Ag/IZO and IZO/Au/IZO multilayer electrodes showed no interfacial reaction between the IZO layer and Ag or Au layer, due to the low preparation temperature. To investigate in detail the Ag and Au structures on the bottom IZO electrode with increasing thickness, a synchrotron x-ray scattering examination was employed. Moreover, the OSC fabricated on the IZO-Ag-IZO electrode shows a higher power conversion efficiency (3.05%) than the OSC prepared on the IZO-Au-IZO electrode (2.66%), due to its high optical transmittance in the wavelength range of 400-600 nm, which is the absorption wavelength of the P3HT:PCBM active layer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.529-539
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• 2021

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a serious insect pest infesting various vegetable crops. Two infectious insect viruses, baculovirus and iflavirus, are known to induce epizootics in S. exigua populations. Indeed, some laboratory colonies have appeared to be covertly infected by these viruses. Diagnostic PCR tests detected two different viruses: Spodoptera exigua multiple nucleopolyhedrosis virus (SeMNPV) and iflaviruses (SeIfV1 and SeIfV2). Viral extract from dead larvae of S. exigua could infect Sf9 cells and produce occlusion bodies (OBs). Feeding OBs to asymptomatic larvae of S. exigua caused significant viral disease. Interestingly, both SeIfV1 and SeIfV2 increased their titers at late larval stages. Sterilization of laid eggs with 1% sodium hypochloride significantly reduced SeMNPV titers and increased larval survival rate. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specific to SeIfV1 or SeIfV2 significantly reduced viral titers and increased larval survival rate. To continuously feed dsRNA, a recombinant Escherichia coli HT115 expressing SeIfV1-dsRNA was constructed with an L4440 expression vector. Adding this recombinant E. coli to the artificial diet significantly reduced the SeIfV1 titer and increased larval survival. These results indicate that laboratory colony collapse of S. exigua is induced by multiple viral infections. In addition, either suppression of SeMNPV or SeIfV infection significantly increased larval survival, suggesting a cooperative pathogenicity between baculovirus and iflavirus against S. exigua.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.721-730
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• 2019

The probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus KBL409 was encapsulated with alginate (Al) and alginate-chitosan (Al/Chi) through extrusion method. The sizes and zeta potentials of microspheres were measured to confirm encapsulation. To evaluate the protective effect of microspheres against gastrointestinal fluids, all the samples were exposed to simulated gastric fluids (SGFs, pH 1.5) at $37^{\circ}C$ for 1 or 2 h, followed by incubation with simulated intestinal fluids (SIFs, pH 6.5) for 2 h. The mucoadhesive ability of microspheres was evaluated using the intestinal epithelial cell line HT29-MTX. To extend the shelf-life of probiotics, lyoprotectants such as disaccharide and polysaccharide were mixed with free or encapsulated cells during the freeze-drying process. The size of the microspheres demonstrated a narrow distribution, while the zeta potentials of Al and Al/Chi-microspheres were $-17.9{\pm}2.3$ and $20.4{\pm}2.6mV$, respectively. Among all the samples, Al/Chi-encapsulated cells showed the highest survival rate even after exposure to SGF and SIF. The mucoadhesive abilities of Al and Al/Chi-microspheres were higher than 94%, whereas the free L. acidophilus showed 88.1% mucoadhesion. Ten percent of sucrose showed over 80% survival rate in free or encapsulated cells. Therefore, L. acidophilus encapsulated with Al and Al/Chi-microspheres showed higher survival rates after exposure to the gastrointestinal tract and better mucoadhesive abilities than the free cells. Also, sucrose showed the highest protective effect of L. acidophilus during the freeze-drying process.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.423-429
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• 2021

The investigation of the utilization of enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as a coolant to enhance the performance of a long-life fast reactor with a Modified CANDLE (Constant Axial shape of Neutron flux, nuclide densities, and power shape During Life of Energy production) burnup scheme has performed. The analyzes were performed on a reactor with thermal power of 800 MegaWatt Thermal (MWTh) with a refueling process every 15 years. Uranium Nitride (enriched ¹⁵N), ²⁰⁸Pb, and High-Cr martensitic steel HT-9 were employed as fuel, coolant, and cladding materials, respectively. One of the Pb-nat isotopes, ²⁰⁸Pb, has the smallest neutron capture cross-section (0.23 mb) among other liquid metal coolants. Furthermore, the neutron-producing cross-section (n, 2n) of ²⁰⁸Pb is larger than sodium (Na). On the other hand, the inelastic scattering energy threshold of ²⁰⁸Pb is the highest among Na, ^natPb, and Bi. The small inelastic scattering cross-section of ²⁰⁸Pb can harden the neutron energy spectrum. Therefore, ²⁰⁸Pb is a better neutron multiplier than any other liquid metal coolant. The excess neutrons cause more production than consumption of ²³⁹Pu. Hence, it can reduce the initial fuel loading of the reactor. The selective photoreaction process was developing to obtain enriched ²⁰⁸Pb. The neutronic was calculated using SRAC and JENDL 4.0 as a nuclear data library. We obtained that the modified CANDLE reactor with enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as coolant and reflector has the highest k-eff among all reactors. Meanwhile, the ^natPb cooled reactor has the lowest k-eff. Thus, the utilization of the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as the coolant can reduce reactor initial fuel loading. Moreover, the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb-cooled reactor has the smallest power peaking factor among all reactors. Therefore, the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb can enhance the performance of a long-life Modified CANDLE fast reactor.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.937-944
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• 2011

Studies have been carried out in order to reduce fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) behavior of metallic fuel in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR) using an electroplating technique. A $20{\mu}m$ thick Cr layer has been plated by the electrochemical method in the Sargent bath over the HT9 (12Cr-1Mo) clad material and diffusion couple tests of the U-10Zr metallic fuel as well as the rare earth alloy (70Ce-29La) have been conducted. The results show that the Cr plating can prevent FCCI behavior along the fuel-clad interface. However, cracks developed through the thickness during plating, which resulted in the migration of some fuel constituents. Variation of bath temperature, application of pulse current, and post heat treatment have been conducted to control such cracks. We found out that some conditions like the pulse current and the post heat treatment enhanced the layer property by reducing the internal cracks and improving the diffusion couple test.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.131-144
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to review clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) for the treatment of patients with post-stroke spasticity (PSS) Methods: Clinical studies related to TEA treatment for PSS were searched for in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, OASIS, and CNKI. After the selection/exclusion process, information on study design, disease, experimental/control group, intervention, outcome measurement, between-group differences, and adverse events was extracted. Results: A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. The usual frequency of TEA treatment was once every 1-2 weeks, and the treatment most commonly included 4 sessions. In the dorsal area, EX-B2 and the acupoints in governing vessel meridian were commonly used. Acupoints in the meridian of the large intestine were most frequently used in the treatment of upper limb spasticity. Except for HT1, PC6, and PC8, all TEA points for treating PSS of the upper limb were on the Yang meridians. For the lower limb spasticity, the most frequently used acupoints were ST36, GB34, GB30, BL60, and BL57 on Yang meridians, and LR3, SP6, SP9, and SP10 on Yin meridians. TEA treatment showed better effects than conventional treatment for PSS in terms of spasticity, motor dysfunction, and activities of daily livings. Nevertheless, the absence of the follow-up observation, lack of sham TEA treatment, and low quality of the included studies necessitated caution in interpreting the results. Conclusions: The results of this review are expected to provide basic data on the modalities of TEA treatment for PSS and provide insights to facilitate well-designed studies in the future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1149-1161
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• 2023

Changes in the gut microbiome cause recolonization by pathogens and inflammatory responses, leading to the development of intestinal disorders. Probiotics administration has been proposed for many years to reverse the intestinal dysbiosis and to enhance intestinal health. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of two newly designed probiotic mixtures, Consti-Biome and Sensi-Biome, on two enteric pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli that may cause intestinal disorders. Additionally, the study was designed to evaluate whether Consti-Biome and Sensi-Biome could modulate the immune response, produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and reduce gas production. Consti-Biome and Sensi-Biome showed superior adhesion ratios to HT-29 cells and competitively suppressed pathogen adhesion. Moreover, the probiotic mixtures decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β. Cell-free supernatants (CFSs) were used to investigate the inhibitory effects of metabolites on growth and biofilms of pathogens. Consti-Biome and Sensi-Biome CFSs exhibited antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity, where microscopic analysis confirmed an increase in the number of dead cells and the structural disruption of pathogens. Gas chromatographic analysis of the CFSs revealed their ability to produce SCFAs, including acetic, propionic, and butyric acid. SCFA secretion by probiotics may demonstrate their potential activities against pathogens and gut inflammation. In terms of intestinal symptoms regarding abdominal bloating and discomfort, Consti-Biome and Sensi-Biome also inhibited gas production. Thus, these two probiotic mixtures have great potential to be developed as dietary supplements to alleviate the intestinal disorders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1048-1055
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• 2018

In the current study, comparisons of Oenothera Biennis seed extracts with water, ethanol, methanol, and 70% ethanol in their total polyphenolics contents, anti-oxidant, anti-neurotoxicity, anti-cancer, and immune-modulatory activities were investigated. Compared with other extracts, those concentrations of total phenolics and flavonoids were the highest in MeOH extract (31.90 mg GAE/g and 20.66 mg QE/g). The radical scavenging and reducing power activities were dose-dependently increased by treatment of O. Biennis seed water, EtOH, MeOH, and 70% EtOH extracts. Furthermore, pretreatment of water, EtOH, and MeOH extracts significantly reduced glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in HT22 hipocampal neuron cells. In the case of cancer cells, MeOH extracts showed lower $IC_{50}$ values in HepG2 ($74.21{\mu}g/ml$), A549 ($188.24{\mu}g/ml$), MCF-7 ($186.42{\mu}g/ml$), and B16 ($101.80{\mu}g/ml$) than other extracts, where those water ($101.96{\mu}g/ml$) and EtOH ($788.39{\mu}g/ml$) extracts showed the lowest $IC_{50}$ activity in HT-29 and PC-3 cells, respectively. O. Biennis seed extracts did not show any cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 macrophages at the concentration of $1-10{\mu}g/ml$, whereas 70% EtOH extract dose-dependently enhanced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells. Overall, we evaluated that various bioactive potentials of O. Biennis seed extracts which would relate with phenolic compounds abundance, thus these can be useful to future developments as functional food ingredients and natural medicines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.1717-1726
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• 2013

Fermentation characteristics and health functionalities of kimchi by inoculating kimchi lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starters were studied. We manufactured single LAB starter kimchi (Lactobacillus plantarum pnuK, Lactobacillus plantarum 3099K, Leuconostoc mesenteroides pnuK), mixed LAB starter kimchi (Lb. plantarum pnu/Leu. mesenteroides pnuK, Lb. plantarum 3099/Leu. mesenteroides pnuK) with inoculum size of $10^6$ CFU/g, as well as naturally fermented kimchi (NK), and fermented them for 6 days at $15^{\circ}C$. The pH and acidity of the early phase of fermentation were not different, but kimchi with the starters showed rapid changes in the pH and acidity from 2 days of fermentation. As the fermentation progressed, the level of total aerobic bacteria and Lactobacillus sp. increased similarly with or without Lb. plantarum (LP) inoculation. However, the level of Leuconostoc sp. was high in kimchi inoculated with Leuconostoc sp. starter. In the sensory evaluation test, kimchi with starters received higher overall acceptability scores than those of NK; mixed starter added kimchi earned the highest score. In DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, kimchi with the starters exhibited higher activity than that of NK. In the MTT assay of HCT-116 and HT-29 human colon cancer cells, NK showed inhibition rates of 63.4 and 51.9%, but LPpnuK achieved 77.1 and 68.8%, respectively. This study showed that inoculating starters in kimchi increased in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activities, and single starter (LP) added kimchi revealed higher functionality than the kimchi with mixed starter. Kimchis with the starters effectively up-regulated the gene expressions of the pro-apoptotic gene of Bax, but down-regulated Bcl-2. They promoted expressions of p53 and p21, and suppressed expressions of inflammation-related genes, iNOS and COX-2, compared with NK. Taken together, it is expected that using starters may help manufacture kimchi with improved sensory quality and health functionality.