• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.253-262
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• 2006

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although many studies showed that the aggregation of $\alpha$-synuclein might be involved in the pathogenesis of PD, its protective properties against oxidative stress remain to be elucidated. In this study, human wild type and mutant $\alpha$-synuclein genes were fused with a gene fragment encoding the nine amino acid trans activator of transcription (Tat) protein transduction domain of HIV-l in a bacterial expression vector to produce a genetic in-frame WT Tat-$\alpha$-synuclein (wild type) and mutant Tat-a-synucleins (mutants; A30P and A53T), respectively, and we investigated the protective effects of wild type and mutant Tat-$\alpha$-synucleins in vitro and in vivo. WT Tat-$\alpha$-synuclein rapidly transduced into an astrocyte cells and protected the cells against paraquat induced cell death. However, mutant Tat-$\alpha$-synucleins did not protect at all. In the mice models exposed to the herbicide paraquat, the WT Tat-$\alpha$-synuclein completely protected against dopaminergic neuronal cell death, whereas mutants failed in protecting against oxidative stress. We found that these protective effects were characterized by increasing the expression level of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the neuronal cells and this expression level was dependent on the concentration of transduced WT Tat-$\alpha$-synuclein. These results suggest that transduced Tat-$\alpha$-synuclein might protect cell death from oxidative stress by increasing the expression level of HSP70 in vitro and in vivo and this may be of potential therapeutic benefit in the pathogenesis of PD.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.353-360
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• 2003

For the simple rapid bioassay of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticide residues, a mass-production system of acetycholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7, MAChE) using baculovirus and insect cell culture was constructed. The cDNA for AChE was synthesized from Drosophila melanogaster in Halla Mountain, the lipid anchor tail was removed by PCR and was used for the site-directed mutagenesis of three amino acid residues (E107Y, F368L, L408F). The mutated cDNA was inserted into the baculovirus vector and expressed in insect cells. Maximum cell growth and enzyme activity were reached when the cells $(2{\times}10^6\;cell/ml)$ were infected four times at four-day-intervals. His-tag containing MAChE was purified using Ni-NTA column and used for characterization. The activity was maintained under various pHs (3-10) and temperatures $(20-50^{\circ}C)$ under experimental conditions. As an extraction solution for pesticides, methanol is more effective than ethanol. Against major organophosphate and carbamate pesticides, the MAChE showed better sensitivity than AChE and AChE from housefly (Taiwan).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.348-353
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• 2003

Generally, two different types of fructose polymer are found in nature. One is inulin, whose fructosyl residues are linked mainly by a ${\beta}-(2,1)-linkage$, while the other is high-molecular-weight levan, whose fructosyl residues are linked mainly by a ${\beta}-(2,6)-linkage$. In contrast to the extensive studies on the prebiotic properties of inulin, there has been no report on the effect of levan on the large bowel microflora in viva. Therefore, to examine whether dietary levan can be used as a prebiotic, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed one of two diets for 3 weeks: 1) basal diet plus sucrose; 2) basal diet plus 10% (wt/wt) levan. The cecal bowel mass, cecal and colon short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), pH, and microflora were then compared. The intake of the levan-containing diet significantly increased the total cecal weight and wall weight. The analyses of the SCFAs in the cecal and colonic contents revealed that levan was converted into acetate, butyrate, and lactate, which resulted in acidic conditions. The intake of levan also significantly increased the total number of microorganisms by 5-fold and lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) 30-fold in the feces. Accordingly, the current work shows that levan can be used as a prebiotic for stimulating the growth of LAB in an animal model.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.642-647
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• 2006

Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) has been used therapeutically to treat muscular hypercontractions and sudomotor hyperactivity and it has been reported that BoNT/A might have analgesic properties in headache. PEP-1 peptide is a known carrier peptide that delivers fulll-ength native proteins in vitro and in vivo. In this study, a BoNT/A gene were fused with PEP-1 peptide in a bacterial expression vector to produce a genetic in-frame PEP-1-BoNT/A fusion protein. The expressed and purified PEP-1-BoNT/A fusion proteins were efficiently transduced into cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner when added exogenously in a culture medium. In addition, immuno-histochemical analysis revealed that PEP-1-BoNT/A fusion protein efficiently penetrated into the epidermis as well as the dermis of the subcutaneous layer, when sprayed on mice skin. These results suggest that PEP-1-BoNT/A fusion protein provide an efficient strategy for therapeutic delivery in various human diseases related to this protein.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2007

The release of genetically modified organisms ($GMO_{s}$) into the environment has the potential risks regarding the possibility of gene transfer from $GMO_{s}$ to natural organisms and this needs to be evaluated. This study was conducted to monitor the possible horizontal gene transfer from herbicide-resistant zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) to indigenous microorganisms. We have first examined the effect of field-released GM zoysiagrass on the microbial flora in the gut of locust (Locusts mlgratoria). The microbial flora was analyzed through determining the 165 rDHA sequences of microorganisms. The comparison of the microbial flora in the gut of locusts that were captured at the field of GM zoysiagrass and of wild-type revealed that there is no noticeable difference between these two groups. This result indicates that the GM zoysiagrass does not have negative impact on microbial flora in the gut of locust. We then investigated whether the horizontal gene transfer occurred from GM zoysiagrass to microbes in soil, rhizosphere and faecal pellets from locusts by utilizing molecular tools such as Southern hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). When the total DNAs isolated from microbes in GM zoysiagrass and in wild-type zoysiagrass fields were hybridized with probes for bar or hpt gene, no hybridization signal was detected from both field isolates, while the probes were hybridized with DNA from the positive control. Absence of these genes in the FNAs of soil microorganisms as well as microbes in the gut of locust was further confirmed by PCR. Taken together, our data showed that horizontal gene transfer did not occur in this system. These results further indicate that frequencies of transfer of engineered plant DNA to bacteria are likely to be negligible.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.79-96
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• 2001

This paper introduces a new type of industrial cluster developed at the CBD of Seoul. Conventionally, clusters are said to be consisted of hi-tech, often If activities, manufacturing industries or artisan craft industries with increasing vertical integration and performance usually supported by venture capitals and favorable business infrastructure, not to mention governments', be it central or local, incentive plans. The study area, Cheonggyechon region has long been a traditional CBD frame of Seoul, Korea, being troubled by deterioration, traffic jams, and environmental degradation as most inner cities experience. Recently. this region has transformed to the most dynamic and productive area not by IT industries but by apparel and fashion activities. The study of the developmental trajectory and key characteristics for this kind of industrial cluster can give us insight both for the transition of inner city and for the cluster theory. This Paper firstly briefly Profiles the growth of the Cheonggyechon region over the past decade. It then shows the current spatial and business structure of the new industrial cluster, focusing on the fact that transactions costs are reduced, the creation and flow of information improves. and the local institutions are prone to be most responsive to the new cluster's specialized needs. The third section presents the key components of the customized production-distribution-shopping cluster development process, emphasizing the localized networking. social capital, spontaneous institutionalization of associational economic climate, and cultural economy based on place-specific inertia. The paper concludes with some comments about the prospects and perils of the new industrial cluster of Seoul.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.688-697
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• 2014

In this study, electrode bonding technology needed for high density of rechargeable battery is studied, which is recently researched for electric vehicle, the small leisure vessel. For the alternative overcoming the limit of stacking amount able to be stacked by conventional ultrasonic welding, the low temperature bonding method, eligible for minimum of degeneration of chemical activator on the electrode surface which is generated by thermal effect as well as the increase of conductivity and tension strength caused by electrode bonding using filler metal, not using conventional direct heating on the electrode material method, is studied. Specifically to say, recently used more generally the ultrasonic welding and spot welding method are not usable for satisfying stable electric conductivity and bonding strength when much electrode is stacking bonded. If the electrical power is unreasonably increased for the welding, due to the effect of welding temperature, deformation of electrode and activating material degeneration are caused, and after the last packaging, decline of electrical output and generating heat cause to reduce stability of battery. Therefore, in this study, induction heating system bonding method using high frequency heating and differentiated electrode method using filler metal pre-treatment of hot dipping are introduced.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6977-6984
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• 2015

It is faced with the necessity of multi roll forming process of the ball slide rail which is made by adding the separate manufacturing processes, piercing, bending, trimming, to the roll forming process of a continuous plastic deformation, to improve the quality. However, the vibration and noise of the press machine in this process leads to the quality degradation of slide rail manufactured in this process. In this study, the roll was designed considering the optimal strain rates by the roll forming program with finite element method. And to estimate the static stability of the multi process the Von-Mises stress and deformation on the press was calculated with a structural analysis program. Also, to avoid driving systems in the resonance region their natural frequencies in the 1st and 2nd mode were calculated through the modal analysis. To verify its dynamic stability improvement the magnitudes of noise and vibration in the existing and studied system were compared using a microphone and accelerometers. And the widths and surface roughnesses of the rails which had been produced in the existing and studied process were measured. Therefore, it is known that multi roll forming process is stable in the analytical and experimental study.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.415-418
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• 1999

The characteristics of VRLA (valve regulated Iead-acid) battery with the tubular positive plate and gel type electrolyte were examined as a function of active material filling density. The filling density of positive plate was 3.2 g/mL, 3.4 g/mL, and 3.6 g/mL, respectively. These VRLA batteries were cycled with 100% DOD (depth of discharge) at the $C_5/5$ rate, followed by IU-type recharge with $I_{max}=0.2C_{10}/10$ and a final voltage V=2.40 V/cell. The test was performed in a thermostatic room at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. The result indicated that the initial capacity was independent of active material filling density, i.e., the highest initial capacity was 3.4 g/mL of filling density and the lowest was 3.6 g/mL. On aspect of the cycle-life performance of the VRLA battery, the filling density of 3.6 g/mL was similar to that of 3.4 g/mL in the positive plate, and both were higher than that of 3.2 g/mL. Water-loss and degradation of the VRLA battery were decreased according to an increase of the filling density in the positive plate. The optimum filling density of the active material was 3.4~3.6 g/mL.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1193-1198
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• 2003

The effects of preferment levels prepared with lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi on the quality of white pan bread were studied. The aim was to investigate how preferment influenced the baking-technological, textural, and sensory properties of white pan bread. During the process of making white pan bread, the pH decreased as the preferment levels increased, whereas the titratable acidity increased. The loaf specific volume increased from 4.66 to $5.59\;cm^3/g$ as preferment content increased from $10%{\sim}25%$. The moisture content and water activity of the bread ranged from 40.77 to 41.49%, and 0.961 to 0.966, respectively, indicating that no appreciable differences were related with the preferment levels (p<0.05). The textural characteristics of white pan bread were highly correlated with the amount of preferment added. White pan bread containing preferment showed a decrease in hardness and gumminess, and an increase in springiness. The color of white pan bread was not significantly different from that of the control. In sensory evaluation, the values for volume, springiness, and umami were highest in the white pan bread with 20% preferment, and the sour and umami tastes increased with the amount of preferment.