• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2001

Objective : To investigate the efficacy of high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen on pregnancy in human embryo after freezing and thawing. Materials and Methods: 150 infertile patients underwent 162 consecutive thawing-ET cycles. In the high infusion frequency group (Group A), 47 patients (50 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. In the low infusion frequency group (Group B), 103 patients (112 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with low infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, fertilization rates, development of embryo, good quality embryo ratio, implantation rates, and pregnancy rates between these two groups. Results: There was no difference between the groups with regard to clinical characteristics (mean age, infertility duration, infertility factors, hormone profile), mean number of oocyte retrieval, fertilization rates, and mean embryo number of transfers. The survival rates in group A was 64.9% (228 of 350 embryos), and among the 228 embryos 190 embryos (83.3%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 65 (34.2%), 29 (15.3%), 35 (18.4%), and 37 (19.5%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. The survival rates in group B was 63.8% (482 of 755 embryos), and among the 482 embryos 465 embryos (96.5%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 106 (22.8%), 94 (20.2%), 89 (19.1%), and 112 (24.1%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. There was no difference in embryo quality change after the freezing-thawing procedure between the groups. Implantation rates (31.1% vs. 34.3%) were not significant. However hCG positive rates in group A (40%) were higher than group B, but not statistically significant. Clinical pregnancy rate (26% vs. 25.9%), on going pregnancy rates (>20 weeks) were not significant (26% vs. 25%). Conclusion: We compared embryo quality change, survival rates, and pregnancy rates between high infusion frequency group and low infusion frequency group and the results were similar between the two groups. Therefore, high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen for cryopreservation is a worthy method to preserve in human embryos.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.2
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• pp.291-296
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• 2012

Triploids are a useful tool for biomass production and molecular breeding of trees with a long life span. Triploids of the poplar 'Hyunsasi' (Populus alba ${\times}$ P. glandulosa) have been developed by crossing between female diploids and a male tetraploid. The tetraploid was developed around the 1970s at Korea Forest Research Institute by colchicine-induced chromosome doubling. Seedlings of the $F_1$ generation were analyzed using flow cytometry to verify their ploidy status. The mean relative fluorescence index of 3 F1 poplars, labeled as Line- 1, Line-17, Line-18, were approximately 1.5 times higher than those of diploid poplars, and the results clearly indicated that they were triploids. The phenotype of the F1 poplars included larger leaves and thicker stem than diploids, and abnormal leaf morphology, especially in the triploid 'Line-18'. Three triploid lines developed roots more slowly and had less roots than diploid. However, 3 poplar cytotypes (2x, Line-1, Line-17) rooted within 10 days on MS medium. In contrast, compared with the 3 cytotypes, the Line-18 showed about 80% and 70% in the rooting rate and the number of roots. The triploid poplars could be directly utilized for biomass production and with their sterility, they could serve as basic material for genetic transformation. In addition, flow cytometric analysis proved to be an effective and reliable method for screening forest trees for their ploidy level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.547-553
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• 2016

Black carbon (BC) contained in particulate matter (PM) originating from the exhaust gases of ships' diesel engines has been receiving great attention as a cause of glacial melting and warming in the polar regions. In this study, we took samples from various locations of PM emitted from the training ship (T/S) HANBADA's main engine, in cooperation with the Korea Maritime and Ocean University. We analyzed the structure and characteristics of these samples using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and applied our findings as fundamental research for developing PM reduction technology. We also employed our results to determine appropriate preemptive action to meet upcoming PM/BC regulations. In addition, we confirmed the emission trend of pollutants from exhaust gases under various engine operating conditions using an exhaust gas analyzer. Results obtained from the analysis of HR-TEM images showed that the structure of the PM is chain-like wispy agglomerates consisting of a number of individual spherical particles. As the sampling location was moved away from the turbo charger (T/C) towards the funnel, more condensates were observed at a low temperature and the molecular structure of the PM lost its characteristic BC structure as an amorphous structure gradually appeared. Furthermore, through the analysis of exhaust gases, we predicted a decrease in PM concentration in the exhaust stream as engine rpm increase.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6673-6679
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• 2015

Background: Male breast cancer is a rare neoplasm, and its treatments are based on those of female breast cancer. This study aimed to analyze 20 years of male breast cancer clinical characteristics and treatment results from the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 16 male breast cancer patients treated in our tertiary hospital between 1994 and 2014 was performed. Epidemiologic data, tumor characteristics, and treatments were recorded and compared with 466 female breast cancer ((premenopausal; n = 230) + (postmenopausal n = 236)) patients. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were calculated. Results: Male breast cancer constituted 0.1% of all malignant neoplasms in both sexes, 0.2% of all malignant neoplasms in males, and 0.7% of all breast cancers. The mean patient age in this study was $59.8{\pm}9.5$ (39-74) years. The mean time between first symptom and diagnosis was $32.4{\pm}5.3$ (3-60) months. Histology revealed infiltrative ductal carcinoma in 81.3% of patients. The most common detected molecular subtype was luminal A, in 12 (75%) patients. Estrogen receptor rate (93.8%) in male breast cancer patients was significantly higher than that in female breast cancer (70.8% in all females, p = 0.003; 68.2% in postmenopausal females, p = 0.002) patients. Most of the tumors (56.3%) were grade 2. Tumor stage was T4 in 50% of males. The majority (56.3%) of the patients were stage III at diagnosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine-therapy were applied to 62.5%, 62.5%, 81.2% and 73.3%, respectively. Loco-regional failure did not occur in any of the cases. All recurrences were metastastic. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates in male breast cancer patients were 58% and 68%, respectively. Conclusions: Tumors found in male breast cancer patients were similar in size to tumors found in females, but they advanced to T4 stage more rapidly because of the lack of breast parenchymal tissues. The rate of estrogen receptor expression tended to be higher in male breast cancer patients than in female breast cancer patients. Metastasis is the most important problem in initially non-metastatic male breast cancer patients.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2016

Background: Rhizospheric fungi play an essential role in the plantesoil ecosystem, affecting plant growth and health. In this study, we evaluated the fungal diversity in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old healthy Panax notoginseng cultivated in Wenshan, China. Methods: Culture-independent Illumina MiSeq and culture-dependent techniques, combining molecular and morphological characteristics, were used to analyze the rhizospheric fungal diversity. A diffusion test was used to challenge the phytopathogens of P. notoginseng. Results: A total of 16,130 paired-end reads of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 were generated and clustered into 860 operational taxonomic units at 97% sequence similarity. All the operational taxonomic units were assigned to five phyla and 79 genera. Zygomycota (46.2%) and Ascomycota (37.8%) were the dominant taxa; Mortierella and unclassified Mortierellales accounted for a large proportion (44.9%) at genus level. The relative abundance of Fusarium and Phoma sequenceswas high, accounting for 12.9% and 5.5%, respectively. In total,113 fungal isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soil. They were assigned to five classes, eight orders (except for an Incertae sedis), 26 genera, and 43 species based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer. Fusarium was the most isolated genus with six species (24 isolates, 21.2%). The abundance of Phoma was also relatively high (8.0%). Thirteen isolates displayed antimicrobial activity against at least one test fungus. Conclusion: Our results suggest that diverse fungi including potential pathogenic ones exist in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old P. notoginseng and that antagonistic isolates may be useful for biological control of pathogens.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.168-177
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• 2006

Thirty-nine strains of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and 5 strains of C. acutatum stored in Korean Agricultural Culture Collection(KACC) were re-identified based on molecular characteristics of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer(ITS) and partial $\beta$-tubulin gene and cultural characteristics on potato dextrose agar(PDA) and Benomyl-added PDA. As the results, 19 strains were identified as C. acutatum with 13 strains of group A2, 5 strains of group A3, and 1 strain of group A4. In addition, 20 strains were identified as C. gloeosporioides with 18 strains of ribosomal DNA group(RG) 4 and 2 strains of RG6. The rest were identified as C. boninense RG5(2 strains), C. coccodes RG2(2 strains), and C. dematium RG12(1 strain). Out of domestic 31 strains, 12 strains were identified as C. acutatum A2, one strain as C. acutatum A3, 14 strains as C. gloeosporioides RG4, 2 strains as C. gloeosporioides RG6, one strains as C. boninense RG5 and one strain as C. dematium RG12. We also discussed taxonomy of C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum and composition of C. gloeosporioides/C. acutatum isolates from major crops in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.122-122
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• 1999

Graphite with its advantages of high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion coefficient, and low elasticity, has been widely used as a structural material for high temperature. However, graphite can easily react with oxygen at even low temperature as 40$0^{\circ}C$, resulting in CO2 formation. In order to apply the graphite to high temperature structural material, therefore, it is necessary to improve its oxidation resistive property. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a semiconductor material for high-temperature, radiation-resistant, and high power/high frequency electronic devices due to its excellent properties. Conventional chemical vapor deposited SiC films has also been widely used as a coating materials for structural applications because of its outstanding properties such as high thermal conductivity, high microhardness, good chemical resistant for oxidation. Therefore, SiC with similar thermal expansion coefficient as graphite is recently considered to be a g행 candidate material for protective coating operating at high temperature, corrosive, and high-wear environments. Due to large lattice mismatch (~50%), however, it was very difficult to grow thick SiC layer on graphite surface. In theis study, we have deposited thick SiC thin films on graphite substrates at temperature range of 700-85$0^{\circ}C$ using single molecular precursors by both thermal MOCVD and PEMOCVD methods for oxidation protection wear and tribological coating . Two organosilicon compounds such as diethylmethylsilane (EDMS), (Et)2SiH(CH3), and hexamethyldisilane (HMDS),(CH3)Si-Si(CH3)3, were utilized as single source precursors, and hydrogen and Ar were used as a bubbler and carrier gas. Polycrystalline cubic SiC protective layers in [110] direction were successfully grown on graphite substrates at temperature as low as 80$0^{\circ}C$ from HMDS by PEMOCVD. In the case of thermal MOCVD, on the other hand, only amorphous SiC layers were obtained with either HMDS or DMS at 85$0^{\circ}C$. We compared the difference of crystal quality and physical properties of the PEMOCVD was highly effective process in improving the characteristics of the a SiC protective layers grown by thermal MOCVD and PEMOCVD method and confirmed that PEMOCVD was highly effective process in improving the characteristics of the SiC layer properties compared to those grown by thermal MOCVD. The as-grown samples were characterized in situ with OES and RGA and ex situ with XRD, XPS, and SEM. The mechanical and oxidation-resistant properties have been checked. The optimum SiC film was obtained at 85$0^{\circ}C$ and RF power of 200W. The maximum deposition rate and microhardness are 2$mu extrm{m}$/h and 4,336kg/mm2 Hv, respectively. The hardness was strongly influenced with the stoichiometry of SiC protective layers.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1439-1447
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• 1998

Antimicrobial activity of chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides on the microorganism related to Kimchi was investigated. 5 kinds of chitosan, which have different deacetylation degrees and molecular weights were prepared and its effect on the organoleptic characteristics, pH and titrable acidity of Kimchi in the storage time were examined. C-4 and C-5 chitosan (D.A.:$92{\sim}99%$, M.W.: $16,000{\sim}32,000)$ recorded high score in the texture and showed pH 4.9 and titrable acidity 0.35%, compared with control (pH 4.1, titrarable acidity 0.50 %) evaluated to optimal ripening time. The chitosan oligosaccharides containing relatively large amount of $pentamer{\sim}heptamer$ were chosen from C-4 chitosan hydrolyzates. Antimicrobial activity of C-4 and chitosan oligosaccharides against B. subtilis, B. cereus, Pse. fluorescens, E. coli, Lac. plantarum, Leu. mesenteroides, Lac. brevis, Ent. faecalis and 3 kinds of microflora from Kimchi were examined. The clear zone against microorganism were $9{\sim}20mm$ at 3.0% C-4 chitosan and $8{\sim}24mm$ at 5.0% chitosan oligosaccharides, and MIC of chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides was shown $0.01{\sim}0.05%$ and $0.05{\sim}0.2%$, respectively. The antimicrobial effect of chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides was also observed in 3 kinds of total microflora from Kimchi and was most strong in the microflora from the ripening stage of Kimchi, suggesting C-4 chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides could be applicable to extending shelf-life of Kimchi.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.281-286
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• 2010

Effects of soaking period on physicochemical characteristics of chokong (black soybean picked in brown rice vinegar) and soaking solution were investigated. The pH and soluble solid contents in soaking solution increased rapidly whereas total acidity decreased during the first 4 days of soaking. The sudden drop of color 'L' and 'b' values in soaking solution occurred one day after start of soaking; in contrast, 'a' value increased by 1 day, and then decreased for soaking periods. The strength and hardness of chokong showed a decreasing trend as soaking for a long time, and the values of chokong were lower than those of control (black soybean soaked in water and freeze dried). The protein bands of chokong for soaking appeared only under 24,000 Da of molecular weight by electrophoresis. The content of total amino acids of chokong pickled for 7 days was 86.86 mg%, about 3 times for 28.36 mg% of raw black soybean. The contents of essential amino acids, especially, leucine and phenylalanine increased greatly in chokong. In vitro digestibility for protein was 62% in raw black soybean and 84% in chokong pickled for 7 days. Therefore, these results may assumed that chokong will be good source of amino acids.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.221-232
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• 2018

The silica containing carbon ($C-SiO_2$) membranes were fabricated using poly(imide siloxane)(Si-PI) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blended polymer. The characteristics of porous carbon structures prepared by the pyrolysis of polymer blends were related with the micro-phase separation behaviors of the two polymers. The glass transition temperatures ($T_g$) of the mixed polymer blends of Si-PI and PVP were observed with a single $T_g$ using differential scanning calorimetry. Furthermore, the nitrogen adsorption isotherms of the $C-SiO_2$ membranes were investigated to define the characteristics of porous carbon structures. The $C-SiO_2$ membranes derived from Si-PI/PVP showed the type IV isotherm and possessed the hysteresis loop, which was associated with the mesoporous carbon structures. For the molecular sieving probe, the $C-SiO_2$ membranes were prepared with the ratio of Si-PI/PVP and the pyrolysis conditions, such as the pyrolysis temperature and the isothermal times. Consequently, the $C-SiO_2$ membranes prepared by the pyrolysis of Si-PI/PVP at $550^{\circ}C$ with the isothermal time of 120 min showed the $O_2$ permeability of 820 Barrer ($1{\times}10^{-10}cm^3(STP)cm/cm^2{\cdot}s{\cdot}cmHg$) and $O_2/N_2$ selectivity of 14.