• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.70-88
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• 2021

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the landscape of cancer treatment and become a standard pillar of the treatment. The two main drivers, immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cells, contributed to this unprecedented success. However, despite the striking clinical improvements, most patients still suffer from disease progression because of the evolution of primary or acquired resistance. This mini-review summarizes new treatment options including novel targets and interesting combinational approaches to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of the action of and resistance to immunotherapy, to expand our knowledge of advances in biomarker and therapeutics development, and to help to find the most appropriate option or a way of overcoming the resistance for cancer patients.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.35-53
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• 2020

The authors congratulate the cerebrations for the 30 years of the Korean Society of Medical Physics (http://www.ksmp.or.kr/). The paper is published to recognize the anniversary. Geon-Ho Jahng invited Professor Z. H. Cho to join to submit this manuscript because he has been one of the leaders in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the last 40 years. In this review, we describe the development and clinical histories of MRI internationally and domestically. We also discuss diffusion and perfusion MRI, molecular imaging using MRI and MR spectroscopy (MRS), and the hybrid systems, such as positron emission tomography-MRI (PET-MRI), MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS), and MRI-guided linear accelerators (MRI-LINACs). In each part, we discuss the historical evolution of the developments, technical developments, and clinical applications.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.305-315
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• 2022

Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences capable of mobilization from one location to another in the genome. Since the discovery of 'Dissociation (Dc) locus' by Barbara McClintock in maize (1), mounting evidence in the era of genomics indicates that a significant fraction of most eukaryotic genomes is composed of TE sequences, involving in various aspects of biological processes such as development, physiology, diseases and evolution. Although technical advances in genomics have discovered numerous functional impacts of TE across species, our understanding of TEs is still ongoing process due to challenges resulted from complexity and abundance of TEs in the genome. In this mini-review, we briefly summarize biology of TEs and their impacts on the host genome, emphasizing importance of understanding TE landscape in the genome. Then, we introduce recent endeavors especially in vivo retrotransposition assays and long read sequencing technology for identifying de novo insertions/TE polymorphism, which will broaden our knowledge of extraordinary relationship between genomic cohabitants and their host.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.263-266
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• 2022

The genus Ephedrus Haliday, 1833 is a large taxon of Aphidiinae, consisting of 48 valid species in the world. This genus is considered to be important as a biological control agency, which includes solitary koinobiont parasitoids on aphids. One of its interesting characteristics is both male and female have 11-segmented antennae. In previous study, this genus was subdivided into three subgenus, Breviephedrus, Ephedrus and Fovephedrus, based on molecular and morphological characters. In this study, one Ephedrus species is firstly recorded from South Korea. Since it has been collected from Geumsan-gun in 2005 and deposited as dried specimen at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Netherland, we recently confirmed it. Description and illustrations of the E. lacertosus are provided.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.199-204
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• 2022

Ichneumonidae are well-known parasitoids that attack the larvae or pupae of other insects. This study analyzed whether the abdominal DNA of two ichneumonid wasps, Pimpla disparis and Theronia atalantae gestator, showed the signature of the host species, Ivela auripes. Observations confirmed that these two ichneumonids were the representative parasitoid species growing in the larvae of I. auripes. In addition, sequence analysis showed that the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene of the host was amplified completely from the DNA extracted from the gut tissues of the ichneumonids. Even after 96 h of adulthood, the host's DNA traces did not disappear and were amplified in many individuals. These results suggest a constructive first step for establishing of a host information bank for ichneumonids in the future.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2022

Spionid polychaete Prionospio kirrae Wilson, 1990 is newly reported from the Yellow Sea in Korea. This species is characterized by four pairs of branchiae, which are apinnate on chaetigers 2-4 and pinnate on chaetiger 5, a caruncle extending to the posterior end of chaetiger 1, the presence of a distinctly high dorsal crest on chaetiger 11, and the presence of tridentate hooded hooks with rounded apical teeth. Sequences of partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal DNA(16S rDNA), and the nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA(18S rDNA) of the species are determined from Korean specimens.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.87-89
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• 2006

The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the Korean subspecies (Falco tinnunculus interstinctus) of the common kestrel has been analyzed. According to the molecular phylogeny of six subspecies of common kestrel, six subspecies of the common kestrel were divided into two clades: the first clade is composed of the South African subspecies (F. t. rupicolus) and the second clade includes 5 subspecies (F. t. tinnunculus, F. t. rufescens, F. t. interstinctus, F. t. canariensis and F. t. dacotiae) of the common kestrel. Korean subspecies, F. t. interstinctus was closely related to F. t. rufescens and original subspecies F. t. tinnunculus.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.40.1-40.6
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• 2023

Analysis of the VP1 gene sequence of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) is critical to understanding viral evolution and disease epidemiology. A standard set of primers have been used for the detection and sequence analysis of the VP1 gene of FMDV directly from suspected clinical samples with limited success. The study validated VP1-specific degenerate primer-based reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the qualitative detection and sequencing of serotype O FMDV lineages circulating in India. The novel degenerate primer-based RT-PCR amplifying the VP1 gene can circumvent the genetic heterogeneity observed in viruses after cell culture adaptation and facilitate precise viral gene sequence analysis from clinical samples.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.216-224
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• 2023

Centrosome abnormalities are hallmarks of human cancers. Structural and numerical centrosome abnormalities correlate with tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis, implicating that centrosome abnormalities could be a cause of tumorigenesis. Since Boveri made his pioneering recognition of the potential causal link between centrosome abnormalities and cancer more than a century ago, there has been significant progress in the field. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of the causes and consequences of centrosome abnormalities and their connection to cancers. Centrosome abnormalities can drive the initiation and progression of cancers in multiple ways. For example, they can generate chromosome instability through abnormal mitosis, accelerating cancer genome evolution. Remarkably, it is becoming clear that the mechanisms by which centrosome abnormalities promote several steps of tumorigenesis are far beyond what Boveri had initially envisioned. We highlight various cancer-promoting mechanisms exerted by cells with centrosome abnormalities and how these cells possessing oncogenic potential can be monitored.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2022

Two Pseudopolydora polychaetes, P. bassarginensis and P. reticulata, originally described from Peter the Great Bay in Russia and Taiwan, respectively, were recorded firstly in Korea with DNA information. Two species are known to have distinct morphological characteristics that are separated from other Pseudopolydora species. They are characterized by reticulate pigmentations on the dorsal sides of the anterior chaetigers, a longitudinal black band-like pigmentation on the caruncle, and black paired spots on the ventral sides of the anterior chaetigers. These two species can be distinguished morphologically from each other by the length of the caruncle. Methyl green staining pattern of the species is a good method for delimiting Pseudopolydora species. The partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA), and the nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) from Korean specimens of the two species were determined. The morphological descriptions and images of the two Pseudopolydora species are provided.