• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2021

The determinant factors of an organism's size during animal development have been explored from various angles but remain partially understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, many genes affecting cuticle structure, cell growth, and proliferation have been identified to regulate the worm's overall morphology, including body size. While various mutations in those genes directly result in changes in the morphological phenotypes, there is still a need for established, clear, and distinct standards to determine the apparent abnormality in a worm's size and shape. In this study, we measured the body length, body width, terminal bulb length, and head size of mutant worms with reported Dumpy (Dpy), Small (Sma) or Long (Lon) phenotypes by plotting and comparing their respective ratios of various parameters. These results show that the Sma phenotypes are proportionally smaller overall with mild stoutness, and Dpy phenotypes are significantly stouter and have disproportionally small head size. This study provides a standard platform for determining morphological phenotypes designating and annotating mutants that exhibit body shape variations, defining the morphological phenotype of previously unexamined mutants.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2003

As the polyester fiber becomes thinner, thermomigration that is the most important factor deteriorating the washfastness, is more dominant. For improving the washfastness of ultrafine polyester dyed with disperse dye, it is necessary either to decrease the amount of thermomigrated dyes on the fiber surface, or to use a disperse dye containing diester group in the coupling component. This paper is concerned to investigate the relation between the chemical structure of three disperse dyes and their dyeing properties and washfastness. The disperse dye whose molecular size is big, can dye ultrafine polyester with good build-up, and its washfastness is reasonably good. Other disperse dye which has diester group, shows the same dyeing properties as the standard disperse dye, and its washfastness is better than that of the standard disperse dye.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.16-20
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• 2011

This paper presents a fabrication method of microcapsules encapsulating fluorescent nanoparticles sensitive to an organic liquid, which is potentially applicable to the encapsulation of protein, cell and drug. It uses the supra-molecular self-assembly of a block copolymer at the interface of the stable and controllable droplets of water suspended with fluorescent nanoparticles and the polymer solved organic. The size and uniformity of the microcapsules were examined for the various polymer concentrations by using SEM image analysis. The maximum standard deviation of the produced microcapsules of less than 3.5% was obtained from the microcapsules produced from the same conditions. The inclusion of fluorescent nanoparticles was visualized in the fluorescence microscope and by using TEM image. It is shown that this fabrication method can provide the uniform size microcapsules with a higher inclusion.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2024

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major complications of chronic hyperglycaemia affecting normal kidney functioning. The ayurvedic medicine curcumin (CUR) is pharmaceutically accepted for its vast biological effects. Objectives: The Curcuma-derived diferuloylmethane compound CUR, loaded on Poly (lactide-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles was utilized to combat DN-induced renal apoptosis by selectively targeting and modulating Bcl2. Methods: Upon in silico molecular docking and screening study CUR was selected as the core phytocompound for nanoparticle formulation. PLGA-nano-encapsulated-curcumin (NCUR) were synthesized following standard solvent displacement method. The NCUR were characterized for shape, size and other physico-chemical properties by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy studies. For in vivo validation of nephro-protective effects, Mus musculus were pre-treated with CUR at a dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. and NCUR at a dose of 25 mg/kg b.w. (dose 1), 12.5 mg/kg b.w (dose 2) followed by alloxan administration (100 mg/kg b.w) and serum glucose levels, histopathology and immunofluorescence study were conducted. Results: The in silico study revealed a strong affinity of CUR towards Bcl2 (dock score -10.94 Kcal/mol). The synthesized NCUR were of even shape, devoid of cracks and holes with mean size of ~80 nm having -7.53 mV zeta potential. Dose 1 efficiently improved serum glucose levels, tissue-specific expression of Bcl2 and reduced glomerular space and glomerular sclerosis in comparison to hyperglycaemic group. Conclusion: This study essentially validates the potential of NCUR to inhibit DN by reducing blood glucose level and mitigating glomerular apoptosis by selectively promoting Bcl2 protein expression in kidney tissue.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1999

The visco-elastic properties of gluten are major determinants of the processing properties of doughs. These visco-elastic properties are strongly influenced by the ratio of monomeric and polymeric proteins and the size distribution of the polymeric proteins, which make up the gluten fraction of the dough. Recent studies have revealed that other features, such as the number of the cysteine residues of the HMW-GS, also play an important role in determining the functional characteristics. To modify the processing properties at molecular level, the relationship between the structure of molecules and dough properties has to be understood. In order to explore the relationships between individual proteins and dough properties, we have developed procedures for incorporating bacterially expressed proteins into doughs, and measuring their functional properties in small-scale equipment. A major problem in investigating the structure/function relationships of individual seed storage proteins is to obtain sufficient amounts of pure polypeptides from the complex families of proteins expressed in the endosperm. Therefore, we have established a simplified model system in which we produce specific protein genes through bacterial expression and test their functional properties in smallscale apparatus after incorporation into base flour. An S poor protein gene has been chosen as a template gene. This template gene has been modified using standard recombinant DNA techniques in order to test the effects of varying the number and position of cysteine residues, and the size of the protein. Doughs have been mixed in small scale apparatus and characterized with respect to their polymeric composition and their functional properties, including dough mixing, extensibility and small scale bating. We conclude that dough characteristics can be manipulated in a predictable manner by altering the cysteine residues and the size of high molecular weight glutenins.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of field-of-view (FOV) size on the gray values derived from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) compared with the Hounsfield unit values from multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans as the gold standard. Materials and Methods: A radiographic phantom was designed with 4 acrylic cylinders. One cylinder was filled with distilled water, and the other 3 were filled with 3 types of bone substitute: namely, Nanobone, Cenobone, and Cerabone. The phantom was scanned with 2 CBCT systems using 2 different FOV sizes, and 1 MDCT system was used as the gold standard. The mean gray values(MGVs) of each cylinder were calculated in each imaging protocol. Results: In both CBCT systems, significant differences were noted in the MGVs of all materials between the 2 FOV sizes(P<.05) except for Cerabone in the Cranex3D system. Significant differences were found in the MGVs of each material compared with the others in both FOV sizes for each CBCT system. No significant difference was seen between the Cranex3D CBCT system and the MDCT system in the MGVs of bone substitutes on images obtained with a small FOV. Conclusion: The size of the FOV significantly changed the MGVs of all bone substitutes, except for Cerabone in the Cranex3D system. Both CBCT systems had the ability to distinguish the 3 types of bone substitutes based on a comparison of their MGVs. The Cranex3D CBCT system used with a small FOV had a significant correlation with MDCT results.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.464-467
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• 2006

Recently, the nucleotide sequences of entire genomes became available. This information combined with older sequencing data discloses the exact chromosomal location of millions of nucleotide markers stored in the databases at NCBI, EMBO or DDBJ. Despite having resolved the intron/exon structures of all described genes within these genomes with a stroke of a pen, the sequencing data opens up other interesting possibilities. For example, the genomic mapping of the end sequences of the human, murine and rat BAC libraries generated at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), reveals now the entire encompassed sequence of the inserts for more than a million of these clones. Since these clones are individually stored, they are now an invaluable source for experiments which depend on genomic DNA. Isolation of smaller fragments from such clones with standard methods is a time consuming process. We describe here a reliable one-step cloning technique to obtain a DNA fragment with a defined size and sequence from larger genomic clones in less than 48 hours using a standard vector with a multiple cloning site, and common restriction enzymes and equipment. The only prerequisites are the sequences of ends of the insert and of the underlying genome.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1519-1523
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• 2006

Through a screening and selection approach method, decamer random markers were used in a technique called random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay with 252 genomic DNAs isolated from four major Haimen chicken populations: Rugao (62), Jiangchun (62), Wan-Nan (63) and Cshiqishi (65). A total of 3-score decamer random primers (S241-S260, S1081-S1100 and S1341-S1360) were employed in the preliminary RAPD-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) assay with 50 random template DNA samples from all the populations. Four (6.67%) of the primers that produced obvious polymorphic patterns, interpretable and reproducible bands were selected and used with both the individual DNAs from each population and with pooled DNA samples of the four populations in subsequent analyses. The selected primers produced a total of 131 fragments with molecular size ranging from 835 to 4,972 base pairs (bp) when used with the individual DNAs; 105 (80.15%) of these fragments were polymorphic. With the pooled DNAs, 47 stable and characteristic bands with molecular size ranging from 840 to 4,983 bp, of which 23 (48.94%) polymorphic, were also generated. The band-sharing coefficient (BSC) calculated for the individuals in the population and among populations of bulked samples was between 0.8247 (Rugao) and 0.9500 (Cshiqishi); for pairwise populations, it was between 0.7273 (Rugao vs. Wan-Nan) and 0.9367 (Jiangchun vs. Cshiqishi) chicken populations. Using the BSC for individual and pairwise populations, the Nei's standard genetic distances between the chicken populations were determined and ranged from 0.0043 (Jiangchun vs. Cshiqishi) to 0.1375 (Rugao vs. Cshiqishi). The reconstructed dendrogram linked the Jiangchun and Cshiqishi chickens as closely related populations, followed by Wan-Nan, while the Rugao was the most genetically distant among the populations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2000

Membrane processes are capable of removing much materials from water. The removal or rejection characteristics of a membrane is usually depend upon the nominal pore size or MWCO(molecular weight cut off). A membrane with a smaller nominal pore size or MWCO should be capable of removing smaller contaminants from water. A series of experiments was performed to investigate the separation characteristics of membrane processes which consisted of microfiltration(MF) and nanofiltration(NF). To evaluate removal efficiencies of some pollutants such as the consumption of $KMnO_4$, THMFP, NH3-N, Fe, Mn, and pesticides, source water sampled from the Kum river was treated by the those membrane processes. Also, the results of experiments were compared with those of conventional water treatment processes. By two types of the membrane process, total removal efficiency of $KMnO_4$ consumed, THMEP, and $NH_3-N$ were 91.0%, 84.3%, and 85.5%, respectively and those processes were efficient in pesticides removal as well. Most of the effluents satisfied the Korean standard of drinking water quality continuously in the experimental periods. However, NF was needed for producing the safe drinking water in case of treating the raw water contaminated with Mn since removal efficiency of MF was not high enough. On the basis of the experimental results, it was suggested that NF could be applied to remove not only $NH_3-N$ but THMFP even without pre-chlorination.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2004

A simple procedure for the extraction of the lipolytic enzyme from rice bran has been developed. High activity of lipolytic enzyme was obtained by first defatting the rice bran to remove lipid components with various extraction conditions. Then, after rove cycles of aqueous extraction, rice bran lipolytic enzyme was purified using micro- and ultrafiltration apparatus. Lipolytic enzyme activity was estimated by its hydrolytic action of tributyrin. The result indicated that the standard activity curve of butyric acid showed that the potential rice bran enzyme is a hydrolytic lipase enzyme. In addition, it showed higher lipolytic activity and specific enzyme activity with further purification by micro- and ultrafiltration. The size of rice bran lipase enzyme was identified through 15 ％ SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the rice bran lipase enzyme was 41 kDa.