• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.77-87
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• 2023

We present the development of a wetcyclone sampler designed for the sampling of airborne bacteria. The wetcyclone design involves a combination of two traditional cyclone shapes and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to validate its effectiveness in terms of pressure drop and collection efficiency. The wetcyclone exhibits a collection efficiency of over 90% for bacteria, specifically targeting Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, the wetcyclone enables continuous bioaerosol sampling using a liquid medium (deionized water), demonstrating a concentration ratio exceeding >105 and a stable microbial recovery rate of 81.9%. The application of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and the colony counting method ensures precise measurement of the concentration ratio and microbial recovery rate.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.325-329
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• 2018

This study developed a rapid detection method for Bacillus cereus in fresh-cut cabbages. Fresh-cut cabbage samples were inoculated at 1-, 2- and 3-Log CFU/g, and pathogens were enriched in tryptic soy broth containing 0.15% polymyxin B at $30^{\circ}C$, $37^{\circ}C$, and $42^{\circ}C$ to determine the detection limit and appropriate enrichment temperature for multiplex PCR detection. Enriched bacterial cells in enrichment broth were collected in a hydrophobic filter prior to DNA extraction for multiplex PCR. Filters were resuspended in distilled water, and DNA was extracted from the suspension. DNA samples were further analyzed by multiplex PCR. Detection limit of multiplex PCR was 5-Log CFU/mL. B. cereus cell counts were higher (P < 0.05) at $42^{\circ}C$ than other temperatures. Detection rate of 1-, 2-, and 3-Log CFU/g inoculated samples were 60%, 80%, and 100% after enrichment respectively. However, when enriched samples were filtered with hydrophobic membrane filter, detection rates became 100%, regardless of inoculation level. Results indicate a combination of enrichment with hydrophobic filtration improves rapid detection efficiency of B. cereus in fresh-cut cabbage by multiplex PCR.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1331-1339
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• 2017

DNA barcoding is the identification of a species based on the DNA sequence of a fragment of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in the mitochondrial genome. It is widely applied to assist with the sustainable development of fishery-product resources and the protection of fish biodiversity. This study attempted to verify horse-head fish (Branchiostegus japonicus) and fake horse-head fish (Branchiostegus albus) species, which are commonly consumed in Korea. For the validation of the two species, a real-time PCR method was developed based on the species' mitochondrial DNA genome. Inter-species variations in mitochondrial DNA were observed in a bioinformatics analysis of the mitochondrial genomic DNA sequences of the two species. Some highly conserved regions and a few other regions were identified in the mitochondrial COI of the species. In order to test whether variations in the sequences were definitive, primers that targeted the varied regions of COI were designed and applied to amplify the DNA using the real-time PCR system. Threshold-cycle (Ct) range results confirmed that the Ct ranges of the real-time PCR were identical to the expected species of origin. Efficiency, specificity and cross-reactivity assays showed statistically significant differences between the average Ct of B. japonicus DNA ($21.85{\pm}3.599$) and the average Ct of B. albus DNA ($33.49{\pm}1.183$) for confirming B. japonicus. The assays also showed statistically significant differences between the average Ct of B. albus DNA ($22.49{\pm}0.908$) and the average Ct of B. japonicus DNA ($33.93{\pm}0.479$) for confirming B. albus. The methodology was validated by using ten commercial samples. The genomic DNA-based molecular technique that used the real-time PCR was a reliable method for the taxonomic classification of animal tissues.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.838-843
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• 2017

Sepsis is a major health problem worldwide, with an extremely high rate of morbidity and mortality, partly due to delayed diagnosis during early disease. Currently, sepsis diagnosis requires bacterial culturing of blood samples over several days, whereas PCR-based molecular diagnosis methods are faster but lack sensitivity. The use of biosensors containing nucleic acid aptamers that bind targets with high affinity and specificity could accelerate sepsis diagnosis. Previously, we used the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment technique to develop the aptamers Antibac1 and Antibac2, targeting the ubiquitous bacterial peptidoglycan. Here, we show that these aptamers bind to four gram-positive and seven gram-negative bacterial sepsis agents with high binding efficiency. Thus, these aptamers could be used in combination as biological recognition elements in the development of biosensors that are an alternative to rapid bacteria detection, since they could provide culture and amplification-free tests for rapid clinical sepsis diagnosis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2010

As in the O. mykiss electrophoretic profiles of RNA, the signals of each RNA sample from 9 individual tissues such as liver, muscle, brain, heart, pituitary gland, kidney, intestine, spleen and gill similar to positive control were obtained. The tissue distributions of the complimentary DNA (cDNA) of O. mykiss four genes were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR with primer sets for tissue expression analysis. In this rainbow trout species, author obtained bands of various sizes, ranged from 700 bp to 1,400 bp. A dissociation curve was made at the end of each run to make sure that there was no non-specific amplification. Supplementarily, the Ct of each DNA was compared. The Ct values of vinculin with rainbow trout tissues were determined in a manner similar to those for agouti-related protein (AgRP) and melanocortin receptors (MC4R I and MC4R II). Further, obtained Cts for standard curve of each DNA were affected by specific product (vinculin, AgRP and MC4R II genes). After several experiments with four individual genes of rainbow trout, author estimated a variation ratio of the mean Ct value of the DNA extracted using the comparative CTt method was 37.27, and the standard deviation was 5.33. The correlation coefficient between the Ct values and the concentration of cDNA was -0.98, -0.99, -0.91 and -0.86, respectively (vinculin, AgRP, MC4R I and MC4R II genes). Since this correlation showed high linearity, the straight line obtained was used as a standard for the O. mykiss tissues reared in aquarium. A PCR efficiency of 100% is ideally achieved when the slopes are close to the theoretical value of -3.31. According to quantification method, the results of quantification are strongly affected by the DNA fragmentation. The size of most DNA fragments obtained from various tissues of rainbow trout used in the experiment was approximately 100 bp. According to the four slopes, an efficiency of nearly 100% was estimated for four genes detection methods. Additionally, further analysis with more individuals and primers will be required to fully establish optimization in rainbow trout.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.575-584
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• 2019

Colletotrichum acutatum is a species complex responsible for anthracnose disease in a wide range of host plants. Strain C. acutatum KC05, which was previously isolated from an infected pepper in Gangwon Province of South Korea, was reidentified as C. scovillei using combined sequence analyses of multiple genes. As a prerequisite for understanding the pathogenic development of the pepper anthracnose pathogen, we optimized the transformation system of C. scovillei KC05. Protoplast generation from young hyphae of KC05 was optimal in an enzymatic digestion using a combined treatment of 2% lysing enzyme and 0.8% driselase in 1 M NH₄Cl for 3 h incubation. Prolonged incubation for more than 3 h decreased protoplast yields. Protoplast growth of KC05 was completely inhibited for 4 days on regeneration media containing 200 ㎍/ml hygromycin B, indicating the viability of this antibiotic as a selection marker. To evaluate transformation efficiency, we tested polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast transformation of KC05 using 19 different loci found throughout 10 (of 27) scaffolds, covering approximately 84.1% of the entire genome. PCR screening showed that the average transformation efficiency was about 17.1% per 100 colonies. Southern blot analyses revealed that at least one transformant per locus had single copy integration of PCR-screened positive transformants. Our results provide valuable information for a functional genomics approach to the pepper anthracnose pathogen C. scovillei.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.35-35
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• 2015

Pleurotus eryngii has recently become a major cultivated mushroom; it uses tetrapolar heterothallism as a part of its reproductive process. Sexual development progresses only when the A and B mating types are compatible. Such mating incompatibility occasionally limits the efficiency of breeding programs in which crossing within loci-shared strains or backcrossing strategies are employed. Therefore, understanding the mating system in edible mushroom fungi will help provide a short cut in the development of new strains. We isolated and identified pheromone and receptor genes in the B3 locus of P. eryngii and performed a functional analysis of the genes in the mating process by transformation. A genomic DNA library was constructed to map the entire mating-type locus. The B3 locus was found to contain four pheromone precursor genes and four receptor genes. Remarkably, receptor PESTE3.3.1 has just 34 amino acid residues in its C-terminal cytoplasmic region; therefore, it seems likely to be a receptor-like gene. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (real-time qRT-PCR) revealed that most pheromone and receptor genes showed significantly higher expression in monokaryotic cells than dikaryotic cells. The pheromone genes PEphb3.1 and PEphb3.3 and the receptor gene PESTE3.3.1 were transformed into P5 (A3B4). The transformants were mated with a tester strain (A4B4), and the progeny showed clamp connections and a normal fruiting body, which indicates the proposed role of these genes in mating and fruiting processes. This result also confirms that PESTE3.3.1 is a receptor gene. In this study, we identified pheromone and receptor genes in the B3 locus of P. eryngii and found that some of those genes appear to play a role in the mating and fruiting processes. These results might help elucidate the mechanism of fruiting differentiation and improve breeding efficiency.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2019

The high expression level of industrial and metabolically important proteins in plants can be achieved by plastid transformation. The CaIA vector, a Capsicum-specific vector harboring aadA (spectinomycin resistance), is a selectable marker controlled by the PsbA promoter, and the terminator is flanked by the trnA and trnI regions of the inverted repeat (IR) region of the plastid. The CaIA vector can introduce foreign genes into the IR region of the plastid genome. The biolistic method was used for chloroplast transformation in Scoparia dulcis with leaf explants followed by antibiotic selection on regeneration medium. Transplastomes were successfully screened, and the transformation efficiency of 3 transgenic lines from 25 bombarded leaf explants was determined. Transplastomic lines were evaluated by PCR and Southern blotting for the confirmation of aadA insertion and its integration into the chloroplast genome. Seeds collected from transplastomes were analyzed on spectinomycin medium with wild types to determine genetic stability. The increased chloroplast transformation efficiency (3 transplastomic lines from 25 bombarded explants) would be useful for expressing therapeutically and industrially important genes in Scoparia dulcis L.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

This study suggests the two types DEA models such as DEA CCR model and Super Efficiency model to evaluate the value of a company and to apply them for the investments. 14 kinds of real data of companies such as EV/EBITDA, EPS growth rate, PCR, PER, dividend yield, PBR, stock price/net current asset, debt ratio, current ratio, ROE, operating margin, inventory turnover, accounts receivable turnover, and sales growth ratio were used as input variables of DEA models. 12 year data from December 30, 2000 up to December 30, 2012 were collected, and the data with negative, missing and 0 values were removed reflecting the characteristics of the DEA. In order to verify the effectiveness of the models, we compared the historical variability and rate of return of both models those of the market. Study results are as follows. First, two DEA models are more stable than market in terms of rate of return because the historical variability of both models are less than that of market. Second, Super Efficiency model is more stable than CCR model. Lastly, the cumulative rate of return of Super Efficiency model (434%) is greater than that of the CCR model (420%) and that of the market (269%).

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.304-310
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• 2009

Recently, manganese nodule has been focused on alternative resources because of its high grade of noble metallic elements such as Co, Ni, and Cu etc. From the viewpoint of an optimization the operating variables for energy efficiency of smelting reduction process, thermodynamic model for smelting reduction process of Manganese nodule was developed by using energy and material balance concept. This model provided that specific consumption of pure oxygen and coke was strongly depended on post combustion ratio (PCR) and heat transfer efficiency (HTE). The dressing and dehydrating process of low grade manganese can be proposed an essential process to minimize the specific energy consumption with decreasing slag volume. The effect of electricity coal base smelting reduction process was also discussed from the energy optimizing point of view.