• BMB Reports
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.292-297
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• 2004

The current model for the mechanism of action of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry $\delta$-endotoxins involves the penetration of the ${\alpha}4-{\alpha}5$ hairpin into the target midgut epithelial cell membranes, followed by pore formation. In this study, PCR-based mutagenesis was employed to identify a critical residue within the ${\alpha}4-{\alpha}5$ loop of the 130-kDa Cry4A mosquito-larvicidal protein. Alanine-substitutions of two charged (Asp-198 and Asp-200) and four polar (Asn-190, Asn-195, Tyr-201 and Tyr-202) residues in the ${\alpha}4-{\alpha}5$ loop were performed. Like the wild-type, all of the mutant toxins were over-expressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. When E. coli cells expressing each mutant toxin were bioassayed against Aedes aegypti larvae, larvicidal activity was completely abolished for the substitution of only Tyr-202, while replacements at the other positions still retained a high level of toxicity. Further replacement of Tyr-202 with an aromatic side chain, phenylalanine, did not affect the toxicity. These results revealed a crucial role in toxin activity for the conserved aromatic residue at the 202 position within the ${\alpha}4-{\alpha}5$ loop of the Cry4A toxin.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.491-500
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• 2002

Magnetic anomalies in the Dokdo and it's surroundings were investigated with respect to structure and origin of the Dokdo and surrounding seamounts. After normal and diurnal correction of measured magnetic data, crossover correction was applied to reduce errors between sets of magnetic anomalies. The errors from crossover operation result in decrease of about 51%, from 62.2 nT to 30.1 nT in standard deviation. Reduction-to-the-pole, second vertical derivative and analytic signal processing were applied to explore magnetic anomaly signatures in detail. Magnetic anomalies are most complicated in the 1st-Dok seamount, show SWW-NEE linear pattern in the 2nd-Dok seamount and lower to the 3rd-Dok seamount. Different magnetic anomaly patterns in three seamounts imply that three volcanic seamounts were formed at different times and are composed of rocks that were produced in different conditions. It seems that the 3rd-Dok seamount was first to form and followed by the 1st-Dok seamount. The complicated magnetic and second vertical derivative anomaly patterns in the 1st-Dok seamount may be due to subsidiary cones around crater or the presence of intruded magma bodies below sea surface and the Dokdo is probably a marginal subsidiary part of crater.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.156-162
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• 2015

Objective: To investigate fertilization and embryo quality of dysmorphic mature oocytes with specific morphological abnormalities obtained from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: The fertilization rate (FR) and embryo quality were compared among 58 dysmorphic and 42 normal form oocytes (control 1) obtained from 35 consecutive ICSI cycles, each of which yielded at least one dysmorphic mature oocyte, performed over a period of 5 years. The FR and embryo quality of 441 normal form oocytes from another 119 ICSI cycles that did not involve dysmorphic oocytes served as control 2. Dysmorphic oocytes were classified as having a dark cytoplasm, cytoplasmic granularity, cytoplasmic vacuoles, refractile bodies in the cytoplasm, smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm, an oval shape, an abnormal zona pellucida, a large perivitelline space, debris in the perivitelline space, or an abnormal polar body (PB). Results: The overall FR was significantly lower in dysmorphic oocytes than in normal form oocytes in both the control 1 and control 2 groups. However, embryo quality in the dysmorphic oocyte group and the normal form oocyte groups at day 3 was similar. The FR and embryo quality were similar in the oocyte groups with a single abnormality and multiple abnormalities. Specific abnormalities related with a higher percentage of top-quality embryos were dark cytoplasm (66.7%), abnormal PB (50%), and cytoplasmic vacuoles (25%). Conclusion: The fertilization potential of dysmorphic oocytes in our study was lower, but their subsequent embryonic development and embryo quality was relatively good. We were able to define several specific abnormalities related with good or poor embryo quality.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.65-72
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• 2001

Objectives: This study was to investigate the fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or partial zona dissection (PZD) of human and hamster sperm into hamster oocyte in in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition, the possibility of clinical application was evaluated by the comparison of usefulness and difference of these method. Materials and Methods: Hamster immature oocytes were obtained from oviducts superovulated by PMSG and hCG, and hamster sperms were obtained from epididymis. The freezed human sperms were thawed before use. Fertilization were confirmed by two pronuclei, one pronucleus, swollen sperm head or/and two polar bodies at $7{\sim}8$ hour after ICSI or PZD. Results: The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of human sperm to hamster oocyte were 3.6%, 64.2%,73.6%, and 55.6% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that ICSI only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of hamster sperm to hamster oocyte were 11.1%, 51.2%, 39.6%, and 72.7% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that PZD only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). PZD showed significantly higher fertilization rate than ICSI (p<0.05). Conclusions: As for the fertilization rate by ICSI and PZD using hamster oocyte in IVF, ICSI technique was considered to be more useful for human sperm and PZD technique for hamster sperm. Therefore, ICSI technique was considered more appropriate for experimental application using human sperm and hamster oocyte.

• 천문학회보
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.64.4-65
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• 2018

We present a study of citizen science performed at Korean Minjok Leadership Academy (KMLA). The importance of citizen involvements in scientific studies has been increasing, with remarkable results and performances. For instance, the discovery of an impact scar near Jupiter's south polar region (A. Wesley, 2009) led to an international campaign of professional observations to understand the asteroidal collision responsible for the scar. Citizen science at KMLA has been and will be mainly conducted by members of the astronomical observation club 'Apple-Pie' through amateur telescopes. Members of 'Apple-Pie' are specialized in various fields related to astronomy, from planetary science to cosmology. The spectrum not only includes fields that are directly related to astronomy but also fields such as computer science and astrophotography. The scheduled construction of a new observatory will further enable students to participate in higher level projects such as planetary monitoring over long timescales and the observation and detection of solar system bodies and exoplanets. In addition, a new supervisor with expertise and research experience in galactic astronomy, planetary science, and meteorology has joined the school faculty. He will supplement students with fundamental theoretical backgrounds and essential research techniques to enhance astronomical research at KMLA. KMLA's ultimate goal is to deploy a remote-controlled observatory available to aspiring scientists around the world to create a network of citizen science system. The prime observational conditions of KMLA and the willingness of the students and faculty members will provide a competitive edge for KMLA over other similar institutes in Korea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.125-135
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• 2012

To evaluate the algicidal impact of a newly developed algicide thiazolidinedione derivative, TD49, on dinophyceae Akashiwo sanguinea in aquatic ecosystems, tentative culture experiments for the target species were conducted in small (SS), middle (MS), and large scale (LS) culture vessels. When TD49 was introduced at the final concentration of $2{\mu}M$ in SS and MS, as well as $1{\mu}M$ in LS, the abundance of A. sanguinea decreased significantly in all the treatments. On the other hand, total phytoplankton abundance, except A. sanguinea in the TD49 treatments, gradually increased with culture time, which implies that a cell destruction of A. sanguinea by TD49 is a major cause of the population growth by other phytoplankton species. Also, A. sanguinea was easily destroyed, which was likely to be a source of extracellular substances. In particular, a pH decrease was significant in the treatments than in the control, which indicates that the water in the treatments has been acidified, due to an increase in the heterotrophic metabolisms of bacteria and degradation of A. sanguinea cells. Our results indicate that the TD49 substance is the potential agents for the control of A. sanguinea in the enclosed and eutrophic water bodies.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.221-227
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• 1998

This study was carried out to determine the effects of ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) treatments on parthenogenesis of rabbit oocytes. The oocytes were randomly assigned to the activation treatments with either ionomycin plus 6-DMAP or electric stimulation. The oocytes were colected from the oviducts of superovulated rabbits at 13~14 hours and 19~20 hours post hCG injection and were activated with 5$\mu$M ionomycin for 5 min and 2 hours incubation in 2mM 6-DMAP. The other oocytes were stimulated by three pulses of 3.6kV/cm for 60 $\mu$sec each 30 min apart, starting 19 hours post in hCG in 0.28M mannitol solution with 100$\mu$M Ca2+ and Mg2+. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Following treatment of the oocytes with ionomycin plus 6-DMAP, the cleavage rate and in vitro developmental rate to blastocyst were significantly(P<0.01) higher in the oocytes collected bet ween 19~20 hours than between 13~14 hours after hCG injection. 2. When the oocytes were treated with ionomycin plus 6-DMAP, 85(98.8%) of 86 treated oocytes extruded the second polar bodies, with the entire chromatin complements outside ooplasm. However when the oocytes were restored during subsequent incubation in the drug-free medium, the cytoplasts regain their full capacity for parthenogenetic activation and nuclear remodelling. 3. The cleavage rate and the in vitro developmental rate to blastocyst were not significantly different in the oocytes activated by ionomycin plus 6-DMAP treatment(91.2 and 45.6%) or electrical stimulation(89.6 and 34.3%).

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제38권11호
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• pp.1094-1104
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• 2010

익형주위 착빙 현상과 관련한 기존 연구는 수치적으로 예측된 결빙형상과 실험 결과를 정성적으로 비교하는데 그쳐, 해석 결과의 정확도에 대한 판단과 외기 조건 변화에 따른 결빙형상의 체계적 분석에 한계가 있었다. 이에 본 논문에서는 실린더와 익형의 결빙 형상을 가용한 실험 및 타 수치해석 결과와 비교, 검증하고 정량적으로 분석하는 연구를 수행하였다. 먼저, 개발된 코드로부터 획득한 결빙형상을 얼음의 최대두께와 얼음의 진행방향, 얼음의 분포, 얼음의 면적을 기준으로 나타낸 후 이를 정량적으로 분석하였다. 정량적 분석을 통해 유사한 결빙 형상을 직관적으로 비교할 수 있었다. 개발한 수치해석 코드는 아랫면에서의 결빙 면적, 얼음의 두께를 작게 예측하였다. 이를 개선하기 위하여 보다 정밀한 유동장 계산을 통해 획득한 입자의 궤적이 요구된다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.235-243
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• 2007

Our goal was to examine the effects of early denudation on the enucleation efficiency and developmental competence of embryos following somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and parthenogenetic activation (PA). Oocytes were denuded following 30 h of in vitro maturation (IVM) and then cultured with (D+) or without (D-) their detached cumulus cells for additional $10{\sim}14$ h. Control oocytes were denuded after $40{\sim}44$ h of IVM. The size of the perivitelline space was larger at 40 h of IVM ($11.7{\sim}11.8{\mu}m$) than at 30 h ($8.9{\mu}m;$ p<0.01). The distances between the metaphase II (M II) plates and the polar bodies (PBs) were shorter in D+ ($19.4{\mu}m$) and D- oocytes ($18.9{\mu}m$) than in control oocytes ($25.5{\mu}m;$ p<0.01). Enucleation rates following blind aspiration at 40 h of IVM were higher (p<0.01) in D+ (92%) and D- oocytes (93%) compared to controls (82%). Early denudation did not affect oocyte maturation or the in vitro development of SCNT and PA embryos. When SCNT embryos from D+ oocytes were transferred to four gilts, pregnancy was established in two pigs, and one of them farrowed three live piglets. In conclusion, early denudation of oocytes at 30 h of IVM could improve the enucleation efficiency by maintaining the M II plate and the PB within close proximity and support the in vivo development of SCNT embryos to term.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.425-434
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• 2017

Polyploidy is occurred by the process of endomitosis or cell fusion and usually represent terminally differentiated stage. Their effects on the developmental process were mainly investigated in the amphibian and fishes, and only observed in some rodents as mammalian model. Recently, we have established tetraploidy somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived human embryonic stem cells (SCNT-hESCs) and examined whether it could be available as a research model for the polyploidy cells existed in the human tissues. Two tetraploid hESC lines were artificially acquired by reintroduction of remained 1st polar body during the establishment of SCNT-hESC using MII oocytes obtained from female donors and dermal fibroblasts (DFB) from a 35-year-old adult male. These tetraploid SCNT-hESC lines (CHA-NT1 and CHA-NT3) were identified by the cytogenetic genotyping (91, XXXY,-6, t[2:6] / 92,XXXY,-12,+20) and have shown of indefinite proliferation, but slow speed when compared to euploid SCNT-hESCs. Using the eight Short Tendem Repeat (STR) markers, it was confirmed that both CHA-NT1 and CHA-NT3 lines contain both nuclear and oocyte donor genotypes. These hESCs expressed pluripotency markers and their embryoid bodies (EB) also expressed markers of the three embryonic germ layers and formed teratoma after transplantation into immune deficient mice. This study showed that tetraploidy does not affect the activities of proliferation and differentiation in SCNT-hESC. Therefore, tetraploid hESC lines established after SCNT procedure could be differentiated into various types of cells and could be an useful model for the study of the polyploidy cells in the tissues.