• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.530-535
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• 2020

A ceramide-containing nanoemulsion was synthesized by using a High-Pressure Homogenizer (HPH) to observe its changes in properties and long-term stability. The droplet size, droplet distribution and zeta potential of nanoemulsion were examined by varying the pressure and the number of passes of the HPH. The increase in HPH pressure and number of passes decreased the average droplet size and made the nanoemulsion more uniform. However, beyond certain operating condition, the recombination between the droplets was confirmed due to droplet surface energy and emulsifier. This study also shows that the decrease in droplet size increased the nanoemulsion viscosity although only minimal changes occurred in the zeta potential. The formed nanoemulsion was then tested for its stability by storing it at 25 and 45 ℃ for 28 days. During the first week, the average droplet size increased due to recombination and then subsequently remained constant. We confirmed that ceramide nanoemulsion for industrial application could be synthesized by using HPH.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 2020

Two specimens presumed to be hybrids of Rhodeus pseudosericeus and R. notatus were collected from the Sangcheon Stream of the Han River, Korea. The body color of natural hybrid individuals was yellowish brown, showing the intermediate characteristics of R. pseudosericeus and R. notatus, but overall, the characteristics of R. notatus were similar. Meristic and morphometric characters, the number of dorsal fin rays, anal fin rays and longitudinal row scales showed a hybrid index (HI) of 0, indicating the characters of R. notatus. The hybrid index of predorsal length (HI=74.6), preanal length (HI=75.3), and preventral length (HI=77.6) were similar to the characters of the R. pseudosericeus. Also four characters were appeared to have intermediate characters between R. pseudosericeus and R. notatus; number of gill rakers (HI=55.3), body depth (HI=67.9), snout length (HI=43.4), and inter orbital width (HI=44.8). The rest of 14 characters deviated between 0 and 100, showing unique characteristics of hybrid individuals. Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) analysis, hybrids were identified as natural hybrids due to the overlapping peaks of their parent species. Also, as a result of analysis using the cytochrome b gene (COB), one individual was derived from R. pseudosericeus, while the other was derived from R. notatus.

• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.166-175
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• 2018

Recombination activating gene-2 (RAG-2) plays a crucial role in the development of lymphocytes by mediating recombination of T cell receptors and immunoglobulins, and loss of RAG-2 causes severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in humans. Rag-2 knockout mice created using homologous recombination in ES cells have served as a valuable immunodeficient platform, but concerns have persisted on the specificity of Rag-2-related phenotypes in these animals due to the limitations associated with the genome engineering method used. To precisely investigate the function of Rag-2, we recently established a new Rag-2 knockout FVB mouse line ($Rag-2^{-/-}$) manifesting lymphopenia by employing a CRISPR/Cas9 system at Center for Mouse Models of Human Disease. In this study, we further characterized their phenotypes focusing on histopathological analysis of lymphoid organs. $Rag-2^{-/-}$ mice showed no abnormality in development compared to their WT littermates for 26 weeks. At necropsy, gross examination revealed significantly smaller spleens and thymuses in $Rag-2^{-/-}$ mice, while histopathological investigation revealed hypoplastic white pulps with intact red pulps in the spleen, severe atrophy of the thymic cortex and disappearance of follicles in lymph nodes. However, no perceivable change was observed in the bone marrow. Moreover, our analyses showed a specific reduction of lymphocytes with a complete loss of mature T cells and B cells in the lymphoid organs, while natural killer cells and splenic megakaryocytes were increased in $Rag-2^{-/-}$ mice. These findings indicate that our $Rag-2^{-/-}$ mice show systemic lymphopenia with the relevant histopathological changes in the lymphoid organs, suggesting them as an improved Rag-2-related immunodeficient model.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.181-187
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• 2015

Early life stage mortality in fish is one of the problems faced by loach aquaculture. However, our understanding of immune system in early life stage fish is still incomplete, and the information available is restricted to a few fish species. In the present work, we investigated the expression of immune-related transcripts in loach during early development. In fishes, recombination-activating gene 1 (RAG-1) and sacsin (SACS) have been considered as immunological function. In this study, the expression of the both genes was assessed throughout the early developmental stages of loach using real-time PCR method. maRAG-1 mRNA was first detected in 0 dph, observed the increased mostly until 40 dph. Significant expression of maRAG-1 was detected in 0 to 40 dph. These patterns of expression may suggest that the loach start to develop its function after hatching. On the other hand, maSACS was detected in unfertilized oocyte to molura stages and 0 to 40 dph. maSACS mRNA transcripts were detected in unfertilized oocytes, suggesting that they are maternally transferred.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.84-95
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• 2021

The power conversion efficiency of Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) solar cells depends on the absorber layer thickness; however, changes in the characteristics of the cells with varying absorber layer thickness are unclear. In this study, we investigated the changes in the characteristics of CZTSe solar cells for varying absorber layer thickness. Five absorber thicknesses were employed: CZTSe1 2.78 ㎛, CZTSe2 1.01 ㎛, CZTSe3 0.55 ㎛, CZTSe4 0.29 ㎛, and CZTSe5 0.15-0.23 ㎛. The efficiency of the CZTSe solar cells decreased as the absorber thickness decreased, resulting in power conversion efficiencies of 10.45% (CZTSe1), 8.67% (CZTSe2), 7.14% (CZTSe3), 3.44% (CZTSe4), and 1.54% (CZTSe5). As the thickness of the CZTSe absorber layer decreased, the electron-hole recombination at the grain boundaries and the absorber-back-contact interface increased. This caused an increase in the current loss, owing to light loss in the long-wavelength region. In addition, as the thickness of the CZTSe absorber layer decreased, more ZnSe was produced, and the resulting defects and defect clusters led to an open-circuit voltage loss.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.430-430
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• 2012

The surface recombination velocity of the silicon solar cell could be reduced by passivation with insulating layers such as $SiO_2$, SiNx, $Al_2O_3$, a-Si. Especially, the aluminium oxide has advantages over other materials at rear surface, because negative fixed charge via Al vacancy has an additional back surface field effect (BSF). It can increase the lifetime of the hole carrier in p-type silicon. The aluminium oxide thin film layer is usually deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which is expensive and has low deposition rate. In this study, ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering technique was adopted to overcome drawbacks of ALD technique. In addition, it has been known that by annealing aluminium oxide layer in nitrogen atmosphere, the negative fixed charge effect could be further improved. By using ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering technique, oxygen to nitrogen ratio could be precisely controlled. Fabricated aluminium oxy-nitride (AlON) layer on silicon wafers were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the atomic concentration ratio and chemical states. The electrical properties of Al/($Al_2O_3$ or $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$)/Si (MIS) devices were characterized by the C-V measurement technique using HP 4284A. The detailed characteristics of the AlON passivation layer will be shown and discussed.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.230-239
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• 2012

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is an enzyme that is predominantly expressed in germinal center B cells and plays a pivotal role in immunoglobulin class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation for antibody (Ab) maturation. These two genetic processes endow Abs with protective functions against a multitude of antigens (pathogens) during humoral immune responses. In B cells, AID expression is regulated at the level of either transcriptional activation on AID gene loci or post-transcriptional suppression of AID mRNA. Furthermore, AID stabilization and targeting are determined by post-translational modifications and interactions with other cellular/nuclear factors. On the other hand, aberrant expression of AID causes B cell leukemias and lymphomas, including Burkitt's lymphoma caused by c-myc/IgH translocation. AID is also ectopically expressed in T cells and non-immune cells, and triggers point mutations in relevant DNA loci, resulting in tumorigenesis. Here, I review the recent literatures on the function of AID, regulation of AID expression, stability and targeting in B cells, and AID-related tumor formation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.322.2-322.2
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• 2014

Lighting emitting diodes of n-ZnO/MQW/p-GaN structure are fabricated and investigated. To realize this LED structure, n-ZnO/MQW/p-GaN are grown by MOCVD. At several bias voltages, blue-green light is emitted from the ZnO mesa edge. However, the emission is restricted near the mesa edge. It is seen that the hole current does not spread well. It is because conductivity of p-GaN is extremely small. The break down voltage of the device is small compared to conventional InGaN/GaN LEDs. It is seen that ZnO columnar grain boundaries act as leakage current paths and non-radiative recombination center.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.279-286
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• 2008

Numerical analysis is done to investigate which would be the most influencing process parameter in determining the uniformity of deposition thickness in TiN ICP-CVD(inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition). Two configurations of ICP antenna are modeled; side and top planar. Side and top gas inlets are considered with each ICP antenna geometries. Precursor for TiN deposition was TDMAT(Tetrakis Diethyl Methyl Amido Titanium). Two step volume dissociation of TDMAT is used and absorption, desorption and deposition surface reactions are included. Most influencing factors are H and N concentration dissociated by electron impact collisions in plasma volume which depends on the relative positions of gas inlet and ICP antenna generated hot plasma region. Low surface recombination of N shows hollow type concentration, but H gives a bell type distribution. Film thickness at substrate edges is sensitive to gas flow rate and at high pressures getting more dependent on flow characteristics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.783-788
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• 2004

Marker proteins of genetically-modified organisms (GMO) and their antibodies were prepared and characterized as major components of an analytical system. We selected two GMO markers, neomycin phosphotransferase II and 5- enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and produced them from E. coli employing genetic recombination technology. After purification, their structural conformation and binding affinities to the respective antibodies were characterized. The results showed that the recombinant proteins were identical with commercially obtained reference proteins. We further used them as immunogens to raise polyclonal antibodies capable of discriminating GMO containing protein from non-GMO. Well-characterized marker proteins and antibodies will be valuable as immunoreagents in constructing analytical systems such as biosensors and biochips to measure quantities of GMO.