• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.380-388
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• 2018

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple nervous system cell types. During embryonic development, the concentrations of soluble biological molecules have a critical role in controlling cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and apoptosis. In an effort to find optimal culture conditions for the generation of desired cell types in vitro, we used a microfluidic chip-generated growth factor gradient system. In the current study, NSCs in the microfluidic device remained healthy during the entire period of cell culture, and proliferated and differentiated in response to the concentration gradient of growth factors (epithermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor). We also showed that overexpression of ASCL1 in NSCs increased neuronal differentiation depending on the concentration gradient of growth factors generated in the microfluidic gradient chip. The microfluidic system allowed us to study concentration-dependent effects of growth factors within a single device, while a traditional system requires multiple independent cultures using fixed growth factor concentrations. Our study suggests that the microfluidic gradient-generating chip is a powerful tool for determining the optimal culture conditions.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.340-347
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• 2015

This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between climate factors and fruit characteristics of 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon (Diospyros kaki THUNB) has been mainly cultivated in Sangju of Korea. We has been surveyed the yield and fruit characteristics such as fruit weight and soluble solids of 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon from 2010 to 2015 for five years. Also, as major meteorological factor, mean air temperature, cumulative temperature and days, the data of sunshine duration, diurnal range, and rainfall were collected from Sangju Regional Meteorological Administration. As result of that, the annual variation of fruit weight was affected by sunshine duration for April and October related starting point of fruit weight increase. The content of soluble solids was affected by sunshine duration for April and October similarly with fruit weight and was negatively correlated with the number of days with precipitation in the year. These results indicate the characteristics related to fruit quality like the above were affected by the sunshine duration and precipitation which is critical factor for the intensity of radiation during rapid growth period (April and October). Fruit number and yield per tree was commonly affected by mean air temperature of April and cumulative temperature days of October. These results also indicate that temperature for period of rapid growth stage of persimmon may have an important role in the fruit number and yield per tree.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 2001

Erm proteins, MLS (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B) resistance factor proteins, show high degree of amino acid sequence homology and comprise of a group of structurally homologous N-methyltransferases. On the basis of the recently determined structures of ErmC` and ErmAM, ErmSF was divided into two domains, N-terminal end catalytic domain and C-terminal end substrate binding domain and attempted to overexpress catalytic domain in E. coli using various pET expression systems. Three DNA fragments were used to express the catalytic domain: DNA fragment 1 encoding Met 1 through Glu 186, DNA fragment 2 encoding Arg 60 to Glu 186 and DNA fragment 3 encoding Arg 60 through Arg 240. Among the pET expression vectors used, pET 19b successfully expressed the DNA fragment 3 and pET23b succeeded in expression of DNA fragment 1 and 2. But the overexpressed catalytic domains existed as inclusion body, a insoluble aggregate. To assist the soluble expression of ErmSF catalytic domains, Coexpression of chaperone GroESL or Thioredoxin and lowering the incubation temperature to $22^{\circ}C$ were attempted, as did in the soluble expression of the whole ErmSF protein. Both strategies did not seem to be helpful. Solubilization with guanidine-HCl and renaturation with gradual removal of denaturant and partial digestion of overexpressed whole ErmSF protein (expressed to the level of 126 mg/ι culture as a soluble protein) with proteinase K, nonspecific proteinase are under way.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.591-597
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• 2003

Human urokinase kringle domain, sharing homology with angiostatin kringles, has been shown to be an inhibitor of angiogenesis, which can be used for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and retinopathy. Here, the expression of the kringle domain of urokinase (UK1) as a secreted protein in high levels is reported. UK1 was expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris GS115 by fusion of the cDNA spanning from Ser47 to Lys135 to the secretion signal sequence of ${\alpha}-factor$ prepro-peptide. In a flask culture, the secreted UK1 reached about 1 g/l level after 120h of methanol induction and was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography. Amino-terminal sequencing of the purified UK1 revealed that it was cleaved at the Ste13 signal cleavage site. The molecular mass of UK1 was determined to be 10,297.01 Da. It was also confirmed that the purified UK1 inhibited endothelial cell proliferation stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, or epidermal growth factor, in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that a P. pastoris sytem can be employed to obtain large amounts of soluble and active UK1.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.520-529
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• 2015

The ambient $PM_{2.5}$ samples were collected by $PM_{2.5}$ sampler from September 2010 to December 2012 at Daegu University, Gyeongsan. A total of 260 samples were collected and 27 species were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma, ion chromatography, and thermal optical reflectance methods. Factor analysis identified four sources such as biomass burning source/secondary aerosol source, soil source, industry source, and incinerator source/mobile source. Also, backward trajectories were calculated using HYSPLIT 4 (Hybrid single-particle lagrangian integrated trajectory) model and PSCF (Potential source contribution function) model was applied to identify the possible source locations of carbonaceous species and water soluble ions species. PSCF results showed that the possible source locations of most chemical constituents measured in Gyeongsan were the industrial areas in the eastern coast of China, northeast regions of China, the Gobi Desert, and east sea of Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 1999

Water soluble hydroxyalkyl methycellulose ethers are used in a variety of applications incluing building industry as a supplementary agent used for incresing adhesives, water retention capacity, workability and viscosity modify. Water retention capacity(WRC) is the capability to contain water in the ploymer chain under condition of being mixed with cement. In general, the WRC is affected by the viscosity, the adding amount, the particle size, the rate of dissolving and the amount of substituted chemical in cellulose ethers. In the other words, WRC is increased as higher the viscosity, more adding amount, finer the particle size and longer the dissolving time of cellulose ethers. This thesis investigated each factor that effect the WRC, particularly the relation between degree of substitution(DS), molar of substitution(MS) and WRC. It is observed that WRC is not nearly affected by DS of cellulose ethers, but is changes proportionally as MS increases in the narrow range(0.10~2.25)

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.227-232
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• 2013

Purpose: The receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) system plays a significant role in osteoclastogenesis, activation of osteoclasts, and regulation of bone resorption. This study aimed to evaluate the use of the salivary soluble RANKL (sRANKL)/OPG ratio as a diagnostic marker for periodontitis in nonsmokers. Methods: Twenty-five patients with chronic periodontitis and 25 individuals with a healthy periodontium were enrolled in this study. Samples containing 5 mL of unstimulated saliva were obtained from each subject. Salivary sRANKL and OPG concentrations were determined using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 18.0. Results: The levels of sRANKL and OPG were detectable in all of the samples. Positive relationships were found between the plaque index and clinical attachment level and both the salivary concentration of sRANKL and the salivary sRANKL/OPG ratio (P<0.05). The salivary concentration of sRANKL and the sRANKL/OPG ratio were significantly higher in the periodontitis group than in the healthy group (P=0.004 and P=0.001, respectively). In contrast, the OPG concentration showed no significant differences between the groups (P=0.455). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the salivary sRANKL/OPG ratio may be helpful in the screening and diagnosis of periodontitis. However, longitudinal studies with larger populations are needed to confirm these results.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2019

The mulberry tree (Morus alba L.) has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases. We investigated the effects of bioconversion on different components of the mulberry tree, and determined changes in the physiological activities. Ethyl acetate-soluble fractions of five different segments (fruit, Mori Fructus; leaf, Mori Folium; twig, Mori Ramulus; root, Mori Cortex; and mistletoe, Loranthi Ramulus) of the mulberry tree show enhanced anti-oxidant effects in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylvenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays, and enhanced anti-inflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, after being treated with a crude enzyme extract from Aspergillus kawachii, in the following order of activity: Mori Folium>Mori Cortex>Mori Ramulus>Mori Fructus>Loranthi Ramulus. Ethyl acetate- soluble fraction of mulberry leaves (Mori Folium) that underwent bioconversion was most effective, and was devoid of any cytotoxicity. The fraction was also effective against mRNA expression of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, $interleukin-1{\beta}$, and interleukin-6. In addition, the fraction was effective in LPS-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and IKK, and $I{\kappa}B$ degradation, followed by translocation of the nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Thus, bioconversion increased the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of the mulberry leaf.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.296-303
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• 1993

Response surface methodology was employed to investigate the conditions for separating water-soluble proteins from egg yolk using sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate (PGA), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and pectin which are approved as food additives. Effects of plysaccharide concentration and pH of the reaction system on protein and lipid contents in the supernatant were evaluated at respectively five and three levels of concentration and pH using rotatable hexagon design. Statistical analysis showed that pH of the system was a more important factor than polysaccharide concentration as it significantly affected all two responses. Separating conditions established by a graphical optimization technique were $0.23{\sim}0.25%$ of sodium alginate at $pH\;5.9{\sim}6.0$, $0.15{\sim}0.17%$ of PGA at $pH\;4.3{\sim}4.5$, $0.30{\sim}0.25%$ of CMC at pH 3.0, and $0.09{\sim}0.10%$ of pectin at $pH\;5.6{\sim}5.8%$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.284-292
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• 2012

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the relations between the bacterial concentration and the environmental factors in the water soluble metal working fluids at factories. Methods: The bacterial concentrations for airborne and fluid samples of 7 factories were quantified during the summer season. And we statistically analysed the relations between the bacterial concentrations and the factors such as temperature, relative humidity, usage quantity, mixing ratio and exchange interval. Results: The geometric mean levels of the airborne bacterial concentrations were 79.1(range : N.D.~686) $CFU/m^{3}$ and 68.1(range: N.D.~919) $CFU/m^{3}$ in the process and outdoor. The airborne bacterial concentrations showed no statistical difference by process, usage quantity, mixing ratio and exchange interval. The airborne bacterial concentrations had negatively weak correlations with air temperature and relative air humidity(p<0.05). The bacterial concentrations and pH showed significantly negative correlations in the fluids(p<0.05). And the airborne bacterial concentrations in factories and those in metal working fluids showed no statistical relationship. Conclusions: In the water soluble metal working fluids using factories, the airborne bacterial concentrations of the process were related to those of the outdoor and environmental factors, rather than the onsite contaminated metal working fluids.