• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.363-375
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• 2021

Trends in the developing era to discover and design peptide-based treatments throughout an epidemic infection scenario such as COVID-19 could progress into a more efficient and low-cost therapeutic environment. However, the weakening of proteolysis is one downside of natural peptide drugs. But, peptidomimetics may help resolve this issue. In this review, peptide and peptide-based drug discovery were summarized to target one key entry mechanism of severe coronavirus pulmonary emboli syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), which encompasses the association of the host angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor and viral spike (S) protein. Furthermore, the benefits of proteins, peptides and other possible actions that have been studied for COVID-19 through new peptide-based treatments are discussed in the review. Lastly, an overview of the peptide-based drug therapy environment is comprised of an evolutionary viewpoint, structural properties, operational thresholds, and an explanation of the therapeutic area.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.531-540
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• 2019

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanosilica and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a coupling agent was used to form a coarse spike structure as well as an excellent reactive hydroxyl groups on the glass surface. Then, a second treatment was carried out using a trichloro-(1H,1H,2H,2H)perfluorooctylsilane(TPFOS) solution for ultimate water repellent glass surface formation. The formation of hydrophobic coating layer on glass surface using silica aerosol, which is hydrophobic nanosilica, was not able to form a durable hydrophobic coating layer due to the absence of reactive -OH groups on the surface of nanosilica. On the other hand, a glass surface was first coated with a coating liquid prepared with hydrophilic hydroxyl group-containing nanosilica and hydrolyzed TEOS, and then coated with a TPFOS solution to introduce a hydrophobic surface on glass having a water contact angle of $150^{\circ}$ or more. The sliding angle of the coated glass was less than $1^{\circ}$, which meant the surface had a super water-repellent property. In addition, as the content of hydrophilic nanosilica increased, the optical transmittance decreased and the optical transmittance also decreased after 2nd coating with the TPFOS solution. The super-hydrophobic property of the coated glass was remained up to 50 times of rubbing durability test, but only hydrophobic property was shown after 200 times of rubbing durability test. Conclusively, the optimal coating conditions was double 1st coatings with the HP3 coating solution having a hydrophilic nanosilica content of 0.3 g, and subsequent 2nd coating with the TPFOS solution. It is believed that the coating solution thus prepared can be used as a surface treatment agent for solar cells where light transmittance is also important.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.297-309
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• 2020

Coronaviruses were originally discovered as enzootic infections that limited to their natural animal hosts, but some strains have since crossed the animal-human species barrier and progressed to establish zoonotic diseases. Accordingly, cross-species barrier jumps resulted in the appearance of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 that manifest as virulent human viruses. Coronaviruses contain four main structural proteins: spike, membrane, envelope, and nucleocapsid protein. The replication cycle is as follows: cell entry, genome translation, replication, assembly, and release. They were not considered highly pathogenic to humans until the outbreaks of SARS-CoV in 2002 in Guangdong province, China. The consequent outbreak of SARS in 2002 led to an epidemic with 8,422 cases, and a reported worldwide mortality rate of 11%. MERS-CoVs is highly related to camel CoVs. In 2019, a cluster of patients infected with 2019-nCoV was identified in an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and soon spread worldwide. 2019-nCoV is transmitted through the respiratory tract and then induced pneumonia. Molecular diagnosis based on upper respiratory region swabs is used for confirmation of this virus. This review examines the structure and genomic makeup of the viruses as well as the life cycle, diagnosis, and potential therapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2021

Purpose: Although dumping symptoms are thought to involve postprandial glycemic changes, postprandial glycemic variability without dumping symptoms remains poorly understood due to the lack of a method that allows the easy and continuous measurement of blood glucose levels. Materials and Methods: Patients having undergone distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I (DG-BI) or Roux-en-Y reconstruction (DG-RY), total gastrectomy with RY (TG-RY) and pylorus preserving gastrectomy (PPG) for gastric cancer 3 months to 3 years prior, diagnosed as pathological stage I or II, were prospectively enrolled from March 2018 to January 2020. The interstitial tissue glycemic levels were measured every 15 min, up to 14 days by continuous glucose monitoring. Moreover, using a diary recording the diet and symptoms, asymptomatic glucose profiles without sugar supplementation within 3 h postprandially were compared among the four procedures. Results: A total of 40 patients were enrolled, 10 patients for each of the four procedures. There were 47 glucose profiles with DG-BI, 46 profiles with DG-RY, 38 profiles with TG-RY, and 46 profiles with PPG. PPG showed the slowest increase with a subsequent gradual decrease in glucose fluctuations, without hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, among the four procedures. In contrast, TG-RY and DG-RY showed spike-like glycemic variability, sharp rises during meals, and rapid drops. The glucose profiles of DG-BI were milder than those of RY. Conclusions: The asymptomatic glycemic changes after meals differ among the types of surgical procedures for gastric cancer. Given the mild glycemic fluctuations in PPG and the glucose spikes in TG-RY and DG-RY, pylorus preservation and physiological reconstruction without changes in food pathways may optimize postprandial glucose profiles after gastrectomy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.531-540
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• 2022

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) can positively affect postsynaptic neuronal excitability and epileptogenesis. The objective of the present study was to determine whether group 1 mGluRs might be involved in synaptically-induced intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) spikes and neuronal cell death induced by 0.1 mM Mg²⁺ and 10 µM glycine in cultured rat hippocampal neurons from embryonic day 17 fetal Sprague-Dawley rats using imaging methods for Ca²⁺ and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays for cell survival. Reduction of extracellular Mg²⁺ concentration ([Mg²⁺]_o) to 0.1 mM induced repetitive [Ca²⁺]_i spikes within 30 sec at day 11.5. The mGluR5 antagonist 6-Methyl2-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP) almost completely inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes, but the mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. The group 1 mGluRs agonist, 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), significantly increased the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes. The phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The IP₃ receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate or the ryanodine receptor antagonist 8-(diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate also significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The TRPC channel inhibitors SKF96365 and flufenamic acid significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The mGluR5 antagonist MPEP significantly increased the neuronal cell survival, but mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. These results suggest a possibility that mGluR5 is involved in synaptically-induced [Ca²⁺]_i spikes and neuronal cell death in cultured rat hippocampal neurons by releasing Ca²⁺ from IP₃ and ryanodine-sensitive intracellular stores and activating TRPC channels.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.686-695
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• 2022

The grain yield and flour quality of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. 'Jokyung') were investigated in the paddy fields in which the double-cropping of wheat linked to rice (Oryza sativa L.) and its alternative crops [black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), and perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton)] was applied. In the soils in which black soybean, sesame, and perilla as pre-crops were cultivated, the soil pH was higher and the electrical conductivity was lower than in the rice pre-cropped soil. In addition, the available phosphate (Av. P₂O₅), and contents of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were higher than in the rice pre-cropped soil. Winter wheat growth characteristics such as culm length, spike length, number of spikes and grains were generally favorable in the black soybean pre-cropped soil. However, the grain yield of winter wheat increased in the black soybean, sesame, and perilla pre-cropped soils by 100 kg/10a or more than in the rice pre-cropped soil. Furthermore, protein content and SDS-sedimentation value of the flour were higher, while amylose content was slightly lower, in the black soybean, sesame, and perilla pre-cropped soils than in rice pre-cropped soil. These results suggest that cultivation of rice alternative crops such as sesame, black soybean, and perilla as pre-crops in paddy soil could improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil and contribute to producing high-quality wheat flour more advantageous for the baking process.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with underlying diseases, is associated with high infection and mortality rates, which may result in acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type II is a progressive metabolic disorder that stems from cellular accumulation of the glycosaminoglycans, heparan, and dermatan sulfate. Upper and lower airway obstruction and restrictive pulmonary diseases are common complaints of patients with MPS, and respiratory infections of bacterial or viral origin could result in fatal outcomes. We report a case of COVID-19 in a 16-year-old adolescent with MPS type II, who had been treated with idursulfase since 5 years of age. Prior to infection, the patient's clinical history included developmental delays, abdominal distension, snoring, and facial dysmorphism. His primary complaints at the time of admission included rhinorrhea, cough, and sputum without fever or increased oxygen demand. His heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation were within the normal biological reference intervals, and chest radiography revealed no signs of pneumonia. Consequently, supportive therapy and quarantine were recommended. The patient experienced an uneventful course of COVID-19 despite underlying MPS type II, which may be the result of an unfavorable host cell environment and changes in expression patterns of proteins involved in interactions with viral proteins. Moreover, elevated serum heparan sulfate in patients with MPS may compete with cell surface heparan sulfate, which is essential for successful interaction between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and the host cell surface, thereby protecting against intracellular penetration by SARS-CoV-2.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.681-691
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• 2022

Zostera marina (ZM), a type of seagrass registered as a marine protected species in South Korea, provides valuable ecosystem services to humans, such as improving marine water quality, providing food, spawning grounds and habitats for marine life, and absorbing carbon dioxide. Therefore, the government is seeking to preserve ZM by designating ZM-protected areas. This study examined the public willingness to pay (WTP) for the preservation of ZM using contingent valuation. The one-and-one-half-bounded model was adopted for WTP elicitation, and the single-bounded model was also applied for comparison. The spike model was employed to deal with many zero WTP responses. The household average WTP was estimated as KRW 4,087 per year, securing statistical significance. The national value was KRW 84.1 billion per year. The preservation value of ZM estimated in this study can be used as important data for economic analysis of various projects or policy implementation for its preservation.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.138-149
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• 2023

In geoscience and engineering the geological characteristics of sediment strata is crucial and possible if reliable borehole logging and seismic data are available. To investigate the characteristics of the shallow strata in the Korea Strait, laboratory sonic logs were obtained from deep borehole data and seismic section. In this study, we integrated and analyzed the sonic log data obtained from the drilling core (down to a depth of 200 m below the seabed) and multichannel seismic section. The correlation value was increased from 15% to 45% through time-depth conversion. An initial model of P-wave impedance was set, and the results were compared by performing model-based, band-limited, and sparse-spike inversions. The derived P-impedance distributions exhibited differences between sediment-dominant and unconsolidated layers. The P-impedance inversion process can be used as a framework for an integrated analysis of additional core logs and seismic data in the future. Furthermore, the derived P-impedance can be used to detect shallow gas-saturated regions or faults in the shallow sediment. As domestic deep drilling is being performed continuously for identifying the characteristics of carbon dioxide storage candidates and evaluating resources, the applicability of the integrated inversion will increase in the future.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 1997

To cope with increasing importance of water stress in food crop production, some physiological characteristics, their cultivar-differences and grain yield of winter barley cultivars in response to water stress during reproductive stages were studied employing three covered-barley cultivars, Milyang 12, Durubori, and Olbori, one naked-barley cultivar, Baegdong, and one two-row malting-barley cultivar, Hyangmaeg. The barley grown in pot-soil was conditioned for 10 days under water stress, varying the time of water stress : 20 days before heading, 10 days before heading and the time of heading. The decrease in growth due to water stress varied greatly with the cultivars and time of water stress. The greatest injury occurred when water stress was imposed for 10 days from 10 days before heading : the culm length of water-stressed plants have shown reduced by 85∼98％ of the non-stressed; the number of spikes per plant by 52∼83%; the number of grains per spike by 71∼86%; 1,000-grain weight by 80∼84%; yield per pot by 60∼94%. The number of spikes per plant as one of yield components was most sensitively affected. As a whole, the drought resistance of cultivars was high in the order of Olbori> Milyang 12 and Durubori> Hyangmaeg>Baegdong. On rewatering the plants after termination of the water stress treatment the recovery rate of free proline content and relative turgidity of flag leaf were higher in 3 covered-barley cultivars, and lower in cultivars Baegdong and Hyangmaeg.