• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.292-297
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• 2022

Direct injection of CRISPR/Cas9 into zygotes enables the production of genetically modified nonhuman primates (NHPs) essential for modeling specific human diseases, such as Usher syndrome, and for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disease that causes loss of hearing, retinal degeneration, and problems with balance, and is attributed to a mutation in MYO7A, a gene that encodes an uncommon myosin motor protein expressed in the inner ear and retinal photoreceptors. To produce an Usher syndrome type 1B (USH1B) rhesus macaque model, we disrupted the MYO7A gene in developing zygotes. Identification of appropriately edited MYO7A embryos for knockout embryo transfer requires sequence analysis of material recovered from a trophectoderm (TE) cell biopsy. However, the TE biopsy procedure is labor intensive and could adversely impact embryo development. Recent studies have reported using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from embryo culture media to detect aneuploid embryos in human in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics. The cfDNA is released from the embryo during cell division or cell death, suggesting that cfDNA may be a viable resource for sequence analysis. Moreover, cfDNA collection is not invasive to the embryo and does not require special tools or expertise. We hypothesized that selection of appropriate edited embryos could be performed by analyzing cfDNA for MYO7A editing in embryo culture medium, and that this method would be advantageous for the subsequent generation of genetically modified NHPs. The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether cfDNA can be used to identify the target gene mutation of CRISPR/Cas9 injected embryos. In this study, we were able to obtain and utilize cfDNA to confirm the mutagenesis of MYO7A, but the method will require further optimization to obtain better accuracy before it can replace the TE biopsy approach.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.97-107
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• 2023

Aristolochic acid (AA), extracted from Aristolochiaceae plants, plays an essential role in traditional herbal medicines and is used for different diseases. However, AA has been found to be nephrotoxic and is known to cause aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). AA-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome in AAN with a high morbidity that manifests mitochondrial damage as a key part of its pathological progression. Melatonin primarily serves as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. However, its mitochondrial protective role in AA-induced AKI is barely reported. In this study, mice were administrated 2.5 mg/kg AA to induce AKI. Melatonin reduced the increase in Upro and Scr and attenuated the necrosis and atrophy of renal proximal tubules in mice exposed to AA. Melatonin suppressed ROS generation, MDA levels and iNOS expression and increased SOD activities in vivo and in vitro. Intriguingly, the in vivo study revealed that melatonin decreased mitochondrial fragmentation in renal proximal tubular cells and increased ATP levels in kidney tissues in response to AA. In vitro, melatonin restored the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in NRK-52E and HK-2 cells and led to an elevation in ATP levels. Confocal immunofluorescence data showed that puncta containing Mito-tracker and GFP-LC3A/B were reduced, thereby impeding the mitophagy of tubular epithelial cells. Furthermore, melatonin decreased LC3A/B-II expression and increased p62 expression. The apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells induced by AA was decreased. Therefore, our findings revealed that melatonin could prevent AA-induced AKI by attenuating mitochondrial damage, which may provide a potential therapeutic method for renal AA toxicity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.325-334
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• 2022

It has been more than 30 years since the term climate change began to become popular, but recently, rapid accelerated phenomena are appearing in the form of extreme weather all over the world. It is showing a distinctly different phenomenon from previous years, with heavy rain falling in the Death Valley desert in the U.S., and temperatures rising more than 40 degrees in Europe. In the Korean Peninsula, super typhoons with very strong wind speeds have become a major disaster risk for many years, and the supply of more energy due to the rise in sea temperature increases the possibility of super typhoons, requiring a proactive response. Unlike the method using numerical analysis, this study analyzed past typhoon data to study changes in typhoon characteristics for coastal disaster prevention. Existing studies have targeted all typhoons that have occurred, but in this study, a specific area was set up in the southern ocean of the Korean Peninsula and then a study was conducted. The subjects of the study were typhoons that occurred over the past 40 years from 1980 to the present, and it was confirmed that the maximum wind speed of typhoons affecting the Korean Peninsula increased slightly. The wind speed of typhoons in the specific area is about 80% of the maximum wind speed in their lifetime, and a correlation with ENSO could not be confirmed.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.539-548
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• 2022

In recent decades, the world has entered a new era in terms of the number and variety of biological invasions, due to economic progress and transportation efficiency. Biological invasion is becoming more likely as demand for foreign fresh foods and decorative goods grows. Alien species continue to infiltrate Korea in a variety of ways, and disturb on the insect fauna of Korea. The goal of plant quarantine is to decrease the economic impact of alien pests on the agriculture and forestry industries. In this study, we focused on insects found in imported cut flowers from 1996 to 2020 using pest information system. Overall, 147,160 cut flowers (159 items) were imported into Korea from 69 countries during this time period. Throughout this time, 467 species of insects were found in all imported cut flowers to Korea, total 13,757 detections. They were classified as provisional regulated pests in 273 species, quarantine managed pests in 78 species, and non-quarantine pests in 118 species. Thysanoptera and Hemiptera had the largest number of alien insect detections (more than 80% of the alien insects) among the nine orders. The outcomes of this study have highlighted the need for ongoing inspection activities targeted at preventing quarantine alien pests from entering or incursion in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2023

Background: When particles are absorbed into the human body, they penetrate deep into the lungs and interact with the tissues of the body. Heavy metals in PM_2.5 can cause various diseases. The main source of PM_2.5 emissions in South Korea's atmosphere has been surveyed to be places of business. Objectives: The concentration of heavy metals in PM_2.5 near the Ulsan Industrial Complex was measured and a health risk assessment was performed for residents near the industrial complex for exposure to heavy metals in PM_2.5. Methods: Concentrations of heavy metals in PM_2.5 were measured at four measurement sites (Ulsan, Mipo, Onsan, Maegok) near the industrial complexes. Heavy metals were analyzed according to the Air Pollution Monitoring Network Installation and Operation Guidelines presented by the National Institute of Environmental Research. Among them, only five substances (Mn, Ni, As, Cd, Cr⁶⁺) were targeted. The risk assessment was conducted on inhalation exposure for five age groups, and the excess cancer risk and hazard quotient were calculated. Results: In the risk assessment of exposure to heavy metals in PM_2.5, As, Cd, and Cr⁶⁺ exceeded the risk tolerance standard of 10^-6 for carcinogenic hazards. The highest hazard levels were observed in Onsan and Mipo industrial complexes. In the case of non-carcinogenic hazards, Mn was identified as exceeding the hazard tolerance of 1, and it showed the highest hazard in the Ulsan Industrial Complex. Conclusions: This study presented a detailed health risk from exposure to heavy metals in PM_2.5 by industrial complexes located in Ulsan among five age groups. It is expected to be utilized as the basis for preparing damage control and industrial emission reduction measures against PM_2.5 exposure at the Ulsan Industrial Complex.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.45-58
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• 2023

In a world of uncertainty and complexity, leadership is essential to lead collaborative and positive interactions among employees. In other words, if members share opinions and work through voluntary leadership, they will respond more effectively to uncertain challenges and get closer to the targeted management performance. Therefore, in this study, we would like to elucidate the importance of shared leadership, which has recently become an issue. We will examine the impact of shared leadership on team efficacy, team organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover intention. A survey was conducted among members working in a team organization in Busan, and the results were as follows. First, the effects of shared leadership on team efficacy were found to have significant positive(+) effects, such as the hypotheses set at planning and organizing 0.202(C.R.=2.853), problem solving 0.463(C.R.=5.620), support and caring 0.237(C.R.=3.326), and development and mentoring 0.366(C.R.=5.132), respectively. Second, the effects of team efficacy on team organizational citizenship behavior and turnover intention were 0.545(C.R.=5.895) and -0.143(C.R.=-0.817), respectively, and team efficacy was found to have a positive(+)positive(+) effect on team organizational citizenship behavior, but team efficacy did not have a significant effect on turnover intention.

• Advanced Industrial SCIence
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.15-21
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• 2023

In this study, we wanted to know the change in the craniovertebral angle before and after stretching and muscle tone according to rest time immediately after stretching. 57 students in their 20s and 30s were targeted, and the craniovertebral angle was compared before and after stretching. Static manual stretching was applied for stretching, and after 30 seconds, it was repeated three times with a break time of 10 seconds, and before stretching, immediately after, two minutes after, and five minutes after stretching were measured using muscle tone measuring equipment. As a result, there was no significant difference in craniovertebral angle before and after stretching, and the change in muscle tone according to the rest time after stretching was more significant after 5 minutes than before stretching. It is more effective to take five minutes to rest after stretching, reduce muscle tone than working immediately after stretching.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.374-384
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• 2023

Universities that previously targeted in 20s have recently diversified their operation methods, founding purposes, and target. With a significant decrease in the school-age population relative to the number of universities, universities are making their best efforts to secure new students and minimize student attrition. In this study, an online survey was conducted to empirically examine the effects of motivation for major selection and sense of belonging on learning persistence intention among students in beauty-related departments at 2-year and 4-year general universities and cyber universities. The collected data from 119 students at general universities and 113 students at cyber universities were analyzed using SPSS 28. The key findings can be summarized as follows: For general universities, motivation for major selection did not have a significant effect on learning persistence intention, but sense of belonging had a significant positive effect. Additionally, an interaction effect was observed, indicating that as the sense of belonging increased, extrinsic motivation significantly increased learning persistence intention. For cyber universities, intrinsic motivation and sense of belonging among motivations for major selection had a significant positive effect on learning persistence intention, while the moderating effect of sense of belonging in the relationship between motivation for major selection and learning persistence intention was not significant. In summary, for general universities, the factor that influenced students' learning persistence intention was a sense of belonging to the university, while for cyber universities, intrinsic motivation played a significant role. These findings are expected to provide meaningful insights and data for universities to develop effective policies for preventing student attrition.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.13-24
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• 2023

To investigate the stability of temporary retaining walls during excavation, it is essential to develop reverse analysis technologies capable of precisely evaluating the properties of the ground and a learning model that can assess stability by analyzing real-time data. In this study, we targeted excavation sites where the C.I.P method was applied. We developed a Deep Neural Network (DNN) model capable of evaluating the stability of the retaining wall, and estimated the physical properties of the ground being excavated using a Differential Evolution Algorithm. We performed reverse analysis on a model composed of a two-layer ground for the applicability analysis of the Differential Evolution Algorithm. The results from this analysis allowed us to predict the properties of the ground, such as the elastic modulus, cohesion, and internal friction angle, with an accuracy of 97%. We analyzed 30,000 cases to construct the training data for the DNN model. We proposed stability evaluation grades for each assessment factor, including anchor axial force, uneven subsidence, wall displacement, and structural stability of the wall, and trained the data based on these factors. The application analysis of the trained DNN model showed that the model could predict the stability of the retaining wall with an average accuracy of over 94%, considering factors such as the axial force of the anchor, uneven subsidence, displacement of the wall, and structural stability of the wall.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.84-84
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• 2003

DNA methylation is involved in epigenetic processes such as X-chromosome inactivation, imprinting and silencing of transposons. DNA methylation is a highly plastic and critical component of mammalian development The DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) are responsible for the generation of genomic methylation patterns, which lead to transcriptional silencing. The maintenance DNA methyltransferase enzyme, Dnmt 1, and the de novo methyltransferase, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b, are indispensable for development because mice homozygous for the targeted disruption of any of these genes are not viable. The occurrence of DNA methylation is not random, and it can result in gene silencing The mechanisms underlying these processes are poorly understood. It is well established that DNA methylation and histone deacetylation operate along a common mechanistic pathway to repress transcription through the action of methyl-binding domain proteins (MBDs), which are components of, or recruit, histone deacetylase (HDAC) complexes to methylated DNA. As a basis for future studies on the role of the DNA-methyl-transferase in porcine development, we have isolated and characterized a partial cDNA coding for the porcine Dnmt1. Total RNA of testis, lung and ovary was isolated with TRlzol according to the manufacture's specifications. 5 ug of total RNA was reverse transcribed with Super Script II in the presence of porcine Dnmt 1 specific primers. Standard PCRs were performed in a total volume of 50 ul with cDNA as template. Two DNA fragmenets in different position were produced about 700bp, 1500bp and were cloned into pCR II-TOPO according to the manufacture's specification. Assembly of all sequences resulted in a cDNA from 158bp of 5'to 4861bp of 3'compare with the known human maintenance methyltransferase. Now, we are cloning the unknown Dnmt 1 region by 5'-RACE method and expression of Dnmt 1 in tissues from adult porcine animals.