• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.208-218
• /
• 2018

Autophagy is a cellular process whereby cytosolic materials or organelles are taken up in a double-membrane vesicle structure known as an autophagosome and transported into a lysosome for degradation. Although autophagy has been studied at the genetic, cellular, or biochemical level, systematic ultrastructural quantitative analysis of autophagosomes during the autophagy process by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has not yet been reported. In this study, we performed ultrastructural analysis of autophagosomes in wild-type (WT) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and autophagy essential gene (atg5) knockout (KO) MEFs. First, we performed ultrastructural analysis of autophagosomes in WT MEFs compared to atg5 KO MEFs in basal autophagy or starvation-induced autophagy. Although we observed phagopore, early, late autophagosomes, or autolysosomes in WT MEFs, atg5 KO MEFs had immature autophagosomes that showed incomplete closure. Upon starvation, late autophagosomes accumulated in WT MEFs while the number of immature autophagosomes significantly increased in atg5 KO MEF indicating that atg5 plays an important role in the maturation of autophagosomes. Next, we examined autophagosomes in the cell model expressing polyQ-expanded N-terminal fragment of huntingtin. Our TEM analysis indicates that the number of late autophagosomes was significantly increased in the cells expressing the mutant huntingtin, indicating that improving the fusion of autophagosome with lysosome may be effective to enhance autophagy for the treatment of Huntington's disease. Taken together, the results of our study indicate that ultrastructural and quantitative analysis of autophagosomes using TEM can be applied to various human cellular disease models, and that they will provide an important insight for cellular pathogenesis of human diseases associated with autophagy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.101 no.3
• /
• pp.387-394
• /
• 2012

The study was conducted to develop an effective forest resources use models for an alternate use of abandoned quarry by an attitude survey. According to the result of survey, a pessimistic view due to dust, noise pollution, and forest damage was 5% higher than an affirmative view by economic benefits from the development of quarry. The 42% of the respondents preferred the alternate use of abandoned quarry and the 25% of the respondents wanted an art and cultural space. The optimum size of alternate use was 5-10 ha (43%) with the requirement of nearby residents (32%). According to the SWOT analysis for abandoned quarry, the strength factors were an effective use of land, the content development of modern industrial inheritance + cultural and art fusion, attraction for nearby city and visitors, a harmony of beauty landscape and clean environment, and a sustainable increase of domestic and foreign visitors with the 5-day-work week. The opportunity factors were the improvement of traffic networks through KTX and local highway, the creation of the new growth engines with the establishment of artistic creation belts, the providing of unique cultural and art space through grafting of tour and education, the creation of local income through stone processed goods, and the vitalization of local development through eco-city. The weakness factors were a psychological remoteness and backwardness, and the weakness of staying tour infra. The threat factors were a poor financial support for sustainable development in nearby quarry and a modify of legal and institutional system for the alternated use of abandoned quarry. The developed restoration models for the alternate use in abandoned quarry are classified to a sculpture park, a waterfall and lake park, a rock-climbing, a sports park + forest park, a native botanical garden, a culture and art park, a complex park, a water storage site, a water storage site to extinguish forest fire, a geriatric hospital, an agricultural facility, and a school site types etc. The results suggest that the alternate use in the abandoned soil and stone quarry is needed to establish facility use models with consideration of user's preference.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.461-468
• /
• 2017

This study measured and compared the protective clothing using Pb used for shielding in a diagnostic X-ray energy range, and the shielding rates of X-ray fusion shielding materials using Si and $TiO_2$. For the experiment, a pad type shielding with a thickness of 1 mm was prepared by mixing $Si-TiO_2$, and the X-ray shielding rate was compared with 0.5 mmPb plate of The shielding rate of shielding of 0.5 mmPb plate 95.92%, 85.26 % based on the case of no shielding under each 60 kVp, 100 kVp tube voltage condition. When the shielding of $Si-TiO_2$ pad was applied, the shielding rate equal to or greater than 0.5 mmPb plate was obtained at a thickness of 11 mm or more, and the shielding rate of 100% or more was confirmed at a thickness of 13 mm in 60 kVp condition. When the shielding of $Si-TiO_2$ pad was applied, the shielding rate equal to or greater than 0.5 mmPb plate was obtained at a thickness of 17 mm or more, and a shielding rate of 0.5 mmPb plate was observed at a thickness of 23 mm in 100 kVp condition. Through the results of this study, We could confirm the possibility of manufacturing radiation protective materials that does not contain lead hazard using various metalic compound and liquid Si. This study shows that possibility of liquid Si and other metalic compound can harmonize easily. Beside, It is flexible and strong to physical stress than Pb obtained radiation protective closthes. But additional studies are needed to increase the shielding rate and reduce the weight.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.17 no.4 s.84
• /
• pp.462-469
• /
• 2007

In this study, we isolated, characterized, and compared the vasa homologous genes of diploid and triploid Paragonimus westermani and localized VASA homologous proteins in both lung fluke types. Open reading frames of Pw-vasa-2n and Pw-vasa-3n were of 1812 bp, and encoded deduced proteins of 622 amino acids with calculated molecular weights of 69.0 kDa and 68.9 kDa and pI's of 9.11 and 9.03, respectively. A comparison of these two VASA deduced protein sequences showed that only 6 of the 622 amino acids differed. The deduced sequences of Pw-VASA-2n and Pw-VASA-3n contained eight consensus sequences characteristic of the DEAD-box protein family and their N-terminal regions contained four arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) motifs. These two lung fluke VASA-like proteins were more similar to those of other VASA proteins than to those of other DEAD-family proteins isolated from several organisms (planarian, zebra fish, mouse, and human). vasa homologous gene transcription and VASA protein expressions in triploid type lung flukes was slightly stronger than in the diploid type. Immunostaining showed that testes and a portion of the ovaries of both diploid and triploid lung flukes reacted strongly to anti-Pw-VASA antibody.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.143-153
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Recently, massive proteinuria has been observed in some transplant patients after switching cyclosporine A (CsA) to sirolimus. To evaluate the pathogenesis of sirolimus-associated proteinuria, we investigated the early changes in slit diaphragm molecules by various administrative conditions of sirolimus and CsA. Methods: In vitro-Mouse podocytes were incubated with buffer (C), sirolimus ($10\;{\mu}g/mL$) after CsA ($10\;{\mu}g/mL$) (C-S), sirolimus only (S) and CsA and sirolimus simultaneously (C+S) for 12, 24, and 48 hours. In vivo- twenty four SPF female Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups buffer (C), sirolimus after 2 weeks of CsA (C-S), sirolimus only (S) and CsA and sirolimus simultaneously (C+S). All groups were treated by intraperitoneal injection every other day for 4 weeks (CsA: 25 mg/kg, sirolimus: 0.5 mg/kg). The changes in mRNA of slit diaphragm molecules were examined by RT-PCR. Results: The mRNA of nephrin was significantly decreased in group C-S and C+S in vitro. In vivo, the mRNA of nephrin in all groups using sirolimus and the mRNA of podocin in group C-S and C+S were decreased. Microscopically, group C-S and C+S showed small vacuolization and calcification in proximal tubular epithelial cells. Immunohistochemistry using nephrin and podocin antibodies did not show remarkable decrease of staining along the glomerular capillaries. Electron-microscopically, focal fusion of foot processes was seen in group C-S and C+S. Conclusion: This study suggests the decrease of slit diaphragm molecules (nephrin and podocin) in podocyte may be one of the causes of sirolimus associated proteinuria, and podocyte injury by sirolimus may need a primary hit by CsA to develop the proteinuria.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 2006

L-Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an essential nutrient for prevention of scurvy in humans, primates and guinea pigs that lack $L-gulono-\gamma-lactone$ oxidase which is required for the final step of AsA biosynthesis. AsA participates in various hydroxylation reactions involved in the biosynthesis of collagen. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of AsA on collagen synthesis in 3T6 fibroblasts and primary cultured cells of chondrocytes. Cells were cultured in medium supplemented with catalase and AsA at various concentration. Supplement of AsA induced collagen synthesis in 3T6 fibroblasts and primary cultured cells of chondrocytes. The most remarkable induction of collagen synthesis by AsA was found in primary cultured chondrocytes. The content of collagen representing the amounts of extracellular matrix significantly increased in the cells of which growth was stimulated by AsA, while it decreased with increasing passage numbers of subculture in cells. It showed that the content of collagen decreased in the medium which contained AsA at the concentration higher than 5.0 mM. However, the contents of collagen to DNA were not different among various AsA concentrations. Supplementing with AsA resulted in enhancement of collagen formation and extracellular matrix. Therefore, there might be a Positive correlation between the activity of catalase and the AsA concentration. Moreover, it can be assumed that AsA stimulates the collagen synthesis by optimizing the cell-culture environment.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.220-225
• /
• 2012

In order to investigate the ethanol fermentation properties of alcohol yeasts a laboratorial strain (CEN.PK2-1D) and two industrial alcohol yeasts (JHS100 and JHS200) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were cultured in a pure YP medium with 300 g/L glucose and cassava hydrolysate. Spot assay and cell viability tests showed that both the JHS100 and JHS200 strains exhibited higher ethanol tolerance than the CEN.PK2-1D strain. The JHS100 strain demonstrated the highest cell growth, glucose consumption and ethanol production. In particular, an anaerobic batch fermentation of the JHS100 strain using cassava hydrolysate with 250 g/L glucose resulted in a 106.1 g/L ethanol concentration, 0.42 g/g ethanol yield and 3.15 g/L-hr ethanol productivity, which were 53%, 13%, 53% higher than the corresponding values for the CEN.PK2-1D strain. By changing the pure YP medium to cassava hydrolysate, 19% and 17% decreases in ethanol yield and productivity for the CEN.PK2-1D strain were observed, whereas the cultures of the JHS100 and JHS200 stains showed similar ethanol productivities and only an 8% decrease in ethanol yield. Furthermore, the JHS100 and JHS200 stains produced lower levels of glycerol and acetate byproducts than the CEN.PK2-1D strain. Consequently, the outstanding ethanol fermentation performance of the industrial strains might be owing to rapid cell growth, high ethanol tolerance, low nitrogen requirements and the low formation of by-products.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.32 no.8
• /
• pp.739-746
• /
• 2010

The purposes of this study are 1) to develop an advanced chamber system within ${\pm}10%$ of air velocity at the particulate matter (PM) collection area, 2) to research theoretical characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 samplers, 3) to assess the performance characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 samplers through chamber experiments. The total six one-hour experiments were conducted using the cornstarch with an mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of $20\;{\mu}m$ and an geometric standard deviation of 2.0 at the two different air velocity conditions of 0.67 m/s and 2.15 m/s in the chamber. The aerosol samplers used in the present study are one APM PM10 and one PM2.5 samplers accordance with the US federal reference methods and specially designed three mini-volume aerosol samplers (two for PM10 and one for PM2.5). The overall results indicate that PM10 and PM2.5 mini-volume samplers need correction factors of 0.25 and 0.39 respectively when APM PM samplers considered as reference samplers and there is significant difference between two mini-volume aerosol samplers when a two-way analysis of variance is tested using the measured PM10 mass concentrations. The PM10 and PM2.5 samplers with the cutpoints and slopes (PM10: $10{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}m$ and $1.5{\pm}0.1$, PM2.5: $2.5{\pm}0.2\;{\mu}m$ and $1.3{\pm}0.03$) theoretically collect the ranges of 86~114% and 64~152% considering the cornstarch characteristics used in this research. Furthermore, the calculated mass concentrations of PM samplers are higher than the ideal mass concentrations when the airborne MMADs for the cornstarch used are smaller than the cutpoints of PM samplers and the PM samplers collected less PM in another case. The chamber experiment also showed that PM10 and PM2.5 samplers had the bigger collection ranges of 37~158% and 55~149% than the theocratical calculated mass concentration ranges and the relatively similar mass concentration ranges were measured at the air velocity of 2.15 m/s comparing with the 0.67 m/s.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.318-330
• /
• 2009

A high heat flux test facility using a graphite heating panel was constructed and is presently in operation at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, which is called KoHLT-1. Its major purpose is to carry out a thermal cycle test to verify the integrity of a HIP (hot isostatic pressing) bonded Be mockups which were fabricated for developing HIP joining technology to bond different metals, i.e., Be-to-CuCrZr and CuCrZr-to-SS316L, for the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) first wall. The KoHLT-1 consists of a graphite heating panel, a box-type test chamber with water-cooling jackets, an electrical DC power supply, a water-cooling system, an evacuation system, an He gas system, and some diagnostics, which are equipped in an authorized laboratory with a special ventilation system for the Be treatment. The graphite heater is placed between two mockups, and the gap distance between the heater and the mockup is adjusted to $2{\sim}3\;mm$. We designed and fabricated several graphite heating panels to have various heating areas depending on the tested mockups, and to have the electrical resistances of $0.2{\sim}0.5$ ohms during high temperature operation. The heater is connected to an electrical DC power supply of 100 V/400 A. The heat flux is easily controlled by the pre-programmed control system which consists of a personal computer and a multi function module. The heat fluxes on the two mockups are deduced from the flow rate and the coolant inlet/out temperatures by a calorimetric method. We have carried out the thermal cycle tests of various Be mockups, and the reliability of the KoHLT-1 for long time operation at a high heat flux was verified, and its broad applicability is promising.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.221-232
• /
• 2021

This study analyzed co-registration results according to the geometric processing level of reference image, which are Level 1R and Level 1G provided from KOMPSAT-3 and KOMPSAT-3A images. We performed co-registration using each Level 1R and Level 1G image as a reference image, and Level 1R image as a sensed image. For constructing the experimental dataset, seven Level 1R and 1G images of KOMPSAT-3 and KOMPSAT-3A acquired from Daejeon, South Korea, were used. To coarsely align the geometric position of the two images, SURF (Speeded-Up Robust Feature) and PC (Phase Correlation) methods were combined and then repeatedly applied to the overlapping region of the images. Then, we extracted tie-points using the SURF method from coarsely aligned images and performed fine co-registration through affine transformation and piecewise Linear transformation, respectively, constructed with the tie-points. As a result of the experiment, when Level 1G image was used as a reference image, a relatively large number of tie-points were extracted than Level 1R image. Also, in the case where the reference image is Level 1G image, the root mean square error of co-registration was 5 pixels less than the case of Level 1R image on average. We have shown from the experimental results that the co-registration performance can be affected by the geometric processing level related to the initial geometric relationship between the two images. Moreover, we confirmed that the better geometric quality of the reference image achieved the more stable co-registration performance.