• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.228-233
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• 2011

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase 2 (NDPK2) is known to regulate the expression of antioxidant genes and auxin-responsive genes in plants. Previously, it was noted that the overexpression of Arabidopsis NDPK2 (AtNDPK2) under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter in transgenic poplar (Populus alba ${\times}$ P. tremular var. glandulosa) plants (referred to as SN plants) enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress and improved growth (Plant Biotechnol J 9: 34-347, 2011). In this study, growth of transgenic poplar was assessed under living modified organism (LMO) field conditions in terms of biomass in the next year. The growth of transgenic poplar plants increased in comparison with non-transgenic plants. The SN3 and SN4 transgenic lines had 1.6 and 1.2 times higher dry weight in stems than non-transgenic plants at 6 months after planting, respectively. Transgenic poplar also exhibited increased transcript levels of auxin-response genes such as IAA1, IAA2, IAA5 and IAA6. These results suggest that enhanced AtNDPK2 expression increases plant biomass in transgenic poplar through the regulation of auxin-response genes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2017

Humic acid (HA) is a complex organic matter found in the environments, especially in grassland soils with a high density. The bioactivity of HA to promote plant growth depends largely on its extraction sources. The quality-control of HA and the quality improvements via an artificial synthesis are thus challenging. We recently reported that a polymeric product from fungal laccase-mediated oxidation of catechol and vanillic acid (CAVA) displays a HA-like activity to enhance seed germination and salt stress tolerance in a model plant, Arabidopsis. Here, we examined whether HA or CAVA enhances the growth of Italian ryegrass seedling. Height and fresh weight of the plant with foliar application of HA or CAVA were bigger than those with only water. Interestingly, enhanced root developments were also observed in spite of the foliar treatments of HA or CAVA. Finally, we proved that HA or CAVA promotes the regrowth of Italian ryegrass after cutting. Collectively, CAVA acts as a HA mimic in Italian ryegrass cultivation, and both as a biostimulant enhanced the early growth and regrowth after cutting of Italian ryegrass, which could improve the productivity of forage crops.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.445-450
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• 2008

The effects of fermented goat milk supplemented with citrus concentrate on blood glucose levels in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats were examined. Streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats (type II) were divided into five experimental groups treated with metformin, goat milk, fermented goat milk, fermented goat milk containing citrus concentrate, or no supplementation (control). The rats in each group were examined weekly for blood levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride. HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol. and body weight. On the $24^{th}$ day of the experiment, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was carried out. Administration of fermented goat milk to the diabetic rats significantly decreased blood glucose and triglyceride levels, while administration of metformin (33.3 mg/kg body weight) did not significantly lower blood glucose levels. Fermented goat milk containing citrus concentrate caused a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in the OGTT at 30 min. This study shows that supplementation with fermented goat milk containing citrus concentrate may be a practical method of reducing blood glucose levels in type II diabetics.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.696-702
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• 2017

Metabolic syndrome, including obesity, glucose intolerance and elevated blood pressure, is related to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have reported the anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects of purple corn extract. We investigated the efficacy of purple corn extract (PC) against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and glucose intolerance, and examined the underlying mechanisms by analyzing expression of proteins and genes involved in glucose regulation and macrophage infiltration. C57BL/6 mice were fed with normal chow diet (ND), or HFD treated with distilled water (DW, control) or PC, for 10 weeks. Although body weights were similar in the HFD-fed groups, we observed a decrease in the liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) weights, and enhanced glucose tolerance test (GTT) results in the PC group, as compared with DW group. Liver showed increased Akt phosphorylation in the PC-treated mice; however, no changes were observed in the EAT, for all groups. In PC-treated mice, decreased macrophage infiltration was seen in the EAT, with a reduced expression of macrophage marker genes. Finally, proinflammatory cytokine gene expressions were decreased by PC in the EAT, and a modest trend for downregulation was observed in the liver. Hence, we conclude that PC may decrease glucose intolerance by increasing the phosphorylation of Akt and reducing the macrophage infiltration into the EAT.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2015

Objectives: This study compared the ability of several techniques to remove calcium hydroxide (CH) from the root canal and determined the influence of CH residues on the accuracy of the electronic apex locator. Materials and Methods: Root canals of 90 human maxillary lateral incisors with confirmed true working length (TWL) were prepared and filled with CH. The teeth were randomly assigned to one of the experimental groups according to the CH removal technique (n = 14): 0.9% saline; 0.9% saline + master apical file (MAF); 17% ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA); 17% EDTA + MAF; 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl); 5.25% NaOCl + MAF. Six teeth were used as negative control. After CH removal, the electronic working length was measured using Root-ZX (Morita Corp.) and compared with TWL to evaluate Root-ZX accuracy. All specimens were sectioned longitudinally, and the area of remaining CH (CH) and total canal area were measured using imaging software. Results: The EDTA + MAF and NaOCl + MAF groups showed better CH removal than other groups (p < 0.05). Root-ZX reliability to prevent overestimated working length to be > 85% within a tolerance of ${\pm}1.0mm$ (p < 0.05). There was strong negative correlation between amount of CH residues and EAL accuracy (r = -0.800 for ${\pm}0.5mm$; r = -0.940 for ${\pm}1.0mm$). Conclusions: The mechanical instrumentation improves the CH removal of irrigation solutions although none of the techniques removed the dressing completely. Residues of CH medication in root canals affected the accuracy of Root-ZX adversely.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2010

The aim of this study is selection of the male-sterile plant for inhibiting transgene flow through gamma-irradiation ($^{60}Co$) at the pollination and fertilization cycle of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.). High frequencies of plant mutations were obtained about 18% from $M_1$ generation at the doses (10 to 50 Gy). We also found that some $M_1$ plants showed male-sterile plants using de-husked seeds and comparison of stainable pollen using $KI-I_2$ solution. Besides the effects of irradiation on pollination and fertilization cycle, various other mutations like dwarf, cold tolerance, increasing grains and mass were observed. Four of dwarfism plants were selected through comparison of morphological characteristic between control and mutants during 4 years. These results demonstrated that the gamma-irradiation on pollination and fertilization cycle is very effective to induce the various mutations, and the male-sterile mutants are useful for controlling transgene flow and developing of high quality turfgasses.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.514-518
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• 2001

We have explored the importance of two ATP binding domains of Hsp104 protein in protection of yeast cells from cadmium exposure. In the previous study we have discovered that the presence of two ATP binding sites was essential in providing heat sh ock protection as well as rescuing cells from oxidative stress. In this paper we first report wild type cell with functional hsp104 gene is more resistant to cadmium stress than hsp104-deleted mutant cell, judging from decrease in survival rates as a result of cadmium exposure. In order to demonstrate functional role of two ATP binding sites in cadmium defense, we have transformed both wild type (SP1) and hyperactivated ras mutant (IR2.5) strains with several plasmids differing in the presence of ATP binding sites. When an extra copy of functional hsp104 gene with both ATP binding sites was overexpressed with GPD-promoter, cells showed increased survival rate against cadmium stress than mutants with ATP binding sites changed. The degree of protection in the presence of two ATP binding sites was similarly observed in ira2-deleted hyperactivated ras mutant, which was more sensitive to oxidative stress than wild type cell. We have concluded that the greater sensitivity to cadmium stress in the absence of two ATP binding sites is attributed to the higher concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by cadmium exposure based on the fluorescence tests. These findings, taken all together, imply that the mechanism by which cadmium put forth toxic effects may be closely associated with the oxidative stress, which is regulated independently of the Ras-cAMP pathway. Our study provides a better understanding of cadmium defense itself and cross-talks between oxidative stress and metal stress, which can be applied to control human diseases due to similar toxic environments.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.161-168
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the mediating effects of anger level on the effects of middle school students' school adjustment on smartphone addiction. In order to accomplish the purpose of this study, the following research problems were set up. First, what is the relationship between Chinese smartphone addiction, anger level, and school adjustment of Chinese middle school students? Second, what is the effect of smartphone addiction on middle school students' anger level and school adjustment? Third, what is the mediating effect of the level of anger in the process of affecting the school adjustment to smartphone addiction by Chinese middle school students? The subjects of this study were five city schools and seven municipal schools in J-do, among which 450 students were enrolled from April 23 to May 18, 2018. A total of 439 copies were used for the analysis, except for 11 unexplained questionnaires or unfairly responded to the collected questionnaires. The conclusions based on the results of this study are as follows. First, there are negative correlations between the sub-factors of smartphone addiction and the sub-factors of school adjustment. Among them, tolerance is only positively correlated with the peer relationship. The sub-factors of smartphone addiction have negatively correlated with anger expression, anger control, and anger suppression. Second, the effect of sub-factors of smartphone addiction on the level of anger was 3.6%, and the effect on school adjustment was 4.2%. Third, The anger level of the middle school students affected the school adjustment by the smartphone addiction has a partial mediating effect of 0.8%.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.785-792
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• 2019

In parallel operation of multiple power converter modules, equal power distribution among modules shall be made to improve the reliability of the system. In this paper, a novel droop method is proposed to present improved current distribution characteristics. In the proposed method, if the current in each module become greater than the current set-point value, the output voltage set-point is raised to improve the current distribution characteristics. Meanwhile, when the output voltage is to be managed within the tolerance range, the range of the usable control IC reference value ($v_{ref}$) will be reduced if the output voltage setting is always raised. Thus, in case the output voltage set-point among modules is reversed, the downward adjustment is introduced. The proposed method was experimentally validated with a 17.5V/500mA prototype of two boost converters operating in parallel.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.92-98
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• 2019

To determine if water-jet nozzle moves and water jetting are effective according to the location of the fire, this study examined the automatic fire-tracking water cannon system and aan indoor hydrant system, such as water jet centered directivity, water jet range maintainability and water jet shape uniformity. First, an examination to find the center of fire accurately from this system design showed that the water jet centered test was accurate. Second, the water jet range test results showed that when water is jetted at the maximum water jet radius, the water jet shows an inaccurate result but within the allowable tolerance range. Finally, the water-jet shape test result confirmed that there are no problems in setting the block from the algorithm design.