• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.127-136
• /
• 2015

As an outcome of the study on the bacterial species diversity in Korea, we report 24 unrecorded bacterial species of Korea belonging to the phylum Firmicutes. The unrecorded species excavated through this study were assigned to 12 different genera of 7 families, namely Bacillus, Halobacillus, Lysinibacillus and Thalassobacillus of Bacillaceae, Brevibacillus and Paenibacillus of Paenibacillaceae, Viridibacillus of Planococcaceae, Salinicoccus and Staphylococcus of Staphylococcaceae, Enterococcus of Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillus of Lactobacillaceae, and Lactococcus of Streptococcaceae, respectively. The bacterial isolates were obtained from various ecosystems in Korea. The isolates were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and those exhibiting at least 99% sequence similarity with known bacterial species but never reported in Korea were selected as unrecorded species. The selected isolates were subjected to further taxonomic characterization including the analysis of cell shape and fine structure using electron microscope, colony color and shapes, enzyme activities and carbon source utilization. The descriptive information on the 24 unrecorded species are provided.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.26-34
• /
• 2020

The phylum Bacteroidetes covers phenotypically diverse groups of Gram negative rods that do not form endospores, and currently includes 6 classes, 6 orders, 33 families and 380 genera. Members of Bacteroidetes can be aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs, hydrogen utilizing chemolithotrophs, or methylotrophs. They can be isolated from diverse habitats including terrestrial and aquatic environments, environments with extreme physicochemical conditions, and animal and plant hosts. During a series of extensive surveys of prokaryotic species diversity in Korea, bacterial strains belonging to Bacteroidetes were isolated from various sources of aquatic and terrestrial environments. A total of 22 isolates were obtained, which represent 22 unrecorded species in Korea belonging to 14 genera of 6 families. Sixteen species among them were assigned to Flavobacteriaceae, two species were to Sphingobacteriaceae, and single species was to each of the families Bacteroidaceae, Balneolaceae, Chitinophagaceae and Cytophagaceae. At genus level, Chryseobacterium (5 species) and Flavobacterium (5 species) were the most abundant genera, and single species were obtained for the genera Bacteroides, Baloneola, Terrimonas, Dyadobacter, Aquimarina, Arenibacter, Gillisia, Gilvibacter, Salinimicrobium, Winogradskyella, Pedobacter and Sphingobacterium. The detailed descriptions of each unrecorded species are provided.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2009

The plasma membrane-localized BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) and BRI1-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (BAK1) are a well-known receptor pair involved in brassinosteroids (BR) signaling in Arabidposis. The formation of a receptor complex in response to BRs and the subsequent activation of cytoplasmic domain kinase activity share mechanistic characteristics with animal receptor kinases. Here, we demonstrate that BRI1 and BAK1 are BR-dependently phosphorylated, and that phosphorylated forms of the two proteins persist for different lengths of time. Mutations of either protein abolished phosphorylation of the counterpart protein, implying transphosphorylation of the receptor kinases. To investigate the specific amino acids critical for formation of the receptor complex and activation of BAK1 kinase activity, we expressed several versions of BAK1 in yeast and plants. L32E and L46E substitutions resulted in a loss of binding of BAK1 to BRI1, and threonine T455 was essential for the kinase activity of BAK1 in yeast. Transgenic bri1 mutant plants overexpressing BAK1(L46E) displayed reduced apical dominance and seed development. In addition, transgenic wild type plants overexpressing BAK1(T455A) lost the phosphorylation activity normally exhibited in response to BL, leading to semi-dwarfism. These results suggest that BAK1 is a critical component regulating the duration of BR efficacy, even though it cannot directly bind BRs in plants.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.41-62
• /
• 2021

Radiologic imaging is important for evaluating extrahepatic bile duct (EHD) cancers; it is used for staging tumors and evaluating the suitability of surgical resection, as surgery may be contraindicated in some cases regardless of tumor stage. However, the published general recommendations for EHD cancer and recommendations guided by the perspectives of radiologists are limited. The Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology (KSAR) study group for EHD cancer developed key questions and corresponding recommendations for the radiologic evaluation of EHD cancer and organized them into 4 sections: nomenclature and definition, imaging technique, cancer evaluation, and tumor response. A structured reporting form was also developed to allow the progressive accumulation of standardized data, which will facilitate multicenter studies and contribute more evidence for the development of recommendations.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.1094-1104
• /
• 1997

Background : Spontaneous pneumothoraces(SP) are divided into primary spontaneous pneumothoraces (PSP) which develop in healthy individuals without underlying pulmonary disorders and secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces(SSP) which occur in those who have underlying disorders such as tuberculosis or chronic obstructive lung diseases. Yet there is no established standard therapeutic approach to this disorder, i.e., from the spectrum of noninvasive treatment such as clinical observation with or without oxygen therapy, to aggressively invasive thoracoscopic bullectomy or open thoracotomy. Although chest tube thoracostomy has been most widely used, the patients should overcome pain in the initiation of tube insertion or during indwelling it potential infection and subcutaneous emphysema. Thus smaller-caliber tube has been challenged for the treatment of pneumothorax. Previously, we studied the therapeutic efficacy of 8 French catheter for spontaneous pneumothorax. But there has been few data for effectiveness of small-caliber catheterization in comparison with that of chest tube. In this study, we intended to observe the long-term effectiveness of 8 French catheter for the treatment of spontaneous pneumothoraces in comparison with that of chest tube thoracostomy. Method : From January, 1990 to January, 1996, sixty two patients with spontaneous pneumothoraces treated at Chung-Ang University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were sub-divided into a group treated with 8 French catheter(n=23) and the other one with chest tube insertion(n=39). The clinical data were reviewed(age, sex, underlying pulmonary disorders, past history of pneumothorax, size of pneumothorax, follow-up period). And therapeutic effect of two groups was compared by treatment duration(duration of indwelling catheter or tube), treatment-associated complications and recurrence rate. Results : The follow-up period(median) of 8 French catheter group and chest tube group was 28 and 22 months, which had no statistical significance. Ther was no statistically significant difference of clinical characteristics between two groups with SP, PSP, SSP. The indwelling time of 8 French catheter group was $6.2{\pm}3.8$ days, which was significantly shorter than that of chest tube group in SP, $9.1{\pm}7.5$ days(p=0.047). In comparison of treatment-related complication in PSP, 8 French catheter group as 6.25% of complication showed lower tendency than the other group as 23.8% (p=0.041 ; one-tailed, p=0.053; two-tailed). The recurrence rate in each group of SP was 17.4%, 10.3%, which did not show any statistically significant difference. Conclusion : Treatment with 8 French catheter resulted in shorter indwelling time in sponteous pneumothorax, and lower incidence of treatment-related complication in primary spontaneous pneumothorax. And the recurrence rate in each of treatment group showed no statistically significant difference. So, we can recommend the 8 French small-caliber catheter for the initial therapy for spontaneous pneumothorax for the replacement of conventional chest tube thoracostomy. But further prospective study with more subjects of spontaneous pneumothorax will be needed for the evaluation of effectiveness of 8 French cateter.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.253-258
• /
• 2008

The cDNA of the touch-induced genes (TCH) of the sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] has been cloned and analyzed. IbTCH1, which exists as at least two-copy genes in the genome of the sweet potato, encodes for 148-amino acid polypeptides, and harbors four conversed $Ca^{2+}-binding$ motif EF-hands. IbTCH1 was shown to be expressed in the flower, leaf, thick pigmented root, and particularly in the white fibrous root, but expressed only weakly in the petiole. IbTCH1 is upregulated upon exposure to environmental stresses, dehydration, and jasmonic acid. Furthermore, IbTCH1 is developmentally regulated in the leaf and root. These results strongly indicate that the gene performs functions in both plant development and in defense/stress-signaling pathways.

• Fibers and Polymers
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2006

Ionic conductivity and mechanical properties of a mixed polymer matrix consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and cyanoresin type M (CRM) with various lithium salts and plasticizer were examined. The CRM used was a copolymer of cyanoethyl pullulan and cyanoethyl poly(vinyl alcohol) with a molar ratio of 1:1, mixed plasticizer was ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) at a volume ratio of 1:1. The conductive behavior of polymer electrolytes in the temperature range of $298{\sim}338\;K$ was investigated. The $PEG/LiClO_4$ complexes exhibited the highest ionic conductivity of ${\sim}10^{-5}S/cm$ at $25^{\circ}C$ with the salt concentration of 1.5 M. In addition, the plasticized $PEG/LiClO_4$ complexes exhibited improvement of ionic conductivity. However, their complexes showed decreased mechanical properties. The improvement of ionic conductivity and mechanical properties could be obtained from the polymer electrolytes by using CRM. The highest ionic conductivity of PEG/CRM/$LiClO_4$/(EC-PC) was $5.33{\time}10^{-4}S/cm$ at $25^{\circ}C$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.319-326
• /
• 2018

Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, concern and worry about multiunit accidents have been increasing. Korea has a higher urgency to evaluate its site risk because its number of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and population density are higher than those in other countries. Since the 1980s, technical documents have been published on multiunit probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), but the Fukushima accident accelerated research on multiunit PSA. It is therefore necessary to summarize the present situation and draw implications for further research. This article reviews journal and conference papers on multiunit or site risk evaluation published between 2011 and 2016. The contents of the reviewed literature are classified as research status, initiators, and methodologies representing dependencies, and the insights and conclusions are consolidated. As of 2017, the regulatory authority and nuclear power utility have launched a full-scale project to assess multiunit risk in Korea. This article provides comprehensive reference materials on the necessary enabling technology for subsequent studies of multiunit or site risk assessment.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2022

The phylum Actinobacteria includes many groups of aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, rod, or filamentous shaped bacteria. Actinobacteria are known for multicellular differentiation in some groups, and also for production of various secondary metabolites such as antibiotics. During a series of extensive surveys of indigenous prokaryotic species diversity in Korea, bacterial strains belonging to Actinobacteria were isolated from various sources of terrestrial environments. A total of 21 bacterial strains, belonging to 10 genera in 8 families, were isolated as unrecorded species in Korea. Among them, 11 were assigned to the family Streptomycetaceae, two species assigned to each of the families Microbacteriaceae, Mycobacteriaceae and Nocardioidaceae, and one species assigned to each of the families Euzebyaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Micrococcaceae and Intrasporangiaceae. At the genus level, Streptomyces (10 species) was the most abundant, followed by Microbacterium and Mycolicibacterium(2 species each), and one species in each of the genera Corynebacterium, Euzebya, Arthrobacter, Terracoccus, Kribbella, Nocardioides and Yinghuangia. The detailed descriptions of each unrecorded species are provided.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.126-132
• /
• 2016

This study numerically investigates the characteristics of chemical reactions and thermal deformation in a steam reformer. These phenomena are significantly affected by the high-temperature burner gas and the process gas conditions. Because the high temperature of the burner gas ranges from 800 to 1000 K, the reformer tubes undergo substantial thermal deformation, eventually resulting in structural failure. Thus, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the reaction and thermal deformation under the operating conditions to evaluate the reformer tubes for sustainable, stable operation. Extensive numerical simulations were carried out using commercial CFD code (ANSYS FLUENT/MECHANICA Ver. 13.0) while considering three-dimensional turbulent flows and combined heat transfer including conduction, convection, and radiation. Structural analysis considering conjugated heat transfer between solid tubes and fluid flows was conducted using the Fluid-Solid Interaction (FSI) method. The results show that when the injection temperature of the process gas and burner gas decreased, the hydrogen production rate decreased significantly, and thermal deformation decreased by at least 15 to 20%.