• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2023

Objective: Azoospermia (the total absence of sperm in the ejaculate) affects approximately 10% of infertile males. Despite diagnostic advances, azoospermia remains the most challenging issue associated with infertility treatment. Our study evaluated transition nuclear protein 2 (TNP2) and synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3) polymorphisms, azoospermia factor a (AZFa) microdeletion, and gene expression levels in 100 patients with azoospermia. Methods: We investigated a TNP2 single-nucleotide polymorphism through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using a particular endonuclease. An allele-specific PCR assay for SYCP3 was performed utilizing two forward primers and a common reverse primer in two PCR reactions. Based on the European Academy of Andrology guidelines, AZFa microdeletions were evaluated by multiplex PCR. TNP2, SYCP3, and the AZFa region main gene (DEAD-box helicase 3 and Y-linked [DDX3Y]) expression levels were assessed via quantitative PCR, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic capability of these genes. Results: The TNP2 genotyping and allelic frequency in infertile males did not differ significantly from fertile volunteers. In participants with azoospermia, the allelic frequency of the SYCP3 mutant allele (C allele) was significantly altered. Deletion of sY84 and sY86 was discovered in patients with azoospermia and oligozoospermia. Moreover, SYCP3 and DDX3Y showed decreased expression levels in the azoospermia group, and they exhibited potential as biomarkers for diagnosing azoospermia (area under the curve, 0.722 and 0.720, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that reduced SYCP3 and DDX3Y mRNA expression profiles in testicular tissue are associated with a higher likelihood of retrieving spermatozoa in individuals with azoospermia. The homozygous genotype TT of the SYCP3 polymorphism was significantly associated with azoospermia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.74.1-74
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• 2003

Differential display (DD) of mRNA is a technique in which mRNA species expressed by a cell population are reverse transcribed and then amplified by many separate polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Using DD-RT-PCR we obtained many genes that expressed differentially in healthy and PVX-infected Nicotiana benthamima, using total RNAs extracted from healthy and PVX-infected N. benthamiana plants. Three hundred and twenty-five DNA fragments isolated from DD-RT-PCR were cloned and sequenced for further characterization. Several host genes including SKPI-like protein, heat shock transcription factor and Avr9/Cf-9 rapidly elicited protein were selected to obtain full-length open reading frame and to characterize their potential involvement in virus disease development and/or host's defense against virus infection employing PVX-based expression vector. Transcrips from wild-type and clones containing each selected gene were inoculated onto N. benthamiana Levels of virus replication were confirmedby RT-PCR and RNA blot analysis, Expression profiles and potential role(s) of selected genes upon PVX infection will be discussed.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2010

The shortest path between two points inside a simple polygon P is a minimum-length path among all paths connecting them which don't pass by the exterior of P. A linear time algorithm for computing the shortest path in a general simple polygon requires triangulating a given polygon as preprocessing. The linear time triangulating is known to very complex to understand and implement it. It is also inefficient in case that the input without very large size is given because its time complexity has a big constant factor. Two points of a polygon P are said to be L-visible from each other if they can be joined by a simple chain of at most two rectilinear line segments contained in P completely. An L-visible polygon P is a polygon such that there is a point from which every point of P is L-visible. We present the customized optimal shortest path algorithm for an L-visible polygon. Our algorithm doesn't require triangulating as preprocessing and consists of simple procedures such as construction of convex hulls and operations for convex polygons, so it is easy to implement and runs very fast in linear time.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.3096-3106
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• 1973

As a link in the chain of antidrought measure, our attempt is made to obtain basic informations on the construction of an infiltration gallary which can be supplied with irrigation water by catching of underground water in small river beds, which is economical, permanent and efficient. The experiment was made, concerning the structure of catchment conduits, by constructing a model sand tank $1.5m{\times}5m{\times}1.5m$ in dimension made of reinforced concrete. Various kinds of measuring equipment were attached to the model tank which contains a set of catchment conduits, each of them was made 30cm in diameter and 60cm in length with the ratio of sectional area to total area of influx holes 10:1, 20:1, 30:1. The average size of influx holes was fixed from 0mm to 10mm, 20mm and 30mm in diameter respectively. Obtained results are as follow; (a) In view of the water catchment capacity, manufacturing cost and the antipressure strength of the catchment conduits, it is the best method to decide the total number of influx holes 20 per sq. meter of each tile surface, and the size of influx holes 20mm in diameter, when the conduits have diameter less than 1m. (b) The greatest factor of safety against external load is to arrange the influx holes in a zigzag manner on the tile surface. The most effective formula of arrangement is $S{\geqq}\sqrt{2gd}$ where: s : spacing of opening row. g : spacing of opening line. d : diameter of influs hole.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.763-767
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• 2014

Aim: To study the contribution of genetic variation in RAD51 to risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RAD51 (rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527) were genotyped in 316 ESCC patients and 316 healthy controls in Anyang area of China using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Demographic variables between cases and controls were statistically compared by T test and Chi-square test. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was evaluated by the Chi-square test. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to measure any association with ESCC. Haplotype frequencies were estimated by Phase 2.1. Result: The genotype frequencies of rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527 in patients with ESCC demonstrated no significant differences from those in control group (P>0.05). When the haplotypes of these three SNPs were constructed and their relationships with ESCC risk investigated, however, CGG was observed to increase the risk (P=0.020, OR=2.289). Conclusions: There was no association between the three SNPs of RAD51 and ESCC susceptibility in our Chinese population. However, the CGG haplotype might be a risk factor.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.8-14
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• 2015

Plants grown in metal-contaminated sites have to be managed and disposed of safely even in phytoremediation because heavy metals can be transferred to other organisms through the food chain, which could result in bioaccumulation in organisms of a higher trophic level. However, if the harvested plants could be used for bioenergy, the ecological risk is reduced and phytoremediation improves economic feasibility. This study researched the effects of EDDS (Ethylenediamine disuccinate) on the heavy metal uptake performance of Brassica campetris and Sorghum biocolor, both of which have potential as bioenergy plants. The results showed that EDDS could increase Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn concentrations in the roots and shoots of both of these plants. Furthermore, EDDS reduced the metal inhibition of the S. bicolor length growth. The translocation factors (TF) of S. bicolor and B. campestris are smaller than one for all five heavy metals tested and decreased by the following order: heavy metal + EDDS > heavy metals only > uncontaminated soil. The results suggest that with regard to plant growth and metal accumulation, S. bicolor treated with EDDS is more suitable than is B. campestris for the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with multiple metal species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.170-179
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• 1994

Atherosclerosis, a multifactorial disease, is closely related to lipid nutrition , Data from well known epidemiological studies including Seven Country , Framinghsam Study and several intervention trials have confirmed that serum cholesterol is the major risk factor and elevation of LDL-cholesterol level is most undesriable. On the basis of results concurring in that dietary saturated fat and cholesterol increase serum cholesterol while polyunsaturated fat decrease it, changes in serum choesterol level have been predicted by regression equations developed by Keys et al. and other investigators. Effects of individual fatty acids on the level of serum cholesterol have been further differentiated by chain length, cis-trans isomers and n-6 vs n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Among them the effect of n-3 fatty acids has been well recogniaed as antiplatelet activity, thus reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis. Role of vitamin E in prevention of atherosclerosis has been evovled from works showing that LDL oxdiation stimulates formation of ateroma and also from epidemiologic studies. Dietary recommendations at present are : (ⅰ) 30 and 10 cal % as upper limit of total and saturated fat intakes, respectively (ⅱ) no more than 300 mg cholesterol/day, (ⅲ) 1-2 g of n-3 fatty acid/day and (ⅳ) some increase RDA of vitamin E which is 8-10 TE.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.234-238
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• 2004

This study was designed to investigate, in the Turkish population, the association of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Our study included 249 patients with type II diabetes mellitus (102 men, 147 women) and 214 healthy volunteers as controls (91 men, 123 women). MTHFR C677T genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. No differences were observed in the distribution of MTHFR genotypes or allele frequencies in the cases versus the controls. The frequency of the MTHFR-mutated allele (T) was 31.7% in the type II diabetes mellitus versus 31.1% of the controls. The homozygous mutation (T/T) in the MTHFR gene was identified in 12% of the type II diabetes mellitus versus 9.3% of the controls. Patients with the TT genotype showed a higher prevalence of LVH when compared to patients with the CC and CT genotypes (p = 0.01). The MTHFR gene C677T mutation may be a possible risk factor for the development of LVH in the type II diabetic patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.179-183
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• 2006

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised neuropathologically by the accumulation of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles as well as by cerebrovascular amyloid deposition and neuronal cell loss. Current advances have shown the apolipoproteinE-epsilon 4 (ApoE4) allele to be highly associated with late-onset familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Western populations. The association of ApoE allele frequencies and dementia remains unknown in populations from many countries. We recently initiated a project to examine ApoE frequencies in non-demented healthy Koreans. Genomic DNA in hair root from a thousand persons was collected and ApoE gene type was investigated with the methods of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism. A group of a thousand non-demented Koreans over the age of 40 years were found to be positive in 15.7% of the cases for ApoE4. AD and ApoE4 were closely related. ApoE epsilon 4 was a dangerous factor of AD and ApoE 4 allele made a contribution to the heterogenicity of AD.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.282-289
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• 2010

In preparation of silica aerogel-based hybrid coating materials, the combination of hydrophobic aerogel with organic polar binder material is shown to be very limited due to dissimilar surface property between two materials. Accordingly, the surface modification of the aerogel would be required to obtain compatibilized hybrid coating sols with homogeneous dispersion. In this study, the surface of silica aerogel particles was modified by using both surfactant adsorption and heat treatment methods. Four types of surfactants with different molecular weights and HLB values were used to examine the effect of chain length and hydrophilicity. The surface property of the modified aerogel was evaluated in terms of visible observation for aerogel dispersion in water, water contact angle measurement, and FT-IR analysis. In surface modification using surfactants, the effects of surfactant type and content, and mixing time as process parameter on the degree of hydrophilicity for the modified aerogel. In addition, the temperature condition in modification process via heat treatment was revealed to be significant factor to prepare aerogel with highly hydrophilic property.