• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2003

The principal fibers used in constructing the cocoon in the garden spider, Argiope aurantia, are large-diameter fibers developed from tubuliform glands and small-diameter fibers presumed to be spun by the aciniform silk glands. Scanning electron micrographs of the large-diameter fibers on both surfaces of the cocoon clearly reveal their fine structural differences. While the silk fibers on the inner surface have smooth and homogeneous appearances, each fiber on the outer surface represents a multicomponent internal structure. Examination of each fibers using transmission electron microscope also provides additional evidence that the multicomponent fibers contain numerous electron lucent fibrils embedded in an amorphous electron dense matrix. It has been also revealed that two types of secretory granules presumed to be the precursors of tubuliform fibers are closely related to the production of distinct coloration in luminal contents - brownish and yellowish components. Moreover, these electron-dense granules, possibly precursor of fibrillar component, and electron-lucent granules, possibly precursor of matrix component, are densely packed and remain close to each other without fusion. It is critical evidence that the individual tubuliform fiber is not only heterogeneous and multicomponent but also takes place in a variety at manners throughout the length of the gland.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 1992

Interspecific fusion products were obtained by protoplast fusion induced by polyethylene glycol, from auxotrophic mutants, Pleurotus cornucopiae and P. florida. The fusants were classified into allodiploidy, stable heterokaryon, and spontaneously segregated heterokaryons. Fruiting body of the clamped or clampless fusants was produced by light-dark cycle on the sawdust medium in glass bottles. Most of these clampless fusants produced mature basidiocarps. The pilei showed various mixed colors resembling the parents. All fruit bodies presented clamp connections except two fusants. When small tissues of stipe from basidiocarps were cultured on a complete medium, mycelial colonies grew more vigorously than that of the original clampless fusants. Five fusants in three crosses were analysed with the distribution of progenies and segregation of genetic characters by random spore analyses. The genetic markers were shown to segregate and recombine in the first generation of monospores isolated from basidiocarps. The analysis indicated the heter-okar-yosis and strong evidence for haploidy of vegetative nuclei, a sexual cycle consisting of nuclear fusion and meiosis. Genotypes of a large number of auxotiophic progenies were not detected. The aberration ratio of segregants indicated the gene interaction resulting from different genome structure between vegetatively incompatible species.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 1995

The respiratory burst oxidase of neutrophils is a multicomponent enzyme, domant in resting cells, that catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to $O_{2}^{-}$ at the expense of NADPH. In the resting neutrophil, some of the components of the oxidase, including proteins p47 and p67, are in the cytosol, while the rest are in the plasma membrane. Recent evidence has suggested that at least some of the cytosolic oxidase components exist as a complex. The cytosolic complex with a molecular weight of ~240 kDa was found to bind to blue-agarose and 2',5'-ADP-agarose, which recognize nucleotide requiring enzymes. In order to identify the nucleotide binding component of the cytosolic complex we purified recombinant p47 and p67 fusion proteins using the pGEX system. Pure recombinant p47 was retained completely on 2',5'-ADP-agarose, whereas pure recombinant p67 did not bind to these affinity beads. On the basis of these results, we infer that p47 may contain the nucleotide binding site.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2011

Egg activation is a crucial step that initiates embryo development upon breaking the meiotic arrest. In mammalian, egg activation is accomplished by fusion with sperm, which induces the repeated intracellular $Ca^{2+}$- increases ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillation). Researches in mammals support the view of the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillation and egg activation is triggered by a protein factor from sperm that causes $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ release from endoplasmic reticulum, intracellular $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ store, by persistently activation of phosphoinositide pathway. It represents that the sperm factor generates production of inositol trisphosphate ($IP_3$). Recently a sperm specific form of phospholipase C zeta, referred to as PLCZ was identified. In this paper, we confer the evidence that PLCZ represent the sperm factor that induces $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillation and egg activation and discuss the correlation of PLCZ and infertility.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.73-79
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• 2011

We collect 24 times of light maxima data from sources in the literature, unpublished data and open databases, and investigate the variations of the observed and calculated (O-C) values for light maxima of V1719 Cyg. We found no evidence of the variations in the (O-C) values. We estimate the effective temperature and surface gravity using both the Kurucz and MARCS/SSG grids for different metallicity values [A/H]=0.0 and +0.5 for V1719 Cyg. It is confirmed that the temperature is almost the same, but, in the case of surface gravity, the MARCS/SSG grid gives the value closest to that obtained from the period-gravity relation derived by using the pulsation-evolution theory. We obtain two spectra of V1719 Cyg from spectroscopic observation which permitted us to find the effective temperature and the surface gravity of the star directly. We estimate the metallicity and it is found that the abundance of iron is equal to the solar value.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.302-307
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• 2008

The running-in behaviour of the metal carbon coating (WC/C) was evaluated with regard to its applicability as wear-resistant coating for key components in engines. Reciprocating wear tests under lubricated condition employing an oscillating friction wear tester were performed to investigate the tribological behaviors of the coatings in ambient environment. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to observe worn surfaces and the wear scars on the steel balls. Elemental composition of the coating and worn surfaces were characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy. The friction behavior of WC/C coating was comparable to common carbon-based coatings. Thin tribofilm was formed on the worn surface of the steel ball due to material transfer and tribochemical reaction whereas there was no evidence of tribofilm generation on the coating surface. indicating the chemical innertness of WC/C coating.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.262-269
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• 2010

This paper presents a probabilistic head tracking method, mainly applicable to face recognition and human robot interaction, which can robustly track human head against various variations such as pose/scale change, illumination change, and background clutters. Compared to conventional particle filter based approaches, the proposed method can effectively track a human head by regularizing the sample space and sequentially weighting multiple visual cues, in the prediction and observation stages, respectively. Experimental results show the robustness of the proposed method, and it is worthy to be mentioned that some proposed probabilistic framework could be easily applied to other object tracking problems.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.237-246
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• 2017

Synapse is the basic structural and functional component for neural communication in the brain. The presynaptic terminal is the structural and functionally essential area that initiates communication and maintains the continuous functional neural information flow. It contains synaptic vesicles (SV) filled with neurotransmitters, an active zone for release, and numerous proteins for SV fusion and retrieval. The structural and functional synaptic plasticity is a representative characteristic; however, it is highly vulnerable to various pathological conditions. In fact, synaptic alteration is thought to be central to neural disease processes. In particular, the alteration of the structural and functional phenotype of the presynaptic terminal is a highly significant evidence for neural diseases. In this review, we specifically describe structural and functional alteration of nerve terminals in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease (HD).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 1992

The electronic structure change caused by insertion of hydrogen into the interstices of Pd cluster is studied. Several properties such as energy, reduced overlap population (ROP), electon density (ED) and density of states (DOS) are calculated by Extended Huckel Method. Various types of clusters are considered. The same is performed on Ni and Pt and all the results are compared. The results show that the hydrogen atom in Pd is stabilized remarkably but its wave function is almost unperturbed. The fact is compatible with noticeable solubility of hydrogen in Pd but may not be a positive enough evidence to rationalize the claimed cold fusion phenomenon. It is also found that a remarkable charge transfer from Pd atom to hydrogen atom occurs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.574-581
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• 2018

Objective : The zero-profile implant (Zero-P) is accepted for use in anterior cervical fusion for the treatment of degenerative cervical disease. However, evidence pertaining to its efficiency and safety in traumatic cervical injury is largely insufficient. This study aimed to compare the overall outcomes of patients who underwent Zero-P for traumatic cervical disc injury. Methods : Data from a total of 53 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for traumatic or degenerative cervical disc disease using the Zero-P were reviewed. Seventeen patients (group A) had traumatic cervical disc injury and the remaining 36 (group B) had degenerative cervical disc herniation. The fusion and subsidence rates and Cobb angle were measured retrospectively from plain radiographs. The patients' clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and Odom's criteria. Results : The C2-7 Cobb and operative segmental angles increased by $3.45{\pm}7.61$ and $2.94{\pm}4.59$ in group A; and $2.46{\pm}7.31$ and $2.88{\pm}5.49$ in group B over 12 postoperative months, respectively. The subsidence and fusion rate was 35.0% and 95.0% in group A; and 36.6% and 95.1% in group B, respectively. None of the parameters differed significantly between groups. The clinical outcomes were similar in both groups in terms of increasing the JOA score and producing a grade higher than "good" using Odom's criteria. Conclusion : The application of Zero-P in patients with traumatic cervical disc injury was found to be acceptable when compared with the clinical and radiological outcomes of degenerative cervical spondylosis.