• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1579-1589
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to generate single stranded DNA oligonucleotides with selective affinity to bovine spermatozoa, assess its binding potential and explore its potential utility in trapping spermatozoa from suspensions. Methods: A combinatorial library of 94 mer long oligonucleotide was used for systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) with bovine spermatozoa. The amplicons from sixth and seventh rounds of SELEX were sequenced, and the reads were clustered employing cluster database at high identity with tolerance (CD-HIT) and FASTAptamer. The enriched nucleotides were predicted for secondary structures by Mfold, motifs by Multiple Em for Motif Elicitation and 5' labelled with biotin/6-FAM to determine the binding potential and binding pattern. Results: We generated 14.1 and 17.7 million reads from sixth and seventh rounds of SELEX respectively to bovine spermatozoa. The CD-HIT clustered 78,098 and 21,196 reads in the top ten clusters and FASTAptamer identified 2,195 and 4,405 unique sequences in the top three clusters from the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. The identified oligonucleotides formed secondary structures with delta G values between -1.17 to -26.18 kcal/mol indicating varied stability. Confocal imaging with the oligonucleotides from the seventh round revealed different patterns of binding to bovine spermatozoa (fluorescence of the whole head, spot of fluorescence in head and mid- piece and tail). Use of a 5'-biotin tagged oligonucleotide from the sixth round at 100 pmol with 4×10⁶ spermatozoa could trap almost 80% from the suspension. Conclusion: The binding patterns and ability of the identified oligonucleotides confirms successful optimization of the SELEX process and generation of aptamers to bovine spermatozoa. These oligonucleotides provide a quick approach for selective capture of spermatozoa from complex samples. Future SELEX rounds with X- or Y- enriched sperm suspension will be used to generate oligonucleotides that bind to spermatozoa of a specific sex type.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.348-356
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• 2022

With the development of the bio industry, membrane chromatography with a high adsorption efficiency is emerging to replace the existing column chromatography used in the downstream processes of pharmaceuticals, food, etc. In this study, through the deacetylation reaction of two commercial cellulose acetate (CA) membranes with different pore sizes, the porous regenerated cellulose (RC) supports for membrane chromatography were obtained to attach the anion exchange ligands. The adsorptive membranes for anion exchange were prepared by attaching an anion exchange ligand ([3-(methacryloylamino) propyl] trimethylammonium chloride) containing quaternary ammonium groups on the RC supports by grafting and UV polymerization. The protein adsorption capacities of the prepared membranes were obtained through both the static binding capacity (SBC) and the dynamic adsorption capacity (DBC) measurement. As a result, the membrane chromatography with the smaller the pore size, the larger the surface area showed the highest protein adsorption capacity. Membrane chromatography which was prepared by using deacetylated commercial CA support with MAPTAC ligand (i.e., RC 0.8 + MAPTAC: 43.69 mg/ml, RC 3.0 + MAPTAC: 36.33 mg/ml) showed a higher adsorption capacity compared to commercial membrane chromatography (28.38 mg/ml).

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.367-382
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• 2022

Numerous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) produced by periodic combinations of organic ligands and metal ions or metal-oxo clusters have led the way for the creation of energy-efficient membrane-based separations that may serve as viable replacements for traditional thermal counterparts. Although tremendous progress has been made over the past decade in the synthesis of polycrystalline MOF membranes, only a small number of MOFs have been exploited in the relevant research. Intercrystalline defects, or nonselective diffusion routes in polycrystalline membranes, are likely the reason behind the delay. Postsynthetic modifications (PSMs) are newly emerging strategies for providing polycrystalline MOF membrane diversity by leveraging advanced membranes as a platform and improving their separation capabilities via physical and/or chemical treatments; therefore, neither designing and developing MOFs nor tailoring membrane synthesis techniques for focused MOFs is necessary. In this minireview, seven subclasses of PSM techniques that have recently been adapted to polycrystalline MOF membranes are outlined, along with obstacles and future directions.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-179
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• 2024

Colloidal quantum dot (QDs) have emerged as a crucial building block for LEDs due to their size-tunable emission wavelength, narrow spectral line width, and high quantum efficiency. Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to improving the performance of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) in the past decade, primarily focusing on optimization of device architectures and synthetic procedures for high quality QDs. However, despite these efforts, the commercialization of QLEDs has yet to be realized due to the absence of suitable large-scale patterning technologies for high-resolution devices., This review will focus on the development trends associated with transfer printing, photolithography, and inkjet printing, and aims to provide a brief overview of the fabricated QLED devices. The advancement of various quantum dot patterning methods will lead to the development of not only QLED devices but also solar cells, quantum communication, and quantum computers.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.100007.1-100007.11
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• 2024

Recent evidence establishes a pivotal role for obesity-induced inflammation in precipitating insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Central to this process is the proinflammatory M1 adipose-tissue macrophages (ATMs) in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT). Notably, natural killer (NK) cells are a crucial regulator of ATMs since their cytokines induce ATM recruitment and M1 polarization. The importance of NK cells is shown by the strong increase in NK-cell numbers in eWAT, and by studies showing that removing and expanding NK cells respectively improve and worsen obesity-induced insulin resistance. It has been suggested that NK cells are activated by unknown ligands on obesity-stressed adipocytes that bind to NKp46 (encoded by Ncr1), which is an activating NK-cell receptor. This was supported by a study showing that NKp46-knockout mice have improved obesity-induced inflammation/insulin resistance. We therefore planned to use the NKp46-knockout mice to further elucidate the molecular mechanism by which NKp46 mediates eWAT NK-cell activation in obesity. We confirmed that obesity increased eWAT NKp46⁺ NK-cell numbers and NKp46 expression in wild-type mice and that NKp46-knockout ablated these responses. Unexpectedly, however, NKp46-knockout mice demonstrated insulin resistance similar to wild-type mice, as shown by fasting blood glucose/insulin levels and glucose/insulin tolerance tests. Obesityinduced increases in eWAT ATM numbers and proinflammatory gene expression were also similar. Thus, contrary to previously published results, NKp46 does not regulate obesity-induced insulin resistance. It is therefore unclear whether NKp46 participates in the development of obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. This should be considered when elucidating the obesity-mediated molecular mechanisms that activate NK cells.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.168-177
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• 1987

The equilibria of chemical reaction between $\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-decane)$^{2+}$ and polar solvents(L; ANT, MFA, DMSO, DMF, and DMA) have been investigated by the spectrophotometric method at $25^{\circ}C$. (The equilibrium constants($K_1$) of) the first step in ANT, MFA, DMSO, DMF, and DMA were 31.0, 27.5, 21.3 15.9, and 6.4, respectively. The smallness of equilibrium constants ($K_2$) of the second step compared with $K_1$, was observed. $\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-dacane)$^{2+}$ + L $\leftrightharpoons$ [$\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-decane){\cdot}L]$^{2+}$ : $K_1$.[$\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-decane){\cdot}L)$^{2+}$+ L $\leftrightharpoons$ [$\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-decane){\cdot}$L_2$)$^{2+}$ :$K_2$. The relationship between d-d absorption energy and half-wave potential of complex ions at ACT was considered. Macrocyclic ligands increasing d-d transition energy caused half-wave potentials of Ni(II)-macrocycle to be shifted more positively. The half-wave potentials for Ni(rac-1[14]7-diene)$^{2+}$, Ni(meso-1[14]7-diene)$^{2+}$, Ni(1[14]4-diene)$^{2+}$, $\alpha$-Ni(rac-[14]-decane)$^{2+}$, ${\beta}-Ni(rac-[14]-decane)$^{2+}$, and Ni(meso-[14]-decane)$^{2+}$ reductions were -1.419, -1.431, -1.450, -1.473, and -1.480 (V vs. SCE), respectively. The d-d transition energies ($\nu_{max},\;cm^{-1}$) of the Ni(meso-[14]-decane)$^{2+}$ isomer were discussed with the dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}/{\varepsilon}_0$) of the various solvents, $\nu_{max}(cm^{-1})$ increased with increasing ${\varepsilon}/{\varepsilon}_0$.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.1 s.28
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• pp.17-25
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• 1981

No evidence has accumulated that lead compound is an essential component for biological function in animals. Lead is absorbed primarily through the epithelial mucosal cells in duodenum and the absorption can be enhanced by the substances which bind lead and increase its solubility. Iron, zinc and calcium ions, however, decrease the absorption of lead without affecting its solubility, probably by competing for shared absorptive receptors in the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, the absorption of lead is increased in iron deficient animals. Lead shows a strong affinity for ligands such as phosphate, cysteinyl and histidyl side chains of proteins, pterins and porphyrins. Hence lead can act on various active sites of enzymes, inhibiting the enzymes which has functional sulfhydryl groups. lead inhibits the activity of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase for the biosynthesis of hemoproteins and cytochrome, which catalyzed the synthesis of monopyrrole prophobilinogen from ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid. Accordingly lead decrease hepatic cytochrome p-450 content, resulting an inhibition of the activity of demethylase and hydroxylase in liver. Little informations are available on the effect of lead on digestive system although the catastrophic effects of lead intoxication are well documented. The present study was, therefore, attempted to investigate the effect of lead on pancreaticobiliary secretion in rats. Albino rats of both sexes weighing $170{\sim}230g$ were used for this study. The animals were divided into one control and three treated groups, i.e., control (physiologic saline 1.5ml/kg i.p.), lead acetate $(l0{\mu}mole/kg/day\;i.p.)$, $Pb(Ac)_2$ and EDTA$(each\;10{\mu}mole/kg/day\;i.p.)$, $Pb(Ac)_2$ and $FeSO_4(each\;l0{\mu}mole/kg/day\;hp)$. The pancreatico-biliary juice was collected under urethane anesthesia, and activities of amylase and lipase were determined by employing Sumner's and Cherry and Crandall's methods. The summarized results are follows. 1) In the experiment for acute toxicity of lead acetate, 20% of mortality was observed in rat treated with lead acetate as well as inhibition of the activity of amylase in the juice at the 3 rd day of the treatment. 2) No increases in body weight were observed in rats treated with lead acetate, while in control group the significant increases were observed. However, the body weights of animals were increased in the group lead acetate plus EDTA or $FeSO_4$. 3) Lead acetate decreased significantly the volume of pancreatico-biliary juice whereas additional treatment of EDTA and $FeSO_4$ prevented it. 4) Total activity of amylase was markedly reduced due to lead acetate treatment, but no change was showed following additional treatment with EDTA and $FeSO_4$. 5) No changes in the cholate and lipase output were observed in rats treated with lead acetate as compared with that of control rats. 6) Increase in bilirubin output in rats treated with lead acetate was shown on the 2nd and 3rd weeks treatment. 7) In the case of in vitro experiment, lead acetate also markedly inhibited release of amylase from pancreatic fragment. 8) Histologic finding indicated that acini vacuolation was induced in the pancreatic tissue of rat treated with lead acete. From the above results, it might be concluded that lead acetate decreases the volume of pancreatico-biliary secretion and inhibits the amylase activity, by acting directly on pancreatic cells.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2013

iNOS (Inducible nitric oxide synthase) and TLR-4 (Toll-like Receptor-4) play crucial roles in innate immunity of poultry. iNOS has been mapped to chicken chromosome 14 and implicated in a variety of chicken diseases. iNOS possesses potent antimicrobial activity, including the inhibition of microbes replication in vitro. TLR-4 is a pathogen associated molecular-pattern receptor for bacterial product, such as LPS (lipopolysaccharides) found in Gram negative bacteria, that triggers pro-inflammatory cytokine expression after engagement with ligands. In the previous studies, genetic analysis of iNOS and TLR-4 revealed the possible association of mutation in these genes with the intestinal microflora of cecum when infected with Salmonella spp. This study was aimed to augment previous findings, which show the association of iNOS (C14513T) and TLR-4 (G4409T) polymorphisms with economic traits in Korean Native Black (KNB), Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Cornish chickens. Investigation in the effect of SNPs on economic traits (layday, layw, layno, bw150, bw270, layw270) was conducted. iNOS (C14513T) had a significant effect on the average body weight at 270 days of age (p<0.05) in both KNB and RIR, whereas TLR-4 (G4409T) showed no significant correlation with all traits (p>0.05). The results obtained from using the candidate genes can be useful for the genetic improvement of body weight in both KNB and RIR breeds.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

Specific protocols to increase the differentiation of neuronal cells from embryonic stem (ES) cells have been well established, such as retinoic acid induction and lineage selection of neuronal cells. For the neuropathological studies, ES-derived neurons (ES neurons) must show normal physiological characteristics related to cell death and survival and should be maintained in vitro for a sufficient time to show insults-specific cell death without spontaneous death. When mouse ES cells were plated onto astrocytes monolayer after retinoic acid induction, most ES cells differentiated into neuronal cells, which were confirmed by the presence of specific neuronal markers, and the cultures were viable for at least four weeks. When these cultures were examined for vulnerability to glutamate excitotoxicity, ES neurons were vulnerable to excitotoxic insults mediated by agonist-specific receptors. The vulnerability to excitotoxic death increased with developmental age of ES neurons in vitro. Specific receptors for Neurotrophin and GDNF family ligands were present in ES neurons. GDNF and NT-3 could modulate the survival and excitotoxic vulnerability of ES neurons. The vulnerability and resistance to toxic insults, which are essential requirements of model culture systems for neuropathological studies, make ES neurons to a useful model culture system. Especially ES cell are highly amenable to genetic modification unlikely to primary neuronal cells, which will give us a chance to answer more complicated neurophysiological questions. Recently there was an outstanding attempt to explore the cellular toxicity using human ES cells (Schrattenholz & Klemm, 2007) and it suggested that ES cells could be a new model system for neurophysiological studies soon and go further a large-scale screening system for pharmacological compounds in the future.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.248-257
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• 2009

The inhibitors against Vibrio harveyi quorum sensing (QS) signaling were developed by modifying the molecular structure of the major signal, N-3-hydroxybutanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-OH-$C_4$-HSL). A series of structural derivatives, N-(3-hydroxysulfonyl)-L-homoserine lactones (HSHLs) were synthesized by the solid-phase organic synthesis method. The in vivo QS inhibition by these compounds was measured by a bioassay system using the V. harveyi bioluminescence, and all showed significant inhibitory effects. To analyze the interaction between these compounds and LuxN, a 3-OH-$C_4$-HSL receptor protein of V. harveyi, we tentatively determined the putative signal binding domain of LuxN based on the sequence homology with other acyl-HSL binding proteins, and predicted the partial 3-D structure of the putative signal binding domain of LuxN by using ORCHESTRA program, and further estimated the binding poses and energies (docking scores) of 3-OH-$C_4$-HSL and HSHLs within the domain. In comparison of the result from this modeling study with that of in vivo bioassay, we suggest that the in silica interpretation of the interaction between ligands and their receptor proteins can be a valuable way to develop better competitive inhibitors, especially in the case that the structural information of the protein is limited.