• Entomological Research
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.439-447
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• 2018

Adult mosquito surveillance was conducted from 2013 through 2014 at four cattle sheds, a wild bird refuge, and two residential areas located in Gyeongnam Province in the Republic of Korea. Adult mosquitoes were collected in black light traps from April 1, through November 30. Mosquito surveillance was conducted to figure out population densities of vector mosquitoes, possibly invaded mosquitoes and identify various virus infections at the selected sites. A total of 107,466 females comprising 14 species and 7 genera were collected from 2013 to 2014. The most common species collected were Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (63.8%), Anopheles sinensis s.l. (18.9%), Aedes vexans nipponii (Theobald) (7.7%), and Culex pipiens Coquillett (5.1%). Trap indices (TIs) varied widely for species over their range, due to geographical distribution and degree of association with rural and urban communities. The most collected An. sinensiss.l. and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus appeared at a cow shed in Hapcheon (TI 347.5) and a pigsty in Daejeo-1-dong, Busan (TI 1,040.8), respectively, due in part to their situation near breeding sites such as rice paddies. The bi-weekly population densities for mosquito species were variable for each of the years, apparently as a result of variable annual weather conditions. None of the mosquito species collected tested for the flavivirus including Japanese Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, Dengue Virus, and Zika Virus infections by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were positive.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.345-355
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• 2019

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is one of the most challenging problems in clinical rhinology. FZD5 is a receptor for Wnt5A, and its complex with Wnt5A contributes to activating inflammation and tissue modification. Nasal polyps and eosinophil/non-eosinophil counts are reported to be directly correlated. This study investigated the expression and distribution of FZD5, and the role of eosinophil infiltration and FZD5 in eosinophilic CRSwNP pathogenesis. The prognostic role of eosinophil levels was evaluated in seven patients with CRSwNP. Fifteen patients with CRS were classified based on the percentage of eosinophils in nasal polyp tissue. Methylated genes were detected using methylCpG-binding domain sequencing, and qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect FZD5 expression in nasal polyp tissue samples. The results showed that mRNA expression of FZD5 was upregulated in nasal polyps. FZD5 expression was significantly higher in nasal polyp samples from patients with eosinophilic CRSwNP than in those from patients with non-eosinophilic CRSwNP, as indicated by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokine levels were higher in eosinophilic CRSwNP-derived epithelial cells than in normal tissues. In conclusion, FZD5 expression in nasal mucosal epithelial cells is correlated with inflammatory cells and might play a role in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic CRSwNP.

• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.415-421
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• 2018

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social skills and communication with repetitive behaviors. Etiology is still unclear although it is thought to develop with interaction of genes and environmental factors. Oxytocin has extensive effects on intrauterine brain development. Vitamin D, affects neural development and differentiation and contributes to the regulation of around 900 genes including oxytocin receptor gene. In the present study, the contribution of D vitamin receptor and oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms in the development of ASD in Turkish community was investigated. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining these two associated genes together in the literature. Methods: Eighty-five patients diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 who were referred to outpatient clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Başkent University and Mersin University and 52 healthy, age and gender-matched controls were included in the present study. Vitamin D receptor gene rs731236 (Taq1), rs2228570 (Fok1), rs1544410 (Bsm1), rs7975232 (Apa1) polymorphisms and oxytocin receptor gene rs1042778 and rs2268493 polymorphisms were investigated using real time polymerase chain reaction method. Results: No significant difference between groups in terms of distribution of genotype and alleles in each of polymorphisms for these genes could be found. Conclusion: Knowledge of genes and polymorphisms associated with the development of ASD may be beneficial for early diagnosis and future treatment. Further studies with larger populations are required to demonstrate molecular pathways which may play part in the development of ASD in Turkey.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.508-520
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• 2019

Interplay between Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV)/Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) and its host plant Phalaenopsis equestris remain largely unknown, which led to deficiency of effective measures to control disease of P. equestris caused by infecting viruses. In this study, for the first time, we characterized viral small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) profiles in P. equestris co-infected with CymMV and ORSV through small RNA sequencing technology. CymMV and ORSV small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) demonstrated several general and specific/new characteristics. vsiRNAs, with A/U bias at the first nucleotide, were predominantly 21-nt long and they were derived predominantly (90%) from viral positive-strand RNA. 21-nt siRNA duplexes with 0-nt overhangs were the most abundant 21-nt duplexes, followed by 2-nt overhangs and then 1-nt overhangs 21-nt duplexes in infected P. equestris. Continuous but heterogeneous distribution and secondary structures prediction implied that vsiRNAs originate predominantly by direct Dicer-like enzymes cleavage of imperfect duplexes in the most folded regions of the positive strand of both viruses RNA molecular. Furthermore, we totally predicted 54 target genes by vsiRNAs with psRNATarget server, including disease/stress response-related genes, RNA interference core components, cytoskeleton-related genes, photosynthesis or energy supply related genes. Gene Ontology classification showed that a majority of the predicted targets were related to cellular components and cellular processes and performed a certain function. All target genes were down-regulated with different degree by vsiRNAs as shown by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Taken together, CymMV and ORSV siRNAs played important roles in interplay with P. equestris by down modulating the expression levels of endogenous genes in host plant.

• 식물분류학회지
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.127-139
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• 2019

The purported four hybrid origins of Asplenium in Korea were tested based on morphological, cytological and DNA sequence data. Asplenium castaneo-viride, A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse, A. ${\times}$ montanus, and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae share several morphological characteristics with the Asian walking fern A. ruprechtii and related taxa as parents and show a sympatric distribution with the putative parents, raising the possibility of hybrid origins: A. castaneo-viride (A. ruprechtii and A. incisum), A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse (A. ruprechtii and A. pekinense), A. ${\times}$ montanus (A. ruprechtii, A. trichomanes, and A. incisum), and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae (A. ruprechtii and A. sarelii). We investigated flow cytometry and chloroplast DNA sequence data (rbcL, rps4-trnS, and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer) to clarify the hybridization and origin of each hybrid. In the flow cytometry analyses, A. ruprechtii shows diploid (2x) only, whereas A. castaneo-viride (3x, 4x), A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse (3x), A. ${\times}$ montanus (3x, 4x), and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae (2x, 4x) exhibit polyploidy, suggesting hybrid events along speciation. The rbcL and rps4-trnS and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer data suggest that A. ruprechtii is one the maternal ancestors of all four hybrids. In addition, the rps4-trnS and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer data indicate that A. incisum is also the maternal ancestor of A. ${\times}$ kitazawae and A. ${\times}$ montanus, proposing multiple hybridization events for these two hybrids. In A. ${\times}$ montanus, morphological features such as the leaf forms and sympatric distributions of the species also support the multimaternal hypothesis, but the morphological features of A. ${\times}$ kitazawae must be examined with consideration of hybrid events. To clarify the complex hybrid evolutionary lineages of the four Asplenium hybrids, further research with taxon sampling and molecular markers should be conducted.

• 공업화학
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.233-240
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• 2019

분자인식기술은 특정 분자를 고분자 매트릭스에 각인시켜 특정 분자의 선택성을 높이는 기술로 관심을 받아왔다. 이 연구에서는 Sulindac (SLD)을 각인시킨 키토산 기반 약물 전달용 필름의 흡착 및 방출 특성을 가소제, 온도, pH를 변화시켜 실험하고 그 결과를 관련 모델식으로 해석하였다. SLD 각인 고분자 필름의 약물 흡착은 Freundlich와 Sips식이 Langmuir식보다 더 잘 설명되었고 binding site 에너지 분포 함수는 SLD와 고분자 필름 간의 흡착 특성관계를 이해하는데 유용하였다. 그리고 SLD 각인 고분자 필름의 약물 방출은 Fickian 확산 거동을 보인 반면, 인공피부조건에서는 non-Fickian 확산 거동을 따랐다.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제63권5호
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• pp.1182-1193
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• 2021

The aims of this study were to develop a milk protein-based probiotic delivery system using a modified rennet-induced gelation method and to determine how the skim milk powder concentration level and pH, which can affect the rennet-induced intra- and inter-molecular association of milk proteins, affect the physicochemical properties of the probiotic delivery systems, such as the particle size, size distribution, encapsulation efficiency, and viability of probiotics in simulated gastrointestinal tract. To prepare a milk protein-based delivery system, skim milk powder was used as a source of milk proteins with various concentration levels from 3 to 10% (w/w) and rennet was added to skim milk solutions followed by adjustment of pH from 5.4 or 6.2. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was used as a probiotic culture. In confocal laser scanning microscopic images, globular particles with a size ranging from 10 ㎛ to 20 ㎛ were observed, indicating that milk protein-based probiotic delivery systems were successfully created. When the skim milk powder concentration was increased from 3 to 10% (w/w), the size of the delivery system was significantly (p < 0.05) increased from 27.5 to 44.4 ㎛, while a significant (p < 0.05) increase in size from 26.3 to 34.5 ㎛ was observed as the pH was increased from 5.4 to 6.4. An increase in skim milk powder concentration level and a decrease in pH led to a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the encapsulation efficiency of probiotics. The viability of probiotics in a simulated stomach condition was increased when probiotics were encapsulated in milk protein-based delivery systems. An increase in the skim milk powder concentration and a decrease in pH resulted in an increase in the viability of probiotics in simulated stomach conditions. It was concluded that the protein content by modulating skim milk powder concentration level and pH were the key manufacturing variables affecting the physicochemical properties of milk protein-based probiotic delivery systems.

• 식물분류학회지
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.385-394
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• 2020

To elucidate the molecular phylogeny of Neottia japonica, which is a terrestrial orchid distributed in East Asia, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear DNA and the matK of chloroplast DNA were used. A total 22 species of 69 accessions for ITS and 21 species of 114 accessions for matK phylogeny were analyzed with the maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods. In addition, we sought to establish a correlation between the distribution, morphology of the auricles and genetic association of N. japonica with phylogenetic data. The phylogenetic results suggest that N. japonica is monophyletic and a sister to N. suzukii in terms of the ITS phylogeny, while it is paraphyletic with N. suzukii in terms of the matK phylogeny. N. japonica and N. suzukii show similar morphologies of the lip and column, they both flower in April, and they are both distributed sympatrically in Taiwan. Therefore, it appears to be clear that N. japonica and N. suzukii are close taxa within Neottia, although there is incongruence between the nrDNA and cpDNA phylogenies of N. japonica. The incongruence between the two datasets may have various causes, meaning that further studies are needed to confirm the evolutionary process of N. japonica. The phylogenetic status of N. kiusiana, which was not included in previous studies, was as a sister to N. nidus-avis. Meanwhile, the ITS and matK phylogenies are unsuitable for identifying genetic associations with the characteristic of auricles. The phylogenetic topologies of Korean, Taiwanese and mainland Chinese individuals suggest that the populations of N. japonica in Korea originated from China's mainland and island areas. The characterization of regional gene differences could provide useful preliminary data for future studies.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.453-460
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• 2020

The price of the Brain phantom (Hoffman 3D brain phantom) used in nuclear medicine is quite expensive, it is difficult to be purchased by a medical institution or an educational institution. Therefore, the purpose of present research is to produce a low-price 3D brain phantom and evaluate its usefulness by using a 3D printer capable of producing 3D structures. The New 3D brain phantom consisted of 36 slices 0.7 mm thick and 58 slices 1.5 mm thick. A 0.7 mm thick slice was placed between 1. 5 mm thick slices to produce a composite slice. ROI was set at the gray matter and white matter scanned with CT to measure and compare the HU, in order to verify the similarity between PLA which was used as the material for the New 3D brain phantom and acrylic which was used as the material for Hoffman 3D brain phantom. As a result of measuring the volume of each Phantom, the error rate was 3.2% and there was no difference in the signal intensity in five areas. However, there was a significant difference in the average values of HU which was measured at the gray and white matter to verify the similarity between PLA and acrylic. By reproducing the previous Hoffman 3D brain phantom with a 100 times less cost, I hope this research could contribute to be used as the fundamental data in the areas of 3D printer, nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and to increasing the distribution rate of 3D brain phantom.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.168-178
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• 2021

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) forms a monolayer sheet separating the retina and choroid in vertebrate eyes. The polarized nature of RPE is maintained by distributing membrane proteins differentially along apico-basal axis. We found the distributions of these proteins differ in embryonic, post-natal, and mature mouse RPE, suggesting developmental regulation of protein trafficking. Thus, we deleted tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101), a key component of endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT), in embryonic and mature RPE to determine whether ESCRT-mediated endocytic protein trafficking correlated with the establishment and maintenance of RPE polarity. Loss of Tsg101 severely disturbed the polarity of RPE, which forms irregular aggregates exhibiting non-polarized distribution of cell adhesion proteins and activation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. These findings suggest that ESCRT-mediated protein trafficking is essential for the development and maintenance of RPE cell polarity.