• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.799-804
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• 2011

Gangliosides play an important role in neuronal differentiation processes. The regulation of ganglioside levels is related to the induction of neuronal cell differentiation. In this study, the ST8Sia5 gene was transfected into mESCs and then differentiated into neuronal cells. Interestingly, ST8Sia5 gene transfected mESCs expressed GQ1b by HPTLC and immunofluorescence analysis. To investigate the effects of GQ1b over-expression in neurogenesis, neuronal cells were differentiated from GQ1b expressing mESCs in the presence of retinoic acid. In GQ1b expressing mESCs, increased EBs formation was observed. After 4 days, EBs were co-localized with GQ1b and nestin, and GFAP. Moreover, GQ1b co-localized with MAP-2 expressing cells in GQ1b expressing mESCs in 7-day-old EBs. Furthermore, GQ1b expressing mESCs increased the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway. These results suggest that the ST8Sia5 gene increases ganglioside GQ1b and improves neuronal differentiation via the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.363-363
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• 2014

Ruthenium (Ru) has attractive material properties due to its promising characteristics such as a low resistivity ($7.1{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ in the bulk), a high work function of 4.7 eV, and feasibility for the dry etch process. These properties make Ru films appropriate for various applications in the state-of-art semiconductor device technologies. Thus, it has been widely investigated as an electrode for capacitor in the dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a metal gate for metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and a seed layer for Cu metallization. Due to the continuous shrinkage of microelectronic devices, better deposition processes for Ru thin films are critically required with excellent step coverages in high aspect ratio (AR) structures. In these respects, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a viable solution for preparing Ru thin films because it enables atomic-scale control of the film thickness with excellent conformality. A recent investigation reported that the nucleation of ALD-Ru film was enhanced considerably by using a zero-valent metallorganic precursor, compared to the utilization of precursors with higher metal valences. In this study, we will present our research results on the synthesis and characterization of novel ruthenium complexes. The ruthenium compounds were easy synthesized by the reaction of ruthenium halide with appropriate organic ligands in protic solvent, and characterized by NMR, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The molecular structures of the complexes were studied by single crystal diffraction. ALD of Ru film was demonstrated using the new Ru metallorganic precursor and O2 as the Ru source and reactant, respectively, at the deposition temperatures of $300-350^{\circ}C$. Self-limited reaction behavior was observed as increasing Ru precursor and O2 pulse time, suggesting that newly developed Ru precursor is applicable for ALD process. Detailed discussions on the chemical and structural properties of Ru thin films as well as its growth behavior using new Ru precursor will be also presented.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2009

To understand contribution of thermophilic microorganisms in decomposition of litter deposits on shore of lakes, we surveyed a lakeshore litter deposit for bacteria growing at $60^{\circ}C$. Ten thermophilic isolates were selected for in-depth characterization, based on their high capacity to degrade high molecular weight organic compounds. Based on phylogenetic analysis on their 16S rRNA gene sequences, all isolates were identified as Geobacillus. The optimal growth temperature and pH of the strains ranged $55{\sim}60^{\circ}C$ and 6.0${\sim}$8.0, respectively. Salinity was inhibitory to the growth of the isolates, showing marked decrease of growth rates at 3% salinity. Based on activities of hydrolytic enzymes and profiles of carbohydrate utilization (determined by API 50 CHB kit), three G. stearothermophilus strains showed patterns clearly distinctive from other isolates. Two G. kaustophilus strains also demonstrated distinctiveness in their metabolic pattern and ecological parameters. However, ecological and metabolic profiles of the other five isolates were more variable and showed some degree of digression from their phylogenetic classification. Therefore, it could be concluded that endospore-forming thermophilic bacteria in lakeshore litter deposits contribute to degradation of organic materials with diverse ecological niches while having successions similar to microbial flora in compost. We propose that the thermophilic isolates and/or their thermo-tolerant enzymes can be applied to industrial processes as appropriate mixtures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.518-524
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• 2010

A mannanase gene (man26B) was obtained from a sea bacterium, Paenibacillus sp. BME-14, through the constructed genomic library and inverse PCR. The gene of man26B had an open reading frame of 1,428 bp that encoded a peptide of 475- amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 53 kDa. Man26B possessed two domains, a carbohydrate binding module (CBM) belonging to family 6 and a family 26 catalytic domain (CD) of glycosyl hydrolases, which showed the highest homology to Cel44C of P. polymyxa (60% identity). The optimum pH and temperature for enzymatic activity of Man26B were 4.5 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activity of Man26B was not affected by $Mg^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$, but was inhibited by $Hg^{2+},\;Ca^{2+},\;Cu^{2+},\;Mn^{2+},\;K^+,\;Na^+$, and $\beta$-mercaptoethanol, and slightly enhanced by $Pb^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$. EDTA did not affect the activity of Man26B, which indicates that it does not require divalent ions to function. Man26B showed a high specific activity for LBG and konjac glucomannan, with $K_m,\;V_{max}$, and $k_{cat}$ values of 3.80 mg/ml, 91.70 ${\mu}mol$/min/mg protein, and 77.08/s, respectively, being observed when LBG was the substrate. Furthermore, deletion of the CBM6 domain increased the enzyme stability while enabling it to retain 80% and 60% of its initial activity after treatment at $80^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, respectively. This finding will be useful in industrial applications of Man26B, because of the harsh circumstances associated with such processes.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2016

Purpose: Ancillary tests such as immunohistochemistry or molecular testing for pathologic diagnosis are performed using ready-made tissue blocks for a histological examination. Various methods and processes during ancillary testing cause some of issues, particularly in the time required and the results reporting scheme. Methods: To solve these issues, we constructed real-time management software. When a pathologist or a clinician had ancillary tests examined using this software by selecting the codes of the needed ancillary tests on site and the system assigned the tests to each laboratory. Then, pathology technologists checked the referred tests and performed the examination. In clinical departments, serial number of each ancillary test can be matched the original pathologic ID. In the department of pathology, numbers of tissue blocks that needed additional tests could be indicated and detected using one-click detection system when a clinician referred the test. Results: Using this system resulted in simplifying the referral procedures from nine-steps to three-steps in each clinical department and from seven-steps to two-steps in department of pathology. Errors that happened on the paper-based request system were also reduced. Furthermore, the time required was saved by seven hours in pathologic laboratory on average. Mean durations from requesting to reporting of the ancillary test was reduced by three days for specimens of health promotion center. Conclusion: Construction of an effective information transfer system may be helpful for shortening the time required, reducing errors, and checking processing information of the tests in real time.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2016

Advances in DNA sequencing technologies have contributed to revolutionary understanding of many fundamental biological processes. With unprecedented cost-effective and high-throughput sequencing, a single laboratory can afford to de novo sequence the whole genome for species of interest. In addition, population genetic studies have been remarkably accelerated by numerous molecular markers identified from unbiased genome-wide sequences of population samples. As sequencing technologies have evolved very rapidly, acquiring appropriate individual plants or populations is a major bottleneck in plant research considering the complex nature of plant genome, such as heterozygosity, repetitiveness, and polyploidy. This challenge could be overcome by the old but effective method known as haploid induction. Haploid plants containing half of their sporophytic chromosomes can be rapidly generated mainly by culturing gametophytic cells such as ovules or pollens. Subsequent chromosome doubling in haploid plants can generate stable doubled haploid (DH) with perfect homozygosity. Here, classical methodology to generate and identify haploid plants or DH are summarized. In addition, haploid induction by epigenetic regulation of centromeric histone is explained. Furthermore, the utilization of haploid plant in the genomics era is discussed in the aspect of genome sequencing project and population genetic studies.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2006

The primary goal of the wound healing is rapid wound closure. Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology have greatly expanded our understanding of the biologic processes involved in wound repair and tissue regeneration. This study was conducted to develop a new sponge type of biomaterial to be used for either wound dressing or scaffold for tissue engineering. We designed to make a comparative study of the wound healing effect of silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid (SF/HA) blend sponge in full-thickness dermal injury model of rat. Two full-thickness excisions were made on the back of the experimental animals. The excised wound was covered with either the silk fibroin (SF), hyaluronic acid (HA) or SF/HA (7 : 3 or 5 : 5 ratio) blend sponge. On the postoperative days of 3, 7, 10 and 14, the wound area was calculated by image analysis software. Simultaneously, the tissues were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and Masson's trichrome methods to measure the area of regenerated epithelium and collagen deposition. In addition, we evaluated the degree of the epithelial cell proliferation using immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). We found that the half healing time ($HT_{50}$) of SF/HA blend sponge treated groups were significantly decreased as compared with either those of SF or HA treatment group. Furthermore, SF/HA blend sponges significantly increased the size of epithelialization and collagen deposition as well as the number of PCNA positive cells on epidermal basement membrane as compared with those of control treatment. Especially, the 5 : 5 ratio group of SF/HA among all treatment groups was most effective on wound healing rate and histological studies. These results suggest that SF/HA blend sponges could accelerate the wound healing process through the increase of epithelialization, collagen deposition and basal cell proliferation in full thickness skin injury.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1987

The purpose of this study is to investigate the physicochemcal Properties of the cowpea crude and refined starch and to present the basic data for physicochemical factor which gives the properties of Mook to cowpea starch gel. Water binding capacity of crude starch was 235. In and that of refined starch was 186.0%. The pattern of change in swelling power and solubility for increasing temperature started to increase at $60^{\circ}C$ and increased rapidly from $70^{\circ}C$, for both of crude and refined starch. The optical transmittance of 0.2% crude and refined starch suspensions were increased from $65^{\circ}C$ and showed rapid increasement during 68~$80^{\circ}C$, and their curves showed two-stage processes. The gelatinization pattern for 6n crude and refined starch suspensions were investigated by the Brabender amylograph. The corves showed the pasting temperature of $72.0^{\circ}C$ and $72.1^{\circ}C$, peak height of 11303.U. ($88.0^{\circ}C$) and 970 B.U. ($83.5^{\circ}C$) for crude and refined starch, respectively, and both showed high viscosities when cooling. Blue values for crude and refined starch were 0.369 and 0.376 respectively. Alkali number of crude and refined starch were 7.77 and 7.34, and reducing values were 3.60 and 2. 10, respectively. Amylose content of cowpea starch was 33.7%. Periodate oxidation of the starch fractions resulted that amylose had the average molecular weight of 23590, degree of polymerization of 146 and amylopectin had the degree of branching of 3.42, glucose unit per segment of 29.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2003

The purpose of this work was to perform the characterization of NAD(P)H-nitroreductase isolated from Stenotrophomonas sp. OK-5 capable of degrading 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Initially, NADP(H)-nitroreductase by a series of purification processes including ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-sepharose, andQ-sepharose was prepared. From samples harvested from fraction collector, three different fractions (I, II & III)having the enzyme activity of NAD(P)H-itroreductase were detected. Specific activities of three fractions I, II,and III of NAD(P)H-nitroreductase were determined to approximately 5.06 unit/mg, 4.95 unit/mg and 4.86 unit/mg, and concentrated to 10.5, 9.8, and 8.9-fold compared to crude extract, respectively. Among these three fractions,the fraction I of NAD(P)H-nitroreductase demonstrated the highest specific activity in this experiment. Several factors affecting on the enzyme activity of NAD(P)H-nitroreductase (fractions I, II & III) were investigated.The optimum temperature of all NAD(P)H-nitroreductase (fractions I, II & III) was 30oC, and the optimal pH was approximately 7.5. Metal ions such as Ag+, Cu2+, Hg2+ inhibited approximately 80% enzyme activity of all NAD(P)H-nitroreductase, and the enzyme activities were decreased about 30-40% inhibition in the presence of Mn2+ or Ca2+. However, Fe3+ showed stimulatory effect on the enzyme activity. The molecular weights of NAD(P)H-nitroreductase (fractions I, II & III) were measured about 27 kDa on the SDS-PAGE.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.238-246
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• 2012

Once oil is spilled into marine environment, it experiences various weathering processes among which evaporation is the most dominant process in the initial stage of weathering. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of evaporation on the physicochemical properties of spilled oil using standardized laboratory experiments. Laboratory evaporation process was successfully reproduced using controlled rotary evaporation method. In case of Iranian Heavy crude (IHC), evaporation rate after 48 hours was $29.3{\pm}0.4%$ (n=40, p<0.001). Evaporation was simulated using ADIOS2 weathering model and the result was in agreement with laboratory experiment. Chemical composition changes of petroleum hydrocarbons including alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and biomarkers by evaporation rate were also analyzed. As oil evaporated, low molecular weight alkanes and PAHs decreased, while biomakers showed conservative characteristics. Among biomarkers, $17{\alpha}(H)$, $21{\beta}(H)$-hopane was used for calculation of weathering rates, which matched with evaporative mass losses. Weathering rate calculation using hopane showed that stranded oils of weathering stage I (28.9%) and mesocosm oil weathering experiment till 5 days (26.5%) were mainly affected by evaporation process.