• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.343-348
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• 2009

벼도열병균은 벼의 주요 병해인 벼도열병의 원인균이다. 식물병원균의 침입 시 식물체로부터 발생하는 ROS는 식물의 방어기작으로 중요하며, 특히 아미노산의 하나인 methionine은 ROS에 의해 산화되어 methionine sulfoxide로 변화될 수 있다. 식물병원균은 식물체로 부터의 ROS에 의한 산화반응을 회피하기 위해 methionine sulfoxide reductase B (MSRB)와 같은 항산화 효소를 가지는데 본 연구에서는 벼도열병균에서의 MSRB 유전자를 동정하고 분자적 특성을 살펴보았다. MSRB 유전자는 벼도열병균의 게놈 상에 단일 유전자로 존재하며 과산화수소 처리에 의해 유전자발현이 다소 증가하는 경향을 보였다. 이러한 결과로 MSRB 유전자는 벼도열병균의 항산화 기작에 관여할 가능성이 높다고 판단된다.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.146-154
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• 2009

Multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA)은 탐침자를 표적지에 교잡시킨 후, ligation 시키고, 그 산물을 중합효소연쇄반응으로 증폭시킴으로써 표적지의 존재여부 또는 농도를 확인할 수 있는 방법으로, 그 원리가 소개된 이래로 여러 유전자들에 대한 거대결실 및 중복돌연변이에 대한 탐색에 이용되었다. 유전자진단은 질환에 관련된 유전자에 대한 돌연변이를 탐색함으로써 질환을 진단하는 방법으로, 단일유전자 결핍 질환에 대한 유전자진단은 주로 중합효소연쇄반응과 염기서열 분석 방법을 통한 점돌연변이의 탐색에 집중되어 있다. 거대결실 또는 중복돌연변이의 경우, 특히 이형접합자를 형성하게 되는 경우는 중합효소 연쇄반응을 통하여 결실 또는 중복돌연변이 여부의 확인이 힘들다. PCR 방법에 기초하여 유전자의 농도(gene dosage)를 알 수 있는 방법으로 MLPA 방법이 소개되면서 거대결실 또는중복돌연변이를 포함하고 있던 질병 관련돌연변이들의 규명이 한층 쉬워졌다. MLPA의 원리를 응용하여 단순한 유전자의 농도 측정뿐 아니라 유전자내의 메칠화양상의 차이를 확인하거나, 염색체의 배수체 이상 등 염색체이상의 돌연변이 규명과, 전체 유전자의 크기가 비교적 커서 거대결실 돌연변이를 많이 동반하는, 주로 우성유전의 암 관련 유전자 돌연변이의 규명에 유용하게 이용된다. MLPA는 상용적인 중합효소연쇄반응으로 확인할 수 없는 유전자의 농도를 효과적으로 규명할 수 있는 방법으로, 적은 양의 주형 DNA만을 사용하고, 한가지의 실험원리로 다양한 응용이 가능하며 high-throughput이 가능한 장점을 가지는 반면, 주형 DNA의 질에 결과의 의존도가 높고, 민족 또는 개인간의 차이를 보일 수 있는 표적 DNA 염기서열 내의 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 등으로 인해 분석의 오류가 생길 수 있으며, 양적 차이를 규명하는 것이므로 수 차례의 대조군 검사가 함께 진행되어야 하는 단점이 있다. 여기서는 MLPA를 이용하여 질병유전자의 돌연변이를 밝힌 사례를 바탕으로 MLPA의 원리와 탐색할 수 있는 돌연변이의 종류, 그리고 이 방법의 장단점에 대해 고찰해 보고자 한다.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.112-119
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• 2015

고해상도 분자 영상이 가능한 광음향 현미경의 공간해상도는 초음파 변환기에 의해 결정되기 때문에 높은 동작 주파수, 광대역, 높은 신호 수신 효율을 갖는 광음향 수신 변환기는 고성능 광음향 현미경에 필수적이다. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)는 이러한 광음향 수신 변환기 성능 확보가 가능한 압전소재이다. 그러나 PVDF는 낮은 음향 임피던스로 인해 사용되는 흡음층에 의해서 중심주파수 및 대역폭이 영향을 받게된다. 본 논문에서는 광음향 현미경에 적합한 PVDF 기반 고주파수 초음파 수신 변환기의 최적 흡음층 소재의 음향 임피던스가 최종 변환기 성능에 어떠한 영향을 주는지에 관한 연구를 수행하였다. 이를 위해 EPO-TEK 301, E-Solder 3022, RTV를 각각 흡음층 물질로 사용하여 고주파수 초음파 수신 변환기를 제작하고 그 음향 특성을 평가하였다. 제작된 변환기의 공간해상도를 평가하기 위해 $25{\mu}m$ 직경을 갖는 철심을 표적으로 사용하여 영상을 획득하였으며, 실험을 통해 얻은 펄스-에코 신호 크기 및 중심주파수, -6 dB 대역폭, 공간해상도 평가를 통해 PVDF의 음향 임피던스보다 약간 높은 음향 임피던스를 갖는 EPO-TEK 301이 가장 적합한 흡음층 물질임을 알 수 있었다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.39-47
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• 2010

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophic factor involved in neuronal differentiation, plasticity, survival and regeneration. BDNF draws massive attention mainly due to the potential as a therapeutic target in neurological diseases such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. In a primary screening for the natural compounds enhancing BDNF release from cultured rat primary cortical neuron, we found that compounds such as baicalein, tanshinone IIa, cinnamic acid, epiberberine, genistein and wogonin among many others increased BDNF release. All the compounds at $0.1{\mu}M$ of concentration barely showed stimulatory effect on BDNF induction, however, their combination (mixture 1; baicalein, tanshinone IIa and cinnamic acid, mixture 2; epiberberine, genistein and wogonin) showed synergistic increase in BDNF release as well as mRNA and protein expression. The level of BDNF expression was comparable to the maximum BDNF stimulation attainable by a positive control oroxylin A ($20{\mu}M$) without cell toxicity as determined by MTT analysis. Both mixtures synergistically increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as well as cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), an immediate and essential regulator of BDNF expression. Similar to these results, mixture of these compounds synergistically inhibited the up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by lipopolysaccharide treatments in rat primary astrocytes. These results suggest that the combinatorial treatment of natural compounds in lower concentration might be a useful strategy to obtain sufficient BDNF stimulation in neurological disease condition such as depression, while minimizing potential side effects and toxicity of higher concentration of a single compound.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.195-211
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• 2004

Stress is a primary health promotion issue in worksite research because psychological distress is closely related not only to workers' health status but also to their job performance. This study identified the significant health behaviors affecting workers' job-related stress in Korean manufacturing industry with the national survey data conducted by the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency in 2003. A total of 7,818 factory workers in 1,562 manufacturing companies participated in the Korean nation-wide occupational health survey and 3,390 workers answered that they had any stressors in their workplace among the 7,818 workers finally participated in the analysis. Participants were selected by the stratified proportional sampling process by manufacturing industry classification, company size, and company locations (8 metropolitan and 8 non-metropolitan regions) in Korea. Trained interviewers visited the target companies and interviewed the factory workers randomly selected in each company. Smoking, drinking, weight control, exercise, sleeping, break time at work, and perceived fatigue were included in the health behavior construct. Stress symptoms was consisted of physical and psychological stress with 8 items. All survey responses were anonymously coded into the SPSS statistical program and testified using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Male workers were 73.5% and the 30s were 40.0% among the age groups. The married and the high school graduate were majority with 52.1% and 61.8% each. Current smokers were 44.7% and More than 50% of the participants drank alcohol sometimes. No exercise group was 59.3% and the participants who dissatisfied with their daily sleeping hours were 43.5%. In t-test and analysis of variance, the significant general characteristics associated with physical and psychological job stress were young age (p<0.001), single marital status (p<0.001), and short working period at the present company (p<0.001). The health behaviors related to physical job stress were current smoking, weight change during the past one year (p<0.001), weight control effort (p<0.001), exercise (p<0.001), daily sleeping dissatisfaction (p<0.001), break time, and perceived fatigue (p<0.001). All 10 health behavior factors were significantly associated with psychological job stress (p<0.05). Weight change, weight control effort, exercise, daily sleeping dissatisfaction, little break at work, and high perceived fatigue were significant factors affecting job stress. Daily sleeping dissatisfaction, little break at work, little exercise, weight change for the past one year and young age were selected as the significant health behavior and general factors affecting physical job stress symptoms in stepwise multiple regression analysis. The five factors explained 18.9% of the physical stress score variance. Six factors were selected as the significant health behaviors affecting psychological job stress: daily sleeping dissatisfaction, little exercise, frequent drinking alcohol, high perceived fatigue, little break at work, and little weight control effort. The six factors explained 10.6% of the psychological stress score variance.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.130-141
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• 2020

Background: Concrete activation in cyclotron vaults is a major concern associated with their decommissioning because a considerable amount of activated concrete is generated by secondary neutrons during the operation of cyclotrons. Reducing the amount of activated concrete is important because of the high cost associated with radioactive waste management. This study aims to investigate the capability of the neutron absorbing materials to reduce concrete activation. Materials and Methods: The Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) code was used to simulate a cyclotron target and room. The dimensions of the room were 457 cm (length), 470 cm (width), and 320 cm (height). Gd₂O₃, B₄C, polyethylene (PE), and borated (5 wt% ^natB) PE with thicknesses of 5, 10, and 15 cm and their different combinations were selected as neutron absorbing materials. They were placed on the concrete walls to determine their effects on thermal neutrons. Thin B₄C and Gd₂O₃ were placed between the concrete wall and additional PE shield separately to decrease the required thickness of the additional shield, and the thermal neutron flux at certain depths inside the concrete was calculated for each condition. Subsequently, the optimum combination was determined with respect to radioactive waste reduction, price, and availability, and the total reduced radioactive concrete waste was estimated. Results and Discussion: In the specific conditions considered in this study, the front wall with respect to the proton beam contained radioactive waste with a depth of up to 64 cm without any additional shield. A single layer of additional shield was inefficient because a thick shield was required. Two-layer combinations comprising 0.1- or 0.4-cm-thick B₄C or Gd₂O₃ behind 10 cm-thick PE were studied to verify whether the appropriate thickness of the additional shield could be maintained. The number of transmitted thermal neutrons reduced to 30% in case of 0.1 cm-thick Gd₂O₃+10 cm-thick PE or 0.1 cm-thick B₄C+10 cm-thick PE. Thus, the thickness of the radioactive waste in the front wall was reduced from 64 to 48 cm. Conclusion: Based on price and availability, the combination of the 10 cm-thick PE+0.1 cmthick B₄C was reasonable and could effectively reduce the number of thermal neutrons. The amount of radioactive concrete waste was reduced by factor of two when considering whole concrete walls of the PET cyclotron vault.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.197-200
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• 2016

Background: Wedge filters are commonly used in radiation oncology for eliminating hot spots and creating a uniform dose distribution in optimizing isodose curves in the target volume for clinical aspects. These are some limited standard physical wedges ($15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$),or creating an arbitrary wedge angle, like motorized wedge or dynamic wedge,${\ldots}$ The new formulation is presented by the combination of wedge fields for determining an arbitrary effective wedge angles. The isodose curves also are derived for these wedges. Materials and Methods: we performed the dosimetry of Varian Clinac 2100C/D with Scanditronix Wellhofer water blue phantom, CU500E, OmniPro - Accept software and 0.13cc ionization chamber for 6Mv photon beam in depth of 10cm (reference depth) for universal physical wedges ($15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $60^{\circ}$) and reference field $10.10cm^2$. By combining the isodose curve standard wedge fields with compatible weighting dose for each field, the effective isodose curve is calculated for any wedge angle. Results: The relation between a given effective wedge angle and the weighting of each combining wedge fields was derived. A good agreement was found between the measured and calculated wedge angles and the maximum deviation did not exceed $3^{\circ}$. The difference between the measured and calculated data decreased when the combined wedge angles were closer. The results are in agreement with the motorized single wedge appliance in the literature. Conclusions: This technique showed that the effective wedge angle that is obtained from this method is adequate for clinical applications and the motorized wedge formalism is a special case of this consideration.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.9033-9038
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) based volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for locally advanced left sided breast cancer patients undergoing radical mastectomy. DIBH immobilizes the tumor bed providing dosimetric benefits over free breathing (FB). Materials and Methods: Ten left sided post mastectomy patients were immobilized in a supine position with both the arms lifted above the head on a hemi-body vaclock. Two thermoplastic masks were prepared for each patient, one for normal free breathing and a second made with breath-hold to maintain reproducibility. DIBH CT scans were performed in the prospective mode of the Varian real time position management (RPM) system. The planning target volume (PTV) included the left chest wall and supraclavicular nodes and PTV prescription dose was 5000cGy in 25 fractions. DIBH-3DCRT planning was performed with the single iso-centre technique using a 6MV photon beam and the field-in-field technique. VMAT plans for FB and DIBH contained two partial arcs ($179^{\circ}-300^{\circ}CCW/CW$). Dose volume histograms of PTV and OAR's were analyzed for DIBH-VMAT, FB-VMAT and DIBH-3DCRT. In DIBH mode daily orthogonal ($0^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$) KV images were taken to determine the setup variability and weekly twice CBCT to verify gating threshold level reproducibility. Results: DIBH-VMAT reduced the lung and heart dose compared to FB-VMAT, while maintaining similar PTV coverage. The mean heart $V_{30Gy}$ was $2.3%{\pm}2.7$, $5.1%{\pm}3.2$ and $3.3%{\pm}7.2$ and for left lung $V_{20Gy}$ was $18.57%{\pm}2.9$, $21.7%{\pm}3.9$ and $23.5%{\pm}5.1$ for DIBH-VMAT, FB-VMAT and DIBH-3DCRT respectively. Conclusions: DIBH-VMAT significantly reduced the heart and lung dose for left side chest wall patients compared to FB-VMAT. PTV conformity index, homogeneity index, ipsilateral lung dose and heart dose were better for DIBH-VMAT compared to DIBH-3DCRT. However, contralateral lung and breast volumes exposed to low doses were increased with DIBH-VMAT.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제37권9호
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• pp.1093-1098
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• 2013

방탄소재로서 사파이어 재료가 대두되고 있지만 고속 충돌관련 동적거동 및 파괴특성에 관한 연구는 부족한 실정이다. 탄자와 취성세라믹재료간의 상호작용을 연구하기 위해서는 고화질의 초고속 연속영상이 필수적이다. 본 연구에서는 고속충돌 및 관통 현상을 순차적으로 촬영할 수 있는 장치를 개발하였다. 이 장치는 속도측정장치, 마이크로프로세서를 사용한 카메라 구동장치 그리고 다수의 CCD카메라로 이루어져있다. 선형배열센서를 사용한 속도측정장치는 직경 1-2 mm 탄자의 마하 3 속도를 측정할 수 있다. 발사된 탄자가 속도측정장치를 통과하면 속도와 시간이 측정되고 탄자가 비행하는 동안 카메라 구동장치가 정확한 충돌시간을 계산하여 다수의 카메라에 순차적으로 트리거 신호를 보내서 충돌 전후의 형상을 순차적으로 촬영한다. 정확한 충돌시간 예측을 못하면 고해상도의 사진촬영이 거의 불가능하다. 본 연구에서 개발된 정밀 촬영장치를 사용하여 고해상도의 영상을 확보할 수 있었다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.772-784
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• 2012

Marker-assisted gene pyramiding aims to produce individuals with superior economic traits according to the optimal breeding scheme which involves selecting a series of favorite target alleles after cross of base populations and pyramiding them into a single genotype. Inspired by the science of evolutionary computation, we used the metaphor of hill-climbing to model the dynamic behavior of gene pyramiding. In consideration of the traditional cross program of animals along with the features of animal segregating populations, four types of cross programs and two types of selection strategies for gene pyramiding are performed from a practical perspective. Two population cross for pyramiding two genes (denoted II), three population cascading cross for pyramiding three genes(denoted III), four population symmetry (denoted IIII-S) and cascading cross for pyramiding four genes (denoted IIII-C), and various schemes (denoted cross program-A-E) are designed for each cross program given different levels of initial favorite allele frequencies, base population sizes and trait heritabilities. The process of gene pyramiding breeding for various schemes are simulated and compared based on the population hamming distance, average superior genotype frequencies and average phenotypic values. By simulation, the results show that the larger base population size and the higher the initial favorite allele frequency the higher the efficiency of gene pyramiding. Parents cross order is shown to be the most important factor in a cascading cross, but has no significant influence on the symmetric cross. The results also show that genotypic selection strategy is superior to phenotypic selection in accelerating gene pyramiding. Moreover, the method and corresponding software was used to compare different cross schemes and selection strategies.