• BMB Reports
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.275-280
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• 2012

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a diverse family of homo- or heteropentameric ligand-gated ion channels. Understanding the physiological role of each nAChR subtype and the key residues responsible for normal and pathological states is important. ${\alpha}$-Conotoxin neuropeptides are highly selective probes capable of discriminating different subtypes of nAChRs. In this study, we performed homology modeling to generate the neuronal ${\alpha}3$, ${\beta}2$ and ${\beta}4$ subunits using the x-ray structure of the ${\alpha}1$ subunit as a template. The structures of the extracellular domains containing ligand binding sites in the ${\alpha}3{\beta}2$ and ${\alpha}3{\beta}4$ nAChR subtypes were constructed using MD simulations and ligand docking processes in their free and ligand-bound states using ${\alpha}$-conotoxin GIC, which exhibited the highest ${\alpha}3{\beta}2$ vs. ${\alpha}3{\beta}4$ discrimination ratio. The results provide a reasonable structural basis for such a discriminatory ability, supporting the idea that the present strategy can be used for future investigations on nAChR-ligand complexes.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.15-22
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• 2018

Alpha-pinene is an organic compound that possesses antibiotic and anti-parasitic activities. In this study, we developed a layered nanocomposite to combat against Miamiensis avidus which causes scuticociliatosis in the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. We used a solid-solid reaction to develop the layered nanocomposite, incorporating-pinene ($C_{10}H_{16}$) into organically modified montmorillonite. We used cetyltrimethylammonium cations as the interlayered modifier for the adsorption of hydrophobic pinene molecules. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the nanocomposite structure showed that the basal spacing increased from $9.6{\AA}$ to $30.4{\AA}$. Interestingly, the fraction of ${\alpha}$-pinene released remained constant for a long period of time (228 h) due to the layered nature of the nanocomposite. Additionally, optical microscopic images of the treated scuticociliatids revealed that their cells were lysed, and this effect increased with the increasing concertration of ${\alpha}$-pinene. Histopathological assessment of ${\alpha}$-pinene nanocomposite-treated olive flounder gills revealed no significant morphological changes, even at the highest concentration of the ${\alpha}$-pinene. The nanocomposite has several advantages, including easy handling, high solubility, low toxicity, and the easy formulation of granules or powder, which improve the pesticidal activity of ${\alpha}$-pinene. Collectively, our results suggest that ${\alpha}$-pinene nanocomposite may be a useful treatment against scuticociliatosis.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.85-92
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• 2005

Objective: A number of candidate genes have been in implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity in humans. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha $(TNF-{\alpha})$ is expressed primarily in adipocytes, and elevated levels of this cytokine have been linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Recently, the A allele of a polymorphism at position 308 in the promoter region of $TNF-{\alpha}$ (G-308A) has been shown to increase transcription of the gene in adipocytes. Therefore, we designed this study to test whether obese and non-obese subjects differ in $TNF-{\alpha}$ genotype distribution, and how the genotypes affect anthropometric parameters, including degrees of body mass index (BMI). Methods : The study included 153 obese but otherwise healthy women ($BMI{\geq}kg/m^2$, range 25-54.7, age range 15-40 years) and 82 non-obese healthy women ($BMI, age range 15-40 years). Total fat mass and percent body fat were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Genomic DNA was extracted and used for Ncol restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) based genotyping of $TNF-{\alpha}$. Results: No differences were observed for allelic and genotype frequencies between the obese ($BMI{\geq}25$) and non-obese women. Also, no association of TNF-(l polymorphism was observed with body mass index (BMI) for genotype in obese women. In addition, age, pertent body fat, BMI, and cholesterol levels did not differ by $TNF-{\alpha}$ genotype. However, waist-to­hip ratio (WHR) was significantly lower in subjects with $TNF-{\alpha}$ GA or AA genotype (0.94 0.07 vs. 0.920.03, P<0.005). Conclusion: These results suggest that $TNF-{\alpha}$ promoter polymorphism at position-308 is not a significant factor for BMI, but affects the WHR in obese healthy women from Koreans.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.200-206
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• 1993

Structures of two polymorphs of ${\alpha},{\alpha}$-trehalose octaacetate monohydrate, $C_{28}H_{38}O_{19}\;{\cdot}\;H_2O$, have been studied by X-ray diffraction method. ${\alpha},{\alpha}$-trehalose (${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranosyl ${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranoside) is a nonreducing disaccharide. The polymorph I belongs to the monoclinic $P2_1$, and has unit cell parameters of a=10.725(l), b=15.110(4), c=11.199(5) ${\AA}$, ${\beta}=108.16(2)^{\circ}$ and Z=2. The polymorph II is orthorhombic $P2_12_12_1$, with a=13.684(4), b=15.802(4), c=17.990(9) ${\AA}$ and Z=4. The final R and R$_w$ values for monoclinic polymorph I are 0.043 and 0.048 and for orthorhombic polymorph II are 0.116 and 0.118, respectively. Those R values of polymorph II are high because the large thermal motions of acetyl groups and the poor quality of the crystal. The molecular conformations in the two polymorphs are similar. Both D-glucopyranosyl rings have chair $^4C_1$ conformations and atoms of glycosidic chain ${\alpha}(1{\rightarrow}1)$ linkage are coplanar. The primary acetate groups of the pyranose residues assume both gauche-trans conformations. The molecules of two polymorphs have pseudo-C$_2$ symmetry at glycosidic O(1) atom. The bond lengths and angles are normal compared with those in other acetylated sugar compounds. The molecules in the monoclinic crystal are held by the hydrogen bonds with the water molecules and by van der Waals forces.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.113-124
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• 2009

The line shape functions for the Doppler-broadened gamma ray spectrum are considered in the $^{10}B(n,{\alpha}{\gamma})^7Li$ reaction occurring in a surrounding medium where the excited $^7Li$ nucleus is slowed down and stopped before decay. The phenomenological form of the stopping power was used for the broadening effect. Convolution with the detailed response of a germanium detector is taken into consideration for the simplest case of solely electronic stopping. A numerical study for the analysis of $^{10}B$ by thermal neutron capture is conducted by performing a parametric search and fitting the measured spectrum in a least-squares approach. In comparison with the previous numerical approach using the same analysis, the computational speed is increased and reliable information concerning the stopping power of the medium is obtained while estimating the uncertainty. Implementation of the routine analysis of $^{10}B$ is facilitated on a recent version of the gamma ray spectrum analysis package HyperGam.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전기학회 1990년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.195-198
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• 1990

In order to investigate the radiation effects induced to electrical properties of Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylen film, several observations were carried out to the sample irradiated to various dose by $Co^{60}-{\gamma}$ ray, on the characteristics of TSC spectra measuered as a function of electric field applied to a sample of 15[ ${\mu}m$] thick. The TSC spectra observed in the temperature range of $153{\sim}403[K]$ with the electric field of intensity $10{\sim}60$ [MV/m], have shown two of the distinguished peak such as ${\beta}$, ${\alpha}$, each of which appeared at $-5{\sim}20$ [ $^{\circ}C$] and 90 [ $^{\circ}C$] respectively. As the conclusions, obtained from the studies, the origin of ${\alpha}$ peak in TSC seems to be attributed by thermal excitation of ions trapped with $0.4{\sim}0.8[eV]$ deep, at the defects formed by $Co^{60}-{\gamma}$ irradiation in a crystaline region. The origin of ${\beta}$ peak was regarded as the depolarization process of "OH" or "CO" dipole with the activation energy of $0.4{\sim}0.6[eV]$ in an amorphous region.

• 한국우주과학회:학술대회논문집(한국우주과학회보)
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• 한국우주과학회 1995년도 한국우주과학회보 제4권2호
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• pp.30-30
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• 1995

We present the results of analysis on the X-ray observations of the binary X-ray pulsar Her X-I. made with ASCA/SIS on August 13-14. 1993. An eclipse transition from ingress to egress was fully covered by the observations. The main findings are as follows; (1) a model of power-law plus black-body is required to interpret the entire eclipse spectrum. and the black-body component appears at < 0.7 keV. (2) the power-law continuum which has photon index ${\alpha}\;=\;{0.84^{\;+0.14}}_{\;-0.19}$ is very similar to that of detected by Ginga/LAC (${\alpha}\;=\;0.80\;{\pm}\;0.04$), (3) the calculated eclipse flux of $2^{-10}\;keV.{\;}~{\;}1.8{\pm}10^{-11}{\;}ergs{\;}cm^{-2}s^{-1}$, is consistent with the Ginga observation carried out in the high intensity state ~2.0{\pm}10^{-11}{\;}ergs{\;}cm^{-2}s^{-1}$, (4) there is no significant absorption feature. and an upper limit of the aborption column $NH{\;}\leq{\;}3{\pm}10^{20}\;cm^{-2}$ is determined at the 90% confidence limit. Based on these results, we suggest that extended matter surrounding the binary system should be existed persistently with stable conditions, and scattering of the source continuum by the matter is responsible for the eclipse emission.ission.

• 천문학회보
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.53-53
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• 2013

We present preliminary results of far-infrared(FIR) study of the supernova remnant(SNR)s in the Large Magellanic Cloud using the Herschel HERITAGE (HERschel Inventory of The Agents of Galaxy Evolution) data set. HERITAGE provides FIR data covering the entire LMC at 100,160, 250, 350, and 500 um. In order to confirm FIR emission associated with SNRs, we refer to Magellanic Cloud Emission-Line Survey (MCELS) H-alpha & SII data, Spitzer surveying the Agents of a Galaxy's Evolution (SAGE) Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS) 24um & 70um data, Chandra Supernova Remnants Catalog, and ATCA 4.8GHz continuum images of Dickel et al. (2005). Among 47 SNRs in the LMC, 7 SNRs show associated FIR emission. We present multi-wavelength view of 5 SNRs; DEM L249, N49, N63A, N132D, and the SNR in N4. N49 and N132D show morphological correlation in FIR and X-ray, suggesting that the FIR emission is from dust grains collisionally heated by X-ray emitting plasma. The FIR emission of N63A resembles H-alpha emission, which implies that the FIR line radiation could be dominant. The FIR images of the rest two objects, DEM L249 and SNR in N4, show no correlation to the other-waveband images.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.29-33
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• 2002

A procedure was developed for preparing bulk carbon nitride crystals from a polymeric $\alpha$ -C$_3$N$\_$4.2/ at high pressure and temperature in the presence of seeds of crystalline carbon nitride films prepared by a high voltage discharge plasma combined with pulsed laser ablation of graphite target. The samples were evaluated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Notably, XPS studies of the film composition before and after thermobaric treatments demonstrate that the nitrogen composition in $\alpha$ -C$_3$N$\_$4.2/ material initially containing more than 58% nitrogen decreases during the annealing process and reaches a common, stable composition of ~45%. The thermobaric experiments were performed at 10-77 kbar and 350-1200 $\^{C}$.

• 보존과학연구
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• 통권16호
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• pp.59-111
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• 1995

Chemical composion and crystal form of Corrosion products found on archaeological iron objects were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence analysis, micro-X-ray powder diffraction analysis and ion chromatographic technique. The nature and behavior of the corrosion products were studied in order to aid in the conservation and restoration of burial iron objects. Twenty-two samples analyzed in this study were collected from iron object found in Korea and Japan. The corrosion products of iron objects from burial mounds contain $\alpha$-FeOOH, $\beta$-FeOOH, $\gamma$-FeOOH, $Fe_3O_4$and amorphous iron hydroxides. The content of $\alpha$-HeOOH is the greatest. Because, Ageing for long period should change the amorphous iron hydroxides is considerably less than that in usual atmospheric corrosion products. The concentration of chlorine and sulfine is remarkably variable ($Cl^-$ : 100- 30,000ppm, $SO_4^-2$ : 20-10,000ppm),but the reasons are unclear. The presence of generally high concentrations of chlorine and sulfine the corrosion products of iron objects seem to be influenced by the marine climatic condition. The presence of high chlorine and sulfine concentrations in the corrosion products of iron objects seem to be influenced by the marine burial environments.