• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.246-250
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• 2009

Retroviruses enter host cells by membrane fusion between the viral Env proteins on the virus membrane and a virus receptor on the cellular membrane. The envelope protein of the ecotropic Moloney murine leukemia virus is synthesized as a gp85 precursor and is proteolytically cleaved into an extracellular surface unit (SU) and the transmembrane protein (TM). The cytoplasmic tail (16 amino acid; R peptide) of the TM protein is further cleaved by the viral protease during virion maturation. Unlike the wild type Env protrin bearing the R peptide, R peptide-truncated Envelope induces syncytia in susceptible cells. To understand the mechanism of R peptidetruncated Env in syncytium formation, R peptide-truncated Env expressing full-length molecular clone containing EGFP in PRR (proline rich region) of Env was constructed. This molecular clone induced syncytia in transfected NIH3T3 cells, fluorescence was detected in the cytoplasm and at the plasma membrane, while the nuclei did not stain and appeared black by fluorescence microscopy. Interestingly, virions with truncated envelope produced from transfected NIH3T3 cells induced syncytia in NIH3T3 cells, but fluorescence was not detected in the same infected cells. It is believed that cell-free viruses direct the fusion of neighboring cells without infection. Our data suggests that use of EGFP-tagged envelope for monitoring syncytium is a sensitive and convenient method. We also found that virion incorporated the R peptide-truncated Env is able to induce the formation of syncytia by fusion from without.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.309-322
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• 2018

Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) occurs in rocks and soils as a result of natural weathering and human activities. It is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to increase risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. The parent rocks of asbestos have been mainly associated with (ultra)mafic and carbonate rock. The previous studies on NOA were mainly limited to (ultra)mafic rock-hosted asbestos, but studies on carbonate rock-hosted asbestos are relatively rare in S. Korea. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine mineralogical characteristics of carbonate rock-hosted NOA at three sites including Muju and Jangsu, Jeonbuk province and Asan, Chungnam province. Types of rocks at the three sites mainly consisted of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks, carbonate rock, and Cretaceous and Jurassic granites. Asbestos-containing carbonate rock samples were obtained for mineralogical characterization. XRD, PLM, EPMA, SEM and EDS analyses were used to characterize mineralogical characteristics of the carbonate rock-hosted NOA. From the carbonate rock, fibrous minerals were occurred acicular and columnar forms in the three sites. Fibrous minerals were composed of mainly tremolite and associated minerals included possibly asbestos containing materials (ACM) such as talc, vermiculite, and sepiolite. The length and aspect ratios of tremolite were similar to the standard asbestiform (length >$5{\mu}m$, length:width = 3:1). These results indicate that both non-asbestiform and asbestiform tremolite with acicular forms occurred in carbonate rocks at three sites. Geological and geochemical characteristics and mineral assemblages indicate tremolite and associated minerals might be formed by hydrothermal alternation and/or hydrothermal veins of carbonate rocks due to intrusion of acidic igneous rocks.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2016

Deutzia paniculata is an endemic species to the Korean Peninsula. Despite of importance for conservation, the population structure and habitat characteristics of D. paniculata have not been determined yet. We analyzed the ecological characteristics of the species based on the literature review and field survey. Field survey was conducted on May to October 2014 during which 11 quadrats of size $15{\times}15m$ were studied in six regions. Each of the quadrats were further divided into $5{\times}5m$ small quadrats and population characteristics were recorded. The population and habitat characteristics were analyzed, including species abundance (density and coverage), demographic attributes (flowering rates and fruiting plants), vegetation (structure, species composition), light availability (transmitted light and canopy openness) and soil characteristics (temperature and humidity). We found that D. paniculata mainly distributed in Gyeongsangdo (including Taebaek in Gangwondo) along a broad elevational range of 290~959 m (mean: 493 m) above sea level. In preferred habitat the species grows within the slope range of $7^{\circ}$ and $35^{\circ}$ with the average of $16^{\circ}$. D. paniculata was generally distributed on talus deposits and low adjacent slopes. The average number of individual plants per small quadrat was 12.5 with the mean density $0.5stems\;m^{-2}$. The vegetative reproduction was frequent in D. paniculata and mean flowering rate was as low as 15%. Altogether 138 taxa were found in whole observation area with the dominant tree species mainly spring ephemerals, such as Cornus controversa (importance value: 25.5%) and Fraxinus rhynchophylla (importance value: 15.8%). Although, C. controversa usually grows on steep slopes and F. rhynchophylla mostly distributed at high-altitudes, however, both species distributed in disturbed environments and among talus deposits. Thus based on our results, we concluded that D. paniculata is a disturbance-prone species, primarily existing in habitats subjected to natural disturbances, such as floods. The species occurs less at anthropogenically disturbed sites, thus there is no apparent threat to the populations and habitat of D. paniculata.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2005

This study is aimed to inspect how the different sensitivities in Behavioral activation system(BAS) and behavioral inhibition system(BIS) modulate on the properties of physiological responses stimulated by positive or negative affective sound. We measured the electroencephalogram(EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) of 32 students, consisted of four groups depending on the BAS and BIS sensitivities, during listening to meditation music or noise. The EEG was recorded at Fpl and Fp2 sites and Power spectral density(PSD) of HRV was derived from the ECG, and the power of HRV was calculated for 3 major frequency ranges(low frequency[LF], medium frequency and high frequency[HF]). After listening to music or noise, subjects reported the affect induced by the sound. For EEG, the power in the alpha band at Fp2, especially in the alpha-2 band(9.0-11.0 Hz) increased during the subjects listening to music, while the power at Fpl increased during noise. During listening to meditation music, there is a tendency that the left-sided activation in prefrontal cortex(PFC) is positively correlated with the difference of BAS(Z)-BIS(Z). During listening to noise, there is a tendency that the right-sided activation in PFC is dominant in case any of the sensitivity of BAS or BIS is high. For HRV, we found that the index of MF/(LF+HF), during listening to music, was higher significantly in the individuals with a low BIS but high BAS than in the individuals with a low sensitivity both BIS and BAS individuals. With high BIS, regardless of the BAS sensitivity, the difference of this index values was not significant. From these results we suggest that the physiological responses of different individuals in BAS and BIS react differently under the same emotionally provocative challenge.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.523-532
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• 2015

A variety of previous pharmacological studies have suggested Liriope platyphylla (L. platyphylla) may exert beneficial biological effects on inflammation, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorder, obesity, constipation, and atopic dermatitis. In addition, hydrocolloid membranes (HCMs) have attracted attention in dermatological care, including in the treatment of scleroderma skin ulcers, cutaneous ulcers, permanent tympanic membrane perforations, pressure sores, and decubitus ulcers in the elderly. To investigate the therapeutic effects of HCM containing an aqueous extract of L. platyphylla (HCM-LP) on second-degree burn wounds, their physico-chemical properties were analyzed and the therapeutic effects were observed in SD rats after treatment with HCM-LP for 14 days. Significant declines in tensile strength (38.4%) and absorptiveness (46.3%), as well as an increase in surface roughness (38.1%) were detected in HCM-LP compared with that of HCM. In SD rats with burned skin, the wound diameter was shorter in the HCM-LP treated group than in the GZ group on post-surgical day 14, while the significant improvements in scar tissue reduction, epithelium regeneration, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix deposition were observed in the HCM-LP-treated group during all experimental periods. Overall, these results suggest HCM-LP may accelerate the process of healing the burn injury skin of SD rats through the regulation of angiogenesis and connective tissue formation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.528-533
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• 2009

In the current study, the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated and propagated from the human umbilical cord blood (UCB) were tested for their capabilities of differentiation into chondrocytes in vitro. The mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) collected from UCB were cultured in a low glucose DMEM medium with 10% FBS, L-glutamine and antibiotics. The human MSC colonies were positively stained by PAS reaction. When the immunophenotypes of surface antigens on the MSCs were analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, these cells expressed positively MSC-related antigens of CD 29, CD44, CD 90 and CD105, whereas they did not express antigens of CD14, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD133 and HLA-DR. Following induction these MSCs into chondrocytes in the chondrogenic differentiation medium for 3 weeks or more, the cells were stained positively with safranin O. We clearly confirmed that human MSCs were successfully differentiated into chondrocytes by RT-PCR and immunofluorescent stain of type-II collagen protein. These data also indicate that the isolation, proliferation and differentiation of the hUCB-derived MSCs in vitro can be used for elucidating the mechanisms involved in chondrogenesis. Moreover this differentiation technique can be applied to developing cell-based tissue regeneration or repair damaged tissues.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.634-640
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• 2017

Toxicity and fate assessment is necessary in the evaluation of the environmental, health and safety risks of engineered nanomaaterials (ENMs). Therefore, in order to ensure the reproducibility, reliability and relevance of ENMs toxicity results, stable and monomodal dispersion protocols in toxicity test media are needed. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) are widely used in various products such as cosmetic products, paper, paints etc. In this study, nZnO dispersions in ecotoxicity test media were produced by following a series of steps of modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special publication 1200-5. In addition, natural organic matter (humic acid (HA)) was used as a stabilizing agent to disperse nZnO in the test media. The hydrodynamic diameters (HDD) of the nZnO in dispersion ranged between 150 and 200 nm according to the dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement. Based on these dispersions in ecotoxicity test using ecological species (Oryzias latipes, Daphnia magna, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chironomusus riparius), dispersion protocol was found to have a considerable potential in ecotoxicity test of ENMs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.563-570
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• 1997

Volatile flavor components in the mash of takjus prepared by using different nuruks such as Mucor racemosus nuruk, Rhizopus japonicus nuruk, Aspergillus oryzae nuruk, Aspergillus kawachii nuruk and nuruk (Korean-style bran koji), were identified by using GC and GC-MS. Twenty alcohols, 26 esters, 10 acids, 10 aldehydes and 6 others were found in the mash of takju after 16 days of fermentation. Takju by Aspergillus oryzae nuruk had the most various components of volatile flavor. Fifty-four flavor components including ethanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-hexanol, 2,3-butadienol (D,L), benzeneethanol, acetic acid ethyl ester, succinic acid diethyl ester, butanoic acid monoethyl ester, acetic acid and benzene acetic acid 4-acetyloxy-3-methyl ethyl ester were usually detected in all the treatments. The relative peak area of volatile components was as follows: alcohol $(71.28{\sim}90.23%)$, ester $(0.66{\sim}9.05%)$, acid $(0.2{\sim}0.6%)$ and aldehyde $(0.02{\sim}0.09%)$. Specially, 1-pentanol and hexanoic acid ethyl ester were high in takju made of nuruk (Korean-style bran koji). 1-Hexanol, 1-dodecanol, acetic acid and 1,2-benzene-dicarboxylic acid diprophenyl ester were high in takju made of Mucor racemosus nuruk. 4-Acetyloxy, 3-methyl benzeneacetic acid phenyl ester, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, succinic acid diethylester, butanoic acid monoethyl ester and butanoic acid were higher content in takju by Rhizopus japonicus nuruk. Acetic acid ethyl ester, pentanoic acid and 3-methyl butanoic acid were high in takju that was made of Aspergillus oryzae nuruk. 1-Butanol was high in takju by Aspergillus kawachii nuruk.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2014

Frankliniella occidentalis is attracted to flowers and is a major pest of chrysanthemums. Even when some chrysanthemum plants are not flowering, the ones that have already flowered attract F. occidentalis. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of chrysanthemum as a trap plant that attract F. occidentalis by using an olfactometer. The numbers of F. occidentalis collected from the flowers of pink, wihte and yellow standard chrysanthemums on a tray with wet paper during the flowering period were 18.4, 56.6, and 52.6 respectively; the numbers of F. occidentalis collected from leaves were 7.8, 16.6, and 15.4 respectively. the numbers of F. occidentalis collected from the buds of pink, white and yellow standard chrysanthemums were 15.2, 45.8, and 41.6 respectively; the numbers of F. occidentalis collected from the leaves were 2, 8.8 and 3.4 respectively. In the Y-tube olfactometer test, the number of F. occidentalis attracted to the 2-way arms of the Y-tube was not significantly different for the yellow, red, violet and white flowers. In the four-choice olfactometer test, when the same visual cues and odor cues were provided, the frequency of F. occidentalis was higher in the yellow (10.7) flowers than in the red (1.3), violet (3.7) and white (2.0) flowers. When visual cues with disturbed odor cues, F. occidentalis preferred yellow (10.0) color over red (3.3), violet (1.3) and white (3.0) colors. When the same visual and odor cues, except for yellow visual cues, were provided, F. occidentalis preferred white (8.3) color over red (4.7), violet (4.7) and yellow (2.0) colors. Therefore, F. occidentalis were attracted to buds before the flowering of chrysanthemum plants and attracted to yellow flowers after the flowering.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.445-455
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to identify the structural relationship among students' grit, interest, self-regulation ability, task-commitment and achievement within science learning. Our concern is understanding how grit is related to the other non-cognitive variables, i.e., interest, self-regulation ability, and task-commitment, which are widely known as significant predictors of science achievement. Based on literature review, we evaluated two hypothetical models in the frame of structural equation modeling as follows: first, grit was assumed to mediate relations of interest and self-regulation ability, and interest and task-commitment. Second, grit was assumed to have a direct effect on self-regulation ability and task-commitment independent of interest. In both models, grit was assumed to be indirectly associated with science achievement. A total number of 180 high school students (77 boys, 103 girls) participated in surveys on grit, interest, self-regulation ability, and task-commitment and reported their science test scores on mid-term/final exams. Results revealed that students' grit and interest were indirectly associated with their science achievement with the mediation of their self-regulation and task-commitment. We also found that task-commitment was highly correlated with interest and self-regulation. Furthermore, we found different patterns of correlations within the five variables between female and male students. From these results, we suggested that researchers need to investigate whether students' grit and task-commitment can explain their interest decreasing as they move to higher grade levels, how teachers can help students to maintain their interest in learning science from early childhood, and relationships of these non-cognitive variables and science achievement.