• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2007

In this study, we constructed and tested retrovirus vectors designed to express the human thrombopoietin gene under the control of the tetracycline-inducible promoters. To increase the hTPO gene expression at him-on state, WPRE sequence was also introduced into retrovirus vector at downstream region of either the hTPO gene or the sequence encoding reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator (rtTA). Primary culture cells (PFF, porcine fetal fibroblast; CEF, chicken embryonic fibroblast) infected with the recombinant retrovirus were cultured in the medium supplemented with or without doxycycline for 48hr, and induction efficiency was measured by comparing the hTPO gene expression level using RT-PCR, western blot and ELISA. Higher hPTO expression and tighter expression control were observed from the vector in which the WPRE sequence was placed at downstream of the hTPO (in CEF) or rtTA(in PFF) gene. This resulting tetracycline inducible vector system may be helpful in solving serious physiological disturbance problems which have been a major obstacle in successful production of transgenic animals.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-121
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• 2010

We conducted a sensitivity test of Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), in which the influence of biophysical parameters on the simulation of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (RE) was investigated for two typical ecosystems in Korea. For this test, we employed the whole-year observation of eddy-covariance fluxes measured in 2006 at two KoFlux sites: (1) a deciduous forest in complex terrain in Gwangneung and (2) a farmland with heterogeneous mosaic patches in Haenam. Our analysis showed that the simulated GPP was most sensitive to the maximum rate of RuBP carboxylation and leaf nitrogen concentration for both ecosystems. RE was sensitive to wood biomass parameter for the deciduous forest in Gwangneung. For the mixed farmland in Haenam, however, RE was most sensitive to the maximum rate of RuBP carboxylation and leaf nitrogen concentration like the simulated GPP. For both sites, the JULES model overestimated both GPP and RE when the default values of input parameters were adopted. Considering the fact that the leaf nitrogen concentration observed at the deciduous forest site was only about 60% of its default value, the significant portion of the model's overestimation can be attributed to such a discrepancy in the input parameters. Our finding demonstrates that the abovementioned key biophysical parameters of the two ecosystems should be evaluated carefully prior to any simulation and interpretation of ecosystem carbon exchange in Korea.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.149-159
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• 2017

We investigated the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of oyster shell as the possible substitute for the limestone used as an absorbent of $SO_2$ gas. The oyster shells from Taean and Tongyeong were used for the comparison with limestone and those from Boyreong and Yeosu were additionally investigated. XRD results show that all shells are composed of calcite with the exception of the myostracum layer attached to adductor muscle and ligament, which is composed of aragonite. The marine sediments as impurities exist on the surface of shells or as inclusions in the shells. Calcite is the main mineral composition of the shell of barnacle which is also one of the impurities. The oyster shell is composed of three main layers; prismatic, foliated, and chalk. The oyster shell from Tongyeong with the largest shell size, has the smallest thickness of prismatic and foliated layers which contain protein called conchiolin, whereas that from Taean with the smallest shell size has the largest prismatic and foliated layers. The sizes of those two layers of the shells from Boryeong and Yeosu are larger than that from Tongyeong but smaller than Taean. Those differences are supposed to be due to the different growth environments because the oysters from Tongyeong are cultured under the sea while those from Taean are in the tidal zone. The oyster shells generally show higher amount of sulfur and phosphorus than limestone, mainly due to the composition of protein. Some elements such as Mg show significant variations in different layers. As for trace elements, Li shows much higher amount in oyster shells than limestone, suggesting the influence of the composition of the sea water on the formation of the oyster shells.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.28
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• pp.103-131
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• 2017

As the establishment of self-identity is based on 'Relationships of Mutual Beneficence,' the formation of 'Relationships of Mutual Beneficence' is the only road to the security and confirmation of self-existence. But given that our ordinary life almost entirely consists of actions objectifying others, the formation of 'Relationships of Mutual Beneficence' is by no means easy. The formation of 'Relationships of Mutual Beneficence' should be based on morality, controlling self-desire, and not objectifying others. Philosophy based on a priori reasoning describes self-control over selfdesire as the domination of the body through a priori reasoning. But this practical philosophy cannot present a self-evidential internal motivation behind moral actions. Due to this, the application of moral order given by a priori reasoning in response to reality is likely to be reinterpreted on basis of self-interest. With regards to this, the 'propensity towards sympathy' is given as new moral norm. The 'propensity towards sympathy' as emotion is direct and consistent given that feeling occurs prior to thinking. The 'propensity towards sympathy' is intuitive in the sense that it is an instinctual response preceeding a reasoned judgment. The 'propensity towards sympathy,' as a natural moral emotion, is self-validating given that all human beings know it and practice it. But previous studies on the 'propensity towards sympathy' have an obvious limitation because they adopt phenomenological approaches to the 'propensity towards sympathy' which eschew the investigation of morality. Though they present the 'propensity towards sympathy' as a natural emotion based on body rather than reason, they do not philosophically explain the 'propensity towards sympathy.' Thus the 'propensity towards sympathy' as a natural moral emotion is likely to be interpreted as a subjective and relative moral norm. This paper philosophically explains that the 'propensity towards sympathy' is a universal moral norm on the basis of Merleau-Ponty's 'flesh.' 'Flesh' is formed as the entanglement between oneself and others and presents the 'propensity towards sympathy' as its philosophical basis. In other words, 'flesh' formed as the mixture or entanglement between oneself and others is the material foundation upon which one can activate the 'propensity towards sympathy.' This paper's approach to the 'propensity of sympathy' can be desribed as a phenomenological approach to the 'propensity towards sympathy' as a universal moral norm.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.45-51
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• 1975

The morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of planosols in Korea were studied in an effort to establish the suitabilition of the planosols for agricultural development. The Yeongog series which are planosols were established in Korea. Results from the Yeongog series are briefly as follows : 1. Morphologically, the surface soils are brown to dark brown friable loam and subsoils are of varied colors but mainly are dark brown, black and pale brown mottles. The texture of these horizons are silty clay loam with moderate to strong platy structure and clay cutans are on the ped faces. The consistences of these horizons are extremely compact and hard when moist and sticky, plastic when wet. The substrata show varied soil colors and loam to clay loam. 2. Physically, the clay content of the Yeongog soils is highest in the subsoils and gradually decreases below the subsoils. Water holding capacity and bulk desity is higher than in other mineral soils. 3. Chemically, the organic matter content is low and soil reaction ranges from very strongly to strongly acid. The cation exchange capacity is medium and base saturation a high. Active iron, easily reducible manganese and available silicate are high compared with normal soils. 4. In chemical composition of clay fraction of the Yeongog series, sesquioxide ratio, $Fe_2O_3$, $K_2O$ and MgO are high. The cation exchange capacity of the clay fraction is also very high. 5. The clay minerals in Yeongog series are mainly kaoline, vermiculite with Al interlayers and illite. The quarts, primary minerals are in the Yeongog soils. 6. These soils are formed in a warm, humid climate under native grasses on the terraces and rolling or hilly footslopes. In soil classification, the Yeongog soils are classified planosols with claypan. According to 7th approximation system in U.S.A., the Yeongog series are classified as Fragiudalfs because they have an argillic horizon, a hard pan and a high base saturation which is more than 35 percent and classified as Eutric Planosols by FAO/UNESCO classification system.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2005

Background : Continuous growth stimulation by various factors, as well as chronic oxidative stress, may co-exist in many solid tumors, such as lung cancer. A new family of antioxidant proteins, the peroxiredoxins (Prxs), have been implicated in the regulation of many cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. However, a real pathophysiological significance of Prx proteins, especially in lung disease, has not been sufficiently defined. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the distribution and expression of various Prx isoforms in lung cancer and other pulmonary conditions. Method : Patients diagnosed with lung cancer, and who underwent surgery at the Ajou Medical Center, were enrolled. The expressions of Prxs, Thioredoxin (Trx) and Thioredoxin reductase (TR) were analyzed using proteomic techniques and the subcellular localization of Prx proteins was studied using immunohistochemistry on normal mouse lung tissue. Result : Immunohistochemical staining has shown the isoforms of Prx I, II, III and V are predominantly expressed in bronchial and alveolar lining epithelia, as well as in the alveolar macrophages of the normal mouse lung. The isoforms of Prx I and III, and thioredoxin were also found to be over-expressed in the lung cancer tissues compared to their paired normal lung controls. There was also an increased amount of the oxidized form of Prx I, as well as a putative truncated form of Prx III, in the lung cancer samples when analyzed using 2-dimensional electrophoresis. In addition, a 43 kDa intermediate molecular weight protein band, and other high molecular weight bands of over 20 kDa, recognized by the anti-Prx I antibody, were present in the tissue extracts of lung cancer patients on 1-Dimensional electrophoresis, which require further investigation. Conclusion : The over-expressions of Prx I and III, and Trx in human lung cancer tissue, as well as their possible chaperoning function, may represent an attempt by tumor cells to adjust to their microenvironment in a manner advantageous to their survival and proliferation, while maintaining their malignant potential.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.46 no.1 s.145
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• pp.51-56
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• 2007

The two species of rice bugs causing pecky rice, Cletus punctiger and Cletus schmidti are often observed coexisting in the rice fields of nearby fallow land. Direct feeding damage to rice by C. punctiger and C. schmidti can lead to a reduction in grain quality and quantity. These studies were carried out to investigate the development of C. punctiger and C. schmidti at various constant temperatures ranging from 20 to $30^{\circ}C$, 65% RH, and a photoperiod of 16L:8D. Egg hatchability of C. punctiger/C. schmidti at the temperatures of 20, 25 and $30^{\circ}C$ were 80.6/88.0, 91.7/96.3, 96.4/96.2%, respectively. The development periods of eggs of C. punctiger/C. schmidti at the temperatures of 20, 25, and $30^{\circ}C$ were 16.4/18.4, 9.4/10.2 and 6.4/7.3 days, respectively. Mean developmental periods of 1 st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th nymphs of C. punctiger/c. schmidti at $30^{\circ}C$ were 2.1/2.0, 3.5/4.0, 3.3/5.6, 3.2/4.8 and 5.8/6.9 days, respectively. Oviposition began 8.1 days after emergence at $25^{\circ}C$, and the longevity of female and male were 120.0 and 117.3 days, respectively. Total number of eggs through the life of female were 245.5 laying 2.2 eggs a day in average at $25^{\circ}C$. The development periods of egg and nymphs of C. punctiger were relatively shorter than those of C. schmidti. Availability of male had affected the egg hatchability greatly that laid at 30th day after 60 days period of oviposition in the presence of adult male of C. punctiger. The fertile eggs laid by the female together with male was 92.1% but those without male was only 9.6%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1568-1575
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• 2008

This study was performed to determine alleviating effects of green tea (GT) on the N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) toxicity to mucins in the rat lingual salivary glands. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: untreated (Control), one week-NDMA administrated (NDMA), one week-GT administrated after NDMA for one week (NDMAGT), one week-NDMA administrated with GT (GTNDMA), and one-week NDMA administrated with GT after GT for one week (GTGTNDMA). The mucin properties were elucidated by periodic acid Schiff (PAS) reaction, alcian blue (AB) pH 2.5, AB pH 2.5-PAS, aldehyde fuchsin (AF) pH 1.7-AB pH 2.5, and high iron diamine (HID)-AB pH 2.5 staining. The lingual von Ebner's glands of NDMA group showed some changes such as contraction and destruction of the serous acini, decrease and disappearance of the cytoplasmic granules, vacuolation of cytoplasm, and the mucigenous duct cells. Also, in the lingual mucous glands, enlarged lumens, fused acini, disappearance of granules, vacuolation of cytoplasm, and mucigenous duct cells were observed. All the GT administrated groups had a tendency to recover. GTGTNDMA group recovered almost up to the state of the control group. The lingual von Ebner's glands of NDMA group showed a decrease of neutral mucin and the lingual mucous glands showed a decrease of both neutral and acidic mucins decreased in comparison with control group, although mucous acini secreting strong sulfomucin decreased while those secreting non-sulfomucin (sialomucin) increased. All the GT administrated groups had a tendency to recover. The degree of recovery in the GTNDMA group was stronger than in NDMAGT group and that of the GTGTNDMA group was almost up to the state of the control group. Plus, lingual von Ebner's glands of GTGTNDMA group contained much more neutral mucin than in the control group. In conclusion, it is suggested that NDMA exhibit the toxicity which affects on the mucin properties and which green tea alleviates.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.718-725
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• 2018

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been implicated in cell proliferation and apoptosis in several types of cancer. In this study, the impact of TLR4 activation on apoptotic cell death in gynecologic cancers induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated. Cervical cancer cell lines were produced from isolated surgical specimens supplied by Paik Hospital. The primary cultures of normal myometrium and gynecologic cancers, including cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, were used to examine the differences in morphological characteristics between normal and cancerous cells. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to determine the relative expression levels of TLR4 gene involved in apoptosis-associated signaling in cervical cancer cells. The cancer cell colonies showed a tendency to reach high levels of confluency compared with normal cells. In addition, an enhanced growth rate and loss of contact inhibition were observed in gynecologic cancer cells compared with normal cells (doubling times of 16.6 hr vs. 26 hr, respectively). The expression level of ITGA5, an alpha-5 integrin marker, was upregulated in normal myometrial cells, but this tendency was not exhibited in cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, p53 tumor suppressor gene expression was upregulated, whereas TLR4 and caspase-3 gene expressions were downregulated in cervical cancer cells. Notably, the expression levels of TLR4 and caspase-3 were increased significantly in LPS-treated cancer cells compared with those in non-LPS-treated cells. These results suggest that the TLR4-mediated caspase-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway could be suggested as a therapeutic target for the treatment of gynecologic cancers, including cervical cancers.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1996

I. Project Title A Study of Brachytherapy for intraocular tumor II. Objective and Importance of the project The eye enucleation or external-beam radiation therapy that has been commonly used for the treatment of intraocular tumor have demerits of visual loss and in deficiency of effective tumor dose. Recently, brachytherapy using the plaques containing radioisotope-now treatment method that decrease the demerits of the above mentioned treatment methods and increase the treatment effect-is introduced and performed in the countries, Our purpose of this research is to design suitable shape of plaque for the ophthalmic brachytherapy, and to measure absorbed doses of Ir-192 ophthalmic plaque and thereby calculate the exact radiation dose of tumor and it's adjacent normal tissue. III. Scope and Contents of the project In order to brachytherapy for intraocular tumor, 1. to determine the eye model and selected suitable radioisotope 2. to design the suitable shape of plaque 3. to measure transmission factor and dose distribution for custom made plaques 4. to compare with the these data and results of computer dose calculation models IV. Results and Proposal for Applications The result were as followed. 1. Eye model was determined as a 25mm diameter sphere, Ir-192 was considered the most appropriate as radioisotope for brachytherapy, because of the size, half, energy and availability. 2. Considering the biological response with human tissue and protection of exposed dose, we made the plaques with gold, of which size were 15mm, 17mm and 20mm in diameter, and 1.5mm in thickness. 3. Transmission factor of plaques are all 0.71 with TLD and film dosimetry at the surface of plaques and 0.45, 0.49 at 1.5mm distance of surface, respectively. 4. As compared the measured data for the plaque with Ir-192 seeds to results of computer dose calculation model by Gary Luxton et al. and CAP-PLAN (Radiation Treatment Planning System), absorbed doses are within ${\pm}10\%$ and distance deviations are within 0.4mm Maximum error is $-11.3\%$ and 0.8mm, respectively. As a result of it, we can treat the intraocular tumor more effectively by using custom made gold plaque and Ir-192 seeds.