• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.719-728
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• 2021

Melanin pigments are abundantly distributed in mammalian skin, hair, eyes, and nervous system. Under normal physiological conditions, melanin protects the skin against various environmental stresses and acts as a physiological redox buffer to maintain homeostasis. However, abnormal melanin accumulation results in various hyperpigmentation conditions, such as chloasma, freckles, senile lentigo, and inflammatory pigmentation. Tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme, plays an important role in the regulation of the melanin pigment biosynthetic pathway. Although several whitening agents based on tyrosinase inhibition have been developed, their side effects, such as allergies, DNA damage, mutagenesis, and cytotoxicity of melanocytes, limit their applications. In this study, we synthesized 4-chromanone derivatives (MHY compounds) and investigated their ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity. Of these compounds, (E)-3-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)chroman-4-one (MHY1294) more potently inhibited the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase (IC₅₀ = 5.1±0.86 μM) than kojic acid (14.3±1.43 μM), a representative tyrosinase inhibitor. In addition, MHY1294 showed competitive inhibitory action at the catalytic site of tyrosinase and had greater binding affinity at this site than kojic acid. Furthermore, MHY1294 effectively inhibited α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-induced melanin synthesis and intracellular tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells. The results of the present study indicate that MHY1294 may be considered as a candidate pharmacological agent and cosmetic whitening ingredient.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.43
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• pp.293-322
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• 2021

The present study examined the scientific awareness appearing in Korean tokusatsu series by focusing on Vectorman: Warriors of the Earth. As a work representing Korean tokusatsu series, Vectorman: Warriors of the Earth achieved the greatest success among tokusatsu series. This work was released thanks to the continued popularity of Japanese tokusatsu since the mid-1980s and the trend of robot animations. Due to the chronic problems regarding Korean children's programs-the oversupply of imported programs and repeated reruns-the need for domestically produced children's programs has continued to come to the fore. However, as the popularity of Korean animation waned beginning in the mid-1990s, inevitably the burden fr producing animation increased. As a result, Vectorman: Warriors of the Earth was produced as a tokusatsu rather than an animation, and because this was a time when an environment for using special effects technology was being fostered in broadcasting stations, computer visual effects were actively used for the series. The response to the new domestically produced tokusatsu series Vectorman: Warriors of the Earth was explosive. The Vectorman series explained the abilities of cosmic beings by using specific scientific terms such as DNA synthesis, brain cell transformation, and special psychological control device instead of ambiguous words like the scientific technology of space. Although the series is unable to describe in detail about the process and cause, the way it defines technology using concrete terms rather than science fiction shows how scientific imagination is manifesting in specific forms in Korean society. Furthermore, the equal relationship between Vectorman and the aliens shows how the science of space, explained with the scientific terms of earth, is an expression of confidence regarding the advancement of Korean scientific technology which represents earth. However, the female characters fail to gain entry into the domain of science and are portrayed as unscientific beings, revealing limitations in terms of scientific awareness.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.263-275
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• 2023

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) is a species which returns to Korea for spawning and was produced as seed production at the Fisheries Resources Agency located in Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do to preserve the species. However, farmed chum salmon showed symptoms of bacterial infection. Therefore, in this study, bacteria were isolated to identify the causative agent from chum salmon in October 2021. The isolated bacteria were identified based on the sequences of 16S rDNA, rpoD (RNA polymerase sigma factor σ⁷⁰), and vapA (A-layer) genes. Also, salinity-growth curve, biochemical characterization, antibiotic susceptibility test, and pathogenicity analysis were performed in four strains. As a result, four isolated strains were identified as Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida. Additionally, the bacterial strains showed a decrease in growth as the salt concentration increased in the medium. All of the isolated strains exhibited γ-hemolysis, and the same biochemical properties. In the antimicrobial susceptibility test, all strains showed an inhibition zone of 40 to 44 mm for oxolinic acid, flumequine, and florfenicol. Pathogenic factors were assessed by RT-PCR at the mRNA level, and found that the four strains expresses the outer membrane ring of T3SS (ascV), inner membrane ring of T3SS (ascC), vapA, enterotoxin (act), and lipase (lip) genes which are well known to significantly contribute to the pathogenicity of A. salmonicida. The results of this study can be used as basic data to prevent A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida occurring in sea-chum salmon in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2024

Redox factor (Ref)-1, a ubiquitously expressed protein, acts as a modulator of redox-sensitive tran- scription factors and as an endonuclease in the repair pathway of damaged DNA. However, the function of Ref-1 in the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages has not been defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ref-1 on the monocyte differentiation process using the human monocytic cell line THP-1. The differentiation agent PMA increased cell adhesion over time and showed a sig- nificant increase in phagocytic function but decreased the intracellular amount of Ref-1. Ref-1 inhibitor E3330 and Ref-1 knockdown using the siRNA technique reduced cell adhesion and the expression of differentiation markers, such as CD14, ICAM-1, and CD11b, by PMA stimulation. This means that the role of Ref-1 is absolutely necessary in the initial process of differentiating THP-1 cells stimulated by PMA. Next, the distribution of Ref-1 was examined in the cytoplasm and nucleus of THP-1 cells stimulated with PMA. Surprisingly, PMA stimulation resulted in the rapid translocation of Ref-1 to the nucleus. To prove that movement of Ref-1 to the nucleus is required for monocyte differentiation, a Ref-1 vector with the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) deleted was used. As a result, overexpression of ∆NLS Ref-1, which restricted movement to the nucleus, suppressed the expression of differentiation markers and notably reduced phagocytic function in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that the differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells requires Ref-1 nuclear translocation during the initial process of biochemical events following stimulation from PMA.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.24-33
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• 2009

Objectives: In September 2008, an outbreak of diarrhea occurred among students attending Y school in Yeongcheon-si. Shigella sonnei was cultured from some of the rectal swabs. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to determine the source of the infection and the mode of transmission of the shigellosis outbreak. Methods: The index case lived in the D rehabilitation facility in Gyeongsan-si and an additional epidemiological investigation was carried out there. The cases could not be questioned due to their mental handicaps. The teachers were interviewed instead. A patient case was defined as a resident with diarrhea more than one time a day from September 18 to September 26, 2008 or a resident with confirmed Shigella sonnei at the Y school or the D rehabilitation facility. Results: The attack rate was 1.2% (8 persons) among 659 persons in the Y school and D rehabilitation facility. Five persons were microbiologically confirmed to have the infection and three persons were diagnosed on the basis of symptoms. Shigella sonnei was cultured from five of the 659 rectal swabs. However, 80 environmental specimens including drinking water, preserved foods, and cooking utensils were negative. All eight patients were Y school students and had been living in group boarding and lodging. Six of them lived in the D rehabilitation facility and two lived in the dormitory at the Y school. Five cases showed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns that were identical for Shigella sonnei. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the infection source of the shigellosis outbreak, in the two places, were identical. It is likely that the infections initially spread from a teacher or volunteer and then among the students.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.584-588
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• 2010

Clusterin is an 80 kDa heterodimetric glycosylated protein which plays diverse biological roles in various tissues and organs. Clusterin is reported to be associated with the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated the genotype for the T

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.925-931
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• 2015

We performed a molecular marker-based analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for traits that determine the quality of the appearance of grains, using 120 doubled-haploid (DH) lines developed by another culture from the F1 cross between ‘Cheongcheong’ (Oryza sativa L. ssp. Indica) and ‘Nagdong’ (Oryza sativa L. ssp. Japonica). The traits studied included length, width, and thickness of the grains, as well as length-to-width ratio and 1,000-grain weight. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic control of these traits in order to formulate a strategy for improving the appearance of this hybrid. Within the DH population, five traits exhibited wide variation, with mean values occurring within the range of the two parents. Three QTLs were identified for grain length on chromosomes 2, 5, and 7. Three QTLs were mapped for grain width on chromosome 2: qGW2-1, qGW2-2, and qGW2-3. Six chromosomes were identified for the grain length-to-width ratio; four of these were on chromosome 2, whereas the other two were on chromosomes 7 and 12. One QTL influencing 1,000-grain weight was identified and located on chromosome 8. The results presented in the present study should facilitate rice-breeding, especially for improved hybrid-rice quality.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.259-265
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• 2012

A bacterial strain, CK214, exhibiting high motility on an LB agar (1.5%, w/v) surface was isolated from the environment. The formation of unusual agar shrinking around colonies on agar plates was observed. The strain grew on minimal media containing pure agar as a sole carbon source. The cell-free culture supernatant of CK214 generated a reduced form of sugar in the in vitro reaction with the use of pure agar as a substrate, suggesting the secretion of an agar-degrading enzyme. The CK214 strain showed swarming motility on the solid media containing a wide range of concentrations of agar (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0% w/v). Various tests, including Gram staining, API analysis, and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences identified that the CK214 strain was a G(+) rod-shaped bacterium grouped in genus Paenibacillus. Electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that the P. CK214 strain is peritrichously flagellated. Through transposon random mutagenesis, several agar-degrading activity defective mutants (ADMs) were generated. These mutants will be used in the future experimentation for the study of the correlation between agar-degrading activity and motility.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.886-893
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• 2013

Several indigenous sulfite-resistant yeasts were isolated at the microbial succession stage of yeast flora during spontaneous fermentation of Campbell Early grapes using a YPD plate that contained 200 mg/L or 500 mg/L potassium metabisulfite. When they were applied to the wine fermentation using the Campbell Early grape and apple juices, strains S13 and D8 showed strong alcohol fermentation and good flavor production. They were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the phylogenetic analysis based on their ITS 1-5.8S-ITS II DNA sequences. The two yeast strains grew to a high cell density in the YPD media supplemented with 40%(w/v) glucose. They also grew rapidly in the YPD media at $40^{\circ}C$. While strain S13 showed some differences in cell density at the two temperatures, no marked difference was observed during the culture of strain D8. The strains grew relatively well at pH 5.0 and 9.0 compared with pH 7.0, which was the optimum pH for their growth. Especially, strain S13 cultivated in the YPD media at pH 9.0 grew to 93% of the growth of strain D8, which was obtained at pH 7.0.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.311-312
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• 2012

본 발표에서는 광학적 분석 시스템에 적용 가능한 발광소자(광원)과 수광소자(광센서)를 집적화시키는 모듈(수 발광 집적모듈) 기술을 제시하고자 한다. 이러한 수-발광 집적모듈은 다양한 응용 분야에 적용 될 수 있다. 예를 들어, 광신호 감지를 위한 광통신용 송-수신 모듈(optical communication), 의료/진단 분야에서 단백질/DNA/박테리아 등의 검출 및 분석에 관한 바이오 센서(bio-sensor), 그리고 대기(가스)/수질 모니터링에 관한 환경센서 등 매우 광범위한 분야에 해당되는 요소 기술이라 할 수 있다. 특히, 이들 분야들 중 바이오 물질을 분석하고 검출하는 광학적 바이오 센서 기술은 높은 경제적 가치와 산업적 성장 잠재력으로 인해 오랫동안 활발한 연구가 진행되어 오고 있다. 이러한 광학적 바이오 센서에서 가장 범용적인 방법 중 하나가 항온-항체 면역반응을 기반으로 하는 형광 검출(fluorescence detection) 기법이다. 이러한 시스템은 전체적으로 광원, 광학계, 그리고 센서로 구성되는데 기존에 일반적으로 사용되고 있는 형광 현미경의 경우는 민감도가 우수하다는 장점은 있으나 상당히 고가이고 부피가 크며 복잡한 광학구성으로 이루어져 있다는 한계점을 가지고 있다. 이러한 맥락에서 고민감도를 확보하면서 휴대성, 고속처리, 저가 등의 특성을 가진 시스템에 대한 요구가 갈수록 증가하고 있다. 이를 해결하기 위한 핵심기술 중의 하나가 수-발광 부분을 집적화 시키는 기술이라 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 바이오 센서 기술의 하나로서 형광을 측정하여 혈액내의 진단 지표인자를 검출할 수 있는 휴대용 혈액진단기기에 적용되는 소형 수 발광 집적 모듈을 개발하였다. 혈액내의 검출 성분의 양에 따라 형광의 세기가 변화하게 됨으로써 정량적인 검출이 가능한 원리이다. 모듈의 구조는 크게 광원(발광소자), 광학계, 그리고 광센서(수광소자) 세 영역으로 나누어 진다. 광원은 635 nm 적색 레이저다이오드로서 형광체(Alexa Fluor 647/발광파장: 668 nm)를 여기 시키는 기능을 하며 장착된 볼렌즈 의해 샘플의 형광체 영역으로 집광된다. 광학계는 크게 시준렌즈(collimating lens)와 광학필터로 구성됨으로써 샘플로부터 발생되는 광을 적절하게 수광소자로 전달하는 기능을 하게 된다. 여기서 광학필터의 경우는 기본적으로 Distributed Bragg's Reflector(DBR) 구조로써 실리콘(Si) 포토다이오드 상부에 모노리식(monolithic)하게 형성되며 검출 샘플로부터 진행되는 레이저 광(잡음의 주원인)은 차단하고 형광(광신호)만 통과 시키는 기능을 하게 된다. 따라서 신호 대 잡음비(S/N ratio)를 향상시키기 위해서는 정밀한 광 필터링 기능이 요구됨으로써 박막의 세밀한 공정 조건과 구조적-광학적 특성 분석이 수행되었다. 마지막으로 포토다이오드 소자는 일반적인 구조 이외에 중앙에 원형 구멍이 형성된 특별한 구조가 적용된다. 이것은 포토다이오드 구조에 변화를 줌으로써 모듈 구조를 효율적으로 응용할 수 있다는 의미를 갖는다. 또한 포토다이오드의 전기적-광학적 측정 분석을 통해 잡음 및 감도 특성이 세부적으로 조사되며 형광신호를 효과적으로 측정할 수 있음을 확인하였다. 최종적으로 제작된 모듈은 약 $1{\times}1{\times}1cm^3$ 내외 정도의 크기를 갖는다. 요약하자면 본 발표에서는 광학적 바이오센서에 적용할 수 있는 소형 수-발광 소자 집적모듈을 소개한다. 전체 모듈 설계는 최소한의 부피를 가짐과 동시에 측정의 정밀성을 향상시키는데 초점을 맞추어 진행하였다. 세부요소인 광학필터와 포트다이오드의 경우 잡음 및 민감도에 미치는 중요성 때문에 세밀한 공정 및 특성분석이 수행되었다. 결론적으로 독자적인 설계 및 공정을 통해 휴대성 및 정밀성 등의 목적에 부합한 경쟁력 있는 수-발광 소자 집적모듈 제작 기술을 확보하였다.