• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.416-422
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• 2008

This study was performed to design and construct a digital soil shear stress sensor in order to replace the conventional devices for measuring soil shear property. The developed digital shear stress measuring device can store measured data with GPS position information as a vector format into a computer. Based on the experiments at various field conditions, the measuring characteristic of the device was quite similar to that of a conventional device, SR-2 that has been a major tool to measure the soil shear property. It was concluded that the digital shear stress measuring device was an effective and comprehensive sensor for measuring soil shear property.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권8호
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• pp.854-857
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• 2011

POMT7, which is an O-methyltransferase from poplar, transfers a methyl group to several flavonoids that contain a 7-hydroxyl group. POMT7 has been shown to have a higher affinity toward quercetin, and the reaction product rhamnetin has been shown to inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid. Thus, rhamnetin holds great promise for use in therapeutic applications; however, methods for mass production of this compound are not currently available. In this study, quercetin was biotransformed into rhamnetin using Escherichia coli expressing POMT7, with the goal of developing an approach for mass production of rhamnetin. In order to maximize the production of rhamnetin, POMT7 was subcloned into four different E. coli expression vectors, each of which was maintained in E. coli with a different copy number, and the best expression vector was selected. In addition, the S-adenosylmethionine biosynthesis pathway was engineered for optimal cofactor production. Through the combination of optimized POMT7 expression and cofactor production, the production of rhamnetin was increased up to 111 mg/l, which is approximately 2-fold higher compared with the E. coli strain containing only POMT7.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.317-324
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• 2012

We characterized the cytoskeletal beta-actin (${\beta}$-ACT) gene (actb) and its 5'-upstream regulatory region in the Javanese ricefish Oryzias javanicus. The gene and protein structures were deduced from amino acid sequences of the actb gene and conserved in the teleost lineage. The O. javanicus actb gene has common transcription factor binding motifs in its regulatory region found in teleostean orthologues. Following quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, actb gene transcripts were detected in all tissues examined; however, the basal expression levels were different. During early development, O. javanicus actb mRNA levels showed a gradual increase and peaked between late somitogenesis and the heartbeat stage. Microinjection of O. javanicus embryos with the actb gene promoter-driven red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene reporter vector showed a ubiquitous distribution of RFP signals, although most exhibited a mosaic pattern of transgene expression. A small number of microinjected embryos displayed a wide distribution of RFP signals over their entire body, which resembled the expression pattern of endogenous actb. Data from this study provide a basis to develop a transgenic system with ubiquitous expression of foreign genes in O. javanicus.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.92-103
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• 2022

The development of midinfrared (mid-IR) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has enabled rapid high-contrast measurement of the mid-IR spectra of biological tissues. Several studies have compared the differences between the mid-IR spectra of colon cancer and noncancerous colon tissues. Most mid-IR spectrum classification studies have been proposed as machine-learning-based algorithms, but this results in deviations depending on the initial data and threshold values. We aim to develop a process for classifying colon cancer and noncancerous colon tissues through a deep-learning-based convolutional-neural-network (CNN) model. First, we image the midinfrared spectrum for the CNN model, an image-based deep-learning (DL) algorithm. Then, it is trained with the CNN algorithm and the classification ratio is evaluated using the test data. When the tissue microarray (TMA) and routine pathological slide are tested, the ML-based support-vector-machine (SVM) model produces biased results, whereas we confirm that the CNN model classifies colon cancer and noncancerous colon tissues. These results demonstrate that the CNN model using midinfrared-spectrum images is effective at classifying colon cancer tissue and noncancerous colon tissue, and not only submillimeter-sized TMA but also routine colon cancer tissue samples a few tens of millimeters in size.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.132-138
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• 2010

B. pseudomycoides로 부터 alanine racemase로 추정되는 유전자를 분리한 다음 6xHistidine 이 결합된 pET-21 운반체를 이용하여 E. coli BL21(DE3)에서 발현시키고 생화학 특성을 조사하였다. 재조합된 alanine racemase는 affinity chromatography를 이용하여 분리하였으며 SDS-PAGE 분석에서 약 46 kDa의 단일밴드를 나타내었다. 분리된 효소는 여러 아미노산 중에서 L-alanine에 대하여 가장 높은 활성도를 보이고 D-alanine에 대하여 두번째로 높은 활성도를 보였다. 따라서 분리된 효소는 alanine racemase로 판단되었다. 분리된 효소는 D-cysteine에 하여 상당히 저해가 되었다. 효소의 최적 활성도는 pH 9.0 근처에서 관찰되었고 산성의 조건보다는 알칼리의 조건에서 보다 안정하였다. 보효소인 PLP 0.3mM의 첨가에 의해 효소의 활성도는 약 70% 가량 증대되었다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.195-200
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• 2004

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF family and potent inducer of apoptosis. TRAIL has been shown to effectively limit tumor growth in vivo without detectable cytotoxic side effects. Interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$ often modulates the anti-cancer activities of TNF family members including TRAIL. We previously reported that IFN-${\gamma}$ enhanced TRAIL-induced Apoptosis in HeLa cells without the unknown mechanism. In this study, we investigated whether IRF-1 involves in IFN-${\gamma}$-enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis. We exposed HeLa cells to IFN-${\gamma}$ for 12 hours and then treated with recombinant TRAIL protein. No apoptosis was induced in cells pretreated with IFN-${\gamma}$, and TRAIL only induced 30% apoptosis after 3 hours treatment. In HeLa cells pretreated with IFN-${\gamma}$, TRAIL induced cell death to more than 75% at 3 hours, showed that IFN-${\gamma}$-pretreatment enhanced HeLa cell death to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. To investigate the functional role of IRF-1 in IFN-${\gamma}$-enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis, IRF-1 was overexpressed by using an adenoviral vector AdIRF-1. IRF-1 overexpression increased apoptotic cell death and significantly enhanced apoptotic cell death induced by TRAIL when infected cells were treated with TRAIL. Our findings show that IFN-${\gamma}$ enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis by IRF-1 in HeLa cells.

• Mycobiology
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.160-171
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• 2017

Larvae of Bradysia agrestis, an insect vector that transports plant pathogens, were sampled from geographically isolated regions in Korea to identify their cutaneous fungal and bacterial flora. Sampled areas were chosen within the distribution range of B. agrestis; each site was more than 91 km apart to ensure geographical segregation. We isolated 76 microbial (fungi and bacteria) strains (site 1, 29; site 2, 29; site 3, 18 strains) that were identified on the basis of morphological differences. Species identification was molecularly confirmed by determination of universal fungal internal transcribed spacer and bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in comparison to sequences in the EzTaxon database and the NCBI GenBank database, and their phylogenetic relationships were determined. The fungal isolates belonged to 2 phyla, 5 classes, and 7 genera; bacterial species belonged to 23 genera and 32 species. Microbial diversity differed significantly among the geographical groups with respect to Margalef's richness (3.9, 3.6, and 4.5), Menhinick's index (2.65, 2.46, and 3.30), Simpson's index (0.06, 0.12, and 0.01), and Shannon's index (2.50, 2.17, and 2.58). Although the microbial genera distribution or diversity values clearly varied among geographical groups, common genera were identified in all groups, including the fungal genus Cladosporium, and the bacterial genera Bacillus and Rhodococcus. According to classic principles of co-evolutionary relationship, these genera might have a closer association with their host insect vector B. agrestis than other genera identified. Some cutaneous bacterial genera (e.g., Pseudomonas) displaying weak interdependency with insect vectors may be hazardous to agricultural environments via mechanical transmission via B. agrestis. This study provides comprehensive information regarding the cutaneous microflora of B. agrestis, which can help in the control of such pests for crop management.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.94-100
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• 2011

Bacillus licheniformis로 부터 phospholipase D (PLD)로 추정되는 유전자를 PCR 기술을 이용하여 분리하여 pGEM-T easy 운반체에 cloning 하였다. 분리된 유전자는 His6가 붙은 pET-21 운반체를 이용하여 E. coli BL21 (DE3)에서 발현시켰다. 재 조합된 PLD는 nikel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) resin을 갖는 column을 이용하여 affinity chromatography로 분리하였다. SDS-PAGE 분석 결과 PLD로 추정되는 단백질은 약 44 kDa의 주요 단일밴드를 나타내었다. 분리된 효소의 최적 활성도는 pH 7.0에서 나타났으며 이 조건에서 또한 효소가 제일 안정되었다. 효소활성에 미치는 최적 온도는 $40-45^{\circ}C$의 온도에서 형성되어 비교적 높은 온도를 나타내었으며 비교적 넓은 범위의 온도에서 상당히 높은 효소 활성도를 나타내었다. 여러 가지 detergent 중에서 Triton X-100을 0.6 mM까지 첨가할 경우 PLD의 효소활성도는 점진적으로 증가하여 대조구 대비 최대 181%의 효소 활성도를 나타내었다.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.268-280
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• 2011

Background: Dengue virus, which belongs to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, causes fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) with infection risk of 2.5 billion people worldwide. However, approved vaccines are still not available. Here, we explored the immune responses induced by alternating prime-boost vaccination using DNA vaccine, adenovirus, and vaccinia virus expressing E protein of dengue virus type 2 (DenV2). Methods: Following immunization with DNA vaccine (pDE), adenovirus (rAd-E), and/or vaccinia virus (VV-E) expressing E protein, E protein-specific IgG and its isotypes were determined by conventional ELISA. Intracellular CD154 and cytokine staining was used for enumerating CD4+ T cells specific for E protein. E protein-specific CD8+ T cell responses were evaluated by in vivo CTL killing activity and intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$ staining. Results: Among three constructs, VV-E induced the most potent IgG responses, Th1-type cytokine production by stimulated CD4+ T cells, and the CD8+ T cell response. Furthermore, when the three constructs were used for alternating prime-boost vaccination, the results revealed a different pattern of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. i) Priming with VV-E induced higher E-specific IgG level but it was decreased rapidly. ii) Strong CD8+ T cell responses specific for E protein were induced when VV-E was used for the priming step, and such CD8+ T cell responses were significantly boosted with pDE. iii) Priming with rAd-E induced stronger CD4+ T cell responses which subsequently boosted with pDE to a greater extent than VV-E and rAd-E. Conclusion: These results indicate that priming with live viral vector vaccines could induce different patterns of E protein-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses which were significantly enhanced by booster vaccination with the DNA vaccine. Therefore, our observation will provide valuable information for the establishment of optimal prime-boost vaccination against DenV.

• 한국운동역학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.247-253
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of real-time visual feedback gait training on gait stability in older adults. Method: Twelve older adults participated in this study, being divided into 2 groups including a) visual feedback (VF) and b) non-visual feedback (NVF) groups. For 4 weeks, VF performed a treadmill walking training with real-time visual feedback about their postural information while NVF performed a normal treadmill walking training. For evaluations of gait stability, kinematic data of 15-minute treadmill walking were collected from depth-based motion capture system (30 Hz, exbody, Korea). Given that step lengths in both right and left sides were determined based on kinematic data, three variables including step difference, coefficient of variation, approximate entropy were calculated to evaluate gait symmetry, variability and complexity, respectively. Results: For research findings, VF exhibited significant improvements in gait stability after 4-week training in comparison to NVF, particularly in gait symmetry and complexity measures. However, greater improvement in gait variability was observed in NVF than VF. Conclusion: Given that visual feedback walking gives potential effectiveness on gait stability in older adults, gait training with visual feedback may be a robust therapeutic intervention in people with gait disturbances like instability or falls.