• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2010

The taxonomic entity and morphological characteristics of Impatiens furcillata were reviewed based on the original description and the type specimen. As a result, I. furcillata, by having glabrous stems, descending and glabrous peduncles, and pinkish white flowers, is strikingly distinguishable from other taxa of Korean Impatiens. Both I. hypophylla var. koreana and I. kojeensis are treated as synonyms of I. furcillata, for their morphological characteristics, were the same as those of I. furcillata. In addition, the Korean name for I. furcillata was changed to 'Cheo-jin-mul-bong-seon' instead of 'San-mul-bong-seon'.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2002

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.474-480
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• 1996

We present a study of evolutionary changes in expression of actin genes among closely related sea urchin species that exhibit different modes of early development. For this purpose, polyclonal antisera raised against peptides from the carboxyl terminus of the HeCyI cytoskeletal actin of Heliocidaris erythrogramma were used. H. erythrogramma is a direct developing sea urchin that proceeds from embryonic to adult stages without an intervening feeding larval stage. Expression patterns of the CyI actin isoform were compared with those of Heliocidaris tuberculata and to a related sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, which both produce a feeding pluteus larval stage. The CyI actin of all three species is expressed in the same cell types. However, its expression patterns have been changed with reorganization of early cell lineage differentiation, which is apparent among the three species. Thus. evolutionary changes in CyI actin gene expression patterns are correlated with not only phylogenetic relationship, but developmental mode. The implication of this observation is that evolutionary changes in expression patterns of histospecific genes may underlie the emergence of novel developmental processes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2023

In induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), pluripotency is induced artificially by introducing the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. When a transgene is introduced using a viral vector, the transgene may be integrated into the host genome and cause a mutation and cancer. No integration occurs when an episomal vector is used, but this method has a limitation in that remnants of the virus or vector remain in the cell, which limits the use of such iPSCs in therapeutic applications. Chemical reprogramming, which relies on treatment with small-molecule compounds to induce pluripotency, can overcome this problem. In this method, reprogramming is induced according to the gene expression pattern of extra-embryonic endoderm (XEN) cells, which are used as an intermediate stage in pluripotency induction. Therefore, iPSCs can be induced only from established XEN cells. We induced XEN cells using small molecules that modulate a signaling pathway and affect epigenetic modifications, and devised a culture method which can produce homogeneous XEN cells. At least 4 passages were required to establish morphologically homogeneous chemically induced XEN (CiXEN) cells, whose properties were similar to those of XEN cells, as revealed through cellular and molecular characterization. Chemically iPSCs derived from CiXEN cells showed characteristics similar to those of mouse embryonic stem cells. Our results show that the homogeneity of CiXEN cells is critical for the efficient induction of pluripotency by chemicals.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.186-197
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• 2012

The proliferation of bioinformatics in modern biology marks a modern revolution in science that promises to influence science education at all levels. This study analyzed the contents of standards in the 7th and 2007 and 2009 revised high school biology curricula and compared the contents, amount and the presentation styles of bioinformatics with those of biotechnology in biology textbooks. In result, first of all, there are some vague expressions about biotechnology and bioinformatics in the 7th and 2007 revised curriculum. There is a clear expression about biotechnology in 'life science I' and 'advanced biology' of 2009 revised curriculum. Second, more biotechnology is introduced than bioinformatics in 'science', 'biology I', 'biology II', 'life science I' textbooks. Third, in 'biology for high class' textbook, amount of biotechnology contents in the 2007 revised curriculum didn't increase. An more effort to introduce bioinformatics to science high school student is needed according to revising curricula.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.251-254
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• 2002

The genetic factors that contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) are poorly understood. It is likely that multiple genes that act independently or synergistically contribute to the development of CAD and the outcome. Recently, an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the human angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, a major component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), was identified. The association of the ACE gene D allele with essential hypertension and CAD has been reported in the African-American, Chinese, and Japanese populations. However, other studies have failed to detect such an association. It has been suggested that these inconsistencies may be due to the difference in backgrounds of the population characteristics. In the present study, we investigated the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene in 103 subjects of both sexes, consisting of 59 normal controls and 44 patients with hypertension. The allele and genotype frequency were significantly different between the hypertensive and control groups (p < 0.01). Among the three ACE I/D variants, the DD genotype was associated with the highest value of the mean systolic blood pressure [SBP] and mean diastolic blood pressure [DBP] (p = < 0.05) in men, but not in women. In the overall population, the mean SBP and DBP was highest in DD subjects, intermediate in I/D subjects, and the least in II subjects.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 1997

Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. S-1 secretes a large amount (approximately 80% of total pullulanase activity) of an extracellular pullulanase (PUL-E). The pullulanase exists in two forms: a precursor form (PUL-I: $M_r$ 180,000), and a processed form (PUL-E: $M_r$ 140,000). Two forms were purified to homogeneity and their properties were compared. PUL-I was different in molecular weight, isoelectric point, $NH_2$-terminal amino acid sequence, and stabilities over pH and temperature ranges. The catalytic activities of PUL-I were also distinguishable in the $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values for various substrates, and in the specific activity for pullulan hydrolysis. PUL-E showed 10-fold higher specific activities than PUL-I. However. PUL-I is immunologically identical to PUL-E, suggesting that PUL-I is initially synthesized and proteolytically processed to the mature form of PUL-E. Processing was inhibited by PMSF, but not by pepstatin, suggesting that some intracellular serine proteases could be responsible for processing of the PUL-I. PUL-I has a different conformational structure for antibody recognition from that of PUL-E. It is also postulated that the translocation of alkaline pullulanase(AP) in the bacterium possibly requires processing of the $NH_2$-terminal region of the AP protein. Processing of the precursor involves a conformational shift. resulting in a mature form. Therefore. precursor processing not only cleaves the signal peptide, but also induces conformational shift. allowing development of active form of the enzyme.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2007

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In our case study using animal models for disease states such as obesity or hypertension, we found that, Isaria sinclairii remarkably reduced body weight and ameliorated metabolic abnormalities in Zucker and SHR rats. Genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats were one animal model chosen for this study. Four groups of rats received a standard diet and were treated orally with the following test samples daily for 8 weeks: saline (negative control), ethanol extracts of I. sinclairii, hot water extract of I. sinclairii, or $Xenical^{(R)}$ (30 mg/kg, positive control). Mild reductions (6.3%) in body weight gain were observed in the groups treated with the hot water extract of I. sinclairii compared to the control after 8 weeks. Interestingly, organ weight was greatly reduced by this Dongchunghacho (I. sinclairii), in parallel with the mild reductions in body weight gain and reductions in abdominal fat (adipose tissue). Also observed was a 4.1 % decrease in the ratio of heart weight/body weight compared to the control group. As a hypertensive animal model, SHR (spontaneously hypertensive rat) and WKY (Wistar Kyoto) rats were also administered these extracts for one month. Treatment with the hot water extract of I. sinclairii caused greater reductions in body weight gain for the SHR group (10.9%) compared to the WKY group's (5.2%). Based on these results, I. sinclairii extracts contain selective action for anti-obesity activity, naturally occurring candidate for regulation of body weight increase, as demonstrated in the present study.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2018

We performed an analysis of the effect of postharvest treatment of rhizomes of Aconitum septentrionale Koelle with the biological preparation of Bacispecin based on a cytokinin producing strain of Paenibacillus ehimensis IB-739 on the content of alkaloid lappaconitine in rhizomes. The total alkaloid content was assayed based on exhaustive extraction method. The lappaconitine content was measured by HPLC. The efficiency of the preparation was dependant on either the concentration or intensity of the growth processes in rhizomes. Both parameters varied depending on the stage of development of plants and the amount of precipitation. In the years with normal precipitation, concentrations of Bacispecin ranging from 5 to 10 g/l were found to be most effective for increasing lappaconitine content in rhizomes of A. septentrionale. Whereas, under local drought conditions, the concentration of preparation should be less than 2 g/l.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.17-23
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• 2003

Restoration ecology is undergoing rapid growth as academic field over the last 15 years. The specification of goals for restoration projects is frequently described as the most important component of a project. The endeavor for universal development of goals for ecological restoration continues to generate many discussion and controversy. I discuss the importance of restoration goals and diverse roots of restoration ecology, and show how the complex lineages within restoration ecology. I review the three major theme that currently are used to develop the restoration goals : restoration of species, restoration of whole ecosystem or landscapes, and the restoration of ecosystem services. Restoration ecology, landscape ecology and conservation biology share goals to conserve biodiversity, but differ in focus of approach. I review the differences among three fields. Conservation biology has been more zoological, more descriptive, and theoretical, and more emphasized the population and genetic research. However, restoration ecology has been more plant ecological, more experimental, and emphasized the community and plant succession. Landscape ecology has emphasized the interaction of ecosystem and dispersal among populations. I suggest the integration of restoration ecology, landscape ecology and conservation biology. For example, conservation biology will contribute to the preservation of original habitats by population study, restoration ecology will contribute to regenerate damaged ecosystem and ex situ preservation, and landscape ecology will contribute to restoration of population and landscape.