• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2013

The doping effect of Sn on the microstructure evolution and dielectric properties was studied in $CaCu_3Ti_{4-x}Sn_xO_{12}$ polycrystals. Samples were produced by a conventional solid-state reaction method. Sintering was carried out at $1115^{\circ}C$ for 2-16 h in air. The dielectric constant and loss were examined at room temperature over a frequency range between $10^2$ and $10^6$ Hz. The microstructure was found to evolve into three stages. Addition of $SnO_2$ led to an increase in density and advanced formation of abnormal grains. The formation of coarse grains with a reduced thickness of the boundary brought about an enhanced dielectric constant and a lower dielectric loss below ~1 kHz. EDS data showed the Cu-rich phase along the grain boundary, which should contribute to the improved dielectric constant according to the internal barrier layer capacitor model. After all, $SnO_2$ was an effective dopant to elevate the dielectric characteristics of $CaCu_3Ti_{4-x}Sn_xO_{12}$ polycrystals as a promoter for abnormal grain growth.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2005

We cloned cDNA of the PGH(porcine growth hormone) gene and constructed retrovirus vector designed to express PGH gene under the regulation of CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoter. To maximize the expression, WPRE(woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element) sequence was placed at the downstream of the PGH gene. After infection with recombinant viruses, approximately 1×10/sup 6/ PFF(porcine fetal fibroblast) cells released PGH protein into the media as much as 1,400 ng. In a subsequent experiment, a modifications of the retrovirus vector was made to express the PGH gene in a teracycline-inducible manner. In PFF cells carrying these viral vector sequences, addition of doxycycline to the media resulted in 2∼6 fold increase in PGH synthesis. In the modified retrovirus vectors, the WPRE sequence also played a role in boosting the effect of the tetracycline induction. This result indicates that our tetracycline-inducible expression system might be a promising candidate in alleviating the complicate physiological problems caused by constitutive expression of the exogenous genes in the transgenic animals.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.307-312
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• 2015

Transgenic rice cells using RAmy3D promoter can provide high productivity, and the production of recombinant protein is induced by sugar starvation. In this system, productivity was reduced during the scale-up processes. To ensure the influences of shear stress and oxygen transfer rate, working volume and mixing performances were investigated under various agitation speeds and working volumes. In addition, inoculation methods including suspended cells and filtered cells were compared. Working volumes and shaking speeds were 300, 450 mL and 80, 120 rpm, respectively. Hydrodynamic environment of each condition was measured numerically like mixing time and $k_La$. Good mixing performance and high shear stress were measured at high agitation speed and low volume. The highest level of hCTLA4Ig was 30.7 mg/L at 120 rpm, 300 mL. When conditioned medium was used for inoculation, increased cell growth was noticed during the day 0~4 and decreased slower than filtered cells. Compared with filtered cells, the maximum hCTLA4Ig level reached 37.8 mg/L at 120 rpm, 300 mL and lower protease activity level was observed. In conclusion mixing performance is critical factor for productivity and conditioned medium can have a positive effect on damaged cells caused by hydrodynamic shear stress.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2004

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are capable of degrading extracellular matrix, a process that is necessary for angiogenesis, tumor invasion and metastasis. Platelet-activating factor (PAP) increases angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis through nuclear factor (NF)-$\kappa$B activation. Based on these facts, the involvement of MMPs in PAF-induced pulmonary metastasis was investigated in murine sarcoma cells, MMSV-BALB/3T3. Messenger RNA expression and enzymatic activity of MMP-9 were assessed by RT-PCR and zymography, and cell migration and metastasis were done for the detection of MMP-9 functional activity. PAP induced mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of MMP-9, and its effects were either inhibited by the PAP antagonist, WEB 2170 or by the NF-$\kappa$B inhibitor, parthenolide, or p65 antisense oligonucleotide in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PAF induced promoter activity of MMP-9, which was inhibited by WEB 2170, phenanthroline, NAC, PDTC. These results indicate that PAF induces mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of MMP-9 in NF-$\kappa$B dependent manner. Cell migration assay showed that PAF induced MMSV-BALB/3T3 migration, and its effect was significantly inhibited by treatment with phenanthroline. PAF enhanced pulmonary metastasis of murine sarcoma cells, MMSV-BALB/3T3 was also reduced by phenanthroline. These results suggest that PAF-enhanced cell migration and pulmonary metastasis is mediated through the expression of MMP. In conclusion, It is suggested that PAF enhances pulmonary metastasis by inducing MMP-9 expression via the activation of NF-$\kappa$B.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.476-481
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• 2002

The CHH/MIH/GIH peptide family of black tiger prawn (Paneaus monodon) is important in shrimp reproduction and growth enhancement. In this study, the cDNA that encodes the complete peptide that is related to the CHH/MIH/GIH family (so-called, Pem-CMG) in the eyestalk of P. monodon was successfully expressed in a methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris under the control of an alcohol oxidase promoter. In order to obtain the secreted Pem-CMG, a secretion signal of either the Saccharomyces cerevisiae $\alpha$-factor or Pem-CMG was employed. The results demonstrated that ${\alpha}Pem$-CMG, either with (${\alpha}2EACMG$) or without (${\alpha}CMG$) the Glu-Ala repeats, was secreted into the medium, while Pem-CMG with its own secretion signal failed to be secreted. The total protein amount that was secreted from the transformant that contained either ${\alpha}2EACMG$ or ${\alpha}CMG$ was approximately 60 mg/l and 150 mg/l, respectively. The N-terminus of the Pem-CMG peptide of both ${\alpha}2EACMG$ and ${\alpha}CMG$ was correctly processed. This produced the mature Pem-CMG peptide.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.77-81
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• 2002

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pleiotropic hematspoietic growth factor involved in the development of myeloid cells from bone marrow, and an activator of mature myeloid cells functioning in a variety of antimicrobial and inflammatory responses. Recently, recombinant GM-CSF is increasingly under clinical study for treatment of various diseases including cancer, infectious diseases and hematopoietic diseases as well as for an immune response modulator, In this study, we constructed a recombinant human GM-CSF (rhGM-CSF) expression plasmid with a pelB leader sequence and His. Tag under T7 promoter control. The expression construct was shown to produce a recombinant protein of 20 kDa in the 8M urea preparation, indicating the rhGM-CSF may be expressed as an insoluble inclusion form. The 20 kDa recombinant protein in 8M urea was transformed into the water-so1ub1e form by dialysis against PBS buffer (phosphate buffered saline). The soluble rhGM-CSF protein was shown to stimulate colony formation and cell proliferation in vitro, indicating that the rhGM-CSF could be refolded into its native form to show colony stimulating activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1267-1274
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• 2004

Colostrum contains various kinds of cytokines including TGF-$\beta$ that has potent regulatory effects on cells of the immune system. We compared the levels of TGF-$\beta$1 and TGF-$\beta$2 in bovine and human colostrum. Based on the isoform-specific ELISA, bovine colostrum collected on day 1 post-delivery retained $53.71{\pm}29.55\;ng/ml$ of TGF-$\beta$1 and $40.41{\pm}21.78\;{\mu}g/ml$ of TGF-$\beta$2 (n=4), while in human, $381.45{\pm}158.24\;ng/ml$ of TGF-$\beta$1 and $41.47{\pm}9.63\;ng/ml$ of TGF-$\beta$2 (n=5). Thus, dominant TGF-$\beta$ isoforms were completely opposite between human and bovine colostrum samples. The concentrations of both isoforms declined as lactation proceeded. Biological activities of the colostrum samples were determined using an MV1LU cell line. Consistent with the result from the immunoassay, TGF-$\beta$1 in human and TGF-$\beta$2 in bovine colostrum were responsible for the anti proliferative activity against MV1LU cells. Furthermore, bovine colostrum increased IgA secretion by LPS-stimulated mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells, and this effect was abrogated by either anti­TGF-$\beta$2 antibody or combined anti-TGF-$\beta$1/$\beta$2 antibody, but not by anti- TGF-$\beta$1 antibody alone. Similarly, TGF-$\beta$2 in bovine colostrum enhanced the Ig germ line (GL) promoter activity, which is the earliest event toward IgA isotype switching. Taken together, these results suggest that TGF-$\beta$ isoforms, differentially expressed in human and bovine colostrum, may promote IgA isotype production in the neonatal intestine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1152-1157
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• 2005

The effect of carbon sources on nisin Z biosynthesis in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 was studied in batch culture using M17 broth containing different carbon sources. Among the eleven carbon sources tested, glucose, sucrose, and lactose were suitable carbon sources for cell growth of L. lactis A164. In particular, cells grown on lactose produced at least 3-fold greater amount of nisin Z than those on other carbon sources. Galactose resulted in less amount of cell mass than did sucrose or glucose, but gave a higher level of nisin Z activity. Northern blot analysis revealed. that lactose increased the transcription of the nisZ pre-peptide gene. Although galactose was less efficient than lactose, it increased the transcription of nisZ along with a higher level of nisin Z than did sucrose and glucose. These results suggest that the increased nisin Z production is correlated with the induction of nisZ by lactose and galactose. Among all the carbon sources tested, no remarkable differences were observed in nisRK and nisFEG transcripts, indicating that the lactose- or galactose-mediated induction is unique to the nisZ promoter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1089-1095
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• 2010

Four biological candidate genes, natural resistance associated macrophage protein 1 (SLC11A1 or NRAMP), prosaposin (PSAP), interferon Gamma (IFNG), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), were examined to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and associations of the SNP with antibody response kinetics in hens. An $F_2$ population was produced by mating $G_0$ highly inbred (<99%) males of two MHC-congenic Fayoumi lines with highly inbred Leghorn hens. The $F_2$ hens (n = 158) were injected twice with SRBC and whole, fixed Brucella abortus (BA). Blood samples were obtained before each immunization, at 7 d after primary immunization, and at several time points after secondary immunization. Minimum titers (Ymin) and the time needed to reach them (Tmin), and maximum (Ymax) titers and the time needed to reach them (Tmax), were estimated from the seven post-secondary immunization titers using a nonlinear regression model. The $F_2$ hens were genotyped for the four candidate genes by using PCR-RFLP for one SNP per gene, which identified the parental allele. General linear models were used to test associations of SNP genotypes with antibody response parameters and BW measured at 4 ages. The IFNG SNP was highly significantly (p<0.0125) associated with primary response to SRBC, Tmin to BA, Ymin to BA, and 12-week BW. The current study demonstrated that the novel IFNG promoter SNP was associated with antibody kinetics for BA and SRBC in laying hens, and also with BW, suggesting that this cytokine may play a pivotal role in the relationship between immune function and growth.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1057-1065
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• 2010

Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of feeding a newly-developed rare earth mineral-yeast product, zinc oxide (ZnO) or antibiotics on the performance, nutrient digestibility and serum parameters of weanling pigs. In experiment 1, 150 crossbred barrows (24 d old and 6.28 kg BW) were fed one of five dietary treatments consisting of an unsupplemented basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (33 ppm tiamulin and 100 ppm chlortetracycline), ZnO (1,500 or 2,500 ppm) or 0.1% peptide-bound rare earth mineral-yeast. In experiment 2, 576 crossbred barrows (28 d old and 7.20 kg BW) were fed the same diets as those used in experiment 1 modified only by the addition of 1.0% Celite 545 to all diets as a digestibility marker. However, the negative control was not included. In experiment 1, weight gain was significantly lower (p<0.05) for pigs fed the negative control than for pigs fed diets supplemented with antibiotics, ZnO, or rare earth mineral-yeast. Pig performance did not differ between pigs fed the four supplemented diets. In experiment 2, there were no differences in performance between pigs fed diets supplemented with antibiotic, ZnO or rare earth mineral-yeast. The digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, calcium, phosphorus and energy were significantly (p<0.01) higher on the rare earth mineral-yeast diet than on diets supplemented with ZnO. In addition, pigs fed the diet supplemented with rare earth mineral-yeast had significantly (p<0.05) higher digestibility of histidine, lysine, threonine and valine than pigs fed the ZnO supplemented diets. Digestibility coefficients for pigs fed antibiotics tended to be intermediate to those of pigs fed rare earth mineralyeast or ZnO. In conclusion, the performance of pigs fed rare earth mineral-yeast was basically equal to that of pigs fed antibiotics or ZnO indicating that rare earth mineral-yeast can be successfully used as a growth promoter in diets fed to nursery pigs. The effects of rare earth mineral-yeast appeared to be mediated through improvements in nutrient digestibility.