• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.80-86
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• 2014

Foldback intercoil (FBI) DNA is formed by the folding back at one point of a non-helical parallel track of double-stranded DNA at as sharp as $180^{\circ}$ and the intertwining of two double helixes within each other's major groove to form an intercoil with a diameter of 2.2 nm. FBI DNA has been suggested to mediate intra-molecular homologous recombination of a deletion and inversion. Inter-molecular homologous recombination, known as site-specific insertion, on the other hand, is mediated by the direct perpendicular approach of the FBI DNA tip, as the attP site, onto the target DNA, as the attB site. Transposition of DNA transposons involves the pairing of terminal inverted repeats and 5-7-bp tandem target duplication. FBI DNA configuration effectively explains simple as well as replicative transposition, along with the involvement of an enhancer element. The majority of diverse retrotransposable elements that employ a target site duplication mechanism is also suggested to follow the FBI DNA-mediated perpendicular insertion of the paired intercoil ends by non-homologous end-joining, together with gap filling. A genome-wide perspective of transposable elements in light of FBI DNA is discussed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.7-19
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• 2008

Complexins play a critical role in the control of fast synchronous neurotransmitter release. They operate by binding to trimeric SNARE complexes consisting of the vesicle protein Synaptobrevin and the plasma membrane proteins Syntaxin and SNAP-25, which are key executors of membrane fusion reactions. SNARE complex binding by Complexins is thought to stabilize and clamp the SNARE complex in a highly fusogenic state, thereby providing a pool of readily releasable synaptic vesicles that can be released quickly and synchronously in response to an action potential and the concomitant increase in intra-synaptic $Ca^{2+}$ levels. Genetic elimination of Complexins from mammalian neurons causes a strong reduction in evoked neurotransmitter release, and altered Complexin expression levels with consequent deficits in synaptic transmission were suggested to contribute to the etiology or pathogenesis of schizophrenia, Huntington's disease, depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, Wernicke's encephalopathy, and fetal alcohol syndrome. In the present review I provide a summary of available data on the role of altered Complexin expression in brain diseases. On aggregate, the available information indicates that altered Complexin expression levels are unlikely to have a causal role in the etiology of the disorders that they have been implicated in, but that they may contribute to the corresponding symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.293-298
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• 2005

Objective : The authors investigate the spatial characteristics of apoptotic genes expressed around the focal cerebral infarction, and attempted to explain the penumbra with them. Methods : A delayed focal cerebral infarction was created in twelve adult Sprague-Dawley rats. We performed the immunohistochemical staining for the apoptosis, bcl-2 and p53 proteins and measured the local cerebral blood flow [CBF] at the infarction core area and peri-infarct area pre- and intra-operatively. The peri-infarct area was divided into six sectors by distance from the infarction border. Results : The size [$mm^2$] of apoptosis, bcl-2, and p53 areas were $3.1{\pm}1.2$, $4.7{\pm}2.1$, and $6.8{\pm}2.4$, respectively. Apoptosis, bcl-2 or p53 positive cells were concentrated at the peri-infarct area adjacent to the infarction core. Their numbers reduced peripherally, which was inversely proportional to the local CBF. The p53 area seems to overlap with and larger than the ischemic penumbra. Conclusion : The p53 positive area provides a substitutive method defining the penumbra under the molecular base of knowledge.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.223-229
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• 2012

Clinical and preclinical in vivo immune cell imaging approaches have been used to study immune cell proliferation, apoptosis and interaction at the microscopic (intra-vital imaging) and macroscopic (whole-body imaging) level by use of ex vivo or in vivo labeling method. A series of imaging techniques ranging from non-radiation based techniques such as optical imaging, MRI, and ultrasound to radiation based CT/nuclear imaging can be used for in vivo immune cell tracking. These imaging modalities highlight the intrinsic behavior of different immune cell populations in physiological context. Fluorescent, radioactive or paramagnetic probes can be used in direct labeling protocols to monitor the specific cell population. Reporter genes can also be used for genetic, indirect labeling protocols to track the fate of a given cell subpopulation in vivo. In this review, we summarized several methods dealing with dendritic cell, macrophage, and T lymphocyte specifically labeled for different macroscopic whole-body imaging techniques both for the study of their physiological function and in the context of immunotherapy to exploit imaging-derived information and immune-based treatments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.68-68
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• 2017

The status of corn genetic diversity in the uplands of Sarangani in Southern Philippines was investigated using 12 morphological traits subjected to multivariate statistical analyses. Information about traditional farming, post-harvest and storage practices were also elicited especially in relation to losses of traditional varieties, a phenomenon known as genetic erosion. While a handful of farmers still plant traditional corn varieties in the remotest areas, a significant number had already shifted to genetically modified corn. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) reduced the 12 morphological traits into 5 principal components and identified ear length and ear weight to be major contributors to variation. Cluster Analysis, on the other hand, formed two distinct groups but failed to give information about intra-cluster variability among the 32 collected corn accessions. These results warrant that more informative morphological traits and that molecular markers will be used to obtain a better picture of genetic diversity in Sarangani upland corn. Molecular analysis is also needed to establish genetic identities of these cultivars and to detect gene introgression from GM varieties into the gene pool of farmers' corn varieties. These analyses are imperative for the conservation of traditional corn varieties before they disappear in the Sarangani uplands because of shifting priorities of upland farmers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3359-3362
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• 2014

Increasing attention is being devoted to the mechanisms by which cells receive signals and then translate these into decisions for growth, death, or migration. Recent findings have presented significant breakthroughs in developing a deeper understanding of the activation or repression of target genes and proteins in response to various stimuli and of how they are assembled during signal transduction in cancer cells. Detailed mechanistic insights have unveiled new maps of linear and integrated signal transduction cascades, but the multifaceted nature of the pathways remains unclear. Although new layers of information are being added regarding mechanisms underlying ovarian cancer and how polymorphisms in VDR gene influence its development, the findings of this research must be sequentially collected and re-interpreted. We divide this multi-component review into different segments: how vitamin D modulates molecular network in ovarian cancer cells, how ovarian cancer is controlled by tumor suppressors and oncogenic miRNAs and finally how vitamin D signaling regulates miRNA expression. Intra/inter-population variability is insufficiently studied and a better understanding of genetics of population will be helpful in getting a step closer to personalized medicine.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.27.1-27.5
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• 2018

During a survey of marine algal flora, two gigartinalean species were collected from Pohang and Youngdeok located on the eastern coast of Korea. They share the generic morphological features of Dumontia. One is characterized by cylindrical to complanate thallus with multi- and uniaxial structure, somewhat inflated and contorted branches, and hollow medulla and cortex consisting of progressively smaller cells outwards. The other shows basically the same features as the former species but was smaller in size, as having 4-7 cm in thallus length and 1-2 mm in branch width rather than 15 and 2-5 mm. Both species are distinguished from each other only by these morphometric features. However, it is supported by molecular analysis that both species are genetically distinct. In a phylogenetic tree based on internal transcribed spacer sequence, the two species nest in the same clade as Dumontia contorta and D. alaskana, respectively. The genetic distance between both sequences within the clade was calculated as 0.0 0.2%, considered to be intra-specific for Dumontia. Based on the morphological and molecular analyses, the two Korean species are identified as D. contorta and D. alaskana described originally from Netherlands and Alaska, respectively. This is the first record of the two Dumontia species in Korea.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.902-909
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• 2007

Granular maize starch was treated with Thermus scotoductus 4-${\alpha}$-glucanotransferase (${\alpha}$-GTase), and its physicochemical properties were determined. The gelatinization and pasting temperatures of ${\alpha}$-GTase-modified starch were decreased by higher enzyme concentrations. ${\alpha}$-GTase treatment lowered the peak, setback, and [mal viscosity of the starch. At a higher level of enzyme treatment, the melting peak of the amylose-lipid complex was undetectable on the DSC thermogram. Also, ${\alpha}$-GTase-modified starch showed a slower retrogradation rate. The enzyme treatment changed the dynamic rheological properties of the starch, leading to decreases in its elastic (G') and viscous (G") moduli. ${\alpha}$-GTase-modified starch showed more liquid-like characteristics, whereas normal maize starch was more elastic and solid-like. Gel permeation chromatography of modified starch showed that amylose was degraded, and a low molecular-weight fraction with $M_w$ of $1.1{\times}10^5$ was produced. Branch chain-length (BCL) distribution of modified starch showed increases in BCL (DP>20), which could result from the glucans degraded from amylose molecules transferred to the branch chains of amylopectin by inter-/intra-molecular transglycosylation of ${\alpha}$-GTase. These new physicochemical functionalities of the modified starch produced by ${\alpha}$-GTase treatment are applicable to starch-based products in various industries.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.114-128
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• 2007

Polyimides are one of the most important classes of polymers used in the microelectronics and photoelectronics industries. Because of their high thermal stability, chemical resistance, and good mechanical and electric properties, polyimides are often applied in photoresists, passivation and dielectric films, soft print circuit boards, and alignment films within displays. Recently, fully aliphatic and alicyclic polyimides have found applications as optoelectronics and inter layer dielectric materials, due to their good transparencies and low dielectric constants $(\varepsilon)$. The low molecular density, polarity and rare probability of forming inter- or intra-molecular charge transfers, resulting in lowering of the dielectric constant and high transparency, are the most striking characteristics of aliphatic polyimide. However, the ultimate end use of polyimides derived from aliphatic monomers is in their targeted applications that need less stringent thermal requirements. Much research effort has been exerted in the development of aliphatic polyimide with increased thermal and mechanical stabilities, while maintaining their transparencies and low dielectric constants, by the incorporation of rigid moieties. In this article, the recent research process in synthesizing fully aliphatic polyimides, with improved dimensional stability, high transparency and low $\delta$values, as well as the characterizations and future scope for their application in micro electric and photo-electronic industries, is reviewed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.201-215
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• 1981

In vitro intra- and interspecific molecular hybridizations of lactate dehydrogenase isozymes from six species were performed by freezing and thawing the isozymes in sodium chloride, resulting each of the interspecific hybridization of Fluta alba $H_4 \\times$ Ophicephalus argus $M_4$ and that of O. argus $M_4 \\times$ Parasilurus asotus isozymes showed one hybrid isozyme considered to be an $M_2H_2$ isozyme. The results fit with the suggestion that the isozyme of lower vertebrates is a dimer of homodimer as far as te assemblies of subunit M and subunit H are concerned.