• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.643-649
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• 2010

Evaluation of the primary etiologic agents that cause aseptic meningitis outbreaks may provide valuable information regarding the prevention and management of aseptic meningitis. In Korea, an outbreak of aseptic meningitis caused by echovirus type 30 (E30) occurred from May to October in 2008. In order to determine the etiologic agent, CSF and/or stool specimens from 140 children hospitalized for aseptic meningitis at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital between June and October of 2008 were tested for virus isolation and identification. E30 accounted for 61.7% (37 cases) and echovirus 6 accounted for 21.7% (13 cases) of all the human enteroviruses (HEVs) isolates (60 cases in total). For the molecular characterization of the isolates, the VP1 gene sequence of 18 Korean E30 isolates was compared pairwise using the MegAlign with 34 reference strains from the GenBank database. The pairwise comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the VP1 genes demonstrated that the sequences of the Korean strains differed from those of lineage groups A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree based on the complete VP1 nucleotide sequences resulted in a monophyletic tree, with eight clustered lineage groups. All Korean isolates were segregated from other lineage groups, thus suggesting that the Korean strains were a distinct lineage of E30, and a probable cause of this outbreak. This manuscript is the first report, to the best of our knowledge, of the molecular characteristics of E30 strains associated with an aseptic meningitis outbreak in Korea, and their respective phylogenetic relationships.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1983-1993
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• 2017

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium, one of the most common foodborne pathogens, is transmitted mainly through contaminated food derived from infected animals. In this study, S. Typhimurium ST1120, an isolate from pig feces in Korea, was subjected to whole-genome analysis to understand its genomic features associated with virulence. The genome of ST1120 was found to have a circular chromosome of 4,855,001 bp (GC content 52.2%) and a plasmid of 6,863 bp (GC content 46.0%). This chromosome was predicted to have 4,558 open reading frames (ORFs), 17 pseudogenes, 22 rRNA genes, and 86 tRNA genes. Its plasmid was predicted to have three ORFs. Comparative genome analysis revealed that ST1120 was phylogenetically close to S. Typhimurium U288, a critical isolate in piggery farms and food chains in Europe. In silico functional analysis predicted that the ST1120 genome harbored multiple genes associated with virulence and stress resistance, including Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs containing SPI-1 to SPI-5, SPI-13, and SPI-14), C63PI locus, ST104 prophage locus, and various antibiotic resistance genes. In accordance with these analysis results, ST1120 showed competence in invasion and survival abilities when it was added to host cells. It also exhibited robust resistance against antibiotics in comparison with other S. Typhimurium strains. This is the first report of the complete genome sequence of S. Typhimurium isolated from swine in Korea. Comparative genome analysis between ST1120 and other Salmonella strains would provide fruitful information toward understanding Salmonella host specificity and developing control measures against S. Typhimurium infection.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2001

Environmentally adapted synthetic base oils of polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) and polyol esters (POEs) show a high polarity because of their functional groups containing oxygen atom. The lubricating performance of these polar base oils was investigated by using a four-ball tribometer under boundary lubrication condition. Four polyalkylene glycols and five polyol ester base oils were used as sample base oils of high polarity. A mineral oil (MO) and alkylnaphthalene (AN) were used as low polarity base oils. Tricrecylphosphate (TCP) was added to all the base oils, in the range of 10 mmol/L-2000 mmol/L, as an antiwear additive. All the TCP-for-mutated base oils showed optimum concentration characteristics for minimizing wear. The order of optimum concentration of all the base oils was in a good accordance with the order of relative stability of TCP in base oils. The interaction model on solvation between additive and different polar base oils can expect the stability order of TCP. Thus, the model on solvation can explain well the order of optimum concentration of all the base oils, by using the effect of polarity (dielectric constant, $\varepsilon$) and molecular size (molecular weight, MW) of them on stability of TCP in polar base oils. Finally, a good correlation of the optimum concentration for all the base oils was obtained when it was arranged as a function of C∝(M $W_{Base Oil}$/M $W_{TCP}$)$^{-2}$.71/.($\varepsilon$$_{Base Oil}$)$^{3.38}$ by these two parameters.s..

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.261-272
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• 2012

Environmental factors greatly influence the growth, development, and even genetic characteristics of plants. The mechanisms by which sound influences plant growth, however, remain obscure. Previously, our group reported that several genes were differentially regulated by specific frequenciesof sound treatmentusing a sound-treated subtractive library. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to investigate plant responses to sound waves in Arabidopsis. The plants were exposed to 250-Hz or 500-Hz sound waves, and total proteins were extracted from leaves 8 h and 24 h after treatment. Proteins extracted from leaves were subjected to 2-DE analysis. Thirty-eight spots were found to be differentially regulated in response to sound waves and were identified using MALDI-TOF MS and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. The functions of the identified proteins were classified into photosynthesis, stress and defense, nitrogen metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the analysis of protein changes in response to sound waves in Arabidopsis leaves. These findings provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of responses to sound waves in Arabidopsis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

A plant-specific gene was cloned from melon fruit. This gene was named downward leaf curling (CmDLC) based on the phenotype of transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the gene. This expression level of this gene was especially upregulated during melon fruit enlargement. Overexpression of CmDLC in Arabidopsis resulted in dwarfism and narrow, epinastically curled leaves. These phenotypes were found to be caused by a reduction in cell number and cell size on the adaxial and abaxial sides of the epidermis, with a greater reduction on the abaxial side of the leaves. These phenotypic characteristics, combined with the more wavy morphology of epidermal cells in overexpression lines, indicate that CmDLC overexpression affects cell elongation and cell morphology. To investigate intracellular protein localization, a CmDLC-GFP fusion protein was made and expressed in onion epidermal cells. This protein was observed to be preferentially localized close to the cell membrane. Thus, we report here a new plant-specific gene that is localized to the cell membrane and that controls leaf cell number, size and morphology.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.16-28
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• 2018

Although physiological and ecological characteristics of cyanobacteria have been studied extensively for decades, unknown areas still remain greater than the already known. Recently, the development of omics techniques based on molecular biology has made it possible to view the ecosystem from a new and holistic perspective. The molecular mechanism of toxin production is being widely investigated, by comparative genomics and the transcriptomic studies. Biological interaction between bacteria and cyanobacteria is also explored: how their interactions and genetic biodiversity change depending on seasons and environmental factors, and how these interactions finally affect each component of ecosystem. Bioinformatics techniques have combined with ecoinformatics and omics data, enabling us to understand the underlying complex mechanisms of ecosystems. Particularly omics started to provide a whole picture of biological responses, occurring from all layers of hierarchical processes from DNA to metabolites. The expectation is growing further that algal blooms could be controlled more effectively in the near future. And an important insight for the successful bloom control would come from a novel blueprint drawn by omics studies.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.123-136
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• 2012

Diseases caused by begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus) constitute a serious constraint to tropical and sub-tropical agro-ecosystems worldwide. In recent years, they have also introduced in temperate regions of the world where they have great impact and are posing a serious threat to a variety of greenhouse crops. Begomoviral diseases can in extreme cases reduce yields to zero leading to catastrophic losses in agriculture. They are still evolving and pose a serious threat to sustainable agriculture across the world, particularly in tropics and sub-tropics. Till recently, there have been no records on the occurrence of begomoviral disease in South Korea, however, the etiology of other plant viral diseases are known since last century. The first begomovirus infected sample was collected from sweet potato plant in 2003 and since then there has been gradual increase in the begomoviral epidemics specially in tomato and sweet potato crops. So far, 48 begomovirus sequences originating from various plant species have been submitted in public sequence data base from different parts of the country. The rapid emergence of begomoviral epidemics might be with some of the factors like evolution of new variants of the viruses, appearance of efficient vectors, changing cropping systems, introduction of susceptible plant varieties, increase in global trade in agricultural products, intercontinental transportation networks, and changes in global climatic conditions. Another concern might be the emergence of a begomovirus complex and satellite DNA molecules. Thorough understanding of the pathosystems is needed for the designing of effective managements. Efforts should also be made towards the integration of the resistant genes for the development of transgenic plants specially tomato and sweet potato as they have been found to be widely infected in South Korea. There should be efficient surveillance for emergence or incursions of other begomoviruses and biotypes of whitefly. This review discusses the general characteristics of begomoviruses, transmission by their vector B. tabaci with an especial emphasis on the occurrence and distribution of begomoviruses in South Korea, and control measures that must be addressed in order to develop more sustainable management strategies.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2002

Oval cell is considered as facultative precursor cells for both hepatocytes and biliary cells, as well as origin of hepatocellar and cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) during carcinogenesis or toxic liver injury. To clarify the cellular origin or differentiation of cholagiocarcinogensis, the fate of carcinogen-induced oval cells was pathologically and phenotypically chased in Syrian golden hamster liver after Clonorchis sinensis (CS) infection which would give rise to a promoting effect. Two week treatment of hamsters with 0.005% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) followed by 2 week treatment of 1% 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) under choline deficient diet resulted in massive proliferation of BrdU labeleed and PCNA positive oval cells showing various distinct morphology, histochemical and immunohistochemical phenotypes for GGT, cytokeratin 19 and OV-6. Oval cells also frequently form ductular-like structures or phenotypically show hepatocyte-like characteristics. After CS infection, the oval cells showed sequential morphological changes to atypicl proliferating bile ductules and all hamsters thereafter developed well differentiated and anaplastic CCC at 16 week after CS infection. In electron microscopy, some bile ductules were constructed by intermediate oval cells and bile ductular cells surrounded by basement membrane. The results of this study strongly suggest that CCC developed in the present study were originated from hepatic stem-like oval cells, supporting the theory of stem cell origin of cancers. In addition, this hamster model would be valuable for the molecular mechanistic study during chemical-triggered cholangiocarcinogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1999

Effects of different molecular size fractions (100,000 nMW-0.1 $\mu\textrm{m}$m, 10,000 nMW-100,000 nMW and 1,000 nMW-'L0,000 nMW) of dissolved organic matter on the bacterial numbers and $\beta$-glucosidase activities in Lake Soyang were investigated. Even though the concentrations and characteristics of each fractions were different, bacterial growth curves of each fractioii were Lypical and similar. Each growth curve had highest peak of $1.1{\times}10^{7}$ cells $ml^{-1}$. But, the $\beta$-lucosidase activitics of each fraction were quite different. In high molecular weight fraction (HMW: 100,000 nMW-0.1 $\mu\textrm{m}$m), Vmax of Pglucosidase activity ranged from 550 to 1,160 nmol $1^{-1}$.$hi^{-1}$, but in low molecular weight f~action (1,000 nMW-10,000 nMW), that ranged from 1 to 14 om01 1$^[-1}$${-1}$

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2008

The thermal degradation characteristics of high molecular components obtained from pyrolysis of mixed waste plastics have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and gas chromatography spectrometry (GC-MS). The kinetics of thermal degradation has been studied by a conventional nonisothermal thermogravimetric technique at several heating rates between 10 and $50^{\circ}C/min$. The dynamic thermogravimetric analysis curve and its derivative have been analyzed using a variety of analytical methods reported in the literature to obtain information on the kinetic parameters such as activation energies and reaction orders. The yields of liquid products have been monitored by batch pyrolysis reactor under various reaction temperatures and reaction times. And the characteristic of liquid products with the increase in reaction temperature has been performed by GC-MS.