• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.573-580
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• 2004

To prepare chitosan-based polymeric amphiphiles that can form nanosized core-shell structures (nanopar­ticles) in aqueous milieu, chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs) were modified chemically with hydrophobic cholesterol groups. The physicochemical properties of the hydrophobized COSs (COSCs) were investigated by using dynamic light scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy. The feasibility of applying the COSCs to biomedical applications was investigated by introducing them into a gene delivery system. The COSCs formed nanosized self-aggregates in aqueous environments. Furthermore, the physicochemical properties of the COSC nanoparticles were closely related to the molecular weights of the COSs and the number of hydrophobic groups per COS chain. The critical aggregation concentration values decreased upon increasing the hydrophobicity of the COSCs. The COSCs effi­ciently condensed plasmid DNA into nanosized ion-complexes, in contrast to the effect of the unmodified COSs. An investigation of gene condensation, performed using a gel retardation assay, revealed that $COS6(M_n=6,040 Da)$ containing $5\%$ of cholesteryl chloroformate (COS6C5) formed a stable DNA complex at a COS6C5/DNA weight ratio of 2. In contrast, COS6, the unmodified COS, failed to form a stable COS/DNA complex even at an elevated weight ratio of 8. Furthermore, the COS6C5/DNA complex enhanced the in vitro transfection efficiency on Human embryonic kidney 293 cells by over 100 and 3 times those of COS6 and poly(L-lysine), respectively. Therefore, hydrophobized chitosan oligosaccharide can be considered as an efficient gene carrier for gene delivery systems.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.753-759
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• 1993

The research and motor octane numbers (RON & MON, respectively) of a gasoline are dynamic measures of its quality of performance as a fuel. ASTM standard engine test methods (RON:ASTM D-2699, MON:ASTM D-2700) have been used for determining the octane numbers (RON,MON)of gasolines. But these methods have been widely criticized because their repeatability and reproducibility of the test method are very poor. In addition to these objections, the cost and operation time involved in measuring by the standard method led to searches for "non -engine" methods (Gas Chromatographic method, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic method). In this study, we determined the carbon type structural compositions of the gasolines by $^{13}C-NMR$ spectroscopy and predicted the octane number (RON & MON) with good accuracy. we presented an assessment of the effects of molecular structural composition on octane numbers.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.337-345
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• 1998

This study examined the influences of computer-assisted instruction(CAl) upon high school students' conceptual understanding, algorithmic problem solving ability, learning motivation, and attitudes toward chemistry instruction. CAl programs were designed to supply animated molecular motions for emphasizing the particulate dynamic nature of matter and immediate feedbacks according to students' response types at each stage of four stage problem-solving strategy(understanding, planning, solving, and reviewing). The CAl and control groups (2 classes) were selected from a girls high school in Seoul, and taught about gas law for four class hours. Data analysis indicated that the students at the CAl group scored significantly higher than those at the control group in the tests on conceptual understanding and algorithmic problem solving ability. In addition, the students at the CAl group performed significantly better in the tests on the learning motivation and attitudes toward chemistry instruction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1062-1071
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• 2018

The misuse of anabolic hormones or illegal drugs is a ubiquitous problem in animal husbandry and in food safety. The ban on growth promotants in food producing animals in the European Union is well controlled. However, application regimens that are difficult to detect persist, including newly designed anabolic drugs and complex hormone cocktails. Therefore identification of molecular endogenous biomarkers which are based on the physiological response after the illicit treatment has become a focus of detection methods. The analysis of the 'transcriptome' has been shown to have promise to discover the misuse of anabolic drugs, by indirect detection of their pharmacological action in organs or selected tissues. Various studies have measured gene expression changes after illegal drug or hormone application. So-called transcriptomic biomarkers were quantified at the mRNA and/or microRNA level by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) technology or by more modern 'omics' and high throughput technologies including RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). With the addition of advanced bioinformatical approaches such as hierarchical clustering analysis or dynamic principal components analysis, a valid 'biomarker signature' can be established to discriminate between treated and untreated individuals. It has been shown in numerous animal and cell culture studies, that identification of treated animals is possible via our transcriptional biomarker approach. The high throughput sequencing approach is also capable of discovering new biomarker candidates and, in combination with quantitative RT-qPCR, validation and confirmation of biomarkers has been possible. These results from animal production and food safety studies demonstrate that analysis of the transcriptome has high potential as a new screening method using transcriptional 'biomarker signatures' based on the physiological response triggered by illegal substances.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.535-540
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• 2011

Reprogramming errors, which appear frequently in cloned animals, are reflected by aberrant gene expression. We previously reported the aberrant expression of TIMP-2 and PBEF in cloned placenta and differential expression of PBEF genes during pregnancy. To examine the epigenetic modifications that regulate dynamic gene expression in developing placentae, we herein analyzed the mRNA and protein expression levels of PBEF and TIMP-2 in the placentae of normal mice during pregnancy and then examined potential correlations with epigenetic modifications. DNA methylation pattern analysis revealed no difference, but ChIP assays using antibodies against H3-K9/K14 and H4-K5 histone acetylation revealed that the H3-K9/K14 acetylation levels, but not the H4-K5 acetylation levels, of the TIMP-2 and PBEF loci were significantly correlated with their gene expression levels during placentation in normal mice. These results suggest that epigenetic changes may regulate gene expression level in the developing placentae of normal mice and that inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming might be one cause of the abnormal placentae seen in cloned animals.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.212-217
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• 2007

The chicken oviduct is a dynamic organ that produces secretory proteins such as ovalbumin during the laying period. In this study, we identified oviduct-specific proteins in hens during the egg-laying period by proteomic analysis. Proteins extracted from the magnum of hens of different ages (5, 35, and 65 weeks) were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to compare the intensity of proteins among samples. Approximately 300 spots were detected on each gel. Based on the comparison of image gels, we found that the intensity of eight spots in 35-week magnums was increased at least by 2-fold compared with the others. Five of the eight spots were identified as calumenin, acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins (ARP), prohibitin, heart fatty acid-binding protein, and anterior gradient-2 (AGR-2). In particular, ARP and AGR-2 were highly expressed in 35- week magnums compared with 5- and 65-week magnums. In addition, the level of these proteins was consistent with their RNA levels. Expression of AGR-2 mRNA was detected in the mature magnum, whereas no signal was observed in premature tissue. Among various tissues, expression of AGR-2 mRNA was highest in the magnum, high in the isthmus, and five fold lower in muscle. It was undetectable in the liver and in other tissues (heart and kidney). However, the mRNA levels of other proteins were ubiquitous among tissues. In transcriptional activity of AGR-2, a 3.0 kb fragment of promoter region containing potential estrogen receptor binding sites had enhanced its activity strongly. In conclusion, these results suggest that AGR-2 has functional regulatory roles in the chicken oviduct during the egglaying period.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 1996.10b
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• pp.18-28
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• 1996

The outer-most electrons of metal atoms and the remaining valence electrons of any molecular atoms make three-dimensional crystallizing $\pi$-bondings. The rotating electrons on the three-dimensional crystallizing $\pi$-bonding orbitals of atoms make $\pi$-far infrared rays. Longitudinal wave is a propagation of a bundle of $\pi$-far infrared rays, which are produced by a dynamic impact on a solid bar. The $\pi$-far infrared rays make three-dimensional crystallizing $\pi$-bondings in the material, which reproduce the same $\pi$-far infrared rays. If a current signal is input into water molecules under a given electric potential field with $\pi$-far infrared rays (input information), the signal can be amplified because the $\pi$-far infrared rays make the $\pi$-bondings, which reduce electric resistance. The three-dimensional crystallizing $\pi$-bondings can induce normal electrons to move from one orbital to next one with a aid of potential electric field. Quantum Resonance Spectrometer is composed of tesla coil absorbing $\pi$-far infrared rays, tesla coil emitting varying electromagnetic waves signal generator, signal storage, human body amplifier, signal analyzer and data indicator. The absorbing tesla coil making varying magnetic field and downward and upward electric field, which resonates the $\pi$-far infrared rays coming out from specimen and absorbs them. The modulated current signal from the input square signal can generate and emit varying electromagnetic waves from the tesla coil. The varying electro-magnetic waves make the three-dimensional crystallizing $\pi$-bondings and the $\pi$-far infrared rays in the water molecules.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2005

The chicken oviduct is a dynamic organ that produces secretory proteins such as ovalbumin and its cells undergo cell proliferation and differentiation. There has been no study of the cellular mechanism involved in cell death in the chicken oviduct. Therefore, this study has focused on the study of apoptosis in primary oviduct cells. Because ceramide is known to activate apoptosis in tumor cells and is produced in the oviduct, we used an exogenous ceramide analog to induce cell death. The viability of ceramide-treated chicken oviduct cells decreased in a dose-dependent manner and apoptotic cells were detected by staining with annexin V. The expression of apoptosis-related genes was assessed by RT-PCR and bcl-2 mRNA was found to decrease after exposure to ceramide while Bcl-x mRNA increased 12 h post-treatment. In addition, caspase-3 was expressed strongly in the early stages of apoptosis, while caspase-1 and -9 transcripts increased at later times. We conclude that ceramide induces apoptosis in oviduct-derived primary cells via a caspase- and bcl-2-dependent pathway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2020

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease and a major cause of dementia in elderly individuals worldwide. Increased deposition of insoluble amyloid β (Aβ) fibrils in the brain is thought be a key neuropathological hallmark of AD. Many recent studies show that natural products such as polyphenolic flavonoids inhibit the formation of insoluble Aβ fibrils and/or destabilize β-sheet-rich Aβ fibrils to form non-cytotoxic aggregates. In the present study, we explored the structure-activity relationship of naturally-occurring biflavonoids on Aβ amyloidogenesis utilizing an in vitro thioflavin T assay with Aβ1-42 peptide which is prone to aggregate more rapidly to fibrils than Aβ1-40 peptide. Among the biflavonoids we tested, we found amentoflavone revealed the most potent effects on inhibiting Aβ1-42 fibrillization (IC₅₀: 0.26 µM), as well as on disassembling preformed Aβ1-42 fibrils (EC₅₀: 0.59 µM). Our structure-activity relationship study suggests that the hydroxyl groups of biflavonoid compounds play an essential role in their molecular interaction with the dynamic process of Aβ1-42 fibrillization. Our atomic force microscopic imaging analysis demonstrates that amentoflavone directly disrupts the fibrillar structure of preformed Aβ1-42 fibrils, resulting in conversion of those fibrils to amorphous Aβ1-42 aggregates. These results indicate that amentoflavone affords the most potent anti-amyloidogenic effects on both inhibition of Aβ1-42 fibrillization and disaggregation of preformed mature Aβ1-42 fibrils.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.9-18
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• 2014

PURPOSES : The objective of this study is to evaluate the applicability of the pitch, which is produced during SDA petroleum upgrading process, as a pavement paving material. In order for the purpose, the physical and chemical properties of the pitch are analyzed, and then the various plasticizers are applied in the pitch. METHODS : Two types of pitch are selected from oil refinery companies, which are owned the SDA petroleum upgrading process. Also, two types of asphalt binders, PG 64-22 and PG 58-22, are employed to compare with the pitch because these two types of asphalt binders are currently used as paving materials. For the chemical property of the pitch, the composition of SARA (Saturate, Aromatic, Resin, Asphaltene), the elementary composition, and the functional group are analyzed. For the physical property of the pitch, the basic material property tests, such as penetration test, softening point test, flash point test, ductility test, and rotational viscometer test, are performed. Also, the DSR (Dynamic Shear Rheometer) test and the BBR (Bending Beam Rheometer) test are conducted using asphalt binder specimens obtained by both short term aging (Rolling Thin Film Oven, RTFO) and long term aging (Pressure Aging Vessel, PAV) processes. The rheological property of each pitch type is evaluated as a function of temperatures and loading cycles. PG 64-22 asphalt binder is used as a control material. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS : The Pitch may not be suitable for the pavement paving material without modifications, but the pitch can be used as alternatives of modified addictive or asphalt. If low molecular component, such as saturate and aromatic components, are added in the pitch based on the development of various plasticizers, it has a strong possibility for the pitch to be used as a alternative. However, in order to verify the performance property of the pitch, further research is needed.