• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.551-555
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• 2014

Trichomonas vaginalis, a causative agent of trichomoniasis, may trigger symptomatic or asymptomatic non-gonococcal urethritis and chronic prostatitis in men. Despite the availability of highly sensitive diagnostic tests, such as nucleic acid amplification tests, including PCR, few prospective studies present data on male T. vaginalis infection in South Korea. In the present study, the prevalence of T. vaginalis and associated clinical conditions were evaluated in 201 male patients from a primary care urology clinic in South Korea. The prevalence of T. vaginalis infection in our cohort was 4% (8/201) by PCR. T. vaginalis infection was common in men older than 40 years (median age, 52 years). Among the 8 Trichomonas-positive patients, 87.5% (7/8) had prostatic diseases, such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia, and 25.0% (2/8) and 12.5% (1/8) were coinfected with Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium, respectively. Our results suggest that T. vaginalis infection is not rare in men attending primary care urology clinics in South Korea, especially in those older than 40 years, in whom it may explain the presence of prostatic disease. The possibility of T. vaginalis infection should be routinely considered in older male patients with prostatic diseases in South Korea.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.364-370
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• 1987

The $O_2^-$ level of the extract from young rice leaves, which was cold treated for 2 days and then placed at room temperature for a period of time significantly higher than that from tissues untreated. $O_2^-$ level in leaves was practically unchanged during cold treatment for 48 hours. But it started to increase to arrive at maximum in 8 hours, once the plants were placed under room temperature. The abnormal production of $O_2^-$ in mitochondria during postchilling process was interpreted as a biochemical consequence of accumulation of glycolysis product(s) in cytosol and/or NADH in mitochondrial matrix due to disruption of catabolic balance at low temperature. Mitochondria isolated from the chilling injured tissue was found to have lost considerably their respiratory activity. This fact may imply the involvement of intramitochondrial accumulation of $O_2^-$ in the inactivation of electron transport chain system. The observation that mitochondria in the presence of the $O_2^--producing$ enzymatic system (Xanthine/Xanthine oxidase) lost their respiratory activity supports this inference. It was also found in this work that Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a substrate inducible enzyme, and that SOD is a possible protective agent in plant cell against chilling injury.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1989

To enhance the capability of starch fermentation of the transformant TSD-14, the heat treated protoplasts of TSD-14 were fused with the protoplasts of C. tropicalis (lys$^-$) in the presence of 30% (w/ v) PEG and 20 mM CaC1$_2$. Fusants were selected by nutritional complementation on minium medium and the fusion frequency was 4.4$\times$10$^{-5}$. All fusants tested were possessed of complemented traits concerning carbon compound assimilation, and the cell volumes of the fusants were approximately 1.5 times larger than the parental strains. The fusants were genetically very stable, and were able to hydrolyze alpha 1,4-glucosidic linkage as well as alpha 1,6-linkage of starch contrary to one of parents TSD-14, The most promising fusant FSC-14-75 produced 8.7% (v/v) of ethanol from 15% liquefied potato starch medium, but the result was enhanced to 9.3% (v/v) by addition of 0.3% peptone. The corresponding fermentation efficiency was 86.0%.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.595-605
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• 2018

In recent years, researches on organic-inorganic coating films have conducted a nanocomposite system composed of organic resin matrices having excellent flexibility and chemical stability and inorganic materials having excellent mechanical properties. The o-phenylphenoxyethyl acrylate (OPPEA) used as the acrylate monomer has a high refractive index of 1.58, and the bisphenol A ethoxylate diacrylate (BAEDA) has a low refractive index but improves the chemical stability of the organic resin. In addition, zirconia used as an inorganic material exhibits excellent durability and optical properties. In this study, the BAEDA contents in acrylate monomer were controlled to produce a film with suitable optical transparency. And optimum conditions were established by comparing the changes in surface properties of PET films detected with pencil hardness tester, Abbe's refractometer, and UV-vis spectrophotometer. The hydrophobicity and the dispersibility of zirconia in acrylate monomer were much improved after modification with ${\gamma}$-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS), which is a silane coupling agent. And the existence of ester C=O bond peak at $1716cm^{-1}$ introduced by MPS through FT-IR ATR spectrophotometer confirmed the completion of surface modification of zirconia with MPS. In addition, the presence of silicon atom on the surface modified zirconia was also proved using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. When the photocurable hybrid coating was prepared by introducing chemically modified zirconia into acrylate monomer, the refractive index of this coated PET film was improved by 1.2%, compared to the only acrylate coated PET film. The homogeneous distribution of zirconia in acrylate coating layer on PET film was also identified through SEM/EDS mapping analysis technique.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3252-3260
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• 2012

2,2'-Bipyridinium chlorochromate[$C_{10}H_8N_2HCrO_3Cl$] was synthesized by the reaction of 2,2'- bipyridine with chromium(VI) trioxide in 6M HCl. The structure was characterized by IR and ICP analysis. The oxidation of benzyl alcohol using 2,2'-bipyridinium chlorochromate in various solvents showed that the reactivity increased with the increase in the order of the dielectric constant(${\varepsilon}$), in the order: cyclohexene< chloroform$p-CH_3$, H, m-Br, $m-NO_2$) in N,N'-dimethylformamide. Electron-donating substituents accelerated the reaction, whereas electron acceptor groups retarded the reaction. The Hammett reaction constant(${\rho}$) was -0.64(303K). The oxidation reactivity of alcohols can be a useful factor to study about physical properties such as thermal stability, when the polysilsesquioxane solution is ready for an applying coating agent. The observed experimental data was used to rationalized the hydride ion transfer in the rate-determining step.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.743-748
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• 2016

Background: $K^-Ras$ activation is an early event in colorectal carcinogenesis and associated mutations have been reported in about 40% of colorectal cancer patients. These mutations have always been responsible for enhancing malignancy and silencing them is associated with attenuation of tumorigenicity. Among downstream effectors are the RAF/MEK/ERK and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. PI3K/Akt signaling leads to reduction of apoptosis, stimulated cell growth and enhanced proliferation. Ellagic acid (EA), a naturally occurring antioxidant, has recently emerged as a promising anti-cancer agent. Purpose: To evaluate the impact of cellular genetic makeup of two colon cancer cell lines with different genetic backgrounds, HCT-116 ($K^-Ras^-/p53^+$) and Caco-2 ($K^-Ras^+/p53^-$), on response to potential anti-tumour effects of EA. In addition, the influence of $K^-Ras$ silencing in HCT-116 cells was investigated. Materials and Methods: Cellular proliferation, morphology and cell cycle analysis were carried out in addition to Western blotting for detecting total Akt and p-Akt (at Thr308 and Ser473) in the presence and absence of different concentrations of EA. Cell proliferation was also assessed in cells transfected with different concentrations of $K^-Ras$ siRNA or incubated with ellagic acid following transfection. Results: The results of the present study revealed that EA exerts anti-proliferative and dose-dependent pro-apoptotic effects. Cytostatic and cytotoxic effects were also observed. p-Akt (at Thr308 and Ser473) was downregulated. Moreover, EA treatment was found to (i) reduce $K^-Ras$ protein expression; (ii) in cells transfected with siRNA and co-treated with EA, pronounced anti-proliferative effects as well as depletion of p-Akt (at Thr308) were detected. Conclusions: Cellular genetic makeup ($K^-Ras^-/p53^-$) was not likely to impose limitations on targeting EA in treatment of colon cancer. EA had a multi-disciplinary pro-apoptotic anti-proliferative approach, having inhibited Akt phosphorylation, induced cell cycle arrest and showed an anti-proliferative potential in HCT-116 cells (expressing mutant $K^-Ras$).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.330-336
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• 2005

The ozone injection method was proposed to improve the catalytic process for the removal of nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$). Nitric oxide (NO) in the exhaust gas was first oxidized to nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) by ozone produced by dielectric barrier discharge, and then the exhaust gas containing the mixture of NO and $NO_2$ was directed to the catalytic reactor where both NO and $NO_2$ were reduced to $N_2$ in the presence of ammonia as the reducing agent. A commercially available $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalyst was used as the catalytic reactor. The $NO_2$ content in the mixture of NO and $NO_2$ was changed by the amount of ozone added the exhaust gas. The effect of reaction temperature, initial $NO_x$ concentration, feed gas flow rate, and ammonia concentration on the removal of $NO_x$ at various $NO_2$ contents was examined and discussed. The increase in the content of $NO_2$ by the ozone injection remarkably improved the performance of the catalytic reactor, especially at low temperatures. The present ozone injection method appears to be promising for the improvement of the catalytic reduction of $NO_x$.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.49-54
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• 2020

To attach a stretchable/flexible electrode to something or something to on electrode, conductive adhesives must be stretchable/flexible to suit the properties of the electrode. In particular, conductive adhesive require durability and heat resistance, and unlike conventional adhesives, they should also have conductivity. To this end, Epoxy, which has good strength and adhesion, was selected as an adhesive, and a plasticizer and a reinforcement were mixed instead of a two-liquid material consisting of a conventional theme and a hardener, and a four-liquid material was used to give stretchability/flexibility to high molecules. The conductive filler was selected as silver, a material with low resistance, and for high conductivity, three shapes of Ag particles were used to increase packing density. Conductivity was compared with these developed conductive adhesives and two epoxy-based conductive adhesives being sold in practice, and about 10 times better conductivity results were obtained than products being actually sold. In addition, conductivity, mechanical properties, adhesion and strength were evaluated according to the presence of plasticizers and reinforcement agent. There was also no problem with 60% tensile after 5 minutes of curing at 120℃, and pencil hardness was excellently measured at 6H. As a result of checking the adhesion of electrodes through 3M tape test, all of them showed excellent results regardless of the mixing ratio of binders. After attaching the Cu sheet on top of the electrode through conductive adhesive, the contact resistance was checked and showed excellent performance with 0.3 Ω.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.454-462
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• 1997

Thermotropic block copolyester(TLCP-b-PBN) based on poly(tetramethylene 2,6-(naphthaloyldioxy)dibenzoates)(TLCP) and poly(butylene 2,6-naphthalate)(PBN) was synthesized by solution polycondensation and melt-blended with poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate)(PEN) for in-situ composites. The TLCP domains showed nematic behavior in melt. The composition of block copolymer was determined from $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopy. The DSC thermogram of block copolymer revealed the presence of two major melting transitions, corresponding to the separete melting of PBN and TLCP domains. The glass transition temperature(Tg) of the PEN in the blends decreased with increasing the content of TLCP-b-PBN and the TLCP-b-PBN acted as a nucleating agent for the matrix polymers. In the 20% TLCP-b-PBN blend, well oriented TLCP fibriles were observed at temperature above the melting point of the PEN by optical microscopy. By scanning electron micrographs of cryogenically fractured surfaces of extruded blends, the TLCp domains were found to be finely and uniformely dispersed in 0.15 to $0.2{\mu}m$ size. Interfacial adhesion between the TLCP and matrix polymer was seemed to be good. Under certain condition TLCP formed a fiver structure in the PEN matrix, with thin oriented TLCP fibril in the skin region and spherical TLCP domains in the core.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2014

Purpose: At present, a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-based concept of tumor biology has been established, and trastuzumab ($Herceptin^{(R)}$; Genentech/Roche, San Francisco, CA, USA), a monoclonal humanized antibody directed against HER2, is a pivotal agent for the management of HER2 positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer. It is also known that HER2 has a predictive value in gastric cancer; however, its association with the prognosis of this disease remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate both the relationship between HER2 overexpression in the tumors of gastric cancer patients, and the prognosis of these patients who have had curative resection. Materials and Methods: A total of 139 consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery at the Kosin University Gospel Hospital between October 2011 and March 2012 were included in this retrospective study. All tumor samples were examined for HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry. A retrospective review of the medical records was conducted to determine the correlation between the presence of HER2 overexpression and clinicopathological factors. Results: The HER2+ rate was 15.1%. HER2 overexpression was associated with histological grade (P=0.044) and Lauren classification (P=0.036). There was no significant difference in the 2-year overall survival between HER2+ and HER2- patients (P=0.396). Multivariate analysis showed that HER2 was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions: HER2 overexpression in tumors was associated with histological grade and Lauren classification in gastric cancer patients with curative resection. However, HER2 was not an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer in our study.