• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2009

Purpose: We investigated validity of a monitor-based computer eye test program, Test Chart 2000 Pro (developed by Thomson Software Solutions, UK). Methods: We chose ten common eye tests of the Test Chart 2000 Pro and Korean Standard Eye Test, applying them to same subject groups each by each, followed by comparison and analyses of agreement degree of the results. Results: Among the ten eye tests, Snellen Chart, Cross-cyl target, Duochrome test, Fan and Block test, and Random dot stereograms showed statistically significant agreement between both the Korean standard eye test method and Test Chart 2000 Pro. On the other hand, some disagreements were found between the two eye test methods in LogMAR Chart, Single Letter Chart, Phoria Test, Fixation Disparity Test, and Worth 4 Dot Test. Conclusions: Comparing to the Korean Standard Eye Test that consists of Han eye chart and Phoroptor, validity of the Test Chart 2000 Pro is not so high. Further improvements of the Test Chart 2000 Pro in accuracy are required.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

We evaluated the effects of prebiotic (mannan oligosaccharides, Mos) and probiotic diet supplements on growth performance, innate immunity, antioxidant activity, and intestinal changes in the microbial flora of red seabream Pagrus major. A basal diet (Con) was formulated to meet the nutrient requirement of red seabream. The dietary starch in Con was replaced with 0.6% Mos, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis and probiotic mixture (labeled as Mos, Pro-LP, Pro-BS, Pro-BL and Pro-Mix, respectively). We stocked 450 fish in 18 polypropylene tanks (400 L) in triplicate groups per dietary treatment. The fish were fed one of the diets twice (08:30, 18:30 h) a day for 63 days. Lysozyme activity was significantly higher in all the supplemented groups than that of the Con group. The immunoglobulin level of Pro-Mix, anti-protease activity of Pro-BL, and glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity of Pro-BS, Pro-BL and Pro-Mix groups were significantly higher than those of the Con group. The ratio of total Vibrio/heterotrophic marine bacteria counts was significantly lower in Pro-LP, Pro-BL and Pro-Mix groups than that of the Con group. Therefore, dietary supplementation of Mos and probiotics to improves immune response and antioxidant enzyme activity and inhibits Vibrio bacteria in the intestine.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1362-1369
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• 2005

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the plasma level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(pro-BNP) and several known risk factors influencing outcomes after Fontan operations, and to assess whether pro-BNP levels can be used as predictive risk factors in Fontan operations. Methods : Plasma pro-BNP concentrations were measured in 35 patients with complex cardiac anomalies before catheterization. Cardiac catheterization was performed in all subjects. Mean right atrium pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure(PAP), and ventricular end-diastolic pressure(EDP) were obtained. Cardiac output and pulmonary vascular resistance were calculated by Fick method. Results : Plasma pro-BNP levels exhibited statistically significant positive correlations with mean PAP(r=0.70, P<0.001), pulmonary vascular resistance(r=0.57, P<0.001), RVEDP(r=0.63, P<0.001), LVEDP(r=0.74, P<0.001), and cardiothoracic ratio(r=0.71, P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve using pro-BNP level to differentiate risk groups in Fontan operations was high : 0.868(95 percent CI, 0.712-1.023, P<0.01). The cutoff value of pro-BNP concentrations for the detection of risk groups in Fontan operations was determined to be 332.4 pg/mL(sensitivity 83.3 percent, specificity 82.7 percent). Conclusion : These data suggest that plasma pro-BNP levels may be used as a predictive risk factor in Fontan operations, and as a guide to determine the mode of therapy during follow-up after Fontan operations.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3267-3274
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• 2014

In order to investigate the effects of the double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Leu or Nleu (the peptoid residue for Leu) in the hydrophobic face (positions 9 and 13) of amphipathic ${\alpha}$-helical non-cell-selective antimicrobial peptide $L_8K_9W_1$ on the structure, cell selectivity and mechanism of action, we synthesized a series of $L_8K_9W_1$ analogs with double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Leu or Nleu in the hydrophobic face of $L_8K_9W_1$. In this study, we have confirmed that the double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, or Nleu in the hydrophobic face of $L_8K_9W_1$ let to a great increase in the selectivity toward bacterial cells and a complete destruction of ${\alpha}$-helical structure. Interestingly, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu preferentially interacted with negatively charged phospholipids, but unlike $L_8K_9W_1$ and $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Leu, they did not disrupt the integrity of lipid bilayers and depolarize the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. These results suggested that the mode of action of $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu involves the intracellular target other than the bacterial membrane. In particular, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu had powerful antimicrobial activity (MIC range, 1 to $4{\mu}M$) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA). Taken together, our results suggested that $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu with great cell selectivity may be promising candidates for novel therapeutic agents, complementing conventional antibiotic therapies to combat pathogenic microorganisms.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2013

In a continuation of investigation on Cordyceps militaris, thirteen compounds were isolated from the $CH_2Cl_2$ and n-BuOH-soluble fraction of C. militaris. They were identified as twelve diketopiperazines such as cyclo($\small{L}$-Gly-$\small{L}$-Pro) (1), cyclo($\small{L}$-Ala-$\small{L}$-Pro) (2), cyclo($\small{L}$-Ser-$\small{L}$-Pro) (3), cyclo($\small{L}$-Val-$\small{L}$-Pro) (4), cyclo($\small{L}$-Thr-$\small{L}$-Pro) (5), cyclo($\small{L}$-Pro-$\small{L}$-Pro) (6), cyclo($\small{L}$-Thr-$\small{L}$-Leu) (7), cyclo($\small{L}$-Tyr-$\small{L}$-Ala) (8), cyclo($\small{L}$-Phe-$\small{L}$-Ser) (9), cyclo($\small{L}$-Phe-$\small{L}$-Pro) (10), cyclo($\small{L}$-Tyr-$\small{L}$-Pro) (11) and brevianamide F (13), and an amino acid, tryptophan (12). Their structures were identified on the basis of chemical evidences and spectroscopic analysis including 1D-NMR ($^1H$, $^{13}C$), 2D-NMR (HSQC, HMBC) and MS spectral data. Among the isolated compounds, compounds 1, 2, 6-11 are first reported from C. militaris.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.772-777
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• 1999

The uncaped genomic RNA of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) initiates translation by recruitment of eukaryotic translation initiation factors at the internal ribosome entry site (IRES). N-terminal protease ($N^{pro}$) is the first translation product of the open reading frame (ORF). By using the vaccinia virus SP6 RNA polymerase transient expression system, we showed previously that deletion of $N^{pro}$ region reduced translation by 21%. To better understand the biological significance of $N^{pro}$ for translation, we carried out a mutational analysis of the $N^{pro}$ region of BVDV cloned in the intercistronic region of a bicistronic reporter plasmid. We constructed a bicistronic expression vector in which the entire 5 UTR and the mutated $N^{pro}$ region (${\Delta}386-901$, ${\Delta}415-901$ and ${\Delta}657-901$) was cloned between two reporter genes, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and luciferase (LUC). In vivo translation analyses showed that $N^{pro}$ region was dispensible for efficient translation. The results indicate that the $N^{pro}$ region is not essential for BVDV RNA translation and the 3' boundary of BVDV IRES is expanded into $N^{pro}$ region, suggesting that $N^{pro}$ may not play a major role in BVDV replication.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.553-559
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• 2016

There has been increasing global interest in the environmental pollution problems produced by fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In order to tackle these issues, new renewable energy such as solar, wind, bio gas, fuel cell and pressure retarded osmosis(PRO) have been developed extensively. Among these energy sources, PRO is one of the salinity gradient power generation methods. In PRO, energy is obtained by the osmotic pressure generated from the concentration difference between high and low concentration solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane. The development for high power density PRO membranes is imperative with the purpose of commercialization. This study investigates development of thin film composite PRO membrane and spiral wound module for high power density. Also, the influence of membrane backing layer on power density was identified, and the characteristic factors of PRO membranes was determined. Different backing layers were used to improve power density. As expected, the PRO membrane with more porous backing layer showed higher power density.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2003

We studied the effect of Bamboo salt-pro on the growth and acid production of S. mutans. The growth of S.mutans was reduced by the presence of the Bamboo salt-pro (1 mg/ml) and NaCl (1 mg/ml) significantly, and the positive control group (1 % of NaF) also exhibited antibacterial activity significantly. Bamboo salt-pro (1 mg/ml) reduced the rate of acid production by S. mutans. Bamboo salt alone did not demonstrate such a reduction in acid production at the concentration of 1 mg/ml. The inhibitory action of Bamboo salt-pro on acid production was found at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, but bamboo salt alone was not at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. In addition, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of Bamboo salt-pro on human mast cell line HMC-1. Bamboo salt-pro (0.1 and 0.01 mg/ml) inhibited significantly the secretion of inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-a with $59.47{\pm}0.15%$, $51.98{\pm}0.16%$ respectively. Our results suggest that Bamboo salt-pro importantly contributes to the prevention or treatment of periodontitis and other oral diseases and inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.85-97
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• 2004

The effect of consumers' environmental conservation behavior on the purchase of pro-environmental and used products. This study utilized a representative, large data sample to determine consumers' environmental conservation behavior, and purchase of pro-environmental and used products. Differences in these behavioral traits were investigated by socio-demographic variables. In addition, this study investigated the effect of consumers' environmental conservation behavior on the purchase of pro-environmental and used product. The major result were as follows. First, the level of consumers' environmental conservation behavior was low, and consumers did not buy pro-environmental and used products frequently. Second, unemployed married women, consumers with very low or high level of education and high income, consumers older than 40's, and consumers living in apartments showed lower levels of environmental conservation behavior. Third, consumers who were married, dissatisfied with their environmental living conditions, or irrational were more likely to buy pro-environmental products. Men, young, and rational consumers were more likely to buy used products. On the other hand, the level of environmental behavior did not influence the purchase of pro-environmental and used products. The high level of behavior for environmental conservation did not result the purchase of pro-environmental and used products.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.887-889
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• 2001

The gene encoding yeast pro-carboxypeptidase Y (pro-CPY) has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Most of the expressed pro-CPY was accumulated as cytoplasmic insoluble aggregates. In our previous study, active CPY was obtained by renaturation of entirely denatured pro-CPY followed by in vitro proteolytic processing with proteinase K along with the activation process. The same refolding process was performed to produce an active CPY from pro-CPY inclusion bodies with renaturation buffers containing proteinase K at different concentrations. The refolding efficiency decreased from $25\%\;to\;2\%$ in the renaturation buffers containing proteinase K at concentrations of $60{\mu}g/ml\;and\;0.6{\mu}g/mi$, respectively. In an attempt to increase the refolding efficiency with a lesser amount of proteinase K, a novel fed-batch refolding process was developed. In a fed-batch refolding, 99 ml of the renaturation buffer containing pro-CPY was gradually added into 1 ml of the renaturation buffer containing $60{\mu}g/ml$ of proteinase K to give a final proteinase K concentration of $0.6{\mu}g/ml$. The fed-batch refolding process resulted in a refolding efficiency of $18\%$, which corresponded to a 9-fold increase over that ($2\%$) in the batch process.