• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.293-303
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• 2007

Objective: Previously, we identified differentially expressed genes between GV and MII stage mouse oocytes using ACP technology. When we study one of GV selective genes, Obox family, we found Obox4 mRNA expression in ovaries that has been reported as expressed exclusively in testis. Therefore, this study was conducted for characterization and functional analysis for Obox4. Methods: Expression of Obox4 mRNA was examined in gonads and oocytes by RT-PCR. To determine the role of Obox4 in oocyte maturation, Obox4 dsRNA was microinjected into the cytoplasm of GV oocytes followed by 16 h of incubation in the plain medium or by 24 h of incubation in the medium containing IBMX. After RNAi, phenotypes and maturation rates were observed, change in mRNA expression was evaluated, and chromosomal status was confirmed by orcein staining. Results: Obox4 has minimal expression in the ovary compared to that of the other family members. When oocytes were cultured for 16 h in M16 medium after RNAi, maturation rate was not changed significantly, compared with that of non-injected or buffer-injected control oocytes. Surprisingly, however, when oocytes were cultured for 24 h in M16 containing IBMX, in which oocytes were supposed to arrest at GV stage, Obox4 RNAi oocytes were advanced to MI and MII. Spindle structure was disappeared and the chromosomes were condensed in the oocytes after Obox4 RNAi. Conclusions: This is the first report on the expression of Obox4 in the ovary and oocytes. Results of the study suggest that Obox4 plays a crucial role in spindle formation and chromosome segregation during meiosis in oocytes. In addition, Obox4 may play an important role in cAMP-dependent signal cascades of GV-arrest in mouse oocytes.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.250-256
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• 2013

To verify the multiplication of microorganisms on the surface of strawberries, the fate of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ at different temperatures, times and strawberry extract concentrations were measured. The population of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ rapidly increased by 7.36~7.78 log CFU/g at $25{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ for 24 hr and slowly increased by 6.49~8.49 log CFU/g at $10{\sim}20^{\circ}C$ for 48 hr. However, E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ did not grow at $10{\sim}15^{\circ}C$ on the surface of the strawberries, regardless of the contact times with the bacterial suspension. E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ reached 1.52~3.26 log CFU/g at $20^{\circ}C$ as the contact frequency increased from two to six times. The contact frequencies did not significantly differ. In the case of the six-time contact on the surface of the strawberry at 25 and $30^{\circ}C$, the E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ increased by 5.17 and 5.01 log CFU/g. The effects of the strawberry extracts on the growth of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ showed that sterilization and non-sterilization do not affect the growth of microorganisms for 96 hr. In the minimal broth, the growth of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ increased by 1 log CFU/g for 96 hr. In less than 50 percent of the strawberry extracts, the growth rate of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ was higher than in the control and increased by 4 and 5 log CFU/g at 50 and 25 percent of strawberry extracts, respectively. Therefore, E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ can multiply and survive on the surface of strawberries when it comes into contact with the fruit extract.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.132-141
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• 2012

This study was carried out to test seed germination responses to temperatures and pre-treatments in Hippophae rhamnoides, which has many abilities in antioxidant activity, soil improvement and erosion control. H. rhamnoides seeds were placed at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and $35^{\circ}C$ under light condition. As the results, germination percentage (GP) was the highest at 15 and $20^{\circ}C$, and mean germination time (MGT), germination rate (GR) and germination value (GV) were the highest at $25^{\circ}C$. Quadratic and linear regression model were used to determine the cardinal temperatures such as base ($T_b$), maximum ($T_m$) and optimum ($T_o$) temperature for germination. In quadratic regression model using PG, $T_b$, $T_m$ and $T_o$ was estimated as 0.6, 36.4 and $18.5^{\circ}C$, respectively, and temperature range for germination was $35.8^{\circ}C$. In linear regression model using GR, $T_b$, $T_m$ and $T_o$ was estimated as 8.3, 35.4 and $25.3^{\circ}C$, respectively, and temperature range for germination was $27.2^{\circ}C$. Germination properties were investigated after H. rhamnoides seeds were treated by prechilling (1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks), stratification (2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks), solid matrix priming (seed : carrier : water = 5 : 1 : 7, 8, 9 and 10), osmo-priming (-0.25, -0.5, -1.0 and -1.5 MPa) and calcium chloride ($CaCl_2$) -priming (100, 200, 300 and 400 mM). The highest GP was observed in $CaCl_2$ 300 and 400 mM treatments, and MGT was the shortest in stratification 6 and 8 weeks treatments. GR and GV were the highest and GP was the second highest when seeds were prechilled for 1 and 2 weeks. Consequently, prechilling 1 or 2 weeks treatment was considered as the appropriate method when we contemplate qualitative and quantitative effects in seedling production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1243-1253
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• 2012

The production and secretion of growth hormone (GH) in the anterior pituitary gland can be induced by several natural products to control cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. To investigate whether Chungkookjang (CKJ) produced by the fermentation process affects GH-related metabolism, the secretion and the response of GH were observed in pituitary cells and GH target cells. Among six CKJs manufactured by different strains of glycine max, only three CKJs, including Daewon (DW), Daepung (DP), and Taegwang (TG), induced GH secretion from GH3 cells at 5.0 mg/ml concentration. There were no significant changes detected in the viability of any of the cells treated with these CKJs. In addition, the increase in GH secretion from the GH3 cells was dependent on the concentration of the three types of CKJs. The proliferation of cell lines, including MG63 and HepG2 cells, that originated from those derived from the GH target organs was significantly activated by treatment with the GH-containing conditional medium (GCM) harvested from the three CKJ-treated GH3 cells, although their induction rate was different from each other. In these cells, p-STAT5 was maximally translocated into the nucleus of MG63 cells 30 min after DW treatment, while it was translocated in HepG2 cells at 60 min. These results suggest that these three types of CKJ could enhance the secretion of GH, as well as the GCM-derived response, in the two target organs.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2012

The open-top chamber (OTC) system is designed for long term studies on the climate change impact on the major tree species and their community in Korea. In Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI), the modified OTC system has been operating since September 2009. The OTC facility consists of six decagon chambers (10 meters in diameter by 7 meters high) with controlled gas concentration. In each chamber, a series of vertical vent pipes are installed to disperse carbon dioxide or normal air into the center of the chamber. The OTC is equipped with remote controlled computer system in order to maintain a stable and elevated concentration of carbon dioxide in the chamber throughout the experimental period. The experiment consisted of 4 treatments: two elevated $CO_2$ levels ($1.4{\times}$ and $1.8{\times}$ ambient $CO_2$) and two controls (inside and outdoors of the OTC). Average operational rate was the lowest (94.2%) in June 2010 but increased to 98% in July 2010 and was 100% during January to December 2011. In 2010~2011, $CO_2$ concentrations inside the OTCs reached the target programmed values, and have been maintained stable in 2011. In 2011, $CO_2$ concentrations of 106%, 100% and 94% of target values has been recorded in control OTC, $1.4{\times}$ $CO_2$-enriched OTC and $1.8{\times}$ $CO_2$-enriched OTC, respectively. With all OTC chambers, the difference between outside and inside temperatures was the highest ($1.2{\sim}2.0^{\circ}C$) at 10 am to 2 pm. Temperature difference between six OTC chambers was not detected. The relative humidity inside and outside the chambers was the same, with minor variations (0~1%). The system required the highest amount of $CO_2$ for operation in June, and consumed 11.33 and 17.04 ton in June 2010 and 2011, respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1976

This study was conducted in order to observe some descriptive epidemiological findings and causes of life-long labour force loss in the rural population of Korea, and to consider, on the basis of these observations, some principles of the necessary control measures. The total number of subjects in the study was 27,172, all family members of 4,174 households. The study population was located in the 81 counties, out of a total of 138 counties, where the college students conducted service activities during the summer of 1974. In each village area where these service activities were conducted, one household per student interviewer was randomly selected. Student interviewers were instructed on the contents of the questionnaire prior to the survey. The main contents of the questionnaire form included address, name, sex and age of each family members, and present life-long labour force loss, if any, of each family member. In cases of current labour force loss, the age of onset and causes were recorded. Of the total households surveyed, 8.9% had family members (1-4 in number) with life-long labour force loss. Of the total persons surveyed, the crude prevalence rate for life-long labour force loss was 15.1 per 1,000; and the age-standardized prevalence rates for male and female were 16.3 per 1,000 and 13.4 per 1,000, respectively. The rates, in both sexes, were gradually increased as the ages were increased. The prevalence rates per 1,000, in order, for life-long labour force loss by the causes were 10.2 for senility, 2.4 for impairment of extremities, 1.2 for chronic diseases of internal organs, 0.5 for other conditions of muosculoskeletal system, 0.4 for blindness in both eyes, 0.2 for impairment of spine, 0.2 for psychoses, and 0.1 for epilepsy. Among them the causes of impairment of extremities were stroke, poliomyelitis, accidents, arthritis and injury due to war operation, in that order of higher relative frequency. The frequency ratios by age of onset were also observed by the causes and sex.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.489-496
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• 2000

Several culture systems including batch, two-stage CSTR, semi-fed batch, and two-stage cyclic fed-batch were investigated for the efficient production of the Fab fraction of PDC-E2 specific human monoclonal antibody using high cell density recombinant E. coli. A two-phase batch system and a two-stage continuous system were examined to overcome plasmid instability problems, by separating the growth and the production stages. The cell density and productivity of the two-stage continuous culture was better than that of the two-phase batch fermentation. In the two-stage continuous culture system with DO-stat, the cell growth and the productivity were superior to those of the system without the DO control. Also, almost total plasmid stability was maintained in the two-stage continuous culture system. Modified M9 medium was selected as an optimum feeding medium for the fed-batch process, and the optimum C/N ratio determined to be 2:3. The optimum feeding rate was $0.6g/\ell/hr$ for a constant feeding strategy in semi-fed batch system. When the feeding medium was fed by pulsing, it was observed that more frequent pulsing resulted in improved cell growth. The linear feeding method was the most efficient of the various feeding methods tested. Finally, high cell density culture using a two-stage cyclic fed batch system with pH-stat was tried because the linear feeding method showed limitations in terms of obtaining high cell densities, and a cell density of $54 g/\ell$ was achieved. It was concluded that the two-stage cyclic fed batch system was the most efficient system for high cell density culture of the systems tested. However, productivity improvements were lower than expected due to the extremely high accumulations of acetate, although the low levels of residual glucose were maintained.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.261-268
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• 2004

Background : The resurgence of tuberculosis and outbreaks of multidrug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis have increased the emphasis for the development of new susceptibility testing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis for the effective treatment and control of the disease. Conventional drug susceptibility testings, such as those using egg-based or agar-based media have some limits, such as the time required and difficulties in determining critical inhibitory concentrations, but these are still being used in many diagnostic laboratories because of no better lternatives, considering cost and accuracy. To overcome these limits, a rapid and simple method for new susceptibility testing, using live and dead assays, was applied for a bacterial cell viability assay to distinguish dead from live bacterial cells based on two-color fluorescence. Materials and Methods Strains : Forty strains were used in this study, 20 susceptible to all antituberculosis drugs and the other 20 resistant to the four first line antituberculosis drugs isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol. Antibiotics : The four antibiotics were dissolved in 7H9 broth to make the following solutions: $0.1{\mu}g\;isoniazid(INH)/m{\ell}$, $0.4{\mu}g\;rifampicin(RMP)/m{\ell}$, $4.0{\mu}g\;streptomycin(SM)/m{\ell}$ and $4.0{\mu}g\;ethambutol(EMB)/m{\ell}$. Results : Live and dead Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells fluoresced green and red with the acridin (Syto 9) and propidium treatments, respectively. These results are very well accorded with conventional drug susceptibility testing by proportional method on Lowensen-Jensen media (L-J) containing 4 drugs (INH, RMP, EMB and SM), showing a 93.7 % accordance rate in susceptible strains and 95% in resistant strains. Conclusion : The results of the drug susceptibility testing using the live and dead bacterial cell assay showed high accordance rates compared with the conventional proportion method on L-J. This finding suggests that the live and dead bacterial cell assay can be used as an alternative to conventional drug susceptibility testing for M. tuberculosis strains.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to produce wanted sex progeny of genetically confined White Hanwoo (albinism) with preselected sex sperm. One bull of White Hanwoo was chosen for semen donor and X sperm was sorted by MoFlo XDP cell sorter. To compare the pregnancy and birth rates, KPN straw was used as control, total number of unsorted sperm was $20{\times}10^6/straw$. Sexed X frozen semen with $20{\times}10^6$ cells or $4{\times}10^6$ cells per straw were in seminated twice on Hanwoo heifers. The abnormality of the sexed X semen was $24.9{\pm}7.31%$ and distal reflex abnormality of mid piece was significantly (p<0.05) higher (11.7%) compared with that of KPN 768 (5.6%). There were no differences on the pregnancy and birth rates between $2{\times}10^6$ cells or $4{\times}10^6$ cells of X-sperm but KPN semen showed significant differences (p<0.05). The pregnancy rates of KPN 768, $2{\times}10^6$ cells and $4{\times}10^6$ cells X-sperm of White Hanwoo cattle were 85.0%, 26.3% and 50%. The birth rates were 80.0%, 15.8% and 21.4%, respectively. The female offspring rates of KPN 768, $2{\times}10^6$ cells and $4{\times}10^6$ cells X-sperm of White Hanwoo cattle were 43.8%, 100% and 100% (p<0.05). These results indicated that sex sorted White Hanwoo could be used for the production of wanted progeny with $2{\times}10^6$ cells/straw for AI. To increase the efficiency of calf production, the sperm number of sex sorted semen will be optimized for sex selection of White Hanwoo progeny.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2019

Wet direct-seeding (WDS) is an important method for improving the competitiveness of rice production in South Korea. We analyzed the optimum direct-seeding date to establish the rice standing rate in each area and selected suitable areas for WHS by considering the heading stage limit date for improving cultivation safety. As a result, the rice direct-seeding date to control weedy rice was around 5.15, 5.17-5.19, and after 5.20 in southern Youngnam, southern Honam, and the Middle Coast areas, respectively. However, the optimum seeding date for good standing rice was in late March in most areas. Analyzing by area, most of the southern plains and parts of the central inland plain are suitable for WHS. However, most parts of Gwangwon-do, and the northern parts of Chungbuk, Gyeongbuk, and Yeonghonam areas are not suitable for WHS, and should therefore avoid WHS.