• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1299-1306
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• 2015

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of action of the cinnamon bark essential oil (CB), when used singly and also in combination with piperacillin, for its antimicrobial and synergistic activity against beta-lactamase TEM-1 plasmid-conferred Escherichia coli J53 R1. Viable count of bacteria for this combination of essential oil and antibiotic showed a complete killing profile at 20 h and further confirmed its synergistic effect by reducing the bacteria cell numbers. Analysis on the stability of treated cultures for cell membrane permeability by CB when tested against sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed that the bacterial cell membrane was disrupted by the essential oil. Scanning electron microscopy observation and bacterial surface charge measurement also revealed that CB causes irreversible membrane damage and reduces the bacterial surface charge. In addition, bioluminescence expression of Escherichia coli [pSB1075] and E. coli [pSB401] by CB showed reduction, indicating the possibility of the presence of quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors. Gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry of the essential oil of Cinnamomum verum showed that trans-cinnamaldehyde (72.81%), benzyl alcohol (12.5%), and eugenol (6.57%) were the major components in the essential oil. From this study, CB has the potential to reverse E. coli J53 R1 resistance to piperacillin through two pathways; modification in the permeability of the outer membrane or bacterial QS inhibition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1711-1715
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• 2017

In this study, we characterized the $bla_{NDM-5}$-bearing plasmid in a Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate that had lost the plasmid during serial passage. We determined the complete sequences of the plasmid pCC1410-2, which was extracted from a K. pneumoniae ST709 isolate collected at a Korean hospital from which two NDM-5-producing K. pneumoniae isolates were subsequently isolated. As a result, the pCC1410-2 plasmid had a backbone structure that was similar to those of two plasmids previously reported from the same hospital, but lacked some antibiotic resistance genes ($bla_{TEM-1}$, rmtB, mphR(A), mrx(A), and mph(A)). A 9-bp repeating unit encoding three amino acids (Gln-Gln-Pro) was inserted in TraD in pCC1410-2. Thus, the pCC1410-2 plasmid might be transferred from the previously identified carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae, but some delections and inversions might have occurred during the process. We compared the transfer frequency and stability of the plasmids. The relative frequency of conjugative transfer and stability in the host were significantly lower in pCC1410-2 than in previously reported $bla_{NDM-5}$-bearing plasmids in Korea. A low transfer frequency and instability in the host may cause underestimation of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the clinical setting and in surveillance studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1716-1723
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• 2017

The rapid dissemination of extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli has significantly contributed to public health hazard globally. A total of 281 E. coli strains recovered from pigs and chickens between 2009 and 2015 in South Korea were analyzed for ESBL production. ESBL phenotypes were recognized in 14 E. coli isolates; ten and three ESBL-producing isolates carried only $bla_{CTX-M}$ and $bla_{CMY}$ genes, respectively, and one isolate harbored both genes. The predominant CTX-M and CMY types were CTX-M-15 (n = 8) and CMY-2 (n = 3). We also detected ESBL-producing isolates harboring $bla_{CTX-M-65}$, $bla_{CTX-M-14}$, $bla_{CMY-6}$, $bla_{DHA-1}$, and $bla_{TEM-1}$ genes. All ESBL-producing isolates showed resistance to the extent of the fourth generation cephalosporins, along with multidrug resistance. CTX-M-15-producing isolates showed higher MIC values than CTX-M-14- and CTX-M-65-producing isolates. The $bla_{CTX-M}$ and $bla_{CMY}$ genes have the potential to be transferable. The spreading of $bla_{CMY}$ and $bla_{CTX-M}$ genes was arbitrated mainly via Frep and IncI1 plasmids. Our isolates showed clonal diversity in PFGE analysis. This is the first report of E. coli isolates carrying $bla_{CMY-6}$ in chicken from South Korea. The emergence of CMY-6 ESBLs in a population of poultry suggests that extensive screening with long-term surveillance is necessary to prevent the dissemination of ESBL from chicken to human.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2003

Acidocin 4A produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus GP4A was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation and sequential chromatographies containing Octyl sepharose CL-4B column, $C_{18}$ Sep-Pak Cartridge, $C_{18}$ RP HPLC and HPLC gel filtration. Tricine SDS-PACE resulted in a single band with estimated molecular mass of 4.1 kDa corresponding to the polypeptide weight marker. Electron microscopy of acidocin-treated indicator cells(L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis ATCC 4797) confirmed that acidocin 4A presented bacteriolytic effect, resulting in cell lysis. Curing trial using ethidium bromide (EtBr) was carried out to examine whether acidocin 4A determinant was encoded either by chromosome or on plasmid. The plasmid designated as pLA4A, being about 20 kb in size, was responsible for acidocin 4A production and immunity to host cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-289
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• 2018

The exponential increase in the use of mobile communication has triggered public concerns about the potential adverse effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phones on the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we explored the relationship between calcium channels and apoptosis or autophagy in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice after RF-EMF exposure with a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.0 W/kg for 4 weeks. Firstly, the expression level of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), a key regulator of the entry of calcium ions into the cell, was confirmed by immunoblots. We investigated and confirmed that pan-calcium channel expression in hippocampal neurons were significantly decreased after exposure to RF-EMF. With the observed accumulation of autolysosomes in hippocampal neurons via TEM, the expressions of autophagy-related genes and proteins (e.g., LC3B-II) had significantly increased. However, down-regulation of the apoptotic pathway may contribute to the decrease in calcium channel expression, and thus lower levels of calcium in hippocampal neurons. These results suggested that exposure of RF-EMF could alter intracellular calcium homeostasis by decreasing calcium channel expression in the hippocampus; presumably by activating the autophagy pathway, while inhibiting apoptotic regulation as an adaptation process for 835 MHz RF-EMF exposure.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.139-147
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• 2017

Microstructural evolution of cast Hastelloy X during thermal exposure has been investigated. OM, SEM, and TEM microscopy were carried out on the as-cast, the standard heat treated, and the thermally exposed conditions. Tensile tests were also conducted to understand the effect of microstructural evolution on the degradation of tensile properties. Coarse $M_6C$ and fine $M_{23}C_6$ carbides were found in as-cast Hastelloy X with fine carbides on sub-boundary. Some of $M_{23}C_6$ carbide dissolved into the matrix during solution heat treatment and dislocation network formed at the interface between the carbide and the matrix due to the misfit strain. There was no significant microstructural difference between the exposed specimens at $400^{\circ}C$ and the solution heat treated specimen. A large amount of $M_{23}C_6$ carbides precipitated along and near grain boundaries and sub-boundaries after exposure at $650^{\circ}C$. Exposure at $870^{\circ}C$ of the alloy caused precipitation of $M_6C$ and ${\mu}$. The strength increased and the elongation decreased by thermal exposure at $650^{\circ}C$ and $870^{\circ}C$ because carbides interfere with the movement of the dislocation. It was found that the precipitation of carbide gave significant effects on the tensile properties of Hastelloy X.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.144-151
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• 2012

Chronic gastritis is the disease that is occuring in one in every 10 persons in Korea. In western medicine, endoscopy is needed to diagnose chronic gastritis, but it causes patients a pain and budget of expense. According to the TEM (Traditional Eastern Medicine), on the other hand, the 'Guan' position of the right wrist is related to a stomach. Thus we can diagnosis chronic gastritis by analyzing of pulse signal. However, pulse signal diagnosis is depended on oriental doctor's knowledge and experience. In this study, a systematic approach is proposed to analyze the computerized pulse signal. The pulse signals are firstly pre-processed, Gaussian model is adopted to fit the pulse signal, and then some related parameters are extracted from the model. Consequently, disease-sensitive parameters are selected by T-test and statistical difference. Finally, the selected parameters are entered into a Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm for classification. Classification results show that healthy persons and chronic gastritis patients are 95% and 87%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.458-462
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• 2011

Soution-processed ZrInZnO (ZIZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with varying Zr content were fabricated. The ZIZO TFT (Zr=20 at. %/Zn) has an optimal performance with the saturation field effect mobility of 0.77 $cm^2/Vs$, the threshold voltage (Vth) of 2.1 V, the on/off ratio of $4.95{\times}10^6$, and subthreshold swing (S.S) of 0.73 V/decade. Using this optimized ZIZO TFT, the positive and negative gate bias stress according to annealing temperature was also investigated. While the Vth shifts dramatically after 1,000 s of both gate bias stresses, variations in the S.S are negligible. It suggests that electrons or holes are tem porarily trapped in the gate insulator, the semiconductor, or the interface between both layers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2009

In this paper, Thin films of $HfO_2$/Hf were deposited on p-type wafer by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). We studied the electrical and material characteristics of $HfO_2$/Hf/Si MOS capacitor depending on thickness of Hf metal layer. $HfO_2$ films were deposited using TEMAH and $O_3$ at $350^{\circ}C$. Samples were then annealed using furnace heating to $500^{\circ}C$. Round-type MOS capacitors have been fabricated on Si substrates with $2000\;{\AA}$-thick Pt top electrodes. The composition rate of the dielectric material was analyzed using TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), XRD (X-ray Diffraction) and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). Also the capacitance-voltage (C-V), conductance-voltage (G-V), and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured. We calculated the density of oxide trap charges and interface trap charges in our MOS device. At the interface between $HfO_2$ and Si, both Hf-Si and Hf-Si-O bonds were observed, instead of Si-O bond. The sandwiched Hf metal layer suppressed the growing of $SiO_x$ layer so that $HfSi_xO_y$ layer was achieved. And finally, the generation of both oxide trap charge and interface trap charge in $HfO_2$ film was reduced effectively by using Hf metal layer.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.662-667
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• 2014

B-doped Si nanoparticles were synthesized by using inductive coupled plasma and specially designed double tube reactor, and their microstructures were investigated. 0~10 sccm of $B_2H_6$ gas was injected during the synthesis of Si nanoparticles from $SiH_4$ gas. Highly crystalline Si nanoparticles were synthesized, and their crystallinity did not change with increase of $B_2H_6$ flow rates. From SEM measurement, their particle sizes were approximately 30 nm regardless of $B_2H_6$ flow rates. From SIMS analysis, almost saturation of B in Si nanoparticles was detected only when 1 sccm of $B_2H_6$ was injected. When $B_2H_6$ flow rate exceeded 5 sccm, higher concentration of B than solubility limit was detected even if any secondary phase was not detected in XRD or HR-TEM results. Due to their high electronic conductivity, those heavily B-doped Si nanoparticles can be a potential candidate for an active material in Li-ion battery anode.