• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2004

Bone marrow transplantation(BMT) is widely used as curative means of various malignant and nonmalignant hematologic disorders, and early and accurate determination of engraftment is very important for critical management decisions. Reticulocyte counts performed by automated flow cytometric methods is a good indicator of erythropoietic activity and its evaluation has been proposed as an early predictor of bone marrow regeneration. Some reports highlighted the usefulness of the percentage of highly fluorescent reticulocytes and the sum of highly and medium fluorescent reticulocytes(immature reticulocyte fraction, IRF). In Asan Medical Center, the criteria for engraftment following BMT or PBSCT was defined as the first day of a 3-day trend of absolute neutrophil count(ANC)${\geq}500/uL$ and platelet count${\geq}30{\times}10^3/uL$. In 1999, Grotto et al proposed an indidator of bone marrow recovery as the first day on which the IRF was twice the minimum value after bone marrow transplantation. To compare the both criterias, we got consecutive datas of immature reticulocyte fraction, absolute neutrophil count(ANC), WBC count, platelet count and reticulocyte count by XE-2100 automated hematology analyzer(Sysmex Co. Japan) from 33 patients daily after BMT. When compared to standard neutrophil engraftment(10-30 days, $16.2{\pm}4.6days$), IRF engraftment (5-21 days, $11.0{\pm}3.9days$) occured significantly earlier in 87.9% of patients(P<0.05). The mean engraftment day for WBC count(11-29 days, $16.4{\pm}4.3days$) was similar to ANC, but platelet count and reticulocyte count revealed more delayed data (10-49 days, $19.1{\pm}7.4days$ vs 17-64 days, $31.4{\pm}14.1days$). In conclusion, our results confirm that an increase in the immature reticulocyte population is the earliest sign of the hematopoietic recovery after BMT and that automated reticulocyte quantification including immature fraction may be integrated into clinical protocols to evaluate bone marrow reconstitution.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.493-501
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• 1998

The most significant direct role of estrogen in vivo is its ability to elicit receptor-mediated cellular proliferation in mammalian target tissues. However, the mechanism by which exogenously added estrogen causes the neoplastic transformation of renal cortical cells is yet to be uncovered. The present study was designed to evaluate interaction of $17{\beta}-estradiol\;(E_2)$ with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on proliferation and $P_i$ uptake in primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubular cells in phenol red-free, hormonally defined-medium. $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation increased markedly by about 133% and 141% more in the presence of $10^{-9}\;and\;10^{-6}\;M\;E_2$, respectively, than that of control. Cell count was 162% and 143% greater in the presence of $10^{-9}\;and\;10^{-6}\;M\;E_2$ , respectively, compared with control. Among all time points examined, there was an increase in $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation in the presence of $10^{-9}\;M\;E_2$ at day 9 or 13, respectively. However, $E_2$ ($10^{-9}\;M$) significantly drove up cell count to 160% of that of control at day 13, while it had a slight but statistically insignificant effect at day 9. $E_2-induced$ stimulation of $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation was completely reversed by $E_2$ antagonists (progesterone or tamoxifen). $E_2$ ($10^{-9}\;M$) or EGF ($10^{-8}\;M$) significantly stimulated $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation by 144% and 154% of control. $E_2$ plus EGF was synergistic on $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation (204% of control), while $E_2$ plus IGF-I showed a slight but no significant synergistic effect. Cell number also displayed similar pattern. $E_2$ ($10^{-9}\;M$) significantly stimulated $P_i$ uptake to 134% of control. $E_2$-induced stimulation of $P_i$ uptake was partially reversed by $E_2$ antagonists. EGF or IGF-I ($10^{-8}\;M$) significantly also increased $P_i$ uptake to 132% or 129% of control. $E_2$ plus EGF had synergistic effect on $P_i$ uptake, while $E_2$ plus IGF-I did not. In conclusion, $E_2$ may act not only directly interaction with its receptors but also indirectly as a modulator of EGF in proliferation and $P_i$ uptake of primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubular cells.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.1-32
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• 2010

The global financial crisis has exerted enormous impacts on the attainment of inflation target in Korea. The annual average CPI inflation was 3.3% during the targeting period of 2007-2009 and the target was $3.0{\pm}0.5%$. Thus Korea has succeeded in keeping annual average CPI inflation just below the upper limit of the 2007-2009 target under the global crisis. This paper intends to evaluate the performance of the inflation targeting system in Korea. First, it estimates the conventional call rate reaction equation under the global crisis and finds that the policy interest rates never reacted to expected inflation, output gap, and won/dollar exchange rate, as expected by theory. Second, it identifies the shock of global financial crisis into core and non-core, applying the structural VAR model. The core shock was defined to have no (medium- to) long-run impact on real output. The core shock was identified to have the character of the demand shock, since it has the positive impact on the inflation and output in the short run. The structural core inflation due to core shock was an attractor of headline inflation, not vice versa. Therefore, the structural core inflation that reflects the demand-side shock would be the better intermediate target for the final headline inflation target than the official core inflation that excludes the volatile inflation of agricultural and oil-related products. During the inflation targeting period of 2007-2009, the structural core inflation was more volatile than the official core inflation, because the global crisis has very large negative impacts on the domestic demand as well as the prices of agricultural and oil-related products. This paper shows that the negative core shock during the fourth quarter of 2008 was larger than that in the financial crisis in 1998. But the core shock turned into positive very quickly in 2009, as the Korean economy recovered very quickly from crisis. The volatile changes in structural core inflation suggests that the Bank of Korea barely managed to attain the 2007-2009 inflation target, owing to the very large negative impacts of the global financial crisis on the domestic demand. It also suggests that the rapid rise in core inflation with the rapid recovery of the Korean economy will lead to rapid rise in headline inflation.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.425-434
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• 2013

The Small and Medium Business Administration specified 123 construction materials mandatory to purchase directly and forced the public owners to provide the contractors with materials as required by related law. This study extensively reviewed various characteristics and management factors of the owner-providing materials consumed in the public apartment housing under Direct Buying System(DBS) from the public owner's perspective. Subsequently, the major managed materials were identified, and the proper response plan was developed along the material procurement process. The Procurement Management Load Indices (PMLI) of 43 materials were evaluated according to rating criteria with procurement path, project-specified level, user requirement level, supplier's responsibility, on-site work requirement, additional parts, and inspection standards. The tile and aluminum windows were classified in the group needing high-level procurement efforts to reduce the errors and ensure the efficiency. The accurate quantity estimation method, definite purchase details, management activity definition before and after production, additional quantity for rework, interference coordination were defined as the essential activities for effectively responding to DBS.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1951-1964
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• 2016

1,4-Dioxane-degrading bacterial consortia were enriched from forest soil (FS) and activated sludge (AS) using a defined medium containing 1,4-dioxane as the sole carbon source. These two enrichments cultures appeared to have inducible tetrahydrofuran/dioxane and propane degradation enzymes. According to qPCR results on the 16S rRNA and soluble di-iron monooxygenase genes, the relative abundances of 1,4-dioxane-degrading bacteria to total bacteria in FS and AS were 29.4% and 57.8%, respectively. For FS, the cell growth yields (Y), maximum specific degradation rate ($V_{max}$), and half-saturation concentration ($K_m$) were 0.58 mg-protein/mg-dioxane, $0.037mg-dioxane/mg-protein{\cdot}h$, and 93.9 mg/l, respectively. For AS, Y, $V_{max}$, and $K_m$ were 0.34 mg-protein/mg-dioxane, $0.078mg-dioxane/mg-protein{\cdot}h$, and 181.3 mg/l, respectively. These kinetics data of FS and AS were similar to previously reported values. Based on bacterial community analysis on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two enrichment cultures, the FS consortium was identified to contain 38.3% of Mycobacterium and 10.6% of Afipia, similar to previously reported literature. Meanwhile, 49.5% of the AS consortium belonged to the candidate division TM7, which has never been reported to be involved in 1,4-dioxane biodegradation. However, recent studies suggested that TM7 bacteria were associated with degradation of non-biodegradable and hazardous materials. Therefore, our results showed that previously unknown 1,4-dioxane-degrading bacteria might play an important role in enriched AS. Although the metabolic capability and ecophysiological significance of the predominant TM7 bacteria in AS enrichment culture remain unclear, our data reveal hidden characteristics of the TM7 phylum and provide a perspective for studying this previously uncultured phylotype.

• Journal of Convergence Society for SMB
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2011

With a sample of 147 Korean small and medium size companies, this study examined the relationships among degree of information orientation, corporate culture, degree of information management implementation and selected business performances in the process of implementing IMS(Information Management System). Information orientation is defined as company-wide understanding and implementation of the underlying philosophy, principles, approached, and tools of information improvement programs. It is assumed that successful implementation of information improvement programs requires a information-oriented mind-set of the employees. It is also assumed that successful implementation of information improvement programs require strong support from s corporate culture that emphasizes continues improvement. Adopting the competing values model of Quinn and McGrath(1985), corporate culture is classified into 'flexible' versus 'controlled culture' and 'outer-directed' versus 'inner-directed culture'. This study examined how such fitness influenced the implementation of information innovation programs and business performance. Implementation of information innovation programs was measured through various factors, such as leadership, strategic information planning, human resources focus, customer and market focus, process management, and information analysis and application. Business performance was measured through non-financial performance measuresm such as employee results, process results, information results, and customer results, and through perceived financial performance measures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.221-225
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• 2009

Background: Pain is one of the most troublesome problems caused by malignancy. We evaluated the change in pain status according to observance of NCCN guidelines in lung cancer patients. Methods: Lung cancer patients complaining of pain at admission were examined. The pain was assessed with visual analogue scale (VAS) for 20 days and moderate-to-severe pain was defined as more than VAS level 3. The guideline observance was classified as high (more than 80%), medium (50~79%) and low (less than 50%). Results: Among the total 91 lung cancer patients with pain, 34 patients (37%) had moderate-to-severe pain. Their average VAS score at admission was 5.6. It decreased to 2.9 after a 20-day period of pain management. The time to reach a VAS less than 3 was 3 days in a high guideline observance group, while it took 6 days in a low observance group. In addition, the pain in the high observance group was controlled to less than 3 VAS level in 86% of patients, whereas only 25% of patients in the low observance group succeeded. Conclusion: Pain was more effectively controlled when the dose of drugs was modified according to NCCN guidelines in lung cancer patients indicating the importance of guideline observance in pain management.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2013

This research sheds light on the non-intrusive traits of mobile devices (Electronic Guidebook, Rememberer, I-Guides and eXspot) deployed in Exploratorium for enhancing visitor experience via case studies. In an interactive exhibition environment, non-intrusiveness was the key to supporting the immersive experience and meaning-making for visitors. The usability of hand-held devices directly impacted on the non-intrusiveness, thereby reshaping the form-factors of mobile devices. The change in from-factor has also minimized the functions of devices as the remember of museum experience. Furthermore, the role of mobile devices, which turned from a supposed multi-media guide to a mere rememberer, made them virtually impossible for realizing the "seamless visiting model" originally planned. An array of projects carried out in Exploration have achieved some degree of success such as increasing viewing time as well as reinforcing post-visit activities. However, taken from musicological perspective, increase in viewing time is by all means insufficient to be taken as proof since it is assumed to be achieved by photo-taking (i.e. MyExploratorium) rather than by interacting between visitors and exhibits. This issue --increased viewing time -- needs to be analyzed in depth. All in all, mobile devices used in Exploratorium can be defined as a learning tool/educational supporting medium based on personalization for (visitors') optimizing extended museum experience.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2016

Several CoA transferases from Clostridium beijerinckii, C. perfringens and Klebsiella pneumoniae were examined for biosynthesis of lactate-containing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) in recombinant Escherichia coli XL1-Blue strain. The CB3819 gene and the CB4543 gene from C. beijerinckii, the pct gene from C. perfringens and the pct gene from K. pneumoniae, which encodes putative CoA transferase gene, respectively, was co-expressed with the Pseudomonas sp. MBEL 6-19 phaC1437 gene encoding engineered Pseudomonas sp. MBEL 6-19 PHA synthase 1 ($PhaC1_{Ps6-19}$) to examine its activity for the construction of key metabolic pathway to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactate) [P(3HB-co-LA)]. The recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue expressing the phaC1437 gene and CB3819 gene synthesized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] homopolymer to the P(3HB) content of 60.5 wt% when it was cultured in a chemically defined medium containing 20 g/L of glucose and 2 g/L of sodium 3-hydroxybutyrate. Expression of the phaC1437 gene and CB4543 gene in recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue also produced P(3HB) homopolymer to the P(3HB) content of 51.2 wt% in the same culture condition. Expression of the phaC1437 gene and the K. pneumoniae pct gene in recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue could not result in the production of PHAs in the same culture condition. However, the recombinant E. coli XL1-Blue expressing the phaC1437 gene and the C. perfringens gene could produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactate [P(86.4mol%3HB-co-13.7 mol%LA) up to the PHA content of 10.6 wt% in the same culture condition. Newly examined CoA transfereases in this study may be useful for the construction of engineered E. coli strains to produce PHA containing novel monomer such lactate.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.657-663
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• 2005

Collagenases are generally defined as enzymes that are capable of degrading the polypeptide backbone of native collagen under conditions that do not denature the protein. An extracellular collagenase-producing bacterial strain was isolated from kimchi and identified to be Bacillus subtilis JS-17 through morphological, cultural, biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Optimum culture condition of Bacillus subtilis JS-17 for the production of collagenase was $1.5\%$ fructose, $1\%$ yeast extract, $0.5\%\;K_2HPO_4,\;0.4\%\;KH_2PO_4,\;0.01\%\;MgSO_4\cdot7H_2O,\;0.01\%\; MnSO_4\cdot4H_2O,\;,0.1\%$ citrate and $0.1\%\;CaCl_2$. The production of collagenase was optimal at $30^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr. A collagenase was isolated from the culture filtrate of Bacillus subtilis JS-17. The enzyme was purified using Amberlite IRA-900 column chromatography, Sephacryl S-300 HR column chromatography and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography The purified collagenase has an specific activity 192.1 units/mg. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 28 kDa by SDS-PACE. The purified collagenase has $100\%$ activity up to $55^{\circ}C$.