• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.169-175
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• 2011

In this study, the JIP test was exploited to assess drought-tolerance of transgenic rice overexpressing OsNAC10. Two types of promoters, RCc3 (root-specific) and GOS2 (constitutive), were used to drive the transcription factor OsNAC10, a gene involved in diverse functions including stress responses. Three-month-old plants were exposed to drought for 1 week and their fluorescence kinetics was evaluated. Our results showed that drought-treated non-transgenic plants (NT) have higher fluorescence intensity at the J phase (2 ms) compared to transgenic plants, indicating a decline in electron transport beyond the reduced plastoquinone ($Q_A^-$). As manifested by negative L bands, transgenic plants also showed higher energetic connectivity and stability over NT plants under drought conditions. Also, the pool size of the end electron acceptor at the photosystem I was reduced more in NT than in transgenic plants under drought conditions. Furthermore, the transgenic plants had higher $PI_{total}$, a combined parameter that reflects all the driving forces considered in JIP test, than NT plants under drought conditions. In particular, the $PI_{total}$ of the RCc3:OsNAC10 plants was higher than that of NT plants, which was in good agreement with their differences in grain yield. Thus, the JIP test proved to be practical for evaluating drought-tolerance of transgenic plants.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.250-257
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• 2016

Abiotic stresses such as drought and low temperature critically restrict plant growth, reproduction, and productivity. Higher plants have developed various defense strategies against these unfavorable conditions. CaPUB1 (Capsicum annuum Putative U-box protein 1) is a hot pepper U-box E3 Ub ligase. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants that constitutively expressed CaPUB1 exhibited drought-sensitive phenotypes, suggesting that it functions as a negative regulator of the drought stress response. In this study, CaPUB1 was over-expressed in rice (Oryza sativa L.), and the phenotypic properties of transgenic rice plants were examined in terms of their drought and cold stress tolerance. Ubi:CaPUB1 T3 transgenic rice plants displayed phenotypes hypersensitive to dehydration, suggesting that its role in the negative regulation of drought stress response is conserved in dicot Arabidopsis and monocot rice plants. In contrast, Ubi:CaPUB1 progeny exhibited phenotypes markedly tolerant to prolonged low temperature ($4^{\circ}C$) treatment, compared to those of wild-type plants, as determined by survival rates, electrolyte leakage, and total chlorophyll content. Cold stress-induced marker genes, including DREB1A, DREB1B, DREB1C, and Cytochrome P450, were more up-regulated by cold treatment in Ubi:CaPUB1 plants than in wild-type plants. These results suggest that CaPUB1 serves as both a negative regulator of the drought stress response and a positive regulator of the cold stress response in transgenic rice plants. This raises the possibility that CaPUB1 participates in the cross-talk between drought and low-temperature signaling pathways.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제34권9호
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• pp.1305-1310
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• 2010

복잡한 시스템 계의 설계정보를 효과적으로 추출하기 위해서 형상최적설계가 수행되는 경우, 일반적으로 유한요소해석 기법과 D-최적배열을 이용한 실험계획법이 연동된 반응표면모델을 구성하고 여기에 최적설계기법이 적용된다. 그러나, 설계변수에 형상공차와 같은 변동성이 존재하면 최적해의 강건성 확보를 위하여 설계변수의 형상공차를 확률론적인 변동성으로 고려한 추가적인 강건설계가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 계산시간이 많이 소요되는 유한요소해석에 의한 강건설계문제에 설계변수의 표준정규분포를 고려한 반응표면모델을 구축하여 최적설계를 수행하므로서 손쉽게 강건최적값을 구하는 방법을 제안하였다. 승용차용 브레이크 디스크에 제안된 방법을 적용하여 열변형과 중량을 최소화하는 설계변수의 강건최적해를 구하고, 몬테카를로 시뮬레이션 추정결과와 비교하여 이의 적합성을 검증하였다.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2012

When quicklime is added into soil for various purposes, abrupt changes in soil chemistry may affect essential ecological functions played by indigenous bacterial communities in soil. The magnitude of influence was estimated by observing changes in abundance and diversity of soil bacteria after quicklime treatment. When several soil samples were treated up to 20% (w/w) quicklime, plate count of viable cells ranged $10^2{\sim}10^3$ CFU $g^{-1}$, showing a reduction of more than $10^4$ times from viable counts of the untreated sample. Diversity of the bacterial isolates that survived after quicklime treatment was analyzed by conducting $GTG_5$ rep-PCR fingerprinting. There were only two types of fingerprints common to both 5% and 20% quicklime samples, implying that bacteria surviving at different strength of quicklime treatment differed depending on their tolerance to quicklime-treated condition. Isolates surviving the quicklime treatments were further characterized by Gram staining and endospore staining. All isolates were found to be Gram positive bacteria, and 85.4% of them displayed endospores state. In conclusion, most bacteria surviving quicklime treatment appear to be endospores. This finding suggests that most of ecological functions of bacteria in soil are lost with quicklime treatment.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.495-497
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• 2017

Thalassemia major is a genetic disorder with a defective synthesis of either the alpha or the beta chain of hemoglobin A. Blood transfusion is crucial for the survival in these patients. Unfortunately, endocrine dysfunction is a very common complication in these patients and is principally due to excessive iron overload as a result of frequent blood transfusions. Although regular blood transfusion may increase life expectancy, disturbances in growth and pubertal development, abnormal gonadal functions, impaired thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal functions, diabetes, and disorderly bone growth are common side effects. We hereby present a case of a 23-year-old, unmarried woman with beta thalassemia major presenting with primary amenorrhea, poor development of secondary sexual character, and short stature. Thorough history, clinical examination, and laboratory investigation, including dynamic function test (insulin tolerance test) were conducted. These tests confirmed that she had multiple endocrinopathies, including hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency, and subclinical adrenal insufficiency, which were caused by iron overload. She required hormone replacement therapy. Early recognition of possible deficiencies in hypothalamo-pituitary-end organ hormones caused by iron overload in thalassemia patients that undergo frequent blood transfusion procedures is essential. Appropriate treatments, including transfusion regimen and chelation therapy, as well as specific treatment of each complication are the crucial for the successful management and improvement of quality of life these patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2018

Smokers keep smoking despite knowing that tobacco claims many lives, including their own and others'. What makes it hard for them to quit smoking nonetheless? Tobacco companies insist that smokers choose to smoke, according to their right to self-determination. Moreover, they insist that with motivation and willpower to quit smoking, smokers can easily stop smoking. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to discuss the addictive disease called tobacco use disorder, with an assessment of the addictiveness of tobacco and the reasons why smoking cessation is challenging, based on neuroscientific research. Nicotine that enters the body via smoking is rapidly transmitted to the central nervous system and causes various effects, including an arousal response. The changes in the nicotine receptors in the brain due to continuous smoking lead to addiction symptoms such as tolerance, craving, and withdrawal. Compared with other addictive substances, including alcohol and opioids, tobacco is more likely to cause dependence in smokers, and smokers are less likely to recover from their dependence. Moreover, the thinning of the cerebral cortex and the decrease in cognitive functions that occur with aging accelerate with smoking. Such changes occur in the structure and functions of the brain in proportion to the amount and period of smoking. In particular, abnormalities in the neural circuits that control cognition and decision-making cause loss of the ability to exert self-control and autonomy. This initiates nicotine dependence and the continuation of addictive behaviors. Therefore, smoking is considered to be a behavior that is repeated due to dependence on an addictive substance, nicotine, instead of one's choice by free will.

• 조명전기설비학회논문지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.92-100
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• 2009

본 논문은 순간전압강하 추계적 평가를 위한 윈도우즈 프로그램을 소개한다. 개발된 프로그램을 통해 발전기 운전 스케줄링, 시변 사고율 및 부하 전압 민감도 특성을 고려한 순간전압강하 평가가 가능하다. 고장 계산, 취약지역계산, 순간전압강하 발생 횟수 추산 등 다양한 분석 기능들을 가지고 있으며 컴퓨터 그래픽과 애니메이션을 이용한 효과적인 데이터 시각화 기능도 제공하고 있다. 본 논문에서는 순간전압강하 평가의 개념과 발전기 스케줄링 및 시변 사고율을 고려한 순간전압강하 평가 방법에 대한 내용도 기술한다. 또한 개발된 프로그램을 이용한 사례 연구를 통해 순간전압강하 평가에 있어서의 발전기 운전 스케줄링 및 시변 사고율의 영향을 파악한다.

• 드라이브 ㆍ 컨트롤
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.30-38
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• 2018

Electronic control units (ECUs) are currently popular, and have evolved further towards the high-end application of autonomous vehicles in the automotive industry. Such digital technologies have also become widespread, in agriculture and construction equipment. Likewise, transmission control of high-speed tracked vehicles is based on the transmission control unit (TCU), performing complex gear change control functions, and diagnostic algorithms (a TCU's self-diagnostic and reporting capability of malfunction data through CAN communication). Since all functions of TCU are implemented by embedded-software, it is hardly possible to analyze specifications by reverse engineering. In this paper a real-time transmission simulator adaptable to TCU is presented, for analysis of diagnosis algorithm and standards. Signal simulation circuits are deliberately designed considering electrical characteristics of TCU inputs and various analysis tools, such as analog input auto scan function, and global output enable switch, are implemented in software. Test results from hardware-in-the-loop simulator verify tolerance time for each error, as well as cause of fault, error reset conditions.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권11호
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• pp.1471-1478
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 내독소내성 상태에 있는 마우스 세포의 싸이토카인 생성능을 측정하기 위하여 대식세포-림프구 공동배양계를 이용한 nitric oxide (NO) 생성을 조사하였다. 마우스 복강 대식세포에 lipopolysaccharide (LPS)와 interferon-g (IFN-g)를 처리시 NO 생성이 증가되었으며, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) 또한 LPS처럼 NO 합성을 자극하는 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 한편, 대식세포를 비장세포와 공동배양시, LPS 단독처리만으로도 NO 합성이 증가되었다. 반면, 2.5 mg/kg LPS로 전처리하고 치사량의 LPS를 2차 투여한 마우스의 경우, 마우스의 치사 및 혈중 TNF-a와 IFN-g가 증가되지 않았다. 또한 LPS-내성 마우스로부터 분리한 대식세포를 정상 비장세포와 공동배양시 LPS에 의한 NO생성이 일어나지 않았으며, 외래 TNF-a에 의한 NO 생성도 일어나지 않았다. 이와 아울러 정상 대식세포와 LPS 내성 마우스로부터 분리한 비장세포를 공동배양하였을 때, LPS 자극으로 인한 NO 생성이 일어나지 않았으며, 이러한 억제현상은 외래 IFN-g 또는 IFN-g 생성을 촉진시키는 concanavalin A (ConA)에 의해서 다시 역전되었다. 이러한 결과는 대식세포 뿐만 아니라 림프구도 LPS 내성에 관여하는 것을 보여준다고 사료된다. INF-g는 TNF-a 발현을 증가시키기 때문에, 림프구의 INF-g 합성 감소는 LPS에 내성을 보이는 대식세포의 TNF-a 합성 저하와 상호작용으로 내독소내성 상태를 유도하며 과도한 염증반응을 억제하는 것으로 사료된다. 따라서 LPS 내독소내성은 중환자의 심각한 패혈증에 대한 예방법으로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.147-153
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• 2000

This study was conducted to compare probiotic activities and physiological functions of Bifidobacterium longum Mk-G7 with weveral commercial and type strains of bifidobacteria. bif. longum MK-G7 showed the highest acid tolerance against HCl and acetic acid, whereas bif. infantis Y-1 showed the lowest acid tolerance and more than 4 log cycles of viable cell count decreased due to acid injuty. Viable cell counts of bifidobacteria strains decreased more than 1.5 log cycles owing to oxygen toxicity, with the exception of Bif. longum MK-G7, Bif. infantis Y-2, Bif. longum Y-3, Bif. longum Y-6, and Bif. longum RD-13 showed the highest bile tolerance, whereas Bif. longum MK-G7 showed a medium level of bile tolerance. Only Bif. longum MK-G7 howed much higher antibiotic resistance against both tetracycline and penicillin-G in the MIC(minimum inhibitory concentration) level of 24.8 mg/I and 0.52mg/I, respectively. Bif longum Y-6, and Bif. bifidum ATCC 29539 showed more than 80% of anti-mutagenicity against NQO(4-nitroquinolinel-oxide). Since the production of cytokines such as $TNF(tumor necrosis factor)-{\alpha}$ and IL (interleukin)-6, and NO(nitric oxide) in the macrophage cell line Raw 264.7 cells increased as Bif. longum MK-G7 cell concentration increased, ti was suggested that Bif. longum MK-G7 is able to enhance immunopotentiating activity in vitro. When freeze-dred Bif. longum MK-G7 was administered to mice at the dose of 1,2,4, and 6 g/kg of body weight, all of the mice survived in all feeding groups, proving the GRAS(generally recognized as safe) status of Bif. longum MK-G7. When fermented milk containing Bif. longum MK-G7 was administered to human volunteers, viable cell count of total bifidobacteria and anaerobes in the feces increased up to 0.5 log cycles more than before the administration. In particular, Bif. logum MK-G7 ingibited the growth of Bacteroides at the level of 1.0-1.5 log cycles.