• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.211-215
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• 2013

The trace toxic metal copper was assayed using mercury immobilized on a carbon nanotube electrode (MCW), with a graphite counter and a reference electrode. In this study, a macro-scale convection motor was interfaced with a MCW three-electrode system, in which a handmade MCW was optimized using cyclic- and square-wave stripping voltammetry. An analytical electrolyte for tap water was used instead of an expensive acid or base ionic solution. Under these conditions, optimum parameters were 0.09 V amplitude, 40 Hz frequency, 0.01 V incremental potential, and a 60-s accumulation time. A diagnostic working curve was obtained from 50.0 to 350 ${\mu}g/L$. At a constant Cu(II) concentration of 10.0 ${\mu}g/L$, the statistical relative standard deviation was 1.78% (RSD, n = 15), the analytical accumulation time was only 60 s, and the analytical detection limit approached 4.6 ${\mu}g/L$ (signal/noise = 3). The results were applied to non-treated drinking water. The content of the analyzed copper using 9.0 and 4.0 ${\mu}g/L$ standards were 8.68 ${\mu}g/L$ and 3.96 ${\mu}g/L$; statistical values $R^2$ = 0.9987 and $R^2$ = 0.9534, respectively. This method is applicable to biological diagnostics or food surveys.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.965-981
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• 2024

Objective: Milk composition varies considerably and depends on paratypical, genetic, and epigenetic factors. MiRNAs belong to the class of small non-coding RNAs; they are one of the key tools of epigenetic control because of their ability to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. We compared the relative expression levels of miR-106b, miR-191, and miR-30d in milk to demonstrate the relationship between the content of these miRNAs with protein and fat components of milk in Holstein and Ayrshire cattle. Methods: Milk fat, protein, and casein contents were determined in the obtained samples, as well as the content of the main fatty acids (g/100 g milk), including: saturated acids, such as myristic (C14:0), palmitic (C16:0), and stearic (C18:0) acids; monounsaturated acids, including oleic (C18:1) acid; as well as long-, medium- and short-chain, polyunsaturated, and trans fatty acids. Real-time stem-loop one-tube reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with TaqMan probes was used to measure the miRNA expression levels. Results: The miRNA expression levels in milk samples were found to be decreased in the first two months in Holstein breed, and in the first four months in Ayrshire breed. Correlation analysis did not reveal any dependence between changes in the expression level of miRNA and milk fat content, but showed a multidirectional relationship with individual milk fatty acids. Positive associations between the expression levels of miR-106b and miR-30d and protein and casein content were found in the Ayrshire breed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that miR-106b and miR-30d expression levels can cause changes in fatty acid and protein composition of milk in Ayrshire cows, whereas miR-106b expression level determines the fatty acid composition in Holsteins. Conclusion: The data obtained in this study showed that miR-106b, miR-191, and miR-30d expression levels in milk samples have peculiarities associated with breed affiliation and the lactation period.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.18-22
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• 2017

Products containing any one or more of 26 fragrance allergens likely to cause contact allergies, are required under the 2008 domestic cosmetic law to be labeled when their concentrations exceed a certain range. This study focuses on the comparison and development of analytical methods based on headspace-solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) methods followed by GC-MS/MS for 24 of the fragrance allergens excepting for two natural materials in water samples. Using the developed HS-SPME method, 15 of the 24 fragrance allergens were analyzed and 9 compounds which have relatively low $logK_{OW}$ values (below about 2.5) were not extracted, and the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) of the calibration curve for quantification showed linearity of 0.9969 or more, and the method detection limits (MDL) and the limits of quantification (LOQ) were $0.078{\sim}0.582{\mu}g/L$ and $0.261{\sim}1.940{\mu}g/L$, respectively. In the case of using the optimized LLE method, all 24 fragrance allergens were analyzed, and the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) of the calibration curve for quantification showed linearity of 0.9957 or more, MDL and LOQ were $0.020{\sim}0.138{\mu}g/L$ and $0.065{\sim}0.440{\mu}g/L$, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.202-209
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of oocyte number with serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels measured by two automated methods (Access or Elecsys) in fresh stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Methods: In this retrospective study at a university hospital, data were collected from 243 fresh stimulated IVF cycles performed from August 2016 to December 2020. The serum AMH level was measured by Access in 120 cycles and by Elecsys in 123 cycles. The cut-off of serum AMH for prediction of poor responders (three or fewer oocytes) or high responders (15 or more oocytes) was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: For the two automated methods, the following equations were derived: total oocyte number=2.378+1.418×(Access-AMH) (r=0.645, p<0.001) and total oocyte number=2.417+2.163×(Elecsys-AMH) (r=0.686, p<0.001). The following combined equation could be derived: (Access-AMH)=0.028+1.525×(Elecsys-AMH). To predict poor responders, the cut-off of Access-AMH was 1.215 ng/mL (area under the curve [AUC], 0.807; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.730-0.884; p<0.001), and the cut-off of Elecsys-AMH was 1.095 ng/mL (AUC, 0.848; 95% CI, 0.773-0.923; p<0.001). To predict high responders, the cut-off of Access-AMH was 3.450 ng/mL (AUC, 0.922; 95% CI, 0.862-0.981; p<0.001), and the cut-off of Elecsys-AMH was 2.500 ng/mL (AUC, 0.884; 95% CI, 0.778-0.991; p<0.001). Conclusion: Both automated methods for serum AMH measurement showed a good correlation with oocyte number and good performance for predicting poor and high responders in fresh stimulated IVF cycles. The Access method usually yielded higher measured serum AMH levels than the Elecsys method.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.537-543
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• 2010

Dopamine (DA) is an important neurotransmitter molecule of catecholamines. Its deficiency could lead to brain disorder such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a suitable analytical technique with sensitivity and simplicity. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for DA has been optimized and characterized. Assay sensitivity is controlled by two factors in competitive immunoassay. One is a nature and concentration of competitor, and the other is those of binder, antibody. Thus, optimization was performed: BSA-DA conjugate and antibody-avidin conjugate were prepared by dual heterobifunctional coupling method using SATA and SMCC. Assay condition was optimized with $6.66\;{\mu}gmL^{-1}$ of BSA-DA and $4.17{\times}10^{-10}\;M$ of antibody-avidin conjugate. A dose-response curve was constructed, and a limit of detection and a dynamic range for DA were accomplished to $2.3{\times}10^{-2}\;{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$ and four orders of magnitude ($1.0{\times}10^{-7}\;M$ to $1.0{\times}10^{-3}\;M$), respectively. Calibration curve was constructed on dynamic range and least-squares regression of this data gave the following relationship: absorbance = -0.1098 log[DA]+0.0353 ($R^2$ = 0.9956).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.1522-1527
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• 2010

This study was conducted to find out the minimal time needed for detection of Salmonella spp. which exist at very low concentration in foods by using real-time PCR. The sal-F and sal-R sequences were used as primers and sal-P was used as a probe. The detection limit of Salmonella spp. was $3.77{\times}10^2\;cfu/mL$ in buffered peptone water (BPW). Microbial growth was monitored after artificially inoculated Salmonella spp. into BPW. The obtained growth curve was well fitted with the equation, y＝$0.0127x^2$+0.5927x-0.4317 ($R^2$=0.99), if assuming that 1 cell exists in 25 g sample (0.04 cfu/mL). The microbial concentration will be reduced to 10 fold by adding BPW during sample treatment, so actual initial concentration at the starting point of enrichment is 0.004 cfu/mL. At this condition, real-time PCR detection would be possible only when microbial concentration increase occurs to exceed the detection limit (377 cfu/mL). The time needed for microbial increase was calculated from the growth curve equation as 7 hours and 20 minutes. Therefore the total time required for detection was less than 10 hours including the PCR operating time.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2002

Background: A perioperative myocardial infarction(PMI) is one of the major complications after CABG. Among diagnostic methods of PMI, CK-MB activity assays have been increasingly replaced by CK-MB mass assays, which have more sensitive, simple measurement. Also, new cardiac-specific and -sensitive marker, cardiac troponin I(cTnl), has been shown to be a marker of myocardial infarction. We report our evaluation of clinical significance of CK-MB mass and cTnl as a marker of PMI after CABG. Material and Method: We studied 32 patients who underwent CABG at Kangdong Sacred Hospital between April 2000 and April 2001. Postoperative serum CK-MB activity level, serum CK-MB mass, cTnl, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and clinical data were recorded prospectively The diagnosis of PMI was defined as positive 2 among 3 or all of the following , by a new Q wave on the electrocardiogram, by serum CK-MB activity higher than 200 lU/L within 72 hours after operation, and by new regional wall motion abnormality on the echocardiogram. Result: After CABG, 3 patients had sustained a PMI according to current diagnostic criteria. As serum CK-MB activity time course, a level of CK-MB activity 12 hours after CABG had very linear correlated significance with serum CK-MB mass 24hours(R=0.946) and cTnl 48 hours(R=0.933) after CABG(p=0.000). As we used a receiver operating characteristics curve(ROC curve) for a diagnostic cutoff value in patients with PMI, serum CK-MB mass levels higher than 30.05 ug/L 24 hours after CABG detected the presence of PMI with an area under the ROC curve of 1.0, a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 100%. Also serum cTnl levels higher than 17.15 ug/L 48 hours after CABG detected the presence of PMI with an area under the ROC curve of 0.98, a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 96.6%, a positive preclictive value of 75%, and a negative predictive value of 100% Conclusion: We concluded that both the measurement of CK-MB mass and cTnl are the easier, accurate methods as a diagnostic marker of PMT after CABG, also as a proposal of diagnostic cutoff value enables to an early detection of PMI. However, a 1arger number of patient will be needed because of statistic limitation that a small number of participating patients, a small number of PMI.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2002

Critical nitrogen concentration (Nc), which is defined as the minimum % N in shoots required to maintain the maximum growth rate of top dry weight (W) at any time, was determined for rice plant. Using two rice varietal groups, japonica varieties and an indica $\times$ japonica "Dasanbyeo", 18 data points fulfilling the statistical criteria for determining Nc were obtained through eight N-fertilization experiments over two years at Suwon (37$^{\circ}$16'N), Korea. Nc dilution curve for each variety was obtained by fitting the Nc-W relationship to power function. However, The critical nitrogen curves for the two variety groups were not different statistically. Thus, a Nc dilution curve was fitted for the Nc data points pooled over the two variety groups and proposed in rice as: Nc=4.08, where W＜1.73 t h $a^{-1}$ , Nc=5.197 $W^{0.425}$3/ ($R^2$=0.964), where 1.73 t h $a^{-1}$ ＜W＜12 t h $a^{-l}$. The Nc for W＜1.73 t h $a^{-l}$ were estimated as a constant value of 4.08%, the mean value of the maximum N concentration for N-limiting condition and the minimum N concentration for N non-limiting condition. The model for Nc is applicable to diagnosing the nitrogen nutrition status during the rice growth period from emergence to heading stage. The Nc curve well discriminated the 144 data points between the N limiting and the N non-limiting groups regardless of varieties, cultural methods, and years.-limiting groups regardless of varieties, cultural methods, and years.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.368-376
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• 2013

Fishing experiments were carried out in the adjacent sea of Yeongil Bay, the eastern cost of Korea from 2003 to 2004 using the dome-shaped pots with different five mesh sizes (17.1, 24.8, 35.3, 39.8, and 48.3mm) in order to determine the size selectivity of pots for the whelk, Buccinum opisthoplectum. The catch species were composed of Buccinum opisthoplectum (45.4%), Buccinum striatissimum (30.1%), Pandalopsis japonica (9.3%), Chionoecetes opilio (8.9%), and so on. The shell height (l) of Buccinum opisthoplectum caught in the experimental fishing pots was measured. The SELECT (Share Each Length's Catch Total) analysis method was applied with fishing data to obtain master selection curve. The model with the estimated split parameter was found to fit the catch data best. The master selection curve was estimated to be s (R)〓exp (7.833R-10.871)/[1 + exp (7.833R-10.871], where R is the ratio of shell height to mesh size. The relative shell length for 50% retention was 1.388, and the selection range was 0.281. It means that the pots of larger mesh size allow more whelks of small size to escape.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2010

We analyze the current density - voltage (J - V) curve of a Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS) thin-film solar cell measured at different irradiation power densities. For the solar-cell sample investigated in this study, the fill factor and power conversion efficiency decreased as the irradiation power density (IPD) increased in the range of 2 to 5 sun. Characteristic parameters of solar cell including the series resistance ($r_s$), the shunt resistance ($r_{sh}$), the photocurrent density ($J_L$), the saturation current density ($J_s$) of an ideal diode, and the coefficient ($C_s$) of the diode current due to electron-hole recombination via ionized traps at the p-n interface are determined from a theoretical fit to the experimental data of the J - V curve using a two-diode model. As IPD increased, both $r_s$ and $r_{sh}$ decreased, but $C_s$ increased.