• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.2877-2883
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• 2010

The folding kinetics of $WT^*$ ubiquitin variant with valine to alanine mutation at sequence position 26 (HubWA) was studied by stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy. While unfolding kinetics showed a single exponential phase, refolding reaction showed three exponential phases. The semi-logarithmic plot of urea concentration vs. rate constant for the first phase showed v-shape pattern while the second phase showed v-shape with roll-over effect at low urea concentration. The rate constant and the amplitude of the third phase were constant throughout the urea concentrations, suggesting that this phase represents parallel process due to the configurational isomerization. Interestingly, the first and second phases appeared to be coupled since the amplitude of the second phase increased at the expense of the amplitude of the first phase in increasing urea concentrations. This observation together with the roll-over effect in the second folding phase indicates the presence of intermediate state during the folding reaction of HubWA. Quantitative analysis of Hub-WA folding kinetics indicated that this intermediate state is on the folding pathway. Folding kinetics measurement of a mutant HubWA with hydrophobic core residue mutation, Val to Ala at residue position 17, suggested that the intermediate state has significant amount of native interactions, supporting the interpretation that the intermediate is on the folding pathway. It is considered that HubWA is a useful model protein to study the contribution of residues to protein folding process using folding kinetics measurements in conjunction with protein engineering.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1521-1525
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• 2009

Thermosensitive block copolymers of ethylene oxide and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) were synthesized. A five armed star shape oligo(ethylene oxide) initiator with a cyclotriphosphazene core was prepared and used for the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of NIPAM. The lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of the copolymers were 36 to 46 ${^{\circ}C}$, higher than that of PNIPAM (32 ${^{\circ}C}$), depending on their molecular weights. The copolymers were soluble in water below the LCSTs but formed micelles above the LCSTs. The thermosensitive micellization behaviors of the polymers were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. With increasing the temperature of an aqueous solution of P2 and pyrene above the LCST, the peak of 333 nm red-shifted to appear around 339 nm and its intensity increased significantly, indicating the micelle formation. The transfer of pyrene into the micelles was also confirmed by a confocal laser scanning microscope. The fluorescence image obtained from P2 in an aqueous pyrene solution exhibited a green emission resulting from the pyrene transferred into the micelles. Salt effects on the solubility of the copolymers in an aqueous solution were investigated. The LCST of P2 decreased sharply as the concentration of sodium chloride increased, while decreased slowly with potassium chloride.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2020

Member of the genus Tobrilus Andrássy, 1959, which belongs to Tobrilidae Filipjev, 1918, are known as free-living nematodes in freshwater habitat. This genus was previously unknown from Korea. Five Tobrilus species are here reported for the first time from Korea: Tobrilus aberrans (Schneider, 1925), Tobrilus diversipapillatus (Daday, 1905), Tobrilus gracilis (Bastian, 1865), Tobrilus longus (Leidy, 1851), and Tobrilus wesenbergi (Micoletzky, 1925). Specimens were collected from sediments of the Nakdong River in Korea. Morphological characters and measurements of the specimens generally agree with the original descriptions of Tobrilus species, except for some differences that can be attributed to intraspecific variation among populations(e.g., nerve ring position [% pharynx] and reproductive length). Each species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by specific characters (e.g., cephalic setae length and position, buccal cavity and pocket shape, vulva position, degree of development of reproductive system, and tail length and shape). Here, five species in the genus Tobrilus are fully redescribed and illustrated using optical microscopy images. DNA barcode sequence information (the D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA) is also provided for molecular species identification.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2021

The determinant factors of an organism's size during animal development have been explored from various angles but remain partially understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, many genes affecting cuticle structure, cell growth, and proliferation have been identified to regulate the worm's overall morphology, including body size. While various mutations in those genes directly result in changes in the morphological phenotypes, there is still a need for established, clear, and distinct standards to determine the apparent abnormality in a worm's size and shape. In this study, we measured the body length, body width, terminal bulb length, and head size of mutant worms with reported Dumpy (Dpy), Small (Sma) or Long (Lon) phenotypes by plotting and comparing their respective ratios of various parameters. These results show that the Sma phenotypes are proportionally smaller overall with mild stoutness, and Dpy phenotypes are significantly stouter and have disproportionally small head size. This study provides a standard platform for determining morphological phenotypes designating and annotating mutants that exhibit body shape variations, defining the morphological phenotype of previously unexamined mutants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2021

A newly recorded chaetodontid species, Chaetodon speculum Cuvier, 1831 was collected in July, 2021 from Pohang, Korea. Its body color is yellow with black stripe across the eyes and a large spot occupying one fourth of the upper part of the body. C. speculum is very similar to congeneric species, C. zanzibarensis, but it can be distinguished by the size of the spot, shape of the lateral line, number of longitudinal line scales and geographic distribution. C. speculum is readily identified between post-larval stage and adult stage because of its similar external shape. Molecular analysis based on mitochondrial DNA COI sequences showed our specimen perfectly matched C. speculum. Therefore, we propose the new Korean name, "Heug-jeom-na-bi-go-gi" for C. speculum.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.183-194
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• 2022

Two fungal strains, designated KNUF-21-006 and KNUF-21-028, were isolated from soil samples collected from Gyeongbuk Province, Korea. The strain KNUF-21-006 was similar to other Pestalotiopsis species in terms of morphological characteristics, including whitish to pale brown mycelium, conidial shape, and size. The isolate had aerial hyphae that produced black fruiting bodies on the mycelium. The conidia were fusoid to ellipsoid, four-septate, and appendage-bearing. Phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and β-tubulin (TUB) gene sequences confirmed that the closest relationship of the isolate at the species level was with Pestalotiopsis clavata. The strain KNUF-21-028 exhibits similar morphological characteristics to other Botryotrichum species, including white aerial mycelium with sulcate and irregular margins, conidial shape, and size. The conidia were globose, single, and hyaline. Upon molecular analysis-using the ITS region, large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, and TUB gene sequences-the fungus was identified as Botryotrichum iranicum. This is the first record of these fungal species in Korea.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2024

Carbon nanotubes are drawing wide attention of research communities and several industries due to their versatile capabilities covering mechanical and other multi-physical properties. However, owing to extreme operating conditions of the synthesis process of these nanostructures, they are often imposed with certain inevitable structural deformities such as single vacancy and nanopore defects. These random irregularities limit the intended functionalities of carbon nanotubes severely. In this article, we investigate the mechanical behaviour of double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) under the influence of arbitrarily distributed single vacancy and nanopore defects in the outer wall, inner wall, and both the walls. Large-scale molecular simulations reveal that the nanopore defects have more detrimental effects on the mechanical behaviour of DWCNTs, while the defects in the inner wall of DWCNTs make the nanostructures more vulnerable to withstand high longitudinal deformation. From a different perspective, to exploit the mechanics of damage for achieving defect-induced shape modulation and region-wise deformation control, we have further explored the localized longitudinal and transverse spatial effects of DWCNT by designing the defects for their regional distribution. The comprehensive numerical results of the present study would lead to the characterization of the critical mechanical properties of DWCNTs under the presence of inevitable intrinsic defects along with the aspect of defect-induced spatial modulation of shapes for prospective applications in a range of nanoelectromechanical systems and devices.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.512-518
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• 2006

A biodegradable polymer poly((R) -3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) was conjugated with a hydrophilic polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by the ttansesterification reaction to form the amphiphilic block copolymer. PHB with low molecular weight ($3000{\sim}30000$) was appropriated for the drug delivery materials. High molecular weight PHB was hydrolyzed by an acid-catalyst to produce the low molecular weight one. Amphiphilic block copolymer was formed the self-assembled polymeric micelle system in the aqueous solution that the hydrophillic PEG was wraped the hydrophobic PHB. Generally, polymeric micelle forms the small particle between $10{\sim}200nm$. These polymeric micelle systems have been widely used for the drug delivery systems because they were biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic and patient compliant. The hydroxyl group of PEG was substituted with carboxyl group which has the reactivity to the ester group of PHB. Amphiphilic block copolymer was conjugated between PHB, and modified PEG at $176^{\circ}C$ which was higher than the melting point of PHB. Transesterification reaction was verified with DSC, FTIR, $^1H-NMR$. In the aqueous solution, critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the mPEG-co-PHB copolymer measured by the fluororescence scanning spectrometer was $5{\times}10^{-5}g/L$. The shape and size of the nanoparticle was taken by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. The size of the nanoparticle was about 130 nm and the shape was spherical. Our polymeric micelle system can be used as the passive targeting drug delivery system.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.386-393
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• 1975

Polystyrene and polystyrene blended with SBR were subjected to the mechanical degradation by roll mastication. The results obtained are as follows. 1. For the polystyrene which is blended with SBR, the overall shape of the molecular weight distribution curve moves from the higher molecular weight portion to the lower molecular weight portion, becomes narrower in breadth, and its peak becomes higher as the degradation proceeds. The final molecular weight distribution exhibits a relative uniformity. This is due to the fact that only the polymer molecules with the high molecular weight consisted in original polystyrene are degraded mechanically and produced the polymer molecules with the low molecular weight. 2. The scission number of polystyrene chains increases with mastication time, and the number of degraded polymer chains produced when the polymer is masticated for 100 minutes at 140, 150 and $160^{\circ}C$ are $2.36{\times}10^{20},\;1.76{\times}10^{20}\;and\;1.52{\times}10^{20}$, respectively. 3. The rate of the degradation of polystyrene decreases with the mastication temperature. The activation energy is found to have the negative value, -8.7 kcal/mole. Therefore it is indicated that the mechanical degradation is a chemical process of which the activation energy is supplied mechanically.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.1028-1034
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• 1999

Poly(lactic acid) is expected to be one of the most promising biodegradable polymers. However, the high molecular weight polymer could be obtained by ring-opening polymerization process conventionally, which raises the production cost and decreases the final yield. In this study, linear and star-shaped poly(L-lactic acid)s were prepared by direct solution polycondensation method and their physical and thermal properties were examined. Tin compounds were found to be effective catalyst for the preparation of high molecular weight polymers. When 0.2g (0.5 wt % of monomer) of $SnCl_2$ and 100 mL of p-xylene were used, the polymer yield and molecular weight were relatively high. As a means to obtain higher molecular weight polymer easily in the direct polycondensation system, dipentaerythritol(dipet) or pentaerythritol(pet) was introduced as a multifunctional branching monomer to provide a star-shaped poly(lactic acid). Moderately high molecular weight polymers with the inherent viscosity values up to 1.14 dL/g(weight-average molecular weight of about 140000 by GPC) were obtained and could be cast strong and transparent films.