• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.785-790
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• 2009

In this paper, the relaxation behavior of the regenerated silk fibroin (SF) films was investigated using dielectric thermal analysis (DETA), and compared with the dynamic mechanical behavior obtained from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), in order to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of dielectric behavior of SF film and identify the differences between the two analyses. Compared to DMTA, DETA exhibited a higher sensitivity on the molecular relaxation behaviors at low temperature ranges that showed a high $\gamma$-relaxation peak intensity without noise. However, it was not effective to examine the relaxation behaviors at high temperatures such as $\alpha-$ and ${\alpha}_c$-relaxations that showed a shoulder peak shape. On the contrary, DMTA provided more information regarding the relaxation behaviors at high temperatures, by exhibiting the changes in width, intensity and temperature shift of the $\alpha$-relaxation peak according to various crystallinities. Conclusively, DETA and DMTA can be utilized in a complementary manner to study the relaxation behavior of SF over a wide temperature range, due to the different sensitivity of each technique at different temperatures.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.121-126
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• 2020

The ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) proteins are a family of membrane-associated proteins known to play roles in cell-shape determination as well as in signaling pathways. We have previously shown that amphetamine decreases phosphorylation levels of these proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), an important neuronal substrate mediating rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. In the present study, we further examined what molecular pathways may be involved in this process. By direct microinjection of LY294002, a PI3 kinase inhibitor, or of S9 peptide, a proposed GSK3β activator, into the NAcc core, we found that phosphorylation levels of ERM as well as of GSK3β in this site are simultaneously decreased. These results indicate that ERM proteins are under the regulation of Akt-GSK3β signaling pathway in the NAcc core. The present findings have a significant implication to a novel signal pathway possibly leading to structural plasticity in relation with drug addiction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.127.1-127
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• 2003

We describe two new Trichoderma species associated with oyster mushroom in Korea. Trichoderma green mould has been one of the most serious diseases of oyster mushroom in Korea. Of these the predominant species are two unrecorded species. We designed as Trichoderma sp. Korean type 1 (Th K1) and Trichoderma sp. Korean type 2 (Th K2), respectively. Th K1 and Th K2 can be distinguished from previously reported Trichoderma species as well as each other in morphological characteristics including growth rate at 35$^{\circ}C$, colony morphology, conidia shape and branch pattern of phialides. Sequence of the ITS region of rDNA, the protein coding translation elongation factor gene(EF-1${\alpha}$), and RNA polymeraseII (RPB2) not only clearly separated Trichoderma sp. Korean types from their closely related T. harzianum biotype but also distinguished them from each other. Analyses of the EF-1${\alpha}$ and RPB2 sequences were found to be more useful for establishing systematic relationships among Trichoderma isolates than those of the ITS sequence. Based on the results of morphological and molecular characteristics. We propose the two Trichoderma sp. Korean types as the new species

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 1997

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutant CH117, shows a drug-hypersensitivity (dhs) to cycloheximide, bleomycin, actinomycin D, 5-fluorouracil. nystatin, nigericin and several other antibiotics. CH 117 was also temperature-sensitive (ts). being unable to grow at $37^{\circ}C$ and secreted more invertase and acid phosphatase into the medium than the parent yeast. CH117 grows very slowly and the cell shape is somewhat larger and more sensitive to zymolyase than the wild type cells. Light microscopic and electron microscopic observation also revealed abnormality of the mutant cell wall. These characteristics indicate that CH117 has a defect in an essential component of the cell surface and that the cell wall which performs barrier functions has become leaky in the mutant. We screened a genomic library of wild type yeast for clones that can complement the mutation of CH117. A plasmid, pCHX1, with an insert of 3.6 kilobases (kbs) could complement the dhs and ts of CH117. Deletion and subcloning of the 3.6 kb insert showed that a gene for the complementation of mutant phenotypes was located in 1.9 kbs Puvll-Hindlll fragment.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2007

Invading pathogens are recognized by diverse germline-encoded pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) which are distributed in three different cellular compartments: extracellular, membrane, and cytoplasmic. In mammals, the major extracellular PRRs such as complements may first encounter the invading pathogens and opsonize them for clearance by phagocytosis which is mediated by membrane-associated phagocytic receptors including complement receptors. The major membrane-associated PRRs, Toll-like receptors, recognize diverse pathogens and generate inflammatory signals to coordinate innate immune responses and shape adaptive immune responses. Furthemore, certain membrane-associated PRRs such as Dectin-1 can mediate phagocytosis and also induce inflammatory response. When these more forefront detection systems are avoided by the pathogens, cytoplasmic PRRs may play major roles. Cytoplasmic caspase-recruiting domain (CARD) helicases such as retinoic acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I)/melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), mediate antiviral immunity by inducing the production of type I interferons. Certain members of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors such as NALP3 present in the cytosol form inflammasomes to induce inflammatory responses upon ligand recognition. Thus, diverse families of PRRs coordinately mediate immune responses against diverse types of pathogens.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2003

Effects of the electric conductivity of particles were studied for the aggregation process of charged particles with a Brownian dynamic simulation in the free molecular regime. A periodic boundary condition was used for the calculation of the aggregation process in each cell with 500 primary particles of 16 nm in diameter. We considered two extreme cases, a perfect conductor and a perfect nonconductor. The electrostatic force on a particle in the simulation cell was considered as a sum of electrostatic forces from other particles in the original cell and its replicate cells. We assumed that aggregates were only charged with pre-charged primary particles. The morphological shape of aggregates was described in terms of the fractal dimension. The fractal dimension for the uncharged aggregate was D$_{f}$= 1.761. However, the fractal dimension decreased from 1.694 to 1.360 for the case of the perfect conductor, and from 1.610 to 1.476 for the case of the perfect nonconductor, with the increase of the average number of charges on the primary particle from 0.2 to 0.3. These values were smaller than that of the centered charge case.e.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.700-703
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• 2014

Calcium phosphate minerals are biologically important because of their application in the fields of orthopaedics and dentistry. Herein we have tried to synthesize calcium phosphate minerals from biowaste clam shells. A simple microwave method was used to synthesize a mixture of calcium phosphate minerals such as hydroxyapatite, tri-calcium phosphate, and monetite. The microwave induces vibration of the dipole ions in the reagent. The heating and rearrangement of ions and atoms occurs during the process. The phases obtained in the final powder were ascertained by X-ray diffraction; the morphology of each sample was checked using a scanning electron microscope. We were able to obtain a mixture of calcium phosphate minerals using the microwave method; the calcined powder showed a brick like morphology, which is different from the rod shape morphology of the hydroxyapatite obtained using the hydrothermal process.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2005

Mucoadhesive microspheres were prepared by interpolymer complexation of chitosan with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and solvent evaporation method to increase gastric residence time. The chitosan-PAA complex formation was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and swelling study. The DSC thermogram of chitosan-PAA microspheres showed two exothermic peaks for the decomposition of chitosan and PAA. The swelling ratio of the chitosan-PAA microspheres was dependent on the pH of the medium. The swelling ratio was higher at pH 2.0 than at neutral pH. The results indicated that the microspheres were formed by electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl groups of PAA and the amine groups of chitosan. The effect of various process parameters on the formation and morphology of microspheres was investigated. The best microspheres were obtained when 1.5% of the high molecular weight chitosan and 0.3% of PAA were used as an internal phase. The optimum internal phase volume was 7%. The com oil was used as the external phase of emulsion, and span 80 was used as the surfactant. The prepared microspheres had spherical shape.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.93-105
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• 2018

Using FDM 3D printing, yarn shape and composition were modeled and 3D printed with PLA and TPU filaments currently used for apparel. Based on this, mechanical characteristics were measured to determine 3D printing yarn according to type of filaments in the 3D printed output and deformation and recovery characteristics due to differences in structure type. As a result of examining tensile and shear characteristics of PLA and TPU 3D printing compiles, TPU overall was measured with significantly lower stress than PLA. This is due to high elasticity of TPU's character, revealing that it has better flexibility than PLA. In addition, during deformation due to external forces, the more freedom between the head and foot parts of the loop, and the lower the force associated with each other, the more flexible it is. TPU revealed that it was easier to tension and recovery from tensile deformation than PLA, indicating potential for clothing materials using 3D printing. If high-molecular materials, such as PLA flexibility, it is likely to provide some flexibility through development of styles, including degree of freedom in modeling. Based on this, we provide basic data for developing 3D printing textures that can be satisfied with textile for apparel.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.187-191
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• 2016

Craniosynostosis is defined as the premature fusion of one or more of the cranial sutures. It leads not only to secondary distortion of skull shape but to various complications including neurologic, ophthalmic and respiratory dysfunction. Craniosynostosis is very heterogeneous in terms of its causes, presentation, and management. Both environmental factors and genetic factors are associated with development of craniosynostosis. Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis accounts for more than 70% of all cases. Syndromic craniosynostosis with a certain genetic cause is more likely to involve multiple sutures or bilateral coronal sutures. FGFR2, FGFR3, FGFR1, TWIST1 and EFNB1 genes are major causative genes of genetic syndromes associated with craniosynostosis. Although most of syndromic craniosynostosis show autosomal dominant inheritance, approximately half of patients are de novo cases. Apert syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, and Antley-Bixler syndrome are related to mutations in FGFR family (especially in FGFR2), and mutations in FGFRs can be overlapped between different syndromes. Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, Muenke syndrome, and craniofrontonasal syndrome are representative disorders showing isolated coronal suture involvement. Compared to the other types of craniosynostosis, single gene mutations can be more frequently detected, in one-third of coronal synostosis patients. Molecular diagnosis can be helpful to provide adequate genetic counseling and guidance for patients with syndromic craniosynostosis.