• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.270-306
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• 2024

This study investigated the diversity of 323 mung bean accessions from Korea, China, and India, along with six cultivars, using 22 agronomical traits. The standardized Shannon-Weaver index (H') for the qualitative traits ranged from 0.11 (terminal leaflet shape) to 0.98 (pubescence density of pod). Likewise, the coefficient of variation for the quantitative traits ranged from 8.76% (days to maturity (DM)) to 79.91% (lodging rate (LR)), indicating a wide genetic variance. Hypocotyl color, pod color, seed shape, and seed coat surface lust showed different distributions among Korean, Indian, and Chinese accessions. Chinese accessions had the highest average germination rate, DM, days from flowering to maturity, and one-hundred seeds weight, followed by Korean and Indian accessions, while the number of seeds per pod (SPP) displayed the opposite trend, with all except SPP showing significant variation (p < 0.05). Similarly, plant height, days to flowering, and number of pods per plant increased in the order of India > Korea > China, with LR showing the opposite trend (p < 0.05). The mung bean accessions were grouped into four major clusters using hierarchical cluster analysis supported by principal component analyses, and all of the quantitative traits showed significant variations between the clusters (p < 0.05). Generally, the mung bean accessions investigated in this study exhibited wide phenotypic trait variations, which could be beneficial for future genomics studies. Moreover, this study identified 77 accessions that outperformed the controls. Consequently, these superior accessions could provide a wide spectrum of options during the development of improved mung bean varieties.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2005

Background: The most frequent fracture seen at the emergency department (ED) in the elderly is a femur fracture whereas they do not know the degree of osteoporosis. We analyzed the degree of osteoporosis in patients with femur fractures and compared patients with only femur fractures (FX) to patients with femur and vertebral fractures (VX) by examining the clinical features, the bone mineral density (BMD), and biochemical markers. Methods: From January 2004 to December 2004, we enrolled prospectively 30 femur fracture patients who visited the ED. The bone mineral densities of the lumbar spine and the femur were examined. Total calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and serum C-terminal telopeptide (s-CTx) were measured. The patients with femur fractures were divided into two subgroups according to the presence of vertebral fracture. Results: All BMDs of the FX group showed osteoporosis. The s-CTx levels were higher than normal. The patients in the FX with VX were older than those in the FX only group, and had lower BMDs. There were no significant differences in markers between the subgroups, but the incidence of trochanteric fractures was higher in FX with VX group than in the FX only group. Conclusion: Femur fractures in the elderly were associated with osteoporosis. In our study, despite a considerable difference in BMD between patients with femur fractures and those with femur fractures combined with vertebral fractures, there was no difference in biochemical markers on bone formation nor in the those of bone resorption. We will further investigate the biochemical markers and BMD in the population of osteoporotic fractures. So those indicators should be helpful for planning treatment and for prevention of FX in the elderly.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2005

The relationships among mechanical properties, rheological properties, and morphology by reactive extrusion based on commingled pckaging film wastes contains polypropylene (PP) pckaging film system [PP/polyethylene (PE)/aluminum (Al)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)] and Nylon packaging film system[Nylon/PE/linear-low density polyethylene (LLDPE)] were investigated to improve the compatibility and toughness of these wastes using various compatibilizers such as ethylene vinylacetate (EVA), styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene triblock copolymer (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene-graft-maleic anhydride copolymer (SEBS-g-MA), polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) , polyethylene-graft-acrylic acid (PE-g-AA) and polypropylene-graft-acrylic acid (PP-g-AA). Compared with simple melt blend system, the blends showed improvement of about $50\%$ increase in physical properties when SEBS and EVA were added. However, SEBS-g-MA thermoplastic elastomer which is highly reactive with amine terminal group of nylon, resulted in about $200\%$ increase in impact strength. This compatibilization effect resulted from the increase of interfacial adhesion and the reduction of domain size of dispersed phase in PP/Nylon blend system.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.346-349
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• 2015

Objective : To investigate the value of lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in fracture risk assessment (FRAX) tool. Methods : One hundred and ten patients aged over 60 years were enrolled and divided into 2 groups as non-osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) and OVF groups. The 10-year-risk of major osteoporotic vertebral fracture of each group was calculated by FRAX tool with femoral and lumbar spine BMDs to compare the usefulness of lumbar spine BMD in prediction of OVF. The blood level of osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) as markers of activities of osteoblast and osteoclast, respectively were analyzed using the institutional database. Results : In the OVF group, the ratio of patients with previous fracture history or use of glucocorticoid was higher than those in non-OVF group (p=0.000 and 0.030, respectively). The levels of T-score of femur neck and lumbar spine in OVF group were significantly lower than those in non-OVF group (p=0.001 and 0.000, respectively). The risk of OVF in FRAX using femur BMD in non-OVF and OVF groups was $6.7{\pm}6.13$ and $11.4{\pm}10.06$, respectively (p=0.007). The risk of using lumbar BMD in the 2 groups was $6.9{\pm}8.91$ and $15.1{\pm}15.08$, respectively (p=0.002). The areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve in the FRAX risk with lumbar and femur neck BMD were 0.726 and 0.684, respectively. The comparison of osteocalcin and CTX was not significant (p=0.162 and 0.369, respectively). Conclusion : In our study, the 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fracture in the OVF group of our study was lower than the recommended threshold of intervention for osteoporosis. Hence, a lower threshold for the treatment of osteoporosis may be set for the Korean population to prevent OVF. In the prediction of symptomatic OVF, FRAX tool using lumbar spine BMD may be more useful than that using femur neck BMD.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.445-451
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is positively associated with atherosclerosis via elevating macrophage cell death and plaque formation, in which oxidative stress plays a pivotal role. Antioxidative, lipid-lowering, and anti-atherogenic effects of kimchi, a Korean fermented vegetable, have been established, wherein capsaicin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, 3-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid, and lactic acids were identified. In this study, mechanisms of action of kimchi methanol extracts (KME) on fatty streak formation via suppression of ER stress and apoptosis in aorta were examined in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice fed a high cholesterol diet with an oral administration of KME (KME group, $200 mg{\cdot}kg-bw^{-1}{\cdot}day^{-1}$) or distilled water (control group) for 8 weeks (n = 20 for group). Plasma lipid and oxidative stress levels were evaluated. Protein expression was measured by western blot assay. Fatty streak lesion size and the degree of apoptosis were examined in the aorta. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, in the KME group, plasma lipids levels were decreased and oxidative stress was alleviated (P < 0.05). Protein expression levels of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2-mediated antioxidants in aorta were increased whereas those for ER stress markers, glucose regulated protein 78, phospho-protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase, phospho-eukaryotic initiation factor 2 subunit ${\alpha}$, X-box binding protein 1, and C/EBP homologous protein were decreased in the KME group (P < 0.05). Moreover, apoptosis was suppressed via downregulation of phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, bcl-2-associated X protein, caspases-9, and -3 with a concomitant upregulation of anti-apoptotic protein, B-cell lymphoma 2 (P < 0.05). Fatty streak lesion size was reduced and the degree of apoptosis was less severe in the KME group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, antioxidant activity of KME might prevent fatty streak formation through, in part, inhibition of ER stress and apoptosis in aortic sinus where macrophages are harbored.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1749-1759
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• 2018

Recombinant (rec) prion protein (PrP) is an extremely useful resource for studying protein misfolding and subsequent protein aggregation events. Here, we report mass production of high-purity rec-polypeptide encoding the C-terminal globular domain of PrP; (90-230) for human and (89-231) for murine PrP. These proteins were expressed as His-tagged fusion proteins in E. coli cultured by a high cell-density aerobic fermentation method. RecPrPs recovered from inclusion bodies were slowly refolded under reducing conditions. Purification was performed by a sequence of metal-affinity, cation-exchange, and reverse-phase chromatography. The current procedure yielded several dozens of milligrams of recPrP per liter with >95% purity. The purified recPrPs predominantly adopted an ${\alpha}$-helix-rich conformation and were functionally sufficient as substrates to measure the seeding activity of human and animal prions. Establishment of a procedure for high-level production of high-purity recPrP supports the advancement of in vitro investigations of PrP including diagnosis for prion diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1055-1061
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• 2009

${\alpha}$-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptors are widespread throughout the central nervous system and appear to serve as synaptic receptors for fast excitatory synaptic transmission mediated by glutamate. Their modulation is believed to affect learning and memory. To identify the interaction proteins for the AMPA receptor subunit glutamate receptor-interacting protein 1 (GRIPl), GRIP1 interactions with armadillo family protein p0071/plakophilin-4 were investigated. GRIP1 protein bound to the tail region of p0071/plakophilin-4 but not to other armadillo family protein members in a yeast two-hybrid assay. The "S-X-V" motif at the carboxyl (C)-terminal end of p0071/plakophilin-4 is essential for interaction with GRIP1. p0071/plakophilin-4 interacted with the Postsynaptic density-95/Discs large/Zona occludens-1 (PDZ) domains of GRIPI in the yeast two-hybrid assay, as is indicated also by Glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down, and co-immunoprecipitated with GRIP1 antibody in brain fraction. The findings of this study provide evidence that p0071/plakophilin-4 is an interactor of GRIP1.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.230-247
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• 2018

We conducted principal component analyses using the quantitative characteristics of the genus Sorbaria to investigate and explore morphological variation and diagnostic characteristics. The genus Sorbaria was divided into two groups based on erect or pendulous inflorescence, the existence of hairs on the ovary and follicle surfaces, the number of stamens, and the shape of the sepal. As a result of our investigation and of a morphometric analysis, these two groups could be also classified using quantitative characteristics, in this case the number of leaflets, the size of the leaflets, the width of the inflorescence, the size of the sepal, the petal, and the follicles and seeds. In the Sorbifolia group (S. grandiflora and S. sorbifolia complex), the size of lateral leaflets, number of veins, gland and stellate density on the abaxial surface of leaflets, and the petal and follicle size were found to be useful identification characteristics. The terminal and lateral leaflet size and the gland and stellate density on the abaxial surface of the leaflets were found to be characters of taxonomic value for the Kirilowii group (S. arborea complex, S. kirilowii, and S. tomentosa complex). The results of the numerical analysis conducted here can provide valuable information to those reconsidering and delimiting a taxonomic revision of the genus Sorbaria.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.304-311
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the ratio and number of the Rhus javanica gall formed by chinese sumac aphid, Scheleechtendalia chinensis, in several different conditions in which R. javanica lives. The density of 11 to 15-year-old R. javanica was more higher and the number of galls was also higher than 1 to 5- or over 16-year-old one at these sites. The formed gall according to four directions such as the East, West, South and North was founded the highest at the East and followed South, North, and West order. The formative rate of R. javanica gall did not differ in the mixture forest, and in the habitat having a heap of a little stone and mosses near a valley was better than in the site of road perimeter. Through an index of the gall diameter and the number of chinese sumac aphid, we evaluated the gall processing and development formed by the aphid. As the density of aphids increase, the size of the gall was also more plumped. The part of phyllotaxy of R. javanica gall in leaf and pinnate of was increased in the middle and upper part of terminal leaflet and leaflet was more occupied than wing. R. javanica which did not form a gall in natural environmental, formed gall by a artificial inoculation of S. chinensis. Some gall disappeared during a gall development from various environmental conditions.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.461-470
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• 2000

Objective : Many investigators have demonstrated the protective effects of hypothermia following traumatic brain injury(TBI) in both animals and humans. It has long been recognized that mild to moderate hypothermia improves neurologic outcomes as well as reduces histologic and biochemical sequelae after TBI. In this study, two immunohistochemical staining using terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated biotin dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL), staining of apoptosis, and ${\beta}$-amyloid precursor protein(${\beta}$-APP), a marker of axonal injury, were done and the authors evaluated the protective effects of hypothermia on axonal and neuronal injury after TBI in rats. Material and Method : The animals were prepared for the delivery of impact-acceleration brain injury as described by Marmarou and colleagues. TBI is achieved by allowing of a weight drop of 450gm, 1 m height to fall onto a metallic disc fixed on the intact skull of the rats. Fourty Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 400 to 450g were subjected to experimental TBI induced by an impact-acceleration device. Twenty rats were subjected to hypothermia after injury, with their rectal temperatures maintained at $32^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. After this 1-hour period of hypothermia, rewarming to normothermic levels was accomplished over 30-minute period. Following 12 hours, 24 hours, 1 week and 2 weeks later the animals were killed and semiserial sagittal sections of the brain were reacted for visualization of the apoptosis and ${\beta}$-APP. Results : The density of ${\beta}$-APP marked damaged axons within the corticospinal tract at the pontomedullary junction and apoptotic cells at the contused cerebral cortex were calculated for each animal. In comparison with the untreated controls, a significant reduction in ${\beta}$-APP marked damaged axonal density and apoptotic cells were found in all hypothermic animals(p<0.05). Conclusion : This study shows that the posttraumatic hypothermia result in substantial protection in TBI, at least in terms of the injured axons and neurons.