A Korean scientist solved the secret of human chromosome number 19.

It has been found out that an experiment developed by a Korean scientist made a large contribution in decoding chromosome number 19 wherein genes related to incurable human diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, etc. are concentrated.

On April 8, 2004, Busan Dong-A University stated that Professor Lim Sun-Hee (41)'s team at the School of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences participated as a joint author of a paper, "Examination on the DNA sequence of human chromosome number 19' published in the April 1, 2004 edition of a science expert paper, 'Nature', and that the experiment developed by the team played a decisive role in completing the decoding.

The chromosome decoding work (Human Genome Project) is a project examining 3 billion DNA sequences of the human gene containing the secret of human living, aging, diseases, and dying. Even though it has been reported as if the Human Genome Project has already been completed, 1% of the DNA sequence was still unknown.

Until now, scientists examined DNA sequences by amplifying the human gene fragments in coliform bacillus. However, unlike human (eucaryote), since coliform bacillus is a prokaryote whose nucleus is not enclosed in a membrane, 1% has not been completed by forming an unstable environment for example by removing a part of a human gene fragment.

Professor Lim's team found out this 1% of DNA sequence by the method for amplifying gene fragments using yeast, a eucaryote instead of using coliform bacillus (TAR). This method has been introduced in the February edition of 'Genome Research'.

Professor Lim said, "there were four empty cracks in the chromosome number 19. After filling them up, four new genes were discovered, unexpectedly. One of them was the SCK1 gene which controls human faculty of speech. It can also be used as a target for confirming one's own child."

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology develops a notebook fuel cell.

A fuel cell for a notebook has been developed which can obtain necessary electric energy to drive the notebook for ten hours with a 100cc methanol solution.

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology announced on 6th that the institute jointly with the computer business section of Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd. has developed a fuel cell realizable of miniaturization and cost-effectiveness by using a nano catalyst that uses nano material technology together with hydrogen ion conduction film technology.

The nano catalyst technology is characterized in that the size of the catalyst particle is reduced to 3 nanometers (nm). Also, combined with 'mesoporous carbon', an electric chemical reaction is activated to reduce by about 50% of the conventional amount of the catalyst used. The research team explained that this technology is a core technology of miniaturization and cost-effectiveness to commercialize the fuel cell.

Further, a multi-film of 'nano composite concept' is uniquely developed in the hydrogen ion conduction film so as to restrain at least 90% of the methanol permeation phenomenon. Such achievement is assessed as securing capability to replace hydrogen ion conduction film currently monopolized in U.S.

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology revealed that by using the parallel fuel supply circuit stack together with highly efficient controller and package technology of the computer business section of Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd., the institute has secured improvement of efficiency of the fuel cell and application technologies necessary for commercialization, and already filed about 40 foreign patent applications related to such technology. The research details is expected to be disclosed to the public at the International Mini-Fuel Cell Symposium (SFC 2004) held in Arlington, U.S. next month by Dr. Hyung JANG (42 years old) who led the development.

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