• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.673-677
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• 2017

The present study was performed to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors for Dirofilaria immitis infection in cats from Liaoning province, northeastern China. From October 2014 to September 2016, sera of 651 cats, including 364 domestic cats and 287 feral cats (332 females and 319 males) were assessed. They were tested for the presence of D. immitis antigen using SNAP Heartworm RT test kit. In this population, the average prevalence was 4.5%. Age and rearing conditions (feral or domestic) were found to be associated with the prevalence of D. immitis. The prevalence was significantly higher in feral cats compared with domestic cats (8.4% vs 1.4%, P<0.01). There was no significant difference between males and females (4.7% vs 4.2%, P>0.05), but older cats (${\geq}3$ years old) showed a statistically higher prevalence compared with younger cats (<3 years old) in feral populations (16.8 vs 2.4%, P<0.01), while the difference between the age groups was not statistically significant in domestic cats (2.4% vs 0.51%, P>0.05), all these results suggest that outdoor exposure time may be one of the most important factors for D. immitis prevalence in cats. Results reveal that D. immitis are prevalence in domestic and feral cats in northeastern China, which indicates that appropriate preventive measures should be taken to decrease the incidence of feline heartworm disease in Liaoning province, northeastern China.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.177-184
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the influence of voxel size and the accuracy of 2 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems in the detection of vertical root fracture (VRF) in the presence of intracanal metallic posts. Materials and Methods: Thirty uniradicular extracted human teeth were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups(VRF group, n=15; and control group, n=15). The VRFs were induced by an Instron machine, and metallic posts were placed in both groups. The scans were acquired by CBCT with 4 different voxel sizes: 0.1 mm and 0.16 mm (for the Eagle 3D V-Beam system) and 0.125 mm and 0.2 mm (for the i-CAT system) (protocols 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Interobserver and intraobserver agreement was assessed using the Cohen kappa test. Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated and receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed. Results: The intraobserver coefficients indicated good (0.71) to very good (0.83) agreement, and the interobserver coefficients indicated moderate (0.57) to very good (0.80) agreement. In respect to the relationship between sensitivity and specificity, a statistically significant difference was found between protocols 1 (positive predictive value: 0.710, negative predictive value: 0.724) and 3 (positive predictive value: 0.727, negative predictive value: 0.632) (P<.05). The least interference due to artifact formation was observed using protocol 2. Conclusion: Protocols with a smaller voxel size and field of view seemed to favor the detection of VRF in teeth with intracanal metallic posts.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.313-319
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• 2002

N-Acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminidase ($\beta$-HexNAc'ase) (EC 3.2.1.52) was purified from rice seeds (Oryza sative L. var. Dongjin) using ammonium sulfate (80%) precipitation, Sephadex G-150, CM-Sephadex, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, sequentially. The activities were separated into 7 fractions($F_1-F_7$) by CM-Sephadex chromatography. Among them, F6 was further purified to homogeneity with a 13.0% yield and 123.3 purification-fold. The molecular mass was estimated to be about 52 kDa on SDS-PAGE and 37.4 kDa on Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of both p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminide (pNP-GlcNAc) and p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminide (pNP-GalNAc) as substrates, which are typical properties of $\beta$-HexNAc'ase. The ratio of the pNP-GlcNAc'ase activity to the pNP-GalNAc'ase activity was 4.0. However, it could not hydrolyze chitin, chitosan, pNP-$\beta$-glucopyranoside, or pNP-$\beta$-glucopyranoside. The enzyme showed $K_m$, $V_{max}$ and $K_{cat}$ for pNP-GlcNAc of 1.65 mM, $79.49\;mM\;min^{-1}$, and $4.79{\times}10^6\;min^{-1}$, respectively. The comparison of kinetic values for pNP-GlcNAc and pNP-GalNAc revealed that the two enzyme activities are associated with a single binding site. The purified enzyme exhibited optimum pH and temperature for pNP-GlcNAc of 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme activity for pNP-GlcNAc was stable at pH 5.0-5.5 and $20-40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited at a concentration of 0.1 mM $HgCl_$ and $AgNO_3$, suggesting that the intact thiol group is essential for activity. Chloramine T completely inhibited the activity, indicating the possible involvement of methionines in the mechanism of the enzyme.

• 생물환경조절학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.259-265
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• 2003

오이, 토마토 고추 작물의 고온기 플러그 육묘시 묘의 도장 방지와 과번무 억제를 위한 UV-B와 생장 억제제의 처리가 플러그묘 식물체의 생리적 특성 변화와 항산화 효소의 활성에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 광합성능력은 UV-B 처리묘의 경우 무처리에 비해 처리 직후에는 크게 떨어졌으나 10일 후에는 비스하게 회복되었고 생장억제제 처리묘는 무처리에 비해 토마토가 다소 떨어졌어나 오이와 고추는 비슷하였다. 엽록소함량은 3작물 모두 처리간에 유의한 차이가 없었다. 안토시아닌 함량은 무처리에 비해 UV-B 처리한 것이 다소 높았던 반면 생장억제제 처리한 것은 무처리와 비슷하였다. SOD, CAT, POD 등의 항산화효소의 활성은 3작물 모두 UV-B 처리한 것이 가장 높았으며, 처리 직후에는 크게 증가되었다가 10일 후에는 그 절반 이하로 감소하였다. 한편 생장억제제 처리묘는 무처리에 비해서 항산화 효소의 활성이 다소 높았으나 UV-B 처리묘에 비해서는 낮았다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2010년도 춘계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.110.1-110.1
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• 2010

A bench scale slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) with active-Fe based catalyst was developed for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) reaction. Considering the highly exothermic reaction heat generated in the bench scale SBCR, an effective cooling system was devised consisting of a U-type dip tube submerged in the reactor. Also, the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst were controlled so as to achieve high activity for the CO conversion and liquid oil ($C_{5+}$) production. Firstly, the FTS performance of the FeCuK/$SiO_2$ catalyst in the SBCR under reaction conditions of $265^{\circ}C$, 2.5 MPa, and $H_2/CO=1$ was investigated. The CO conversion and liquid oil ($C_{5+}$) productivity in the reaction were 88.6% and 0.226 $g/g_{cat}-h$, respectively, corresponding to a liquid oil ($C_{5+}$) production rate of 0.03 bbl/day. To investigate the FTS reaction behavior in the bench scale SBCR, the effects of the space velocity and superficial velocity of the synthesis gas and reaction temperature were also studied. The liquid oil production rate increased upto 0.057 bbl/day with increasing space velocity from 2.61 to 3.92 $SL/h-g_{Fe}$ and it was confirmed that the SBCR bench system developed in this research precisely simulated the FTS reaction behavior reported in the small scale slurry reactor.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국작물학회 2017년도 9th Asian Crop Science Association conference
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• pp.235-235
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• 2017

Chromium (Cr) toxicity is hazardous to the seed germination, growth, and development of plants. ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid and is involved in stress tolerance in plants. To investigate the effects of GABA in alleviating Cr toxicity, we treated eight-d-old mustard (Brassica juncea L.) seedlings with Cr (0.15 mM and 0.3 mM $K_2CrO_4$, 5 days) alone and in combination with GABA ($125{\mu}M$) in a semi-hydroponic medium. The roots and shoots of the seedlings accumulated Cr in a dose-dependent manner, which led to an increase in oxidative damage [lipid peroxidation; hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) content; superoxide ($O{_2}^{{\cdot}-}$) generation; lipoxygenase (LOX) activity], MG content, and disrupted antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems. Chromium stress also reduced growth, leaf relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll (chl) content but increased phytochelatin (PC) and proline (Pro) content. Furthermore, supplementing the Cr-treated seedlings with GABA reduced Cr uptake and upregulated the non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate, AsA; glutathione, GSH) and the activities of the enzymatic antioxidants including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glyoxalase I (Gly I), and glyoxalase II (Gly II), and finally reduced oxidative damage. Adding GABA also increased leaf RWC and chl content, decreased Pro and PC content, and restored plant growth. These findings shed light on the effect of GABA in improving the physiological mechanisms of mustard seedlings in response to Cr stress.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.39-45
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• 2009

가시오갈피 및 두충과 같은 천연 생리활성 사료 첨가제를 사료와 함께 급여하여 지방, 근육, 항산화 효소 등과 관련된 유전자의 발현을 분석하여 생리활성 물질에 의한 육계의 영향을 분자생물학적 측면에서 접근해 보고자 본 연구를 실시하게 되었다. 본 연구는 육계 Ross종 수컷을 5처리 8반복, 반복당 4수씩을 4일령에 완전 임의 배치하였으며, 시험 사료에 가시오갈피와 두충을 0%(대조구), 0.5%, 1% 수준으로 각각 첨가하여 35일령까지 자유 급여를 실시하고 시험 종료일에 근육과 간의 조직을 취하여 RNA를 분리한 후 분석에 이용하였다. 천연물 첨가에 따른 증체, 사료 섭취량 및 사료 요구율의 사양 성적 결과, 사료 요구율을 제외한 사양 성적에 큰 영향을 미치지 않았다. 근육 및 지방 합성 관련 유전자의 발현을 분석한 결과, 지방 합성 관련 유전자 FAS는 처리간에 차이가 없었으나, 전사인자인 $PPAR{\gamma}$의 유전자 발현은 두충 처리구에서 높은 발현을 보였으나, 대조구와 가시오갈피와는 차이가 없었다. 근육 관련 유전자 MyoD와 Myogenin의 발현을 분석한 결과, Myogenin은 모든 처리구에서 대조구에 비해 높은 발현율을 보였으며, MyoD 또한 대조구에 비해 높은 발현율을 보였으나 가시오갈피에 비하여 두충이 이 유전자의 발현을 더 유도하는 것으로 나타났다. 항산화 효소 유전자(GST, CAT, SOD, GPX)의 발현을 측정한 결과, 대체적으로 대조구와 큰 차이가 없었으나 두충의 1% 사료내 첨가는 항산화 효소 중 SOD와 GPX의 활성을 증진시켰다. 이상의 결과로부터 육계에 가시오갈피와 두충의 급여는 생산 능력에 큰 영향을 미치지 않으면서 근육 성장에 긍정적으로 작용하여 산화적 스트레스도 감소(SOD, GPX)시키는 효과가 있는 것으로 사료된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.453-465
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• 2000

연구배경 : 폐암의 발생과정은 다양한 유전자 이상과 여러 가지경로 이상을 포함한 다단계 과정이다. 암유전자의 활성화나 종양억제유전자의 불활성화, 그리고 결과적인 유전적 불안정성의 증가는 폐암의 발암과정에서 일어나는 주요한 사건이며 임상적으로 폐암이 진단되기까지 10내지 20여 가지의 유전적 변화가 축적되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서 저자들은 비소세포폐암에서 종양억제유전자인 p53과 FHIT의 돌연변이, FHIT 유전자의 전사체 이상 여부를 확인하고 종양억제유전자부근에 위치하는 극소위성의 유전적 변화를 관찰하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 비소세포폐암으로 진단된 후 외과적 적출술을 시행받은 환자 29명의 생검조직과 그에 대응하는 동일인의 정상조직을 대상으로 하였다. p53과 FHIT의 돌연변이 여부는 PCR-SSCP, DNA 염기분석으로 확인하였고 D3S1285, D9S171, TP53에서 극소위성 불안정성과 이형접합성 상실은 PCR로 확인하였다. FHIT 유전자의 전사체 이상 여부 확인을 위해서는 RT-PCR을 사용하였다. 결과 : 1) p53 유전자의 2예에서 관찰되었고 모두 exon 5에서 1개의 염기가 치환되는 점돌연변이였다. 2) 극소위성 불안정성은 D3S1285와 D9S171에서 각각 2예, 1예, 이형접합성 상실은 D3S1285, D9S171, TP53에서 각각 3예, 4예, 7예가 관찰되었다. 3) FHIT 유전자의 변이는 11예에서 관찰되었으며 이중 6예는 exon 8의 codon 98에서 염기서열이 CAT가 CAC로 바뀌는 잠재적 치환이었다. 4) FHIT 유전자의 전사체 이상은 $\beta$-actin이 제대로 발현되는 15예중 4예에서 관찰되었으며 exon 6-9의 결실로 확인되었다. 결론 : 이상으로 비소세포폐암 발생에 p53, FHIT 유전자의 변이, 극소위성 불안정성과 이형접합성 상실 등 다양한 분자유전학적 기전이 복합적으로 작용할 것으로 생각되며 이번 연구에서 조사된 유전적 이상의 빈도는 앞서 발표된 서양의 연구결과와 대체적으로 일치한다. 특히 극소위성의 분석은 편평세포암에서 종양표지자로서의 역할이 기대된다. 이런 발암과정에 대한 이해는 예방, 진단 및 치료적 접근을 발전시키는데 도움을 줄 수 있을 것이고 향후 이들에 관한 가능적 연구들이 수행되어야 할 것이다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권7호
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• pp.925-935
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• 2014

A cold-adapted carbohydrate esterase, CEST, belonging to the carbohydrate esterase family 6, was cloned from Microbulbifer thermotolerans DAU221. CEST was composed of 307 amino acids with the first 22 serving as a secretion signal peptide. The calculated molecular mass and isoelectric point of the mature enzyme were 31,244 Da and pH 5.89, respectively. The catalytic triad consisted of residues Ser37, Glu192, and His281 in the conserved regions: GQSNMXG, QGEX(D/N), and DXXH. The three-dimensional structure of CEST revealed that CEST belongs to the ${\alpha}/{\beta}$-class of protein consisted of a central six-stranded ${\beta}$-sheet flanked by eight ${\alpha}$-helices. The recombinant CEST was purified by His-tag affinity chromatography and the characterization showed its optimal temperature and pH were $15^{\circ}C$ and 8.0, respectively. Specifically, CEST maintained up to 70% of its enzyme activity when preincubated at $50^{\circ}C$ or $60^{\circ}C$ for 6 h, and 89% of its enzyme activity when preincubated at $70^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. The results suggest CEST belongs to group 3 of the cold-adapted enzymes. The enzyme activity was increased by $Na^+$ and $Mg^{2+}$ ions but was strongly inhibited by $Cu^+$ and $Hg^{2+}$ ions, at all ion concentrations. Using p-nitrophenyl acetate as a substrate, the enzyme had a $K_m$ of 0.278 mM and a $k_{cat}$ of $1.9s^{-1}$. Site-directed mutagenesis indicated that the catalytic triad (Ser37, Glu192, and His281) and Asp278 were essential for the enzyme activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

Isolation, expression, and characterization of a novel $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ with high specific activity and homology to Bacillus lichenases is described. One clone was screened from a genomic library of Paenibacillus sp. F-40, using lichenan-containing plates. The nucleotide sequence of the clone contains an ORF consisting of 717 nucleotides, encoding a ${\beta}-glucanase$ protein of 238 amino acids and 26 residues of a putative signal peptide at its N-terminus. The amino acid sequence showed the highest similarity of 87% to other ${\beta}-1,3-1,4-glucanases$ of Bacillus. The gene fragment Bg1 containing the mature glucanase protein was expressed in Pichia pastoris at high expression level in a 3-1 high-cell-density fermenter. The purified recombinant enzyme Bg1 showed activity against barley ${\beta}-glucan$, lichenan, and laminarin. The gene encodes an $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ (E. C. 3.2.1.6). When lichenan was used as substrate, the optimal pH was 6.5, and the optimal temperature was $60^{\circ}C$. The $K_m,\;V_{max},\;and\;k_{cat}$ values for lichenan are 2.96mg/ml, $6,951{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;3,131s^{-1}$, respectively. For barley ${\beta}-glucan$ the values are 3.73mg/ml, $8,939{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;4,026s^{-1}$, respectively. The recombinant Bg1 had resistance to pepsin and trypsin. Other features of recombinant Bg1 including temperature and pH stability, and sensitivity to some metal ions and chemical reagents were also characterized.