• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.213-220
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• 2010

Although an adequete intake of calcium (Ca) is recommended for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, the intake of Ca should be restricted because of its low rate of intestinal absorption. The purpose of this experiment was to identity the effect of the combined administration of Aquamin F (AQF) (a calcium agent) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on osteoporosis. Thirty ovariectomized (OVX) rats and six control rats were assigned to the following six groups, with six animals per group: sham Ca-deficient diet (Ca-D), OVX, LAB, AQF, and LAB-AQF. During the experiment, the body weight was measured; and after the experiment was completed, the serum biochemical analysis, the alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and inorganic phosphorus leves were measured. The tissue of the femur was stained and then scanned via CT. The body weight of the OVX group increased more significantly than that of the control group. The results of the bone mineral content (BMC), Bone mineral density (BMD), serum biochemical analysis and histological test on the femur epiphysis showed no difference between the OVX group and the LAB group, whereas the results of the AQF group were more significant than those of the OVX group. In particular, the LAB+AQF group showed more significant increases in the aforementioned results than the AQF group. This experiment showed that the combined administration of AQF and LAB in ovariectomized rats more significantly increased bone density than did a single administration of either AQF or LAB.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.94-96
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• 2010

In May of 2004 through 2007, Leptosphaerulina leaf blight caused by Leptosphaerulina trifolii occurred on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) at golf courses in Gangwon Province, Korea. Symptoms on the turfgrass caused by L. trifolii were leaf blights, dying from the leaf tip downwards to the crown, which appeared patches in the field because of local pockets of severely infected (blighted) grass. Perithecia were produced on old or weak leaves, including club-shaped asci, each of which contained 8 pale brown muriform ascospores with cross and longitudinal septa. Ascospores of the fungus isolated from the diseased leaf tissue and cultured on potato-dextrose agar (PDA) were muriform multicellular (composed of 3-6 cells) and $23.4-40.5{\times}7.8-15.6{\mu}m$ in size with 3-4 transverse and 0-3 longitudinal septa, which were morphologically identical to L. trifolii reported previously. DNA sequences of ribosomal RNA gene (internal transcribed spacer) of the fungus were homologous with similarity of 99% to those of L. trifolii isolates in GenBank database, confirming the identity of the causal agent of the disease. Pathogenicity of the fungus was also confirmed on the creeping bentgrass by Koch's postulates. This is first report of Leptosphaerulina leaf blight on turfgrass caused by L. trifolii in Korea.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.407-414
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• 2009

A cDNA clone encoding phytocystatin was isolated from Brassica rapa seedlings, through rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). This gene (name as Brcpi1; GenBank accession no.: EF079953) had a total length of 881 bp with an open reading frame of 609 bp, and encoded predicted polypeptide of 203 amino acid (aa) residues including a putative N-terminal signal peptide. Other relevant regions found its sequence included the G and PW conserved aa motifs, and the consensus LARFAV sequence for phytocystatins and the reactive site QVVAG. The BrCPI1 protein shared 95, 94, 81, 80 and 78% identity with other CPI proterins isolated from Brassica oleracea (BoCPI-1), Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCY SB), Glycine max (GmCPI), Oryza sativa (OsCYS-2) and Zea may (ZmCPI) at amino acid level, respectively. Southern blot analysis showed that Brcpi1 was a low copy gene. Expression pattern analysis revealed that Brcpi1 was a tissue-specific expressing gene during reproductive growth and strongly expressed at mature seedling stages. Furthermore, overexpression of Brcpi1 in transgenic Arabidopsis was enhanced tolerance to salt and cold stresses. Meanwhile the juvenile seedling of Brcpi1 transgenic plants was not affected by various concentrations ABA in MS medium. Taken together, the results showed that Brcpi1 functioned as a cysteine protease inhibitor and it exhibited a protective agent against diverse types of abiotic stress, which induced this gene in a tissue- and stress-specific manner.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2013

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum is one of the most severe diseases threatening the production of small grains. Infected grains are often contaminated with mycotoxins such as zearalenone and trichothecences. During survey of contamination by FHB in rice grains, we found a bacterial isolate, designated as BN1, antagonistic to F. graminearum. The strain BN1 had branching vegetative hyphae and spores, and its aerial hyphae often had long, straight filaments bearing spores. The 16S rRNA gene of BN1 had 100% sequence identity with those found in several Streptomyces species. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS regions showed that BN1 grouped with S. sampsonii with 77% bootstrap value, suggesting that BN1 was not a known Streptomyces species. In addition, the efficacy of the BN1 strain against F. graminearum strains was tested both in vitro and in vivo. Wheat seedling length was significantly decreased by F. graminearum infection. However, this effect was mitigated when wheat seeds were treated with BN1 spore suspension prior to F. graminearum infection. BN1 also significantly decreased FHB severity when it was sprayed onto wheat heads, whereas BN1 was not effective when wheat heads were point inoculated. These results suggest that spraying of BN1 spores onto wheat heads during the wheat flowering season can be efficient for plant protection. Mechanistic studies on the antagonistic effect of BN1 against F. graminearum remain to be analyzed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.295-300
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• 2018

Human sparganosis was diagnosed by morphological and genetic analyses in Korea. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens isolated in Korea have been recorded. Present study was performed to provide information to diagnose the etiologic agent of sparganosis by multiplex PCR using mitochondrial genome sequences of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. In an effort to examine the differential diagnosis of spirometrid tapeworms, multiplex PCR assays were performed on plerocercoid larvae of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The PCR products obtained using species-specific primers were positively detected in all PCR assays on mixture of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens DNA. S. erinaceieuropaei-specific bands (239 bp and 401 bp) were obtained from all PCR assays using a mixture of S. erinaceieuropaei-specific primers (Se/Sd-1800F and Se-2018R; Se/Sd-7955F and Se-8356R) and S. erinaceieuropaei template DNA. S. decipiens-specific bands (540 bp and 644 bp) were also detected in all PCR assays containing mixtures of S. decipiens-specific primers (Se/Sd-1800F and Sd-2317R; Se/Sd-7955F and Sd-8567R) and S. decipiens template DNA. Sequence analyses on these species-specific bands revealed 100% sequence identity with homologous regions of the mtDNA sequences of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The multiplex PCR assay was useful for differential diagnosis of human sparganosis by detecting different sizes in species-specific bands.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the etiological agent of PRRS characterized by reproductive losses in sows and respiratory disorders in piglets. The PRRSV is a small enveloped virus containing a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome and divided into two genotype, type 1 (European) and type 2 (North American), respectively, by nucleotide identity. In this study, ORF7 gene of the type 1 and type 2 PRRSV was cloned and expressed in Baculovirus expression system. Also, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against ORF7 were produced and characterized. The expressed ORF7 proteins in the recombinant virus were confirmed by indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA) test using His6 and PRRSV-specific antiserum. A total of eight MAbs were produced and characterized. One (3G12) MAb was type 1 PRRSV ORF7-specific and two (6B10 and 16H8) were type 2 PRRSV ORF7-specific. Other five (1A1, 2A4, 4B4, 12C4 and 13F11) MAbs reacted with both type 1 and type 2 PRRSV. Some PRRSV ORF7-specific MAbs recognized the porcine tissues infected with PRRSV by IFA or immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. From this experiment, it was confirmed that MAbs produced in this study were PRRSV ORF7-specific and could be used as reliable reagents for type 1/type 2 PRRSV detection.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.5 no.2 s.10
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• pp.49-67
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• 2005

With increasing interest on scientists and the influence of science technology, their role in the modem society has been expanding. Scientists work in the laboratory as researchers, work in their expertise area as professionals, and work socially as social agents. Scientists are responsible to keep up the regulations during the research, and also are responsible for the results of the research. Therefore, there is a need of contemplation in terms of what their identity is and what their responsibilities are. Despite of this need, there hasn't been much discussion or education on the scientists social role or responsibilities as of now. This study purported to contemplate on the scientists role and responsibility, its qualification, and what it means to be a scientist as a social agent. Also the study further explored the efficient educational strategies and methods relevant to the contemplated issues.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.382-392
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• 2017

This study reports the findings of a distinct Potato virus Y (PVY) isolate found in Northeast China. One hundred and ten samples (leaves and tubers) were collected from potato plants showing mosaic symptoms around the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province of China. The collected tubers were planted and let to grow in a greenhouse. New potato plants generated from these tubers showed similar symptoms, except for one plant. Subsequent serological analyses revealed PVY as the causing agent of the disease. A novel PVY isolate (referred to as HLJ-C-44 in this study) was isolated from this sample showing unique mild mosaic and crisped leaf margin symptoms. The complete genome of this isolate was analyzed and determined. The results showed that HLJ-C-44 is a typical PVY isolate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this isolate belongs to the N-Wi strain group of PVY recombinants ($PVY^{N-Wi}$) and also shared the highest overall sequence identity (nucleotide and amino acid) with other members of this strain group. However, recombination analysis of isolate HLJ-C-44 revealed a recombination pattern that differed from that of other $PVY^{N-Wi}$ isolates. Moreover, biological assays in four different potato cultivars and in Nicotiana tabacum also revealed a different phenotypic response than that of a typical $PVY^{N-Wi}$ isolate. This data, combined, suggest that HLJ-C-44 is a novel PVY recombinant with distinct biological properties.

• Journal of Chitin and Chitosan
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2017

Red tide Heterosigma akashiwo (H. akashiwo), a microscopic alga of the class Raphidophyceae, causes extensive damage to all marine ecosystems. It is essential to reduce the damage to marine ecosystems for them to be used as a resource. In this study, we used organic solvent fractionation to obtain an ethyl acetate-methanol extract from H. akashiwo (HAEM80) and then evaluated its anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and a zebrafish model. HAME80 markedly inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$). It also down-regulated the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and decreased the secretion of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. HAME80 reduced yolk edema and improved the survival rate of LPS-stimulated zebrafish embryos; in addition, the extract significantly reduced the production of ROS and NO and attenuated cell death in this model. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the extract was used to confirm the identity of peaks 1-20. Taken together, our data suggest that H. akashiwo is a beneficial anti-inflammatory agent.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.29-49
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• 2009

We examine the effects of information transparency, lender identity, and credit rating on the commitment fees of syndicated loans originated in Japan, employing a sample of 331 facilities. A syndicated loan is a financing instrument offered to a single borrower by multiple lenders, and Japanese syndicated loan volume increased 36% to a record-high of $283 billion in 2008 compared to 2007. We find that the more informational opaque the borrower, the higher the commitment fees the lender charges to the Japanese borrowers. There is evidence that a syndicate involving a Japanese lead agent is able to extract rents through higher commitment fees. We document that there is a significant relation between the credit rating of the borrower and the commitment fee cost of syndicated loans originated in Japan. Most importantly, our results provide evidence that banks in Japan extract higher returns on syndicated loans through the commitment fees in addition to higher loan spreads. Using a micro-level of Japanese borrowers, we contribute to existing literature by providing our empirical evidence after controlling for borrowing spread.