• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.328-335
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D plays an important role in the etiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study evaluated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic indices and hs-C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in GDM patients. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial. Seventy-six pregnant women with GDM and gestational age between 24-28 weeks were assigned to receive four oral treatments consisting of 50,000 IU of vitamin $D_3$ (n = 38) or placebo (n = 38) once every 2 weeks for 2 months. Fasting blood glucose (FG), insulin, HbA1c, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, lipid profile, hs-CRP, and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured before and after treatment. Independent and paired t-tests were used to determine intra- and intergroup differences, respectively. ANCOVA was used to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation on biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group, in the vitamin D group, the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased (19.15 vs. -0.40 ng/ml; P < 0.01) and that of FG (-4.72 vs. 5.27 mg/dl; P = 0.01) as well as HbA1c (-0.18% vs. 0.17%; P = 0.02) decreased. Improvements in the lipid profiles were observed in the vitamin D group, but without statistical significance. Significant increases in concentrations of hs-CRP, FG, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were observed in the placebo group. No significant change in fasting insulin and HOMA-IR was observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: In GDM patients, vitamin D supplementation improved FG and HbA1c but had no significant effects on lipid profile or hs-CRP.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.235-242
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• 1998

Objectives : Alcohol-induced oxidative stress has been known to injure various tissues or organs. This stress is related with free radicals which are produced as the result of long-term alcohol consumption. Malonyldialdehyde(MDA) is produced by the interaction of free radicals and cell membrane lipids, and indicates the degree of lipid peroxidation indirectly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between red blood cell(RBC) membrane lipid peroxidation by free radicals, and associated hepatic injuries and hematologic changes. Methods : Thirty-three subjects diagnosed as alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were evaluated within 72 hours after discontinuing alcohol drinking. Clinical characteristics were evaluated by CAGE questionnaire and Korean Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test(MAST). RBC membrane MDA level was measured as the marker of RBC membrane lipid peroxidation. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) were used as the biochemical markers of liver damage due to alcohol ingestion. The alcohol-induced hematologic change was assessed by mean corpuscular volume(MCV). Results : The results were as follows. Clinical characteristics were not different between two groups having normal and abnormal levels of AST, ALT, GGT or MCV. The levels of MDA were not correlated with the clinical characteristics and serum levels of AST, ALT and GGT. However, there was a significant correlation between the levels of MDA and the value of MCV(p=0.017). Conclusions : These findings suggest that oxidative stress in alcohol dependence may not be reflected in liver enzyme markers such as AST, ALT and GGT, but may be reflected in MCV.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1795-1800
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• 2014

The temperature change in the biologically activated sludge wastewater treatment process was predicted using the heat transfer model. All incoming and outgoing heats in wastewater treatment processes were considered. Incoming heats included the solar radiation heat, the heat from impeller mechanical energy, and the biochemical heat in the aeration process. Outgoing heats comprised the radiation heat from the waste itself, the heat of vaporization and surface aeration, the wind convection heat and the conduction heat between the surface and aerator. All heats were used as an input to the existing empirical heat transfer model. The heat transfer model of wastewater treatment processes is presented also. To test the validity of the heat transfer model, the operating conditions of the actual wastewater treatment plant were used. The temperatures were compared with the model temperatures. Model predictions were consistent within the $1.0^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.459-468
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• 1984

The currently accepted model of membrane structure proposes a dynamic, asymmetric lipid matrix of phospholipids and cholesterol with globular proteins embedded across the membrane to various degrees. Most phospholipids are in the bilayer arrangement and also closely associated with integral membrane proteins or loosely associated with peripheral proteins. Biological functions of membrane, such as membrane-bound enzyme functions and transport systems, are influenced by the membrane physical properties, which are determined by fatty acid composition of phospholipids, polar head group composition and membrane cholesterol content. Polar and non-polar region of the phospholipid molecule can interact, with changes in the conformation of a membrane-associated protein altering either its catalytic activity or the protein's interaction with other membrane proteins. Mammalian dietary studies attempted to change the lipid composition of a few cell membranes have shown comparisons, using essential fatty acid-deficient diets. In recent years, Clandinin and a few other workers have pioneered the study proving the influence of dietary fat fed in a nutritionally complete diet on composition of phospholipid classes of cell membrane. Modulation caused by diet fat was rapid and reversible in phospholipid fatty acyl composition of membranes of cardiac mitochondria, liver cell, brain synaptosome and lymphocytes. These changes were at the same time, accompanied by variety of membrane associated functions controlled by membrane-bound enzymes, tranporter and receptor proteins. The findings suggest the basic concept of the necessity of dietary fatty acid balance if consistency of optimal membrane structural lipid composition is to be maintained, as well as the overall inadequacy of describing the nutritional-biochemical quality of a dietary fat solely by its content of linoleic acid. Furthermore, they give light on the possible application to clinical and preventive medicine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1130-1134
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• 2005

An experiment was performed using 20 calves of about one-month old to investigate the effect of chelation therapy with calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate ($CaNa_2$EDTA) alone or along with antioxidant $\alpha$-tocopherol in lead loaded calves on blood trace minerals, erythrocytic sulfahydryl groups and some haematobiochemical parameters. Fifteen calves were given lead orally at a daily dose of 7.5 mg of 99% pure lead acetate/kg body weight for 28 days. Then the lead was withdrawn on day 28 and the calves were randomly divided into three groups. Each group of five animals was either treated with $CaNa_2$EDTA alone at the dose rate of 110 mg/kg body weight in two divided doses for 4 days or along with $\alpha$-tocopherol at the dose rate of 100 mg/kg body weight orally daily for 7 days, keeping the remaining five calves as lead-exposed untreated controls. Blood samples were collected at the end of the lead exposure (day 0) and thereafter on day 2, 4, 7 and 10 from the start of the chelation treatment. The treatment with EDTA alone led to slow but non-significant improvement in blood copper level, but incorporation of antioxidant $\alpha$-tocopherol in chelation therapy resulted in its significant decline, as recorded on day 7-post treatment. Withdrawal of lead or treatment with $CaNa_2$EDTA alone or along with $\alpha$-tocopherol enhanced the erythrocytic thiol contents and the levels of T-SH and P-SH became statistically (p<0.05) comparable to those of lead-exposed controls by day 7 and 4, respectively. There was no significant (p>0.05) change in serum urea, creatinine, total protein and albumin levels between the treatment groups. It is concluded from the present investigation that treatment with $CaNa_2$EDTA at the present dose rate is safe to be used for chelation in lead loaded calves.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2009

Although prion diseases, a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases of human and animals, are presumed to be caused by several mechanisms including abnormal change of prion protein, oxidative stress is still believed to play a central role in development of the diseases. Cigarette smoking has a few beneficial effects on neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease despite of many detrimental effects. In this study, we investigated how chronic cigarette smoking could exert such beneficial effect against oxidative damage. For this study, homogenates of 87V scrapie-infected brain was inoculated on intracerebral system of IM mice through stereotaxic microinjection and biochemical properties concerning with oxidative stress were examined. The scrapie infection decreased the activity of mitochondrial Mn-containing superoxide dismutase by 50% of the control, meanwhile the effects on other antioxidant enzymes including Cu or Zn-containing superoxide dismutase were not significant. Additionally, the infection elevated superoxide level as well as monoamine oxide-B (MAO-B) in the infected brain. Interestingly, many of the detrimental effects were improved in partial or significantly by long-term cigarette smoke exposure (CSE). CSE not only completely prevented the generation of mitochondrial superoxide but also significantly (p<0.05) decreased the elevated mitochondrial MAO-B activity in the infected brain. Concomitantly, CSE prevented subsequent protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation caused by scrapie infection; however, it did not affect the activities of antioxidant enzymes. These results suggest that chronic exposure of cigarette smoke contribute to in part preventing the progress of neurodegeneration caused by scrapie infection.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.423-427
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• 2012

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains, the causal agents of bacterial canker on kiwifruit, were isolated from Korea and Italy in 2011. Among 87 isolates, a total of six representative strains, three from Korea and three from Italy, were identified on the basis of biochemical and physiological tests. Identities were confirmed by PCR using P. syringae pv. actinidiae-specific primers PsaF1/R2, which amplified a 280-bp DNA fragment. The strains isolated from Korea in this study displayed BOX-PCR patterns similar to those isolated from Italy but different from those isolated previously in Korea or the pathotype P. syringae pv. actinidiae strain. The effector hopA1 and hopH1 genes, which are known to be present in strains isolated recently from France and Italy, were also present in P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains, SYS1, SYS2 and SYS4, isolated from Korea in this work. However, no amplicons of the expected size were obtained from strains previously isolated from Korea and Japan. In addition, the Korean strains isolated in this work belonged to haplotype I for the cts gene identical to those strains isolated from recent outbreaks in Italy. These results suggest that P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains isolated from Korea and examined in this work are a new type of strain similar to those found from recent outbreaks in Italy. This is the first report on the occurrence of cts haplotype I strains of P. syringae pv. actinidiae affecting kiwifruit plants in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Most lakes have increased concerns about water pollution due to the inflow of non-point sources caused by human activities. Therefore, the lake water quality survey was conducted in order to propose effective plans for water quality management by analyzing the characteristics of lakes and the change of water quality. METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to investigate the physicochemical water quality in Daedong lake, water quality analysis was undertaken from July 2018 to June 2019. Water temperature was ranged from 7.8 to 34.3℃ and pH varied from 6.9 to 10.2. The concentration of Dissolved oxygen, Suspended solid, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were 5.6 ~ 17.2 mg/L, 2.4 ~ 35.3 mg/L, and 4.5 ~ 15.1 mg/L, and 0.9 ~ 2.8 mg/L, respectively. The Total Nitrogen (T-N) concentration ranged from 0.974 ~ 2.126 mg/L, and Total Phosphorus (T-P) concentration ranged from 0.014 ~ 0.057 mg/L. The Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) ranged from 2.7 ~ 37.9 mg/㎥. Through Carlson TSIm assessment using T-P and Chl-a results, evaluating trophic state, Daedong lake was evaluated as mesotrophic. CONCLUSION: Water pollution management plan needs such as nutrient removal technology and nonpoint source management for prevention of eutrophication in Daedong lake.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.265-272
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• 1982

The traumatic hepatitis and splenitis were experimentally induced in Korean native goats. General examinations, hematological and blood biochemical findings were investigated up to 10 days after induction of traumatic hepatitis and splenitis. Body weight of goats with traumatic hepatitis and splenitis showed no change or only a slight decrease. Changes in body temperature and respiratory rate were not noted in both experimental groups. Heart rate hart not been changed in traumatic splenitis group but were a little increased in traumatic hepatitis group. Erythrocytic series such as erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume showed same variation within normal range during the period of observation. Total leucocyte counts showed the considerable increase in both experimental groups. The increase of the percentage of neutrophil and the decrease of the percentage of lymphocyte were more remarkable in traumatic hepatitis group than that of traumatic splenitis group. Serum aspartate transferase activity was increased in both experimental groups after surgery, while serum alkaline phosphatase activity has been decreased conciderably up to 7 days after surgery. Serum lactic dehydrogenase activity has been increased up to 3 days after operation and thereafter the activity has returned to normal level in traumatic hepatitis group and the activity increased only the first day after surgery in traumatic splenitis group. There were no changes in total protein and albumin contents in both experimental groups during the period of observation. Serum total cholesterol contents showed a slight increase in both experimental groups and the range of increase in traumatic hepatitis group was more wide. Serum bilirubin contents were net changed in traumatic hepatitis group, but showed a slight increase in traumatic splenitis group.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.696-714
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• 2017

Simple material budget models were developed to predict the spring season (March ~ May) water quality for a river-type reservoir Paldang, in the Republic of Korea. These models are available at mixed water bodies whose light intensity is negligible at the bottom. The calculated data from the models fit quite well with field data collected for 30 years, from 1988 to 2017. The apparent settling velocity of total phosphorus was estimated to be $110m\;d^{-1}$. The critical hydraulic load that determines the usability of phosphorus for algal production appeared to be about $2.0m\;d^{-1}$. When a hydraulic load was larger than the critical value, the concentrations of chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ ($Chl.{\alpha}$), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand BOD in the reservoir water became insensitive to internal algal reactions. The model analysis showed that the allochthonous COD continued to increase while the allochthonous BOD slightly decreased after 1999. The decrease of allochthonous BOD is due to the expansion of sewage and wastewater treatment plants in the watershed. The increase of allochthonous COD seems to result from the increase in anthropogenic non-point sources as well as the increase in the discharge of natural organic matters due to climate change. Organic matter of algal origin continued to increase until the mid-2000s, but recently it has decreased as the phosphorus concentration has decreased. The COD and BOD of algal origin increased from 35 % and 27 % during 1988 ~ 1994 to 43 % and 40 % during 2000 ~ 2010, respectively, and then decreased to 25 % and 28 % during 2011 ~ 2017.