• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.115-126
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• 2004

Somatic hybrids of inter-compatible and inter-incompatible strains were obtained by protoplast fusion. The fusion products between compatible strains, Pleurotus ostreatus and P. florida, formed heterokaryons, while fusants between incompatible strains such as P. cornucopiae + P. florida, P. ostreatus + Ganoderma applanatum, P. florida + Ganoderma lucidum, and P. ostreatus + Flammulina velutipes formed synkaryons that retained genes from both parents. The heterokaryons showed the same level of basidioma development. In contrast, the synkaryons showed unique characteristics including clamp connection formation at mitosis, either partner basidioma development, and abnormal segregation and recombination compared with inter-compatible strains. Synkaryons can be classified into homokaryoyic and heterokaryotic type. A comparison of somatic hybrids with compatible and incompatible strains was made using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The heterokaryons between compatible species showed the same level of variability and contained both parental RAPD bands. In contrast, most of the synkaryons between incompatible species showed similarity to those of either parental bands and non-parental RAPD bands. Synkaryons can be classified into microgenome insertion type and macrogenome insertion type. A tetrapolar mating system was found among monospore isolates in somatic hybrids and wild type P. ostreatus. Homokaryons from each somatic hybrid combination were paired with tester homokaryons of the initial wild type of P. ostreatus. The changed mating types were identified in progenies. The pattern of mating type switching in somatic hybrids depends on compatibility of fusion partner. There are several factors related to the mechanism of clamp connection formation and fruiting body development of synkaryons. Of these,the major factor may be associated with self-fertility and mating type switching such as homokaryotic fruiting of wild type P. ostreatus. This review will discuss these aspects.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.24-40
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• 2007

Background : Accumulating evidence shows that interleukin(IL)-1 plays a critical role in inflammation and connective tissue destruction observed in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. IL-1 induces gene expression related to cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases by activation of many different transcription factors. Materials and Methods : The chondrosarcoma cell line, SW1353, is known to be a valuable in vitro system for investigating catabolic gene regulation by IL-$1{\beta}$ in chondrocytic cells. To explore and analyze the changes in gene expression by IL-1 responsible for arthritis, SW1353 was treated with IL-1 for 1, 6 and 24 h and then total RNAs were purified for each time. The changes in gene expression were analyzed with 17k human cDNA microarrays and validated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results : Greater than a two-fold change was observed in 1,200 genes including metallothioneins, matrix metalloproteinases, extracellular matrix proteins, antioxidant proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, cell cycle regulatory proteins, proteins for cell growth and apoptosis, signaling proteins and transcription factors. These changes appeared to be correlate with the pathophysiological changes observed in early osteoarthritis. Conclusion : cDNA microarray analysis revealed a marked variability in gene expression, and provided insight into the overall molecular changes. The result of this study provide initial information for further studies to identify therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1896-1904
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• 2020

Objective: Estimating the genetic diversity and structures, both within and among chicken breeds, is critical for the identification and conservation of valuable genetic resources. In chickens, microsatellite (MS) marker polymorphisms have previously been widely used to evaluate these distinctions. Our objective was to analyze the genetic diversity and relationships among 22 chicken breeds in Asia based on allelic frequencies. Methods: We used 469 genomic DNA samples from 22 chicken breeds from eight Asian countries (South Korea, KNG, KNB, KNR, KNW, KNY, KNO; Laos, LYO, LCH, LBB, LOU; Indonesia, INK, INS, ING; Vietnam, VTN, VNH; Mongolia, MGN; Kyrgyzstan, KGPS; Nepal, NPS; Sri Lanka, SBC) and three imported breeds (RIR, Rhode Island Red; WLG, White Leghorn; CON, Cornish). Their genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed using 20 MS markers. Results: In total, 193 alleles were observed across all 20 MS markers, and the number of alleles ranged from 3 (MCW0103) to 20 (LEI0192) with a mean of 9.7 overall. The NPS breed had the highest expected heterozygosity (H_exp, 0.718±0.027) and polymorphism information content (PIC, 0.663±0.030). Additionally, the observed heterozygosity (H_obs) was highest in LCH (0.690±0.039), whereas WLG showed the lowest H_exp (0.372±0.055), H_obs (0.384±0.019), and PIC (0.325±0.049). Nei's DA genetic distance was the closest between VTN and VNH (0.086), and farthest between KNG and MGN (0.503). Principal coordinate analysis showed similar results to the phylogenetic analysis, and three axes explained 56.2% of the variance (axis 1, 19.17%; 2, 18.92%; 3, 18.11%). STRUCTURE analysis revealed that the 22 chicken breeds should be divided into 20 clusters, based on the highest ΔK value (46.92). Conclusion: This study provides a basis for future genetic variation studies and the development of conservation strategies for 22 chicken breeds in Asia.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.129-142
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• 1976

Optimum doses The optimum dose that may be defined as the dose below the maximum permissible dose, yet would bring about a significant storage life extension at refrigerated temperatures, varied with species of fish as well as with the postirradiation storage temperatures. Thus the dose of 0. 1 Mrad was considered to be optimum for the croaker and yellow corvenia at $0^{\circ}C$, while at $5^{\circ}C$ the dose of 0.2 Mrad would be suitable for both species. The roundnose flounder was more radiosensitive and even at the dose of 0.1 Mrad a slight irradiation odor was detected immediately after the radiation treatment. Such degree of irradiation odor disappeared upon storage, therefore, the dose of 0.1 Mrad was considered to be optimum for the roundnose flounder at both $0^{\circ}\;and\;5^{\circ}C$. Storage life extension The croaker meats irradiated at 0.1 Mrad could be held at $0^{\circ}C$ as long as 5 weeks in good acceptable conditions, while the unirradiated control became unacceptable within 2 weeks-3-4 for extension of storage life at $0^{\circ}C$. At the storage temperature of $5^{\circ}C$, the storage life of 0.2 Mrad irradiated samples was extended from less than one week to 4 weeks--4-5 fold extension. The storage life extension of 0.1 Mrad irradiated yellow corvenia at $0^{\circ}C$ was from less than 2 weeks for the unirradiated to 4 weeks-approximately a-s folds and that of 0.2 Mrad irradiated samples stored at $5^{\circ}C$ was from 5 days to 3 weeks 4-5 folds. The roundnose flounder meats irradiated at 0.1 Mrad could held at $0^{\circ}C$ for 3-4 weeks as compared to less than 1 week for the unirradiated and at $5^{\circ}C$ the storage life could be extended from less than 3 days to up to 3 weeks. Thus the storage life extension by 4-5 folds and by 6-7 folds was possible at $0^{\circ}C\;and\;5^{\circ}C$ storage, respectively. Postirradiation storage microbiology and biochemistry In general 10 fold reduction of initial microflora was realized as a result of irradiating fish samples at 0.1 Mrad. The extent of microflora reduction increased with increasing doses applied, but not proportionately dependent. The microbial growth in the irradiated was severely retarded during the subsequent storage period, lagging far behind that of the irradiated control samples except in the late storage phase, when the levels of microflora of the irradiated either approached to or rose above the levels of the unirradiated. The microbiological changes caused by irradiation was reflected in the pronounced suppression of TVB and TMA accumulation during the storage period. This suggests that irradiation treatment brought about both quantitative and qualitative changes in microflora initially present and it is reasonable to suggest that the microflora removed by irradiation in fact represent most of the flora capable of producing TVB and TMA in normal fish spoilage process.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2011

Aim: Disc displacement without reduction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has been managed by mandibular manipulation to reduce the displaced disc but with a low success rate. The purpose of this study was to determine whether auriculotemporal nerve block anesthesia had an effect on the reduction of the displaced disc and to analyze the factors that influenced the result. Methods: 112 patients were diagnosed with disc displacement without reduction and treated by mandibular manipulation. Disc was recaptured in 35 patients. Among the 77 patients with whom disc recapture had failed, the auriculotemporal nerve was blocked with a local anesthetic in the 49 patients (mean $age \;{\pm}\; SD\; =\; 34.4\;{\pm}\; 15.1$; male 24, female 25) and then mandibular manipulation was performed again. Factors including age, elapsed time from the onset, and opening amount were analyzed in association with disc reduction rate with the auriculotemporal nerve block. Results: Among 49 patients who did not respond to manipulation only, manual reduction with auriculotemporal nerve block anesthesia was successful in 19 patients (38.8%). Maximum unassisted opening amount significantly increased in the 19 patients with successful recapture of the disc ($mean \;{\pm}\; SD\; =\; 46.1 \;{\pm}\; 4.5\; mm$), in contrast to the limited opening amount of the 49 patients before local anesthesia of the auriculotemporal nerve ($mean \;{\pm}\; SD\; =\; 25.7 \;{\pm}\; 6.0\; mm$). Age, elapsed time after the onset, and preoperative opening amount were not associated with the reduction rate. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that auriculotemporal nerve block anesthesia increases the reduction rate of the disc displacement without reduction of the TMJ when combined with mandibular manipulation, and such anesthesia should be applied at the first stage of manual treatment of disc displacement without reduction.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 1968

Number of aspects, not only nutritional but social as well as political involved in human starvation pose nowadays global problems. In order to help establish the minimum nutritional requirements in the daily life of a man and to free people as well from either undernourishment, malnutrition or even starvation many workers have devoted themselves so far on the research programs to know what and how number of metabolic events take place in animals in vivo. It is the purpose of the present paper to examine in effect to what extent both of the protein and nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) together with an enzyme, guanine deaminase, which converts guanine into xanthine and in turn ends up to uric acid as an end product, undergo changes, quantitatively during acute starvation, using the mouse as an experimental animal. The mouse was strictly inhibited from taking foods except drinking water ad libitum and was sacriflced 24, 48, and 72 hours following starvation thus acutely induced. The animals consisted of two experimental groups, one control and another starvation groups, each being consisted of 6-24 mice of whose body weights ranged in the vicinity of 10 g. The animals were sacriflced by a blow on the head, followed by immediate excision of their livers into ice-cold distilled water, washing adherent blood and other contaminant tissues. The liver was minced foramin, by an all-glass homogenizer immersing it in an ice-bath, followed by subsequent fractionatin of the homogenate (10% W/V in 0.25M sucrose solution made up with 0.05M phosphate buffer of pH 7.4). For the liver protein and guanine deaminase assay, the 10% homogenate was centrifuged at 600 x g for 10 minutes to eliminate the nuclear fraction; and for the estimation of DNA and RNA, the homogenate was prepared by the addition of 10% trichloroacetic acid in order to free the homogenate from the acid-soluble fraction, the remaining residue being delipidate by the addition of alcohol and dried in vacuo for later KOH (IN) hydrolysis. The changes in body and liver wegihts during acute starvation were checked gravimetrically. Protein contents in the liver were monitored by the method of Lowry et al; and guanine deaminase activities were followed by the assay of liberated ammonia from the substrate utilizing the Caraway's colorimetry. The extraction of both DNA and RNA was performed by the Schmidt-Thannhauser's method, which was followed by Marmur's method of purification for DNA and by Chargaff's method of purification for RNA. The determinations of both DNA and RNA were carried out by the diphenylamine reaction for the former and by the orcinol reaction for the latter. The following resume was the results of the present work. 1. It was observed that the body as well as liver weights fall abruptly during starvation, and that the loss of body weight showed no statistical correlation with the decreases in the content of liver protein. 2. The content of liver protein and activity of liver guanine deaminase activity as well decline dramatically, and the specific activities of the enzyme (activity/protein), however, decreased gradually as starvation proceeded. 3. Both of the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, showed decrements in the liver of mouse during acute starvation; the latter, however, being more striking in the decline as compared to the former. 4. The decreases in the liver protein content as resulted from the acute starvation had no statistically significant correlation with the decrements of DNA in the same tissue, but had regressed with a significant statistical correlation with the fall of RNA in the tissue. 5. The decrease in the activity of guanine deaminase in the liver of mouse during acute starvation was functionally more proportional to the decrease in RNA than DNA, and moreover correlated with the changes in the content of the liver protein. 6. The possible mechanisms involved during in this acute starvation as bring the decreases in the contents of DNA, protein, and guanine deaminase were discussed briefly.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2005

Objectives: To find out the effects GGTl, an antiobestic drug widely used in clinics, has on the blood-antiobestic index and the toxicity index using the data from the hGHTg obese male rats. We looked closely into both of the two indices because GGTl antiobestic effect can happen not only by pharmacological action, but also by its toxicity. Also, we verified the difference in effect between GGTl and reductil (sibutramine), which has been approved by the FDA of the United States. Methods: After performing the experiments for 8 weeks on the hGHTg obese male rats divided into three groups: the control group, the GGTl group, and the reductil (RD) group, we anesthetized the rats with Diethyl ether and took a 3ml blood sample from the heart. Then, after coagulating the blood in room temperature by using the plasma separator, we centrifuged it for 25 minutes in 3,000rpm using the high-speed refrigerated centrifuge. We kept the separated plasma in a deep freezer at $-80^{\circ}C$, and repeatedly measured the antiobestic index and the toxicity index twice using the hematology biochemistry analyzer. Also, in order to judge the indirect toxicity index, we separated liver from kidney and observed them. Results: When we looked at the results of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the antiobestic index (TC, HDL, LDL, TG, and GLU), there was no significant difference among the groups in all measuring elements. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance on the two roups (RD group and GGTl group) showed that the p-values had no significant difference under the level of significance 0.05. When we looked at the result of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the toxicity index (GOT, GPT, GGT, CREA, UA, ALB, and TP), we could see that the p-values in GPT, ALB, and TP have a significant difference among the groups. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance about the measuring elements related to the toxicity index on both groups, RD group and GGTl group, showed no significant difference in the p-values of all of the measuring elements in the two groups, RD and GGTl group. Conclusions: In conclusion, through this experiment, the safety of GGTl has been approved, and although the verification on its medical effect has not been clearly approved, when we consider the fact that it belongs to the same group as reductil, an antiobestic drug approved by the FDA of the United States, we could indirectly verify that GGTl has an antiobestic effect. We believe that when doing a sample design for a future experiment, it needs to be performed on a greater sample size based on the power analysis that needs to be performed primarily in experiments, and a more accurate verification is needed through more systematic experiment plans.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.111-124
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• 2003

Processes that cause immobilization of contaminants in soil are of great environmental importance because they may lead to a considerable reduction in the bioavailability of contaminants and they may restrict their leaching into groundwater. Previous investigations demonstrated that pollutants can be bound to soil constituents by either chemical or physical interactions. From an environmental point of view, chemical interactions are preferred, because they frequently lead to the formation of strong covalent bonds that are difficult to disrupt by microbial activity or chemical treatments. Humic substances resulting from lignin decomposition appear to be the major binding ligands involved in the incorporation of contaminants into the soil matrix through stable chemical linkages. Chemical bonds may be formed through oxidative coupling reactions catalyzed either biologically by polyphenol oxidases and peroxidases, or abiotically by certain clays and metal oxides. These naturally occurring processes are believed to result in the detoxification of contaminants. While indigenous enzymes are usually not likely to provide satisfactory decontamination of polluted sites, amending soil with enzymes derived from specific microbial cultures or plant materials may enhance incorporation processes. The catalytic effect of enzymes was evaluated by determining the extent of contaminants binding to humic material, and - whenever possible - by structural analyses of the resulting complexes. Previous research on xenobiotic immobilization was mostly based on the application of $^{14}$ C-labeled contaminants and radiocounting. Several recent studies demonstrated, however, that the evaluation of binding can be better achieved by applying $^{13}$ C-, $^{15}$ N- or $^{19}$ F-labeled xenobiotics in combination with $^{13}$ C-, $^{15}$ N- or $^{19}$ F-NMR spectroscopy. The rationale behind the NMR approach was that any binding-related modification in the initial arrangement of the labeled atoms automatically induced changes in the position of the corresponding signals in the NMR spectra. The delocalization of the signals exhibited a high degree of specificity, indicating whether or not covalent binding had occurred and, if so, what type of covalent bond had been formed. The results obtained confirmed the view that binding of contaminants to soil organic matter has important environmental consequences. In particular, now it is more evident than ever that as a result of binding, (a) the amount of contaminants available to interact with the biota is reduced; (b) the complexed products are less toxic than their parent compounds; and (c) groundwater pollution is reduced because of restricted contaminant mobility.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.265-275
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• 2002

Flavonoid biosynthesis is one of the most extensively studied areas in the secondary metabolism. Due to the study of flavonoid metabolism in diverse plant system, the pathways become the best characterized secondary metabolites and can be excellent targets for metabolic engineering. These flavonoid-derived secondary metabolites have been considerably divergent functional roles: floral pigment, anticancer, antiviral, antitoxin, and hepatoprotective. Three species have been significant for elucidating the flavonoid metabolism and isolating the genes controlling the flavonoid genes: maize (Zea mays), snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) and petunia (Prtunia hybrida). Recently, many genes involved in biosynthesis of flavonoid have been isolated and characterized using mutation and recombinant DNA technologies including transposon tagging and T-DNA tagging which are novel approaches for the discovery of uncharacterized genes. Metabolic engineering of flavonoid biosynthesis was approached by sense or antisense manipulation of the genes related with flavonoid pathway, or by modified expression of regulatory genes. So, the use of a variety of experimental tools and metabolic engineering facilitated the characterization of the flavonoid metabolism. Here we review recent progresses in flavonoid metabolism: confirmation of genes, metabolic engineering, and applications in the industrial use.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.331-342
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• 2020

The suppression of neuroinflammatory responses in microglial cells can be considered a key target for improving the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Asparagus cochinchinensis has traditionally been used as a medicine to treat fever, cough, kidney disease, breast cancer, inflammatory diseases, and brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective mechanism of an aqueous extract from A. cochinchinensis root (AEAC), particularly its anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. BV-2 cells were treated with four different concentrations of AEAC. No significant toxicity was detected in BV-2 cells treated with AEAC. Nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels were 21% lower in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. Lower proinflammatory (TNF-α and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-10) levels were also detected in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group, albeit at varying rates. Moreover, the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group compared to the Vehicle+LPS group, enhancement of the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group, while cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase caused by LPS treatment was less severe in the AEAC+LPS group. The increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by LPS treatment was also lower in the AEAC-pretreated group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. This is the first study to show that AEAC exerts anti-neuroinflammatory activity against LPS stimulation by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway, the cell cycle, and ROS production.