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Ahnak-knockout mice show susceptibility to Bartonella henselae infection because of CD4+ T cell inactivation and decreased cytokine secretion

  • Choi, Eun Wha;Lee, Hee Woo;Lee, Jun Sik;Kim, Il Yong;Shin, Jae Hoon;Seong, Je Kyung
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.52 no.4
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    • pp.289-294
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    • 2019
  • The present study evaluated the role of AHNAK in Bartonella henselae infection. Mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with $2{\times}10^8$ colony-forming units of B. henselae Houston-1 on day 0 and subsequently on day 10. Blood and tissue samples of the mice were collected 8 days after the final B. henselae injection. B. henselae infection in the liver of Ahnak-knockout and wild-type mice was confirmed by performing polymerase chain reaction, with Bartonella adhesion A as a marker. The proportion of B. henselae-infected cells increased in the liver of the Ahnak-knockout mice. Granulomatous lesions, inflammatory cytokine levels, and liver enzyme levels were also higher in the liver of the Ahnak-knockout mice than in the liver of the wild-type mice, indicating that Ahnak deletion accelerated B. henselae infection. The proportion of CD4+interferon-${\gamma}$ ($IFN-{\gamma}^+$) and $CD4^+$ interleukin $(IL)-4^+$ cells was significantly lower in the B. henselae-infected Ahnak-knockout mice than in the B. henselae-infected wild-type mice. In vitro stimulation with B. henselae significantly increased $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the splenocytes obtained from the B. henselae-infected wild-type mice, but did not increase $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the splenocytes obtained from the B. henselae-infected Ahnak-KO mice. In contrast, $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-10, RANTES, and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ secretion was significantly elevated in the splenocytes obtained from both B. henselae-infected wild-type and Ahnak-knockout mice. These results indicate that Ahnak deletion promotes B. henselae infection. Impaired $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the Ahnak-knockout mice suggests the impairment of Th1 and Th2 immunity in these mice.

Expansion and Transition of Tasan's Allegoric Poetry (다산(茶山) 우화시(寓話詩)의 확장(擴張)과 전이(轉移) -<오즉어행>과 <리노행>을 중심(中心)으로-)

  • Lee, Kyung-ah
    • Journal of Korean Classical Literature and Education
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    • no.15
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    • pp.329-353
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    • 2008
  • Tasan Jeong Yak-yong is great scholar, who makes a synthesis of Sil-hak[實學, Practical Science of Korea], reformer of society, and a poet in the Joseon Dynasty. He expressed contradiction and conflict of those days by intellectual language, and reperceived basic ideology of the Joseon society. Also he theorized dissatisfaction of the people about those days and its system as form of religion. We can divide Tasan's life into two times. The first part is his ages 16~39 in the period of Jeong-jo(1777~1800). The second part is in the period of Sun-jo(1801~1834). In this period, he was exiled into Gang-jin for 17 years. After banishment, he lived a quiet life for the rest of his life in his hometown. His allegoric poetry were written in this second period. The special feature of allegoric poetry is strong satire. An allegory would be that is 'king's ear', which the barber has sight, or the barber's voice, which has divulged king's secret among the bamboos. Otherwise it would be that is the sound 'king's ear is donkey's ear' in the bamboos. This sound is divulging of the true donkey's ear. It doesn't travel to audiences, but travels trough wind in the bamboos. The narration exists just as story that barber can't stand to keep silence about king's secret. There are exposure of true and critical motive as allegoric expression. Tasan's allegoric poetry stand on the basis of his love for the people. Also there reveals his thought deeply with an enormous amount of reading and self-communion. Moreover there are his warm mind with his sharp insight in which captures alive lives as allegoric materials. Most of allegoric poetry satirize actuality of those days to make an excuse for external distinguishing marks of animals and plants. However Tasan's poetry are different from them. After he grasped serious problems from his contemporary actuality, and then choosed allegoric media to express correctly. Because he grasped the special features of lives after minute observation, he could exposure controversial point of the actual. His sharp insight was not limited to allegoric media. He noticed his period and the current of his society sensitively. It made his allegoric poetry as important materials to make us to know the condition of the people in the Joseon Dynasty. Tasan's allegoric poetry is inherited by Baek Seok[白石, 1912~1995] as regular juvenile literature. Baek Seok's juvenile stories are the results of expansion and transition for Tasan's allegoric poetry. Allegoric poetry was the shout of barber to prosecute about social irregularities and contradiction, and the sound of the bamboos to travel moaning of the people in the past. Now allegoric poetry create new emotion to make us to speculate ourselves with our surrounding. This changes are caused by special feature of allegoric poetry as a form to reflect our general lives.

Immune response and antioxidant status of broilers as influenced by oxidized vegetable oil and pomegranate peel

  • Ghasemi-Sadabadi, Mohammad;Ebrahimnezhad, Yahya;Maheri-Sis, Naser;Ghalehkandi, Jamshid Ghiasi;Shaddel-Teli, Abdolahad
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.63 no.5
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    • pp.1034-1063
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    • 2021
  • The experiment was designed as a 3 × 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, including (i) pomegranate peel (zero, 4%, and 8 percent), (ii) oxidized soybean oil (zero, 2%, and 4 percent), and (iii) alpha-tocopherol (zero and 200 mg/kg). Supplementation of 8% pomegranate peel in diets significantly decreased the growth performance of broiler chickens. The supplementation of 4% oxidized oil in diets significantly reduced body weight gain and Feed intake whole experimental period (p < 0.05). The results showed that supplementation of 4% pomegranate peel in the diet was associated with low aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase, and malondialdehyde (MDA). However, 4% pomegranate peel increased the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. The supplemental 4% oxidized oil increased the serum AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and MDA concentrations. TAC, SOD, and Catalase (CAT) activities were affected by 4% oxidized oil and alpha-tocopherol. The use of oxidized oil and vitamin E decreased MDA concentration. The serum glucose and globulin concentrations were significantly lower in the 8% pomegranate peel. The results showed that supplementation with 4% pomegranate peel in diets reduced serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The inclusion of 4% oxidized oil in diets reduced serum glucose and increased the blood lipid concentration such as triglyceride, cholesterol and LDL. Vitamin E supplementation reduced the serum cholesterol and LDL concentrations. The use of 8% pomegranate peel reduced red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin, and packed cell value (PCV). The results indicated that supplementation with 8% pomegranate peel and 4% oxidized oil in diets decreased the immunoglobulin concentration in broilers. In addition, it was found that the inclusion of 4% pomegranate peel in diets resulted in higher IgG, IgM and total immunoglobulin. Pomegranate peel supplementation significantly decreased meat MDA concentration. Supplementation of 4% oxidized oil increased MDA of meat (p < 0.05). Vitamin E supplementation (200 mg/kg) significantly decreased MDA of meat (p < 0.05). Consequently, the results of this experiment showed that supplementation with 4% pomegranate peel had beneficial effects on broiler chickens. It was also found that feeding 2% oxidized oil in diets had no adverse effect on broilers.

Association Between Airborne Pollen Counts and Sensitization Rate in Elementary School Children in Ulsan (울산지역 초등학교 학생에서 대기중 꽃가루 비산 수준과 흡입 알레르겐 감작률과의 관련성)

  • Oh, Yeonsuh;Choi, Seung Won;Oh, Inbo;Lee, Jiho;Sim, Chang Sun;Bang, Jin-Hee;Kim, Yangho
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.46 no.6
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    • pp.735-749
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate airborne pollen counts, inhalant allergen sensitization rate, and allergic disease prevalence among elementary school children in Ulsan, South Korea during 2012-2018. Methods: Burkard samplers for pollen were installed on rooftops in suburban and urban areas in Ulsan. A 24-hour sampling of airborne allergens was conducted six days/week from January 1, 2013 to November 31, 2018. Skin prick tests were done with a total of 4,246 primary school students residing in urban and suburban areas in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. This study examined sensitization to 20 major inhalant allergens. Results: The highest monthly counts of airborne pollen were observed in April and September each year. Among the pollen identified over the six years, pine showed the highest pollen counts (44.3%), followed by oak (22.3%), alder (6.3%) and Japanese hops (4.3%). Tree pollen predominated from March to June, and weed pollen predominated from August to October. Higher sensitization rates for inhalant allergens were observed in Dermatophagoides farinae (42.4%), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (43.6%), cat fur (12.1%), birch (9.9%), oak (9.6%), and alder (8.7%). The inhalant allergen sensitization rate was highest in the group with comorbidity (asthma and/or rhinitis and atopic dermatitis), and respiratory allergic disease (asthma and/or rhinitis) was higher than that of atopic dermatitis. Conclusion: Both the counts of tree pollen in the air and the sensitization rate for tree pollen were high in Ulsan. The temporal change in respiratory allergic diseases was similar to that for the sensitization rate of tree pollen, such as oak. In the future, it is considered that additional continuous research on various inhalant allergens and pollen should be conducted.

Whitening and Anti-oxidative Constituents from the Extracts of Hydrangea petiolaris Leaves (등수국 잎 추출물 유래 미백 및 항산화 활성 성분)

  • Jo, Seong Mi;Kim, Jung Eun;Lee, Nam Ho
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.48 no.2
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    • pp.123-134
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    • 2022
  • In this study, the whitening and antioxidant effects of the extracts from Hydrangea petiolaris (H. petiolaris) leaves was confirmed, and the chemical structure was identified by separating the active ingredients. In the whitening tests using α-MSH stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells, the n-hexane (Hex) fraction inhibited the cellular melanogenesis and intracellular tyrosinase activities without causing cell toxicity. In addition, the Hex fraction reduced expression of tyrosinase and TRP-2 protein. Upon the anti-oxidative studies by DPPH and ABTS+ radicals, potent radical scavenging activities were observed in the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction. Also, for the cellular protective effects on HaCat keratinocytes damaged by H2O2, the EtOAc fraction indicated protective effects against oxidative stress. Eight phytochemicals were isolated from the extract of H. petiolaris leaves; ethyl linoleate (1), ethyl linolenate (2), 1-linoleoyl glycerol (3), 1-linolenoyl glycerol (4), epi-catechin (5), afzelin (6), quercitrin (7), hyperin (8). Among the isolates, the compounds 5 - 8 showed DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities. The contents of quercitirin, a major isolated in this extract, determined by HPLC analysis were confirmed to be about 31.3 mg/g for the 70% ethanol extract and 169.8 mg/g for the EtOAc fraction. Based on these results, it was suggested that the extract from H. petiolaris leaves could be potentially applicable as whitening and anti-oxidative ingredients in cosmetic formulations.

Enhancement of Photosynthetic Characteristics and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities on Chili Pepper Plants by Salicylic Acid Foliar Application under High Temperature and Drought Stress Conditions (고온 및 건조 스트레스 조건 하에서 살리실산 경엽처리에 의한 고추의 광합성 특성 및 항산화효소 활성 증대)

  • Lee, Jinhyoung;Lee, Heeju;Wi, Seunghwan;Lee, Hyejin;Choi, Haksoon;Nam, Chunwoo;Jang, Seonghoe
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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    • v.31 no.4
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    • pp.311-318
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    • 2022
  • Salicylic acid (SA), a phenolic compound, plays a pivotal role in regulating a wide range of physiological and metabolic processes in plants such as antioxidant cellular defense, photosynthesis, and biotic and abiotic stress responses during the growth and development. We examined the effect of exogenous SA application (100 mg·L-1) on the growth, yield, photosynthetic characteristics, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activity of chili pepper plants under high temperature and drought stress conditions. SA treatment induced increases of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) under the stress condition with the highest level after the third treatment. The contents of malondialdehyde and H2O2 were significantly lower in the third treatment of SA compared to the control. The activity of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, increased in treated plants by up to 247, 318, 55 and 54%, respectively compared to the nontreated control. There was no significant difference in the growth characteristics between SA-treated and nontreated plants, while the SA treatment increased marketable yield (kg/10a) by about 15% compared to the nontreated control. Taken together, these results suggest that foliar application of SA alleviates physiological damages caused by the combination of drought and heat stress, and enhances the photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby improving tolerance to a combination of water deficit and heat stress in chili pepper plants.

Antioxidant Activity of Novel Casein-Derived Peptides with Microbial Proteases as Characterized via Keap1-Nrf2 Pathway in HepG2 Cells

  • Zhao, Xiao;Cui, Ya-Juan;Bai, Sha-Sha;Yang, Zhi-Jie;Cai, Miao;Megrous, Sarah;Aziz, Tariq;Sarwar, Abid;Li, Dong;Yang, Zhen-Nai
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.31 no.8
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    • pp.1163-1174
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    • 2021
  • Casein-derived antioxidant peptides by using microbial proteases have gained increasing attention. Combination of two microbial proteases, Protin SD-NY10 and Protease A "Amano" 2SD, was employed to hydrolyze casein to obtain potential antioxidant peptides that were identified by LC-MS/MS, chemically synthesized and characterized in a oxidatively damaged HepG2 cell model. Four peptides, YQLD, FSDIPNPIGSEN, FSDIPNPIGSE, YFYP were found to possess high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability. Evaluation with HepG2 cells showed that the 4 peptides at low concentrations (< 1.0 mg/ml) protected the cells against oxidative damage. The 4 peptides exhibited different levels of antioxidant activity by stimulating mRNA and protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), but decreasing the mRNA expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Furthermore, these peptides decreased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), but increased glutathione (GSH) production in HepG2 cells. Therefore, the 4 casein-derived peptides obtained by using microbial proteases exhibited different antioxidant activity by activating the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway, and they could serve as potential antioxidant agents in functional foods or pharmaceutic preparation.

Anti-ulcer effects of HT074 on HCl/EtOH induced gastric injury (염산/에탄올로 유도된 위손상 동물모델에서 HT074의 항궤양 효과)

  • Kim, Young-Sik;Park, HyoJin;Song, Jungbin;Lee, Donghun;Kim, Hocheol
    • The Korea Journal of Herbology
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    • v.33 no.4
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    • pp.9-18
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    • 2018
  • Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the anti-ulcer effect of an standardized herbal extracts mixture of Inulae Flos and Paeoniae Radix (HT074) on acidified ethanol induced gastric injury and its potential mechanisms. Methods : Antioxidant activities of HT074 and its constituents were measured by DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging capacity. After the oral administration of HT074 at doses of 100, 300 mg/kg twice per day for 14 days, Gastric lesions were induced by oral administration of acidified ethanol in Sprague Dawley rats. Oxidative stress markers, such as super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity, concentrations of catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) were measured in gastric mucosal tissues. Additionally, the expression of human mucin gene, Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) mRNA in gastric mucosal tissues was measured. Results : HT074 showed dose dependent radical scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals. Oral administration of HT074 300 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days significantly decreased gastric lesions and histological damages induced by HCl/EtOH in rats. HT074 treatment significantly increased the activity of SOD (300 mg/kg) and concentration of GSH (100 and 300 mg/kg), however catalase concentration was not significantly increased. MUC5AC mRNA expression was significantly increased by HT074 100, 300 mg/kg treatment. Conclusions : HT074 protects the gastric mucosa from oxidative stress caused by acidified ethanol by increasing the activity of SOD, concentration of GSH and mucin biosynthesis. These findings suggest that HT074 could be an effective candidate for prevention and treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcer.

One-health Approach in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Focusing on Animal Infection (One-health 관점에서 본 Post-COVID-19 시대의 동물 감염)

  • Hye-Jeong Jang;Sun-Nyoung Yu;O-Yu Kwon;Soon-Cheol Ahn
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.199-207
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    • 2023
  • To prepare for the threat of a future epidemic in the post-COVID-19 era, research based on the one-health concept (i.e., the health of humans, animals, and the environment as "one") is essential. Cross-species infections are being identified as a result of the high infection rate and viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in humans. The possibility of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to mink has been determined. In addition, the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to cats through contact has been considered possible. The data so far show that livestock and poultry are less likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, if infections are established through a new mutation, the resulting diseases are expected to have enormous ripple effects on various fields, such as human food security, the economy, and trade. In addition, there are concerns about the endemic prospect of SARS-CoV-2 and the high accessibility of companion animals. This is because the evolution of the virus likely occurs in animal hosts. Once SARS-CoV-2 is established in other species, they might serve as intermediate hosts for the re-emergence of the virus in the human population. Thus, it is necessary to ensure a rapid response to future outbreaks by accumulating research data on the animal infection of SARS-CoV-2. These data can have implications for the development of animal models for vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, in this study, epidemiological reviews were analyzed, and response strategies against SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals were presented using the One-health approach.

A Study on the Potential of Agricultural Water and Environmental Flow Supply according to Regulating Lower Control Storage Rate for the Irrigation Reservoir (농업용 저수지의 하한 관리 저수율 설정에 따른 농업용수 및 환경용수 공급 가능성 고찰)

  • Jeong, Jiyeon;Jeung, Minhyuk;Beom, Jina;Park, Minkyeong;Lee, Jaenam;Yoo, Seung-Hwan;Yoon, Kwang-Sik
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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    • v.65 no.2
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    • pp.21-33
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    • 2023
  • While the main purpose of irrigation reservoirs is to supply agricultural water, the needs of environmental flow and flood control has been expanded. The agricultural reservoirs have been operated in the form of carry-over system until now. Therefore, the supply of agricultural water is difficult when the storage rate is not sufficiently secured after large volume of irrigation. In addition, there are regulation of the upper storage rate for some large reservoirs during the flood season, but lower storage rate is not regulated. Accordingly, this study aims to evaluate the capacity of agricultural water and environmental flow supply by setting the management lower storage rate of reservoir. The changes in the supply of agricultural and environmental flow was simulated according to the three different regulating lower storage rate scenarios. As a result, it was judged effective in terms of water supply managing the lower storage rate up to 30% when the initial storage rate of farming period is above annual average for the Naju reservoir considering existing water management practice. If the lower storage rate would have been controlled above 30%, the supply of agricultural water might be increased and non-effective discharge amount would be decreased compared to other scenarios during dry period of 2016-2018.