• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2009

urpose : The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been demonstrated to play a major role in regulating blood pressure. Therefore, components of the RAS are likely candidate genes that may predispose an individual to essential hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Among them, the M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene has been speculated to be associated with elevated circulating angiotensinogen concentrations and essential hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism in hypertensive adolescents and investigate its relationship with cardiovascular risks. Methods : Forty Korean hypertensive adolescents (aged 16-17, systolic $BP{\geq}140 mmHg$ and/or diastolic $BP{\geq}90 mmHg$) and fifty seven normal adolescents were included. Obesity index (OI), body mass index (BMI) were calculated. BP was measured by oscillometric methods in resting state. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed on DNA from the hypertensives subjects to analyze the M235T polymorphism. Serum homocysteine, insulin, renin, aldosterone and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were tested according to each genotype. The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery diameter, Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured according to each genotype. Results : Genotype frequencies of T/T, M/T and M/M were 62.5%, 35.0%, 2.5%, respectively in hypertensive adolescents. The results were not significantly different compared to control group. Serum insulin, renin levels, BMI and OI were significantly higher in thoses with the M/M genotype as compared to those with the T/T of M/T genotype. Conclusion : This study showed that the M235T polymorphism was not associated with essential hypertension or any cardiovascular risks. Further clinical research is required to ascertain the relationship between this polymorphism and cardiovascular complications in Korean hypertensive adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.216-224
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• 1998

This study was performed to offer the basic and applicable data for improvement of Korean cattle and dairy cattle, according to finding the genetic construction obtained from analysis of genetic polymorphisms of ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin and ${\kappa}$-casein loci related Korean cattle and Holstein cows using PCR-RFLP. Genomic DNA used in this study was prepared from the blood of 253 individuals of Korean cattle in Korean Native Cattle Improvement Center, NLCF, and the blood of 113 individuals of Holstein cows in National Livestock Research Institute. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. This study confirmed amplified products of 530bp and 262bp fragments obtained from the amplification of ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin and ${\kappa}$-casein loci in Korean cattle and Holstein breed by PCR. 2. The ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin AA genotype showed 153bp and 109bp fragments, and ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin AB genotype showed 153bp, 109bp, 79bp and 74bp fragments, and BB genotype showed 109bp, 79bp and 74bp fragments in amplified products of ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin loci with the restricted enzyme digestion of Hae III. 3. The ${\kappa}$-casein AA genotype showed a 530bp fragment, and ${\kappa}$-casein AB genotype showed 530bp, 344bp and 186bp fragments, and BB genotype showed 344bp and 186bp fragments in amplified products of ${\kappa}$-casein loci with the restricted enzyme digestion of Taq I. 4. On ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin genotypes and gene frequencies, Korean cattle were 6.72%, 26.09% and 67.19% for AA, AB and BB genotypes, and ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin A and B alleles were 0.197 and 0.803, and Holstein were 35.40%, 56.64% and 7.96% for AA, AB and BB genotypes, and ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin A and B alleles were 0.637 and 0.363, respectively. 5. On ${\kappa}$-casein genotypes and gene frequencies, Korean cattle were 46.25%, 39.13% and 14.62% for AA, AB and BB genotypes, and ${\kappa}$-casein A and B alleles were 0.658 and 0.342, and Holstein were 60.18% and 38.94% and 0.88% for AA, AB and BB genotypes, and ${\kappa}$-casein A and B alleles were 0.796 and 0.204, respectively. 6. As a consequence, the gene frequency was 0.197 and 0.803 for ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin A and B alleles, and 0.658 and 0.342 for ${\kappa}$-casein A and B alleles in Korea cattle, but was 0.637 and 0.363 for ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin A and B alleles, and 0.796 and 0.204 for ${\kappa}$-casein A and B alleles in Holstein, respectively.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.342-351
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to survey susceptibilities of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates against cefotaxime and to determine the prevalences of CTX-M type extended-spectrum $\beta$-lactamases (ESBLs) producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae in Korea. During the period of February to July, 2005, 153 E. coli and 52 K. neumoniae isolates were collected from 2 hospitals in Busan. Antimicrobial susceptibilities to cefotaxime were tested by the disk diffusion method. ESBL production of E. coli and K. pneumoniae was determined by the double disk synergy test. MICs of $\beta$-lactam antibiotics were determined by the agar dilution method. Blac$_{CTX-M}$ genes of the organism were detected by PCR. Among 153 isolates of E. coli and 52 isolates of K. neumoniae, 27 (17.6%) and 25 (48.0%) were intermediate or resistant to cefotaxime, respectively. Twenty-three (15.0%) isolates out of 153 E. coli and 13 (25.0%) out of 52 K. neumoniae isolates showed positive results for ESBL by the double disk synergy test. Twenty isolates out of 23 ESBL producing E. coli and 12 out of 13 ESBL producing K. neumoniae isolates harbored biacTx-M gene,11 of ESBL producing E. coli and 12 of ESBL producing K. neuinoniae isolates harbored bla$_{CTX-M}$ gene, 11 of the ESBL producing E. coli and 2 of ESBL producing K. neumoniae isolates harbored bla$_{TEM}$ gene, and 1 of the ESBL producing E. coli and 12 of ESBL producing K. neumoniae isolates harbored bla$_{SHV}$ gene. E. coli and K. neumoniae isolates producing CTX-M-type ESBLs were not uncommon in Korea. It is thought that continuous survey are necessary for inspecting the spread and novel variants of CTX-M-type ESBL genes. Further me]'e investigation and research on ESBL producing strains are needed in order to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2013

Since 1 June 2012, it is prohibited to sell oilfish as a food material but there are still many illegal cases of selling oilfish as if it is tuna or grilled Patagonian toothfish. So it is absolutely crucial to construct the system to distinguish the real food material from oilfish. There are two sorts of oil fish called Ruvettus pretiosus and Lepidocybirium flavobrunneum involved in Percifomes order and Gempylidae class. 16S DNA gene region in mitochondria was selected to design the specific primers. For design species-specific primer, the theoretical experiment were performed for the sequences of R. pretiosus, L. flavobrunneum, Thunnus thynnus, Thunnus albacores, Makaira mitsukurii and Xiphias gladius, registered at the Gene bank from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, using BioEdit 7.0.9.0. program. Through the analysis of the result from experiments, it was possible to design the 4 kinds of primers to distinguish R. pretiosus and L. flavobrunneum. As a comparison group, 3 kinds of tuna and 4 kinds of billfishes were selected and experimental verification was performed. As a result, for R. pretiosus and L. flavobrunneum, R.P-16S-006-F/R.P-16S-008-R and L.F-16S-004-F/L.F-16S-006-R primers were selected eventually and PCR condition was established. In addition, 178bp and 238bp of PCR products were confirmed from the established condition and non-specific band was not amplified among similar species. Therefore, the species-specific primers developed in this study would be very useful and used in various ways such as internet shopping mall and illegal distributions with fast and scientific results.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2005

Corynebacterial clones which exert regulatory effects on the expression of the glyoxylate bypass genes were isolated using a reporter plasmid carrying the enteric lacZ fused to the aceB promoter of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Some clones carried common fragments as turned out by DNA mapping technique. Subcloning analysis followed by the measurement of $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in Escherichia coli identified the region responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. Sequence analysis of the DNA fragment identified two independent ORFs of ORF1 and ORF2. Among them, ORF2 was turned out to be responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. ORF1 encoded a 23,216 Da protein composed of 206 amino acids. Sequence similarity search indicated that the ORF may encode a ECF-type $\sigma$ factor and designated sigH. To identify the function of sigH, C. glutamicum sigH mutant was constructed by gene disruption technique and the sigH mutant showed growth retardation as compared to the wild type strain. In addition, the mutant strain showed sensitivity to oxidative-stress generating agent plumbagin. This result imply that sigH is probably involved in the stress response occurring during normal cell growth.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.522-528
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to inquire into molecular epidemiological characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. For this study, 120 strains(120 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus sampled from diarrhea patients) were examined and analyzed for biochemical characteristics, TDH (thermostable direct hemolysin) antibiotics sensitivity and detection of toxR, gyrE, tdh, and tds gents. G-S PCR (Group Specific Polymerase), PFGE (Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoriesis) methods were performed on the materials from patients were results. 1 Vibrio parahaemolyticus didn't grow in 0% density of NaCl, but the fact was found that those grew in 8% density of NaCl. 2. O：K serotypes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was turned up in domestic patients was 17 types. Among those O3：K6 was the most, it was 68.3%. 3. In 18 kinds of antibiotic tests resistant against Ampicillin, Ticacillin was comparatively high. the case of resistant against Ampicillin, Ticacillin, Vancomycin at the multiple resistant was 52.5%. 4. Toxin gene tdh had only 109 strains among 120 ones isolated from patients held the genes of 199bp size, and 11 strains was negativity 5. In the test of Kanagawa toxic productivity, 107 strains among strains isolated from patients appeared to be positivity reaction 6. The strain that held trh toxin was only 3, and those among test strains had the genes of 250bp size and that had tdh, trh genes at a time were 3 strains, and TDH toxic productivity of those were 16 times, and it was weak. 7. Group Specific-PCR appeared to be useful in the confirmation of O3:K6 serotype interrelations. 8. Three strains which showed difference of 7 DNA sequence even in the same serotype were detected by the result of analyzing the regular gene, toxRS DNA sequence. These strains are differ from general strains which carry infection easily. 9. These mutual dose epidemiological relations were classified into smaller-parts through PFGE method. As a result of such classify, 3 findings were found. V. parahaemolyticus sampled from diarrhea patients were classified into 3 types. And third, the result obtained through PFGE method can be used as a useful tool in a point of molecular-epidemiological view.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.1131-1140
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• 2014

This research focused on the effects of different doses of Bacillus subtilis KN-42 on the growth performance, diarrhea incidence, faecal bacterial flora, and the relative number of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli in faeces of weaned piglets to determine whether the strain can serve as a candidate antimicrobial growth promoter. A total of 360 piglets (initial body weight $7.14{\pm}0.63$ kg) weaned at $26{\pm}2$ days of age were randomly allotted to 5 treatment groups (4 pens per treatment with 18 pigs per pen) for a 28-day trial. Dietary treatments were basal diet without any antimicrobial (negative control; NC), basal diet supplemented with 120 mg/kg feed of neomycin sulfate (positive control; PC) and basal diet supplemented with $2{\times}10^9$ (L), $4{\times}10^9$ (M) and $20{\times}10^9$ (H) CFU/kg feed of B. subtilis KN-42. During the overall period, average daily gain and feed efficiency of piglets were higher in groups PC, M, and H than those in group NC (p<0.05), and all probiotics and antibiotics groups had a lower diarrhea index than group NC (p<0.05). The 16S rDNA gene-based methods were used to analyze faecal bacterial flora on day 28 of experiment. The result of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed that supplementation of B. subtilis KN-42 to the diet changed the bacterial communities, with a higher bacterial diversity and band number in group M than in the other four groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the relative number of Lactobacillus were higher in groups PC and H than in group NC (p<0.05), and the supplemented B. subtilis KN-42 to the diet also reduced the relative number of E. coli (p<0.05). These results suggest that dietary addition of B. subtilis KN-42 can improve the growth performance and gastrointestinal health of piglets.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2004

Purpose: The resistance of H. pylori to clarithromycin is one of the major causes of eradication failure. In H. pylori, clarithromycin resistance is due to point mutation in 23S rRNA. The aims of this study were to investigate the mutation of 23S rRNA and to examine the association of cagA, vacA genotype and clarithromycin resistant genes. Methods: H. pylori DNA was extracted from antral biopsy specimens from 27 children with H. pylori infection. Specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used for cagA and vacA. Mutations associated with clarithromycin resistance were detected by using PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of 23S rRNA gene. Results: A2143G mutation was detected in one case and A2144G in 4, indicating 18.5% were clarithromycin resistant. Among the total of 27, cagA was present in 25 (93%), vacA s1a/m1 in 6 (22%), s1a/m2 in 3 (11%), s1c/m1 in 16 (59%), and s1c/m2 in 1 (4%). All of the 5 clarithromycin resistant strains were cagA (+), among which 2 were s1a/m1 and 2 were s1c/m1. There was no relation between genotypes and clarithromycin resistant genes. Conclusion: Detection of H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin using PCR RFLP from biopsy specimens might be useful for the selection of antibiotics. Clarithromycin resistant genes are not associated with genotypes of cagA and vacA.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1383-1392
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• 2003

Apoptosis is a morphologically and biochemically district form of cell death that occurs in many different cell types in a wide variety of organisms. Albizzia julibrissin belonging the family Leguminosae has been used for the treatment of contusion, sore throat, amnesia, and insomnia in oriental traditional medicine. This study investigates whether the water extract of A. julibrissin induce apoptotic cell death in Jurkat T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Jurkat cells were increased inhibitions of cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner by A. julibrissin. This herbal medicine also caused apoptosis as measured by cell morphology and DNA fragmentation. The capability of A. julibrissin to induce apoptosis was associated with proteolytic cleavage of specific target proteins such as poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) and beta-catenin proteins suggesting the possible involvement of caspases. Our result showed that Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were not changed in all A. julibrissin-treated groups compared to control group. These results suggest that A. julibrissin-mediated apoptosis is independent with Bcl-2 related signaling pathway in this cells. The purpose of the present study is also to investigate the Effect of A. julibrissin on cell cycle progression. Our results showed that G1 checkpoint related gene products (cyclin D1, cyclin dependent kinase 4, retinoblastoma, E2F1) were decreased in their protein levels in a dose-dependent manners after treatment of the extract. These results indicate that the increase of apoptotic cell death by A. julibrissin may be due to the inhibition of cell cycle progression in wild type p53-lacking Jurkat cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.424-435
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• 2020

Objective: The study was conducted to investigate variations in the immunophysiological responses to exercise-induced stress in Jeju and Thoroughbred horses. Methods: Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of adult Jeju (n = 5) and Thoroughbred (n = 5) horses before and after 30 min of exercise. The hematological, biochemical, and immunological profiles of the blood samples were analyzed. Blood smears were stained and observed under a microscope. The concentration of cell-free (cf) DNA in the plasma was determined using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and polymorphonuclear cells were separated using Polymorphprep, and the expression of various stress-related and chemokine receptor genes was measured using reverse transcriptase (RT) and real-time PCR. Results: After exercise, Jeju and Thoroughbred horses displayed stress responses with significantly increased rectal temperatures, cortisol levels, and muscle catabolism-associated metabolites. Red blood cell indices were significantly higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise. In addition, exercise-induced stress triggered the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and reduced platelet counts in Jeju horses but not in Thoroughbred horses. Heat shock protein 72 and heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 6 expression is rapidly modulated in response to exercise-induced stress in the PBMCs of Jeju horses. The expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4 in PBMCs was higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise. Conclusion: In summary, the different immunophysiological responses of Jeju and Thoroughbred horses explain the differences in the physiological and anatomical properties of the two breeds. The physiology of Thoroughbred horses makes them suitable for racing as they are less sensitive to exercise-induced stress compared to that of Jeju horses. This study provides a basis for investigating the link between exercise-induced stresses and the physiological alteration of horses. Hence, our findings show that some of assessed parameters could be used to determine the endurance performance of horses.