• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.320-333
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• 2019

Objective: The Shanghai Holstein cattle breed is susceptible to severe mastitis and other diseases due to the hot weather and long-term humidity in Shanghai, which is the main distribution centre for providing Holstein semen to various farms throughout China. Our objective was to determine the genetic mechanisms influencing economically important traits, especially diseases that have huge impact on the yield and quality of milk as well as reproduction. Methods: In our study, we detected the structural variations of 1,092 Shanghai Holstein cows by using next-generation sequencing. We used the DELLY software to identify deletions and insertions, cn.MOPS to identify copy-number variants (CNVs). Furthermore, we annotated these structural variations using different bioinformatics tools, such as gene ontology, cattle quantitative trait locus (QTL) database and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Results: The average number of high-quality reads was 3,046,279. After filtering, a total of 16,831 deletions, 12,735 insertions and 490 CNVs were identified. The annotation results showed that these mapped genes were significantly enriched for specific biological functions, such as disease and reproduction. In addition, the enrichment results based on the cattle QTL database showed that the number of variants related to milk and reproduction was higher than the number of variants related to other traits. IPA core analysis found that the structural variations were related to reproduction, lipid metabolism, and inflammation. According to the functional analysis, structural variations were important factors affecting the variation of different traits in Shanghai Holstein cattle. Our results provide meaningful information about structural variations, which may be useful in future assessments of the associations between variations and important phenotypes in Shanghai Holstein cattle. Conclusion: Structural variations identified in this study were extremely different from those of previous studies. Many structural variations were found to be associated with mastitis and reproductive system diseases; these results are in accordance with the characteristics of the environment that Shanghai Holstein cattle experience.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.294-308
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• 2021

BACKGROUD/OBJECTIVES: Allomyrina dichotoma larva (ADL), one of the many edible insects recognized as future food resources, has a range of pharmacological activities. In a previous study, an ADL extract (ADLE) reduced the hepatic insulin resistance of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced diabetic mice. On the other hand, the associated molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction remain unclear. This study examined the effects of ADLE on palmitate-induced lipotoxicity in a beta cell line of a rat origin, INS-1 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: ADLE was administered to high-fat diet treated mice. The expression of apoptosis-related molecules was measured by Western blotting, and reactive oxidative stress generation and nitric oxide production were measured by DCH-DA fluorescence and a Griess assay, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of ADLE to HFD-induced diabetic mice reduced the hyperplasia, 4-hydroxynonenal levels, and the number of apoptotic cells while improving the insulin levels compared to the HFD group. Treatment of INS-1 cells with palmitate reduced insulin secretion, which was attenuated by the ADLE treatment. Furthermore, the ADLE treatment prevented palmitate-induced cell death in INS-1 cells and isolated islets by reducing the apoptotic signaling molecules, including cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, and the Bax/Bcl2 ratio. ADLE also reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species generation, lipid accumulation, and nitrite production in palmitate-treated INS-1 cells while increasing the ATP levels. This effect corresponded to the decreased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA and protein. CONCLUSIONS: ADLE helps prevent lipotoxic beta-cell death in INS-1 cells and HFD-diabetic mice, suggesting that ADLE can be used to prevent or treat beta-cell damage in glucose intolerance during the development of diabetes.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.611-620
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• 2007

Statement of problem: Second-generation indirect composite resins have been improved flexural strength, compressive strength, hydrolytic degradation resistance, wear resistance compared to first-generation indirect composite resins, but there are still some problems as hydrolysis and low wear resistance. Some manufacturers claim that wear resistance of their materials has been improved, but little independent study has been published on wear properties of these materials and the properties specified in the advertising materials are largely derived from in-house or contracted testing. Purpose: This study was to evaluate the wear of indirect composite resins (SR Adore, Sinfony, Tescera ATL) and gold alloy against the human enamel. Material and method: Extracted human incisors and premolars were sectioned to $2{\times}2{\times}2mm$ cube and embedded in the clear resin and formed conical shaped antagonist to fit the jig of pin-on-disk tribometer. Total 20 antagonists were stored in distilled water. Five disk samples, 24mm in diameter and 1.5mm thick, were made for each of three groups of indirect composite resins and gold alloy group, and polished to #2,000 SiC paper on auto-polishing machine. Disk specimens were tested for wear against enamel antagonists. Wear test were conducted in distilled water using a pin-on-disk tribometer under condition (sliding speed 200rpm contact load 24N, sliding distance 160m). The wear of the enamel was determined by weighing the enamel antagonist before and after test, and the weight was converted to volumes by average density. The wear tracks were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and surface profilometer to elucidate the wear mechanisms. Statistical analysis of the enamel wear volume, wear track depth and wear tract width of disk specimens were accomplished with one-way ANOVA and the means were compared for significant differences with Scheffe's test. Results: 1. The enamel wear was most in gold alloy, but there were no statistically significant differences among all the groups (P>.05). 2. In indirect composite resin groups, the group to make the most shallow depth of wear tract was Sinfony, followed by Tescera ATL, SR Adoro (P<.05). Gold alloy was shallower than Sinfony, but there was no statistically significant difference between Sinfony and gold alloy (P>.05). 3. The width of wear tract of SR Adore was larger than the other groups (P<.05), and there were no statistically significant differences among the other groups (P>.05). 4. SEM analysis revealed that Sinfony and gold alloy showed less wear scars after test, Tescera ATL showed more wear scars and SR Adore showed the most. Conclusion: Within the limits of this study, Sinfony and gold alloy showed the least wear rates and showed similar wear patterns.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.64-64
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• 2015

Control of plasma processing methodologies can only occur by obtaining a thorough understanding of the physical and chemical properties of plasmas. However, all plasma processes are currently used in the industry with an incomplete understanding of the coupled chemical and physical properties of the plasma involved. Thus, they are often 'non-predictive' and hence it is not possible to alter the manufacturing process without the risk of considerable product loss. Only a more comprehensive understanding of such processes will allow models of such plasmas to be constructed that in turn can be used to design the next generation of plasma reactors. Developing such models and gaining a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical mechanisms within plasma systems is intricately linked to our knowledge of the key interactions within the plasma and thus the status of the database for characterizing electron, ion and photon interactions with those atomic and molecular species within the plasma and knowledge of both the cross-sections and reaction rates for such collisions, both in the gaseous phase and on the surfaces of the plasma reactor. The compilation of databases required for understanding most plasmas remains inadequate. The spectroscopic database required for monitoring both technological and fusion plasmas and thence deriving fundamental quantities such as chemical composition, neutral, electron and ion temperatures is incomplete with several gaps in our knowledge of many molecular spectra, particularly for radicals and excited (vibrational and electronic) species. However, the compilation of fundamental atomic and molecular data required for such plasma databases is rarely a coherent, planned research program, instead it is a parasitic process. The plasma community is a rapacious user of atomic and molecular data but is increasingly faced with a deficit of data necessary to both interpret observations and build models that can be used to develop the next-generation plasma tools that will continue the scientific and technological progress of the late 20th and early 21st century. It is therefore necessary to both compile and curate the A&M data we do have and thence identify missing data needed by the plasma community (and other user communities). Such data may then be acquired using a mixture of benchmarking experiments and theoretical formalisms. However, equally important is the need for the scientific/technological community to recognize the need to support the value of such databases and the underlying fundamental A&M that populates them. This must be conveyed to funders who are currently attracted to more apparent high-profile projects.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-171
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• 2017

Science and engineering college students, so-called engineering students, account for nearly half of Korean university students. Existing research on younger generations poses a question of young generation after the financial crisis as a 'genuine' survivalist who carries out 'passionate labor' to pursue 'ordinary life' and 'banal stability'. They are diagnosed as failing to "locate the course of their lives in relation to a larger being that transcends self". But is there a value that can replace the survival value in front of us today, which is possible to be practiced and narrated by the young generation of Korea, especially the engineering students? What value (if any) is not captured by survival value, and what mechanisms and processes can and can easily be used by engineering students? Our research uses interviews conducted at one research-centered science and engineering university in a local metropolitan city, Korea. In conclusion, we emphasize that a transformed version of developmental nationalism, in which individual scientists/engineers pursue their 'authentic' passion and unintentionally contribute to the development of the nation through byproducts of their research, exerts strong influence upon the formation of young engineering students' narratives linking their selfhood and the good.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.183-198
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• 2021

The EPB (Earth Pressure Balanced) shield TBM method restrains the ground deformation through continuous excavation and support. Still, the significant surface settlement occurs due to the ground conditions, tunnel dimensions, and construction conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the settlement behavior with its influence factors and evaluate the possible settlement during construction. In this study, the analytical model of surface settlement based on the influence factors and their mechanisms were proposed. Then, the parametric study for controllable factors during excavation was conducted by numerical method. Through the numerical analysis, the settlement behavior according to the construction conditions was quantitatively derived. Then, the qualitative trend according to the ground conditions was visualized by coupling the numerical results with the analytical model of settlement. Based on the results of this study, it is expected to contribute to the derivation of the settlement prediction algorithm for EPB shield TBM excavation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1383-1391
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• 2016

Bovine embryonic stem cells have potential for use in research, such as transgenic cattle generation and the study of developmental gene regulation. The Nanog may play a critical role in maintenance of the undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells in the bovine, as in murine and human. Nevertheless, efforts to study the bovine Nanog for pluripotency-maintaining factors have been insufficient. In this study, in order to understand the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of the bovine Nanog, the 5'-flanking region of the Nanog was isolated from ear cells of Hanwoo. Results of transient transfection using a luciferase reporter gene under the control of serially deleted 5'-flanking sequences revealed that the -134 to -19 region contained the positive regulatory sequences for the transcription of the bovine Nanog. Results from mutagenesis studies demonstrated that the Sp1-binding site that is located in the proximal promoter region plays an important role in transcriptional activity of the bovine Nanog promoter. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay with the Sp1 specific antibody confirmed the specific binding of Sp1 transcription factor to this site. In addition, significant inhibition of Nanog promoter activity by the Sp1 mutant was observed in murine embryonic stem cells. Furthermore, chromatin-immunoprecipitation assay with the Sp1 specific antibody confirmed the specific binding of Sp1 transcription factor to this site. These results suggest that Sp1 is an essential regulatory factor for bovine Nanog transcriptional activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

Endothelial activation and subsequent recruitment of inflammatory cells are important steps in atherogenesis. The increased levels of cell adhesion molecules (CAM) have been identified in diabetic vasculatures, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To determine the relationship among vascular production of superoxide, expression of CAM and diabetes, superoxide generation and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E- and P-selectin in the aorta from control (C57BL/6J) and diabetic mice (ob/ob) were measured. In situ staining for superoxide using dihydroethidium showed an increased superoxide production in diabetic aorta, accompanied with an enhanced NAD(P)H oxidase activity. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the endothelial expression of ICAM-1 ($3.5{\pm}0.4$) and VCAM-1 ($3.8{\pm}0.3$) in diabetic aorta was significantly higher than those in control aorta ($0.9{\pm}0.5$ and $1.6{\pm}0.3$, respectively), accompanied with the enhanced expression of gp91phox, a membrane subunit of NAD(P)H oixdase. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation (r=0.89, P＜0.01 in ICAM-1 and r=0.88, P＜0.01 in VCAM-1) between ICAM-1/VCAM-1 expression and vascular production of superoxide. The present data indicate that the increased production of superoxide via NAD(P)H oxidase may explain the enhanced expression of CAM in diabetic vasculatures.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1459-1466
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• 2006

The water extract of Hwansodan has been traditionally used for treatment of ischemic brain damage in oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of Hwansodan rescues cells from neurodegenerative disease. PC12 pheochromocytoma cells have been used extensively as a model for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal cell damages. Under deprivation of growth factor and ischemic injury, PC12 cells spontaneously undergoes apoptotic cell death. Serum and glucose deprivation markedly decreased the viability of PC12 cells, which was characterized with apparent apoptotic features such as membrane blebbing as well as fragmentation of genomic DNA and nuclei. However, the aqueous extract of Hwansodan significantly reduced serum and glucose deprivation-induced cell death and apoptotic characteristics through reduction of intracellular peroxide generation. Pretreatment of Hwansodan also ingibited the activation of caspase-3, in turn, degradation of ICAD/DFF45 was completely abolished in serum and glucose deprivated cells. Furthermore, pretreatment of Hwansodan obviously increased heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression in PC12 cells. Taken together, the data suggest that the protective effects of Hwansodan against serum and glucose deprivation induced oxidative injuries may be achieved through the scavenging of reactive oxygene species accompanying with HO-1 induction.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1 s.61
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• pp.161-173
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• 2005

Objective : The water extract of Seokchangpowonji-san (SWS) has traditionally been used for treatment of dementia in oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of SWS rescues cells from neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease. Methods & Results: This study was designed to investigate the protective mechanisms of SWS on $\beta-amyloid$ or $H_2O_2$-induced$ cytotoxicity in neuro 2A cells. $H_2O_2$ markedly decreased the viability of neuro 2A cells, which was characterized by apparent apoptotic features such as membrane blebbing as well as fragmentation of genomic DNA and nuclei. However, the water extract of SWS significantly reduced $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death and apoptotic characteristics through reduction of intracellular peroxide generation. Also, the. extract prevented the mitochondrial dysfunction including the disruption of mitochondria membrane permeability transition (MPT) and the modulation in expression of Bcl-2 family proteins in $H_2O_2­treated$ neuro 2A cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with SWS inhibited the activation of caspase-3, and in turn, degradation of ICAD/DFF45 was completely abolished in $H_2O_2-treated$ cells. Conclusion: Taken together, the data suggest that the protective effects of the water extract of SWS against $\beta-amyloid$ induced oxidative injuries may be achieved through modulation of mitochondrial dysfunction.