• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2015

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and several findings suggest that dietary Se intake may be necessary for bone health. Accumulating evidence indicates that Se compounds possess anticancer properties. Se is specifically incorporated into proteins in the form of selenocysteine and non-specifically incorporated as selenomethionine in place of methionine. This study evaluated protection by Se in the bone repair process in ovariectomized rats after irradiation. For such purpose, 80 ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups: ovariectomized (Ov), Ov/Se, Ov/irradiated (Irr) and Ov/ Se/Irr. A bone defect was created on the tibia of all animals 40 days after ovariectomy. Two days after surgery, only the Ov/Se and Ov/Se/Irr rats received 0.8 mg Se/kg. Three days after surgery, only the Ov/Irr and Ov/Se/Irr rats received 10 Gy of X-rays on the lower limb region. The animals were euthanized at 7, 15, 22 and 29 days after surgery to assess the repair process, which was evaluated by analysis of trabecular bone number (Masson Trichrome) and birefringence analysis (Picrosirius). It was possible to observe a delay in the bone repair process in the ovariectomized/irradiated group and similarity between the ovariectomized, Ov/ Se and Ov/Se/Irr groups. Our findings suggest that sodium selenite may influence a radioprotective effect in the bone repair of tibia of ovariectomized rats without toxicity.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2019

This exploratory study investigated the effects of the interaction between the experience of social exclusion and the presence or absence of a companion animal on the psychological well-being of individuals. Participants answered questions about whether or not they were respected by the community (yes or no); whether or not they currently have a companion animal (yes or no); and if they do, what kind of animal(s) they raise (multiple answers allowed). The study also assessed the psychological well-being of the participants. The group that experienced social exclusion demonstrated lower levels of psychological well-being than the group that did not. In addition, the group that reported the presence of at least one companion animal evinced higher levels of psychological well-being than the group that did not. Individuals who experienced social exclusion but lived with at least one companion animal were found to display superior psychological well-being than those who could not avail of the company of an animal. No difference in psychological well-being was found between those with a companion animal and those without one in the group that did not experience social exclusion. In conclusion, this study observed the effects of the binary interactions between social exclusion (experienced vs. not experienced) and the existence of companion animals (presence vs. absence) on the psychological well-being of people. The empirical data offer theoretical implications for the conditions in which companion animals do or do not improve psychological well-being in humans.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.439-445
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• 2017

In recent years, change in life patterns gave rise to an increase in the number of families with companion animals, and as a result, frequent dermatophytes infections have been reported. Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton verrucosum, are among these species of zoophilic dermatophytes. Trichophyton mentagrophytes are transmitted to humans by contact with wild animals. Infection from it causes strong inflammation in humans. Conversely, Trichophyton verrucosum is transmitted by contact with cattles. Microsporum canis will become latent carriers in cats or dogs, causing infectious diseases when it comes in contact with humans. We investigated zoophilic dermatophytes isolated according to annual, sex, age, season, body sites, and clinical types between 2010 and 2016. According to our results, the isolation rate of zoophilic dermatophytes was 0.37%, among which, 88 T. mentagrophytes, 228 Microsporum canis, and 18 Trichophyton verrucosum were isolated in human. It is interesting to note that Microsporum canis has been on the rise since 2014. Microsporum canis and Trichophyton verrucosum were highly isolated in females, but T. mentagrophytes was isolated similarly in both sexes. According to an age-based survey, the isolation rate was higher in children younger than 10 years. Our results is a valuable data for predicting and studying the isolation of zoophilic dermatophytes in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.187-194
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• 2018

Eritadenine (EA), derived from Lentinus edodes (LE), reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG), and phospholipids in bloods, and fatty acid depositions in animals and humans. Previously, we reported that EA inhibited angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro. Now, we report that EA reduced blood pressures in spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR). EA-containing LE mycelial culture enzyme extract (EA-LEMSCEE) was prepared from LE mycelial solid cultures and the hot-water extract of LE fruit bodies. Both EA and EA-LEMSCEE inhibited ACE activity in immortalized human umbilical endothelial cells (EA.hy926). EA-LEMSCEE treatments (7.5 mg/kg, 22.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure in SHR. At five weeks of treatment, EA-LEMSCEE treatment significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, similar to the positive control (captopril, CP; 4 mg/kg) treatment. In addition, the LEMSCEE without EA decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared to the control, but not significant. EA-LEMSCEE decreased renin and ACE activities, and angiotensin II (Ang II) contents in SHR compared to the control. After five weeks of treatment, the effect of EA-LEMCEE was similar to that of CP. These results indicate that EA and EA-LEMSCEE reduce blood pressure by inhibiting the renin and ACE activity of SHR. Furthermore, these results imply that EA or EA-LEMSCEE could be used as an antihypertension agent in humans.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.540-551
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• 2020

Sporotrichosis is a chronic and subacute mycosis causing epidemiological outbreaks involving sick cats and humans in southeastern Brazil. The systemic disease prevails in cats and in humans, with the symptoms restricted to the skin of immunocompetent individuals. Under these conditions, the prolonged treatment of animals and cases of recurrence justify the discovery of new treatments for sporotrichosis. This work addresses the antifungal activity of silver salts of Keggin-type heteropolyacid salts (Ag-HPA salts) such as Ag₃[PW₁₂O₄₀], Ag₆[SiW₁₀V₂O₄₀], Ag₄[SiW₁₂O₄₀] and Ag₃[PMo₁₂O₄₀] and interactions with the antifungal drugs itraconazole (ITC), terbinafine (TBF) and amphotericin B (AMB) on the yeast and mycelia forms of Sporothrix spp. Sporothrix spp. yeast cells were susceptible to Ag-HPA salts at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 8 to 128 ㎍/ml. Interactions between Ag₃[PW₁₂O₄₀] and Ag₃[PMo₁₂O₄₀] with itraconazole and amphotericin B resulted in higher antifungal activity with a reduction in growth and melanization. Treated cells showed changes in cell membrane integrity, vacuolization, cytoplasm disorder, and membrane detachment. Promising antifungal activity for treating sporotrichosis was observed for the Ag-HPA salts Ag₃[PMo₁₂O₄₀] and Ag₃[PW₁₂O₄₀], which have a low cost, high yield and activity at low concentrations. However, further evaluation of in vivo tests is still required.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2007

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been recently reported to have an anti-obesity effect in animals and humans. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of diglyceride (DG)-CLA on proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Cell proliferation was determined using WST-8 analysis and cell differentiation was determined by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. Lipid accumulation in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells was determined by Oil red O staining. There were four experimental groups including vehicle control (DMSO), CLA, triglyceride (TG)-CLA, and DG-CLA. Treatments of CLA, TG-CLA, and DG-CLA at the concentrations of $10{\sim}1000{\mu}g/ml$ reduced proliferation of preconfluent 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Among them CLA was the most effective in the proliferation inhibition of preconfluent 3T3-L1 cells with increasing concentrations. Treatments of CLA and DG-CLA at the concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$ significantly inhibited differentiation of postconfluent 3T3-L1 cells as measured by GPOH activity (p<0.05). In addition, treatments of CLA, TG-CLA, and DG-CLA effectively inhibited lipid accumulation during differentiation of 3T3-L 1 cells. OG-CLA had the most inhibitory effect on the differentiation and lipid accumulation. These results suggest that the compounds including CLA have a respectable anti-obesity effect and that consumption of DG-CLA as a dietary oil may give a benefit for controlling overweight in humans.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2015

Bioaerosols are comprised of particles 0.02-100 μm in size that originate in natural and artificial environments, and as a result of human activities. They consist of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa; fungal spores; microbial toxins; pollen; plant or animal material; expectorated liquid from humans; and glucans (peptidoglycan and β-glucan). Bioaerosols can cause respiratory and other diseases in humans and animals. In this study, bioaerosol samples acquired from agricultural sources, livestock, a sewage treatment plant, a beach, and a pristine area were analyzed to identify and phylogenetically characterize culturable microorganisms. The isolated bacteria exhibited regional differences, with different species dominating. However, Bacillus cereus was isolated in all samples, with a total of 31 strains isolated from all areas, and Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from an indoor poultry farm. In addition, bacteria determined to be of novel genus or species of the genera Domibacillus, Chryceobacterium, Nocardioides and family Comamonadaceae were isolated from the agricultural, livestock and beach environments.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.70-88
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• 2020

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) form an essential part of the intestinal microbiota of the human body and possess the ability to stabilize the intestinal microbiota, strengthen immunity, and promote digestion as well as intestinal synthesis of vitamins, amino acids, and proteins. Hence, LAB are currently widely used in various products. However, due to the indiscriminate overuse of antibiotics in humans and livestock, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been increasing rapidly, which has led to serious problems in the treatment of bacterial infections. Additionally, several reports have revealed that antibiotic-resistant LAB may infect people whose immune systems are not fully developed or whose immune systems are temporarily weakened. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the possibility of antibiotic-resistant LAB causing diseases in humans and animals, investigate the mechanism of action between antibiotics and LAB, and determine the relevant regulations for the safe use of LAB.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.123
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• pp.281-307
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• 2012

In the modern society, we have come to recognize human emotions such as anxiety, fear, pain, anger, sadness, longing, desire and pleasure as important topics of philosophy. How shall we study the 'problem of emotions', or in a bigger sense, the 'problem of empathy'? With this critical mind, the research into empathy can be called as a starting point for studying the deepest feelings and thoughts of human beings in connection with the feelings of other people. Most of all, in order to understand other people and to understand human being itself, the role of sympathy or empathy has been emphasized among the problems of emotions, and this trend is especially distinctive in the philosophy of psychology. I definitely acknowledge that empathy or sympathy takes loneliness and agony away from a human being and therefore it is the starting point of communication between people. However, the very fundamental question of 'what are human beings, and who are they?' is once again reminded. In other words, this thesis focuses on the fact that humans are viewed not only as the existence with a soul or heart, but also as a "unique existence" containing something "material-, life- and spiritual", and in that sense, this world is an ecological organism that contains organic connections of humans, material things, plants and animals, which should be the point of view for approach. And it is also emphasized in this study to approach the question about human beings from the religious spirituality point of view that the society with true love for neighbors could be achieved through religious practices that provide principles and value.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.442-451
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• 2021

Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic with a size less than 5 mm. Ocean pollution by microplastics is now a worldwide concern in relation to marine ecosystems and human health. The widespread contamination by microplastics means that they can be ingested by and accumulated in diverse species of wildlife, such as fish, mussels, oysters, clams, and scallops. Once ingested, the microplastics can be observed in the intestines, liver, and kidney, and even in the brain. Seafood is one of the major sources of protein intake in humans; therefore, seafood consumption could be pathway for human microplastics exposure. Accumulating evidence indicates that repeated oral exposure to microplastics induces pathologic and functional changes in the reproductive, cardiac, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and even nervous systems of rodents. Maternal exposure to microplastics during gestation and lactation alters metabolic homeostasis in the offspring. Given that seafood provides more than 20% of the total protein intake by over 310 million people worldwide, a reasonable assumption is that microplastics could be substantially accumulated in the human body and impair physiological function. In this review, we have summarized the current status of microplastics contamination in the ocean, their accumulation and toxicities in marine animals and rodents, their exposure to humans, and their potential impacts on human health.