• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.210-220
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• 2015

Athletic performance is an important criteria used for the selection of superior horses. However, little is known about exercise-related epigenetic processes in the horse. DNA methylation is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. We carried out comparative genomic analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the blood samples of two different thoroughbred horses before and after exercise by methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq). Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the pre-and post-exercise blood samples of superior and inferior horses were identified. Exercise altered the methylation patterns. After 30 min of exercise, 596 genes were hypomethy-lated and 715 genes were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas in the inferior horse, 868 genes were hypomethylated and 794 genes were hypermethylated. These genes were analyzed based on gene ontology (GO) annotations and the exercise-related pathway patterns in the two horses were compared. After exercise, gene regions related to cell division and adhesion were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas regions related to cell signaling and transport were hypermethylated in the inferior horse. Analysis of the distribution of methylated CpG islands confirmed the hypomethylation in the gene-body methylation regions after exercise. The methylation patterns of transposable elements also changed after exercise. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) showed abundance of DMRs. Collectively, our results serve as a basis to study exercise-based reprogramming of epigenetic traits.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.24-44
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• 2020

Objective : To develop an occupation-based bilateral upper extremity training protocol that can be effectively applied in a medical setting Methods : The research process using the delphi technique was carried out in 3 stages. The first stage was an open questionnaire development stage, The first draft is prepared through literature review and open questions were developed through preliminary research based on the draft. The second stage was the delphi survey. Based on the responses of the experts obtained through the open Delphi survey, the adequacy of the training protocol was shown on a Likert 5 point scale. The items were edited and deleted, reconstructed by analyzing the mean and standard deviation, stability, convergence degree, consensus, and content validity ratio through the questionnaire. The third step was the completion of the protocol. After discussions between researchers, the finalized protocol contents were reorganized to complete the occupation-based bilateral upper extremity training protocol for medical setting. Results : The final protocol consisted of 9 items across 3 areas in the occupation-based intervention selection domain and 81 items across 4 areas in the bilateral upper extremity training domain, intervention period, and evaluation. Conclusions : This study suggests an evidence-based method that collects the opinions of occupational therapists in order to use occupation-based activities as interventions in a situation that currently sees occupational therapy primarily performed in hospitals. It is also meaningful that the bilateral upper extremity training can be applied effectively in clinical situations by concretely presenting.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.517-524
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• 2014

As an assessment of substantial equivalence and environmental risks of branchless chrysanthemum GM lines (LeLS69, LeLS76, LeLS80) developed in Korea, we investigated their degree of branchlessness and developmental characteristics including growth and flowering, as well as the stability of populations of insect pests and soil microbes. The GM lines were compared with a control variety, 'Jinba'. LeLS80 showed the highest level of branchlessness among the three GM lines, whereas abnormal axillary buds developed in lines LeLS76 and LeLS69. There were no significant differences between the growth characteristics of 'Jinba' and the GM lines. The branchlessness LeLS80 was increased during the summer season, suggesting that it is a useful germplasm for developing elite branchless cultivars. These GM lines showed no significant differences in the occurrence of five insect pests including aphids, mites, leaf miners, thrips, and whiteflies. Similarly, for soil microbes including bacteria and actinomycetes, there were no significant differences between 'Jinba' and the GM lines. However, there was a higher occurrence of fungi in the GM lines compared to 'Jinba'. Our findings suggest that 'Jinba' and the GM lines are substantially equivalent, although further monitoring studies are needed to confirm this.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.448-453
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• 2014

Influences of shading and irrigation in summer hot pepper cultivation on the plant growth and mesophyll tissue were investigated. Hot pepper plants were exposed to three shade levels (0, $30{\pm}5$ and $80{\pm}5%$) and irrigated or non-irrigated in greenhouse condition. Plant height and leaf area were highest in 30% shading and stem diameter and fresh and dry weights were highest in no shading. Plant growth was better in rain shelters with irrigation than in those without irrigation. The numbers of hot pepper fruits in the beginning of harvest were 49 in rain shelters without irrigation and shading, 22 in those with irrigation and without shading, 5 in those without irrigation with 30% shading, and 1 in those with irrigation and 30% shading. However, 80% shading showed lowest flower number and flower abscission, resulting in no fruit set, regardless of irritation. This is because carbohydrate translocation from leaves to reproductive organs may be not enough for developing fruits due to the lack of sunlight. The yield of hot pepper tended to be higher in rain shelter with irrigation than in those without irrigation. In optical microscopy observation, the thickness and development of mesophyll tissues decreased as increasing the degree of shading but no effect of irrigation on mesophyll tissues was observed. When stomata were observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM), the shape of stomata was normal but tissues surrounding stomata were slightly wrinkled in plants grown under 30% shading. The large number of abnormal stomata and wrinkled leaves was observed among plants grown in rain shelters with 80% shading. In plants grown in rain shelters without irrigation, tissues surrounding stomata were wrinkled and 10-20% decrease in the number of stomata was observed. Therefore, in hot pepper cultivation in summer with high temperature, shading was not effective for fruit yield and mesophyll tissue development; if shading is unavoidable, high degree of shading is not advisable. Further studies are needed for appropriate cultivar selection and environment-control techniques in hot pepper cultivation in summer with high temperature.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.473-482
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• 2013

Molecular markers, as an efficient selection tool, have been and is being used for practical breeding program in chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Recently, a lot of researches on inheritance and genetic analysis for quantitative traits including capsaicinoids, carotenoids, and sugar content in pepper are being performed worldwide. It has been also reported that QTL mapping is a necessary tool to develop molecular markers associated with the quantitative traits. In this study, we suggested a new method to construct a pepper genetic map using SNP (HRM) markers generated from NGS resequencing of female and male parents. Plant materials were C. annuum 'NB1' (female parent), C. chinense 'Jolokia' (male parent), and their $F_2$ population consisting of 94 progenies. Sequences of 4.6 Gbp and 6.2 Gbp were obtained from NGS resequencing of 'NB1' and 'Jolokia', respectively. Totally, 4.29 million SNPs between 'NB1' and 'Jolokia' were detected and the 1.76 million SNPs were clearly identified. Among them, total 145 SNP (HRM) primer pairs covering pepper genetic map were selected, and the 116 SNP (HRM) markers of them were located on this map. Total distance of the map, which consisted of 12 linkage groups and matched with basic chromosome numbers of pepper, was 1,167.9 cM. According to the mapping result, we concluded that our mapping method was suitable to construct a pepper genetic map fast and accurately. In addition, the genetic map could be directly used for QTL analysis of traits different between both parents.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.749-756
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• 2019

Na-X and Na-A zeolites that give high adsorption capacity for heavy metals in an aqueous system were synthesized from the coal fly ash obtained from a thermoelectric power plant using a fusion method. The characteristics and Cu(II) adsorption capacity of the synthetic zeolites were also compared to those of using a commercial zeolite. For the selection of optimum conditions of zeolite synthesis, the effects of major parameters in the fusion method such as a dosage ratio of NaOH, aging time, hydrothermal reaction time, and also the dosage ratio of NaAlO₂ (Na-A) on the characteristics and Cu(II) adsorption capacity of the synthetic zeolites were studied. For the analysis of characteristics of the synthetic zeolites, X-ray diffraction (XRD), cation exchange capacity (CEC), Brunaue-Emmett-Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used. The optimum conditions for the synthesis of zeolites with a high adsorption capacity for cationic heavy metals including Cu(II) were the aging time of 6 h, hydrothermal reaction time of 6 h and NaOH and NaAlO₂ dosage ratio of 1.5 and 0.5 (Na-A), respectively. According to the Langmuir isotherm test, maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacities of the synthetic and commercial Na-X and Na-A zeolites were found to be 90.1, 105.26, 102.05, and 109.89 mg/g, respectively. This indicates that the adsorption capacity of synthetic zeolites was comparable to commercial ones. The results of this study also suggest that the coal fly ash can be potentially used as a raw material for the zeolite synthesis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.178-187
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• 2002

Purpose : The detection of hydronephrosis(HN) with antenatal ultrasonography was first reported in the 1970s. Prenatal HN is diagnosed with an incidence of 1:100 to 1:500 on antenatal screening. Recently, the purpose of antenatal screening has changed from simple detection to selection for specific diagnosis-based management. this study is to evaluate the usefulness of antenatal sonography for HN and to investigate the differential causes of HN and their clinical outcomes. Patients and methods : 11,783 live neonates with prenatal ultrasonographic examination at Ajou University School of Medicine, from Sep. 1994 to Aug. 2001 were analyzed. Results and conclusion : Hydronephrosis (>10 mm) was detected in 119 (1.0%) cases antenatally and among these, 91 were proved to have HN postnatally Males were three times more affected than females. Additional imaging studies revealed that ureteropelvic junction obstruction was the most common postnatal diagnosis (47%), followed by multicystic dysplastic kidney, vesicoureteral junction obstruction and vesicoureteral reflux. During 20 months' follow-up(3 to 72 months), 58(48%) renal units showed spontaneous resolution and surgical interventions were necessary in 10 (7.4%) of postnatally confirmed hydronephrotic renal units.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.36-48
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• 2010

Purpose : In children on anticancer chemotherapy, bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We investigated febrile episodes and bloodstream infections in pediatric cancer patients to guide proper selection of empiric antibiotics for febrile pediatric hemato-oncologic patients. Methods : All febrile episodes treated in the division of hematology-oncology, the department of pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, between July 2005 and June 2008 were reviewed. Episodes with and without bloodstream infections were compared. Results : Forty cases (18.9%, 25 patients) of BSI occurred in 212 febrile episodes (63 patients). Thirty-seven cases (23.6%, 22 patients) of BSI occurred in 157 febrile episodes with neutropenia (54 patients). Microorganisms identified in BSI corresponded to 23 gram-positive bacteria (51.2%), 20 gram-negative bacteria (44.5%), and 2 fungi (4.4%). Rates of BSI between those who had received umbilical cord blood transplantation and those who had received transplantation from other source were significantly different (55.0% vs. 7.7%, P =0.001). No differences in mortality rate were observed among organisms in BSI patients. For febrile episodes the rate of BSI was higher among those with Chemoport than those with Hickman catheter (P =0.029) and gram-positive pathogens were more likely to be associated with Chemoport (P =0.001). Conclusion : The study showed the rate of BSI, distribution of pathogens with regard to neutropenia, transplantation, central venous catheters, and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens in order to help guide in the choice of optimal empiric antibiotics in pediatric febrile neutropenic hemato-oncologic patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.116-121
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• 2009

Background: Tsutsugamushi, leptospirosis and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) are the prevalent diseases among the acute febrile illnesses in Korea. Pulmonary involvement in the patients with these diseases remains poorly recognized in endemic regions, and this is despite reports of recent outbreaks and epidemic episodes. Pulmonary involvement and a higher CRP level as clinical manifestations show a more severe form of infection. The aim of this study is to analyze the correlation of pulmonary involvement and the CRP level in patients with acute febrile illnesses. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 105 patients who were diagnosed with tsutsugamushi, HFRS and leptospirosis from January 2002 to May 2008 in Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital. The radiographic images were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists. We analyzed the pulmonary complications of the patients with these febrile diseases and we checked the CRP level at admission. Results: The study included 105 patients who were diagnosed with febrile diseases. Of these patients, 32 patients had hantaan, 10 patients had leptospirosis and 63 patients had tsutsugamushi disease. 42 (40%) patients had pulmonary complications, 20 patients had pulmonary edema, 20 patients had pleural effusion and 2 patients had interstitial pneumonitis. The patients with pulmonary involvement showed a more severe form of infection and a higher CRP level than that of those patients without pulmonary involvement (p=0.0073). Conclusion: Pulmonary involvement in patients with acute febrile diseases might be correlated with a higher CRP level. Identification of this factor on admission might provide useful selection criteria for the patients who need early intensive care.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 2002

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects on the healing of fibular fractures in rabbits of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$) applied for periods of 4, 14 and 24 days following fibular osteotomy. Thirty-six male Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups of twelve for three treatment protocols: (1) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 4th day following fibular osteotomy, (2) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 14th day following fibular osteotomy, and (3) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 24th day following fibular osteotomy. The low-intensity pulsed ultrasound was applied to only one fibula of each rabbit (these served as the experimental group). The other fibula of each rabbit served as the control group. The selection of which fibula was to be treated was made randomly. The animals were sacrificed on the 4th, 14th and 24th day after the start of ultrasound treatments. Percent of trabecular bone area and fibular radiography were carried out to compare the degree of fibular bone healing. A microscope was also used to determine any histologic changes. For statistical differences in radiological changes due to length of treatment period (4, 14 and 24 days respectively), the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used to compare the experimental and control groups. For statistical differences in fracture healing due to differences in ultrasound intensity, radiological studies were compared using the Mann-Whitney Test. And, to compute percentage differences in areas of trabecular bone, Two-way analysis of variance (ultrasound intensity x each group) was used. Experiment results were as follows: 1. In animals sacrificed on the 4th day, no difference was found in the radiological studies of the fibulae in the experimental and control groups (p>.05). However, experimental groups showed more rapid bone repair than control group. 2. Both radiographic and percent of trabecular bone area studies showed significant differences in rabbits sacrificed after 14 days. Fracture healing was significantly increased in the experimental group (p<.05) 3. In the animals sacrificed on the 24th day, histologic study showed rapid bone repair but fibular radiologic studies did not show statistical differences between the two groups (p>.05). 4. On the 14th day, bone union on radiograph was significantly more rapid in the treatment group with pulsed ultrasound of 50 $mW/cm^2$ than the group with 500 $mW/cm^2$ (p<.05). Histologic studies showed that both the 14 and 24 days groups had more rapid bone repair in animals treated with 50 $mW/cm^2$ ultrasound intensity than those treated with 500 $mW/cm^2$ intensity. In conclusion, it has been shown that the low-intensity pulsed ultrasound has a positive effect on bone fracture healing in the early stage and the range of pulse ultrasound from 50 $mW/cm^2$ to 500 $mW/cm^2$ is effective for fracture healing. Further study is needed to investigate the influence of pulsed ultrasound on delayed union and non-union in bone fractures and also for the clinical use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for bone healing in humans.