• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.215-223
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• 2016

Purpose: The management of metal-induced field inhomogeneities is one of the major concerns of distortion-free magnetic resonance images near metallic implants. The recently proposed method called "Slice Encoding for Metal Artifact Correction (SEMAC)" is an effective spin echo pulse sequence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) near metallic implants. However, as SEMAC uses the noisy resolved data elements, SEMAC images can have a major problem for improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) without compromising the correction of metal artifacts. To address that issue, this paper presents a novel reconstruction technique for providing an improvement of the SNR in SEMAC images without sacrificing the correction of metal artifacts. Materials and Methods: Low-rank approximation in each coil image is first performed to suppress the noise in the slice direction, because the signal is highly correlated between SEMAC-encoded slices. Secondly, SEMAC images are reconstructed by the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE), also known as Gauss-Markov or weighted least squares. Noise levels and correlation in the receiver channels are considered for the sake of SNR optimization. To this end, since distorted excitation profiles are sparse, $l_1$ minimization performs well in recovering the sparse distorted excitation profiles and the sparse modeling of our approach offers excellent correction of metal-induced distortions. Results: Three images reconstructed using SEMAC, SEMAC with the conventional two-step noise reduction, and the proposed image denoising for metal MRI exploiting sparsity and low rank approximation algorithm were compared. The proposed algorithm outperformed two methods and produced 119% SNR better than SEMAC and 89% SNR better than SEMAC with the conventional two-step noise reduction. Conclusion: We successfully demonstrated that the proposed, novel algorithm for SEMAC, if compared with conventional de-noising methods, substantially improves SNR and reduces artifacts.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2014

Increased consumption of fresh vegetables that are high in polyphenols has been associated with a reduced risk of oxidative stress-induced disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effects of spinach in vitro and in vivo in hyperlipidemic rats. For measurement of in vitro antioxidant activity, spinach was subjected to hot water extraction (WE) or ethanol extraction (EE) and examined for total polyphenol content (TPC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), cellular antioxidant activity (CAA), and antigenotoxic activity. The in vivo antioxidant activity of spinach was assessed using blood and liver lipid profiles and antioxidant status in rats fed a high fat-cholesterol diet (HFCD) for 6 weeks. The TPC of WE and EE were shown as $1.5{\pm}0.0$ and $0.5{\pm}0.0mg$ GAE/g, respectively. Increasing the concentration of the extracts resulted in increased ORAC value, CAA, and antigenotoxic activity for all extracts tested. HFCD-fed rats displayed hyperlipidemia and increased oxidative stress, as indicated by a significant rise in blood and liver lipid profiles, an increase in plasma conjugated diene concentration, an increase in liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, and a significant decrease in manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity compared with rats fed normal diet. However, administration of 5% spinach showed a beneficial effect in HFCD rats, as indicated by decreased liver TBARS level and DNA damage in leukocyte and increased plasma conjugated dienes and Mn-SOD activity. Thus, the antioxidant activity of spinach may be an effective way to ameliorate high fat and cholesterol diet-induced oxidative stress.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.501-509
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• 2021

The aim of this was evaluate the efficacy of lysozyme on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta microflora population, and blood profiles of weanling pigs under Escherichia coli (E. coli) challenge. A total of 30 piglets weaned at 25 days, 7.46 kg body weight, were assigned to three dietary treatments, composed of five replications, two piglets per replication, for 7 days. The dietary treatment groups were negative control (NC; without antibiotics and lysozyme), positive control (PC; NC + antibiotics), lysozyme (NC + 0.1% lysozyme). All piglets were challenged orally with 6 ml suspension, containing E. coli K88 (2 × 10⁹ CFU/mL). Dietary supplementation with lysozyme and PC resulted in no significant differences in average daily gain and gain to feed efficiency. Weanling pigs fed with E. coli challenge with lysozyme and PC treatments had significantly enhanced nutrient retentions of dry matter and energy (p < 0.05); however, there was a tendency to increase nitrogen digestibility. Furthermore, dietary inclusion of lysozyme and antibiotics treatment groups had a beneficial effect on excreta, ileal, and cecal of the fecal microbial population as decreased E. coli (p < 0.05) counts, without effects on lactobacillus counts. A significant effect were observed on a white blood cells, epinephrine and cortisol concentrations were reduced in piglets fed diets containing E. coli challenge with lysozyme and antibiotics supplementation comparison with the NC group. Therefore, the present data indicate that lysozyme in diet could ameliorate the experimental stress response induced by E. coli in piglets by decreasing intestinal E. coli, white blood cells and stress hormones and improving nutrient digestibility.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2019

The properties of microalgae as bioresources for biodiesel production can be improved by adding nitrogen sources into the culture medium. Thus, Nannochloropsis oceanica CCAP 849/10 was cultured in f/2 media supplemented with five different forms of nitrogen at $0.88mmol-N\;l^{-1}$ each: ammonium bicarbonate ($NH_4HCO_3$), ammonium sulfate ($(NH_4)_2SO_4$), sodium nitrate ($NaNO_3$), ammonium nitrate ($NH_4NO_3$), and urea. The cell density, lipid content, and fatty acid profile of the microalga were determined after 15 days of cultivation. The growth of N. oceanica based on cell number was lowest in the medium with $NH_4NO_3$, and increased significantly in the medium with $NH_4HCO_3$. Cells treated with $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, and $NH_4NO_3$ produced the highest total lipid contents (i.e., 65% and 62% by dry weight, respectively). The fatty acid profiles of the microalga were significantly different in the various nitrogen sources. The major fatty acids detected in cultures supplemented with $NH_4HCO_3$, $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, $NH_4NO_3$, or urea were C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, C20:5, and C22:6. However, the C16:1 content in the $NaNO_3$-supplemented culture was very low. This study highlights that the nitrogen source can strongly influence lipid production in N. oceanica and its fatty acid composition.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.335-349
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• 2022

To optimize the hydrolysis conditions in the production of antioxidant hydrolysates from tuna cooking juice concentrate (TC) to maximize the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, TC containing 48.91% protein was hydrolyzed with Alcalase 2.4 L, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. The optimum hydrolysis conditions included a 2.2% (w/v) Alcalase concentration and 281 min hydrolysis time, resulting in the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity of 66.49% (0.98 µmol Trolox/mg protein). The analysis of variance for RSM showed that hydrolysis time was an important factor that significantly affected the process (p < 0.05). The effects of different drying methods (freeze drying, hot air drying, and vacuum drying) on the DPPH radical scavenging activity and amino acid (AA) profiles of TC hydrolysate (TCH) were evaluated. Vacuum-dried TCH (VD) exhibited an increase in DPPH radical scavenging activity of 81.28% (1.20 µmol Trolox/mg protein). The VD samples were further fractionated by ultrafiltration. The AA profiles and antioxidant activities in terms of the DPPH radical scavenging activity, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and ferrous ion chelating activity were investigated. Glutamic acid, glycine, arginine, and cysteine were the major AAs found in the TCH fractions. The highest DPPH radical scavenging activity was found in the VD-1 fraction (< 5 kDa). The VD-3 fraction (> 10 kDa) exhibited the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power. The ferrous ion chelating activity was the highest in VD-1 and VD-2 (5 to 10 kDa). In conclusion, this study provided the optimal conditions to obtain high antioxidant activities through TCH production, and these conditions could provide a basis for the future application of TCH as a functional food ingredient.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.1162-1173
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the fermentation profiles, bacterial community and predicted metabolic characteristics of Sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense Stapf.) during ensiling. Methods: First-cutting Sudangrass was harvested at the vegetative stage and ensiled in laboratory-scale silos (1 L capacity). Triplicate silos were sampled after 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days of ensiling, respectively. The bacterial communities on day 3 and 60 were assessed through high-throughput sequencing technology, and 16S rRNA-gene predicted functional profiles were analyzed according to the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes using Tax4Fun. Results: The Sudangrass silages showed good fermentation quality, indicated by higher lactic acid contents, and lower pH, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen contents. The dominant genus Lactococcus on day 3 was replaced by Lactobacillus on day 60. The metabolism of amino acid, energy, cofactors and vitamins was restricted, and metabolism of nucleotide and carbohydrate was promoted after ensiling. The 1-phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase of bacterial community seemed to play important roles in stimulating the lactic acid fermentation, and the promotion of arginine deiminase could help lactic acid bacteria to tolerate the acidic environment. Conclusion: High-throughput sequencing technology combined with 16S rRNA gene-predicted functional analyses revealed the differences during the early and late stages of Sudangrass ensiling not only for distinct bacterial community but also for specific functional metabolites. The results could provide a comprehensive insight into bacterial community and metabolic characteristics to further improve the silage quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.151-162
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• 2013

Studies of the distribution of micro-phytoplankton community and chlorophyll a concentration have focused on the vertical profiles of marine environmental factors such as water temperature, salinity, sigma-t, light intensity, and dissolved oxygen in the continental slope on the east parts of East China Sea in the early summer of 2009. Water temperature showed a gradual reduction according to the depth. While the salinity was low in the surface layer showing a mixed down to the relatively subsurface layer, it was increased with an increase in the depth at the middle and bottom layers showing a maximum value at 150~200 m followed by a decreasing aspect afterwards, although the change was not large. The change of sigma-t was governed by the water temperature, and gradually increased in the surface layer with an increase in the depth, showing a value higher than in the surface layer by about 3 $kg/m^3$ at the bottom layer. Although the intensity of light was exponential reduced in the surface layer, the compensation depth was located at the depth of about 80m. The vertical profiles of chlorophyll a concentration was governed by the intensity rather than the changes in water temperature or salinity, exhibiting a maximum value at the compensation depth corresponding to 1% in the surface light intensity. The micro-phytoplankton communities consisted of 56 genera 103 species showing a relatively variety, while the standing crop was also changed to 112.0~470.0 cells/L in the pelagic environment, showing a maximum chlorophyll a concentration. Although a variety of dominant species appear at low dominance without dominant species appearing with a right-wing point in the phytoplankton communities, the silicoflagellate, Otactis otonaris at the station A and the dominance of 26% due to Leptocylindrus mediterraneus at the station C have been judged to be unusual. For community analysis of infinitesimal creatures such as phytoplankton of oligotrophic waters through the present study, ecology studies through vertical sample collection agreeing with the results of continuous observation such as identification of vertical distribution in a marine environment or of maximum chlorophyll layers have been considered rather than a survey method with intervals of a given depth such as surface, subsurface, middle and bottom layers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.987-992
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• 2015

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of palm kernel expellers on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles of weaned pigs. A total of 88 weaned pigs ($6.94{\pm}0.76kg$ body weight [BW]; 28 d old) were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments (4 pigs/pen; 11 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design (sex as a block). The dietary treatments were a typical nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and CON added with 20% of palm kernel expellers (PKE). Pigs were fed for 6 wk using a 3-phase feeding program with declining diet complexity and with phases of 1, 2, and 3 wk, respectively. Blood was collected from randomly selected 2 pigs in each pen before weaning and on d 7 after weaning. Pigs were fed respective dietary treatments containing 0.2% chromic oxide from d 29 to 35 after weaning. Fecal samples were collected from randomly selected 2 pigs in each pen daily for the last 3 days after the 4-d adjustment period. Measurements were growth performances, digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and energy, white and red blood cell counts, packed cell volume, and incidence of diarrhea. The PKE increased average daily gain (ADG) (246 vs 215 g/d; p = 0.06) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (470 vs 343 g/d; p<0.05) and decreased gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) (0.522 vs 0.628 g/g; p<0.05) during phase 2 compared with CON, but did not affect growth performance during phase 1 and 3. During overall experimental period, PKE increased ADG (383 vs 362 g/d; p = 0.05) and ADFI (549 vs 496 g/d; p<0.05) compared with CON, but did not affect G:F. However, no differences were found on digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and energy between CON and PKE. The PKE reduced frequency of diarrhea (15% vs 25%; p = 0.08) for the first 2 wk after weaning compared with CON. Similarly, PKE decreased white blood cells (8.19 vs $9.56{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$; p = 0.07), red blood cells (2.92 vs $3.25{\times}10^6/{\mu}L$; p = 0.09), and packed cell volume (11.1% vs 12.6%; p = 0.06) on d 7 after weaning compared with CON. In conclusion, addition of 20% palm kernel expellers to nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal had no negative effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles of weaned pigs.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2001

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), an endogenous component of the L-carnitine family, is a naturally existing molecule synthesized from L-carnitine (LC) by carnitine acetyl transferase. ALC has been shown to improve the cognitive performance of patients suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer's type and proposed for treating Alzheimer's disease in pharmacological doses. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioefuivalence of two ALC tablets, $Nicetile^{TM} (Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co.) and $L-Cartin^{TM}$ (Kuhn Il Pharmaceutical Co.), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The ALC release from the two ALC tablets in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method in various dissolution media (pH 1.2, 6.0 and 6.8). Twenty six normal male volunteers, $24.46\pm3.67$ years in age and $64.45\pm5.54$ kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2\times2$cross-over study was employed. After one tablet containing 500 mg of ALC was orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of ALC in serum were determined using HPLC with fluorescence detector. Because of the presence of endogenous ALC, the calibration was performed using dialyzed serum. The dissolution profiles of the two ALC tablets were similar in all the dissolution media. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters. The results showed that the differences in $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between two tablets were $0.35\%,\;0.93\%\;and\;2.34\%$ respectively, when calculated against the $Nicetile^{TM} tablet. The powers $(1-\beta)\;for\;AUC_t$ , and Cmax were $98.72\%\;and\;85.48\%$, respectively. Minimum detectable differences $(\Delta)\;at\;\alpha=0.05\;and\;1-\beta=0.8$ were less than $20\%,\;(e.g.,\;13.21\%\;and\;18.42\%\;for\;AUC_t,\;and\;C_{max}$ respectively). The $90\%$ confidence intervals were within $\pm20\%\;(e.g.,\;-7.38\sim8.09\;and\;-9.86\sim11.72\;for\;AUC_t,\;and\;C_{max}$, respectively). These two parameters met the criteria of KFDA for bioequivalence, indicating that $L-Cartin^{TM}$ tablet is bioequivalent to $Nicetile^{TM} tablet.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2003

We fabricated the 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU, carmustine)-loaded PLGA wafers containing poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) or tedium chloride (NaCl) in order to control the release profile of drug in special shape (3 in diameter, 1 mm in thickness) by direct compression method. In vitro release profiles of BCNU could be controlled by additives contained in the wafers. Initial release amount, release rate and duration of BCNU could be controlled with presence of PVP or NaCl. In vitro antitumor activity accessed using 9L gliosarcoma cell line has been evaluated by assaying the viability of cells treated with BCNU released from the wafers containing additives resulting in continuous growth inhibition of 9L gliosarcoma tumor cells. Specially, the continuous growth inhibition of BCNU-loaded PLGA wafers containing additives was more effective than that of non-additive BCNU-loaded PLGA wafers. The cytotoxic effect of the drug from the wafers containing NaCl as compared to wafers containing PVP was more enhanced.