• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.179-189
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• 2006

Objective: We investigated the efficacy of a 12-week supplementation of soy isoflavone with L-carnitine on the development of obesity in high fat-induced obese C57BL/6J mice, which are known as a good model of diet-induced obesity. Methods: We measured body weights, adipose tissue mass, serum/liver lipid profiles and fat cell size/number in C57BL/6J mice fed diets containing either low fat (4%) or high fat (35%), or high fat supplemented with soy isoflavone powder containing 10% isoflavone and L-camitine for 12 weeks. Results: Body weight gain, abdominal adipose tissue and liver weight were lower by 31% 78% and 31.4% respectively, in mice on high fat diet containing soy isoflavone+L-carnitine (SC mixture) compared with high fat diet group. Also, SC mixture improved serum lipid profiles such as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and liver lipid profiles such as total lipids and TG. As subsequent results, this SC mixture prevented high-fat diet from accumulating TG in the liver. The size of fat cell was also significantly decreased in SC mixture fed mice. At the end point of this experiment, our results showed that feeding with soy isoflavone for 12 weeks finally increased camitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT 1) activity through elevating the level of CPT1 expression. Conclusions: This study suggests that long-tenn supplementation with dietary soy isoflavone and L-carnitine is more synergistically beneficial for the suppression of high-fat diet induced obesity by inhibiting liver TG accumulation and the gain in abdominal adipose tissue weight than that with soy isoflavone. The antiobesity effects of SC mixture might be attributed, at least in part, to the induction of fatty acid catabolism by soy isoflavone, genistein.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.225-226
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• 2003

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.171-178
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• 2021

In the present study, we comparatively investigated the microstructures of two hot-rolled stainless steel clad plates; STS 304L - low carbon steel A516-70N and STS 316L - A516-70N. The STS 304L/A516-70N clad plate (Clad_304L_Ni) had a Ni-interlayer between stainless steel and carbon steel and a 90 ㎛ thick deformation band of unrecrystallized austenite grains on the stainless steel. The STS 316L/A516-70N clad plate (Clad_316L) had no interlayer and almost fully recrystallized austenite grains. Clad_304L_Ni exhibited the thinner a decarburized layer in carbon steel and a total carburized layer in stainless steel than Clad_316L. However, a severely carburized layer in stainless steel was thicker for Clad_304L_Ni than Clad_316L. Hardness profiles near the interface of clad plates matched well with microstructures at locations where the hardness values were measured.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.248-258
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• 2020

The vaginal microbiota may be important for pregnancy prognosis because vaginal dysbiosis during pregnancy appears to be related to preterm birth (PTB) or pregnancy loss. Previous reports have indicated that a Lactobacillus-poor microbial flora in the vagina and intrauterine infection by diverse anaerobes ascending from the vagina are associated with undesirable delivery outcomes. However, no research has involved the use of pyrosequencing analysis to examine vaginal microbiota profiles or their potential associations with high-risk pregnancy in Korean women. Vaginal swabs were collected from 500 Korean women for the identification of community state types (CSTs). Of these, 137 samples were further analyzed using a Roche/454 GS Junior pyrosequencer. Three distinct CSTs were identified based on the dominant vaginal microbes: CST I (Lactobacillus crispatus dominated), CST III (Lactobacillus iners dominated), and CST IV (with diverse species of anaerobes). Twelve of the 67 pregnant women had undesirable pregnancy outcomes (four miscarriages and eight PTBs). The dominant microbe in the vaginal microbiota of women who gave birth at full-term was L. crispatus. In contrast, L. iners was the dominant vaginal microbe in women who miscarried. Most (n = 6/8) vaginal microbiota profiles of women who experienced PTB could be classified as CST IV, with diverse bacteria, including anaerobic vaginal species. The present study provides valuable information regarding the characteristics of the vaginal microbiota of Korean women related to high-risk pregnancy. Investigation of the vaginal microbiotic structure in pregnant Korean women is necessary to enable better prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.298-306
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a global health problem of significant importance which increases mortality. In place of anti-obesity drugs, natural products are being developed as alternative therapeutic materials. In this study, we investigated the effect of Brassica juncea L. leaf extract (BLE) on fat deposition and lipid profiles in high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFC)-induced obese rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) according to diet: normal diet group (ND), high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), HFC with 3% BLE diet group (HFC-A1), and HFC with 5% BLE diet group (HFC-A2). Each group was fed for 6 weeks. Rat body and adipose tissue weights, serum biochemical parameters, and tissue lipid contents were determined. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The HFC-A2 group showed significantly lower body weight gain and food efficiency ratio than the HFC group. BLE supplementation caused mesenteric, epididymal, and total adipose tissue weights to decrease. The serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly increased in rats fed BLE. These results were related to lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acetyl-coA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase mRNA expression, and to higher expression of the cholesterol $7{\alpha}$-hydroxylase and low density lipoprotein-receptor, as well as increased protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$. Histological analysis of the liver revealed decreased lipid droplets in HFC rats treated with BLE. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of HFC with 3% or 5% BLE inhibited body fat accumulation, improved lipid profiles, and modulated lipogenesis- and cholesterol metabolism-related gene and protein expression.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.354-363
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• 2009

Cytotoxic Nitric oxide (NO) overproduced by inducible NO Synthase (iNOS or NOS2), which was induced in inflammatory reactions and immune responses directly or indirectly affects the functions as host defense and can cause normal tissue damage. Microarray analysis was performed to identify gene profiles of both NO-dependent and -independent transcripts in RAW 264.7 macrophages that use selective NOS2 inhibitors aminoguanidine ($100\;{\mu}M$) and L-canavanine (1 mM). A total of 3,297 genes were identified that were up- or down-regulated significantly over 2-fold in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophages. NO-dependency was determined in the expressed total gene profiles and also within inflammatory conditions-related functional categories. Out of all the gene profiles, 1711 genes affected NO-dependently and -independently in 567 genes. In the categories of inflammatory conditions, transcripts of 16 genes (Pomp, C8a, Ifih1, Irak1, Txnrd1, Ptafr, Scube1, Cd8a, Gpx4, Ltb, Fasl, Igk-V21-9, Vac14, Mbl1, C1r and Tlr6) and 29 geneas (IL-1beta, Mpa2l, IFN activated genes and Chemokine ligands) affected NO-dependently and -independently, respectively. This NO dependency can be applied to inflammatory reaction-related functional classifications, such as cell migration, chemotaxis, cytokine, Jak/STAT signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. Our results suggest that LPS-induced gene transcripts in inflammation or infection can be classified into physiological and toxic effects by their dependency on the NOS2-mediated NO release.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.805-814
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• 2008

Liming of acidic soils can prevent aluminum toxicity and improve crop production. Some maize lines show aluminum (Al) tolerance, and exudation of organic acids by roots has been considered to represent an important mechanism involved in the tolerance. However, there is no information about the impact of liming on the structures of bacterial and fungal communities in Cerrado soil, nor if there are differences between the microbial communities from the rhizospheres of Al-tolerant and Al-sensitive maize lines. This study evaluated the effects of liming on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities in bulk soil and rhizospheres of Al-sensitive and Al-tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) lines cultivated in Cerrado soil by PCR-DGGE, 30 and 90 days after sowing. Bacterial fingerprints revealed that the bacterial communities from rhizospheres were more affected by aluminum stress in soil than by the maize line (Al-sensitive or Al-tolerant). Differences in bacterial communities were also observed over time (30 and 90 days after sowing), and these occurred mainly in the Actinobacteria. Conversely, fungal communities from the rhizosphere were weakly affected either by liming or by the rhizosphere, as observed from the DGGE profiles. Furthermore, only a few differences were observed in the DGGE profiles of the fungal populations during plant development when compared with bacterial communities. Cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments obtained from dominant DGGE bands detected in the bacterial profiles of the Cerrado bulk soil revealed that Actinomycetales and Rhizobiales were among the dominant ribotypes.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.437-440
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• 2006

To explore the possible usefulness of ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants, the antioxidant profiles of ${\beta}$-glucan, extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae KCTC 7911, and water soluble and insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan, isolated from yeast mutant S. cerevisiae IS2, were examined by five different in vitro evaluation methods: lipid peroxidation value (POV), nitric oxide (NO), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing power, and ${\beta}$-carotene diffusion assay. The antioxidant activities of all ${\beta}$-glucans evaluated in POV test were comparable to or better than that of the known antioxidant, vitamin C. Remarkably, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan possessed 2.5-fold more potent activity than vitamin C at a dosage of 2 mg. Although vitamin C showed 100-fold greater activity than all ${\beta}$-glucans in NO and DPPH tests for measuring the radical scavenging capacity, all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed higher radical scavenging activity than the known radical scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), in DPPH test. The water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan had 2.6- and 5-fold greater antioxidative activity than water soluble ${\beta}$-glucan in NO and DPPH tests, respectively, showing that all ${\beta}$-glucans were able to scavenge radicals such as NO or DPPH. While all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed lower antioxidant profiles than vitamin C in both reducing power activity and ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion assay, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan did show a marginal reducing power activity as well as a considerable ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion activity. These results confirmed the potential usefulness of these ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.501-503
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• 2003

Soil-gas radon level and other atmospheric factors have been measured at residual soil profiles that overlie granite bedrock which consists of major geology in Korea for 6 months from November, 2000 to April, 2001. Seasonal variations of soil-gas radon concentration are generally of greater magnitude than day-to-day fluctuations. The highest radon concentrations of 5,131 pCi/L measured during winter season and the lowest radon concentrations of 107 pCi/L during spring season. Two study areas, Bongcheon-dong(granite bedrock) and Seongnam-Yongin(gneiss bedrock) were investigated to assess the radon potential according to their field survey and emanation tests. The mean values of radon decrease in sequentially from Suji-A(813 pCi/L)>Suji-B(757 pCi/L)>Bundang-B(691 pCi/L)>Bundang-A(643 pCi/L)>Bongcheon-dong(513 pCi/L). Estimated soil-gas radon potential using maximum radon emanation ratios of each study area decreases in the order of Bongcheondong(950 pCi/L)>Suji-B(524 pCi/L)>Bundang-A(437 pCi/)>Bundang-B(259 pCi/L)>Suji-A(230 pCi/L) areas. The values of indoor radon and its daughter product concentrations in Bongcheon-dong area show that indoor basement rooms in poor ventilation condition could be classified as extremely high radon risk location of more than 4 pCi/L Rn and 0.02 WL.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1630-1637
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• 2014

The objective of the study was to determine the quality and fatty acid profiles of mutton cuts purchased from rural and urban localities in South Africa. Five hundred and ten samples were collected in four seasons from both rural and urban shops and butcheries. Samples were immediately transported to the laboratory in cooler boxes with ice where the following physico-chemical characteristics of mutton were determined; meat pH, color ($L^*$, $a^*$, and $b^*$), cooking losses and Warner Braztler shear force and replicates stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ pending fatty acid analysis. Meat $L^*$ values were lowest ($24.7{\pm}0.49$) in winter and highest ($32.2{\pm}0.49$) in spring. The loin and sirloin cuts recorded the highest intramuscular fat whilst rib and leg cuts recorded the lowest intramuscular fat. In conclusion intramuscular fat, fatty acid profiles and physico-chemical quality of mutton were significantly affected by season and meat portion and not necessarily by the locality and class of shop.