• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1172-1185
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• 2019

Objective: Meat quality attributes in postmortem muscle tissues depend on skeletal muscle metabolites. The objective of this study was to determine the key metabolic compounds and pathways that are associated with postmortem aging and beef quality in Japanese Black cattle (JB; a Japanese Wagyu breed with highly marbled beef). Methods: Lean portions of Longissimus thoracis (LT: loin) muscle in 3 JB steers were collected at 0, 1, and 14 days after slaughter. The metabolomic profiles of the samples were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry, followed by statistical and multivariate analyses with bioinformatics resources. Results: Among the total 171 annotated compounds, the contents of gluconic acid, gluconolactone, spermidine, and the nutritionally vital substances (choline, thiamine, and nicotinamide) were elevated through the course of postmortem aging. The contents of glycolytic compounds increased along with the generation of lactic acid as the beef aging progressed. Moreover, the contents of several dipeptides and 16 amino acids, including glutamate and aromatic and branched-chain amino acids, were elevated over time, suggesting postmortem protein degradation in the muscle. Adenosine triphosphate degradation also progressed, resulting in the generation of inosine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine via the temporal increase in inosine 5'-monophosphate. Cysteine-glutathione disulfide, thiamine, and choline increased over time during the postmortem muscle aging. In the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes database, a bioinformatics resource, the postmortem metabolomic changes in LT muscle were characterized as pathways mainly related to protein digestion, glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pyruvate metabolism, pentose phosphate metabolism, nicotinamide metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, purine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. Conclusion: The compounds accumulating in aged beef were shown to be nutritionally vital substances and flavor components, as well as potential useful biomarkers of aging. The present metabolomic data during postmortem aging contribute to further understanding of the beef quality of JB and other breeds.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.41
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• pp.7-32
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• 2015

This study started from an interest in the unique history and literature of Okinawa and Jeju Islands. The Battle of Okinawa at a late stage of the Asia-Pacific theatre of World War II, and the indiscriminate violence in the 4.3 Jeju Massacre directly show the shared tragedy of the two islands; furthermore, they are are both located on the frontier of a nation's authority, and thus are symbolic cases. This thesis analyzes Oshiro Tatsuhiro's Island of the Gods and Hyun, Ki Young's Sooni's Uncle, both directly deal with the tragedy of two different but analogous incidents, and question the difference in memory struggle and definitions. Thus, though both novels show a similarity in focusing on and exposing the forbidden memory of mass suicide and massacre, the methods of suggesting the course of memory struggle are different. For example, in contrast to Hyun who took a different approach from the fury, accusations, and violence of South Korea to espoused forgiveness and reconciliation, Oshiro showed the changes in the form of responding to the mainland Japan.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 2021

Insects affect crop harvest yield and quality, making plant response mechanisms to insect herbivores a heavily studied topic. However, analysis of plant responses to honeybees is rare. In this study, comprehensive metabolic profiling of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to honeybees was performed to investigate which metabolites were changed by the insect. A total of 85 metabolites-including chlorophylls, carotenoids, glucosinolates, policosanols, tocopherols, phytosterols, β-amyrin, amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and starch-were identified using high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The metabolite profiling analysis of Arabidopsis exposed to honeybees showed higher levels of stress-related metabolites. The levels of glucosinolates (glucoraphanin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin), policosanols (eicosanol, docosanol, tricosanol, tetracosanol), tocopherols (β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol), putrescine, lysine, and sugars (arabinose, fructose, glucose, mannitol, mannose, raffinose) in Arabidopsis exposed to honeybees were higher than those in unexposed Arabidopsis. Glucosinolates act as defensive compounds against herbivores; policosanols are components of plant waxes; tocopherols act as an antioxidant; and putrescine, lysine, and sugars contribute to stress regulation. Our results suggest that Arabidopsis perceives honeybees as a stress and changes its metabolites to overcome the stress. This is the first step to determining how Arabidopsis reacts to exposure to honeybees.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.191-207
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• 2022

Using the results of CTD casts made in Spring from 2017 to 2021, in this study we investigated the water mass distribution and occurrence of temperature inversion in the western seas of Jeju Island in spring. The distribution of water masses was characterized by cold and fresh water in the northwest and warm and saline water in the southeast, forming a strong thermohaline front running in the southwest-to-northeast direction. Strong temperature inversion mainly occurred in the frontal boundary when the cold water intrudes beneath the warm water at depths of 30-50 m. Analysis of the mixing ratio demonstrated that Jeju Warm Water is dominantly distributed in the western seas of Jeju Island, but its ratio can be modified depending on the southward extension of Yellow Sea Cold Water (YSCW). Results of in situ measurement showed that in 2020, the YSCW largely expanded to the western seas of Jeju Island, occupying approximately 40 % of the mixing ratio. Due to the expansion of YSCW, a strong thermohaline front was formed in the study area, thereby causing thick and strong temperature inversion. On the other hand, in 2018 the mixing ratio of YSCW was minimum (~18%) during the study period of 2017-2021, and thus a relatively weak frontal boundary was formed, without the occurrence of temperature inversion. The observational results also suggest that the interannual changes of water mass distribution and the associated temperature inversion in the western seas of Jeju Island are closely related with wind-driven Yellow Sea circulation in spring, which is the summer monsoon transition period.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.166-176
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• 2022

Banana peels are also widely used as bio-adsorbent in the removal of chemicals contaminants and heavy metals from water and soil. GC-MS plays an essential role in the phytochemical analysis and chemo taxonomic studies of medicinal plants containing biologically active components. Intrinsically, with the use of the flame ionization detector and the electron capture detector which have very high sensitivities, Gas chromatography can quantitatively determine materials present at very low concentrations and most important application is in pollution studies. In the present study banana peels were used as bio-adsorbent to remediate the heavy metal contaminated water taken from three different stations located around the industrial belts of Ranipet, Tamilnadu, India. The AAS analysis of the samples shows a decrement of chromium concentration of 98.93%, 96.16% and 96.5% in Station 1, 2 and 3 respectively which proves the efficiency of the powdered peels of Musa paradisiaca. The GC-MS analysis of the control and treated peels of Musa paradisiaca reveals the presence of phytochemicals like Acetic Acid, 1-Methylethyl Ester, DL-Glyceraldehyde Dimer, N-Hexadecanoic Acid, 3-Decyn-2-Ol, 26-Hydroxy, Cholesterol, Ergost-25-Ene-3,5,6,12-Tetrol, (3.Beta.,5.Alpha.,6.Beta.,12.Beta.)-, 1-Methylene-2b-Hydroxymethyl-3, and 3-Dimethyl-4b-(3-Methylbut-2-Enyl)-Cyclohexane in the control banana peels. The banana peels which were used for the treatment reveals the changes and alteration of the phytochemicals. It is concluded that the alteration in phytochemicals of the experimental banana peels were due to adsorption of chromium heavy metal from the sample.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.506-520
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• 2023

Objective: Japanese Brown (JBR) cattle, especially the Kochi (Tosa) pedigree (JBRT), is a local breed of moderately marbled beef. Despite the increasing demand, the interbreed differences in muscle metabolites from the highly marbled Japanese Black (JBL) beef remain poorly understood. We aimed to determine flavor-related metabolites and postmortem metabolisms characteristic to JBRT beef in comparison with JBL beef. Methods: Lean portions of the longissimus thoracis (loin) muscle from four JBRT cattle were collected at 0, 1, and 14 d postmortem. The muscle metabolomic profiles were analyzed using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The difference in post-mortem metabolisms and aged muscle metabolites were analyzed by statistical and bioinformatic analyses between JBRT (n = 12) and JBL cattle (n = 6). Results: A total of 240 metabolite annotations were obtained from the detected signals of the JBRT muscle samples. Principal component analysis separated the beef samples into three different aging point groups. According to metabolite set enrichment analysis, post-mortem metabolic changes were associated with the metabolism of pyrimidine, nicotinate and nicotinamide, purine, pyruvate, thiamine, amino sugar, and fatty acid; citric acid cycle; and pentose phosphate pathway as well as various amino acids and mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism. The aged JBRT beef showed higher ultimate pH and lower lactate content than aged JBL beef, suggesting the lower glycolytic activity in postmortem JBRT muscle. JBRT beef was distinguished from JBL beef by significantly different compounds, including choline, amino acids, uridine monophosphate, inosine 5'-monophosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate, and betaine, suggesting interbreed differences in the accumulation of nucleotide monophosphate, glutathione metabolism, and phospholipid metabolism. Conclusion: Glycolysis, purine metabolism, fatty acid catabolism, and protein degradation were the most common pathways in beef during postmortem aging. The differentially expressed metabolites and the relevant metabolisms in JBRT beef may contribute to the development of a characteristic flavor.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.82-88
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• 2023

Genomic analysis indicated that the genome of Drosophila melanogaster contains more than 80 cytochrome P450 genes. To date, the enzymatic activity of these P450s has not been extensively studied. Here, the biochemical properties of CYP6A8 were characterized. CYP6A8 was cloned into the pCW vector, and its recombinant enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni²⁺-nitrilotriacetate affinity chromatography. Its expression level was approximately 130 nmol per liter of culture. Purified CYP6A8 exhibited a low-spin state in the absolute spectra of the ferric forms. Binding titration analysis indicated that lauric acid and capric acid produced type I spectral changes, with K_d values 28 ± 4 and 144 ± 20 µM, respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the oxidation reaction of lauric acid produced (ω-1)-hydroxylated lauric acid as a major product and ω-hydroxy-lauric acid as a minor product. Steady-state kinetic analysis of lauric acid hydroxylation yielded a k_cat value of 0.038 ± 0.002 min^-1 and a K_m value of 10 ± 2 µM. In addition, capric acid hydroxylation of CYP6A8 yielded kinetic parameters with a k_cat value of 0.135 ± 0.007 min^-1 and a K_m value of 21 ± 4 µM. Because of the importance of various lipids as carbon sources, the metabolic analysis of fatty acids using CYP6A8 in this study can provide an understanding of the biochemical roles of P450 enzymes in many insects, including Drosophila melanogaster.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.724-735
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• 2023

NdgR, a global regulator in soil-dwelling and antibiotic-producing Streptomyces, is known to regulate branched-chain amino acid metabolism by binding to the upstream region of synthetic genes. However, its numerous and complex roles are not yet fully understood. To more fully reveal the function of NdgR, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to assess the effects of an ndgR deletion mutant of Streptomyces coelicolor. The deletion of ndgR was found to decrease the levels of isoleucine- and leucine-related fatty acids but increase those of valine-related fatty acids. Furthermore, the defects in leucine and isoleucine metabolism caused by the deletion impaired the growth of Streptomyces at low temperatures. Supplementation of leucine and isoleucine, however, could complement this defect under cold shock condition. NdgR was thus shown to be involved in the control of branched-chain amino acids and consequently affected the membrane fatty acid composition in Streptomyces. While isoleucine and valine could be synthesized by the same enzymes (IlvB/N, IlvC, IlvD, and IlvE), ndgR deletion did not affect them in the same way. This suggests that NdgR is involved in the upper isoleucine and valine pathways, or that its control over them differs in some respect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2010

To elucidate the effects of an obesity control program on body composition and serum lipid levels, 31 obese elementary students (male: 25, female: 6) residing in the Gyeonggi area were evaluated and their body composition, serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TG (triglyceride) were analyzed. The average age, height, weight and BMI (body mass index) were $11.52{\pm}1.00\;yrs$, $151.96{\pm}8.04\;cm$, $68.21{\pm}9.03\;kg$ and $29.40{\pm}1.79\;kg/m^2$ for the males, respectively, and $11.17{\pm}1.17\;yrs$, $147.83{\pm}5.15\;cm$, $65.05{\pm}10.86\;kg$ and $29.62{\pm}3.24\;kg/m^2$ for the females, respectively. There was a significant decrease in BMI for males (p<0.001) and females (p<0.05). There were also significant changes in all of the biochemical levels evaluated before and after the study. Specifically, the total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TG level decreased after the obesity control program, while the HDL-cholesterol level increased after the program. These results indicate that obesity control programs do change the BMI, serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TG levels in obese elementary students. Thus, obesity control programs are urgently needed to prevent degenerative disease and decrease obesity among children in elementary school.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2024

Under the influence of atmospheric turbulence, a star's point image will shake back and forth erratically, and after exposure the originally small star point will spread into a huge spot, which will affect the ground calibration of the star sensor. To analyze the impact of atmospheric turbulence on the positioning accuracy of the star's center of mass, this paper simulates the atmospheric turbulence phase screen using a method based on a sparse spectrum. It is added to the static-star-simulation device to study the transmission characteristics of atmospheric turbulence in star-point simulation, and to analyze the changes in star points under different atmospheric refractive-index structural constants. The simulation results show that the structure function of the atmospheric turbulence phase screen simulated by the sparse spectral method has an average error of 6.8% compared to the theoretical value, while the classical Fourier-transform method can have an error of up to 23% at low frequencies. By including a simulation in which the phase screen would cause errors in the center-of-mass position of the star point, 100 consecutive images are selected and the average drift variance is obtained for each turbulence scenario; The stronger the turbulence, the larger the drift variance. This study can provide a basis for subsequent improvement of the ground-calibration accuracy of a star sensitizer, and for analyzing and evaluating the effect of atmospheric turbulence on the beam.