• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1997

Recently, through the development of the primer extension preamplification(PEP) method which amplifies the whole genome, simultaneous multiple DNA analysis has become possible. Whole genome from each single cell can be amplified using 15 base oligonucleotide random primer. The greatest advantage of PEP-PCR is the ability to investigate several loci simultaneously and confirm results by analysing multiple aliquots for each locus. This technique led to the development of preimplantation genetic disease diagnosis using blastomere from early embryo, sperm, polar body and oocyte. In this study, we applied PEP-PCR in 20 cases of single amniocyte and 20 cases of single chorionic villus cell for the clinical application of the prenatal and preimplantational genetic diagnosis. We analysed 7 gene loci simultaneously which are 46, 47 exons related to dystrophin gene, two VNTR (variable number tandem repeat) markers using 5'dysIII, 3'CA related to dystrophin gene and DYZ1, DYZ3, DYS14 regions on chromosome Y. In all the tests, 97.5% of PEP-PCR amplifications with single cells were successful. We obtained 38/40 (95%) accuracy in gender determination through chromosome analysis comparison. Therefore, these results have significant implications for a sperm or oocyte analysis and prenatal or preimplantational genetic diagnosis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.382-387
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• 2016

Reactive oxygen species generated under oxidative stress are involved in neuronal diseases, including ischemia. Glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTpi) is a member of the GST family and is known to play important roles in cell survival. We investigated the effect of GSTpi against oxidative stress-induced hippocampal HT-22 cell death, and its effects in an animal model of ischemic injury, using a cell-permeable PEP-1-GSTpi protein. PEP-1-GSTpi was transduced into HT-22 cells and significantly protected against H2O2-treated cell death by reducing the intracellular toxicity and regulating the signal pathways, including MAPK, Akt, Bax, and Bcl-2. PEP-1-GSTpi transduced into the hippocampus in animal brains, and markedly protected against neuronal cell death in an ischemic injury animal model. These results indicate that PEP-1-GSTpi acts as a regulator or an antioxidant to protect against oxidative stress-induced cell death. Our study suggests that PEP-1-GSTpi may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of ischemia and a variety of oxidative stress-related neuronal diseases.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2007

The incidence of virus disease on peppers was investigated at the 52 areas in the whole country in 2002, 2004 to 2006. Among the six viruses, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2), Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), infecting peppers in Korea, the incidence of CMV, PepMoV, PMMoV and BBWV2 was 29.4%, 13.6%, 14.3%, 25.6%, orderly. TMGMV and TSWV had the same low infection rate of 1.0%. The infection rate of CMV was higher as 53.3% and 34.2% in 2002 and 2004, but it was decreased to 18.2% and 11.9% in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The infection rate of BBWV2 was lower as 1.3% in 2002 and 1.8% in 2004, but it was increased abruptly to 41.3% in 2005 and 58.2% in 2006. For the types of mixed infections of pepper viruses, the incidence of CMV+PepMoV was 62.6% in 2002 and 50.0% in 2004, and that of CMV+BBWV2 was increased suddenly from 33.3% in 2005 to 83.2% in 2006. The triplex infection of CMV+BBWV2+PepMoV was 6.4% in average. CMV caused severe mosaic and BBWV2 induced ring spots, and the two mixed virions caused chlorosis on the leaves of red peppers. TSWV induced the typical symptoms of multiple ring spots on the leaves and fruits of red peppers.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2016

Apoptosis, a genetically determined process of programmed cell death, is considered a vital component of various processes including normal cell turnover, animal development, and tissue homeostasis. It has a crucial role in many medical disorders and hence the development of non-invasive imaging tool is highly demanded. Recently, we have developed a peptide-based radioactive probe (ApoPep-1) for apoptosis detection. In that work the potential of probe for apoptosis detection was verified, however in vivo stability of radiolabeled peptide was not enough to monitor apoptosis for extended period. In current study, we prepared cyclic ApoPep-1 peptides to improve the stability of origianl linear ApoPep-1 and carried out direct comparison studies in vitro and in vivo. A targeting efficacy of newly synthesized cyclic ApoPep-1 peptide for apoptosis was confirmed in acute myocardial infarct model.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pulpal response to direct pulp capping with dentin sialoprotein (DSP) -derived synthetic peptide in teeth of dogs, and to compare its efficacy to capping substances $Ca(OH)_2$ and white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA). A total of 72 teeth of 6 healthy male beagle dogs were used. The mechanically exposed pulps were capped with one of the following: (1) DSP-derived synthetic peptide (PEP group): (2) $Ca(OH)_2$ (CH group): (3) a mixture paste of peptide and $Ca(OH)_2$ (PEP+CH group): or (4) white MTA (WMTA group). The access cavity was restored with a reinforced glass ionomer cement. Two dogs were sacrificed at each pre-determined intervals (2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months). After the specimens were prepared for standard histological processing, sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Under a light microscope, inflammatory response and hard tissue formation were evaluated in a blind manner by 2 observers. In the PEP group, only 3 of 17 specimens showed hard tissue formation, indication that the DSP-derived synthetic peptide did not induce proper healing of the pulp. Compared with the CH group, the PEP group demonstrated an increased inflammatory response and poor hard tissue formation. The CH and WMTA groups showed similar results for direct pulp capping in mechanically exposed teeth of dogs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.69.1-69
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• 2003

RSH (relA/spoT homolog) has been known to determine the level of guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp), which are the effector nucleotide of the prokaryotic stringent response and also play a role in antibiotic production and differentiation in Streptomyces species but not a little in eukaryotic organism, especially in plant. Salicylic acid (SA), a critical signal molecule of establishing systemic acquired resistance (SAR), could induce SAR in Pepper (Capcicum annuum) against Phytophthora capsici. And the extent of SAR induction was in proportion to the dosage of SA (or BTH). Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), a PCR-based method for cDNA subtraction, was carried out between SA-treated and non-SA-treated pepper leaves to isolate genes which may be responsible for defense signaling against pathogens. Early upregulated gene was selected from reverse northern and kinetics of SSH-genes transcripts in SA-treated pepper leaves upon SA treatment. Full-length cDNA of the gene (PepRSH； Pepper RelA / SpoT homolog) had an open reading frame (ORF) of 2166 bp encoding a protein of 722 amino acids and a significant homology with (p)ppGpp phosphohydrolase or synthetase. Genomic DNA gel blot analysis showed that pepper genome has at least single copy of PepRSH. PepRSH transcripts was very low in untreated pepper leaves but strongly induced by SA and methyljasmonic acid (MeJA), indicating that PepRSH may share common SA and MeJA-mediated signal transduction pathway Functional analysis in E. coli showed PepRSH confers phenotypes associated with (p)ppGpp synthesis through a complementation using active site mutagenesis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2006

One of the fermentative metabolism of enteric Escherichia coli was imitated after rumen bacteria, which have high C4 metabolism. E. coli expresses phosphenolpyruvate carboxylase (PPC) for the pathway between phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and oxaloacetate (OAA) during glycolytic condition while expresses phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) during gluconeogenic condition. In contrast to enteric E. coli, rumen bacteria express the PEP-OAA pathway only by PCK. To verify the effect of the regulation imitation on the C4 metabolism of E. coli, PPC-deficient E. coli strain with PCK expression in glycolytic condition was constructed. The PEP-OAA regulation modified E. coli strain increased 2.5-folds higher C4 metabolite than the wild type strain. The potential use of C4 metabolism by regulation control is discussed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2017

Objectives: One way to prevent deaths due to rabies is the timely utilization of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Therefore, in addition to an understanding of the epidemiological distribution of animal bites, it is necessary to explore the factors leading to delays in PEP initiation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran in 2011, and included 7097 cases of animal bites recorded at the Rabies Treatment Center of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences using the census method. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with delays in PEP. Results: Among the patients studied, 5387 (75.9%) were males. The prevalence of animal bites in Fars province was 154.4 per 100 000 people. Dogs were the most frequent source of exposure (67.1%), and the most common bitten part of the body was the hands (45.5%). A delay in the initiation of PEP was found among 6.8% of the studied subjects. This delay was more likely in housewives (odds ratio [OR], 4.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.12 to 10.23) and less likely in people with deep wounds (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.97). Conclusions: Although all animal bite victims received complete PEP, in some cases, there were delays. Further, the type of animal involved, the depth of the bite, and the patient's occupation were the major factors associated with a delay in the initiation of PEP for rabies prevention.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.35
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• pp.205-229
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• 1998

Although experts have called for increased collaboration between families and school systems, the actual programs for such efforts were not introduced. Thus, this study attemps to develop school-based parent education program for home-school collabration. PEP was developed through the circular process, which consist of planning, design, enactment, and evaluation. The group process of PEP was analyzed qualitatively and the effectiveness of outcomes was examined by nonparametric statistical analysis. Two factors contributed to success of PEP were as follows: 1) Increased homogenities, such as children's developmental stage, same school enrollment, and sense of community belongingness. 2) Consistency and continuity between PEP and Mental Health Prevention Program for students. Through the PEP based on these factors, parents' strong commitment was established and tangible results such as increased knowlege and fluent coping skills regarding children's problematic behaviors were found. Implications for home-school collaboration were explored, as are recommendations for how PEP can be prepared to link between families and schools.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2020

Evaluations were made for the effects of cheese whey treatment on infection of pepper plants by cucumber mosaic virus-Vch (CMV-Vch) and pepper mottle virus-Kr (PepMoV-Kr). In a greenhouse, pepper plants sprayed with whey, prior to inoculation by CMV-Vch using aphids, showed a viral infection rate significantly lower (6.6%) than for the control (23.3%). In an open field experiment, in which CMV infection relied on natural transmission by aphids, pepper plants were sprayed with undiluted whey once a week, starting on the transplanting date (May 2) to the end of June. On June 5, these whey-sprayed plants showed a CMV infection rate reduced by 18.9% and 16.7%, compared to untreated and pesticide-treated plants, respectively. In the greenhouse, pepper plants inoculated with PepMoV-Kr mixed with whey showed a viral infection rate decreased by 60% compared to the control. The accumulated amount of PepMoV-Kr coat protein was less than that for the virus-only control at 6 days post inoculation (dpi), but increased up to a similar level as the control at 9 dpi. This study showed that cheese whey is effective in reducing infection of both CMV and PepMoV in pepper plants.