• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7.1-7.11
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• 2023

The gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne intracellular pathogen that is widespread in the environment. The functions of hypothetical proteins (HP) from various pathogenic bacteria have been successfully annotated using a variety of bioinformatics strategies. In this study, a HP Imo0888 (NP_464414.1) from the Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e strain was annotated using several bioinformatics tools. Various techniques, including CELLO, PSORTb, and SOSUIGramN, identified the candidate protein as cytoplasmic. Domain and motif analysis revealed that the target protein is a PemK/MazF-like toxin protein of the type II toxin-antitoxin system (TAS) which was consistent with BLASTp analysis. Through secondary structure analysis, we found the random coil to be the most frequent. The Alpha Fold 2 Protein Structure Prediction Database was used to determine the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the HP using the template structure of a type II TAS PemK/MazF family toxin protein (DB ID_AFDB: A0A4B9HQB9) with 99.1% sequence identity. Various quality evaluation tools, such as PROCHECK, ERRAT, Verify 3D, and QMEAN were used to validate the 3D structure. Following the YASARA energy minimization method, the target protein's 3D structure became more stable. The active site of the developed 3D structure was determined by the CASTp server. Most pathogens that harbor TAS create a crucial risk to human health. Our aim to annotate the HP Imo088 found in Listeria could offer a chance to understand bacterial pathogenicity and identify a number of potential targets for drug development.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.276-287
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• 2008

Diabetic mellitus in an older population is associated with increased basal oxidative stress and free radical accentuated by hyperglycemic challenge. Enhanced free radical in diabetic elderly can cause the oxidative damage and such damage can be protected by antioxidant defense system. It is believed that vitamin C, A and E are the most abundant and effective antioxidants in human plasma. The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant status in Korean diabetic elderly using the case-control study. The antioxidant status was examined by determining plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, A, E, ${\beta}$-carotene), total antioxidant status (TAS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and intakes of vitamin C, A, ${\beta}$-carotene and retiol. Fasting glucose and HbA1c levels and serum lipid profiles (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) were also determined. Diabetic subjects were 122 elderly persons over 60 years old, visiting public health center, and control subjects were 96 healthy elderly persons living in Ulsan, Korea and they were matched by age, gender, smoking and drinking status. The diabetic and control subjects were divided into sub-groups according to the status of using diet therapy and vitamin supplement. The subjects were interviewed to collect data on their general characteristics, disease history, vitamin supplement, diet therapy and health-related habits by questionnaires. Their dietary intakes were obtained by means of semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (SQFFQ). Fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c levels were significantly higher in diabetes than in control subjects, and plasma total cholesterol level of diabetes was not significantly different from that of control subjects. However serum HDL cholesterol level of diabetes was significantly lower and serum TG level of diabetes was significantly higher than those of control group. The average vitamin A and ${\beta}$-carotene intakes of diabetes were significantly higher than those of control subjects. There was no significant difference in plasma vitamin C, ${\beta}$-carotene, and TBARS levels between two groups, but plasma vitamin A, E and TAS levels were significantly higher in diabetes than those in control group. Plasma vitamin A and TAS levels of diabetic subjects using diet therapy were higher than those of control using diet therapy, and plasma vitamin E, ${\beta}$-carotene and TAS levels of diabetic subjects using vitamin supplements were significantly higher than those of controls using vitamin supplements. These results suggested that diabetic mellitus could enhance antioxidant defences against reactive oxygen species and interest in healthy eating such as consumption of more antioxidant nutrients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2014

This study aims to evaluate the accident reduction effects of 'Section Speed Enforcement System' (SSES) operation in freeways. In pursuing the above, this study collects the accident data for 5 years (2 years before operation and 3 years after operation) at all 9 sections where SSESs are operated, and evaluates annually the effects before and after operation using the comparison group method (C.G. Method). The measures of effectiveness are total accidents (TAs), fatal and serious accidents (FSAs), total injuries (TIs) and fatal and serious injuries (FSIs). The main results are as follows. First, TAs and TIs are reduced to 41.7 and 17.1%, respectively. Second, FSAs and FSIs are reduced to 41.7 and 32.2%, respectively. Therefore, SSES has more effectiveness at fatal and serious accident. Third, the accident reduction effect has been increasing, and particularly the effect of 'after three years' is evaluated to be notable.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2018

Recent findings indicate that Type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs) are expressed outside the gustatory system, including in the gastrointestinal tracts and the exocrine glands, such as the submandibular (SM), parotid (P), lacrimal (L) glands and pancreas (PC). Specifically, T2Rs are found in some of the gastrointestinal endocrine cells, and these cells secreted peptide hormones in response to stimulation by bitter-tasting compounds. The results show that T2Rs may have significant physiological roles besides bitter taste reception. The functions of the T2Rs in the exocrine glands remain poorly understood. An expression levels analysis of T2Rs will help to determine those functions in the exocrine glands. The expression levels of the T2Rs in the exocrine glands were discovered via the qPCR. C57BL/6J mice of 42~60-day-old were used. Messenger RNAs were extracted from S, P, L and PC. Cloned DNAs were synthesized by reverse transcription. Quantitative PCRs were performed using the SYBR Green method. The expression levels of the T2Rs were calculated as relative expression levels to that of the GAPDH. The statistical significance among the observed exocrine glands was tested using the variance analysis (ANOVA test). Tas2r108, out of murine 35 T2Rs, was the most highly expressed in every observed exocrine gland. This finding was similar to previous results from tongue papillae, but the expression levels were lower than those of the tongue papillae. Tas2r137 of SM, P, L and PC were expressed a little lower than that of tongue papillae. The T2Rs in the exocrine glands may play slightly different roles from those in the tongue. We suggest that physiological studies such as a patch clamp and functional $Ca^{2+}$ imaging of acinar cells are necessary for understanding the Tas2r108 functions.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2005

Titanoalumino silicalite (TAS) was prepared hydrothermally, and the effects of synthesis parameters such as silica/alumina sources, $SiO_2/TiO_2$ ratio, and aging treatment were investigated. The structure, crystal size, and shape were examined by XRD and SEM, and the extent of titanium incorporation into the zeolite framework was examined using UV-vis DRS spectroscopy. For TAS preparation, aging of ca. 24h was essential, and the faster crystallization rates were achieved with Cab-O-Sil than with Ludox or TEOS as a silica source. In addition, the higher crystallinity and faster crystallization rate were obtained using sodium aluminate as an aluminum source.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.203-212
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• 1999

Objectives : "Alexithymia" mean literally "no word for mood(or emotion)". It is not only a marked constriction in emotional functioning but a deficit in their cognitive processing. We designed this study to investigate the level of alexithymia, psychopathology and personality factors of patients with somatoform disorder and with diabetes mellitus. Methods : The subjects were consisted of patients with somatoform disorder(N=20), patients with diabetes mellitus(N=20), and normal control(N=20). The level of alexithymia, psychopathology and personality factors were assessed by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS), the Symptom Checklist 90-Revision(SCL 90-R), and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire(16-PF). And we compared demographic characteristics, psychopathology and personality factors among three groups, and assessed the relationship between alexithymia and psychopathology, and between alexithymia and personality factors. Results : The results were as follows. 1) Patients with somatoform disorder showed significantly higher TAS scores compared to patients with diabetes mellitus and the normal control group. 2) Patients With somatoform disorder showed significantly higher scores of somatization, anxiety scales than patients with diabetes mellitus and the normal control group, and showed significantly higher scores of obsessive-compulsive, depression, phobic anxiety, psychoticism scales than the normal control group by the SCL-90-R. 3) The normal control group showed high intelligence scores only as compared to patients with somatoform disorder by the 16-PF. 4) A significant relationship was found between TAS scores and psychopathology in patients with somatoform disorder. 5) All three groups did not shown any correlation between TAS and 16-PF. Conclusion : Patients with somatoform disorder showed higher TAS scores and more multiple psychopathology than patients with diabetes mellitus and the normal controls. A significant relationship was found between TAS scores and psychopathology in patients with somatoform disorder. We suggest that the therapeutic approach to patients with somatoform disorder to express emotions and manage psychopathology, and that the treatment methods of patients with diabetes mellitus aims to improve firstly physical conditions are more helpful.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2013

The present study evaluated the systemic oxidative stress status during major orthopedic surgery in dogs. Sixteen dogs presented with various orthopedic diseases involving fractures or luxation of limbs. All patients underwent orthopedic surgery for treatment of fractures or luxation of limbs. A significant increase in the plasma total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels in dogs after surgery was observed. Plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were significantly decreased in dogs after surgery. The results of this study suggested that association or relationship in serum between TOS or TAS levels and redox imbalance were caused by surgical trauma in orthopedic disease conditions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soybean peptide on antioxidant enzymes, cortisol hormone and inflammatory cytokine levels. 19 high school male judo athletes participated in the experiments. They were randomly divided into two groups, one group took soybean peptide (S-peptide, n=10) 4 g a day for 4 weeks and the other group placebo (placebo group, n=9) for the same time. Blood samples were collected before intake, after 2 weeks intake and 4 weeks intake and these were analyzed for total antioxidant status (TAS), catalase (CAT), levels of cortisol hormone, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). As a result, the S-peptide group was significantly increased in TAS and CAT (P<0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) levels showed decrease after soybean peptide intake but there was no significant difference. In the levels of plasma cortisol which reflect stress status, there was significantly decreased in the S-peptide and placebo group after 4 weeks (P<0.05). There were significant decreases of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 after 4 weeks in S-peptide group (P<0.05). These results suggest that the intake of soybean peptide can activate antioxidant defenses and decrease exercise-induced oxidative stress.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2759-2763
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• 2013

Background: Impaired oxidative/antioxidative status plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases like cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the novel marker ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and albumin adjusted-IMA (Adj-IMA) in patients with bladder cancer (BC) as well as its association with total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI). Materials and Methods: Forty male patients with BC (mean age, $67.4{\pm}12$ years) and forty age-sex matched healthy persons (mean age $56.0{\pm}1.7$ years) were included in this study. Serum levels of IMA, TAS, TOS were analyzed and Adj- IMA and OSI was calculated. Results: Serum IMA, TOS and OSI values were significantly higher in patients with BC compared to controls (p<0.0001, p=0.01 and p=0.01, respectively), whereas TAS was significantly lower in BC patients (p=0.04). There was no significant difference for serum albumin-adjusted IMA levels between groups (p=0.4). Conclusions: In this study, it was found that there was an impaired oxidative/antioxidant status in favor of oxidative stress in BC patients. This observation was not confirmed by Adj-IMA calculation. There is no published report about serum concentrations of IMA in patients with BC. Further studies are needed to establish the relationship of IMA and oxidative stress parameters in BC and the significance of IMA to other cancers.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2003

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a Korean version of the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale(LEAS-K) and to examine its validity and reliability. Methods: LEAS-K was developed from translating original LEAS into Korean. The subjects were 476 Korean medical students(322 males and 154 females). The internal consistency was evaluated with the Cronbach's alpha coefficients and 40 protocols were independently scored by two raters to confirm interrater reliability. Additionally, a Korean version of 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS-20K), Korean versions of the Openness to Experience Inventory(OE), the Marlowe-Crowne Scale (MCS), the Bendig short form of the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale(TMAS) and the Emotional Expressivity Scale(EES) were rated to evaluate concurrent validity. Results: The internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.81 and interrater reliability was high{r(40)=0.99}. Correlation coefficients for concurrent validity were nonsignificant with TMAS and EES. LEAS-K correlated significantly with TAS-20K{r(476)=-0.10, p<0.05}, OE {r(476)=0.10, p<0.05} and MCS {r(476)=0.10, p<0.05}. Conclusion: LEAS-K was demonstrated to have high reliability and validity.