• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated the factors affecting the use of empirical antibiotics in febrile infants from 1 month to less than 3 months. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of hospitalized previously healthy infants with fever in Pusan National University Children's Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016. Clinical features, laboratory findings and antibiotic therapy were analyzed. Respiratory viruses were identified by multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were reported after 1-3 days. Enterovirus were identified by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and were reported in several hours. Results: The 129 of 366 subjects used empirical antibiotics and 237 patients didn't used empirical antibiotics. Empirical antibiotics were used more frequently when the fever was longer before admission, respiratory symptoms and ill being appearances were present and C-reactive protein was elevated. The rate of readmission was low in the group not used empirical antibiotics. Most of the patients detected by enterovirus PCR in cerebrospinal fluid didn't used empirical antibiotics. The results of respiratory virus multiplex RT-PCR showed no difference in the use of empirical antibiotics. Conclusions: In our study, empirical antibiotic prescriptions were affected not respiratory virus multiplex RT-PCR but enterovirus PCR. If multiplex RT-PCR were reported more rapid turn around time, it will affect antibiotic use.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 2002

Two different cDNA clones for superoxide dismutase (SOD) were isolated from an weedy rice variety (Oryza sativa, cv. Bhutan14Ad) and were introduced into a cultivated rice variety (Oryza sativa, cv. Nakdong) in order to develop the environmental stress-resistant rice plants. Sequence analysis of the cloned cDNAS indicated that the deduced amino acid sequence of SOD-A is 88.4% identical to that of SOD-B. Furthermore, the nucleotide sequence of SOD-A is 99.3% identical to that of a Cu/Zn SOD gene of Oryza sativa (GenBank accession No. L36320). The nueleotide sequence of SOD-B was identical to that of the previously published SOD gene (Accession No. D01000). A cultivated rice variety, Nakdong-byeo, was transformed with chimeric SOD genes containing a actin promoter of rice and pin2 terminator using a particle bombardment technique. Transformed calli were selected on an selection medium containing phosphinothricin (PPT). Transgenic rice plants were regenerated from the PPT-resistant calli. PCR analysis with genomic DNAs from transgenic plants revealed that transgenes are introduced into rice genome.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.508-513
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• 2010

Cytokines are important mediators of the immune response, and quantitating cytokine mRNA is a highly sensitive and attractive method for measuring cytokine production. The objective of the current study was to develop and validate a SYBR green quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for measuring canine cytokine mRNA. The optimal annealing temperatures ($T_a$) of the designed primers were $62^{\circ}C$ for interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and IL-10; $60^{\circ}C$ for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$; and $58^{\circ}C$ for high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Primer efficiencies of all primers calculated for standard curve samples were between 97.1% and 102.6%. No evidence of secondary structure or primer-dimer formation was seen via melt-curve analysis or gel electrophoresis. The developed qRT-PCR assays are highly specific and sensitive and can be used to quantify gene expression levels of canine cytokines.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2018

Objective: The favored method of preserving fertility in young female cancer survivors is cryopreservation and autotransplantation of ovarian tissue. Reducing hypoxia until angiogenesis takes place is essential for the survival of transplanted ovarian tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of angiopoietin-1 (Angpt-1), angiopoietin-2 (Angpt-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ovarian tissue grafts that were cryopreserved using two methods. Methods: Ovarian tissues harvested from ICR mice were divided into three groups: group I (control), no cryopreservation; group II, vitrification in EFS (ethylene-glycol, ficoll, and sucrose solution)-40; and group III, slow freezing in dimethyl sulfoxide. We extracted mRNA for VEGF, Angpt-1, and Angpt-2 from ovarian tissue 1 week following cryopreservation and again 2 weeks after autotransplantation. We used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to quantify the levels of VEGF, Angpt-1, and Angpt-2 in the tissue. Results: Angpt-1 and Angpt-2 expression decreased after cryopreservation in groups II and III. After autotransplantation, Angpt-1 and Angpt-2 expression in ovarian tissue showed different trends. Angpt-1 expression in groups II and III was lower than in group I, but Angpt-2 in groups II and III showed no significant difference from group I. The vitrified ovarian tissues had higher expression of VEGF and Angpt-2 than the slow-frozen ovarian tissues, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Our results indicate that Angpt-2 may play an important role in ovarian tissue transplantation after cryopreservation although further studies are needed to understand its exact function.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.365-376
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• 2024

The present study assessed the cytotoxic effects on cell growth and senescence in human cancer (A-549, AGS, HCT-116, MDA-MB-231, and U 87-MG) and normal (MRC-5 and mesenchymal stem cells) cell lines treated with efavirenz (EFA), an inhibitor of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RTase). Following EFA treatment, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values were approximately 15 µM, and the IC₅₀ value was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the cancer cell lines, compared to normal cell lines. After determining the IC₅₀ values against EFA, each cell line was treated with 15 µM EFA for up to one week. Significant (p<0.05) decreases in endogenous RTase and telomerase activity were observed in the cancer cell lines. RTase and telomerase activity were absent or detected at very low levels in both EFA-untreated and treated MRC-5 and MSC normal cells. The cell doubling time (CDT) was also significantly (p<0.05) prolonged by the decreased cell growth rate in the EFA-treated cancer cell lines compared to the untreated cell lines. Furthermore, EFA-treated cancer cells displayed a high number of cells with a high intensity of senescence-associated ß-galactosidase activity (SA-ß-gal activity), compared to the untreated cells. The present study showed that inhibition of RTase activity induces cellular senescence and arrests cell growth in human cancer cell lines; however, normal cell lines showed greater tolerance against EFA. RTase treatment could offer optional chemotherapy for cancer treatment in human cancer cell lines with high RTase activity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

The aim of this survey was to investigate the characteristics of outbreak farm determined as the classical swine fever(CSF) at Gangwha-gun and Seo-gu, Incheon metropolitan area from October 7 to November 25 in 2002. Sixty pigs in six different farms were confirmed to the CSF and a total of 9,106 pigs containing 3,194 related epidemiologically was slaughtered to stop spreading of the disease. Clinical signs of pigs diagnosed with the CSF were high fever, anorexia, depression, paralysis of hindlimbs, cyanosis, etc and gross lesions were typically represented with hemorrhage of submandibular and superficial lymph node, infarction of spleen, and petechial (ecchymotic) hemorrhage of kidney and skin. But some outbreak farms had not shown remarkable symptoms, so they were confused with other bacterial diseases. White blood cell (WBC) counts, the classical swine fever virus(CSFV) antigen and antibody enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results about six farms indicated that total 60 pigs were infected with the CSFV. Although the origin and infection route of the CSFV were not clear, but the transmissions between farms were mainly through indirect contact such as the movement of farm personal and vehicles from outbreak farm.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2014

Usnea longissima has a long history of use as a traditional medicine. Several bioactive compounds, primarily belonging to the polyketide family, have been isolated from U. longissima. However, the genes for the biosynthesis of these compounds are yet to be identified. In the present study, three different types of non-reducing polyketide synthases (UlPKS2, UlPKS4, and UlPKS6) were identified from a cultured lichen-forming fungus of U. longissima. Phylogenetic analysis of product template domains showed that UlPKS2 and UlPKS4 belong to group IV, which includes the non-reducing polyketide synthases with an methyltransferase (MeT) domain that are involved in methylorcinol-based compound synthesis; UlPKS6 was found to belong to group I, which includes the non-reducing polyketide synthases that synthesize single aromatic ring polyketides, such as orsellinic acid. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis demonstrated that UlPKS2 and UlPKS4 were upregulated by sucrose; UlPKS6 was downregulated by asparagine, glycine, and alanine.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.142-148
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• 2012

Objectives: We analyzed gene-expression profiles after 14 day odontogenic induction of human dental pulp cells (DPCs) using a DNA microarray and sought candidate genes possibly associated with mineralization. Materials and Methods: Induced human dental pulp cells were obtained by culturing DPCs in odontogenic induction medium (OM) for 14 day. Cells exposed to normal culture medium were used as controls. Total RNA was extracted from cells and analyzed by microarray analysis and the key results were confirmed selectively by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We also performed a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the microarray data. Results: Six hundred and five genes among the 47,320 probes on the BeadChip differed by a factor of more than two-fold in the induced cells. Of these, 217 genes were upregulated, and 388 were down-regulated. GSEA revealed that in the induced cells, genes implicated in Apoptosis and Signaling by wingless MMTV integration (Wnt) were significantly upregulated. Conclusions: Genes implicated in Apoptosis and Signaling by Wnt are highly connected to the differentiation of dental pulp cells into odontoblast.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.449-456
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• 2017

Beauvericin (BEA), a cyclic hexadepsipeptide produced by the fungus Beauveria bassiana, is known to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial actions. However, how BEA suppresses macrophage-induced inflammatory responses has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the anti-inflammatory properties of BEA and the underlying molecular mechanisms using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. Levels of nitric oxide (NO), mRNA levels of transcription factors and the inflammatory genes inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and interleukin (IL)-1, and protein levels of activated intracellular signaling molecules were determined by Griess assay, semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), luciferase reporter gene assay, and immunoblotting analysis. BEA dose-dependently blocked the production of NO in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells without inducing cell cytotoxicity. BEA also prevented LPS-triggered morphological changes. This compound significantly inhibited nuclear translocation of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ subunits p65 and p50. Luciferase reporter gene assays demonstrated that BEA suppresses MyD88-dependent NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. By analyzing upstream signaling events for $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and overexpressing Src and Syk, these two enzymes were revealed to be targets of BEA. Together, these results suggest that BEA suppresses $NF-{\kappa}B$-dependent inflammatory responses by suppressing both Src and Syk.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.459-468
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• 2020

This study established a new polymerase spiral reaction (PSR) that combines with reverse transcription reactions for HCV detection targeting 5'UTR gene. To avoid cross-contamination of aerosols, an isothermal amplification tube (IAT), as a separate containment control, was used to judge the result. After optimizing the RT-PSR reaction system, its effectiveness and specificity were tested against 15 different virus strains which included 8 that were HCV positive and 7 as non-HCV controls. The results showed that the RT-PSR assay effectively detected all 8 HCV strains, and no false positives were found among the 7 non-HCV strains. The detection limit of our RT-PSR assay is comparable to the real-time RT-PCR, but is more sensitive than the RT-LAMP. The established RT-PSR assay was further evaluated for detection of HCV in clinical blood samples, and the resulting 80.25% detection rate demonstrated better or similar effectiveness compared to the RT-LAMP (79.63%) and real-time RT-PCR (80.25%). Overall, the results showed that the RT-PSR assay offers high specificity and sensitivity for HCV detection with great potential for screening HCV in clinical blood samples.