• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1134-1143
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• 2021

In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and live E. faecalis on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The BPH rat model was established by administering male rats with testosterone propionate (TP, 5 mg/kg, in corn oil) via subcutaneous injections daily for four weeks after castration. The rats were divided into five groups: Con, corn oil-injected (s.c.) + DW administration; BPH, TP (5 mg/kg, s.c.) + DW administration; BPH+K_EF, TP (5 mg/kg, s.c.) + heat-killed E. faecalis (7.5 × 10¹² CFU/g, 2.21 mg/kg) administration; BPH+L_EF, TP (5 mg/kg, s.c.) + live E. faecalis (1 × 10¹¹ CFU/g, 166 mg/kg) administration; BPH+Fi, TP (5 mg/kg, s.c.) + finasteride (1 mg/kg) administration. In both of BPH+K_EF and BPH+L_EF groups, the prostate weight decreased and histological changes due to TP treatment recovered to the level of the Con group. Both of these groups also showed regulation of androgen-signaling factors, growth factors, and apoptosis-related factors in prostate tissue. E. faecalis exhibited an inhibitory effect on benign prostatic hyperplasia, and even heat-killed E. faecalis showed similar efficacy on the live cells in the BPH rat model. As the first investigation into the effect of heat-killed and live E. faecalis on BPH, our study suggests that heat-killed E. faecalis might be a food additive candidate for use in various foods, regardless of heat processing.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.277-288
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• 2018

Wireless inductive power transfer (IPT) technology is used in many applications today. A compact and high-frequency primary side inverter is one of the most important parts of a WPT system. In this study, a modified class EF-type voltage-fed multi-resonant inverter has been proposed for WPT application at a frequency range of 85-100 kHz. Instead of an infinite input choke inductor, a resonant inductor is used to reduce loss and power density. The peak voltage stress across the MOSFET has been reduced to almost 60% from a class-E inverter using a passive clamping circuit. A simple yet effective design procedure has been presented to calculate the various component values of the proposed inverter. The overall system is simulated using MATLAB/SimPowerSystem to verify the theoretical concepts. A 500-W prototype was built and tested to validate the simulated results. The inverter exhibited 90% efficiency at nearly perfect alignment condition, and efficiency reduced gradually with the misalignment of WPT coils. The proposed inverter maintains zero-voltage switching (ZVS) during considerable load changes and possesses all the inherent advantages of class E-type inverters.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.1202-1210
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• 2006

Purpose : A quantitative and easily measured Doppler index of combined systolic and diastolic ventricular myocardial performance (Tei index) was recently proposed as a potentially useful predictor of global myocardial performance. However, presence of heart rate fluctuation makes it unreliable. Therefore, the modified Tei index was introduced by using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) which enables measuring contraction and relaxation velocities from myocardium simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the modified Tei index in the evaluation of global cardiac function. Methods : Forty eight patients in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD) were studied. These patients were divided into two groups according to the modified Tei index. TDI and conventional echocardiography were performed. Systolic velocity, systolic displacement, E' velocity, E' displacement, A' velocity and A' displacement were measured at the base, mid-septum and the apex of the interventricular septum. Ejection fraction (EF), Tei index and modified Tei index were estimated. Results : Modified Tei index correlated negatively with systolic displacement, E' displacement and A' displacement at the base. Modified Tei index correlated positively with ESR and CRP. EF and Tei index were normal in KD patients. Conclusion : Modified Tei index is a safe, feasible and sensitive index for evaluating global ventricular functions in spite of normal EF and Tei index in KD.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.232-238
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• 1982

From ^{15}N$ labelled nitrogen experiments on 13 fields use efficiency by difference method was higher than that by labelling method in 80% of fields tested indicating augmentation of soil nitrogen uptake by fertilizer nitrogen. Both methods showed very similar trend among fields. Sulfur coated urea(SCU) and point application increased fertilization efficiency(yield increment per fertilizer nitrogen applied, Fe) to 23 from 15 of split application through the increase of fertilizer use efficiency from 29(Eu) to 50 but tended to decrease efficiency of absorbed fertilizer nitrogen(yield increment per nitrogen derived from fertilizer, Ef) from 50. to 46 High yielding capacity of Tongil line appears to be attributed to the higher Ef, translocation efficiency and soil nitrogen preference index(soil nitrogen increment in plant per the increment of fertilizer nitrogen in plant, PI). This studies confirmed that yield under fertilizer application system depends on Fe which is the multiplication of Eu and Ef and that the improvement of fertilizer management(form, application method and time) increases principally Eu, the limit of which is controlled by Ef that is attributed mainly to varietal characteristics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2020

Polycystic kidney disease 2-like-1 (PKD2L1), also known as polycystin-L or TRPP3, is a non-selective cation channel that regulates intracellular calcium concentration. Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium binding protein, consisting of N-lobe and C-lobe with two calcium binding EF-hands in each lobe. In previous study, we confirmed that CaM is associated with desensitization of PKD2L1 and that CaM N-lobe and PKD2L1 EF-hand specifically are involved. However, the CaM-binding domain (CaMBD) and its inhibitory mechanism of PKD2L1 have not been identified. In order to identify CaM-binding anchor residue of PKD2L1, single mutants of putative CaMBD and EF-hand deletion mutants were generated. The current changes of the mutants were recorded with whole-cell patch clamp. The calmidazolium (CMZ), a calmodulin inhibitor, was used under different concentrations of intracellular. Among the mutants that showed similar or higher basal currents with that of the PKD2L1 wild type, L593A showed little change in current induced by CMZ. Co-expression of L593A with CaM attenuated the inhibitory effect of PKD2L1 by CaM. In the previous study it was inferred that CaM C-lobe inhibits channels by binding to PKD2L1 at 16 nM calcium concentration and CaM N-lobe at 100 nM. Based on the results at 16 nM calcium concentration condition, this study suggests that CaM C-lobe binds to Leu-593, which can be a CaM C-lobe anchor residue, to regulate channel activity. Taken together, our results provide a model for the regulation of PKD2L1 channel activity by CaM.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.350-355
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• 2016

Background: Mitral stenosis (MS) remains one of the important heart diseases. There are many factors that influence the clinical outcomes, and little is known about how left ventricular (LV) dysfunction clinically affects the prognosis of the patient with MS after mitral valve replacement (MVR). We reviewed our clinical experiences of MVR in patients with MS who had LV dysfunction. Methods: Between January 1991 and January 2013, 110 patients with MS who underwent MVR were analyzed and divided into two groups according to ejection fraction (EF). Group 1 ($EF{\leq}45%$) included 13 patients and group 2 (EF>45%) included 97 patients. Results: Thromboembolism occurred in 8 patients after MVR (group 1: n=3, 23.1%; group 2: n=5, 5.2%) and its incidence was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p=0.014). There were 3 deaths each in groups 1 and 2 during follow-up. The overall rate of cardiac-related death in group 1 was significantly higher than in group 2 (group 1: n=3, 23.1%; group 2: n=3, 3.1%; p=0.007). The cumulative survival rate at 1 and 15 years was 83.9% and 69.9% in group 1 and 97.9% and 96.3% in group 2 (p=0.004). The Cox regression analysis revealed that survival was significantly associated with postoperative stroke (p=0.011, odds ratio=10.304). Conclusion: This study identified postoperative stroke as an adverse prognostic factor in patients with MS after MVR, and a s more prevalent in patients with LV dysfunction. Postoperative stroke should be reduced to improve clinical outcomes for patients. Preventive care should be made in multiple ways, such as management of LV dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, and anticoagulation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.117.2-117
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• 2003

The importance and diversity of the genus Stemphylium highlights the need for accurate identification of species. However, many Stemphylium isolates have been misidentified due to the use of spore size as the only identifying character. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed on fifty-four isolates covering 9 Stemphylium species collected in Korea. Phylogenetic analysis of the translation elongation factor -1 alpha (EF-1) and the calmodulin gene sequence data showed that Stemphylium species were segregated into seven distinct groups, most of w hichcorrelated with species identified by morphology. Analysis of EF-1 in particular was useful for establishing well- supported relationships among the species of Stemphylium.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2005

Purpose: We evaluated the effectiveness of temporary using the extendible external fixator (EF) for lengthening of soft tissue that contracture caused by tumor prosthesis removal in the treatment of complications after limb salvage surgery like deep infection and loosening. Materials and Methods: Five patients six cases were included who underwent extendible EF (Dyna-extor(r)). EF was applied after insertion of half pin to the proximal and distal bone of defect area. EF lengthening started at third day of post-operation, above 2-3 mm per day in the range of no neurological sign. Results: The treatment area was three in femur and two in tibia. Mean age when the time of EF apply was 22.2 years old (range 15-29), but its primary limb salvage operation had done in 13.4 years old (range 9-19), therefore mean times of interval between initial tumor prosthesis reconstruction and temporary EF apply was 8.8 years (range 3-14). One patient had EF for 150 days with 7.2 cm lengthening. Others 5 cases of 4 patients had EF for mean 37 days (range 25-50) and mean soft tissue lengthening was 5.8 cm. Three patients underwent re-insertion of tumor prosthesis and two patients underwent knee fusion as final operation and showed no evidence of infection through mean 22 months follow up period. Conclusion: Temporary using of extendible EF is an effective method for correction of leg shortening which occurred by soft tissue contracture in the complications of limb salvage operation or their treatment process, and it could be provide easily application of tumor prosthesis and knee fusion as final operation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.621-628
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• 2012

The FAT-1 protein is an n-3 fatty acid desaturase, which can recognize a range of 18- and 20-carbon n-6 substrates and transform n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) into n-3 PUFAs while n-3 PUFAs have beneficial effect on human health. Fat1 gene is the coding sequence from Caenorhabditis elegans which might play an important role on lipometabolism. To reveal the function of fat1 gene in bovine fetal fibroblast cells and gain the best cell nuclear donor for transgenic bovines, the codon of fat1 sequence was optimized based on the codon usage frequency preference of bovine muscle protein, and directionally cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pEF-GFP. After identifying by restrictive enzyme digests with AatII/XbaI and sequencing, the fusion plasmid pEF-GFP-fat1 was identified successfully. The pEF-GFP-fat1 vector was transfected into bovine fetal fibroblast cells mediated by Lipofectamine2000$^{TM}$. The positive bovine fetal fibroblast cells were selected by G418 and detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that a 1,234 bp transcription was amplified by reverse transcription PCR and the positive transgenic fat1 cell line was successfully established. Then the expression level of fat1 gene in positive cells was detected using quantitative PCR, and the catalysis efficiency was detected by gas chromatography. The results demonstrated that the catalysis efficiency of fat1 was significantly high, which can improve the total PUFAs rich in EPA, DHA and DPA. Construction and expression of pEF-GFP-fat1 vector should be helpful for further understanding the mechanism of regulation of fat1 in vitro. It could also be the first step in the production of fat1 transgenic cattle.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess the metabolic profile and nutrient intake data in Korean adolescents according to exercise regularity using the forth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 data. A total of 834 Korean adolescents (440 boys, 394 girls) aged 12 to 18 years were classified into exercising male (EM), non-exercising male (NM), exercising female (EF), and non-exercising female (NF) groups. EM exhibited significantly higher weight (P<0.001), waist circumference (WC) (P<0.01) and body mass index (EMI) (P<0.001) than NM. EF showed significantly greater height (P<0.01), weight (P<0.001), we (P<0.001), and BMI (P<0.001) than NF. Although ratios of macronutrient intake were within the appropriate range in all groups, energy, riboflavin, vitamin e and calcium were assessed as in adequate by the nutritional adequacy ratio (NAR) in all groups. Moreover, EF and NF had inadequate intake of vitamin A and iron according to NAR, respectively. There were significant correlations between height and NAR protein (r=0.249, P<0.001), and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) (r=0.177, P<0.01), and between weight and NAR protein (r=0.180, P<0.01), and MAR(r=0.136, P<0.05) in EM. On the other hand, there were significant correlations between weight and NAR protein (r=0.270, P<0.01), we and NAR protein (r=0.271, P<0.01), and BMI and NAR protein (r=0.326, P<0.01) in NM. There were significant correlations height and NAR Fe (r=0.153, P<0.05) in EF. However, there were no significant correlations between metabolic factors and nutritional adequacy in NF. Although we noted no significant differences in MAR between the groups, the exercising groups showed higher MAR values than the non-exercising groups. Therefore, practicing of ideal dietary behaviors appears to be induced through physical activity and regular exercise in Korean adolescents.