• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제65권3호
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• pp.511-518
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• 2023

This study examined the association between functional sequence variants (FSVs) of myosin heavy chain 3 (MYH3) genotypes and collagen content in a Landrace and Jeju native pig (JNP) crossbred population. Four muscles (Musculus longissimus dorsi, Musculus semimembranosus, Musculus triceps brachii, and Musculus biceps femoris) were used for the analysis of meat collagen content, and the same animals were genotyped for the FSVs of the MYH3 gene by using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Three FSVs of MYH3 genotypes were identified and had genotype frequencies of 0.358, 0.551, and 0.091 for QQ, Qq, and qq, respectively. QQ animals for the FSVs of the MYH3 genotypes showed higher collagen content in their M. longissimus dorsi (p < 0.001), M. semimembranosus (p < 0.001), M. triceps brachii (p < 0.001), and M. biceps femoris (p < 0.001) than qq homozygous animals. After the validation of this result in other independent populations, the FSVs of MYH3 genotypes can be a valuable genetic marker for improving collagen content in porcine muscles and can also be applied to increase the amount of collagen for biomedical purposes.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제65권5호
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• pp.1002-1013
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• 2023

The objectives of the present study were to determine the nutrient digestibility of fish meal, defatted black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), and adult flies and to develop equations for estimating in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL for pigs. In vitro digestion procedures were employed to mimic the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the pig intestine. Correlation coefficients between chemical composition and in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL were calculated. In Exp. 1, in vitro ileal digestibility (IVID) of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) and in vitro total tract digestibility (IVTTD) of DM and organic matter in defatted BSFL meal were less (p < 0.05) than those in fish meal but were greater (p < 0.05) than those in adult flies. In Exp. 2, CP concentrations in BSFL were negatively correlated with ether extract (r = -0.91) concentration but positively correlated with acid detergent fiber (ADF; r = 0.98) and chitin (r = 0.95) concentrations. ADF and chitin concentrations in BSFL were negatively correlated with IVID of DM (r = -0.98 and -0.88) and IVTTD of DM (r = -1.00 and -0.94) and organic matter (r = -0.99 and -0.98). Prediction equations for in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL were developed: IVID of CP (%) = -0.95 × ADF (% DM) + 95 (r² = 0.75 and p = 0.058) and IVTTD of DM (%) = -2.09 × ADF + 113 (r² = 0.99 and p < 0.001). The present in vitro experiments suggest that defatted BSFL meal was less digestible than fish meal but was more digestible than adult flies, and nutrient digestibility of BSFL can be predicted using ADF as an independent variable.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.280-290
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• 2024

Purpose: Despite annual endoscopy, patients with metachronous remnant gastric cancer (MRGC) following proximal gastrectomy (PG) are at times ineligible for endoscopic resection (ER). This study aimed to clarify the clinical risk factors for ER inapplicability. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 203 patients who underwent PG for cT1 gastric cancer between 2006 and 2015. The remnant stomach was categorized as a pseudofornix, corpus, or antrum. Results: Thirty-two MRGCs were identified in the 29 patients. Twenty MRGCs were classified as ER (ER group, 62.5%), whereas 12 were not (non-ER group, 37.5%). MRGCs were located in the pseudo-fornix in 1, corpus in 5, and antrum in 14 in the ER group, and in the pseudofornix in 6, corpus in 4, and antrum in 2 in the non-ER group (P=0.019). Multivariate analysis revealed that the pseudo-fornix was an independent risk factor for non-ER (P=0.014). In the non-ER group, MRGCs at the pseudo-fornix (n=6) had more frequent undifferentiated-type histology (4/6 vs. 0/6), deeper (≥pT1b2; 6/6 vs. 2/6) and nodal metastasis (3/6 vs. 0/6) than non-pseudo-fornix lesions (n=6). We examined the visibility of the region developing MRGC on an annual follow-up endoscopy one year before MRGC detection. In seven lesions at the pseudofornix, visibility was only secured in two (28.6%) because of food residues. Of the 25 lesions in the non-pseudo-fornix, visibility was secured in 21 lesions (84%; P=0.010). Conclusions: Endoscopic visibility increases the chances of ER applicability. Special preparation is required to ensure the complete clearance of food residues in the pseudo-fornix.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.279-285
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• 2000

Vitamin E-succinate (VES) treatment of U937 human monoblasts induced cells to undergo apoptosis. After 96 h of VES treatment at 10 $\mu$/ml, more than 80% of cells appeared apoptotic. Evidence for apoptosis by VES was based on propidium iodide staining for detection of chromatin condensational fragmentation and electrophoretic DNA ladder formation. Western blot analyses showed a transient increase in Fas and p21 protein levels up to 48 h alter the VES treatment. Protein expression and activity of CDK1 and lamin B degradation were remarkably induced by VES, following the cleavage of caspase-3 after 48 h. The VES-induced apoptosis was found to involve activation of PKC as shown by increases in membrane translocation of PKC$\beat$II and PKC activity. Pretreatment of GF109203X (PKC inhibitor) prior to VES treatment almost completely inhibited the induction of apoptosis as assessed by blockage of VES-induced caspase-3 activity and DNA fragmentation. However, GF109203X h8d no effect on the VES-induced nitric oxide synthesis, which was required for monocvtic differentiation in our previous report (J Cell Sci 111, 435, 1998). Taken together, our data suggest that induction of apoptosis by VES in U937 cells occurs through activation of PKC-$\beat$II resulting in the activation of caspase-3 cascade and is independent of nitric oxide.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.425-434
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• 2022

The post-translational modification (e.g., phosphorylation) of estrogen receptor α (ERα) plays a role in controlling the expression and subcellular localization of ERα as well as its sensitivity to hormone response. Here, we show that ERα is also modified by UFM1 and this modification (ufmylation) plays a crucial role in promoting the stability and transactivity of ERα, which in turn promotes breast cancer development. The elevation of ufmylation via the knockdown of UFSP2 (the UFM1-deconjugating enzyme in humans) dramatically increases ERα stability by inhibiting ubiquitination. In contrast, ERα stability is decreased by the prevention of ufmylation via the silencing of UBA5 (the UFM1-activating E1 enzyme). Lys171 and Lys180 of ERα were identified as the major UFM1 acceptor sites, and the replacement of both Lys residues by Arg (2KR mutation) markedly reduced ERα stability. Moreover, the 2KR mutation abrogated the 17β-estradiol-induced transactivity of ERα and the expression of its downstream target genes, including pS2, cyclin D1, and c-Myc; this indicates that ERα ufmylation is required for its transactivation function. In addition, the 2KR mutation prevented anchorage-independent colony formation by MCF7 cells. Most notably, the expression of UFM1 and its conjugating machinery (i.e., UBA5, UFC1, UFL1, and UFBP1) were dramatically upregulated in ERα-positive breast cancer cell lines and tissues. Collectively, these findings implicate a critical role attributed to ERα ufmylation in breast cancer development by ameliorating its stability and transactivity.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.48-57
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• 2018

Purpose: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is usually prescribed to improve the survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer who undergo curative surgery. This study was designed to determine the impact that the degree of compliance with chemotherapy has on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Among 252 patients with stage III gastric cancer who underwent curative surgery between July 2004 and December 2014, 85 patients were postoperatively treated with S-1, the oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, 23 received no chemotherapy, and 144 received other regimens. Overall survival was compared between the complete compliance group (who received 8 cycles of S-1 chemotherapy, n=44) and the incomplete compliance group (who received less than 8 cycles of S-1 chemotherapy, n=41). Factors that influenced patient compliance with chemotherapy were also analyzed. Results: The overall 5-year survival rate was significantly different between the complete chemotherapy and incomplete chemotherapy groups (80.0% vs. 42.7%, P<0.001). Based on univariate and multivariate survival analyses of patients who received S-1 chemotherapy, the independent prognostic factors were tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage (IIIa vs. IIIb vs. IIIc) and compliance with chemotherapy. TNM stage and age are significant factors that influence compliance with chemotherapy. Conclusions: TNM stage and compliance with chemotherapy are independent prognostic factors in patients with stage III gastric cancer who received postoperative chemotherapy. TNM stage and age are significant factors that influence patient compliance with chemotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.2083-2087
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• 2014

Colorectal cancers remain to be a common cause of cancer-related death. Early-onset cases as well as those of various ethnic origins have aggressive clinical features, the basis of which requires further exploration. The aim of this work was to examine the expression patterns of $p15^{INK4b}$ and SMAD4 in colorectal carcinoma of different ethnic origins. Fifty-five sporadic colorectal carcinoma of Egyptian origin, 25 of which were early onset, and 54 cancers of Finnish origin were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against $p15^{INK4b}$ and SMAD4 proteins. Data were compared to the methylation status of the $p15^{INK4b}$ gene promotor. $p15^{INK4b}$ was totally lost or deficient (lost in ${\geq}50%$ of tumor cell) in 47/55 (85%) tumors of Egyptian origin as compared to 6/50 (12%) tumors of Finnish origin (p=7e-15). In the Egyptian cases with $p15^{INK4b}$ loss and available $p15^{INK4b}$ promotor methylation status, 89% of cases which lost $p15^{INK4b}$ expression were associated with $p15^{INK4b}$ gene promotor hypermethylation. SMAD4 was lost or deficient in 25/54 (46%) tumors of Egyptian origin and 28/48 (58%) tumors of Finnish origin. 22/54 (41%) Egyptian tumors showed combined loss/deficiency of both $p15^{INK4b}$ and SMAD4, while $p15^{INK4b}$ was selectively lost/deficient with positive SMAD4 expression in 24/54 (44%) tumors. Loss of $p15^{INK4b}$ was associated with older age at presentation (>50 years) in the Egyptian tumors (p=0.04). These data show for the first time that $p15^{INK4b}$ loss of expression marks a subset of colorectal cancers and ethnic origin may play a role in this selection. In a substantial number of cases, the loss was independent of SMAD4 but rather associated with $p15^{INK4b}$ gene promotor hypermethylation and old age which could be related to different environmental exposures.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.36-41
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• 2017

Background: Police work is generally sedentary although there may be situations that require physical endurance and strength, such as foot chases and arresting suspects. Factors such as excessive body fat can impede an officer's physical ability to deal with such occurrences. Our objective was to examine associations between officers' body fat percentage (BF%) and performance on a standardized fitness protocol. Methods: Data were obtained from fitness screening among 1,826 male and 115 female officers in a large US police agency. The screening consisted of a 2.4-km run, push-ups, sit-ups, and sit-and-reach test. Sex-specific body fat percentages were estimated from skinfold thickness measured using calipers. Linear regression models were used to examine unadjusted and adjusted mean scores of fitness tests across BF% tertiles. Results: The prevalence of overall fitness was 4.3 times greater in male officers and 3.6 times greater in female officers having the lowest BF% tertile compared with the highest tertile (30.3% vs 7.1% and 46.0% vs 12.8%, respectively). BF% was linearly and positively associated with the time of 2.4-km run (p < 0.001), and linearly and inversely associated with the number of push-ups (p < 0.001), sit-ups (p < 0.001), and the distance of sit-and-reach (p < 0.001) in men. Similar associations were observed in women with the exception of sit-and-reach (p = 0.122). Associations were independent of age, race/ethnicity, rank, and duty station. Conclusion: Overall, BF% was inversely associated with fitness levels in male and female officers. Future longitudinal studies should be initiated to explore the potentially causal relationship between BF% and fitness in law enforcement officers.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권9호
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• pp.1514-1524
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• 2021

Objective: To develop a radiomics risk score based on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI for prognosis prediction in patients with glioblastoma. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty patients (92 male [61.3%]; mean age ± standard deviation, 60.5 ± 13.5 years) with glioblastoma who underwent preoperative MRI were enrolled in the study. Six hundred and forty-two radiomic features were extracted from volume transfer constant (K^trans), fractional volume of vascular plasma space (V_p), and fractional volume of extravascular extracellular space (V_e) maps of DCE MRI, wherein the regions of interest were based on both T1-weighted contrast-enhancing areas and non-enhancing T2 hyperintense areas. Using feature selection algorithms, salient radiomic features were selected from the 642 features. Next, a radiomics risk score was developed using a weighted combination of the selected features in the discovery set (n = 105); the risk score was validated in the validation set (n = 45) by investigating the difference in prognosis between the "radiomics risk score" groups. Finally, multivariable Cox regression analysis for progression-free survival was performed using the radiomics risk score and clinical variables as covariates. Results: 16 radiomic features obtained from non-enhancing T2 hyperintense areas were selected among the 642 features identified. The radiomics risk score was used to stratify high- and low-risk groups in both the discovery and validation sets (both p < 0.001 by the log-rank test). The radiomics risk score and presence of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation showed independent associations with progression-free survival in opposite directions (hazard ratio, 3.56; p = 0.004 and hazard ratio, 0.34; p = 0.022, respectively). Conclusion: We developed and validated the "radiomics risk score" from the features of DCE MRI based on non-enhancing T2 hyperintense areas for risk stratification of patients with glioblastoma. It was associated with progression-free survival independently of IDH mutation status.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.217-223
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• 2013

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and the outcomes for patients are still poor. It is important to determine the original type of synchronous multinodular HCC for preoperative assessment and the choice of treatment therapy as well as for the prediction of prognosis after treatment. Aims: To analyze clinicopathologic characteristics and prognoses in patients with multicentric occurrence (MO) and intrahepatic metastasis (IM) of synchronous multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The study group comprised 42 multinodular HCC patients with a total of 112 nodules. The control group comprised 20 HCC patients with 16 single nodular HCC cases and 4 HCC cases with a portal vein tumor emboli. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region was sequenced, and the patients of the study group were categorized as MO or IM based on the sequence variations. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the important clinicopathologic characteristics in the two groups. Results: In the study group, 20 cases were categorized as MO, and 22 as IM, whereas all 20 cases in the control group were characterized as IM. Several factors significantly differed between the IM and MO patients, including hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), cumulative tumor size, tumor nodule location, cirrhosis, portal vein and/or microvascular tumor embolus and the histological grade of the primary nodule. Multivariate analysis further demonstrated that cirrhosis and portal vein and/or microvascular tumor thrombus were independent factors differentiating between IM and MO patients. The tumor-free survival time of the MO subjects was significantly longer than that of the IM subjects ($25.7{\pm}4.8$ months vs. $8.9{\pm}3.1$ months, p=0.017). Similarly, the overall survival time of the MO subjects was longer ($31.6{\pm}5.3$ months vs. $15.4{\pm}3.4$ months, p=0.024). The multivariate analysis further demonstrated that the original type (p=0.035) and Child-Pugh grade (p<0.001) were independent predictors of tumor-free survival time. Cirrhosis (p=0.011), original type (p=0.034) and Child-Pugh grade (p<0.001) were independent predictors of overall survival time. Conclusions: HBeAg, cumulative tumor size, tumor nodule location, cirrhosis, portal vein and/or microvascular tumor embolus and histological grade of the primary nodule are important factors for differentiating IM and MO. MO HCC patients might have a favorable outcome compared with IM patients.