• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.401-408
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• 2012

Initial subcellular responses in susceptible (PI 274420) and resistant (cv. Hartwig) soybeans infected with the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) were examined 2 and 4 days after inoculation (DAI). Subcellular features common to both soybeans at 2 DAI included hypertrophied initial syncytial cells (ISCs) and syncytium-component cells (SCs) with a dense cytoplasm containing proliferated rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (RER and SER), a hypertrophied nucleolus, and reduced vacuoles, suggesting that the nematode-infected cells were dedifferentiated. In the resistant soybean, a striking initial subcellular difference from the susceptible soybean was the dilation of the RER, indicating ER dysfunction and leading to cell death. This disturbed nematode feeding, as evidenced by disrupted feeding tubes. In PI 274420, the ISC cytoplasm was depleted, with the exception of ER membranes, at 4 DAI, while the SC cytoplasm was dense with proliferation of starch-containing plastids around multiple nuclei that might be derived from the congregation of nuclei in the neighboring SCs and in part by nuclear division without cytokinesis. In cv. Hartwig, syncytia were necrotized with secondary cell wall thickening outside the plasma membrane and an extremely dense cytoplasm containing a nucleus with an electron-lucent nucleolus, accompanied by the proliferation of closely stacked parallel RER and ribosomes. These results suggest that syncytia develop continuously in PI 274420 to produce and store nutritional substances in SCs, providing for the nematode through ISC until maturation, but in cv. Hartwig, syncytia degenerate early due to excessive metabolism, blocking nematode feeding and cytoplasmic connections with adjacent intact cells.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.237-245
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• 2010

Only an optimum number of viable spermatozoa in a frozen-thawed insemination dose can ensure conception at artificial insemination (AI). We report here the percentages of normal, abnormal and viable spermatozoa present in the frozen-thawed semen of 20 Black Bengal bucks used for commercial AI. Bucks in this experiment were of 19.3~46.1 months old and 25~42 kg body weight. Four semen straws (0.25 ml) from each buck were collected for evaluation of their kinetic parameters. Scrotal circumference was measured by using a scrotal tape, sperm motility was estimated on eye estimation and sperm concentration was determined by using a haemocytometer. Sperm morphology was studied in paraformaldehyde fixed spermatozoa under differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope. To determine the proportion of live (plasma membrane intact) spermatozoa, semen was stained with SYBR-14 and propidium iodide and examined under fluorescent microscope. Scrotal circumference, post-thaw sperm motility, sperm concentration per insemination dose and proportion of normal spermatozoa were $21.5{\pm}0.7\;cm$, $43.5 {\pm}5.4%$, $83.5{\pm}6.7$ million and $88.3{\pm}4.1%$, respectively. The percentages of spermatozoa with head shape and acrosome abnormalities were lower ($2.7{\pm}1.1$ and $1.4{\pm}1.3$, respectively), whereas higher percentages of abnormalities ($7.0{\pm}1.8$) were observed in mid piece and tail portion. The proportion of live spermatozoa was $28.5{\pm}5.4$. It is concluded that although a good number of morphologically normal spermatozoa are present in the insemination dose, the proportion of live spermatozoa is low, which warrants further improvements of buck semen freezing procedures to ensure good quality at AI.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.103-112
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to evaluate the pharmacological effect of Korea Red Ginseng aqueous extract (KRGE) on serum-deprived apoptosis of neuronal-like pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and to investigate its underlying action mechanism. Methods : KRGE was prepared by extracting Korea Red Ginseng with hot water and concentrating using a vacuum evaporator. Cell viability was determined after incubation of cells with KRGE or chemical inhibitor in serum-deprived medium for 60 h by counting intact nuclei following lysing of the cell membrane. Caspase activities were measured using chromogenic substrates and signal-associated protein phosphorylation and cytochrome c release were determined by Western blot analyses using their specific antibodies. Results : Serum deprivation induced PC12 cell death, which was accompanied by typical morphological features of apoptotic cell, such as nuclear fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and cytochrome c release. This apoptotic cell death was significantly inhibited by KRGE and caspase-3 inhibitor, but not by the addition of NMA, ODQ, and PD98059. KRGE promoted phosphorylation of Akt and Bad, and this phosphorylation was inhibited by the PI3K inhibitor LY92004. In addition, this inhibitor also reversed KRGE-mediated protection of PC 12 cells from serum deprivation. These results suggested that KRGE protects PC12 cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis through the activation of PI3K/Akt-dependent Bad phosphorylation and cytochrome c release, resulting in caspase-3 activation. Conclusions : KRGE should be considered as a potential therapeutic drug for brain diseases including stroke induced by apoptosis of neuronal cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.25-28
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• 2003

Ion channel inhibitors are widely used for pharmacological discrimination between the different channel types as well as for determination of their functional role. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) could affect the large conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel ($BK_{Ca}$) currents using perforated-patch or cell-attached configuration of patch-clamp technique in the rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle. Application of 4-AP reversibly inhibited the spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs). The reversal potential and the sensitivity to charybdotoxin indicated that the STOCs were due to the activation of $BK_{Ca}$. The $BK_{Ca}$ currents were recorded in single channel resolution under the cell-attached mode of patch-clamp technique for minimal perturbation of intracellular environment. Application of 4-AP also inhibited the single $BK_{Ca}$ currents reversibly and dose-dependently. The membrane potential of rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells showed spontaneous transient hyperpolarizations (STHPs), presumably due to the STOC activities, which was also inhibited by 4-AP. These results suggest that 4-AP can inhibit $BK_{Ca}$ currentsin the intact rabbit vascular smooth muscle. The use of 4-AP as a selective voltage-dependent $K^+$ (KV) channel blocker in vascular smooth muscle, therefore, must be reevaluated.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.844-854
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• 2021

Objective: The potential of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), betaine (BET), and ginger (GIN), as natural antioxidants, in reducing negative effects of heat stress on physiological responses, antioxidant capacity, semen quality and fertility of bucks under heat stress were investigated. Methods: Forty adult Animal Production Research Institute line rabbit bucks were distributed randomly into four experimental treatments of ten rabbits each. The first treatment was fed the commercial pellet diet (CPD) without supplementation and served as a control. The other three treatments were fed CPD supplemented with EVOO (300 mg), BET (1,000 mg), and GIN (200 mg) per kg diet for 3 consecutive months during the summer season. Results: Supplementation of EVOO, BET, or GIN improved (p<0.05) the sexual desire, progressive motility, vitality, intact acrosome and membrane integrity, sperm cell concentration, sperm outputs and fertility. Seminal plasma total proteins, globulin, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione and glutathione S-transferase, and initial fructose increased (p<0.05), while total lipids, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and malondialdehyde decreased (p<0.05) compared with the control. In comparing the natural antioxidants treatments, GIN evoked the largest improvement. Conclusion: The inclusion of GIN (200 mg/kg diet) appeared to improve the sexual desire, semen quality and oxidative stress of bucks. This may be a beneficial supplement for the management of rabbit bucks used in natural mating or artificial insemination.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.198-204
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain the effects of adding green tea extract (GTE) to skim milk-egg yolk (SM-EY) extender on both the quality of post-thawed bull semen and the pregnancy rates of the recipient cows. Methods: Twelve ejaculates from four Simmental bulls, aged 3 to 5 years and weighing 900 to 950 kg, were diluted SM-EY extender, added with 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 mg GTE/100 mL extender and then frozen. After four weeks storage in liquid nitrogen, the sperm were thawed and evaluated for viability, motility, intact plasma membrane (IPM), and DNA fragmentation. Meanwhile, the estrus cycles of 48 recipient cows were synchronized by intramuscular administration of a single injection of 5 mg prostaglandin F2α. Estrus cows were divided into four equal groups and inseminated artificially 18 to 20 h after the onset of estrus by using semen from each extender group. Pregnancy was diagnosed by measuring serum progesterone levels at 21 days, followed by transrectal palpation 90 days after insemination. Results: The findings revealed that adding 0.1 mg of GTE/100 mL extender produced the highest percentages of sperm viability (70.67%±1.75%), motility (69.17%±1.47%), and IPM (69.23%±1.21%) and the lowest percentage of DNA fragmentation (3.00%±0.50%). The pregnancy diagnosis revealed that all cows (36/36) inseminated using frozen semen in GTE addition extender were pregnant (pregnancy rate 100%), whereas the pregnancy rate of the control group was 83.33% (10/12). Conclusion: It may be concluded that 0.1 mg GTE/100 mL extender yields the best quality of spermatozoa and that all variants doses of GTE in extender produce a higher pregnancy rate among recipient cows.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제39권5호
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• pp.258-263
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• 2022

An eight-year-old, intact female, Shih-Tzu, weighing 4.5 kg presented with complaints of anorexia, pale mucous membrane, and vomiting for the past 5 days. On physical examination, nausea, abdominal pain, and melena were noted. On hematologic examination, severe anemia and thrombocytosis were identified. On radiographs examination, soft tissue opacity with small faint mineral opacity mass in the mid-abdomen and two mineral opacity regions in the cranial aspect of mass were identified. Ultrasonographic findings showed thickening of descending duodenal wall with loss of layering and mineralization within the duodenal wall and mesentery adjacent to the duodenal lesion. Computerized tomography showed circumferential wall thickening of descending duodenum with mineralization. Mineralization of the mesentery and mesenteric lymph nodes was identified. Based on the diagnostic imaging, the tentative diagnosis was descending duodenal tumor with dystrophic mineralization. Endoscopy revealed mucosal hemorrhage and erythema within the descending duodenum and stomach. Surgery was performed, and mineralization in the pancreatic tail to duodenum and mesentery was found. Resection of the duodenum, regional lymph node, and mineralized pancreatic region and the duodenal anastomosis were performed. The histologic examination revealed a high-grade undifferentiated duodenal carcinoma with metastases to the regional lymph node and mesentery. The patient was managed with supportive therapy for 8 days and discharged. The patient was followed up for 5 months and there were no complications.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.269-277
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• 1995

Membrane vesicles were prepared by differential centrifugation from epithelial cells of porcine trachea. Total activity of microsomal ATPases was measured spectrophotometrically by a coupled enzyme assay. The steady-state activity of the enzyme was $329{\pm}10$ nmol/min mg protein. Thapsigargin, a specific antagonist of intracellular $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, inhibited about 50% of the activity, leaving $178{\pm}18\;nmol/min .mg$ protein (n=6), indicating that the $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ is one of the major microsomal ATPases. The microsomes used in this study appeared to be tight-sealed vesicles since they showed saturation in $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake experiments. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate $InsP_{3}, 4\;{\mu}M$, an agonist of $InsP_{3}$-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ release channel ($InsP_{3}$, receptor), and Ca-ionophore A23187 $(10\;{\mu}M)$ induced $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ releases of 20% and 50% of stored $^{45}Ca^{2+}$, respectively. The addition of $(10\;{\mu}M\;InsP_{3}$ also increased the microsomal ATPase activity from $282{\pm}8$ nmol/min mg protein to $334{\pm}21$ nmol/min . mg protein in the intact vesicles. Similar increase in the activity was observed by making microsomes leaky (uncoupling) using the Ca-ionophore A23187. ;$InsP_{3}-induced$ effects were blocked by either thapsigargin or heparin suggesting that: 1) the $InsP_{3}-induced$ increase in ATPase activity is mediated by microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, and 2) dissipation of $Ca^{2+}$ gradient across the microsomal membrane is responsible for the $InsP_{3}-induced$ effect. In order to test the dependence of the $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ activity on the activity of $InsP_{3}-induced$ the activity of ATPases was monitored in various concentrations of free $Ca^{2+}$ using $EGTA-Ca^{2+}$ buffers. The $Ca^{2+}$-dependent biphasic change is the well-known character of $InsP_{3} receptor but not of microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ in non-excitable cells; however, the activity of microsomal ATPase appeared biphasic and a maxim진 activity of $397{\pm}36nmol/min\;.mg$ protein was obtained in the solution containing 100 nM free $Ca^{2+}$. Below or above this concentration, the activity of ATPases was lower. These results strongly support a positive correlation of microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ to the $InsP_{3}$ receptors in epithelial microsomes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.24-31
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• 2005

본 연구는 2002년 9월 묘지 이장 과정 중에 경기도 파주에서 발견된 여성미라 머리카락의 미세구조와 보존상태를 투과 및 주사전자현미경으로 관찰하였다. 16세기에 만들어진 미라의 머리카락은 완벽한 상태로 관찰되었다. 머리카락의 큐티클층과 피질 및 수질도 분해되거나 부서지지 않은 상태로 보존되어 있다. 큐티클층은 윤곽이 뚜렷하게 구별되는데 이 층은 $6{\sim}7$개의 큐티클세포들로 구성되어 있다. 각각의 큐티클세포는 세포사이막복합체에 의해서 견고하게 부착되어 있다. 피질은 거대원섬유들에 의해서 채워져 있으며 이들 사이에 멜라닌과립들이 산재되어 있다. 막대모양을 하고 있는 거대원섬유는 머리카락의 종축을 따라 평행하게 배열되어 있다. 특히, 피질에서 멜라닌과립은 큐티클층과 인접한 부위에 집중적으로 분포되어 있다. 440년 동안 머리카락이 보존된 원인은 머리카락을 피복하고 있는 다양한 물질들에 의해서 일어났는데, 피복물질을 에너지분산분광분석기로 분석한 결과 칼슘성분이 검출되었다. 머리카락 표면을 덮고 있는 칼슘이온은 머리카락에 수분이나 미생물 등의 접촉을 억제하는 역할을 하는 것으로 사료된다.

• 식물조직배양학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.453-475
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• 1998

During the 100 years since the initial discovery of meiotic phenomenon many brilliant aspects have been elucidated, but further researches based on light microscopy alone as an experimental tool have been found to have some limits and shortcomings. By the use of electron microscopy and armed with the advanced knowledges on modern genetics and biochemistry it has been possible to applu molecular technology in gaining information on the detailed aspects of meiosis. As synapsis takes place, a three-layered proteinous structure called the synatonemal complex starts to form in the space between the homologous chromosomes. To be more precise, it begins to form along the paired chromosomes early in the prophase I of meiotic division. The mechanism that leads to precise point-by-point pairing between homologous chromocomes division. The mechamism that leads to precise point-by-point pairing between homologous chromosomes remains to be ascertained. Several items of information, however, suggest that chromsome alignment leading to synapsis may be mediated somehow by the nuclear membrane. Pachytene bivalents in eukaryotes are firmly attached to the inner niclear membrane at both termini. This attached begins with unpaired leptotene chromosomes that already have developed a lateral element. Once attached, the loptotene chromosomes begin to synapse. A number of different models have been proposed to account for genetic recombination via exchange between DNA strands following their breakage and subsequent reunion in new arrangement. One of the models accounting for molecular recombination leading to chromatid exchange and chiasma formation was first proposed in 1964 by Holliday, and 30 years later still a modified version of his model is favored. Nicks are made by endomuclease at corresponding sites on one strant of each DNA duplex in nonsister chromatid of a bivalent during prophase 1 of meiosis. The nicked strands loop-out and two strands reassociate into an exchanged arrangement, which is sealed by ligase. The remaining intact strand of each duplex is nicked at a site opposite the cross-over, and the exposed ends are digested by exonuclease action. Considerable progress has been made in recent years in the effort to define the molecular and organization features of the centromere region in the yeast chromosome. Centromere core region of the DNA duplex is flanked by 15 densely packed nucleosomes on ons side and by 3 packed nucleosomes on the other side, that is, 2000 bp on one side and 400 400 bp in the other side. All the telomeres of a given species share a common DNA sequence. Two ends of each chromosome are virtually identical. At the end of each chromosome there exist two kinds of DNA sequence" simple telpmeric sequences and telpmere-associated sequencies. Various studies of telomere replication, function, and behabior are now in progress, all greatly aided by molecular methods. During nuclear division in mitosis as well as in meiosis, the nucleili disappear by the time of metaphase and reappear during nuclear reorganizations in telophase. When telophase begins, small nucleoli form at the NOR of each nucleolar-organizing chromosome, enlarge, and fuse to form one or more large nucleoli. Nucleolus is a special structure attached top a specific nucleolar-organizing region located at a specific site of a particular chromosome. The nucleolus is a vertical factory for the synthesis of rRNAs and the assenbly of ribosome subunit precursors.sors.