• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1321-1323
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• 2015

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are microorganisms that are believed to provide health benefits. Here, we isolated LAB from Indian fermented foods, such as traditional Yogurt and Dosa. LAB from Yogurt most significantly induced TNF-α and IL-1β production, whereas LAB from Dosa induced mild cytokine production. After 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, a Yogurt-borne lactic acid bacterium was identified and classified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and it was renamed L. delbrueckii K552 for the further studies. Our data suggest that the newly isolated L. delbrueckii can be used for the treatment of immune deficiency disorders.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.709-716
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• 2018

A criticality safety analysis was performed for the APR-1400 spent fuel pool region-II to ensure the safe storage of spent fuel, with credit taken for depletion and in-rack neutron absorbers (Metamic panels). PLUS7 fuel assembly was modeled using TRITON-NEWT of SCALE-6.1. The burnup-dependent cross-section library was generated under limiting core-operating conditions with 5%-w U-235 initial enrichment. MCNP5 was used to evaluate the neutron multiplication factor in an infinite array of rack cells with the axially nonuniformly burnt PLUS7 assemblies under normal, abnormal, and accident conditions; including all biases and uncertainties. The main purpose of this study is to investigate reactivity variations due to the critical depletion and reactor operation parameters. The approach, assumptions, and modeling methods were verified by analyzing the contents of the most important fissile and the associated reactivity effects. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) guidance on k-eff being less than 1.0 for spent fuel pools filled with unborated water was the main criterion used in this study. It was found that assemblies with 49.0 GWd/MTU and 5.0 w/o U-235 initial enrichment loaded in Region-II satisfy this criterion. Moreover, it was found that the end effect resulted in a positive bias, thus ensuring its consideration.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.138-139
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• 2003

Specific biomarkers to detect significant immunological or physiological responses would be extremely valuable on the development of feeding technique. Proteomics, the study of proteins within a cell or biological samples, may offer a novel approach to immunological or physiological monitoring of chicken responses to immune system. By studying the protein content of cells responding to a vaccine or growth factor, it may be possible to develop a metric for quantitating the magnitude of immunological or physiological responses. Proteomics could also provide a tool for obtaining valuable information regarding the underlying regulatory mechanisms and pathways in Korean Native Chicken by comparing with subspecies of KNC and other species, like Cornish and White Leghorns.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.524-529
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• 2016

Controlling the production of diverse cell/tissue types is essential for the development of multicellular organisms such as animals and plants. The Arabidopsis thaliana root, which contains distinct cells/tissues along longitudinal and radial axes, has served as an elegant model to investigate how genetic programs and environmental signals interact to produce different cell/tissue types. In the root, a series of asymmetric cell divisions (ACDs) give rise to three ground tissue layers at maturity (endodermis, middle cortex, and cortex). Because the middle cortex is formed by a periclinal (parallel to the axis) ACD of the endodermis around 7 to 14 days post-germination, middle cortex formation is used as a parameter to assess maturation of the root ground tissue. Molecular, genetic, and physiological studies have revealed that the control of the timing and extent of middle cortex formation during root maturation relies on the interaction of plant hormones and transcription factors. In particular, abscisic acid and gibberellin act synergistically to regulate the timing and extent of middle cortex formation, unlike their typical antagonism. The SHORT-ROOT, SCARECROW, SCARECROW-LIKE 3, and DELLA transcription factors, all of which belong to the plant-specific GRAS family, play key roles in the regulation of middle cortex formation. Recently, two additional transcription factors, SEUSS and GA- AND ABA-RESPONSIVE ZINC FINGER, have also been characterized during ground tissue maturation. In this review, we provide a detailed account of the regulatory networks that control the timing and extent of middle cortex formation during post-embryonic root development.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2014

Jumonji domain-containing proteins (JMJD) catalyze the oxidative demethylation of a methylated lysine residue of histones by using $O_2$, ${\alpha}$-ketoglutarate, vitamin C, and Fe(II). Several JMJDs are induced by hypoxic stress to compensate their presumed reduction in catalytic activity under hypoxia. In this study, we showed that an H3K27me3 specific histone demethylase, JMJD3 was induced by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$ under hypoxia and that treatment with Clioquinol, a HIF-$1{\alpha}$ activator, increased JMJD3 expression even under normoxia. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses showed that both HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and its dimerization partner HIF-$1{\beta}$/Arnt occupied the first intron region of the mouse JMJD3 gene, whereas the HIF-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$ heterodimer bound to the upstream region of the human JMJD3, indicating that human and mouse JMJD3 have hypoxia-responsive regulatory regions in different locations. This study shows that both mouse and human JMJD3 are induced by HIF-1.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.501-510
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• 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in children. The global prevalence of pediatric NAFLD from general populations is 7.6%. In obese children, the prevalence is higher in Asia. NAFLD has a strong heritable component based on ethnic difference in the prevalence and clustering within families. Genetic polymorphisms of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3), transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2, and glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) are associated with the risk of NAFLD in children. Variants of PNPLA3 and GCKR are more common in Asians. Alterations of the gut microbiome might contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. High fructose intake increases the risk of NAFLD. Liver fibrosis is a poor prognostic factor for disease progression to cirrhosis. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance proton density fat fraction are more accurate for steatosis quantification than ultrasound. Noninvasive imaging methods to assess liver fibrosis, such as transient elastography, shear-wave elastography, and magnetic resonance elastography are useful in predicting advanced fibrosis, but they need further validation. Longitudinal follow-up studies into adulthood are needed to better understand the natural history of pediatric NAFLD.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.389-394
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• 2000

The Tcf-1 (1-cell factor-1) protein binds to the T-cell specific enhancer sequences and plays an architectural role in the assembly of transcriptional machinery. One of the Tcf family proteins, Tcf-4, was found to be an important regulator for colon cancer development where it activates specific genes upon binding to $\beta$-catenin following Wnt signaling. We were interested in the transcriptional regulatory activities of Tcf-1 and Tcf-4 proteins in T-cells and colon cancer cells. Transactivation assay was developed using a reporter plasmid containing luciferase gene under the control of Tcf responsive elements. Luciferase activity was determined following co-transfection of the reporter along with Tcf-1 and/or $\beta$-catenin expressing plasmids. Transcription was significantly induced by $\beta$-catenin expression in all cells. Tcf-1 by itself did not induce transcription in the mature T-cell lines, but overexpressed Tcf-1 greatly activated transcription in the immature T-cell line. In addition, transfected $\beta$-catenin induced apoptosis, but co-transfected Tcf-1 suppressed apoptosis in HEK293 cells. These results suggest that Tcf-1 and $\beta$-catenin differently regulate transcription and apoptosis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2008

Flow fields inside feeder pipes have been simulated numerically using a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code to calculate the shear stress distribution, which is the most important factor in predicting the local regions of feeder pipes highly susceptible to FAC (flow-accelerated corrosion)-induced wall thinning. The CFD approach, with schemes used in this study, to simulate the flow situations inside the CANDU feeder pipes has been verified as it showed a good agreement between the investigation results for the failed feedwater pipe at Surry unit 2 plant in the U.S. and the CFD calculation. Sensitivity studies of the three geometrical parameters, such as angle of the first and second bends, length of the first span between the grayloc hub and the first bend, and length of the second span between the first and the second bends have been performed. CFD analysis reveals that the local regions of feeder pipes of Wolsung unit 1 in Korea, on which wall thickness measurements have been performed so far, are not coincident with the worst regions predicted by the present CFD analysis located in the connection region of straight and bend pipe near the inlet part of the bend intrados. Finally, based on the results of the present CFD analysis, a guide to the selection of the weakest local positions where the measurement of wall thickness should be performed with higher priority has been provided.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.187-196
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• 2021

Vietnam has become one of the largest markets in Southeast Asia, with huge demand for many kinds of consumer goods, including dairy products. Although the domestic industry of producing and distributing milk has flourished dramatically in recent years, Vietnam still heavily hinges on dairy imports. The total value of milk products in 2020 exceeded 1 billion USD, leading to Vietnam being one of the 20 biggest importers of dairy milk globally. To explore this potential industry, we applied a multivariate linear regression model to investigate the milk consumption behaviors of Vietnamese adults. 2000 participants took part in our survey in which the products evaluated were Dielac Alpha - the most famous national powdered milk introduced in 2007 by Vinamilk. This product was designed for all ages, from children aged 0-6 to pregnant women or adults. The results indicate that the decision to purchase milk could be attributed to a host of factors. While price represents the most strongly influential factor, there might be variations according to consumer characteristics, namely age, marriage status, gender, and particular shopping behavior. From these findings, we propose some managerial implications for regulatory bodies and relevant enterprises to prepare appropriate policies and strategies for their business development.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.493-499
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• 2021

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the midbrain, which results in decreased dopamine levels accompanied by movement symptoms. Oral administration of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa), the precursor of dopamine, provides initial symptomatic relief, but abnormal involuntary movements develop later. A deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying dopamine homeostasis is thus critically needed for the development of a successful treatment. Here, we show that p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) controls dopamine levels. Constitutively active PAK4 (caPAK4) stimulated transcription of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) via the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) transcription factor. Moreover, caPAK4 increased the catalytic activity of TH through its phosphorylation of S⁴⁰, which is essential for TH activation. Consistent with this result, in human midbrain tissues, we observed a strong correlation between phosphorylated PAK4^S474, which represents PAK4 activity, and phosphorylated TH^S40, which reflects their enzymatic activity. Our findings suggest that targeting the PAK4 signaling pathways to restore dopamine levels may provide a new therapeutic approach in PD.