• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.716-728
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An imbalanced adipokine profile in obesity increases the susceptibility to obesity-related cardiometabolic alterations, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The mulberry plant has been reported to have health benefits, such as hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects. This study examined the effects of a mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit ethanol extract (MBEE) on dyslipidemia, liver steatosis, and adipokine imbalance in response to a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of 4 groups containing 6 rats each and fed either a control diet (CON), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat diet with MBEE of 150 mg/kg/day (LMB) or 300 mg/kg/day (HMB). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured spectrophotometrically. The leptin, adiponectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The plasma TG levels were similar in the 4 groups. Plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and TC/HDL-C ratio increased in the HFD group compared with the CON group, whereas those values decreased in the LMB group (P < 0.05), indicating that MBEE had a plasma lipid-lowering effect. HDL-C decreased in the HFD group, but MBEE did not affect the HDL-C level. The HFD rats significantly increased hepatic TG and cholesterol levels and plasma ALT and AST activities compared to the CON group. The hepatic TG level and ALT and AST activities were reduced markedly by the MBEE treatment. The HFD group showed a higher PAI-1 level, whereas MBEE treatment, especially in the HMB group, significantly reduced leptin level, and leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/ adiponectin ratios. These findings suggest that MBEE altered the imbalance between the pro-and anti-inflammatory adipokines to a more anti-inflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: MBEE could protect against abnormal lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis induced by a high-fat diet, lowering plasma cholesterol, LDL-C and TC/HDL-C, and hepatic TG. These findings are associated with the regulating effect of MBEE on the leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/adiponectin ratios.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2004

Purpose : The quantization noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems is analyzed. The signal-to-quantization noise ratio (SQNR) in the reconstructed image is derived from the level of quantization in the signal in spatial frequency domain. Based on the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with different receiver systems are evaluated. From the evaluation, the quantization noise could be a major noise source determining overall system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high field MRI system. A few methods to reduce the quantization noise are suggested. Materials and methods : In Fourier imaging methods, spin density distribution is encoded by phase and frequency encoding gradients in such a way that it becomes a distribution in the spatial frequency domain. Thus the quantization noise in the spatial frequency domain is expressed in terms of the SQNR in the reconstructed image. The validity of the derived formula is confirmed by experiments and computer simulation. Results : Using the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with various receiver systems are evaluated. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, yet it cannot be reduced by simple signal averaging, it could be a serious problem in high field imaging. In many receiver systems employing analog-to-digital converters (ADC) of 16 bits/sample, the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in a high field imaging. Conclusion : The field strength of MRI system keeps going higher for functional imaging and spectroscopy. In high field MRI system, signal amplitude becomes larger with more susceptibility effect and wider spectral separation. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, if the conversion bits of the ADCs in the receiver system are not large enough, the increase of signal amplitude may not be fully utilized for the SNR enhancement due to the increase of the quantization noise. Evaluation of the SQNR for various systems using the formula shows that the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in three dimensional imaging in a high field imaging. Oversampling and off-center sampling would be an alternative solution to reduce the quantization noise without replacement of the receiver system.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.18 no.1 s.38
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• pp.1-10
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• 1979

An inclusion forming virus isolated from a fan webworm, Hyphantria cunea, in 1975 was identified as a nuclear polyhedrosis virus. With the virus isolated in Korea, it was considered that the virus would be one of the valuable microorganism in microbial control. In this connection, 1) the shape and size of the virus for identification, 2) susceptibility of the various instar larvae to the virus, 3) the effects of storage condition on the pathogenicity and the cross infection of the virus to the larvae of Bombyx mori were examined. The results are summarized as follows; 1. The polyhedron was tetrahedron or hexahedron of $2\mu$ in size and the rod-shaped virus particles consisting of $2\~14$ rods in a bundle were $330m{\mu}\times35m{\mu}$ in size. 2. The hexagonal nuclear polyhedra were found only in the nucleus of the midgut cells but were variable in size. 3. The $LD_{50}$ values for the various instar larvae of H. cunea were $8.377\times10^4\;PIBs/ml$ for the second, $4.974\times10^5\;PIBs/ml$ for the fifth instar larvae. The $LT_{50}values$ for $10^6\;PIBs/ml$ were 9.6 days for the second, 11.5 days for the third, 12.0 days for the fourth and 17 days for the fifth instar larvae. 4. The susceptibility of H. cunea to the nuclear polyhedrosis virus was greater in the first generation than in the second generation. 5. The effect of the storage conditions on the pathogenicity of the nuclear polyhedra was less in refrigerator $(5^{\circ}C)$ and in freezing $(-80^{\circ}C)$ than in room temperature $(18.5^{\circ}C)$, especially as air-dried polyhedra than as suspension. The pathogenicity of the polyhedra seemed to decrease by sunlight during storage as cadavers, since rather greater decrease in pathogenicity was found in sunny condition than in shady condition. 6. The effective spray concentration was $6.4\times10^7\;PIBs/ml$ in the field and its $LT_50$ values for the third and the fifth instar larvae were 4.8 days and 14.2 days, respectively. 7. No cross infections were found in the nuclear polyhedrosis virus between H. cunea and B. mori. larvae.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6403-6409
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• 2013

Purpose: Biallelic germline variants of the 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OG) repair gene MYH have been associated with colorectal neoplasms that display somatic $G:C{\rightarrow}T:A$ transversions. However, the effect of single germline variants has not been widely studied, prompting the present investigation of monoallelic MYH variants and susceptibility to sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) in a Chinese population. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2012, 400 cases of sporadic CRC and 600 age- and sex-matched normal blood donors were screened randomly for 7 potentially pathogenic germline MYH exons using genetic testing technology. Variants of heterozygosity at the MYH locus were assessed in both sporadic cancer patients and healthy controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine risk factors for cancer onset. Results: Five monoallelic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the 7 exon regions of MYH, which were detected in 75 (18.75%) of 400 CRC patients as well as 42 (7%) of 600 normal controls. The region of exon 1 proved to be a linked polymorphic region for the first time, a triple linked variant including exon 1-316 $G{\rightarrow}A$, exon 1-292 $G{\rightarrow}A$ and intron 1+11 $C{\rightarrow}T$, being identified in 13 CRC patients and 2 normal blood donors. A variant of base replacement, intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$, was identified in the exon 10 region in 21 cases and 7 controls, while a similar type of variant in the exon 13 region, intron 13+12 $C{\rightarrow}T$, was identified in 8 cases and 6 controls. Not the only but a newly missense variant in the present study, p. V463E (Exon 14+74 $T{\rightarrow}A$), was identified in exon 14 in 6 patients and 1 normal control. In exon 16, nt. 1678-80 del GTT with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was identified in 27 CRC cases and 26 controls. There was no Y165C in exon 7 or G382D in exon 14, the hot-spot variants which have been reported most frequently in Caucasian studies. After univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, the linked variant in exon 1 region (p=0.002), intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$ (p=0.004) and p. V463E (p=0.036) in the MYH gene were selected as 3 independent risk factors for CRC. Conclusions: According to these results, the linked variant in Exon 1 region, Intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$ of base replacement and p. V463E of missense variant, the 3 heterozygosity variants of MYH gene in a Chinese population, may relate to the susceptibility to sporadic CRC. Lack of the hot-spot variants of Caucasians in the present study may due to the ethnic difference in MYH gene.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.405-410
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• 2003

Environmental stress is the major limiting factor in plant productivity. In order to evaluate the stress tolerance of potato plants, leaf discs of two potato cultivars, Atlantic and Superior, were subjected to various stress conditions of high temperature, methyl viologen, H2O2, or $H_2O$$_2$. When potato leaf discs were exposed to high temperature at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 84 hr, Atlantic plants, a cultivar with high sensitivity to heat stress, showed about 20％ higher membrane damage than Superior plants. When exposed to 2$\mu$M methyl violgen (MV), a superoxide generating non-selective herbicide, for 36 hr, Atlantic plants also showed about 38％ higher membrane damage than Superior plants, and were more susceptible up to 10$\mu$M MV concentration tested. On treatment with 0.75M NaCl, Atlantic plants also had about 45％ less chlorophyll contents in leaf discs than Superior plants. There was, however, no difference in chlorophyll content of two cultivars at higher NaCl concentrations. The effect of $H_2O$$_2$ on the two cultivars was mixed. At low $H_2O$$_2$ concentration (25 mM) , Superior plants were more susceptible to $H_2O$$_2$stress after 36 hr. However, at high $H_2O$$_2$ concentration (100 mM), Atlantic plants exhibited higher susceptibility after 36 hr. The results indicate that in vitro leaf discs reflecting the whole plants in this study will be useful for selection and characterization of elite transgenic potato plants with enhanced tolerance to environmental stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.463-472
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• 2015

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a peptide expressed in all body tissues, and its related receptors are increased in liver fibrosis. In this study, we evaluated the effect of AM deficiency on liver fibrogenesis induced by $CCl_4$ using AM heterozygous (HT) mice. The animals received a single injection of $CCl_4$ or olive oil for the acute experiment, and received $CCl_4$ or olive oil three times a week for 6 weeks for the chronic experiment. Fibrosis was accessed using histopathological analysis and the western blot. The AM HT mice showed mild pericentrilobular degeneration when compared to the AM wild type (WT) mice. In the acute experiment, there was no significant difference between the AM WT and AM HT mice. However, in the chronic experiment, the $CCl_4$-treated AM HT mice showed more severe liver fibrosis than that of the CCl₄-treated AM WT mice. The AST and ALT levels of the AM HT $CCl_4$ group were higher than those of the AM WT CCl₄ group. Additionally, the collagen deposition, $\alpha$- SMA protein and TGF-$\beta$ protein were increased in the AM HT $CCl_4$ group when compared to the AM WT $CCl_4$ group. The AM HT mice also exhibited severe lipid peroxidation through the GSH decrement. Taken together, our data suggest that AM deficiency increases the susceptibility to liver fibrosis induced by $CCl_4$, indicating a novel therapeutic target for patients with liver fibrosis.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.702-708
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• 2011

There are considerable areas of wet paddy fields in Korea that requires improvement of its drainage system. In poorly drained sloping paddy fields, upland crops can be damaged by either rainfall or capillary rise of the water table caused by percolating water beneath the upper fields during summertime rainy season. The purpose of this study is to evaluate excess water stress of soybean yield by drainage systems. Four drainage methods namely open ditch, vinyl barrier, pipe drainage and tube bundle were installed within 1-m position at the lower edge of the upper paddy fields. Stress Day Index (SDI) approach was developed to quantify the the cumulative effect of stress imposed on a soybean yield throughout the growing season. SDI was determined from a stress day factor (SD) and a crop susceptibility factor (CS). The stress day factor is a measure degree and duration of stress of the ($SEW_{30}$). The crop susceptibility factor (CS) depends of a given excess water on crop stage. The results showed that SDI used to represent the moisture stress index was most low on the pipe drainage 64.75 compared with the open ditch 355.4, vinyl barrier 271.55 and tube bundle 171.55. Soybean grain yield increased continuously with the rate of 3% in Vinyl Barrier, 32% in Pipe Drainage and 16% in Tube Bundle.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.48-58
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• 2024

Salmonella is a common food-borne intracellular bacterial pathogen that has triggered significant public health concerns. Salmonella hosts' genetic factors play a pivotal role in determining their susceptibility to the pathogen. Cysteine-rich intestinal protein 1 (CRIP1), a member of LIM/double zinc finger protein family, is widely expressed in humans, such as in the lungs, spleen, and especially the gut. Recently, CRIP1 has been reported as a key marker of several immune disorders; however, the effect of CRIP1 on bacterial infection remains unknown. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between Salmonella infection and CRIP1 gene deficiency, as Salmonella spp. is known to invade the Peyer's patches of the small intestine, where CRIP1 is highly expressed. We found that CRIP1-deficient conditions could not alter the characteristics of bone marrow-derived myeloid cells in terms of phagocytosis on macrophages and the activation of costimulatory molecules on dendritic cells using ex vivo differentiation. Moreover, flow cytometry data showed comparable levels of MHCII⁺CD11b⁺CD11c⁺ dendritic cells and MHCII⁺F4/80⁺CD11b⁺ macrophages between WT and CRIP1 knockout (KO) mice. Interestingly, the basal population of monocytes in the spleen and neutrophils in MLNs is more abundant in a steady state of CRIP1 KO mice than WT mice. Here, we demonstrated that the CRIP1 genetic factor plays dispensable roles in host susceptibility to Salmonella Typhimurium infections and the activation of myeloid cells. In addition, differential immune cell populations without antigen exposure in CRIP1 KO mice suggest that the regulation of CRIP1 expression may be a novel immunotherapeutic approach to various infectious diseases.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.10-24
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• 2017

Purpose: GST (glutathione S-transferase) M1 and T1 gene polymorphisms are known to affect antioxidant levels. This study was carried out to evaluate genetic susceptibility by measuring the effect of DNA damage reduction in the Korean diet by vegetable food according to GST gene polymorphisms using the ex vivo method with human lymphocytes. Methods: Vegetable foods in the Korean diet based the results of the KNHANES V-2 (2011) were classified into 10 food groups. A total of 84 foods, which constituted more than 1% of the total intake in each food group, were finally designated as a vegetable food in the Korean diet. The Korean diet applied in this study is the standard one-week meals for Koreans (2,000 Kcal/day) suggested by the 2010 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans. Ex vivo DNA damage in human lymphocytes was assessed using comet assay. Results: In the Korean food group, the DNA damage protective effect of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was found to be greater in mutant type and wild-type, respectively. and the DNA damage protective effect according to the combined genotype of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was different depending on the food group. On the other hand, in Korean Diet, the DNA damage protective effect appeared to be larger in GSTM1 wild-type than in mutant type and was found to not be affected by GSTT1 genotype. Conclusion: These results can be used as basic data to demonstrate the superiority of the antioxidant function of Korean dietary patterns and food groups. Furthermore, it may be a starting point to begin research on customized antioxidant nutrition according to individual genes.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2020

This study evaluated calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) and a combination of plant extracts ('natural product'; clove, cinnamon, and saponin; 1:1:1 ratio) as acaricidal control mechanisms for poultry red mites. Red mite susceptibility was evaluated after treatments with 10% slaked lime, 20% slaked lime, and 1% natural product. The duration of the acaricidal effect was also tested at 0, 10, 30, and 60 min after treatment using 20% slaked lime, 1% natural product, or a mixture of both. In the in vitro experiment, the slaked lime treatments were 73.2% (10% slaked lime) and 85.1% (20% slaked lime) effective on red mites. In acaricidal effect of control materials over times, with 20% slaked lime, the acaricidal effect decreased to 50.7% after 30 min, and 12.7% after 60 min (P<0.05). With 1% natural product, there was no acaricidal effect after 30 min (P<0.05). With 20% slaked lime +1% natural product, all of poultry red mites died until 30 min, and 92.9% after 60 min (P<0.05). On the farm, poultry red mites were observed that the number of poultry red mites increased 7,923 from 36 to 45 weeks, but then decreased to 483 after 20% slaked lime plus 1% natural product treatment. These results indicate that combining slaked lime and plant extracts effectively control poultry red mites.