• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2004

The soil bacterial community and some inoculated bacteria were monitored to assess the microbial responses to prescribed fire in their microcosm. An acridine orange direct count of the bacteria in the unburned control soil were maintained at a relatively stable level $(2.0\~2.7\times10^9\;cells/g^{-1}{\cdot}soil)$ during the 180 day study period. The number of bacteria in the surface soil was decreased by fire, but was restored after 3 months. Inoculation of some bacteria increased the number of inoculated bacteria sev­eral times and these elevated levels lasted several months. The ratios of eubacteria detected by a flu­orescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method to direct bacterial count were in the range of $60\~80\%$ during the study period, with the exception of some lower values at the beginning, but there were no definite differences between the burned and unburned soils or the inoculated and uninoculated soils. In the unburned control soil, the ratios of $\alpha-,\beta-\;and\;\gamma-subgroups$ of the proteobacteria, Cytophaga-Fla­vobacterium and other eubacteria groups to that of the entire eubacteria were 13.7, 31.7, 17.1, 16.8 and $20.8\%,$ respectively, at time 0. The overall change on the patterns of the ratios of the 5 subgroups of eubacteria in the uninoculated burned and inoculated soils were similar to those of the unburned con­trol soil, with the exception of some minor variations during the initial period. The proportions of each group of eubacteria became similar in the different microcosms after 6 months, which may indicate the recovery of the original soil microbial community structure after fire or the inoculation of some bac­teria. The populations of Azotobacter vinelandii, Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens, which had been inoculated to enhance the microbial activities, and monitored by FISH method, showed similar changes in the microcosms, and maintained high levels for several months.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1215-1224
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• 2017

Objective: To assess the differences in ovarian transcriptomes in Shan Ma ducks between their peak and late stages of egg production, and to obtain new transcriptomic data of these egg-producing ducks. Methods: The Illumina HiSeq 2000 system was used for high throughput sequencing of ovarian transcriptomes from Shan Ma ducks at their peak or late stages of egg production. Results: Greater than 93% of the sequencing data had a base quality score (Q score) that was not less than 20 (Q20). From ducks at their peak stage of egg production, 42,782,676 reads were obtained, with 4,307,499,083 bp sequenced. From ducks at their late stage of egg production, 45,316,166 reads were obtained, with 4,562,063,363 bp sequenced. A comparison of the two datasets identified 2,002 differentially expressed genes, with 790 upregulated and 1,212 downregulated. Further analysis showed that 1,645 of the 2,002 differentially expressed genes were annotated in the non-redundant (NR) database, with 646 upregulated and 999 downregulated. Among the differentially expressed genes with annotations in the NR database, 696 genes were functionally annotated in the clusters of orthologous groups of proteins database, involving 25 functional categories. One thousand two hundred four of the differentially expressed genes with annotations in the NR database were functionally annotated in the gene ontology (GO) database, and could be divided into three domains and 56 categories. The three domains were cellular component, molecular function, and biological process. Among the genes identified in the GO database, 451 are involved in development and reproduction. Analysis of the differentially expressed genes with annotations in the NR database against the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes database revealed that 446 of the genes could be assigned to 175 metabolic pathways, of which the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, fructose and mannose metabolic pathways, gonadotropin releasing hormone signaling pathway and transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway were significantly enriched. Conclusion: The differences in ovarian transcriptomes in Shan Ma ducks between their peak and late stages of egg production were elucidated, which greatly enriched the ovarian transcriptomic information of egg-producing ducks.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2013

Nanotoxicological research has shown toxicity of nanomaterials to be inversely related to particle size. However, the contribution of agglomeration to the toxicity of nanomaterials has not been sufficiently studied, although it is known that agglomeration is associated with increased nanomaterial size. In this study, we prepared aerosols of nano-sized carbon black by 2 different ways to verify the effects of agglomeration on the toxicity and deposition of nano-sized carbon black. The 2 methods of preparation included the carbon black dispersion method that facilitated clustering without sonication and the carbon black dispersion method involving sonication to achieve scattering and deagglomeration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to carbon black aerosols 6 hr a day for 3 days or for 2 weeks. The median mass aerodynamic diameter of carbon black aerosols averaged $2.08{\mu}m$ (for aerosol prepared without sonication; group N) and $1.79{\mu}m$ (for aerosol prepared without sonication; group S). The average concentration of carbon black during the exposure period for group N and group S was $13.08{\pm}3.18mg/m^3$ and $13.67{\pm}3.54mg/m^3$, respectively, in the 3-day experiment. The average concentration during the 2-week experiment was $9.83{\pm}3.42mg/m^3$ and $9.08{\pm}4.49mg/m^3$ for group N and group S, respectively. The amount of carbon black deposition in the lungs was significantly higher in group S than in group N in both 3-day and 2-week experiments. The number of total cells, macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and the number of total white blood cells and neutrophils in the blood in the 2-week experiment were significantly higher in group S than in normal control. However, differences were not found in the inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, etc.) and protein indicators of cell damage (albumin and lactate dehydrogenase) in the BAL fluid of both group N and group S as compared to the normal control. In conclusion, carbon black aerosol generated by sonication possesses smaller nanoparticles that are deposited to a greater extent in the lungs than is aerosol formulated without sonication. Additionally, rats were narrowly more affected when exposed to carbon black aerosol generated by sonication as compared to that produced without sonication.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.551-558
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• 1992

The extracellular endoinulase from Streptomyces sp. 556 was purified and characterized, The culture broth was fractionated by ammonium sulfate saturation followed by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and 5ephadex G-200 gel filtration, The ultimately purified fraction revealed a single band in 7.5% polyacrylamide gel electropherogram. The purified enzyme showed the maximal activity at pH 5.5-6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, but lost 93% of inulase activity after 30 min incubation at $55^{\circ}C$ . The essen.tial amino acid residue for catalytic activity appeared to be tryptophan. This endo inulase was activated by $Mn^{2+}$, whereas inactivated by $Ag^{+}$, $Hg^{+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Fe^{3+}$ and $Mo^{6+}$ EDTA and 8-hydroxyquinoline inhibited the enzyme so that the enzyme was considered to be a metalloenzyme. The Km value for inulin was 0.287 mM, and no invertase or $\alpha$-glucosidase activity was found in the enzyme.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 1974

Digestibilities of flour of white wheat, barley, potato, sweet potato, are $5{\sim}11$ percent (3hrs.) in unripe starch state and in gelatinization, digestibilities are up to $20{\sim}30$ percent (3hrs.). And in two states, digestibilities of flour of potato and sweet potato are lower than barley and white wheat flour. If it is not gelatinization, digestibilities of biscuit and cracker are much lower than popped cake (29%). In gelatinization, digestibilities of biscuit and cracker $(19{\sim}29%,\;3hrs.)$ are similar to gelatinized flour of materials. Digestibilities of bread and castern is $21{\sim}32$ percent, it is similar to gelatinized flour of materials. And bread is higher than castera. Digestibility of on the marketing weaning food (II) (15%, 3hrs.) is much lower than food (I) (24.1%, 3hrs.) When the date of manufacturing passed $1{\sim}2$ months, digestibility of some cookies have a tendency to low. When mothers choice the infant weaning food, they consider metritional value (42%) and digestibility (27%). Also when they make weaning food at home, they generally use flour of rice (41%) and white wheat (23%). And they think, the rate of digestion is 49% in the rice flour and white wheat (23%). It was sort of cooked of rice (16%) and weaning food on the marketing(13%), which accepts to good digest. Also it was sort of biscuits (44%) which comparatively high choice snack food.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.6
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• pp.400-407
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• 2011

Background: There were a few studies which were conducted to know about the behavior of the chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients. The aims of this study was to explore the behaviour of COPD patients, such as awareness and impact of disease, the pathway of visiting doctors, and the treatment pattern and preference. Methods: A face-to-face interview of 300 subjects with COPD was conducted. Results: The most concerned symptom which made the respondents to visit the hospital was 'breathlessness' (78%). Only 58% of them knew the exact diagnosis. Seventy-three percent of them visited the hospital 'once a month' or 'once every 2 month'. They have made 12.8 prescheduled visits to the hospital in the past 1 year. Unscheduled visits and hospital stay figured to two in the past year. Only 11% of respondents felt they were currently in good health. 'Severe' and 'very severe' COPD patients perceived their health to be in a worse condition than 'mild' and 'moderate' COPD patients. When conditions worsened, 42% of patients were hospitalized. The most common prescription treatment was a fixed combination of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting ${\beta}2$ agonists (48%), followed by a long acting anticholinergics (38%). Conclusion: Over forty percent of the patients didn't know exactly about their condition. Most of them had a negative attitude toward their current health status. Doctors need to know more about COPD patients in terms of their attitude toward the disease, impact of the disease, interaction with healthcare professionals and treatment related problems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.193-202
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• 2010

In vitro activities of Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) 70% ethanol extract and its fractions (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water) were examined by total polyphenol content, reducing power, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-$\beta$-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. The ethyl acetate fraction from CL ethanol extract (CLEA) showed the highest total polyphenol content (22.7 mg/g) among five fractions, and also exhibited an excellent reducing power (0.42~1.27 at $250\sim1,000\;{\mu}g/mL$). CLEA at $100\sim400\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentrations had 27.7~70.3% of ABTS radical scavenging activity and the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (81.6% at $400\;{\mu}g/mL$). CLEA had dominantly higher $ORAC_{{ROO}{\cdot}}$activity compared to other fractions. CLEA and butanol fraction had significantly higher $ORAC_{{OH}{\cdot}}$ activities than 70% ethanol extract, hexane, chloroform and water fractions. The CLEA exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in CL 70% ethanol extract and its fractions. Thus, effect of CLEA treatment on antioxidant gene expression under the oxidative stress conditions by a high fat diet in animal model was studied by microarray and RT-PCR methods. The 31 antioxidant genes were expressed but the genes were not up-regulated at least a two-fold by CLEA treatment. We concluded that CLEA does not have an indirect antioxidant effect but a direct antioxidant effect by up-regulation of antioxidant genes in high fat diet-induced obese mice.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.838-844
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to perform a functional components analysis and investigate the physical properties of powders made from the stems or fruit of freeze-dried Cheonnyuncho cactus (Opuntia humifusa). The functional components analysis showed that the stem and fruit powders han vitamin C levels of 42.14 mg and 105.21 mg, respectively. The stems powder contained more lutein than the fruit powder. The fruit powder contained more vitamin C than the stem powder. The SDF (soluble dietary fiber) and IDF (insoluble dietary fiber) in the stem powder were 45.24% and 22.15%, respectively, which were higher then the values for the fruit powder. The stem and fruit powders contained 19.30 mg/g and 25.10 mg/g of crude saponin, respectively. The pH of the stem and fruit powders was 5.34 and 5.07, respectively, both indicating low acidity. The L, a and b values of the stem powder color were 78.28, -3.71, and 19.19, respectively. The L, a and b values of the fruit powder color were 55.56, 24.84, and -3.18, respectively. The stems powder had a higher bulk density, water holding capacity, and swelling power than those of the fruit powder, but water-retaining capacity of the stem powder was lower than that of the fruit powder. In addition, the stems powder had a higher viscous material content and water uptake compared to the fruit powder. Based on the above results, we determined that Cheonnyuncho (Opuntia humifusa) powder had potentially useful functional components and physical properties.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1592-1597
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• 2013

Type of dietary direct-fed microbials (DFMs) or poultry litter could directly influence the composition of gut microbiota. Gut microbiota plays an important role in shaping the developing immune system and maintaining the homeostasis of the mature immune system in mammal and chickens. The present study was carried out to investigate the interaction among litter, DFMs and immunity in broiler chickens exposed to a field-simulated environment. Immune status of broiler chickens was assessed by serum antibodies against Eimeria spp. and Clostridium spp. and intestinal cytokine mRNA expression. The current experimental design had a $3{\times}2$ factorial arrangement of treatments with three types of litter, i.e., fresh litter or used litter that was obtained from a farm with no disease outbreak (used litter) or a farm with history of a gangrenous dermatitis outbreak (GD litter), and two dietary treatments with or without DFMs. It was found that either DFM addition or type of litter significantly affected anticoccidial antibody levels of broiler chickens at d 42. In general, dietary DFMs increased the anticoccidial antibodies in the fresh-litter raised chickens, but lowered the levels in the GD-litter raised chickens. Serum antibodies against Clostridium perfringens ${\alpha}$-toxin were significantly (p<0.05) higher in chickens raised on GD litter compared with those raised on fresh litter. Cytokine mRNA expression was significantly (p<0.05) altered by either the type of litter or DFMs. Of interest, dietary DFMs lowered interferon-${\gamma}$, interleukin 1beta, and CXCLi2 cytokine mRNA expression in chickens raised on fresh litter but increased them in GD-litter raised chickens. In conclusion, dietary DFMs modulate various immune parameters of broiler chickens, but the DFM-mediated effects were dependent upon the type of litter on which chickens were raised.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.186-193
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• 2005

Purpose: To improve the management of a medical linear accelerator, the records of operational failures of a Varian CL2l00C over a ten year period were retrospectively analyzed. Materials and Methods: The failures were classified according to the involved functional subunits, with each class rated Into one of three levels depending on the operational conditions. The relationships between the failure rate and working ratio and between the failure rate and outside temperature were investigated. In addition, the average life time of the main part and the operating efficiency over the last 4 years were analyzed. Results: Among the recorded failures (total 587 failures), the most frequent failure was observed in the parts related with the collimation system, including the monitor chamber, which accounted for $20\%$ of all failures. With regard to the operational conditions, 2nd level of failures, which temporally interrupted treatments, were the most frequent. Third level of failures, which interrupted treatment for more than several hours, were mostly caused by the accelerating subunit. The number of failures was increased with number of treatments and operating time. The average life-times of the Klystron and Thyratron became shorter as the working ratio increased, and were 42 and $83\%$ of the expected values, respectively. The operating efficiency was maintained at $95\%$ or higher, but this value slightly decreased. There was no significant correlation between the number of failures and the outside temperature. Conclusion: The maintenance of detailed equipment problems and failures records over a long period of time can provide good knowledge of equipment function as well as the capability of predicting future failure. Wore rigorous equipment maintenance Is required for old medical linear accelerators for the advanced avoidance of serious failure and to improve the qualify of patient treatment.