• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.266-271
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• 2017

Synthetic cannabinoids are one of most abused new psychoactive substances. The recreational use of abused drug has aroused serious concerns about the consequences of these drugs on infection. However, the effects of synthetic cannabinoid on resistance to tetanus toxin are not fully understood yet. In the present study, we aimed to determine if the administration of synthetic cannabinoids increase the susceptibility to tetanus toxin-induced motor behavioral deficit and functional changes in cerebellar neurons in mice. Furthermore, we measured T lymphocytes marker levels, such as CD8 and CD4 which against tetanus toxin. JWH-210 administration decreased expression levels of T cell activators including cluster of differentiation (CD) $3{\varepsilon}$, $CD3{\gamma}$, CD74p31, and CD74p41. In addition, we demonstrated that JWH-210 induced motor impairment and decrement of vesicle-associated membrane proteins 2 levels in the cerebellum of mice treated with tetanus toxin. Furthermore, cerebellar glutamatergic neuronal homeostasis was hampered by JWH-210 administration, as evidenced by increased glutamate concentration levels in the cerebellum. These results suggest that JWH-210 may increase the vulnerability to tetanus toxin via the regulation of immune function.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.281-289
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• 2015

This study was conducted to examine the effects of a supplemented Chungkukjang diet on oxidative stress and antioxidant nutrients in Streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg of BW, IP injection)-induced diabetic rats. Diets that contained soybean Chungkukjang powder (SC), Yakkong Chungkukjang powder (YC), and Yakkong Chungkukjang powder with black food added (YCB) were administered to the STZ-induced diabetic rats for seven weeks. The increased lipid peroxide contents of their serum and liver were slightly controlled by providing them three types of Chungkukjang. The retinol level in the serum was 7.5 times higher in the STZ-induced diabetic group after the provision of YC. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level in the serum was higher in the STZ-induced diabetic group after the provision of YCB. Also, the retinol and tocopherol levels in the liver of the STZ-induced diabetic rats increased after they were provided YCB, and the decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) /oxidized glutathione (GSSG) level in their liver improved after they were fed a diet that contained YC. Moreover, the decreased anthocyanin level in the liver of the STZ-induced diabetic group improved after the provision of three types of Chungkukjang powder. These findings suggest that the Chungkukjang diet is a valuable food for the management of the health of diabetic patients and for the prevention of diabetic complications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2001

Purpose: In this study, we developed a new software tool for the analysis of renal scintigraphy which can be modified more easily by a user who needs to study new clinical applications, and the appropriateness of the results from our program was studied. Materials and Methods: The analysis tool was programmed with IDL5.2 and designed for use on a personal computer running Windows. For testing the developed tool and studying the appropriateness of the calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), $^{99m}Tc$-DTPA was administered to 10 adults in normal condition. In order to study the appropriateness of the calculated mean transit time (MTT), $^{99m}Tc-DTPA\;and\;^{99m}Tc-MAG3$ were administered to 11 adults in normal condition and 22 kidneys were analyzed. All the images were acquired with ORBITOR. the Siemens gamma camera. Results: With the developed tool, we could show dynamic renal images and time activity curve (TAC) in each ROI and calculate clinical parameters of renal function. The results calculated by the developed tool were not different statistically from the results obtained by the Siemens application program (Tmax: p=0.68, Relative Renal Function: p:1.0, GFR: p=0.25) and the developed program proved reasonable. The MTT calculation tool proved to be reasonable by the evaluation of the influence of hydration status on MTT. Conclusion: We have obtained reasonable clinical parameters for the evaluation of renal function with the software tool developed in this study. The developed tool could prove more practical than conventional, commercial programs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2008

Pre-B-cell leukemia transcription factor 1 (PBX1), which is located on chromosome 1q23, was recently reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We examined whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the PBX1 gene are associated with overweight/obesity in a Korean population. We genotyped 66 SNPs in the PBX1 gene and investigated their association with clinical phenotypes found in 214 overweight/obese subjects and 160 control subjects using the Affymetrix Targeted Genotyping chip array. Seven SNPs (g.+75l86C>T, g.+78350C>A, g.+80646C>T, g.+138004C>T, g.+185219G>A, g.+191272A>C, and g.+265317T>A) were associated with the risk of obesity in three models (codominant, dominant, and recessive) (P=0.007-0.05). Haplotype 1 (CAC) and 3 (TAC) of block 3 and haplotype 2 (GGAAT) of block 10 were also strongly associated with the risk of obesity. In the control group, subjects that had homozygote for the major allele for both g.+185219G>A and g.+191272A>C showed lower high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level compared to those possessing the minor allele, suggesting that the association between the homozygote for the major allele for both g.+185219G>A and g.+191272A>C and HDL-C is attributable to the increased risk of obesity. This study suggests that the PBX1 gene is a possible risk factor in overweight/obese patients.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.237-247
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• 2018

This study aims to estimate optimal harvests, fishing efforts, and stock levels of hairtail harvested by the large pair bottom trawl, the large otter trawl, the large purse seine, the offshore long line, and the offshore angling fisheries by using the surplus production models and the current value Hamiltonian method. Processes of this study are as follows. First of all, this study estimates the standardized fishing efforts regarding the harvesting of the hairtail by the above five fishing gears based on the general linear model developed by Gavaris. Secondly, this study estimates environmental carrying capacity (k), intrinsic growth rate (r), and catchability coefficient (q) by applying the Clarke Yoshimoto Pooley (CY&P) model among various surplus production models. Thirdly, this study estimates the optimal harvests, fishing efforts, and stock levels regarding the hairtail by the current value Hamiltonian method, including the average landing price, the average unit cost, and the social discount rate. Finally, this study attempts a sensitivity analysis to figure out changes in optimal harvests, fishing efforts, and stock levels due to changes in the average landing price and the average unit cost. As results induced by the current value Hamiltonian method, the optimal harvests, fishing efforts, and stock levels regarding the hairtail caught by several fishing gears were estimated as 33,133 tons, 901,080 horse power, and 79,877 tons, respectively. In addition, from the results of the sensitivity analysis, first of all, if the average landing price of the hairtail constantly increases, the optimal harvests of it increase at a decreasing rate, and then harvests finally slightly decrease as a result of decreases in stock levels. Secondly, if the average unit cost of fishing efforts continuously increases, the optimal fishing efforts decreases, but optimal stock levels increase. Optimal harvests start climbing and then decrease continuously due to increases in the average unit cost. In summary, this study suggests that the optimal harvests (33,133 tons) were larger than actual harvests (25,133 tons), but the optimal fishing efforts (901,080 horse power) were much less than estimated standardized fishing efforts (1,277,284 horse power), corresponding to the average of the recent three years (2014-2016). This result implies that the hairtail has been inefficiently harvested and recently overfished due to excessive fishing efforts. Efficient management and conservation policies on stock levels need to be urgently implemented. Some appropriate strategies would be to include the hairtail in the Korean TAC species or to extend the closed fishing season for this species.