• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.527-539
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• 2010

This study was conducted to determine the effect of probiotics as an alternative for antibiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, noxious gas emission and fecal microbial population in growing piglets. A total of 96 piglets ($22.5{\pm}1.3$kg average body weight) were allotted to 3 different treatment groups and replicated 4 times with 8 piglets per replicate in randomized complete block design. Treatments were T1) (Control, basal diet+0.2% antibiotics), T2) 0.2% probiotics complex and T3) 0.3% Bacillus probiotics. During the whole experiment period, there were no differences (p>0.05) in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed efficiency. However, digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen free extract and crude ash were showed higher in probiotics groups (T2 and T3) than those of control. In noxious gas emission, ammonia, amine, hydrogen sulfide and mercaptan were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in T2 and T3 treatments compared to those in control. Moisture content of feces was not significantly different among treatments. The colony forming units (CFU) of total bacteria, E. coli and thermoduric bacteria in feces were significantly different among treatments. The CFU of total bacteria, E. coli and thermoduric bacteria in T3 treatment were reduced by feeding probiotics B. From this study, we suggest that probiotics A and B are likely able to improve the growth performance and nutrients digestibility, reduce noxious gas emission and change the fecal microbial composition in growing piglets.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2022

As a cultivar of Korean wheat, 'Keumgang' wheat variety has a fast growth period and can be grown stably. Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) has moderately high salt tolerance compared to tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). However, the molecular mechanisms related to salt tolerance of hexaploid wheat have not been elucidated yet. In this study, the candidate genes related to salt tolerance were identified by investigating the genes that are differently expressed in Keumgang variety and examining salt tolerant mutation '2020-s1340.'. A total of 85,771,537 reads were obtained after quality filtering using NextSeq 500 Illumina sequencing technology. A total of 23,634,438 reads were aligned with the NCBI Campala Lr22a pseudomolecule v5 reference genome (Triticum aestivum). A total of 282 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the two Triticum aestivum materials. These DEGs have functions, including salt tolerance related traits such as 'wall-associated receptor kinase-like 8', 'cytochrome P450', '6-phosphofructokinase 2'. In addition, the identified DEGs were classified into three categories, including biological process, molecular function, cellular component using gene ontology analysis. These DEGs were enriched significantly for terms such as the 'copper ion transport', 'oxidation-reduction process', 'alternative oxidase activity'. These results, which were obtained using RNA-seq analysis, will improve our understanding of salt tolerance of wheat. Moreover, this study will be a useful resource for breeding wheat varieties with improved salt tolerance using molecular breeding technology.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1259-1268
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated antimicrobial peptide from the acidified muscle extract of Mytilus coruscus, which mostly inhabits China, Japan, and Korea, to develop a natural product-derived antibiotics substitution in terms of its abuse and restriction. Antimicrobial peptide was purified by $C_{18}$ reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and was detected as having a molecular mass of 6,701 Da by MALDI-TOF/MS. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified peak was obtained from edman degradation, and 20 identified residues shown 100% identity with the N-terminus region of sperm-specific protein and protamine-like PL-II/PL-IV precursor of Mytilus californianus. We also identified 60 open-reading frame (ORF) encoding amino acids with 183 bp of purified peptide based on the obtained amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of ORF showed 100% and the nucleotide sequence revealed 97.2% identity with the protamine-like PL-II/PL-IV precursor of Mytilus californianus. Synthesized antimicrobial peptide showed antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus (minimal effective concentration [MEC], $20.8{\mu}g/ml$), Bacillus subtilis (MEC, $0.2{\mu}g/ml$), Streptococcus mutans (MEC, $0.2{\mu}g/ml$), gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MEC, $5.7{\mu}g/ml$), Escherichia coli (MEC, $2.6{\mu}g/ml$) and fungi, Candida albicans (MEC, $56.3{\mu}g/ml$). In addition, synthesized peptide showed stable activities under heat and salt conditions against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, but was inhibited by salt against only C. albicans. With these results, isolated peptide from M. coruscus could be an alternative agent to antibiotics for defending against pathogenic microorganisms, and helpful information to understand the innate immune system of marine invertebrates.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of organic acid mixture on growth performance, cecal microflora, blood characteristics and immune response in broiler chicks and to prove the possibility of organic acid mixture as an alternative to antibiotics growth promotor. A total of four hundred eighty, 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross$\times$Ross 308) were randomly divided into 4 groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds each. The treatments were NC (free antibiotics), PC (basal diet with virginiamycin 10 ppm and salinomycin 60 ppm), 0.3% organic acid, and 0.5% organic acid. The final body weight and body weight gain were significantly higher in organic acid 0.5% than NC (P<0.05). The feed conversion ratio in all treated groups were significantly improved as compared to that of NC (P<0.05). The carcass rate and relative organs weight were not significantly difference among the groups. The relative weight and length of small intestine in PC were significantly decreased than the other groups. The numbers of cecal coliform bacteria and Salmonella in all treated groups were significantly lower than NC (P<0.05). The number of cecal lactic acid bacteria was not different among the groups. No significant differences among the groups were observed in the contents of total cholesterol, triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in blood serum. The contents of total protein and globulin in blood serum of PC and organic acid treated groups were significantly increased as compared to those of NC (P<0.05). Therefore, albumin:globulin ratio of PC and organic acid treated groups was significantly lower than NC (P<0.05). The total white blood cell (WBC), heterophil, lymphocyte, and stress indicator (heterophil:lymphocyte ratio) were not significantly different among the groups. No significant difference was observed on the expression rate of splenic cytokines mRNA in organic acid treated groups compared to the control. Consequently, supplemental organic acid mixture improved the growth performance, and influenced positive effects on the intestinal microflora by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria without any adverse effects on relative weights of organs and blood biochemical parameters in broiler chicks.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.242-251
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• 2004

Purpose: Recently, because of the increasing numbers of early gastric cancer patients and improvements in their survivals, greater attention has been directed towards the quality of life and nutritional status of gastric cancer patients after surgery. However, conventional reconstructions, Billroth- I, -II (B-I and B-II) or Roux-en-Y, have proven to have certain limitations, such as a small reservoir, and a malabsorption for iron, fat, calcium, and carotene. To overcome these limitations, we used a jejunal pouch interposition(JPI) after a distal gastrectomy not only to substitute for the small reservoir but also to maintain a physiologic pathway for ingested foods. Materials and Methods: A total of 196 gastric cancer patients who underwent a distal gastrectomy between March 2001 and February 2004 were divided into 3 groups: JPI group (n=100), B-I group (n=29), and B-II group (n=67). We assessed the patient's nutritional status, gastric emptying time, and gastrofiberscopic findings. Results: The percents of body weight loss at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively in the JPI group ($5.14\%,\;3.01\%,\;2.37\%$) were significantly less than those of the conventional B-I ($8.41\%,\;6.69\%,\;5.90\%$) and B-II groups ($7.50\%,\;7.65\%,\;5.86\%$) (P=0.011, 0.000, 0.013). The laboratory findings showed no significant differences between the 3 groups, except for a higher total protein level in the JPI group after 6 months postoperatively. Especially, stage I and II cancers in the JPI group showed much higher total protein levels after 1 year postoperatively. The gastric emptying times in the $\^{99m}$Tc- semisolid scans at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively were 102.5, 83.1, and 58.1 minutes in the JPI group, 95.5, 92.0, and 58.5 minutes in the B-I group, and 53.9, 69.1, and 50.2 minutes in the B-II group, respectively. Also, the symptomatic gastric stasis detected with a gastrofiberscope during the early postoperative period (6 months) was gradually improved. Conclusion: From a nutritional aspect, a jejunal pouch interposition after a distal gastrectomy could be an alternative reconstruction method, especially in stage I and II gastric cancer patients, in spite of the longer operation time and the probable delayed gastric emptying.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary resveratrol on growth performance, blood biochemical parameters, immunoglobulin, and blood antioxidant activity in broiler chicks. Three hundred twenty one-day old broiler chicks were divided 8 treatments (C(-), basal diet; C(+), basal diet with antibiotics; DL-${\alpha}$-tocopherol 20 IU; DL-${\alpha}$-tocopherol 200 IU; resveratrol 20 ppm; resveratrol 200 ppm; methylated resveratrol 20 ppm; methylated resveratrol 200 ppm) with 4 replicates and 10 birds per replicate. Birds were reared for 35 days, and, at the age of 35 days, eight birds of average weight from each replicate were selected for blood samples collection. There were no significant differences on feed intake and feed conversion ratio. But final body weight and weight gain in antibiotics, resveratrol and methylated resveratrol treatments were significantly higher than no-antibiotics and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol treatments (P<0.05). There were no significant differences on carcass rate and relative organ weights among treatments, however, weights of liver and bursa of februcius in antibiotics, resveratrol and methylated resveratrol treatment were lower than other treatments. Weight of pancreas was high in resveratrol and methylated treatment. On the cecal microflora (total microbes, Coliform bacteria, Salmonella spp., and lactic acid bacteria), these in resveratrol and methylated resveratrol treatments didn't show the differences compared with those in no-antibiotics, antibiotics, and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol treatments. In the serum, there were no significant differences on creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) among treatments, though globulin contents of reseveratrol 200 ppm and methylated resveratrol 20 ppm treatments decreased compared to those of other treatments. Immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG and IgM) were significantly decreased in antibiotics and resveratrol treatments compared to that of no-antibiotics and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol treatments (P<0.05). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) like activity tended to increase in resveratrol groups (P<0.05), however, there was no significant difference on malondiakdehyde (MDA) content among treatments. In conclusion, these results showed that resveratrol derived from mulberry can be used as alternative of antibiotics through improvement of broiler's performance and maintain of health.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2004

The over-expression in E. coli of the pHLN1-SO(＋) and pHLN2-80(－) plasmids cloned an insecticidal crystal protein (ICP) gene (crylAal type) from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD 1 was investigated through in part, the deletion of -80 bp promoter and an alternative change of cloning vector system. Two recombinant plasmids were constructed in an attempt to analyze the over-expression of the ICP in relations to its gene structure possessing only -14 bp ［Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of -80 bp promoter］. Also, anther two recombinant plasmids similarly cloned the icp gene in a different vector system. The amounts of ICP produced from the recombinants were measured by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blot analysis. One clone, pHLRBS1-14 clone in which only the SD sequence in the inverted orientation icp gene appeared, was more evident than the pHLRBS2-14 clone in which only the -14 bp SD sequence of the right orientated icp gene was shown to exist. The pHLN2-80(－) clone produced more ICP proteins than the pHLRBS1-14 clone. In the two clones, pHLNUC1-80 right-oriented icp gene and the pHLNUC2-80 clone inverted-orientation icp gene in a new different vector, the pHLNUC2-80 produced more ICP proteins in E. coli system. These results indicate that the P/ac promoter, the inverted icp gene insertion and -80 bp promoter (-66 bp part of the icp gene promoters), were concerned with the expression of the icp gene in the recombinant plasmids. In addition, the expression mechanism might result from the disruption of the transcription-suppressing regions in the promoter regions.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1149-1157
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• 2017

Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation in our body. The use of medicinal plants has been widely applied as an alternative source for drug development. One of marine natural resources, the anti-inflammatory effect of Ishige sinicola ethanol extract (ISEE), was evaluated by using LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cell and mice model. As a result, the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$) were inhibited with increasing concentration of ISEE without any cytotoxicity. Furthermore, ISEE suppressed the expression of not only inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) p65, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in a dose-dependent manner. In mice ear edema test, the formation of edema was reduced at the highest dosage of ISEE and the reduction of the number of infiltrated mast cells was observed in histological analysis. These results indicate that ISEE has a potent anti-inflammatory activity and can be used as a pharmaceutical material for many kinds of inflammatory disease.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.124-133
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• 2014

Purpose: The current study was designed for development of a simplified malnutrition screening tool (SMST) for hospitalized patients using readily available laboratory and patient information and for evaluation of its reliability compared to well-established tools, such as PGSGA and NRS-2002. Methods: Anthropometric and biochemical measurements, as well as a few subjective assessments, of 903 patients who were preclassified by their nutritional status according to PGSGA were analyzed. Among them, a combination of factors, including age, BMI, albumin, cholesterol, total protein, hematocrit, and changes in body weight and food intake, were statistically selected as variables for SMST. Results: According to SMST, 620 patients (68.7%) were classified as the normal group and 283 patients (31.3%) were classified as the malnutrition group. Significant differences in age, albumin, TLC, BMI, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total protein, cholesterol, and length of stay were observed between the two groups. For inter-methods reliability, the screening results by SMST were compared with those by PGSGA and NRS-2002. The comparison with PGSGA and NRS-2002 showed 'Substantial agreement' (sensitivity 94.4%, specificity 88.4%, ${\kappa}$ = 0.747) and 'Moderate agreement' (sensitivity 96.1%, specificity 79.5%, ${\kappa}$ = 0.505), respectively, indicating that SMST held high inter-methods reliability. Conclusion: In conclusion, SMST, based on readily available laboratory and patient information and simple subjective assessments on changes in food intake and body weight, may be a useful alternative tool with a simple but reliable risk index, especially in resource-limited domestic hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Dental Materials
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2017

TheraCal LC, a new light-cured, resin-modified calcium silicate-filled base/liner material, has been introduced as a pulpotomy agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of hard tissue formation and pulpal response after pulpotomy with TheraCal LC. Twenty-two 9-week-old male rats were anesthetized, cavities were prepared in maxillary first molars and pulps were capped with formocresol (FC), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), and TheraCal LC. Specimens obtained from rats were scanned using a high-resolution micro CT system. The specimens were prepared and evaluated histologically, and immunofluorescence assay was performed to assess the dentin matrix protein-1 (DMP-1) expression. On micro CT analysis, the MTA and TheraCal LC groups showed thicker hard tissue formation than the FC group. On hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, MTA and TheraCal LC groups showed dentine bridge formation with vital pulp beneath the materials. On immunofluorescence analysis, DMP-1 was highly expressed in the TheraCal LC group compared to the FC group. TheraCal LC showed similar capacity to form hard tissue as MTA when it was used as a pulpotomy agent. Because of its good manipulation and faster setting time compared to MTA, TheraCal LC could be considered as a good alternative to MTA.