• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.898-904
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• 2011

The PCR- restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in and around TM4 of SLC11A1 gene and its association with the incidences of brucellosis in Hariana breed (Bos indicus) and Holstein Friesian crossbred (Bos indicus${\times}$Bos taurus) cattle was examined. A fragment of 954 bp encoding the TM4 was amplified, and RFLP was identified by digestion of the amplicon independently with AluI and TaqI. The amplicon (GenBank Acc. No. AY338470 and AY338471) comprised of a part of exon V (<59 bp) and VII (62>), and entire intron 5 (423 bp), exon VI (71 bp) and intron 6 (339 bp). Digestion with AluI revealed the presence of two alleles viz, A (281, 255, 79 and 51 bp) and B (541, 255, 79 and 51 bp). The frequency of A allele was estimated as 0.80 and 0.73 in Hariana and crossbred cattle, respectively. Due to presence of a polymorphic TaqI site at intron 5, two alleles: T (552 and 402 bp) and Q (231, 321 and 402 bp) were identified. The frequency of T allele was estimated as 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. For association study, on the basis of serological tests and history of abortion, the animals were grouped into "affected" and "non-affected". However, no association could be established with the observed RFLPs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2013

The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant efficacies between extracts of Prunus yedoensis(PY) and Betulae platyphyllae var. japonica(BP). HPLC pattern was different between barks and extract solvents. Content of total phenolic compound was the highest in ethanol extract of BP(382.201 mg/g ext.) and its content was 1.9 times higher than that from the water extract of PY. Total antioxidant efficacy also was the highest in ethanol extract of BP (292 copper reducing equivalents). Nitric oxide scavenging activity was almost 70% in ethanol extract of BP treated 200 ug/ml and it was higher than positive control(ascorbic acid). DPPH radical scavenging ability was up by 80% in all samples. ABTS cation decolorization from each barks was activated over 85% in all samples at 100 ug/ml concentration, especially, the activity was the highest (94.4%) in ethanol extract of BP. Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities were also highest (45%) in ethanol extract of BP at 200 ug/ml concentration and were as high as positive control. Stimulation of the macrophages RAW 264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased intracellular ROS levels and ethanol extract of BP at 200 ug/ml concentration reduced ROS levels up to 41 %. The results indicated that the barks of PY and BP has potent antioxidant activities and ethanol extract of BP of them has the highest antioxidant activities.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.505-512
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• 2013

Objectives: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation may cause skin cancer, photo-ageing, erythema, and sunburn. Benzophenone (BP) is commonly used to protect skin from UV radiation. In Korea, sunscreen, sunblock, socalled 'blemish balm' (BB) and 'color correcting' (CC) creams, and foundation may contain from 0.5 to 5% benzophenone in order to protect skin from UV radiation. The purpose of this study is to understand the levels of benzophenone derivatives in urine among a group of university students and identify the contribution of cosmetics use. Methods: Forty volunteers (20 women and 20 men) were asked about skin type, frequency of use of cosmetics, and recognition of related health effects, etc. in a survey. Subjects were divided into several subgroups and were compared for concentration of benzophenone-1 (BP-1) and benzophenone-3 (BP-3). Their urine was pretreated with enzyme hydrolysis and solid phase extraction. Determinations of BP-1 and BP-3 in the urine were made with LC-MS/MS. Results: Among the study subjects, 82.5% used basic cosmetics at least once per day, and 77.5% used sunscreens at least once per day. The concentrations of BP-1 and BP-3 of the males were 4.36 ng/mL and 9.16 ng/mL, respectively. Those of the females were 3.98 ng/mL and 5.07 ng/mL, respectively. The use of cosmetics was positively related to urinary benzophenone levels. Conclusions: BP-1 and BP-3 were widely detected among the university students. Cosmetic use was identified as a potential source. Implications of such exposure deserve further investigation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 1999

Length variations in human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) offer useful markers in the study of female aspects of human population history. One such length variation is a 9-bp deletion in the small noncoding segment located between the COII and Iysine tRNA genes (COII/tRNA/$^{Lys}$ intergenic region) which usually contain two tandemly arranged copies of a 9-bp sequence (ccccctcta) in human mtDNA. The mtDNA 9-bp deletion and polymorphic variants of expanded 9-bp repeat motif in the intergenic COII/tRNA$^{Lys}$ region have been found at varying frequencies among different human ethnic groups. We have examined the length variation of the mtDNA COII/tRNA$^{Lys}$ intergenic region from a total of 813 individuals in east Asian populations. The occurrence of the 9-bp deletion was found to be relatively homogeneous in northeast Asian populations (Chinese, 14.2%; Japanese, 14.3%: Koreans, 15.5%), with the exception of Mongolians (5.1%). In contrast, Indonesians (25.0%) and Vietnamese (23.2%) of the southeast Asian populations appeared to have relatively high frequencies of the 9-bp deletion. We identified the existence of a new expanded 9-bp repeat motif which likely resulted from a slipped mispairing insertion of six more cytosines in the intergenic COII$^{Lys}$ region. It was present at low frequencies in the Korean (2/349) and Japanese populations (2/147). Based on the results of this study, the Korean population may reflect a close genetic affinity with the Japanese and Chinese populations than the others surveyed east Asian populations.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2011

This study was conducted to determine the effects of excess vitamin A on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, contents of calcium-binding protein (CaBP), bone gla-protein (BGP) in culture medium and CaBP mRNA expression in chicken osteoblasts in vitro. Osteoblastic cells in the tibia from 1-day-old Arbor Acre broiler chickens were isolated using enzyme digestion. The subconfluenced cells were divided into eight treatments with six replicates in each treatment and cultured in a medium containing either vehicle or different levels of vitamin A (0, 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0 and $20.0\;{\mu}g$/ml), and the control received an equivalent volume of ethanol. The incubation lasted 48 h. The results showed that vitamin A down-regulated ALP activity in the culture medium as well as CaBP mRNA expression of osteoblasts in a linear dose-dependent manner (p = 0.124 and p<0.10, respectively), and suppressed the contents of BGP and CaBP in the culture medium in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.05 and p<0.10, respectively) with increasing addition of vitamin A. The addition of 0-$0.2\;{\mu}g$/ml vitamin A to the culture medium increased ALP activity, BGP and CaBP contents as well as CaBP mRNA expression compared with other groups, but positive effects of vitamin A tended to be suppressed when vitamin A was increased to $1.0\;{\mu}g$/ml, and adverse effects occurred when vitamin A was increased to 10.0-$20.0\;{\mu}g$/ml. These results implied that there was a threshold level of vitamin A inclusion beyond which inhibitory effects occurred, and the mechanism by which overdose of vitamin A reduced bone growth in chickens was probably reduced osteoblastic cell activity, and inhibited expression of CaBP mRNA and CaBP secretion.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 2013

FK506 binding protein 12 (FK506BP) belongs to a family of immunophilins, and is involved in multiple biological processes. However, the function of FK506BP in corneal disease remains unclear. In this study, we examined the protective effects on dry eye disease in a Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) induced mouse model, using a cell-permeable PEP-1-FK506BP protein. PEP-1-FK506BP efficiently transduced into human corneal epithelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and remained stable in the cells for 48 h. In addition, we demonstrated that topical application of PEP-1-FK506BP was transduced into mouse cornea and conjunctiva by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, topical application of PEP-1-FK506BP to BTX-A-induced mouse model markedly inhibited expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) in corneal and conjunctival epithelium. These results suggest PEP-1-FK506BP as a potential therapeutic agent for dry eye diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.202-206
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• 2006

Background: Stellate ganglion block (SGB) might be associated with changes in the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). The heart rate variability (HRV) shows the balance state between sympathetic and parasympathetic activities of the heart. The changes in these parameters of the HRV were studied to evaluate the possible mechanism of SGB in changing the BP. Methods: SGB was performed on 26 patients, using a paratracheal technique at the C6 level, and 8 ml of 1% mepivacaine injected. The success was confirmed by check the Horner's syndrome. The BP, HR and HRV were measured before and 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after the SGB. Results: The increases in the BP from the baseline throughout the study period were statistically, but not clinically significant. The HR and LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency) ratio were increased at 5 and 45 min, respectively, after the administration of the SGB. In a comparison of left and right SGB, no significant differences were found in the BP, HR and HRV. A correlation analysis showed that an increased BP was significantly related with the changes in the LF/HF ratio and LF at 15 and 30 minutes, respectively, after the SGB. Dividing the patients into two groups; an increased BP greater and less than 20% of that at the baseline INC and NOT groups, respectively, hoarseness occurred more often in the INC group (P = 0.02). Conclusions: It was concluded that SGB itself does not clinically increase the BP and HR in normal hemodynamic patients. However, the loss of balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve system, attenuation of the baroreceptor reflex and hoarseness are minor causes of the increase in the BP following SGB; therefore, further studies will be required.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2003

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMPI) exhibits considerable sequence heterogeneity among EBV isolates. Seven distinct EBV strains have been defined based on sequence polymorphisms in the LMPI gene, which are designated China 1, China 2, China 3, Alaskan, Mediterranean, NC, and the B95-8 strains. In this study, we analyzed a 30-bp deletion and sequence variations in the carboxy-terminal region of the LMPl gene in 12 EBV isolates from spontaneous lym-phoblastoid cell lines derived from individuals with non-EBV associated cancers in Korea. Eleven of the 12 isolates showed a 30-bp deletion spanning LMPI amino acids 342 to 353, suggesting a high prevalence of the LMPI 30-bp deletion variant among EBV isolates in Korea. In addition, all 12 isolates had a 15-bp common deletion in the 33-bp repeat region and multiple base-pair changes relative to the prototype B95-8 EBV strain along with variations in the number of the 33-bp repeats. The bp changes at positions 168746, 168694, 168687, 168395, 168357, 168355, 168631, 168320, 168308, 168295, and 168225 were highly conserved among the isolates. Comparative analysis of sequence change patterns in the LMPI carboxy-terminal coding region identified nine 30-bp deletion variants as China 1, two deletion variants as a possible interstrain between the Alaskan and China 1 strains, and a single undeleted variant as a possible variant of the Alaskan strain. These results suggest the predominance of the China 1 EBV strain in the Korean population.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.400-409
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• 1998

Formation of adduct was studied in benzo(a)pyrene(BP)- and doxorubicin(Dx)-treated human NC-37 cells and isolated nuclei. Major adducts formed were determined by fluorescence absorption spectrophotometery and DNA-lin-ked protein assay. When isolated nuclei were exposed to carcinogens BP and DMBA, and anticancer drugs m-AMSA, ellipticine and Dx, varying degrees of adduct formation occured between DNA-protein complex and these drugs. When the mixture was centrifuged 1.7 M sucrose solution, binding BP and DMBA appeared to be similar between the sediment and the supernatant. When the sediment was centrifuged again with 0.35% polymin-P, the amount of BP bound was 2-fold greater in the protein(1077$\pm$55cpm) than in DNA fraction (470$\pm$20cpm), whereas that of DMBA was 1.6-fold greater in the DNA than in protein fraction. In the case of m-AMSA, ellipticine and Dx, the amount of binding was slightly greater in supernatant than in sediment in centrifugation with 1.7 M sucrose, and more than 3 times greater in the DNA- than in protein- fraction in centrifugation with 0.35% polymin P. DNA fractions which associated with a subset of nonhistone chromosomal protein were isolated from NC-37 cells exposed to $^{3}$H-BP and $^{14}$C-Dx. They were separated into two distince components DNA-S and DNA-P by centrifugation with 2M Nacl chromatin extraction. The results indicated that the amount of $^{3}$H-BP bound was 6.0-fold greater in DNA-P as compared with DNA-S, while that of $^{14}$C-Dx binding appreaed to be 6.2-fold greater in DNA-S than in DNA-P fraction. When $^{3}$H-BP binding wasdetermined in the presence of cold Dx, the amount of binding was reduced only in the DNA-P fraction, indicating that the interaction between DNA and protein is decreased. Gene expression by these drugs, BP treated cells were increased to compare with nomal cells but reduced by treatment with BP-Dx. These results suggest that the protein moiety which tightly bound to DNA-P fraction may play an important role in the regulation of gene expression.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.54-63
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to present a new energy minimization method for image completion with hierarchical approach. The goal of image completion is to fill in missing part in a possibly large region of an image so that a visually plausible outcome is obtained. An exemplar-based Markov Random Field Modeling(MRF) is proposed in this paper. This model can deal with following problems; detection of global features, flexibility on environmental changes, reduction of computational cost, and generic extension to other related domains such as image inpainting. We use the Priority Belief Propagation(Priority-BP) which is a kind of Belief propagation(BP) algorithms for the optimization of MRF. We propose the hierarchical Priority-BP that reduces the number of nodes in MRF and to apply hierarchical propagation of messages for image completion. We show that our approach which uses hierarchical Priority-BP algorithm in image completion works well on a number of examples.