• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to examine the hypoglycemic effect of chlorella in 6 week-old type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK, n=30) rats and 6 week-old normal Wistar (n=30) rats. Animals were randomly assigned to 3 groups respectively, and were fed three different experimental diets containing 0%, 3% or 5% (w/w) chlorella for 8 weeks. In diabetic GK rats, the insulinogenic-indices were not significantly different among the groups. The concentrations of fasting plasma glucagon and hepatic triglyceride, and the insulin/glucagon ratios of the GK-3% chlorella and GK-5% chlorella groups were significantly lower than those of the GK-control group. The HOMA-index and the concentrations of fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin of the GK-3% chlorella and GK-5% chlorella groups were slightly lower than those of the GK-control group. In normal Wistar rats, the insulinogenic-indices were not significantly different among the normal groups, but that of the Wistar-5% chlorella group was slightly higher than the other groups. The concentrations of fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin, and the HOMA-index of the Wistar-5% chlorella group were a little higher, and the fasting plasma glucagon concentration and the insulin/glucagon ratio of the Wistar-5% chlorella group were significantly higher than those of the Wistar-control and Wistar-3% chlorella groups. In conclusion, this study shows that the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was not affected by the intake of chlorella, which could be beneficial, however, in improving insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic GK and normal Wistar rats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.734-741
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• 2019

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between plasma and salivary cortisol concentrations in beef cattle that were subjected to handling prior to sampling. Methods: Twenty-one Nguni cows of three age categories; 5 to 7 yr (n = 7), 8 to 10 yr (n = 6), and 11 to 13 yr (n = 8) were handled for five consecutive weeks. In the pen, a human avoidance test was performed and cattle responses to restraint in the chute and crush were observed. In addition, rectal temperature readings were taken and, faecal samples were collected and analysed for glucocorticoid metabolites. Through the handling and restraint process, excretory and vocalisation behaviour, as a sign of stress were observed and recorded. Thereafter, six cows were randomly selected and subjected to an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge. Blood and saliva samples were extracted to determine cortisol concentrations. Results: Repeated handling affected (p<0.05) faecal glucocorticoid metabolites, rectal temperatures, avoidance distance, crush scores as well as urination and defaecation behaviour. Acclimation to handling was variable based on each respective parameter. Saliva cortisol concentrations increased and decreased significantly (p<0.001). A peak value of $136.78{\pm}15.869nmol/L$ was observed 30min after administration of ACTH, from a baseline value of $8.75{\pm}15.869nmol/L$. Plasma cortisol concentrations did not differ (p>0.05) across the time of sampling. A low and insignificant correlation (r = 0.0131, p>0.05) between plasma and saliva cortisol was therefore observed. Conclusion: We conclude that if beef cows are subjected to handling prior to sampling, a weak relationship exists between plasma and salivary cortisol levels.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.453-460
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• 2021

Oxytocin (OXT) and serotonin (5-HT) are essential neurotransmitters associated with the behavior of animals. Recently, we found that the plasma concentration of OXT is positively correlated with horse docility and friendliness toward humans. However, the relationships between the neurotransmitters and other temperaments such as fearfulness, dominance, and trainability are unknown. This study aimed to identify whether the plasma concentration of OXT or 5-HT is correlated with fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses. Blood samples of 34 horses were collected at the Horse Industry Complex Center of Jeonju Kijeon College. The concentration of OXT and 5-HT was measured in the plasma samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses were scored by three professors who were very familiar with the horses. One-way analysis of variance with the least significant difference post-hoc analysis was used to compare the scores for fearfulness and dominance among groups. The trainability of horses was compared using the student t-test. The 5-HT was negatively correlated with dominance, but it had no relation with fearfulness. The OXT appeared to be negatively correlated with fearfulness and dominance in horses. Furthermore, OXT was positively correlated with the trainability of horses. Additionally, 5-HT appeared to enhance trainability. In conclusion, the concentration of OXT or 5-HT in horse blood plasma can be used as a biomarker to monitor the fearfulness, dominance, or trainability of horses.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

Leucosia anatum, also known as the pebble crab, is a species of crab that belongs to the family Leucosiidae. Crabs are the most conspicuous and abundant components of the epibenthic macrofauna of the mangrove ecosystems. The present investigation was carried out with the objective of enlightening the reproductive system of L.anatum through histological and histochemical studies. Histological analysis of the epithelial cells of vas deferens, the luminal size and shape of the vas deferens was carried out, since the spermatophore material is secreted and molded by the vas deferens. Histochemical analysis of the blood plasma, testis, proximal vas deferens, middle vas deferens, distal vas deferens, seminal plasma and spermatophore was done to reveal the possible transformation of their secretory materials into the spermatophoric components. Biochemical components present in the blood plasma, testis, proximal vas deferens (PVD), median vas deferens (MVD) and distal vas deferens (DVD) regions seminal plasma and spermatophore of pebble crab were analyzed to find out the quantity of free sugars, proteins, and fats. Thus the current study focuses on the histological and histochemical analysis of Testis and Vas Deferens and their secretions in L.anatum.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.404-413
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• 2007

This study was carried out to compare UCP2 polymorphism, dietary habits, and obesity index in normal and obese university students. The survey was carried out using self-questionnaires collected from the 126 normal and 60 obese university students. The results are summarized as follows. Breakfast was skipped in 43.7% of normal and 49.3% of obesity students and it appeared obese students eat faster than normal students. The percentage of weight control experience were 49.2 and 71.0 in the normal and obese students, respectively. Blood levels of lipid profiles(triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol), hemoglobin, AST and ALT were anaylzed. In UCP2 genes, the frequency of deletion homozygote(DD) was 71.5%, heterozygote(DI) was 26.9% and insertion homozygote(II) was 1.6%. Plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol of normal students were 79.06, 172.25, 100.86 and 57.03 mg/dl, and those of obese students were 93.06, 173.22, 101.22 and 54.39 mg/dl, respectively. Blood parameters were in normal range in both group. Plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels of obese students were higher than those of normal students. On the other hand, plasma HDL cholesterol levels of obese students were lower than those of normal students. Plasma levels of AST and ALT were in normal range in both group. However, AST and ALT levels of obese students were higher than that of normal students. Thus, it was recommended for them to have a nutritional education program to improve their dietary and living habits for obese students’health. Nutritional education program should also be organized practically and systematically.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of exercise training on blood and metabolic variances and genes expressions in hyperlipidemic rats. Three weeks-old male rats were randomly assigned into chow (n=7), high-fat diet (HF, n=7) and HF+exercise (HF+EX, n=7) groups. Exercise training consisted of the treadmill running 5 times per week during 8 weeks (0% grade, 30 min/time for first 4 weeks and 0% grade, 60 min/time the other 4weeks). The levels of triglyceride and total -cholesterol were increased in HF diet compared with chow group, and recovered to level of chow group by exercise training. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations increased by 40 and 50%, respectively in HF diet compared with chow diet group, and these increases returned to the level of chow group by exercise training (p<.05). Body weight and abdominal fat mass were increased by high-fat diet compared with chow diet, and recovered to level of chow group by exercise training. Long-chain fatty acid oxidation rate and AMPK protein expression was not changed by HF diet, but increased by exercise training compared with high-fat diet (p<.05). UCP3 protein expression was not changed by either high-fat diet or exercise training compared with chow group. There was high correlation between plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations(p<.01). Plasma triglyceride or total cholesterol level showed correlation with following factors; plasma insulin and glucose levels, body weight, abdominal fat weight, UCP3 protein expression and long-chain fatty acid oxidation rate. These results showed that exercise training on the treadmill recovered hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia induced by high-fat diet for 8 weeks. These exercise effects may be related with decreased body weight and abdominal fat mass, and increased long-chain fatty acid oxidation rate.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.3
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

Background: Osteopontin (OPN) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), which are expressed on the surface of tumor cells, are associated with hypoxia during tumor development and progression. However, the roles of these proteins in the plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are poorly understood. Herein, we hypothesized that plasma OPN and CAIX levels could be used as diagnostic and prognostic tumor markers in patients with NSCLC. Methods: Fifty-three patients with NSCLC and 50 healthy control subjects were enrolled. We selected controls without malignancy and matched them with NSCLC patient cases according to age and gender. Blood samples were collected at the time of diagnosis; the plasma levels of OPN and CAIX were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: The plasma levels of OPN in the patients with NSCLC were significantly elevated as compared to those in the controls (p=0.016). However, there was no difference in the plasma level of CAIX between the NSCLC patients and controls. NSCLC patients with a distant metastasis had a remarkable increase in plasma OPN compared with patients without metastasis (p=0.026), but no such correlation was found for CAIX. There was no difference in overall survival rates according to the plasma level of OPN between the two groups (by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis). Conclusion: Plasma OPN levels were elevated in patients with NSCLC as compared with the controls, with greater elevation of OPN levels in the advanced stages of disease. Therefore, plasma OPN may have utility as a diagnostic, but not prognostic, biomarker of advanced NSCLC.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Energy production and the rebuilding and repair of muscle tissue by physical activity require folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ as a cofactor. Thus, this study investigated the effects of regular moderate exercise training and durations of acute aerobic exercise on plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations in moderate exercise trained rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Fifty rats underwent non-exercise training (NT, n = 25) and regular exercise training (ET, n = 25) for 5 weeks. The ET group performed moderate exercise on a treadmill for 30 min/day, 5 days/week. At the end of week 5, each group was subdivided into 4 groups: non-exercise and 3 exercise groups. The non-exercise group (E0) was sacrificed without exercising and the 3 exercise groups were sacrificed immediately after exercising on a treadmill for 0.5 h (E0.5), 1 h (E1), and 2 h (E2). Blood samples were collected and plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ were analyzed. RESULTS: After exercise training, plasma folate level was significantly lower and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentration was significantly higher in the ET group compared with the NT group (P < 0.05). No significant associations were observed between plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations. In both the NT and ET groups, plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ were not significantly changed by increasing duration of aerobic exercise. Plasma folate concentration of E0.5 was significantly lower in the ET group compared with that in the NT group. Significantly higher vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations were observed in the E0 and E0.5 groups of the ET group compared to those of the NT group. CONCLUSION: Regular moderate exercise training decreased plasma folate and increased plasma vitamin $B_{12}$ levels. However, no significant changes in plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations were observed by increasing duration of acute aerobic exercise.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2003

Platelet-rich plasma which is made with the newly developed technique concentrating platelets 3-folds or more is also proven to be very effective method to stimulate and accelerate the healing of bone and soft tissue. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of platelet-rich plasma on the attachment of osteoblast. To evaluate the effect on human, human osteoblast cell line was cultured. Platelet-rich plasma was extracted from the blood of a healthy volunteer. The effect on the attachment was evaluated by MTT assay. To evaluate autocrine and paracrine effect on osteoblast, conditioned medium was made and compared with platelet-rich plasma. By western blot analysis, the expression of fibronectin and vitronectin in experimental groups was examined. The results were as following: The cellular attachment of osteoblast cell line increased depending on the concentration of platelet-rich plasma and conditioned medium. The amount of increasing was similar between two groups. The expression of fibronectin and vitronectin in platelet-rich plasma and conditioned medium is more than control group in western blot analysis. These findings imply that platelet-rich plasma enhance the cellular attachment by inducing fibronectin, vitronectin from osteoblast and maximize the cellular attachment by using the autocrine and paracrine effect of platelet-rich plasma.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.169-177
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• 1977

Plasma albumin and hemoglobin were purified from the blood of Rhabdophis tigrinus. Both purified proteins and R. tigrinus crude plasma were injected into rabbits. The resulting antisera were tested for reactivity with plasma albumin and hemoglobin from, eight species of squamate and four species of non-squamate-vertebrate. Reactivity was detected qualitatively by immunodiffusion tests and immunoelectrophoreses. Antisera against plasma albumin and crude plasma reacted only with R. tigrinus plasma albumin. No antigen-antibody reactions were detected in plasma albumins of other species. Antiserum against R. tigrinus hemoglobin reacted strongly with eight squamate hemoglobins. It is likely that the reptilian plasma albumin has been experiencing rapid structural change and the reptilian hemoglobin molecules seem to be of high homogeneity. Thus, by immunological evidences, the structure of the hemoglobin molecule is considered to have been changing at slower rate than that of the plasma albumin in reptiles.