• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2019

Gut microbiome have recently provided evidence that the gut microbiota are capable of greatly influencing all aspects of physiology and immunology. Although a number of recent studies have shown that probiotics can modulate gut microbiota structure, the mechanism underlying this effect remains to be elucidated. In a disease state, the relative abundances of beneficial gut bacteria are generally reduced, which is restored by constant probiotic supplementation. Oral administration of probiotics improved the disease state by (1) inducing differentiation and function of regulatory T cells, (2) reducing inflammatory response, (3) modulating the gut environment, and (4) increasing the proportions of short-chain fatty acid- or beneficial metabolite-producing gut microbiota including the genera Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Akkermansia, etc. In this review, current knowledge on how probiotics can influence host's health by altering gut microbiota structure and on how probiotics and beneficial gut bacteria can be applied as next-generation probiotics will be discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.271-279
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• 2019

The lamina II, also called the substantia gelatinosa (SG), of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), is thought to play an essential role in the control of orofacial nociception. Glycine and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) are the important neurotransmitters that have the individual parts on the modulation of nociceptive transmission. However, the electrophysiological effects of 5-HT on the glycine receptors on SG neurons of the Vc have not been well studied yet. For this reason, we applied the whole-cell patch clamp technique to explore the interaction of intracellular signal transduction between 5-HT and the glycine receptors on SG neurons of the Vc in mice. In nine of 13 neurons tested (69.2%), pretreatment with 5-HT potentiated glycine-induced current ($I_{Gly}$). Firstly, we examined with a $5-HT_1$ receptor agonist (8-OH-DPAT, $5-HT_{1/7}$ agonist, co-applied with SB-269970, $5-HT_7$ antagonist) and antagonist (WAY-100635), but $5-HT_1$ receptor agonist did not increase $I_{Gly}$ and in the presence of $5-HT_1$ antagonist, the potentiation of 5-HT on $I_{Gly}$ still happened. However, an agonist (${\alpha}$-methyl-5-HT) and antagonist (ketanserin) of the $5-HT_2$ receptor mimicked and inhibited the enhancing effect of 5-HT on $I_{Gly}$ in the SG neurons, respectively. We also verified the role of the $5-HT_7$ receptor by using a $5-HT_7$ antagonist (SB-269970) but it also did not block the enhancement of 5-HT on $I_{Gly}$. Our study demonstrated that 5-HT facilitated $I_{Gly}$ in the SG neurons of the Vc through the $5-HT_2$ receptor. The interaction between 5-HT and glycine appears to have a significant role in modulating the transmission of the nociceptive pathway.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.951-970
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• 2023

This study utilized Italian ryegrass silage (IRGS) - based total mixed ration (TMR) as feedstuff and evaluated its effects on rumen fermentation, growth performance, blood parameters, and bacterial community in growing Hanwoo heifers. Twenty-seven Hanwoo heifers (body weight [BW], 225.11 ± 10.57 kg) were randomly allocated to three experimental diets. Heifers were fed 1 of 3 treatments as follows: TMR with oat, timothy, and alfalfa hay (CON), TMR with 19% of IRGS (L-IRGS), and TMR with 36% of IRGS (H-IRGS). Feeding high levels of IRGS (H-IRGS) and CON TMR to heifers resulted in a greater molar proportion of propionate in the rumen. The impact of different TMR diets on the BW, average daily gain, dry matter intake, and feed conversion ratio of Hanwoo heifers during the growing period did not differ (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the blood metabolites, total protein, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose, and total cholesterol of the heifers were not affected by the different TMR diets (p > 0.05). In terms of rumen bacterial community composition, 264 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were observed across the three TMR diets with 240, 239, and 220 OTUs in CON, L-IRGS, and H-IRGS, respectively. IRGS-based diets increased the relative abundances of genera belonging to phylum Bacteroidetes but decreased the abundances of genus belonging to phylum Firmicutes compared with the control. Data showed that Bacteroidetes was the most dominant phylum, while Prevotella ruminicola was the dominant species across the three TMR groups. The relative abundance of Ruminococcus bromii in the rumen increased in heifers fed with high inclusion of IRGS in the TMR (H-IRGS TMR). The relative abundance of R. bromii in the rumen significantly increased when heifers were fed H-IRGS TMR while P. ruminicola increased in both L-IRGS and H-IRGS TMR groups. Results from the current study demonstrate that the inclusion of IRGS in the TMR is comparable with the TMR containing high-quality forage (CON). Thus, a high level of IRGS can be used as a replacement forage ingredient in TMR feeding and had a beneficial effect of possibly modulating the rumen bacterial community toward mainly propionate-producing microorganisms.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.7-11
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• 1999

Fully sealed field emission display in size of 4.5 inch has been fabricated using single-wall carbon nanotubes-organic vehicle com-posite. The fabricated display were fully scalable at low temperature below 415$^{\circ}C$ and CNTs were vertically aligned using paste squeeze and surface rubbing techniques. The turn-on fields of 1V/${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and field emis-sion current of 1.5mA at 3V/${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ (J=90${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$/$\textrm{cm}^2$)were observed. Brightness of 1800cd/$m^2$ at 3.7V/${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ was observed on the entire area of 4.5-inch panel from the green phosphor-ITO glass. The fluctuation of the current was found to be about 7% over a 4.5-inch cath-ode area. This reliable result enables us to produce large area full-color flat panel dis-play in the near future. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention because of their unique elec-trical properties and their potential applica-tions [1, 2]. Large aspect ratio of CNTs together with high chemical stability. ther-mal conductivity, and high mechanical strength are advantageous for applications to the field emitter [3]. Several results have been reported on the field emissions from multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) and single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) grown from arc discharge [4, 5]. De Heer et al. have reported the field emission from nan-otubes aligned by the suspension-filtering method. This approach is too difficult to be fully adopted in integration process. Recently, there have been efforts to make applications to field emission devices using nanotubes. Saito et al. demonstrated a car-bon nanotube-based lamp, which was oper-ated at high voltage (10KV) [8]. Aproto-type diode structure was tested by the size of 100mm $\times$ 10mm in vacuum chamber [9]. the difficulties arise from the arrangement of vertically aligned nanotubes after the growth. Recently vertically aligned carbon nanotubes have been synthesized using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition(CVD) [6, 7]. Yet, control of a large area synthesis is still not easily accessible with such approaches. Here we report integra-tion processes of fully sealed 4.5-inch CNT-field emission displays (FEDs). Low turn-on voltage with high brightness, and stabili-ty clearly demonstrate the potential applica-bility of carbon nanotubes to full color dis-plays in near future. For flat panel display in a large area, car-bon nanotubes-based field emitters were fabricated by using nanotubes-organic vehi-cles. The purified SWNTs, which were syn-thesized by dc arc discharge, were dispersed in iso propyl alcohol, and then mixed with on organic binder. The paste of well-dis-persed carbon nanotubes was squeezed onto the metal-patterned sodalime glass throuhg the metal mesh of 20${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size and subse-quently heat-treated in order to remove the organic binder. The insulating spacers in thickness of 200${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ are inserted between the lower and upper glasses. The Y\ulcornerO\ulcornerS:Eu, ZnS:Cu, Al, and ZnS:Ag, Cl, phosphors are electrically deposited on the upper glass for red, green, and blue colors, respectively. The typical sizes of each phosphor are 2~3 micron. The assembled structure was sealed in an atmosphere of highly purified Ar gas by means of a glass frit. The display plate was evacuated down to the pressure level of 1$\times$10\ulcorner Torr. Three non-evaporable getters of Ti-Zr-V-Fe were activated during the final heat-exhausting procedure. Finally, the active area of 4.5-inch panel with fully sealed carbon nanotubes was pro-duced. Emission currents were character-ized by the DC-mode and pulse-modulating mode at the voltage up to 800 volts. The brightness of field emission was measured by the Luminance calorimeter (BM-7, Topcon).

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2019

Objectives: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders. Recent studies suggest that cognitive and physical arousal play an important role in the generation of primary insomnia. Studies have also shown that information processing disorders due to cortical hyperactivity might interfere with normal sleep onset and sleep continuity. Therefore, focusing on central nervous system arousal and normalizing the information process have become current topics of interest. It has been well known that neurofeedback can reduce the brain hyperarousal by modulating patients' brain waves during a sequence of behavior therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of neurofeedback therapy on electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics in patients with primary insomnia. Methods: Thirteen subjects who met the criteria for an insomnia diagnosis and 14 control subjects who were matched on sex and age were included. Neurofeedback and sham treatments were performed in a random order for 30 minutes, respectively. EEG spectral power analyses were performed to quantify effects of the neurofeedback therapy on brain wave forms. Results: In patients with primary insomnia, relative spectral theta and sigma power during a therapeutic neurofeedback session were significantly lower than during a sham session ($13.9{\pm}2.6$ vs. $12.2{\pm}3.8$ and $3.6{\pm}0.9$ vs. $3.2{\pm}1.0$ in %, respectively; p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant changes in other EEG spectral bands. Conclusion: For the first time in Korea, EEG spectral power in the theta band was found to increase when a neurofeedback session was applied to patients with insomnia. This outcome might provide some insight into new interventions for improving sleep onset. However, the treatment response of insomniacs was not precisely evaluated due to limitations of the current pilot study, which requires follow-up studies with larger samples in the future.