• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.693-697
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• 2010

This study, conducted with four leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), used time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) to analyze estradiol and progesterone concentrations in fecal samples. We measured fecal samples taken during estrus period, diestrus period, pregnancy and non-pregnancy period. During estrus (February), the mean minimum estradiol concentration was $4.02{\pm}1.9$ng/g, and the mean maximum was $86.01{\pm}35.2$ng/g (dry fecal weight). During diestrus (November), the mean minimum estradiol concentration was $4.42{\pm}1.32$ng/g and mean maximum was $15.62{\pm}6.48$ng/g (dry fecal weight). Midgestation (April), the mean minimum progesterone concentration was $427{\pm}24.49$ng/g and the mean maximum was $1490{\pm}265.27$ng/g. During non-pregnancy (November), the mean minimum progesterone concentration was $71.25{\pm}29.61$ng/g and the mean maximum was $291.75{\pm}90.30$ng/g. These results suggest that steroid hormone analysis of feces using TR-FIA is a valid method for noninvasively determining ovarian activity associated with estrus and pregnancy in leopard cats. This study will contribute to building breeding management and reproductive plans for endangered species.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.646-654
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• 2020

Objectives: Users of parks or children's play facilities have pointed to pets' bowel movements as the most serious problem when using them. In prior studies, a very low detection rate of parasites (eggs) in sand flooring materials has been found. Even though feces have been identified, no parasites (eggs) have been detected. Method: A standard solution of nitrate nitrogen was used to verify the reliability of a new nitrogen analysis method. The linearity, precision, and accuracy of the nitrate nitrogen analysis method were verified. Using this method, the pollution distribution of the sand flooring material and the degree of pollution at each point were investigated. Results: As a result of the verification of the nitrogen analysis method, the linearity was found to be good at r2=0.999 when distilled water is mixed in a standard substance solution. The standard substance additive solution r2=0.968 was found to be good. Precision represented 0.01 to 0.06% RSD for peak height. The recovery rate was 92.4 to 104.0 percent, indicating high accuracy. According to the same method of analysis, the flooring material sand at a general amusement facility with the largest number of concealed spaces was nitrate nitrogen 6.1 times higher than at the entrance of the playground. Also, in a comparison between clean sand and sandy flooring, the average nitrogen concentration of the sand flooring material was 24.4-167 times higher than pure sand. Conclusions: As such, no parasites (eggs) were detected at all points under investigation, but the sand flooring was exposed to animal fecal contamination. Therefore, the management of nitrogenous components should allow accurate identification of animal fecal contamination so that the timing of sand replacement can be managed hygienically and safely.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1330-1335
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• 2009

Although beneficial effects of dietary plant proteins on lipid metabolism are well documented, not much information exists on the influence of different seafood proteins on the lipid metabolism. The present study evaluated the effect of 2 marine proteins (tuna protein and scallop ovary proteins) in comparison to casein and soy protein in male Wistar rats. The concentration of total lipids in the plasma of rats fed experimental diets was significantly lower from that of control (278.2 mg/dL) group (p<0.05); and, the liver lipid content was not significantly different (p>0.05). Fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile acids was significantly higher in marine proteins and soy protein fed groups compared to casein only fed control (6.1 and 6.4 mg/day, respectively) group (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the mRNA concentrations of different transcriptional factors (p>0.05).

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.734-739
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to propose a diagnostic method for classifying patients with dyspepsia by symptom type. The correlation between symptom types and X-ray findings was studied in 62 patients with indigestion. Methods: In this study, the complaints and abdominal X-ray findings were collected for 62 patients who visited the outpatient Korean medicine clinic. The medical information related to dyspepsia was grouped for similar patients and classified by symptom type. Results: The patients with dyspepsia were classified into three types according to their medical symptoms: Distention type (N=43, 68.3%), Abdominal Pain type (N=16, 25.5%), and Constipation type (N=12, 19.0%). Intestinal fecal findings (80.6%) on x-rays were noted in most of the cases, followed by intestinal gas pattern findings (14.5%). Conclusion: Classifying patients with dyspepsia by symptom types is an appropriate diagnostic method due to the unclear pathophysiology of indigestion and the difficulty in applying a Korean medical dialectic. Irrespective of the symptom types, the large number of fecal material findings (80.6%) on x-rays means an effect on the interior environment of the body where intestinal feces accumulate easily and decreased gastrointestinal motility in patients with indigestion. This can be correlated with "food accumulation (食積)" as intestinal feces are tangible substances. In addition, gas in the intestine increases visceral sensitivity, causing abdominal distention or pain. The gas pattern findings (14.5%) on x-ray were observed in the "Distention type" and "Abdominal pain type," but not in the "Constipation type."

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.766-771
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• 2005

We evaluated the effects of newly developed functional food containing Bacillus polyfermenticus SCD as the main material on the lipid and antioxidant metabolisms of hypercholesterolemic rats. Thirty male SD rats were divided into three groups after a 1-week adaptation period and were fed with a high fat-cholesterol diet (control), or with a high fat-cholesterol diet supplemented with low or high doses ($3.1\;{\times}\;10^6\;cfu/day$ or $3.1\;{\times}\;10^8\;cfu/day$) of B. polyfermenticus SCD and other physiological active materials for 6 weeks. Both doses of B. polyfermenticus SCD significantly reduced hepatic total cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing the fecal excretion rates of total lipid, total cholesterol and triglycerides. B. polyfermenticus SCD increased the total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP). The erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase activity in the B. polyfermenticus groups was significantly lower than that in the control group. Plasma TRAP levels exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with hepatic total cholesterol while a significant positive correlation was detected between fecal total cholesterol and plasma TRAP. This hypolipidemic and antioxidative effect of B. polyfermenticus SCD seemed to be unrelated to its dosage. These results suggest that functional food containing B. polyfermenticus SCD can improve oxidative stress and hepatic lipid profiles by enhancing the excretion of cholesterol and triglycerides in feces of rats fed with high fat-high cholesterol diet.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.170-179
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• 2021

Hulunbuir steppe, one of the four largest steppes in China, has experienced rapidly progressing desertification partly due to overgrazing by livestock. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of various vegetation recovery methods, including the selection of unpalatable plants less affected by grazing livestock. To determine livestock grazing preferences at Hulunbuir restoration sites, we used DNA barcoding methods to analyze fecal materials of horses and cattle grazing on four restored plants: two trees (Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica and Populus canadensis) and two shrubs (Caragana microphylla and Corethrodendron fruticosum). Neither of the two tree species were detected in livestock feces, whereas both shrub species were detected at lo w frequencies. There were no significant differences in compositions of species consumed by horses and cattle except that Asteraceae species were more often consumed by cattle. Our results showed that the four plants used for restoration may be classified as unpalatable or less palatable species in the Hulunbuir restoration area. Our results may help inform restoration strategies implemented in restoration areas, especially regarding negative effects of livestock grazing during the initial stage of restoration in Hulunbuir.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1345-1352
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• 2016

The hindgut of horses is an anaerobic fermentative chamber for a complex and dynamic microbial population, which plays a critical role in health and energy requirements. Research on the gut microbiota of Mongolian horses has not been reported until now as far as we know. Mongolian horse is a major local breed in China. We performed high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes V4 hypervariable regions from gut fecal material to characterize the gut microbiota of Mongolian horses and compare them to the microbiota in Thoroughbred horses. Fourteen Mongolian and 19 Thoroughbred horses were used in the study. A total of 593,678 sequence reads were obtained from 33 samples analyzed, which were found to belong to 16 phyla and 75 genera. The bacterial community compositions were similar for the two breeds. Firmicutes (56% in Mongolian horses and 53% in Thoroughbred horses) and Bacteroidetes (33% and 32% respectively) were the most abundant and predominant phyla followed by Spirochaete, Verrucomicrobia, Proteobacteria, and Fibrobacteres. Of these 16 phyla, five (Synergistetes, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, TM7, and Chloroflexi) were significantly different (p<0.05) between the two breeds. At the genus level, Treponema was the most abundant genus (43% in Mongolian horses vs 29% in Thoroughbred horses), followed by Ruminococcus, Roseburia, Pseudobutyrivibrio, and Anaeroplasma, which were detected in higher distribution proportion in Mongolian horses than in Thoroughbred horses. In contrast, Oscillibacter, Fibrobacter, Methanocorpusculum, and Succinivibrio levels were lower in Mongolian horses. Among 75 genera, 30 genera were significantly different (p<0.05) between the two breeds. We found that the environment was one of very important factors that influenced horse gut microbiota. These findings provide novel information about the gut microbiota of Mongolian horses and a foundation for future investigations of gut bacterial factors that may influence the development and progression of gastrointestinal disease in horses.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2014

Coffee enema was started by American doctor Max Gerson for cancer patients in 1920s. Coffee enema is known to remove waste material and toxins in the colon, and increase the enzymatic activity in the liver. In alternative medicine, It is to be used for fecal stasis removal, detoxification, obesity, pain control etc. In recently, The Society of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research make strenuous efforts to spread a new treatment about obesity. And Obesity is already known as one of the main causes of adult diseases. If we use the Korean medical treatment, and at the same time use coffee enema, maybe we will have a good or better clinical result about obesity and metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, we introduce a method that can be easily coffee enema. Thus, we hope that the reference to the teaching of patients.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2015

With advances in the understanding of the biology and genetics of colorectal cancer (CRC), diagnostic biomarkers that may predict the existence or future presence of cancer or a hereditary condition, and prognostic and treatment biomarkers that may direct the approach to therapy have been developed. Biomarkers can be ascertained and assayed from any tissue that may demonstrate the diagnostic or prognostic value, including from blood cells, epithelial cells via buccal swab, fresh or archival cancer tissue, as well as from cells shed into fecal material. For CRC, current examples of biomarkers for screening and surveillance include germline testing for suspected hereditary CRC syndromes, and stool DNA tests for screening average at-risk patients. Molecular biomarkers for CRC that may alter patient care and treatment include the presence or absence of microsatellite instability, the presence or absence of mutant KRAS, BRAF or PIK3CA, and the level of expression of 15-PGDH in the colorectal mucosa. Molecularly targeted therapies and some general therapeutic approaches rely on biomarker information. Additional novel biomarkers are on the horizon that will undoubtedly further the approach to precision or individualized medicine.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2003

A time-series sediment trap was deployed at a depth of 1034 m in the eastern Bransfield Strait from December 25, 1998 to December 24, 1999. Particle fluxes showed large seasonal variation; about 99% of the annual total mass flux (49 g m/sup -2/) was collected during the austral summer and fall (January-March). Settling particles consisted primarily of biogenic silica, organic carbon, calcium carbonate, and lithogenic material. Biogenic silica and lithogenic material predominated settling particles, comprising 36% and 30% of the total mass flux, respectively, followed by organic carbon, 11% and calcium carbonate, merely 0.6%. The annual organic carbon flux was 5.4 g C m/sup -2/ at 1000 m in the eastern Bransfield Strait, which is greater than the central Strait flux. The relatively lower flux of organic carbon in the central Bransfield Strait may be caused by a stronger surface current in this region. Organic carbon flux estimates in the eastern Bransfield Strait are the highest in the Southern Ocean, perhaps because of the fast sinking of fecal pellets, which leads to less decomposition of organic material in the water column. Approximately 5.8% of the organic carbon produced on the surface in the eastern Bransfield Strait is exported down to 1000 m; this percentage exceeds the maximum EF/sub 1000/ values observed in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans. The eastern Bransfield Strait appears to be the most important site of organic carbon export to the deep sea in the Southern Ocean.