• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.64-71
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• 2012

Background: It is generally accepted that upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion can alter lower motor neuron (LMN) function by the plasticity of neural circuit. However there have been only few researches regarding the axonal excitability of LMN after UMN injury especially during the acute stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the nerve excitability properties of the LMNs following an acute to subacute supratentorial corticospinal tract lesion. Methods: An automated nerve excitability test (NET) using the threshold tracking technique was utilized to measure multiple excitability indices in median motor axons of 15 stroke patients and 20 controls. Testing of both paretic and non-paretic side was repeated twice, during the acute stage and subacute stage. The protocols calculated the strength-duration time constant from the duration-charge curve, parameters of threshold electrotonus (TE), the current-threshold relationship from sequential sub-threshold current, and the recovery cycle from sequential supra-threshold stimulation. Results: On the paretic side, compared with the control group, significant decline of superexcitablity and increase in the relative refractory period were observed during the subacute stage of stroke. Additionally, despite the absence of statistical significance, a mildly collapsing in ('fanning in') of the TE was found. Conclusions: Our results suggest that supratentorial brain lesions can affect peripheral axonal excitability even during the early stage. The NET pattern probably suggests background membrane depolarization of LMNs. These features could be associated with trans-synaptic regulation of UMNs to LMNs as one of the "neural plasticity" mechanisms in acute brain injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 1991

During the past few years it has been proposed that lithium clearance can be used as a reliable measure for the outflow of tubular fluid from the proximal tubule. This study was aimed to characterize the inflow dependent reabsorption of Na in renal tubule beyond the proximal tubule. For this purpose, lithium clearance was used as a measure for the inflow from the proximal tubule and the changes in reabsorption fraction of Na and water were determined in rabbits. Rabbits were pretreated with hypotonic saline solutions for an hour (50 mM/L NaCl, 20 ml/hr/kg). And then a hypertonic solution of 500 mM/L NaCl (20 ml/kg) was administered intraperitoneally in conjunction with a bolus of LiCl solution (2 mM/kg, i.v.) for conditioning the $C_{Li}$ and urine flow rate. To rule out the effect of $Li^+$ on tubular functions, a bolus of NaCl solution (2 mM/kg, i.v.) was administered. Fifteen, thirty, and sixty minutes after injection of hypertonic saline arterial blood and urine samples were taken. Urinary and plasma concentrations as well as urinary output of $Li^+,\;Na^+\;and\;K^+$ were measured. From these $C_{Li},\;C_{Na}$ and the reabsorption fraction of Na and water $(Fr_{Na}\;&\;FrH_2O)$ were calculated. These results were compared with those from control groups in which the same amount of isotonic saline (145 mM/L NaCl) and of 15% dextran solution were administered in the same way as that in experimental group. Followings are the results obtained. 1) The plasma concentration of $Na^+$ in rabbits injected with hypertonic saline reached the peak value after 15 min and thereafter no significant change was observed. Hematocrit values did not show any change, while urinary excretion of $Na^+$ increased markedly during the first 15 min and decreased thereafter. These results were not affected by an injection of a small amount of LiCl. 2) The clearances of $Li^+,\;Na^+\;and\;K^+$ in rabbits injected with hypertonic saline and LiCl solution decreased. 3) In spite of the variation in $C_{Li},\;Fr_{Na}$ did not show any significant change while $FrH_2O$ increased gradually. 4) $C_{Li}$ decreased also in rabbits received isotonic saline. $Fr_{Na}$ tended to be higher than that in hypertonic saline group, while $FrH_2O\;and\;Fr_{Na}$ did not associated with the decrease in $C_{Li}$. 5) $C_{Li}$ of the rabbits received dextran solution fluctuated persistently and $Fr_{Na}\;and\;FrH_2O$ did not change in along with $C_{Li}$ although $Fr_{Na}$ had a tendency to be higher than that in hypertonic saline group. 6) From the above results it was concluded that: (a) In rabbits with normal body store of $Na^+$, the $Fr_{Na}$ of renal tubule beyond proximal tubule. calculated from $C_{Li}$ as a measure of inflow from proximal tubule is constant in spite of variations in $C_{Li}$. (b) The $FrH_2O$ calculated from $C_{Li}$ is dependent largely upon ADH rather than inflow from proximal tubule. (c) When there is a decrease in plasma $Na^+$ concentration or ineffective body fluid. $Li^+$ reabsorption may occur in the thick segnent of Henle's loop and hence the determination of $Fr_{Na}$ and $FrH_2O$ will not be easy one, but $Fr_{Na}$ is constant under the same experimental conditions.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.353-360
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• 2009

When 14 microsatellite (MS) markers were applied in the identifying test for 480 Hanwoo, the discriminating power was estimated as $3.43{\times}10^{-27}$ based on the assumption of a random mating group (PI). This rate is 1,000 times higher than that of 60 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. On the other hand, the power of the 60 SNP markers was estimated as $4.69{\times}10^{-20}$ and $8.02{\times}10^{-12}$ on the assumption of a half-sib mating group ($PI_{half-sibs}$) and a full-sib mating group ($PI_{sibs}$), respectively. These powers were 10 times and 10,000 times higher than those of the 14 MS markers. The results indicated that the total number of alleles (MS vs SNP = 146 vs 120) acted as a key factor for the discriminating power in a random mating population, and the total number of markers (MS vs SNP = 14 vs 60) was a dominant influence on the power in half-sib and full-sib populations. In the Hanwoo population, in which it was assumed that the entire population is the enormous half-sib group formed by the absolute genetic contribution of a few nuclear bulls, there will be only a 10 times difference in the discriminating power between the 14 MS markers and the 60 SNP makers. However, the probability of not excluding a candidate parent pair from the parentage of an arbitrary offspring, given that only the genotype of the offspring ($PNE_{pp}$) was 1,000 times higher as shown by the 14 MS markers than that by the 60 SNP markers. The strong points of SNP makers are the stability of the variation (low mutation rate) and automation of high-throughput genotyping. In order to apply these merits for the practical and constant Hanwoo identity test, research and development are required to set a cost-effective platform and produce a homemade apparatus for SNP genotyping.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2016

In comparison to the numbers of such studies of fish, few studies have been carried out on the immunity, physiology and ecology of abalone, while studies on abalone disease are also extremely rare. Moreover, mass mortality of cultured abalone due to pathogenic bacteria has not been reported in the southern coast of Korea. However, Vibrio-like bacteria have been isolated from dead abalone, which indicates that a review is required in order to determine the cause of abalone mortality. Use of an antimicrobial agent to minimize the damage caused by disease in abalone farms is common, but the therapeutic effects are insignificant. Demand for probiotics has increased, but research on the development of probiotics for use in abalone culture is very rare. Therefore, the present study isolated KC16-2 from fermented kimchi soup and investigated the characteristics of the isolate as a candidate probiotic bacterium in abalone. KC16-2 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. amyloliquefaciens KC16-2) based on its biochemical properties and 16S rRNA gene sequence. B. amyloliquefaciens KC16-2 showed inhibitory effects against the growth of various vibrios in vitro, and kept the numbers constant until four days after inoculation in marine water at a temperature of $15{\sim}25^{\circ}C$, indicating the possible use of KC16-2 as a probiotic, except in the winter. The growth of KC16-2 was inhibited by bile salt, but the numbers increased over time suggesting the bacteria were still alive in the abalone's digestive tract. Abalone fed with a diet including KC16-2 for 12 weeks showed good growth, but showed no significant differences from the control group. However, the mortality of the abalone supplied the probiotic diet was reduced to half that of the control group in a challenge test with Vibrio tubiashii. Therefore, we suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens KC16-2 could be used as a probiotic bacterium for control of the mortality of abalone caused by opportunistic pathogenic vibrios.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.35
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• pp.405-439
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• 2017

In this article, I suggest issues and tasks in transmission of Gyeonggi Province folk songs after thorough study of designation of Gyeonggi Province folk songs as intangible cultural asset, reproduction and transmission. Intangible cultural assets are classified into seasonal playing and songs. Originally, category or extension of folk songs is above mere songs and it also embraces personal lives as well as village communities. Intangible assets of folk songs are folk art, group events and non-stage events at the same time based on tradition, history, uniqueness, characters of field value. Gyeonggi Province has 9 intangible assets now because of the revocation of several assets (All Gyeonggi Province, Hwasung, Gwacheon) within five years after initial designation of 13 assets in 1998. They are mostly distributed in the north Gyeonggi region where is close to the DMZ and delay in development seems to have enabled the preservation. Most of the intangible cultural assets are farming songs and weeding which show characteristics of Gyeonggi Province. Most of the designees are who performed excavation, recovery, excluding a few cases without designees on designation, and almost all the designee passed away. Number of cases have been revoked because transmission was not completed or some cases were transmitted to groups rather than specific designees. Subscription concert, the biggest and most representative event, is performed once a year with all of the 9 intangible cultural assets in the original complete forms of the designation. Intangible cultural assets are classified into seasonal playing and songs. In general, current performance of the intangible cultural assets and folk songs are same as the originally designated forms and are not in varied forms other than folk songs like songs for rice-planting and weeding. Funeral songs are transmitted in Yangju and Yangpyeong. In terms of the operation, preservation societies having training centers have been performing more constant activities for preservation including lecture, performance and transmission. Members are quite aged and the societies are suffering from lack of support fund for reproduction and transmission. Problems in reproduction and tasks for the transmission I would like to suggest are like followings. First, preservation and value of the cultural assets. Second, new understanding of designation and revocation of the intangible cultural assets. Third, record of performance and sound source. Fourth, liaison with local communities. Fifth, organization of professional resources and establishment of systematic support and management.