• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1583-1588
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• 2015

The large intestine is a home for trillions of microbiota, which confer many benefits on the host, including production of vitamins, absorption of nutrients, pathogen displacement, and development of the immune system. For several decades, germ-free animals have been used to study the interaction between the host and its microbiota. This minireview describes the technical aspects for establishing and maintaining germ-free animals and highlights the advantages and disadvantages for germ-free animals as experimental models.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.35-43
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• 2002

Glycosides of herbal medicines, such as glycyrrhizin, ginsenosides, kalopanaxsaponins, rutin and ponicirin, were studied regarding their metabolic fates and pharmacological actions in relation to intestinal bacteria using germ-free, gnotobiotic and conventional animals. When glycyrrhizin (GL) was orally administered, $18{\beta}-glycyrrhetinic\;acid\;(GA)$, not GL, was detected in plasma and intestinal contents of gnotobiotic and conventional rats. However, GA could not be detected in germ-free rats. When GL was incubated with human intestinal bacteria, it was directly metabolized to GA (>95%) or via $18{\beta}-glycyrrhetinic\;acid-3-{\beta}-D-glucuronide$(>5%). Orally administered GL was effective in gnotobiotic and conventional rats for liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride, but was not effective in germ-free rats. When ginseng saponins were orally administered to human beings, compound K in the plasma was detected, but the other protopanxadiol saponins were not detected. The compound K was active for tumor metastasis and allergy. When kalopanaxsaponins were incubated with human intestinal microflora, they were metabolized to kalopanaxsaponin A, kalopanaxsaponin I and hederagenin. These metabolites were active for rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic mellitus while the other kalopanxsaponins were not. When flavonoid glycosides were orally administered to animals, aglycones and/or phenolic acids were detected in the urine. The metabolic pathways proceeded by intestinal bacteria rather than by liver or blood enzymes. These metabolites, aglycones and phenolic acids, showed antitumor, antiinflammatory and antiplatelet aggregation activities. These findings suggest that glycosides of herbal medicines are prodrugs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1364-1368
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• 2010

Gnotobiotic piglets (n = 10) were hand-reared in conventional germ-free facilities. Piglet body temperatures were measured with rectal and non-contact infrared thermometry (NIFT) on the lower eyelid, auricular center and margin, parietal regions, axilla, central abdomen and dorsum, and the perianal region. Body temperature measurements at central abdomen, cranial dorsum, and perianal regions had NIFT values which had a significant linear relationship (p<0.0001) with rectal thermometry. The predicted equations of between-subject formulas were calculated as follows: rectal temperature, 28.07489+0.30372${\times}$central abdominal surface temperature; rectal temperature, 34.02799+0.15197${\times}$central dorsum surface temperature; and rectal temperature, 33.87937+0.15676${\times}$perianal temperature. These results suggested that NIFT could serve as a valid alternative to rectal thermometry in a portable germ-free facility without disturbing experimental animals. The development of a NIFT body temperature evaluation that does not require animal restraint is clinically advantageous, particularly in gnotobiotic piglets, and would be significantly less stressful for experimental procedures in germ-free facilities.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 1987

For the development of the specific pathogen free (SPF) or germ free laboratory animals, a parasitological survey was carried out and numerous pinworms were collected from the large intestines and caeca of the host animal Mus musculus alba. The pinworms collected from the laboratory albino mice were identified as Aspiculuris tetraptera, Syphacia muris and S. obvelata and classified into the Family Oxyuridae, Superfamily Oxyuroidea, Order Ascaridida. The overall infection rate of the pinworms was revealed as high as 64.8%(A. tetraptera 31.0%; S. muris 32.4% and S. obvelata 22.5%) consisting of the single species infection 47.9%, the double species infection 12.7% and the triple species infection 4.2%.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 1987

For the development of the specific pathogen free (SPF) or germ free laboratory animals, a parasitological approach was applied to the preliminarily selected laboratory albino mice (Mus musculus alba) in order to observe the ectoparasites on the hair of the host animal. The mites collected from the laboratory albino mice were identified as Myocoptes musculinus and classified into the Family Listrophoridae, Suborder Sarcoptiformes, Order Acarina. The overall infection rate of the mites was revealed as high as 73.2% (52 out of 71 heads) and the development process from the eggs to larvae was observed for the understanding of the basic ecological properties.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1745-1752
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• 2019

Objective: The objective was to determine standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in 11 plant protein sources fed to growing pigs. Methods: Eleven feed ingredients used were sesame meal, two sources of soybean meal (SBM) produced in the Republic of Korea, a source of SBM produced in India, high-protein distillers dried grains (HPDDG), perilla meal, canola meal, copra meal, corn germ meal, palm kernel expeller, and tapioca distillers dried grains (TDDG). Experimental diets were prepared to contain each test ingredient as a sole source of AA, and a nitrogen-free diet was also prepared to estimate the basal ileal endogenous losses of AA. Twelve barrows surgically fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum with an initial body weight of 29.0 kg (standard deviation = 3.0) were individually housed in metabolism crates equipped with a feeder and a nipple drinker. A $12{\times}9$ incomplete Latin square design was employed with 12 experimental diets, 12 animals, and 9 periods. After a 5-d adaptation period, ileal digesta were collected on d 6 and 7 in each experimental period. Results: Values for apparent ileal digestibility of most indispensable AA in three sources of SBM were greater compared with other test ingredients except HPDDG and canola meal (p<0.05). Pigs fed diets containing SBM sources had also greater SID of most indispensable AA compared with those fed diets containing other test ingredients (p<0.05) except for HPDDG and canola meal. There was no difference in the apparent ileal digestibility and SID of AA among sources of SBM. The TDDG had the least value for the SID of methionine among test ingredients (p<0.05). Conclusion: The SID of most AA in SBM, HPDDG, and canola meal were greater than those in sesame meal, perilla meal, copra meal, and TDDG.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.504-512
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• 2021

Sperm formation disorders and sperm quality degradation comprises the largest proportion of male infertility caused by TCDD. To solve this problem, this study examined the effects of Gobonyangjeonbang oriental medicine prescription on the endocrine function and reproductive toxicity-related indicators in rat-induced TCDD-induced reproductive. Male SD rats were divided into five groups of seven animals and tested. The normal control group was administered the vehicle and saline, the TCDD alone group was administered intraperitoneally with TCDD (2 ㎍/kg, weeks) and physiological saline, and the test group was administered orally by dividing GYB (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg) into three concentrations for six weeks. Weight loss was observed in all groups administered TCDD. Regarding the hormonal changes, a significant decrease in free testosterone was observed in the GYB 300 mg/kg group (p<0.01). In addition, some of the germ cell destruction, seminiferous tubular atrophy, and decrease in sperm count was improved in a concentration-dependent manner in the testicular tissue of the GYB-treated group. In addition, Johnsen's score and serotoli cell index (SCI) were improved in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.05). Overall, GYB can be used in drug therapy rather than medical procedures to solve male infertility in the future.