• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.507-514
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• 1994

Acetyl xylan esterase was produced by E. coli HB101 harboring a recombinant plasmid pKMG6 which contained the estI gene of Bacillus stearothermophilus. The maximum production was observed when the E. coli strain was grown at 37$\circC for 12 hours in the medium containing 0.5% acetyl xylan, 1.0% tryptons, 1.0% sodium chloride, and 0.5% yeast extract. The esterase produced was purified to homogeneity using a combination of ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B ion exchange chromatography and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration. The native enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 60 kd and was composed of two identical subunits of 29 kd. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the polypeptide was Ala-X-Leu-Gln- Ile-Gln-Phe-X-X-Gln. The acetyl esterase displayed a pH optimum of 6.5 and a temperature opti- mum of 45$\circC. The heavy metal ions such as Ag$^{++}$, Hg$^{++}$ and Cu$^{++}$ inhibited nearly completely the activity of the esterase, and no specific metal ion was found to be required for the enzyme activity. The enzyme readily cleaved MAS, $\beta$-D-glucose pentaacetate, $\alpha$-naphthyl acetate, $\rho$-nitrophenyl acetate as well as acetyl xylan, but had no activity on $\rho$-nitrophenyl propionate, $\beta$-nitrophenyl butyrate or $\beta$-nitrophenyl valerate. The Km and Vmax values for MAS were 2.87 mM and 11.55 $\mu$mole/min, respectively. Synergistic behavior was demonstrated with a combination of xylanase and esterase from B. stearothermophilus in hydrolyzing acetyl xylan.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2000

The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the retention of the radiomercury among the organs in mice. We used the healthy ICR male mice and divided into two grouos. The experimental group was orally treated with squalene(200mg/kg of body weight) at two times a day(12 hrs interval) and radiomercury(0.005 uCi/g of body weight.) only one time. The control group was treated only with radiomercury as same amount of the experimental group. As the result, main retentive organs were kidney, liver, blood, heart and skull. In the control group, all of these organs showed high retention of the radiomercury at 6 hours, but in the experimental groups, all the organs significantly inhibit retention of the .radiomercury by squalene(p<0.05). We conclude that squalene inhibit retention of the radiomercury.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.201-207
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• 2000

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status of nursing home residents and to assess the effect of nutrition intervention. The subjects were 123 people aged over 60 years from 5 different nursing homes. The nutrition intervention study was carried out by supplementing their diet with multivitamin-minerals for 2 months. The mean intakes of most nutrients did not meet the RDA, Though the nutrient content of the menus provided by the facilities were satisfactory. Nutrients of which intakes fell below 75% of the RDA were protein, Ca, Fe, vitamin A vitamin B$_1$, and vitamin B$_2$. The BMIs of male and female subjects were 22.0kg/$m^2$ and 24.6kg/$m^2$ and the WHRs were 0.92 and 0.90, respectively. The percentage of subjects with hypertention (BP$\geq$140/90mmHg) and with anemia(Hb$\leq$13mg/100$m\ell$ in men, Hb$\leq$12mg/100$m\ell$ in women) were 34.6% and 41.9%, respectively. The serum cncentrations of albumin, total protein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and total lipid fell within normal ranges. However, 27.5% of the subjects showed a high serum cholesterol level of over 250mg/100$m\ell$. The concentration of C3 was 81.2mg/100$m\ell$, IgG, 1343mg/100$m\ell$, and IL-2, 0.766mg/$m\ell$. after 2 months of vitamin-mineral supplementation, the levels of blood glucose and total cholesterol were significantly decreased and triglyceride was significantly increased. The vitamin-mineral supplementation had no effect on the mean levels of vitamin A and E, IgG, IL2, and C3. However, the intervention resulted int he improvement of serum vitamin A and E levels when the subject\`s serum levels were low before the supplementation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.259-269
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• 1995

Column leaching tests were conducted using fresh and weathered pulverised fuel ash of some 17 and 40 years old from two major British power plants, with deionised water and simulated synthetic industrial leachate. The former was to see the leaching behaviour of weathered ash and the latter was to see if the formation of secondary products from water and PFA interaction and ameliorating effect in removing metals from industrial leachates. Fresh PFA liberates elevated concentrations of surface-enriched inorganics, including Ca, Na, K, B, $Cr_{total}$, Li Mo, Se and $SO^{2-}_4$. This might indicate their association with the surface of PFA particles. In the column leaching tests using weathered ash and deionised water, elements are not readily leached but are released more slowly, showing relatively constant concentrations. For the case of weathered ash, some readily soluble surface-enriched elements appears to have been liberated in their early stage of leaching and the liberation of glass associated elements are thought to be more important function in controlling the element concentration. The result from column leaching tests exceed for a number of elements when compared with various Water Standards and suggests the leachate from PFA disposal mound needs dilution to achieve target concentrations. PF A shows element retention effect for many elements, including B, Fe, Zn, Hg, Ni, Li and Mo, in the order of fresh Drax ash > weathered Drax ash > Weathered Meaford ash in retaining capacity. Geochemical modelling using a computer program WATEQ4F reveals some solubility controlling secondary solid products. These include $CaSO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$ for Ca, $Al(OH)_3$ for Al and $Fe(OH)_3$ for Fe.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1362-1369
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• 2005

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the plasma level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(pro-BNP) and several known risk factors influencing outcomes after Fontan operations, and to assess whether pro-BNP levels can be used as predictive risk factors in Fontan operations. Methods : Plasma pro-BNP concentrations were measured in 35 patients with complex cardiac anomalies before catheterization. Cardiac catheterization was performed in all subjects. Mean right atrium pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure(PAP), and ventricular end-diastolic pressure(EDP) were obtained. Cardiac output and pulmonary vascular resistance were calculated by Fick method. Results : Plasma pro-BNP levels exhibited statistically significant positive correlations with mean PAP(r=0.70, P<0.001), pulmonary vascular resistance(r=0.57, P<0.001), RVEDP(r=0.63, P<0.001), LVEDP(r=0.74, P<0.001), and cardiothoracic ratio(r=0.71, P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve using pro-BNP level to differentiate risk groups in Fontan operations was high : 0.868(95 percent CI, 0.712-1.023, P<0.01). The cutoff value of pro-BNP concentrations for the detection of risk groups in Fontan operations was determined to be 332.4 pg/mL(sensitivity 83.3 percent, specificity 82.7 percent). Conclusion : These data suggest that plasma pro-BNP levels may be used as a predictive risk factor in Fontan operations, and as a guide to determine the mode of therapy during follow-up after Fontan operations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.789-795
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• 2008

To study the possible use of probiotics in fish farming, we evaluated antagonism of antibacterial strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H41 against the fish pathogenic bacterium Vibrio anguillarum NCMB1. The purification of growth inhibition factor produced by B. amyloliquefaciens H41 was achieved by obtaining supernatant of this bacterium. The growth inhibition factor was purified to homogeneity by 70% ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-sephadex A-50 ion exchange chromatography, sephadex G-200 gel filtration column chromatography, and sephadex G-50 gel filtration column chromatography with 40.8 fold of purification and 2.9% yield. The molecular weight of the purified growth inhibition factor was 48 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum pH and temperature for the growth inhibition factor were pH 7.5 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activity of growth inhibition factor was enhanced slightly by some metal ions, such as $Mg^{+2}$, $Mn^{+2}$, but was inhibited by the addition of $Co^{+2}$, $Hg^{+2}$, $Zn^{+2}$ and $Ag^{+2}$. NaCl stability of the growth inhibition factor was observed with 50% residual activity at 3% NaCl concentration. Toxicity test showed that the purified B. amyloliquefaciens H41 growth inhibition factor did not affect the live of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and the effectiveness was 78% of residual lethality compared to commercial antibacterial agents.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.552-557
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• 2007

Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac hormone that is primarily synthesized by the ventricular cardiac myocytes. Increased plasma BNP levels have been observed in patients suffering with congestive heart failure, ventricular hypertrophy and myocaridits and also during heart transplantation rejection. We investigated the serum BNP level as a predictive marker for rejection after heart transplantation. Material and Method: To test the usefulness of measuring the BNP level in cardiac transplant patients, consecutive blood samplings for BNP, right ventricular endomyocardial biopsies, hemodynamic measurements and transthoracic echocardiogram were all done in 10 such patients between January 2004 and August 2005 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Asan Medical Center. Two groups were identified with using the median value: the low BNP group (n=28, BNP: ${\le}290$ pg/mL) and the high BNP group (n=29, BNP: >290 pg/mL). We retrospectively analyzed rejection, the ejection fraction, tricuspid regurgitation, left ventricular hypertrophy, the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and the right atrial pressure between the 2 groups. Result: There were no differences in age, gender, rejection, the ejection fraction, tricuspid regurgitation, left ventricular hypertrophy and the right atrial pressure between the 2 groups (p>0.05). However, a higher pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and a higher mean pulmonary atrial pressure were observed in the high BNP group (p<0.05). Further, BNP has linear correlation with the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (r=0.590, p<0.001). Using the cut-off value of 620 pg/mL, the BNP predicted a high PCWP (>12 mmHg) with a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 91.1% (AUC: $0.900{\pm}0.045$, p<0.001). Conclusion: The BNP level after heart transplantation does not show any significant correlation with rejection, yet it might be a predictive marker of ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.196-202
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• 2009

The effects of the salts fortified with seaweed functional components on blood pressure, serum minerals, and hematochemicals in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR/NCrj) and normotensive rats (WKY/NCrj) were investigated. SHR and WKY rats were assigned to four groups, with 8 and 6 rats in each group: laver salt (A), fucoidan+laver high salt (B), fucoidan + laver low salt (C) and refined salt as a control (D). The final blood pressure (BP) of SHR and WKY species in contrast with reference BP were low in groups A and C as compared with control group. In terms of serum mineral content, $Na^+$ levels were similar in SHR and WKY, but $K^+$ levels were higher in the group B in SHR. Serum triglyceride levels were lower in groups A and C, but the levels of HDL- and LDL- cholesterol were significantly higher and lower in group A than those of controls, respectively (p<0.05). These results demonstrated that the salts fortified with laver might suppress blood pressure in rats, and also may improve mineral and lipid metabolism.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of food habits on blood components level(blood glucose, uric acid, hemoglobin, some lipids levels) and health condition in Taejon. The study was conducted with 250 subjects (male 130, female120) who visited in a general hospital from May to June in 1997. Questionaires were used for food habits. The data were analyzed by using $x^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA and multiple range test. Results were summerized s follow : mean of Broca Index were 110.0 $\pm$13.7% in male, 110.6$\pm$16.6% in female. Mean values of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were 130.9$\pm$17.6mmHg, 76.2$\pm$12.6mmHg, respectively. The systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in man than woman, Mean serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels were 202.8$\pm$40.2, 121.1$\pm$35.5, 50.3$\pm$12.9, 157.1$\pm$112.6mg/dl, respectively. Triglyceride level was significantly higher in man than woman. But HDL-cholesterol was significantly lower in man than woman. And also, the value of LPH and AI were higher in man. So Man has more risk of atherogenesis than woman. Mean values of blood sugar, uric acid and hemoglobin was 102.7$\pm$1.36mg/dl and 14.1$\pm$1.56g/dl were higher in man than woman except blood sugar. Food habit of woman were better than it of man. The levels of education and income did not affect to food habit score. The most problem of habits were intake of salty food and lack of exercise. The intake of nutrients were higher as food habit score was higher. Intakes of energy, Ca, vitamin A and vitamin $B^1$ were lower than RDA's of nutrients in bad food habit group. This result did not show that blood components level and health condition were significantly different by food habits. But Broca Index and triglyceride levels were higher in bad food habit group than other groups, but not statistically significant. By this result, it is more needed food habit education to man and young people. The education of food habits will include the real methods of weight control, low intake of salt and exercise to bad food habit group.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 2009

This work was conducted to investigate the amount and major compositions of excreta from broilers. One hundred fifty 1-d-old male and female Ross broilers were used in this work and ten broilers were selected to measure excreta. Average amount of excreta per broiler was 85.4 g, and average moisture content was 76.9%. N, $P_2O_5$ and $K_2O$ in excreta were 1.19, 0.29 and 0.49%, respectively. pH, $BOD_5$, $COD_{mn}$, and SS were 7.80, 42,134 mg/L, 52,668 mg/L, and 106,669 mg/L, respectively. Pb in poultry excreta was 0.803 mg/kg and highly lowed compared with the standard contents (150 mg/kg). Cd was not founded in excreta. Hg was founded in excreta as 0.002 mg/kg, but it was low compared with the standard level (2 mg/kg).