• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a weight loss program on the degree of obesity and levels of resting energy expenditure (REE) in overweight subjects according to their mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP 2) genotype. Twenty-three subjects with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 27 were recruited from the Obesity Clinic of the Kyung-Hee University Hospital during the period of December 2000 - August 2001. The subjects were genotyped for the exon 8 allele; 15 subjects were found to be of del/del genotype, 8 were del/ins, and none were of ins/ins genotype. No significant association was found between the different UCP 2 genotypes and the initial levels of weight, fat mass (FM), lean body mess (LBM), BMI, REE, and REE/LBM ratio. After 12 weeks of a weight loss program, body weight and FM were significantly decreased, while LBM, total body water (TBW), and REE were not changed, irrespective of UCP 2 genotype. Initial fasting plasma levels of albumin, glucose, triglyceride, lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, free triiodo-thyronine (T3), free fatty acid (FFA), and leptin were not different according to the UCP 2 genotype; furthermore, these blood parameters were not changed after the 12-week weight loss program. However, plasma levels of leptin decreased in both the del/del and ins/del genotypes, from 18.7 ng/ml to 13.4 ng/ml (p<.05), and from 18.1 ng/ml to 13.9 ng/ml (p＜.05), respectively, after the weight loss program. In conclusion, this study found no significant association between the del/del or del/ins UCP 2 genotypes and differing levels of REE or differing degrees of obesity, either before or after a weight loss program. This study provided evidence that a well- managed weight loss program could maintain levels of REE, which plays an important role in the maintenance of energy balance.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1435-1444
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate Raman spectroscopy technique as a noninvasive tool to predict meat quality traits on Braford longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle. Methods: Thirty samples of muscle from Braford steers were analyzed by classical meat quality techniques and by Raman spectroscopy with 785 nm laser excitation. Water holding capacity (WHC), intramuscular fat content (IMF), cooking loss (CL), and texture profile analysis recording hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness were determined, along with fiber diameter and sarcomere length by scanning electron microscopy. Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) analysis was used to differentiate tender and tough meat groups. Results: Higher values of cohesiveness and CL, together with lower values of WHC, IMF, and shorter sarcomere were obtained for tender meat samples than for the tougher ones. Raman spectra analysis allows tender and tough sample differentiation. The correlation between the quality attributes predicted by Raman and the physical measurements resulted in values of R² = 0.69 for hardness and 0,58 for WBSF. Pearson's correlation coefficient of hardness (r = 0.84) and WBSF (r = 0.79) parameters with the phenylalanine Raman signal at 1,003 cm^-1, suggests that the content of this amino acid could explain the differences between samples. Conclusion: Raman spectroscopy with 785 nm laser excitation is a suitable and accurate technique to identify beef with different quality attributes.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2014

This interdisciplinary study explores G$\ddot{o}$del's hermeneutics of the relationship between relativity theory and idealistic philosophy in terms of time. For G$\ddot{o}$del, Einstein's contribution to the physical realization of idealistic philosophy would be remarkable. We start with a historical background around G$\ddot{o}$del's paper for Einstein(1949a). From the perspective of G$\ddot{o}$del's cosmology, the second part addresses the relative nature of time, and the next then investigates the rotating model of universes. G$\ddot{o}$del's own results show that the temporal conditions of relativity and idealistic philosophy are satisfiable in the mathematical model of rotating universes. Thus, it could be asserted to travel into any region of the past, present or future, and back again.

• Lettere Italiane
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• no.33
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• pp.1-27
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• 2011

Questo studio ha lo scopo di configurare la gerarchia tematica del sintagma genitivale in italiano all'interno della struttura sintattica. Il sintagma genitivale composto dalla forma "sostantivo+di+sostantivo", può avere i significati di descrizione, origine, apposizione, parte, luogo, e anche può rappresentare la struttura argomentale come argomento esterno(caso soggettivo) o argomento interno(caso oggettivo) e può assegnare il ruolo tematico di agente, tema, esperiente, beneficario in relazione al rapporto con la testa nominale oltre ad avere il significato possesivo. Per quanto riguarda la realizzazione e il significato dell'argomento nel sintagma genitivale diverse che cambiano secondo il tipo della testa nominale, ho classificato i nomi deverbali come nomi monoargomentali, nomi biargomentali, nomi triargomentali sulla base di Renzi et al(1991). Inoltre avendo confermato che il marcatore del caso genitivale di deve esserci nel caso in cui obbligatoriamente la struttura del sintagma nominale composto dai vari livelli, come NP, FP e DP, proposti da Longobardi(2001) per spiegare la differenza semantica del sintagma genitivale con la struttura sintattica, ho cercato di individuare l'ordine degli argomenti, osservando l'ambiguità e il cambiamento del significato del sintagma genitivale nel sintagma nominale. Cioé la differenza della possibilità interpretativa è una cosa strutturale, quindi possibilmente si può configurare la semantica del sintagma genitivale nella struttura sintattica.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2009

Mutations in DLX3 are associated with both autosomal dominant hypoplastic hypomaturation amelogenesis imperfecta (ADHHAI) and tricho-dento-osseous (TDO) syndrome. ADHHAI is caused by a c.561_562delCT (2bp-del DLX3) mutation whereas TDO syndrome is associated with a c.571_574delGGGG (4bp-del DLX3) mutation. However, although the causal relationships between DLX3 and an enamel phenotype have been established, the pathophysiological role of DLX3 mutations in enamel development has not yet been clarified. In our current study, we prepared expression vectors for wild type and deletion mutant DLX3 products (4bp-del DLX3, 2bp-del DLX3) and examined the effects of their overexpression on the expression of the enamel matrix proteins and proteases. Wild type DLX3 enhanced the expression of matrix metalloprotease 20 (MMP20) mRNA and protein in murine ameloblast-like cells. However, neither a 4bp-del nor 2bp-del DLX3 increased MMP20 expression. Wild type DLX3, but not the above DLX3 mutants, also increased the activity of reporters containing 1.5 kb or 0.5 kb of the MMP20 promoter. An examination of protein stability showed that the half-life of wild type DLX3 protein was less than 12 h whilst that of both deletion mutants was longer than 24 h. Endogenous Dlx3 was also found to be continuously expressed during ameloblast differentiation. Since inactivating mutations in the gene encoding MMP20 are associated with amelogenesis imperfecta, the inability of 4bp-del or 2bp-del DLX3 to induce MMP20 expression suggests a possible involvement of such mutations in the enamel phenotype associated with TDO syndrome or ADHHAI.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7929-7933
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• 2015

Background: The incidence of breast cancer in India is on the rise and is rapidly becoming the number one cancer in females, pushing the cervical cancer to the second position. Most of the predisposition to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer has been attributed to inherited defects in two tumor suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Alterations in these genes have been reported in different populations, some of which are population-specific mutations showing founder effects. Two specific mutations in the BRCA1 (185delAG) and BRCA2 (6174delT) genes have been reported to be of high prevalence in different populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the carrier frequency of 185delAG and 6174delT mutations in eastern Indian breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We selected 231 histologically confirmed breast cancer patients from our tertiary cancer care center in eastern India. Family history was obtained by interview or a self-reported questionnaire. The presence of the mutation was investigated by allele specific duplex/multiplex-PCR on genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood. Results: A total of 231 patients (age range: 26-77 years), 130 with a family history and 101 without were screened. The two founder mutations 185delAG in BRCA1 and 6174delT in BRCA2 were not found in any of the subjects. This was confirmed by molecular analysis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that these BRCA mutations may not have a strong recurrent effect on breast cancer among the eastern Indian population. The contribution of these founder mutations to breast cancer incidence is probably low and could be limited to specific subgroups. This may be particularly useful in establishing further pre-screening strategies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.613-622
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• 2000

Background: The aim of this study is to define the cardioprotective effects(functional and metabolic) of newly developed DelNido cardioplegic solution(containing plasma solution, mannitol, magnesium and lidocaine). Material and Method: This study assessed the function of rat hearts after itermittent infusion of DelNido cardioplegia with different preserving methods(Air or Icebox) for 2hours and perfusing the hearts on a Langendorff apparatus. Heart rate, left ventricular developed pressure(LVDP) and coronary flow, were measured at pre-ischemic, post-reperfusion 15min, 30min and 45min. Coronary flow was standardized to dry heart weight. Each weight was weighted to calculate water content. Creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme release was measured and ultrastructural assessment was done with electron microscopes. Result: DelNido group was better than St, Thomas group and Icebox group was better than Room-air group. Conclusion: DelNido cardioplegia have better myocardial protective effects than St. Thomas cardioplegia when they were preserved in the Room-air. But we can not tell the difference between Delnido cardiplegia with Air preserving method and St. Thomas cardioplegia with Icebox.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7713-7718
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• 2014

Background: Despite evidence suggesting roles for caspase-8 (CASP8) -652 6N del and D302H polymorphisms in prostate cancer (PCa), the association of these polymorphisms with PCa risk remains inconclusive. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to more precisely estimate the association of CASP8 -652 6N del and D302H polymorphisms with PCa susceptibility. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify all case-control studies of CASP8 D302H and -652 6N del polymorphisms and PCa risk. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association and the precision of the estimate, respectively. Results: Nine -625 6N del studies and 4 D302H studies were included. CASP8 -652 6N del and D302H polymorphisms were not significantly associated with PCa risk in the overall analyses. However, in the subgroup analysis stratified by ethnicity, -625 6N del was significantly associated with PCa risk in the East Asian and Indian populations under the recessive model. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis strongly suggested that D302H was associated with lower PCa risk in the Non-Indian population under the dominant model. Conclusions: In our meta-analysis, ethnic-specific differences were evident in the association of CASP8-625 6N del and D302H polymorphisms with PCa risk.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3501-3505
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• 2012

Links between the CHEK2 1100delC heterozygote and breast cancer risk have been extensively explored. However, both positive and negative associations with this variant have been reported in individual studies. For a detailed assessment of the CHEK2 1100delC heterozygote and breast cancer risk, relevant studies published as recently as May 2012 were identified using PUBMED and EMBASE and selected using a priori defined criteria. The strength of the relationship between the CHEK2 1100delC variant and breast cancer risks was assessed by odds ratios (ORs) under the fixed effects model. A total of 29,154 cases and 37,064 controls from 25 case-control studies were identified in this meta-analysis. The CHEK2 1100delC heterozygote was more frequently detected in cases than in controls (1.34% versus 0.44%). A significant association was found between CHEK2 1100delC heterozygote and breast cancer risk (OR=2.75, 95% CI: [2.25, 3.36]). The ORs and CIs were 2.33 (95% CI: [1.79, 3.05]), 3.72 (95% CI: [2.61, 5.31]) and 2.78 (95% CI: [2.28, 3.39]) respectively in unselected, family, early-onset breast cancer subgroups. The CHEK2 1100delC variant could be a potential factor for increased breast cancer risk in Caucasians. However, more consideration is needed in order to apply it to allele screening or other clinical work.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.454-459
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• 2004

Experimental hyperoxia represents a suitable in vitro model to study some pathogenic mechanisms related to oxidative stress. Moreover, it allows the investigation of the molecular pathophysiology underlying oxygen therapy and toxicity. In this study, a modified experimental set up was adopted to accomplish a model of moderate hyperoxia (50% $O_2$, 96 h culture) to induce oxidative stress in the human leukemia cell line, U-937. Spectrophotometric measurements of mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activities, NMR spectroscopy of culture media, determination of antioxidant enzyme activities, and cell proliferation and differentiation assays were performed. The data showed that moderate hyperoxia in this myeloid cell line causes: i) intriguing alterations in the mitochondrial activities at the levels of succinate dehydrogenase and succinate-cytochrome c reductase; ii) induction of metabolic compensatory adaptations, with significant shift to glycolysis; iii) induction of different antioxidant enzyme activities; iv) significant cell growth inhibition and v) no significant apoptosis. This work will permit better characterization the mitochondrial damage induced by hyperoxia. In particular, the data showed a large increase in the succinate cytochrome c reductase activity, which could be a fundamental pathogenic mechanism at the basis of oxygen toxicity.