• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1800-1805
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• 2018

Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronically relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) constitute barrier surfaces and play a critical role in maintaining gut health. Dysregulated immune responses and destruction of IECs disrupt intestinal balance. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is the most widely used chemical for inducing colitis in animals, and its treatment induces colonic inflammation, acute diarrhea, and shortening of the intestine, with clinical and histological similarity to human UC. Current treatments for this inflammatory disorder have poor tolerability and insufficient therapeutic efficacy, and thus, alternative therapeutic approaches are required. Recently, dietary supplements with probiotics have emerged as promising interventions by alleviating disturbances in the indigenous microflora in UC. Thus, we hypothesized that the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain BB12 could protect against the development of colitis in a DSS-induced mouse model of UC. In the present study, oral administration of BB12 markedly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis, accompanied by reduced tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$-mediated IEC apoptosis. These findings indicate that the probiotic strain BB12 can alleviate DSS-induced colitis and suggest a novel mechanism of communication between probiotic microorganisms and intestinal epithelia, which increases intestinal cell survival by modulating pro-apoptotic cytokine expression.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.262-266
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• 2011

A 4-year-old intact male, Maltese dog weighing 2.2 kg was presented for evaluation of tachypnea and hyperthermia. On initial evaluation, the dog was dyspneic, but alert and responsive. Muffled heart sound was noted with auscultation of the right hemithorax. The radiographic findings were consolidation of the right middle lung lobe, pleural effusion, and abdominal fluid accumulation. Thoracic computed tomography confirmed a contrast-enhancing mass within the right middle lung lobe. Surgical exploration of the thoracic cavity was performed using a right fifth intercostal thoracotomy. Examination of the right lung lobe revealed $360^{\circ}C$ torsion of the right middle lung lobe at the level of the hilus, in a clockwise direction. Lung lobectomy was performed using a thoracoabdominal stapling device with 2.5-mm vascular staples. Full-thickness intestinal biopsy by exploratory laparotomy was taken from the jejunum for histological assessment. Histopathologic examination of the full-thickness intestinal biopsy revealed distended lacteal located within the submucosa of the jejunum. Intestinal lymphangiectasia was resolved with prednisone and low fat diets. Subsequent communication with the owner revealed that the patient was in good health 6 months post-discharge.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1352-1359
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• 2020

Objective: Lactobacilli in rabbit intestine is rare and its function in rabbit gut health is not fully understood. The present study aimed to evaluate in vivo the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus casei for suckling rabbits. Methods: Two healthy 5-day-old suckling rabbits with similar weights from each of 12 New Zealand White litters were selected and disturbed to control group and treatment group. All rabbits were artificially fed. The treatment group had been supplemented with live Lactobacillus casei in the milk from the beginning of the trial to 13 days of age. At 15 days of age, healthy paired rabbits were slaughtered to collect intestinal samples. Results: i) Oral administration of Lactobacillus casei significantly increased the proportion of Lactobacilli in the total intestinal bacteria (p<0.01) and obviously reduced that of Escherichia-Shigella (p<0.01); ii) treatment increased the length of vermiform appendix (p<0.05); iii) a higher percentage of degranulated paneth cells was observed in the duodenum and jejunum when rabbits administered with Lactobacillus casei (p<0.01); and iv) the expression of toll-like receptor 9, lysozyme (LYZ), and defensin-7-like (DEFEN) in the duodenum and jejunum was stimulated by supplemented Lactobacillus casei (p<0.05). Conclusion: Orally administered Lactobacillus casei could increase the abundance of intestinal Lactobacilli, decrease the relative abundance of intestinal Escherichia-Shigella, promote the growth of appendix vermiform, stimulate the degranulation of paneth cells and induce the expression of DEFEN and LYS. The results of the present study implied that Lactobacillus casei exhibited probiotic potential for suckling rabbits.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2007

Bifidobacteria are probiotic organisms that provide both flavor and health benefits when incorporated as live cultures into commercial dairy products. Because bifidobacteria are very sensitive to environmental conditions (acids, temperature, oxygen, bile salts, the presence of other cultures, etc.), their viability in human gastrointestinal tract is limited. The microencapsulation of bifidobacteria is a process to protect them against harsh environmental conditions, thereby increasing their viability while passing through human gastrointestinal tract. To confirm the survival rate of microencapsulated Bifidobacterium breve CBG-C2 in milk, their survival rate was compared with several kinds of free bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria in commercial yogurt products under simulated gastric and small intestinal conditions. Double-microencapsulation of the bacteria was employed to increase the survival rate during digestion. The outer layer was covered with starch and gelatin to endure gastric conditions, and the inner layer was composed of a hard oil for the upper small intestinal regions. Almost all microencapsulted bifidobacteria in the milk survived longer than the free bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria in the commericial yogurt products under the simulated gastric conditions. Numbers of surviving free bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria in the commercial products were significantly reduced, however, the viability of the microencapsulated bificobacteria in the milk remained quite stable under gastric and small intestine conditions over 3$\sim$6 hrs. Thus double-microencapsualtion of bifidobacteria in milk is a promising method for improving the survival of bifidobacteria during the digestive process.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.358-361
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• 2008

Effect of extract of fermented dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera) on growth of intestinal harmful/useful bacteria and enzyme activity were investigated in vitro. The extract showed strong inhibition on harmful microbes including Vibrio and Salmonella, but mild inhibition on Bifidobacterium longum in both agar plate and liquid cultivation. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of B. longum was the highest among tested microbes. Inhibition effect of fermented extract on harmful microbes increased according to fermentation period. Extract of fermented dropwort showed inhibitory effects on activity of microbial ${\beta}$-glucuronidase and tryptophanase. The inhibitory effects were also proportional to fermentation period. As consequence, it is assumed that the uptake of fermented dropwort might be useful for human intestinal health.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2018

$Na^+/H^+$ exchangers (NHEs) have been shown to be involved in regulating cell volume and maintaining fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Pooled evidences have suggested that loss of $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger isoform 8 (NHE8) impairs intestinal mucosa. Whether NHE8 participates in the pathology of infectious colitis is still unknown. Our previous study demonstrated that somatostatin (SST) could stimulate the expression of intestinal NHE8 so as to facilitate $Na^+$ absorption under normal condition. This study further explored whether NHE8 participates in the pathological processes of infectious colitis and the effects of SST on intestinal NHE8 expression in the setting of infectious colitis. Our data showed that NHE8 expression was reduced in Citrobacter rodentium (CR) infected mice. Up-regulation of NHE8 improved diarrhea symptom and mucosal damage induced by CR. In vitro, a similar observation was also seen in Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) infected Caco-2 cells. Seglitide, a SST receptor (SSTR) 2 agonist, partly reversed the inhibiting action of EPEC on NHE8 expression, but SSTR5 agonist (L-817,818) had no effect on the expression of NHE8. Moreover, SST blocked the phosphorylation of p38 in EPEC-infected Caco-2 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that enhancement of intestinal NHE8 expression by SST could ameliorate the symptoms of mice with infectious colitis.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.714-723
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of soft pellet creep feed (SPCF) on growth performance and intestinal development in piglets. Methods: A total of 18 sows and their litters of crossbred piglets (14±2 days, 3.73±0.72 kg) were assigned to one of three dietary groups receiving i) powder creep feed (PCF), ii) hard pellet creep feed (HPCF) or iii) SPCF during the pre-weaning period. After weaning, piglets were selected for continuous evaluation of the three diets on growth performance and intestinal health. Results: In the pre-weaning period, the average daily feed intake and average daily dry matter intake were significantly higher in the SPCF group than the HPCF group (p<0.05). In the post-weaning and entire experimental period, the different diets had no significant effect on growth performance. At 10 d after weaning, the serum glucose concentration was lower in the SPCF group (p<0.05) than the other groups; a higher (p<0.05) villus height and lower (p<0.05) crypt depth in the jejunum were also observed in the SPCF group than the other groups; Meanwhile, in the duodenum and jejunum, the SPCF group had a higher (p<0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio than the other groups; Furthermore, the higher (p<0.05) threshold cycle values of lactic acid bacteria and lower (p<0.05) threshold cycle values of Clostridium, Enterobacter and Escherichia coli were also observed in the SPCF group, and the sucrase and maltase activity was higher (p<0.05) in the SPCF group than the other groups in duodenum and ileum. Conclusion: The SPCF improved pre-weaning feed intake and decreased the negative effects of weaning stress in the intestine in piglets.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.441-452
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• 2022

Congenital diarrheal disorders (CDDs) with genetic etiology are uncommon hereditary intestinal diseases characterized by chronic, life-threatening, intractable watery diarrhea that starts in infancy. CDDs can be mechanistically divided into osmotic and secretory diarrhea. Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE), also known as intestinal epithelial dysplasia, is a type of secretory CDD. CTE is a rare autosomal recessive enteropathy that presents with intractable neonatal-onset diarrhea, intestinal failure, severe malnutrition, and parenteral nutrition dependence. Villous atrophy of the intestinal epithelium, crypt hyperplasia, and irregularity of surface enterocytes are the specific pathological findings of CTE. The small intestine and occasionally the colonic mucosa include focal epithelial tufts. In 2008, Sivagnanam et al. discovered that mutations in the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM, MIM# 185535) were the genetic cause of CTE (MIM# 613217). More than a hundred mutations have been reported to date. Furthermore, mutations in the serine peptidase inhibitor Kunitz type 2 (SPINT2, MIM# 605124) have been linked to syndromic CTE. In this study, we report the case of a 17-month-old male infant with congenital diarrhea. Despite extensive etiological workup, no etiology could be established before admission to our center. The patient died 15 hours after being admitted to our center in a metabolically decompensated state, probably due to a delay in admission and diagnosis. Molecular autopsy with exome sequencing revealed a previously reported homozygous missense variant, c.757G>A, in EpCAM, which was confirmed by histopathological examination.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.35.1-35.16
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• 2021

Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (GWI) encompasses a broad range of unexplained symptomology specific to Veterans of the Persian Gulf War. Gastrointestinal (GI) distress is prominent in veterans with GWI and often presents as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Neurotoxins, including organophosphorus pesticides and sarin gas, are believed to have contributed to the development of GWI, at least in a subset of Veterans. However, the effects of such agents have not been extensively studied for their potential impact to GI disorders and immunological stability. Here we utilized an established murine model of GWI to investigate deleterious effects of diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) exposure on the mucosal epithelium in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, acute DFP exposure negatively impacts the mucosal epithelium by reducing tight junction proteins and antimicrobial peptides as well as altering intestinal microbiome composition. Furthermore, DFP treatment reduced the expression of IL-17 in the colonic epithelium. Conversely, both IL-17 and IL-17C treatment could combat the negative effects of DFP and other cholinesterase inhibitors in murine intestinal organoid cells. Our findings demonstrate that acute exposure to DFP can result in rapid deterioration of mechanisms protecting the GI tract from disease. These results are relevant to suspected GWI exposures and could help explain the propensity for GI disorders in GWI Veterans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.160-177
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• 1988

This study is an analysis of the teachers' health problems that focuses on the frequencies and types of their visiting to school clinics and the management of health-related problems. The participants for this study are consisted of 1,650 teachers employed at 30 public schools in the Seoul area. Data for the study came from diagnostic records for 1986, the results of a questionaire-type survey conducted between June 20th and of the same year an from other documents recorded by school nurses. The main results of this study are as follows: 1. The teachers' health problems. a) According to health diagnosis records, 6.1 % of all teachers had a health problem. Liver-related ailments topped the list, followed by circulatory and diabetic problems. b) The survey data had 71.9 % of the respondents indicating that trey suffered from some health problem. The most frequent response concerned respiratory problems, followed by gastro-intestinal and nervous system problems. c) A check of clinic utilization records revealed that the main reasons for visiting are concerned with fatigue (30.5 %), gastro-intestinal(18.7 %) and respiratory(18.2 %) ailments. These three categories accounted for 67.4 % of total use. 2. Frequencies of their visiting to school clinics 40.5 % of the teachers indicated that they have visited the school clinic. And 62.0 % visited it with a self-diagnosed ailment and 15.3 % utilized the facility after a problem had been detected in a health examination. Clinics were visited a total of 1,458 times which breaks down to 0.9 times per month per teacher. For a patient, the figures are 2.2 times on the average with a range from 1 to 19. 3. Health management problems a) Of those respondents. 53.4 % stated that they didn't have enough time to consult about their health problems and diagnose their disease b) Also, 47.3 % of the respondents indicated that school nurses should give health counsels and health education. c) When questioned about improvements in the current system, the teachers placed importance on the prevention and management of chronic diseases (35.2 %) and pre- and posteducation concerning periodic health examinations In conclusion, the following points must be considered: First, school administrators need to pay more attention to the health problems of the teachers. Second, school nurses should be more active in managing a health program for teachers. Finally, education and training for nurses should be continually upgraded so that they can dispense proper and timely care for teachers.