• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6409-6413
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• 2012

The innate immune system coordinates the inflammatory response to pathogens. To do so, its cells must discriminate self from non-self utilizing receptors that identify molecules synthesized exclusively by microbes. Toll-like receptors have a crucial role in the detection of microbial infection in mammals and insects. In mammals, they have evolved to recognize conserved products unique to microbial metabolism. These include lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipotechoic acids, and peptidoglycans (PGN). We show here that TLRs, including TLR2, are expressed on the THP-1 human leukemia cell line. Activation of TLR2 signaling in THP-1 by PGN induces the synthesis of various soluble factors and proteins including interleukin-$1{\beta}$, interleukin-8 and TNF-${\alpha}$ and apoptosis of THP-1 with PGN dose and time dependence. Moreover, in this study we show that PGN induces apoptosis of THP-1 cells in a TNF-${\alpha}$-dependent manner. These findings indicate that TLR2 signaling results in a cascade leading to tumor apoptosis and differentiation, which may suggest new clinical prospects using TLR2 agonists as cytotoxic agents in certain cancers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the creation techniques of eco-pond, one of biotopes to promote biodiversity in urban residence area. Investigation were classified out plant, mammals, amphibia, reptiles, birds, fishes and insects. The results were summarized as follows: Around the eco-pond shows simple vegetation structurs, consisted of Pinus densoflora S et Z. and Robinia pseudoacacia under competition. In case of shrub, consisted of 4 species but plant growing appearence diversely by seasons. The evaluation of vegetation of eco-pond, there are found 4 species of aquatic plants. Inside the revetment of pond, Echinochloa crus-galli, Persicaria hydropiper, Digiaria sanguinalis, Cyperus microiria and Bidens frondosa L. are mainly distributed. Near the revetment, Trifolium repens L. and Digiaria sanguinalis are prevailed. And in its background, Erigeron canadensis, Erigeron annuus and vines are begins to make their appearances. When evaluation animals in eco-pond and contrast plot, it show simple species and numbers of mammals. It seemed to be resulted from its isolation and outside intervention by users In eco-pond, Pica pica and Streptopelia orientalis are mainly found and in contrast plot of Columba livia, which are so strong adaptation to city life environment. In case of amphibia and reptiles, none is observed in contrast plot, but in ecological pond, Rana nigromaculata and Hyla japonica are constantly observed. In case of insects, more species are found in eco-pond than contrast plot. And in eco-pond, more dragonflies are visibly increased one year after its construction. In floral zone inside of pond revetment, grasshopper and Locusta migratoria are frequently observed. In case of butterflies, they are mainly found in log fence and willow(salix) around eco-pond. In case of fishes inside of eco-pond, the species and its density are remarkable increased one year after the construction. With above evaluation results, we have identify the increase effect of biodiversity after construction of the eco-pond.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.105-118
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• 2005

Anemia in fish can be easily recognized by examining the gill color and physical properties of sampled blood. The number of erythrocytes is generally within 1-3 ${\times}10^6$. Hematocrit (Ht) reportedly ranges 35-45% in many of reports which is nearly the same as that in mammals. Anemia in fish can also be classified as hemorrhagic, hemolytic and hypoplastic ones. Fish are also expected to have similar pathological effects by anemia as in mammals. From the fact that fish can survive under extremely low hematocrit below 10% and antarctic icefish (Chanenocephalus aceratus) has no erythrocytes, different pathological effects were expected. Anemia is considered to have one of the most important health parameters, based on the pathological aspect. Therefore, by reviewing clinical and histopathological findings of most of fish diseases already known and then adding our results of experimental anemia, diseases and factors related to anemia were summarized and the pathological effects was discussed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.413-429
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• 1998

Escherichia coli is recovered from a wide variety of infections in many animals species. It may be a primary or secondary agent. Nursing and young animals are particularly susceptible, and urinary tract infections are frequent. The various serotypes of E coli are intestinal inhabitants of animals including humans and probably infect most mammals and birds : therefore, they have a cosmopolitan distribution. Colibacillosis refers to any totalized or systemic infection caused entirely or partly by E coli. Collibacillosis in mammals is most often a primary enteric disease, whereas collibacillosis in poultry is typically a secondary located or systemic disease occurring when host defenses have been impaired or overwhelmed. Other opportunistic bacteria, which can be identified by culture, may play a similar role to that of I coli in secondary infections. Collectively, infections caused by E coli are responsible for significant economic losses to the animal performance. From the standpoint of pathogenic mechanisms and diseases, four major categories of E coli are recognized : enterotoxigenic(ETEC), enteropathogenic (EPEC), enteroinvasive(EIEC), and enterohemorrhagic(EHEC). In addition, two less-well-defined E coli categories are recognized in animals and humans : enteroaggregative and cytotoxin necrotizing factor-positive. The aforementioned categories are represented by different serotypes. Certain serotypes show a host preference and are encountered more frequently in some disease syndromes. Of the four major categories, ETEC is the most common cause of diarrhea in calves, lambs, and pigs. Strains in the other categories cause the less-common diarrhea and other disease syndromes. Enterotoxins and pilus antigens are the two most prominent virulence factors thus far identified for ETEC. Two enterotoxins, one heat-stable(ST) and one heat-labile(LT), are produced by enterotoxigenic strains of E coli : not all culture produce both of these plasmid-based enterotoxins.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 1994

A study on the isolation of Yersiniae from the feces of wild animals(mammals 376, birds 19 and reptiles 13) in zoo and the biotype and serotype and susceptibility of 12 antibiotics was carried. Out of 408 animals, Yersiniae were isolated from 28 animals(6.9%). Of 28 isolates, 27 isolates(96.4%) were Y. enterocolitica and 1(3.6%) was Y. kristensenii. According to the species, 25(6.6%) of Y. enterocolitica and 1(0.3%) of Y. kristensenii were isolated from 376 mammals, 2(15.4%) of Y. enterocolitica from 13 reptiles but not isolated from 19 birds. According to the eating pattern, 8(5.2%) of Y. enterocolitica were isolated from 155 carnivora, 13(10%) of Y. enterocolitica from 123 herbivora, and 6(4.9%) of Y. enterocolitica and 1(0.8%) of Y. enterocolitica from 123 omnivora. Out of 27 isolates of Y. enterocolitica, all were biotype 1. And predominant serotype was 0:21(40.7%), and 0:5(37.0%), 0:6(11.1%), 0:1(3.7%), 0:9(3.7%) and untypable(3.7%). Yersiniae isolated from zoo animals were resistant to cephalothin(100%), ampicillin(96.4%), carbenicillin(96.4%) and tetracycline(14.3%) and streptomycin(3.6%) and susceptible to chloramphenicol(100%), colistin(100%), gentamicin(100%), kanamycin(100%), nalidixic acid(100%), polymyxin B(100%) and tobramycin(100%). The predominant multiple resistance pattern was Am-Cf-Cb(82.1%), and Am-Cf-Cb-Te(10.7%) and Am-Cf-Cb-Te-Sm(3.7%).

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 1998

While tubal pregnancy is frequently observed in human, it has been reported to rarely occur in other mammals. To investigate the reason of the absence of tubal pregnancy in other mammals, the ability of bovine tubal(oviductal) fluid to su, pp.rt the outgrowth of mouse embryos waw examined by using an in vitro model system wherein the trophoblast cells of hatched mouse blastocysts attach to and outgrow on tissue culture plates coated with FBS. When mouse blastocysts grwon in vitro from 2-cell embryos were cultrued in the dishes coated with FBS, human follicular fluid(hFF) and bovine follicular fluid(bFF), respectively, underwent outgrowth by spreading onto the plastic dishes during 48 hr. In contrast, none of the embryos cultured in the dishes coated with BSA or bovine obiductal fluid(bOF) did outgrow but remained as late blastocysts. Since addition of bOF at 5mg/ml or higher conc. to the culture medium resulted in degeneration of all embryos during 48 hr culture, 10mM conc. of glutathione(GSH) was added to the bOF-containing medium to circumvent the toxicity of bOF. In addition, bOF was heated $65^{\circ}C$ for 30 min(hbOF) to get rid of its precipitating properties and then added to the culture medium. When blastocysts were cultured in the presence of both hbOF and GSH 45.4% of embryos attached to the culture dishes. However, none of these embryos underwent outgrowth. Fially embryos were cultured in the presence of both hbOF and GSH but in the dishes coated with FBS. When they were examined after 48 hr, all of the blastocysts exhibited well-developed outgrwoth. Based upon these results, it is concluded that bovine oviductal fluid is capable of su, pp.rting the attchment of mouse blastocysts onto the culture plaste whereas it cannot promote the outgrwoth of mouse blastocysts in vitro, probably due to the lack of outgrwoth factor.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.438-446
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• 2012

In 1964, Susumu Ohno, an evolutionary biologist, hypothesized that the size of X chromosome was conserved in mammalian evolution, and that this was based on chromosomal length. Today, unlike Ohno's method which was based on estimated lengths, we know the exact lengths of some mammalian sequences. The aim of this study was to reanalyze Ohno's hypothesis. In mammalian species, variation in the length of the X chromosome is greater than in the autosomes; however, this variation is not statistically significant. This means that differences in chromosomal length occur equally in the X chromosome and in the autosomes. Interspersed nuclear elements and genetic rearrangements were analyzed to maintain the same variance between the length of the X chromosome and the autosomes. The X chromosome contained fewer short interspersed elements (SINEs) (0.90 on average); however, it did contain more long interspersed elements (LINEs) than did autosomes (1.56 on average). An overall correlation of LINEs and SINEs with genetic rearrangements was observed; however, synteny breaks were more closely associated with LINEs in the autosomes, and with SINEs in the X chromosome. These results suggest that the chromosome-specific activities of LINEs and SINEs result in the same variance between the lengths of the X chromosome and the autosomes. This is based on the function of interspersed nuclear elements, such as LINEs, which can inactivate the X chromosome and the reliance of non-autonomous SINEs on LINEs for transposition.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 2014

Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are aquatic mammals that experienced drastic changes during the transition from terrestrial to aquatic environment. Morphological changes include streamlined body, alterations in the face, transformation of the forelimbs into flippers, disappearance of the hindlimbs and the acquisition of flukes on the tail. For a prolonged diving, cetaceans acquired hypoxia-resistance by developing various anatomical and physiological changes. However, molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations are still limited. CREB-binding protein (CREBBP) is a transcriptional co-activator critical for embryonic development, growth control, metabolic homeostasis and responses to hypoxia. Natural selection analysis of five cetacean CREBBPs compared with those from 15 terrestrial relatives revealed strong purifying selection, supporting the importance of its role in mammals. However, prediction for amino acid changes that elicit functional difference of CREBBP identified three cetacean specific changes localized within a region required for interaction with SRCAP and in proximal regions to KIX domain of CREBBP. Mutations in CREBBP or SRCAP are known to cause craniofacial and skeletal defects in human, and KIX domain of CREBBP serves as a docking site for transcription factors including c-Myb, an essential regulator of haematopoiesis. In these respects, our study provides interesting insights into the functional adaptation of cetacean CREBBP for aquatic lifestyle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 2020

National parks and other protected areas often do not adequately protect national biodiversity because they were originally created for socio-economic and/or aesthetic values. The Korean government has committed to expanding the extent of protected areas to fulfill its commitments to the Aichi Biodiversity Convention. To do so, it is necessary to quantify the current levels of biodiversity representation within existing protected areas and to identify additional conservation needs for vulnerable species and ecological systems. In this study, we assess the proportion of species ranges found in South Korea's protected areas, for the species documented in the 3^rd National Ecosystem Survey. We modeled the range distribution of 3,645 species in the following taxonomic groups; plants (1,545 species), mammals (35), birds (132), herptiles (35), and insects (1,898) using the MaxEnt species distribution model and calculated how much of each species' range is within protected areas. On average, 17.4% of plant species' ranges are represented in protected areas, while for mammals and insects an average 12.0% is currently conserved. Conservation representation for herptiles averages 9.3%, while it is 8.6% for birds. Although large proportions of species that have restricted distributions should be represented in protected areas, 17 plant species, two insects (Parnassius bremeri and Lasioglossum occidens), and one bird species (Phylloscopus inornatus) with ranges smaller than 1,000 ㎢ have less than 10% of their ranges within protected areas. Establishing specific conservation goals such as the protection of endangered species or vulnerable taxonomic groups will increase the efficiency of the biodiversity conservation strategies. In addition, lowland coastal areas are critical for biodiversity conservation because the protected areas in South Korea are mainly composed of high mountainous areas.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.647-656
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• 2019

Isthmiophora hortensis (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is a dominant echinostome in animal reservoir hosts and humans in the Republic of Korea (Korea). We intended to investigate the infection status with this echinostome species in the several species of wild animals and describe the morphological characteristics in the faunistic view point. A total of 175 animal carcasses belonging to 3 families, i.e., Canidae, Felidae and Mustelidae, were collected from the southern regions of Korea from March 2010 to July 2017. Isthmiophora spp. worms were recovered from the small intestines of each animal under a stereomicroscope after washing of intestinal contents. Isthmiophora hortensis was recovered from 4 species of wild carnivores, i.e., Nyctereutes procyonoides (3/107: 2.8%), Mustela sibirica (11/31: 35.5%), Meles lucurus (2/3: 33.3%) and Martes flavigula (1/2: 50%). The other 3 carnivores comprising stray dogs, cat and leopard cat were negative for I. hortensis infection (0/2, 0/10 and 0/12, respectively). Specimens obtained from the Lutra lutra (6/8: 75%) were identified as a distinct species, I. inermis, by morphological comparison. Isthmiophora inermis has thinner body, elongate testes and different anterior limits of vitelline fields. Detailed morphological descriptions and comparisons with the morphological characteristics are provided. Conclusively, it was confirmed for the first time that 3 species of mustelid mammals, i.e., M. sibirica, M. lucurus, and M. flavigula, are to be the new definitive hosts of I. hortensis in Korea. Additionally, I. inermis is to be newly added in the Korean echinostome fauna.