• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1721-1726
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• 2005

The characteristic smell of cow milk was suppressed when herbs were consumed by lactating dairy cows. But it is unclear whether or not peppermint ingestion affects the nutritional and milk production parameters in lactating dairy cows. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of peppermint feeding to lactating dairy cows on nutrient digestibility, energy metabolism, ruminal fermentation and milk production. Eight Holstein cows were given a diet supplemented with or without 5% of dried peppermint per diet on a dry matter basis. The digestion of nutrients from cows fed the diet with peppermint was significantly lower than that of the control group. Energy loss as methane and methane released from cows receiving the peppermint treatment was significantly lower than that in the control cows. Peppermint feeding to cows resulted in the promotion of thermogenesis. However, ruminal fermentation and milk production were not affected by peppermint feeding. In conclusion, peppermint ingestion by lactating dairy cows reduces the nutrient digestibility and methanogenesis, and changes energy metabolism.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.339-344
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• 2015

This study was to examine the lipid metabolism of fermented Rhynchosia nulubilis (FRN) in obese rats. The abnormal content of blood lipids often results in metabolic diseases, such as obesity and hyperlipidemia. Seven weeks female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups and fed high fat diets for 44 days. Also FRN was administered orally for 44 days at 7.5 ml/kg of body weight of rats. The effects of the lipid metabolism were evaluated by total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) levels in sera. The levels of TC, TG, LDL and GPT in FRN-treated groups were lower than those in obese groups. While HDL levels were significantly increased. These results demonstrated that FRN had improving effects of lipid metabolism in the obese rats, suggesting that FRN would be used as an ingredient of the useful functional products.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.599-611
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Hwanggi-tang on glucose digestion, uptake, and metabolism in murine C2C12 myotubes. Methods: Hwanggi-tang was prepared according to the Dong-ui-bo-gam (≪東醫寶鑑≫) prescription by 70% ethanol extraction. The effect on glucose digestion was examined by determining the inhibitory effect of Hwanggi-tang on α-glucosidase activity. We also compared and verified the gene and protein expression of genes related to glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes treated with Hwanggi-tang or insulin. Glucose metabolism was assessed by the expression levels of associated enzymes. Results: Hwanggi-tang caused a dose-dependent inhibition of α-glucosidase activity, induced glucose uptake by activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in the insulin signaling pathway, and promoted glucose oxidation and β-oxidation. Conclusions: Hwanggi-tang exerts an anti-diabetic effect on murine myotubes by inhibiting glucose digestion and inducing glucose uptake and consumption.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.245-258
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• 2000

Somatic embryogenesis has become a major tool in the study of plant embryology, as it is possible in culture to manipulate cells of many plant species to produce somatic embryos in a process that is remarkably similar to zygotic embryogenesis. Traditionally, the process has been studied by an examination of the ex vitro factors which influence embryo formation. Later structural, physiological and biochemical approaches have been applied. Host recently, molecular tools are being used. Together, these various approaches are giving valuable information on the process. This article gives an overview of somatic embryogenesis by reviewing information on the morphogenesis, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of the process. Topics covered include a brief description of the factors involved in the production of embryogenic cells. Carrot cell suspension is most commonly used, and the development of a high frequency and synchronous system is outlined. At the physiological and biochemical lev-els various topics, including the reactivation of the cell cycle, changes in endogenous growth regulators, amino acid, polyamine, DNA, RNA and protein metabolism, and embryogenic factors in conditioned medium are all discussed. Lastly, recent information on genes and molecular markers of the embryogenic process are outlined. Somatic embryogenesis, the best example of totipotency in plant cells, is not only an important tool in studies in basic biology, but is potentially of equal significance in the micropropagation of economically important plants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1274-1281
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• 2011

Dietary protein restriction affects lipid metabolism in rats. This study was performed to determine the effect of a low protein diet on hepatic lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in growing male rats. Growing rats were fed either a control 20% protein diet or an 8% low protein diet. Feeding a low protein diet for four weeks from 8 weeks of age induced a fatty liver. Expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a key lipogenic enzyme, was increased in rats fed a low protein diet. Feeding a low protein diet decreased very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion without statistical significance. Feeding a low protein diet down-regulated protein expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, an important enzyme of VLDL secretion. Feeding a low protein diet increased serum adiponectin levels. We performed glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT). Both GTT and ITT were increased in protein-restricted growing rats. Our results demonstrate that dietary protein restriction increases insulin sensitivity and that this could be due to low-protein diet-mediated metabolic adaptation. In addition, increased adiponectin levels may influences insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, dietary protein restriction induces a fatty liver. Both increased lipogenesis and decreased VLDL secretion has contributed to this metabolic changes. In addition, insulin resistance was not associated with fatty liver induced by protein restriction.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.222-227
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• 1998

The activities of enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism have been determinated in the host cytosolic and bacteroid fractions of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) nodules formed with B. japonicum I 16 and in roots of nodulated cowpeas. The host cytosolic fraction of the nodules contained the enzymes of glycolytic pathway and the pentose phosphate pathway, whereas the bacteroids had only limited capacity for carbohydrate metabolism and appeared to be insufficient for the complete glycolytic pathway as well as starch synthesis and degradation. In a time-course study, using plants grown in a glasshouse, the acetylene-reducing activity (ARA) of the nodules increased in parallel with the total N content of plants and protein of the nodules until approximately 8 weeks after planting. Subsequently, the weight and size of the nodules and the weight of the plants continued to increase, but there was a sharp decrease in the ARA and the total N content of the plants.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the effects of dried powder and juice of Aster scaber on lipid metabolism and antioxidative capacity in rats. Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 170.9$\pm$15.1g were blocked into 3 groups according to body weight and raised for 4 weeks with diets containing 5%(w/w) dried powder and juice from the same amount of Aster scaber. Food intake, body weight gain, food efficiency ratio and organ weights were not different among all the experimental groups. On lipid metabolism, both dried powder and juice supplementation decreased plasma total lipid, triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol and liver cholesterol levels by increasing fecal lipid excretions. Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substance(TBARS) concentrations were significantly decreased in dried powder and juice groups, whereas liver TBARS concentrations were not affected by experimental diets. Red blood cell(RBC) superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities were significantly increased by dried powder and juice supplementation, while activities of other antioxidative enzymes in RBC and liver were decreased or showed no changes. In conclusion, both Aster scaber dried powder and juice had the effects on lowering lipid levels by increasing fecal lipid excretions, and inhibiting of plasma lipid peroxidation in animals and the effects of juice were higher than that of dried powder. (Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 375-383, 2001)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.397-405
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• 1995

The present study examined the effects of swimming on some plasma parameters of lipid metabolism in the middle-aged women. The control group(C) was the women who lived without any intentional physical exercise, and the first experimental group(S I) and the second experimental group(S II) had gone swimming everyday at least one hour for 3-6 months, and more than one year, respectively. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) Energy and nutrient intakes of the three groups were not different, but the body fat(%) of two experimental groups(S I, S II) was significantly lower than that of control. 2) Total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in plasma were not significantly changed by swimming and swimming period. However, total lipids and LDL-cholesterol were significantly lower in the two experimental groups than in control. 3) The level of plasma triglycerides of SI was not different from the control, but SII showed significantly lower triglycerides. 4) Acid-soluble acylcarnitine and $\beta$-hydroxybutyrate concentration in plasma were significantly greater in SII than in control. There results suggest that regular swimming in a longer period might help to protect the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease by modulating lipid metabolism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.402-407
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of effects of enprostil, a prostaglandin $E_2$, analogue, on liver triacylglycerol content and factors that regulate liver lipid metabolism in mice. Mice received vehicle or $10{\mu}g$ enprostil/kg body weight intraperitoneally every 6 h, and were killed at 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after the first injection. Enprostil significantly lowered liver triacylglycerol content after 12 h of the first injection. However, the peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation activity was inconsistent with the result of liver triacylglycerol content, because its activity was lovered by enprosil. In another experiment, the effect of enprostil on lipid metabolism in mice was investigated in a short period. Mice received $10{\mu}g$ enprostil/kg body weight intraperitoneally, and were killed after 0, 5, 10, 30 and 60 min. After 30 min, malic enzyme activity was significantly increased by the administration of enprostil compared with the activity at 5 min after. No significant changes in liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase and peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation activities were observed. Plasma free fatty acid concentrations were markedly reduced from 5 through 60 min after the administration of enprostil. Consequently, enprostil suppressive effect on liver triacylglycerol concentration might result from the decreased entry of free fatty acid into liver.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 1998

This study was designed to examine how dietary protein levels affect organ growth and protein metabolism in early and normally weaned rats. Early and normally weaned rats separated fro the dam on the 15th and 121st day postpartum, respectively. were fed diets containing three levels of protein : low(10%) , normal (20%),and high(40%) . On the 35th day, the weight and DNA, RNA and protein contents in brain , liver, and kidney were determined to ascertain organ and cellular growth. Furthermore, serum total protein , albumin , $\alpha$-amino N and creatine and urinary urea N, and creatinine were determined in order to ascertain protein metabolism and renal functions. Dietary protein levels were not observed to significantly affect total DNA content, which may represent an index of cell number in the liver, brain and kidney. Fresh weight and protein/DNA ratio, which may represent indices of cell size, significantly increased in proportion to dietary protein in the kidney. As for the early weaned rats , the liver cell size significantly decreased. Dietary protein levels and weaning periods did not affect serum total protein and albumin . However, serum urea-N significantly increased in proportion to dietary protein levels whereas serum $\alpha$-amino N was decreased by early weaning . Nitrogen retention was lower in early weaned rats fed low or high levels of protein than in normally weaned rats. The results demonstrate that low or high levels of dietary protein have less desirable effects on protein metabolism in prematurely weaned rats.