• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.389-397
• /
• 2018

The structure of glycan residues attached to glycoproteins can influence the biological activity, stability, and safety of pharmaceutical proteins delivered from transgenic pig milk. The production of therapeutic glycoprotein in transgenic livestock animals is limited, as the glycosylation of mammary gland cells and the production of glycoproteins with the desired homogeneous glycoform remain a challenge. The ${\beta}$-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminylatransferase1 (B3GNT1) gene is an important enzyme that attaches N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to galactose (Gal) residues for protein glycosylation; however, there is limited information about pig glycosyltransferases. Therefore, we cloned the pig B3GNT1 (pB3GNT1) and investigated its functional properties that could attach N-acetylglucosamine to galactose residue. Using several different primers, a partial pB3GNT1 mRNA sequence containing the full open reading frame (ORF) was isolated from liver tissue. The ORF of pB3GNT1 contained 1,248 nucleotides and encoded 415 amino acid residues. Organ-dependent expression of the pB3GNT1 gene was confirmed in various organs from adult and juvenile pigs. The pB3GNT1 mRNA expression level was high in the muscles of the heart and small intestine but was lower in the lungs. For functional characterization of pB3GNT1, we established a stable expression of the pB3GNT1 gene in the porcine kidney cell line (PK-15). As a result, it was suggested that the glycosylation pattern of pB3GNT1 expression in PK-15 cells did not affect the total sialic acid level but increased the poly N-acetyllactosamine level. The results of this study can be used to produce glycoproteins with improved properties and therapeutic potential for the generation of desired glycosylation using transgenic pigs as bioreactors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.766-773
• /
• 2011

The objective of the present study was to examine whether yaks possess any adaptive mechanisms of nitrogen (N) metabolism to survive in the harsh foraging environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A grazing experiment on native alpine meadows was conducted to determine availability of herbage biomass and body weight (BW) change of yaks over the year, followed by two indoor feeding trials to investigate adaptation mechanisms of N metabolism in yaks fed at similar intake level to grazing conditions. Three castrated males of each of three genotypes; yak (Bos grunniens), indigenous cattle (Bos taurus) and their crossbred - cattleyak (Bos taurus male${\times}$Bos grunniens female), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.948-956
• /
• 2000

The effect of high and low level of feed intakes on nutrient digestibility, nutrient losses through methane, energy and protein utilization by goats fed on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pellets based diets was investigated in this study. Twelve castrated Japanese goats were employed in two subsequent digestion and metabolism trials. The goats were divided into three groups, offered three diets. Diet 1 consisted of 100% alfalfa pellet, Diet 2 was 70% alfalfa pellet and 30% corn, and Diet 3 was 40% alfalfa pellet and 60% corn. The two intake levels were high (1.6 times) and low (0.9 times) the maintenance requirement of total digestible nutrients (TON). Rumen ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) level of Diet 1 was lower (p<0.001) compared to Diets 2 and 3, but the values were always above the critical level (I50 mg/liter), The pH values of rumen liquor ranged from 6.02 to 7.30. Apparent digestibility of nutrient components did not show differences (p>0.05) between the two intake levels but inclusion of corn significantly altered the nutrient digestibility. Diet 3 had highest (p<0.001) dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen fee extract (NFE) digestibility followed by the Diet 2 and Diet 1. The crude protein (CP) digestibility values among the three diets were in a narrow range (70.1 to 70.8%). Crude fiber (CF) digestibility for Diet 3 was slight higher (p>0.05) than that for other two diets. When alfalfa was replaced by corn, there were highly significant (p<0.001) increases in DM, OM, EE and NFE apparent digestibility and a slight increase in the CF digestibility (p>0.05). There were no differences (p>0.05) in energy losses as methane ($CH_4$) and heat production among the diets but energy loss through urine was higher for the Diet 1. The total energy loss as $CH_4$ and heat production were higher for the high intake level but the energy loss as $CH_4$ per gram DM intake were same (0.305 kcal/g) between the high and low intake level. Retained energy (RE) was higher for Diet 3 and Diet 2. Nitrogen (N) losses through feces and urine were higher (p<0.001) for Diet 1. Consequently, N retention was lower (p>0.05) for Diet 1 and higher in Diets 3 and 2. It is concluded that inclusion of corn with alfalfa increased the metabolizable energy (ME) and RE, and retained N through reducing the energy and N losses. The high level of intake reduced the rate of nutrient losses through feces and urine.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.335-344
• /
• 2015

Background: A raised carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) may be associated with significant pathology during the postoperative follow-up of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 305 patients who underwent surgical resections for primary lung adenocarcinoma at a single institution between April 2006 and February 2013. Results: Preoperative CEA levels were significantly associated with age, smoking history, pathologic stage including pT (pathologic tumor stge), pN (pathologic nodal stage) and overall pathological stage, tumor size and differentiation, pathologically positive total lymph node, N1 and N2 lymph node, N2 nodal station (0/1/2=1.83/2.94/7.21 ng/mL, p=0.019), and 5-year disease-free survival (0.591 in group with normal preoperative CEA levels vs. 0.40 in group with high preoperative CEA levels, p=0.001). Preoperative CEA levels were significantly higher than postoperative CEA levels (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Postoperative CEA level was also significantly associated with disease-free survival (p<0.001). A follow-up serum CEA value of >2.57 ng/mL was found to be the appropriate cutoff value for the prediction of cancer recurrence with sensitivity and specificity of 71.4% and 72.3%, respectively. Twenty percent of patients who had recurrence of disease had a CEA level elevated above this cutoff value prior to radiographic evidence of recurrence. Postoperative CEA, pathologic stage, differentiation, vascular invasion, and neoadjuvant therapy were identified as independent predictors of 5-year disease-free survival in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The follow-up CEA level can be a useful tool for detecting early recurrence undetected by postoperative imaging studies. The perioperative follow-up CEA levels may be helpful for providing personalized evaluation of lung adenocarcinoma.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.241-246
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin levels and stocking densities on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood characteristics in growing pigs. A $2{\times}3$ factorial (two vitamin levels, three regimens of stocking densities) arrangement was utilized with 96 pigs ($23.10{\pm}0.95$ kg initial body weight and 63 d of age) for 36 d. The pigs were allocated to pens with different stocking density (0.64, 0.48, and 0.38 $m^2/pig$, respectively). The diets used in this study were a normal diet (based on NRC) and a high level of vitamin diet (2-fold higher than normal diet). The ADG and ADFI of pigs were decreased as the stocking density increased (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). The G/F of pigs was 5% lower in the high vitamin treatment (p = 0.03) as compared with the control treatment. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM and N digestibility was negatively affected by the high level of vitamin in diets (p = 0.05 and p = 0.04, respectively). Moreover, a significant and negative effect on the ATTD of N was detected in the large groups (linear, p = 0.02). Blood cortisol concentration was increased with increasing stocking density (linear, p = 0.05), and was decreased by high level of vitamin (p = 0.04) at the end of this experiment. Stocking density also caused a linear reduction in WBC concentration (p = 0.05). Our data indicated that the principal effect of stocking density was not reliant on dietary vitamin levels. In conclusion, results indicated that doubling the vitamin supplementation did not improve the growth performance of pigs in high density. However, the blood cortisol concentration was decreased but the ATTD of N digestibility was impaired by high level of vitamin diet.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.61 no.6
• /
• pp.328-338
• /
• 2017

The density functional theory(DFT) and ab initio calculations have been applied to investigate hydrogen interaction of $H_2O_3(H_2O)_n$ clusters(n=1-5). The structures, IR spectra, and H-bonding energies are calculated at various levels of theory. The $trans-H_2O_3$ monomer is predicted to be thermodynamically more stable than cis form at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. For clusters, the geometries are optimized at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The binding energy of $H_2O_3-H_2O$ cluster is predicted to be -6.39 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)//MP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory after zero-point vibrational energy (ZPVE) and basis set superposition error (BSSE) correction. This result implies that $H_2O_3$ is a stronger proton donor(acid) than either $H_2O$ or $H_2O_2$. The average binding energies per $H_2O$ are predicted to be 8.25 kcal/mol for n=2, 7.22 kcal/mol for n=3, 8.50 kcal/mol for n=4, and 8.16 kcal/mol for n=5.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.111-117
• /
• 2002

In this paper, we proposed calibration techniques to improve measurement accuracy in the characteristic analysis system for semiconductor devices. Systematic errors can be reduced using proposed calibration techniques. Also, error current reduction procedures including leakage current and offset current are proposed to measure low-level current in pA level. Calibration parameters are calculated and stored by microprocessor using least-square fitting with measured sample data. During measurement time microprocessor corrects measured data using stored calibration parameters. Experimental results show that current measurement error above nA level is less than 0.02%. And they also show that current measurement in pA level can be performed with about 0.2% accuracy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.50-60
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to apply the joint mobilization technique to the level of segments with pain and to the level of segments with hypomobility respectively and compare the immediate effects of the joint mobilization technique on the pain, the active cervical range of motion (ROM), and treatment satisfaction of patients with acute mechanical neck pain. After the baseline assessment, forty-two patients were randomized into two groups: a painful group ($n_1=21$) that received joint mobilization at the most painful cervical spine level and a hypomobile group ($n_2=21$) that received joint mobilization at the most hypomobile cervical level. The patients received an intervention that applied unilateral posterior-anterior gliding for 5 minutes and two repetitions of 10 times of active extension motion with distraction. In the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the painful group and the hypomobile group were improved significantly in all pain variables (p<.001), while the painful group was improved significantly in the active cervical flexion (p<.001), extension (p<.001), left side-bending (p<.01), right side-bending (p=.001), left rotation (p<.001), and right rotation (p<.001). The hypomobile group was significantly improved in active cervical flexion (p=.001), extension (p<.001), left side-bending (p<.05), right side-bending (p=.001), left rotation (p=.001), and right rotation (p<.01) after intervention. In the Mann-Whitney U test, there was no significant difference in any of the dependent variables after the intervention between the two groups, but the painful group was slightly superior to the hypomobile group in all variables except for the right lateral flexion ROM and treatment satisfaction. These outcomes suggest that the cervical joint mobilization may be applied to either the level of painful segments or the hypomobile segments for the treatment of patients with acute mechanical neck pain.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 1997

To find out the optimum fertilizer level for onion, early maturing cultivar Fechongjoseng, experiment with four fertilizer levels was conducted of the field of the paddy and upland in Muan and Changyeong from Sep.1993 to Feb.1995. The yield character of onion was higher and rate of the rottenness was lowest under the treatment of $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$=28-9.5-23Kg/10a in the soil of paddy and upland field of Muan area. But the onion yield was excellent and rate of the rottenness was lowest under the treatments, $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$=21-19-17.3Kg/10a, in the soil of paddy field and $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$=28-9.5-23Kg/10a, in the soil of upland field of Changyeong area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.105-110
• /
• 2008

The main purpose of this work is the development of water quality level model using the data such as DO, EC, BOD, $COD_{Cr},\;NH_3-N,\;NO_3-N,\;PO_4-P$, T-N, T-P, and SS in 88 agricultural streams of the Han river watersheds. To grant water quality level for each parameters, it divided into 20% respectively in the order of water quality level. On the basis of the lowest water quality level, water quality of streams was assigned. As the result, number of stream corresponding to Level Ⅰ was 0, Level II was 1 stream, Level III was 3 streams, Level IV was 22 streams, and Level V was 62 streams. By standardized canonical discriminant function coefficient, $NO_3-N$ was the highest in 0.427 at the discriminant power. According to discriminant function for water quality level, it was equal to $-4.648+3.246{\times}[NO_3-N],\;-5.084+3.456{\times}[NO_3-N],\;-4.298+3.067{\times}[NO_3-N],\;and\;-7.369+4.396{\times}[NO_3-N]$ from Level II to Level V, respectively. As a result of test at real data of the Han river watersheds in 2007, the suitability of water quality level model was high to 88.4%.