• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.235-242
• /
• 1992

Organic ligands in the environments are expected to play an important role in regulating the biotoxicity and fate of pesticides. Influences of dissolved humic and fulvic acids on the phytotoxicity of Paraquat were investigated using a bioassay with hydroponically grown rye as indicator species. Levels of Paraquat in water culture media were ranged from 0 to $12_{{\mu}M}$ and those of humic or fulvic acid were 1.0mM as a soluble carbon. Media were prepared in a factorial combination with pHs of 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5, Standard curves of necrosis days, fresh weight, and growth rates, as Phytotoxicity Indices, versus Paraquat concentrations were employed to evaluate the effects of organic ligands on phytotoxicity of paraquat. Organic ligand itself had little effect on rye growth, but Paraquat showed a high degree of toxicity. Paraquat started to show an intensive injury to rye at $0.4{\sim}0.6{{\mu}M}$ and upper critical phytotoxic concentration was estimated to be 11.0${{\mu}M}$ In the presence of organic ligands, times required to cause necrosis due to Paraquat were delayed upto 40%. Fresh weights and growth rates were upto 20% higher in treatments of organic ligands plus Paraquat than that of Paraquat alone. Results demonstrated that complexation of organic ligand with Paraquat reduced the bioabailability of Paraquat to rye.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2016

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene on resistance to Newcastle disease virus and body weight of the Thai indigenous chicken, Leung Hang Khao (Gallus gallus domesticus). Blood samples were collected for single nucleotide polymorphism analysis from 485 chickens. Polymerase chain reaction sequencing was used to classify single nucleotide polymorphisms of class II MHC. Body weights were measured at the ages of 3, 4, 5, and 7 months. Titres of Newcastle disease virus at 2 weeks to 7 months were determined and the correlation between body weight and titre was analysed. The association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and body weight and titre were analysed by a generalized linear model. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified: C125T, A126T, C209G, C242T, A243T, C244T, and A254T. Significant correlations between log titre and body weight were found at 2 and 4 weeks. Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and titre were found for C209G and A254T, and between all single nucleotide polymorphisms (except A243T) and body weight. The results showed that class II MHC is associated with both titre of Newcastle disease virus and body weight in Leung Hang Khao chickens. This is of concern because improved growth traits are the main goal of breeding selection. Moreover, the results suggested that MHC has a pleiotropic effect on the titre and growth performance. This mechanism should be investigated in a future study.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.330-337
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins in relation to serum malondialdehye(MDA) level in postmenopausal women with common occurance of cardiovascular disease(CVD). Data about general characteristics including smoking, drinking and exercise status, dietary intake and serum level of antioxidant vitamins, and serum MDA level were collected from eighty-five postmenopausal women. Mean serum MDA level was 1.62$\pm$0.03nmol/ml, and general characteristics and serum lipid profiles were not significantly different among the three group: low MDA(<1.45nmol/ml), midium MDA(1.45-1.74nmol/ml) and high MDA($\geq$1.74nmol/ml). Total mean vitamin A intake was 472.8$\pm$37.7RE, 68% of RDA, vitamin C intake was 134.3$\pm$8.7mg, 192% of RDA and vitamin E intake was 8.6$\pm$0.5mg, 86% of RDA for Korean. In takes of antioxidant vitamins from the diet were not significantly different among the three groups. However significant negative correlation(r=-0.242, p<0.05) was observed between vitamin E intake and serum MDA level in total subjects. Total mean serum vitamin A, $\beta$-carotene and vitamin C level were 0.59$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, 0.25$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 9.02$\pm$0.28$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, respectively. Total mean serum vitamin E and vitamin E/total cholesterol level were 9.15$\pm$0.42$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 4.09$\pm$0.17$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, respectively. Serum antioxidant vitamins levels were not significantly different among the three groups. However serum vitamin C and E level were negatively correlated to serum MDA level. We can conclude that it will be helpful for postmenopausal women with common occurance of CVD to improve nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins by increasing intakes of antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamin C and E. (Korean J Nutrition 34(3) : 330~337, 2001)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.242-248
• /
• 2007

It is known that onion increases antioxidative and antibiotic capacity, and decreases blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The study was carried out to investigate whether ethanol extract of onion can enhance blood lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic patients. Foully three hypercholesterolemic patients were randomly divided into 2 groups; 25 in controls and 18 in experimental group. The control group was offered to take placebo for 4 weeks (200 ml/day), and experimental group was offered to consume ethanol extract of onion for 8 weeks (200 ml/day that corresponds to 500 g of onion). There were no differences in sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and educational levels between groups before treatment. After 8 weeks of onion extract consumption, plasma triglycerides level was significantly decreased in experimental group compared to control (p<0.05). Total cholesterol level was tended to decrease in experimental group, but there was no significant difference of change between control and experimental group. The levels of plasma glucose and LDL-cholesterol were not changed significantly after onion extract consumption. In summary, alcohol extract of onion may have a positive effect on the lipid profiles of hypercholesterolemia patients through decreasing plasma triglyceride concentration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.10
• /
• pp.1359-1364
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to find any association of the bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene with growth and carcass quality traits in Korean native cattle, Hanwoo. Genomic DNA was extracted from 21 Hanwoo individuals, and the 47 to 2,528 bp region of the bGH 2,856 bp (GenBank accession number M57764) including the promoter and the five exons was sequenced. A total of ten bGH SNPs were confirmed, including four (253 C>T, 303 C>T, 502 C>T, and 559 G>A) in the promoter, one (679 C>T) in exon 1, one (1,692 T>C) in intron 3, and four (2141 C>G, 2258 C>T, 2277 C>T, and 2291 A>C) in exon 5. The ten bGH SNPs were genotyped for a sample of 242 Hanwoo steers and association tests were performed to find any significant SNP that was correlated with growth and carcass quality. Of the SNPs, the 303 C>T SNP in the promoter region was significantly associated with 6-month-old weight, the 559 G>A SNP with longissimus dorsi muscle area, the 2141 C>G SNP in exon 5 with daily weight gain, and the 2258 C>T SNP with daily weight gain and carcass weight (p<0.05). The significant SNPs need to be verified in other Hanwoo populations before considering implementation of marker-assisted selection for genetic improvement of growth and carcass quality in Hanwoo.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.1009-1016
• /
• 2013

Background: The benefits of physical activity are well established and recognized to prevent adults from many chronic diseases and particularly some forms of cancers. Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the present status of physical activity among Saudi adults in Al-Ahsa, and to examine the association between the stages of change for physical activity and perceived barriers, and self efficacy. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 242 subjects (118 males and 124 females) attending health centers aged between 20-56 years, were personally interviewed for demographic data, anthropometric measurement, physical activity level, stages of change for physical activity, self efficacy and perceived barriers. Results: Forty eight percent of the females were overweight and 16.9% of the males were obese with no significant difference between the genders for BMI categories. More than half of the females were inactive and 39% of the males were physically active with a significant difference (P=0.007). Twenty percent of the males were in maintenance stage, while similar percentage of the females were in contemplation stage. However the majority of the subjects were in pre-contemplation stage with a significant difference across the stages. Males had a higher mean score of self efficacy and less external barriers of physical activity. The major barrier among the females was lack of time ($7.2{\pm}1.4$) and in the males, lack of motivation ($7.7{\pm}1.4$). The females had less internal ($21.2{\pm}3.8$) barriers comparable to the males ($23.08{\pm}4.7$). Both genders had a significant relationship between stages of changes of physical activity and perceived barriers (internal and external), but in the females no significant difference across the stages was observed for self efficacy unlike the males who had a significant difference for self efficacy and self efficacy categories. Conclusion: The present study provided useful data on stages of change for physical activity and some psychosocial factors (self efficacy and perceived barriers) that can help to tailor strategies aiming at increasing physical activity level according to self efficacy and to the barriers detected, to prevent many chronic diseases including certain types of cancer in Saudi Arabia.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.235-242
• /
• 1998

Objectives : Alcohol-induced oxidative stress has been known to injure various tissues or organs. This stress is related with free radicals which are produced as the result of long-term alcohol consumption. Malonyldialdehyde(MDA) is produced by the interaction of free radicals and cell membrane lipids, and indicates the degree of lipid peroxidation indirectly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between red blood cell(RBC) membrane lipid peroxidation by free radicals, and associated hepatic injuries and hematologic changes. Methods : Thirty-three subjects diagnosed as alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were evaluated within 72 hours after discontinuing alcohol drinking. Clinical characteristics were evaluated by CAGE questionnaire and Korean Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test(MAST). RBC membrane MDA level was measured as the marker of RBC membrane lipid peroxidation. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) were used as the biochemical markers of liver damage due to alcohol ingestion. The alcohol-induced hematologic change was assessed by mean corpuscular volume(MCV). Results : The results were as follows. Clinical characteristics were not different between two groups having normal and abnormal levels of AST, ALT, GGT or MCV. The levels of MDA were not correlated with the clinical characteristics and serum levels of AST, ALT and GGT. However, there was a significant correlation between the levels of MDA and the value of MCV(p=0.017). Conclusions : These findings suggest that oxidative stress in alcohol dependence may not be reflected in liver enzyme markers such as AST, ALT and GGT, but may be reflected in MCV.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.762-769
• /
• 2020

Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is an essential vitamin existing in the daily diet, and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) is an important form of it. In a recent work, we engineered the synthesis modules of MK-7 in Bacillus subtilis, and the strain BS20 could produce 360 mg/l MK-7 in shake flasks, while the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, which provides the precursor isopentenyl diphosphate for MK-7 synthesis, was not engineered. In this study, we overexpressed five genes of the MEP pathway in BS20 and finally obtained a strain (BS20DFHG) with MK-7 titer of 415 mg/l in shake flasks. Next, we optimized the fermentation process parameters (initial pH, temperature and aeration) in an 8-unit parallel bioreactor system consisting of 300-ml glass vessels. Based on this, we scaled up the MK-7 production by the strain BS20DFHG in a 50-l bioreactor, and the highest MK-7 titer reached 242 mg/l. Here, we show that the engineered strain BS20DFHG may be used for the industrial production of MK-7 in the future.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.236-242
• /
• 2008

Invertase (${\beta}$-D-fructofuranosidase; EC 3.2.1.26) catalyzes the conversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose and is involved in an array of important processes, including phloem unloading, carbon partitioning, the response to pathogens, and the control of cell differentiation and development. Its importance may have caused the invertases to evolve into a multigene family whose members are regulated by a variety of different mechanisms, such as pH, sucrose levels, and inhibitor proteins. Although putative invertase inhibitors in the Arabidopsis genome are easy to locate, few studies have been conducted to elucidate their individual functions in vivo in plant growth and development because of their high redundancy. In this study we assessed the functional role of the putative invertase inhibitors in Arabidopsis by generating transgenic plants harboring a putative invertase inhibitor gene under the control of the CaMV35S promoter. A transgenic plant that expressed high levels of the putative invertase inhibitor transcript when grown under normal conditions was chosen for the current study. To our surprise, the stability of the invertase inhibitor transcripts was shown to be down-regulated by the phytohormone ABA (abscisic acid). It is well established that ABA enhances invertase activity in vivo but the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Our results thus suggest that one way ABA regulates invertase activity is by down-regulating its inhibitor.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.242-249
• /
• 2016

A balance between production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Increased levels of ROS during oxidative stress are associated with disease conditions. Antioxidant enzymes, such as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), in the extracellular matrix (ECM) neutralize the toxicity of superoxide. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of EC-SOD in protecting the brain, lungs, and other tissues from oxidative stress. Therefore, EC-SOD would be an excellent therapeutic drug for treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. We cloned both the full length (residues 1-240) and truncated (residues 19-240) forms of human EC-SOD (hEC-SOD) into the donor plasmid pFastBacHTb. After transposition, the bacmid was transfected into the Sf9-baculovirus expression system and the expressed hEC-SOD purified using FLAG-tag. Western blot analysis revealed that hEC-SOD is present both as a monomer (33 kDa) and a dimer (66 kDa), as detected by the FLAG antibody. A water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assay showed that both full length and truncated hEC-SOD proteins were enzymatically active. We showed that a potent superoxide dismutase inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), inhibits hEC-SOD activity.