• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.108-115
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• 2010

Hypertension is the most prevalent disease worldwide and is itself a risk factor for cerebral, cardiac, and renal diseases. The inconsistency of candidate genes suggested by previous genomewide association studies (GWASs) may be due to not only differences in study design and genetic or environmental background but also the difference in the power of analysis between continuous traits and discrete traits. We analyzed 352,228 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 8842 unrelated Koreans obtained from Ansan and Ansung cohorts. We performed a series of GWA analyses using three different phenotype models; young hypertensive cases (278 subjects) versus elderly normotensive controls (680 subjects); the upper 25% (2211 hypertensive cases) versus the lower 25% of the SBP distribution (2211 hypotensive controls); and finally SBP and DBP as continuous traits (8842 subjects). The numbers of young hypertensive cases and elderly normotensive controls were not large enough to achieve genomewide significance. The model comparing the upper 25% subjects to the lower 25% of subjects showed a power that was approximate to that of QTL analysis. Two neighboring SNPs of the ATP2B1 gene, rs17249754 (SBP, p=$2.53^{-10}$; DBP, p=$1.28{\times}10^{-8}$) and rs7136259 (SBP, p=$1.30{\times}10^{-9}$; DBP, p=$6.41{\times}10^{-8}$), were associated with both SBP and DBP. Interestingly, a SNP of the RPL6 gene, rs11066280, revealed a significant genomewide association with SBP in men only (p=$3.85{\times}10^{-8}$), and four SNPs located near the MAN2A1 gene showed a strong association with DBP only in elderly men aged 60-70 years (e.g., rs6421827, p=$4.86{\times}10^{-8}$). However, we did not observe any gene variant attaining genomewide significance consistently in the three phenotype models except for the ATP2B1 gene variants. In general, the association signal with blood pressure was stronger in women than in men. Genes identified in GWASs are expected to open the way for prevention, early diagnosis, and personalized treatment of hypertension.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.131-137
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• 2017

To compare the radiation dose and image noise of low dose computed tomography (CT) and high resolution CT using the fixed tube current technique and automatic tube current modulation (CARE Dose 4D). Chest CT and human anthropomorphic phantom were used the RPL (radiophotoluminescence) dosimeters. For image evaluation, standard deviation of mean CT attenuation coefficient and CT attenuation coefficient was measured using ROI analysis function. The effective dose was calculated using CTDIvol and DLP. CARE Dose 4D was reduced by 74.7% and HRCT by 64.4% compared to the fixed tube current technique in low dose CT of chest phantom. In CTDIvol and DLP, the dose of CARE Dose 4D was reduced by fixed tube current technique. For effective dose, CARE Dose 4D was reduced by 47% and HRCT by 46.9% compared to the fixed tube current method, and the dose of CARE Dose 4D was significantly different (p<.05). Noise in the image was higher than that in the fixed tube current technique. Noise difference in the image of CARE Dose 4D in low dose CT was significant (p<.05). The low radiation dose and the noise difference of the CARE Dose 4D were compared with the fixed tube current technique in low dose CT and HRCT using chest phantom. The radiation doses using CARE Dose 4D were in accordance with the national and international dose standards. CARE Dose 4D should be applied to low dose CT and HRCT for clinical examination.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.226-233
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• 2022

Ephedra herbs are defined as stem of Ephedra sinica , Ephedra intermedia and Ephedra equisetina in the Korean Pharmacopoeia. It is important to use pure herbs to derive the safety and efficacy of herbal medicine. However, the identification of these herbs by conventional taxonomic methods is difficult. Recently, many studies have applied these DNA barcoding for the identification of herbal medicinal species using standard DNA markers. In this study, we report a case study in which the identification of Ephedra species was done by DNA barcoding. For identification of Ephedra species, 17 samples were collected, and a reference DNA barcode library was developed using 6 markers (rbcL, matK, ITS2, ycf1, ycf3, and rpoC2). To develop KASP-SNP markers, we selected 4 markers (ycf1, ycf3, rpl2, and rbcL), which were able to distinguish three Ephedra species. In the result, the specific markers for each of the three Ephedra were clustered into FAM-positive section, whereas non-targeted plants were clustered either HEX-positive or negative section. Therefore, we have developed KASP assay that allow rapid and easy Ephedra species identification using three KASP markers.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1850-1859
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• 2022

Objective: The quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the most accurate and reliable technique for analysis of gene expression. Endogenous reference genes (RGs) have been used to normalize qPCR data, although their expression may vary in different tissues and experimental conditions. Verification of the stability of RGs in selected samples is a prerequisite for reliable results. Therefore, we attempted to identify the most stable RGs in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in sows. Methods: The cycle threshold values of nine commonly used RGs (18S, HPRT1, GAPDH, RPL4, PPIA, B2M, YWHAZ, ACTB, and SDHA) from HPG axis-related tissues in the domestic sows in the different stages of estrus cycle were analyzed using two RG-finding programs, geNorm and Normfinder, to rank the stability of the pool of RGs. In addition, the effect of the most and least stable RGs was examined by normalization of the target gene, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), in the hypothalamus. Results: PPIA, HPRT1, and YWHAZ were the most stable RGs in the HPG axis-related tissues in sows regardless of the stages of estrus cycle. In contrast, traditional RGs, including 18S and ACTB, were found to be the least stable under these experimental conditions. In particular, in the normalization of GnRH expression in the hypothalamus against several stable RGs, PPIA, HPRT1, and YWHAZ, could generate significant (p<0.05) elevation of GnRH in the preovulatory phase compared to the luteal phase, but the traditional RGs with the least stability (18S and ACTB) did not show a significant difference between groups. Conclusion: These results indicate the importance of verifying RG stability prior to commencing research and may contribute to experimental design in the field of animal reproductive physiology as reference data.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.616-623
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• 1996

Eum Yang Kwak, the aerial part of Epimedium koreanum, is widely used as a folk medicine for stimulant in man, tonic, and hypotensive purpose. The plant contains icariin (a specific flavonoid), magnoflorine (an alkaloid) and tannin, but their contents are not known until now. In this paper, a quantitative analysis method for them was developed. Determination of icariin and magnoflorine was successfully achived by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a UV detector in the ranges of $0.1{\sim}0.4\;mg$ and $0.002{\sim}0.1\;mg\;per\;ml$ sample, respectively. Extraction of the plant was carried out with water or 50% ethanol using different decocting temperatures and times. Icariin was well extracted either by water ($100^{\circ}C$, 3hr) or 50% ethanol ($85^{\circ}C$, 1hr), and its content in the plant was measured to be 0.94%. On the other hand, magnoflorine was fully extracted by 50% ethanol ($85^{\circ}C$, 1hr), and its content was determined to be 0.16%. Therefore, decoction of the medicinal plant with water at $100^{\circ}C$ for 3hr turned out to be recommendable for the best extraction.