• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.355-360
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• 2010

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus), which is commonly found in raw seafood, causes gastroenteritis in humans. Rapid and effective methods have been developed as culture methods require up to 5-7 days. In this study, real-time PCR was compared with the standard culture method for detecting V. parahaemolyticus in seafood and radish sprout samples. Five hundred grams of the samples were artificially contaminated with V. parahaemolyticus then divided into 20 samples. The samples were incubated in alkaline peptone water and then streaked onto thiosulfate-citrate-bile saltssucrose agar. Biochemical tests for suspicious colonies were performed using the API 20NE strip. In parallel, real-time PCR was performed targeting the toxR gene using the enrichment broth. The real-time PCR was sensitive in discriminating V. parahaemolyticus from other foodborne pathogens. The detection limit of the real-time PCR was $10^3\;CFU/mL$ in phosphate-buffered saline. Although the real-time PCR detected more positive samples (76 out of 180, 42%) than the culture method (66 out of 180, 37%), there was no significant statistical difference (p>0.05) between the two methods. In conclusion, real-time PCR assays could be an alternative to the standard culture method for detecting V. parahaemolyticus in seafood and radish sprouts, which has many advantages in terms of detection time, labor, and sensitivity.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.506-512
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• 2009

Salmonellosis is an important worldwide foodborne infectious disease that is transmitted by many food vehicles including raw and processed animal products and fresh produce. In this study, the effectiveness of automated ELISA ($VIDAS^{(R)}$) and realtime PCR in the detection of Salmonella spp. in steamed pork and raw broccoli sprouts was evaluated by comparing their results with those of a conventional culture method. Bulk samples (500 g) of steamed pork and raw broccoli sprouts were inoculated with various levels of Salmonella and divided into 20 samples (25 g each). All the samples, including the controls, were analyzed using a conventional culture method, $VIDAS^{(R)}$, and real-time PCR to detect the presence of Salmonella. In addition, the levels of background flora in the steamed pork and the raw broccoli sprouts were determined. In the steamed pork that contained less than 100 CFU/g of aerobic bacteria, all three methods detected low levels of Salmonella without a statistical difference in their performance. In the broccoli sprouts with high quantities of background flora (ca. $6.7{\times}10^7$ CFU/g), however, all three methods were unable to detect low levels of Salmonella, and real-time PCR and $VIDAS^{(R)}$ more sensitively detected Salmonella than the culture method, with significant statistical differences. In conclusion, $VIDAS^{(R)}$ and real-time PCR could be superior to conventional culture methods in detecting Salmonella in food with high levels of background flora.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.107-127
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• 2018

Objectives : The present study investigated the anti-obese and blood flow improvement activities of aqueous extracts of ginseng berry (GBe) on the mild diabetic obese mice as compared with metformin. Methods : After end of 56 days of continuous oral administrations of GBe 150, 100 and 50 mg/kg, or metformin 250 mg/kg, anti-obese and blood flow improvement effects - the changes of body weights, body and abdominal fat density by in live dual-energy x-ray absorptionmetry (DEXA), tail bleeding time, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, aorta and serum cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET)-1 levels, aorta phosphorylated PI3K (pPI3K), phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and phosphorylated p38 MAPK (pp38 MAPK) levels were systemically analyzed. In addition, aorta vascular dilation and constriction related gene mRNA expressions - PI3K, Akt, eNOS, p38 MAPK and ET-1 were also analyzed by realtime RT-PCR. Results : The obesity and related blood flow impairment, induced by 84 days of continuous HFD supply, were significantly inhibited by 56 days of continuous oral treatment of GBe 150, 100 and 50mg/kg, dose-dependently, and they also dramatically normalized the changes of the aorta vascular dilation and constriction related gene mRNA expressions, also dose-dependently. Especially, GBe 150 mg/kg constantly showed favorable inhibitory activities against type II diabetes related obesity and vascular disorders through PI3K/Akt pathway and p38 MAPK mediated cGMP, NO and ET-1 expression modulatory activities, as comparable to those of metformin 250 mg/kg in HFD mice. Conclusion : By assessing the key parameters for anti-obese and blood flow improvement activities on the HFD-induced mild diabetic obese mice, the present work demonstrated that GBe 150, 100 and 50 mg/kg showed favorable anti-obese and blood flow improvement effects in HFD-induced type II diabetic mice, through PI3K/Akt pathway and p38 MAPK mediated cGMP, NO and ET-1 expression modulatory activities.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1683-1690
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• 2020

Objective: The rapid and reliable detection of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) plays an important role in emergency control and preventive measures of ASF. Some methods have been recommended by FAO/OIE to detect ASFV in clinical samples, including realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, mismatches in primer and probe binding regions may cause a false-negative result. Here, a slight modification in probe sequence has been conducted to improve the qualification of real-time PCR based on World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) protocol for accurate detection of ASFV in field samples in Vietnam. Methods: Seven positive confirmed samples (four samples have no mismatch, and three samples contained one mutation in probe binding sites) were used to establish novel real-time PCR with slightly modified probe (Y = C or T) in comparison with original probe recommended by OIE. Results: Both real-time PCRs using the OIE-recommended probe and novel modified probe can detect ASFV in clinical samples without mismatch in probe binding site. A high correlation of cycle quantification (Cq) values was observed in which Cq values obtained from both probes arranged from 22 to 25, suggesting that modified probe sequence does not impede the qualification of real-time PCR to detect ASFV in clinical samples. However, the samples with one mutation in probe binding sites were ASFV negative with OIE recommended probe but positive with our modified probe (Cq value ranked between 33.12-35.78). Conclusion: We demonstrated for the first time that a mismatch in probe binding regions caused a false negative result by OIE recommended real-time PCR, and a slightly modified probe is required to enhance the sensitivity and obtain an ASF accurate diagnosis in field samples in Vietnam.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2010

Porphyromonas (P.) gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg LPS) is the major pathogenic component of periodontal disease. In this study, we have attempted to determine the expression profiles of the signal transduction pathway genes induced by Pg LPS in comparison with Escherichia (E.) coli LPS (Ec LPS). DC2.4 cells were treated for two hours with $1\;{\mu}g/ml$ of Pg LPS or $0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of Ec LPS. The total RNA from these cells was then isolated and reverse-transcribed. Gene expression profiles were then analyzed with a signal transduction pathway finder GEArray Q series kit and significant changes in expression were confirmed by real-time PCR. The microarray results indicated that several genes, including Tnfrsf10b, Vcam1, Scyb9, Trim25, Klk6, and Stra6 were upregulated in the DC2.4 cells in response to Pg LPS treatment, but were downregulated or unaffected by Ec LPS. Realtime PCR revealed that the expression of Trim25, Scyb9 and Tnfrsf10b was increased over the untreated control. Notably, Trim25 and Tnfrsf10b were more strongly induced by Pg LPS than by Ec LPS. These results provide greater insight into the signal transduction pathways that are altered by P. gingivalis LPS.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.863-871
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• 2015

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BBMN68, isolated from centenarians in Guangxi, China, has been proved to be a promising probiotic strain for its health benefits. In this study, the biodistribution of this strain in the rat gut was first investigated using the quantitative realtime PCR assay and propidium monoazide. Strain-specific primers were originally designed based on the BBMN68 genome sequence. Healthy rats were orally inoculated with either a single dose of BBMN68 (10¹⁰ colony-forming units/kg), or with one dose per day for 7 days and bacterial concentrations were analyzed in detail from the intestinal contents and feces of four different gut locations, including stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum. Results indicated that strain BBMN68 could overcome the rigors of passage through the upper gastrointestinal tract and transiently accumulate in the colon, even though survival in the stomach and small intestine was not high. A good level of BBMN8 could stay in vivo for 72 h following a 7-day oral administration, and a daily administration is suggested for a considerable and continuous population of BBMN68 to be maintained in the host intestine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2015

Aerobic CH₄ oxidation is an important CH₄ sink in landfills. To investigate the distribution and community diversity of methanotrophs and link with soil characteristics and operational parameters (e.g., concentrations of O₂, CH₄), cover soil samples were collected at different locations and depths from the Mengzi semi-aerobic landfill (SAL) in Yunnan Province of southern China. Specific PCR followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and realtime PCR were used to examine methanotrophs in the landfill cover soils. The results showed that different locations did harbor distinct methanotroph communities. Methanotrophs were more abundant in areas near the venting pipes because of the higher O₂ concentrations. The depth of 20-25 cm, where the ratio of the CH₄ to O₂ was within the range from 1.3 to 8.6, was more conducive to the growth of CH₄-oxidizing bacteria. Type II methanotrophs dominated in all samples compared with Type I methanotrophs, as evidenced by the high ratio of Type II to Type I methanotrophic copy numbers (from 1.76 to 11.60). The total copy numbers of methanotrophs detected were similar to other ecosystems, although the CH₄ concentration was much higher in SAL cover soil. Methylobacter and Methylocystis were the most abundant Type I and Type II methanotrophs genera, respectively, in the Mengzi SAL. The results suggested that SALs could provide a special environment with both high concentrations of CH₄ and O₂ for methanotrophs, especially around the vertical venting pipes.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.8.1-8.12
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• 2018

FAM46B is a member of the family with sequence similarity 46. Little is known about the expression and functional role (s) of FAM46B in prostate cancer (PC). In this study, the expression of FAM46B expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas, GSE55945, and an independent hospital database was measured by bioinformatics and real-time PCR analysis. After PC cells were transfected with siRNA or a recombinant vector in the absence or presence of a ${\beta}$-catenin signaling inhibitor (XAV-939), the expression levels of FAM46B, C-myc, Cyclin D1, and ${\beta}$-catenin were measured by western blot and realtime PCR. Cell cycle progression and cell proliferation were measured by flow cytometry and the CCK-8 assay. The effects of FAM46B on tumor growth and protein expression in nude mice with PC tumor xenografts were also measured. Our results showed that FAM46B was downregulated but that ${\beta}$-catenin was upregulated in patients with PC. FAM46B silencing promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in PC, which were abrogated by XAV-939. Moreover, FAM46B overexpression inhibited PC cell cycle progression and cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. FAM46B silencing promoted ${\beta}$-catenin protein expression through the inhibition of ${\beta}$-catenin ubiquitination. Our data clearly show that FAM46B inhibits cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in PC through ubiquitination of ${\beta}$-catenin.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to assess the whitening effects of an extract from Smilax china L., which is a vine shrub belonging to the lily family. With regard to the whitening effects, 70% ethanol and water extracts from Smilax china L. showed more than 77.6% and 40.2% tyrosinase inhibition at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}l$. Furthermore, the 70% ethanol extract showed cytotoxicity of 89% at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$ in melanoma cells. Western blot showed that the inhibitory effect of the 70% ethanol extract on MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2, and tyrosinase protein expression decreased by 89.9%, 46.2%, 57.6%, and 55.8%, respectively, at a concentration of $50{\mu}g/ml$. Moreover, reverse transcription-PCR showed that the inhibitory effect of the 70% ethanol extract on MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2, and tyrosinase mRNA expression decreased by 78.5%, 58.0%, 78.8%, and 70.8%, respectively, at the same concentration of $50{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. Further, realtime PCR showed that the 70% ethanol extract-induced decrease in MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2, and tyrosinase quantitative mRNA expression rate was concentration-dependent. The findings suggest that the extract from Smilax china L. has great potential as a cosmetic ingredient with whitening effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.100-111
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• 2020

Objectives : The aim of experiment is to examine anti-inflammatory effect and anti-oxidant effect of Naesohwangryun-tang (NSHRT) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Methods : In the present study, The cell viability was performed by MTT assay. Nitric oxide (NO) production and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) synthesis were performed by NO assay and ELISA KIT. The anti-oxidant effect was performed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. The inhibitory effects of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines were confirmed by realtime PCR and western blotting. Results : NSHRT was no cytotoxicity at treated group. NO and PGE2 production were inhibited compared to the LPS treated group and also mRNA and protein expressions were significantly decreased compared to the LPS treated group. Conclusions : According to the above experiments, we confirmed that NSHRT has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. It is suggested that NSHRT is potential ingredient of skin diseases.