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Effect of Drying Type and Addition Level of Sweet Potato 'Tongchaeru' Byproducts on Broiler Productivity, Meat Quality, Blood Parameters, and Immune Response (고구마 '통채루' 부산물의 건조 방법과 첨가 수준에 따른 육계 생산성, 계육 품질, 혈액 성상, 면역 지표에 미치는 영향)

  • Woo-Do Lee;Hyunsoo Kim;Jiseon Son;Eui-Chul Hong;Hee-Jin Kim;Yeon-Seo Yun;Hye Kyung Shin;Hwan-Ku Kang
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.50 no.4
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    • pp.325-336
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    • 2023
  • This study used leaves and stems of 'Tongchaeru', one of the sweet potato varieties, to investigate broiler productivity, meat quality, blood properties, growth hormones, and immune factor levels according to drying method and amount added to feed. For this experiment, a total of 720 1-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were used. Treatments were assigned with 3 replicates per treatment and 20 birds were assigned to each replicate. The treatment group was designed into 12 treatments according to the type of natural product (leaves (L), stems (S)), drying type (natural (N), hot air (H), freeze (F)) and amount added (0.1%, 0.3%). The test was conducted for a total of 5 weeks. In this study, there was no significant difference in productivity depending on the type and amount of additives added (P>0.05). The FS 0.3% group showed high pH and WHC levels, and the shear force was lowest at HL 0.1% group (P<0.05). Blood cell and serum biochemical components were similar in all treatments, and growth hormone IGF-1 was highest in FS 0.1% group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in IFN-γ, but the highest level of IL-6 was seen in the HS 0.1% group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the meat quality and the level of growth hormone and immune factors in the body were different depending on the type and amount of dried leaves and stems of sweet potato 'Tongchaeru', further study is needed to compare the selected additives and amounts added with those without additions.

The relationship between the prevalence of anemia and dietary intake among adults according to household types based on data from the 7th (2016-2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (국민건강영양조사 제7기 (2016-2018년)에서의 가구 유형에 따른 성인의 빈혈 유병율과 식이 섭취)

  • Hye Won Kim;Ji-Myung Kim
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.56 no.5
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    • pp.510-522
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: In this study, data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018) were used to examine the relationship between the prevalence of anemia and dietary intake among adults according to household types. Methods: Using data from a total of 10,646 subjects (4,428 men and 6,218 women), the general information, body measurements, results of biochemical examination, food and nutrient intake, and meal quality evaluation were analyzed according to the type of household. Results: The prevalence of anemia was higher in men belonging to single-person households (SPH) than in those from multi-person households (MPH), while anemia prevalence was higher among the women in the MPH than in the SPH. The men in SPH had a lower total food intake of nuts, vegetables, fruits, fish, and seaweed than the men in MPH, and consumed higher quantities of milk, oil, and processed foods. The women from SPH had a lower intake of seaweed and a higher intake of milk than those belonging to the MPH. In addition, the men in SPH had a lower iron intake and iron intake per 1,000kcal than the men in MPH, lower iron intake through plant-based foods, and a lower iron intake ratio compared to the reference nutrient intake. The total Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) score was lower in both men and women in SPH than in those from the MPH. When analyzing the relationship between household type and anemia risk after correcting for the confusion variable, the risk of anemia in men in SPH increased compared to those belonging to the MPH. However, women showed no such significant correlation. There was no relationship between the total KHEI score and the risk of anemia by gender and household type. Conclusion: In conclusion, since anemia in men belonging to SPH is a matter of concern, it is essential to develop guidelines for anemia-related nutrition education for men living alone.

The Role of Ref-1 in the Differentiation Process of Monocytic THP-1 Cells (단핵구세포주 THP-1의 분화과정에서 Ref-1의 역할)

  • Da Sol Kim;Kang Mi Kim;Koanhoi Kim;Young Chul Park
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.34 no.4
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    • pp.271-278
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    • 2024
  • Redox factor (Ref)-1, a ubiquitously expressed protein, acts as a modulator of redox-sensitive tran- scription factors and as an endonuclease in the repair pathway of damaged DNA. However, the function of Ref-1 in the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages has not been defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ref-1 on the monocyte differentiation process using the human monocytic cell line THP-1. The differentiation agent PMA increased cell adhesion over time and showed a sig- nificant increase in phagocytic function but decreased the intracellular amount of Ref-1. Ref-1 inhibitor E3330 and Ref-1 knockdown using the siRNA technique reduced cell adhesion and the expression of differentiation markers, such as CD14, ICAM-1, and CD11b, by PMA stimulation. This means that the role of Ref-1 is absolutely necessary in the initial process of differentiating THP-1 cells stimulated by PMA. Next, the distribution of Ref-1 was examined in the cytoplasm and nucleus of THP-1 cells stimulated with PMA. Surprisingly, PMA stimulation resulted in the rapid translocation of Ref-1 to the nucleus. To prove that movement of Ref-1 to the nucleus is required for monocyte differentiation, a Ref-1 vector with the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) deleted was used. As a result, overexpression of ∆NLS Ref-1, which restricted movement to the nucleus, suppressed the expression of differentiation markers and notably reduced phagocytic function in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that the differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells requires Ref-1 nuclear translocation during the initial process of biochemical events following stimulation from PMA.

A Survey of Nutritional Status on Pre-School Children in Korea (학영기전아동(學齡期前兒童)의 영양실태조사(營養實態調査))

  • Ju, Jin-Soon;Oh, Seoung-Ho
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.68-86
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    • 1976
  • The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the correct nutritional status on pre-school children in Korea. Furthermore, it made an attempt to find and define nutrional problems, and assist in establishment on their nutritional improvement plan. For this, food intake and health condition (physical, clinical, biochemical and parasitological) survey on 109 Pre-school children in both sexes, randomly selected from Yang-Gu area in Gang-Won province and Rea-ju area in Kyong-gy Province, were conducted by means of three-day records, during the two periods of Spring and Fall season in 1975. The results obtained are summerized as follows: 1. The food intake; Average food intake of the subjects per day were $508{\sim}647g$ ($83{\sim}91%$ in vegetable foods and $5.5{\sim}11.7%$ in animal foods) in Yang-gu area, and $587{\sim}698g$ ($88{\sim}89%$ in vegetable foods and $6.3{\sim}7.6%$ in animal foods) in Rea-ju area. 2. The intake of energy and nutrients; a) Calory intake. Average energy intake of subjects per day in Yang-gu area$(1120{\sim}1415kcal)$ were all lower than the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the subjects in Rea-ju area were lower intake $(1213{\sim}1418kcal)$ than the RDA in the Spring but higher intake$(1516{\sim}1755kcal)$ than the RDA in the Fall, and the average intake were similar level with that of RDA. b) Protein intake. Average protein intake of the subjects per day in Yang-gu area $(33{\sim}43g)$ girl subjects in Rea-ju area $(35{\sim}39g)$ were lower than the RDA in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the boy subjects in Rea-ju area$(36{\sim}38g)$ were lower in Spring and higher $(49{\sim}57g)$ in the Fall than that of the RDA, but the average $(43{\sim}47g)$ were similar level with the RDA. The protein intake from animal sources in all subjects were much lower $(5.5{\sim}11.7\;of\;total\;protein)$ than the RDA. c) Fat intake. Average fat intake were very lower in all subjects of both area $(14{\sim}24g\;in\;Yang-gu,\;10{\sim}12g\;in\;Rea-ju)$ than that of RDA which is recommended $12{\sim}14%$ of total energy to be supplied from fat. d) Calcium intake. Average calcium intake were very low in all subjects of both area $(264{\sim}355mg\;in\;Yang-gu\;and\;283{\sim}429mg\;in\;Rea-ju)$, especially, these in Spring were about a half level of the RDA, and it was much increased in the Fall due to increased intake of milk, but it was still not enough than the RDA. e) Vitamin A intake. Average intake of V.A ($703{\sim}1465\;IU$ in Ynag-gu and $750{\sim}1521\;IU$ in Rea-ju) were also lower than the RDA, moreover their V-A sources were mainly vegetable, so that the V-A supply might be critical one for the subjected. f) Riboflavin intake. Average riboflavin intake on all subjects in both area except boys in Rea-ju area in Fall, were very lower than the RDA. 3. The physical status; a) Average weight and height of boys aged 4 and 5 in Yang-gu area and girls of aged 5 in Rea-ju area were lower than those of Korean Standard of 1967 report, but those by age of girls in Yang-gu area and boys in Rea-ju area were a little heigher than the Korean Standard. It is, hower, present Korean standard of physical status might be somehow heigher than the 1967, since the socio-economical situation has been much improved during past a decade. So that, if one considered on this sense, the physical status of the subjects on this survey might be somehow lower than those of present Korean standard. b) Average upper arm circumference in both area were no difference each other, and their mean values of age 4, 5 and 6 in boy and girl were 15.6, 16.5, 16.4 and 15.5, 16.5, 16.4cm respectively. c) Average chest girth of boys were similar to those of Korean standard whereas the girls were smaller than the Korea standard. The average head circumference also showed similar tendency with the chest girth. 4. The clinical findings; The most popular clinical signs were angular stomatitis and dental caries, and boys had more heigher incidence then the girls. 5. The biochemical findings; a) Hemoglobin and anemia Average Hb value of boys and girls were 11.4 and 10.9g per 100 ml of blood respectively. The incidence of anemia (Hb value below 11 g/100 ml, by WHO) was increased by age, and girls had more heigher incidence than the boy (34% : 48%). The incidence of anemia in age of 4,5, and 6 in boys and girls were 28%, 41% 34%, and 33%, 50%, 49% respectively. The degree of the anemia was not severe, and the anemia of there subjects may be caused mainly low intake of better quality protein and low iron intake as well. b) Hematocrit. Average Ht value of whole subject were $39.9{\sim}41.6%$. c) Blood plasma protein. Average blood plasma protein contents of whole subjects were $6.6{\sim}7.4gm$ per 100 ml. The incidence of deficient range (<6.0g%, by ICNND) was only one girl of age 4 in yang Gu area. 6. Parasitological findgs; The most popular parasitism were asicris lumbicoides and trichocephalus trichiura, and about 2/3 of the whole subjects were suffering one or more of these parasitism.

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STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEROTONIN SYSTEM AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN TOURETTE'S DISORDER (Tourette씨병의 Serotonin계와 정신병리와의 상호관계에 관한 연구)

  • Cho, Soo-Churl;Shin, Yun-O;Suh, Yoo-Hun
    • Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.77-91
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    • 1996
  • In order to elucidate the biological etiology and the effects of comorbidity on biological variables in tic disorders, plasma serotonin (5-hydroxlfryptamine, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxy- indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) we.e measured in 87 tic disorders and 30 control subjects. The 87 tic disorder were composed of 45 Tourette's disorder(TS), 22 chronic motor tic disorders (CMT) and 20 transient tic disorders (TTD). Among these patients,43 patients were pure tic disorder (PT), 28 subject also had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (T+ADHD) and 16 subjects had obsessive compulsive disorders (T+ OCD) as comorbid disorders. The results are summarized as follows : 1) Plasma 5-HT levels showed significant positive correlations with plasma 5-HIAA levels (Pennon r=0.77, p<0.05). 2) Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels showed no significant correlation with age in tic disorders. 3) Plasma 5-HIAA and 5-HT levels showed no significant correlations with age in control subjects. 4) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HT levels among TS, CMT, TTD and control groups (ANOVA F=34.48, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed significant differences between control and TS, control and CMT, control and ITD groups. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between TS and CMT, TS and TTD, CMT and TTD groups. 5) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HIAA levels among TS, CMT, TTD and control groups (ANOVA F=26.48, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed significant differences between control and TS, control and CMT, control and TTD groups. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between TS and CMT, TS and TTD, CMT and TID groups.f) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels among PT, T+ADHD, T+OCD and contol groups (ANOVA 5-HT, F=37.59, df=3, 113, p<0.01, 5-HIAA, F=27.37, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed signiscant differences between control and PT, control and T+ADHD and control and T+OCB. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between PT and T+ADHD, PT and T+ OCD and T+ADHD and T+ OCD. These results show that decreased 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels may play a role in the genesis of tic disorders, but these findings have no significant correlations with the severity of tic disorders. And the comorbid disorders of tics may have minimal effects on the biochemical abnormalities. Future studies must be focused on the effects of serotonin agonists and antagonists on tic disorders and molecular biological methodology may enhance to elucidate the mechanisms of these abnormal findings.

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The Effects of Gastrodiae Rhizoma Powder on Plasma Lipid Profiles in the Elderly with Cardiovascular Disease (천마분말 복용이 심혈관계 질환 노인들의 혈중 지질 양상 변화에 미치는 영향)

  • Yang, Kyung-Mi
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.37 no.7
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    • pp.858-868
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    • 2008
  • This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Gastrodiae Rhizoma powder on plasma lipid profiles in elderly volunteers with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes or heart disease. 32 elderly people, 11 males and 21 females aged $60{\sim}77$ years, were given Gastrodiae Rhizoma powder 15 g twice daily for 6 months. We investigated the antheropometric data, general characteristics and dietary habit by using questionnaires. Fasting blood samples were collected from the subjects before and after this 6 months intervention study. Blood pressure, glucose, hemoglobin and lipid levels of plasma, atherogenic index (AI) and cardiac risk factors (CRF, LHR, HTR) were determined before and after consumption of Gastrodiae Rhizoma powder. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the male and female subjects were 22.4 and 23.6, respectively. The percent of ideal body weight (PIBW) of males and females were 105.6% and 122.3%, respectively. The subjects had decreased intake frequency of fish and meat in their dietary habit. After consumption of Gastrodiae Rhizoma powder, there were no significant differences in blood pressure; however, the blood glucose significantly decreased with Gastrodiae Rhizoma intake in the males. In the subjects, the levels of plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol were decreased by the consumption of Gastrodiae Rhizoma powder; while the levels of plasma LDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in female. Blood pressure and biochemical assessment (blood glucose, hemoglobin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL-cholesterol) of the subjects were within the normal range. It was found that AI, CRF and LHR were significantly decreased by Gastrodiae Rhizoma intake. The present results indicate that dietary supplementation of Gastrodiae Rhizoma improved lipid metabolism and cardiac risk factor in cardiovascular disease.

A Report on the Shigella Cultures Isolated in Korea(1971) (1971년(年) 한국(韓國)에서 분리(分離)한 이질균(痢疾菌)에 관(關)한 보고(報告))

  • Ryu, Young-Hat;Kim, Soon-Hee
    • The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.9-15
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    • 1972
  • The authors identified 45 Shigella cultures among 63 suspectable cultures obtained from the cases showing dysentery or the like symptoms in various parts of the country during the period from February to September, 1971. Of 45 cultures, 36 cultures belonged to Subgroup B, 7 cultures to Subgroup C and 2 cultures to Subgroup D. There was none of cultures belonging to Subgroup A in 1971, although the authors detected one culture of that among 41 identified Shigella in 1967. Of 36 cultures belonging to Subgroup B, 27 cultures were $B_{2a}$ and 3 cultures of each $B_{3c},\;B_{4a}$ and $B_y$ were serotyped, respectively. Of 7 cultures beloning to Subgroup C, one was $C_{11}$ and other six cultures were $C_{15}$ and all S. boydii were isolated in Seoul area. It might be possible to suggest that there was a tendency of decreasing prevalence of S. dysenteriae and of increasing prevalence of S. boydii in Korea, although the number of cultures. tested were very much limited to conclude, if it was compared with the results obtained by the authors in 1967 that the fourty-one identified Shigella were composed of one culture of S. dysenteriae, 36 cultures of S. flexneri, 4 cultures of S. sonnei and none of S. boydii. According to the results obtained from the biochemical tests, the positive ratio of Indol tests in Subgroup B was 31/36, which could be higher than 9/36 observed in 1961, but which was nearly correlated with the result published by Ewing and his colleagues in U.S.A. The positive rates of both sorbitol and raffinose were lower than that observed by Ewing and his colleagues in S. flexneri. Regarding with the sensitivity of Shigella cultures to the antibiotics being widely used in the country, 46.2% were sensitive to chloramphenicol, which was very much higher than that observed by Park, and 85.8% were sensitive to ampicillin, which would be the drug of choice according to the results from the In Vitro tests.

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Weight loss effects of Bariatric Surgery after nutrition education in extremely obese patients (고도비만환자에서 베리아트릭 수술 (Bariatric Surgery) 후 영양교육이 체중감량에 미치는 효과)

  • Jeong, Eun-Ha;Lee, Hong-Chan;Yim, Jung-Eun
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.48 no.1
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    • pp.30-45
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    • 2015
  • Purpose: This study was planned to determine the characteristics of extremely obese patients during Bariatric surgery and to evaluate how the difference in the number of postsurgical personal nutritional educations they received affected the weight loss. Methods: This is a retrospective study on the basis of the medical records of extremely obese patients for 15 months after receiving gastric banding. A total of 60 people were selected as the study subjects and they were divided into the Less Educated Group and the More Educated Group according to the average number of personal nutritional educations they received. We investigated both groups to determine the general characteristic, health related lifestyle habits, obesity related complications and symptoms in possession, and eating habits before their surgery, the body composition measurement result, obesity determination indices at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months before and after their surgery, and the biochemical parameters at 6 months before and after their surgery. Results: Body fat and weight showed rapid reduction until 6 months after the surgery, but thereafter reduced slowly depending on the result of body composition measurement. Regarding body fat and weight, the More Educated Group, who received nutrition education more often, showed significantly lower levels than the Less Educated Group at 15 months after surgery. Regarding BMI and degree of obesity, the More Educated Group showed significantly lower levels than the Less Educated Group at 15 months after surgery. Here, we were assured that BMI is reversely proportional to the number of personal nutritional educations at 15 months, which is more outstanding after surgery than before surgery. Conclusion: Long-term nutritional education is a key factor for the extremely obese patient in maintaining the effects of Bariatric surgery on weight and body fat reduction onwards. In the next stage, considering the characteristics of the study subjects, adoption of individual nutrition education is recommended for postsurgical prospective arbitration of obesity in order to monitor blood pressure, obesity related complications, symptoms in possession, and how eating habits and health related life habits change, and to judge the actual effect of the nutritional education method at the same time.

Purification and Characterization of Lactate Dehydrogenase Isozymes in Channa argus (가물치(Channa argus) 젖산탈수소효소 동위효소들의 정제 및 특성)

  • Park, Eun-Mi;Yum, Jung-Joo
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.260-268
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    • 2010
  • The lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27, LDH) isozymes in tissues from Channa argus were purified and characterized by biochemical, immunochemical and kinetic methods. The activity of LDH in skeletal muscle was the highest at 380.4 units and those in heart, eye and brain tissues were 13.4, 3,5 and 5.4 units, respectively. Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7, CS) activity in heart tissue was the highest at 20.7 units. LDH/CS in skeletal muscle, heart, eye and brain tissues were 172.9, 0.6, 0.32 and 0.47. Protein concentration in skeletal muscle tissue was 14.7 mg/g and specific activities of LDH in skeletal muscle, heart, eye and brain tissues were 25.88, 0.79, 0.31 and 1.38 units/mg, respectively. Therefore, skeletal muscle tissue was anaerobic and heart tissue was aerobic. The LDH isozymes in tissues were identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoprecipitation and Western blot with antiserum against $A_4$, $B_4$, and eye-specific $C_4$. LDH $A_4$, $A_3B$, $A_2B_2$. $AB_3$ and $B_4$ isozymes were detected in every tissue, $C_4$, $AC_3$, $A_2C_2$ and $A_3C$ were detected in eye tissue, and $A_3C$ was found in brain tissue. LDH $A_4$, $A_3B$, $A_2B_2$, $AB_3$, $B_4$, eye-specific $C_4$ isozymes were purified by affinity chromatography and Preparative PAGE Cells. The LDH $A_4$ isozyme was purified in the fraction from elution with $NAD^+$ containing buffer of affinity chromatography. Eye-specific $C_4$ isozyme was eluted right after $A_4$, after which $B_4$ isozyme was eluted with plain buffer. As a result, one part of molecular structures in $A_4$, $B_4$ and eye-specific $C_4$ were similar, but were different from each other in $B_4$ and $C_4$. Therefore the subunit A may be conservative in evolution, and the evolution of subunit B seems to be faster than that of subunit A. The activity of LDH $A_4$, $A_2B_2$, $B_4$, and eye-specific $C_4$ isozymes remained at 39.98, 21.28, 19.67 and 16.87% as a result of the inhibition by 10 mM of pyruvate, so the degree of inhibition was very high. The $Km^{PYR}$ values were 0.17, 0.27 and 0.133 mM in $A_4$, $B_4$ and eye-specific $C_4$ isozymes, respectively. The optimum pH of LDH $A_4$, $B_4$, eye-specific $C_4$, $A_2B_2$, $A_3B$, and $AB_3$ were pH 6.5, pH 8.5, pH 5.5, pH 6.0-6.5, pH 5.0 and pH 7.5. The $A_4$ and heterotetramer isozymes stabilized a broad range of pH. Especially, LDH activities in skeletal muscle tissue were high, resulting in a high degree of muscle activity.LDH metabolism in eye tissue seems to be converted faster from pyruvate to lactate by eye-specific $C_4$ isozyme as eye-specific $C_4$ have the highest affinity for pyruvate, and right after the conversion, oxidation of lactate was induced by $A_4$ isozyme. It was found that expression of Ldh-C, affinity to substrate and reaction time of $C_4$ isozyme were different according to the ecological environmental and feeding capturing patterns.

Malacological Studies on Parafossarulus manchouricus(Gastropoda: Prosobranchia) in Korea (한국산(韓國産) 왜우렁(Parafossarulus manchouricus)의 패류학적(貝類學的) 연구(硏究))

  • Chung, Pyung-Rim
    • The Korean Journal of Malacology
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.24-50
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    • 1985
  • Five different populations of Parafossarulus manchouricus (Chongpyung, Chinju and Kunsan, Korea; and Japan and Taiwan), a population of Bitbynia (Gabbia) misella (Gongju, Korea) and two different populations of Bithynta tentaculata (Michigan, U.S.A. and Bodensee, Germany) were compared in regard to eff-laying characteristics, morphology, chromosome cytology, natural infections of parasites and ecology of habitats. A satisfactory culture method was devised for laboratory rearing of the snails. Tropical fish food (Terra SML) and powdered green leaves (Ceralife) were used as the main food sources for the snails. Benthic diatoms such as Navicula and Gomphonema from the periphyton were also essential for satisfactory growth, especially for the baby snails. The aquaria were stabilized with small stones from a local stream. Young P. manchouricus snails grew to adult size in about 54 days after hatching. They laid eggs 150-156 days after hatching. The whole cycle (birth to egg-laying) took approximately 5 months. The three species of bithyniid snails are iteroparous and lay eggs once a year. There were no major morphological differences in the shells of genera or subgenera studied here. They did exhibit the following rather minor differences. The shell of Parafossarulus has spirally raised ridges, and its apex is usually eroded; the other two genera lack these characteristics. The shell of B. (Gabbia) misella is small, nor exceeding 7.5 mm in length, while the shells of the other two species are larger, being more than 10 mm in length. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the protoconch of P. manchouricus reveals nearly smooth sculpture with small, low, spiral wrinkles. This sculpture is quite different from that of the Hydrobiidae, a family to which the bithyniids are frequently assigned. Scanning electron microscopy of the radulae of the three bithyniid species showed that their radular morphologies are very similar, but there are some small differences, which may be species-specific. There were some statistical differences in shell heights between the Korean and the other populations of P. manchouricus, and between this species and the other two bithyniids as well. The shell differences between the several populations of Korean P. manchouricus may be related to environment. Edtails of the chromosome cycle of these bithyniid snails are similar to those reported for other snails. No specific differences were observed in the chromosome cycle between the various species and populations of snails employed in this study. Reporred for the first time in molluscs are two darkly stained "nucleolar organizers" during pachyterne stages of meiosis. Two different chromosome numbers were observed in the three bithyniid species: n=17 in B. tentaculata and P. manchouricus, and n=18 in B. (G.) misella. no sex chromosomes or supernumerary chromosomes were seen. There were no morphological differences in karyotypes of three Korean strains of P. manchouricus. The infection rates of cercariae of Clonorchis sinensis in Chinju and Kunsan strains of P. manchouricus were 0.14% and 1.25%, respectively. However, Clonorchis cercariae were found in Chongpyung strain of P. manchouriceu and Gongju strain of B. (G.) misella. The habitats of P. manchouricus around Jinyang Lake were relatively clean without any heavy pollution of aquatic microorganisms and organic materials during the period of this study. The levels of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and biochemical oxygen demand (B.O.D.) of the water specimens sampled from the study areas ranged from 6.0 to 9.6 ppm and from 0.4 to 1.6 ppm, respectively. Eight metalic constituents from the water samples were also assayed, and all metalic ions detercted were remarkably low below the legal criteria. However, calcium ion in the water samples from the habitats of P. manchouricus was considerably higher than others.

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