• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.126-130
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• 2007

Noroviruses, members of the family Caliciviridae, are often found in shellfish grown in polluted water and are emerging as a leading cause of foodborne disease worldwide. As the presence of norovirus in food commodities becomes an important medical and social issue, there are increasing needs for designing improved detection methods for the virus. In this study, we tested the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer for the analysis of norovirus DNA amplified from oyster samples. Microchip electrophoresis provided us with more accurate information, compared to conventional agarose gel electrophoresis, in the resolution and quantification of amplified products. The development of an improved method for food-associated noroviruses would contribute to a rapid identification of contaminated food and improve our understanding of the modes of food contamination and norovirus transmission.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.365-370
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• 2018

To confirm that Bartonella and Wolbachia were carried by sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus) in southern Xinjiang of China, 17 M. ovinus samples, which were collected in Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, were randomly selected. In this study, the Bartonella gltA and Wolbachia 16S rRNA gene were amplified through conventional PCR and the sequence of those amplified products, were analyzed. The results demonstrated that Bartonella was carried by all of the 17 sheep keds and Wolbachia was carried by 15 out of them. Bartonella was identified as B. melophagi. Three strains of Wolbachia were supergroup F and 1 strain has not been confirmed yet. It is the first report about Wolbachia supergroup F was found in sheep keds and provided the molecular evidence that B. melophagi and Wolbachia supergroup F were carried by sheep keds in Aksu Prefecture of southern Xinjiang, China. The 2 pathogens were found in sheep keds around Taklimakan Desert for the first time.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.307-313
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• 2014

This study was conducted to distinguish the pines that are too similar to differentiate using conventional methods. Pinus densiflora and Pinus sylvestris have similar anatomical structure. They both have window-like pits and dentate ray tracheids, so it is not easy to distinguish the plants. We tried to find molecular markers by comparing chloroplast DNA sequences to differentiate the pines growing in Korea. We used P. densiflora, P. densiflora for. multicaulis, P. sylvestris, P. rigida, P. rigitaeda, P. koraiensis, and P. bungeana for this study. We found that the non-coding intergenic region of trnT(UGU) and trnL(UAA) genes have differences among the species. We designed a primer set to amplify the region efficiently and compared the PCR product sequences using CLC Workbench programs to find the polymorphism. We could distinguish the species using the sequences of the amplified region and the sequences were reproducible from the pines collected in Korea.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2006

Background: B cell subset has been divided into B-1 cells and B-2 cells. B-1 cells are found most prominently in the peritoneal cavity, as well as constituting a small pro portion of splenic B cells and they are larger and less dense than B-2 cells in morphology. This study was designed to compare the differences in their proliferation and differentiation between B-1 and B-2 cell. Methods: We obtained sorted B-1 cells from peritoneal fluid and B-2 cells from spleens of mice. Secreted IgM was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Entering of S phase in response to LPS-stimuli was measured by proliferative assay. Cell cycle analysis by propidium iodide was performed. p21 expression was assessed by real time PCR. Results: Cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in B-1 and B-2 cells, which did not occur in the absence of LPS, required LPS stimulation. After LPS stimulation, B-1 and B-2 cells were shifted to Sand G2/M phases. p21 expression by resting B-1 cells was higher than that of resting B-2 cells. Conclusion: B-1 cells differ from conventional B-2 cells in proliferation, differentiation and cell cycle.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.310-315
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• 2014

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a member of the genus Begomovirus, is responsible for one of the most devastating viral diseases in tomato-growing countries and is becoming a serious problem in many subtropical and tropical countries. The climate in Korea is getting warmer and developing subtropical features in response to global warming. These changes are being accompanied by TYLCV, which is now becoming a large problem in the Korean tomato industry. The most effective way to reduce damage caused by TYLCV is to breed resistant varieties of tomatoes. To accomplish this, it is necessary to establish a simple inoculation technique for the efficient evaluation of resistance to TYLCV. Here, we present the rolling circle amplification (RCA) method, which employs a bacteriophage using phi-29 DNA polymerase for construction of infectious TYLCV clones. The RCA method is simple, does not require sequence information for cloning, and is less expensive and time consuming than conventional PCR based-methods. Furthermore, RCA-based construction of an infectious clone can be very useful to other emerging and unknown geminiviruses in Korea.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.358-366
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• 2016

The digestive system is gaining interest as a major regulator of various functions including immune defense, nutrient accumulation, and regulation of feeding behavior, aside from its conventional function as a digestive organ. The Drosophila midgut epithelium is completely renewed every 1-2 weeks due to differentiation of pluripotent intestinal stem cells in the midgut. Intestinal stem cells constantly divide and differentiate into enterocytes that secrete digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients, or enteroendocrine cells that secrete regulatory peptides. Regulatory peptides have important roles in development and metabolism, but study has mainly focused on expression and functions in the nervous system, and not much is known about the roles in endocrine functions of enteroendocrine cells. We systemically examined the expression of 45 regulatory peptide genes in the Drosophila midgut, and verified that at least 10 genes are expressed in the midgut enteroendocrine cells through RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, antisera, and 25 regulatory peptide-GAL transgenes. The Drosophila midgut is highly compartmentalized, and individual peptides in enteroendocrine cells were observed to express in specific regions of the midgut. We also confirmed that some peptides expressed in the same region of the midgut are expressed in mutually exclusive enteroendocrine cells. These results indicate that the midgut enteroendocrine cells are functionally differentiated into different subgroups. Through this study, we have established a basis to study regulatory peptide functions in enteroendocrine cells as well as the complex organization of enteroendocrine cells in the Drosophila midgut.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.549-557
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• 2019

Staphylococcal enterotoxin is a very common cause of food poisoning. Conventional detection methods for the toxin including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), chemiluminescence (ECL), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays require a lot of time, efforts, and expert technicians. Lateral flow strip kits have shown great potential for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens. The lateral flow strip kit is widely used in clinical settings because it is easy to use, fast, and cost effective. A typical lateral flow strip kit uses colloidal gold to generate a visual signal. However, the lateral flow strip kit based on colloidal gold has limited sensitivity to fulfill food safety regulation requirements. This study was performed to develop a rapid test kit for pathogenic staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in food samples. The rapid detection kit was fabricated based on a nitrocellulose lateral-flow strip. Cellulose nano beads and SEB antibodies were used as the tag and receptor, respectively, to improve the detection performance. Manually spotted SEB antibody and anti-rabbit antibody on the surface of the nitrocellulose membrane were used as test and control spots, respectively. The feasibility of the rapid test kit to detect SEB in samples was evaluated. The sensitivity of the kit was 10 ng/mL SEB spiked in PBS. Additionally, the rapid test kit could detect 1 ng/mL of SEB in chicken meat extract.

• BLOOD RESEARCH
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.294-298
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• 2018

Background Production of immunosuppressive enzymes such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is one of the strategies employed by hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), to circumvent immune surveillance. Moreover, IDO has the ability to convert $CD4^+CD25^-$ conventional T cells into regulatory T cells (Tregs). In this study, we evaluated the expression of IDO in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) patients and its correlation with the Treg marker, FOXP3, as well as clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods Thirty-seven newly diagnosed CN-AML patients were enrolled in our study along with 22 healthy individuals. The expression of the IDO and FOXP3 genes was analyzed by SYBR Green real-time PCR. Results Both IDO and FOXP3 were highly upregulated in CN-AML patients compared to control groups (P=0.004 and P=0.031, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between IDO and FOXP3 expression among AML patients (r=0.512, P=0.001). Expression of IDO and FOXP3 showed no significant correlation with laboratory parameters such as white blood cell and platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, bone marrow blast percentage, gender, and FLT3 mutation status (P>0.05). Conclusion Higher IDO expression in CN-AML patients may be associated with an increased Treg phenotype which may promote disease progression and lead to poor prognosis of CN-AML patients.

• 한국임상보건과학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.1436-1443
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to differences in the expression rate of Porphyromonas gingivalis according to smoking status, smoking amount and period of smoking. Methods: At the time of investigation, 30 smokers and non-smokers were recruited among patients with periodontitis with a probing pocket depth(PPD) of 4 mm or more. General information was collected using a self-questionnaire, and the average value was used by a dentist to measure the probing pocket depth of three times each for the first or second molar. Plaque collection and analysis were performed by collecting only subgingival plaque using a conventional method, and the expression rate of P. gingivalis was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For statistical analysis, the SPSS Ver 25.0 program was used. Results: Smoking did not have a significant effect on the expression of P. gingivalis, but it did affect the expression of more type II genotypes (p<0.05). In addition, smokers had more slight periodontal pocket, and the amount and duration of smoking did not affect the expression of P. gingivalis. Conclusions: In the future, it is necessary to reinforce the group of smokers and non-smokers with healthy oral conditions, and to investigate the quantitative difference in the expression rate and genotype of P. gingivalis over time of harmful substances in smoking.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.10-18
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• 2021

Norovirus (NoV) prevalence was investigated in 100 sewage samples collected from 35 individual septic tanks around the drainage basin of Jaran Bay, Korea in January, May, and July of 2017. Genotypes and diversity of NoV strains detected in sewage samples were also assessed using the conventional RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis. NoV GI or GII were detected in 22 (22.0%) and 24 (24.0%) samples, respectively. Thirteen genotypes were identified with three dominant genotypes (GI.9, GII.5 and GII.17) and GII.17 showed relatively higher prevalence during the survey period. GII.17 strains were clustered into recombinant type variant or NoV GII.17 Kawasaki variant. NoV GII.17 strains were considered emergent epidemic variants with widespread circulation. NoV surveillance strategy should include both environmental (sewage) and clinical data to reveal minor NoV genotypes likely cause of asymptomatic or underreported infections in the local population.