• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.244-253
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• 2012

The effect of fermented Rhus verniciflua stem bark (FRVSB) extract on the microbial count, enzyme activity, concentrations of free amino acids and organic acids, and physiochemical properties of doenjang (soybean paste) was evaluated during brine fermentation. The FRVSB extract increased the total free amino acid concentration by 1.3-3.1-fold on the $42^{nd}$ day of brine fermentation. After the filtration of brine, the following microbial counts were obtained in the doenjang: bacteria, $0.3{\times}10^8-12.0{\times}10^8$ cfu/g; mold, $3.0{\times}10^4-21.0{\times}10^4$ cfu/g; yeast, $1.0{\times}10^4-2.0{\times}10^4$ cfu/g; Escherichia coli, not detected; and Bacillus cereus, $3.0{\times}10^2-25.0{\times}10^2$ cfu/g. The FRVSB extract addition enhanced the protein and starch degrading activity by 13.8-26.0% and 16.1-35.1%, respectively. The extract increased the total free amino acid content by 1.4-3.0-fold. Lactic acid, acetic acid, and pyroglutamic acid were the predominant organic acids in doenjang. Moreover, the proximate composition, pH, moisture, ash, salt, and amino nitrogen content were increased.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.361-371
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• 2000

It has been recently reported that 2-bromopropane (2-BP) induces male reproductive toxicity in both human and experimental animals. However, delayed effects of 2-BP on male reproductive system have not been investigated in detail. The present study was conducted to investigate the testicular toxicity of 2-BP and to determine the recovery of normal spermatogenesis in Sprague-Dawley rats. Male rats aged 5 weeks were administered 1,000mg/kg 2-BP by gavage daily for 4 weeks and sacrificed sequentially at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 12 weeks after initiation of 2-BP treatment. Testicular toxicity was evaluated qualitatively by histopathological examinations and quantitatively by reproductive organ weights, spermatid head count, and repopulation index. In the 2-BP treated rats, the body weights was significantly suppressed and the weights of testes and epididymides were also decreased in a time-dependent manner. On histopathological examination, spermatogonia in stages I-VI and preleptotene and leptotene spermatocytes in stages VII-IX were strongly depleted at 1 week of dosing. Spermatogonia were depleted extensively in all spermatogenic stages at 2 weeks. Continuing with the evolution of spermatogenic cycle, zygotene spermatocytes, pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids were sequentially depleted at 2, 3, and 4 weeks of dosing due to the depletion of their precursor cells. Vacuolization of Sertoli cells and spermatid retention were also observed at all time points, suggesting that 2-BP induced Sertoli cell dysfunction. At 12 weeks, after 8 weeks recovery, most of the tubules appeared severely atrophic and were lined by Sertoli cells only. Leydig cell hyperplasia in the interstitial tissue was also found. In addition, dramatic reductions in the number of spermatid heads and repopulation index were observed, indicating that 2-BP-induced testicular injury is irreversible. These results indicate that 4 weeks repeated-dose of 1,000mg/kg 2-BP results in a progressive germ cell loss due to the depletion of spermatogonia followed by long-term testicular atrophy in SD rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1551-1558
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• 2009

The management of skeletal health in the twenties is the number one priority for preventing fracture or osteoporosis occurrence in later life cycle. Therefore, the factors influencing bone mineral density were examined by anthropometric measurements, food intakes, bone mineral density and biochemical nutritional indexes in blood among college students. Among the students who received health examinations from May to December, 2007, 532 male and 507 female students who agreed to participate in the study were selected. Nutritional intakes were estimated with 3-day 24-hour recall method. Bone mineral density was measured by ultrasonic attenuation passing through right calcaneus bone and expressed as broadband ultrasound attenuation and t-score was calculated by WHO criteria. Red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit values were measured by whole blood analysis, and alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium and serum iron were used as indexes for biochemical nutritional status. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 14.0 program, and protecting and risk factors on bone health status were analyzed by logistic regression analysis between normal bone health group (t-score$\underline{\geq}$ -1.0) and osteopenia group (t-score<-1.0). The results showed that more people belong to the normal bone health group probably because this study was conducted among those with their peak bone density. Biochemical nutritional status and nutrition intakes of both groups for normal and osteopenia did not show statistically significant difference except MCHC, animal protein and animal iron intakes in female. According to the results of logistic regression analyses, dietary intakes of animal protein, animal iron and zinc showed protecting effects against osteopenia. Therefore, dietary nutritional intakes of micronutrients, especially iron and zinc are important for bone health of young people.

• Laboratory Medicine Online
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2016

Background: The cell cycle-dependent enzyme thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is known to increase during cancer cell proliferation and has been reported as a prognostic marker for various hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. This study aimed to determine the reference interval in Korean healthy controls and to evaluate the usefulness of TK1 as a biomarker for aggressive clinical behavior in B-cell lymphoma patients. Methods: We enrolled 72 previously untreated patients with B-cell lymphoma and 143 healthy controls. Serum TK1 levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay ($Liaison^{(R)}$, DiaSorin, USA). We established the reference intervals in healthy controls. The diagnostic performance of serum TK1 was studied using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and the correlation between the cutoff level for serum TK1 and clinical characteristics of B-cell lymphoma was evaluated. Results: The reference range (95th percentile) of serum TK1 in healthy controls was 5.4-21.8 U/L. There was a clear difference in TK1 levels between patients with B-cell lymphoma and healthy controls ($40.6{\pm}68.5$ vs. $11.8{\pm}4.4U/L$, P <0.001). The area under the curve of serum TK1 for the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma was 0.73 (cutoff, 15.2 U/L; sensitivity, 59.7%; specificity, 83.2%). An increased TK1 level (${\geq}15.2U/L$) correlated with the advanced clinical stage (P <0.001), bone marrow involvement (P =0.013), international prognostic index score (P =0.001), lactate dehydrogenase level (P =0.001), low Hb level (<12 g/dL) (P =0.028), and lymphocyte count (P =0.023). Conclusions: The serum TK1 level could serve as a useful biomarker for aggressive clinical behavior in B-cell lymphoma patients.