• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.5-31
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• 2019

How can we reconcile our aspirations for more economic growth or prosperity with the constraints of a finite planet? One of the high-income countries, Japan, makes us wonder if we can deal with two different challenges simultaneously: overcoming economic recession and solving environmental degradation. This study investigates the supply-side perspective which highlights the productive capacity and efficiency of the economy through economic lenses and the demand-side perspective which highlights the Japanese personal lifestyles through social lenses. This study aims to answer the question, if Japan's sustainable consumption behavior is counter to economic development whilst environmentally proactive. It finds that translating individual practices and cultures of sustainability into the macro- scopic economic growth path is key to a sustainable and healthy Japan.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.384-389
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• 2016

A total of 400, one day-old commercial broiler chicks were divided into five diet groups (negative control, positive control group with 55 ppm Zn-bacitracin, 15 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan, 30 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan, and 60 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan) and fed for six weeks. Ten broilers were allotted to each of 40 floor pens. Eight floor pens were randomly assigned to one of the 5 diets. Each diet was fed to the broilers for 6 weeks with free access to water and diet. The survival rate, growth rate, feed efficiency, and feed conversion rate of the broilers were calculated. At the end of the feeding trial, the birds were slaughtered, breast muscles deboned, and quality parameters of the breast meat during storage were determined. The high level of dietary ${\beta}$-glucan (60 ppm) showed better feed conversion ratio and survival rate than the negative control. The survival rate of 60 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan-treated group was the same as that of the antibiotic-treated group, which showed the highest survival rate among the treatments. There was no significant difference in carcass yield, water holding capacity, pH, color, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of chicken breast meat among the 5 treatment groups. Supplementation of 60 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan to broiler diet improved the survival rate and feed conversion rate of broilers to the same level as 55 ppm Zn-bacitracin group. The result indicated that use of ${\beta}$-glucan (60 ppm) can be a potential alternative to antibiotics to improve the survival and performance of broilers. However, dietary ${\beta}$-glucan showed no effects on the quality parameters of chicken breast meat.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.1320-1332
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• 2016

Light hydrocarbons accumulated in subsurface soil by long-term microseepage could favor the anomalous growth of indigenous hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms, which could be crucial indicators of underlying petroleum reservoirs. Here, Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was conducted to determine the bacterial community structures in soil samples collected from three typical oil and gas fields at different locations in China. Incubation with n-butane at the laboratory scale was performed to confirm the presence of "universal microbes" in light-hydrocarbon microseepage ecosystems. The results indicated significantly higher bacterial diversity in next-to-well samples compared with background samples at two of the three sites, which were notably different to oil-contaminated environments. Variation partitioning analysis showed that the bacterial community structures above the oil and gas fields at the scale of the present study were shaped mainly by environmental parameters, and geographic location was able to explain only 7.05% of the variation independently. The linear discriminant analysis effect size method revealed that the oil and gas fields significantly favored the growth of Mycobacterium, Flavobacterium, and Pseudomonas, as well as other related bacteria. The relative abundance of Mycobacterium and Pseudomonas increased notably after n-butane cultivation, which highlighted their potential as biomarkers of underlying oil deposits. This work contributes to a broader perspective on the bacterial community structures shaped by long-term light-hydrocarbon microseepage and proposes relatively universal indicators, providing an additional resource for the improvement of microbial prospecting of oil and gas.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.558-565
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of proteolytic pork hydrolysate (PPH) on yoghurt production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Fresh lean pork was cut into pieces and mixed with deionized water and dealt with protease, then the resulting PPH was added to milk to investigate the effects of PPH on yoghurt production. The fermentation time, the viable cell counts, the flavor, free amino acids compounds, and sensory evaluation of yoghurt were evaluated. These results showed that PPH significantly stimulated the growth and acidification of the both bacterial strains. When the content of PPH reached 5% (w/w), the increased acidifying rate occurred, which the fermentation time was one hour less than that of the control, a time saving of up to 20% compared with the control. The viable cell counts, the total free amino acids, and the scores of taste, flavor and overall acceptability in PPH-supplemented yoghurt were higher than the control. Furthermore, the contents of some characteristic flavor compounds including acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and esters were richer than the control. We concluded that the constituents of PPH such as small peptide, vitamins, and minerals together to play the stimulatory roles and result in beneficial effect for the yoghurt starter cultures growth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.306-306
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• 2017

Screening for drought and salinity tolerance was undertaken for selected Philippine upland rice landraces during germinative and seedling stages to identify varieties which can potentially be grown in marginally dry and saline soils. While increasing PEG and NaCl concentrations caused obvious signs of injury to all rice genotypes, considerable varietal differences were noted in the nature of responses providing evidence that these genotypes possess broad intraspecific genetic variations for drought and salt tolerance. Inconsistent responses of these varieties during both growth stages highlight complexities involved in stress responses and underscore the futility of utilizing a single stage in the rice plant's life cycle for physiological screening. Notwithstanding these perplexing responses, G_Katiil and Ml-Pilit Tapul were observed to thrive relatively well despite increased salt and drought stress during early growth stages and may therefore possess genes needed in crop improvement efforts for drought and salinity tolerance. While these results do not reflect the entire spectrum of adaptive expression to drought and salinity stress during the life cycle of the upland rice plant, they nonetheless provide an easy, reliable and reproducible method for preliminary identification of drought and salt tolerant rice varieties.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1507-1513
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• 2015

Pemetrexed is an antifolate agent which has been used for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma and non small lung cancer in the clinic as a chemotherapeutic agent. In this study, pemetrexed inhibited cell growth and induced G1 phase arrest in the A549 cell line. To explore the molecular mechanisms of pemetrexed involved in cell growth, we used a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) proteomics approach to analyze proteins changed in A549 cells treated with pemetrexed. As a result, twenty differentially expressed proteins were identified by ESI-Q-TOF MS/MS analysis in A549 cells incubated with pemetrexed compared with non-treated A549 cells. Three key proteins (GAPDH, HSPB1 and EIF4E) changed in pemetrexed treated A549 cells were validated by Western blotting. Accumulation of GAPDH and decrease of HSPB1 and EIF4E which induce apoptosis through inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt were noted. Expression of p-Akt in A549 cells treated with pemetrexed was reduced. Thus, pemetrexed induced apoptosis in A549 cells through inhibiting the Akt pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1673-1682
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• 2013

Citrobacter sp. is a cause of significant opportunistic nosocomial infection and is frequently found in human and animal feces, soil, and sewage water, and even in industrial waste or putrefaction. Biofilm formation is an important virulence trait of Citrobacter sp. pathogens but the process and characteristics of this formation are unclear. Therefore, we employed in vitro assays to study the nutritional and environmental parameters that might influence biofilm formation of C. werkmanii BF-6 using 96-well microtiter plates. In addition, we detected the relative transcript levels of biofilm formation genes by RT-PCR. Our results indicated that the capacity of C. werkmanii BF-6 to form biofilms was affected by culture temperature, media, time, pH, and the osmotic agents glucose, sucrose, NaCl, and KCl. Confocal laser scanning microscopy results illustrated that the structure of biofilms and extracellular polysaccharide was influenced by 100 mM NaCl or 100 mM KCl. In addition, nine biofilm formation genes (bsmA, bssR, bssS, csgD, csgE, csgF, mrkA, mrkB, and mrkE) were found to contribute to planktonic and biofilm growth. Our data suggest that biofilm formation by C. werkmanii BF-6 is affected by nutritional and environmental factors, which could pave the way to the prevention and elimination of biofilm formation using proper strategies.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1972-1978
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• 2012

The polymer of (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediaminebis(salicylideneaminato))-nickel(II), Ni(saldMp), was deposited on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) substrate by the route of potential linear sweep. The nano structures of poly[Ni(saldMp)] have been obtained by adjusting the monomer concentration of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mmol $L^{-1}$. The poly[Ni(saldMp)] prepared in acetonitrile solution with monomer concentration of 1.0 mmol $L^{-1}$ shows the fastest growth rate. The effects of potential window on charge-discharge efficiency and electrodeposition scan number on capacitance performance were discussed. Poly[Ni(saldMp)] prepared with less electrodeposition scans exhibits higher capacitance, but this goes against the improvement of the whole electrode capacitance. Sample with 8 deposition scans is the best compromise with the geometric specific capacitance 3.53 times as high as that of pure MWCNTs, and 1.24 times for the gravimetric specific capacitance under the test potential window 0.0-1.0 V.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.51-58
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• 2022

The article emphasizes the features of the modern education system in Poland, reveals the peculiarities of improving the professional competence of a specialist in Poland through the implementation of multimedia technologies. Various forms of innovations implemented in improving the professional competence of a specialist are listed: improvement (rationalization), modernization, innovation. The forms of professional improvement through the introduction of computer technologies in general and multimedia technologies, in particular, primarily include various professional courses, qualification, preparatory, methodological conferences, seminars, postgraduate studies, foreign and state internships. At the same time, the main direction is self-education. The subject of professional improvement in the application of computer technologies by specialists is the updating of existing knowledge, exchange of professional experience, planning, as well as discussion of innovative works in which specialists participate. Professional growth of specialists can occur both during work and in higher education institutions during their studies. Modernization of computer technologies, especially multimedia ones, is a necessary condition for the functioning of specialists in modern society, since specialists are at the center of the educational process, during the improvement of professional competence. The main functions of the educational process necessary for improving the professional competence of specialists through the implementation of multimedia technologies are revealed. These functions not only contribute to the professional improvement of specialists, but also affect their solutions and optimize the maintenance of contacts between specialists. The importance of creating conditions that are consistent with the modern needs of innovative education is emphasized.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2014

Objectives Many parents are stressed from their children with anorexia, so this study was planned to investigate the growth state of the children with anorexia and the main concerns of their parents. Methods We searched some medical documents regarding 21 children with anorexia and performed questionnaires on their parents. Results 21 children (male 14, female 7) were studied, the average age of children was $53.62{\pm}20.46$ months, the average height was $102.93{\pm}12.36cm$, the average weight was $16.37{\pm}1.31kg$, the average BMI was $15.26{\pm}1.31$. 16(76.10%) parents have experienced stress regarding their children's slow weight increase. There was no relationship between BMI of the children and the degree of stress of their parents. The parents tend to scold or to give nutrition supplement to their children to solve the anorexia. Many of the parents considered their children has anorexia just by looking at the children's attitude towards to the meals or when children had food whatever it given only. Conclusions The children with anorexia were mostly developed poorly. However, the parents who had children were developing nicely were also stressed because of their children's picky eating behavior and the difficults in coaching their children food.