• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.838-848
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• 2012

Orally administered herbal glycosides are metabolized to their hydrophobic compounds by intestinal microflora in the intestine of animals and human, not liver enzymes, and absorbed from the intestine to the blood. Of these metabolites, some, such as quercetin and kaempherol, are mutagenic. The fecal bacterial enzyme fraction (fecalase) of human or animals has been used for measuring the mutagenicity of dietary glycosides. However, the fecalase activity between individuals is significantly different and its preparation is laborious and odious. Therefore, we developed a fecal microbial enzyme mix (FM) usable in the Ames test to remediate the fluctuated reaction system activating natural glycosides to mutagens. We selected, cultured, and mixed 4 bacteria highly producing glycosidase activities based on a cell-free extract of feces (fecalase) from 100 healthy Korean volunteers. When the mutagenicities of rutin and methanol extract of the flos of Sophora japonica L. (SFME), of which the major constituent is rutin, towards Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98, 100, 102, 1,535, and 1,537 were tested using FM and/or S9 mix, these agents were potently mutagenic. These mutagenicities using FM were not significantly different compared with those using Korean fecalase. SFME and rutin were potently mutagenic in the test when these were treated with fecalase or FM in the presence of S9 mix, followed by those treated with S9 mix alone and those with fecalase or FM. Freeze-dried FM was more stable in storage than fecalase. Based on these findings, FM could be usable instead of human fecalase in the Ames test.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권12호
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• pp.1657-1670
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• 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from human feces coordinating with inulin on the composition of gut microbiota and metabolic profiles in db/db mice. These supplements were administered to db/db mice for 12 weeks. The results showed that the Lactobacillaceae coordinating with inulin group (LI) exhibited lower fasting blood glucose levels than the model control group (MC). Additionally, LI was found to enhance colon tissue and increase the levels of short-chain fatty acids. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the abundance of Corynebacterium and Proteus, which were significantly increased in the MC group compared with NC group, were significantly decreased by the treatment of LI that also restored the key genera of the Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Lachnoclostridium, Ruminococcus_gnavus_group, Desulfovibrio, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006. Untargeted metabolomics analysis showed that lotaustralin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and 13(S)-HpODE were increased while L-phenylalanine and L-tryptophan were decreased in the MC group compared with the NC group. However, the intervention of LI reversed the levels of these metabolites in the intestine. Correlation analysis revealed that Lachnoclostridium and Ruminococcus_gnavus_group were negatively correlated with 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and 13(S)-HpODE, but positively correlated with L-tryptophan. 13(S)-HpODE was involved in the "linoleic acid metabolism". L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were involved in "tryptophan metabolism" and "serotonergic synapse". These findings suggest that LI may alleviate type 2 diabetes symptoms by modulating the abundance of Ruminococcus_gnavus_group and Lachnoclostridium to regulate the pathways of "linoleic acid metabolism", "serotonergic synapse", and" tryptophan metabolism". Our results provide new insights into prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.125-129
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• 2014

Several reports on taeniasis and cysticercosis in Vietnam show that they are distributed in over 50 of 63 provinces. In some endemic areas, the prevalence of taeniasis was 0.2-12.0% and that of cysticercosis was 1.0-7.2%. The major symptoms of taeniasis included fidgeted anus, proglottids moving out of the anus, and proglottids in the feces. Clinical manifestations of cysticercosis in humans included subcutaneous nodules, epileptic seizures, severe headach, impaired vision, and memory loss. The species identification of Taenia in Vietnam included Taenia asiatica, Taenia saginata, and Taenia solium based on combined morphology and molecular methods. Only T. solium caused cysticercosis in humans. Praziquantel was chosen for treatment of taeniasis and albendazole for treatment of cysticercosis. The infection rate of cysticercus cellulosae in pigs was 0.04% at Hanoi slaughterhouses, 0.03-0.31% at provincial slaughterhouses in the north, and 0.9% in provincial slaughterhouses in the southern region of Vietnam. The infection rate of cysticercus bovis in cattle was 0.03-2.17% at Hanoi slaughterhouses. Risk factors investigated with regard to transmission of Taenia suggested that consumption of raw meat (eating raw meat 4.5-74.3%), inadequate or absent meat inspection and control, poor sanitation in some endemic areas, and use of untreated human waste as a fertilizer for crops may play important roles in Vietnam, although this remains to be validated.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.457-460
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• 2017

Previous paleoparasitological studies of Joseon specimens established that the prevalence of Taenia infection was not much different from that of the early 20th century Korean population. As many of taeniases originally diagnosed as Taenia saginata in South Korea were revealed to be actually Taenia asiatica, which share a common intermediate host with T. solium (the pig), Joseon people must have ingested raw pork frequently. However, the current examination of extant Joseon documents revealed that the population ate significant amounts of beef even if the beef ban was enforced; and pork was not consumed as much as we thought. Considering the meat consumption pattern at that time, Joseon people should have been infected by T. saginata more frequently than T. asiatica. This may suggest a low prevalence of T. saginata metacestodes in cattle compared to that of T. asiatica metacestodes in pigs, possibly due to the traditional way of rearing pigs (using human feces). This letter gives us a chance to reconsider the existing preconception about parasitic infections in Korean history though we are still hard to accurately estimate the historical patterns of taeniases at this stage.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.3-8
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• 2003

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of duck extract on lipids. Rats in the experimental group were orally administered with duck extract for four weeks. The half of the supplementation was composed of duck meat and the other of the supplementation was composed of oriental herbs. Weight gain, diet intake, and food efficiency ratio were compared between control and experimental groups. Organ weight, lengths of small/large intestines, and the following plasma biochemical parameters were also measured: hemoglobin, hemoglobin, GOT, GPT, blood glucose concentration, lipids of plasma, liver, feces. Spleen index (weight/100 g body weight) of the rats in the experimental group was significantly higher than those in the control group due to increase in fat intake from the supplementation of duck meat. The large intestines of the rats in the experimental group was significantly larger due to the supplementation with dietary fiber derived from herbs in the extract. There were significant higher levels of plasma hematocrit, GOT, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol in the rats of the experimental group. From the results, although duck meat is a source of animal food, the fat profile of duck extract, such as the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids appears to be beneficial to human health. These findings suggest a possible anti-hyperlipidemic effect of duck extract. (Korean J Nutrition 36(1): 3∼8, 2003)

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.293-298
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• 2004

This study was performed to compare the growth rates, cellular fatty acid compositions and morphology by using electron microscope of Escherichia coli (E. coli) grown in various conditions including different concentrations of phenol, CdCl₂ and HgCl₂. Ninety eight E. coli strains were isolated from Naktong river and human feces. The content of unsaturated fatty acids, especially 16:1ω7c and 18:1ωc increased as the concentration of phenol and CdCl₂ increased. The content of unsaturated fatty acid increased up to 50 ppb of HgCl₂, but decreased at 75 ppb of HgCl₂. There were more unsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acid in the presence of toxic substances. However, the ration was reversed when the affected E. coli was transferred to toxic substance free fresh trypticase soy broth medium. Also, by using transmission electron microscope these cells were observed to various morphological deformation by heavy metals and their deposition on the surface. From these results, we suggested that the changes of major fatty acids composition and morphology of E. coli may be considered to indicate contaminated levels of heavy metals or organic solvents. The information presented here may be useful in predicting effects of heavy-metal and organic solvent contamination in streams and provides a basis for further studies of metal or organic solvent effects on microbial communities.

• 수산해양기술연구
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.269-276
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• 2012

Marine caused pollution occurs mostly near coastal area and its main cause was known to be human feces issued from small vessels. To sterilize liquid pollutants from portable toilets of small vessels, an electrolysis treatment is judged to be the most economic and stable method considering an environment of its use. In this paper, we presents an electrolysis apparatus which is the most appropriate for sterilizing pollutants from portable toilets of small vessels and derives the minimum operating time of the apparatus for sterilizing norovirus which is a main target of marine caused pollution sources. In order to utilize renewable energy, we designed an apparatus which generates a renewable energy from solar cells. As a result, we could confirm the applicability of the proposed system with the results from experiments in three cases of different weather conditions.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2003

Sericulture is a traditional agro-industry, which involves mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing, has made great contributes to the human civilization. With the development of national economy and modem technology, mulberry and silkworm are being used to develop products with functionality besides the traditional cocoon production in China. In this paper, we brief the current developing situation of sericultural byproducts with functionality in the following aspects. (1) Functional products from silkworm larvae: silkworm powder, white muscardine silkworm, isolation and purification of anti-bacterial proteins from the larvae and production of medically valuable substances by Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) vector. (2) Utilization of silkworm feces: for pillow and for isolation of chlorophyll etc. (3) Production of valuable Chinese traditional medicine like Cordyceps sinensis with pupae, functional utilization of pupa protein and chitin. (4) Silk as additives to cosmetics, silk food and medical materials. (5) Functional utilization of mulberry: cultivation of edible fungus on mulberry shoots as medium, mulberry fruit drinks, mulberry tea, etc. The prospect of sericultural byproduct industry in China is also discussed.

• 한국과학교육학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.285-292
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• 1994

The purpose of this study is to investigate the misconception about circulatory / excretional system and to determine the effectiveness of two teaching strategies. The subject was 214 middle school students. The control group was instructed with the traditional teaching method.On the other hand, the experimental group was taught with the concept mapping teaching method. Then the effectiveness of the two teaching strategies were compared in terms with the changes of their conceptions about circulatory/excertional system. The major findings of this study are as follows. 1. The major misconception types were identified. 1) The function of blood is only transportation. 2) The artery is equal to arterial blood. 3) The colon and the anus are also excretional organs. 4) Urine is formed from the bladder. 5) Urine and feces are also excrement. 2. Different conceptional change was observed between control group and experimental group at 0.05 significance level. The concept mapping strategy was more effective than traditional teaching method. 3. No significent difference was found between male and female students in the effectiveness of concept mapping strategy.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.213-220
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• 1999

In order to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. from 1992 to 1997 in Inchon, 173 strains of Salmonella spp. were isolated from patients with diarrhea and analyzed them epidemiologically. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The yearly isolation rates were 34.68% (60 strains) in 1996, 20.80%(36 strains) in 1994, 18.50%(32strains) in 1997, 10.40%(18 strains) in 1992 and 9.83%(17 strains) in 1995 and 5.78%(10 strains) in 1993, in order. 2. The isolation rates based on specimen were 84.97%(147 strains) from feces, 14.45%(25 strains) from blood and 0.58%(1 strain) from pus. 3. The highest isolation rate based on age group was at twenties(25.43%) and four-ties(19.65%), fifties(19.08%), teens(15.03%) and thirties(10.98%), in order. 4. Based on the regional distribution, Nam-gu showed the highest isolation rate (20.80%) and followed by Namdong-gu(20.23%), Dong-gu(19.65%) and Yeansu-gu(0.58%), in order 5. Seasonally, the highest isolation rate was from May to September during the investigation. 6. The isolation rate in male(58.96%) was higher than that in female(41.04%).