• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1148-1161
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• 2016

Lactobacilli are universally recognized as probiotics that are widely used in the adjuvant treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as vaginitis and enteritis. With the overuse of antibiotics in recent years, the lactobacilli in the human body are killed, which could disrupt the microecological balance in the human body and affect health adversely. In this work, cephalosporin-resistant Lactobacillus casei RL20 was obtained successfully from the feces of healthy volunteers, which possessed a stable genetic set. However, the shortage of lactic acid (72.0 g/l at 48 h) by fermentation did not meet the requirement for its use in medicine. To increase the production of lactic acid, the functional genes pfk and glk were introduced into the wild strain. A yield of 144.2 g/l lactic acid was obtained in the transgenic L. casei RL20-2 after fermentation for 48 h in 1 L of basic fermentation medium with an initial glucose concentration of 100 g/l and increasing antibacterial activity. These data suggested that L. casei RL20-2 that exhibited a high yield of lactic acid may be a potential probiotic to inhibit the spread of bacterial infectious diseases and may be used for vaginitis therapy.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.619-626
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• 2009

As a trial for the development of a new starter culture for yogurt products, more than two hundred lactic acid bacteria strains were isolated from raw milk and healthy human feces. The strains that showed excellent growth and acid production ability in the 10% skim milk media were selected and identified as Lactobacillus casei through the API carbohydrate fermentation pattern and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. L. casei CU2604 was further investigated for its physiological characteristics as a starter culture compared with a commercial strain. The CU2604 strain showed good acid production and growth characteristics in milk, which were comparable to those of the L. casei Shirota strain. Despite the fact that both these strains displayed the same sugar fermenting pattern and PFGE band pattern, and had similar growth characteristic in milk, L. casei CU2604 exhibited different fatty acid composition in the cell wall, showed more tolerance to bile and to pH, and presented better growth inhibition activity against pathogenic bacteria. Based on these results, the L. casei CU2604 strain holds great promise for use as a novel and efficient starter culture in the production of yogurt. Additional studies on the probiotic characteristics of this strain are currently being conducted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2693-2697
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• 2014

Background: Isoflavones, which are included in soybeans, have been suggested to protect against prostate cancer. Equol, one of isoflavones, is an intestinally derived bacterial metabolite of daidzein. A newly identified equol-producing bacterium, Slackia sp. strain NATTS, with a high equol-producing activity was isolated from human feces in Japanese adults. Counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in intestinal flora have not been assessed with regard to prostate cancer risk. In this study, we investigated the association of serum isoflavones and counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS with prostate cancer risk in a case-control study. Materials and Methods: Concentrations of isoflavones and counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in feces were measured from 44 patients with prostate cancer and 28 hospital controls. The risk of prostate cancer was evaluated in terms of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by the logistic regression analysis. Results: The detection proportions of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in cases and controls were 34.1% and 25.0%, respectively. Counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS were significantly correlated with serum concentrations of equol both in cases and controls (Spearman correlation coefficients, $r_s$=0.639 and $r_s$=0.572, p<0.01, respectively). Serum concentrations of genistein, daidzein, glycitein, and equol were not significantly associated with risk of prostate cancer. Conclusions: This study found that counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS correlated with serum concentrations of equol both in prostate cancer cases and controls, but serum isoflavone concentrations were not associated with risk of prostate cancer in our patients.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1136-1145
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• 2015

The diverse microbial communities that colonize distinct segments of the gastrointestinal tract are intimately related to aspects of physiology and the pathology of human health. However, most recent studies have focused on the rectal or fecal microbiota, and the microbial signature of the duodenum is poorly studied. In this study, we compared the microbiota in duodenal and rectal samples to illustrate the characteristic microbial signatures of the duodenum in healthy adults. Nine healthy volunteers donated biopsies and luminal contents from the duodenum and rectum. To determine the composition and diversity of the microbiota, 454-pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA was performed and multiple bioinformatics analyses were applied. The α-diversity and phylogenetic diversity of the microbiota in the duodenal samples were higher than those of the rectal samples. There was higher biodiversity among the microbiota isolated from rectal biopsies than feces. Proteobacteria were more highly represented in the duodenum than in the rectum, both in the biopsies and in the luminal contents from the healthy volunteers (38.7% versus 12.5%, 33.2% versus 5.0%, respectively). Acinetobacter and Prevotella were dominant in the duodenum, whereas Bacteroides and Prevotella were dominant in the rectum. Additionally, the percentage of OTUs shared in biopsy groups was far higher than in the luminal group (43.0% versus 26.8%) and a greater number of genera was shared among the biopsies than the luminal contents. Duodenal samples demonstrated greater biological diversity and possessed a unique microbial signature compared with the rectum. The mucosa-associated microbiota was more relatively conserved than luminal samples.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1642-1647
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• 1999

Twenty healthy adult volunteers (divided into two groups) were given with 100 mL of acidophilus milk, twice a day, containing $1{\times}10^8\;cfu/mL$ of Lactobacillus acidophilus SNUL 01 or SNUL 02 originated from healthy Korean adults. The floral changes of lactobacilli, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens surviving in the feces as well as the pH of the fecal material have been studied for three weeks. Initial pH of the fecal samples before taking acidophilus milk were about pH 7 and it has been decreased to about pH 5 when the acidophilus milk was given. Population of fecal lactobacilli increased from about $10^7\;cfu/g\;to\;10^8\;cfu/g$ of fecal material after 4 days of acidophilus milk intake and the high population of lactobacilli was maintained up to 21 days. Viable cells of the fecal E. coli and C. perfringens have been decreased from about $10^7{\sim}10^8\;cfu/g\;and\;10^5{\sim}10^6\;cfu/g\;to\;10^6\;cfu/g\;and\;10^3\;cfu/g$ of fecal material after 21 days, respectively. In conclusion, continuous intake of acidophilus milk made with L. acidophilus SNUL 01 and SNUL 02 helped maintaining normal intestinal microflora, suppress harmful microorganisms.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.402-417
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate the use of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) as a carrier of the receptor-binding ligand the receptor mediated uptake into liver and subsequent metabolism of $^{111}In-labeled$ galactosylated MoAb-chelator conjugates were investigated and compared with those of $^{111}In$ labeled MoAb. Materials and Methods : T101 MoAb, $IgG_2$ against human lymphocytic leukemic cell, conjugated with cyclic DTPA dianhydride (DTPA) or 2-p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M) was galactosylated with 2-imino-2-methoxyethyl-1-thio-${\beta}$-D-galactose and then radiolabeled with $^{111}In$. Biodistribution and metabolism study was peformed with two $^{111}In-conjugates$ in mice and rats. Results: $^{111}In-labeled$ T101 and its galactosylated conjugates were taken to the liver by the time, mostly within 10 min. However DTPA conjugate was retained longer in the liver than the 1B4M conjugate (55% vs 20% of injected dose at 44 hr). During this time, the radiornetabolite of DTPA conjugate was excreted similarly into urine (24%) and feces (17%). The radiometabolite of 1B4M was excreted primarily into feces (68%) rather than urine (8%). Size exclusion HPLC analysis of the bile and supernatant of liver homogenate showed two peaks the first (35%) with the retention time (Rt) identical to IgG and the second (65%) with Rt similar to free $^{111}In$ at 3 hr post-injection for the 1B4M conjugate, indicating that the metabolite is rapidly excreted through the biliary system. in contrast to DTPA conjugate, the small $^{111}In-DTPA-like$ metabolite was the major radioindium component (90%) in the liver homogenate as early as 3 hour post-injection, but the cumulative radioindium activity in feces was only 17% at 44 hour, indicating that the metabolite from DTPA conjugate does not clear readily through the biliary tract. Conclusion: The galactosylation of the MoAb conjugates resulted in higher hepatocyte uptake and enhanced metabolism, compared to those without galactosylation. Metabolism of the MoAb-conjugates is different between compounds radiolabled with different chelators due to different characteristics of radiometabolites generated in the liver.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2000

Follow-up studies have been conducted every three years on the endemicity of Gymnophalloides seoi infection in a small coastal village of Chollanam-do (Province), Korea, since it was first known as an endemic area in 1994. Special attention was given to its egg laying capacity in the human host. In fecal examinations, the overall helminth egg and/or cyst positive rate was 78.7% (74/94) in 1997 and 76.6% (82/107) in 2000. Among them G. seoi eggs showed the highest rate; 71.3% (67/94) in 1997 and 72.0% (77/107) in 2000. The average number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) was 1,015 in 1997, while a reduced rate of 353 was observed in 2000. In 1997, total of 320,677 adult flukes of G. seoi (av. 10,344/person, 94-69,125 in range) were collected from the diarrheic stools of 31 treated patients. The EPG/worm obtained from 21 cases ranged from 0.04 to 0.77 (av. 0.23), suggesting density-dependent constraints on the worm fecundity. The relationship between the worm burden (X) and EPG/worm (Y) can be expressed as $Y=0.42{\cdot}e{\cdot}^{-l.2x}(r=0.49)$. The results showed that G. seoi infection is persistently endemic in this village.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.959-967
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• 2004

To screen probiotic lactic acid bacteria with potent adhesive property on human colonic mucosa, colonic mucin-binding assay was introduced. This colonic mucin-binding assay actually measures the binding activity of surface lectin-like protein (SLP) on colonic mucin, and the optimal conditions were examined. The optimal pH for colonic mucin coating on plate wells was 4.8, and ${\times}24,000$ diluted solution of commercially available horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated streptoavidin yielded good results, for rapid screening, $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ of biotinylated SLP from lactic acid bacteria was optimal, and optimal scintillation time of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) was 10 min. These conditions were useful for both rapid selection and quantitative analysis of lactic acid bacteria that have high adhesion property to human intestinal tract. Among 50 strains of lactic acid bacteria, including 32 type culture strains and 18 isolated strains from infant feces, Lactobacillus species FSB-1 isolated from kimchi showed the highest binding activity to colonic mucin. From taxonomical viewpoints based on morphological study, physico-biochemical study, partial 16S rDNA seguencing, and phylogenetic analysis, L. species FSB-1 was identified as Lactobacillus brevis.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.37
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• pp.309-326
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• 2004

There are some methods such as fatty acid analysis and microscope analysis of parasite egg and pollen and genetic analysis of ancient bacteria from ancient soil. The fatty acid analysis can examine whether some materials is human feces or animals. This is important thing to reconstruct ancient toilet culture pattern. The methods using TLC and GC-MS as organic chemistry is able to confirm ancient diet life style and nutritive conditions. The microscope analysis of ancient soil is able to confirm ancient parasite egg and pollen. It is possible to analogize ancient human diseases from this analysis. Also, genetic analysis is able to confirm genetic diversity and variation pattern of ancient organisms in archeological soil. Most of all, it is convinced of carrying through genetic preservation of exterminated ancient organisms. If archeological soils should be analysed through the natural scientific methods such as organic chemistry, soil science, microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics, this is helpful for us to understand and interpretation past historic event. And it is expected to perform an major role for understanding origin of ancient human and life style.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.60-71
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• 2023

Cockroaches can cause allergic sensitization in humans via contact with their feces or frass. Antibiotics can affect concentration of major allergen and total bacteria production in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica). This study examined the ability of antibiotic-treated German cockroaches to induce allergic airway inflammation and the effect of antibiotics on their lipopolysaccharide and Bla g1, 2, and 5 expression levels. Specifically, we measured the ability of German cockroach extract (with or without prior antibiotic exposure) to induce allergic inflammation in human bronchial epithelial cells and a mouse model of asthma. Bacterial 16S rRNA and lipopolysaccharide levels were lower in ampicillin-treated cockroaches than in the control group. The Bla g1, Bla g2, and Bla g5 expression in ampicillin-treated cockroaches decreased at both the protein and RNA levels. In human bronchial epithelial cell lines BEAS-2B exposed to the ampicillin-treated extract, expression levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 were lower than that in the control group. The total cell count and eosinophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was also lower in mice exposed to the ampicillin-treated extract than in those exposed to normal cockroach extract. Mouse lung histopathology showed reduced immune cell infiltration and mucus production in the ampicillin group. Our results showed that ampicillin treatment reduced the symbiont bacterial population and major allergen levels in German cockroaches, leading to reduced airway inflammation in mice. These results can facilitate the preparation of protein extracts for immunotherapy or diagnostics applications.