• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.677-684
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• 2008

Accurate estimation of dry matter intake (DMI) is a prerequisite to meet animal performance targets without penalizing animal health and the environment. The objective of the current study was to evaluate some of the existing models in order to predict DMI when lactating dairy cows were offered a total mixed ration containing a high level of concentrates and locally produced agricultural by-products. Six popular models were chosen for DMI prediction (Brown et al., 1977; Rayburn and Fox, 1993; Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Research Council Secretariat, 1999; National Research Council (NRC), 2001; Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS), Fox et al., 2003; Fuentes-Pila et al., 2003). Databases for DMI comparison were constructed from two different sources: i) 12 commercial farm investigations and ii) a controlled dairy cow experiment. The model evaluation was performed using two different methods: i) linear regression analysis and ii) mean square error prediction analysis. In the commercial farm investigation, DMI predicted by Fuentes-Pila et al. (2003) was the most accurate when compared with the actual mean DMI, whilst the CNCPS prediction showed larger mean bias (difference between mean predicted and mean observed values). Similar results were observed in the controlled dairy cow experiment where the mean bias by Fuentes-Pila et al. (2003) was the smallest of all six chosen models. The more accurate prediction by Fuentes-Pila et al. (2003) could be attributed to the inclusion of dietary factors, particularly fiber as these factors were not considered in some models (i.e. NRC, 2001; CNCPS (Fox et al., 2003)). Linear regression analysis had little meaningful biological significance when evaluating models for prediction of DMI in this study. Further research is required to improve the accuracy of the models, and may recommend more mechanistic approaches to investigate feedstuffs (common to the Asian region), animal genotype, environmental conditions and their interaction, as the majority of the models employed are based on empirical approaches.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.207-243
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• 2016

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication impairments, as well as repetitive and restrictive behaviors. The phenotypic heterogeneity of ASD has made it overwhelmingly difficult to determine the exact etiology and pathophysiology underlying the core symptoms, which are often accompanied by comorbidities such as hyperactivity, seizures, and sensorimotor abnormalities. To our benefit, the advent of animal models has allowed us to assess and test diverse risk factors of ASD, both genetic and environmental, and measure their contribution to the manifestation of autistic symptoms. At a broader scale, rodent models have helped consolidate molecular pathways and unify the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying each one of the various etiologies. This approach will potentially enable the stratification of ASD into clinical, molecular, and neurophenotypic subgroups, further proving their translational utility. It is henceforth paramount to establish a common ground of mechanistic theories from complementing results in preclinical research. In this review, we cluster the ASD animal models into lesion and genetic models and further classify them based on the corresponding environmental, epigenetic and genetic factors. Finally, we summarize the symptoms and neuropathological highlights for each model and make critical comparisons that elucidate their clinical and neurobiological relevance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.182-191
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• 1999

The sorption of UO$_{2}$$^{2+}$ onto goethite and kaolinite under various experimental conditions was successfully interpreted using surface complexation modeling (SCM). The SCM approach used in this work is the triple-layer model (TLM) in which weakly bonded ions are modeled as outer-sphere (ion-pair) complexes and strongly bonded ions as inner-sphere (surface coordination) complexes. The change of ionic strength did not affect the U(VI) sorption onto goethite, thus the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes, (FeO)$_2$UO$_2$ and (FeO)$_2$(UO$_2$)$_3$OH$_{5}$ was assumed to simulate the effects of ionic strength and goethite concentration. On the other hand, the U(VI) sorption onto kaolinite showed ionic strength dependence, thus the formation of AlO-UO$_{2}$$^{2+}$(outer-sphere complex) and SiO(UO$_2$)$_3$OH$_{5}$ (inner-sphere complex) was assumed to simulate the experimental data. In the presence of carbonates, the sorption of U(VI) onto kaolinite decreased in the weakly alkaline pH range. This was well simulated assuming the formation of a outer-sphere surface complex, A1OH$^{2+}$- (UO$_2$)$_2$CO$_3$OH$_3$. Since SCM approach uses thermodynamic data such as surface complexation constants, it is more predictive than empirical modeling approach in which conditional values such as partition coefficient are used. used.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.877-890
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• 2017

Objectives: Lonicerae flos (LF), a dried flower part of Lonicera japonica Thunb., has been widely used in Korean medicine as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agent. The purpose of this study was to determine the cardioprotective effects of LF, through potential antioxidant effects, on the pressure overload (PO)-induced heart failure (HF) in C57BL/6 mice after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. Methods: Resveratrol (10 mg/kg body weight) or LF (125, 250 or 500 mg/kg body weight) was orally administered, once daily for 14 days, starting 14 days after TAC surgery. Changes in the mortality, body weights, heart weights, histopathology of the heart, and antioxidant defense systems of the heart were analyzed. Results: Marked and noticeable increases of heart weights, mortalities, and hypertrophic, focal, and lytic fibrotic histological changes in the LVs were observed, with destruction of heart antioxidant defense systems after surgery. However, HF signs, induced by TAC surgery through PO, and destruction of heart antioxidant defense systems were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by 14 days of maintained oral treatment with LF 500, 250 or 125 mg/kg. Treatment with 250 mg/kg LF was comparable to treatment with 10 mg/kg resveratrol. Conclusions: The results in this study suggest that oral administration of LF favorably relieves PO-induced HF following TAC, through increase of heart antioxidant defense systems. The overall effects of 250 mg/kg LF were similar to those of 10 mg/kg resveratrol. More detailed mechanistic studies should be conducted in the future, with screening of the biologically active compounds in LF.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.508-519
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• 2020

During transients or accidents, the reactor core is uncovered, and droplets entrained above the quench front collides with the uncovered fuel rod surface. Droplet impact cooling can reduce the peak cladding temperature. Besides zirconium-based cladding, versatile accidental tolerant fuel (ATF) claddings, including FeCrAl, have been proposed to increase the accident coping time. In order to investigate the effect of surface properties on droplet impact cooling of cladding surfaces, the droplet impact phenomena are photographed on the FeCrAl and zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) surfaces under different conditions. On the oxidized FeCrAl surface, the Leidenfrost phenomenon is not observed even when the surface temperature is as high as 550 ℃ with We > 30. Comparison of the impact behaviors observed on different materials shows that nucleate and transition boiling is more intensive on surfaces with larger thermal conductivity. The Leidenfrost point temperature (LPT) decreases with the solid thermal effusivity (${\sqrt{k{\rho}C_p}}$). However, the CHF temperature is relatively insensitive to the surface oxidation and Weber number. Droplet spreading diameter is analyzed quantitatively in the film boiling stage. Based on the energy balance a correlation is proposed for droplet maximum spreading factor. A mechanistic model is also developed for the LPT based on homogeneous nucleation theory.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2002

Oval cell is considered as facultative precursor cells for both hepatocytes and biliary cells, as well as origin of hepatocellar and cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) during carcinogenesis or toxic liver injury. To clarify the cellular origin or differentiation of cholagiocarcinogensis, the fate of carcinogen-induced oval cells was pathologically and phenotypically chased in Syrian golden hamster liver after Clonorchis sinensis (CS) infection which would give rise to a promoting effect. Two week treatment of hamsters with 0.005% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) followed by 2 week treatment of 1% 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) under choline deficient diet resulted in massive proliferation of BrdU labeleed and PCNA positive oval cells showing various distinct morphology, histochemical and immunohistochemical phenotypes for GGT, cytokeratin 19 and OV-6. Oval cells also frequently form ductular-like structures or phenotypically show hepatocyte-like characteristics. After CS infection, the oval cells showed sequential morphological changes to atypicl proliferating bile ductules and all hamsters thereafter developed well differentiated and anaplastic CCC at 16 week after CS infection. In electron microscopy, some bile ductules were constructed by intermediate oval cells and bile ductular cells surrounded by basement membrane. The results of this study strongly suggest that CCC developed in the present study were originated from hepatic stem-like oval cells, supporting the theory of stem cell origin of cancers. In addition, this hamster model would be valuable for the molecular mechanistic study during chemical-triggered cholangiocarcinogenesis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2010

The biochemical study of sugar uptake in yeasts started five decades ago and led to the early production of abundant kinetic and mechanistic data. However, the first accurate overview of the underlying sugar transporter genes was obtained relatively late, due mainly to the genetic complexity of hexose uptake in the model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The genomic era generated in turn a massive amount of information, allowing the identification of a multitude of putative sugar transporter and sensor-encoding genes in yeast genomes, many of which are phylogenetically related. This review aims to briefly summarize our current knowledges on the biochemical and molecular features of the transporters of pentoses in yeasts, when possible establishing links between previous kinetic studies and genomic data currently available. Emphasis is given to recent developments concerning the identification of D-xylose transporter genes, which are thought to be key players in the optimization of S. cerevisiae for bioethanol production from lignocellulose hydrolysates.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.837-845
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• 2002

Based on ab initio calculations at the MP2(FULL)/6-31+G**//RHF/6-31G** level, we compare the energetic and mechanistic features of a model reaction for catalytic action of Δ?-3-ketosteroid isomerase (KSL,E.C.5.3,3.1) with those of a corresponding nonenzymatic reaction in aqueous solution. The results show that the two catalytic acid residues,Tyr14 and Asp99, can lower the free energy of activation by 8.6kcal/mol, which is in good agreement with the experimentally predicted~9 kcal/mol,contribution of electrophilic catalyses to the whole enzymatic rate enhancement. The dienolate intermediate formed by proton transfer from the substrate carbon acid to the catalytic base residue (Asp38) ins predicted to be stabilized by 12.0 kcal/mol in the enzymatic reaction, making its formation thermodynamically favorable. It has been argued that enzymes catalyzing the reactions of carbon acids should resolve the thermodynamic problem of stabilizing the enolate intermediate as well as the kinetic porblem of lowering the free energy of activation for porton abstraction. We find that KSI can successfully overcome the thermodynamic difficulty ingerent in the nonenzymatic reaction through the electrophilic catalyses of the two acid residues. Owing to the stabilization of dienolate intermediate, the reketonization step could influence the overall reaction rate more significantly in the KSI- catalyzed reaction than in the nonenzymatic reaction, further supporting the previous experimental findings. However, the electrophilic catalyses alone cannot account for the whole catalygic capability (12-13 kcal/mol), confiming the earlier experimental implications for the invement of additional catalytic components. The present computational study indicates clearly how catalytic residues of KSI resolve the fundamental problems associated with the entropic penalty for forming the rate-limiting transition state and its destabilization in the bulk solvation environment.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.729-737
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• 2013

The environmental load of concrete pavement can be categorized by temperature and moisture loads, which mean temperature distribution, and drying shrinkage and creep in the concrete slab. In this study, a method calculating the environmental load essential to mechanistic design of airport concrete pavement was developed. First, target area and design slab thickness were determined. And, the concrete temperature distribution with slab depth was predicted by a pavement temperature prediction program to calculate equivalent linear temperature difference. The concrete drying shrinkage was predicted by improving an existing model to calculate differential shrinkage equivalent linear temperature difference considering regional relative humidity. In addition, the stress relaxation was considered in the drying shrinkage. Eventually, the equivalent linear temperature difference due to temperature and the differential shrinkage equivalent linear temperature difference due to moisture were combined into the total equivalent linear temperature difference as terminal environmental load. The environmental load of eight civilian and two military airports which represent domestic regional weather conditions were calculated and compared by the method developed in this study to show its application.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.120-131
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• 1988

A souce term model describes mathematically the source of radionuclides as they begin slow migration and decay in deep groundwater. Various source term models based on mass-transfer analysis and measurement-based source term models are reviewed. Ganerally, two processes are involved in leaching or dissolution: (1) chemical reactions and (2) mass transfer by diffusion. The chemical reaction controls the dissolution rates only during the early stage of exposure to groundwater. The exterior-field mass transfer may control the long term dissolution rates from the waste solid in a geologic repository. Mass-transfer analyses re3y on detailed and careful application of the governing equations that describe the mechanistic processes of transport of material between and within phases. If used correctly, source term models based on mass-transfer theory are valuable and necessary tools for developing reliable predictions.