• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 2020

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) continues to be one of the main causative agents of tuberculosis (TB); moreover, the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections has been rising gradually in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Precise and rapid detection and identification of MTB and NTM in respiratory specimens are thus important for MTB infection control. Molecular diagnostic methods based on the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) are known to be rapid, sensitive, and specific compared to the conventional acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and mycobacterial culture methods. In the present study, the clinical performances of three commercial molecular diagnostic assays, namely TB/NTM PCR (Biocore), MolecuTech Real MTB-ID^® (YD Diagnostics), and REBA Myco-ID^® (YD Diagnostics), were evaluated with a total of 92 respiratory specimens (22 AFB smear positives and 67 AFB smear negatives). The sensitivity and specificity of TB/NTM PCR were 100% and 75.81%, respectively. The corresponding values of MolecuTech Real MTB-ID^® and REBA Myco-ID^® were 56.52% and 90.32%, and 56.52% and 82.26%, respectively. TB/NTM PCR showed the highest sensitivity; however, the concordant rate was 10% compared with sequence analysis. Although MolecuTech Real MTB-ID^® showed lower sensitivity, its specificity was the highest among the three methods. REBA Myco-ID^® allowed accurate classification of NTM species; therefore, it was the most specific diagnostic method. Of the three PCR-based methods, MolecuTech Real MTB-ID^® showed the best performance. This method is expected to enable rapid and accurate identification of MTB and NTM.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 1997

Ten, heretofore unreported, $ 5^I-methyl-5^I-[2-(5-substituted uracil-1-yl)ethyl)]-2^I-oxo-3^I$-methylenetetrahydrofurans (H, F, Cl, Br, I, $ CH_3$,$CF_3$,$CH_2CH_3$,$ CH=CH2$, SePh) (7a-j) were synthesized and evaluated against four cell lines (K-562, FM-3A, P-388 and U-937). For the preparation of ${\alpha}$-methylene-${\gamma}$-butyrolactone-linked to 5-substituted uracils (7a-j), the convenient Reformasky type reaction was employed which involves the treatment of ethyl ${\alpha}$-(bromomethyl)acrylate and zinc with the respective 1-(5-substituted uracil-1-yl)-3-butanone (6a-j). The 5-substituted uracil ketones (6a-j) were directly obtained by the respective Michael type reaction of vinyl methyl ketone with the $K_2CO_3$(or NaH)-treated 5-substituted uracils (5a-j) in the presence of acetic acid in the DMF solvent. The .alpha.-methylene-.gamma.-butyrolactone compounds showing the most significant antitumor activity are 7e, 7f, 7h and 7j (inhibitory concentration $(IC_50)$ ranging from 0.69 to $2.9 {\mu}g/ml$), while 7b, 7g and 7i have shown moderate to significant activity. The compounds 7a, 7c and 7d were found to be inactive. The synthetic intermediate compounds 6a-j were also screened and found marginal to moderate activity where compounds 6b and 6g showed significant activity $(IC_50:0.4~2.8 {\mu}g/ml)$.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.357-365
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• 1989

Induction conditions for autolysis and autoplast formation of thermophilic Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum were studied. The cells in the initial exponential growth phase were well autolysed in Tris-HCl buffer or inorganic buffers containing univalents, such as $K^{+}$ and $Na^{+}$ , and chemicals such as cysteine-HCl, sorbitol and glycerol. Meanwhile, autolysis induction was slightly inhibited by divalents, such as $Mg^{2+}, Mn^{2+}, Ca^{2+}, Ni^{2+}$, and strongly by divalents, such as $Fe^{2+}, Cu^{2+}$ and citric acid. The autolysis was stimulated when the cells were grown in the medium containing ampicillin that inhibites cell wall synthesis, meanwhile, it was slightly inhibited by nucleic acids and protein synthesis inhibitors. The optimal pH and temperature for the induction of autolysis were 7.5 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. On the other hand, the cells were autoplasted without lysozyme treatment during autolysis due to the stabilization of protoplasmic membrane in the presence of divalents such as $Mg^{2+}, Mn^{2+}, Ca^{2+}, Ni^{2+}$. Autoplast formation was mostly induced at $37^{\circ}C$ in 50mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5) containing 20 mM $MgCl^{2}$ and 0.3 M glycerol, and in the late exponential growth phase growing cell.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.215-221
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• 2015

Chicken breast meat samples were injected with marinade solution (salt, sugar, phosphate, monosodium glutamate, and nucleic acid) with or without 2% citrus peel extract (CPE), and then a subset were irradiated with a 1 or 2 kGy electron beam (EB) and/or subjected to high-pressure (HP) at 300 or 400 MPa. The initial total aerobic bacterial (TAB) count of the control sample was 4.57 log CFU/g and reached 7.17 log CFU/g after 3 days of storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The 2 kGy EB reduced the TAB count to 4.61 log CFU/g after 7 days. The 400 MPa HP treatment was also effective in reducing the TAB count, but the effect was slightly less than that noted with the 2 kGy EB. The CPE, in combination with the EB and HP, decreased the TAB count by 1.71 and 1.32 log CFU/g at the initial stage and further decreased the count during storage. The 2 kGy EB and the HP (300 and 400 MPa) increased the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances value, whereas the CPE did not show an antioxidative effect. The EB and HP caused no difference in the sensory qualities. In contrast, the CPE decreased all sensory qualities tested. Sensory panelists commented that the samples with CPE were not in the "rejection" category but were "unfamiliar" for chicken breast meat. In conclusion, the EB was more effective than HP in improving the microbial quality of marinated chicken breast meat. The use of CPE in the marinade solution may synergistically increase the shelf life; however, it is necessary to develop an appropriate formulation to ensure that the sensory qualities are maintained.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.328-333
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• 2014

Folate is a water-soluble vitamin B that is required for the synthesis of amino acids and nucleic acids. It plays an important role in cell division and cell growth in several living organisms. The purpose of this study was to screen strong folate-synthesizing bacteria and to optimize their culture conditions for folate production. Folate production was quantified by microbiological assays by using folate-dependent strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus KCTC 3237. Folate derivatives were identified by LC-MS/MS. Of the 65 strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli tested, L. plantarum Fol 708 demonstrated the greatest ability to produce folate. Its optimal pH for folate production was 5.5 in a pH-controlled, lab-scale fermenter. Coculturing L. plantarum Fol 708 with L. brevis GABA 100 in a milk medium enhanced the level of folate produced in comparison to culturing L. plantarum Fol 708 alone.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2020

Phenylketonuria is the most prevalent disorder caused by an inborn error in aminoacid metabolism. It results from mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. If untreated or late treated, results in profound and irreversible mental disability. Newborn screening test identify patients with phenylketouria. The early initiation of a phenylalanine restricted diet very soon prevents most of the neuropsychiatric complications. However, the diet therapy is difficult to maintain and compliance is poor, especially in adolescents and adulthood. Since 2015, American Medical College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommended more strong restrictive diet therapy for target blood level of phenylalanine (<360 umol/L). For over four decades the only treatment was a very restrictive low phenylalanine diet. This changed in 2007 with the approval of cofactor therapy (Tetrahydrobiopterin, BH4) which is effective in up to 30% of patients. Data from controlled clinical trials with sapropterin dihydrochloride indicate a similar occurrence of all-cause adverse events with this treatment and placebo. Large neutral aminoacids (LNAA) competes with phenylalanine for transport across the blood-brain-barrier and have a beneficial effect on executive functioning. A new therapy has just been approved that can be effective in most patients with PAH deficiency regardless of their degree of enzyme deficiency or the severity of their phenotype. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL-PEG) was approved in the USA by FDA in May of 2018 for adult patients with uncontrolled blood phenylalanine concentrations on current treatment. Nucleic acid therapy (therapeutic mRNA or gene therapy) is likely to provide longer term solutions with few side effects.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.84-102
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• 1978

Barley embryoless half seeds were incubated in medium containing $10{\mu}M$ GA. Time course activity changes of ${\alpha}-amylase$ were studied in extract and medium seperately by the addition of $0.1{\mu}M,\;5{\mu}M,\;and\;10{\mu}M$ ABA in midcourse incubation of 10 hours after GA treatment. MAK profiles of nucleic acids in embryoless half seeds were compared either with $10{\mu}M$ GA treatment or concomitant treatment with $10{\mu}M$ GA and $10{\mu}M$ ABA after 10 hours incubation, Time course changes of weight increase, chlorophyll, protein and RNA consent in addition to RNase activity were studied in the presence of $10{\mu}M$ GA or $10{\mu}M$ ABA in barley coleoptile sections. After 20 hours incubation in the presence of plant hormones, MAK profiles of nucleic acids and reactive distribution of polysome and monosome were investigated. The above results were summarized as follows. 1) The production of ${\alpha}-amylase$ by treatment with GA alone increased at a linear rate in the incubation period and the active secretion of ${\alpha}-amylase$ began from 18 hours incubation in embryoless half seeds. 2) On the contrary to the partial inhibition by addition of $0.1{\mu}M$ ABA, the production of ${\alpha}-amylase$ was completely inhibited by both $5{\mu}M$ and $10{\mu}M$ ABA within 4 hours. Regardless of concentration of GA, the addition of $5{\mu}M$ ABA in midcourse completely inhibited the production of ${\alpha}-amylase$ 3) ABA treatment gave no effect on the secretion of ${\alpha}-amylase$. 4) There were no differences in RNA fractions between GA treatment and concomitant treatment with GA and ABA in the barlye embryoless half seeds. 5) While GA treatment increased the r-RNA fraction, ABA treatment decreased it and increased the s-RNA fraction in the coleoptile sections. 6) GA treatment increased RNA-DNA fraction best ABA treatment decreased it in the coleoptile sections. 7) While GA treatment suppressed RNase activity, ABA treatment increased it in the coleoptile sections. 8) GA treatment gave no great effect on the total RNA but ABA treatment remarkably diminished it in the coleoptile sections. 9) While GA treatment increased the growth and chlorophyll content, ABA treatment decreased them in the coleoptile sections. 10) GA treatment increased the protein synthesis and polysome formation but ABA treatment decreased them in the coleoptile sections. 11) The inhibition effect of ABA on polysome formation seemed to be resulted from the inhibition of r-RNA synthesis by ABA.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.17
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• pp.115-133
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• 1974

This study was done on the metabolism of chemical components during the seed development of ginseng. The changes of the chemical components were inspected in the following periods: from the early stage of flower organ formation to flowering time, from the early stage of fruiting to maturity, during the moisture stratification before sowing. From flower bud forming stage to meiosis stage, the changes in the fresh weight, dry weight, contents of carbohydrates, and contents of nitrogen compounds were slight while the content of TCA soluble phosphorus and especially the content of organic phosphorus increased markedly. From meiosis stage to microspore stage the fresh and dry weights increase greatly. Also, the total nitrogen content increases in this period. Insolub]e nitrogen was 62-70% of the total nitrogen content; the increase of insoluble nitrogen seems to have resulted form the synthesis of protein. The content of soluble sugar (reducing and non-reducing sugar) increases greatly but there was no observable increase in starch content. In this same period, TCA soluble phosphorus reached the maximum level of 85.4% of the total phosphorus. TCA insoluble phosphorus remained at the minimum content level of 14.6%. After the pollen maturation stage and during the flowering period the dry weight increased markedly and insolub]e nitrogen also increased to the level of 67% of the total nitrogen content. Also in this stage, the organic phosphorus content decreased and was found in lesser amounts than inorganic phosphorus. A rapid increase in the starch content was also observed at this stage. In the first three weeks after fruiting the ginseng fruit grows rapidly. Ninety percent of the fresh weight of ripened ginseng seed is obtained in this period. Also, total nitrogen content increased by seven times. As the fruits ripened, insoluble nitrogen increased from 65% of the total nitrogen to 80% while soluble nitrogen decreased from 35% to 20%. By the beginning of the red-ripening period, the total phosphoric acid content increased by eight times and was at its peak. In this same period, TCA soluble phosphorus was 90% of total phosphorus content and organic phosphorus had increased by 29 times. Lipid-phosphorus, nucleic acid-phosphorus and protein-phosphorus also increased during this stage. The rate of increase in carbohydrates was similar to the rate of increase in fresh weight and it was observed at its highest point three weeks after fruiting. Soluble sugar content was also highest at this time; it begins to decrease after the first three weeks. At the red-ripening stage, soluble sugar content increased again slightly, but never reached its previous level. The level of crude starch increased gradually reaching its height, 2.36% of total dry weight, a week before red-ripening, but compared with the content level of other soluble sugars crude starch content was always low. When the seeds ripened completely, more than 80% of the soluble sugar was non-reducing sugar, indicating that sucrose is the main reserve material of carbohydrates in ginseng seeds. Since endosperm of the ripened ginseng seeds contain more than 60% lipids, lipids can be said to be the most abundant reserve material in ginseng seeds; they are more abundant than carbohydrates, protein, or any other component. During the moisture stratification, ginseng seeds absorb quantities of water. Lipids, protein and starch stored in the seeds become soluble by hydrolysis and the contents of sugar, inorganic phosphorus, phospho-lipid, nucleic acid-phosphorus, protein phosphorus, and soluble nitrogen increase. By sowing time, the middle of November, embryo of the seeds grows to 4.2-4.7mm and the water content of the seeds amounts to 50-60% of the total seed weight. Also, by this time, much budding material has been accumulated. On the other hand, dry stored ginseng seeds undergo some changes. The water content of the seeds decreases to 5% and there is an observable change in the carbohydraes but the content of lipid and nitrogen compounds did not change as much as carbohydrates.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2006

Virion captured reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (VC/RT-PCR) could detect plant virus quickly and accurately. In the VC/RT-PCR, no antibody is needed unlike immuno-captured RT-PCR (IC/RT-PCR) which had been improved method of RT-PCR for plant viruses, and virus nucleic acids can be obtained easily within 30minutes by property of polypropylene PCR tube which is hold and immobilized viral particles on its surface. For the virion capture of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), the extraction buffer was tested. The optimum macerating buffer for TSWV was 0.01M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing 0.5% sodium sulfite. The viral crude sap was incubated for 30 min at $4^{\circ}C$. The virions in the PCR tubes were washed two times with 0.01M PBS containing 0.05% Tween-20. The washed virions were treated at $95^{\circ}C$ immediately for 1 min containing RNase free water and chilled quickly in the ice. Disclosed virions' RNAs by heat treatment were used for RT-PCR. Dilution end point of $10^{-5}$ from plant's crude sap infected with TSWV showed relatively higher detection sensitivity for VC/RT-PCR. During multiple detection using two or more primers, interference was arisen by interactions between primer-primer and plant species. The result of multiplex RT-PCR was influenced by combinations of primers and the kind of plant, and the optimum extraction buffer for the multiplex detection by VC/RT-PCR should be developed.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2004

The major compositions of leaf tea and flower tea were investigated to develope as a new functional tea using Korean native Camellia japonica L. Most of leaf teas, except flower tea, were considered as good materials with basic conditions for tea manufacture because water content was below 6%. Crude protein was the greatest component in roasted young leaf tea (RYLT), crude fats in roasted mature leaf tea (RMLT) and ashes in fermented young leaf tea (FYLT). Caffein were present as the highest amount (5.18%) in steamed mature leaf tea (SMLT), showing less amount than green tea. Catechin were contained as the highest amount in all kinds of teas, especially FYLT was the highest (9.57%). Tannin, which highly related with tea quality including astringent taste, color and perfume, were present as the highest amount in FYLT. Vitamin C was highly detected in the tea from flowers (22.7 mg/l00 g) rather than in the tea from leaves. The content of theanine were found in flower tea by 1,074 mg/l00 g, and had about twofold of FYLT and RYLT. Among free amino acids, glutamic acid and aspartic acid were higher detected in SMLT and RMLT while asparagine was present as higher amounts in RYLT and FYLT, expecting these components can improve tea taste. Nucleic acids and their derivatives including GMP, hypoxanthine and AMP were detected as the higher amounts by 7.86, 8.57, and $12.67\;{\mu}mol/g$, respectively, however IMP content was even reduced by all manufacturing processes. In all kinds of tea, sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose were detected, specially glucose and fructose were found as highest amount in RFT by 65.5 and 59.6 nmol/0.1 mg, respectively.