• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.780-786
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• 2005

This study presents a non-video, non-invasive, automatic, on-site monitoring system the system employs ultrasonic transducers to detect behavior in sows before, during and after parturition. An ultrasonic transmitting/receiving (T/R) circuit of 40 kHz was mounted above a conventional parturition bed. The T/R units use ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) ranging technology to measure the height of the confined sows at eight predetermined locations. From this data, three momentary postures of the sow are determined, characterized as standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting posture (STP). By examining the frequencies of position switch Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS) between standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting-posture (STP) rate can be determined for the duration of the sow' confinement. Three experimental pureblooded Landrace sows undergoing normal gestation were monitored for the duration of confinement. In agreement with common observation, the sows exhibited increased restlessness as parturition approached. Analysis of the data collected in our study showed a distinct peak in Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS, i.e. the transition from lying laterally to standing up ) and sitting-posture (STP) rate approximately 12 h prior to parturition, the observed peak being 5 to 10 times higher than observed on any other measurement day. It is concluded that the presented methodology is a robust, low-cost, lowlabor method for the continuous remote monitoring of sows and similar large animals for parturition and other behavior. It is suggested that the system could be applied to automatic prediction of sow parturition, with automatic notification of remote management personnel so human attendance at birth could reduce rates of sow and piglet mortality. The results of this study provide a good basis for enhancing automation and reducing costs in large-scale sow husbandry and have applications in the testing of various large mammals for the effects of medications, diets, genetic modifications and environmental factors.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.401-411
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• 2023

Many studies have been conducted to improve technology for semen cryopreservation in pigs. However, computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility and morphology is insufficient to predict the molecular function of frozen-thawed semen. More accurate expression patterns of boar sperm proteins may be derived using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technique. In this study, the iTRAQ-labeling system was coupled with liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis to identify differentially expressed CM10-fractionated proteins between fresh and frozen-thawed boar semen. A total of 76 protein types were identified to be differentially expressed, among which 9 and 67 proteins showed higher and lower expression in frozen-thawed than in fresh sperm samples, respectively. The classified functions of these proteins included oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix, and pyruvate metabolic processes, which are involved in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis; and sperm flagellum and motile cilium, which are involved in sperm tail structure. These results suggest a possible network of biomarkers associated with survival after the cryopreservation of Duroc boar semen.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.360-371
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• 2023

Hispidin is an important styrylpyrone produced by Sanghuangporus sanghuang. To analyze hispidin biosynthesis in S. sanghuang, the transcriptomes of hispidin-producing and non-producing S. sanghuang were determined by Illumina sequencing. Five PKSs were identified using genome annotation. Comparative analysis with the reference transcriptome showed that two PKSs (ShPKS3 and ShPKS4) had low expression levels in four types of media. The gene expression pattern of only ShPKS1 was consistent with the yield variation of hispidin. The combined analyses of gene expression with qPCR and hispidin detection by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with ion-trap and time-of-flight technologies (LCMS-IT-TOF) showed that ShPKS1 was involved in hispidin biosynthesis in S. sanghuang. ShPKS1 is a partially reducing PKS gene with extra AMP and ACP domains before the KS domain. The domain architecture of ShPKS1 was AMP-ACP-KS-AT-DH-KR-ACP-ACP. Phylogenetic analysis shows that ShPKS1 and other PKS genes from Hymenochaetaceae form a unique monophyletic clade closely related to the clade containing Agaricales hispidin synthase. Taken together, our data indicate that ShPKS1 is a novel PKS of S. sanghuang involved in hispidin biosynthesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2009

In hypertriglyceridaemic individuals, atherosclerogenesis is associated with the increased concentrations of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and VLDL-associated remnant particles. In vitro studies have suggested that VLDL induces foam cells formation. To reveal the changes of the proteins expression in the process of foam cells formation induced by VLDL, we performed a proteomic analysis of the foam cells based on the stimulation of differentiated THP-1 cells with VLDL. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis, 14 differentially expressed proteins, containing 8 up-regulated proteins and 6 down-regulated proteins were identified. The proteins are involved in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis, such as adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP), enolase, S100A11, heat shock protein 27 and so on. In addition, the expression of some selected proteins was confirmed by Western blot and RT-PCR analysis. The results suggest that VLDL not only induces lipid accumulation, but also brings about foam cells diverse characteristics by altering the expression of various proteins.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 2003

The intracluster ion-molecule reactions of $Ti^+(H_2O)_n,\;Ti^+(CH_3OCH_3)_n,\;and\;Ti^+(CH_3OD)_n$ complexes produced by the mixing of the laser-vaporized plasma and the pulsed supersonic beam were studied using a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The reactions of $Ti^+$ with water clusters were dominated by the dehydrogenation reaction, which produces $TiO^+(H_2O)_n$ clusters. The mass spectra resulting from the reactions of $Ti^+\;with\;CH_3OCH_3$ clusters exhibit a major sequence of $Ti^+(OCH_3)_m(CH_3OCH_3)_n$ cluster ions, which is attributed to the insertion of $Ti^+$ ion into C-O bond of $CH_3OCH_3$ followed by $CH_3$ elimination. The prevalence of $Ti^+(OCH_3)_m(CH_3OD)_n$ ions in the reaction of $Ti^+\;with\;CH_3OD$ clusters suggests that D elimination via O-D bond insertion is the preferred decomposition pathway. In addition, the results indicate that consecutive insertion reactions by the $Ti^+$ ion occur for up to three precursor molecules. Thus, examination of $Ti^+$ insertion into three different molecules establishes the reactivity order: O-H > C-O > C-H. The experiments additionally show that the chemical reactivity of heterocluster ions is greatly influenced by cluster size and argon stagnation pressure. The reaction energetics and formation mechanisms of the observed heterocluster ions are also discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.37-48
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• 2008

The diapause and non diapause associated proteins of multivoltine silkworm eggs were analysed by two dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis. The study was made at 0 hr, 24 hrs and 48 hrs after oviposition. A total of four protein spots in diapause eggs at 24 hrs of oviposition and two protein spots in non diapause eggs at 0 hrs of oviposition were observed. All the six protein spots were considered to have association with diapause and non diapause characters. The molecular weight (MW) and isoelectric point (PI) of these 6 protein spots were calculated. The protein spots 1 and 2 observed in 0 hr of non diapause eggs were found to have the MW of 67 and 75 KDa and PI of 8.6 and 8.4 respectively. Similarly the four protein spots observed in diapause egg at 24 hrs of oviposition exhibited MW viz., 15, 17,20 and 25 KDa and PI of 5.3, 5.8, 6.5 and 6.0 respectively. All these 6 identified protein spots were subjected to in-gel digestion and resulted tryptic peptides were analyzed by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF-MS). Databases searched based on experimentally determined molecular weights of peptides for the determination of the identities of proteins. The identified proteins indicated homology of 34% to 95%. The results indicate that the proteins may playa role in development of diapause and non diapause eggs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.911-920
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• 2006

[ $CD8^+$ ] T Iymphocytes with the cytotoxic activity and capability to release various cytokines are the major players in immune responses against viral infection and cancer. To identify the proteins specific to resting or activated human CD8$^+$ T cells, human CD8$^+$ T cells were activated with anti-CD3+anti-CD28 mAb in the presence of IL-2. The solubilized proteins from resting and activated human CD8$^+$ T cells were separated by high-resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and their proteomes were analyzed. Proteomic analysis of resting and activated T cells resulted in identification of 35 proteins with the altered expression. Mass spectrometry coupled with Profound and SWISS-PROT database analysis revealed that these identified proteins are to be functionally associated with cell proliferation, metabolic pathways, antigen presentation, and intracellular signal transduction pathways. We also identified six unknown proteins predicted from genomic DNA sequences specific to resting or activated CD8$^+$ T cells. Protein network studies and functional characterization of these novel proteins may provide new insight into the signaling transduction pathway of CD8$^+$ T cell activation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2012

Objective : Hemifacial spasm (HFS) caused by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) is very rare, and in theses cases, it is difficult to decompress the nerve from its vascular compression. The objective of this study was to investigate the outcome of microvascular decompression (MVD) for HFS caused by VBD. Methods : There were 10 patients of HFS caused by VBD at our hospital between September 1978 and September 2008. We evaluated magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and time of flight magnetic resonance imaginge (TOF MRI) findings using the criteria for VBD. We compared the clinical outcomes of MVD for the 10 patients with VBD with the overall outcomes of the total 2058 MVDs performed for HFS. Results : The results of MVD for HFS caused by VBD were successful in 90.9% of cases. The postoperative complication rate in VBD was 45.5%. Offending vessels in patients with VBD were identified visually during surgery. Adverse effects after MVD were found in 4 patients. We found that the diameter of VBD was significantly greater in patients with complications than in those with no complications (p=0.028). Conclusion : Our data shows that MVD may be a good treatment modality for HFS caused by VBD but care must be taken to avoid adverse effects from the procedure. It is important to detach the dolichoectatic artery from its surrounding structures sufficiently to allow it to be easily movable. In addition, attempts should be made to lessen the retraction of the cerebellum during release of the dolichoectatic artery.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4155-4161
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• 2016

Biliary obstruction is a common clinical manifestation of various conditions, including extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. However, a screening test for diagnosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with biliary obstruction is not yet available. According to the rationale that the biliary system plays a major role in lipid metabolism, biliary obstruction may interfere with lipid profiles in the body. Therefore, plasma lipidomics may help indicate the presence or status of disease in biliary obstruction suspected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. This study aimed to use plasma lipidomics for diagnosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with biliary obstruction. Plasma from healthy volunteers, patients with benign biliary obstruction extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and other related cancers were used in this study. Plasma lipids were extracted and lipidomic analysis was performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Lipid profiles from extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients showed significant differences from both normal and benign biliary obstruction conditions, with no distinction between the latter two. Relative intensity of the selected lipid mass was able to successfully differentiate all extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma samples from patient samples taken from healthy volunteers, patients with benign biliary obstruction, and patients with other related cancers. In conclusion, lipidomics is a non-invasive method with high sensitivity and specificity for identification of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with biliary obstruction.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.249-252
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• 2009

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was employed to assess the thermo-tolerance characteristics of Bifrdobacterium infantis ATCC 27920 to mild heat adaptation. When exposed to various heat levels, pH, and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) stress conditions, B. infantis ATCC 27920 exhibited high level of stress resistance. Under mild-heat treatment ($46^{\circ}C$), no significant change in viability level was observed after 2 hr. Interestingly, improved viability was observed in mild-heat adapted ($46^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr) cultures exposed to $55^{\circ}C$, in comparison to control experiments. Viability was not affected by pH, bile, and $H_2O_2$ stress conditions. 2-DE analysis revealed those mild-heat adaptation up-regulated 4 proteins and down-regulated 3 proteins. Among these protein spots, isopropyhnalate dehydratase (leuD), glycosyltransferase (glgA), and ribosomal protein L5 (rp1E) were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALD1-TOF/MS).