• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.243-248
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• 1994

Plasma membrane proteins of a Korean isolate of Trichomonus vofinalis HY-1 were fractionated for antigen analysis. Homogenates of T. vaginalis were fractionated by the differential centrifugation using sucrose step-gradient method. The interface layer from the 25%/45% sucrose was collected as a plasma membrane fraction and its purity was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The antigenicity of plasma membrane fraction was analysed by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot technique with immune rabbit serum and compared with surface antigen labelled with N. hydroxysuccinimide-biotin. The fluffy fraction of 25%/45% sucrose interface was homogeneous and membrane particles were present as extended sheet and concentric vesicles showing typical trilamellar appearance under transmission electron microscope. Seven fractions at 40, 50, 60, 110, 130, 140 and 150 kDa were identified as the antigenic membrane proteins in EITB with anti HY-1 rabbit serum. The common band at 60 kDa was detected both in antigenic fractions of plasma membrane and surface protein labelled with NHS-biotin. This result indicates that this protein is considered as a major surface antigen of T. vaginalis. The role of this surface antigen at 60 kDa should be studied further.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.449-455
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• 2011

We detected metacercariae of Echinostoma revolutum in Filopaludina sp. snails purchased from a local market in Nam Dinh Province for the first time in Vietnam. Adult flukes were harvested from experimentally infected hamsters at days 14 and 17 post-infection. The metacercariae were round, $170-190{\mu}m$ (n=15) in diameter, with a cyst wall thickness of about $12{\mu}m$. A total of 37 collar spines were arranged around the head collar, and large excretory granules were seen in 2 canals of the excretory bladder. The 14-day old adult flukes were elongated, ventrally curved, and $5.0-7.2{\times}0.8-1.3mm$ (n=20). The head collar had a total of 37 collar spines arranged in 2 alternating rows, including 5 corner spines on each side. The cirrus sac contained a saccular seminal vesicle, a prostatic gland, and an unarmed cirrus. Two tandem testes were smooth or slightly lobed. Eggs were ovoid to elliptical, $110-118{\times}70-75{\mu}m$. These morphological characters were similar to those of E. revolutum and E. jurini. We tentatively identified it as E. revolutum because the validity of E. jurini remains to be elucidated. The taxonomic relationship of E. revolutum and E. jurini is discussed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2008

The metacercariae of Centrocestus formosanus, a minute intestinal trematode of mammals and birds, were detected in the freshwater fish, Puntius brevis, from Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR. The metacercariae were experimentally fed to mice, and adult flukes were recovered in their small intestines 7 days later. The adult flukes were morphologically characterized by having 32 (rarely 34) circumoral spines arranged in 2 alternative rows, a large bipartite seminal vesicle, an oval-shaped ovary, and an X-shaped excretory bladder. Based on these characters, the adults were identified as Centrocestus formosanus (Nishigori, 1924). The taxonomic significance of C. formosanus, in relation to a closely related species, C. caninus (Leiper, 1913), is briefly discussed. It has been first verified by adult worm recovery that C. formosanus is prevalent in Vientiane areas of Lao PDR, taking the freshwater fish, P. brevis, as a second intermediate host.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2014

Autophagy is a series of catabolic process mediating the bulk degradation of intracellular proteins and organelles through formation of a double-membrane vesicle, known as an autophagosome, and fusing with lysosome. Autophagy plays an important role of death-survival decisions in neuronal cells, which may influence to several neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease. Chebulagic acid, the major constituent of Terminalia chebula and Phyllanthus emblica, is a benzopyran tannin compound with various kinds of beneficial effects. This study was performed to investigate the autophagy enhancing effect of chebulagic acid on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines. We determined the effect of chebulagic acid on expression levels of autophagosome marker proteins such as, DOR/TP53INP2, Golgi-associated ATPase Enhancer of 16 kDa (GATE 16) and Light chain 3 II (LC3 II), as well as those of its upstream pathway proteins, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Beclin-1. All of those proteins were modulated by chebulagic acid treatment in a way of enhancing the autophagy. Additionally in our study, chebulagic acid also showed a protective effect against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) - induced cytotoxicity which mimics the pathological symptom of Parkinson's disease. This effect seems partially mediated by enhanced autophagy which increased the degradation of aggregated or misfolded proteins from cells. This study suggests that chebulagic acid is an attractive candidate as an autophagy-enhancing agent and therefore, it may provide a promising strategy to prevent or cure the diseases caused by accumulation of abnormal proteins including Parkinson's disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1076-1082
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• 2011

Microtubule-based kinesin motor proteins are used for long-range vesicular transport. KIF5s (KIF5A, KIF5B and KIF5C) mediate the transport of various membranous vesicles along microtubules, but the mechanism behind how they recognize and bind to a specific cargo has not yet been completely elucidated. To identify the interaction protein for KIF5B, yeast two-hybrid screening was performed and a specific interaction with the unconventional myosin Myo9b, an actin-based vesicle transport motor, was found. The GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domain of Myo9s was essential for interaction with KIF5B in the yeast two-hybrid assay. Myo9b bound to the carboxyl-terminal region of KIF5B and to other KIF5 members. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-downs showed that Myo9s specifically interact to the complete Kinesin-I complex. An antibody to KIF5B specifically co-immunoprecipitated KIF5B associated with Myo9s from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that kinesin-I motor protein interacts directly with actin-based motor proteins in the cell.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2017

In the present work, the interaction of fatty acid with vesicle membrane of phospholipids was investigated using 3 different kinds of fatty acids such as stearic acid (SA), oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA). Basically, the same trend has been found in 3 fatty acid systems. The addition of fatty acid produced a close packing of liposome due to the penetration of fatty acid molecules into liposome vesicles, which resulted in a decrease in size and an increase in zeta potential of liposome. However, excessive addition of fatty acid produced a transition from liposomes to aggregates of lipid particles having polymorphic structure. The membrane fluidity, characterized by measuring membrane deformability and fluorescence anisotropy ratio of liposomes, was in good agreement with measurement results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size. The minimum size and closest packing of liposome with SA, OA and LA were found when the molar ratios of fatty acid to lecithin were 0.70, 0.50, and 0.25 respectively.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.541-548
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• 2017

A survey was performed to know the infection status of echinostome metacercariae in Cipangopaludina chinensis malleata snails from Korea. Total 75 snails collected in 5 localities, i.e., Imsil-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Hwasun-gun and Shinan-gun (Aphae and Jido), Jeollanam-do, and Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, were examined for metacercariae by the artificial digestion method. Infection rates of metacercariae were 80.0%, 66.7%, 100%, 60.0%, and 73.3%, and their densities were 39, 32, 183, 19, and 30 per snail infected, respectively. The metacercariae were round, $105-118{\times}105-118{\mu}m$ in size, with a thin cyst wall, collar spines on the head collar, and excretory granules in 2 canals of excretory tube. Adult flukes were elongated, ventrally curved, and $5,167{\times}939{\mu}m$ in average size. Head collar distinct, bearing 45 collar spines with 5 end groups on each side. Oral sucker subterminal, pharynx well developed, and esophagus somewhat short. Cirrus sac well developed, with a saccular seminal vesicle, and ventral sucker very large. Ovary elliptical and on the median line of the body. Testes tandem and slightly lobed. Eggs operculated, elliptical, and $90-103{\times}55-60{\mu}m$ in size. By scanning electron microscopy, the head collar was prominent with 45 collar spines resembling horns of younger stags. Scale-like tegumental spines were densely distributed on the body surface between the head collar and ventral sucker. Conclusively, it has been first confirmed that the life cycle of E. macrorchis is indigenously maintained in Korea, and C. chinensis malleata snails are popularly infected with the metacercariae of this echinostome.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2008

This study assessed the incidence of embryo and fetal loss following early pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasonography in dairy cows. A positive pregnancy was a recognition of the vesicle, embryo or fetus by ultrasonography. Seven hundreds and two pregnancies determined by ultrasonography following artificial insemination were divided into three groups according to the number of days diagnosed pregnant: early A group (27 to 40 days, n = 143), early B group (41 to 50 days, n = 172), or standard group (51 to 70 days, n = 387). Following a positive pregnancy diagnosis, embryo or fetal loss included all cows with observed abortions and cows found open after the positive pregnancy diagnosis. The incidence rate of embryo or fetal loss within 7 days after pregnancy diagnosis was 1.4, 0.6 and 0.3% for the early A, early B, and standard groups, respectively (P>0.05). The incidence of the embryo or fetal loss during 8 to 30 days after pregnancy diagnosis did not differ (P>0.05) among the early A (0%), early B (1.2%), and standard groups (1.0%). Furthermore, the cumulative incidence of the embryo or fetal loss before calving did not differ (P>0.05) among the early A (9.8%), early B (9.3%), and standard groups (5.9%). These results indicate that early pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasonography does not increase the risk of embryo and fetal loss compared with that of routine pregnancy diagnosis in dairy cows.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1991

In order to obtain basic biological data for effective seed production of the red sea bream, Pargus major, the influence of water temperature on egg development was investigated. The time of egg development was shorter with higher water temperature. The relationships between the water temperature($T\;:\;^{\circ}C$) and the required time(t : hour) from egg to each developmental stage were given as follows : 8-cell 1/t=0.0618T-0.5877(r=0.9899) Morula : 1/t=0.0284T-0.2556(r=0.9948) Kupffer's : 1/t=0.0076T-0.0829(r=0.9902) vesicle Hatching : 1/t=0.0031T-0.0350(r=0.9985) Biological minimium temperature for the egg development was estimated to be $10.2^{\circ}C$ in average.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.357-362
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• 1997

In order to obtain the basic information for seedling production of flatfish, Limanda herzensteini, the influence of water temperature and salinity on egg development was investigated. The desirable water temperature for egg hatching was9~$15^\circC$. The time of egg development was shorter with higher water temperature. The relationships between the water temperature (T:$^\circC$) and the required time (t:hour) from egg to each development stage were given as follows ; 8-cell : 1/t=0.0284T-0.0554 (r=0.9999) Morula : 1/t=0.0137T-0.0527 (r=0.9998) Kupffer's vesicle : 1/t=0.0035T-0.0133 (r=0.9762) Hatching : 1/t=0.0012T-0.0007 (r=0.9981) Biological mimimum temperature for the egg development was estimated to the be $2.6^\circC$ in average. The salinity which showed over 50% survival rate from fertilized egg to hatching was 35~$38\textperthousand$.