Genetic relationship of H3 subtype avian influenza viruses isolated from domestic ducks and wild birds in Korea and their pathogenic potential in chickens and ducks

Choi, J.G.,Kang, H.M.,Kim, M.C.,Paek, M.R.,Kim, H.R.,Kim, B.S.,Kwon, J.H.,Kim, J.H.,Lee, Y.J. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2012 Veterinary microbiology Vol.155 No.2

The H3 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) is one of the most frequently isolated subtypes in domestic ducks, live poultry markets, and wild birds in Korea. In 2002-2009, a total of 45 H3 subtype AIVs were isolated from the feces of clinically normal domestic ducks (n=28) and wild birds (n=17). The most prevalent subtypes in domestic ducks were H3N2 (35.7%), H3N6 (35.7%), H3N8 (25.0%), and H3N1 (3.6%, novel subtype in domestic duck in Korea). In contrast, H3N8 (70.6%) is the most prevalent subtype in wild birds in Korea. In the phylogenetic analysis, HA genes of the Korean H3 AIVs were divided into 3 groups (Korean duck, wild bird 1, and wild bird 2) and all viruses of duck origin except one were clustered in a single group. However, other genes showed extensive diversity and at least 17 genotypes were circulating in domestic ducks in Korea. When the analysis expanded to viruses of wild bird origin, the genetic diversity of Korean H3 AIVs became more complicated. Extensive reassortments may have occurred in H3 subtype influenza viruses in Korea. When we inoculated chickens and ducks with six selected viruses, some of the viruses replicated efficiently without pre-adaptation and shed a significant amount of viruses through oropharyngeal and cloacal routes. This raised concerns that H3 subtype AIV could be a new subtype in chickens in Korea. Continuous surveillance is needed to prepare the advent of a novel subtype AIV in Korea.

돼지 H-FABP 유전자의 다형성 및 경제 형질과의 연관성 구명

최봉환,김태헌,이지웅,조용민,이혜영,조병욱,정일정 한국동물자원과학회 2003 한국축산학회지 Vol.45 No.5

The purpose of this study was to detect association between genetic variation and economic trait in the porcine heart type fatty acid-binding protein gene as a candidate gene for the traits related with growth and meat quality in pigs. The H-FABP is a 15-kDa protein expressed in several tissues with high demand for fat metabolism such as cardiac and skeletal muscle and lactating mammary gland. H-FABP is small intracellular protein involved in fatty acid transport from the plasma membrane to the site of β-oxidation and/or triacylglycerol or phospholipid synthesis. In this study, H-FABP PCR-RFLP was performed in F_(2) population composed of 214 individuals form an intercross between Korean Native Boars and Landrace sows. PCR products form tow primer sets within H-FABP gene were amplified in 850bp and 700bp. Digestion of PCR products with the restriction digestion enzymes HaeⅢ and Hinf Ⅰ, revealed fragment length polymorphisms(RFL. Ps). The genotype frequencies from H-FABP/HaeⅢ was .29 for genotype DD, .53 for genotype Dd, and .15 for genotype dd, respectively. The genotype frequencies of HH, Hh, and hh from H-FABP(hinf Ⅰ was .38, .41, and .20, respectively, in the population.Relationships between their genotypes and economic traits were estimated. In H-FABP/HaeⅢ locus, there were specific genotypes(Dd and dd) associated with economic traits such as body weight. In H-FABP/Hinf Ⅰ Iocus, Genotypes of HH and Hh associated with growth traits such as body weights at 5, 12, and 30 week of age (p<.05 or p<.001) and back fat thickness, body fat including abdominal and trimmed fat (p<.001) and intramuscular fat(p<.05). The 'H'allele was positivecly associated with gaining of body weight and fatness deposition. In conclusion, a significant association of the H-FABP gene from its genetic variation was found on body weight, intramuscular fat and backfat thickness.

Adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay-guided chemotherapy in unresectable colorectal liver metastasis

Hur, H,Kim, N K,Kim, H G,Min, B S,Lee, K Y,Shin, S J,Cheon, J H,Choi, S H Nature Publishing Group 2012 The British journal of cancer Vol.106 No.1

<P><B>Background:</B></P><P>This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA)-guided neoadjuvant chemotherapy for increasing resectability in patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastasis.</P><P><B>Patients and methods:</B></P><P>Patients were randomised into two groups: Group A was treated by conventional chemotherapy regimen and Group B was treated by chemotherapy regimen according to the ATP-CRA. Three chemotherapeutic agents (5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan) were tested by ATP-CRA and more sensitive agents were selected. Either FOLFOX or FOLFIRI was administered. Between Group A and B, treatment response and resectability were compared.</P><P><B>Results:</B></P><P>Between November 2008 and October 2010, a total 63 patients were randomised to Group A (<I>N</I>=32) or Group B (<I>N</I>=31). FOLFOX was more preferred in Group A than in Group B (26 out of 32 (81.3%) <I>vs</I> 20 out of 31 (64.5%)). Group B showed better treatment response than Group A (48.4% <I>vs</I> 21.9%, <I>P</I>=0.027). The resectability of hepatic lesion was higher in Group B (35.5% <I>vs</I> 12.5%, <I>P</I>=0.032). Mean duration from chemotherapy onset to the time of liver resection was 11 cycles (range 4–12) in Group A and 8 cycles (range 8–16) in Group B.</P><P><B>Conclusion:</B></P><P>This study showed that tailored-chemotherapy based on ATP-CRA could improve the treatment response and resectability in initially unresectable colorectal liver metastasis.</P>

Aberrant ventral striatal responses during incentive processing in unmedicated patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder

Jung, W. H.,Kang, D.‐,H.,Han, J. Y.,Jang, J. H.,Gu, B.‐,M.,Choi, J.‐,S.,Jung, M. H.,Choi, C.‐,H.,Kwon, J. S. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011 Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Vol.123 No.5

<P>Jung WH, Kang D‐H, Han JY, Jang JH, Gu B‐M, Choi J‐S, Jung MH, Choi C‐H, Kwon JS. Aberrant ventral striatal responses during incentive processing in unmedicated patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder.</P><P><B>Objective: </B> Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the dysfunction of control and reward mechanisms. However, only few neuroimaging studies of OCD have examined the reward processing. We examined the neural responses during incentive processing in OCD.</P><P><B>Method: </B> Twenty unmedicated patients with OCD and 20 age‐, sex‐, and IQ‐matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a modified monetary incentive delay task.</P><P><B>Results: </B> Compared with controls, patients with OCD showed increased ventral striatal activation in the no‐loss minus loss outcome contrast and a significant positive correlation between the ventral striatal activation and compulsion symptom severity. In addition, patients with OCD showed increased activations in the frontostriatal regions in the gain minus no‐gain outcomes contrast. During loss anticipation, patients with OCD showed less activations in the lateral prefrontal and inferior parietal cortices. However, during gain anticipation, patients with OCD and healthy controls did not differ in the ventral striatal activation.</P><P><B>Conclusion: </B> These findings provide neural evidence for altered incentive processing in unmedicated patients with OCD, suggesting an elevated sensitivity to negatively affect stimuli as well as dysfunction of the ventral striatum.</P>

비육돈에 미생물제제 급여시 분뇨 특성에 미치는 효과

곽정훈,최동윤,박치호,김재환,정광화,양창범,유용희,천현식,라창식,Kwag, J.H.,Choi, D.Y.,Park, Ch.H.,Kim, J.H.,Jeong, K.H.,Yang, Ch.B.,Yoo, Y.H.,Chen, H.S.,La, C.S. 한국축산환경학회 2007 축산시설환경학회지 Vol.13 No.3

본시험은 비육돈사료에 미생물제제를 사료에 미생물제제 A 및 B 0.1 미생물제제 C를 0.2% 혼합 급여할 경우 사료섭취량 및 돈분의 오염물질 배설농도에 미치는 영향을 분석하기 위하여 4처리$\times$반복당 5두로서 총 20두를 공시하여 실시하였는데 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 비육돈의 일일 평균사료섭취량은 대조구 3.15 kg/일.두였고 미생물A, B, C구는 각각 3.14kg/일/두, 3.31, 3.42로 미생물제제 C구에서 일일 사료섭취량이 가장 높게 조사되었으며(p<0.05), 2. 일일평균 음수량은 사료섭취량이 높았던 미생물 C구에서 3.95kg/일/두로 가장 높게 조사되었다(p<0.05). 3. 미생물제제 처리구별로 분뇨배설량은 사료섭취량이 높았던 미생물제제 C구에서 가장 많이 배설되는 것으로 조사되었으며(p<0.05), 돈뇨의 배설량도 미생물제제 C구에서 2.23kg/일/두에서 높았다(p<0.05). 4. 돈분뇨의 수분 함량은 및 비료성분인 T-N, $P_{2}O_{5}$, $K_{2}O$ 성분도 처리 간에 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다(p<0.05). 5. 돈분뇨의 평균 BOD 농도는 돈분의 경우 미생물제제 B, C제제 급여구가 유의적으로 높게 조사되었다(p<0.05). 그리고 돈뇨의 BOD의 경우에는 대조구에서 $8,657.5mg/{\ell}$로 가장 높은 것으로 조사되었다(p<0.05). 6. COD 농도는 대조구에서 가장 높게 조사되었으며(p<0.05). 돈뇨의 경우에는 미생물제제 A급여구에서 평균 $9,545mg/{\ell}$로 가장 높았다(p<0.05). 7. SS 농도는 미생물제제 B급여구에서 가장 높게 조사되었으며(p<0.05), 돈분뇨중의 T-N 농도는 처리구간에 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았다(p<0.05). 그리고 T-P 농도의 경우에는 미생물제제 C급여구에서 유의적인 차이가 나는 것으로 조사되었다(p<0.05). 이상의 결과를 요약해보면 비육돈에 미생물제제 혼합급여시 사료섭취량과 음수량을 증가시키는데 효과가 있는 것으로 조사되었으나, 비료성분 배설량에는 큰 차이를 보이지 않는 것으로 조사되었으나, BOD 등 오염물질농도의 경우에는 미생물제제 A급여구에서 가장 낮게 조사되어 비육돈사료에 미생물제제 급여시 오염물질 저감효과가 있는 것으로 조사되었다. Study for the effect of three different microbial feed additives(henceforth MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C) on feed coversion rate, and physical and chemical characteristics of swine finisher was conducted. MA-B had higher number of Lactobacillus spp. and yeast, compared to any other. The amylase activity of MA-B was also higher than any other. The daily feed intake rates of pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B and MA-C were 3.15, 3.14, 3.31 and 3.42 kg, respectively. MA-C had the highest weight gain. However, there was no significant difference between treatments. The weights of feces daily excreted by pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C were 2.14, 2.02, 2.18, and 2.23 kg/day, respectively. The volume of urine daily excreted by pigs fed control, MA-A, MA-B, and MA-C were 3.14, 3.26, 3.27, and $3.41\;{\ell}/day$, respectively. Water content, T-N, $P_{2}O_{5}$, and $K_{2}O$ in swine manure were not significantly different between treatments. The BOD were between 42,576 and $67,450\;mg/{\ell}$ for feces and were between 5,882.5 and $8,657.5\;mg/{\ell}$ for urine, respectively. The SS were between 138,000 and $180,000\;mg/{\ell}$ for feces and were between 875.0 and $1450.0mg/{\ell}$ for urine, respectively.

Bioluminescent Determination of Lactose Secretion: A Measure of the In Vitro Performance of Mammary Acini from Lactating Rats

Choi, B.H.,Stewart, K.W.,Davis, S.R.,Myung, K.H. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2002 Animal Bioscience Vol.15 No.2

A culture system for lactating rat mammary acini was evaluated, where the primary indicator of performance was lactose secretion, measured by a sensitive bioluminescence assay. Lactose secretion was reduced by half (p<0.01) over the first 6 h of culture by overnight feed withdrawal (FW) from tissue donors but was sensitive to increased glucose concentration in the culture media (p<0.001) up to 30 mM. Lactose production of cells from fed donors over the first 6 h in culture in 30 mM glucose was 8.9 fmol/cell/h - a rate calculated to be about half that in vivo. No significant difference was shown in lactose secretion by cells from fed or FW rats over 6-24 h. Lactose secretion was 3.6 fmol/cell/h by cells from fed animals in 40 mM glucose concentration media over the 6-24 h culture period. Addition of insulin to the culture media had no effect on rates of lactose secretion while addition of prolactin and hydrocortisone, with or without insulin, significantly (p<0.001) decreased lactose production over both 0-6 h and 6-24 h culture periods. Lactose synthesis in vitro was significantly enhanced by aeration of the media during collagenase digestion of mammary tissue (p<0.05). No improvement in lactose secretion was effected by shaking of cells during culture, Matrigel coating of culture dishes or change in cell density over a range up to 2.5 million cells per ml.

Inhibitory effect of obovatol on nitric oxide production and activation of NF-κB/MAP kinases in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7cells

Choi, M.S.,Lee, S.H.,Cho, H.S.,Kim, Y.,Yun, Y.P.,Jung, H.Y.,Jung, J.K.,Lee, B.C.,Pyo, H.B.,Hong, J.T. North-Holland ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2007 european journal of pharmacology Vol.556 No.1

The components of Magnolia obovata are known to have many pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of obovatol, a neolignan compound isolated from the leaves of M. obovata, on nitric oxide (NO) production and NF-κB activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells. The results show that obovatol (1-5 μM) significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO production in a concentration-dependent manner (IC<SUB>50</SUB>: 0.91 μM). Consistent with the inhibitory effect on NO production, obovatol inhibits the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Furthermore, obovatol suppressed NF-κB (p50 and p65) translocation to the nucleus as well as IκB release resulting in the inhibition of the DNA binding activity of the NF-κB. Obovatol also inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal, which are the most significantly involved signal in NO production and NF-κB activation. When the cells were treated with the combination of obovatol with U0126 (an ERK inhibitor) or SP600125 (a JNK inhibitor) as well as with SC-514 (an IKK2 inhibitor), much more inhibition of NO production was observed than that by obovatol alone. The present results suggest that obovatol has an inhibitory effect on NO production through the inhibition of NF-κB/MAPK activity, and thus can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent.

<i>CYP2A6</i> and <i>ERCC1</i> polymorphisms correlate with efficacy of S-1 plus cisplatin in metastatic gastric cancer patients

Park, S R,Kong, S-Y,Nam, B-H,Choi, I J,Kim, C G,Lee, J Y,Cho, S J,Kim, Y W,Ryu, K W,Lee, J H,Rhee, J,Park, Y-I,Kim, N K Nature Publishing Group 2011 The British journal of cancer Vol.104 No.7

<P><B>Background:</B></P><P>We evaluated the association between polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 2A6 (<I>CYP2A6</I>)/excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (<I>ERCC1</I>)/X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1(<I>XRCC1</I>) and treatment outcomes of metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) patients treated with S-1/cisplatin.</P><P><B>Methods:</B></P><P>Among MGC patients (<I>n</I>=108), who received S-1 (40 mg m<SUP>−2</SUP> b.i.d., days 1–14) and cisplatin (60 mg m<SUP>−2</SUP>, day 1) every 3 weeks, we analysed the wild-type allele (<I>W</I>) and variants (<I>V</I>) of <I>CYP2A6</I> (<I>*4</I>, <I>*7, *9, *10</I>), and the polymorphisms of <I>ERCC1</I> (rs11615, rs3212986) and <I>XRCC1</I> (rs25487).</P><P><B>Results:</B></P><P>Patients having fewer <I>CYP2A6</I> variants had better response rates (<I>W</I>/<I>W vs W</I>/<I>V</I> other than <I>*1/*4 vs V</I>/<I>V</I> or <I>*1/*4</I>=66.7 <I>vs</I> 58.3 <I>vs</I> 32.3% <I>P</I>=0.008), time to progression (TTP) (7.2 <I>vs</I> 6.1 <I>vs</I> 3.5 months, <I>P</I>=0.021), and overall survival (23.2 <I>vs</I> 15.4 <I>vs</I> 12.0 months, <I>P</I>=0.004). <I>ERCC1 19442C</I>><I>A</I> (rs3212986) was also associated with response rate (<I>C/C</I>, 46.7% <I>vs C/A</I>, 55.3% <I>vs A/A</I>, 87.5%) (<I>P</I>=0.048) and TTP (4.4 <I>vs</I> 7.6 <I>vs</I> 7.9 months) (<I>P</I>=0.012). Patients carrying both risk genotypes of <I>CYP2A6</I> (<I>V</I>/<I>V</I> or <I>1/*4</I>) and <I>ERCC1 19442C</I>><I>A</I> (<I>C/C</I>) <I>vs</I> those carrying none showed an adjusted odds ratio of 0.113 (<I>P</I>=0.004) for response, and adjusted hazard ratios of 3.748 (<I>P</I>=0.0001) for TTP and 2.961 (<I>P</I>=0.006) for death.</P><P><B>Conclusion:</B></P><P>Polymorphisms of <I>CYP2A6</I> and <I>ERCC1 19442C</I>><I>A</I> correlated with the efficacy of S-1/cisplatin.</P>

Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Shows Anti-apoptotic Activity via the PI3K–NF-κB–HIF-1α–Survivin Pathway in Mouse Neural Progenitor Cells

Choi, J. K.,Kim, K. H.,Park, S. R.,Choi, B. H. HUMANA PRESS INC 2014 Molecular neurobiology Vol.49 No.2

Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that plays a crucial role in regulating the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of hematopoietic cells. Recent studies have shown that GM-CSF also has anti-apoptotic effects and regulates the expression of anti-apoptotic genes including Bcl-2 family proteins in neuronal cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanism underlying the anti-apoptotic function of GM-CSF is not well understood. In the present work, we examined the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT signal pathway in the anti-apoptotic activity of GM-CSF in mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs). In terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, the anti-apoptotic effect of GM-CSF (apoptotic population of approximately 8.17 %) on staurosporine-induced apoptosis of NPCs (31.09 %) was significantly blocked by LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K signal (24.04 %). We found that the PI3K-AKT signal pathway induced by GM-CSF treatment activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) and increased the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) in normoxic conditions. Analyses using specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) showed that NF-kappa B was an upstream molecule of HIF-1 alpha and activated its expression at the mRNA level. Further analyses using the siRNAs and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) showed that HIF-1 alpha was responsible for the induced expression of survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). Each of the specific siRNAs for NF-kappa B, HIF-1 alpha, and survivin inhibited significantly the anti-apoptotic activity of GM-CSF on the staurosporine-induced apoptosis in NPCs in TUNEL assays. The results of this study showed the downstream signals and mechanism of PI3K/AKT-mediated anti-apoptotic activity of GM-CSF in NPCs, particularly revealing the role of the NF-kappa B-HIF-1 alpha-survivin cascade.

Engineering performance of barristors by varying the thickness of WS₂

Choi, D.H.,Lee, J.H.,Kim, H.C.,Lee, H.B.,Jeoung, N.B.,Park, D.H.,Kim, H.,Jhang, S.H.,Lee, S.W.,Chung, H.J. Elsevier 2017 CURRENT APPLIED PHYSICS Vol.17 No.1

<P>We have investigated the performances of barristors with a graphene-tungsten disulfide (WS2) junction by varying the thickness of WS2 and gate oxide. On-current density (J(ON)) and on-and off-current ratio (J(ON)/J(OFF)) increases, and sub-threshold swing (V-SS) decreases with the WS2 thickness. Also, barristors with thicker WS2 required less workfunction shift, to switch the barristors. Therefore, unlike the traditional devices, VSS of barristor with gate dielectric 300 nm was smaller than that of 90 nm, when the former is fabricated with thicker WS2 than the latter. Since materials properties of 2-dimensional semiconductors generally vary with their thickness, the thickness of 2D semiconductors could become a key parameter to engineer the performance of barristors with graphene and the 2D semiconductors. (C) 2016 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.</P>