Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) is a unique antioxidant enzyme involved in reduction of peroxidized phospholipids within biomembranes. To investigate the expression pattern of the PHGPx gene during fetal development, in situ hybridization analyses were performed using mouse FITC-labeled PHGPx cRNA probes in fetal tissues on embryonic days (Ed) 13.5-18.5. During these periods, PHGPx mRNA appeared in the developing telencephalon, diencephalon, spinal cord, and spinal ganglion. In particular, PHGPx mRNA was strongly expressed in pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex. On Eds 17.5-18.5, PHGPx mRNA was detected in various tissues including liver, intestinal villi and crypt, pancreas, lung, and olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity. In addition, PHGPx mRNA was highly expressed in the inner ear on Eds 14.5-18.5, brown fat on Ed 17.5, and adrenal gland on Ed 18.5. It is conceivable that PHGPx may act as an important antioxidant against fetal oxidative stress during mouse organogenesis.

Animal crude drugs (natural medicines derived from animal organs) have been widely used in various Chinese medicine for the therapeutic effects and for enhancement of immunologic functions. We found the specific identification methods using DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses for mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) in order to discriminate between the animal species and organs as well as the placenta of humans. Species-specific PCR bands of D-loop mt DNA for equine, bovine, porcine, and human were 133 bp, 137 bp, 231 bp, and 240 bp, respectively. Porcine organs were identified using restriction enzyme, HphI cut into two subfragments, 36 bp and 195 bp bands in the heart, spleen, and liver, except for kidney. The heart and liver of porcine were identified using restriction enzyme, SpeI cut into two subfragments, 84 bp and 147 bp bands, except for kidney and spleen. Bovine organs were cut into 68 bp and 69 bp bands in the liver, kidney, and spleen using NalIV, except heart and placenta. Placentas of bovine and humans were easily identified using each primer. Our results suggest that sequencing of mt DNA and its PCR-RFLP methods are useful for identification and discrimination of inter- and intra-specific variations in equine, bovine, porcine, and human by routine analysis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of alcohol or cigarette smoking on seminal parameters in a large group of mice model. Nine groups (n=20/group) of mice were treated intensive noxious materials that abdominal injection of 21% (v/v) of ethanol, cigarette smoke (10, 20, 30 minutes/day), and combination of ethanol and 30 minutes of smoking. In addition, vitamin C and selenium were also treated to mice exposed to combination of alcohol and smoking to identify the recovering effect. Sperm viability and motility were significantly decreased in either alcohol consumption or smoking exposed group, and combination of both materials have additive detrimental effects on seminal parameters. Mice groups that exposed to alcohol and smoking showed statistically significant decrease in motility and increase of static spermatozoa. Moreover, combination of both treatments showed cumulative effect in increase of static spermatozoa. Treatments of either vitamin C or selenium dramatically recovered detrimental effects of alcohol and smoking on seminal quality, although combination of both antioxidant molecules did not show any additive effect. In conclusion, detrimental effects of alcohol and cigarette consumption on sperm quality and motility were identified in mice model, and these detrimental effects can be compensated to uptake of anti‐oxidant molecules.

A 40-year-old G1 P0 L0 A1 woman was referred to our clinic with 6-year history of infertility. Before visiting the clinic, she had 3 cycles of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedures (2 cycles of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation-IVF and 1 cycle of frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer (ET)) at other clinic. She had medical history of abortion at early gestation following FET (frozen-thawed-ET). The patient had complete type of septate uterus, double cervix and longitudinal vaginal septum. Vaginal septotomy was done first and 1 month later, hysteroscopic septoplasty was followed using ballooning filled with dye. After septoplasty, we inserted ballooning and left for several days to compress septal endometrium on the septectomy area. All procedures were done in the ambulatory operating room without laparoscopy or admission. 3 months later, she had in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and FET procedures in our clinic. She had successful pregnancy and now is at 22 weeks of gestation. New ambulatory septoplasty using dye-filled ballooning is easy, safe and minimally invasive surgery for treatment of complete septate uterus.

Acinetobacter baumannii is usually considered an opportunistic pathogen that it responsible for a variety of nosocomial infections, such as, pneumonia, tracheobronchitis, meningitis, endocarditis, peritonitis, skin and soft tissue infections, and urinary tract infections. However, over the years, the organism has developed substantial antimicrobial resistance, and thus, the management of infections has become more difficult. The less common infective endocarditis is one of the more serious consequences of nosocomial bacteremia. Here, we report the successful treatment of the first case of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii endocarditis in a 33-year-old patient.

개가시나무 가지의 에탄올 추출물에서 항산화활성을 관찰하였으며, 활성성분을 규명하기 위한 연구를 진행하였다. 그 결과, 4종류의 화합물을 분리하여 동정하였다. 분리 동정된 성분은 catechin(1), epi-catechin(2), tyrosol(3) 및 tiliroside(4)이다. 분리 성분의 항산화활성은 DPPH 라디칼 및 superoxide 음이온 라디칼 소거활성을 이용하여 측정하였다. 화합물 1, 2, 3, 4는 100 µL/mL 농도에서 각각 94.2 %, 93.4 %, 33.6 %, 11.2 %의 DPPH 라디칼 저해활성을 나타내었다. 또한, 화합물 1, 2, 3, 4는 200 µL/mL 농도에서 각각 60.2 %, 35.1 %, 20.6%, 4.5 %의 superoxide 음이온 라디칼 저해활성을 나타내었다. 화합물 1 ∼ 4는 개가시나무에서는 처음으로 분리된 물질이다.

The aim of this study was to isolate chicken feather-degrading bacteria with high keratinolytic activity and to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic enzyme production by a selected isolate. A chicken feather-degrading bacterial strain CH3 was isolated from poultry wastes. Isolate CH3 degraded whole chicken feather completely within 3 days. On the basis of phenotypical and 16S rDNA studies, isolate CH3 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis CH3. This strain is the first B. thuringiensis described as a feather degrader. The bacterium grew with an optimum at pH 8.0 and 37℃, where maximum keratinolytic activity was also observed. The composition of optimal medium for keratinolytic enzyme production was feather 0.1%, sucrose 0.7%, casein 0.3%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04%, MgCl2 0.01% and NaCl 0.05%, respectively. The keratinolytic enzyme had a pH and temperature optima 9.0 and 45℃, respectively. The keratinolytic activity was inhibited ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and metal ions like Hg2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+. The enzyme activated by Fe2+, dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol.

Tocopherol belongs to the Vitamin E class of lipid soluble antioxidants that are essential for human nutrition. Tocopherols consist of a chromanol ring and a 15-carbon tail derived from homogentisate (HGA) and phytyl diphosphate, respectively. Condensation of HGA and phytyl diphosphate, the committed step in tocopherol biosynthesis, is catalyzed by HGA phytyltransferase (HPT). To increase tocopherol level in cucumber fruit, we performed Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with mdhpt gene, encoding HPT, isolated from apple (Malus domestica). We obtained two independent T0 cucumber plants from transforming 2,142 explants. Southern blot analysis of T0 showed that mdhpt was inserted in the genome. In order to test the tocopherol level, T1 cucumber fruits were screened by GC analysis. From 39 T1 fruits tested, some fruits showed 1.5-2 fold in α- and β-tocopherol content comparing to control. However, most of fruits contained lower levels of γ- and δ- tocopherol indicating a partition of metabolites in tocopherol biosynthesis pathway. We selected these T1 line and made a self-cross to obtain T2 seeds.