Following the previous study, which investigated the pharmacological properties of the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m), the toxicity of a single intravenous administration of the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) and the side effects that may occur at the diagnostic dose were confirmed. The Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) was administered intravenously once at a dose of 0, 0.67, 2.0, and 6.0 mCi/kg to 5 male and female rats per group. Mortality, general symptom observation, and weight measurement were performed for 2 weeks, followed by observation of autopsy findings. There were no deaths, and no statistically significant weight change was observed. No abnormal systemic signs related to the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) were observed. These results confirmed that Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) can be safely administered intravenously at doses up to 6.0 mCi/kg. Additionally, technetium-99m at an average dose of 2 mCi (74 MBq) has been verified as a diagnostic dose without adverse effects, allowing the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) to be used safely without side effects at this dosage. This study demonstrates that the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) has a wide safety margin, supporting its potential for clinical application. Moreover, these findings align with the nonclinical safety standards for radiopharmaceuticals, reinforcing its utility in veterinary medicine. The Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) is expected to be applicable for clinical diagnosis as a veterinary drug in Korea.

Thyroid scanning using technetium-99m (99mTc) is the gold standard for diagnosing feline hyperthyroidism. In cats with an overactive thyroid, a thyroid scan is the most appropriate imaging technique to detect and localize any hyperfunctional adenomatous thyroid tissue. In this study, the pharmacological properties of the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m), developed as a diagnostic agent for feline hyperthyroidism using 99mTc as an active ingredient, were tested in FRTL-5 thyroid follicular cell line and ICR mice. The percentage of cell uptake of the Tc-99m in FRTL-5 thyroid cells was 0.182 ± 0.018%, which was about 6 times higher compared to Clone 9 hepatocytes. This uptake decreased by 38.2% due to competitive inhibition by iodine (sodium iodide). In tissue distribution tests by using ICR mice, the highest distribution was observed in the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, and femur at 0.083 hours after administration, and this distribution decreased as the compound was excreted through the kidneys, the primary excretory organ. Maximum distribution was confirmed at 1 hour in the small intestine, 6 hours in the large intestine, and 2 hours in the thyroid gland. Additionally, the total amount excreted through urine and feces over 48 hours (2 days) was 78.80% of the injected dose, with 37.70% (47.84% of the total excretion) excreted through urine and 41.10% (52.16% of the total excretion) through feces. In conclusion, the Tc-99m has the same mechanism of action, potency, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion characteristics as 99mTc used for feline hyperthyroidism in the United States, Europe, and other countries, because the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) contains 99mTc as its sole active ingredient. Based on these results, the Technekitty injection (Tc-99m) is expected to be safely used in the clinical diagnosis of feline hyperthyroidism.

이탈리안벌인 A, C, F계통과 코카시안벌인 D, V계통을 2005년부터 2007년까지 국내에서 수집하였다. 수집한 계통은 육종을 위해 격리 된 섬에서 근친교배를 통해 순계로 분리하였다. 이 연구는 꿀, 로열젤리 다수확계통 선발에 있어 개체군 선발과 육종 효율을 높이기 위해 수행되 었다. 23 개의 형태학적 특성을 평가하고 두 아종의 기존 데이터와 비교한 결과, 이탈리안벌 순계계통은 코카시안벌 순계 계통과 달리8개의 특성이 기존의 이탈리안벌과 유사해 더 많은 특성이 보존되고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 국내에서 유지되고 있는 순계들은 타 지역의 동일 계통과 차 이를 보여 분리된 순계의 형태적인 특징이 확인되었다.

This study aimed to examine the effect of a mild elevation in serum cholesterol level in a porcine coronary overstretch restenosis model using a balloon angioplasty catheter or drug-eluting coronary stent. Pigs were divided into two groups and were fed a commercial normal diet (CND, n = 4) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 4) for 5 weeks. Coronary overstretch injury by balloon angioplasty or stent implantation was induced in the left anterior descending and left circumflex artery after 1 week of feeding. Histopathological analysis was performed at 4 weeks after coronary injury. During the experiment, the total cholesterol level in the HFD group increased by approximately 44.9% (from 65.9 ± 3.21 mg/dL at baseline to 95.5 ± 9.94 mg/dL at 5 weeks). The lumen area in the CND group was reduced in comparison with that in the HFD group after balloon angioplasty. After stent implantation, the injury score showed no significant difference. There were significant differences in the neointimal area (2.7 ± 0.33 mm2 in the CND group vs. 3.3 ± 0.34 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), lumen area (2.6 ± 0.54 mm2 in the CND group vs. 2.0 ± 0.33 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), and percent area stenosis (52.0 ± 7.96% in the CND group vs. 62.4 ± 5.15% in the HFD group, p<0.05). Body weight change was not different between the two groups. Increased serum cholesterol level activated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in the porcine coronary overstretch model.

The aim of the present study was to investigate sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. A retrospective review was performed on data from 2,009 consecutive patients presenting with their first urinary stone episode between 2005 and 2013. Of the 2,009 patients, 1,426 (71.0%) satisfied the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Patients were grouped by age (<60, ≥60 years old) and sex. The medical history and 24 hr urinary chemistry results of each patient were obtained. The mean age of the 165 (11.6%) patients aged 60 or over was 65.5 ± 4.2 years. Body mass index was greater in elderly females than in younger females (p=0.031). After stratification by sex and age, lower urinary excretion of calcium and uric acid was a protective factor for both sexes among the elderly (p<0.05, each, respectively). Low urine pH was a common risk factor for both sexes among the elderly (p=0.013 in males, p=0.047 in females, respectively), whereas lower citrate excretion was a risk factor for only the elderly female group (p=0.004). With regard to urinary metabolic abnormalities, elderly females showed higher incidence of hypocitraturia compared to younger females (p=0.049). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. Thus, it is important to tailor metabolic evaluation and medical prevention therapies for patient according to sex and gender characteristics.

DNA methylation is the most common and well-characterized epigenetic change in human cancer. Recently, the association between GATA-binding protein 5 (GATA5) methylation and carcinogenesis of various types of tumors was investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of GATA5 methylation status on clinicopathological features and prognosis in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients with a long-term follow-up period. The GATA5 methylation status was determined for 171 human bladder specimens (eight normal controls [NCs] and 163 primary NMIBC patients) using quantitative pyrosequencing analysis. The primary NMIBC tissues were obtained from patients who underwent transurethral resection (TUR) for histologically diagnosed transitional cell carcinomas between 1995 and 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. GATA5 methylation was significantly higher in NMIBC patients than in NCs and was significantly associated with higher grade and more advanced stage of cancer. Kaplan-Meier estimates showed significant differences in tumor recurrence and progression according to GATA5 methylation status (each p<0.05). Our results show that increased methylation of GATA5 was significantly associated with not only aggressive characteristics but also poor prognosis in primary NMIBC patients. Alteration of GATA5 methylation might be used as a biomarker for prognosis of NMIBC patients. However, prospective and functional investigations are necessary to clarify the role of GATA5 methylation in future clinical management of patients with NMIBC.

Dietary and lifestyle modifications are widely prescribed to prevent recurrence of urolithiasis, although little is known about the clinical and demographic factors associated with patient compliance and urinary metabolic changes. The present study assessed the clinical and demographic factors influencing compliance with a modified diet and lifestyle in first-time ureteric stone formers as well as determined the effects of compliance on urinary stone risk factors. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 53 patients presenting with ureteric calcium stones. Using a self-completed questionnaire, patients were classified according to compliance with seven recommendations for modifying diet and lifestyle into good compliance group (complied with ≥ three recommendations) and poor compliance group. Before (on a random diet) and after prescribing the modifications, 24 hour urine samples were collected from those in the good and poor compliance group. The stone size at presentation and initial treatment modality were closely associated with patient compliance (P=0.019, P=0.027, respectively). Citrate excretion significantly increased in the good compliance group after adopting modifications (P=0.012), whereas the poor compliance group did not show a statistically significant difference. Moreover, patients in the poor compliance group showed significantly increased urinary calcium excretion by the end of the study (P=0.040). After adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, and metabolic abnormality status, poor compliance was found to be an independent risk factor for persistence or development of hypocitraturia (OR: 3.885; 95% CI: 1.102~13.694; P=0.035). In conclusion, our results imply that patient education programs regarding diet and lifestyle should be tailored to the individual’s clinical and demographic characteristics.

The insect baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is useful for the production of biologically active recombinant proteins. However, the overexpression of foreign proteins in this system often results in misfolded proteins and the formation of protein aggregates. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a versatile baculovirus expression and secretion system using the Bombyx mori protein disulfide isomerase (bPDI) as a fusion partner. bPDI gene fusion improved the secretion and antibacterial activity of recombinant nuecin proteins. Thus, bPDI gene fusion is a useful addition to the BEVS for the large-scale production of bioactive recombinant proteins.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of surfactant to extract higher phenolic compound, flavonoid and antioxidant activity from Tartary buckwheat and evaluate the potentiality of surfactant as a screening agent for breeding purpose. Primarily, we employed two types of surfactant (Hydrophilic: Tween 20 and Lipophilic: Span 80) to select the suitable surfactant agent for the extraction of optimum bioactive compounds. Between two surfactants, Tween 20 showed highest efficiency at 4 mM concentration to extract total phenolic content (TP), total flavonoid (TF) and antioxidant activity (AA). Tween 20 at 4 mM concentration was fixed for further analysis along with hot water (90℃) treatment as a control. In our findings, highest TP (118 ㎎/g), TF (38 ㎎/g) and AA (76%) was achieved in KW21 and KW22 among the fifteen accessions of Tartary buckwheat. In other way, TP, TF and AA was 200%, 120% and 110% higher in surfactant formulation compared with control treatment, respectively.

Background : Cordyceps militaris is a non-toxic, medicinal mushroom, which is known to possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating activities. And also, Glycyrrhiza uralensis is widely used as a crude drug in oriental medicine. However, the effects and mechanism of action of C. militaris and G. uralensis on Herpes simplex virsu (HSV), which is a serious skin disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of C. militaris and G. uralensis on Herpes simplex virus. Methods and Results : The results showed that the extracts and major compounds C. militaris and G. uralensis increased the TNF-α product on RAW 264.7. And also, these extracts and major compounds inhibited TNF-α product in RAW 264.7 induced by LPS. Querceitn, which was identified from G. uralensis, was showed Anti-virrus effect of Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Conclusion : Taken together, these results indicate that the anti-stomach cancer effect of C. militaris and G. uralensis in xenograft model implantated Epstein-Barr virus positive-stomach cancer cell line.

Muscle strength and endurance activities of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer; KG) were compared with those of wild simulated cultivation ginseng (WCG) in mice. Fifty male ICR mice were divided into five groups: A (vehicle); B (WCG 100 mg/kg); C (WCG 500 mg/kg); D (KG 100 mg/kg); E (KG 500 mg/kg). Subsequently, the mice were subjected to the forced swimming test (FST) and treadmill test at the 4th and 7th weeks. The glycogen content in the muscle and blood analysis (levels of glucose, triglyceride (TG), IGF-1) were also performed immediately after the last FST and treadmill test at the 7th week. Immobility times in FST were shorter in WCG- than KG-treated groups, and the results of the treadmill tests were also significant except for KG-treated at 100 mg/kg. The glycogen content was increased in both groups with a peak at 500 mg/kg of WCG groups. Serum concentrations of TG and glucose were decreased by administration of KG and WCG and all treated groups showed increase in the level of IGF-1 in serum. These results suggest that KG and WCG supplementations are effective in escalating the muscle strength and endurance.

For QTL analysis of agronomic traits based on cultivation of low and high altitude locations, BC1 F5 181 lines were developed from a cross of Tongil type Gayabyeo and japonica Chhomrong originated from Nepal. Plant materials were grown in both of low altitude area of Milyang, Korea and high altitude area of Khumaltar, Nepal. In QTLs analysis, a total of 42 QTLs were detected in days to flowering, culm length, panicle length, number of panicles/hill, panicle exertion, and spikelet ripening ratio. Although many of the QTLs were coincided between the two locations of Korea and Nepal, several QTLs were revealed as location specific in high altitude area of Khumaltar. Especially, the regions harboring marker RM489-RM14281 on chromo- some 3, RM5642-RM19049 on chromosome 5, and RM2854-RM6696 on chromosome 12 where QTLs were clustered and coincided between the two locations are considered as positive target regions for environmental independent traits. Furthermore, high rate of location specific QTLs such as panicle exertion and spikelet ripening ratio could be considered carefully for understanding the mechanism of cold tolerance based on cultivation of different altitude location.