Subdural Empyema from Streptococcus suis Infection, South Korea.

In Jeju Island, South Korea, a patient who consumed raw pig products had subdural empyema, which led to meningitis, sepsis, and status epilepticus. We identified Streptococcus suis from blood and the subdural empyema. This case illustrates the importance of considering dietary habits in similar clinical assessments to prevent misdiagnosis.

Comparison of the triglyceride glucose index and modified triglyceride glucose indices in assessing periodontitis in Korean adults.

BACKGROUND: Periodontal diseases are closely connected with insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome. The Triglyceride Glucose Index (TyG) assesses IR, and recently, a few indices combining TyG and body composition have emerged with higher IR predictive performance than TyG alone. We aimed to examine which TyG-related parameters are most helpful in predicting the risk of periodontal disease. METHODS: From 2013 to 2015, data were collected through the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Periodontitis was defined using the Community Periodontal Index. TyG-body mass index (BMI), TyG-waist circumference (WC), and TyG-waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated by multiplying TyG index score by BMI, WC, and WHtR, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to estimate areas under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Compared to each reference quartile (Q)1, Q4 of the TyG index, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR were significantly associated with a higher risk of periodontitis after adjusting for confounders (OR, 95% CI; 1.23, 1.01-1.49 for TyG; 1.63, 1.22-2.17 for TyG-BMI; 1.37, 1.04-1.81 for TyG-WC; and 1.53, 1.16-2.02 for TyG-WHtR). The AUC and 95% CIs of TyG, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR in predicting periodontitis were 0.609 (0.600-0.617), 0.605 (0.596-0.617), 0.629 (0.621-0.637), and 0.636 (0.628-0.644), respectively (all p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: TyG, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR appear to be significantly associated with the prevalence of periodontitis. Among the TyG and modified TyG indices, TyG-WHtR exhibited the highest predictive performance for periodontitis.

Impact of flavonol extracts derived from green tea or targeted flavonols as secondary ingredients on intestinal glucose transport.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of adding secondary ingredients such as green tea derived water-soluble polysaccharides (GTP) and flavonol aglycone rich fractions derived from cellulase treated green tea extract (FVN) into catechin rich green tea extracts (GTE) on wheat starch digestion and intestinal glucose transport using in vitro digestion with Caco-2 cells. Co-digestion of wheat starch with GTE (16.88 g L-1) or GTE + GTP + FVN (16.69 g L-1) appeared to promote starch hydrolysis compared to control (15.49 g L-1). In case of major flavonoids, addition of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), EGCG + myricetin (M) into wheat starch significantly increased the digestion of starch into glucose. Glucose transport rate decreased by 22.35% in wheat starch + GTE + GTP + FVN (1.39%), while the least amount of glucose (1.70%) was transported in EGCG mixed with M (1% of EGCG) as secondary ingredients among individual flavonoids formulation. It indicated that inhibitory effect on glucose transport was higher in addition of GTE, GTP, and FVN as excipients ingredients rather than targeted major flavonoids. Results from the current study suggest that whole green tea including flavonoid rich fractions could enhance hypoglycemic potential of GTE. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05140-2.

Direct-Contact Microelectrical Measurement of the Electrical Resistivity of a Solid Electrolyte Interface.

Because of its effectiveness in blocking electrons, the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) suppresses decomposition reactions of the electrolyte and contributes to the stability and reversibility of batteries. Despite the critical role of SEI in determining the properties of batteries, the electrical properties of SEI layers have never been measured directly. In this paper, we present the first experimental results of the electrical resistivity of a LiF-rich SEI layer measured using a direct-contact microelectrical device mounted in an electron microscope. Measurements show that the SEI layer exhibits high electrical resistivity (2.3 × 105 Ω·m), which is comparable with those of typical insulating materials. Furthermore, a combined technique of advanced analyses and first-principles calculations show that the SEI layer is mainly composed of amorphous LiF and a minute nanocrystalline Li2CO3 compound. The electronic origin responsible for the high resistivity of the SEI layer is elucidated by calculating the band structures of various Li xF compounds and interpreting their effects on the resistivity. This study explains why SEI can prevent the degradation of electrode materials and consumption of Li ions in the electrolyte and thus can be viewed as a stepping stone for developing highly stable and reversible batteries.

Lumbosacral and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volume changes in neonates, infants, children, and adolescents: A retrospective magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND: The volume of cerebrospinal fluid can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of local anesthetics for spinal anesthesia and other intrathecal medications. AIMS: The objective of this study was to estimate the lumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volume and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volume using magnetic resonance images in pediatric patients from neonates and infants to adolescents. METHODS: Spinal magnetic resonance images of 500 pediatric patients (age <18 years) were reviewed. The lumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volumes of 418 patients and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volumes of 248 patients were measured. The relationship between cerebrospinal fluid volumes and age, height, and weight were evaluated. The lumbosacral and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volumes per weight were calculated to elucidate developmental changes. RESULTS: The lumbosacral and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volumes showed linear correlations with height (r2  = 0.730 and r2  = 0.661, respectively), whereas they showed curvilinear correlations with age (r2  = 0.752 and r2  = 0.717, respectively) and weight (r2  = 0.734 and r2  = 0.734, respectively). The mean lumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volume per weight (mL/kg) was 0.85 (standard deviation [SD]: 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.90) in neonates and infants, 0.86 (SD: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.83-0.89) in toddlers and preschoolers, 0.71 (SD: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.66-0.76) in schoolers, and 0.54 (SD: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.49-0.60) in adolescents. The mean thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volume per weight (mL/kg) was 1.95 (SD: 0.37, 95% CI: 1.86-2.04) in neonates and infants, 1.82 (SD: 0.41, 95% CI: 1.75-1.88) in toddlers and preschoolers, 1.38 (SD: 0.40, 95% CI: 1.23-1.52) in schoolers, and 0.99 (SD: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.45-1.53) in adolescents. CONCLUSION: The lumbosacral and thoracolumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid volumes in pediatric patients were much smaller than previously presented values, showing linear correlations with height, and demonstrate curvilinear correlations with age and weight.

Effects of feeding ethanol on growth performances, carcass characteristics, and lipid metabolism of finishing Korean cattle (Hanwoo) steers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of feeding ethanol on growth performances, carcass characteristics, and lipid metabolism of finishing Korean cattle (Hanwoo) steers. METHODS: Thirty (30) Hanwoo steers (average 25.1 months of age, body weight 660.1 kg) were assigned to three treatments: control (0% ethanol), E-3 (1.44% ethanol for 3 months), or E-5 (0.72% ethanol for 2 months followed by 1.44% ethanol for 3 months). The animals were allotted by treatment group into six pens and fed concentrate and perennial ryegrass. Ethanol (30%, v/v) was supplemented into drinking water twice a day to meet final concentrations based on average water consumption of finishing Hanwoo steers. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences among the groups in final body weight, average daily gain, or carcass yield grade indices such as cold carcass weight, fat thickness, and loin area. The marbling score tended (p = 0.228) to increase with the highest score (6.7) in the E-5 group followed by 6.3 and 6.0 in E-3 and control groups, respectively. The appearance frequencies of quality grades of 1++ (the best), 1+, 1, and 2, were; 30%, 50%, 0%, and 20% for control, 10%, 80%, 10%, and 0% for E-3, and 10%, 80%, 0%, and 10% for E-5 groups, respectively, indicating improvements of quality grades by feeding ethanol. Concentrations of serum glucose tended to decrease whereas those of insulin and non-esterified fatty acid to increase by feeding ethanol (E-3 and E-5; p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Feeding ethanol directly into drinking water of finishing Hanwoo steers stimulated lipogenesis in intramuscular adipose tissue (marbling) and thereby improved carcass quality grade. The serum metabolites results supported the hypothesis of lipolysis of existing adipose tissue, such as abdominal fats, and lipogenesis in intramuscular adipocytes.

Complete genome sequence of a novel avian paramyxovirus isolated from wild birds in South Korea.

A novel avian paramyxovirus (APMV), Cheonsu1510, was isolated from wild bird feces in South Korea and serologically and genetically characterized. In hemagglutination inhibition tests, antiserum against Cheonsu1510 showed low reactivity with other APMVs and vice versa. The complete genome of Cheonsu1510 comprised 15,408 nucleotides, contained six open reading frames (3'-N-P-M-F-HN-L-5'), and showed low sequence identity to other APMVs (< 63%) and a unique genomic composition. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Cheonsu1510 was related to but distinct from APMV-1, -9, and -15. These results suggest that Cheonsu1510 represents a new APMV serotype, APMV-17.

Effects of deoxynivalenol- and zearalenone-contaminated feed on the gene expression profiles in the kidneys of piglets.

OBJECTIVE: Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), common contaminants in the feed of farm animals, cause immune function impairment and organ inflammation. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to elucidate DON and ZEN effects on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other immune related genes in the kidneys of piglets. METHODS: Fifteen 6-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments for 4 weeks: control diet, and diets contaminated with either 8 mg DON/kg feed or 0.8 mg ZEN/kg feed. Kidney samples were collected after treatment, and RNA-seq was used to investigate the effects on immune-related genes and gene networks. RESULTS: A total of 186 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened (120 upregulated and 66 downregulated). Gene ontology analysis revealed that the immune response, and cellular and metabolic processes were significantly controlled by these DEGs. The inflammatory stimulation might be an effect of the following enriched Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway analysis found related to immune and disease responses: cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tuberculosis, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and chemical carcinogenesis. The effects of DON and ZEN on genome-wide expression were assessed, and it was found that the DEGs associated with inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 10 receptor, beta, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 9, CXCL10, chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 4), proliferation (insulin like growth factor binding protein 4, IgG heavy chain, receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C, cytochrome P450 1A1, ATP-binding cassette sub-family 8), and other immune response networks (lysozyme, complement component 4 binding protein alpha, oligoadenylate synthetase 2, signaling lymphocytic activation molecule-9, α-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, Ig lambda chain c region, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isozyme 4, carboxylesterase 1), were suppressed by DON and ZEN. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results indicate that high concentrations of DON and ZEN suppress the inflammatory response in kidneys, leading to potential effects on immune homeostasis.

Deoxynivalenol- and zearalenone-contaminated feeds alter gene expression profiles in the livers of piglets.

OBJECTIVE: The Fusarium mycotoxins of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zerolenone (ZEN) cause health hazards for both humans and farm animals. Therefore, the main intention of this study was to reveal DON and ZEN effects on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other immune related genes in the liver of piglets. METHODS: In the present study, 15 six-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to the following three different dietary treatments for 4 weeks: control diet, diet containing 8 mg DON/kg feed, and diet containing 0.8 mg ZEN/kg feed. After 4 weeks, liver samples were collected and sequenced using RNA-Seq to investigate the effects of the mycotoxins on genes and gene networks associated with the immune systems of the piglets. RESULTS: Our analysis identified a total of 249 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which included 99 upregulated and 150 downregulated genes in both the DON and ZEN dietary treatment groups. After biological pathway analysis, the DEGs were determined to be significantly enriched in gene ontology terms associated with many biological pathways, including immune response and cellular and metabolic processes. Consistent with inflammatory stimulation due to the mycotoxin-contaminated diet, the following Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways, which were related to disease and immune responses, were found to be enriched in the DEGs: allograft rejection pathway, cell adhesion molecules, graft-versus-host disease, autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), type I diabetes mellitus, human T-cell leukemia lymphoma virus infection, and viral carcinogenesis. Genome-wide expression analysis revealed that DON and ZEN treatments downregulated the expression of the majority of the DEGs that were associated with inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 10 receptor, beta, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 9), proliferation (insulin-like growth factor 1, major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2A, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2, lipase G, and salt inducible kinase 1), and other immune response networks (paired immunoglobulin-like type 2 receptor beta, Src-like-adaptor-1 [SLA1], SLA3, SLA5, SLA7, claudin 4, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, thyrotropin-releasing hormone degrading enzyme, ubiquitin D, histone H2B type 1, and serum amyloid A). CONCLUSION: In summary, our results demonstrated that high concentrations DON and ZEN disrupt immune-related processes in the liver.

Comparative Genomic Analysis for Genetic Variation in Sacbrood Virus of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera Honeybees From Different Regions of Vietnam.

Sacbrood virus (SBV) is one of the most common viral infections of honeybees. The entire genome sequence for nine SBV infecting honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, in Vietnam, namely AcSBV-Viet1, AcSBV-Viet2, AcSBV-Viet3, AmSBV-Viet4, AcSBV-Viet5, AmSBV-Viet6, AcSBV-Viet7, AcSBV-Viet8, and AcSBV-Viet9, was determined. These sequences were aligned with seven previously reported complete genome sequences of SBV from other countries, and various genomic regions were compared. The Vietnamese SBVs (VN-SBVs) shared 91-99% identity with each other, and shared 89-94% identity with strains from other countries. The open reading frames (ORFs) of the VN-SBV genomes differed greatly from those of SBVs from other countries, especially in their VP1 sequences. The AmSBV-Viet6 and AcSBV-Viet9 genome encodes 17 more amino acids within this region than the other VN-SBVs. In a phylogenetic analysis, the strains AmSBV-Viet4, AcSBV-Viet2, and AcSBV-Viet3 were clustered in group with AmSBV-UK, AmSBV-Kor21, and AmSBV-Kor19 strains. Whereas, the strains AmSBV-Viet6 and AcSBV-Viet7 clustered separately with the AcSBV strains from Korea and AcSBV-VietSBM2. And the strains AcSBV-Viet8, AcSBV-Viet1, AcSBV-Viet5, and AcSBV-Viet9 clustered with the AcSBV-India, AcSBV-Kor and AcSBV-VietSBM2. In a Simplot graph, the VN-SBVs diverged stronger in their ORF regions than in their 5' or 3' untranslated regions. The VN-SBVs possess genetic characteristics which are more similar to the Asian AcSBV strains than to AmSBV-UK strain. Taken together, our data indicate that host specificity, geographic distance, and viral cross-infections between different bee species may explain the genetic diversity among the VN-SBVs in A. cerana and A. mellifera and other SBV strains.

Early weaning of calves after different dietary regimens affects later rumen development, growth, and carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of different diets for early-weaned (EW) calves on rumen development, and how this affects fat deposition in the longissimus dorsi of adult Korean Hanwoo beef cattle. METHODS: Three EW groups were established (each n = 12) in which two- week-old Hanwoo calves were fed for ten weeks with milk replacer+concentrate (T1), milk replacer+concentrate+ roughage (T2), or milk replacer+concentrate+30% starch (T3); a control group (n = 12) was weaned as normal. At six months, 5 calves of each group were slaughtered and their organs were assessed and rumen papillae growth rates were measured. The remaining calves (n = 7 in each group) were raised to 20 months for further analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-month-old EW calves had a higher body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), longissimus dorsi muscle area (LMA) and intramuscular fat (IMF) than the control (p<0.05). Organ growth, rumen histology, and gene expression patterns in the 6-month-old calves were positively related to the development of marbling in the loin, as assessed by ultrasound analysis (p<0.05). In the group fed the starch-enriched diet (T3), higher BW, BF, LMA, and IMF were present. The IMF beef quality score of 20-month-old cattle was 1+ for the T2 and T3 diets and 1 for the T1 diet (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Papillae development was significantly greater in calves fed on high-concentrate diets and this may have resulted in the improved beef quality in the EW dietary groups compared to the control.

Comprehensive identification of sexually dimorphic genes in diverse cattle tissues using RNA-seq.

BACKGROUND: Molecular mechanisms associated with sexual dimorphism in cattle have not been well elucidated. Furthermore, as recent studies have implied that gene expression patterns are highly tissue specific, it is essential to investigate gene expression in a variety of tissues using RNA-seq. Here, we employed and compared two statistical methods, a simple two group test and Analysis of deviance (ANODEV), in order to investigate bovine sexually dimorphic genes in 40 RNA-seq samples distributed across two factors: sex and tissue. RESULTS: As a result, we detected 752 sexually dimorphic genes across tissues from two statistical approaches and identified strong tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. Additionally, significantly detected sex-related genes shared between two mammal species (cattle and rat) were identified using qRT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our analyses reveal that sexual dimorphism of metabolic tissues and pituitary gland in cattle involves various biological processes. Several differentially expressed genes between sexes in cattle and rat species are shared, but show tissue-specific patterns. Finally, we concluded that two distinct statistical approaches have their advantages and disadvantages in RNA-seq studies investigating multiple tissues.

Status of dosage compensation of X chromosome in bovine genome.

Dosage compensation system with X chromosome upregulation and inactivation have evolved to overcome the genetic imbalance between sex chromosomes in both male and female of mammals. Although recent development of chromosome-wide technologies has allowed us to test X upregulation, discrete data processing and analysis methods draw disparate conclusions. A series of expression studies revealed status of dosage compensation in some species belonging to monotremes, marsupials, rodents and primates. However, X upregulation in the Artiodactyla order including cattle have not been studied yet. In this study, we surveyed the genome-wide transcriptional upregulation in X chromosome in cattle RNA-seq data using different gene filtration methods. Overall examination of RNA-seq data revealed that X chromosome in the pituitary gland expressed more genes than in other peripheral tissues, which was consistent with the previous results observed in human and mouse. When analyzed with globally expressed genes, a median X:A expression ratio was 0.94. The ratio of 1-to-1 ortholog genes between chicken and mammals, however, showed considerable reduction to 0.68. These results indicate that status of dosage compensation for cattle is not deviated from those found in rodents and primate, and this is consistent with the evolutionary history of cattle.

Child behavior checklist profiles in adolescents with bipolar and depressive disorders.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) profiles in youths with bipolar and depressive disorders. METHODS: Seventy-four subjects with a mean age of 14.9±1.6years (36 boys) with mood disorders and their parents were recruited from September 2011 to June 2013 in the Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Diagnosis of mood disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorder was confirmed by child psychiatrists using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). The parents of the subjects completed the Parent General Behavior Inventory-10-item Mania Scale (P-GBI-10M), Parent-version of Mood Disorder Questionnaire (P-MDQ), ADHD rating scale (ARS) and CBCL. The adolescents completed the 76-item Adolescent General Behavior Inventory (A-GBI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Adolescent-version of Mood Disorder Questionnaire (A-MDQ). RESULTS: When adjusted for gender and the comorbidity with ADHD, the Withdrawn and Anxious/Depressed subscale scores of the CBCL were higher in subjects with bipolar disorder than in those with depressive disorder. Higher scores of A-GBI Depressive subscale, A-MDQ and BDI were shown in subjects with bipolar disorder than in those with depressive disorder. There was no significant difference on CBCL-DP, P-GBI-10M, P-MDQ, A-GBI Hypomanic/Biphasic subscale and ARS between two groups. All eight subscales of the CBCL positively correlated with the P-GBI-10M and P-MDQ scores, and seven of all eight subscales of the CBCL positively correlated with A-GBI Depressive and Hypomanic/Biphasic subscales. The BDI score was positively associated with the Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, Anxious/Depressed, and Social Problems subscale scores. CBCL-DP score was strongly correlated with manic/hypomanic symptoms measured by P-GBI-10M and P-MDQ (r=0.771 and 0.826). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the CBCL could be used for measuring mood symptoms and combined psychopathology, especially internalizing symptoms, in youth with mood disorder. However, CBCL-DP had limited ability to differentiate bipolar from depressive disorder, at least in adolescents.

Ubiquitous polygenicity of human complex traits: genome-wide analysis of 49 traits in Koreans.

Recent studies in population of European ancestry have shown that 30% ~ 50% of heritability for human complex traits such as height and body mass index, and common diseases such as schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis, can be captured by common SNPs and that genetic variation attributed to chromosomes are in proportion to their length. Using genome-wide estimation and partitioning approaches, we analysed 49 human quantitative traits, many of which are relevant to human diseases, in 7,170 unrelated Korean individuals genotyped on 326,262 SNPs. For 43 of the 49 traits, we estimated a nominally significant (P<0.05) proportion of variance explained by all SNPs on the Affymetrix 5.0 genotyping array ([Formula: see text]). On average across 47 of the 49 traits for which the estimate of h(G)(2) is non-zero, common SNPs explain approximately one-third (range of 7.8% to 76.8%) of narrow sense heritability. The estimate of h(G)(2) is highly correlated with the proportion of SNPs with association P<0.031 (r(2) = 0.92). Longer genomic segments tend to explain more phenotypic variation, with a correlation of 0.78 between the estimate of variance explained by individual chromosomes and their physical length, and 1% of the genome explains approximately 1% of the genetic variance. Despite the fact that there are a few SNPs with large effects for some traits, these results suggest that polygenicity is ubiquitous for most human complex traits and that a substantial proportion of the "missing heritability" is captured by common SNPs.

Characterizing Milk Production Related Genes in Holstein Using RNA-seq.

Although the chemical, physical, and nutritional properties of bovine milk have been extensively studied, only a few studies have attempted to characterize milk-synthesizing genes using RNA-seq data. RNA-seq data was collected from 21 Holstein samples, along with group information about milk production ability; milk yield; and protein, fat, and solid contents. Meta-analysis was employed in order to generally characterize genes related to milk production. In addition, we attempted to investigate the relationship between milk related traits, parity, and lactation period. We observed that milk fat is highly correlated with lactation period; this result indicates that this effect should be considered in the model in order to accurately detect milk production related genes. By employing our developed model, 271 genes were significantly (false discovery rate [FDR] adjusted p-value<0.1) detected as milk production related differentially expressed genes. Of these genes, five (albumin, nitric oxide synthase 3, RNA-binding region (RNP1, RRM) containing 3, secreted and transmembrane 1, and serine palmitoyltransferase, small subunit B) were technically validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in order to check the accuracy of RNA-seq analysis. Finally, 83 gene ontology biological processes including several blood vessel and mammary gland development related terms, were significantly detected using DAVID gene-set enrichment analysis. From these results, we observed that detected milk production related genes are highly enriched in the circulation system process and mammary gland related biological functions. In addition, we observed that detected genes including caveolin 1, mammary serum amyloid A3.2, lingual antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin 4 (CATHL4), cathelicidin 6 (CATHL6) have been reported in other species as milk production related gene. For this reason, we concluded that our detected 271 genes would be strong candidates for determining milk production.

Regional Differences of Proteins Expressing in Adipose Depots Isolated from Cows, Steers and Bulls as Identified by a Proteomic Approach.

Adipose tissue in the loin muscle area of beef cattle as a marbling factor is directly associated with beef quality. To elucidate whether properties of proteins involved in depot specific adipose tissue were sex-dependent, we analyzed protein expression of intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and omental adipose tissue (OMAT) from Hanwoo cows, steers, and bulls of Korean native beef cattle by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomic analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analysis. Two different adipose depots (i.e. intramuscular and omental) were collected from cows (n = 7), steers (n = 7), or bulls (n = 7). LC-MS/MS revealed a total of 55 and 35 proteins in IMAT and OMAT, respectively. Of the 55 proteins identified, 44, 40, and 42 proteins were confirmed to be differentially expressed in IMAT of cows, steers, and bulls, respectively. In OMAT of cows, steers, and bulls, 33, 33, and 22 were confirmed to be differentially expressed, respectively. Tropomyosin (TPM) 1, TPM 2, and TPM3 were subjected to verification by quantitative PCR and western blot analysis in IMAT and OMAT of Hanwoo cows, steers, and bulls as key factors closely associated with muscle development. Both mRNA levels and protein levels of TPM1, TPM2, and TPM3 in IMAT were lower in bulls compared to in cows or steers suggesting that they were positively correlated with marbling score and quality grade. Our results may aid the regulation of marbling development and improvement of meat quality grades in beef cattle.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced free-radical production upon adipogenic differentiation in bovine bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major component of catechin in green tea, has known effects on cancer, diabetes and obesity. We recently reported that the expression levels of various genes and proteins involved in adipogenesis decreases following EGCG treatment. We also assessed apoptosis in EGCG-exposed cells. Here, we explore the variability in free-radical production in bovine bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) treated with EGCG. Upon adipogenic differentiation, BMSCs were exposed to various EGCG concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 5, or 10 µM) for 2, 4, or 6 days. We found that EGCG reduced cell viability and arrested the cell cycle at the gap 2/mitosis phase and that EGCG potentially enhanced the production of free radicals, including reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Immunostaining revealed that the expression of genes encoding CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha and stearoyl-CoA desaturase were diminished by EGCG treatment. These findings suggest that EGCG alters free-radical production activity during adipogenic differentiation in BMSCs.

Efficient self-assembly and protective efficacy of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles by a recombinant baculovirus co-expressing precursor polyprotein and VP4.

BACKGROUND: Virus-like particle (VLP) technology is considered one of the most promising approaches in animal vaccines, due to the intrinsic immunogenic properties as well as high safety profile of VLPs. In this study, we developed a VLP vaccine against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), which causes morbidity and mortality in chickens, by expressing a baculovirus in insect cells. METHODS: To improve the self-proteolytic processing of precursor polyprotein (PP), we constructed a recombinant baculovirus transfer vector that co-expresses PP and the VP4 protease gene of IBDV. RESULTS: Expression and VLP assembly of recombinant proteins and antigenicity of the VLP were examined by Western blotting, ELISA, and transmission electron microscopy. In animal experiments, vaccination with the recombinant VLP induced strong and uniform humoral immunity and provided complete protection against challenge with very virulent (vv) IBDV in SPF chickens (n = 12). As determined by the bursa of Fabricius (BF)/body weight (B/BW) ratio, the protection against post-challenge bursal atrophy was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in VLP-vaccinated birds than in non-vaccinated controls. CONCLUSIONS: Since the protective efficacy of the VLP vaccine was comparable to that of a commercially available inactivated vaccine, the recombinant VLP merits further investigation as an alternative means of protection against vvIBD.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate suppresses the lipid deposition through the apoptosis during differentiation in bovine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major component of tea, has known effects on obesity, fatty liver, and obesity-related cancer. We explored the effects of EGCG on the differentiation of bovine mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs, which are multipotent) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Differentiating BMSCs were exposed to various concentrations of EGCG (0, 10, 50, 100, and 200 µM) for 2, 4, and 6 days. BMSCs were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM)/high-glucose medium with adipogenic inducers for 6 days, and the expression levels of various genes involved in adipogenesis were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. We assessed apoptosis by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining of control and EGCG-exposed cells. We found that EGCG significantly suppressed fat deposition and cell viability (P < 0.05). The mRNA and protein levels of various adipogenic factors were measured. Expression of the genes encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) were diminished by EGCG during adipogenic differentiation (P < 0.05). We also found that EGCG lowered the expression levels of the adipogenic proteins encoded by these genes (P < 0.05). EGCG induced apoptosis during adipogenic differentiation (P < 0.05). Thus, exposure to EGCG potentially inhibits adipogenesis by triggering apoptosis; the data suggest that EGCG inhibits adipogenic differentiation in BMSCs.