Mass spectrometry (MS) is a very powerful instrument that can be used to analyze a wide range of materials such as proteins, peptides, DNA, drugs, and polymers. The process typically involves either chemical or electron (impact) ionization of the analyte. The resulting charged species or fragment is subsequently identified by the detector. Usually, single mass uses source-induced dissociation (SID), whereas mass/mass uses collision-induced dissociation (CID) to analyze the chemical fragmentations Each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. While CID is most effective for the analysis of pure substances, multiple-step MS is a powerful technique to get structural data. Analysis of veterinary drugs ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and oxytetracycline serves to highlight the slight differences between SID and CID. For example, minor differences were observed between ciprofloxacin and oxytetracycline via SID or CID. However, distinct fragmentation patterns were observed for ampicllin depending on the analysis method. Both SID and CID showed similar fragmentation spectra but different signal intensities for chloramphenicol. There are several factors that can influence the fragmentation spectra, such as the collision energy, major precursor ion, electrospray mode (positive or negative), and sample homogeneity. Therefore, one must select a fragmentation method on an empirical and case-by-case basis.
Ampicillin ; Chloramphenicol ; Ciprofloxacin ; Dissociative Disorders ; DNA ; Electrons ; Mass Spectrometry ; Oxytetracycline ; Peptides ; Polymers ; Proteins ; Sudden Infant Death ; Veterinary Drugs

Facial Expression ; Humans ; Lip ; Microstomia ; Mouth ; Surgery, Oral

Twenty species representing five genera of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were isolated from twenty-four soil samples of the rhizosphere of the family Gramineae in Paekryung and Daecheong islands. A few species such as Glomus invermaius, G. marcrocapus var. marcrocarpus and Scutellospora coralloidea were recorded for the first time in Korea. The number of spores per 10g of soil was in the range of 8~337 in Paekryung and 16~349 in Daecheong island, respectively. The number of species per 10g of soil was 2~8 species in Paekryung and 2~7 species in Daecheong, respectively. Among them, G. macrocarpus var. macrocarpus was the most abundant species in both islands. The species diversity and evenness were almost similar in Paekryung and Daecheong Islands. Based on the host plants in two islands, the species diversity showed the highest value of 1.63 in Ischaemum crassipes, whereas the eveuness of species showed the lowest value of 0.35 in Eragrostis ferraginea.
Eragrostis ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Islands* ; Korea ; Poaceae ; Rhizosphere ; Soil ; Spores

Sclerotial development of Grifola umbellata (Pers. : Fr.) Donk was investigated through microscopic examinations. The sclerotium of G. umbellata was bumpy and rugged, multi-branched, and dark-brown to black in color. The sclerotial development of G. umbellata was categorized into three stages such as sclerotial initial, development and maturation. Sclerotium development was initiated as the white fungal mass. The superficial part of white sclerotium changed into gray, light brown and then black as its development proceeded further. As a distinctive characteristic of this fungus, a large number of crystals were observed in the medulla layer of sclerotium during its maturation. For development of new sclerotium, G. umbellata formed a white sclerotial primordium on the matured sclerotium. Development of sclerotium in G. umbellata was intimately associated with rhizomorphs of Armillariella mellea and the developing sclerotia were often penetrated by rhizomorphs of A. mellea into medulla layer.
Fungi ; Grifola*

To prepare measures for practical policy utilization and the control of heavy metals, hazard control related institutions by country, present states of control by country, and present states of control by heavy metals were examined. Hazard control cases by heavy metals in various countries were compared and analyzed. In certain countries (e.g., the U.S., the U.K., and Japan), hazardous substances found in foods (e.g., arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) are controlled. In addition, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recommends calculating the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of individual heavy metals instead of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) to compare their pollution levels considering their toxicity accumulated in the human body. In Korea, exposure assessments have been conducted, and in other countries, hazardous substances are controlled by various governing bodies. As such, in Korea and other countries, diverse food heavy metal monitoring and human body exposure assessments are conducted, and reducing measures are prepared accordingly. To reduce the danger of hazardous substances, many countries provide leaflets and guidelines, develop hazardous heavy metal intake recommendations, and take necessary actions. Hazard control case analyses can assist in securing consumer safety by establishing systematic and reliable hazard control methods.
Arsenic ; Cadmium ; Food Additives ; Hazardous Substances ; Human Body ; Joints ; Korea ; Metals, Heavy ; Risk Management ; Safety Management

Stem cells can give rise to various cell types and are capable of regenerating themselves over multiple cell divisions. Pluripotency and self-renewal potential of stem cells have drawn vast interest from different disciplines, with studies on the molecular properties of stem cells being one example. Current investigations on the molecular basis of stem cells pluripotency and self-renewal entail traditional techniques from chemistry and molecular biology. In this mini review, we discuss progress in stem cell research that employs proteomics approaches. Specifically, we focus on studies on human stem cells from proteomics perspective. To our best knowledge, only the following types of human stem cells have been examined via proteomics analysis: human neuronal stem cells, human mesenchymal stem cells, and human embryonic stem cells. Protein expression serves as biomarkers of stem cells and identification and expression level of such biomarkers are usually determined using two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled mass spectrometry or non-gel based mass spectrometry.
*Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Genetic Techniques ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry/*methods ; Neurons/*cytology/physiology ; Proteomics/*methods ; Stem Cells/*metabolism

The aims of this study were to evaluate obesity-related dietary behaviors and to determine long-term exercise effects on obesity and blood lipid profiles in elderly Korean subjects. A total of 120 subjects, aged 60-75 yr, were recruited, and obesity-related dietary behaviors were determined. An exercise intervention was conducted with 35 qualified elderly females for 6 months, and body composition and blood lipids were measured 6 times at 4 week intervals. At baseline, mean BMI (kg/m2) was 24.8 for males and 23.1 for females. The females had better eating habits than the males and were more concerned with reading nutrition labels on food products (P < 0.001); they also preferred convenience foods less than the male subjects (P < 0.05). Obese individuals were more likely than overweight or normal weight individuals to misperceive their weight (P < 0.001). Those with a high BMI responded feeling more depressed (P < 0.01), lacking self-confidence (P < 0.01), and feeling isolated (P < 0.01), as well as having more difficulty doing outdoor activities (P < 0.01). After exercise, body fat (%) and WHR were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), while body weight and BMI were also decreased without statistical significance. Total cholesterol and blood HDL were significantly improved (207.1 mg/dl vs. 182.6 mg/dl, HDL: 45.6 mg/dl vs. 50.6 mg/dl, P < 0.05). Other benefits obtained from exercise were improvements in self-confidence (26.4%), movement (22.6%), stress-relief (18.9%), and depression (13.2%). In conclusion, elderly females had better eating habits and were more concerned with nutrition information and healthy diets compared to elderly males. However, misperceptions of weight and obesity-related stress tended to be very high in females who were overweight and obese, which can be a barrier to maintain normal weight. Long-term Danhak practice, a traditional Korean exercise, was effective at reducing body fat (%) and abdominal obesity, and improved lipid profiles, self-confidence, and stress.
Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Body Composition ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Depression ; Diet ; Eating ; Fast Foods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Overweight

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain disorder caused by nervous system lesions as a direct consequence of a lesion or by disease of the portions of the nervous system that normally signal pain. The spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model in rats that reflect some components of clinical pain have played a crucial role in the understanding of neuropathic pain. To investigate the direct effects of gabapentin on differential gene expression in cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells of SNL model rats, we performed a differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis with random priming approach using annealing control primer. Genes encoding metallothionein 1a, transforming growth factor-beta1 and palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-2 were up-regulated in gabapentin-treated DRG cells of SNL model rats. The functional roles of these differentially expressed genes were previously suggested as neuroprotective genes. Further study of these genes is expected to reveal potential targets of gabapentin.
Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Ganglia, Spinal* ; Gene Expression ; Ligation ; Metallothionein ; Nervous System ; Neuralgia* ; Rats* ; Spinal Nerve Roots* ; Spinal Nerves

This study has attempted to establish an analysis method through validation against heavy metals in the body (Pb, Cd and Hg) using ICP-MS and Gold amalgamation and find out the relevance between heavy metal and Alzheimer's disease after analyzing the distribution of heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg) and correlations between a control group and Alzheimer's disease group. In this study, Pb and Cd levels in the blood and serum were validation using ICP-MS. For analysis of Hg levels in the blood and serum, the gold amalgamation-based 'Direct Mercury Analyzer' has been used. According to an analysis on the heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg concentration) in the blood, Cd concentration was high in the Alzheimer's disease group. In the serum, on the contrary, Pb and Hg were high in the Alzheimer's disease group. For analysis of correlations between heavy metal levels in the blood and serum and Alzheimer's disease, t-test has been performed. Even though correlations were observed between the blood lead levels and Alzheimer's disease, they were statistically insignificant because the concentration was higher in a control group. No significance was found in Cd and Hg. In the serum, on the other hand, no statistical significance was found between the heavy metal (Pb, Cd and Hg) and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, no statistical significance was observed between heavy metal and decrease in cognitive intelligence. However, it appears that a further study needs to be performed because the results of the conventional studies were inconsistent.
Alzheimer Disease ; Hand ; Intelligence ; Metals, Heavy

Sclerotia of Grifola umbellata were cultivated by two methods such as burying and root inoculation methods. The sclerotia of G. umbellata produced by the burying method were 6.0~6.8 x 3.4~4.6 x 1.8~1.9 cm (Width x Length x Thickness) in size and 17.3~19.6 g in weight, respectively. Their increase rate was 1.10~1.12 times. On the other hand, the sclerotia cultivated by the root inoculation method were 18.3~31.5 x 12.5~26.4 x 3.1~3.7 cm (Wx L x T) in size and 219.1~576.6 g in weight, respectively. Their growth increment was 11.18~39.77 times. The rhizomorphs of Armillaria mellea were developed with a high density under fallen leaves layer covering cultivation site, and distributed mainly between soil surface and soil depth of about 10 cm as well as colonized prominently on the inoculated wood logs. Fungal interaction between G. umbellata and A. mellea were observed mainly in the stage of white sclerotium of G. umbellata. The sclerotia of G. umbellata which were developed newly and harvested in the root inoculation method were twined with root hairs of host tree and rhizomorphs of A. mellea. The sclerotia of G. umbellata decomposing root hairs of host tree were confirmed through SEM examination. Physiochemical characteristics of soil in all cultivation sites had no significant differences. Soil pH were in the range of pH 3.98~4.40. Organic matters were the range of 17.97~23.86% and moisture contents of soil were 12.00~18.20%. Soil temperatures showed 12.9~13.8degrees C in November and 22.0~23.9degrees C in August, respectively. In conclusion, the root inoculation method seems to be a practical method for cultivating sclerotia of G. umbellata due to its many advantages such as simplicity of inoculation process, shortening of cultivation periods and facility of harvest.
Armillaria ; Colon ; Grifola* ; Hair ; Hand ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Soil ; Trees ; Wood