Dynamic calibration of process-wide partial-nitritation modeling with airlift granular for nitrogen removal in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant.

A main challenge in rapid nitrogen removal from rejected water in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is growth of biomass by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). In this study, partial nitritation (PN) coupled with air-lift granular unit (AGU) technology was applied to enhance nitrogen-removal efficiency in WWTPs. For successful PN process at high-nitrogen-influent conditions, a pH of 7.

Dichloroacetate improves systemic energy balance and feeding behavior during sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated host response to an infection. The metabolic aberrations associated with sepsis underly an acute and organism-wide hyperinflammatory response and multiple organ dysfunction; however, crosstalk between systemic metabolomic alterations and metabolic reprogramming at organ levels remains unknown. We analyzed substrate utilization by the respiratory exchange ratio, energy expenditure, metabolomic screening, and transcriptional profiling in a cecal ligation and puncture model to show that sepsis increases circulating free fatty acids and acylcarnitines but decreases levels of amino acids and carbohydrates, leading to a drastic shift in systemic fuel preference.

Itaconate and Its Derivatives Repress Early Myogenesis and .

A Krebs cycle intermediate metabolite, itaconate, has gained attention as a potential antimicrobial and autoimmune disease treatment due to its anti-inflammatory effects. While itaconate and its derivatives pose an attractive therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, the effects outside the immune system still remain limited, particularly in the muscle. Therefore, we endeavored to determine if itaconate signaling impacts muscle differentiation.

Bandgap characteristics of phononic crystals in steady and unsteady flows.

Over the past 30 years, most phononic crystal research has been done for a stationary medium. As reported in a recent experimental study, phononic crystals cannot preserve their bandgaps in the presence of flow. In this study, the bandgap characteristics of a two-dimensional phononic crystal in steady and unsteady flows are investigated theoretically.

Quality properties of various dietary fibers as isolated soy protein (ISP) replacements in pork emulsion systems.

This study aimed to investigate the possibility of replacing the isolated soy protein (ISP) as a binding agent for wheat, oat, and bamboo shoot dietary fibers. Dietary fibers and ISP were added to manufacturing process of pork emulsion, respectively, for investigate quality properties. Moisture contents of pork emulsion added wheat fiber-treated group was significantly higher than ISP-treated group ( < 0.

Palmitate-induced autophagy liberates monounsaturated fatty acids and increases expression in hypothalamic cells.

Fatty acids regulate food intake, although the exact mechanism remains unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that intracellular free fatty acids generated by starvation-induced autophagy regulate food intake. Starvation for 6 h elevated fatty acids such as palmitate, oleate, arachidonate, eicosatrienoate, and docosahexaenoate in the mouse serum.

ANTI-VIRAL EFFECT OF HERBAL MEDICINE KOREAN TRADITIONAL (BGE.) KITAG EXTRACTS.

Background: Pestiviruses in general, and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in particular, present several potential targets for directed antiviral therapy.

Material And Methods: The antiviral effect of (Bge.) Kitag (Dog strangling vine: DS) extract on the bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus was tested.

Hypothalamic AMPK-induced autophagy increases food intake by regulating NPY and POMC expression.

Hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays important roles in the regulation of food intake by altering the expression of orexigenic or anorexigenic neuropeptides. However, little is known about the mechanisms of this regulation. Here, we report that hypothalamic AMPK modulates the expression of NPY (neuropeptide Y), an orexigenic neuropeptide, and POMC (pro-opiomelanocortin-α), an anorexigenic neuropeptide, by regulating autophagic activity in vitro and in vivo.

Hypothalamic AMP-activated Protein Kinase as a Regulator of Food Intake and Energy Balance.

The maintenance of appetite at proper levels, depending on the energy status, is important; otherwise abnormal appetite may cause a series of disorders, such as anorexia, hyperphagia, obesity, and its complications (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease). Hypothalamic AMPactivated protein kinase (AMPK) integrates diverse hormonal and nutritional signals to regulate food intake and energy metabolism. Recent evidence suggests that different hormones, nutrients and synthetic chemicals can modulate AMPK activity in the hypothalamus, thereby regulating food intake and body weight, through neuropeptide expressions.

Antifungal Action of Ginkgo biloba Outer Seedcoat on Rice Sheath blight.

From study of antifungal actions on the rice sheath blight by using the extract of Ginkgo biloba outer seedcoats, we found that the extracts of Ginkgo biloba outer seedcoats of all treatment concentrations had inhibited the rice sheath blight. Among them, the most effective concentration was 250 mg/l at which the growth of microbe was 26 mm and even at the packaging test, when sprayed the G. biloba outer seedcoats at the level of 250 mg/l, the damage rate of the rice sheath blight was identified as 13%.

Saikosaponin D isolated from Bupleurum falcatum inhibits selectin-mediated cell adhesion.

Three saikosaponins were isolated from the MeOH extract of the roots of Bupleurum falcatum L.: saikosaponins B3 (1); B4 (2); and D (3). Of the three, compound 3 inhibited the interaction of selectins (E, L, and P) and THP-1 cells with IC50 values of 1.

Long-term observation of the mineral trioxide aggregate extrusion into the periapical lesion: a case series.

One-step apexification using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been reported as an alternative treatment modality with more benefits than the use of long-term calcium hydroxide for teeth with open apex. However, orthograde placement of MTA is a challenging procedure in terms of length control. This case series describes the sequence of events following apical extrusion of MTA into the periapical area during a one-step apexification procedure for maxillary central incisor with an infected immature apex.

A real-time monitoring and assessment method for calculation of total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted in subway stations.

Unlabelled: Subway systems are considered as main public transportation facility in developed countries. Time spent by people in indoors, such as underground spaces, subway stations, and indoor buildings, has gradually increased in the recent past. Especially, operators or old persons who stay in indoor environments more than 15 hr per day usually influenced a greater extent by indoor air pollutants.

Gender-dependent protein expression in white adipose tissues of lean and obese rats fed a high fat diet.

Background: Proper understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying gender dimorphism in obesity for better nutritional recommendation is still in early stages. As white adipose tissues (WAT) is most important tissue in obesity metabolism, comparative proteomic analysis of all three WAT deposits at the same time to yield immensely important protein markers was the primary goal of this study.

Methods: We performed differential expression analysis of protein profiles of three different WAT viz.

DNA microarray analysis reveals differential gene expression in the soleus muscle between male and female rats exposed to a high fat diet.

It is well recognized that diet-induced dysfunctions in skeletal muscle are closely related with many metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. In the present study, we identified global changes in gender-dependent gene expressions in the soleus muscle of lean and obese rats fed a high fat diet (HFD), using DNA microarray analysis. Prior to microarray analysis, the body weight gains were found to be higher in male HFD rats than the female HFD rats.

Time-dependent hepatic proteome analysis in lean and diet-induced obese mice.

C57BL/6J mice have been widely used as a diet-induced obesity model because they trigger common features of the human metabolic syndrome. In the present study, C57BL/6J male mice were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD) or normal diet (ND) during a 24-week period, and then the age-dependent liver proteome of mice in two groups was analyzed using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF-MS. Among identified proteins, up-regulated proteins were subdivided to early (during the first 4 weeks) and late (20~24 weeks) markers that played a role in diet-induced obesity development.

Gender dimorphism in skeletal muscle proteome between lean and diet-induced obese rats.

Background: Although it has been believed for a long time that gender differences in physiology and metabolism were not relevant beyond the reproductive system, new research has indicated that sexual dimorphism may be more prevalent than previously believed. Therefore, the goal of this study was to develop a global view of the changes in gender-dependent protein abundance in two different types of skeletal muscles (soleus and gastrocnemius) of lean and high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats.

Methods: To examine differential expression of proteins between gender and diet, we performed differential proteome analysis of skeletal muscle from lean and obese rats of both genders fed a HFD using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF-MS.

Gender difference in proteome of brown adipose tissues between male and female rats exposed to a high fat diet.

Background: Although the importance of gender as a key determinant in health and illness has been recognized for a long time, systematic studies of gender differences in medicine are still lacking. We hypothesized that interscapular brown adipocyte tissue (BAT), is not only a key tissue contributing to energy expenditure, but also regulates diet-induced thermogenesis, and may be an ideal target for studying gender differences in obesity development in response to a high fat diet (HFD).

Methods: We therefore performed differential proteome analysis of BAT from lean and obese rats of both genders fed a HFD using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF-MS.

Birt-hogg-dubé syndrome, a rare case in Korea confirmed by genetic analysis.

Simple benign tumors can present as part of a syndrome with substantial mortality. Fibrofolliculomas are benign skin tumors most often associated with the Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS). The most life-threatening complication of this syndrome is renal cancer and other major features include multiple lung cysts and spontaneous pneumothorax.

Comparative hepatic proteome analysis between lean and obese rats fed a high-fat diet reveals the existence of gender differences.

Gender differences in obesity stem from metabolic and hormonal differences between sexes and contribute to differences between women and men in health risks attributable to obesity. We hypothesized that liver may be an ideal target for the evaluation of gender differences in obesity development in response to a high-fat diet (HFD). Therefore, to test this hypothesis, we performed a global proteome analysis in the liver of lean and obese rats of both genders who were fed an HFD through 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF-MS.

Profiling of gender-specific rat plasma proteins associated with susceptibility or resistance to diet-induced obesity.

Obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) rats with different responses to development of obesity in spite of the same genetic background are useful animal models for searching for markers during the development of obesity. Here, we investigated whether plasma proteins of OP and OR rats may behave in a different way in males and females. We performed a comparative proteomic analysis using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF/MS on proteins from OP and OR male and female rats to discover gender-specific rat plasma proteins associated with susceptibility or resistance to diet-induced obesity.

Quantitative method for measuring therapeutic efficacy of the 308 nm excimer laser for vitiligo.

Background: There are several available treatments for vitiligo, but measurement of their therapeutic efficacy is not standardized and is somewhat arbitrary based largely on the global impression of the overall response. The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative method for evaluating the treatment response of vitiligo measuring changes in area using digital image analysis. We applied this parametric model to the evaluation of efficacy of the 308 nm excimer laser.

Acral Lentiginous Melanoma Developing during Long-standing Atypical Melanosis: Usefulness of Dermoscopy for Detection of Early Acral Melanoma.

Clinical guidelines suggest that suspicious pigmented lesions of the plantar or palmar area require biopsy for early detection of acral melanoma. We present here a case of acral lentiginous melanoma in which various melanocytic atypia was observed at each biopsy site, including focal melanocytic proliferation. We suggest that this atypical melanosis is part of a contiguous phase of invasive tumor growth, which is known as the very early stage of melanoma in situ.

Differential expression of liver proteins between obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats in response to a high-fat diet.

Rodents respond to a chronic high-fat diet (HFD) in two ways: some readily become obese (obesity prone, OP) and others do not (obesity resistant, OR). Although several hypotheses have been proposed, the mechanisms underlying the inter-individual susceptibility to diet-induced obesity remain to be fully defined. In the present study, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight MS was carried out for identification of differentially expressed liver proteins in OP and OR rats fed a HFD, in an attempt to discover marker proteins involved in susceptibility and/or resistance to obesity in rat liver.