• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2013

Fructus Sophorae, the dried ripe fruit of Styphnolobium japonicum (L.), is an herbal ingredient used in traditional Oriental medicine. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Fructus Sophorae extracts (FSE) on immune modulation in a murine RAW 264.7 macrophage model. As immune response parameters, the production of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and tumor necrotic $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) were evaluated. Our data revealed that FSE increased the macrophage activation and the production of $PGE_2$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$, which was consistently correlated with upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and $TNF-{\alpha}$ expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. On comparative cytokine protein array, FSE significantly increased several cytokines, which was associated with phosphorylation of mitogen- activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Akt in RAW 264.7 cells. However, each inhibitor of these molecules attenuated the FSE-induced $PGE_2$ production. These results indicate that FSE activated macrophages through the activation of MAPKs and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages. These findings suggest that FSE may provide a promising source of an immunoenhancing agent.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2007

This study was carried out to develop the technique for manufacturing activated carbon from livestock manure and to analyse it's odor absorptiveness. Each of layer manure(LM), litter from broiler house(BL) and litter from dairy barn(DL), compost from layer manure(LC) and pig manure(PC), and coconut shell(CS) was used as a raw material. Activated carbon by grinding the raw material, adding the coal tar as a binder, palletizing, drying, heating with $N_2$ gas at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, activating by reaction with steam at a temperature of $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. Moisture contents of raw material was 44.9% in layer compost, 71.9% in layer manure, 24.4% in broiler litter, 47% in pig manure compost and 33.9% in dairy litter. Volatile matter in layer compost, layer manure, broiler litter, pig manure compost and dairy litter was 18.8%, 31.0%, 49.8%, 22.3% and 11.6%, respectively. Surface area(BET) of activated carbon from layer compost, layer manure, broiler litter, pig manure compost, dairy litter and coconut shell was 259.8, 209.8, 63.5, 442.3, 812.9 and $1,040\;m^2/g$, respectively. Activated carbon made by livestock manure or litter were examined with scanning electron microscope, and micropore was a type of sponge like particles honeycombed with chambers. Pore size of activated carbon was ranged from 0.39 to $5.02\;{\AA}$, but coconut shell was $0.30\;{\AA}$. Iodine absorptiveness of activated carbon from livestock manure was $530{\sim}580mg/g$. But activated carbon made by coconut shell was 1000 mg/g. Each activated carbon could absorb odor compound very well. Absorptiveness of activated carbon from layer manure for hydrogen sulfide and trimethyl amino was 74.5% and 73.9% at the accumulated flux of 60,000 ml, but, in the case of ammonia was only 15.2% at the accumulated flux of 10,000 ml

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.420-426
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify control points through microbiological hazard analysis in the manufacturing processes of starch noodles. Samples were collected from the ingredients, manufacturing processes, equipment and environment. Microbiological hazard assessments were performed using aerobic plate counts (APC), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), E. coli and five pathogens including B. cereus, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and S. aureus. The APC levels in raw materials were from 2.12 to 3.83 log CFU/g. The contamination levels after kneading were 4.31 log CFU/g for APCs and 2.88 log CFU/g for EB counts. APCs decreased to 1.63 log CFU/g and EB were not detected after gelatinization, but their levels slightly increased upon cooling, cutting, ripening, freezing, thawing, and separating. The reuse of cooling and coating water would be a critical source of microbial increase after cooling. After drying, APCs and EB counts decreased to 5.05 log CFU/g and 2.74 log CFU/g, respectively, and the levels were maintained to final products. These results suggest that the cooling process is a critical control point for microbiological safety, and the cooling water should be treated and controlled to prevent cross contamination by pre-requisite program.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.913-920
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• 2001

The effect of kimchi pill supplementation on plasma lipid concentration of middle aged healthy people were studied. Freeze-dried mustard leaf added (30%) Korean cabbage kimchi and powdered glutinous parch were used to prepare kimchi and placebo pill, respectively. Experimental group if six participants took 3 g of freeze-dried kimchi as a pill daily for 6 weeks which is equivalent to 30 g of fresh kimchi and control group of six people took same amount of placebo. The diet intakes for the kimchi and placebo group fairly remained unchanged during 6 weeks of trial. When the effect of kimchi pill supplementation was expressed as average percentage changes based on each individual changes, the plasma triglyceride concentration of kimchi pill group was sig-nificantly decreased by 16.8% during trial (p<0.05)while that of placebo group increased by 9.8%, But no changes in plasma and LDL cholesterol concentrations of both groups were observed. HDL cholesterol of kimchi pill group significantly increased by 11.7%(p<0.05), therefore the ratio LDL/HDL cholesterol was significantly decreased by 6.7%(p<0.05) while that for the placebo group increased. The atherogenic index at the kimchi group was also significantly decreased by 10.8%(p<0.05). Kimchi supplementation seemed to have beneficial effects on controlling plasma triglyceride and HDL cholesterol in middle aged men.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.447-453
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• 2021

In this study, the effectiveness of physical control technology, a combined light sterilization (LED, UV) and hot water treatment in reducing Aspergillus ochraceus for food production environment was investigated. In brief, 1 mL aliquot of A. ochraceus spore suspension (10^7-8 spore/mL) was inoculated onto stainless steel chips, which was then dried at 37℃, and each was subjected to different physical treatment. Treatments were performed for 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 8, and 11 hours to reduce the strains using a light-emitting diode, but no significant difference was confirmed among the treatments. However, a significant reduction was observed on the chips treated with UV-C exposure and hot water immersion. After being treated solely with 360 kJ/m² of UV-C on stainless steel chip, the fungi were significantly reduced to 1.27 log CFU/cm². Concerning the hot water treatment, the initial inoculum amount of 6.49 log CFU/cm² was entirely killed by immersion in 83℃ water for 5 minutes. Maintaining a high temperature for 5 minutes at the site is difficult. Thus, considering economic feasibility and usability, we attempted to confirm the appropriate A. ochraceus reduction conditions by combining a relatively low temperature of 60℃ and UV rays. With the combined treatments, even in lukewarm water, A. ochraceus decreased significantly through the increases in the immersion time and the amount of UV-C irradiation, and the yield was below the detection limit. Based on these results, if work tools are immersed in 60℃ lukewarm water for 3 minutes and then placed in a UV sterilization device for more than 10 minutes, the possibility of A. ochraceus cross-contamination during work is expected to be reduced.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2010

This study was performed to develop new functional red ginseng drinks with Astragali Radix and Opuntia humifusa. Optimum extraction conditions such as solvent property and temperature for Astragali Radix were determined by distilled water vs. ethanol (95%) ratio (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25) and 60 vs. $80^{\circ}C$. Water-soluble extracts at $80^{\circ}C$ showed higher antioxidant activities than fat-soluble extracts at $60^{\circ}C$. Viscosities of 1-2% (w/v) of Opuntia humifusa solution were similar to that of the 0.1% guar gum solution. Addtion of Astragali Radix (3% and 5%, w/v) and Opuntia humifusa (1.2%, w/v), especially, had effect on the changes of pH of the red ginseng solution(5%, w/v) during storage for 7 days. A significant difference during the storage was shown in total plate counts by addition of Opuntia humifusa (1.2%, w/v) and microorganisms were reduced by six log cycles. Significant antiproliferation effects of red ginseng (5%, w/v) solution with Astragali Radix (3% & 5%, w/v) and Opuntia humifusa (1.2%, w/v) on Colon26m-3.1 carcinoma (colorectal carcinoma) cell and U87-MG neuronale glioblastoma (brain carcinoma) cell were not observed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2019

Korean red ginseng made from steaming and drying fresh ginseng has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine due to its effects on the immune, endocrine, and central nerve systems and its anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of a formulated Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. RGE inhibited LTA-induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in BV-2 microglial cells, without affecting cell viability. RGE also inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65 and degradation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. In addition, RGE increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect of RGE on iNOS expression was abrogated by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of HO-1. Moreover, RGE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors suppressed RGE-mediated expression of HO-1, and RGE enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p38, and c-JUN N-terminal kinases (JNKs). These results suggested that RGE suppressed the production of NO, a proinflammatory mediator, by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt- and MAPK-dependent signaling in LTA-stimulated microglia. The findings indicate that RGE could be used for the treatment of neuroinflammation induced by grampositive bacteria and that it may have therapeutic potential for various neuroinflammation-associated disorders.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.30-51
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• 2011

During the process of modernization, many rural villages in Korea have experienced degeneration and breakdown, losing sustainability. However, Oeam village in Asan City, South Chungcheong Province (State-designated cultural heritage, Important Folk Material No. 236) has established itself as a unique folk village, which evolves with sustainability, pursuing the revival of Neo-traditionalism. Oeam village is a tribal village of the Yis from the Yean region and has maintained environmental, economic, and social sustainability and soundness for over five centuries. Thus, the village has sustained itself well enough to be a cultural asset with 'Outstanding Universal Value', in terms of its value as world cultural heritage. The village maintains its own identity, filled with a variety of traditional and scenic cultural assets that symbolize a gentry village. Those assets include Confucian sceneries (head family houses, ancestral shrines, tombs, gravestones, commemorative monuments, and pavilions), various assets of folk religion (totem poles, protective trees at the entrance of a village, shrines for mountain spirits, village forests), tangible and intangible cultural assets related to daily lives (vigorous family activities, rigorous ancestral rituals, family rituals, collective agriculture and protection of ecosystem), which have all been well preserved and inherited. In particular, this village is an example of a well-being community with a well-preserved folksy atmosphere, which is based on environmentally sound settlements (nature + economy + environment + community) in a village established according to geomancy, East Asia's unique principle of environmental design. In addition, the village has kept the sustainability and authenticity for more than 500 years, combining restraint towards the environment and the view of the environment which respects the natural order and cultural values (capacity + healthy + sustainability). Therefore, the Oeam folk village can be a representative example of a folksy and scenic Korean community which falls into the category of IV (to exemplify an outstanding type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history) and V (to exemplify an outstanding traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of cultures, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change) of Unesco's World Cultural Heritage.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.100-121
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• 2009

This study is subjected to those gardens of the Korean Folk Village 'Oeam-Ri' designed in 1920s. - transitional period of traditional gardens - and define socio-cultural change's influences and through documents on garden design, descendant's testimony and measured drawings, to understand that period's garden culture's characteristics according to garden design elements. This study applied following analysis methods and procedures to derive out characteristics of transitional garden culture. Analysis on socio-cultural characteristics in 1920s. Analysis on actual condition of transitional garden's design. In this point Outline of the Garden, Space formation, Garden designing elements are (1) water landscape, (2) plant, (3) structures, (4) paving, to derive out characteristics of the transitional garden. The results follow as below; First, during the transitional period 1920s, the economical development, fueled by opening nation's door to foreign countries and indication of collapse of statue systems together with idea of practical science and Enlightenment Thought, was element of changes in garden style. Second, Garden Designers of transitional gardens in 'Oeam-Ri' were limited to upper class of the society. They were wealthy enough to maintain their high social statue in rapidly changing society. As results, tendency of returning to nature developed gardens located in a site of scenic beauty and development of geographical features arranging techniques, and also showed copying foreign styles. Third, arrangement of garden and space composition, in most cases, composed of buildings and yards. Changes in water landscape features and garden spaces are centered to main-yard. Major changes of the garden spaces are water landscapes and plants that showing foreign influences. Fifth, scenic appearance techniques appears with dense garden space and emphasizing visual scenic view. Sixth, the characteristics of transitional garden design techniques are development of geographical feature arranging techniques, changes and mixture of the materials and garden types, emphasizing garden's decorative beauty, change of concept of yard within house into garden, changes from 'borrowing of landscapes' to 'selecting landscapes', changes of front garden from emptiness to fullness, changes of attitudes of enjoying gardens from 'staying calm in the garden' to 'moving or walking in the garden', changes to inner-oriented view, and changes from 'just watching and enjoying the nature' to 'enjoying specific objects'. This study is one of the efforts to restore the identity of Korean Traditional Garden by approaching and observing modern era which function as bridge between tradition and present day, and we observed transitional aspects of changes of traditional garden into modern garden. Hereafter, more studies will be needed to Modern Garden Design be recognized as part of Korean Garden Design History and these would be author's next assignment.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.268-289
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• 2013

The Dinosaur tracksite at Jeori, Geumseongmyeon, Euiseonggun, Gyeongsangbukdo, Korea (National Monument No. 373) has been studied in the aspects of location, stratigraphy, sedimentology, fossil occurrence, unique geological records, literature, significance in natural history, preservation, and management. On the basis of these features, the Jeori tracksite has been assessed semiquantitavely. The Jeori tracksite occurs in the Sagok Formation (Albian) of the Euiseong sub-basin, and over 300 footprints forming 12 sauropod trackways, 10 ornithopod trackways, and 1 theropod trackways are preserved in this tracksite. The track-bearing deposits consist of tabular-bedded medium- to fine-grained arkose with mudstone drape, interlaminated fine-grained sandstone to siltstone and mudstone, and shaly mudstone. The dinosaur tracks are preserved in the interlaminated fine-grained sandstone to siltstone and mudstone, and most of them are observed as underprints. The track-bearing deposits are interpreted as sheetflood deposits on the floodplain under a seasonal paleoclimatic condition with alternating of wetting and drying periods. Multiple tension fractures with NE strike were formed in the track-bearing bed, which resulted in that tracks seem to occur in several horizons. The significance in natural history of the tracksite can be summarized as follows: 1) the historical implication of the Jeori tracksite as the firstly designated National Monument of dinosaur fossil sites, 2) the high density of the occurrence of diverse footprints (over 300) within small area (about $1,600m^2$), and 3) the significance of the tension fractures associated with the track-bearing bed as geoeducational records for the understanding the development of fault. In order to share the value of the Jeori tracksite in the aspect of natural history with the community and public, the interpretive panel should be modified to include figures explaining paleoenvironment and tension fault development. In addition it is recommended that a brochure be published briefly explaining the tracksite and to educate the residents about the natural and social significance of the tracksite. For the safety of visitors it would be desirable for the road in front of the tracksite to be moved at least 10 m southward, which could mitigate the shaking of the track bed caused by traffic.