• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.481-487
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• 2010

The nutritional components, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects of water and a 50% methanol extract from litchi fruit pericarp were investigated. The most abundant mineral, amino acid, and fatty acid were K, proline, and palmitic acid, respectively. In addition, the total water phenolics and 50% methanol extracts were 8.02 and 12.28 mg/g, respectively. The DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power of the water and 50% methanol extracts showed dose-dependent antioxidant activity. In a cell viability assay using MTT, almost all extracts showed a protective effect against $H_2O_2$-induced neurotoxicity, and lactate dehydrogenase leakage was also inhibited by the pericarp extracts. In particular, the 50% methanol extract showed a higher cell membrane protective effect than the water extract at the highest concentration. Consequently, these data suggest that litchi fruit pericarp can be utilized as an effective and safe functional food substances for natural antioxidants and may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.320-325
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• 2009

The present study was carried out to investigate the acute oral toxicity and anti-obesity effects of a diglyceride preparation containing conjugated linoleic acid (DG+CLA). To test its acute oral toxicity, the DG+CLA was injected into 30 rats (15 males and 15 females) at dosage of 2,000 mg/kg and 5,000 mg/kg. Mortality rates, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for 14 days following administration. According to the results, the lethal dose ($LD_50$) of DG+CLA was determined as >5,000 mg/kg in both sexes. There were no significant changes in general conditions, clinical signs, body weight, and gross lesions between the vehicle control and DG+CLA groups. For the anti-obesity studies, obese Zucker rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and fed saline, soybean oil, diglyceride, and DG+CLA, respectively, for 8 weeks. The DG+CLA groups presented significant differences in body weight, food efficiency ratio, serum lipid levels, and fat weight. Overall, the results showed that the DG+CLA did not have acute oral toxicity and reduced body weight, serum lipid levels, and fat gain.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.475-480
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• 2010

The fruit of Actinidia polygama, Mock-chun-ryo in Korea, has been used as traditional medicine for abdominal pain, rheumatic arthritis, and stroke. In a previous study, the ethanol extract of A. polygama Max. showed antiinflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerosis effects of supercritical fluid marc extracts from A. polygama Max. Anti-inflammatory extracts were produced from supercritical fluid extraction of the silver vine under the following conditions; pressure, 1,500-4,500 psi, temperature $35-55^{\circ}C$ and extraction time 1-2 hr. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects of the extracts, we studied nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$) levels in RAW 264.7 cells and MMP-9 activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC). The Marc 11 extract inhibited the production of NO, $PGE_2$, and TNF-$\alpha$ by lipopolysaccharide in RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, the marc 11 extract inhibited TNF-$\alpha$-induced MMP-9 activity in HASMC. These results indicate that the Marc 11 extract of A. polygama Max. has the potential for use as an anti-atherosclerosis agent.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.864-871
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• 2014

Seed viability is affected by storage conditions and rapid loss of viability in storage is the major cause for low germination. This study was carried out to examine the effect of packaging materials and storage temperature on seed germination rate over 10 years in two species (Capsicum annuum L. and Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) and determine effective storage conditions for maintaining seed viability. Seeds were packaged in aluminum poly pouches under vacuum, polyethylene bottles, and paper bags containing silica gel and stored under one of two controlled conditions ($15^{\circ}C$, RH 40% or $5^{\circ}C$, RH 30%) or at ambient condition. Seed germination was recorded at 6-month intervals for 10 years. The seeds of both species showed no decline in viability until 6.5 years at 15 or $5^{\circ}C$, irrespective of packaging materials. However, under ambient conditions, the seeds of chili pepper and Chinese cabbage in paper bags lost viability after 4 and 5 years, respectively. By contrast, seeds of both species in vacuum-aluminum poly pouches exhibited a 99% germination rate after 6 years under ambient conditions. Pepper seeds in the vacuum-aluminum poly pouches maintained a 93% germination rate after 10 years in ambient conditions. These results indicated that a special seed storage facility for maintaining viability of chili pepper and Chinese cabbage seed might not be essential and seed testing would not be necessary for 10 years, if chili pepper and Chinese cabbage seeds were packed in ambient/vacuum-aluminum poly pouches or $5^{\circ}C$/vacuum-aluminum poly pouches.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.812-818
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• 2014

Raising seedlings is important for fruit crops and is especially significant for strawberries as it accounts for 80% of their cultivation. However, there are few studies on raising seedlings of strawberries by hydroponics. Since strawberries show clear differences in growth characteristics based on cultivar, it is necessary to develop suitable fertilizer formula, concentration and pH for each cultivar, and also to examine the amount of nutrient feeding appropriate for each medium type. A key to raising seedlings of strawberries by hydroponics is the development of strategies to manage the concentration of nutrient solution. The mother plants of 'Daewang' strawberries were planted on hydroponics benches filled with cocopeat on March 28, 2012. Three nutrient solution treatments were employed during the term of raising seedlings: a type that supplied EC $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ nutrient solution for 30 days and only water for 20 days [0.6 (30) + 20]; a type that supplied EC $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ nutrient solution for 30 days and only water for 20 days [1.2 (30) + 20]; and a type that supplied EC $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ nutrient solution for 50 days [1.2 (50)]. The plants were then planted on hydroponics benches filled with cocopeat on September 20, and managed with EC $0.6-0.8dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ strawberry nutrient solution developed by Yamazaki. After planting, shoot growth, flowering rate and fruit quality of the first cluster were investigated. The petiole length, leaf length, leaf width and crown diameter showed the highest grown in the [1.2 (50)] treatment, followed by [1.2 (30) + 20], and then [0.6 (30) + 20], indicating that the higher concentration of nutrient solution was preferable for raising seedlings. However, the growth differences among treatments gradually disappeared as growth continued, and the crown diameter especially grew to exhibit almost no difference at all among treatments. The point of flowering came first in [0.6 (30) + 20], followed by [1.2 (30) + 20] and then [1.2 (50)]. The [0.6 (30) + 20] treatment showed much earlier flowering than other treatments, which implies that low-concentration nutrient solution may be beneficial to the flowering of 'Daewang' strawberries while raising seedlings. There was no statistically significant difference among treatments in fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit firmness. Fruit weight in [1.2 (50)] treatment was significantly higher than other treatments. However, soluble solids of fruit was the lowest in [1.2 (50)] treatment. Together, the results of this experiment imply that it is better to supply EC $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ solution for 30 days and then supply only water for 20 days to adequately manage concentration of nutrient solutions during the period of raising seedlings of strawberries by hydroponics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2020

Macrophages are initiators for regulating a host's defenses to eliminate pathogens and trigger tissue repair. Macrophages are classified into two types: classically (M1) activated macrophages and alternatively (M2) activated macrophages. M1-phenotype macrophages directly or indirectly kill infectious organisms and tumor cells via pro-inflammatory responses, whereas M2-phenotype macrophages remodel wounded tissue through anti-inflammatory responses. In this paper, we investigated how Phellinus linteus hot water extract passed from Diaion HP-20 resin (PLEP) regulates polarization of M1-like or M2-like macrophages in human THP-1 cells. PLEP did not have cytotoxicity at a high concentration of 300 ㎍/ml. We observed morphological alteration of the THP-1 cells, which are stimulated by PLEP, LPS/INF-γ (M1 stimulators) or IL-4/IL13 (M2 stimulators). PLEP exposure induced morphology contiguous with LPS/INF-γ. qPCR was also performed to determine whether PLEP influences M1 or M2 polarization-related genes. M1-phenotype macrophage-specific genes, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, CXCL10 and CCR7, were enhanced by PLEP in a dose-dependent manner similar to LPS/INF-γ. Conversely, M2-phenotype-specific genes, such as MRC-1, DC-SIGN, CCL17 and CCL22, were suppressed by PLEP. PLEP also significantly up-regulated secretory inflammation cytokines related to M1 polarization of macrophages, including TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6, which was similar to the gene expression. Further, MAPK and NF-κB signaling were increased by treatment with PLEP, resulting in enhancement of cytokine secretion. PLEP might therefore be used as a promising booster of pro-inflammatory responses through M1 polarization of human THP-1 cells.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2016

Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) produces enterotoxins known to be a virulence factor. Three isotypes of the B. fragilis toxin (BFT) gene have been identified: bft-1, bft-2, and bft-3. We investigated the presence of bft isotypes in clinical B. fragilis isolates and the antimicrobial resistance of BFT-negative and BFT-positive isolates. Overall, 537 B. fragilis isolates were collected from extraintestinal specimens over 8 years (2006~2013) from a university hospital in Korea. Samples were analyzed by multiplex PCR to identify the bft gene isotypes. Additionally, the antimicrobial susceptibility of 107 B. fragilis isolates (74 BFT-negative and 33 BFT-positive) was examined by the CLSI agar dilution method. PCR revealed a total bft gene detection rate of 30%, while 33% and 29% of blood and other extraintestinal isolates contained the gene, respectively. Among ETBF isolates, the most common isotype was bft-1 gene, followed by bft-2 and bft-3 (bft-1 77%, bft-2 14%, bft-3 9%). Resistance rates (%) for BFT-negative and positive isolates differed in response to various antimicrobial agents, with 3%, 5%, 1% and 38% of BFT-negative isolates and 3%, 6%, 3% an 42% of BFT-positive isolates being resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam, cefoxitin, imipenem, and clindamycin, respectively. Interestingly, neither BFT-negative nor positive isolates showed antimicrobial resistance to chloramphenicol and metronidazole. Overall, the proportion of ETBF from blood was similar to that of other extraintestinal sites and the bft-1 gene was the predominant isotype. Higher antimicrobial resistance rates were found in BFT-positive isolates than BFT-negative isolates, but these differences were not statistically significant.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2016

Carotid-artery stenosis may reduce cerebral perfusion, and affect cerebral neuronal activities. We examined the question of whether the recovery of cerebral-perfusion reserve after carotid-artery stenting (CAS) can affect the EEG power-spectrum. Nineteen candidates for CAS were initially recruited. Subtraction imaging of single photon emissary computerized tomography (SPECT) and an electroencephalogram (EEG) were taken twice, before and 1 month after CAS. At each time point, the EEGs were recorded before and after injection of acetazolamide (pre-ACZ EEG and post-ACZ EEG). Finally, 7 patients were enrolled after exclusion of incomplete studies. We obtained the spectral ratio (SR) of each hemisphere. SR was defined as the divided value of the power-spectrum sum of fast activities by that of slow activities. The power-spectrum values between hemispheres were compared using the inter-hemispheric index of spectral ratio (IHISR), and we examined the correlation between the power-spectrum and the cerebral-perfusion reserve. Cerebral-perfusion reserve improved after CAS on the stent side in 6 of 7 patients. In 3 patients with unilateral carotid-artery stenosis, CAS increased SR on the pre-ACZ EEGs, and IHISR on the post-ACZ EEGs. The increases of SR and IHISR were concordant with the increment of cerebral-perfusion reserve. In contrast, the results in the other patients with bilateral stenosis showed complex patterns. The SR of pre-ACZ EEGs and IHISR of post-ACZ EEGs may be useful electrophysiological markers for the blood-flow reserve after CAS in patients with unilateral carotid-artery stenosis, but not in those with bilateral stenosis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.554-560
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• 1991

The physicochemical properties of Korean yam starches (D. aimadoimo, D. batatas and D. japonica) were investigated. The mean granular size of starches were 23.5 μm for D. aimadoimo, 23.9 μm for D. batatas and 18.2 μm for D. japonica. Amylose content, blue value and water binding capacity was $29{\sim}33%,\;0.42{\sim}0.51%\;and\;109.9{\sim}118.3%$, respectively. The optical transmittance of 0.3% (dry basis) yam starch suspensions were increased at $70{\sim}75^{\circ}C$ and D. japonica showed typical two-step transmittance curve. The swelling power and solubility patterns increased over $60^{\circ}C$, and D. aimadoimo was the highest values. Amylogram patterns of 5% (dry basis) yam starch suspensions, determined by Brabender amylograph, were similar to that of yam flours and the viscosity of D. aimadoimo had 630 BU, which was about 5 times higher than 130 BU for D. batatas and D. japonica. Observation under scanning electron microscope lefted marks of resistance to glucoamylase because these surfaces were similar to the natural granules. In rates of solubiliazation by dimethyl sulfoxide, D. aimadoimo showed the highest value. (3-Amylolysis limits of yam starches and their amylose were $71.8%{\sim}75.5%\;and\;90.2{\sim}92.1%$, respectively. Gel filtration patterns of debranched amylopectin by pullulanase were divided into 3 peaks. The weight ratios of peak III to peak II in yam starches were $2.15%{\sim}2.42%$.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

We investigated the effects of rising temperatures on the photosynthesis, mineral composition, and growth of radish (Raphanus sativus var. hortensis) in a winter cropping system using a temperature gradient tunnel to predict the impact of rising global temperatures. Vegetative growth, including shoot and root fresh and dry weights, shoot length, and root length and diameter, was high under elevated temperatures (ambient $+4^{\circ}C$ and $+7^{\circ}C$) compared with ambient temperature. At elevated temperatures, the N, P, Ca, Mg, and Fe contents were high in shoots, whereas in roots, the K, Ca, Mg, and Fe contents were high and the Cu content was low. The maximum photosynthetic rates ($22.1{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ at ambient temperature $+4^{\circ}C$ and $22.9{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ at ambient temperature $+7^{\circ}C$) at elevated temperatures were more than twice that ($9.7{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$) at ambient temperature, whereas the water use efficiency was lower at elevated temperatures. These results suggest that rising global temperatures will lead to increased mineral absorption and photosynthesis in radish in winter cropping systems, subsequently favoring plant growth, although the water requirements will be high.