• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.444-450
• /
• 2018

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells that play a pivotal role in modulating both innate and adaptive immunity. This study examined the immunomodulatory activities of hot-water extracts of bee pollen (BPW) in bone-marrow derived DCs (BMDC) and mice splenocytes. BMDCs isolated from mice were treated with 250 and $500{\mu}g/mL$ BPW for 24 h. BPW, up to $500{\mu}g/mL$, did not display any cellular toxicity against BMDCs. In fact, it functionally induced BMDC activation via augmentation of CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I/II expression and pro-inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor; $TNF-{\alpha}$, interleukin; IL-6, and $IL-1{\beta}$) production. Interestingly, BPW treatment significantly increased the production of interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$ in splenocytes, suggesting its possible contribution to Th1 polarization in immune response. Taken together, these findings suggest that BPW may regulate innate and adaptive immunity via DC activation and Th1 polarization in immune responses.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.240-249
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Farmers are known to be exposed to a variety of allergens related to the work environment. This study was conducted to determine the sensitization rates as well as South Korea that they are sensitized to certain allergens farmers through the skin prick test. Methods: By targeting a total of 1143 people living in the rural town of Gyeonggi Province, it was conducted a questionnaire containing demographic and occupational risk factors and underwent skin prick tests with 15 types of allergens(including positive and negative controls). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between occupational risk factors and skin prick test positivity. Results: Except for the 30 people whose result is invalid, positive rate of the skin prick test was 18.6% in 1,113 people. The species of house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae was the highest at 8.7% and 8.6%. After adjusted by age, gender, smoking and education level, odds ratio of flower plant farmers is 4.467(95% CI: 2.094-9.527) and fruit farmer is 2.275(95% CI: 1.096-4.721). In addition, the rate of sensitization to grass pollen mixture of the flower plant farmers is significantly higher(15.9%, p<0.001) than other allergens. Conclusions: Even farmers, the rate of sensitization to allergens related to the general environment, such as house dust mite is relatively dominant. However, given the presence of potential cross-reactivity between the allergens or distribution showed that the unique aspects of allergen sensitization in the flower growers, occupational cause is not be completely ruled out.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.41-68
• /
• 1993

In the loess-paleosol sequences from central Great Plains, U.S.A., variation in magnetic susceptibility, FD, NRM have been proven to be excellent proxy for paleoclimate, and the standard interpretation is that climatic processes have enhanced the rock magnetic intensities. By using mineral magnetic properties, we show the magnetic signal is due to pedogenesis during the warm and possibly wet interglacials and interstadials. Other proxy records, such as stable carbon isotope and phytolith, are in good agreements with the magnetic records.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.759-771
• /
• 2016

We compared the fruit set and the quality of the 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) among flowers pollinated by two bee species (Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris) and pollinated artificial. The artificial pollination rate was 1.3 to 1.9 times higher than the bee pollination rate. Moreover, the artificially pollinated flowers produced fruit that was 5 to 10% higher in weight, 2 to 3% larger in size, and had a higher fruit shape index (L/D) than fruit pollinated by the bees. On economic analysis, net profit from insect pollinator was 93.5 to 97.1% of net profit from artificial pollination. Therefore, artificial pollination is more efficient than bee pollination in 'Niitaka' pear. However, regarding fruit quality and net profit, these results suggest that bee pollination can be an good alternative to artificial pollination in 'Niitaka' pear.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.107-122
• /
• 2012

In plants, color is a powerful tool to attract insects and herbivores which act as pollinators and vehicles of seed dispersion. In particular, flower color has held key post for human with aesthetic value. Horticultural industry has developed methods to produce new and attractive color varieties in flowering plants. Carotenoids are one of the main pigments being responsible for red, orange, and yellow colors. Their biosynthetic pathway has been considered as a major target of metabolic engineering for color modification of flowers and fruits. Here, we review the diverse efforts to modify pigment phenotype by the control of carotenogenic gene expression and enzyme levels. Recent reports about regulating degradation and storage of carotenoids will be also summarized to help the creation of engineered flower with novel color phenotype which is not existed in nature.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 1994

Is obtain cell lines showing high level of rice cold tolerance, direct in vitro selection through cold stress on primary pollen callus derived from anther culture was carried out Genotypic difference in callus formation and plant regeneration was recognized Rates of albino was increased along the duration of cold stress. Reciprocal effects were not noticed in anther culturability There was no variants related to rice leaf discoloration in pollen derived lines from parental varieties, regardless of days of cold stress. The regeneration and recombination of rice leaf discoloration in 146 pollen-derived lines, 70 pollen-derived lines from cold stress at $0^{\circ}C$ for 10 days, and 830 F$_2$ plants presented normal distribution curves with skewness in tolerance and no significant difference among 3 populations. Direct in vitro selection for rice cold tolerance through cold stress on primary pollen callus derived from anther culture, therefore, was revealed ineffective as a in vitro technology.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.225-230
• /
• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the radiation dose-response of micronucleus frequencies in Tradescantia pollen mother cells. The number of micronuclei increased in the tetrads as a result of chromosome deletion after irradiation. The maximal frequency of micronuclei showed a good dose-response relationship in the range of dose $0{\sim}50$ cGy. On the basis of the relationship, a dose of 1 cGy results maximally in two additional micronuclei in 100 tetrads. The radiation dose-response relationship of micronucleus occurrence is prerequisite to biological monitoring of radiations. The micronucleus assay can be applied to biological risk assessment of environmental toxicants, and to integrity test of water or soils of interest.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.11 no.8
• /
• pp.14-22
• /
• 2011

It is important for the strategy of service to provide the health information in the environment that the healthcare has been changed focusing on the preventive medicine. Recently, the various applications of u-healthcare have been presented by researchers. In this paper, we proposed the health information monitoring system using the context sensors based band. By wearing the proposed hand, the health status is gathered and vital signals are transmitted to the connected UMPC. It can be easily monitored according to the user locations in real time. To provide the health index according to the temperature, the air conditioning, the illumination, the humidity, and the ultraviolet rays, we use the various XML links extracted from RSS of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The health information is analyzed in terms of factors, such as, the asthma index, the stroke index, the skin disease index, the pulmonary disease index, the pollen concentration index, and the city high temperature index. Ultimately, this paper suggests empirical application to verify the adequacy and the validity with the proposed system. Accordingly, the satisfaction and the quality of services will be improved the healthcare.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2017

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, the causal agent of bacterial canker, is currently causing severe economic losses to kiwifruit production worldwide. The pathogen has affected green-fleshed kiwifruit cutlivars and yellow-fleshed kiwifruit cultivars since 1988 and 2006 in Korea, respectively. In recent years, the biovar 3 strains of P. syringae pv. actinidiae were introduced through imported contaminated pollens and have rapidly spread to neighboring kiwiruit orchards by secondary infection, leading to outbreaks of bacterial canker and tremendous damages on yellow- and red-fleshed kiwifruit cultivars. In this review, we summarize the various management practices of bacterial canker of kiwifruit such as disease escaping, cultural practices, blocking of dissemination, early diagnosis, eradication of inoculum sources, chemical control, and trunk injection on the basis of our research works and field experiences and important research products conducted during the last three decades in the world. Finally, we propose a manual for the efficient management of the disease that can be practically utilized at the farmers' orchards in order to keep kiwifruit vines healthy in the future.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2008

Airborne pollen is known as one of the major causal agents to respiratory allergic reactions. Daily number of pollen grains was monitored using Burkard volumetric spore traps at seven locations including Seoul and Jeju during 1997-2007. Pollen grains were observed throughout the year especially from February to November. They showed similar distribution patterns of species among locations except in Jeju, where Japanese cedar vegetation is uniquely found. Peak seasons for pollen grains from trees and weeds were March to May and August to October, respectively. Tree pollens were mainly composed of pine, oak, alder, and birch. Weed pollens were mainly from Japanese hop, Worm wood, and ragweed. Diameter of pollen grains, which has a typical range of $20{\sim}60{\mu}m$, has close relationship with allergenicity. Allergenicity of tree and weed pollens is higher than that of grass pollens in general. In the case of trees and shrubs, pine trees account for about 70% of all tree pollens. However, pine pollens are weak allergens. The remaining 30% of tree pollens, including alder trees, white birches, and oaks, are moderate to strong allergens despite the smaller numbers. Grass and weeds are also highly likely to cause allergies. Especially, the pollens of Wormwood and Japanese hop are highly likely to cause allergies. Daily fluctuations in the number of pollens have to do with a variety of meteorological factors, such as temperature and rainfall.