• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity and stability of a cream containing Hippophae rhamnoides leaf extract. The MIC values of ethyl acetate fraction from an H. rhamnoides leaf on Escherichia coli, Pityrosporum ovale, Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus were 0.5%, 0.25%, 0.25% and 0.06%, respectively. Stability evaluations, pH, viscosity and absorbance of the cream containing 0.25% ethyl acetate fraction of H. rhamnoides, were performed. The cream was measured under 4 different temperature conditions under sunlight at 2-week intervals for 12 weeks. The viscosity and pH were measured by a comparison of the experimental cream with a similar control cream. The H. rhamnoides extract was found to have contributed to the stability of the emulsion product via a protective effect in maintaining the viscosity of the cream against sunlight. The absorbance variations of the experimental cream at 270 nm were, under sunlight; $45^{\circ}C$, $37^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $4^{\circ}C$. In addition, any change in color or smell was not observed through the 12 weeks of the experimental period. These results indicated that the cream containing 0.25% ethyl acetate fraction of H. rhamnoides leaf extract was stable. Accordingly, this suggests that further study is needed to provide additional information for manufacturers, who are seeking the application of the extract to improve anti-oxidant and antibacterial activities and the stability of cosmetic products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.168-176
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• 2010

Acellular dermal matrix (ADM), produced by decellularization from human cadaveric skin, has been used for various biomedical applications. A manufacturing process for ADM ($SureDerm^{TM}$) using tri-n-butyl phospahate (TnBP) and deoxycholic acids as the decellularization solution has been developed. The manufacturing process for $SureDerm^{TM}$ has 70% ethanol treatment and ethylene oxide gas sterilization for inactivating infectious microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the 70% ethanol treatment, decellularization process using 0.1% TnBP and 2% deoxycholic acids, and EO gas sterilization process in the inactivation of viruses. A variety of experimental model viruses for human pathogens, including the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), bovine herpes virus (BHV), bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and porcine parvovirus (PPV) were all selected for this study. Enveloped viruses such as HIV-1, BHV, and BVDV were effectively inactivated to undetectable levels by 70% ethanol treatment. However HAV and PPV showed high resistance to 70% ethanol treatment with the log reduction factors of 1.85 and 1.15, respectively. HIV-1, BHV, and BVDV were effectively inactivated to undetectable levels by decellularization process. All the viruses tested were completely inactivated to undetectable levels by EO gas treatment. The cumulative log reduction factors of HIV-1, BHV, BVDV, HAV, and PPV were $\geq12.71$, $\geq18.08$, $\geq14.92$, $\geq6.57$, and $\geq7.18$, respectively. These results indicate that the production process for $SureDerm^{TM}$ has a sufficient virus-reducing capacity to achieve a high margin of the virus safety.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.123-134
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• 1975

Out of 96 yeast strains isolated from various natural habitats, five strains were screened based on their ability to ferment agricultural biproducts such as rice-, barley-and wheat-bran, and sawdust. These were identified as Hansenula anomala var anomala, Candide utilis, C. pelliculosa, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Irpex lacteus. Using these yeasts the above mentioned agricultural biproducts were fermented in various combinations. The fermented product was fed to 180 male Starcroses for eight weeks and obtained a body weight increase of 15.1g a day, while the unfermented control feed increased 10.5g a day.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.5 s.85
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• pp.634-640
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• 2007

Our previous study suggested that n-3 fatty acid deficiency was associated with significantly reduced spatial learning as assessed by Morris water maze test. Here we investigated an effect of n-3 fatty acid deficiency on rat brain, retina and serum fatty acyl compositions at 15 wks age using a first generational artificial rearing technique. Newborn Rat pups were separated on day 2 and assigned to two artificial rearing groups or a dam-reared control group. Pups were hand fed artificial milk via custom-designed nursing bottles containing either 0.02%(n-3 Deficient) or 3.1% (n-3 Adequate) of total fatty acids as a-linolenic acid(LNA). At day 21, rats were weaned to either n-3 deficient or n-3 adequate pelleted diets and fatty acid compositions of brain, retina and liver were analyzed at 15 wks age. Brain docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) was lower(58% and 61%, P<0.05) in n-3 deficient in comparison to n-3 adequate and dam-reared groups, receptively, while brain docosapentaenoic acid(DPAn-6) was increased in the n-3 deficient group. In retina and serum fatty acid compositions, the decreased precentage of DHA and increased precentage of DPAn-6 were observed. These results suggested that artificial rearing method can be used to produce n-3 fatty acid deficiency in the first generation and that adequate brain DHA levels are required for optimal brain function.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.362-367
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• 2007

A total of 5 female elk deer (220 $kg{\pm}10$ kg) were included in a study on the changes in physico-chemical properties of deer meat during storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The deers were exposed to normal pre-slaughter handling and put under anesthesia before slaughtered. The loin and leg cuts were deboned from the carcass after 24hrs slaughter. The samples weighing approximately 300 g were packaged using three packaging methods : Atmospheric packaging(A), Vacuum packaging (V) and Modified atmospheric at packaging (M: 80% $CO_2$ +20% $N_2$)and stored for 3, 7, 11, 15, 20 and 25days at $4^{\circ}$. The ability of moisture maintenance tended to be decreased with the passage of storage time, and that of the meats treated with the vacuum wrapping was lower than that with other wrapping methods. TBARS values of the meats with the regardless of treatments was increased with the passage of storage time, although the values with vacuum wrapping was lowest. VBN values of the meats with the regardless of treatments was also increased with the passage of storage time, although the values with vacuum wrapping was also lowest. The pH values of the meats with the regardless of treatments was also increased with the passage of storage time, although the values with vacuum wrapping was also lowest. For the meat softness, the value of the meats treated with atmospheric packaging was increased with the passage of storage time, but the values with vacuum wrapping and modified atmospheric packaging were respectively decreased. There were no significant differences in luminosity of leg, although loin treated with vacuum wrapping was significantly brighter than that with atmospheric packaging and modified atmospheric packaging. In general, the index of red color of the meats treated with vacuum wrapping was higher than that with atmospheric packaging and modified atmospheric packaging. The index of yellow color tended to be decreased after increment for a time with the passage of storage time, although the value with vacuum wrapping was generally higher than that with other wrapping methods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.407-416
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• 2012

In this study, we purified the extracts from the seeds and the roots of various plant species, including Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens, and then investigated the effects of these extracts on cell growth and fat accumulation in adipocytes. We found that the extracts purified from Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens more effectively increased the cell growth, as well as promoting the fat accumulation in adipocytes to a greater extent, than other extracts in vitro. Therefore, we made breast packs containing these effective extracts, and then investigated whether they were effective in enhancing the elasticity and volume of women's breasts. The measurements of breast elasticity and size revealed that the breast packs efficiently increased the elasticity and size of women's breasts. Furthermore, evaluation of the questionnaires related to usage of the breast packs indicated great satisfaction in terms of the lift, firmness, and elasticity of breasts. In conclusion, extracts purified from Q. acutissima, C. lanceolata, P. mirifica, P. bambusoides, and S. repens leading to cell growth and fat accumulation in adipocytes can effectively contribute to improving the elasticity and size of women's breasts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.6 s.73
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• pp.987-993
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• 2005

A bacterium, producing a fibrinolytic enzyme, was screened from a decaying rice plant. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis by morphological, biochemical, and physiological properties and named Bacillus subtilis BK-17. The fibrinolytic enzyme (BK) was purified from supernatant of Bacillus subtilis BK-17 culture broth. The molecular weight was 31 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The effect of temperature, pH, and plasminogen on the activity of the bacillokinase (BK) was analysed and the activity was compared with urokinase. The optimal temperature and pH were $50^{circ}C$ and pH 7, pH 8, respectively. The BK activity was inhibited to $45\%$, $35\%$, and $23\%$ with 1mM EDTA, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Ca^{2+}$, respectively. However, $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, and $Co^{2+}$ ions did not have any significant effect on the enzyme activity The BK showed the artivity in the both plates, plasminogen-free fibrin plate and plasminogen-rich fibrin plate. The result indicates that the BK can directly act the fibrin. In comparison of fibrinolytic activity with urokinase on the fibrin plate, the BK shows about 20 folds higher activity than that of the urokinase.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.124-134
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• 2021

Water in the Mulgol pond on Dokdo (island), Korea, was historically used for drinking water, but now it has been no longer used for this purpose due to regionally low water quality. Since 2007, this pond has been covered with a metal lid to protect from pollutants of seabirds, indicating limited light penetration into the Mulgol pond. Here, we investigated water quality in the pond and potential relationships of nitrogen components and microbes in May, June, August, and November 2020. The source salinity ranged from 1.39 to 1.57 psu. Suspended solids (0.8~5.1 mg L^-1) and chlorophyll-a (<0.01~0.49 ㎍ L^-1) remained low. The concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was between 35.9 and 47.2 mg L^-1. Thus, water in the Mulgol pond proves to be brackish water with low chlorophyll-a and high nutrients. This unique environment may be established by limited light intensity, sea fog (or seawater), and fecal pellets from many seabirds. Although the light source (800~8000 lux) was exposed to the four subsamples, chlorophyll-a concentrations were below <0.5 ㎍ L^-1 during the incubation periods. This result suggests that the biomass of phytoplankton does not increase along with an increase in light intensity. Furthermore, the content of nitrate constituted more than 90% of DIN, and a significant negative correlation between nitrate concentration and bacterial abundance was shown in May and June 2020 during the light exposure experiments (R=-0.762, p<0.05). Thus, it is possible that bacteria may be a significant agent to reduce nitrate concentration in the Mulgol pond, the relationship between nitrate concentration and bacterial abundance may vary seasonally.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.626-630
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• 2021

This study was conducted to examine the association between the myosin heavy chain 3 (MYH3) in 6-bp deletion variant genotypes and meat color traits in a crossbred pig population Landrace and Jeju native black pigs (JNBP). The longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus, triceps brachii and biceps femoris muscle from each carcass were used for the analysis of meat color traits. A total of 187 pigs and three meat color traits, CIE L^* (lightness), CIE a^* (redness), and CIE b^* (yellowness), were analyzed. All experimental pigs were successfully genotyped for the MYH3 6-bp deletion variant using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. We detected three MYH3 6-bp deletion variant genotypes qq, Qq, and QQ with 0.091, 0.551 and 0.358 genotype frequencies, respectively. Compared to qq homozygotes, the MYH3 6-bp deletion QQ genotype animals showed a higher levels of the meat colors traits CIE L^* (lightness), CIE a^* (redness), and CIE b^* (yellowness) in longissimus dorsi (p>0.05, p<0.001, p<0.001), semimembranosus (p>0.05, p<0.001, p<0.001), triceps brachii (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001), and biceps femoris (p<0.01, p<0.001, p<0.001), respectively. The QQ genotype pigs was associated with increasing meat color traits in the crossbred between Landrace and JNBP. Our findings suggest that the MYH3 6-bp deletion variant genotypes can be used as valuable genetic markers for JNBP-related breeding programs to improve meat quality and control meat color traits.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.570-579
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• 2019

Diabetes is one of the serious chronic metabolic diseases caused by Westernized eating habits, and the goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood glucose at a normal level and prevent diabetic complications. This study was designed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of a mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) extract (MWE) on hyperglycemia in an animal model with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice were divided into three groups: diabetic control, rosiglitazone, and MWE. The mice supplemented with MWE showed significantly lower blood levels of glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin when compared with the diabetic control mice. The homeostatic index of insulin resistance was significantly lower in mice supplemented with MWE than in diabetic control mice. MWE supplementation significantly stimulated the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 and Akt, and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in insulin signaling pathway of skeletal muscles. Eventually, MWE increased the expression of the plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) via PI3K/Akt activation. These findings demonstrate that the increase in plasma membrane GLUT4 expression by MWE promoted the uptake of blood glucose into cells and relieved hyperglycemia in skeletal muscles of diabetic C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice. Therefore, mealworms are expected to prove useful for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, and further studies are needed to improve type 2 diabetes in the future.