• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2021

Obesity is associated with impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function, which contribute to host systemic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Korean traditional foods, fiber-rich bean products, have been various biological activities in anti-inflammatory responses, but has not reported the large intestinal health. In this study, we investigated the intestinal health promoting effect of cooked soybeans (CSB) on high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity model. SD rat were fed either a HFD or HFD supplemented with 10.6% CSB (HFD+CSB) for animal experimental period. CSB treatment significantly decreased the HFD-induced weights of body and fat. Also, CSB treatment improved HFD-reduced tight junction components (ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin-1) mRNA expression in large intestine tissue. Additionally, histopathological evaluation showed that CSB treatment attenuated the HFD-increased inflammatory cells infiltration and epithelial damages in large intestine tissue. At the genus level, effects of CSB supplement not yet clear, while dietary effects showed differential abundance of several genera including Lactobacillus, Duncaniella, and Alloprevotella. NMDS analysis showed significant microbial shifts by HFD, while CSB did not shift gut microbiota. CSB increased the abundance of the genera Anaerotignum, Enterococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto, and Escherichia/Shigella by linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis, while reduced the abundance of Longicatena and Ligilactobacillus. These findings indicate that CSB supplement improves HFD-deteriorated large intestinal health by the amelioration of tight junction component, while CSB did not shift gut microbiotas.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.311-317
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• 2019

To investigate the effects of light on growth in fish, olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) were reared under four kinds of monochromatic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at violet (400 nm), blue (465 nm), green (508 nm), and red (635 nm) wavelengths, along with a white fluorescent lamp as control. The rearing experiments were carried out with 15 fish per tank under different wavelength illumination at the same intensity. After rearing the fish under a 12 hr:12 hr light:dark photoperiod for 60 days, percentage increases in weight gain of $269.92{\pm}13.02$, $363.21{\pm}3.74$, $433.22{\pm}4.83$, $290.17{\pm}11.83$, and $340.74{\pm}26.58%$ and increases in specific growth rates (SGR) of $2.18{\pm}0.06$, $2.56{\pm}0.07$, $2.79{\pm}0.01$, $2.27{\pm}0.05$, and $2.47{\pm}0.10$ were observed in fish grown under the illumination of red, blue, green, and violet LEDs and the white fluorescent light, respectively. The results show faster growth in fish reared under green LEDs, but slower growth in those reared under red light. Differences in most blood parameters were minor, aside from an increased level of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase in the fish grown under red LED illumination. Histological analysis of the retina showed few changes in the ratio of photoreceptor layer thickness to total retina thickness in fish reared under the green LEDs compared to those in other illumination groups. These results indicate that green LED light can foster increased growth in olive flounder with no distinct harmful effects on their light-sensitive photoreceptor layers.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.81-92
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• 2018

For a marine bridge foundation construction, a large-circular-steel-pipe has been proposed for supporting vertical load and preventing water infiltration. However, a ship collision can adversely affect the structural stability. This paper presents a fundamental study on dynamic responses of the large-circular-steel-pipe by an impact load. In laboratory experiments, small-scaled steel pipe is installed in a soil tank. The soil height and water level are set to 23 cm and 25~70 cm, respectively. The upper part of the steel pipe is impacted using a hammer to simulate the ship collision. The dynamic responses are measured using accelerometers and strain gauges. Experimental results show that the strain decreases as the measured location is lowered. The higher frequency components appear in the impact load condition compared to the microtremor condition. However, the higher frequency components measured at the strain gauge located below the water level do not appear. For the accelerometer signal, the maximum frequency under the impact load is higher than that of the microtremor. The maximum frequency decreases as water level increases but it is larger than the maximum frequency of the microtremor. This study shows that strain gauge and accelerometer can be useful for evaluating the dynamic responses of large-circular-steel-pipes.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.781-792
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• 2018

In modern society, as technology develops and industry diversifies, students can choose from a variety of career paths. Since science, technology, engineering, and mathematics require a longer education and experience than other fields, it is important to design science education policies based on the competencies required for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. This study explores the definition of science and technology manpower and STEM occupations and identifies core competencies of STEM occupations using standard job information operated and maintained by the US Department of Labor ($O^*NET$). We specially analyzed ratings of the importance of skills (35 ratings), knowledge (33 ratings), and work activities (41 ratings) conducting descriptive analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). As a result, core competencies of STEM occupations consist of STEM problem-solving competency, Management competency, Technical competency, Social service competency, Teaching competency, Design competency, Bio-chemistry competency, and Public service competency, which accounts for 70% of the total variance. This study can be a reference for setting the curriculum and educational goals in secondary and college education by showing the diversity of science and technology occupations and the competencies required for STEM occupations.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary bee venom on serum characteristics, antioxidant activity, and hepatic fatty acid composition in broiler chickens. A group of 875 one-day-old feather-sexed male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five treatments with seven replicates (25 birds/replicate) for three weeks. A corn-soybean meal-based diet was used as the basal diet. Five dietary treatments were compared: 1) basal diet, 2) basal diet containing $10{\mu}g/kg$ of bee venom powder, 3) basal diet containing $50{\mu}g/kg$ of bee venom powder, 4) basal diet containing $100{\mu}g/kg$ of bee venom powder, and 5) basal diet containing $500{\mu}g/kg$ of bee venom powder. At 21 days, one bird per pen was slaughtered by asphyxiation in $CO_2$ gas, and blood was collected to measure serum characteristics and antioxidant activity. In addition, the liver was excised to measure the concentration of malondialdehyde and determine fatty acid composition. Increasing dietary bee venom in the diet failed to affect most serum parameters except for triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acids. Dietary bee venom inclusion quadratically increased the concentration of stearic acid (P<0.05), but decreased palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, mono-unsaturated fatty acids, and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Finally, dietary bee venom tended to lower hepatic malondialdehyde contents quadratically (P=0.054). In conclusion, our study revealed that dietary bee venom improved antioxidant capacity and affected fatty acid metabolism in broiler chickens.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.322-329
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• 2018

In this study the community characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates distributed in stream of Gaya Mountain were figured out and the correlation with the physicochemical water quality factors were calculated. During the study period, total 4 phyla, 6 classes, 13 orders, 36 families, 100 species of benthic macroinvertebrates were recorded. Ephemeroptera were the most dominant followed by Trichoptera, Plecoptera, Diptera, Non-insecta, Hemiptera, and Odonata. The overall dominant species was Cincticostella levanidovae by dominance rate in 17.72%, subdominant species was Hydatophylax nigrovittatus by dominance rate in 6.15%. The biotic indices showed the diversity index 5.17, richness index 12.44, dominant index 0.24 and evenness index 0.78, there is no absolutely dominant benthic macroinvertebrates in the stream of Gaya Mountain. We identified the correlation between the species number and individuals of main taxa and the physicochemical water quality factors. Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera showed a negative correlation with water temperature, but they represented a positive correlation with the dissolved oxygen. This results suggest that water temperature and dissolved oxygen are important physicochemical water quality factors affects the distribution of Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera, the indicators of clean water stream.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2021

The Chironomidae is a benthic macroinvertebrate commonly found in freshwater ecosystems, along with Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera, which can be used for environmental health assessments. There are approximately 15,000 species of Chironomidae worldwide, but there are limited studies on species identification of domestic Chironomidae larvae. In the present study, we carried out species classification of the Chironomidae larvae that found in Jeju's tap water purification plants using morphological characteristics and genetic identification based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of the mitochondrial DNA. Body shape, mentum, antenna, mandible in the head capsule, and claws were observed in the larvae for morphological classification. Analysis of 17 larvae collected from faucets and fire hydrants of domestic tap water purification plants revealed the presence of two species, including 14 Orthocladius tamarutilus and 3 Paratrichocladius tammaater. These results will aid the use of the criteria information about species classification of the Chironomidae for water quality management in water purification plants and diversity monitoring of freshwater environments.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.5-5
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• 2019

DMZ는 살아있는 생물다양성의 보고로 지난 60여년동안 자연적으로 재생이 일어나고 환경적인 강제 보존 영향으로 높은 생태학적인 가치가 유지되고 있으며, 최근에는 남북교류에 대한 활발한 의지로 DMZ생태자원의 남북공동활용 방안에 대한 이슈가 급부상하고 있다. 이에 본 연구진은 3년전부터 DMZ에서 자생하는 식물에 대한 조사를 진행하여 총 200여종 이상의 자생식물의 표본과 추출물들을 보유하고 있으며, 이 추출물들을 활용 in vitro 와 in vivo 평가를 통해 비임상 평가에서 유효한 효과를 나타내는 후보물질들을 다수 찾아낼 수 있었다. 그 중 조팝나무(Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora)는 쌍떡잎식물 장미과에 속하는 낙엽활엽관목으로 동북아시아 지역에 널리 분포되며 우리나라에서는 중부지방에 주로 서식한다고 알려져 있다. 예로부터 해열 및 소염, 신경통완화 치료등에 이용해왔다고 알려져 있으며 그 속에는 다양한 terpenoids, flavonoid 및 phenolic 화합물이 다량 함유되어 있다고 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 조팝나무 추출물을 이용하여 전구지방세포에서의 지방세포분화 억제 및 관련 유전자들의 활성을 확인한 후 고지방식이로 유도된 high-fat diet mouse model을 이용하여 체지방 감소 및 내장지방감소, 간 조직내의 지방량 감소등을 확인하였으며, 혈액분석을 통해 총콜레스테롤과 고중성지방등 동맥경화와 심혈관계 질환을 유도시킬수 있는 지표들에서 억제 활성도 확인하였다. 특히 내장 지방의 경우는 Micro-CT를 통해 정밀한 분석을 진행하였고, 체지방뿐만 아니라 전체 체중감소도 나타나는 것을 확인하였다. 현재 실험을 통해 적출된 간 조직과 지방조직을 이용하여 항 비만 활성의 작용기전을 지속적으로 확인하고 있으며, 이 결과는 국제적인 연구저널에 보고되어 향후 체지방 감소 또는 항 비만 치료제로 개발되는 비임상 연구자료로 활용될 계획이다. 이미 조팝나무에 대한 연구결과는 특허로 출원이 완료되어 PCT출원까지 진행중에 있으며 개별인정형 건강기능식품 개발 기업에 기술이전이 될 예정이다. 또한 원활한 원료 수급을 위해 기초단체 소속 농업기술센터와 원료 재배 및 대량 수급에 관한 논의를 마친 상태로 접경지역 근처 농가소득 증대로도 이어지는 제품화 사례이기도 하다. 이는 접경지역에서 자생하는 원료의 활성을 과학적으로 검증하여 기업과의 연계를 통해 기초시군 단체의 농가 소득과도 연계한 우수한 제품개발 사례로 향후에도 이와 같은 연구성과가 지속적으로 도출되기를 기대해본다.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.84-90
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• 2021

In June 2019, Angelica acutiloba plants showing virus-like symptoms such as chlorotic local lesion and mosaic on the leaves were found in a greenhouse in Nonsan, South Korea. To identify the causal virus, we collected 6 symptomatic A. acutiloba leaf samples and performed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis using specific detection primers for three reported viruses including tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). RT-PCR results showed that five symptomatic samples were positive for TSWV. Mechanical sap inoculation of one of the collected TSWV isolate (TSWV-NS-AG28) induced yellowing, chlorosis and mosaic symptoms in A. acutiloba and necrotic local lesions and mosaic in Solanaceae species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete genome sequences showed that TSWV-NS-AG28 had a maximum nucleotide identity with TSWVNS-BB20 isolated from butterbur in Nonsan, South Korea. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TSWV infection in A. acutiloba.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.603-617
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of amaranth seed extracts on glycemic regulation in HepG2 cells. The 80% ethanol extracts of amaranth seeds were used to evaluate α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities, cell viability, glucose uptake and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), glucose transporter (GLUT)-2, GLUT-4, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and IRS-2. Methods: The samples were prepared and divided into 4 groups, including germinated black amaranth (GBA), black amaranth (BA), germinated yellow amaranth (GYA) and yellow amaranth (YA). Glucose hydrolytic enzyme, α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities were examined using a proper protocol. In addition, cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Glucose uptake in cells was measured using an assay kit. The mRNA expression levels of ACC, GLUT-2, GLUT-4, IRS-1 and IRS-2 were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The inhibitory activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were highly observed in GBA, followed by BA, GYA and YA. Similar results were observed for glucose. The GBA effect was similar compared to the positive control group. The mRNA expression levels of ACC, GLUT-2, GLUT-4, IRS-1, and IRS-2 were significantly increased. The potential hypoglycemic effects of amaranth seed extracts were observed due to the increase in glucose metabolic enzyme activity, and glucose uptake was mediated through the upregulation of ACC, GLUT-2, GLUT-4, IRS-1, and IRS-2 expression levels. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the amaranth seed is a potential candidate to prevent a diabetes. The present study demonstrated the possibility of using amaranth seeds, especially GBA and BA for glycemic control.