• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.219-227
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• 2013

This study was to investigate serum triglyceride (TG), phospholipid (PL), and cholesterol concentrations after feeding the combined diets of prepared traditional Cheonggukjang (TC) or Cheonggukjang made from sword bean powder (CS), the feed, and high-fat cholesterols at certain ratio for 8 weeks in rats, and then confirmed the effects of the diets based on the changes in the tissues of livers, kidneys, and spleens. The serum TG concentrations were lower in CS group compared to that of in TC group. The increase of PL concentrations was greater in CS group than that of TC group. FChCS6 group (92% feed+2% cholesterol+6% CS) showed the lowest total-cholesterol (T-C), $60.1{\pm}8.5mg/dL$, indicating that CS was effective to lower the T-C. Both TG/PL and T-C/PL ratio tended to be decreased. As CS intake was effective in the reduction of low density lipoprotein-cholesterol level as well as the increase of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, it would be effective in the prevention of adult diseases and circulatory diseases. It was confirmed that there were no changes in organ appearance and tissues in the rats with CS intake. Therefore, CS intake showed superior functionalities than that of TC intake.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2001

Some phenomena in which insects can demonstrate environmental changes by xenobiotics are easily and simply evaluated. On this regard, general guidelines for environmental studies using insects as biomarkers which determine the effects of such changes are suggested. Insects include three-quaters of all living animal species. This diversity comprises many closely related species which may respond sole to environmental changes by xenobiotics. Insects have been used for assessing adverse effects of environmental changes by xenobiotics, especially pesticides. Collembolan species are widely used as physiological and behavioral biomarkers for the assessment of adverse effects caused by pesticides on soil environment. This review aims to evaluate tile possible use of Korean Collembolan species based upon their response to environmental changes in Korean soil mainly caused by pesticides for crop protection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.529-536
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• 2003

The growth-inhibitory activity of Cassia tora seed-derived materials against seven intestinal bacteria was examined in vitro, and compared with that of anthraquinone, anthraflavine, anthrarufin, and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone. The active constituent of C. tore seeds was characterized as quinizarin, using various spectroscopic analyses. The growth responses varied depending on the compound, dose, and bacterial strain tested. At 1 mg/disk, quinizarin exhibited a strong inhibition of Clostridium perfringens and moderate inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus without any adverse effects on the growth of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, B. bifidum, B. longum, and Lactobacillus casei. Furthermore, the isolate at 0.1 mg/disk showed moderate and no activity against C. perfringens and S. aureus. The structure-activity relationship revealed that anthrarufin, anthraflavine, and quinizarin moderately inhibited the growth of S. aureus. However. anthraquinone and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone did not inhibit the human intestinal bacteria tested. As for the morphological effect of 1 mg/disk quinizarin, most strains of C. perfringens were damaged and disappeared, indicating that the strong activity of quinizarin was morphologically exhibited against C. perfringens. The inhibitory effect on aflatoxin $B_1$ biotransformation by anthraquinones revealed that anthrarufin ($IC_50,\;11.49\mu\textrm{M}$) anthraflavine ($IC_50,\;26.94\mu\textrm{M}$), and quinizarin ($IC_50,\;4.12\mu\textrm{M}$), were potent inhibitors of aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$ formation. However, anthraquinone and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone did not inhibit the mouse liver microsomal sample to convert aflatoxin $B_1$ to aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$. These results indicate that the two hydroxyl groups on A ring of anthraquinones may be essential for inhibiting the formation of aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$. Accordingly, as naturally occurring inhibitory agents, the C. tora seed-derived materials described could be useful as a preventive agent against diseases caused by harmful intestinal bacteria, such as clostridia, and as an inhibitory agent for the mouse liver microsomal conversion of aflatoxin $B_1$ to aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.400-403
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: By the year 2050, thirty-eight percent of the Korean population will be over the age of 65. Health care costs for Koreans over age 65 reached 15.4 trillion Korean won in 2011, accounting for a third of the total health care costs for the population. Chronic degenerative diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD), drive long-term health care costs at an alarming annual rate. In the elderly population, loss of independence is one of the main reasons for this increase in health care costs. Korean heath policies place a high priority on the prevention of CHD because it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This evidence-based study aims to the estimate potential health care cost savings resulting from the daily intake of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Potential cost savings associated with a reduced risk of CHD and the medical costs potentially avoided through risk reduction, including hospitalizations and physician services, were estimated using a Congressional Budget Office cost accounting methodology. RESULTS: The estimate of the seven-year (2005-2011) net savings in medical costs resulting from a reduction in the incidence of CHD among the elderly population through the daily use of omega-3 fatty acids was approximately 210 billion Korean won. Approximately 92,997 hospitalizations due to CHD could be avoided over the seven years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that omega-3 supplementation in older individuals may yield substantial cost-savings by reducing the risk of CHD. It should be noted that additional health and cost benefits need to be revisited and re-evaluated as more is known about possible data sources or as new data become available.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.292-296
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess the potential of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to prevent obesity and abnormalities in lipid metabolism induced by ovariectomy in a rat model without stimulatory activity on uterus. MATERIALS/METHODS: Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated for 6 weeks with 70% ethanol extracts of Hypericum perforatum [HPEs: whole plant (WHPE) and flower and leaves (FLHPE)], ${\beta}$-estradiol-3-benzoate at a dose of $50{\mu}g/kg/day$ (E2) or vehicle (distilled water). RESULTS: As expected, OVX increased body weight gain and adiposity and showed higher food efficacy ratio. OVX also increased the serum cholesterol as well as insulin resistance, while reducing uterus weight and uterine epithelial proliferation rate. HPEs (WHPE and FLHPE) showed estrogen-like effect on body weight gain, adipose tissue weight and food efficacy ratio in OVX rats. HPEs prevented hypercholesterolemia induced by OVX more effectively than E2. E2 increased uterus weight and epithelial proliferation rate in OVX rats, while HPEs maintained them at the level of the sham-operated animals. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding demonstrates that HPEs can be considered as an effective agent to prevent OVX-induced obesity without stimulatory activity on uterus.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.942-947
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• 2006

The effect of oat bran extracts on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the colon induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was studied in F344 male rats. Extracts were prepared using various combinations of temperature (40, 45, 50, 55, or 60$^{\circ}C:\;X_1$), ethanol concentration (0,5, 10, 15, or 20%: $X_2$), and pH (5, 6, 7, 8, or 9: $X_3$). Among the various extracts tested, one ethanol extract (EE; $45^{\circ}C$, 15% ethanol at pH 6) and one water extract (WE; $50^{\circ}C$ at pH 5) were selected based on their in vitro antitumor activity. The animals were fed with basal diet alone or basal diet supplemented with 0.25 or 0.5% of EE or WE for 6 weeks. During the initial 2 weeks of the 6-week test period, the rats were subcutaneously injected with DMH (30 mg/kg) 4 times for the induction of ACF. DMH induced an average of 322.7 and 142.9 aberrant crypts (AC) and ACF, respectively. A low dose (0.25%) of EE (containing 38.3% ${\beta}$-glucan) and WE (containing 22.8% ${\beta}$-glucan) greatly reduced the numbers of DMH-induced AC and ACF. Significantly, ACF consisting of more than 3 AC were reduced by half in which the effect of EE, containing a higher concentration of ${\beta}$-glucan, was superior to that of WE. These results demonstrate that oat bran extracts may confer protection against colon carcinogenesis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2014

Obesity occurs when a person's calorie intake exceeds the amount of energy burns, which may lead to pathologic growth of adipocytes and the accumulation of fat in the tissues. In this study, the effect and mechanism of pear pomace extracts on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and apoptosis of mature adipocytes were investigated. The effects of pear pomace extract on cell viability and the anti-adipogenic and proapoptotic effects were investigated via MTT assay, Oil red O staining, western blot analysis and apoptosis assay. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were stimulated with DMEM containing 10% FBS, 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), $5{\mu}g/ml$ insulin and $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone for differentiation to adipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were cultured with PBS or water extract of pear pomace. Water extract of pear pomace effectively inhibited lipid accumulations and expressions of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ in 3T3-L1 cells. It also increased expression of p-AMPK and decreased the expression of SREBP-1c and FAS in 3T3-L1 cells. The induction of apoptosis was observed in 3T3-L1 cells treated with pear pomace. These results indicate that pear pomace water extract inhibits adipogenesis and induces apoptosis of adipocytes and thus can be used as a potential therapeutic substance as part of prevention or treatment strategy for obesity.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.164-167
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• 2012

The effects of aeration through lid filters on the hyphal growth of Lentinula edodes (oak mushroom) in sawdust cultivation bags were investigated. The aeration treatment levels were traditional 27 mm hole cotton plugs, cotton balls and combinations of seven hole sizes ${\times}$ two hole positions (up and under) in the lids covering plastic bags containing 1.4 kg sawdust medium at 63% moisture that had been autoclaved for one hour and inoculated with sawdust spawn of L. edodes strain 921. Aeration treatment effects were measured based on the $CO_2$ concentration at the 15th wk, as well as the hyphal growth rate and degree of weight loss of bags every 14 days for 15 wk. In bags with traditional cotton plugs, the $CO_2$ concentration was $3.8{\pm}1.3%$, daily mean hyphal growth was $2.3{\pm}0.6mm$ and daily mean weight loss was $0.84{\pm}0.26g$. In the bags with 15 mm diameter holes, the $CO_2$ concentration was $6.0{\pm}1.6%$, daily hyphal growth was $2.8{\pm}0.2mm$ and daily weight loss was $0.86{\pm}0.4g$. The bags with 15 mm holes had a higher $CO_2$ concentration and lower water loss than bags with other hole sizes, but the hyphal growth was not significantly different from that of other bags. The weight loss of bags increased proportionally relative to the lid hole sizes. Taken together, these results indicate that traditional cotton plugs are economically efficient, but 15 mm hole lids are the most efficient at maintaining hyphal growth and controlling water loss while allowing $CO_2$ emissions.

• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.215-218
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• 2007

The caterpillar-shaped Chinese medicinal mushroom (DongChongXiaCao) looks like a worm in the winter and like a grass in the summer. The fruiting body has been regarded as popular folk or effective medicines used to treat human diseases such as asthma, bronchial and lung inflammation, and kidney disease. The fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces tenuipes that formed on the living silkworm (Bombyx mon) host were used in this examination. This study was carried out to investigate the proximate composition, soluble sugar, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and contents of the bioactive ingredient including adenosine and D-mannitol in the fruiting-bodies. The moisture content was 57.56%. Soluble sugars found were glycerol, glucose, mannitol and sucrose, and the contents exceeded $24\;mgg^{-1}dry$ weight. Total free amino acid content was $17.09\;mgg^{-1}dry$ weight. Arginine, glycine, proline and tyrosine were main amino acids. The content of oleic acid in fatty acids was high. Adenosine was more abundant in fruiting bodies than corpus.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.866-870
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• 2005

The 14 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been evaluated to determine the binding capacity to HT29 cell and Aflatoxin $B_1$ ($AFB_1$). The interaction of LAB to HT29 cells has been further investigated to identify the possibility of competing the binding sites with $AFB_1$. Of 14 LAB strains, Lactobacillus casei KCTC 3260 demonstrated the higher adhesiveness to HT29 and $AFB_1$ with the rate of 19.6% and 46.3%, respectively. In competitive analysis for binding sites, the adhesion of L. casei KCTC 3260 to HT29 cells was reduced with 100 nmol $AFB_1$ by 31.2%. The protoplast of L. casei KCTC 3260 showed no binding capacity to HT29 cells with increment of $AFB_1$ concentration, indicating that cell wall components might serve as a critical factor for the binding. To discriminate the major component influencing on L. casei KCTC 3260 binding to HT29 cells and $AFB_1$, four different pre-treatments (lipase, pronase E, sodium m-periodate, and urea) were employed. Of those, sodium m-periodate treatment caused the lower adhesion of L. casei KCTC 3260 to HT29 cells with the increment of $AFB_1$ concentration. These results indicated that carbohydrate moiety on the cell wall of L. casei KCTC 3260 might be the most critical component in binding to both HT29 cells and $AFB_1$.