• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2006

The uptake of cadmium in animals is mainly accumulated in and affected to the liver and kidney by binding with red blood cells and serum albumin. The process accounts for more than 50% of the total accumulated cadmium in the body. The kidneys may be damaged without regarding the pathway uptake of cadmium. In a group of rats on supplements of 1% chlorella and 40 ppm cadmium, the concentration of cadmium in urine greatly decreased by 66% compared to control group, and the total synthesis of metallothionein decreased by 48.6% compared to control group. However, no previous study has assessed the protective effect on kidney damage induced by cadmium uptake through supplementation with chlorella. This study analyzed the biochemical marker for kidney damage in the rats after uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2$ and supplementation of the diet of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with 1%, 5%, and 10% chlorella during 4 weeks. In a group of SD rats on supplementation with 1% chlorella and uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2,\;\beta_2$ microglobulin in the urine was found to be $3.1\pm0.6\;{\mu}g/L$, a decrease of 58% compared to a group of Sp rats on uptake of $CdCl_2$ only, in which the $\beta_2$ microglobulin was found to be $4.9\pm0.7\;{\mu}g/L$. According to the results of histopathological observation, the accumulation of mild and localized chronic inflammatory cells in kidney tissues was observed in 50% of the SD rats on uptake of cadmium only. In contrast, only 30% of the SD rats on supplementation with 1% chlorella and uptake of 40ppm $CdCl_2$, representing a histopathological abnormality, and there were no histopathological abnormalities at all in groups of SD rats on supplementation with 5% or 10% chlorella and uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2$. In conclusion, protein, calcium, and iron, which account for more than 50% of the total dried chlorella composition, may contribute to the reduction nephrotoxicity by stimulating both inhibited absorption of cadium and increased excretion of accumulated cadmium in kidneys.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2008

Immunomodulating effect of Salicornia herbacea extract on the mouse splenocytes was investigated. Crude S. herbacea polysaccharide extract (CSP) and other kinds of fine S. herbacea polysaccharides (SPI and SPII) were prepared from S. herbacea by hot water extraction and further ultrafiltration and gel filtration chromatography. In vitro experiment, the mouse splenocytes and separated T cells were treated with CSP, SPI or SPII (0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg/ml). In vivo experiment, three different S. herbacea extracts were orally administrated everyday for one week. For the basic data, body weight and physiological parameters such as organ weight and spleen index were observed. The proliferation of the cells was used as an index for immunemodulating activity and the effect of proliferation was evaluated using MTS assay. The CSP, SPI and SPII directly induced the proliferation of splenocytes and separated T cells in a dose-dependent manner. In results, the proliferation was more increased in the SPI and SPII treated cells than in the CSP treated cells. The best proliferation was shown in the splenocytes cultured with SPI at the concentration of 4 mg/ml for 24 hr. The proliferation of splenocytes and separated T-cells was higher (3.2 and 3.5 times, respectively) than the control. Moreover, when the mouse splenocytes were treated with mitogen, the efficient proliferation was shown in the splenocytes cultured with SPI. In conclusion, polysaccharides from S. herbacea showed a substantial immunomodulating activity in the mouse immune cells.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2012

This study was conducted to monitor the quality characteristics of Lespedeza cuneata ethanolic extracts, by a response surface methodology. The independent variables were the extraction temperature ($35{\sim}95^{\circ}C}$), extraction time (2~10 hr), and ethanol concentration (10~90%). The coefficients of the determinations (R2) were 0.8562 (p<0.1), 0.9787 (p<0.01), and 0.8344 (p<0.1) in total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and electron donating ability, respectively. The electron donating ability and nitrite scavenging effect were improved with an increase of ethanol concentration, rather than the extraction temperature. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) with extraction conditions was 1,636.47~2,696.99 ${\mu}moles$ TE/g, and was increased with the increase of extraction temperature and 40~60% of ethanol concentration. Estimated conditions for the maximized extraction including the yield, total polyphenol, electron donating ability, nitrite scavenging effect, and ORAC, were $60{\sim}68^{\circ}C$ in extraction temperature, 6~7 hr in extraction time, and 38~60% in ethanol concentration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.614-624
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• 2020

The recent development of next-generation sequencing technology has enabled increased genomic analysis, but very few single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers applicable to sweet persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) cultivars have been identified. In this study, SNP primers developed from five pollination-constant astringent (PCA) persimmons native to Korea were applied to discriminate between cultivars and verify their usability. The polymerase chain reactions of 19 SNP primers developed by Jung et al. were checked, with 11 primers finally selected. The other eight were very difficult to analyze in the agarose gel electrophoresis and QIAxcel Advanced System used in this experiment and were therefore excluded. The 11 SNP primers were applied through first and second verification to 76 cultivars and collection lines including 20 pollination-variant non-astringent (PVNA), 30 pollination-constant non-astringent (PCNA), 20 PCA, and six pollination-variant astringent (PVA). Of these, 38 were indistinguishable (eight PVNA, 18 PCNA, nine PCA, and three PVA). However, the results of applying the 11 SNP primers to new sweet persimmon cultivars, namely Gamnuri, Dannuri, Hongchoo, Jamisi, and Migamjosaeng, showed that they have the potential to be used as a unique marker for simultaneously determining between them.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.981-988
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• 2008

This study was conducted to develop functional black soy sauce with (S2) and without (S3) an outer skin and then compare these products to a control soy sauce (S1). In addition, the effects of different fermentation periods on the pH, buffering power, titratable acidity, total acidity, salt content, and browning and Lab value were evaluated. Furthermore, the antioxidative activities of the black soy sauce were compared to those of the control soy sauce based on the total phenolic compounds and free radical scavenging activity, including the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) scavenging activity and the thiobarbituric acid value (TBA value). The pH and buffering power of S2 were lower than of S1 and S3, while the titratable acidity and total acidity were higher. The salt content of all samples decreased after 60 days of fermentation, after which it increased slightly for up to 180 days. Additionally, the browning intensity of all samples increased as the fermentation periods increased, with the browning intensity at 420 nm of S1 being the highest followed by S3 and S2. After 150 days of fermentation, the L value of S1 was higher than that of S2 and S3, but the while a value of S2 was higher than those of S1 and S3 and was increased as the fermentation periods. Moreover, the b value of S1 was the highest at the end of the fermentation period, followed by the b values of S3 and S2. The amount of total phenolics in S1 was greatest, followed by S2 and S1. Conversely, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of S2 was the highest, followed by S3 and S1. Finally, the TBA value increased rapidly from day 30 to day 180 of the fermentation period, and the TBA value of S2 was lower than those of S1 and S3.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.6-11
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• 2007

[ $\beta$ ]-Fructofuranosidases, a family 32 of glycoside hydrolases (GH32), share three conserved domains including the W(L/M)(C/N)DP(Q/N), FRDPK, and ECP(D/G) motifs. The functional role of the conserved acidic residues within three domains of levan fructotransferase, one of the $\beta-fructofuranosidases$, from Microbacterium sp. AL-210 was studied by site-directed mutagenesis. Each mutant was overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) and purified by using Hi-Trap chelating affinity chromatography and fast performance liquid chromatography. Substitution of Asp-63 by Ala, Asp-195 by Asn, and Glu-245 by Ala and Asp decreased the enzyme activity by approximately 100-fold compared to the wild-type enzyme. This result indicates that three acidic residues Asp-63, Asp-195, and Glu-245 play a major role in catalysis. Since the three acidic residues are present in a conserved position in inulinase, levanase, levanfructotransferase, and invertase, they are likely to have a common functional role as nucleophile, transition state stabilizer, and general acid in $\beta-fructofuranosidases$.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.286-293
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• 2014

In this study, one GRAS strain was screened from doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented food, as a microorganism producing amylase due to the formation of a clear zone on the medium including soluble starch. From the analysis of the gene sequence of 16S ribosomal RNA, the strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis and was therefore named Bacillus subtilis CBD2. When the nutrient broth medium was prepared with 3% NaCl, 5% glucose, and the initial medium pH 7.0, the B. subtilis CBD2 showed maximum growth. Among soluble starch, corn starch, maize amylopectin, and wheat starch, soluble starch was the most effective carbon source in the production of amylase by B. subtilis CBD2. The amylase from B. subtilis CBD2 showed the highest activities at pH 8.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, and corn starch was the most proper substrate for the enzyme activity. When corn starch was used as a substrate, the production of sugars through enzyme activity increased for 24 h, and then the enzyme activity became constant.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1073-1078
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• 2002

Antimicrobial activities in 70% ethanol extracts of Korean bamboo trees were investigated. Among the antimicrobial activities against ten major strains causing food poisening, Wangdae (Phyllostachys bambusoides S. et Z.) showed the strongest activity among five major bamboo trees cultivated in Korea. Although all extracts showed relatively strong antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptoccus mutans, the extracts of bamboo culms showed stronger activities than that of bamboo leaves. MICs (minimal inhibitory concentration) of the extracts of Wangdae culm against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans were over $10\;and\;20\;{\mu}L/disc$, respectively. The extract of Wangdae culm inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans at over 0.5% concentration, and almost inhibited the growth of these strains at 1% level. The inhibitory effect of the extract of Wangdae culm was not destroyed by heating at 60, 80, and $100^{\circ}C$ for 60 min and at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min, suggesting that the component in the bamboo tree was very heat-stable. These results indicate that 70% ethanol extract of Wangdae culm could be useful as a natural antimicrobial agent.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.297-310
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• 2024

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory and laxative effects of Polycan in TNF-α-treated HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells and loperamide-induced constipation in vivo models, respectively. Methods : To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Polycan, HT-29 cells were treated with TNF-α in the presence or absence of Polycan. IL-8 production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MAPK phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and phosphorylation of IκB were assessed by Western blot analysis. To investigate the laxative effects of Polycan, 6-week-old SD rats (8 female rats per group) were orally administered Polycan or Chicory Fiber as a positive control for 4 weeks, and constipation was induced with loperamide treatment for 10 days before sacrifice. One day before sacrifice, a charcoal meal was administered to evaluate intestinal transit times. The periodically collected feces were used to assess the number of fecal pellets and fecal water content. Results : Polycan inhibited TNF-α-induced IL-8 expression in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38 and JNK), degradation of Iκ-Bα and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In an in vivo constipation model, the number of fecal pellets per food intake was significantly increased in rats administered with Polycan, both 1 day and 7 days after loperamide treatment. The water content of fecal pellets was restored in the Polycan groups starting 7 days after loperamide treatment. In addition, Polycan intake significantly enhanced the gastrointestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal but reduced the number of intestinal fecal pellets. Conclusions : These results suggest that Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced inflammation by blocking both the MAPK and NF-κB pathways in HT-29 cells. Additionally, in a loperamide-induced constipation model, Polycan showed clear laxative effects by increasing the number of fecal pellets, fecal water content, and intestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.463-471
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• 2024

Through this study, the purpose of this study is to harmonize the quality assurance system of diagnostic radiation generator inspection bodies with current international standards, standardize the diversity of inspection bodies, provide consistent inspection services to medical institutions, and improve review efficiency of regulatory agencies. We compared and reviewed the quality assurance systems of all domestic diagnostic radiation generator and defense facility inspection bodies. For international harmonization, we reviewed international and domestic and international standards, including ISO/IEC 17020, and added and reflected the requirements of regulatory agencies. The quality assurance systems of all inspection bodies included all required items in compliance with ISO/IEC 17020, but some of the quality procedures showed differences. Standards were drawn up through expert meetings for items where differences were compared and analyzed, and rules for safety management of diagnostic radiation generators and amendments to these regulations were proposed. The results of this study are expected to improve the operational efficiency of inspection bodies and the work efficiency of regulatory agencies for inspection bodies, and international harmonization in accordance with international standards such as ISO/IEC 17020 should be continuously maintained.