• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.151-159
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• 2015

Paper records were generally degraded by some factors from atmospheric environments, like temperature, relative humidity or air pollutants. In this study, the degradation behavior of paper records by single or mixed gases of $NO_2$, $SO_2$, HCHO and TVOC was evaluated. The mechanical, optical and chemical properties of 4 kinds of paper (acid and neutral-based printing paper, traditional Hanji, and filter paper) were directly and indirectly affected by gaseous harmful materials. The brightness and $L^*$ value in all papers were slightly increased by accelerated aging under gaseous HCHO and TVOCs, but highly decreased by conditions under gases $NO_2$ and $SO_2$. The optical properties of paper records were most vulnerable in acid-based paper and high stable in filter paper and traditional Hanji by air pollutant degradation. The aging treatments under mixed gas pollutants including $NO_2$ resulted in decrease of physical, mechanical and optical properties of paper, so it was supposed that the concentration of $NO_2$ gas would be strictly controlled for optimum indoor air quality management in domestic storage centers for paper records.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1105-1108
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• 2014

We investigated whether Bacillus spp., newly isolated from Korean traditional food resources, influence the resistance of hosts to foodborne pathogens, by using Caenorhabditis elegans as a surrogate host model. Initially, we selected 20 Bacillus spp. that possess antimicrobial activity against various foodborne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. Among the selected strains, six strains of Bacillus spp. used in preconditioning significantly prolonged the survival of nematodes exposed to S. aureus. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, all six strains were identified as B. licheniformis. Our findings suggest that preconditioning with B. licheniformis may modulate the host defense response against S. aureus.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.297-300
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• 2010

To evaluate whether active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica have potential in ameliorating allergic symptoms in mice, we tested anti-allergic activities in a dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic mouse model. DNFB-induced allergic symptoms werereduced to about 50% of control levels by active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica, as evaluated by measuring the width of epidermal swelling. H&E staining also revealed that these active components markedly reduced allergic symptoms in the epidermis of the ear. The results indicate that active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica have the potential to ameliorateallergic symptoms, and may be useful biomaterial(s) in the neutraceutical or cosmeceutical industry.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.522-532
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• 2022

Cheonggukjang is a traditional fermented food in Korea, which is known to exert beneficial effects on health. In this study, we evaluated the effects of cheonggukjang fermented by Bacillus subtilis SCGB 574 (B574) on high fat diet (HFD)-deteriorated large intestinal health. Rats were fed with HFD or HFD supplemented with 10.1% cheonggukjang (B574). Fecal microbiota was analyzed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and the fecal and serum metabolome were measured using GC-MS. Our results showed that SCGB574 intake significantly reduced body weight, restored tight junction components, and ameliorated inflammatory cell infiltration. SCGB574 also shifted gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of short chain fatty acid producers such as Alistipes and Flintibacter, although it decreased the abundance of Lactobacillus. Serum and fecal metabolome analyses showed significantly different metabolic profiles between the groups. The top five metabolites increased by SCGB574 were i) arginine biosynthesis, ii) alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; iii) starch and sucrose metabolism; iv) neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin biosynthesis; and v) galactose metabolism. These results showed that cheonggukjang fermented by SCGB574 ameliorates adverse effects of HFD through improving intestinal health.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 2013

In this study, we analyzed the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of seven medicinal herbs. All extracts of the tested herbs, Euryale ferox Salisbury, Echinops setifer Iljin, Amomum cardamomum Linne, Tetrapanax papyriferus, Illicium verum Hook. f., Typha orientalis Presl, and Piper longum Linne, exhibited potent anti-oxidative activity as confirmed by DPPH radical scavenging capacity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production, in the RAW 264.7 cell line, was also ameliorated by all extracts' treatments in a dose dependent manner. NO suppressive activity originated from the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression by the extracts. Three extracts, E. ferox S., I. verum Hook. f., and P. longum L., possessed suppressive activity against, not only iNOS, but also cycloxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein expression. These three extracts may then serve as potential candidates for non steroidal analgesic inflammation drugs (NSAIDs). Furthermore, all extracts induced anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1, protein expression. Taken together, these results provide an important new insight into the fact that various medicinal herbs possess potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities and might be utilized as promising agents in the field of health products. Further studies for the identification of the active compounds from medicinal herbs are clearly needed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2020

Natural products are widely used due to their various biological activities which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we determined the antioxidative and anti-obesity effects of Polygonum cuspidatum 50% ethanol extract (PEE). The antioxidative effect of PEE was evaluated using its radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and reducing power. The anti-obesity effect of PEE was investigated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The antioxidative activity of PEE was progressively increased in various concentrations, mainly due to the presence of phenolic compounds. PEE also alleviated lipid accumulation on 3T3-L1 adipocytes and downregulated the mRNA and protein production of adipogenesis-related (SREBP-1c, PPARγ, C/EBPα) and lipogenesis-related (aP2, FAS, ACC) markers. Furthermore, we found that the inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation via PEE was caused by the alleviation of NF-κB, p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and JNK at the protein level. Taken together, our results imply that PEE is a potential antioxidant that can prevent obesity-associated disorders.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2015

DIP(deinked pulp) was bleached by FAS, $Na_2S_2O_4$ and $H_2O_2$, which are widely used in DIP bleaching process, in order to improve optical properties of DIP, and the bleaching efficiencies of DIP and environmental loads of waste water were compared, depending on bleaching chemical dosages. With the application of different bleaching chemicals, some positive improvements were shown in optical and physical properties of bleached pulp. However, the physical properties of bleached DIP and their characteristics of wastewater were remarkably different, depending on dosages and bleaching reagents. DIP chemicals with FAS and $Na_2S_2O_4$ have higher improvement in optical and physical properties than $H_2O_2$. Also, environmental loads such as pH, turbidity, SCODcr and cationic demand were decreased in reductive bleaching process. Despite of higher effectiveness of reductive bleaching process, there were some environmental problems caused by sulfur ions from FAS and $Na_2S_2O_4$. With the method of sulfur ion controls, it would be more effective than $H_2O_2$ bleaching process.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2010

Flavonoids are known to be effective scavengers of free radicals. In particular, proanthocyanidins are flavonoids that possess cardiovascular protection, antioxidative activities, and immunomodulatory activities. Here, we evaluated proanthocyanidin contents in the total polyphenolic compounds of pine needle extracts prepared by hot water, ethanol, hexane, hot water-hexane (HWH), and hot water-ethanol (HWE). Analysis of each extract indicated that the ethanol extract contained the highest proanthocyanidin concentration. The HWH and hexane extracts also contained relatively high concentrations of proanthocyanidin. On the other hand, proanthocyanidin content analyses out of the total polyphenolic compounds indicated that the HWH extract contained the highest content. These results suggest that HWH extraction is a suitable method to obtain an extract with a high level of pure proanthocyanidins and a relatively high yield. The HWH extract possessed superior activity in diverse antioxidative analyses such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferrous ion chelating (FIC), and ferric-ion reducing power (FRAP) assays. In addition, upon assessing the effects of the pine needle extracts on macrophages (Raw 264.7 cell), the HWH extract exhibited the highest activity. In this study, we discerned an efficient extraction method to achieve relatively pure proanthocyanidins from pine needles and evaluated the biological functions of the resulting extract, which could potentially be used for its efficacious components in functional food products.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

This study evaluated the microbial population (total aerobic count, fungi) and organoleptic quality of freeze-dried bibimbap sterilized by gamma irradiation to develop the space food. An irradiation dose above 30 kGy was needed to sterilize the freeze-dried bibimbap, while organoleptic quality of the sample was significantly decreased by irradiation (p<0.05). However, it was observed that scores on overall acceptance of rehydrated bibimbap after irradiation were the highest, when vitamin C and paprika extract were added at 0.1%, respectively. Therefore, it was considered that the freeze-dried bibimbap could be developed as a space food, which meet microbial requirements and organoleptic quality through addition of vitamin C 0.1% and paprika extract 0.1% before gamma irradiation at 30 kGy.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.209-213
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• 2010

Bacterial blight is one of the most serious diseases of rice (Oryza sativa L.), and it has been known that Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes this disease symptom. To develop resistance rice cultivars against Xoo, 3,000 lines of $M_3$ mutants, which were irradiated with gamma ray, were tested by 'scissor-dip method' primarily, and 191 putative resistant lines were selected. In $M_4$ generation, these lines were screened again with various ways such as measuring of symptom of bacterial blight in leaf, number of tiller, fresh weight, and phenotypic segregation ratio in next generation. Finally, six resistance lines were selected. RT-PCR analysis revealed that these lines displayed high level of R-genes such as Xa21, Pi36, and Pi-ta. These results indicate that mutations by gamma ray cause disruptions of regulatory signal transduction systems of these R-genes. Furthermore, these selected mutants could be useful for the development of rice cultivar resistant to Xoo.