• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.83-94
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• 2024

The proportion of plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) consumers has recently increased in Korea. This is due to several reasons including protecting the environment, satisfying preferences, maintaining health, and improving eating habits. Accordingly, many companies produce and sell alternative meat using various materials. Alternative meats are classified into plant (such as soybeans and wheat), seaweed, insect, and cultured meats, depending on the raw materials used in manufacturing. PBMA is sold after undergoing processes such as grinding, seasoning, and molding. Therefore, monitoring the presence of any hazardous elements during this process is essential. Accordingly, in this study, we analyzed the harmful components of nine domestically distributed PBMA that are most easily accessible to consumers. After extracting fat from the samples and analyzing the rancidity level, samples F, G, and I were highly rancid. Trace amounts of aflatoxin were detected in samples A and B, but confirmed to be within the range. Cd and Pb were not detected in any sample. We hope that this study will help establish methods to ensure the safety of domestically sold PBMA.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.26.1-26.28
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• 2021

Asthma exacerbations are a major cause of intractable morbidity, increases in health care costs, and a greater progressive loss of lung function. Asthma exacerbations are most commonly triggered by respiratory viral infections, particularly with human rhinovirus (hRV). Respiratory viral infections are believed to affect the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a limiting enzyme in tryptophan catabolism, which is presumed to alter asthmatic airway inflammation. Here, we explored the detailed role of IDO in the progression of asthma exacerbations using a mouse model for asthma exacerbation caused by hRV infection. Our results reveal that IDO is required to prevent neutrophilic inflammation in the course of asthma exacerbation caused by an hRV infection, as corroborated by markedly enhanced Th17- and Th1-type neutrophilia in the airways of IDO-deficient mice. This neutrophilia was closely associated with disrupted expression of tight junctions and enhanced expression of inflammasome-related molecules and mucin-inducing genes. In addition, IDO ablation enhanced allergen-specific Th17- and Th1-biased CD4⁺ T-cell responses following hRV infection. The role of IDO in attenuating Th17- and Th1-type neutrophilic airway inflammation became more apparent in chronic asthma exacerbations after repeated allergen exposures and hRV infections. Furthermore, IDO enzymatic induction in leukocytes derived from the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) lineage appeared to play a dominant role in attenuating Th17- and Th1-type neutrophilic inflammation in the airway following hRV infection. Therefore, IDO activity in HSC-derived leukocytes is required to regulate Th17- and Th1-type neutrophilic inflammation in the airway during asthma exacerbations caused by hRV infections.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.45-56
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• 2024

Heavy metals emitted from urban development do not decompose in the soil and remain for long periods, continually impacting the environment. Since the mid-1990s, there has been increasing societal concern in South Korea regarding soil contamination, prompting various legislative revisions to reduce pollution. This study utilizes the Environmental Impact Assessment Support System (EIASS) to investigate projects in the metropolitan area that have exceeded the Ministry of Environment's soil contamination concern levels from 1989 to 2022 and to examine improvements in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. The results reveal that the average concentrations of nine contaminants-cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and fluoride (F)-have all increased over the years. Among these, Zn had the highest relative proportion, with 37.5% of the 40 sites exceeding environmental concern levels. Investigation of 19 specific projects at these exceedance sites showed that only 7 had documented analyses of contamination causes and remediation plans, and just one had contracted additional remediation services, though results from these efforts were found to be lacking. Furthermore, since 2019, a significant proportion of these sites were involved in residential developments, likely due to government initiatives in new city development and extensive housing supply plans. This research emphasizes the importance of public disclosure of the processes and outcomes of remediation efforts on historically contaminated soils prior to project development. It discusses improvements to the EIA by reviewing current legislation and international examples. The findings of this study are expected to heighten public awareness about heavy metal contamination and enhance transparency in soil remediation efforts, contributing to sustainable environmental management and development.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2010

Tributyltin (TBT), an endocrine disrupting chemical, has been reported to decrease testicular function by causing apoptosis in the testis, but this mechanism is not fully understood. Thus, in this study we examined whether TBT induces adipogenesis of the Leydig cells to find out the correlation between adipogenesis and apoptosis in the testis. Three week old SD male rats were orally administrated with sesame oil, 1 mg/kg of TBT, or 10 mg/kg of TBT daily for 1 week and weighed after administration. The testes obtained on day 8 were weighed and stained with BODIPY and TUNEL kit. Using total RNA extracted from the isolated Leydig cells, adipogenesis and apoptosis-related genes were analyzed by real-time PCR. The testicular weights of the rats treated with 10 mg/kg TBT were significantly decreased compared to those in the control rats treated with sesame oil. As a result of BODIPY staining, the number of Leydig cells stained with BODIPY was increased in the rats treated with 10 mg/kg TBT compared with the control rats. Similar to BODIPY staining results, the TUNEL assay showed that the apoptosis of Leydig cells was increased in TBT treated rats. The results of the gene expression analysis in the Leydig cells showed that the expression of adipogenesis-related genes (PPAR${\gamma}$, aP2, Perilipin, CD36) and apoptosis-related genes (TNFRSF1A, TNFSF10) was increased after TBT administration. The present study demonstrates that TBT induces the expression of adipogenesis-related and apoptosis-related genes in the Leydig cells leading to adipogenesis and apoptosis in the testes. These results suggest that the dysfunction of Leydig cells by TBT exposure may cause a loss in testicular function.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.7.1-7.19
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• 2024

Viral load and the duration of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important determinants of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019. In this study, we examined the effects of viral doses on the lung and spleen of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice by temporal histological and transcriptional analyses. Approximately, 1×10⁵ plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 induced strong host responses in the lungs from 2 days post inoculation (dpi) which did not recover until the mice died, whereas responses to the virus were obvious at 5 days, recovering to the basal state by 14 dpi at 1×10² PFU. Further, flow cytometry showed that number of CD8+ T cells continuously increased in 1×10² PFU-virus-infected lungs from 2 dpi, but not in 1×10⁵ PFU-virus-infected lungs. In spleens, responses to the virus were prominent from 2 dpi, and number of B cells was significantly decreased at 1×10⁵ PFU; however, 1×1² PFU of virus induced very weak responses from 2 dpi which recovered by 10 dpi. Although the defense responses returned to normal and the mice survived, lung histology showed evidence of fibrosis, suggesting sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings indicate that specific effectors of the immune response in the lung and spleen were either increased or depleted in response to doses of SARS-CoV-2. This study demonstrated that the response of local and systemic immune effectors to a viral infection varies with viral dose, which either exacerbates the severity of the infection or accelerates its elimination.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2007

Among the photoactive semiconductors such as $TiO_2,\;ZnO,\;Fe_2O_3,\;WO_3,\;and\;CdSe,\;TiO_2$ is the most widely used as photocatalyst in different media, because of its lack of toxicity and stability. In this study, the effects of titanium dioxide were investigated to obtain the information of physiological change in rice plant. Light-adapted Chlorophyll flourescence index decreased and relative electron transport rate of rice leaves was activated by titanium dioxide under $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ PAR (Photosynthetic active radiation). Relative electron transport rate of rice leaf treated with titanium dioxide 10 ppm was high in order of $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR,\;2,200\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR,\;450\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR$ and titanium dioxide 10 ppm (45.1%), control (32.4%), diuron 10 ppm (15.3%) under $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR$. Titanium dioxide increased photosynthesis of the rice leaf under $13.6\;KJ\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ UV-B only. With titanium dioxide 20 ppm, reduced UV-B ($0.15\;KJ\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$) intensity changed the induction of proteins and twenty-five proteins were identified. Among them, seventy proteins were up-regulated, four proteins were down-regulated and four proteins were newly synthesized. Function of these proteins was related to photosynthesis (52%), carbohydrate metabolism (4%), stress/defense (8%), secondary metabolism (4%), energy/electron transport (4%), and miscellaneous (28%).

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.27-47
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• 1998

The Purpose of this study is to offer basic data when the new printed media for sex education are developed, by grasping the problem through analyzing the data of the printed media for sex education that are produced by the government and composed of relatively inclusive contents. The subjects of analyzed data were 10 printed media books connected with sex education. This study focused on analysis for the printed media. therefore the method of analysis used effectively for the study of the mass media was used. The SAS program was used for analyzing the frequency of data and processing with percentage. The result of this study is as follows. 1. The subject of sex education that the printed media intend for was classfied the data for students and for teachers and the general. 2. According to the result of analyzing the writers of the printed media for sex education, classified by occupation, research workers accounted for $30.2\%$ as 23 persons, and the rest were distributed as 19 professors $(25\%)$, 13 teachers $(17.2\%)$, 10 workers in related institutions of various kinds $(13.1\%)$, 6 doctors $(10.6\%)$ and 3 writers $(3.9\%)$. Examing the organization of writers of the printed media for sex education for students, it was composed of sequence as research workers $30.5\%$. workers in related institutions of various kinds $19.6\%$, teachers $19.5\%$, professors $13\%$, doctors $10.8\%$ and writers $6.5\%$. And that of writers of the printed media for sex education for teachers and the general was shown as professors $43.2\%$ (13 persons), research workers $30.1\%$ (9 persons), teachers $13.2\%$ (4 persons) and doctors $10.2\%$ (3 persons). 3. Seeing the result of analyzing for the printed media, classified by themes, it was shown as 314.1 pages $(28.5\%)$ in a field of development of men, 195.9 pages $(17.6\%)$ in a field of sex-health, 141.7 pages $(12.9\%)$ in a field of relationship. 74.1 pages $(6.7\%)$ in a field of a sex act. 51.7 pages $(4.6\%)$ in a field of a personnal technology and 313.4 pages $(28.4\%)$ in the others. As are suit of the analysis classified by themes about the printed media for sex education for students, it was distributed as the content about sexual abuse $12.3\%$ (60.2 pages), the anatomical physiology of reproduction $12.1\%$ (59.3 pages). a friendship $8.5\%$ (41.6 pages). the reproduction $7.2\%$ (35.5 pages). a sexual disease $6.8\%$ (33.2 pages) and the puberty $4.3\%$ (20.9 pages). Examing the result of the analysis about contents classified by themes of the printed media for sex education for teachers and the general. it was indicated as 67.1 pages $(10.9\%)$ on the 'puberty', 37.9 pages $(6.2\%)$ on the anatomical physiology of reproduction, 36.6 pages ($6.0\%$ on a sexual disease, 23.2 pages $(3.8\%)$ on dating, 21.7 pages $(3.5\%)$ on a human sexual reaction. 21.0 pages $(3.4\%)$ on a sexual role. 20.1 pages $(3.3\%)$ of the reproduction. The suggestion according to the upper result is as follows. 1. It is needed to expand the range of analysis into the data. besides the printed media. into the data for sex education using such media as a video. a slide, a CD-ROM, on internet, etc. 2. It is necessary to develop the ideal program for sex education of teenagers and analyze the effect. on the basis of analyzing data about data sex education. 3. It is needed that practice workers for nursing or teachers for nursing as well as workers in educational field or medical experts participate in producing data for sex education.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of yogurt containing spirulina. Yogurt base was prepared from skim milk added with $0.25{\sim}1%(w/v)$ spirulina powder and fermented with lactic acid bacteria (S. thermophilus : L. bulgaricus = 1 : 1) at $40^{\circ}C$ for 12 hr. Kiwi puree and oligosaccharides were then added. The addition of 1% spirulina powder stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which showed the highest viable cell count ($3.4{\times}10^9$ CFU/mL), and increased the titratable acidity (1.10%). The viscosity range of the yogurt was 6,000 to 9,000 cP, and the sugar content of the yogurt was around 18 $^{\circ}Brix$. The antioxidant activities were determined using the DPPH method, and the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of the yogurt containing spirulina was higher than that of the control. The sensory evaluation scores for appearance, odor, taste, overall acceptability and buying intention were higher in the yogurt containing 0.25% spirulina than in the other groups. The amount of macronutrients in the yogurt containing spirulina was higher than that in the control. In addition, the amounts of micronutrients in the yogurt containing spirulina was significantly increased. According to these results, the optimum concentration of spirulina powder is around 0.25%.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.718-726
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• 2016

Sweet pumpkin paste (SPP) was fermented by Leuconostoc mesenteroides SM at $25^{\circ}C$ for 3 days for enhancing its physicochemical properties. SPPs with 5%, 10%, and 15% solid contents (SC) were fortified with 20% sucrose and 0.5% yeast extract. The unfermented SPP with 15% SC indicated L, a, and b color values of 25.02, 4.66, and 13.35, respectively, and a consistency index of $48.6Pa{\cdot}s^n$. During the 3 days of fermentation, both the a and b color values decreased slightly, whereas the consistency index increased to $188.8Pa{\cdot}s^n$, giving the fermented product a pudding-like consistency. This fermented SPP (15% SC) showed the highest acid production and viable cell counts among samples, indicating pH 3.85, 1.30% acidity and $9.2{\times}10^8CFU/mL$ respectively. The added sucrose was completely utilized after 1 day of fermentation. After 3 days, the insoluble and soluble dextran contents were 8.9% and 4.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the contents of mannitol and fructose were 3.11% and 1.76%, respectively. Regarding the sensory evaluation, this fermented sample also indicated the highest color, taste and texture scores, and was the overall preferred sample. In conclusion, the fermented SPP with 15% SC was carotinoid-rich a wholesome pumpkin-based product that is rich in probiotics and lactic bacteria-produced mannitol and dextran, which gave the product an acceptable viscous pudding-like consistency and good organoleptic properties.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.515-528
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the immunological activity and optimized the mixture conditions of Sargassum horneri (S. horneri) extracts in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: S. horneri was extracted using three different methods: hot water extraction (HWE), 50% ethanol extraction (EE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production (Interleukin-2 and Interferon-γ) were measured using a WST-1 assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The levels of nitric oxide and T cell activation production were measured using a Griess assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The natural killer (NK) cell activity was determined using an EZ-LDH kit. Results: Among the three different types of extracts, HWE showed the highest levels of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in vitro. In the animal model, three different types of extracts were administrated for 14 days (once/day) at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight. HWE and SFE showed a high level of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in the with and without mitogen-treated groups, whereas EE administration did not induce the splenocyte activation. When RAW264.7 macrophage cells were treated with different mixtures (HWE with 5, 10, 15, 20% of SFE) to determine the optimal mixture ratio of HWE and SFE, the levels of nitric oxide and cytokine production increased strongly in the HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE containing group. In the animal model, HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE mixture administration increased the levels of splenocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and activated CD4⁺ cell population significantly, with the highest level observed in the HWE with 5% of SFE group. Moreover, the NK cell activity was increased significantly in the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture-treated group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The optimal mixture condition of S. horneri with immune-enhancing activity is the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture. These results confirmed that the extracts of S. horneri and its mixtures are potential candidate materials for immune enhancement.