• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1490-1500
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• 2021

Various microorganisms reside in the human vagina; the vaginal microbiome is closely linked to both vaginal and general health, and for this reason, microbiome studies of the vagina are an area of research. In this study, we analyzed the vaginal microbiome of women before and after menopause to further increase our understanding of the vaginal microbiome and its contribution to general health. We did a 16s rRNA gene-based metagenomic analysis on the vaginal fluids of 11 premenopausal and 19 postmenopausal women in Korea. We confirmed that the taxonomic composition was significantly different between the two groups. In postmenopausal women, species richness was significantly decreased, but species diversity was significantly increased. In particular, among the taxonomic components corresponding to all taxon ranks of the vaginal microbiome, a reduction in Lactobacillus taxa after menopause contributed the most to the difference between the two groups. In addition, we confirmed through metabolic analysis that the lactic-acid concentration was also decreased in the vaginal fluid of women after menopause. Our findings on the correlation between menopause and the microbiome could help diagnose menopause and enhance the prevention and treatment diseases related to menopause.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the preservation of traditional sesame dasik when stored in different packaging material by comparing its physical and sensorial characteristics. The quality and sensory characteristics of sesame dasik that were evaluated were moisture content, water activity, number of microflora, texture profile, Hunter color different value, and sensory properties (color, chewiness, overall acceptability, etc) during the storage at 35\pm1^\circ{C}$ temperature and $73\pm{2%}$ relative humidity. And the packaging materials were paper boxes (coated 0.02mm thickness polyethylene film), plastic boxes, and oriented polypropylene laminated film. Traditional sesame dasik is made from sesame powder 100g, honey 25g, rice syrup 25g, and table salt 0.5g. During the storage period, the changes in water content and water activity of sesame dasik with different packaging material showed a slight decline. On the other hand, it increased in hardness, and "a" and "b" value of Hunter color difference during the storage. Texture profile analysis data change in hardness was the greatest after the third day in a paper box, and it was affected by the moisture content of dasik and the temperature and relative humidity of the air. Therefore plastic boxes or oriented polypropylene laminated film was found to be better suited than paper boxes for storing sesame dasik.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.245-249
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• 1991

This study was conducted to establish traditional manufacturing process of Hongju, a traditional spirit by traditional Kokja and Koji method based on different materials. In the fermentation process, the changes of temperature, pH, total acid, alcohol, total sugar and microflora in mash were analyzed. During the whole fermentation period, the temperature in mash made by Kokja method was reached to $30^{\circ}C$, and that of Koji method was reached $33^{\circ}C$. There was no significant difference in pH by different treatments and the initial pH in Koji method was pH 6.0 and the final pH was 4.0. The content of total acid was higher in mash processed by Kokja method than that of Koji method. Alcohol content was higher in mash processed by Koji method. The content of total sugar in all samples were reduced gradually according to progress of fermentation. Yeast populations in all samples were increased up to 6 days of fermentation and then decreased gradually. Lactic acid bacteria were increased until 3 days of fermentation and then decreased until the fermentation completed.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.139-151
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• 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the anticancer effects of EMPS (edible mushroom mycelium polysaccharide: Tremella fuciformis) in animal models with colorectal cancer induced by AOM/DSS. The experimental groups consisted of Nor (normal), NC (AOM/DSS), EMPS (EMPS 50, EMPS 100), and PC (Fluorouracil). The NC group had the highest number of colon tumors, whereas it was observed that tumor occurrence was significantly reduced in the EMPS consumption group. The expression of Bcl-2, an apoptosis inhibitor, was significantly lower in the EMPS 50 & 100 and PC groups. On the other hand, the mRNA gene expression of Bax, a factor that induces apoptosis, was significantly higher in the EMPS 50 & 100 and PC groups compared to the NC group. The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α and COX-2 significantly increased in the NC group, but showed a significant decrease in the EMPS and PC groups, indicating inhibition of the cancer-promoting response of cells. At the phylum level of the mice's intestinal microbial composition, the proportion of Bacteroidetes tended to decrease, while the proportion of Firmicutes tended to increase with EMPS administration. This suggests that changes in the gut microbiota caused by inflammation can be influenced by dietary intake.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1989

The present work was to study the changes of nonvolatile amines and microorganism in fermentation of anchovy during 12 weeks with addition of various concentration of sodium chloride. Changes of histamine occured significantly during fermentation of anchovy with 10, IS, 20% salt and 10% mixed salts (5.0% NaCl+5.0% KCl). A maximum histamine content was observed in anchovy fermented for 6 weeks while the change of histamine content was not with addition of 20% sodium chloride. Tyramine was found at highest contents in the fermented anchovy of 10% mixed salts and increased markedly in all anchovy fermented for 8 weeks. Cadaverine content was higher in fermented for all fermentation periods than in raw. During fermentation cadaverine contents increased significantly in fermented with 10% mixed salts. In contrast with that, fermented anchovy with 20% sodium chloride had very low those content and high sodium chloride concentration had influenced on amine formation. Although the highest content of putrescine was observed in fermented for 8 weeks, those content was not changed significantly during fermantation. The growth of Microflora, Achromobacter, Aeromonas and Pseudomonas were found in the in itial fermantation and Micrococus, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces were found during all fermentation periods.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2018

The gut microbiome has been studied extensively over the past decade with most scientific reports focused on the adverse role of the gut microbiome on gastrointestinal diseases. For example, the altered gut microbiome exacerbates the development of immune system-mediated damage in many diseases. The most studied pathologies include irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and colitis-associated cancer. On the other hand, intestinal microflora is also beneficial and contributes to the intestinal physiology by the synthesis of vitamins, production of short chain fatty acids and bile acid metabolism, thereby maintaining gut homeostasis. Therefore, the balance between commensal and pathogenic bacteria populations influences mainly the maintenance of intestinal health. Changes in the intestinal microflora have been suspected to be the underlying causes of multiple diseases. Despite the immense amount of published data, the optimal gut microbiome composition is still controversial. This review briefly outlines the connection between the gut microbiome and critical gastrointestinal diseases focusing on three prominent intestinal disorders: irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and colitis-associated cancer disorders. Finally, intervention strategies using natural products for the alleviation of these diseases and the maintenance of a health gut microbiome are suggested.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2013

Red-ripe 'Betatiny' jujube-shaped cherry tomato fruits via stem maintenance or stem removal were stored at $20^{\circ}C$ for 12 days. Their quality and microbial safety parameters like their respiration rate, weight loss, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), firmness, hue value, aerobic microflora, coliform, yeast and mold count, and decay were evaluated during their storage. The jujube-shaped cherry tomato fruits whose stems were removed lost less weight than the fruits whose stems were maintained during their 12 days of storage. The stem removal lowered the respiration more significantly than the stem maintenance, and the formation of novel tissues at the stem scar that resulted from the stem removal was observed morphologically. The SSC, TA and hue value of the skin color decreased after eight storage days, but showed no difference between the stem maintenance and removal. The stem had higher microbial counts like aerobic microflora, coliform, and yeast and mold counts. The stem maintenance showed a short shelf-life because molds grew on the attached stem after five storage days. The shelf-life of the jujube-shaped cherry tomato fruits whose stems were removed was about eight days, but that of the fruits whose stems were maintained and that were stored at $20^{\circ}C$ was only about six days.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.356-362
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• 1995

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects on the seasonal population change of microflora of long-term application of organic matters in Fluvio-Alluvial plain of Jeonbug series. As organic matters, rice straw and compost of 5 and 10ton/ha, which were applied with the different nitrogen fertilizer level of 0, 150kg/ha into the soil 15cm deep, respectively. A number of total aerobic bacteria were gradually increased from just after water-logging before rice transplanting to pancle formations stage, afterthat decreased at harvest. The other side, a number of actinomycetes, fungi and cellulose-decomposers were slightly fluctuated until panicle formation stage and increased at havesting stage. In general, microorganism numbers were higher in organic matter with long-term nitrogen fertilizer applied plot, while cellulose-decomposers were higher in only organic matter applied plot. The microorganisms of ammonia-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing and nitrite-oxidizing, and denitrifying bacteria showed the maximum number at harvest stage, at panicle formation stage and at early tillering stage, respectively, while that of ammonifying bacteria were variable if nitrogen fertilizer applied or not at the respective periods in nitrogen cycle under water-logging. These bacteria were numerous in the organic matter plots combined with nitrogen fertilizer, especially, denitrifying bacteria in rice straw, others no difference.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 1983

Sik-hae is a traditional Korean fermented fish product which is made from flat-fish, garlic, salt, red pepper and millet. The changes in chemical composition, pH, acidity and the contents of Amino-N, VBN, TMA and organic acids were investigated during the fermentation of Sik-hae. The changes in the microflora, enzyme activity and the sensory quality including textural characteristics were also evaluated. The changes in the contents of crude protein, crude fat and moisture during Sik-hae fermentation were negligible. The pH of the product tended to decrease in the course of fermentation and it showed the minimum value of 4.5 after 7 days of fermentation. On the other hand the acidity continued to increase up to 2300mg % by 4 weeks of fermentation. Lactic acid was the major organic acid. The content of Amino-N in sik-hae gradually increased up to 673.6mg % by 2 weeks of fermentation, and then slightly decreased. The content of VBN increased rapidly during the first 2 weeks of fermentation, while little changes in TMA content was observed. The number of proteolytic bacteria increased slightly for the first 2 weeks and then rapidly decreased. The number of yeast and acid forming bacteria increased rapidly from the 4th day to the 14th day of fermentation and then decreased. Both lipase and protease activities showed the maximum at the 11th day of fermentation. The texture softening of the fish occurred after 1 week of fermentation and the adhesiveness appeared after 2 weeks of fermentation. Summarizing these results, the optimum fermentation time for Sik-hae from flat fish were 2 weeks at 2$0^{\circ}C$ and the quality of the product could be kept for up to 4 weeks in refrigerator.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 1983

A study on the qualify changes of fish meat during drying and storage has been carried out with filefish meat. Filefish meat was dried in a forced air dryer at 40 and $55\%$ for 20 hours with an air velocity of 0.4 m/sec under different conditions of relative air humidities in the range of 10 to $50\%$. The dried fish meat was stored at $30^{\circ}C$ in chambers with constant relative humidities controlled by the use of conditioned air stream passing through the saturated salt solutions. The qualify of filefish meat was evaluated with the brown color densities developed by lipid oxidation and Maillard reaction. Changes of viable cell count during drying and storage were also discussed. The predominant reaction for the brown color developed during the study period was the lipid oxidation. The lipid oxidation rate during drying at constant temperature was appreciably affected by water activities at the drying surfaces of filefish meat during the falling drying rate period. The lipid oxidation rate was the slowest under the condition of the relative air humidity of around $30\%$. In samples stored at water activity of 0.33, the lipid oxidation rate was retarded remarkably in comparison with the samples with lower or higher water activities. The addition of $1\%$ table salt, $1.5\%$ D-sorbitol and $6\%$ sucrose slightly lowered the water activity with the slowest lipid oxidation rate. Such additives resulted the increase of the water soluble brown color densities, which seemed due to the increase of mobility of the water soluble substances by the result of the increase of equilibrium water content. Microflora of the samples immediately after drying consisted of ca. $30\%$ of coccus types, ca. $65\%$ of rod types and ca. $5\%$ of molds and yeasts. During the storage of the samples with a water activity of 0.76, the ratio of the coccus types to the total microflora was increased remarkably while that of the Gram negative non-spore rod types was decreased. The ratios of the Gram positive rod types, molds and yeasts during the storage were nearly constant.