• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1995

Gymnophalkides seoi has drawn medical attentions since the discovery of the first human case and a highly endemic area on a southwestern coastal island of Shinan- gun, Korea. Marine bivalves especially oysters were strongly suspected as the source of infection. In this study the oysters, Crassostrea girns, naturally produced (rom the endemic area were examined whether they contain gymnophallid metacercariae. All of 50 oysters examined were infected with the metacercaviae of a gymnophallid, with the metacercarial density per oyster of 610 on average (2-4,792 in range). Later they were identified as G. seoi by obtaining adult worms from experimental mice. The metacercariae were unencysted, and firmly attached on the mantle surface of the oysters with their oral sucker. In sectioned specimens they were equipped with the ventral pit, a peculiar organ of the genus Gymophalloides, and non-muscular genital pore which was connected dorsally to the seminal vesicle. The seminal vesicle was in a great majority mono-sac. By this study, it has been confirmed that the oyster is a 2nd intermediate host of G. seoi as well as the major source of human infection with this fluke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.214-222
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• 2011

To examine the new practical utilization of mucilages in Opuntia humifusa, polysaccharides were isolated from O. humifusa and their anti-metastatic activity and structural analysis were carried out. In experimental lung metastasis of B16BL6 melanoma cells, prophylactically intravenous (i.v.) administration of the crude polysaccharide (CNC-0) from O. humifusa significantly inhibited lung metastasis in a dose-dependant manner. The main polysaccharide, CNC-Ia was purified to homogeneity from CNC-0 by two successive column chromatographies using DEAE-Sepharose FF and Sephadex G-100 and its structure was characterized. Molecular mass of CNC-Ia was estimated to be 700 kDa and it mainly consisted of arabinose, galactose and xylose in addition to two minor sugars such as rhamnose and fucose. Methylation analysis indicated that CNC-Ia comprised at least 18 different glycosyl linkages such as terminal Araf, 5-linked Araf, 4-linked Galp and terminal Xylp in addition to three characteristic linkages such as full branched Araf, 3,4,6-branched Galp and full branched Galp. To analyze the fine structure of CNC-Ia, it was sequentially digested by exo-${\alpha}$-L-arabinofuranosidase and endo-${\beta}$-1,4-D-galactanase. These analyses suggested that CNC-Ia belongs to be a highly branched Type I arabinogalactan which has a ($1{\rightarrow}4$)-${\beta}$-galactan backbone with arabinosyl oligosaccharide side chains.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.648-654
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• 2011

Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, produces a wide array of toxins, which causes various types of disease symptoms. Prevalence of S. aureus in various foods collected during 2006-2008 in Korea was investigated. S. aureus was isolated from 275 of 5,186 (5.3%) food samples collected from hyper-markets in Korea. Seasonal temperature affected the prevalence of S. aureus in various foods with high isolation rate during the summer. Most of the enterotoxigenic strains produced enterotoxin A only or enterotoxin A in combination with another toxin. A total of 54.5% of the tested strains contained either one or more enterotoxin genes and 3.6% possessed a tst gene. This study offers basic information for securing the stability of food during storage and circulation, and provides an epidemiological tool to study the cause, origin and temporal spread of S. aureus food poisoning.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Since Anton van Leeuwen­hoek first observed a surface-associated multicellular structure of bacterial cells in the 17th century, it has been shown to exhibit an ability to form a biofilm by numerous bacterial species. The biofilm formation is composed of distinct developmental stages, which include an attachment/adhesion of a single cell, a proliferation toward monolayered coverage, a propagation to aggregated microcolony, a maturation to 3-dimensional structure, and subsequently a local degradation. Investigation to identify the essential factors for bacterial biofilm formation has been performed via classical genetic approaches as well as recently developed technologies. The initial stage requires bacterial motility provided by a flagellum, and outermembrane components for surface signal interaction. Type IV-pilus and autoaggregation factors, e.g., type I-fimbriae or Ag43, are necessary to reach the stages of monolayer and micro colony. The mature biofilm is equipped with extracellular polymeric matrix and internal water-filled channels. This complex architecture can be achieved by differential expressions of several hundred genes, among which the most studied are the genes encoding exopolysaccharide biosyntheses and quorum-sensing regulatory components. The status of our knowledge for the biofilms found in humans and natural ecosystems is discussed in this minireview.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.382-389
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• 2008

To achieve a better understanding of protective effects of water extracts of Panax ginseng against TCDD-induced toxicities, we monitored physiological and clinical changes in rat for 4 weeks after administrations of each Panax Ginseng extract or TCDD, and co-administration of the two materials. For this study, 120 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats weighing 190-210 g each (8 weeks old) were divided into four groups: TCDD-administered, co-administered group with TCDD and ginseng extract, ginseng extract-administered, and control group. The TCDD-administered group received single dose of TCDD in a corn oil vehicle ($25\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) by intraperitoneal administration on Day 1. The Panax ginseng extracts-administered group received intraperitoneally 100 mg/kg body weight every other day for one month. For the co-administered group with TCDD and ginseng extracts, Panax ginseng extracts were intraperitoneally administered to rats at 100 mg/kg body weight every other day for one month after a single intraperitoneal dose of $25\;{\mu}g$ of TCDD/kg body weight on Day 1. Panax ginseng extracts attenuated the mortality induced by TCDD administration. The extracts also slightly attenuated the TCDD-induced body weight loss. Administration of TCDD alone increased liver weight at 2, 5, and 16 days after administration of TCDD. Administration of Panax ginseng extracts rather decreased liver weight through whole the experimental period, but which was statistically insignificant. Administration of TCDD alone at $25\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight increased both serum enzyme activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) at 32 days, indicating that liver damage occurred maximally at that time. Ginseng extract administration caused insignificant changes in serum ALT, but gradually decreased in AST as the exposure time increased. Coadministration of TCDD and ginseng extracts caused serum AST activity to significant recovery to normal value at 16 days and 32 days after exposure to TCDD. The extracts also significantly decreased the TCDD-induced ALT activity after 16 days of TCDD administration. These results suggest that Panax ginseng extracts may possess a protective effect against TCDD-induced toxicities including hepatotoxicity in rats.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.153-158
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• 2008

An actinomycetes F-97 producing tyrosinase inhibitor was isolated from soil samples. Isolation and purification of tyrosinase inhibitor produced by F-97 was performed as follows: IRC-120 ($NH_4^+$ type) column chromatography, silica gel column chromatography, $C_{18}$ column chromatography and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography were used successively after the centrifuged supernatant was adjusted to pH 4.0. To identify the purity of the inhibitor, octadecylsilyl(ODS) HPLC was carried out with 5% methanol as a mobile phase. Finally, the purification yield of a tyrosinase inhibitor was 5.24%. The inhibitor was very soluble in water, methanol and ethanol but insoluble in acetone, butanol, ethylacetate and chloroform. The ${\lambda}_{max}$ value of this inhibitor in water was 194nm under UV light. The biochemical test of the inhibitor was positive in Molish, Benedict, cone. $H_2SO_4$, and $KMnO_4$ tests but negative in iodine, ninhydrin, Million, Sakaguchi, xanthoproteic and Emerson tests. The tyrosinase inhibitor was stable against heat treatment of $100^{\circ}C$ for 50 minutes and pH $4{\sim}9$. The $IC_{50}$ value of this inhibitor was $19.2{\mu}g/ml$ for mushroom tyrosinase. In $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ inhibitor concentration, inhibition zone was 27 mm for Streptomyces bikiniensis NRRL B-1049. The inhibition of F-97 against mushroom tyrosinase was competitive with tyrosine.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.78-86
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• 2014

In this paper, a novel intensity-based fiber optic vibration sensor using a mass-spring structure, which consists of four serpentine flexure springs and a rectangular aperture within a proof mass, is proposed and its feasibility test is given by the simulation and experiment. An optical collimator is used to broaden the beam which is modulated by the displacement of the rectangular aperture within the proof mass. The proposed fiber optic vibration sensor has been analyzed and designed in terms of the optical and mechanical parts. A mechanical structure has been designed using theoretical analysis, mathematical modeling, and 3D FEM (Finite Element Method) simulation. The relative aperture displacement according to the base vibration is given using FEM simulation, while the output beam power according to the relative displacement is measured by experiment. The simulated sensor sensitivity of $15.731{\mu}W/G$ and detection range of ${\pm}6.087G$ are given. By using reference signal, the output signal with 0.75% relative error shows a good stability. The proposed vibration sensor structure has the advantages of a simple structure, low cost, and multi-point sensing characteristic. It also has the potential to be made by MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) technology.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.1023-1029
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• 2016

Probiotic functional foods are known to have various functional effects such as intestinal regulation, modulation of immune system, reduction of allergies, and lowering of cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to select probiotic strain that is most suitable for freeze-dried coffee for the development of functional coffee products. The survival rate of probiotics, at drinking condition of coffee, at acid, at bile and after freeze-dried in coffee were measured on 1 strain isolated from commercial freeze-dried coffee, 8 strains used as fermented milk starter, 1 Bifidobacterium and 1 Bacillus coagulans. Bacillus coagulans showed the highest survival rate from $2.4{\times}10^7cfu/g$ to $2.0{\times}10^7cfu/g$ especially after freeze-drying. The results at drinking condition of coffee, at acid tolerance, at bile tolerance and at storage test showed significantly better survival rate of Bacillus coagulans than that of control (Lactobacillus casei). Especially, Bacillus coagulans showed 3.8-fold higher survival rate at acid tolerance (pH 1, 120 minutes) than control. Thus, the lactic acid-producing Bacillus coagulans is characterized as a probiotic strain suitable for functional coffee formulation and commercialization.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.109-118
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• 1999

Seismic design code has been performed since 1988 in Korea, so it has not been applied to low-rise reinforced concrete buildings which had been built before 1988. Those building have been designed only for gravity loads based on non-seismic code, Therefore, even minor earthquake occurred, those buildings might have serious damages. In this paper, to investigate the behavior of low-rise reinforced concrete moment resisting frame which had been built in according to the building code of Korea that had been published before 1988, two type of 1/2 scaled exterior beam-column subassemblies which have non-seismic detailing based on the building code of Korea were constructed and tested with reversed cycling loading under the displacement control method. The special features of joint with non-seismic detailing is that there is no transverse reinforcement in the joint. In tests, cracks pattern, strength degradation, loss of stiffness, energy dissipation and the slippage of beam and column bars were investigated. Cracks did not occurred in the joint even seismic loading of 0.12g which is considered as peak ground acceleration in Korea was applied. And increasing seismic loading above 0.12g shear crack happened in the joint which have not transverse beam.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1222-1227
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• 2006

In this study, nine strains were isolated from heavy metal-contaminated soil in a mine. The high efficiency bacteria, JH1, to be able removal cadmium and copper, was selected by the screen test. JH1 was identified as Ralstonia eutropha by 16S rDNA analysis, fatty acid analysis, and its morphological and biochemical characteristics. After the cadmium-contaminated soil was washed with citric acid solution(pH 6, 10 mM), Ralstonia eutropha JH1 was inoculated in the soil washing water. In order to determine the optimal cell concentration for inoculation, cell concentrations were considered in 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 g/L, respectively. The removal efficiencies for cadmium in each cell concentration of Ralstonia eutropha JH1 were 49.9, 84.4, 89.7% and 89.9% of 110 mg/L(Cd), after 5 days culture in soil washing water. When Ralstonia eutropha JH1 was inoculated in soil washing water containing each cadmium(110 mg/L) and copper(100 mg/L), each of them was removed completely during 6 days culture. The completely removing time for cadmium and copper in each low concentration, 10, 30 and 60 mg/L were 12, 18 and 48 hrs, respectively.