• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.498-506
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• 2018

Purpose: Lycopene, a carotenoid with anti-oxidant properties, occurs naturally in tomatoes and pink grapefruit. Although the beneficial effects of lycopene on various disorders have been established, little attention has been paid to the possible anti-diabetic effects of lycopene focusing on ${\beta}$-cells. Therefore, this study investigated the potential of lycopene to protect ${\beta}$-cells against apoptosis induced by a cytokine mixture. Methods: For toxicity experiments, the cells were treated with 0.1 ~ 10 nM of lycopene, and the cell viability in INS-1 cells (a rat ${\beta}$-cell line) was measured using a MTT assay. To induce cytokine toxicity, the cells were treated with a cytokine mixture (20 ng/mL of $TNF{\alpha}$ + 20 ng/mL of IL-$1{\beta}$) for 24 h, and the effects of lycopene (0.1 nM) on the cytokine toxicity were measured using the MTT assay. The expression levels of the apoptotic proteins were analyzed by Western blotting, and the level of intracellular reactive oxidative stress (ROS) was monitored using a DCFDA fluorescent probe. The intracellular ATP levels were determined using a luminescence kit, and mRNA expression of the genes coding for anti-oxidative stress response and mitochondrial function were analyzed by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR. Results: Exposure of INS-1 cells to 0.1 nM of lycopene increased the cell viability significantly, and protected the cells from cytokine-induced death. Lycopene upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and reduced the expression of the Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) protein. Lycopene inhibited apoptotic signaling via a reduction of the ROS, and this effect correlated with the upregulation of anti-oxidative stress response genes, such as GCLC, NQO1, and HO-1. Lycopene increased the mRNA expression of mitochondrial function-related genes and increased the cellular ATP level. Conclusion: These results suggest that lycopene reduces the level of oxidative stress and improves the mitochondrial function, contributing to the prevention of cytokine-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis. Therefore, lycopene could potentially serve as a preventive and therapeutic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.299-305
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• 2009

A new six-rowed naked barley cultivar "Jinjuchal" with high whiteness after cooking and high $\beta$-glucan content was developed from the cross between 'Jinmichapssalbori' with high winter hardiness, lodging tolerance, grain whiteness and pearling yield, and 'Suwon 333' with waxy endosperm by the Honam Agricultural Research Institute (HARI), NICS, RDA in 2007. An elite line, SB962002G-B-B-B-84-4 was selected in 2002 and designated as 'Iksan 79' It showed good agronomic performance in the regional yield trials (RYT) from 2005 to 2007 and was released with the name of "Jinjuchal" possessing high whiteness and low proanthocyanidin waxy endosperm. The average heading and maturing dates of "Jinjuchal" were April 27 and June 1 in paddy field, which were same and one day later than those of the check cultivar 'Saechalssalbori' respectively. The new cultivar, "Jinjuchal" had 81 cm of culm length that was 1cm longer than that of 'Saechalssalbori' and 4.9 cm of spike length. It showed 673 spikes per $m^2$, 56 grains per spike, 27.0 g of 1,000-grain weight, and 752 g of test weight. "Jinjuchal" showed stronger hardiness and better resistance to powdery mildew and BaYMV (Barley yellow mosaic virus) than those of the check cultivar, 'Saechalssalbori' It showed higher $\beta$-glucan content(8.4%) and water absorption rate than those of the check cultivar, 'Saechalssalbori' Its average yield of the pearled grain in the regional yield trial was 3.79 MT/ha in upland, and 3.73 MT/ha in paddy field, which were 1% lower and 3% higher than those of the check cultivar, respectively. Total phenol and proanthocyanidin contents were 4.2 and 0.2 mg/g, respectively. This cultivar is suitable for the area of the daily minimum temperature above $-6^{\circ}C$ in January in Korean peninsula.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2020

This study evalutated the risk of foodborne illness from Vibrio spp. (Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae) through sea squirt consumption. The prevalence of V. vulnificus and V. cholerae in sea squirt was evaluated, and the predictive models to describe the kinetic behavior of the Vibrio in sea squirt were developed. Distribution temperatures and times were collected, and they were fitted to probabilistic distributions to determine the appropriate distributions. The raw data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016 were used to estimate the consumption rates and amount of sea squirt. In the hazard characterization, the Beta-Poisson model for V. vulnificus and V. cholerae infection was used. With the collected data, a simulation model was prepared and it was run with @RISK to estimate probabilities of foodborne illness by pathogenic Vibrio spp. through sea squirt consumption. Among 101 sea squirt samples, there were no V. vulnificus positive samples, but V. cholerae was detected in one sample. The developed predictive models described the fates of Vibrio spp. in sea squirt during distribution and storage, appropriately shown as 0.815-0.907 of R² and 0.28 of RMSE. The consumption rate of sea squirt was 0.26%, and the daily consumption amount was 68.84 g per person. The Beta-Poisson model [P=1-(1+Dose/β)^-α] was selected as a dose-response model. With these data, a simulation model was developed, and the risks of V. vulnificus and V. cholerae foodborne illness from sea squirt consumption were 2.66×10^-15, and 1.02×10^-12, respectively. These results suggest that the risk of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in sea squirt could be considered low in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.229-234
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• 2012

A key molecule in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the ${\beta}$-amyloid peptide ($A{\beta}$) generated by ${\beta}$-secretase activity, an aspartic protease. This study was designed to evaluate inhibitory effect of the high-molecular weight water-soluble polysaccharides (Et-P) isolated and purified from Phellinus linteus fruiting body on ${\beta}$-secretase activity. The Et-P was purified from the hot water extract of Phellinus linteus fruiting body mainly by 75% ethanol precipitation and DEAE-Cellulose column chromatography. From the DEAE-Cellulose chromato-gram and molecular weight analysis, the Et-P was shown to be a mixture of three polysaccharides with molecular mass of 1,629, 1,294, and 21 kDa, respectively. The monosaccharide composition of Et-P was determined to be glu-cose, galactose, and mannose as major sugars, glucose being the most prominent one (48% in mole percentage). The elemental analysis and FT-IR analysis suggested that Et-P is typical polysaccharides having at least partially ${\beta}$-linkages and possible existing as complex with phenolic compounds. The laminarinase digestion and HPAEC-PAD analysis suggested that Et-P is a variant of beta-(1,3)-glucans. The Et-P showed DPPH radical scavenging activity and, especially, a significant inhibitory activity on ${\beta}$-secreatase activity (48% inhibitin at 100 ${\mu}g/mL$), suggesting that they may inhibit the formation of $A{\beta}$ which is the major causative of Alzheimer's disease. The results of this study suggest that the water soluble polysaccharides of Phellinus linteus fruiting body can be a potent material for the development of preventive or therapeutic agents for AD.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.260-266
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• 2003

In this study bacterial community was analyzed to evaluate the impacts of long-term use of agricultural chemicals on a soil ecosystem as well as to obtain fundamental data on the relationship. Sequences of 16S rRNA clones from a non-agricultural site and a tangerine orchard soil which has a history of long-term use of agricultural chemicals over 30 years were analyzed. This revealed that bacterial community containing 5 divisions and 18 genera was distributed in a tangerine orchard soil, while bacterial community containing 9 divisions and 44 genera was distributed. In a tangerine orchard soil site, the most abundant bacteria in subdivision level were placed into Proteobacteria γ group which occupied 56% of total clones. The other bacterial clones from the ocrhcard soil exposed to agricultural chemicals over 30 years were Acidobacteria group (25%), Fimicutes group (5%), Planctomycetes group (2%), Proteobacteria α (1%), δ group (1%), and Cyanobacteria group (1%). Whereas, the clones were from the non-agricultural site were distributed among the division or subdivision Acidobacteria group (14%), Planctomycetes group (13%), Proteobacteria α (10%), β (9%), δ (9%), Fimicutes group (8%), Verrucomicrobia group (8%), Actinobacteria group (6%), Proteobacteria γ group (3%), Bacteroidetes group (3%), Gemmatimonadetes group (3%), and Cyanobacteria group (1%). This finding suggests the possibility that long-term application of agricultural chemicals or fertilizers on a tangerine orchard might result in drastic reduction or alteration in the composition of the bacterial community in the contaminated soil site.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Although glucocorticoids are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents, they have limited effect on cysteinyl leukotriene biosynthesis. In addition, the response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and inhaled long-acting ${\beta}_2-agonists$ (LABA) combination therapy in moderate to severe persistent asthmatics varies. Additional therapy with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) in patients with moderate to severe asthma suboptimally controlled with ICS and LABA combination therapy would be complementary to asthma control. Methods: One hundred and ninety eight asthmatics entered a 2 month, open-label descriptive study. Patients suffering from persistent asthma and suboptimally controlled on a combination therapy of fluticasone/salmeterol or budesonide/formoterol were given montelukast 10 mg daily as an add-on therapy. The level of asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) including $FEV_1%$ predicted at the baseline and after a 2-month treatment with montelukast. A global evaluation of the treatment was also made by the patients and physicians. Results: The mean ACQ score decreased significantly on montelukast ($11.5{\pm}5.4$ at baseline vs. $6.7{\pm}5.0$), with a significant improvement in all individual symptom scores (p<0.01). The $FEV_1%$ predicted values did not show any significant change. 59.9% of patients and 59.4% of physicians reported global improvement in their asthma (${\kappa}=0.85$). Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of montelukast in patients with persistent asthma that is suboptimally contolled by combination therapy of ICS and LABA might confer complementary effects on asthma control.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.386-392
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• 2016

This study investigated the isoflavone content, total phenol content, antioxidant activities (DPPH radical scavenging and oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and ${\beta}$-glucan content of defatted soybean extracts by bioconversion. Soybean was fermented with Lentinula edodes using submerged liquid fermentation system. Defatted soybean powder prepared by hexane (HDS; hexane defatted soybean) and ethanol (EDS; ethanol defatted soybean). The major components of non-fermented HDS (NFHDS) and EDS (NFEDS) were glucoside, such as daidzin, glycitin and genistin. During the bioconversion processing, isoflavone glucoside converted into aglycone such as daidzein, glycitein and genistein. The highest total isoflavone contents of fermented HDS (FHDS) were $2577.96{\mu}g/mL$, and the lowest total isoflavone contents of NFEDS were $428.27{\mu}g/mL$. The highest total phenol contents of fermented EDS (FEDS) was 42.34 mg GAE/g. DPPH radical scavenging and ORAC value were 31.30 to 59.92% and 247.48 to $786.36{\mu}M\;TE/g$ in non-fermented defatted soybean and fermented soybean, respectively. ${\beta}$-Glucan contents were 0.09 to 0.11% in non-fermented defatted soybean and fermented soybean, respectively. These results indicate that fermented soybean could be used as natural antioxidants for the development of functional foods.