• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.588-594
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• 1998

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Kimchi and screened for bacteriocin production. Strain SE1, identified as Lactobacillus curvatus sp., showed the strongest inhibitory activity against Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii. The bacteriocin was inactivated by amyloglucosidase, trypsin, or protease K treatment. However, it maintained its activity under heat treatment at $100^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. The production of the bacteriocin had a growth-related mode and decreased around the early-stationary phase. The optimum temperature for the growth of L. curvatus SE1 was $37^{\circ}C$; however, the optimum temperature for bacteriocin production was $30^{\circ}C$. The bacteriocin activity was decreased by treatment with methanol, butanol, acetone, or chloroform, however, it was not affected by treatment with ethanol, iso-propanol, or cyclohexane. The inhibitory activity of bacteriocin was stable over a wide range of pHs (2 to 11). The bacteriocin from L. curvatus SE1 killed the indicator strain by a bactericidal mode of action. The bacteriocin from L. curvatus SE1 was partially purified by ethanol precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to determine the molecular weight of the bacteriocin by the bacteriocin activity test. The apparent molecular mass of the bacteriocin produced by L. curvatus SE1 was about 14 kDa.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.239-249
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• 2021

The present study explored the therapeutic potential of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in restoring aging-induced loss of cardioprotective effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) along with the involvement of signaling pathways. The left hind limb was subjected to four short cycles of ischemia and reperfusion (IR) in young and aged male rats to induce RIPC. The hearts were subjected to IR injury on the Langendorff apparatus after 24 h of RIPC. The measurement of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and cardiac troponin served to assess the myocardial injury. The levels of H2S, cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) were also measured. There was a decrease in cardioprotection in RIPC-subjected old rats in comparison to young rats along with a reduction in the myocardial levels of H2S, CBS, CSE, HIF-1α, and nuclear: cytoplasmic Nrf2 ratio. Supplementation with sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS, an H2S donor) and l-cysteine (H2S precursor) restored the cardioprotective actions of RIPC in old hearts. It increased the levels of H2S, HIF-1α, and Nrf2 ratio without affecting CBS and CSE. YC-1 (HIF-1α antagonist) abolished the effects of NaHS and l-cysteine in RIPC-subjected old rats by decreasing the Nrf2 ratio and HIF-1α levels, without altering H2S. The late phase of cardioprotection of RIPC involves an increase in the activity of H2S biosynthetic enzymes, which increases the levels of H2S to upregulate HIF-1α and Nrf2. H2S has the potential to restore aging-induced loss of cardioprotective effects of RIPC by upregulating HIF-1α/Nrf2 signaling.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2011

Abstract: The amount of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene (BTEX) in 30 kinds of bottled waters purchased from market and 9 kinds of tap waters from home were determined using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). The sample was stirred at 1200 RPM G for 4 min using a magnetic bar with $100\;{\mu}m$ PDMS as adsorbent for BTEX. Then it was desorbed from the fiber for 1 min at room temperature. Quantitation was achieved using standard calibration method. The limit of detection was determined as benzene 0.39 (${\pm}0.04$) ng/mL, toluene 0.08 (${\pm}0.04$) ng/mL, ethylbenzene 0.04 (${\pm}0.01$) ng/mL, and o-xylene 0.05 (${\pm}0.02$) ng/mL. Benzene and o-xylene were not detected in any samples, but toluene was detected in 11 samples, and ethylbenzene was detected just in 3 samples among 30 investigated bottled waters. The concentration range of investigated materials for toluene and o-xylene were $0.24({\pm}0.09)\sim2.95\;({\pm}0.08)\;ng/mL$, $0.08({\pm}0.06)\sim0.93({\pm}0.10)\;ng/mL$, respectively.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.38.1-38.10
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• 2023

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The pathogeneses of HL and CVD commonly involve inflammatory responses. Previous studies investigated elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers in subjects with HL, however, their findings did not demonstrate statistical significance. In our cross-sectional and longitudinal study, we investigated the correlation between HL and increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels to determine how HL is associated with CVDs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with workers aged over 18 years who underwent health check-ups at our institution between 2012 and 2018 (n = 566,507), followed by conducting a longitudinal study of workers aged > 18 who underwent health checkups at least twice at our institution between 2012 and 2018 (n = 173,794). The definition of HL was as an average threshold of ≥ 20 dB in pure-tone air conduction at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz in both ears. The incidence of increased hsCRP levels throughout the follow-up period was defined as a level exceeding 3 mg/L. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were performed to estimate the risk of increased hsCRP levels according to the occurrence of HL in groups stratified by age. Results: In the cross-sectional study, the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.34); the OR was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.80-1.22) in those under 40 and 1.28 (1.08-1.53) in those over 40. In the longitudinal study, the multivariable-adjusted OR was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.92-1.19); the OR was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.90-1.35) in those under 40 and 1.20 (1.01-1.43) in those over 40. Conclusions: This cross-sectional and longitudinal study identified an association between HL and increased hsCRP levels in workers aged over 40 years.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2007

The presence of benzene in 31 products of vitamin drinks purchased from 20 retail outlets was determined using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The sample (25 ml) was stirred at 1200 rpm for 4 min using a magnetic bar with a $100{\mu}m$ SPME fiber as an adsorbent for benzene which was then desorbed from the fiber for 1 min in the GC injector. Quantitation was achieved using the standard addition method. The limit of detection was determined as 0.56 ng/ml and over a concentration range 0-40 ng/ml the coefficient of correlation was greater than 0.999. The concentration of benzene in the drinks examined was in the range not detectable to 47.35 ng/ml. Benzene was detected in 15 of the drinks with concentration in 5 of them greater than 10 ng/ml which is the limit set for the presence of benzene in the Drinking Water Regulations. The concentrations of benzene in the 5 drinks which exceeded the limit of 10 ng/ml were 16.99, 35.14, 16.03, 47.35 and 14.28 ng/ml respectively.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.161-164
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• 2003

Several polyhydroxylated alkaloids were isolated from the extracts of freeze-dried silkworm powder, and purified by ion exchange chromatographic analysis. Through the HPLC analysis, we could identify 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and a kind of calystegin $B_2$ (HS-58) as well as a noble compound (HS-74) from the purified polyhydroxylated alkaloids. In order to know the characteristics of these isolated alkaloids as enzyme inhibitors, glycosidase inhibition activities of these identified alkaloids including other two non-purified alkaloids (SWP 3-1 and SWP 3-2) were investigated.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.211-227
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• 2024

Introduction: Seaweed is a sustainable and underexplored source of bioactive compounds with potent anti-inflammatory activities. However, studies on the interaction between seaweed and genes on inflammation are limited. Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the relationships between seaweed consumption and the polygenic risk scores (PRS) and their interactions with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. Methods: Information on seaweed consumption was collected using a food frequency questionnaire, which included laver, kelp, and sea mustard among the items consumed. A total of 31 hs-CRP-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected using genome-wide association studies and clumping analysis, and the individual PRS were calculated by weighting the effect size of each allele in the selected SNPs of 39,369 middle-aged (≥40 years) Koreans using the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES)-Health Examinees (HEXA) cohort data. To investigate the interaction between seaweed intake and the PRS on hs-CRP levels >1 mg/L, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 4.8 years, we recorded 436 patients with elevated hs-CRP levels. Women in the highest tertile of the PRS with the lowest quartile of seaweed intake had an increased incidence of elevated hs-CRP levels compared with women in the lowest tertile of the PRS with the lowest seaweed intake quartile (HR 2.34, 95% CI 1.23-4.45). No significant association was observed among the men. Conclusion: In conclusion, we identified a new interaction between the PRS, seaweed intake, and inflammation in Korean women, and this study suggests that the interaction between the identification of genetic predisposition and dietary seaweed intake may have an impact on determining the risk of developing hyperinflammation in the future.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.262-273
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• 2022

Under the four-cut system, low-lignin alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) may extend harvesting intervals improving harvest management flexibility and producing forage products with higher nutritive values. The objective of this study was to compare forage yield and nutritive values of low-lignin and conventional alfalfa varieties when applied to six different harvest schedules in the first (2016) and second (2017) production years. There were 12 treatments of two alfalfa varieties as whole plots and six harvest schedules as subplots. Across harvest schedules, there were four cuttings in two production years. Three harvest intervals including "Standard" (high quality, HQ), "Standard+5-day" (medium quality, MQ), and "Standard+10-day" (high yield, HY) were chosen for the first cutting, and 30-day (HQ) and 35-day (HY) for the second cuttings. The third and fourth cuttings in 2016 were timed near final harvest date and in 2017 occurred at 35-day (MQ) and 40-day (HY). Variety by harvest schedule interaction was not significant, but the whole plot and sub-plot effects were significant. Hi-Gest 360 was consistently higher in nutritive value and with a similar yield as Gunner. Harvest schedules did not consistently differ in forage yield and nutritive values. HS-1 ("Standard" + 35-day + Medium Quality + High Yield) with shorter first two cutting intervals provided lower acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), higher relative feed value (RFV), and similar forage yield compared to other schedules. HS-1 had the highest economic incomes when considering RFV and yield among the six different harvest schedules.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.119-123
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• 2011

To use barley as a green manure crop, this study has been conducted in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do to establish the barley green manure (BGM)-rice cropping system with emphasis on soil incorporation date and BGM density. The nitrogen (N) contents of rye and barley, grass green manure crops, were 1.4~2.4% at early growth stage and decreased rapidly to 0.6~1.0% at late growth stage. The biomass of barley was 449 kg/l0a at heading stage (HS) and increased to 421 kg/10a at 10 days after heading stage (DAH), 473 kg/10a at 20 DAH. C/N ratio of BGM was the lowest 26.3 at HS. The N contents of BGM was in the range of 0.9~1.5%, the highest at HS and gradually decreased, and the output of N were 4.3-6.3 kg/10a. The total amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium of BGM showed the highest level at 10 DAH. Culm length of rice was relatively longer as the BGM application time was delayed. The application of BGM into soil increased plant height of rice by 7.2~7.7 em as compared to the plants treated with commercial fertilizer at recommended rate. but panicle length of rice showed a similar tendency in both the soil-applied of BGM and commercial fertilizer. N contents of unhulled rice was the highest at HS of BGM and followed by 10 DAH of BGM and 20 DAH of BGM. This trend could also be seen in rice straw. The yield of rice in the soil-applied of BGM was 10~15% lower than in the soil-applied of commercial fertilizer. Based on this study, application of BGM made it possible to save 30~50% of application amount of nitrogen fertilizer for following crops.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2019

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitations associated with chronic inflammatory response due to noxious particles or gases in the lung. Iron deficiency is associated with chronic inflammation, such as COPD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among iron deficiency, iron homeostasis, and inflammation in retired miners with COPD. Methods: The serum levels of ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor(sTfR), and transferrin saturation(TSat) as biomarkers for iron deficiency and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) as a biomarker for inflammation and hepcidin as a biomarker for iron homeostasis were measured in 93 male subjects. Iron deficiency was defined as any one or more of (1) sTfR>28.1 nmol/L, (2) TSat<16%, and (3) ferritin< $12{\mu}g/L$. Results: Iron deficiency was found 28% of the study subjects. Median levels of serum hsCRP was significantly increased related to airflow limitation of COPD(GOLD 1, $0.09{\mu}g/dL$ vs. GOLD 2, $0.17{\mu}g/dL$ vs. GOLD $3{\leq}$, $0.30{\mu}g/dL$, p=0.010), and was positively correlated with hepcidin(p=0.009). Mean level of serum hepcidin was lower in COPD subjects with iron deficiency(p=0.004) and serum levels of hepcidin was negatively correlated with %$FEV_1$ predicted(p=0.030). Conclusions: These results suggest that high serum levels of hepcidin are related to severe airflow limitation or inflammation and can decrease iron availability, regardless of iron status.