• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.681-686
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to measure total phenolic compounds as a measure of antioxidant activity as well as ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities as a measure of anti-diabetic efficacy in methanol extracts from 23 kinds of medicinal plants. Extracts of three medicinal plant species showing high total polyphenol contents were selected (Euonymus alatus stem, Taxus cuspidata fruit, and Eucommia ulmoides leaf). Extracts of six medicinal plant species showing over 60% DPPH radical scavenging activity were also selected [Eucommia ulmoides barks (80.10%), Lycium chinense roots (64.25%), Euonymus alatus stem (73.59%), Lespedeza cuneata (78.20%), Taxus cuspidata fruits (70.52%), and Tilia taquetii leaf and stem (67.81%)]. Regarding ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activities acarbose showing approximately 80% inhibitory activity was selected as a control group, and six species (Eucommia ulmoides heartwood, Eucommia ulmoides bark, Euonymus alatus stem, Dioscorea batatas, Coix lachryma-jobi, and Phaseolus radiatus) showed greater than 80% ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Extracts of nine medicinal plant. species showing over 80% ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activity (Pueraria thunbergiana root, Eucommia ulmoides bark, Eucommia ulmoides leaf, Lycium chinense fruits, Euonymus alatus leaf and stem, Euonymus alatus stem, Sasa borealis whole, Dioscorea batatas leaf and stem, and Tilia taquetii leaf and stem). Based on these results, medicinal plants showing high antioxidant and antidiabetic activities can be used as fundamental products in developing new medicines, as well as functional foods to prevent adult disease.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.331-342
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed at helping oral health prevention of the blind and related management plan, which is defined as the influence factors between missing and filled permanent teeth index and general feature and oral health behavior of the blind in Korea (estimates 229,678 persons) using data of the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2014 Korea Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Methods: The blind over the age of 30 were selected as study subjects who have conducted health survey and dental inspections in KNHANES VI-2. Estimates of the subjects were 229,67 persons. For analyzing data, general linear models: GLM and covariance analysis were conducted to identify the relation between general feature and oral health behavior and missing and filled permanent teeth index. SPSS 21 statistical program was used, which is possible to conduct complex sampling design, and the significance level was 0.05. Results: The missing and filled permanent teeth index was 8.58 points. Regarding the results of the analysis, R-squared of the missing and filled permanent teeth index depending on general features of the blind was 0.839 points, which shows gender, age, residence, education level, individual income, disability rating, kinds of health insurance, marital status and recipient of basic living had an effect on the missing and filled permanent teeth index. R2 of the missing and filled permanent teeth index depending on oral health form of the blind was 0.728 points, which shows oral examination, dental treatment, smoking and toothbrushing after lunch had an effect on the missing and filled permanent teeth index. Conclusions: With the result of this study, we found the oral health actual condition of the blind in Korea. Therefore, it is considered that the government needs to introduce the personalized oral health education program to maintain oral health of the blind and to develop a program that uses braille and voice device which enables to access and utilize to improve oral health behavior that the government could use it as a reference to establish the policy plan.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2000

Objectives : To propose the referential data to evaluate the health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children whose father were exposed to herbicides in Vietnam War. Methods : Vietnam veterans who visited to Pusan Veteran Hospital for medical care were recruited from April to October, 1998. They were 71 and asked about their own combat history, symptoms and illness, and health status of their 182 children. The informations were collected by direct and phone interview. Exposure estimation was also performed as exposure score depending on year and unit of participation, and personal episodes related to exposure to herbicide in the war. It classified into three groups; lower(<18.0), moderate(18-53), high$(\geq53)$ exposure group. Results : The mean age and the period into the combat of the veterans were 52.8 years and 15.0 months. The mean exposure score was $18.1{\pm}9.9$, and mainly distributed in lower (46.5%) and moderate(52.1%) exposure group. Most(90.1%) of them were diagnosed as sequelae(21 cases) and suspected sequelae(43 cases) of the herbicides by Korean veteran's hospital diagnostic criteria. The major sequelae was peripheral neuropathy 13 cases, chloracne 5 cases, and the major suspected sequelae was hypertension 20 cases, diabetes mellitus 18 cases, liver disease 12 cases, central neuropathy 11 cases, etc. About birth, 42.2% and 16.9% experienced spontaneous abortion and stillbirth, respectively. The mean exposure score was higher in stillbirth experience group(p<0.05). About half of the children(90 cases, 49.5%) hold the abnormal health status: those were skin pigmentation 38 cases, rash 23 cases, congenital anomaly 15 cases, general weakness 12 cases, purpura 8 cases, visual disturbance 8 cases, etc. These health problems had no association with father's exposure level(p>0.05). Conclusions : These results were depend on their own answers, and expectation for compensation did not excluded, therefore, this study may have limitations: inaccuracy of informations due to recall bias and response bias. Nevertheless, through this study, we could image the fundamental aspect for health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children for preparing the national control program and policy. A large scale epidemiologic study with valid exposure assessment on the health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children is recommneded.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2020

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) contains a bi-segmented viral genome, RNA1 (3.4 kb, RdRp), and RNA2 (1.4 kb, capsid protein) in a small particle (25 nm). Despite its extremely compact size, NNV has caused serious damage by infecting approximately 120 fish species worldwide since it was first reported in the late 1980s. In order to minimize the damage caused by NNV infection and develop effective vaccines, it is necessary to understand the intra cellular signaling system according to NNV infection. NNV infection induces cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase via the p53-dependent pathway to use the cellular system for its replication. Otherwise, host cells recognize NNV infection through the RIG-1-like receptor (RLR) signaling pathway to control the virus and infected cells, and then ISGs required for antiviral action are activated via the IFN signaling pathway. Moreover, apoptosis of infected cells is triggered by the unfolded protein response (UPR) through ER stress and mitochondria-mediated cell death. Cell signaling studies on the NNV infection mechanisms are still at an early stage and many pathways have yet to be identified. Understanding the various disease-specific cellular signaling systems associated with NNV infection is essential for rapid and accurate diagnosis and vaccine development.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.175-179
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• 2012

Adenoviruses are an important cause of respiratory tract infections, particularly in infants, young children, and immuno-compromised patients. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of adenoviruses isolated from outpatients with acute respiratory illness in Gyeonggi province of South Korea during 2009-2011. Adenoviruses were detected in 102 of 1,622 (6.3%) specimens by using PCR or real-time PCR with viral specific primers. 76 isolates were obtained from 102 specimens using the A549 cells. Serotypic distributions of isolated adenovirus were analyzed by sequencing of hexon gene. Six different serotypes were identified, which included adenovirus serotypes 1-6. Adenovirus 3 (n=40, 52.6%) was the predominant serotype. The predominant types of adenovirus every year were serotypes 1 and 3 in 2009, serotype 3 in 2010, and serotype 5 in 2011, respectively. Adenoviruses 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were isolated sporadically throughout the study period. Adenovirus 3 was present both during outbreaks and in sporadic cases. These results indicate that adenovirus 3 played major causative agent of adenovirus outbreaks in Gyeonggi province of South Korea during 2009-2011. Continuous surveillance for specific serotypes of adenovirus that can cause outbreaks is important.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1998

The most remarkable aspect in the hormesis law is that dose of harmful agents can produce effect that are diametrically opposite to the effect found with high doses of the same agent. Minute quantities of a harmful agent bring about very small change in the organism and control mechanisms appear to subjugate normal processes to place the organism in a state of albert and repair. The stimulated organism in more responsive to changes in environmental factors than it did before being alerted. Routine functions, including repair and defense, have priority for available energy and matetial. The alerted organism utilizes nutrients more efficiently, grows faster, shows improved defense, and lives longer. Accelerated germination, sprouting, growth, development, blooming and ripening, and increased crop yield and resistance to disease are found in plants. Another concept supported by the data in that low doses of ionizing radiation provide increased resistance to subsequent high doses of radiation. The hormesis varies with subject plant, variety, state of seed, environmental and cultural conditions, physiologic function measured, dose rate and total exposure. The results of hormesis are less consistently found, probably due to the great number of uncontrolled variables in the experiments. The general dosage for radiation homlesis in about 100 (10 to 1,000) times ambient or 100 (10 to 1,000) times less than a definitely harmful dose, but these must be modified to the occasion. Although little is known about most mechanisms of homzesis reaction, overcompensation of repair mechanism is offered as one mechanism.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2010

Melatonin is induced by light information through the retina and leads to growth factor activation. Thus, we investigated the effects of melatonin by controlling the photoperiod of growing young rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6; 4 weeks old) were divided into two experimental groups: the L/D group (normal photoperiod; light/dark: 12/12 h; lights on at 9:00 a.m.) and the L/L group (light/light: 24 h). Rat body weight and food consumption were measured daily for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of ketamine (50 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed. Tissue was then collected for RNA isolation (from brain, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, testis, tibia, hind limb muscles). Also, serum was isolated from blood using a centrifugal separation. The L/L group had significantly lower body weight than the L/D group from 4 to 6 weeks (p<0.05). The L/D group had increased tissue mass, compared with the L/L group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The L/D group had a significantly higher melatonin concentration than the L/L group between the hours of midnight and 2:00 a.m (p<0.01). These results indicate that photoperiod length may affect the secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland. Also, the reduction of nocturnal melatonin secretion may retard the development of growing young rats. In future studies, we plan to compare exogenous melatonin administration with endogenous melatonin concentration induced by photoperiod control. Moreover, we will confirm whether the effects seen in pathological animal models can be reversed by controlling the photoperiod.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.7-13
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• 2016

Objectives : Camellia sinensis (Theaceae) possesses a various beneficial effects such as free radical-scavenging, inactivation of urokinase in cancer cell proliferation, antibacterial, and hypotensive. Dental caries is one of the most common oral infectious disease in a human. Oral microorganisms play a significant role in the etiology of dental caries. An aberration to this ecology due to dietary habits, improper oral hygiene or systemic factors lead to an increase in cariogenic microorganisms. Cariogenic microorganisms like Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus encourage the accumulation and adherence of plaque biofilm by metabolizing sucrose into glucans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of phenolic compounds of Camellia sinensis and R-carvone, monoterpenes, is can be found naturally in numerous essential oils, on Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus .Methods : The antimicrobial activity of these compounds was determined by the broth microdilution method and checkerboard dilution assay to investigate the potential synergistic effects of each five compounds of Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) and R-carvone.Results : C. sinensis-isolated compounds and R-carvone were determined with MIC of more than 1,000 ㎍/mL. However, the combination test showed significant synergism against S. mutans and S. sobrinus, implicated in the lowered MICs.Conclusions : These results suggest that combinatory application of phenolic five compounds (theophyllin, l-theanine, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and caffeine) from C. sinensis and R-carvone has a potential synergistic effect and thus may be useful as a mouthrinse in helping control cariogenic microorganism.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.41-41
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• 2015

Oomycetes belong to the kingdom Straminipila, a remarkably diverse group which includes brown algae and planktonic diatoms, although they have previously been classified under the kingdom Fungi. These organisms have evolved both saprophytic and pathogenic lifestyles, and more than 60% of the known species are pathogens on plants, the majority of which are classified into the order Peronosporales (includes downy mildews, Phytophthora, and Pythium). Recent phylogenetic investigations based on DNA sequences have revealed that the diversity of oomycetes has been largely underestimated. Although morphology is the most valuable criterion for their identification and diversity, morphological species identification is time-consuming and in some groups very difficult, especially for non-taxonomists. DNA barcoding is a fast and reliable tool for identification of species, enabling us to unravel the diversity and distribution of oomycetes. Accurate species determination of plant pathogens is a prerequisite for their control and quarantine, and further for assessing their potential threat to crops. The mitochondrial cox2 gene has been widely used for identification, taxonomy and phylogeny of various oomycete groups. However, recently the cox1 gene was proposed as a DNA barcode marker instead, together with ITS rDNA. To determine which out of cox1 or cox2 is best suited as universal oomycete barcode, we compared these two genes in terms of (1) PCR efficiency for 31 representative genera, as well as for historic herbarium specimens, and (2) in terms of sequence polymorphism, intra- and interspecific divergence. The primer sets for cox2 successfully amplified all oomycete genera tested, while cox1 failed to amplify three genera. In addition, cox2 exhibited higher PCR efficiency for historic herbarium specimens, providing easier access to barcoding type material. In addition, cox2 yielded higher species identification success, with higher interspecific and lower intraspecific divergences than cox1. Therefore, cox2 is suggested as a partner DNA barcode along with ITS rDNA instead of cox1. Including the two barcoding markers, ITS rDNA and cox2 mtDNA, the multi-locus phylogenetic analyses were performed to resolve two complex clades, Bremia lactucae (lettuce downy mildew) and Peronospora effuse (spinach downy mildew) at the species level and to infer evolutionary relationships within them. The approaches discriminated all currently accepted species and revealed several previously unrecognized lineages, which are specific to a host genus or species. The sequence polymorphisms were useful to develop a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for detection of airborne inoculum of B. lactucae and P. effusa. Specificity tests revealed that the qPCR assay is specific for detection of each species. This assay is sensitive, enabling detection of very low levels of inoculum that may be present in the field. Early detection of the pathogen, coupled with knowledge of other factors that favor downy mildew outbreaks, may enable disease forecasting for judicious timing of fungicide applications.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.124-128
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• 2012

When ginseng seedlings are cultured in paddy fields, quality degradation and yield reduction are induced by severe plant loss with chlorosis on leaves occurred physiological disorder by excessive salt and poor drainage, rusty-root occurrence, and root rot etc. Accordingly, in order to solve these problems, this study was performed to investigate the treatment method, concentrations and time of activated ion calcium as environment-friendly agricultural materials. Activated ion calcium is an enriched and purified water-soluble mineral calcium component for absorbing quickly into plant as a highly functional calcium and it is an alkaline calcium of 37% (370 $m{\ell}$/1 ${\ell}$) concentration with pH 13. Treatment method was that ginseng seeds were sown after removing water in the shade after seed immersion for 1 minute with active ion calcium of 20-fold diluted solution, and then irrigated $4{\ell}$ per 3.3 $m^2$ with 200-fold, 400-fold, and 600-fold diluted solution before emergence on late March, and supplied 1 time on leaves with 500-fold diluted solution in June and July respectively. The disease rate by treatment of activated ion calcium was that on the treatment of soil irrigated with 200-fold diluted solution compared to non-treated soil, damping-off was 33%, anthracnose was 100% reduced and the occurrence rate of rusty-root was 30% reduced. In addition, when active ion calcium of 200-fold diluted solution were soil irrigated, first and second grade ginseng were respectively 26% and 22% produced more, compared with control.