• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.112-119
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• 2020

Suicide has been a long-standing problem for global public health, along with almost 800,000 deaths from suicide worldwide in 2016, accounting for 1.4% of all deaths. South Korea was ranked first in suicide mortality in 2018 among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This study aimed to suggest up-to-date information about suicide-related indicators such as the rate of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide death, and its trends by applying sampling weight to make it nationally representative. In this study, we used the data sources: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination (KNHANES, '07-13, '15-18), Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), Korean Wealth Panel Study (KOWEPS, '12-18), Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, '10-13), and Statistics Korea (1983-2017). The rate of suicidal ideation as recent year was 4.73% (KNHANES, '17), 6.96% (KCHS, '17), 2.29% (KOWEPS, '18), and 5.39% (KHP, '13). That of suicide attempt as recent year was 0.51% (KNHANES, '18), 0.32% (KCHS, '17), and 0.15% (KOWEPS, '18). Annual percentage change (APC) of suicidal ideation was -15.4% (KNHANES, '07-13, '15, '17), -2.5% (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), -10.8% (KOWEPS, '12-18), and -10.9% (KHP, '10-13). APC of suicide attempt was -4.4% (KNHANES, '07-13, '15-18), -4.4% (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), and -13.6% (KOWEPS, '12-18). APC of death by intentional self-harm was -1.25% (Statistics Korea, '07-18). All suicide-related indicators were found to be decreasing in the overall from 2009. Individuals with lower income level were more likely to experience suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Even though suicide rate had been continuously decreasing from its highest point in 2011 (suicide rate: 31.7 per 100,000 population) to 2017 (suicide rate: 24.3 per 100,000 population), it increased again in 2018 (suicide rate: 26.6 per 100,000 population). This information would be grounded on policy implementation for suicide prevention, thus continuous data observation is necessary.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.200-206
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• 2005

A bacterium with high productivity of poly-$\gamma$-glutamic acid (PGA) was isolated from the traditional Korean seasoning, ChungKookJang. The 16s ribosomal RNA sequence of isolated strain showed 97.6, 98.9 and $90.3{\%}$ of similarity to those of Bacillus sp. WL-3, Bacillus subtilis; ENV1 and B amy-loliquefaciens (T), respectively. Accordingly, this bacterium was identified as a Bacillus sp. However, some biochemical characteristics of this strain were different from those of B. subtilis: D-xylose fermentation and glycogen utility were negative. Maximum production of PGA was achieved when it was grown aerobically in a culture medium containing glutamic acid ($3{\%}$) and fructose ($4{\%}$) as carbon sources. The volumetric yield of PGA reached up to 27 g/l in the optimum culture medium. These results suggest that the present strain can be applicable for industrial purposes such as a prototype strain for food or cosmetics industry.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2020

Producing animal products from farm to table emits massive amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Modified meal plans, mainly including vegetables and grains, have been recommended to reduce GHG emissions. However, these meal plans have not been developed with regard to the micronutrient content, but rather with regard to the energy requirements of grains and vegetables, which could result in a nutritional imbalance. For this reason, we investigated a common Korean suggested meal plan (SMP) from the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, in which nutritional conditions were considered, and evaluated its GHG emissions using the Life Cycle Assessment Inventory Database and nutritional values. The SMP, which included meat, was based on the Korean Nutrition Society for adult men age 19 to 29, and was changed to a vegan meal plan (VMP). Animal-based protein sources were substituted for meat alternatives, such as beans and tofu, for which carbon footprint data was available. To compare the nutritional differences, the 9^th Korean Food Composition Tables I and II were consulted. To calculate GHG emissions, the carbon footprint data of the food was converted to a CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) using a procedure from the Foundation of Agriculture Technology Commercialization and Transfer. It was found that GHG emissions per calorie were 18% lower for the VMP when compared to the SMP. However, if GHG emissions per total amino acids were evaluated, the VMP GHG emissions per total amino acids were 0.12 g CO₂e/mg, while the corresponding value for the SMP was 0.06 g CO₂e/mg. The Korean daily meat intake reported by the Korea Agricultural Statistics Service was 37.1% lower than in the SMP, but when converted to a protein intake the figure was 17.0% lower. It was found that each SMP resulted in more GHG emissions than the VMP, but when considered as GHG emissions per total amino acids, the opposite pattern was apparent. There is a need to conduct more detailed studies of the variation in GHG emissions with different meal plans, using the daily meat intake per person.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1121-1129
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• 2017

The authors evaluated the scavenging activities of ABTS+ radical, hydroxy radical (OH), nitric oxide (NO), and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) from ethanol extracts of four edible alga, Enteromorpha linza, Porphyra tenera, Sargassum fusiforme, and Undaria pinnatifida. ABTS+ scavenging activity was analyzed according to the method of Brand-Williams et al. ABTS+ scavenging activity of S. fusiforme was evaluated to 61.8% at 8.0 mg/ml. ABTS+ scavenging activity of P. tenera was evaluated to 35.7% at 8.0 mg/ml. P. tenera and U. pinnatifida showed similar inhibitions of ABTS+ scavenging activity. According to the results of the OH assay in seaweed, inhibitory activities were in the order of S. fusiforme > P. tenera > U. pinnatifida > E. linza. The results showed scavenging activity for NO in the following order of potency: S. fusiforme > P. tenera > U. pinnatifida > E. linza with concentration values of 8.0 mg/ml. The NO scavenging activities of dough, which was instant noodles mixed with S. fusiforme and 3.5% salt, were 27.2% at 8.0 mg/ml. After boiling for 5 minutes, FRAP scavenging activity of instant noodles mixed with extracts of U. pinnatifida was evaluated to 31.5% at 8.0 mg/ml. S. fusiforme showed the highest inhibition activity of ABTS+, OH, NO, and FRAP among the four algae. Thus, these findings provide evidence that P. tenera, U. Pinnatifida, S. fusiforme, and E. linza extracts could become sources of natural antioxidants.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 1983

Nutritional and physio-chemical conditions for mycelial growth and fruit-body formation of Pleurotus florida were determined in synthetic media. Mannitol and sucrose were good sugar substances for the mycelial growth and fruit-body formation whereas less mycelial growth and no fruit-body formation was obtained with arabinose, lactose and inulin. The optimum concentration of mannitol was about 2%. Peptone as a nitrogen sources resulted in a rapid mycelial growth and fruit-body formation with higher yield, but nitrite-nitrogens inhibited the mycelial growth. The higher yield was obtained with 0.2% peptone. Among the vitamins used, the greatest mycelial growth and fruit-body formation brought about by thiamine and folic acid. $KH_2PO_4$ and $MgSO_4$ at 0.2% and 0.02%, respectively, were effective for the mycelial growth and fruit-body formation, but other inorganic salts used were ineffective. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth and fruit-body formation were $25^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$, respectively, and light intensity of $100{\sim}500\;lux$ and pH 6.0 appeared to be effective.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.970-975
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• 2005

Based on their biological activity, phenols from rosemary extract were evaluated for inhibition of Helicobacter pylori. Contents of total phenolic compounds and inhibition zone of water and ethanol extracts from rosemary were 24.3mg/g and 25.7mg/g, and 11mm, 14mm, and, at $200{\mu}g/mL$ phenol content, 20.9% and 78.2% inhibitory activities were observed, respectively. Electron donating abilities and 2.2-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid cation radicals of water and ethanol extracts were 89.1% and 62.0% and 98.4% and 96.5%, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of all extracts were lower than that of control. Ethanol extract showed 98.8% angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity. Xanthin oxidase inhibitory activities of water and ethanol extracts were very high, at 84.8%, 100%, respectively. These results indicated phenolic compounds from rosemary can be utilize as a potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-hypertension and anti-gout sources.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.174-184
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate nutrients intakes, glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) according to obesity index in elementary school students. The study subjects included 229 elementary school students (boys=108, girls=121) who were divided into 3 groups consisting of an underweight group (obesity index<-10%, n=58), a normal weight group (10%${\leq}$ obesity index<10%, n=130) and an overweight group (obesity index${\geq}$10%, n=41) by their obesity index. The nutrient and food intakes data obtained by a 3-day food record were analyzed. Daily dietary GI and GL values were calculated from the 3-day food record. The average age of the subjects was 11.9 years. The mean daily energy intake was 2,186.8 kcal in the underweight group, 2,123.5 kcal in the normal weight group, and 2,174.2 kcal in the overweight group. The intakes of calcium and animal calcium per 1,000 kcal in the overweight group were significantly lower than in the underweight and normal weight groups (p<0.01, p<0.05), and fruit, egg and milk intakes in the overweight group were lower than those in the underweight group (p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.05). The mean daily dietary GI of the underweight, normal weight, and overweight groups were 67.7, 68.4 and 69.5, respectively (p<0.05). The mean daily dietary GL of the underweight, normal weight, and overweight groups were 212.8, 208.1 and 213.3, respectively. The major food source of dietary GI and GL in the three groups was rice. Other major food sources of dietary GI were croquettes, hand-rolled noddle soups, instant noddles, milk, and rice cake. Dietary GI was not significantly correlated with weight, obesity or body mass index, when adjusted for energy, carbohydrate, and dietary fiber. However, GL adjusted to energy, carbohydrate and dietary fiber tended to correlate with obesity index (r=0.126, p=0.059). These results suggest that dietary GI and GL have possibility affecting obesity-related indicators in elementary school students.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2008

The roots of Brassica campestris ssp rapa were extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH, and the concentrated extract was partitioned with EtOAc, n-BuOH and $H_2O$. From the EtOAc fraction, three compounds were isolated through the repeated silica gel and octadecyl silica gel (ODS) column chromatography. From the results of spectroscopic data including NMR and MS, the chemical structures of the compounds were determined as caulilexin C (1), indoleacetonitrile (2) and arvelexin (3). The arvelexin (3) has been isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 showed inhibitory activity on human Acyl CoA: cholesterol. transferase 1 (hACAT1) by $54.6{\pm}6.0%$, $69.2{\pm}4.7%$ and $68.6{\pm}3.7%$, and on human Acyl CoA: cholesterol transferase 2(hACAT2) by $4.8{\pm}13.4%$, $45.6{\pm}4.8%$ and $39.5{\pm}4.3%$, respectively, at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.505-509
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• 2002

In the course of screening program for VHR DS-PTPase (dual-specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase) from natural sources, Gastrodia elata was selected. One compound showing potent inhibitory activity was isolated by the solvent extraction and column chromatography including silica gel, ODS RP-18, Sephades LH-20, and HPLC. This compound was identified as baicalein by several NMR techniques such as $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$, and DEPT. Baicalein showed selective inhibitory activity against VHR DS-PTPase with $IC_{50}=2.4\;{\mu}M$, and showed cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines with an $GI_{50}$ of $5.26{\sim}12.93\;{\mu}g/mL$ range, including, melanoma (LOX-IMVI), lung cancer (NCI H23 and A549), colon cancer (HCT 116 and SW 620), prostate cancer (PC-3), and leukemia (MOLT 4F).

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.498-504
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• 2002

Isoflavone (daidzein and genistein) contents, and antioxidative and fibrinolytic activities of seven commercial Korean cooking-with-rice soybeans, including Seonbikong, Chungtae, Gangnamkong, Whangtae, Geodoo, Seolitae, and Wooltalikong were investigated. Daidzein and genistein were not found in Selitae, nor was didzein in Gangnamkong and Geodoo. Total daidzein and genistein levels in Chungtae and Whangtae were 500 and 1550 mg per kg, respectively. Wooltalikong, Whangtae, and Gangnamkong had very high electron donation abilities, over 90%, but Seonbikong and Chungtae showed significantly lower activities. SOD-like activities were also the highest in Gangnamkong and Wooltalikong. Fibrinolytic activities in Seonbikong, Whangtae, and Gangnamkong were similarly strong. Fibrinolytic substances purified from protease inhibitors or activated under various pH or heat treatment conditions, were different among the soybean varieties. This study revealed that, although several cooking-with-rice soybeans were poor in isoflavones, Wooltalikong and Gangnamkong could be good sources for functional products due to their strong antioxidative activities, and heat- and acid-resistant proteolytic abilities.