• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.199-217
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• 2023

People with higher genetic predisposition to obesity are more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and healthy plant-based foods may be associated with reduced risks of obesity and other metabolic markers. We investigated whether healthy plant-foods-rich dietary patterns might have inverse associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in participants at genetically elevated risk of obesity. For this cross-sectional study, 377 obese and overweight women were chosen from health centers in Tehran, Iran. We calculated a healthy plant-based diet index (h-PDI) in which healthy plant foods received positive scores, and unhealthy plant and animal foods received reversed scores. A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed based on 3 polymorphisms. The interaction between GRS and h-PDI on cardiometabolic traits was analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM). We found significant interactions between GRS and h-PDI on body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.02), body fat mass (p = 0.04), and waist circumference (p = 0.056). There were significant gene-diet interactions for healthful plant-derived diets and BMI-GRS on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.04), alanine transaminase (p = 0.05), insulin (p = 0.04), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (p = 0.002). Adherence to h-PDI was more strongly related to decreased levels of the aforementioned markers among participants in the second or top tertile of GRS than those with low GRS. These results highlight that following a plant-based dietary pattern considering genetics appears to be a protective factor against the risks of cardiometabolic abnormalities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.235-241
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• 2002

Sophorolipid, a biosurfactant produced from Candida bombicola ATCC 22214, showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus xylosus, Streptococcus mutans, and Propionibacterium acne at 4, 1, 1, 0.5 ppm, respectively. Also, 100 ppm of sophorolipid inhibited $50\%$ of cell growth of plant pathogenic fungus, Botrytis cineria. However, sophorolipid showed no effect on Escherichia coli, indicating that its selective antimicrobial activity depended on the cell wall structure. Treatment of B. subtilis with sophorolipid increased leakage of intracellular enzyme, malate dehydrogenase, indicating a possible interaction of sophorolipid with a cellular membrane. Comparing lactone-type and acid-type sophorolipids, the former showed a higher antimicrobial activity. Supplementing other surfactants showed no significant effects on the antimicrobial activity. Animal study showed that 5 g of sophorolipid per kg body weight by oral administration caused no toxicity, and sophorolipid induced no irritation on the skin. These results show potential use of sophorolipid as an active ingredient in healthcare products.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 1993

It has been inferred that membrane-ECM (extracellular matrix) interaction in plants may be also mediated by an RGD-dependent recognition system as in animal cells. Effects of RGD peptide on ethylene production was examined in suspension cultured carrot cells. Treatment of the cells with RGD peptide containing RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence stimulated ethylene production. When RGD peptide was applied to carrot cells treated with 1M, the effect of RGD peptide appeared to be additive. ACC synthase activity in cells pretreated with RGD peptide likewise increased over the control. In an effort to check the sequence specificity of the RGD peptide, cells were treated with substituted RGD peptide, i.e. RGK (Arg-Gly-Lys) and RGE (Arg-Gly-Glu) peptide, respectively. RGK peptide did not stimulate ethylene production but RGE peptide did. The results strongly suggest that the stimulatory effect of RGD peptides on ethylene production may be associated with a physiological phenomenon through a specific recognition between RGD peptide including RGD sequence and their putative plasma membrane receptors.eptors.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.65-89
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the science concepts and teaching and learning methods presented in the science education-related activities of the Nuri Curriculum teacher guidebooks for ages 3-5. Methods: The research data included 772 activities related to science education in the teachers' guidebook. The analysis of science concepts was based on physical science (force and motion, physical structure, electricity and magnetism, light and shadow, sound properties), chemistry (material properties, material reaction), life science (organizational structure, growth and change, heredity and evolution, animal plant and human relationships), earth science (earth system interaction, earth system structure, and universe), engineering (designed world, engineering design, engineering, technology and society) and ecology (environment preservation). Teaching and learning methods were analyzed according to the types of small and large group activities and of free play activities. Results: Science concepts were mainly presented in the fields of engineering, chemistry, and life science commonly among children aged 3-5, whereas the concepts of physical science were lowly presented in all ages. Science concepts appeared mainly in the daily subjects of 'animal plant and nature', 'life tools', 'environment and life', and 'spring, summer, autumn and winter'. As the teaching and learning method, free paly activities (science area, free outdoor selection activity, math and manipulative activity) were mostly used for the ages of 3 and 4, and small and large group activities (cooking, story sharing, music activity) were for the age of 5. Conclusion/Implications: It is necessary to select the level of science area and concept that can be taught according to the age of children and the timing of the teaching.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.336-345
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analysis ERF components patterns of causal questions generated during the observation of biological phenomenon. First, the system that shows pictures causing causal questions based on biological phenomenon (evoked picture system) was developed in a way of cognitive psychology. The ERF patterns of causal questions based on time-series brain processing was observed using MEG. The evoked picture system was developed by R&D method consisting of scientific education experts and researchers. Tasks were classified into animal (A), microbe (M), and plant (P) tasks according to biological species and into interaction (I), all (A), and part (P) based on the interaction between different species. According to the collaboration with MEG team in the hospital of Seoul National University, the paradigm of MEG task was developed. MEG data about the generation of scientific questions in 5 female graduate student were collected. For examining the unique characteristic of causal question, MEG ERF components were analyzed. As a result, total 100 pictures were produced by evoked picture and 4 ERF components, M1(100~130ms), M2(220~280ms), M3(320~390ms), M4(460~520ms). The present study could guide personalized teaching-learning method through the application and development of scientific question learning program.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2009

Approximately 43 million tons of livestock manure (LM) are produced each year on Korean farms. LM can be utilized as a valuable resource and/or it can contaminate water by runoff and leaching through the soil, when LM has been thoughtlessly applied to the land and directly discharged into the water. This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of no-till system and LM application on dry matter (DM) yield of silage corn and $NO_3$-N concentration in leaching water of lysimeter installed in the experimental field. The treatments were replicated three times in split plot design. Main plots consisted of tillage systems, such as conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). Sub plots consisted of the type of LM, such as chemical fertilizer (CF), composted cattle manure (CCM) and composted swine manure (CSM). The control plots were fertilized as commercial chemical fertilizer. DM yields of corn increased significantly in order to CF > CCM > CSM (p<0.05). DM yield of corn in CT increased as comparing with that of corn in NT. Plant height, ear height and stem diameter also increased in order to CF > CCM > CSM. In addition, the root weight in CT was increased as comparing with that of corn in NT. However, there was no interaction effects of between type of LM and tillage system. $NO_3$-N concentration in leaching water of LM application was less than 10 ppm, but $NO_3$-N concentration in CF exceeded 10 ppm which is safety level of drinking water during summer time (rainfall season).

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.659-668
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• 2017

This study was conducted to identify whether there is a significant difference in the developmental stages of the evolution concept depending on the major and the country. For this study, college students (both biology major and non-biology major) in Korea and the United States answered evolution concept assessment developed by Ha (2007). The data were analyzed based on the method of developed by Ha (2016). As a result of this study, Cronbach alpha for internal consistency reliability and MNSQ indices for item response fitness of the ordered multiple choice method providing 0 to 4 point scores to creationism, teleology, intentionality, use/disuse, and natural selection respectively, satisfied the benchmark. The level of Korean college students' evolution concepts was located in use/disuse and the level of USA college students' evolution concepts was located in teleology. No interaction effect was found between the difference of conceptual progressions of evolution concept by major and country and evolution contexts (human, animal, and plant). There was a significant relationship between developmental stages of evolution concept and their religiosity. Based on the results of this study, we discuss developmental characteristics of evolutionary concepts.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.341-350
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• 2016

Background: Prenatal exposure to infectious and/or inflammatory insults can increase the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia later in life. We investigated whether Valeriana fauriei (VF) treatment alleviates prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits and social interaction impairment induced by maternal immune activation (MIA). Methods and Results: Pregnant mice were exposed to polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (5 mg/kg, viral infection mimic) on gestational day 9. The adolescent offspring received daily oral treatment with VF (100 mg/kg) and injections of clozapine (5 mg/kg) for 30 days starting on the postnatal day 35. The effects of VF extract treatment on behavioral activity impairment and protein expression were investigated using the PPI analysis, forced swim test (FST), open field test (OFT), social interaction test (SIT), and immunohistochemistry. The MIA-induced offspring showed deficits in the PPI, FST, OFT, and SIT compared to their non MIA-induced counterparts. Treatment with the VF extract significantly recovered the sensorimotor gating deficits and partially recovered the aggressive behavior observed in the SIT. The VF extract also reversed the downregulation of protein expression induced by MIA in the medial prefrontal cortex. Conclusions: Our results provide initial evidence of the fact that the VF extract could reverse MIA-induced behavioral impairment and prevent neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.326-331
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• 2000

Acidic chitinases from the gizzards of a broiler were purified to homogeneity, using precipitation with $(NH_{4})_{2}SO_{4}$, ion exchanger chromatography, gel filtration, chromatofocusing and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The enzymes, GAC1 and GAC2, were purified 180- and 194- folds with a recovery of 4.9% and 2.7%, respectively. The molecular mass of GAC1 and GAC2 were 48.2 kDa and 57.8 kDa, respectively. Chromatofocusing resulted in a pI of 3.1 for both enzymes. The purified enzymes were endochitinases that were devoid of ${\beta}-N-acetylglucosaminidase$ and lysozyme activity. Kinetic studies using $[^3H]chitin$ indicate that GAC1 has a $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ of 1.97 mg/ml and 185 mg/mg protein/h, respectively. The GAC2 has a $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ of 0.42 mg/ml and 92.3 mg/mg protein/h, respectively at optimal pH and temperature (pH 5.0 and $60^{\circ}C$). When the pentamer and hexamer of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) were used as a substrate, the major product by GAC1 was the dimer of GlcNAc with a differential accumulation of the monomer and trimer, depending upon the substrate. However, the GAC2 produced the dimer and trimer in an equal quantity, regardless of the substrate used. The first 9 $NH_2-terminal$ amino acid residues of the purified gizzard chitinase GAC1 and GAC2 shared a 100% homology. The first 25 $NH_2-terminal$ amino acid residues of GAC1 also shared 55-60% homology with animal chitinases and some animal proteins, such as whey protein and oviduct-specific proteins. However, little homology was found with either microbial and plant chitinases, or egg white lysozyme.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to know the growth response and light use efficiency of leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) 'Yorum Cheongchukmyeon' (green leaf lettuce) and 'Hongyom Jeokchukmyeon' (red leaf lettuce) under different RGB (Red:Green:Blue) ratio in a closed-type plant factory system. The plants were hydroponically cultured with a 12-h photoperiod at $20{\sim}25^{\circ}C$, 60~70% RH and 600~900 ${\mu}mol{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ $CO_2$. The light treatments were combined in three colors LEDs (red, blue, and white) and RGB ratios (1 : 4 : 5, 5 : 0 : 5, 5 : 2 : 3, 7 : 0 : 3, 7 : 1 : 2, and 8 : 1 : 1), however, as the light intensities of treatments were different. Growth characteristic response in both lettuces were significantly as affected by interaction between cultivar and light quality, when they were grown under different light quality conditions. Plant heights of green and red leaf lettuce were the lowest in 1 : 4 : 5 and 8 : 1 : 1, respectively. The highest length and number of leaf were showed 8 : 1 : 1 and 7 : 0 : 3 for the green and 5 : 2 : 3 and 8 : 1 : 1 for the red, respectively. Shoot dry weights of green and red leaf lettuce were the heaviest in 7 : 0 : 3 and 8 : 1 : 1, respectively. Leaf width and leaf shape index were significant about cultivar and light quality. Leaf widths of green and red leaf lettuce were the largest in 8 : 1 : 1 and 5 : 2 : 3, respectively. Leaf shape index of green and red leaf lettuce were the largest in 1 : 4 : 5 and 1 : 4 : 5, respectively. Shoot fresh weight and light use efficiency were significant about cultivar and light quality. Shoot fresh weights of green and red leaf lettuce were the heaviest in 7 : 0 : 3 and 8 : 1 : 1, respectively. Light use efficiencies of green and red leaf lettuce were the highest in 7 : 0 : 3 and 5 : 0 : 5, respectively. These results suggested that the ratio of RGB was 5~7 : 0~2 : 1~3 to cultivate leaf lettuce in a plant factory system.