• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.309-316
• /
• 2015

In this experiment, five commercial cultivars and one wild species of loquat were used to investigate frost tolerance and enzymatic activities in leaves and young fruits under cold stress at $-3^{\circ}C$. The frost injury, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and oxygen-scavenging enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were studied. This results showed that the wild species 'Wild Oak-leaf' loquat was the most frost tolerant among accessions tested, followed by the cultivar 'Golden Block'. Other cultivars, 'Wu Gong Bai', 'Taicheng 4', 'Xiangzhong 11' and 'Zaozhong 6', were relatively weak in frost tolerance. The enzymatic activities of SOD, POD and CAT increased initially and then decreased as the exposure time increased. However, the enzymatic peak occurred later in the frost-tolerant accession than in the frost-sensitive accession. The correlation coefficients of MDA contents between leaves and immature fruits were from 0.93 to 0.99 in the five commercial loquat cultivars. For the 'Wild Oak-leaf' loquat, the correlation coefficients of MDA and POD were 0.98 and 0.95, respectively, but the coefficients for SOD, CAT and APX were relatively low. In general, there were good correlations between loquat leaves and immature fruits in MDA content and enzyme activities. These results indicate that analysis of these physiological and biochemical activities in loquat leaves could potentially be used to predict the cold tolerance in loquat at immature fruit stage and to accelerate breeding programs for cold tolerance in loquat.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.577-584
• /
• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of imported tropical and subtropical fruits including dragon fruits, green kiwi, papaya, pineapple, pomegranate, and yellow mango. A seventy percent of ethanol extracts were prepared. Total phenolic content, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl)-, ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and reducing power were investigated for the comparisons of antioxidant activities. The phenolic content expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) was found to be highest in pomegranate (12.22 mg GAE/g), followed by pineapple (3.77 mg GAE/g). Pomegranate and pineapple exhibited higher antioxidant activity than those of other fruits except for FRAP. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity from pomegranate were 93.00%, and 98.98%, respectively, at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, which were equal to those of ascorbic acid used for a positive control.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.3
• /
• pp.304-309
• /
• 2023

Intestinal parasitic infections are a public health burden and a major cause of illness in developing countries. The diseases lead to various health threats, including growth retardation and mental health-related disorders, especially in children. We assessed the risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections among children aged 12-59 months residing in Nyamasheke District, Rwanda. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using secondary data from 1,048 children aged 12-59 months whose stool samples were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites and whose results were registered in the laboratory information system in 2020. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in children aged 12-59 months was 53.2%. The dominant parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides (13.1%), followed by Giardia lamblia (10.9%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.9%), Trichuris trichiura (6.5%), hookworms (1.7%), and Taenia species (1.4%). A significant association was observed between intestinal parasites and the literacy of mothers or children's caregivers (odds ratio (OR)=5.09, P<0.001). Children from farming households were 2.8-fold more likely to contract intestinal parasitic infections than those from nonfarming households (OR=2.8, P<0.001). A significant association was also observed between intestinal parasites and food safety (OR=4.9, P<0.001). Intestinal parasitic infections were significantly associated with hand hygiene practices after using the toilet and washing fresh fruits before eating (P<0.001). The information gathered will help public health providers and partners develop control plans in highly endemic areas in Rwanda.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.113-116
• /
• 2000

Different phenological patterns of leaf and fruit fall among native and non-native riparian species provide a spatially and temporally heterogeneous series of alternative food resources for detritivores. Relatively little is known about qualitative differences among these different riparian species. Rates of litter inputs, decomposition, and retention for different sources of riparian litter require long-term documentation. Species of freshwater shrimps, crabs. insects. and gastropods are known to consume a wide range of litter inputs but how these dynamic food webs function under changing climatic and land-use conditions is unknown, especially in tropical streams. On-going studies in the Luquillo Experimental Forest. Puerto Rico provide an example of how inputs of fronds and fruits from palms (Prestoea montana) serve as important foods and microhabitat for species of freshwater crabs and shrimp. Native riparian species such as Prestoea montana are commonly distributed in the Luquillo Mountains especially along steep slopes and stream banks. After tropical storms with high winds, the large fronds from these native riparian trees provide important inputs of leaf litter to the stream food web. In some streams, the input of ripe fruit from non-native trees such as Java plum (Syzigium jambos) also provides a major source of detrital food resources, especially during periods when fruit fall from native species of palms may be limited.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2019

In the process of adapting climate change, the government needs to provide policy and technical support necessary for growing promising crops imported from abroad. Therefore, this study was conducted to survey and analyze the conditions of growth of imported foreign crops and to derive response tasks. As a result, tropical and subtropical vegetables were cultivated 18 crops in 920 farms in 321 ha area (in 2015 year). The cultivation scale decreased in the order of Curcuma aromatica, Momordica charantia, Asparagus aethiopicus, Allium hookeri and Herbs. Tropical and subtropical fruits were cultivated 9 crops in 264 farms in 106.5 ha area (in 2015 year). Special and medicinal crops introduced abroad cultivated 10 crops in 753 farms in 276.3 ha area (in 2015 year). The cultivation scale decreased in the order of Curcuma longa, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Lepidium meyenii and Moringa oleifera. For the stable settlement of domestic growth of tropical and subtropical crops introduced abroad, there should be safety and economic feasibility in terms of the cultivation environment according to the domestic culture adaptation test. Consideration needs to be given to the use of locally grown products in Korea, the securing of distribution and sales markets, and the competitiveness of imported products.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.65 no.2
• /
• pp.83-88
• /
• 2022

Although it has been intensively studied over the past few decades, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal cancers. Eriodictyol, a plant-derived flavonoid mainly found in citrus fruits, exerts diverse biological effects, including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated the anticancer properties of eriodictyol and its mechanisms of action in pancreatic cancer cells. In both SNU213 and Panc-1 cells, eriodictyol decreased viability, induced apoptosis, and decreased clonogenicity. In addition, eriodictyol treatment increased the phosphorylation level of JNK and decreased the phosphorylation levels of ERK, FAK, and AKT. These observations provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of eriodictyol-induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cell lines, and could contribute to the development of candidate compounds for treating pancreatic cancer.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2014

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the levels of pesticide residues in fruits and to assess their risk to human health. METHODS AND RESULTS: Monitoring of 215 samples of fruits collected from local markets in incheon during 2013 was performed. 259 pesticides were analyzed by multi-residue method and Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and safe/Mass/Mass(QuEChERS/MS/MS) method using Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detector/Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector(GC-ECD/NPD), GC-MS, LC(Liquid Chromatography-Mass/Mass(LC-MS/MS) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array/Fluorescence Detector(HPLC-PDA/FLD). In 56.3% of the samples detected pesticide residues and were not found to exceed Maximum Residue Limits(MRL). The highest detected samples were found in citrus fruits(83.9%). Among the detected compounds, carbendazim(13.1%), imazalil (11.7%), thiabendazole(10.7%) and fludioxonil(9.8%) were frequently found in fruits. A risk assessment of pesticide residues in fruits was performed by calculating Estimated Daily Intake(EDI) and Acceptable Daily Intake(ADI). Also, we were evaluated removal efficiency of pesticide residues by washing and peeling. The removal efficiency of pesticide residues in citrus and tropical fruits by peeling processes were 91.6%. After the washing process, the removal rates were 43.1%(Cherry, Grape, Blueberry). CONCLUSION: The level of pesticide residues in fruits was within the MRL. The range of %ADI values was from 0.00011 to 0.98795%. The process of washing or peeling reduces the level of pesticide residues. The results of this research concluded that the detected pesticides are not harmful to human being.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.220-226
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The currently available agents for use against toxoplasmosis have serious limitations. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) activities of methanol extracts of Feijoa sellowiana (F. sellowiana) (leaves and fruits), Quercus castaneifolia (Q. castaneifolia) (fruits), and Allium paradoxum (A. paradoxum) (leaves) in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Vero cells were treated with different concentrations (from 0 to $400{\mu}g/mL$) of the above extracts or with pyrimethamine at a dose of 50 mg/mL (positive control). Then, the viabilities of the T. gondii-infected cells were measured by using colorimetric MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. In addition, the survival rates of mice acutely infected with $2{\times}10^4$ RH strain tachyzoites of T. gondii were examined in vivo after intraperitoneal injection of the extracts at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 5 days. Results: In the in vitro anti- T. gondii assay, the $IC_{50}$ values were 12.77, 180.2, 74.73, 213.2 and $163.8{\mu}g/mL$, and the selectivity indices were 6.05, 1.31, 0.35, 0.69 and 1.30 for the F. sellowiana (leaves and fruits), Q. castaneifolia, and A. paradoxum extracts and pyrimethamine, respectively. Moreover, the mice treated with F. sellowiana (leaves and fruits) achieved better results in terms of survival than the others (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of the current study indicate that methanol extract of F. sellowiana has significant anti-Toxoplasma activity. Further study should be conducted to investigate the potential bioactivity of this extract through bioactivity-guided fractionation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.421-430
• /
• 2019

In this study, 195 pesticide residues in fruit samples (n=150) at local markets in Chungcheongnam-do Chungnam, Korea were monitored using a multi-residue method combined with GC-MS/MS and LCMS/MS. Among 150 fruit samples, 40 types of pesticides were detected in 63 samples and the detection rate was 42.0%. However, the amounts were below the maximum residue limit (MRL). Detection rates for pesticides in each thpe of fruit were as follows ; citrus fruits (55.2%), pome fruits (41.3%), berries (38.7%) and stone fruits (36.0%). Although the sample size was small (n=2), pesticide residues were not detected in tropical fruits. Occurrences of detection of pesticide residues in apple showed the highest level, and mainly, insecticides were detected most frequently. The most commonly detected pesticides residues were bifenthrin (21), pyraclostrobin (17), novaluron (13), boscalid (10), chlorfenapyr (9), trifloxystrobin (9), furathiocarb (9), acetamiprid (8) and chlorpyrifos (8). Five types of residual pesticides (bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, deltamethrin, fenpropathrin and fenvalerate) were detected in quince, and out of these five, fenpropathrin exceeded the MRL based on the Positive List System (PLS). These results suggested that pesticide residues in fruit samples should be continuously monitored, although residue levels in 63 other fruit samples were evaluated as being within a safe level.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2017

We performed simulations of shipping conditions to export 'Cheongdobansi' astringent persimmon to tropical regions. We stored the fruits at $0^{\circ}C$, $5^{\circ}C$, or $10^{\circ}C$ temperature for 15 days to simulate the transport conditions, and then maintained the fruits at $30^{\circ}C$ for 5 days to simulate the distribution condition. Variables that we focused on are 1) the transport temperature($0^{\circ}C$, $5^{\circ}C$, or $10^{\circ}C$) and 2) the treatment time of ethylene generator(before or after shipping). We examined the ripening ratio and quality of the fruits at the end of the shipping and at that of the distribution. The examination at the end of the shipping showed that all of the fruits were ripened at $10^{\circ}C$ transportation but not ripened at $0^{\circ}C$ or $5^{\circ}C$ transportation in the ethylene treated condition. The untreated fruits were not ripened regardless of the transportation temperature. The examination at the end of the distribution showed that all of the fruits were ripened at $5^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$ transportation, while 38.5% of fruits were ripened at $0^{\circ}C$ transportation in the ethylene treated fruits before shipping. The fruits treated after shipping were 63.5% and 59.6% ripened at $0^{\circ}C$ and $5^{\circ}C$ transportation, respectively. Unexpectively, only 19.2 % of fruits treated after shipping ripened at $10^{\circ}C$ transportation.