• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1257-1264
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• 2016

Extracts from Artemisia annua $Linn\acute{e}$ (AAE) have various functions (anti-malaria, anti-virus, and anti-oxidant). However, the mechanism of the effects of AAE is not well known. Thus, we determined the apoptotic effects of AAE in AGS human gastric carcinoma cells. In this study, we suggested that AAE may exert cancer cell apoptosis through the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-$3{\beta}$ signal pathway and mitochondria-mediated apoptotic proteins. Activation by Akt phosphorylation resulted in cell proliferation through phosphorylation of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2), mTOR, and GSK-$3{\beta}$. Thus, de-phosphorylation of Akt inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis through inhibition of Akt, mTOR, phosphorylation of GSK-$3{\beta}$ at serine9, and control of Bcl-2 family members. Inhibition of GSK-$3{\beta}$ attenuated loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome C. Bax and pro-apoptotic proteins were activated by their translocation into mitochondria from the cytosol. Translocation of Bax induced outer membrane transmission and generated apoptosis through cytochrome C release and caspase activity. We also measured 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, lactate dehydrogenase assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V-PI staining, 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide staining, and Western blotting. Accordingly, our study showed that AAE treatment to AGS cells resulted in inhibition of Akt, TSC2, GSK-$3{\beta}$-phosphorylated, Bim, Bcl-2, and pro-caspase 3 as well as activation of Bax and Bak expression. These results indicate that AAE induced apoptosis via a mitochondrial event through regulation of the Akt/mTOR/GSK-$3{\beta}$ signaling pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.274-283
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• 2014

Oxidative stress causes tissue damage and facilitates the progression of metabolic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular heart diseases, and obesity. Lipid accumulation and obesity-related complications have been observed in the presence of extensive oxidative stress. As part of an ongoing study to develop therapeutic supplements, Sargassum sp. were tested for their ability to scavenge free radicals and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as to suppress lipid accumulation. Three species, S. hemiphyllum, S. thunbergii, and Sargassum horneri, were shown to scavenge free radicals in a di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)iminoazanium (DPPH) assay. In addition, Sargassum sp. was shown to scavenge intracellular ROS and to decrease nitric oxide (NO) production in $H_2O_2$ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages, respectively. Taken together, the results suggest that Sargassum sp. possess huge potential to relieve oxidative stress and related complications, as well as lipid-induced oxidation. They indicate that S. hemiphyllum, S. thunbergii, and S. horneri are potent functional supplements that can produce beneficial health effects through antioxidant and antiobesity activities, with S. hemiphyllum being the most potent among the Sargassum sp. tested. A potential mechanism for the effect of Sargassum sp. on the suppression of lipid accumulation in differentiating 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocytes through deactivation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ (PPAR ${\gamma}$) is presented.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.30-38
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• 2008

Petroleum-based resin adhesives have extensively been used for the production of wood panels. However, with the increase of manufacturing cost and the environmental issue, such as the emission of volatile organic compounds, of the adhesive resins, it is necessary to be developed new adhesive systems. In this study, the potential of okara, which is a residue wasted from the production of tofu, for the development of bio-based adhesives was investigated. At first, the physical and chemical properties of okara were examined. After okara was hydrolyzed in acidic and/or alkaline solutions, okara-based adhesive resins were formulated with the mixtures of the okara hydrolyzates and phenol formaldehyde (PF) prepolymer. The adhesive resins were used for the fabrication of plywood panels, and then the adhesive strength and formaldehyde emission of the plywood panels were measured to examine the applicability of the resin adhesives for the production of plywood panels. The solids content and pH of the okara used in this study were around 20% and weak acidic state, respectively. In the analysis of its chemical composition, the content of carbohydrate was the highest, and followed by protein. The shear strengths of plywood fabricated with okara-based resin adhesives exceeded a minimum requirement of KS standard for ordinary plywood, but its wood failure did not reach the minimum requirement. In addition, the formaldehyde emissions of all plywood panels were higher than that of E1 specified in the KS standard. Based on these results, okara has the potential to be used as a raw material of environmentally friendly adhesive resin systems for the production of wood panels, but further researches - biological hydrolysis of okara and various formulations of PF prepolymer - are required to improve the adhesive strength and formaldehyde emission of okara-based resin adhesives.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.479-485
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• 2009

Bulnesia sarmienti (BS), a traditional South American herbal medicine native to Gran Chaco, has been used to treat various human ailments. We investigated the cytotoxic activities and the inhibitory effects of BS bark extract(0, 50, 100 and $200\;{\mu}g/\;mL$) on the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), cyclooxygenase (COX) and proinflammatory cytokines ($IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/ml)-stimulated murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7. The levels of NO, COX, PGE2 production and proinflammatory cytokines ($IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$) were measured by ELISA kit. Cell viability, as measured by the MTT assay, showed that BS extract had no significant cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells. BS extract significantly inhibited the LPS-induced NO, $PGE_2$ and COX production accompanied by an attenuation of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ formation in macrophages. These results suggest that BS extract has potential as an herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.133-141
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• 2007

There are produced more than 600,000 tons of seaweeds every year along the coast of the Korea. Jeonnam province, south-west coast area, of Korea is producing 93% of total amounts of seaweeds. The laver, sea mustard, and tangleweed maintain stability in the output and has been exported as a simple product processing through drying or salting. It was evaluated the low value-added products and limited the expansion for the consumption of seaweeds. The seaweeds contains 40-60% carbohydrate and structurally different compared with land plant. The dietary fiber from seaweeds has been known the function of facilitating the bowl movement, excretion the heavy metal in the body, lowering the blood cholesterol level, anti-coagulant of blood, and anticancer. Especially, brown algae including sea mustard, seaweed fusiforme, and tangleweed contains alginic acid, laminarin, mannitol, fucoidan which are lowering the blood cholesterol level, lowering blood pressure, and fusion of blood clot. Agar-agar, carrageenan, and porphyran compound in red algae are known to antimutagenicity and anticoagulant function. In spite of potential of seaweed as a main bio-resource, there are lack of research to facilitate the consumption with its functional properties and consumers are unsatisfied with simple processing products. Also, the seaweed by-product dump into the sea and cause pollution of the seawater. Therefore, there are needed the scheme to promote the consumption of seaweeds. The development of value-added products, finding functional properties from seaweeds, development the functional feed for animal using seaweed by-products, and utilization of unused algae for food or other industrial uses will increase fisherman's income as well as serve as an aid for the people health due to its functional properties. Using by-product of seaweed and unexploited seaweed are needed to development of bio-degradable food packaging material and functional feed for animal.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1347-1353
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• 2018

The fermentation of non-digestible soy meal can convert polysaccharides into many compounds that have a wide variety of biological functions. Bacillus strains are capable of hydrolyzing non-digestible saccharides, such as melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose, found in soy meal components. A highly active ${\alpha}$-galactosidase (${\alpha}$-d-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22) was isolated from a bacterium in a traditional Korean fermented medicinal herb preparation. The isolate, T2-16, was identified as Bacillus coagulans based on its 16S rRNA sequence and biochemical properties, and the strain was named Bacillus coagulans NRR-1207. When incubated in 10%(w/v) skim milk, Bacillus coagulans NRR1207 caused a decrease in the pH of the culture medium, as well as an increase in titratable acidity and viable cell counts. This strain also showed higher activities of ${\alpha}$-galactosidase, ${\beta}$-galactosidase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, naphthol-AS-BO-phosphohydrolase, and acid phosphatase when compared to other enzymes. It hydrolyzed oligomeric substrates, such as raffinose and stachyose, and liberated galactose, indicating that the Bacillus coagulans NRR1207 ${\alpha}$-galactosidase hydrolyzed the ${\alpha}$-1,6 glycoside linkage. These results suggest that the decreased stachyose and raffinose contents observed in fermented soy meal are due to this ${\alpha}$-galactosidase activity. Bacillus coagulans NRR1207 therefore has potential probiotic activity and could be utilized in feed manufacturing, as well as for hydrolyzing non-digestible soy meal components.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.56-65
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• 2022

Copper is one of the non-ferrous metals used in the electrical/electronic manufacturing industries due to its superior properties particularly the high conductivity and less resistivity. The effluent generated from the surface finishing process of these industries contains higher copper content which gets discharged in to water bodies directly or indirectly. This causes severe environmental pollution and also results in loss of an important valuable metal. To overcome this issue, continuous R & D activities are going on across the globe in adsorption area with the purpose of finding an efficient, low cost and ecofriendly adsorbent. In view of the above, present investigation was made to compare the performance of a plant root (Datura root powder) as a bio-adsorbent to that of the synthetic one (Tulsion T-42) for copper adsorption from such effluent. Experiments were carried out in batch studies to optimize parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, pH, feed concentration, etc. Results of the batch experiments indicate that 0.2 g of Datura root powder and 0.1 g of Tulsion T-42 showed 95% copper adsorption from an initial feed/solution of 100 ppm Cu at pH 4 in contact time of 15 and 30 min, respectively. Adsorption data for both the adsorbents were fitted well to the Freundlich isotherm. Experimental results were also validated with the kinetic model, which showed that the adsorption of copper followed pseudo-second order rate expression for the both adsorbents. Overall result demonstrates that the bio-adsorbent tested has a potential applicability for metal recovery from the waste solutions/effluents of metal finishing units. In view of the requirements of commercial viability and minimal environmental damage there from, Datura root powder being an effective material for metal uptake, may prove to be a feasible adsorbent for copper recovery after the necessary scale-up studies.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2011

The distributions of phytoplankton assemblages and environmental factors in Jinhae Bay and their relationships were investigated to estimate the potential limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth and community structure. In situ algal bioassay experiments were also conducted to assess the species-specific characteristics in phytoplankton responses under different nutrient conditions (control, N(+) and P(+) treatment). During the study periods, bacillariophyceae and cryptophyceae occupied more than 90% of total phytoplankton assemblages. Phytoplankton standing crops in the inner part of Masan Bay were higher than that of Jinhae Bay. The DIN:DIP ratio, pH and transparency showed the significant positive correlation with phytoplankton biomass. According to cluster and multidimensiolnal scaling (MDS) analysis based on phytoplankton community data from each station, the bay was divided into three groups. The first group included stations from the south-western part of Jinhae bay where cryptophyta species were dominated. The second group was distinguished from inner stations in Masan Bay. These stations showed low transpancy and high DIN:DIP ratio. The other cluster included the stations from the eastern part and central part of Jinhae Bay, which was characterized by the high DSi:DIP ratio and dominant of diatom species. Phosphorous (P) was limited in Masan Bay due to significantly increases in the phytoplankton abundances. Based on stoichiometric limitation and algal bio-assay in Jinhae Bay, nitrogen (N) was a major limiting factor for phytoplankton production. However, silicate (Si) was not considered as limiting factor, since Si/DIN and Si/P ratio and absolute concentration of nutrient did not create any potential stoichiometric limitation in the bay. This implies that high Si availability in winter season contributes favorably to the maintenances of diatom species.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.127-132
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• 2002

Enhanced supply of $Ca^{2＋}$ as well as NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ is known to restrict the uptake of the Na$^{＋}$ and Cl$^{[-10]}$ ion and ameliorate growth under saline conditions. This test was conducted to investigate the ameliorating effects of Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$ on the growth and yield of NaCl-stressed tomato plants grown in plastic pot filled with soil. All treatments except for the control were supplied with 80 mM NaCl fur two weeks after transporting. The saline solutions with nutrient were supplemented with either 0, 10 or 20 mM Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ and either 0, 10 or 20 mM CaCl$_2$ during harvesting time from two weeks after transporting. Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$ application enhanced the growth such as plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, fruit number, and fruit weight, and yield of NaCl-stressed tomato, and also their effects increased greater as concentration of supplemented Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$increased. Yield increased in 20 mM Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ compared with the others except fur the control. Photosynthetic rate in Ca treatments was lower than that of the control, but higher than that of NaCl treatment. Leaf chlorophyll content was higher in Ca treatments compared with the others, especially in younger leaf, while that was not affected by concentration of supplemented Ca. Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$ supply increased the $K^{＋}$ and $C^{2＋}$ concentration of tomato plants, whereas the Na$^{＋}$ transport to the leaves was inhibited. There was a strong increase in the $K^{＋}$/Na$^{＋}$ ratio in plants treated Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$, or CaCl$_2$. Cl$^{[-10]}$ content of plants was decreased by supplemental Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ but Cl$^{[-10]}$ was increased in plants with CaCl$_2$compared with Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$. N concentration in plants of tomato increased with enhanced Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$supply, In conclusion, our study confirms the potential of Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$ or CaCl$_2$to alleviate NaCl-induced growth reductions in tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to investigate crop growth responses under various rain shelters which were devised to improve the indoor environment in summer season. For developing the proper type of rain shelter, the improved rain shelters with the roof of saw - tooth type(saw-tooth type) and 3 span-arch type(improved arch type) were compared with the conventional one with the roof of single arch type(conventional arch type) and no rain shelter (open field ). The results were summarized as follows ; 1. The air temperature in the improved arch type was 4$^{\circ}C$ and 1$^{\circ}C$ lower than those in the conventional arch type and the saw - tooth type, respectively. 2. The air temperature drop by the evaporative cooling + improved drainage was 1.3$^{\circ}C$ which was 0.9$^{\circ}C$lower than that by the improved drainage only. 3. The effect of labour saving in the saw-tooth type was superior to any other type because its frames were used as props and the labour for ventilation was not needed. 4. The highest marketable yield of tomato was 4,897kg/10a in the improved arch type and the total leaf areas which related to photosynthesis was the largest in the saw - tooth type. 5. The improved arch type was proved to be proper to raise yield potential. The effect of the underground environment treatment on the quality and quantity of vegetable showed to be outstanding in the saw- tooth type with the evaporative cooling + improved drainage, and in the improved and conventional arch type with the trickle improved drainage. 6. In conclusion, the saw - tooth type and the improved arch type were proved to be labour saving rain shelters and the indoor environments in both types were better than that in the conventional arch type.