• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are widely distributed in various organisms. Insect GPCRs shown as in vertebrate GPCRs are membrane receptors that coordinate or involve in various physiological processes such as learning/memory, development, locomotion, circadian rhythm, reproduction, etc. This study aimed to identify GPCRs expressed in fat body and compare the expression pattern of GPCRs in different temperature conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: To identify GPCRs genes and compare their expression in different temperature conditions, total RNAs of fat body in Plutella xylostella larva were extracted and the transcriptomes have been analyzed via next generation sequencing method. From the fat body transcriptomes, genes that belong to GPCR Family A, B, and F were identified such as opsin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, neuropeptide F (NPF) receptor, muthuselah (Mth), diuretic hormone receptor, frizzled, etc. Under low temperature, expressions of GPCRs such as C-C chemokine receptor (CCR), opsin, prolactin-releasing peptide receptor, substance K receptor, Mth-like receptor, diuretic hormone receptor, frizzled and stan were higher than those at 25℃. They are involved in immunity, feeding, movement, odorant recognition, diuresis, and development. In contrast to the control (25℃), at high temperature GPCRs including CCR, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, moody, NPF receptor, neuropeptide B1 receptor, frizzled and stan revealed higher expression whose biological functions are related to immunity, blood-brain barrier formation, feeding, learning, and reproduction. CONCLUSION: Transcriptome of fat body can provide understanding the pools of GPCRs. Identifications of fat body GPCRs may contribute to develop new targets for the control of insect pests.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.251-259
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of commercially available calamansi soju and other alcoholic beverages on the microhardness and erosion of resin restorations. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the effects of Calamansi soju, Chamisul fresh, Cass fresh, and Gancia Moscato D'asti on resin restorations. Jeju Samdasoo and Coca-Cola were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Specimens to be immersed in the beverages were manufactured using composite resin according to the product instructions. In each group, the surface microhardness was measured using a surface microhardness instrument before and after immersion for 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes. The pattern of change in the surface of the composite resin was observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Paired t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA were performed to compare the surface microhardness of the specimens, and the Tukey test was used as a post hoc test. Results: The pH of all beverages except Jeju Samdasoo was <5.5, which is the critical pH that can induce erosion. The difference in surface microhardness of the composite resin before and after immersion for 60 minutes was significant in all groups. In particular, the largest change in surface microhardness was observed in the calamansi soju group. In the SEM analysis, loss of composite resin was observed in all groups except the Jeju Samdasoo group, and rough surfaces with pores of various sizes were observed. Conclusion: In this study, all beverages except Jeju Samdasoo decreased the microhardness of the composite resin surface, and it was confirmed that calamansi soju had the greatest change.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2022

Background: Estrogen deficiency affects the structure and function of the salivary glands in women, leading to a decrease in salivary secretion and a change in the composition of saliva. Previous studies on changes in the salivary glands that cause estrogen deficiency have reported only partial results for the parotid and submandibular glands, and there are few comparative morphological studies of histological changes between the parotid and submandibular glands in ovariectomized rats (OVX) leading to estrogen deficiency. This study aimed to analyze the histopathological and histochemical changes in the parotid and submandibular salivary glands causing estrogen deficiency by using OVX, and to discuss the mechanism on these changes. Methods: The parotid and submandibular glands from sacrificed control and OVX groups were fixed with cold 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffer (pH 7.2). The tissues were dehydrated using a series of graded ethyl alcohol and embedded in paraffin. For histopathological analysis, sections cut to a thickness of 6 to 7 ㎛ were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). For histochemical analysis, Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue (AB, pH 2.5), and PAS+AB (pH 2.5 and pH 1) staining was performed. Results: Histopathological analysis of OVX tissue showed that the parotid and submandibular salivary glands were broadly and clearly separated and divided into lobes. In OVX, acinar and ductal cells with condensed polymorphic or pyknotic nucleus, which are presumed to be characteristic of apoptotic cells, and degenerated cells with lipid deposition in cytoplasmic granules and ruptured membranes were increased. Histochemical analysis of OVX, confirmed an increase in the number and acidification of acinar secretory granules. Conclusion: Histopathological and histochemical changes and the effects of estrogen deficiency are more evident in the submandibular salivary gland than in the parotid gland.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.511-520
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• 2022

Insect-resistant transgenic rice (Bt-T) expresses a toxic protein (mcry1Ac1) derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis found in the rice cultivar Dongjin with an insecticidal property against rice leaf roller (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis). In this study, to investigate the impact of Bt-T on non-target organisms, the feed and oviposition preferences and biological parameters of brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) were comparatively analyzed in four rice cultivars: Dongjin (parent variety), Ilmi (reference cultivar), Chinnong (brown planthopper resistant cultivar) and Bt-T. In the Bt-T and Dongjin cultivars, the feed preferences were 32.4 ± 8.3 and 34.1 ± 6.8%, and the oviposition preferences were 32.5 ± 5.1 and 30.0 ± 5.3% respectively, and there was no statistical significance between these rices. Additionally, in the Bt-T and Dongjin cultivars, the total lifespans from egg to adult were 39.5 ± 6.9 and 40.0 ± 5.8 days, and the weights of adult females were 1.78 ± 0.14 and 1.72 ± 0.16 mg, respectively. Therefore, there was no statistical difference in the biological parameters between these two varieties. Overall, the results indicate that the insect-resistant transgenic rice (Bt-T) did not negatively affect the reproduction and life cycle of brown planthopper, a non-target organism.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.875-890
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• 2021

In order to confirm the safety of a genetically modified organism (GMO), we assess its potential toxicity on non-target insects and spiders. In this study, the effects of GM soybean, a type of vitamin-A-enhanced transgenic soybean with tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate, were assessed under a field condition. The study compared this vitamin-A-enhanced transgenic soybean and a non-GM soybean (Gwangan) in a living modified organism (LMO) isolated field of Kyungpook National University (Gunwi) and the National Institute Agricultural Sciences (Jeonju) in the Republic of Korea in 2019 - 2020. In total, 207,760 individual insects and arachnids, representing 81 families and 13 orders, were collected during the study. From the two types of soybean fields, corresponding totals of 105,765 and 101,995 individuals from the vitamin-A-enhanced transgenic soybean and Gwangan samples areas were collected. An analysis of variance indicated no significant differences (p < 0.05). A multivariate analysis showed that the dominance and richness outcomes of plant-dwelling insects were similar. The data on insect species population densities were subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA) and an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), which did not distinguish between the two varieties, i.e., the vitamin-A-enhanced transgenic soybean and the non-GM soybean in any cultivated field. However, the results of the PCA analysis could be divided overall into four groups based on the yearly survey areas. Therefore, there was no evidence for the different impact of vitamin A-enhanced transgenic soybean on the above-ground insects and spiders compared to non-GM soybean.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.34.1-34.9
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• 2023

Dogs exhibit patterns of health issues that vary by life stage. An understanding of disease incidence with respect to breed and age/life stage could be an important component of canine health management and welfare. This study aimed to describe the age-specific disease incidence of 3 small dog breeds that attended veterinary clinics in the Republic of Korea, based on data from electronic veterinary medical records (EVMRs). A total of 40,785 EVMRs from Maltese (n = 21,355), Miniature Poodle (n = 11,658) and Shih Tzu dogs (n = 7,772) were analyzed. Common health problems in 3 small dog breeds were 'diseases of the skin' and 'diseases of the ear,' respectively. Among dogs aged ≤ 3 years, 'preventive medicine' was the most common cause cited for veterinary clinic visits. Among dogs aged 4 to 8 years, the most frequent health problems were 'diseases of the skin.' Among dogs aged 9 to 13 years, 'heart diseases,' 'kidney diseases,' 'mammary gland tumor,' and 'neoplasia (unspecified)' were considerably more frequent, compared to the rates in dogs ≤3 years. Among dogs aged ≥ 14 years, 'heart diseases' and 'sneezing/cough' were the main health problems. In all breeds, the frequencies of 'diseases of circulatory system,' 'diseases of respiratory system,' 'diseases of the nervous system,' 'endocrine' and 'neoplasia' increased rapidly with aging. This surveillance could inform strategies for disease screening tests and management based on life stage in these dog breeds and enable more effective health management.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Fresh ginseng is prone to spoilage due to its high moisture content. For long-term storage, most fresh ginsengs are dried to white ginseng (WG) or steamed for hours at high temperature/pressure and dried to form Korean Red ginseng (KRG). They are further processed for ginseng products when subjected to hot water extraction/concentration under pressure. These WG or KRG preparation processes affect ginsenoside compositions and also other ginseng components, probably during treatments like steaming and drying, to form diverse bioactive phospholipids. It is known that ginseng contains high amounts of gintonin lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs). LPAs are simple lipid-derived growth factors in animals and humans and act as exogenous ligands of six GTP-binding-protein coupled LPA receptor subtypes. LPAs play diverse roles ranging from brain development to hair growth in animals and humans. LPA-mediated signaling pathways involve various GTP-binding proteins to regulate downstream pathways like [Ca²⁺]_i transient induction. Recent studies have shown that gintonin exhibits anti-Alzheimer's disease and antiarthritis effects in vitro and in vivo mediated by gintonin LPAs, the active ingredients of gintonin, a ginseng-derived neurotrophin. However, little is known about how gintonin LPAs are formed in high amounts in ginseng compared to other herbs. This review introduces atypical or non-enzymatic pathways under the conversion of ginseng phospholipids into gintonin LPAs during steaming and extraction/concentration processes, which exert beneficial effects against degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and arthritis in animals and humans via LPA receptors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2024

Ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine used for prevention and treatment of various diseases as a tonic. Recent scientific cohort studies on life prolongation with ginseng consumption support this record, as those who consumed ginseng for more than 5 years had reduced mortality and cognitive decline compared to those who did not. Clinical studies have also shown that acute or long-term intake of ginseng total extract improves acute working memory performance or cognitive function in healthy individuals and those with subjective memory impairment (SMI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or early Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia who are taking AD medication(s). Ginseng contains various components ranging from classical ginsenosides and polysaccharides to more recently described gintonin. However, it is unclear which ginseng component(s) might be the main candidate that contribute to memory or cognitive improvements or prevent cognitive decline in older individuals. This review describes recent clinical contributors to ginseng components in clinical tests and introduces emerging evidence that ginseng components could be novel candidates for cognitive improvement in older individuals, as ginseng components improve SMI cognition and exhibits add-on effects when coadministered with early AD dementia drugs. The mechanism behind the beneficial effects of ginseng components and how it improves cognition are presented. Additionally, this review shows how ginseng components can contribute to SMI, MCI, or early AD dementia when used as a supplementary food and/or medicine, and proposes a novel combination therapy of current AD medicines with ginseng component(s).

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic turned biological hazards in the working environment into a global concern. This systematized review of published reviews aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the specific jobs and categories of workers exposed to biological hazards with the related prevention. Methods: We extracted reviews published in English and French in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two authors, working independently, subsequently screened the potentially relevant titles and abstracts recovered (step 1) and then examined relevant full texts (step 2). Disagreements were resolved by consensus. We built tables summarizing populations of exposed workers, types of hazards, types of outcomes (types of health issues, means of prevention), and routes of transmission. Results: Of 1426 studies initially identified, 79 studies by authors from every continent were selected, mostly published after 2010 (n = 63, 79.7%). About half of the reviews dealt with infectious hazards alone (n = 38, 48.1%). The industrial sectors identified involved healthcare alone (n = 16), laboratories (n = 10), agriculture (including the animal, vegetable, and grain sectors, n = 32), waste (n = 10), in addition of 11 studies without specific sectors. The results also highlighted a range of hazards (infectious and noninfectious agents, endotoxins, bioaerosols, organic dust, and emerging agents). Conclusion: This systematized overview allowed to list the populations of workers exposed to biological hazards and underlined how prevention measures in the healthcare and laboratory sectors were usually well defined and controlled, although this was not the case in the agriculture and waste sectors. Further studies are necessary to quantify these risks and implement prevention measures that can be applied in every country.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.239-249
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• 2024

In the assessment of the biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops, a comparative approach to identifying similarities and differences between transgenic and non-transgenic crops is helpful in identifying potential safety and nutritional issues. In this study, we aimed to compare the nutritional composition of a protopanaxadiol-enhanced genetically modified rice (PPD GM rice) with its non-transgenic counterpart. The nutritional profile of PPD GM rice was assessed against that of the parental rice cultivar 'Dongjin' to ascertain nutritional equivalence. No differences were observed between PPD GM and Non-GM rice cultivar in proximate analysis, mineral content, and amino acid composition. Although significant differences were observed in crude fat, crude protein, total dietary fiber, and some minerals between PPD GM rice and Dongjin, these variances fell within the range suggested by common cultivars (Anmi and Nipponbare) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data. Similarly, while some amino acids showed significant differences, these metabolites did not deviate from the OECD range. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using the nutritional analysis data of PPD GM rice and Dongjin. The results revealed that PPD GM rice and Dongjin were grouped according to their respective cultivation years. This suggests that the variability in the nutritional composition of PPD GM rice tends to resemble that of the parental rice cultivar 'Dongjin' rather than being solely attributed to genetic modification. Overall, our findings indicate that the nutritional composition of PPD GM rice is substantially equivalent to that of its non-transgenic counterpart.