• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.357-363
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• 2011

This study focus was primarily the development of liquid starters for Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger prepared with wheat bran as a low cost culture medium. For the preparation of the liquid media wheat bran was added at rates of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% and the Aspergillus sp. strains were then inoculated to these prepared broths. The results indicated that the more that wheat bran was contained in the medium, the more mycelia was produced for A. oryzae and A. niger. The highest enzyme activities were obtained with a 10~15% adding rate of wheat bran for both strains. Changes in the enzyme activities of the liquid starters during various incubation times (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hrs), indicated that the highest enzyme activities were seen between 48 and 72 hrs of culture. In addition, a comparative study was carried out on the production of enzymes using wheat as a substrate in nuruk, with liquid starter made from fermented agents according to the same concentrations used with the wheat bran. The pH, acidity, amino acidity, reducing sugar content and enzyme activity (${\alpha}$-amylase, glucoamylase, acidic protease) of wheat nuruk made with liquid starter were compared with those of wheat nuruk made with solid starter. The results suggest that the liquid starter is superior in both cases.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.701-707
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• 2007

Anti-diabetic effect of Platycodi radix (PR) extract fractions was determined if vitro by investigating insulin-like action, insulin sensitizing action, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, gene expression related to ${\beta}-cell$ function and mass, and ${\alpha}$-glucoamylase suppressing action. Insulin-like activity was not promoted by the treatment of PR methanol factions in 373-L1 fibroblast. However, treatment with 0, 20 and 100% PR methanol fractions along with 1 ng/mL insulin increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 373-L1 adipocytes. In addition, the treatment of 0% and 100% methanol fractions along with differentiation inducers significantly increased the differentiation of 373-L1 fibroblasts to adipocytes. These fractions may contain insulin sensitizer. The 20%, 80% and 100% methanol fractions enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in Min6 cells, insulin secreting cell line. This was related to the mechanism to promote glucose sensing and ${\beta}-cell$ proliferation, which was regulated by the induction of IRS-2, glucokinase and PDX-1 genes. As expected, 20, 80 and 100% methanol fractions increased mRNA levels of IRS-2, glucokinase and PDX-1 genes. However, PR fractions did not affect the ${\alpha}-glucoamylase$ activity in vitro. These data suggested that PR extract fractions have anti-diabetic actions through improving insulin sensitization, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and ${\beta}-cell$ proliferation. Therefore, PR extracts can be beneficial for anti-diabetic treatment in lean diabetic patients.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.101-104
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• 2000

An inhibitory activity against ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ was identified in extract of an edible lichen, Umbilicaria esculenta. The inhibitor was very stable retaining above 95% of its original activity when treated with heat, acid and alkaline conditions, and some hydrolytic enzymes. Partially purified inhibitor showed strong inhibition against disaccharide hydrolytic enzymes of mammalian and mold origin, but weak or no inhibition against polysaccharide hydrolytic enzymes except glucoamylase. The inhibitor suppressed elevation of blood glucose level in rats after oral administration of soluble starch or sucrose.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.644-651
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of steeping periods and temperatures of waxy rice on the microflora and enzyme activities of steeping water and waxy rice, as well as on the microscopic structures of waxy rice during the preparation of gangjung. When the steeping water was 15 and $35^{\circ}C$, yeast and lactic acid bacteria were the major microflora after 1 day. After 11 days, Lactobacillus spp. were the major bacteria, while Bacillus spp. were the primary microflora after 21 days. At $25^{\circ}C$ the primary species were Bacillus spp., Leuconostoc spp., and Bacillus spp. after 1, 11 and 21 days, respectively. The $\alpha$-amylase activity of steeping water increased proportionally with the increase of temperature and period, while the protease activity tended to increase for 11 days, but decreased at 21 days. The enzyme activities of the steeped waxy rice, especially the $\alpha$-amylase activity, decreased with higher steeping temperature, while the $\beta$-amylase and glucoamylase activity remained constant for up to 21 days. Observation using scanning electron microscopy indicated that intracellular cleavage of steeped waxy rice endosperm resulted in a rough surface morphology due to the exposure of polygonal starch granules. Tiny pinholes on the surface of waxy rice starch granules were also observed after steeping for 11 days.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.255-260
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• 2013

In order to develop new valuable pear marc nuruk and further, reduce environmental pollution by pear marc from pear juice processing, we prepared pear marc nuruk by incubation of Aspergillus oryzae into pear marc containing 50% of moisture at $30^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. ${\alpha}$-Amylase and glucoamylase activities of the pear marc nuruk were 320.2 IU and 442.8 IU, respectively and its acidic protease activity was showed 142.6 IU. After brewed makgeolli by using the pear marc nuruk, cooked rice and Saccharmyces cerevisiae, its physicochemical characteristics was investigated. Ethanol content of pear marc nuruk-makgeolli was 6.8% after fermentation at $25^{\circ}C$ for 10 days and also pear marc makgeolli showed 45.6% of antihypertensive angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. In conclusion, pear marc nuruk had high amylase activity and pear marc-makgeolli had also good fermentation characteristics and antihypertensive ACE inhibitory activity. Therefore, it has the potential to become a new nuruk for brewing makgeolli.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 2003

Rice seeds of 4 cultivars including Whachung-giant embryonic rice and Nampung-giant embryonic rice, as a group of the non-waxy rice cultivars, and Shinsunchal-giant embryonic rice and Whachungchal-giant embryonic rice, as that of the waxy rice cultivars, were germinated at $27^{\circ}C$ for 3 days to compare the changes in some physicochemical properties of the starch granules and the starch-hydrolysing enzyme activities during germination, respectively. ${\alpha}-Amylase$ activity of rices germinated for 3 days found to be higher than that of malt. Especially, Whachung-giant embryonic rice and Shinsunchal-giant embryonic rice were greater in activity than other rice cultivars and possessed the activities double that of malt. In contrast, ${\beta}-amylase$ of germinated rice found to be considerably less active than malt, although the giant embryonic rice group showed prevalent activity as compared o the normal rice group. With the starch granules, the amount of long glucose chains from amylose molecules were reduced in the non-waxy type giant embryonic rices, while the chain length increase was found in the waxy type giant embryonic rices. For the distribution profile of the glucose chain length from amylopectin molecules, we could observed that the chain length with DP (degree of polymerization) ranged 33 to 66 and 14 to 32 increased with the decreasing rate of that above 67 and below 13 regardless of starch waxiness. With non-waxy type of giant embryonic rices, susceptibility for glucoamylase were found to reduce along with germination, however, increase in susceptibility was observed with waxy rice types. In addition, we found the reduction in both initiation and termination temperature, and enthalpy for gelatinization.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.473-479
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• 2012

In this study, increased alcohol decomposition efficacy (ADH) of Hoveina dulcis extract by Carbohydrate-Hydrolyzing Enzymes was investigated. Carbohydrate decomposition enzymes such as Maxinvert (Invertase), Optidex L-400 (Glucoamylase) and Rohament CL (Cellulase & Pectinase) were added to Hoveina dulcis extract at different concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1%) for 48 hrs, after which samples were taken every 6 hrs for determination of ADH activity. As the enzyme concentration became higher, ADH activity also increased. Especially, the addition of 1% Rohament CL increased enzyme activity to 76% at 30 hrs incubation, after which the increase in activity stopped. In the rat and human body experiment, enzymatic decomposition of Hovenia dulcis extract by addition of 1% Rohament CL was also effective in decreasing serum alcohol concentration and respiration. Especially, in the early stage after alcohol consumption, the efficacy of enzyme treatment of Hovenia dulcis extract was more effective. These results show that if the glycoside forms of active compounds such as flavonols in Hovenia dulcis extract are converted into aglycone forms, alcohol decomposition capability can be enhanced.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.483-489
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• 2002

We investigated the biochemical properties of insect defensin expressed and secreted from Saccharomyces corevisiae. The defensin showed extremely high resistance to boiling for up to 30 min and to pH values tested from 2.0 to 12.0. The treatment of defensin with various proteases abolished antibacterial activity. However, amylases, cellulase, lipase and catalase had no effect on the activity. The defensin was purified to homogeneity through ammonium sulfate concentration of culture supernatant, SP-Sepharose column chromatography and RP-HPLC. Tricin-SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the molecular weight of the defensin was about 4.0 kDa. The antibacterial activity of the purified defensin was verified by renaturation of stained gel and gel pouring assay using Micrococcus luteus as a test organism.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.247-253
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• 1996

Changes in microorganisms, enzyme activities and major components of two types of Doenjang prepared with spring Meju and autumn Meju and Kochujang were investigated during 4 months of fermentation. The viable cell counts of aerobic bacteria in Doenjang and Kochujang were increased up to 60 days of fermentation, but viable cell counts of anaerobic bacteria did not show remarkable changes during fermentation. Viable cell count of yeast showed a rapid increase up to 15 days of fermentation in Doenjang and 60 days in Kochujang. It was found that $\alpha$-amylase activity of autumn Meju Doenjang and glucoamylase activity of Kochujang were higher than the other. Acidic and neutral protease showed the highest activity during 15-30 days of fermentation. The pH of Doenjang was increased up to pH 7.0 until 60 days of fermentation, but pH of Kochujang gradually decreased during fermentation. Moisture content of spring Meju Doenjang and Kochujang decreased to 40% during ferme- ntation and reducing sugar content of Kochujang increased up to 15 days of fermentation, but decreased after that.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2012

The inhibitory activities of a water extract of Sanghwang mushroom(Phellinus linteusau)(SWE) against ${\alpha}$-glucosidases were evaluated in this study. Inhibiting these enzymes involved in the absorption of disaccharides significantly decreases the postprandial increase in blood glucose level after a mixed carbohydrate diet. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl scavenging activities of the SWE were evaluated to investigate the antioxidant activity of the SWE associated with complications of long-term diabetes. Furthermore, the postprandial blood glucose lowering effect of SWE was compared to a known type 2 diabetes drug($Acarbose^{(R)}$) in a Sprague-Dawley rat model. SWE significantly reduced the blood glucose increase after sucrose loading. These results suggest that SWE, which has high ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity and high antioxidant activities, has the potential to contribute to a useful dietary strategy for controlling postprandial hyperglycemia.