• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2024

Red ginseng is manufactured as a health-functional food and is also present in various food types and in different product forms. However, there is currently no standardized regulation of ginsenoside content in foods containing red ginseng. In the present study, we analyzed the ginsenoside content of 66 red ginseng-containing foods and 35 health-functional foods collected online and directly from the market. The ginsenoside content was assessed using liquid chromatography (LC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. The ginsenoside content of the various food types ranged 0.0 (not detected)-71.567 mg per daily intake of foods containing red ginseng. Sugar-preserved foods had the highest ginsenoside content, followed by solid teas, liquid teas, and red ginseng beverages. For health-functional foods, the ginsenoside content ranged 3.4-58.5 mg per daily intake, with levels ranging 83-607% of the indicated amounts. All values met the established standards. Upon comparing red ginseng health-functional foods and red ginseng-containing foods, the average ginsenoside content was determined to be 18.21 and 8.79 mg, respectively, thus being nearly twice as high in health-functional foods. However, there was a minimal difference between the ginsenoside content of red and black ginseng, with values of 11.84 and 12.63 mg, respectively. These findings provide insights on the variations in ginsenoside content of red and black ginseng in various food forms. This information is expected to be valuable for future regulations and consumer choice of products containing red ginseng.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.509-519
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• 2024

A previous study showed that krill oil improved recognition and memory through anti-oxidative effects in an amyloid β model, but the authors noted that further investigations are necessary of alterations to neurotransmitters' states and of serum lipid profile improvements related to serum lipid peroxidation. Accordingly, in this study, ICR mice were pre-treated intraperitoneally with scopolamine prior to induced neurotransmission impairment, and the effects of krill oil provision on their capabilities of cognition were tested by performing a passive avoidance test (PAT), water maze test (WMT), and novel object recognition test. Then, parameters including the acetylcholine (ACh) concentration, acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), lipid peroxidation, serum lipid levels, and nerve cell proliferation were investigated. The results showed that krill oil improved the mice's abilities in recognition and memory as the times taken to complete the PAT and WMT were reduced compared to the mice in a comparison scopolamine-treated group. Krill oil produced an increased concentration of Ach, and this was accompanied by a decrease in AChE. As shown in a scopolamine-treated SH-SY5Y cell line, krill oil reduced the activity of AChE. Moreover, the suppression of lipid peroxidation-reflected in the finding that malondialdehyde was decreased with krill oil provision-is speculated to affect the recorded serum triglyceride and cholesterol decreases and LDL cholesterol increase. The intake of krill oil was also found to produce an improvement in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression by stimulating the activation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein in the brain tissue. Overall, the current results imply that the provision of krill oil raises the cognition and memory by elevating neurotransmitters and by improving the serum lipid profile and nerve cell proliferation, which occur as lipid peroxidation is suppressed in the brain tissue.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.500-508
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• 2024

Recently, there has been increasing interest in enhancing the indoor air quality, particularly in response to the growing utilization of public facilities. The focus of this study was on assessing the efficacy and safety of an air sterilizer equipped with electrolytic salt catalysts. To that end, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the vapor spraying from the air sterilizer and its cytotoxicity in condensed form on human cell lines (HaCaT, BEAS-2B, and THP-1). Against the test organisms, which comprised five bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium) and one fungal strain (Candida albicans), the air sterilizer exhibited relatively high antimicrobial activities ranging from 10.89 to 73.98% following 1 and 3 hr of vapor spraying, which were notably time-dependent. Importantly, cytotoxicity assessments on human cells indicated no significant harmful effect even at a 1.0% concentration. Comprehensive safety evaluations included morphological observations, gene expression (Bcl-2, Bax) tests, and FACS analysis of intracellular ROS levels. Consistent with previous cytotoxicity findings, these estimates demonstrated no significant changes, highlighting the air sterilizer's safety and antimicrobial activities. In a simulated 20-hr operation within an indoor environment, the air sterilizer not only showed an 89.4% removal of total bacteria but also a 100.0% removal of Escherichia sp. and fungi. This research outlines the potential of the developed electrolytic salt catalyst air sterilizer to effectively remove indoor microbial pollutants without compromising human safety, underscoring the solution that it offers for improving indoor air quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 2020

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value and threshold levels of cytokeratin fragment 21-1 (CYFRA 21-1) in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) washouts for detection of lymph node (LN) recurrence in postoperative breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods FNA cytological assessments and CYFRA 21-1 measurement in FNA washouts were performed for 64 axillary LNs suspicious for recurrence in 64 post-operative breast cancer patients. Final diagnosis was made on the basis of FNA cytology and follow-up data over at least 2 years. The concentration of CYFRA 21-1 was compared between recurrent LNs and benign LNs. Diagnostic performance and cut-off value were evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Results Regardless of the non-diagnostic results, the median concentration of CYFRA 21-1 in recurrent LNs was significantly higher than that in benign LNs (p < 0.001). The optimal diagnostic cut-off value was 1.6 ng/mL. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CYFRA 21-1 for LN recurrence were 90.9%, 100%, 100%, 98.1%, and 98.4%, respectively. Conclusion Measurement of CYFRA 21-1 concentration from ultrasound-guided FNA biopsy aspirates showed excellent diagnostic performance with a cut-off value of 1.6 ng/mL. These results indicate that measurement of CYFRA 21-1 concentration in FNA washouts is useful for the diagnosis of axillary LN recurrence in post-operative breast cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.29-39
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• 2023

In this study, an analysis of medical waste generation characteristics was conducted, differentiating between ordinary situation and the outbreaks of massive infectious diseases. During ordinary situation, prediction models for medical waste quantities by type, general medical waste(G-MW), hazardous medical waste(H-MW), infectious medical waste(I-MW), were established through regression analysis, with all significance values (p) being <0.0001, indicating statistical significance. The determination coefficient(R2) values for prediction models of each category were analyzed as follows : I-MW(R2=0.9943) > G-MW(R2=0.9817) > H-MW(R2=0.9310). Additionally, factors such as GDP(G-MW), the number of medical institutions (H-MW), and the elderly population ratio(I-MW), utilized as influencing factors and consistent with previous literature, showed high correlations. The total MW generation, evaluated by combining each model, had an MAE of 2,615 and RMSE of 3,353. This indicated accuracy levels similar to the medical waste models of H-MW(2,491, 2,890) and I-MW(2,291, 3,267). Due to limitations in accurately estimating the quantity of medical waste during the rapid and outbreaks of massive infectious diseases, the generation unit of I-MW was derived to analyze its characteristics. During the early unstable stage of infectious disease outbreaks, the generation unit was 8.74 kg/capita·day, 2.69 kg/capita·day during the stable stage, and an average of 0.08 kg/capita·day during the reduction stage. Correlation analysis between generation unit of I-MW and lethality rates showed +0.99 in the unstable stage, +0.52 in the stable stage, and +0.96 in the reduction period, demonstrating a very high positive correlation of +0.95 or higher throughout the entire outbreaks of massive infectious diseases. The results derived from this study are expected to play a useful role in establishing an effective medical waste management system in the field of health care.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the vocabulary and problem-solving ability characteristics of adolescents with developmental disabilities related to leisure and recreation and use them as basic data in education and support of recreation activities for adolescents with developmental disabilities. The study participants were comprised of adolescents with developmental disabilities, divided into two groups based on their receptive language age: those under 10 years old and those 10 years and older. The results obtained through this study are as follows. First, there was a significant difference in leisure and recreation vocabulary between the two groups according to receptive language age. Second, there was a significant difference in problem-solving ability between the two groups based on their receptive language age. Third, the analysis of the correlation between leisure and recreation vocabulary and problem-solving abilities within each group revealed that the under 10 years old group showed the highest correlation in basic vocabulary and basic problem-solving abilities, while the 10 years and older group exhibited the highest correlation in intermediate and advanced levels of problem-solving abilities. Fourth, the analysis of incorrect responses to leisure and recreation vocabulary showed a high rate of selecting vocabulary related to similar topics as incorrect answers. Additionally, the analysis of overreactions to problem-solving abilities indicated an increasing tendency of incorrect responses in items requiring context comprehension. Additionally, the analysis of incorrect responses to problem-solving abilities indicated a tendency of higher error rates in items requiring context comprehension. The results of this study provide insights for discussing directions in communication-related skills education for the smooth recreation life of adolescents with developmental disabilities. Accordingly, it is expected to be utilized as foundational information for educational and support programs aimed at the successful recreation activities of adolescents with developmental disabilities.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2024

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of using laying hens as meat type chickens. Male broiler (Ross 308, R3), laying hens (Hy-Line Brown, HL), and Korean native chickens (Hanhyup-3, H3) were used, and 100 heads of each were prepared. Carcass characteristics, meat quality, and sensory quality characteristics were compared as analysis items. The rearing environment and feed for all treatments were identical to the broiler rearing manual, and the lighting system was maintained at 23L:1D. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. The test ended when the average weight of each treatment group reached 1.5 kg, and individuals of similar weight were randomly selected and compared. As a result of this study, the live weight of the selected individuals was approximately 1.5 kg, which was similar for all treatments (P>0.05). However, carcass weight and ratio and breast meat production were highest in R3, while HL had higher ratios of legs, wings, and neck (P<0.05). The H3 group showed high pH and WHC levels and low cooking loss, and R3 improved chicken meat color (P<0.05). In particular, the fat content in meat was lowest in HL (P<0.01). Nucleic acid substances ATP, Hx, ADP, AMP, and INO were abundant in R3, and IMP content was highest in HL (P<0.05). In sensory evaluation, all treatments showed similar characteristics and overall preferences (P>0.05). Based on the findings, it appears that HL, a male laying hen, produces meat with unique characteristics such as low fat content and high IMP content.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.69 no.1
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• pp.34-48
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• 2024

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of biodegradable mulching films in soybean (Glycine max) cultivation by measuring their effects on crop growth and yield, film decomposition and soil chemical and physical properties. In 2022 and 2023, plant height, branch number, chlorophyll contents, yield components, and yield of soybean did not vary significantly in areas using PE films and biodegradable mulching films. The light transmission rate of the biodegradable mulching films ranged from 6.4 to 15.8% when measured 112 days after soybean transplanting, and was higher, on average, in 2023 than in 2022. In both years, degradation of the biodegradable mulching films began 20 days after soybean transplantation and increased over time. In addition, remains of biodegradable mulching films were present in fields at soybean harvest and remained until 50 days after harvest. Decomposition rates of the biodegradable mulching films at 112 days after soybean transplanting ranged from 9.8 to 26.7% in 2022 and 13 to 36% in 2023. Although soil pH and EC varied based on the year and timing of measurements, there was no significant difference between areas that used biodegradable mulching films and PE films. Soil organic matter, nitrate and exchangeable cation contents such as Ca, Mg, and K were not significantly different in areas that used both PE films and biodegradable films. However, significantly higher levels of available phosphoric acid content were measured in areas that used biodegradable mulch films E, S, and T. Regardless of which films were used, there were no significant differences in the soil's physical properties. In 2022 and 2023, there was no difference between areas that used biodegradable mulch films and PE films. However, soil temperature in mulched areas was 2℃ higher and soil moisture was 5-15% higher than in non-mulched areas. Barley growth was not affected by being planted in soil that had been used for soybean cultivation with biodegradable films. Therefore, the biodegradable mulch films used in this study can be used without negatively affecting the growth, yield, and soil environment of soybeans.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.465-473
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• 2023

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bioconversion ability of single (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CBT LP3, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CBT SL6, Streptococcus thermophilus CBT ST3) and multi-strain probiotics to convert rutin to quercetin in roasted tartary buckwheat, and to assess their biological activities. To evaluate the bioconversion efficiency, each strain was cultured for 24 h in MRS media with 5% roasted tartary buckwheat 'Hwangguem-Miso' powder. After then, rutin and quercetin contents were determined by HPLC. Additionally, the biological activities were compared before and after bioconversion of an ingredient. Anti-oxidant effects were measured by DPPH and ABTS assays. Anti-inflammatory effects were determined by measuring NO production, and levels of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-4 using an LPS-induced Raw 264.7 cell model. The bioconversion rate under the combination of three species of probiotics significantly increased more than single species. Antioxidant efficacy results showed the highest activity when the combination of three species of probiotics cultured. The pro-inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide, iNOS, TNF-a, and IL-6 were significantly decreased when the three types of probiotics were combined than single strain was cultured. In addition, level in the anti-inflammatory factor IL-4 was increased. The multi-strain probiotics showed increased bioconversion efficiency, effects of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory compared to the single strain. These findings suggest that the fermentation of tartary buckwheat by probiotics may be a valuable candidate for developing functional foods with anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.146-154
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• 2023

To develop a multi-functional ingredient, the bioconversion of katsuobushi protein was optimized using Bacillus subtilis HA and Lactobacillus plantarum KS2020. The Dendropanax morbiferus extract (DME) culture with protease activity (102 unit/mL) was prepared by B. subtilis with 2% glucose and 1% skim milk through one day of alkaline fermentation. Katsuobushi protein was effectively hydrolyzed by the DME culture at 60℃ for 3 hours, resulting in a tyrosine content of 156.85 mg%. Subsequently, a second lactic acid fermentation was carried out with 10% monosodium glutamate (MSG) using L. plantarum KS2020 to produce higher levels of GABA. Following co-cultivation for three days, DME exhibited a pH of 8.3 (0% acidity). After seven days, the viable cell count of L. plantarum increased to 9.33 CFU/mL, but viable Bacillus cells were not detected. Taken together, a multi-functional ingredient with enriched GABA, peptides, probiotics, and umami flavor was developed through lactic acid fermentation using hydrolyzed katsuobushi protein. These results indicate that katsuobushi protein could be used as a byproduct to produce a palatable protein hydrolysate using alkaline-fermented DME culture as a proteolytic enzyme source.