• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.334-340
• /
• 2014

Toxin-producing Bacillus cereus is the causative agent of two different types of food poisoning: the emetic and the diarrheal types. This study was conducted to investigate the presence of enterotoxin and emetic toxin genes in 263 B. cereus isolated from 619 different ready-to-eat food items. Hemolytic enterotoxins hblA, hblC, and hblD were detected in 85.6, 41.1, and 76.8%, respectively, of the B. cereus isolates. About 67.0% (175/263) of the isolates presented all of three genes. Non-hemolytic enterotoxins nheA, nheB, and nheC were detected in 100, 97.0, and 68.4% of the isolates, respectively. Approximately 90.0% (236/263) of the isolates presented all of these three non-hemolytic enterotoxin genes. Emetic toxin gene, CER, was detected in 132 of 263 (50.2%) isolates. Computer-assisted cluster analysis of Rep-PCR profiles showed a high genetic diversity among the isolates. All B. cereus isolates from food samples tested in this study carried at least 6 of 10 toxin genes.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.470-479
• /
• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics of brands pork: a crossbred between Korean native and wild pigs (Y), a commercial LYD breed fed with probiotics (J), and a commercial LYD fea without probiotics (M). The moisture and crude ash content of Y treated pork was higher than those for J and M brands, but the crude fat content of J pork was significantly lower (p<0.05) than Y and M brands. The moisture and crude fat contents of Y gilts were higher (p<0.05) than those of barrows. The pH values of Y gilts were higher (p<0.05) than those of gilts of J and M brands. The L and W values of Y pork were lower (p<0.05) than with J and M brands. The springiness value of J pork was significantly higher (p<0.05) than Y and M porks. The sensory scores of Y pork were higher than pork of J and M. The juiciness of gilts of M brands was higher (p<0.05) than for barrows. With regard to the fatty acid profiles among the pork loins, linoleic and arachidonic acid contents of Y pork were higher than with J and M, while the palmitic, pamitoleic, stearic, and oleic acid contents were lower. The saturated fatty acid (SFA) content of Y pork was lower than that for J and M ones, while the unsaturated fatty acids (USFA), essential fatty acids (FFA), USFA/SFA ratio, FFA/SFA ratio, and EFA/USFA ratio were higher. The stearic acid content of M barrows was higher (p<0.05) than that for gilts.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.29-40
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the association among bone mineral density (BMD), biochemical bone markers, nutrients, and salt intake in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. We evaluated 431 subjects who visited a health promotion center of a university hospital between January 2008 and July 2009. We excluded those who were taking medications or who had an endocrine disorder affecting osteoporosis. The subjects were divided into premenopausal (n = 283) and postmenopausal (n = 143) women. We evaluated the correlation among BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total femoral, as well as biochemical bone markers, hormone, serum profiles, general characteristics, nutrient intakes, and food intake frequencies. From a stepwise multiple regression analysis, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with osteocalcin (OC)(p < 0.001), Femoral neck BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with C-telopeptide (CTx) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)(p < 0.001, p < 0.05). In premenopausal women, femoral total BMD was positively correlated with BMI (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with CTx (p < 0.001). In postmenopausal women, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with calcium intake (p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with sodium intake (p < 0.01). Femoral neck and femoral total BMD were both positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001), and femoral neck BMD was negatively correlated with age and ALP (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). Femoral total BMD was negatively correlated with age and OC (p < 0.001, p < 0.01). These results suggest that reducing sodium intake may play an important role delaying bone resorption and preventing a decrease in BMD.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.225-235
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the potential of freeze-dried persimmon powder (Diospyros kaki Thumb.) to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/cholesterol diet (HFD) in a rat model. Methods: Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control (NC), high-fat/cholesterol control (HC), tannin in HFD (HT, 1% of diet), immature persimmon in HFD (HI, 7% of diet), and mature persimmon in HFD (HM, 7% of diet). Tannin was used as a positive control. Biochemical, molecular, and histopathological changes were observed in the blood and liver. Results: We confirmed that a high fat/cholesterol diet successfully induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. However, oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels, histopathological damage in the liver, and hepatic triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in all HT, HI, and HM groups compared to those in the HF group. In contrast, plasma apolipoprotein B level was significantly reduced only in the HT and HM groups, whereas reduction of the LDL-C level was detected only in the HI group. Although HF-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) gene expression was significantly reduced in all treated groups, downstream gene expression levels varied among the different groups; significant reduction of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMGCR) gene expression was detected only in the HI group, whereas cholesterol $7{\alpha}$-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) gene expression was significantly elevated only in the HM group. Conclusion: Taken together, the data suggest that protection of LDL oxidation and hepatic lipogenesis might be, at least partly, attributed to tannin in persimmons. However, the identified mechanisms varied up to the maturation stage of persimmon. In the case of immature persimmon, modulation of FAS and HMGCR gene expression was prominent, whereas in the case of mature persimmon, modulation of CYP7A1 gene expression was prominent.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.680-687
• /
• 1999

To understand the role of shelf sediment in phosphorus biogeochemical cycle, we carried out sequential sediment extraction (SEDEX) of P and porewater analysis on 14 core samples collected in the South Sea of Korea, SEDEX classified P-pools into 5 phases and results are grouped into two categories: reactive P (loosely sorbed-P and Fe bound-P) and refractory P (detrital inorganic-p, authigenic mineral-P and organic-P). Total P concentrations are decreased with sediment depth in all samples as a result of dissolution to porewater. Reactive P comprises about $20\~50\%$ of total P, and iron bound-P is the major form consisting $70\~80\%$ of reactive P-pool. Iron bound-P decreases sharply with depth. Depth profiles of dissolved P concentration in porewater show mirror image of iron bound-P, revealing the role of FeOOH as a regulator of reactive P supply to overlying water column. Authigenic mineral-P consists less than $5\%$ of total P, thus removal of reactive P by converting into refractory P seems inefficient in shelf sediment. This implies that continental shelf sediment sequesters P temporarily rather than permanently. Results show local variation. Nakdong estuary receiving large amount of terrigenous input shows the highest concentration of total P and reactive P. Here iron oxyhydroxides at the surface sediment control the water column flux of P from sediment. Although total P content at the surface is comparable (500$\~$600 ${\mu}g{\cdot}g^{-1}$) between the South Sea and East China Sea, the former contains more iron bound-P and less derital inorganic-P than the latter. Reasons for the difference seem due in part to particle texture, and to biological productivity which depends roughly on the distance from land.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.987-994
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary seaweed in diabetic rats treated with streptozotocin (STZ) for 7 weeks. The rats (Sprague-Dawley male rats, 180∼200 g) were divided into 4 groups : normal rats fed control diet (C), diabetic rats fed control diet (CD), normal rats fed seaweed diet (M), and diabetic rats fed seaweed diet (MD). Diabetes was induced by single injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, i.p.). Urinary levels of calcium and uric acid, and blood levels of hemoglobin, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol were not significantly different among groups. But high density lipoprotein (HDL)- cholesterol of M and MD groups were higher than that of C and CD groups. Activity of hepatic microsomal G6Pase was significantly (p<0.05) lower in C and M groups than that of CD and MD groups. Hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) of M, CD and MD groups were significantly lower than C group (p<0.05), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) of C, M and MD groups were higher than CD group. In conclusion, dietary seaweed may improve blood lipid profiles and GSH-related enzymes in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.52-61
• /
• 1980

This study is carried out to learn the properties of forest soils in Korea and propose the reasonable management methods of forest land. Among 178 soil series surveyed until now in Korea forest soils include 64 series broken down according to the weathered products into 5 categories such as residual materials on mountain and hill, residual materials on rolling and hill, colluvial materials on local valley and fans, alluvial materials and volcanic ash soils. What discussed in this paper are classification system, parent rocks, texture class and drainage conditions of Korean forest soils. The characteristics of Korean forest soil properties classified in U.S.D.A. soil classification system are as follows: 1. Residual soils on mountain and hill (29 soil series) are almost Lithosols without any distinct soil profile development. They have loamy skeletal (11 series), coarse loamy (5 series), fine loamy (3 series), and fine clayey soils (3 series). Their drainage conditions are somewhat excessively drained in 16 series and well drained in 7 series. 2. Residual soils on rolling and hill (19 series) are Red-Yellow Podzolic soils with well developed soil profiles. They have coarse and fine loamy texture in 12 series and fine clayey texture in 5 series mostly with well drained condition. 3. Colluvial soils on local valley and fans (13 series) include mostly Regosols and some Red-Yellow Podzolic Soils and Acid Brown Forest Soils. They have loamy skeletal (4 series), coarse loamy (3 series), fine loamy (3 series), and fine clayey soils (2 series) with well drained condition. 4. Soil textures of weathered products of parent rocks are as follows: 1) Parent rocks producing coarse texture soils are rhyolite, granite gneiss, schist, shale, sandstone, siltstone, and conglomerate. 2) Parent rocks producing fine and heavy texture soils are limestone, basalt, gabbro, and andesite porphyry. 3) Granite is a parent rock producing various textured soils.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.9
• /
• pp.1151-1158
• /
• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of Pimpinella brachycarpa (PB) on serum and liver lipid metabolism in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were administered 1% cholesterol and 0.25% sodium cholate to induce hypercholesterolemia. PB ethanol extract (200 mg/kg/day or 400 mg/kg/day) was also administered orally to rats with high cholesterol diet for 6 weeks. We divided 40 rats into five groups; normal diet group (NC), high cholesterol diet group (HC), normal diet and PB ethanol extract (200 mg/kg) administered group (NC-PB), high cholesterol diet and PB ethanol extract (200 mg/kg) administered group (HC-PBL), and high cholesterol diet and PB ethanol extract (400 mg/kg) administered group (HC-PBH). The growth rate and liver weight of the high cholesterol diet group was higher than those of the normal diet group, whereas those of the groups administered PB ethanol extract were gradually decreased. There was a signigicant increase in the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the high cholesterol diet group. The administration of PB ethanol extract decreased serum ALT, AST and ALP activities in a dose-dependent manners. The high cholesterol diet group showed increased serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, free cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels, and decreased atherogenic index, HDL-cholesterol and phospholipid levels as compared with the normal diet group. PB ethanol extract administrated groups showed increased HDL-C/T-C, HDL-cholesterol and phospholipid levels, and decreased serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, free cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels as compared with the high cholesterol diet group. There were no differences in the concentrations of serum triglyceride, phopholipid, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and free cholesterol between normal diet groups. The hepatic concentrations of total cholesterol and triglyceride were also lower in PB ethanol extract administrated groups than in the high cholesterol diet group. These results suggest that ethanol extract of PB exerts hypocholesterolemic effect by reducing serum and liver cholesterol contents.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2001

The enhancement of the refractive index structure parameter $C_n^2$ often occurs where vertical gradients of virtual potential temperature ${\theta}_v$ and mixing ratio q have their maximum values. The $C_n^2$ can be a very useful parameter for estimating the convective boundary layer(CBL) height. The behavior of $C_n^2$ peaks, often used to locate the height of mixed layer, was investigated in the present study. In addition, a new method to determine the CBL height objectively using both $C_n^2$ and vertical air velocity variance ${\sigma}_w$ data of UHF radar was also suggested. The present analysis showed that the $C_n^2$ peaks in the backscatter intensity profiles often occurred not only at the top of the CBL but also at the top of a residual layer or at a cloud layer. The $C_n^2$ peaks corresponding to the CBL heights were slightly lower than the CBL heights derived from rawinsonde sounding data when vertical mixing owing to weak solar heating was not significant and the height of strong vertical ${\theta}_v$ gradients were not consistent with that of strong vertical q gradients. However, the $C_n^2$ peaks corresponding to the CBL heights were in good agreement with the rawinsonde-estimated CBL hegiths when vertical mixing owing to solar heating was significant and the vertical gradient of both ${\theta}_v$ and q in the entrainment zone was very strong. The maximum backscatter intensity method, which determines the height of $C_n^2$ peak as the CBL height, correctly estimated the CBL height when the $C_n^2$ profile had single peak, but this method erroneously estimated the CBL height when there was a residual layer or a cloud layer over the top of the CBL. The new method distinguished when there the CBL height from the peak due a cloud layer or a residual layer using both $C_n^2$ and ${\sigma}_w$ data, and correctly estimated the CBL height. As for estimation of diurnal variation of the CBL height, the new method backscatter intensity method even if the vertical profile of backscatter intensity had two peaks from the CBL height and a residual layer or a cloud layer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.19-31
• /
• 2007

Objective: Pathogenesis of the endometriosis is very complex and the etiology is still unclear. Our hypothesis is that there may be some difference in gene expression patterns between eutopic endometriums with or without endometriosis. In this study, we analyzed the difference of gene expression profile with cDNA microarray. Methods: Endometrial tissues were gathered from patients with endometriosis or other benign gynecologic diseases. cDNA microarray technique was applied to screen the different gene expression profiles from early and late secretory phase endometria of those two groups. Each three mRNA samples isolated from early and late secretory phase of endometrial tissues of control were pooled and used as master controls and labeled with Cy3-dUTP. Then the differences of gene expression pattern were screened by comparing eutopic endometria with endometriosis, which were labeled with Cy5-dUTP. Fluorescent labeled probes were hybridized on a microarray of 4,800 human genes. Results: Twelve genes were consistently over-expressed in the endometrium of endometriosis such as ATP synthase H transporting F1 (ATP5B), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (NADP+), mitochondrial ribosomal protein L3, ATP synthase H+ transporting (ATP5C1) and TNF alpha factor. Eleven genes were consistently down-regulated in the endometriosis samples. Many extracellular matrix protein genes (decorin, lumican, EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1, fibulin 5, and matrix Gla protein) and protease/protease inhibitors (serine proteinase inhibitor, matrix metalloproteinase 2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1), and insulin like growth factor II associated protein were included. Expression patterns of selected eight genes from the cDNA microarray were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR or real time RT-PCR. Conclusion: The result of this analysis supports the hypothesis that the endometrium from patients with endometriosis has distinct gene expression profile from control endometrium without endometriosis.