• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to investigate the microbial contamination levels on food service in university and to provide the information of microbial contamination to improve food safety. A total of 288 samples were collected during summer and winter season between 2006 and 2008 from 4 food services located in the university in Western Gyeongnam and were used to detect sanitary indicator bacteria [aerobic plate count (APC), coliform, and Escherichia coli] and pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp.). As a result, APC and coliform for hand and kitchen utensils which are used often by the employee were detected at high levels of 1.1~5.5 and 1.3~5.3 log CFU/($100\;cm^2$, hand), respectively. The contamination levels of APC and coliform in cooked foods and drinking water were 0.8~6.4 and 1.3~5.0 log CFU/(g, mL), respectively. Especially, the cooked foods showed the highest contamination for APC (2.1~6.4 log CFU/g) and coliform (1.0~5.0 log CFU/g). We think the reason that the cooked foods may be contaminated with APC and coliform on cooking process by using employee's hand and kitchen utensils. Moreover, S. aureus for hand and kitchen utensils was detected at levels of 2.8~3.0 and 2.0~2.3 log CFU/(g, hand), but Salmonella spp. was not detected. According to the above results, contamination levels of the samples were mostly decreased irrespective of summer and winter season. The results obtained indicated that it is necessary to periodic monitoring for microorganism contamination and education about personal and environmental hygiene to employee for ensuring food safety of food service in university.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2005

Corynebacterial clones which exert regulatory effects on the expression of the glyoxylate bypass genes were isolated using a reporter plasmid carrying the enteric lacZ fused to the aceB promoter of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Some clones carried common fragments as turned out by DNA mapping technique. Subcloning analysis followed by the measurement of $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in Escherichia coli identified the region responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. Sequence analysis of the DNA fragment identified two independent ORFs of ORF1 and ORF2. Among them, ORF2 was turned out to be responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. ORF1 encoded a 23,216 Da protein composed of 206 amino acids. Sequence similarity search indicated that the ORF may encode a ECF-type $\sigma$ factor and designated sigH. To identify the function of sigH, C. glutamicum sigH mutant was constructed by gene disruption technique and the sigH mutant showed growth retardation as compared to the wild type strain. In addition, the mutant strain showed sensitivity to oxidative-stress generating agent plumbagin. This result imply that sigH is probably involved in the stress response occurring during normal cell growth.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.108-114
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• 2014

To analyze the hazards associated with cucumber and hot pepper cultivation areas, a total of 72 samples were obtained and tested to detect the presence of biological (sanitary indicative, pathogenic bacteria and fungi) and chemical hazards (heavy metals and pesticide residues). The levels of sanitary indicative bacteria (aerobic plate counts and coliforms) and fungi were ND-7.2 and ND-4.8 log CFU/(g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$) in cucumber cultivation areas, and ND-6.8 and 0.4-5.3 log CFU/(g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$) in hot pepper cultivation areas. More specifically, the soil of hot pepper cultivation areas was contaminated with coliforms at a maximum level of 5.6 log CFU/g. Staphylococcus aureus was detected only in glove samples at a level of 1.4 log CFU/$100cm^2$ and Bacillus cereus was detected in the majority of samples at a level of ND-4.8 log CFU/(g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$). Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. were not detected. Heavy metal (Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Hg) chemical hazards were detected at levels lower than the regulation limit. Residual insecticides were not detected in cucumbers; however, hexaconazole was detected at a level of 0.016 mg/kg (maximum residue limit: 0.3 mg/kg) in hot peppers.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2020

This study examined the effects of a probiotic complex (PC) containing Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance, organ weight, immune parameters, fecal microbial count, and noxious odor in broiler chicks. A total of 216 birds (4-day-old) were fed a basal diet (CON) and a diet supplemented with 0.25% (PC1) and 0.5% (PC2) of PC until 35 days of age. No difference in body weight, feed intake, and FCR was observed among the groups. The intestinal mucosal weight of the PC1 group was greater than that of the CON group without affecting weights of the other organs. Intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels in the PC2 group increased significantly (P<0.05) compared with that in the CON group. The PC2 group also had a strong tendency for elevated blood sIgA levels. Dietary PC did not affect the level of interleukin-1β in the blood and mucosal tissues or alter maltase, sucrase, and leucine aminopeptidase activities in the intestinal mucosa. The PC2 group had higher colony-forming units (cfu) for L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae, but lower cfu for E. coli than those in the CON group. Compared to the CON diet, the PC2 diet resulted in a decreased H₂S concentration and a tendency toward decreased CH₃SH concentration. In conclusion, a 0.5% PC diet showed increased sIgA and desirable microbial population, and decreased noxious odor in the feces, suggesting that PC could be applied as an environmentally friendly feed additive in broiler chicks.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

Physical, chemical and biological hazards of strawberry farms at the cultivation stage were analyzed to establish the GAP(Good Agricultural Practice) system. Samples were collected from the plants, cultivation environments(water, soil and air), and personal hygiene (hand, glove, and clothes) of three strawberry farms(A, B, and C) and were tested to analyze physical, chemical (heavy metals and pesticide residues), and biological(sanitary indications and foodborne pathogens) hazards. Physical hazards such as insects and pieces of metal and glass were found in the strawberry farms and can be potential bow for strawberry products. Heavy metal and pesticide residue as chemical hazards were detected at levels lower than the regulation limit. In case of biological hazards, total bacteria and coliform were detected at the levels of 1.6~7.3 and 1.3~5.6 log CFU/g, leaf, mL, hand or $100cm^2$. However, Escherichia coli was not detected in all samples. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococuus aureus were detected at levels of ${\leq}$ 1.1~6.1 log CFU and 4.7~5.4 log CFU/g, mL, hand or $100cm^2$, whereas Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. were not detected in all samples. This study demonstrates that various harzards were in strawberry farms at the growing stage. Therefore proper management such as GAP is needed to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning associated with the hazards revealed in this study.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-84
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• 1993

In order to determine the optimum operational paramsters in cow manure composting, 4 laboratory scale composters were established. The cow manure was mixed with certain amount of saw dust to adjust the initial C/N ratio to 24, initial pH to 6.9 and composting was performed with varying operational conditions. It was found that the optimum aeration rate was 1000 ml/min kg. VS, the optimum moisture content 50% and no significant difference was found with different initial pH condition. Microorganisms were counted under the optimum conditions determined in this study. At the end of the experimental period, the number of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi was $1.5{\times}10^9$ cells, $1.1{\times}10^8$ cells and $3.0{\times}10^8$ cells/g dry compost, respectively. At day 0, the number of coliforms, fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci was $3.1{\times}10^3$ cells, $7.5{\times}10^2$ cells and $5.6{\times}103$ cells/g dry composting material, respectively. Their population was decreased with time lapse, However, their survival time was longer than those reported by other researchers. Microorganisms were identified at the end of the experiment. Genus Bacillus was the most dominant comprising 89.3% of the total population. Among the Genus Bacillus, B. circulans compoex was the most abundant, followed by B. Stearothermophilus, B. Sphericus, B. licheniformis and B, brevis.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2022

Six gas samples were collected from coal and coaly shale from core AA-1, which was acquired from the Asem-Asem Basin, southeast Kalimantan, Indonesia. These coalbed gas samples were analyzed for the molecular composition, carbon isotope (δ¹³C_CH4, δ¹³C_C2, and δ¹³C_CO2), hydrogen isotope (δD_CH4), hydrocarbon index (C_HC), and carbon dioxide-methane index (CDMI) to document their origin and methanogenic pathways. Core AA-1 successively consists of lower clastic sedimentary rocks (Sedimentary Unit-1, SU-1) containing coal and coaly shale, and upper limestone (Sedimentary Unit-2, SU-2), unconformably underlain by serpentinized basement interpreted as part of the Cretaceous Meratus subduction complex (MSC). The coal and coaly shale (SU-1) were deposited in a marshes nearby a small-scale river. Compositions of coalbed gases show that methane ranges from 87.35 to 95.29% and ethane ranges from 3.65 to 9.97%. Carbon isotope of coalbed methane (δ¹³C_CH4) ranges from -60.3 to -58.8‰, while hydrogen isotope (δD_CH4) ranges from -252.9 to -252.1‰. Carbon isotope of coalbed ethane (δ¹³C_C2) ranges from -32.8 to -31.2‰, carbon isotope of coalbed carbon dioxide (δ¹³C_CO2) ranges from -8.6 to -6.2‰. The coalbed CO₂ is interpreted to be an abiogenic origin based on a combination of δ¹³C_CO2 and CDMI and could have been transported from underlying CO₂ bearing MSC through faults. The methanogenic pathways of coalbed gases are interpreted to have originated from primary methyl-type fermentation and mixed with CO₂ reduction, affecting thermogenic non-marine coal-type gases based on analyses of isotopic ratios and various indexes.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.451-459
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to provide useful information for making guide of quality index of Korean red pepper. The results of physicochemical characteristics analysis showed the moisture content of air-dried and sun-dried red pepper were 10.38~15.60% and 9.46~17.22%, which show that 50% of the 40 samples exceeded the 13% KS moisture standards of red pepper powder. The capsaicinoids content of the air-dried and sun-dried samples were 10.85~126.39 mg% (1,627~18,958 Scoville heat unit) and 0.43~164.09 mg% (64.5~24,613.5 Scoville heat unit). A wide distribution of ASTA values was observed: 49.12~154.69 and 70.08~182.13 for air-dried and sun-dried red pepper, respectively, with 9.29~23.10% free sugar, and 0~1,050 mg% of ascorbic acid. The total viable cells of the air-dried red peppers were 2.01~6.67 log CFU/g and of sun-dried red peppers, 1.74~5.77 log CFU/g. The contamination level of yeast in the samples were 1.03~4.12 log CFU/g of the air-dried samples and 1.05~6.10 log CFU/g of the sun-dried samples. Among the foodborne pathogens, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus were detected in many red pepper samples regardless drying method. In the principal component analysis, the first (PC1) and second principal components (PC2) accounted for 56.78 % of the total variances (38.47% and 18.31%, respectively). Ascorbic acid, ASTA, color value (L, a, b) were strongly correlated with the PC1, and quality characteristics such as moisture, microorganism, sample (drying method) showed a negative correlation with the PC1.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.392-398
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• 2009

This study identified risk factors of cross-contamination of foodborne pathogens and established a good agricultural practice (GAP) system for an agricultural products processing center (APC) for perilla leaves. All samples were collected before and after a standard work shift at the APC, while perilla leaves were also collected after each step in the APC. In addition, the workers and their surroundings were sampled by swabbing. The total plate count (TPC) and coliform count in the water samples increased significantly (p<0.05) to 3.36 and 1.73 log CFU/mL after work, respectively. However, no Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were detected. The bacterial populations of the workers and their surroundings did not differ significantly (p${\geq}$0.05) before and after work. However, Staphylococcus aureus (<1.66 log CFU) was detected at a high rate (13-50%) in the basket, packing table, gloves and cloth. Although perilla leaves passed through the washing steps, the TPC and coliform bacterial populations on the final products were higher (p${\geq}$0.05) than those of unwashed perilla leaves, which indicates that the washing system was not functioning properly. Accordingly, a GAP system with a better washing system should be employed at this facility.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2007

Vinclozolin(VCZ), a systemic dicarboximide fungicide, has been used in the control of diseases caused by microorganism of some species in fruits, vegatables and ornamental plants. Although VCZ itself is a very weak antagonist for androgen receptor binding, both melabolites M1 and M2 are effective antagonists. The present study was undertaken to examine whether prepubertal exposure to VCZ affects on the onset of puberty and the associated reproductive parameters such as hormone receptor expressions in female rats. VCZ(10 mg/kg/day) was administered daily from postnatal day 21(PND 21) through the day when the first vaginal opening(V.O.) was observed. Gross anatomy and weight of reproductive tissues were compared to test the VCZ's effects on the cell proliferation. Furthermore, histological studies were performed to assess the structural alterations in the tissues. To determine the transcriptional changes in progesterone receptor(PR), total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). As a result, delayed V.O. was shown in the VCZ group(PND $34.00{\pm}1.22$) compared to the control group(PND $38.20{\pm}1.92$; p<0.01). VCZ treatment significantly decreased the wet weight of ovaries and uteri compared to the control group(p<0.01). Graafian follicles and corpora lutea were observed only in the ovaries from the control animals, while numerous primary, secondary follicles and small atretic follicles were observed in the ovaries from VCZ group. Similarly, hypotrophy of luminal and glandular uterine epithelium was found in the VCZ group. In the semi-quantitative RT-PCR studies, the transcriptional activity of PR in ovary(p<0.01) from VCZ group were significantly lower than those from the control group while in uterus were similar compared with the control group. The present studies demonstrated that the acute exposure to VCZ during the critical period of prepubertal stage could inactivate the reproductive system resulting delayed puberty in female rats.