• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 2003

In order to improve some problems such as contamination of undesirable mold, mycotoxin production and excessive drying on the surface of traditional meju, we developed a capsule type-meju(CM) coated with steamed black bean and Aspergillus oryzae - rice koji(0.3％, w/w) mixture to surface of traditional meju and fermented at 25$^{\circ}C$ for 14 days under 80％ relative humidity. Contamination of undesirable mold on the surface of CM was not detected within 2 weeks and some genus Penicillium molds on control meju without koji were found naturally after 12 days of fermentation. The moisture content of meju was showed to be in the range of 34.7 - 29.4％ being 32.7％(w/w) of mean value. Titratable acidities in CMs prepared with black bean(BCM) and soybean(SCM) were much higher than that in control meju, and BCM was similar to SCM. Free sugar content in BCM(123.98 mg％) was 10 times and 2.1 times higher than that in control meju(15.02 mg％) and SCM(59.85 mg％), respectively. Amino type nitrogen content in control meju was 147.00 mg％ and its content in BCM(255.50 mg％) was 1.37 times higher than that in SCM(187.25 mg％). Total organic acid content in BCM(95.98 mg％) and SCM(1l9.98 mg％) were much higher than that in control meju(26.44 mg％), and then lactic and malic acid contents were markedly changed according to capsulation of meju. Lightness value(L) of Hunter color index was much higher in BCM than in SCM. Fatty acid composition of CM was not different as compared to control meju. Total free amino acid content in BCM(1039.70 mg％) was 4.4 times and 2.4 times higher than that in control meju(236.45 mg％) and SCM(556.07 mg％), respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1407-1414
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• 2012

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective regimen that has been found to prevent these diseases in postmenopausal women. However, HRT is accompanied by an increased risk of unfavorable outcomes. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Eisenia Bicyclis extract on lipids in ovariectomized rats. Fifty 7-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON), and ovariectomized rats that were treated with Eisenia bicyclis extracts. The extract-treated diets were fed to the rats for 6 weeks after operation. Antioxidant effects were measured by DPPH free radical scavenging activity. Antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract increased in a dose-dependent manner and was about 55.9% in a concentration of 100 ${\mu}g/ml$. We measured the total cholesterol content, triglyceride content, HDL-cholesterol content, LDL-cholesterol content, atherosclerotic index, cardiac risk factor in serum, and anti-platelet aggregation and blood rheology. The total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration in serum increased for the OVX-control group, but supplementation with the E. bicyclis extract caused these factors to decrease. Notably, the serum LDL-cholesterol concentration in the OVX-EB200 group was significantly lower than the OVX-CON group. In addition, the blood passage times in rats that received the E. bicyclis extract were more rapid than the times in the untreated group (OVX-CON). Microscopic evaluation revealed that whole blood passed more smoothly through the microchannels in rats in the E. bicyclis extract supplement groups. Our results clarified the effects of E. bicyclis extract on serum lipid content in ovariectomized rats, and consequently we expect positive effects from providing E. bicyclis extract to postmenopausal women with cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.975-985
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• 2017

To investigate the beneficial effects of an agar gel mask (AGM) on UV-induced photoaging, SKH-1 hairless mice were treated with a topical application of AGM and an AGM dipped in essence (AGMdE). The mice were divided into an no radiation group, UV + AGM, UV + AGMdE, and UV + vehicle (PBS) treatment groups. Alterations in skin wrinkles, skin phenotype, histological structures, oxidative status, and toxicity were then evaluated during 4 weeks of exposure. The topical application of AGM and AGMdE inhibited wrinkle formation, suppressed the erythema index, prevented transepidermal water loss, and enhanced skin hydration. In addition, epidermal thickness recovered to a similar level as that in the no irradiation group in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups compared with the UV + vehicle (distilled water) group. Furthermore, the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tyrosinase were reduced in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups, although the highest level varied. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly lower in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups as compared with the UV + vehicle group. No significant alterations induced by most toxic compounds were measured in serum biochemical markers and liver and kidney histological features of the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups. These results suggest that AGM may protect against skin aging by regulating skin morphology, histopathological structures, and oxidative conditions.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.395-405
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• 2009

The maturity of amber matrix and inclusion was studied to explore the effect of heat treatment on the formation of the sun spangle in the transparent Baltic amber from Gdansk, Poland. Optical microscope revealed two types of inclusions in the original amber samples. The inclusions in the amber which had sun spangle were dramatically expanded by the heat treatment, comparing to those without sun spangle which contains fissure and shows different refractive index. The amber sample which didn't show sun spangle after the heat treatment showed a strong carbon related peak in TOF-SIMS spectra and weak oxygen related peak. it means that the maturity of this amber sample is comparatively higher than the one with spangle. The two amber samples show similar IR spectra before the heat treatment. However, the amber which had sun spangle exhibited an additional 1019 $cm^{-1}$ absorption peak and a more intense 887 $cm^{-1}$ peak. The different chemical compositions between the two types of amber is believed to be due to the different absorption spectra between 1000~600 $cm^{-1}$. According to the study of DSC analysis, the two samples show different DSC profiles. Although they have the same geological origin, their geological ages are different and have different chemical compositions. Thus, they exhibited different behavior after the heat treatment. The formation of sun spangle seemed to depend on the difference in the heat expansion rate of amber matrix with different maturity and chemical compositions.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-65
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• 2012

We study the sustainability of the current fiscal policy of Korea, and the effects of the social welfare policy expansion, which has been recently discussed among the political circles, on the government budget and the generational equity, using generational accounting. We follow the generational accounting approach, considering the fact that most of the social welfare policies are the entitlement programs, which imposes the limitation of the policy maker's discretion to control the cost of their provision. The social welfare expenditure will change due to the change in the policy environments of the future, such as population aging. Therefore, we need to take into account the government cash flow of the future as well as of the present to investigate its effects on the fiscal sustainability, which implies that the national debt or the budget balance is not a proper index for the investigation. Our findings are as follows. The current fiscal policies are not sustainable, and the long-term budgetary imbalance is shown very serious. The required tax adjustment, which is defined as the percentage change of tax burden required to attain the long-term budgetary balance, is very large. Unless the level of the government expenditure is properly controlled, the tax burden and the social contribution level will rise to the untolerable level. Moreover, the expansion of the social welfare policies, which has been discussed among the political circles, will substantially increase the fiscal burden of the future generations. Even though the provision of the free lunch to the primary and the secondary school students, the free child care, and the discounted college tuition do not increase the fiscal burden much, because their magnitude at present is not large and will decrease due to the decrease in the number of the newborns and the students resulting from the fall in the fertility rate, that of the free health care service will increase tax burden of the future generations very much, because the magnitude of the government expenditure needed at present is very large and the population aging will further increase the magnitude of the health care expenditure. The findings indicate that the structural reforms, to prevent the explosive increase in the social welfare expenditure in the future, are necessary before the implementation of the welfare policy expansion. In particular, the cost control of the social transfers to the elderly needs to be made, because the speed of the population aging of Korea is among the highest in the world. The findings also indicate that the budget balance or the national debt can cause the fiscal illusion, which makes the Korean government budget look sound, even though the fiscal policy will rapidly increase the social welfare expenditure in the future, as the population ages. The generational accounting, which takes into account the cash flow of the future as well as of the present, unlike the budgetary balance and the national debt, which shows the results of the government financial activities of the past and the present, is a useful method to overcome the fiscal illusion.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.522-527
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• 2005

A total of 5 female elk dEER $(220kg\pm10kg)$ were included in a study on the changes in physicochemical properties of deer meat during storage at $4^{\circ}C\;and\;-2^{\circ}C$. The deer was exposed to normal pre-slaughter handling and put under anesthesia before slaughtered. The loin and leg cuts were deboned from the carcass after 24hrs slaughter. The samples weighing approximately 300g were packaged using wrap packaging and stored for 3, 7, 11 and 15 days at $4^{\circ}C\;and\;-2^{\circ}C$. Water-holding capacity was decreased with increasing storage days at $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-2^{\circ}C$, respectively The deer meats kept at $-2^{\circ}C$ showed lower TBARS value than the meats kept at $4^{\circ}C$, and it was possible to extend the storage period of the meats. VBN values of the meats kept at $4^{\circ}C\;and\;-2^{\circ}C$ showed as edible values after storage for 15 days, although there were no significant differences among the storage temperature. pH values of loin and leg tended to be increased with the passage of storage time, and the values of the meats kept at $-2^{\circ}C$ was lower than that at $4^{\circ}C$. The change of meat softness was remarkable at $4^{\circ}C$, and the change at $-2^{\circ}C$ was slow. Therefore, it was effective to extend the storage period when the meats were kept at $-2^{\circ}C$. Color of the meats kept at $-2^{\circ}C$ was darker than that at $4^{\circ}C$, the index of red color was higher for the meats kept at $-2^{\circ}C$, and yellow color of meats kept at $-2^{\circ}C$ was more rapidly changed with the passage of storage time.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.123-139
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• 2011

It is expected that identification and lists of $C_4$ plants in specific regions are useful not only for the ecological researches that are related to vegetation phenology and succession but also as an index of climate change. In this review, $C_4$ plants growing in South Korea were listed and their life forms were investigated. In addition, we discussed the influences that climatic change and the $C_4$ plants exerted on plant ecosystem. Photosynthetic pathway types ($C_3$ and $C_4$) for the plant species in South Korea were determined by reviewing the scientific literatures published between 1971 and 2010. Of the total 4476 species in 1123 genera and 197 families, 206 species (4.6%) in 84 genera (7.5%) and 21 families (10.7%) were identified as $C_4$ plants (including $C_3$-$C_4$ intermediate plants). Among the identified $C_4$ species, 53 species (25.7%) in 26 genera and 15 families were classified as Dicotyledoneae, while 153 species (74.3%) in 58 genera and 6 families were classified as Monocotyledoneae. The majority of the $C_4$ species belong to four families: Chenopodiaceae (15 species), Amaranthaceae (13 species), Gramineae (102 speceis) and Cyperaceae (45 species). With respect to life form composition of 206 $C_4$ species, Th-$R_5$-$D_4$-t was most dominant: 95 species (46.1%) were included in Th, 123 species (59.7%) in $R_5$, 179 species (86.9%) in $D_4$, and 122 species (59.2%) in t. The projected increase in temperature due to climate change may provide better conditions for the growth of $C_4$ plants. Such a result will have considerable impacts on the interspecific competition between $C_3$ and $C_4$ plants, the distribution of $C_4$ plants, plant phenology, and plant diversity.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2011

This survey of weed population by different soil moisture with paddy-upland rotation was conducted to investigate information on weed flora and its ecology between two years. Weed species were assessed in April : 2009, 2010. Soil samples were taken from each study plot to assess the impact soil moisture on the occurrence and abundance of dominance weed species. Soil water of poorly drained field ranged from 10.2~18.2% more than 11.8~14.3% of somewhat poorly drained field. Weeds of fields composed of 19 species belonging to 12 families. Among 12 families, 6 weed species belonged to Compositae (31.6%) were the biggest family, Cruciferae were 2 species (10.5%), and Rubiaceae were 2 species (10.5%), respectively. Youngia japonica had the highest summed dominance ratio(SDR) (97.0%) and followed by Conyza canadensis (92.1%), Galium spurium (35.3%) and Hemistepta lyrata (28.4%) of somewhat poorly drainage in 2009. Artemisia princeps the highest SDR (100%) and followed by Stellaria alsine(55.2%), Y. japonica (38.3%) and Nasturtium officinale (28.5%) of poorly drainage in 2009. And, Stellaria alsine had the highest SDR (86.8%) and followed by Alopecurus aequalis (77.7%), Astragalus sinicus (68.7%) and Y. japonica (46.3%) of somewhat poorly drainage in 2010. S. alsine the highest SDR (93.7%) and followed by A. aequalis (78.6%), Nasturtium officinale (31.3%) and Y. japonica (30.4%) of poorly drainage in 2010. Simpson's index was calculated to 0.12~0.23, which showed that weed occurrence with different soil moisture in paddy-upland rotation and between years was various. Similarity coefficient between years was 43.0% (2009) and 74.2% (2010), which indicate a low diversity because of the moisture in the agro-ecosystem.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2005

Purpose : Recurrent urinary tract Infection(UTI) in primary vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) may lead to serious renal scarring, a major cause of childhood hypertension and end-stage renal disease. To prevent recurrent UTI, low-dose long--term antibiotic prophylaxis has been recommended. However, recurrent UTI still develops during antibiotic prophylaxis, the efficacy of which is now being disputed. The emergence of resistant bacteria has also raised concerns. To evaluate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis, we investigated recurrent UTI during prophylactic antibiotic use in children with primary VUR Materials : The incidence and risk factors of recurrent UTI were retrospectively evaluated in ninety-one children with primary VUR on trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole(TMP/SMX) prophylafis during the year following their index febri]e UTI. Results : Recurrent UTI occurred in 31.9%(29/91) children and comprised 0.32 episodes/patient year. Febrile UTI was 0.26 episode/patient year and afebrile UTI was 0.07 episodes/patient year. The recurrent rate of UTI in male patients with phimosis was 37.2%(19/51), which was significantly higher than in males without phimosis 0%(0/5)(P=0.025). In the logistic regression analysis for recurrent UTI, renal scar was the significant risk factor for recurrent UTI [RR 3.8(95% CI 1.0-14.1) P=0.04]. For other well-known risk factors such as sex, age, degree of VUR, APN, and voiding dysfunction, the differences were not significant. Conclusion : TMP/SMX prophylaxis did not prevent recurrent UTI in children with primary VUR. Phimosis and renal scars were the risk factors for recurrent UTI but the grade of primary VUR was not. In VUR without phlmosis and renal scar, a randomized controlled study without antibiotic prophylaxis is required. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2005;9:46-55)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.228-236
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• 2013

This study was aimed at investigating whether dietary therapy using medicinal enzyme powder is effective in reducing constipation caused by loperamide in rats. Nine-week-old male Sprague Dawley were subdivided into 4 groups: normal diet group (C), loperamide treatment and normal diet (CL), medicinal enzyme powder diet (E), and loperamide treatment and medicinal enzyme powder diet (EL). Constipation was induced by subcutaneous injection of loperamide (1.5 mg/kg) 3 days prior to sacrifice. The treatment with loperamide led to an increase in weight gain, a decrease in the number and wet weight of fecal pellets, and a decrease in intestinal motility. The administration of the medicinal enzyme powder significantly reduced weight gain but increased intestinal mobility compared with the loperamide-treated group. The treatment with loperamide in the normal diet group reduced the activities of both suggesting that constipation may be involved in the low level of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT). Additionally, the loperamide treatment in the medicinal enzyme powder diet group increased the level of GOT, but reduced the level of GPT. Loperamide treatment also reduced cholesterol and increased the atherogenic index (AI) and cardiac risk factors (CRFs). Interestingly, the treatment with the medicinal enzyme powder effectively attenuated both the increase in AI and the reduction in high density lipopretein (HDL)-cholesterol, caused by the treatment with loperamide. Although there were no significant differences in the blood protein level, including hemoglobin and hematocrit, between the normal diet group and the loperamide-treated group, the administration of the medicinal enzyme powder to the loperamide-treated group effectively increased the levels of both hemoglobin and hematocrit. Collectively, the results demonstrate that the medicinal enzyme powder can help to combat the negative events caused by constipation.