• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.738-750
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• 2022

In this study, we reviewed and discussed whether auditory stimuli with short length can evoke emotion-related neurological responses. The findings implicate that if personalized sound tracks are provided to XR users based on machine learning or probability network models, user experiences in XR environment can be enhanced. We also investigated that the arousal-relaxed factor evoked by short auditory sound can make distinct patterns in functional connectivity characterized from background EEG signals. We found that coherence in the right hemisphere increases in sound-evoked arousal state, and vice versa in relaxed state. Our findings can be practically utilized in developing XR sound bio-feedback system which can provide preference sound to users for highly immersive XR experiences.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.450-461
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• 2022

A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical study was used to determine the cognitive functions related to working memory (WM) and antioxidant properties of fermented Laminaria japonica (FLJ) on healthy volunteers. Eighty participants were divided into a placebo group (n = 40) and FLJ group (n = 40) that received FLJ (1.5 g/day) for 6 weeks. Memory-related blood indices (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF; angiotensin-converting enzyme; human growth hormone, HGH; insulin-like growth factor-1, IGF-1) and antioxidant function-related indices (catalase, CAT; malondialdehyde, MDA; 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-oxo-dG; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) were determined before and after the trial. In addition, standardized cognitive tests were conducted using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Batteries. Furthermore, the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS)-IV, and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) were used to assess the pre and post intake changes on WM-related properties. According to the results, FLJ significantly increased the level of CAT, BDNF, HGH, and IGF-1. FLJ reduced the level of TBARS, MDA, and 8-oxo-dG in serum. Furthermore, FLJ improved physical activities related to cognitive functions such as K-WAIS-IV, MoCA-K, Paired Associates Learning, and Spatial Working Memory compared to the placebo group. Our results suggest that FLJ is a potential candidate to develop functional materials reflecting its capability to induce antioxidant mechanisms together with WM-related indices.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2023

Objective: In this study, metabolites that changed in the rumen fluid, urine and feces of dairy cows fed different feed ratios were investigated. Methods: Eight Holstein cows were used in this study. Rumen fluid, urine, and feces were collected from the normal concentrate diet (NCD) (Italian ryegrass 80%: concentrate 20% in the total feed) and high concentrate diet (HCD) groups (20%: 80%) of dairy cows. Metabolite analysis was performed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) identification, and statistical analysis was performed using Chenomx NMR software 8.4 and Metaboanalyst 4.0. Results: The two groups of rumen fluid and urine samples were separated, and samples from the same group were aggregated together. On the other hand, the feces samples were not separated and showed similar tendencies between the two groups. In total, 160, 177, and 188 metabolites were identified in the rumen fluid, urine, and feces, respectively. The differential metabolites with low and high concentrations were 15 and 49, 14 and 16, and 2 and 2 in the rumen fluid, urine, and feces samples, in the NCD group. Conclusion: As HCD is related to rumen microbial changes, research on different metabolites such as glucuronate, acetylsalicylate, histidine, and O-Acetylcarnitine, which are related to bacterial degradation and metabolism, will need to be carried out in future studies along with microbial analysis. In urine, the identified metabolites, such as gallate, syringate, and vanillate can provide insight into microbial, metabolic, and feed parameters that cause changes depending on the feed rate. Additionally, it is thought that they can be used as potential biomarkers for further research on subacute ruminal acidosis.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.141-155
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• 2022

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) causes high mortality and economic losses in the rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) aquaculture industry in Korea. Viral open reading frames (ORFs) expression profiling at different RBIV infection stages was investigated using microarray approaches. Rock bream were exposed to the virus and held for 7 days at 23 ℃ before the water temperature was reduced to 17 ℃. Herein, 28% mortality was observed from 24 to 35 days post infection (dpi), after which no mortality was observed until 70 dpi (end of the experiment). A total of 27 ORFs were significantly up- or down-regulated after RBIV infection. In RBIV-infected rock bream, four viral genes were expressed after 2 dpi. Most RBIV ORFs (26 genes, 96.2%) were significantly elevated between 7 and 20 dpi. Among them, 12 ORF (44.4%) transcripts reached their peak expression intensity at 15 dpi, and 14 ORFs (51.8%) were at peak expression intensity at 20 dpi. Expression levels began to decrease after 25 dpi, and 92.6% of ORFs (25 genes) were expressed below 1-fold at 70 dpi. From the microarray data, in addition to the viral infection, viral gene expression profiles were categorized into three infection stages, namely, early (2 dpi), middle (7 to 20 dpi), and recovery (25 and 70 dpi). RBIV ORFs 009R, 023R, 032L, 049L, and 056L were remarkably expressed during RBIV infection. Furthermore, six ORFs (001L, 013R, 052L, 053L, 058L, and 061L) were significantly expressed only at 20 dpi. To verify the cDNA microarray data, we performed quantitative real-time PCR, and the results were similar to that of the microarray. Our results provide novel observations on broader RBIV gene expression at different stages of infection and the development of control strategies against RBIV infection.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Objectives : The present study was conducted to examine whether Toosendan Fructus has an ameliorative effect on diabetes-induced alterations such as oxidative stress and inflammation in the pancreas of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model of human type I diabetes. Methods : Extracts of Toosendan Fructus (ETF) were administered to NOD mice at three doses (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg). Mice at 18 weeks of age were measured glucose tolerance using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. After 28 weeks of ETF treatment, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and proinflammatory cytokines in serum, western blot analyses and a histopathological examination in pancreas tissue, and on the onset of diabetes were investigated. Results : The results showed that levels of glucose, glucose tolerance, TC, TG, interferon-${\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-1 ${\beta}$, IL-6, and IL-12 in serum were down-regulated, while IL-4, IL-10, SOD, and catalase significantly increased. In addition, ETF improved protein expression of proinflammatory mediaters (such as cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase) and a proapoptotic protein (caspase-3) in the pancreatic tissue. Also, in the groups treated with ETF (100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg), insulitis and infiltration of granulocytes were alleviated. Conclusions : Based on these results, the anti-diabetic effect of ETF may be due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Our findings support the therapeutic evidence for Toosendan Fructus ameliorating the development of diabetic pancreatic damage via regulating inflammation and apoptosis. Our future studies will be focused on the search for active compounds in these extracts.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.10-22
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• 2022

Forest biomass energy is based on scientific evidence in response to carbon neutrality and the climate crisis, international consensus, and environmental-geographic characteristics of each nation. In this study, the authors aimed to analyze macroscopic forest biomass energy policies for ten major countries. They categorized them into six detailed categories (Sustainable utilization, Cascading Uutilization, Replacement of fossil fuel/Carbon intensive products, Utilization of forest by-products/residues as the source of energy, Contribution to carbon-neutral/climate change, and Biomass combined with CCS/CCUS ). In addition, the surveyed nations have developed a policy consensus on the active use of forest biomass with sustainable forest management except for the cascading utilization category. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the mid to long-term plans of the Korean government for improvements in the policy and legal aspects. As a result, the authors derived four major directions that South Korea should approach strategically in the future (1) secure financial resources for sustainable forest management and stimulating investment in the timber industry, (2) promote unified policies to establish a bio-economy, (3) enhancement of the forest biomass energy system, and (4) reorganization and promotion of strategy centered on the opinions of field experts in internal and external instability.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.808-816
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• 2022

This study was conducted with a view toward enhancing the industrial utilization of a male sailfin sandfish Arctoscopus japonicus based on its application in the preparation of Sik-hae, a Korean traditional fermented fishery product prepared using hard-boiled rice and enzymatic malt sprouts. As an alternative to rice and malt sprouts, we evaluated the utility of rice Koji for Sik-hae fermentation by investigating the physicochemical changes that occur during fermentation. The sailfin sand fish Sik-hae fermented with 10% or 20% rice Koji was found to show similar fermentation characteristics to the control fermentation with 20% hard-boiled rice and 4% malt sprouts, with respect to acid production, texture profile, and the softening of bones during the entire fermentation period. In particular, compared with the control, the addition of 10% rice Koji reduced the dehydration of Sik-hae and increased the content of free amino acids, which contributed to preventing a marked reduction in pH during fermentation. Accordingly, 10% rice Koji is proposed as a viable alternative enzymatic agent for the preparation of Sik-hae, which can contribute enhancing the desired properties of this traditional food product.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1199-1208
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of metabolite levels in serum and milk obtained from cows fed on different concentrate to forage feed ratios. Methods: Eight lactating Holstein cows were divided into two groups: a high forage ratio diet (HF; 80% Italian ryegrass and 20% concentrate of daily intake of dry matter) group and a high concentrate diet (HC; 20% Italian ryegrass and 80% concentrate) group. Blood was collected from the jugular vein, and milk was sampled using a milking machine. Metabolite levels in serum and milk were estimated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance and subjected to qualitative and quantitative analyses performed using Chenomx 8.4. For statistical analysis, Student's t-test and multivariate analysis were performed using Metaboanalyst 4.0. Results: In the principal component analysis, a clear distinction between the two groups regarding milk metabolites while serum metabolites were shown in similar. In serum, 95 metabolites were identified, and 13 metabolites (include leucine, lactulose, glucose, betaine, etc.) showed significant differences between the two groups. In milk, 122 metabolites were identified, and 20 metabolites (include urea, carnitine, acetate, butyrate, arabinitol, etc.) showed significant differences. Conclusion: Our results show that different concentrate to forage feed ratios impact the metabolite levels in the serum and milk of lactating Holstein cows. A higher number of metabolites in milk, including those associated with milk fat synthesis and the presence of Escherichia coli in the rumen, differed between the two groups compared to that in the serum. The results of this study provide a useful insight into the metabolites associated with different concentrate to forge feed ratios in cows and may aid in the search for potential biomarkers for subacute ruminal acidosis.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.1003-1013
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• 2021

Thioredoxin (TRX) protein is an antioxidant responsible for reducing other proteins by exchanging cysteine thiol-disulfide and is also known for its anti-allergic and anti-aging properties. On the other hand, epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important material used in the cosmetics industry and an essential protein necessary for dermal wound healing facilitated by the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. EGF also assists in the formation of granulation tissues and stimulates the motility of fibroblasts. Hence, genetically modified soybeans were developed to overexpress these industrially important proteins for mass production. A single-dose oral-toxicity-based study was conducted to evaluate the potential toxic effects of TRX and EGF proteins, as safety assessments are necessary for the commercial use of seed-specific protein-expressing transgenic soybeans. To achieve this rationale, TRX and EGF proteins were mass purified from recombinant E. coli. The single-dose oral-toxicity tests of the TRX and EGF proteins were carried out in six-week old male and female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. The initial evaluation of the single-dose TRF and EGF treatments was based on monitoring the toxicity signatures and mortality rates among the mice, and the resultant mortality rates did not show any specific clinical symptoms related to the proteins. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the weights between the treatment and control groups of male and female ICR mice. After 14 days of treatment, no differences were observed in the autopsy reports between the various treatment and control groups. These results suggest that the minimum lethal dose of TRX and EGF proteins is higher than the allowed 2,000 mg·kg^-1 limit.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.935-944
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• 2021

It has been suggested that bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, interferes with the endocrine system, causing reproductive dysfunction. Recently, BPA has been found in waste water due to incomplete sewage purification, possibly threatening health through its ingestion via tap water. In this study, young male mice (6 - 7 weeks old) were administered water containing BPA (50 mg·kg^-1) for four weeks, while control mice consumed water without BPA. Serum, epididymal spermatozoa and testicular sections were assessed after sacrificing the mice on day 28. No significant differences were obtained between the groups in the body, testis and seminal vesicle weights. However, the epididymal sperm motility and count levels were significantly reduced in BPA-fed mice. Significantly higher hepatotoxicity levels were also observed in mice ingesting BPA as compared to the control mice. The level of serum testosterone was reduced, and testicular sections revealed incomplete and irregular spermatogenesis in BPA-ingested mice. The sperm proteasomal-proteolytic activity level has been implicated in sperm function and is measured in motile spermatozoa using fluorometric substrates. High ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase activity levels were observed in the control mice without BPA. During a mating trial, a low pregnancy rate (71.4%) was observed in females mated with males who had consumed BPA (100% in the control mice). Overall, BPA adversely affected spermatogenesis and quality, as indicated by decreased sperm motility, concentration and serum testosterone levels, resulting in reduced fertility competence.