• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.605-610
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• 2013

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid widely present in organisms, which has shown several important physiological functions such as neurotransmission, hypotension induction, as well as diuretic and tranquilizer effects. They have also been extensively used in food industry. GABA contents in the grain and brown rice are about 1~4 mg/100 g and 4~8 mg/100 g, respectively but it is difficult to expect physiological activity from such low amounts of natural food intake. We investigate the effects of GABA-coated rice on the secretion of melatonin and serotonin which both have been used as sleep inductive compounds. As a result, the secretion of melatonin and serotonin from mice were found to be $3.578{\pm}0.158pg/mL$, $5.918{\pm}0.169ng/mL$ respectively. The melatonin and serotonin in mice increased significantly up to the 8.7 and 22.8 times respectively, when compared to that of the rice, but there was no cumulative effects. Due to the continuous intake of GABA-coated rice, which was developed as a functional food nutrient, inductive effects of melatonin and serotonin from general rice could be achieved and also the similar effect as taking up directly 25 mg/mL of GABA could be obtained.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1185-1190
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• 2017

Insects are gaining recognition as an alternative source of protein. As a result, more and more domestic farms have begun mass rearing of edible insects. In order to produce high quality insects, studies on the development of safe and nutritious feed sources are needed. Given the cost of rearing insects, agricultural and industrial by-products are good sources for feed. The efficient utilization of these by-products can help in reducing the cost of production and preventing environmental pollution. In the current study, Citrus unshiu peel (CP), soybean curd cake (SCC), soybean oil meal (SOM), and brewers dried grain (BDG) were investigated for their effects on larval growth and development of Protaetia brevitarsis. Interestingly, the feed with 10% SCC increased larval weight by 3.5 times. For the larval period, the group of 10% SCC was significantly shorter than the control. Furthermore, minerals such as Zn, Ca, K, Mg, Na, and P were recorded to be high in 10% SCC. A total of 17 amino acids were present in 10% SCC, of which tyrosine and arginine were predominant. The heavy metal contents were very small amounts or not detected in any of the investigated groups. These findings provided a scientific basis for the utilization of soybean curd cake as a nutritional feed source to promote larval growth and produce quality insects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.957-966
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• 2017

Objective: To understand the dynamic structure, function, and influence on nutrient metabolism in hosts, it was crucial to assess the genetic potential of gut microbial community in yaks of different ages. Methods: The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles and Illumina-based metagenomic sequencing on colon contents of 15 semi-domestic yaks were investigated. Unweighted pairwise grouping method with mathematical averages (UPGMA) clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the DGGE fingerprint. The Illumina sequences were assembled, predicted to genes and functionally annotated, and then classified by querying protein sequences of the genes against the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) database. Results: Metagenomic sequencing showed that more than 85% of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences belonged to the phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, indicating that the family Ruminococcaceae (46.5%), Rikenellaceae (11.3%), Lachnospiraceae (10.0%), and Bacteroidaceae (6.3%) were dominant gut microbes. Over 50% of non-rRNA gene sequences represented the metabolic pathways of amino acids (14.4%), proteins (12.3%), sugars (11.9%), nucleotides (6.8%), lipids (1.7%), xenobiotics (1.4%), coenzymes, and vitamins (3.6%). Gene functional classification showed that most of enzyme-coding genes were related to cellulose digestion and amino acids metabolic pathways. Conclusion: Yaks' age had a substantial effect on gut microbial composition. Comparative metagenomics of gut microbiota in 0.5-, 1.5-, and 2.5-year-old yaks revealed that the abundance of the class Clostridia, Bacteroidia, and Lentisphaeria, as well as the phylum Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Lentisphaerae, Tenericutes, and Cyanobacteria, varied more greatly during yaks' growth, especially in young animals (0.5 and 1.5 years old). Gut microbes, including Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Lentisphaeria, make a contribution to the energy metabolism and synthesis of amino acid, which are essential to the normal growth of yaks.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.35-57
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• 1977

Seasenal absorption of inorganic nutrients and dry matter Production were studied with four-year-old ginseng plant. The residuary amounts of the nutrients supplied to ginseng Plantation were decreased with lime elapsed. The decreasing rate was greater in chemical plots than in Yacto Plots. The amounts of manure applied in this current year and growth in dry matter production of ginseng showed no signficant difference. The amounts of mineral nutrients per unit dry matter were proportional to the amounts of supplied with chemical fertilizer in the early period of growing season but with Yacto in the late season of growing. Seasonal changes of nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium contents per unit dry weight in each organ were high in the middle of May. They decreased sharply in the middle of June and then slowly decreased in both leaves and stems but gradually increased in roots. The absorption ratio of nitrogen to Phosphorus (N/P) was high, and that of nitrogen to Potassium (N/K) was few. The amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and Potassium in leaves became lower with increasing the relative light intensity, but in stems, the concentrations were different with the kind of mineral nutrients. The requisite amounts of mineral nutrient of ginseng plant were 8.3∼9.9 kg of nitrogen, 1.2∼1.5 kg of phosphorus, 6.4∼7.9 kg of potassium Per 10 a for five years.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2014

Nutritional composition, including total phenolics, tannins and nutrient components, of acorns of Q. actissima, Q. serrata, Q. variabilis and Q. mongolica were analyzed. Acorns were collected from each tree species, which were grown in a seed orchard. Contents of both total phenolics and tannins in acorns of Q. serrata were higher than those of Q. actissima (p<0.05). Interestingly, Q. serrata contained the highest amount of water soluble tannins (71 mg/g dw) and the lowest levels of water insoluble tannins (8.1 mg/g dw) among 4 oak species, resulting that acorns of Q. serrata had the lowest proportion of insoluble tannins. Among 4 oak species tested, Q. mongolicav acorns contained the highest levels of both total dietary fiber (TDF) and ascorbic acid, while the content of beta-carotene in Q. mongolicav was 52-fold lower than that in Q. variabilis ($520{\mu}g/100g$). Our result showed that nutritional composition of acoms was significantly different between oak species, indicating that tastes or nutritional values might be different as well among major oak species in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2002

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of vitamin A or $\beta$-carotene on oxidative damage induced by acute ethanol administration. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on the experimental diets supplemented with retinyl acetate (2.86 mg/kg diet) or $\beta$-carotene (15.2 mg/kg diet) for 5 weeks. After fed the diet, rats were administered 20% ethanol solution (3g/kg B.W.) acutely. Lipid peroxide values in hepatic tissue, hepatic antioxidative enzyme activities and contents of antioxidative nutrient such as vitamins A and E in serum and hepatic tissue were measured. Hepatic level of malondialdehyde decreased in $\beta$-carotene group compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between retinal acetate and $\beta$-carotene groups. Superoxide dismutase activity was higher in retinal acetate group than in the control group. Hepatic glutathione-S-transferase activity of retinal acetate and $\beta$-carotene groups significantly decreased as compared with that of control group. The hepatic content of retinol increased in retinal acetate and $\beta$-carotene groups, especially, in retinyl acetate group. But there was no significant difference in serum content of retinol among the groups. Hepatic content of $\alpha$-tocopherol was significantly increased in retinyl acetate and $\beta$-carotene groups. In conclusion, acute ethanol administration might induce lipid peroxidation, and the dietary supplementation of retinyl acetate or $\beta$-carotene improve partly the antioxidative system through activation of superoxide dismutase and retention of hepatic $\alpha$-tocopherol in ethanol-treated rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.287-294
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to develop a web-based internet program for nutritional assessment and diet management of patient having hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidermia were classified by hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The program consisted of four parts according to their functions and contents. The first part explained the metabolism of lipids and defined the hyperchotesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The second part is to assess the general health status such as body weight, obesity index, basal metabolic rate and total energy requirement by the input of age, sex, height, weight and degree of activity. This part also provides the Patient with menus lists and 1 day menu suitable to his weight, activity and the status of hyperlipidemia and offers the information for food selection, snacks, convenience foods, dine-out, behavioral modification, cooking methods, food exchange lists, and information on energy and nutrients of foods and drinks, and top 20 foods classified by nutrients. The third part is designed to investigate diet history of patient, that is, to find out his inappropriate dietary habit and give him some suggestions for appropriate dietary behavior. This part also offers on-line counseling and frequently asked Questions. The fourth part is evaluating their energy and nutrients intake by comparing with recommended dietary allowance for Koreans or standardized data for patient with hyperlipidemia. In this part, it is also analyzing energy and nutrients of food consumed by food group and meals, and evaluating the status of nutrient intake. These results are finally displayed as tabular forms and graphical forms on the computer screen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.217-222
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• 2003

We studied effects of hot water extract of Lentinus edodes (Berk.)sing. and Pleurotus eryngii (De Candolle ex Fries) Quel mushroom on proliferation and apoptosis of the human colon adenocarcinoma, HT-29 and Caco-2.. Cells were maintained with Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at 37$^{\circ}C$ in a humidified $CO_2$. For cell proliferation experiments, cells were seeded in 35 mm dishes, treated with the various concentrations of the extract for the different time course. Apoptosis was measured by caspase-3 activity The more contents of the extract added in HT-29 and Caco-2 were, the more cell proliferation was suppressed. When we incubated HT-29 cells for 24, B\ulcorner72, and 96 hours after treatments, cell proliferation was markedly suppressed after 96 hours. Also, caspase-3 activity in HT-29 was increased by the treatment of Lentinus edodes and Pleurotus eryngii extracts. However, the treatment of the extract to SNU484, Korean stomach adenocarcinoma, did not show any influence on cell proliferation and caspase-3 activity Therefore, Lentinus edodes and Pleurotus eryngii are strongly recommended for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.6
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• pp.751-758
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• 2006

To investigate soil management practices for increasing tree growth in arid regions of China, Xinjiang poplar (Populus alba var. pyramidalis) seedlings were planted in a nursery and windbreak and were treated with fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus) and absorbents (artificial; K-SAM and natural: Yuho (Artemisia ordosica)) at Dengkou in Inner Mongolia. Seedling height, diameter at breast height (DBH), biomass, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were measured 1.5 years after the treatments. Soil texture was sandy loam for nursery and clay loam for windbreak, soil pH was 8.78 for nursery and 8.51 for windbreak, and total soil N concentration was 0.06% for nursey and 0.08% for windbreak. [n general, seedling height and DBH increased in the N fertilizer treatment compared to control or other treatments both in nursery and windbreak. Also seedling growth increased after the treatments of artificial and natural absorbents in windbreak. Total above- and belowground biomass increased after the N + P treatment. Foliage N and P concentrations following N and/or P treatments were same in the nursey, however, they significantly increased in the windbreak indicating N deficiency. It appeared that N was a limiting factor for early growth of Xinjiang poplar seedlings and artificial and natural absorbents (K-SAM and Yuho) would be useful to increase seedling growth in the arid region.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2011

Overusing chemical fertilizers involves potassium accumulation in the soil, which can become a toxicity problem in agriculture. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of potassium (K) treatment on growth, physiological characteristics, and morphological changes using Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. campestris). With high (600 mM) K treatment, the plant growth traits of leaf length, leaf area, and fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots decreased, whereas chlorophyll content increased. As the concentration of K increasing, total N, P, and K increased in leaves, but concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Na decreased. However, Mn, Fe and Zn contents were highest in 100 mM K treatment. Chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids increased with increasing K concentration. Maximum photochemical efficiency ($F_v/F_m$) was not significant in the all treatments, whereas $CO_2$ assimilation decreased with increasing K level due to stomatal degradation. Total free amino acids increased with the 10 and 100 mM K but decreased at 600 mM K treatments. Therefore, the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese cabbage ascertained that tolerance up to 100 mM K when grown with nutrient solution in pot culture.