• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2015

Muscle atrophy, known as a sarcopenia, is defined as a loss of muscle mass resulting from a reduction in the muscle fiber area or density due to a decrease in muscle protein synthesis and an increase in protein breakdown. Schisandrae fructus (SF) extract of the fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz) Baillon has been used as a tonic in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Although a great deal of work has been carried out on the therapeutic potential of SF, its pharmacological mechanisms of action in muscle diseases actions remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of SF ethanol extracts on the production of muscle atrophy factors in C2C12 myotubes stimulated with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-ribonucleotide (AICAR), an AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) activator, and sought to determine the underlying mechanisms of action. AICAR upregulated atrophy-related ubiquitin ligase muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF-1) and stimulated the levels of the forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) transcription factor in the C2C12 myotubes. SF supplementation effectively and concentration- dependently counteracted AICAR-induced muscle cell atrophy and reversed the increased expression of MuRF-1 and FoxO3a. Our study demonstrates that SF can reverse the muscle cell atrophy caused by AICAR through regulation of the AMPK and FoxO3a signaling pathways, followed by inhibition of MuRF-1.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.740-747
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• 2015

This study was carried out to evaluate changes in the meat quality and antioxidation activity in the loin and ham of Korean Native Black Pigs (KNBP) during frozen storage at −18℃ for 150 days. The pH value of the loin was decreased as storage days progressed, while the pH value of the ham showed no consistent changes with storage days. The lightness (L*) of the loin did not show any significant reduction until day 120, whereas L* of the ham was significantly declined throughout the storage period (p<0.05). The redness (a*) values of the loin and ham were significantly decreased as storage progressed. The water holding capacity of the loin was decreased by day 30 and that value was maintained until the end of storage. The initial total numbers of microorganisms in the loin and ham were 4.88 and 5.16 Log CFU/g, respectively and these numbers were significantly decreased by day 30 (p<0.05). The levels of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (a measurement of lipid oxidation) in the loin and ham ranged from 0.057-0.069 and 0.052-0.087 mg MDA/kg meat, respectively, until storage day 150. Volatile basic nitrogen values of the loin and ham ranged from 15.13-16.55 and 16.05-16.23 mg%. Oxygen radical absorbance capacities and carnosine contents of the loin and ham were significantly decreased during frozen storage for 3 months (p<0.05). In summary, the meat quality of the loin and ham from KNBP was somewhat decreased during frozen storage. However, the levels of antioxidants and dipeptides with antioxidant activity were significantly decreased in pork loin and ham during frozen storage.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.549-553
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• 2011

This study was performed to determine whether or not urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) levels can be accurately detected by our 1-OHP-detecting $TiO_2$-Bead-HPLC assay that we developed based on the molecular imprinting method. Our method showed a variation coefficient of 4.97% and a between-day variation coefficient of 4.43%, suggesting that this may be a very stable method. In addition, the recovery rate of 1-OHP from a mixture of 1-OHP and similar substances using our $TiO_2$-Bead-HPLC method was estimated to be 105.6%. The correlation coefficient between the conventional enzyme-HPLC method and this new method was 0.74 (p<0.01) when the urine samples were tested. Based on this result, it is conceivable that our method could be a useful technique for measuring urinary 1-OHP levels. Moreover, our method has some advantages of being easier and less expensive than the conventional method. The results of this study suggest that our method can facilitate the development of a urine 1-OHP sensor using $TiO_2$-coating beads and that development of beads by molecular imprinting can be applied to analysis of chemicals other than 1-OHP.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.616-621
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• 2013

Aconitum pesudo-laeve var erectum has been known to possess anti-inflammatory activity and modulate the intestinal immune system. In addition, it has traditionally been used for the treatment of water retention in the body. In this study, the anti-aging and anti-diabetes effects of water and ethanol extracts from Aconitum pesudo-laeve var. erectum were investigated. The activities of each extract were measured by antioxidant tests such as DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, antioxidant protection factor (PF), TBARs content, and ${\alpha}$-amylase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activity assay. DPPH radical scavenging activity was found in over 50% of water and ethanol extracts at $100{\mu}g/ml$, $50{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of ethanol extract was $99.8{\pm}0.1$% at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ in water, which was highest among the ethanol extract concentrations. PFs measured with ${\beta}$-carotene-linoleate model systems were in the order of ethanol (1.49 PF at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$) > ethanol (1.40 PF at $500{\mu}g/ml$) > water (1.33 PF at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$) > water (1.27 PF at $500{\mu}g/ml$). TBARs content in ethanol extracts ($1,000{\mu}g/ml$) was $0.16{\pm}0.03{\mu}M$, which was lower than that of water extracts and other ethanol extract concentrations. The extracts also showed over 90% of ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibition and over 60% of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition ratio in water ($1,000{\mu}g/ml$) and ethanol extracts (100~$1,000{\mu}g/ml$). These results suggest that Aconitum pesudo-laeve var. erectum extracts could be used as a cosmetic source and preventive agent for aging and diabetes.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2012

This study was carried out to examine foodborne pathogenic contamination from 1,080 samples of cooked hams and sausages at 10 Korean processing facilities in 2010. The samples were collected from the six primary and additional sterilization products in same lot. To detect Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium perfringens in those products (n=1,080), the domestic standard method for Processing and Ingredients Specification of Livestock Products was used. As a result, Salmonella spp. was not detected in all 636 ham and 444 sausage samples. However, L. monocytogenes was detected in four (0.6%) ham and eight (1.8%) sausage samples from five manufactures. S. aureus was also only detected in 4 (0.6%) ham samples from two manufacturers, and C. perfringens was detected in 3 (0.5%) ham samples from three manufacturers, the contamination levels of these pathogens were less than 100 CFU/g. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that the additional sterilization step of processing manufacturers could not assist to control the foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.457-467
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between ocular and allergy symptoms in children by environmental pollutants emitted from new constructed building. Methods: Two different types of survey (6-Item Dry Eye Questionnaire and Ocular Surface Disease Index) were used to study dry eye syndromes and ocular subjective symptoms for a six-grade of elementary school students (54 males and 61 females) in newly built buildings in the past three month, located near capital city, Seoul. Atopy and medical history of allergic rhinitis were investigated with using questionnaire for allergy, and also nose itchiness and ocular symptoms were checked as visual analog scale(10-score) with using questionnaire of allergy rhinitis and conjunctivitis under the guideline of ARIA(Allergic Rhinitis Impacts on Asthma). Results: Fifty seven students (50%) from DEQ and 19 students (16.52%) from OSDI were diagnosed as dry eye, and 18 students (15.79%) were diagnosed as dry eye from both questionnaires. It was surveyed that 45 students (39.5%) and 29 students (25.4%) had atopy and allergy rhinitis, respectively. Among 45 students having atopy, 30 students and 8 students were diagnosed as dry eye with using DEQ and OSDI, respectively. And also, 22 students were diagnosed as dry eye by DEQ and 5 students were diagnosed as dry eye by OSDI from 29 students having allergy rhinitis. Among 29 students having both medical history atopy and allergy rhinitis, 15 students detected observable ocular symptom. The complicating allergy symptoms with ocular syndrome were arranged with sneeze, nose itchiness, nose stuffiness, and runny nose in order of frequency. As students recognized eye symptoms, the number of allergy found and student's number were increased proportionally. Conclusions: It was found that children's subjective ocular symptoms were confirmed in the environment as newly built building. The number of student for dry eye was proportionally increased to students having atopy and allergy symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.401-416
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• 2011

The recent trend for pesticide residue analysis in food involves fast cleanup and use of mass spectrometry to achieve quantitative and qualitative analysis at the same time. Recently, the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) multi-reside method has received much attention as a fast extraction and cleanup method of pesticide residue analysis. Therefore, multi-residue analysis of 236 pesticides was tested with the QuEChERS method by concurrent use of PTV-GC/TOFMS (gas chromatography/ time-of-flight mass spectrometry with programmable temperature vaporizer). PTV condition was optimized and when the method was applied to apples, pesticide recovery rates (spiked at 400 ng/g) ranged from 80% to 120%, and RSD values were under 10% for most compounds. The results showed that the QuEChERS sample preparation and PTV-GC/TOFMS analysis can be applied to multi-residue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.634-640
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• 2017

Toxicity and fate assessment is necessary in the evaluation of the environmental, health and safety risks of engineered nanomaaterials (ENMs). Therefore, in order to ensure the reproducibility, reliability and relevance of ENMs toxicity results, stable and monomodal dispersion protocols in toxicity test media are needed. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) are widely used in various products such as cosmetic products, paper, paints etc. In this study, nZnO dispersions in ecotoxicity test media were produced by following a series of steps of modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special publication 1200-5. In addition, natural organic matter (humic acid (HA)) was used as a stabilizing agent to disperse nZnO in the test media. The hydrodynamic diameters (HDD) of the nZnO in dispersion ranged between 150 and 200 nm according to the dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement. Based on these dispersions in ecotoxicity test using ecological species (Oryzias latipes, Daphnia magna, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chironomusus riparius), dispersion protocol was found to have a considerable potential in ecotoxicity test of ENMs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.100-110
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• 2005

We carried oui a study on the marine environment and distribution of phytoplankton community, such as chlorophyll a, species composition, dominant species and standing crops in the Northern East China Sea during early summer of 2004. According to the analysis of a T-S diagram, three characteristics of water masses were identified. We classified them into the coastal water mass, the cold water mass and the oceanic water mass. The first was characterized by the low temperature and the low salinity originated from China territory, the secondary was characterized by the low temperature, the low salinity and the high density originated from bottom cold water of Yellow Sea, and the third was done by the high temperature and salinity originated from Tsushima warm current. The internal discontinuous layer among them was farmed at the intermediate depth (about $5{\sim}30m$ layer). And the thermal front by upwelling region between the cold water mass and Tsushima warm current appeared in the central parts of the South Sea of Korea. The Phytoplankton community in the surface and stratified layers was a total of 44 species belonging to 26 genera. Dominant species were Prorocentrum triestinum, Scrippsiella trochoidea, Skeletonema costatum & Leptocylindrus mediterraneus. Standing crops of phytoplankton in the surface layer fluctuated between $0.3{\times}10^3$ cells/L and $10.8{\times}10^3$ cells/L. Diatoms appeared mainly in the Tsushima warm current regions, and flagellates occurred in the frontal zone and the low salinity regions where was the transfer areas of Chinese continental coastal waters. Chlorophyll a concentration by controlled phytoflagellate ratio in the South Sea of Korea was high values in the frontal zone and sub-surface layer. It was high concentration in the upwelling and coastal waters regions, but low concentration in the Tsushima warm current regions. The Chl-a maximum layers appeared in the thermochline depth or sub-surface layer lower than thermocline. The phytoplankton production in the South Sea of Korea was controlled by the expanded coastal waters of Chinese Continent which include a high concentrations of nutrients.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.35-61
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• 2003

Background： The purpose of this study was to develop a structured and individualized smoking prevention program for adolescents by utilizing a multimedia computer-assisted instruction model and to empirically assess its effect. Method： For the purpose of this study, a guide book of smoking prevention program for middle and high school students was developed as the first step. The contents of this book were summarized and developed into an actual multimedia CAI smoking prevention program according to the Gane ＆ Briggs instructional design and Keller's ARCS motivation design models as the second step. At the final step, the short-tenn effects of this program were examined by an experiment. This experiment were made for middle school and high school students and the quasi experimental design was the pretest - intervention - posttest. The measured data was attitude, belief, and knowledge about smoking, interest in the program, and learning motivation. Result： The results of this study were as follows： First, the guide book of a smoking prevention program was developed and the existing literature on adolescent smoking was analyzed to develop the content of the guide book. Then the curriculum was divided into three main domains on tobacco and smoking history, smoking and health, adolescent smoking and each main domain was divided into sub-domains. Second, the contents of the guide book were translated into a multimedia CAI program of smoking prevention througn Powerpoint software according to the instructional design theory. The characteristics of this program were interactive, learner controllable, and structured The program contents consisted of entrance(5.6％), history of tobacco(30％), smoking and health(38.9％), adolescent smoking(22.2％), video(4.7％), and exit(1.6％). Multimedia materials consisted of text(121), sound and music, image(still 84, dynamic 32), and videogram(6). The program took about 40 minutes to complete. Third, the results on analysis of the program effects were as follows： 1) There was significant knowledge increase between the pre-test and post-test with total mean difference 3.44, and the highest increase was in the 1st grade students of high school(p＜0.001). 2) There was significant decrease in general belief on smoking between the pre-test and post-test with total mean difference 0.28. In subgroup analysis, the difference was significantly higher in the 1st grade of high school (p<0.001), low income class (p<0.001), and daily smokers (p<0.01). 3) There was no significant difference in attitudes on his personal smoking between the pre-test and post-test. 4) The interest in the program seemed to lower as students got older. The score of motivation toward this prevention program was the highest in the middle school 3rd grade. Among sub-domains of motivation, the confidence score was the highest. Conclusion： To be most effective, the smoking prevention program for adolescents should utilize the most up-to-date and accurate information on smoking, and then instructional material should be developed so that the learners can approach the program with enjoyment. Through this study, a guide book with the most up-to-date information was developed and the multimedia CAI smoking prevention program was also developed based on the guide book. The program showed positive effect on the students' knowledge and belief in smoking.