• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.688-697
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• 2010

We investigated the cholesterol-lowering and body-weight loss effects of Cheonggukjang fermented using Bacillus subtilis DJI in rats fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks. Weight-matched male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: a normal diet group (N), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet with DJI Cheonggukjang group (HFC-SCK), and a high-fat/high-cholesterol with commercial Cheonggukjang group (HFC-CCK). All of body weight and liver and adipose tissue weights increased in animals fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet, but decreased significantly in rats fed Cheonggukjang powder, compared with the HFC group. Food intake was lower in the HFC group than in the N group, and that of the HFC-CCK group was the lowest among the four groups. Serum total cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the Cheonggukjang-powder fed groups than the other groups. Serum phospholipid and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly decreased in HFC animals and were markedly increased upon feeding of a Cheonggukjang-containing-diet. Levels of serum LDL-cholesterol, the atherogenic index, and cardiac risk factor assessment indications tended to be decreased in Cheonggukjang powder-fed groups, compared with the HFC group. The total cholesterol level in liver tissue was increased by feeding of a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet, and was significantly reduced when Cheonggukjang powder was present in the diet. The levels of total lipids and triglycerides in adipose tissues were lower in the HFC-SCK group than in the HFC group, whereas no significant differences were evidence when the HFC and the HFC-CCK groups were compared. Fecal weight, moisture level, and total lipid content increased in animals fed Cheonggukjang powder. The activities of HR-LPL and TE-LPL in adipose tissues were increased in the HFC group compared with the Cheonggukjang powder-fed groups. These results indicate that dietary Cheonggukjang may improve lipid metabolism and prevent obesity and hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.227-241
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between caffeine intake and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults using the 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (KNHANES). Methods: The caffeine database (DB) developed by Food and Drug Safety Assessment Agency in 2014 was used to estimate the caffeine consumption. The food and beverage consumption of the 24 hr recall data of 2013 ~ 2016 KNHANES were matched to items in the caffeine DB and the daily caffeine intakes of the individuals were calculated. The sample was limited to non-pregnant healthy adults aged 19 years and older, who were not taking any medication for disease treatment. Results: The average daily caffeine intake was 41.97 mg, and the daily intake of caffeine of 97% of the participants was from coffee, teas, soft drinks, and other beverages. Multivariate analysis showed that the caffeine intake did not affect metabolic syndrome, hypertension, low HDL-cholesterol, and abdominal obesity. Diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, however, were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63 ~ 0.93), and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.77 ~ 0.98) in third quintile (Q3), and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.53 ~ 0.82) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73 ~ 0.94) in fourth quintile (Q4) compared to Q1, respectively. Therefore, caffeine intake of 3.66 ~ 45.81 mg per day is related to a lower risk of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion: The study showed that adequate caffeine intake (approximately 45 mg) was associated with a lower prevalence of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. Therefore, it can be used as a guideline for the adequate level of caffeine intake for maintaining health.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2015

Promoting the organic farming, much of the plant extracts used for controlling pests and fungi have been imported from China, India and Myanmar. But, it is so worrisome that aquatic animals such as muddy loach inhabiting in paddy field and common carps in river exposed to the pests and fungi likely be harmed. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the risks of aquatic animals influenced by the three plant extracts, i.e. Sophora flavescens, Azadirachta indica and Derris elliptica. The toxicities of common carp (Cyprinus Carpio), muddy loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and PEC (Predicted environmental concentration) exposed to the three plant extracts were estimated by the typical spray volume method. Risks were determined by the toxicity value as 48-hr $LC_{50}$ (Lethal concentration, median) or NOEC (No observed effect concentration) into PEC. 48-hr $LC_{50}$ of Common carp and NOEC by Sophora flavescens extracts was 7.9 and 6.2 mg/L, 26.8 and 21.8 mg/L by Azadirachta indica extracts and 47.0 and < 24.0 mg/L by Derris elliptica extracts, respectively. 48-hr $LC_{50}$ of Muddy loach and NOEC by Sophora flavescens extracts was 16.9 and 10.0 mg/L, 35.6 and 30.0 mg/L by Azadirachta indica extracts, and 73.9 and < 40 mg/L by Derris elliptica extracts, respectively. Therefore, acute toxicities of the three plant extracts for aquatic animals were proved to be very low level. PEC of Sophora flavescens extracts in paddy, drainage and river water was 68.0~3.0, 11.33~0.50 and 3.0~0.0018 mg/L, respectively. TER of Sophora flavescens extracts in the three water was 0.2~5.6, 1.5~33.8 and 2.6~4388.9, respectively. PEC of Azadirachta indica extracts in paddy, drainage and river water was 90.9~1.2, 15.2~0.2 and 4.8~0.00075 mg/L, respectively. TER of Azadirachta indica extracts in the three water was 0.4~29.7, 2.3~178.0 and 4.5~35733.3, respectively. PEC of Derris elliptica extracts in river water was 0.0063 mg/L. TER of Derris elliptica extracts in river water was 5222~15667.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.172-180
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• 2014

Fenpyrazamine which is a pyrazole fungicide class for controlling gray mold, sclerotinia rot, and Monilinia in grapevines, stone fruit trees, and vegetables has been registered in republic of Korea in 2013 and the maximum residue limits of fenpyrazamine is set to grape, peach, and mandarin as 5.0, 2.0, and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively. Very reliable and sensitive analytical method for determination of fenpyrazamine residues is required for ensuring the food safety in agricultural products. Fenpyrazamine residues in samples were extracted with acetonitrile, partitioned with dichloromethane, and then purified with silica-SPE cartridge and eluted with hexane and acetone mixture. The purified samples were determined by HPLC-UVD and confirmed with LC-MS and quantified using external standard method. Linear range of fenpyrazamine was between $0.1{\sim}5.0{\mu}g/mL$ with the correlation coefficient (r) 0.999. The average recovery ranged from 71.8 to 102.7% at the spiked level of 0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 mg/kg, while the relative standard deviation was between 0.1 and 7.3%. In addition, limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.01 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. The results revealed that the developed and validated analytical method is possible for fenpyrazamine determination in agricultural product samples and will be used as an official analytical method.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.131-137
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• 2000

The release of hazardous waste materials into the environment poses serious risks in humans and ecosystems. The risk assessment of environmental pollutants including hazardous chemicals requires a comprehensive measurement of hazard and exposure of the chemicals that can be achieved by toxicity evaluation using a biological system such as biomarkers. In this report we have tried to develop a biomarker used to elucidate a molecular basis of, and to monitor abnormal behaviors caused by diazinon in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as a model organism. First, an attempt was made to clone tyrosine hydroxylase gene from Japanese medaka that would be a candidate for a biomarker for neuronal modulations and behaviors. For monitoring experiments at behavioral and molecular biological levels, the fish were treated under different sublethal conditions of diazinon and their behavioral responses were observed . In this study we have successfully cloned a partial TH gene from the medaka fish through PCR screening of an ovary cDNA library. DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the amplified fragment was 327 bp encoding 109 amino acids. Comparing the DNA sequence of medaka TH with other species, TH gene revealed the DNA sequence was completely identical to that of rat TH. In the RT-PCR, 330 Up of mRNA was consistently amplified in all the treated samples including control There were no significant differences in the TH expression level regardless of treating concentrations (1∼5,000 ppb) and time (0∼48 hr) The reason appeared to be that RT-PCR was not performed using through a quantitative analysis normalized against an actin gene expression. Organ or tissue - specific detection of TH activity and mRNA as biomarkers will be a useful monitoring tool for neurobehavioral changes in fish influenced by toxic chemicals. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of locomotive patterns and its correlation with the neurochemical and molecular data would be highly useful in measuring toxicity and hazard ofvarious environmental pollutants.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate depression, anxiety, alexithymia, stress res ponses in caregivers of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Methods : The subjects were 38 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients caregivers(38 women, mean age $37.5{\pm}6.5$). Patients were diagnosed with DSM-IV ADHD criteria. Korean version of Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS) and Stress Response Inventory(SRI) were used for assessment. Results 1) The BDI scores of ADHD patients caregiver group were significantly higher than control group$(16.4{\pm}7.1\;vs.\;10.9{\pm}5.5)(p=0.011)$. 7 of the 38 caregivers(18.4%) and none of control group(0%) had BDI scores over 20 points(p=0.021). Calculated relative risk for ADHD in the presence of caregivers' depression was 1.516 overall(95% confidence interval, 1.234-1.862). 2) In ADHD patient's caregiver group, the scores of Stress Response Inventory were significantly higher than control group$(44.2{\pm}20.2\;vs.\;26.5{\pm}16.8)(p=0.006)$. 3) No significant differences were found in the score of STAI, SIAIS, SIAI-T, TAS between caregiver and control group. Conclusion : This study suggest that ADHD patients' caregivers are likely to have more depressive symptoms and higher stress response level than control group. We propose that physicians should consider integrated approaches for caregiver's psychopathology in the management of ADHD.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2016

A trial of combining and quantifying the effects of food processing on various pesticides was carried out using a meta-analysis. In this study, weighted mean response ratios and confidence intervals about the reduction of pesticide residue levels in fruits and vegetables treated with various food processing techniques were calculated using a statistical tool of meta-analysis. The weighted mean response ratios for tap water washing, peeling, blanching (boiling) and oven drying were 0.52, 0.14, 0.34 and 0.46, respectively. Among the food processing methods, peeling showed the greatest effect on the reduction of pesticide residues. Pearsons's correlation coefficient (r=0.624) between weighted mean response ratios and octanolwater partition coefficients ($logP_{ow}$) for twelve pesticides processed with tap water washing was confirmed as having a positive correlation in the range of significance level of 0.05 (p=0.03). This means that a pesticide having the higher value of $logP_{ow}$ was observed as showing a higher weighted mean response ratio. These results could be used effectively as a reference data for processing factor in risk assessment and as an information for consumers on how to reduce pesticide residues in agricultural products.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-120
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• 2012

This study was conducted to monitor 284 pesticides residue level in 2,914 commercial agricultural products in the northern area of Seoul in 2011 by the multi class pesticide multiresidue analysis methods in Korea Food Code using GC, HPLC, GC-MSD and, LC-MSD. The detection rate of pesticide residues were 14.8% (431/2,914). The order of agricultural products in which the pesticide residues were detected was perilla leaves 40.0% (28/70), chamnamul 35.5% (11/31), amaranth 30.0% (3/10) and spinach 27.7% (38/137) etc. The percentage of products that exceeded the MRLs (maximum residue limits) were 1.0% (31/431). Those products that exceeded MRLs were ginseng (6), perilla leaves (4), leek (4), welsh onion (3) and sedeum (3) etc. The 59 kinds of the pesticides were detected on this study, 21 pesticides of them were detected over MRLs. Detection rate of fungicides (56.4%) was higher than that of insecticides (42.1%). And procymidone was detected with considerable high frequency. Additionally, residual residual violates pesticides were in the order of tolclofos-methyl, endosulfan, dimethomorph, diniconazole and fludioxonil. According to the agricultural marketing channels, detection and excess rate of them were monitored. Detection and excess rate of samples circulated in agricultural traditional market were highest. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of the pesticides were compared to personal acceptable daily intakes (PADI) in order to risk assessment by food consumption. Diazinon in Korean cabbage showed the highest %ADI, 2.9901 and others showed below 3.0 %ADI. Overall, these results indicate that residue levels of pesticides detected were evaluated as safe.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2021

In this study we investigated the elution level of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), antimony (Sb), germanium (Ge), aluminum (Al) and hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) from 69 home-cooking utensils into a food stimulants. The results of migration testing according to the Korea standards and specifications for utensils, containers and packages showed values the allowable migrantion limits. Al was detected in all 7 utensil materials with the average concentration ranging from 0.002-5.989 mg/L. According to the migration conditions for (180℃, 30 min), the average concentration of Al in paper was 7.2 times higher than 25℃, 10 min (P<0.05). The results of migration testing at 180℃, 30 min were also below the allowable migrantion limits. When comparing with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of Al, the estimated weekly intakes (EWI) accounted for 0.000-0.045% for Al.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 2024

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze each country's infectious disease response capacities and, based on this, find areas for improvement in Korea's infectious disease management response. Methods: First, the capacity to respond to the COVID-19 infectious disease was analyzed by country using the SPAR scores of 96 countries around the world released by WHO in 2022. Second, we analyzed each country's specific COVID-19 quarantine performance using Our World in Data and the Global Health Security Index (GHSI). Results: First, the quarantine intensity index on January 24, 2021 was the highest in the Southeast Asia branch at 67.6, which had strong quarantine measures, and the lowest at 44.5 in the Africa branch. As of December 31, 2022, the quarantine intensity index in Europe was significantly lowered to 11.6. Second, the factor that influenced the SPAR indicator on the total number of patients per million population was national laboratory (C4), p=.027, and the factor that influenced the total number of deaths per million population was infection prevention and control (C9), p=.005., Risk Communication and Community Participation (C10) p=.040. The influential factor on GDP per capita was infection prevention and control (C9) p=.009, and the influential factor on GHSI was infection prevention and control (C9) p=.002. Conclusion: The research findings indicate that it was difficult to find a correlation between the SPAR, which is each country's self-assessment of their infectious disease capacities, and the number of COVID-19 cases or the intensity of pandemic responses. However, mortality rates, as well as factors such as the Global Health Security Index (GHSI) and national income, appear to be somewhat influenced. For future improvements in infectious disease management and response in our country, it is necessary to develop pandemic strategies that can reduce socio-economic costs based on more scientific and reliable data like JEE or GHSI, especially in preparation for potential unknown emerging infectious diseases. Based on this, proactive decision-making led by a control tower of experts and effective health communication are also required to respond to public health crises at a national level.