• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.646-652
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• 2018

Neurodegeneration can result in memory loss in the central nervous system (CNS) and impairment of taste and smell in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by functional loss of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies have also found a role for dopaminergic neurons in regulating taste memory rewards in insects. To investigate how taste memories and sugar sensitivity can be affected in PD, we utilized the $DJ-1{\beta}$ mutant fruit fly, $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$, as a PD model. We performed binary choice feeding assays, electrophysiology and taste-mediated memory tests to explore the function of the $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in terms of sugar sensitivity as well as associative taste memory. We found that PD flies exhibited an impaired ability to discriminate sucrose across a range of sugar concentrations, with normal responses at only very high concentrations of sugar. They also showed an impairment in associative taste memory. We highlight that the taste impairment and memory defect in $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ can be recovered by the expression of wild-type $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in the dopaminergic neurons. We also emphasized the role of dopaminergic neurons in restoring taste memory function. This impaired memory property of $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies also allows them to be used as a model system for finding supplementary dietary foods that can improve memory function. Here we provide evidence that the associative taste memory of both control and $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies can be enhanced with dietary supplementation of the medicinal plant, omija.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.111-118
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• 2020

This study developed a rainwater harvesting system for the irrigation of upland on sloping area. The assessment of water supply capacity was evaluated in farm field experience. This system consists of a water catchment device and a collapsible storage tank. The water catchment device was designed to collect runoff water in natural channel of 500 mm width into a pipe of 50 mm inner diameter. The device has funnel-shaped plan and cross-section of square. The storage capacity of the collapsible water tank was caculated to meet the water demand for irrigation in 30 a cultivated land for 10-year frequancy drought. The tank has a cuboid shape with a capacity of 30 ㎥, 5 m in width and length, 1.2 m in height. This system can supply 92% of the water required for drop irrigation of red pepper and 88% of the water required for drop irrigation of onions in 30 a cultivation land during the month of May and June. In the case of 16-dry days of 10-years frequency, this system is capable to irrigate 100% of required water for red pepper and onion, 76.7% of required water for Omija (Schisandra chinensis), and 51.5% of required water for autumn kimchi cabbage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.1139-1147
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• 2014

We investigated whether or not Schisandra chinensis (SC), a traditional herbal medicine, has protective effects against alcohol-induced fatty liver and blood alcohol clearance. Two tests focused on acute intoxication and chronic ethanol treatment were carried out. For the chronic ethanol treatment test, rats were fed ethanol by intragastric administration everyday for 8 weeks to induce alcoholic fatty liver. Ethanol treatment significantly increased blood alcohol concentration at 90 min after acute ethanol intoxication. Compared with the two ethanol-treated groups, rats administered ethanol along with SC extracts showed an approximately 13% increased blood alcohol clearance rate at 360 min. Chronic ethanol treatment significantly increased serum and hepatic triglyceride (TG) levels, and caused fatty degeneration of liver. Ethanol treatment also elevated the serum total-cholesterol (TC) level. However, after feeding of ethanol plus SC extracts, ethanol-induced elevation of hepatic TG levels reversed, whereas elevation of serum TG and TC levels was not observed after treatment with SC extracts. Ethanol treatment significantly increased ${\gamma}$-GT, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities after 8 weeks. Compared with the ethanol-fed group, rats administered ethanol plus SC extracts for 4 weeks showed attenuated fatty degeneration as well as decreased hepatic function test values. SC administration also significantly increased intracellular lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and reduced steatosis score and hepatic TG levels, as measured by biochemical and histolopathological analyses. Our results indicate that the protective effects of SC are accompanied by a significant decrease in hepatic TG levels, thereby suggesting SC has the ability to prevent ethanol-induced fatty liver, by reducing hepatic TG and enzyme levels in alcoholic rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.219-227
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• 2009

The antifatigue and endurance promoting properties of two Korean medicinal herb extracts and molasses with various mineral components were studied by evaluating forced-swimming capacity and biochemical parameters in ICR mice. The treatment groups were orally administered mineral beverages which were contained 6% sugar with the mixture of Maesil (Prunus mume fruit) extracts, Omija (Schisandra chinensis fruit) extracts and molasses for 4 weeks. The exercised forced-swimming tests were conducted after 28 days of beverage supplementation. The swimming times to exhaustion were longer 1.5${\sim}$2 times in group 6 and group 10 than control goup (Control: 93.2${\pm}$10.4 sec; Beverage 6; 190.8${\pm}$25.6 sec, Beverage 10; 173.6${\pm}$21.8 sec; p<0.05). Moreover, the activity of hexokinase (Control: 5.23${\pm}$0.38 ${\mu}mol$l/g tissue; Beverage 6: 5.99${\pm}$0.18 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, Beverage 10: 6.13${\pm}$0.25 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, p<0.05) and citrate synthase (control: 42.9${\pm}$1.87 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue; Beverage 6: 56.8${\pm}$3.98 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, Beverage 10; 59.5${\pm}$3.09 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, p<0.05) were also significantly higher than those of control group. Even if the treatment groups had long swimming than control group, there is no significant difference in the glycogen contents of gastrocnemus muscle or liver between the control group and each treatment group. This demonstrated an improvement in endurance. These results suggest that reported herbal beverage is very effective to combat fatigue, improve endurance and increase overall physical activity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2010

This study was aimed to investigate the contents of flavonoids and the biological activity of fermented beverage of medical plants, DeulBit (DB). 50 g of Cassia semen (Cassia tora L.), 50 g of Omija (Schisandra chinensis Baillon.), 50 g of Gugija (Lycium chinense Mill), 50g of Menthae herba, 75 g of Chrysanthemum indicum Linne, 25 g of Dioscorea batatas, 5 g of Lindera obtusiloba Blume, 150 g of Polygonatum odoratum, 25 g of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 25 g of Acanthopanacis cortex, 100 g of green tea (Camellia sinensis), and 100 g of Laminaria japonica was fermented with sucrose ($50.0{\sim}60.0^{\circ}Brix$.) and 0.5% of deep sea water in 10 L of distilled water for six months at room temperature. Total flavonoids contents of DB was calculated to $3.4{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}g/g$ and antioxidative activity of DB was measured by using DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activity. DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activity of DB was 96% and 29% at 100% of DB, respectively. In addition, DB indicated about 88% and 66% of the xanthine oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities at 1% and 10% of DB, respectively and showed fibrinolytic activity. Nitric oxide (NO) synthesis was increased to 15 times by addition of DB. In addition, NO productions of the macrophages RAW264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were reduced to 40.4% by addition of DB. These results suggested that DB is significant role for antioxidative and fibrinolytic activity, and have the strong xanthine oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.531-540
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• 2012

In this study, the effect of yam juice on the quality characteristics of the salad dressing was evaluated. Salad dressings were prepared with the salad dressing base (plain yogurt:mayonnaise:fresh cream=8:1:1), mulberry, omija for acidity, and yam for viscosity in the ratios of 4:4:6:1 and 4:4:6:3. Fresh yam juice was added at the level of 0, 7, and 18% of the salad dressing. As the concentration of the yam juice increased, the salad dressing increased in pH and decreased in acidity. The Hunter color L (lightness), b (yellowness) and a (redness) values of the salad dressing decreased as the amount of yam juice increased. The viscosity increased with the amount of yam juice. The total phenol content also increased with the amount of added yam juice. The antioxidant activities such as DPPH and hydroxyl radical activity of the mulberry salad dressing increased as the amount of yam juice was increased. The sensory preference test results showed that the salad dressings with added yam juice had higher scores in the color, flavor, taste and texture in comparison to the control. In the overall preference, the 7% yam juice added salad dressing had the highest score among the treatments. From these results, it was suggested that the salad dressing with the added mulberry, omija for acidity, and yam juice for viscosity was a functional salad dressing with high antioxidant activity.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.825-832
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• 2012

In this study, the quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of mulberry salad dressing prepared with yam juice during storage at $5^{\circ}C$ for four weeks were evaluated. The salad dressing was prepared with a salad base, mulberry, omija, and yam (4:4:6:1 or 4:4:6:3). Fresh yam juice was added to the salad dressing at 0, 7, and 18% levels. After four weeks storage, the pH increased whereas the acidity decreased. As the yam concentration increased, the pH increased to 3.84 and the acidity decreased to 0.14%. The Hunter color L (lightness), b (yellowness), and a (redness) values decreased over the storage period. After four weeks storage, the viscosity increased from 83.2 to 158.5 cp according to the amount of yam juice that was added. The antioxidant activity, such as the DPPH radical scavenging activity, and the total polyphenol content of the salad dressing improved as the yam concentration increased. Moreover, according to the storage time, the peroxide value did not increase. These results show that the mulberry salad dressing to which omija and fresh yam juice were added maintained its freshness with high antioxidative activity during storage.