• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2022

Data from an investigation of vulnerable conifer species in the subalpine zone in Korea obtained by the Korea Forest Service in 2017-2018 and monitoring research conducted by the National Institute of Forest Science since 2014 were used to analyze the status of distribution and growing condition of three major conifer species (Abies nephrolepis, Abies koreana, and Picea jezoensis) in the subalpine zone in the Baekdudaegan protected area. The distribution area of the studied species in the Baekdudaegan protected area was ca. 74% (8,035 ha) of the total distribution area in Korea, indicating that Baekdudaegan is a core area for conservation and restoration of subalpine conifer species. From decline index [A. nephrolepis in Mt. Taebaeksan and Mt. Deogyusan increased by 77.3% and 29.6%, respectively; A. koreana in Mt. Jirisan (Chunwangbong Peak) increased by 45.2% in four years; and P. jezoensis in Mt. Jirisan (Chunwangbong Peak) increased by 47.8% in two years] and seedling frequency (lower frequency of newly recruited seedlings than dead seedlings) results, the studied species are expected to face difficulties in sustainability. In contrast, at Mt. Seseoksan and Chunwangbong Peak in Mt. Jirisan, the health of trees and seedling frequency showed a partial tendency to recover and increase. In addition, we identified the relationship between the decline index and seedling frequency. These results will support the implementation of conservation strategies for vulnerable conifer species in the subalpine zone.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.297-305
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• 2022

The goal of this study was to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of radish leaf extracts (MU-C) and radish leaf extracts with 3% citric acid (MU-CA) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6 mice. The effects of radish leaf extracts on adipogenesis were also investigated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. As determined by Oil red O staining, MU-C inhibited adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Four-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD for 6 weeks and then treated with radish leaf extracts (500 mg/kg, p.o.) for 6 weeks. Then, the serum levels of Aspartate aminotransferase, Alanine aminotransferase, Total cholesterol, Triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the mice were measured using an automatic chemical analyzer and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Administration of MU-C significantly reduced the fat weight when compared with HFD controls. As confirmed by histopathologic analysis, adipose tissue size markedly decreased in mice treated with MU-C. Therefore, this study could provide a basis for investigating the clinical use of MU-C as an agent for preventing obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.155-173
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was undertaken to update the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E), which reflects dietary quality and behavior among Korean older adults. Methods: The first 29 items of the measurable food behavior checklist were obtained from a previous NQ-E checklist, recent literature reviews, and national nutrition policies and recommendations. One-hundred subjects (50 men and 50 women) aged ≥ 65 years living in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, including Gyeonggi Province, completed a pilot survey from March to April 2021. Based on the results of the pilot study, we conducted factor analysis and frequency analysis to determine whether the items of the survey were properly organized and whether the distribution of answers for each evaluation item was properly distributed. As a result, we reduced the number of items on the food behavior checklist and used 23 items for the national survey. Nationwide, 1,000 subjects (472 men and 528 women) aged > 65 years, completed the checklist survey, which was applied using a face-to-face survey method from May to August 2021. The construct validity of the NQ-E 2021 was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, LISREL. Results: Seventeen food behavior checklist items were selected for the final NQ-E 2021. Checklist items addressed three factors: balance (8 items), moderation (2 items), and practice (7 items). Standardized path coefficients were used as the weights of items to determine nutrition quotients. NQ-E and three-factor scores were calculated according to the weights of questionnaire items. Conclusion: The updated NQ-E 2021 produced by structural equation modelling provides a suitable tool for assessing the dietary quality and behavior of Korean older adults.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2022

In this study, details of NRC beam-column connections were developed in which beam and columns pre-assembled in factories using steel angles were bolted on site. The developed joint details are NRC-J type and NRC-JD type. NRC-J type is a method of tensile joining with TS bolts to the side and lower surfaces of the side plate of the NRC column and the end plate of the NRC beam. NRC-JD type has a rigid joint with high-strength bolts between the NRC beam and the side of the NRC column for shear, and with lap splices of reinforcing bar penetrating the joint and the beam main reinforcement for bending. For the seismic performance evaluation of the joint, three specimens were tested: an NRC-J specimen and NRC-JD specimen with NRC beam-column joint details, and an RC-J specimen with RC beam-column joint detail. As a result of the repeated lateral load test, the final failure mode of all specimens was the bending fracture of the beam at the beam-column interface. Compared to the RC-J specimen, the maximum strength of the specimen by the positive force was 10.1% and 29.6% higher in the NRC-J specimen and the NRC-JD specimen, respectively. Both NRC joint details were evaluated to secure ductility of 0.03 rad or more, the minimum total inter-story displacement angle required for the composite intermediate moment frame according to the KDS standard (KDS 41 31 00). At the slope by relative storey displacemet of 5.7%, the NRC-J specimen and the NRC-JD specimen had about 34.8% and 61.1% greater cumulative energy dissipation capacity than the RC specimen. The experimental strength of the NRC beam-column connection was evaluated to be 30% to 53% greater than the theoretical strength according to the KDS standard formula, and the standard formula evaluated the joint performance as a safety side.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.532-541
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• 2022

Obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) is verified as a strong risk factor and negative prognostic factor for prostate cancer in several genetically engineered mice although it was not examined in the normal mice. To investigate whether HFD-induced obesity can affect the development and progression of cancer in the prostate of normal mice, alterations in the weight and histological structure of the prostate as well as the expression of cancer-related proteins were analyzed in obese C57BL/6N mice fed with 60% HFD for 16 weeks. First, HFD-induced obesity, including an increase in organ weight, body weight, fat accumulation, and serum lipid profile, was successfully induced in C57BL/6N mice after HFD treatment. The total weight of the prostate significantly increased HFD-induced obesity in the model mice compared with the control group. Among the four lobes of the prostate, the weight of the ventral prostate (VP) and anterior prostate (AP) were higher in HFD-induced obesity model mice than in the control group, although the weights of the lateral prostate (DLP) and seminal vesicle (SV) were constantly maintained. In addition, the incidences of hyperplasia and non-hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the histological structure were remarkably increased in HFD-induced obesity model mice, while the epithelial thickness was higher in the same group. A significant increase in the phosphorylation levels of key proteins in the AKT (protein kinase B) signaling pathway was detected in HFD-induced obesity model mice. Therefore, these results suggest that HFD-induced obesity can promote hyperplasia and NHL in the prostates of C57BL/6N mice through the activation of the AKT signaling pathway.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.118-123
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• 2022

To obtain information on the molecular mechanism underlying the low temperature tolerance of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam], the proteome expressed in the sweet potato cultivar Xushu 15-1 with high cold storage tolerance and in the cultivar Xushu 15-4 with low cold storage tolerance was analyzed using 2-D and MALDI-TOF/TOF analyses. Compared with the control (without cold treatment), four protein spots were newly expressed in Xushu 15-1. The expression level of one protein spot was higher in Xushu 15-4 than in Xushu 15-1. Spot 2, which was newly expressed in Xushu 15-1, was identified as sporamin. Assessment of the change in protein expression levels over 8 weeks in the storage roots of the two cultivars treated at 4℃ revealed no significant difference in the expression levels in Xushu 15-1 over time. However, in Xushu 15-4, the expression level of one protein spot increased, while those of four spots decreased. Of the proteins with reduced expression levels, spots 7 and 8 were identified as actin and spots 9 and 10 were identified as fructokinase-like proteins. The present results are expected to enhance the understanding of the complex mechanism underlying the low temperature tolerance of sweet potatoes during storage and can be used to identify candidate genes for the development of new varieties of sweet potatoes with improved low temperature tolerance during cold storage in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.633-640
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• 2022

Recently, kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) has been highlighted due to its rapid growth in dry, infertile land and its versatile applications in textiles, paper, feed, food, medicine, and phyto-remediation. In Korea, a new cultivar, 'Jangdae', which has the merit of feasible seed-gathering, was established in 2013. However, most of the kenaf seeds used are still imported, and a comparison study of useful bio-activities between Jangdae and imported seeds has not been conducted. In this study, anti-thrombosis, antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities of the ethanol extracts of the Jangdae seed (E-JS) and 8 imported cultivar seeds (E-ICS) were investigated. The E-JS has 14.4 mg/g of total polyphenol and 5.3 mg/g of total flavonoids, whereas the E-ICS has 5.9~8.7 mg/g and 0.7~1.5 mg/g, respectively. Among the 9 kenaf seed extracts, IT 181215 and IT 207877 seed extracts showed 1.92 and 1.88-folds extended thrombin time (TT), and IT 207886 seed extracts showed 3.04-folds extended activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). All extracts, except Hong-ma seed, showed 1.36~1.56-folds extended prothrombin time (PT). The E-JS showed strong anti-thrombosis activities with 1.46-folds (TT), 1.38-folds (PT) and 2.37-folds (aPTT) compared to those of solvent controls. The E-JS has the strongest antioxidant activities among the seed extracts, with 0.48 mg/ml of RC₅₀ for ABTS cation and 0.27 mg/ml of RC₅₀ for nitrite scavenging. Meanwhile, the E-JS and IT 181215 extracts showed strong inhibition against α-glucosidase with 10.3~10.6% inhibition at 0.5 mg/ml. Our results suggest the E-JS has potential as an anti-thrombosis, antioxidant and anti-diabetic agent.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.193-215
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• 2022

Recently, ground structures have reached saturation, and underground construction using underground structures such as tunnels has been in the spotlight as a way to solve increasing traffic difficulties and environmental problems. However, due to the increasing number of underground structures, close construction is inevitable for continuous underground development. When a new underground structure is constructed closely, stability may become weak due to the influence on the existing tunnel, which may cause collapse. Therefore, analyzing the stability of existing tunnels due to new structures is an essential consideration. In this study, the effect of excavating new tunnels under parallel tunnels on existing parallel tunnels was analyzed using numerical analysis. Using the Displacement Control Model (DCM), the volume loss generated during construction was simulated into three case (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%). Based on the center of the pillar, the distance where the new tunnel is located was set to 5 m, 6 m, 7 m, 8 m, 9 m, and the space for each distance were set to 5 (0D₁, 0.37D₁, 0.75D₁, 1.13D₁, 1.5D₁). In general, as the volume loss increased and the distance approached, the maximum displacement and angular displacement increased, and the strength/stress ratio to evaluate the stability of the pillar also decreased. As a result, when the distance between the new tunnel and the center of the pillar is 5 m, the space is 0D₁, and the volume loss is 1.5%, the stability of the existing parallel tunnel is the weakest.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.278-295
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was undertaken to revise and update the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for Korean adults, a tool used to evaluate dietary quality and behavior. Methods: The first 31 items of the measurable food behavior checklist were adopted based on considerations of the previous NQ checklist, recent literature reviews, national nutrition policies, and recommendations. A pilot survey was conducted on 100 adults aged 19 to 64 residing in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from March to April 2021 using a provisional 26- item checklist. Pilot survey data were analyzed using factor analysis and frequency analysis to determine whether checklist items were well organized and responses to questions were well distributed, respectively. As a result, the number of items on the food behavior checklist was reduced to 23 for the nationwide survey, which was administered to 1,000 adults (470 men and 530 women) aged 19 to 64 from May to August 2021. The construct validity of the developed NQ (NQ-2021) was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, linear structural relations. Results: Eighteen items in 3 categories, that is, balance (8 items), moderation (6 items), and practice (4 items), were finally included in NQ-2021 food behavior checklist. 'Balance' items addressed the intake frequencies of essential foods, 'moderation' items the frequencies of unhealthy food intakes or behaviors, and 'practice' items addressed eating behaviors. Items and categories were weighted using standardized path coefficients to calculate NQ-2021 scores. Conclusion: The updated NQ-2021 appears to be suitable for easily and quickly assessing the diet qualities and behaviors of Korean adults.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.207-216
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• 2021

This study was conducted to determine the nutritional quality of two newly-developed native chicken strains, compared to the commercial Korean native chicken. A total of 600 chickens (CON: Hanhyup No. 3, CL1: candidate line C, CL2: candidate line D) raised under the same conditions were slaughtered at either 5 or 12 weeks. Leg meat was then obtained and analyzed for its physicochemical properties. The results showed that regardless of the growing period, there was no variation in proximate composition (P>0.05), except for crude protein, between strains. Water holding capacity did not differ between strains at either slaughter age; however, it was significantly lower in the 12-week group than in the 5-week group (P≤0.05). For both skin and muscle color, a^* and b^* values were lower at 12 weeks than at 5 weeks (P≤0.05). DPPH radical-scavenging activity tended to be lower at 12 weeks than at 5 weeks (P≤0.05). Furthermore, all chickens slaughtered at 5 weeks were found to have greater contents of linoleic acid (18:2) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and lower atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices than those slaughtered at 12 weeks (P≤0.05). However, anserine, betaine, and glucose were more concentrated among the lines at 12 weeks than at 5 weeks (P≤0.05). In conclusion, the quality traits of native chickens were distinct by different production stages rather than chicken lines.