• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2015

BACKGROUD/OBEJECTIVES: The mechanism of how black garlic effects lipid metabolism remains unsolved. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of black garlic on lipid profiles and the expression of related genes in rats fed a high fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-two male Sqrague-Dawley rats aged 4 weeks were randomly divided into four groups (n=8) and fed the following diets for 5 weeks: normal food diet, (NF); a high-fat diet (HF); and a high-fat diet + 0.5% or 1.5% black garlic extract (HFBG0.5 or HFBG1.5). Body weights and blood biochemical parameters, including lipid profiles, and expressions of genes related to lipid metabolism were determined. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the final weights between the HFBG1.5 and HF groups. All blood biochemical parameters measured in the HFBG1.5 group showed significantly lower values than those in the HF group. Significant improvements of the plasama lipid profiles as well as fecal excretions of total lipids and triglyceride (TG) were also observed in the HFBG1.5 group, when compared to the HF diet group. There were significant differences in the levels of mRNA of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in the HFBG1.5 group compared to the HF group. In addition, the hepatic expression of (HMG-CoA) reductase and Acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) mRNA was also significantly lower than the HF group. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of black garlic extract lowers SREBP-1C mRNA expression, which causes downregulation of lipid and cholestrol metahbolism. As a result, the blood levels of total lipids, TG, and cholesterol were decreased.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.340-353
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• 2009

It is very important to screen the elderly for nutritional risk, because nutritional status is a critical factor to maintain their health. Some nutrition checklists used in Korea for the elderly are from other countries. Reliability of those checklist in Korea is not studied enough. This survey was done for the elderly over 65-years-old who live in Hong-cheon, An-dong, Dam-yang and Yeon-gi in Korea (subject; summer: 146, winter: 145) to study the reliability of DETERMINE checklist which is adopted widely in Korea. Using the score of DETERMINE checklist, the elderly were divided as high, middle and low risk groups. For nutritional assessment for those elderly, dietary assessment using 24 recall, anthropometry, biochemical assessment and health condition were used. Results for the checklist showed that percentage below EAR for energy intake and protein intake in winter were higher in the high risk group than other groups. The intakes of phosphorus and iron and most vitamins were below the DRI. The percentage of subjects with intake below DRI was highest in the high risk group. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values using the DETERMINE were calculated using 6 point as a cut-off point. Subjects were divided into two groups by MAR (MAR < 0.75:undernutrition, MAR < 0.75 : normal). Sensitivity recorded 49.4% and 34.3%, specificity did 61.9% and 65.4 and Positive predictive value did 62.1% and 46.0% each for summer and winter. Results of screening using DETERMINE Checklist were not matched with dietary assessment but not with anthropometric and biochemical measurement. In conclusion DETERMINE 'Checklist' is shown be a good screening tool for finding out risk groups for dietary intake in the elderly, It needs to verify reliability and validity through large-scale survey.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.648-658
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• 2016

Preservation of fresh algae plays an important role in algae seed subculture and aquaculture. The determination and examination of the changes of cell viability, composition, and bacterial species during storage would help to take suitable preservation methods to prolong the preservation time of fresh algae. Nostoc flagelliforme is a kind of edible cyanobacterium with important herbal and dietary values. This article investigated the changes of bacterial species and biochemical characteristics of fresh N. flagelliforme concentrate during natural storage. It was found that the viability of cells decreased along with the storage time. Fourteen bacteria strains in the algae concentrate were identified by PCR-DGGE and were grouped into four phyla, including Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Among them, Enterococcus viikkiensis may be a concern in the preservation. Eleven volatile organic compounds were identified from N. flagelliforme cells, in which geosmin could be treated as an indicator of the freshness of N. flagelliforme. The occurrence of indole compound may be an indicator of the degradation of cells.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.6 no.10
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

The new system evaluating the pollution of the water quality for the branches of geum river using the fuzzy integral was proposed in this study. In this paper, the five individual factors, such as BOD(biochemical oxygen demand), COD(chemical oxygen demand), SS(suspended solids), T-N(total nitrogen), and T-P(total phosphorus) are selected. The measurement of fuzzy integral was determined depending on the degree of how they affect the pollution of water quality. The real values for the five factors measured and obtained from the branches of the geum river was normalized to ranging from 0 to 1. Finally, using the fuzzy integral, the degree of the pollution for the branches of geum river was expressed as the real numerical number. As a result, it appears that this approach can be proposed as the new system evaluating the pollution of the water quality for the branches of the geum river.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2019

Digitaria exilis L. is an under-utilized crop with high nutritional and medicinal values. It thrives in and is well-adapted to arid areas with low soil nutrients. Using biochemical markers, this study investigates the mechanisms by which D. exilis responds to osmotic stress. Three accessions Dinat Iburua (DIN), Jakah Iburua (JAK) and Jiw Iburua (JIW) were collected from National Cereal Research Institute, Niger State. Two accessions, NG/11/JD/061 and NG/11/JD/062 were also collected from National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Ibadan. Murashige and Skoog medium of approximately 1.2 L was supplemented with polyethylene glycol 6000 to create osmotic pressures of -9.29, -13.93, -20.13, -26.32, -32.51, and 0 MPa (control). Sterilized seeds were inoculated in the medium and placed in the growth room for 4 weeks. Proline accumulation was significantly high in all JAK plants under osmotic stress. Proline and ascorbate peroxidase (p<0.05) activities were directly correlated, thus reinforcing the survivability of JAK during stress. Catalase (CAT) activity was also significantly induced in JAK under osmotic stress, which synergistically improved its tolerability. As a result, >50% of OH-, H₂O₂, and NO radicals were scavenged. However, other accessions including DIN, NG061, NG062, and JIW showed variations in their responses to different levels of osmotic stress, although not significant. Therefore, JAK possesses a well-equipped free radical quenching system that is protected by the accumulation of the osmolyte proline; therefore, accession JAK is considered osmotolerant. CAT and superoxide dismutase activities were osmostabilized against oxidative stress by proline.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.160-170
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• 1999

Purification and biochemical experiments on the carboxylesterases-III (CE-III) from the indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) were carried out to understand their enzymemological characteristics. The CE-III from the fifth instar larvae was purified by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel permeation choromatography and ion exchange choromatography. The optimal temperature for the reaction of the CE-III on the 4 substrates ($\alpha$-Na, $\alpha$-Nb, $\beta$-Na and $\beta$-Nb) was confirmed at 4$0^{\circ}C$. The optimal pH for the reactions on the substrates $\alpha$-Na and $\alpha$-Nb was 7.5. But the optimal pH on the substrate $\beta$-Na and $\beta$-Nb was 8.0. The optimal substrate concentration for the reactions of the CE-III was 3.16 X 10$^{-3}$ M in $\alpha$-Na and $\beta$-Nb. On the substrate $\beta$-Na and $\alpha$-Nb, the optimal substrate concentration was 1.0 X 10$^{-3}$ M for CE-III. The $V_{max}$ and $K_{m}$ values of the carboxylesterases were varied by the substrates as followings: the $V_{max}$ of CE-III was 45.9 for $\alpha$-Na, 52.6 for $\beta$-Na, 36.4 for $\alpha$-Nb, and 83.3 ($\mu$ mol/min/mg protein) for $\beta$-Nb. The $K_{m}$ of CE-III was 1.43 X 10$^{-4}$ M for $\alpha$-Na, 3.57 x 10$^{-5}$ M for $\beta$-Na, 9.17 X 10$^{-5}$ M for $\alpha$-Nb, and 7.14 X 10$^{-5}$ M for $\beta$ -Nb, respectively. The CE-III seemed to have somewhat high thermostability considering that the temperature for effective denaturation on activity was about 5$0^{\circ}C$ ～ 6$0^{\circ}C$.EX>.EX>.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.864-873
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• 2013

In developing countries, biogas energy production is seen as a technology that can provide clean energy in poor regions and reduce pollution caused by animal manure. Laboratories in these countries have little access to advanced gas measuring equipment, which may limit research aimed at improving local adapted biogas production. They may also be unable to produce valid estimates of an international standard that can be used for articles published in international peer-reviewed science journals. This study tested and validated methods for measuring total biogas and methane ($CH_4$) production using batch fermentation and for characterizing the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) ($CH_4$ NL $kg^{-1}$ VS) of pig manure, cow manure and cellulose determined with the Moller and VDI methods was not significantly different in this test (p>0.05). The biodegradability using a ratio of BMP and theoretical BMP (TBMP) was slightly higher using the Hansen method, but differences were not significant. Degradation rate assessed by methane formation rate showed wide variation within the batch method tested. The first-order kinetics constant k for the cumulative methane production curve was highest when two animal manures were fermented using the VDI 4630 method, indicating that this method was able to reach steady conditions in a shorter time, reducing fermentation duration. In precision tests, the repeatability of the relative standard deviation (RSDr) for all batch methods was very low (4.8 to 8.1%), while the reproducibility of the relative standard deviation (RSDR) varied widely, from 7.3 to 19.8%. In determination of biomethane concentration, the values obtained using the liquid replacement method (LRM) were comparable to those obtained using gas chromatography (GC). This indicates that the LRM method could be used to determine biomethane concentration in biogas in laboratories with limited access to GC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3191-3196
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• 2013

Leaf extracts of Cassia alata L (akapulko), traditionally used for treatment of a variety of diseases, were evaluated for their potential antitumor properties in vitro. MTT assays were used to examine the cytotoxic effects of crude extracts on five human cancer cell lines, namely MCF-7, derived from a breast carcinoma, SK-BR-3, another breast carcinoma, T24 a bladder carcinoma, Col 2, a colorectal carcinoma, and A549, a nonsmall cell lung adenocarcinoma. Hexane extracts showed remarkable cytotoxicity against MCF-7, T24, and Col 2 in a dose-dependent manner. This observation was confirmed by morphological investigation using light microscopy. Further bioassay-directed fractionation of the cytotoxic extract led to the isolation of a TLC-pure isolate labeled as f6l. Isolate f6l was further evaluated using MTT assay and morphological and biochemical investigations, which likewise showed selectivity to MCF-7, T24, and Col 2 cells with $IC_{50}$ values of 16, 17, and 17 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Isolate f6l, however, showed no cytotoxicity towards the non-cancer Chinese hamster ovarian cell line (CHO-AA8). Cytochemical investigation using DAPI staining and biochemical investigation using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-a method used to detect DNA fragmentation-together with caspase assay, demonstrated apoptotic cell death. Spectral characterization of isolate f6l revealed that it contained polyunsaturated fatty acid esters. Considering the cytotoxicity profile and its mode of action, f6l might represent a new promising compound with potential for development as an anticancer drug with low or no toxicity to non-cancer cells used in this study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.437-447
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• 2012

Natural and beneficial associations between plants and bacteria have demonstrated potential commercial application for several agricultural crops. The sunflower has acquired increasing importance in Brazilian agribusiness owing to its agronomic characteristics such as the tolerance to edaphoclimatic variations, resistance to pests and diseases, and adaptation to the implements commonly used for maize and soybean, as well as the versatility of the products and by-products obtained from its cultivation. A study of the cultivable bacteria associated with two sunflower cultivars, using classical microbiological methods, successfully obtained isolates from different plant tissues (roots, stems, florets, and rhizosphere). Out of 57 plant-growth-promoting isolates obtained, 45 were identified at the genus level and phylogenetically positioned based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing: 42 Bacillus (B. subtilis, B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, B. pumilus, B. megaterium, and Bacillus sp.) and 3 Methylobacterium komagatae. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis showed a broad diversity among the Bacillus isolates, which clustered into 2 groups with 75% similarity and 13 subgroups with 85% similarity, suggesting that the genetic distance correlated with the source of isolation. The isolates were also analyzed for certain growth-promoting activities. Auxin synthesis was widely distributed among the isolates, with values ranging from 93.34 to 1653.37 ${\mu}M$ auxin per ${\mu}g$ of protein. The phosphate solubilization index ranged from 1.25 to 3.89, and siderophore index varied from 1.15 to 5.25. From a total of 57 isolates, 3 showed an ability to biologically fix atmospheric nitrogen, and 7 showed antagonism against the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The results of biochemical characterization allowed identification of potential candidates for the development of biofertilizers targeted to the sunflower crop.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.493-504
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to find out the antimicrobial activities of Ramaria botrytis (Fr.) extracts against oral pathogens. Methods: The antimicrobial activities of Ramaria botrytis (Fr.) extracts were evaluated against oral pathogens by the disc diffusion assay, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ethyl acetate extracts were determined by broth dilution method. The strains used in this study were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus ratti, Streptococcus criceti, Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces viscosus and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Results: The ethyl acetate extract of Ramaria botrytis (Fr.) effectively inhibited the growth of oral bacteria compared with acetone or ethanol extract. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited MIC values ranging from 3.75 to 15.00 mg/ml, and it showed antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and negative oral bacteria. Conclusions: The ethyl acetate extracts from Ramaria botrytis (Fr.) showed the antimicrobial activities against ten oral bacteria. Thus, the extract of Ramaria botrytis (Fr.) may be considered as an effective natural antimicrobial agent for the prevention of oral pathogens.