• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2022

In modern society, interest in antioxidants is increasing as the stress caused by oxidants increases. However, the demand for synthetic antioxidants is decreasing because some studies have confirmed that they are harmful when consumed in large quantities; thus, studies on antioxidants derived from natural substances are actively being conducted to replace synthetic antioxidants. Blueberry, known as one of the world's top ten long-lived foods, is a plant of the Vaccinium (Ericaceae) family, and various pharmacological activities of blueberry including antioxidant activity have been studied. Vaccinium oldhamii (VO) is a deciduous broad-leaved shrub in the same genus as blueberries, and in this paper, we summarize the studies on the efficacy analysis of VO extracts and purified products. The content of phenolic compounds in VO fruits was proportional to antioxidant and anti-influenza activity such as the inhibition of NO production, and the total content of polyphenols and anthocyanin was higher than that in blueberries. VO fruit extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity and anti-cancer activity against human acute leukemia; in contrast, VO branch extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity, activity to inhibit osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption due to inflammatory response, and anti-cancer activity against several human cancer cell lines. Compared to blueberries, VO showed higher phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity, and various physiological activities. In addition, VO is considered to have sufficient value as an alternative crop to blueberries, such as it can be grown natively in Korea, with simple mass cultivation and no need to pay royalties for commercialization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.319-323
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate proximate compositions, acidity, and soluble solids of various blueberries produced in Korea and to prepare jam with optimized overall palatability by a response surface methodology. Proximate compositions were 75~88% in moisture, 0.32~0.62% in crude protein, 0.12~0.39% in crude lipid, and 10.18~23.80% in carbohydrate. Acidity and soluble solids of blueberries showed 0.82~1.58% and $7~12^{\circ}Brix$, respectively. The effect of sucrose ($X_1$, 200~300 g), pectin ($X_2$, 0~10 g), and citric acid ($X_3$, 0~0.5 g) on overall palatability of blueberry jam were investigated at five levels using a central composite design. Overall palatability of blueberry jam showed maximum score in 200 g blueberry, 248 g sucrose, 4.8 g pectin, and 0.26 g citric acid.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1321-1328
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• 2019

Intermediate-wavelength solar radiation, also known as ultraviolet B (UVB: 290-320 nm) radiation, may cause premature aging and oxidative damage-dependent skin cancer in humans. UVB-induced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-often a consequence of excessive exposure to these rays-could activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as MMP-1 and MMP-3. These enzymes break down type I collagen in human fibroblasts. In this study, we assessed the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of ethyl acetate extract of blueberry (EEB). An antioxidant test in blueberries evaluated ROS production using CCD-986sk cells and DPPH assay. In order to evaluate the anti-wrinkle efficacy of blueberries, the MMP-1 production and type 1 procollagen synthesis evaluated and the expression of MMP 1, 3 were tested through Western blot and RT- PCR. EEB exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reduced the production of UVB-induced ROS. Also, EEB inhibited UVB-induced processes associated with photoaging and skin cancer, such as reduction in procollagen production and increase in MMP-1 production. More precisely, EEB (50 ㎍/ml) markedly suppressed mRNA and protein levels of MMP-1 and -3. The anti-aging effects are attributable to the antioxidant activity of EEB. These findings indicate that EEB has a protective effect against UVB-induced aging in human fibroblast cells by regulating the levels of type-1 procollagen, MMP-1, and MMP-3.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2022

Jeju lava seawater's abundant minerals are known to exert antioxidant effects that remove the free radicals responsible for aging. Therefore, lava seawater reportedly possesses high commercial value as a functional food material. This study compared and analyzed the antioxidant activities of extracts from crops produced in Jeju (carrots, blueberries, and mandarins) using distilled water and lava seawater as solvents. Lava seawater extracts exhibited higher total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of blueberries and mandarins than distilled water extracts. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzymatic and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activities of these crops were higher in lava seawater extracts than in distilled water extracts. In particular, using Vero cells, the ROS-scavenging efficacies of blueberries and mandarins were found to be higher in lava seawater extracts. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activities of carrots were higher in lava seawater extracts, despite no difference in total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. These results suggest that lava seawater exhibits favorable potential as a solvent in the functional food industry, and lava seawater-based Jeju crop extracts are potentially useful as functional food ingredients.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.701-706
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• 2014

Three highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum cvs. Bluecrop, Coville, and Northland) grown in an open field and in a rain shelter were compared to evaluate the potential benefits of rain-sheltering systems on growth and fruit quality. Shrubs grown in rain shelter flowered 5-14 days earlier and were in full bloom earlier than those in the open field. All three cultivars set fruit by nearly 90% of flowers when they were grown in the open field, but was markedly reduced when they were grown in the rain shelter, to approximately 50% for 'Bluecrop' and 'Coville'. Fruit sets ratio of 'Northland' grown in the in the rain shelter was 14.5. Fruit from greenhouse-grown 'Northland' were larger, heavier, and had more seeds per berry. Soluble sugar content (SSC) of fruits varied both with the cultivars and growing conditions. SSC of fruits grown in the greenhouse was higher in 'Bluecrop' compared to that grown in the field, but this pattern was reversed in 'Northland'. Titratable acid was significantly higher in fruits from rain shelter-grown shrubs of both 'Bluecrop' and 'Northland' than in fruits from open field-grown shrubs (P < 0.05), although there was no difference in TA with respect to growing conditions for 'Coville'. The number of seed per fruit, fruit length and diameter, weight, SSC, and TA were similar in 'Coville' shrubs grown in the open field and the rain shelter. Fruit firmness of 'Bluecrop', 'Coville', and 'Northland' was higher in the rain shelter than in the open field. 'Coville' and 'Northland' fruits harvested in the open field had higher blue chroma than those harvested in the rain shelter. However, this pattern was reversed for 'Bluecrop'. On the whole, sheltering from rain affected most fruit characteristics of the three cultivars differently. Therefore, suitable blueberry cultivars for the rain shelter should be chosen by purpose.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.582-587
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• 2015

This study was conducted to compare the plant growth and fruit quality of blueberries grown in different soil textures of Korea, in order to utilize the results for stable production and soil improvement. Rabbiteye blueberry cultivars 'Tifblue' and 'Baldwin' were planted and grown for three years from 2013 in wagner pot (1 $2000a^{-1}$) in a greenhouse of Namhae Sub-station, Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science. The plants were grown in four soil textures, sand, sandy loam, loam and silt loam, and nutrient uptake and growth characteristics of plants were investigated. Leaf nitrogen and phosphorus contents of two cultivars grown in different soil textures ranged between 8.6 to $10.5gkg^{-1}$, which was lower than appropriate level for rabbiteye blueberry. However, the contents of potassium, calcium and magnesium in leaves were appropriate levels as $2.29{\sim}3.62gkg^{-1}$, $4.46{\sim}5.46gkg^{-1}$ and $1.45{\sim}2.12gkg^{-1}$, respectively. Nitrogen and phosphate contents in leaves were higher in the two cultivars grown in silt loam soil. There was no significant difference in plant volume and root dry weight among four soil textures in two cultivars. However, dry weight of leaves and branches were highest in loam soil. Fruit production was highest in loam and silt loam soil in two cultivars, showing negative correlation with the amount of sand in soil. However, sugar and acidity showed no correlation with sand content in soil. These results show the limit to the blueberry growth in soil that has no nutrient holding capacity; however, most of Korean soils that have good nutrient holding capacity can produce competitive fruits if the drainage is improved.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.513-520
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Cheonggukjang pills with aronia and blueberries on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. There have been several reports that Cheonggukjang is effective for intestinal health, but the efficacy of Cheonggukjang containing fruits has not yet been reported. In this study, we showed the effect of cheonggukjang pills with blueberries and aronia (CPBA) on DSS-induced colitis in BALB/c mice. CPBA was obtained from Soonchang Moonokae foods and orally administered once a day for 2 weeks before DSS treatment. Colitis was induced in mice by feeding 5% (w/v) DSS drinking water for 7 days. The results showed that CPBA treatment significantly alleviated DSS-induced disease activity index associated with a decrease in colon length. CPBA improved DSS-induced histological changes and intestinal epithelial barrier integrity in mice colon. In addition, CPBA administration significantly reduced the levels of DSS-mediated interferon-γ and interleukin-6 in serum and tumor necrosis factor-α in colon tissue. Moreover, the gene expression of COX-2 and iNOS, which are factors involved in inflammatory signaling, was significantly reduced by CPBA treatment. These results suggest that CPBA have a protective effect against DSS-induced mice colitis and may be a candidate for colitis treatment.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.639-640
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• 2022

A Ypsolophid moth Saridoscelis sphenias Meyrick was recorded in 2020 first in Korea, and specimens were collected from Jindo and Wando in Jeonam province from 2016 to 2017. This moth uses host plants such as Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don ex G. Don, Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. and Leucothoe grayana Maxim. var oblongifolia (Miq.). This species was discovered once in a blueberry orchard in Jeju in August 2014, and since then it has been regarded as not an established species because of no further detection. However, S. sphenias was found again in blueberry orchards grown in vinyl houses in Jeju city and Seogwipo city in 2018 and 2019. Since 2020, this pest has also been found on field-grown blueberries. Hatched larvae first bored into new shoots and fed inside, and the mid-aged larvae escaped from the inside of shoots, attached several shoots with webs, and fed on the leaves in the group. It is considered that S. sphenias will become a severe pest on blueberries; thus, we report the basic life cycle here.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.12
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• pp.1906-1912
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• 2014

To evaluate the effect of freezing temperature on quality of blueberries, blueberry fruit was frozen at -20, -45, and $-70^{\circ}C$ immediately after harvest. After 24 hr of freezing, frozen blueberries were stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 2 months. Blueberries were thawed at $4^{\circ}C$ or $25^{\circ}C$ and subjected to subsequent analyses of drip ratio, fruit hardness, pH of juice, color, and sugar content. Frozen berries at all three temperatures did not show any significant difference in pH or sugar content compared with fresh berries. The drip ratio of berries decreased as the freezing temperature decreased. Thawing conditions significantly affected the drip ratio of berries frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$. Hardness of berries was significantly reduced after freeze-thawing. Freezing and thawing reduced total aerobic bacteria and yeast/mold numbers by more than 2 log regardless of freezing or thawing temperature ($4^{\circ}C$ or $25^{\circ}C$). Cross-section of blueberries did not show different shapes by freezing temperature. Further studies such as sensory evaluation are needed to determine the optimum freezing temperature regarding quality and cost.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the radiation protection effect of blueberries. The experimental animals used in this study were 8-week-old 21 SD male rats weighed 280-300 g. The animals were set to a normal group (A), a 5 Gy control group (B), and a 5 Gy experimental group (C) of seven rats each, and (50 mg/kg/day) of physiological saline solution of blueberries were orally administered twice a day with an oral dose of (200 mg/kg/day) for seven days and 5 Gy of radiation was irradiated in the case of groups B and C. As a result, it was identified that there was significance in white blood cells in this study (p<0.000). There was no significant difference in red blood cells or platelets. When examined in detail, among white blood cells (WBC), neutrocytes were found to be significantly different among the three groups: normal, control, and experimental groups (p<0.004). Lymphocytes were also found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups (p<0.000). Monocytes were not found to be statistically significantly different (p<0.483). When red blood cells (RBC) were examined, hemoglobin (HGB) was not found to be statistically significant different among the three groups (p<0.291). Hematocrit (HCT) was not found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups, either (p<0.564). Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups (p<0.001). Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) was also found to be statistically significantly among the three groups (p<0.028). Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups(p<0.020). Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) was not found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups (p<0.09). When platelets (PLT) were examined in detail, mean platelet volume (MpV) was found to be statistically significantly different among the three groups (MpV) (p<0.04). In conclusion, based on this study, blueberries are considered to have radiation protection effects.