• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.242-251
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) administration with and without endurance exercise training on endurance exercise performance and skeletal muscle protein synthesis and degradation using a mouse model. Forty-eight male wild-type ICR mice (8 weeks old) were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary control (Sed+Con), (Sed+Con), sedentary β-HB (Sed+β-HB), exercise control (Exe+Con), and exercise β-HB (Exe+β-HB). β-HB was dissolved in PBS (150 mg/ml) and injected subcutaneously daily (250 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Mice performed 5 days/week of a 20 min treadmill running exercise for 8 weeks. The running exercise was carried out at a speed of 10 m/min at a 10° incline for 5 min, and then the speed was increased by 1 m/min for every 1 min of the remaining 15 min. Following 8 weeks of treatments, visceral fat mass and skeletal muscle mass, blood parameters, and the markers for autophagy and protein synthesis were analyzed. The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA (p<0.05) using the SPSS 21 program. Eight weeks of Exe+β-HB treatment significantly lowered blood lactate levels compared with the other three groups (Sed+Con, Sed+β-HB, and Exe+β-HB) Exe+β-HB) (p<0.05). Eight weeks of Exe+β-HB significantly increased maximal running time (time to exhaustion) compared with the Sed+Con and Exe+Con groups (p<0.05). Eight weeks of β-HB administration significantly decreased autophagy flux and autophagy-related proteins in the skeletal muscle of mice (p<0.05). Conversely, the combined treatment of β-HB and endurance exercise training increased protein synthesis (mTOR signaling and translation) (p<0.05). The 8-week β-HB treatment and endurance exercise training had synergistic effects on the increase in endurance performance, increase in protein synthesis, and decrease in protein degradation in the skeletal muscle of mice.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2023

Several domestically consumed sweetpotato derivatives, such as sweetpotato starch for processing raw materials, frozen and refrigerated paste, and powder are dependent on imports. This study was conducted to examine the suitability of sweetpotato cultivars of twelve varieties (powdery-type and viscous type) cultivated in paddy fields, for use in starch, chips, dried products, and beverages. The two-year average yield results of the four cultivars suitable for starch (in order of highest to lowest yield) was as follows: Gogeonmi (4,018 kg/10a); Daeyumi (3,615 kg/10a); Jinhongmi (3,426 kg/10a); Singeonmi (2,837 kg/10a). The starch content was 20.2%, 18.2%, 21.2%, and 20.6% in Daeyumi, Gogeonmi, Singeonmi, and Jinghongmi, respectively. The total amount of starch was higher in Daeyumi (730 kg/10a) and Gogeonmi (731 kg/10a) than that in Singeonmi and Jinghongmi. The yield of Pungwonmi and Shinjami were 4,443 and 3,602 kg/10a, respectively. Powdery-type sweetpotatoes (Daeyumi and Gogeonmi) showed the low decay rates of all cultivars (0.8 and 0%, respectively). The yield of the storage root formation and storage root swelling stages by water-logging treatment decreased by 16.5% and 15.4% for Pungwonmi, and by 17.2% and 10.0% for Shinjami. Drainage management of paddy fields is necessary to reduce the damage caused by water-logging. Our results suggest that cultivation of sweetpotato varieties suitable for processing raw materials in paddy fields will enable stable yields of sweetpotato with a high starch content.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.234-241
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• 2022

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple foods and is in increasing demand in the world. The elevated temperature caused by changes in climate and environmental conditions is a major factor affecting wheat development and grain quality. The optimal temperature range for winter wheat is between 15 and 25℃, and it is necessary to study the physiological characteristic of wheat according to elevated temperatures. This study presents the effect of elevated temperature on the yield and quality of two Korean bread wheat (Baekkang and Jokyoung) in temperature gradient tunnels (TGT). Two bread wheat cultivars were grown in TGT at four different temperature conditions: T0 (control, near ambient temperature), T1 (T0+1℃), T2 (T0+2℃), (T0+2℃), T3 (T0+3℃). The period from sowing to heading stage accelerated and the number of grains per spike and grain yield reduced under T3 condition compared with those under T0 condition. Grain filling rate and grain maturity also accelerated with elevated temperature (T3). The increase in temperature led to the increase in protein contents, whereas decreased the total starch contents. These results are consistent with the decreased expression of starch synthesis genes and increased gliadin synthesis or gluten metabolism genes during the late grain filling stage. Taken together, our results suggest that the increase in temperature (T3) led to the decrease in grain yield by regulating the number of grains/spike, whereas increased the protein content by regulating the expression of starch and gliadin-related genes or gluten metabolism process genes expression. In addition, our results provide a useful physiological information on the response of wheat to heat stress.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2022

Waxy corn (Zea mays L.), which contains homozygous mutant alleles for the waxy1 (wx1) gene, is widely consumed as a snack food in Asia. This study evaluated sixteen agronomic characteristics of inbred Korean waxy corn lines to aid development of high-quality waxy corn cultivars. The plant materials studied were 177 inbred waxy corn lines developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. For the tested lines, days to tasseling and silking averaged 77.69±2.22 days (with a range of 56-97 days), and 81.12±7.56 days (66-99 days), respectively. Plant length ranged from 88 to 237 cm (averaged 164.88±22.67 cm), ear length averaged 11.75±2.52 cm (5.0-18.5 cm), and ear width averaged 2.94±0.68 cm (1.4-4.5 cm). The number of rows on each ear of corn averaged 12.22±2.22 (7-32 rows) and the kernel number averaged 24.30±4.22 (9-37 kernels) per row. The crude protein content was 12.05±1.53% (8.90-21.80%) and total starch content was 69.27±5.74% (49.5-83.9%). Principal component analysis revealed that ear width, grain length, ear length, days to tasseling, days to silking, percentage of ear setting height, and total starch are features that allow distinction between the 177 waxy inbred corn lines. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified twelve waxy inbred lines that produce tall plants and have a short silking period. These lines may improve yield among quickly growing corn varieties.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2023

Fiber content in the storage roots of sweetpotato varies between different varieties. For examples, the high fiber content of certain types has a poor texture when steamed or roasted. This study was conducted to evaluate the optimal sieve mesh size for separating fibers, the chemical composition of fibers and differences in fiber content among different varieties. We found that the separated fiber content (dry weight) of mashed and steamed sweetpotato was higher after washing three times (143.3 mg/100 g) compared with that washed five times (128.4 mg/100 g). The Hogammi variety remained 85.9% of total fiber content at 10 mesh (2,000 ㎛) and 9.6% of total fiber content at 30 mesh (600 ㎛), and Jinyulmi remained 74.9 and 16.7% of total fiber content , respectively. Therefore, a 30 mesh sieve was considered the most suitable for fiber separation. Among the 10 studied cultivars, Jinhongmi showed the lowest amount of fiber (24.8 mg/100 g) and Hogammi had the highest amount (111.4 mg/100 g), which was 4.5 times larger than that of Jinhongmi. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content of separated fibers showed no difference between the viscous-type Hogammi and powdery-type Jinyulmi varieties, with averages of 32.5, 22.3 and 29.6%, respectively. Correlation results using the Image J program showed a significant correlation between the distribution of the stained area and the fiber content (R = 0.74, p < 0.05). Staining distribution differed among varieties, suggesting that a simple fiber content test could be performed using the staining method on raw sweetpotato. These results provide useful information to help inform farmers on the fiber content of different sweetpotato varieties.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.342-361
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• 2022

In order to evaluate the effect of nitrogen application levels on yield and quality of rice varieties, a field experiment was conducted at National Institute of Crop Science of Korea from 2018 to 2020. Five levels (0, 3, 5, 7, and 9 kg/10a) of nitrogen fertilizer were treated to 21 Korean rice varieties. Yield, yield component, appearance quality, and protein content in rice were analyzed. The average head rice yield for 3 years decreased by 28%, 22%, 11%, and 8%, respectively, when cultivated with 0, 3, 5, and 7 kg/10a nitrogen application compared to cultivation with a standard nitrogen application amount, 9 kg/10a. The number of panicles per hill increased as the amount of nitrogen application increased, but there was no significant change in the number of grains per panicle and 1000-grains weight, and the number of panicles per hill showed relatively small annual variation compared to other yield components. There was no significant difference in the head rice ratio according to the nitrogen application amount, the broken rice ratio slightly decreased, and the floury rice ratio increased. The protein content of rice decreased with increasing nitrogen application in 2018 and 2019, and was the lowest at 7 kg/10a of nitrogen application, and showed a tendency to increase again at 9 kg/10a. In the case of 2020, as the amount of nitrogen application increased, the protein content showed a tendency to continuously increase. In terms of varieties, 13 varieties, including Chilbo, seemed to be capable of low-nitrogen cultivation because loss of the head rice yield was less and the protein content could be lowered to 6% or less according to 7 kg/10a nitrogen application.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.7-24
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• 1996

'90년대 전반기 중 세계 경제 상황은 정치, 경제 및 환경의 급격한 변화에 따른 불황으로 유황시장에도 심대한 영향을 미치게 되었다. 이와 같은 경기의 후퇴는 다수의 생산자로 하여금 전반적인 시장 상황을 바꿀 수 있는 전략 변경 및 새로운 시장 개발을 촉진시키게 하였다. 최근에 전개되고 있는 극단적인 정치$\cdot$경제적인 변화는 재래시장과 무역균형을 변경시키게 되었다. 개선되는 세계경제에 따른 광범위한 구조조정과 지난 2년간 진행되어온 전반적으로 농업에 유리한 조건에 힘입어 1995년 유황공업은 회복이 시작되어 54.63백만 톤이 생산되었다 국제 유황 무역은 수요와 공급 면에서는 균형을 못 찾고 있다. 1995년 유황생산 중 무역량은 $45\%$에 이르렀다. 유황생산에 영향하는 요소가 변함에 따라 무역의 형태가 변하게 되고 세계 유황 수급 균형에 영향을 주게 되었다. 지난 2년간 있었던 유황생산 회복은 다음 십년간 지속될 것으로 예측된다. 대부분 수요의 증가는 자연가스의 생산을 지배하는 요소에 따라 결정 될 것이다 1986년 이래 유가가 떨어진 후 세계 에너지 수요는 연간 $2.3\%$ 증가하였다. 석유와 가스는 미래 에너지 수요의 증가로 $70\%$이상을 공급하게 될 것이다. 동아시아에서 회수 유황은 원유의 정제로부터 유래된 것으로 가장 신장이 큰 공급원으로 2005년까지 주요유황생산 부분이 될 것이다. 동아시아에서 주요 회수 유황생산국은 일본으로 전체의 $66\%$를 차지한다. 석유 정제로부터 회수 유황생산량은 동아시아에서 증가하고 있다. 유황회수 시설 투자는 일본을 위시하여 한국, 싱가폴 및 태국에서 이루어지고 있으며 이는 점차 증대되는 환경규제에 기인된다. 동아시아 공업국가 예컨대 일본과 한국에서의 유황소비는 인산생산 저조로 정체해 있으나 지난 10년간 여타의 아시아 국가에서의 유황소비는 꾸준히 증가되었다. 이 같은 증가는 앞으로 10년간 계속 될 것으로 추정된다. 이는 유황비료 소비가 4.81백만 톤에서 6.6백만 톤으로 증가될 것으로 예상되고 이는 주로 중국이 내수 인산생산을 증가시키려는 데 기인된다. 더욱이 다가올 10년은 다수의 아시아 국가의 급속한 경제 발전으로 비료 이외의 유황의 소비가 꾸준히 증가 될 것이다. 동아시아는 10.29백만 톤을 생산하고 10.99백만 톤을 소비하여 1995년에는 70만 톤의 유황이 부족하였다. 이와 같은 영향이 계속된다면 동아시아 유황부족은 2005년에는 1.05백만 톤으로 증가될 것으로 예상된다. 그러나 중국에서 황화철에서부터 공급되는 유황함량이 많아 이 지역에서의 원소유황의 진정한 균형에 대해서는 정확하게 평가되지 못한다. 1995년 동아시아에서는 1.3백만 톤의 원소유황을 일본, 캐나다, 미국에서 수입했다. 이들 국가는 앞으로도 이 지역의 주요 공급자가 될 것이다. 황산의 많은 양은 일본에서 이 지역으로 수출되는데 그 양은 1995년 10만톤 이상에 이른다. 더욱이 경제?환경적 이점 때문에 중국이 황화물에서 회수하는 유황대신 원소 유황의 수입을 지속적으로 증가시키고 있어 지역내의 유황 부족이 증가 될 것이다. 이 같은 상황진전으로 앞으로 10년 이내에 2.5백만 톤의 추가시장이 있게 될 것이다. 이 기간내 한국으로서 현재 326,000톤의 부족에서 2005년에는 309,000톤의 과잉으로 유황균형이 변할 수 있는 주요계기가 될 것이다 이 같은 과잉은 회수 유황생산이 1995년 333,000톤에서 2005년 870,000톤으로 $161\%$가 증가될 것으로 예상된다. 동기간 내에 기타 유황생산은 280,000톤에서 320,000톤으로 $14\%$ 증가되는 것으로 추정된다. 그리하여 2005년 한국에서 유황 공급은 1.19백만 톤이고 수요는 881,000톤으로 추정 된다. 미래 한국에서 유황의 또 다른 잠재시장은 식물양분으로서 이다. 인산비료 생산은 유황산업의 골격으로 1995년 세계적으로 인산비료는 유황소비의 53%인 53.60백만 톤을 점유하였다. 작물의 유황결핍 현상은 세계도처에서 나타나고 있어 식물양분으로서 유황시장은 20년전의 시장과 같이 현황을 띠는 시장으로 유황공업이 때를 만나게 될 것이다. 공업국에서 유황의 대기로의 방출억제로 자연 공급량이 감소되고 개발도상국에서 증산으로 유황의 탈취가 증가됨에 따라 유황 부족은 점차 중요한 문제로 확산되고 있다. 세계적으로 $1993\~1994$년간 7.52백만 톤으로 추정되는 유황 부족이 농산물의 수량과 질을 하락시키는 결과를 가져오게 하였다: 이와 같은 현상으로 유황비료의 수요가 증대되었고 산업계는 수요증대에 대응할 기술개발에 노력하게 되었다. 현재의 식량생산과 비료 소비추세가 지속된다면 아시아에서 2000년까지 매년 4.5백만 톤의 유황부족이 있게 될 것이다 이와 같은 유황비료의 부족은 적절한 대책을 취하지 않는 한 2010년에는 6.5백만 톤으로 증가 될 것이다. 동아시아는 경제발전으로 유황비료 장기 잠재시장이 기대되고 새로운 시장으로 $50\%$이상을 점유하게 될 것이다. 서구와 북미에서 유황비료 산업은 이윤 있는 잠재시장으로 인정되고 상업적으로 앞서 있는 시장이다. 점증하는 수요에 대한 대처와 유황비료의 성공은 시장에서 가격에 좌우된다. 실제로 북미와 서구에서 현재의 소매가격은 유황 톤당 $266\~466\$$의 범위에 있다. 인도에서는 비료로서 유황시장은 덜 발달된 단계로서 대표가격은 $120\$$이다. 이 가격 범위로 보아 2010년에 동아시아 시장의 잠재 유황비료 시장은 3.4백만 톤에 이르고 비료공업에서 추가로 얻는 이윤은 408백만 내지 1조5천억$\$$이 될 것이다. 이와 같은 시장이 발전 될 수 있는 것은 계속된 제품개발과 비료산업 시장개척에 달려있다.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1105-1121
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of frequently used clinical herbal medicines (Yijung-tang [Lizhong-tang, LJT], Pyeongwi-san [Pingwei-san, PWS], and Shihosogan-tang [Chaihu Shugan-tang, SST]) in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) when administered according to herbal medicine and Korean medicine pattern identification. The results of this study will be used to standardize the diagnostic instrument used in Korean medicine and to investigate biomarkers of Korean medicine pattern identification. Methods: This study will be a randomized, assessor-blind, 3-arm, parallel, open-label, multi-center clinical trial. A total of 300 FD participants will be recruited from 3 Korean medical hospitals and assigned to the LJT (n=100), PWS (n=100), and SST (n=100) groups according to FD pattern identification. The patients will take the medication for 8 weeks, 3 times a day, before or between meals. The primary outcome will be total dyspepsia symptom (TDS) and the secondary outcomes will be adequate relief (AR) for dyspepsia, overall treatment effect (OTE), visual analogue scale (VAS), functional dyspepsia-related quality of life (FD-QoL), gastrointestinal symptom score (GIS), and pattern identification questionnaires. For the exploratory outcomes, we will analyze blood and fecal metabolome profiles, microbiota from fecal and saliva samples, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and results of Korean medicine diagnosis device measurements (heart rate variability, and tongue, pulse, and abdominal diagnosis). Conclusions: The results of this study will prove objectivity for Korean medicine pattern identifications, and the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines for the population with FD.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.58-62
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• 2022

Pompe disease (PD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid α-glucosidase (GAA). It is easy to hastily diagnose as patients if they have two pathogenic variants. Clinical pathologists misdiagnosed our infant and her mother as PD. Here, we report a case of pseudodeficiency in a potential late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) carrier with a double dual variant, each in cis formation in a 3-month infant. The person who has two pathogenic variants was diagnosed as a carrier, not a patient. It was first reported in Korea. The patient had: two likely pathogenic heterozygous mutations on exon #4: c.752C>T (p.Ser251Leu), c.761C>T (p.Ser254Leu), and a heterozygous mutation on exon #12: c.1726G>A (p.Gly576Ser), also with a heterozygous mutation on exon #15: c.2065G>A (p.Glu689Lys). By presenting this case we emphasize the possibility of cis formation of genes which may cause pseudodeficiency, and potential LOPD carrier form. Hereby we suggest that thorough evaluation of GAA gene is essential among whom initially diagnosed as PD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2023

To examine the antitumor effect of proso millet grains, whether proso millet grains exert apoptotic activity against human cancer cells was investigated. When the cytotoxicity of 80% ethanol (EtOH) extract of proso millet grains was tested against various cancer cells using MTT assay, more potent cytotoxicity was observed against human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells than against other cancer cells. When the EtOH extract was evaporated to dryness, dissolved in water, and then further fractionated by sequential extraction using four organic solvents (n-hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol), the BuOH fraction exhibited the highest cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells. Along with the cytotoxicity, TUNEL-positive apoptotic nucleosomal DNA fragmentation and several apoptotic responses including BAK/BAX activation, mitochondria membrane potential (Δψm) loss, mitochondrial cytochrome c release into the cytosol, activation of caspase-8/-9/-3, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were detected. However, human normal mammary epithelial MCF-10A cells exhibited a significantly lesser extent of sensitivity compared to malignant MDA-MB-231 cells. Irrespective of Fas-associated death domain (FADD)-deficiency or caspase-8-deficiency, human T acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells displayed similar sensitivities to the cytotoxicity of BuOH fraction, excluding an involvement of extrinsic apoptotic mechanism in the apoptosis induction. These results demonstrate that the cytotoxicity of BuOH fraction from proso millet grains against human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells is attributable to intrinsic apoptotic cell death resulting from BAK/BAX activation, and subsequent mediation of mitochondrial damage-dependent activation of caspase cascade.