• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권11호
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• pp.1241-1248
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• 2009

Purpose:The etiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) is still unknown. Recently, an association between human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) and KD was implicated. Hence, we attempted to determine the association between KD and acute respiratory viral infections. Methods:Nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were obtained from 54 patients diagnosed with KD at the Seoul National University (SNU) Children's Hospital and SNU-Bundang Hospital between October 2003 and September 2006. Viral diagnoses of 11 respiratory viruses were made using multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR): respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, rhinovirus (RV), parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) 1 and 3, influenza viruses (IFVs) A and B, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human bocavirus (HBoV), HCoV OC43/229E, and HCoV-NL63. Clinical data were reviewed retrospectively. Results:The median age was 32 months (6 months-10.4 years). Respiratory symptoms were observed in 37 patients (69%). The following respiratory viruses were identified in 12 patients (22%): RV (n=4), PIV-3 (n=2), HBoV (n=2), and adenovirus, RSV, PIV-1, IFV-A, and HCoV-NL63 (n=1). Co-infection with PIV-3 and RV was observed in one patient. Respiratory symptoms were observed in 7 (58.3%) and 30 (71.4%) patients of the virus-positive and virus-negative groups (P>0.05). Response rate to intravenous immunoglobulin administration was 67% (n=8) and 86% (n=36) in the virus- positive and virus-negative groups (P>0.05). Conclusion:Respiratory symptoms were commonly observed in KD patients but the association between respiratory viruses and KD were not found. Large multicenter-based investigations are required to confirm the association between acute respiratory viral infections and KD.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.156-162
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• 2008

Salmonellosis is a major bacterial zoonosis that causes a variety of disease syndromes, self-limited enteritis to fatal infection in animals and food-borne infection and typhoid fever in humans. Recently, the emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Salmonella spp. causes more serious problems in environment and public health. The present study was investigated the antibacterial effect of Houttuynia cordata ethanol extract(HCEE) for murine salmonellosis. In the cytotoxic effect of HCEE on RAW 264.7 cells, there was no detectable effect with any concentrations between 25 and 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ after 8 h incubation. The bacteriocidal effect of HCEE was not showed on a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium(S. typhimurium). HCEE makes morphological change of the RAW 264.7 cells, and there was significant decreased bacterial uptake and intracellular replication within Salmonella infected cells. And further nitric oxide(NO) production of Salmonella infected RAW 264.7 cells with HCEE was decreased comparing to RAW 264.7 cells without HCEE until 8 h post infection. Oral administration of HCEE showed a therapeutic effect for S. typhimurium infected BALB/c mice. The mortality of HCEE treated mouse was 80% until 12 days, while that of HCEE untreated mouse was 100 % until 8 days after lethal dose of S. typhimurium infection. These data suggested that HCEE has a potency treatment for intracellular replicative pathogen including salmonellosis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, listeriosis etc., and the application of HCEE makes new strategies for safety medicine development without antibiotic resistance bacterial appearance and residue problem in food and solves the public health problem from antibiotic mis- and over use.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.248-252
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• 2012

To evaluate the possibility of water plant wastes in composting for agricultural recycling, Phragmites communis (PHRCO), Typha orientalis (TYHOR) and Zizania latifolia (ZIZLA) were used as a compost materials. In composting basin, cumulative oxygen consumptions of the compost used by water plant wastes were rapidly increased at the early stage and slightly decreased in around 15 days. Cumulative oxygen consumptions under different water plant wastes were higher in the order of TYHOR > ZIZLA > PHRCO. Temperature changes during composting process were rapidly increased at the early stage and then slowly decreased to $30{\sim}40^{\circ}C$. The maximum temperatures were higher in the order of ZIZLA ($72.2^{\circ}C$ at 11 days after starting composting) > TYHOR ($70.2^{\circ}C$ at 10 days after starting composting) > PHRCO ($66.5^{\circ}C$ at 7 days after starting composting). Oxygen consumptions at maximum temperature were higher in the order of TYHOR ($12,485mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}$) > ZIZLA ($12,400mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}$) > PHRCO ($9,340mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}$). Organic matter contents, moisture contents and OM/N rates in the compost ranged 39.5~44.8%, 29.6~35.6% and 27.9~32.9, respectively. Considering that water plant waste can supply some of the nutrient requirements of crops and is a valuable fertilizer.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.95-103
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• 2010

Fomesafen is a selective herbicide, and used to control annual and perennial broad-leaf grass on soybean and fruit fields in USA and China, but not introduced in Korea yet. So, MRL (Maximum Residue Level), and analytical method of fomesafen were not establishment in Korea. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to establish a determination method for fomesafen residue in crops using HPLC-UVD/MS. Fomesafen residue was extracted with acetone from representative samples of five raw products which comprised hulled rice, soybean, apple, green pepper, and Chinese cabbage. The extract was diluted with saline water, and dichloromethane partition was followed to recover fomesafen from the aqueous phase. Florisil column chromatography was additionally employed for final clean up of the extract. The fomesafen was quantitated by HPLC with UVD, using a Shiseido CAPCELL-PAK UG C18 column. The crops were fortified with fomesafen at 3 levels per crop. Mean recovery ratio were ranged from 87.5% for a 0.4 ppm in hulled rice to 102.5% for a 0.4 ppm in apple. The coefficients of variation were ranged from 0.6% for a 2.0 ppm in hulled rice to 7.7% for a 0.04 ppm in green pepper. Quantitative limit of fomesafen was 0.04 mg/kg in representative 5 crop samples. A LC/MS with selected-ion monitoring was also provided to confirm the suspected residue. Therefore, this analytical method was reproducible and sensitive enough to determine the residue of fomesafen in agricultural commodities.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to investigate the microbial contamination assessment of raw Jinmichae to cook and to establish its control. Three kinds of Korean Jinmichae products(K1, K2, K3) and three kinds of imported Jinmichae products(Chile: F1, Peru: F2, Mexico: F3) were collected from markets and department stores in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The results were as follows; Aerobic mesophilic bacteria in raw Jinmichae(F2) was detected $7.20{\times}10^7$ CFU/g, which exceeded the acceptable standard level, $1.0{\times}10^6$ CFU/g. The rest of raw groups fell up to $1.0{\times}10^3{\sim}1.0{\times}10^4$ CFU/g. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria were detected in blanched and fried Jinmichae groups. Boiled Jinmichae group did not exceed the acceptable standard level of $1.0{\times}10^6$ CFU/g. However, all the fried groups exceeded the level. E. coli were detected in raw Jinmichae but it was able to be controlled by blanching. Unlike this, E. coli was not completely controlled by roasting for 20 seconds relative to 40, 60 seconds. S. aureus were effectively controlled by boiling, however, it was not controlled by roasting. After roasting Jinmichae for 60 seconds, S. aureus were detected in the half of all groups. In this study, Jinmichae were found to be favorable one of side dishes in school meal service. Jinmichae can be contaminated by microbial pathogens such as S. aureus, E. coli, etc. Therefore, further studies are needed to monitor microbial pathogens and to provide their control.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.245-256
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• 2008

The current legislation in South Korea clearly states that the tolerance threshold on the adventitious presence of GMO in environment-friendly agricultural products is 3.0% and no GM seed should be detected in their planting seed batches. To date, in Korea, there is no approved GM crop for commercial cultivation in field. However, several GM crops including rice, Chinese cabbage, potato and wild turf grass are currently under risk assessment for their environmental release. Also Korean government (Rural Development Administration, RDA) announced that 11 institutes including universities have been currently certified to carry out a risk assessment of GM crops. Meanwhile, the cultivated area and certified quantities of environment-friendly crops (organic, pesticide-free and low-pesticide) are sharply increasing every year according to the report of National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS). In detail, in 2007, the certified quantities of environment-friendly agricultural products were elevated up to 100-fold for organic, 171-fold for pesticide-free and 2,324-fold for low-pesticide crops when compared with those in 1999. The total certified quantity of environment-friendly cereal crops in 2007 was equivalent to 6.4% of total production of cereal crops. Moreover, 24% of total production of root and tuber crops such as potato and sweet potato were certified for environment-friendly agricultural products. In these circumstances, I strongly suggest that current legislations on GM crop's safety management should be revised to include strategies for the coexistence of GM with non-GM crops, especially environment-friendly crops before GM crop is approved to be cultivated for commercialization. Since all types of crops are grown in an open environment, the adventitious presence of GM crops among non-GM crops is inevitable if appropriate measures for coexistence are not established for species by species such as isolation distance, workable management measures to minimize admixture.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.43-47
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• 2005

This study monitored and compared the contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and L. monocytogenes of either lettuce, sesame leaf, or cucumber sampled from either 15 super markets(SM) or 21 traditional markets(TM) located in both Seoul and the southern part of Gyunggi. Contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms in lettuce, sesame leaf, or cucumber from SM or TM were not (p>0.05) significantly different. The highest contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria were observed in lettuce and followed by sesame leaf and cucumber. The contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria in lettuce, sesame leafs, and cucumbers were $7.01{\pm}0.14\;log_{10}CFU/g(SM)$ and $7.10{\pm}0.11\;log_{10}CFU/g(TM)$, $6.69{\pm}0.20\;log_{10}CFU/g(SM)$ and $6.44{\pm}0.13\;log_{10}CFU/g(TM)$, and $5.37{\pm}0.25 \;log_{10}CFU/g(SM)$ and $5.27{\pm}0.19\;log_{10}CFU/g(TM)$, respectively. A similar pattern of contamination rank was observed with the coliforms in three vegetables as was observed with the total aerobic bacteria E. coli were not significantly (p>0.05) different between SM and TM and isolated over $30\%$ in lettuce and sesame leaf and below $10\%$ in cucumbers. L. monocytogenes were not detected in all three vegetables(ND: cucumber <3 CFU/g, lettuce and sesame leaf <10 CFU/g). The microbial contamination levels determined in the present study may be used as the primary data to execute microbial risk assessment of fresh vegetables.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.477-484
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger and processed (Beopje) ginger on colitis induced by 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in Balb/c mice. Beopje means a process that herbal medicines are treated by a specific Korean traditional method in order to obtain better pharmacological effects. Mice were fed saline or two different doses of ethanol extracts (ginger and processed (Beopje) ginger) once a day for 14 days. Colitis was induced from day 7 to 14 via administration of 2.5% DSS in drinking water. Experimental animals were divided into four groups: Nor (Normal, 200 ${\mu}L$ of saline without 2.5% DSS-treated group), Con (Control, 200 ${\mu}L$ of saline and 2.5% DSS treated group), G (500 mg/kg of ginger and 2.5% DSS treated group), and BG (500 mg/kg of Beopje ginger and 2.5% DSS treated group). Body weights of both ginger-administered groups increased compared to the control. Colon length increased to 7.6, and 8.0 cm in the G and BG groups, respectively, whereas that of control was 5.7 cm. Histological colon injury induced by DSS-induced colitis was reduced (P<0.05). In serum and DSS-treated colon tissues, mRNA expression levels of IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-12 of the Beopje ginger-treated group were significantly suppressed compared to those of the ginger-treated groups. Expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 of the Beopje ginger-treated group were significantly reduced compared to those of the ginger-treated groups (P<0.05), and BG showed stronger anti-inflammatory effects on colitis. These results indicated that ginger exerted anti-inflammatory effects on DSS-induced colitis in mice, and its effects could be increased through Beopje.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• 제43권11호
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• pp.1627-1634
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• 2014

The recipe for sujeonggwa, a Korean traditional sweet drink containing cinnamon, ginger, sugar, or honey, was modified by replacing sugar with alternative sweeteners [stevia or short-chain frutooligosaccharide (scFOS)] in order to improve the health functionality of sujeonggwa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of modified sujeonggwa on lipid peroxidation and oxidized DNA damage in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic ApoE knockout mice. Hypercholesterolemia was induced in 6-week-old male mice by administration of a high cholesterol diet (1.25% cholesterol, 0.5% cholic acid, and 10% coconut oil) for 4 weeks, after which mice were divided into five groups: sucrose solution-fed control group, sujeonggwa containing sucrose group, sucrose+stevia group, sucrose+stevia+scFOS group, and commercially available sujeonggwa group as a positive control. After 6 weeks, sujeonggwa supplementation resulted in reduced hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), regardless of sweetener type. However, reduction of hepatic TBARS by commercially available sujeonggwa was insignificant. Both endogenous and $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage in hepatocytes and splenocytes were significantly reduced only in the sujeonggwa containing stevia group compared to the sucrose-fed control group. There were no significant effects of sujeonggwa supplementation on total radical trapping potential, lipid peroxidation, or DNA damage in blood. These results suggest that sujeonggwa has protective effects against hepatic lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in hepatocytes or splenocytes from diet-induced hypercholesterolemic ApoE knockout mice, and the type of sweetener should be modified to improve the health benefits of sujeonggwa.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.385-398
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• 2002

The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether stromal cells supporting specific microenvironment for hematopoiesis of bone marrow are affected by toxicants and therapeutic drugs such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs and whether laminin-1 is associated with such effects. SD rats were intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide which is widely used to treat infant's solid tumor, leukemia and myeloma and sacrificed after 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks or 5 weeks of injection. The bone marrow extracted and paraffin-sectioned was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. A part of tissues was subjected to electron microscopy following reaction with rabbit anti-laminin antibody, biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG conjugated with 12 nm gold particles, and staining with uranyl acetate. 1. The bone marrow tissue at day 3 post injection with cyclophosphamide displayed dilated venous sinus, partial necrotic death, and decreased number of hematopoietic cells. Laminin-1 was intensively stained in the reticular and adipose tissues. 2. Up to 5 weeks post injection, laminin-1 was stained at a low level in the stromal tissue of bone marrow and the number of hematopoietic cell was increased. 3. Deposition of the gold particle which represents laminin-1 expression was observed at the highest level in the stromal cells of bone marrow obtained 3 days after injection, and decreased after 1 to 5 weeks. These results suggest that stromal cells which play a role in supporting microenvironment for bone marrow hematopoiesis augment induction of laminin-1 expression and activation upon administration of cyclophosphamide.