• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical widely used in polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins. BPA is an endocrine disruptor. Residue of BPA in agricultural environments is a major concern. The objective of this study was to understand the characteristics of the uptake and distribution of BPA and its metabolites introduced into the agricultural environment to crops, and to use it as basic data for further research on reduction of BPA in agricultural products. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study established the analysis method of BPA and its metabolites in soil and crops, and estimated the intake of BPA and its metabolites from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown in sandy loam and loam soil, which are representative soils in Korea. The two major metabolites of BPA were 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4-HAP) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA). BPA, 4-HAP and 4-HBA have been analyzed by using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These substances were detected in sandy loam and loam soil, indicating that certain portions of BPA were converted to 4-HAP and 4-HBA in the soil; however, it was observed that only 4-HBA migrated to lettuce through the roots into crops. CONCLUSION: The uptake residues showed the BPA and 4-HAP were not detected in lettuces grown on sandy loam (SL) and loam (L) soil treatments that were applied with of 10 ng/g, 50 ng/kg and 500 ng/g of BPA. However, the 4-HBA was detected at the level of 7 ng/g and 11 ng/g in the lettuce grown in sandy loam and loam soil that were treated with the 500 ng/g of BPA, respectively, while the 8 ng/g of 4-HBA was measured in the lettuce cultivated in the loam that was treated with 100 ng/g of BPA. This result presents that the BPA persisting in the soil of the pot was absorbed through the lettuce roots and then distributed in the lettuce leaves at the converted form of 4-HBA, what is the oxidative metabolite of BPA.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.104-110
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• 2021

In this study, vinegar was prepared using black raspberry pomace to increase its utilization capacity. As a result of alcohol fermentation, the final alcohol content was 8.90% and the sugar content was 7.03°Brix. The total acid content after acetic acid fermentation was 4.44%, which was 0.38% higher than that of the juice. Among the organic acid content, the acetic acid content was higher in the pomace than in the juice. The total polyphenol (51.58 TAE mg/mL), total flavonoid (9.55 RUE mg/mL), and total anthocyanin (6.05 CYE mg/mL) contents of vinegar produced using black raspberry residue were higher than those of the juice. In addition, 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity were higher than those of the juice, indicating strong antioxidant properties. Thus, black raspberry pomace has excellent acetic acid fermentation ability and high antioxidant activity, indicating that it can be used as a functional fermented vinegar.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2020

Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) is a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily enzymes in mammals and plays a major role in metabolizing endogenous hormones in the liver. In recent days, CYP1A2 expression has been found in not only the liver but also other tissues including the pancreas and lung. However, little information is available regarding the expression of CYP1A2 in the ovary, in spite of the facts that the ovarian follicle growth and atresia are tightly associated with controls of endocrine hormonal networks. Therefore, the expression of CYP1A2 in the ovaries of prepubertal and pubertal rats was investigated to assess its expression pattern and puberty-related alteration. It was demonstrated that the expression level of CYP1A2 was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the pubertal ovaries than prepubertal counterparts. At the ovarian follicle level in both groups, whereas CYP1A2 expression was less detectable in the primordial, primary and secondary follicles, the strongly positive expression of CYP1A2 was localized in the granulosa cell layers in the antral and pre-ovulatory follicles. However, the ratio of CYP1A2-positive ovarian follicle was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the ovary of pubertal group (73.1 ± 3.1%) than prepubertal one (41.0 ± 10.5%). During the Immunofluorescence, expression of CYP1A2 was mainly localized in Fas-positive follicles, indicating the atretic follicles. In conclusion, these results suggested that CYP1A2 expression was mainly localized at the atretic follicular cells and affected by the onset of puberty. Further study is still necessary but we hypothesize that CYP1A2 expresses in the atretic follicles to metabolize residue of the reproductive hormones. These findings may have important implications for the fields of reproductive biology of animals.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.429-432
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• 2011

The feasibility of applications of the char obtained from a gasification process of municipal-waste refuse derived fuel (RDF) as an auxiliary fuel was evaluated by combustion experiments. The higher heating value of the RDF char was 3000~4000 kcal/kg and its chlorine content was below the standard requirement demonstrating its potential as an auxiliary fuel. In the combustion exhaust gas, the maximum $NO_x$ and $SO_2$ concentrations were 240 ppm and 223 ppm, respectively. If an aftertreatment is applied, it is possible to control their concentrations low enough to meet the air pollutant emission standard. The HCl concentration was relatively high indicating that a care should be taken for HCl emission from the combustion of RDF. Based on the temperature distribution within the reactor, the concentration change of $O_2$ and $CO_2$, and the amount and the loss on ignition of solid residue, it was inferred that the combustion reaction was the most reliable when the excess air ratio of 1.3 was used.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.595-603
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• 2020

To elucidate the structure-function relationship of polysaccharides obtained from Colocasia esculenta, the immuno-stimulating polysaccharide, CE-4a was purified to homogeneity from the crude polysaccharide (CE) extracted from the corms of C. esculenta by two subsequent column chromatographies using DEAE-Sepharose FF and Sephadex G-100, and analysis of their immuno-stimulatory activities and structure were conducted. CE-4a showed an increase in anti-complementary activity in a dose-dependent fashion. The molecular mass was estimated to be 182.4 kDa, which mainly consisted of galactose (43.5%) and mannose (18.2%). Methylation analysis indicated that CE-4a comprised at least 10 different glycosyl linkages, such as terminal Galp, 3-linked Galp, and 4-linked Manp, as well as a characteristic linkage, 2,4,6-branched Manp residue. To analyze the fine structure of CE-4a, it was sequentially digested using endo-α-(1→4)-polygalacturonase, exo-α-galactosidase and endo-β-1,4-D-mannanase. These analyses suggested that CE-4a is to be a highly branched galactomannan with a (1→4)-mannan backbone and galactopyranosyl oligosaccharide side chains.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2021

The monitoring of residual pesticides in dried chili peppers and chili powders, which are circulated in Seoul from 2018 to 2019, was conducted for safety evaluation. As a result of analyzing for 71 kinds of pesticide residues in 101 cases of samples, pesticides were detected in 87 samples; however, no samples exceeded the MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits). Detection rates of pesticides in dried chili peppers and chili powders were 73.3% and 91.5%, respectively. The detection rate of residual pesticides in chili powders was a little higher than that in dried chili peppers. Twelve types of pesticides were detected, however, those pesticides were acceptable to use on peppers, according to the Crop Protection Guidelines. The most frequently detected pesticide was pyraclostrobin followed by flubendiamide, azoxystrobin, and chlorantraniliprole. The risk for detected pesticides was estimated as the ratio of ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) to food intake rate. The ADI value resulting by intake of dried chili peppers and chili powders was in the range of 5.66E-05 to 3.34E-02, which was within a safe level.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.387-392
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• 2020

Eight dried ear mushroom products (three domestic and five Chinese products) distributed in Korea were analyzed for 321 residual pesticides, 7 heavy metals, and 3 types of radioactivity. Residual pesticides in the domestic products were not detected. However, chlorpyrifos, isoprocarb, mepiquat chloride, and carbendazim were detected in four Chinese products, all of which were below the allowable residual limit. Among the detected pesticide ingredients, only the residue for mepiquat chloride has been established to be present in ear mushrooms. In the heavy metal test, trace amounts of heavy metals were detected in all samples. However, none of the samples exceeded the allowable residual limits, except for one domestic sample that exceeded the standard value of 0.3 mg/kg for lead. Radioactivity tests confirmed that levels were below the minimal detectable activity value in all samples.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

In this study, the pesticide residues in 106 commercial cereal grains were monitored from February to July 2021. For the investigation, 40 domestic and 66 imported products from large, small-to-medium sized offline and online distribution channels, were collected and analyzed by using the multiresidue method for 341 pesticides on GC/ECD, GC/NPD, GC/MSMS, UPLC/PDA, HPLC/FLD, LC/MSMS. Pesticides were detected in total of 8 samples (7.5%), of which one was from big box retailers, two from small and medium-sized distribution stores, and five from online shopping mall. Five (4.7%) samples were found to have pesticide residues greater than the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The detected pesticides in kidney beans (1 case), mung beans (6 cases), and sorghum (1 case), were MGK-264, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, malathion, piperonyl butoxide, and pirimiphos-methyl. Specifically, an excessive amount of thiamethoxam was found from the imported mung bean (5 cases).

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.575-585
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• 2022

Due to its biofilm formation and colonization of the osteocyte-lacuno canalicular network (OLCN), Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) implant-associated bone infection (SIABI) is difficult to cure thoroughly, and may occur recurrently subsequently after a long period dormant. It is essential to explore an alternative therapeutic strategy that can eradicate the pathogens in the infected foci. To address this, the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement and Fe3O4 nanoparticles compound cylinder were developed as implants based on their size and mechanical properties for the alternative magnetic field (AMF) induced thermal ablation, The PMMA mixed with optimized 2% Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles showed an excellent antibacterial efficacy in vitro. It was evaluated by the CFU, CT scan and histopathological staining on a rabbit 1-stage transtibial screw model. The results showed that on week 7, the CFU of infected soft tissue and implants, and the white blood cells (WBCs) of the PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group decreased significantly from their controls (p<0.05). PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group did not observe bone resorption, periosteal reaction, and infectious reactive bone formation by CT images. Further histopathological H&E and Gram Staining confirmed there was no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration, neither pathogens residue nor noticeably burn damage around the infected screw channel in the PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group. Further investigation of nanoparticle distributions in bone marrow medullary and vital organs of heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. There were no significantly extra Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were observed in the medullary cavity and all vital organs either. In the current study, PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF shows promising therapeutic potential for SIABI by providing excellent mechanical support, and promising efficacy of eradicating the residual pathogenic bacteria in bone infected lesions.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the signal transduction of phosphorylation sites at the carboxyl (C)-terminal region of equine luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (eLH/CGR). The eLH/CGR has a large extracellular domain of glycoprotein hormone receptors within the G protein-coupled receptors. We constructed a mutant (eLH/CGR-t656) of eLH/CGR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at the Phe656 residue, through polymerase chain reaction. The eLH/CGR-t656 removed 14 potential phosphorylation sites in the intracellular C-terminal region. The plasmids were transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 and PathHunter Parental cells expressing β-arrestin, and agonist-induced cAMP responsiveness was analyzed. In CHO-K1 cells, those expressing eLH/CGR-t656 were lower than those expressing eLH/CGR wild-type (eLH/CGR-wt). The EC₅₀ of the eLH/CGR-t656 mutant was approximately 72.2% of the expression observed in eLH/CGR-wt. The maximal response in eLH/CGR-t656 also decreased to approximately 43% of that observed in eLH/CGR-wt. However, in PathHunter Parental cells, cAMP activity and maximal response of the eLH/CGR-t656 mutant were approximately 173.5% and 100.8%, respectively, of that of eLH/CGR-wt. These results provide evidence that the signal transduction of C-terminal phosphorylation in eLH/CGR plays a pivotal role in CHO-K1 cells. The cAMP level was recovered in PathHunter Parental cells expressing β-arrestin. We suggest that the signal transduction of the C-terminal region phosphorylation sites is remarkably different depending on the cells expressing β-arrestin in CHO-K1 cells.