The purpose of this study is to select a fishing gear deposit marking method for the gear deposit system implemented for gillnet. The fishing gear deposit system was implemented in Korea for the first time in the world in January 2024 for fish trap, and it is scheduled to be expanded to gillnets and buoys by 2026. In this study, an AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) survey was conducted with 34 experts. The AHP analysis method was used to calculate the weights of each criterion that influence the selection of the deposit marking method, in order to determine the optimal marking method that considers both qualitative and quantitative criteria. Experts prioritized the label-type marking and preferred the weight-based deposit unit for its ease of application and ability to measure multiple gear widths at once. This study quantitatively reflects the opinions of experts on the selection of the gillnet deposit system. Future research should examine the impact of marking method on fishing performance, durability, and institutional improvements.

In a previous study, beverages containing Centella asiatica extracts (CAE) that exhibited anti-inflammatory effects were prepared. This study aimed to establish the optimal extraction conditions for CAE to enhance its anti-inflammatory activity in functional labeling beverages (FLB-CCS) containing Aloe vera gel powder and Codonopsis lanceolata extract, and to determine their effects on intestinal epithelial cells. Initially, FLB-CCS 1 (containing 3% CAE) and FLB-CCS 2 (containing 1% CAE), which had varying CAE extraction ratios, displayed no significant cytotoxicity in IL-1β-induced inflammatory intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells. FLB-CCS 1 significantly more effectively inhibited the production of inflammatory factors, such as IL-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), compared to FLB-CCS 2. FLB-CCS 1 also reduced the mRNA expression of genes encoding IL-6 and MCP-1. Additionally, FLB-CCS 1 regulated the expression of IL-1 receptor type 1 by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB transcription factor p65. In conclusion, these results suggest that an increased CAE extraction ratio (FLB-CCS 1) could enhance the anti-inflammatory activity and serve as materials in functional labeling beverages for intestinal health.

산화적 스트레스는 활성산소의 과도한 생성으로 인해 발생하며, 이는 만성퇴행성질환의 원인으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 식용 덖음 꽃차 8종 추출물의 폴리페놀 및 플라보노이드 함량, radical 소거 활성 측정을 통해 이들의 항산화 활성을 확인하고자 하였다. 8종의 식용 꽃차 에탄올 추출물 중에서 생강나무(Lindera obtusiloba, LO), 산수유(Cornus officinalis, CO) 및 카모마일(Matrecaria chamomilla) 꽃차 추출물의 총 폴리페놀 함량은 각각 20.21, 13.39, 12.39 mg gallic acid equivalent/g의 수치를 나타내었으며, 총 플라보노이드 함량은 LO, CO, 및 매화(Prunus mume) 꽃차 순으로 높은 수치를 나타내었다. 8종의 식용 꽃차 에탄올 추출물은 10, 25, 50, 100 μg/mL의 농도에서 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) 및 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) 라디칼 소거 활성을 농도 의존적으로 증가시켰다. 특히, LO와 CO 꽃차 추출물은 다른 꽃차 추출물에 비해 우수한 DPPH 라디칼 소거 활성을 보였다. 또한 100 μg/mL 농도에서 CO, LO, 및 목련(Magnolia kobus) 꽃차 추출물의 ABTS+ 라디칼 소거 활성이 70% 이상의 수치를 나타내어 우수한 ABTS+ radical 소거 활성을 나타내었다. 본 연구 결과를 통해 식용 덖음 꽃차는 radical 소거 활성 및 폴리페놀과 플라보노이드를 함유함에 따라 항산화 활성을 나타냄을 알 수 있었으며, 특히 다른 꽃차 추출물에 비해 LO와 CO의 폴리페놀과 플라보노이드 함량 및 radical 소거능이 우수하여 항산화 기능성 소재로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-fidelity simulation and actual human practice on the learning outcomes of a peripheral intravenous injection program for nursing students. Methods: Seventy-two third-year nursing students from a university in Seoul were included and divided into two groups; 38 and 34 in the low-fidelity simulation and human practice groups, respectively. The program was conducted from June 19–20, 2024. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, χ²-test, independent t-test, and ANCOVA. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in venipuncture performance, communication skills, empathy, academic performance, and self-efficacy. However, there were no statistically significant differences in these outcomes between both groups. Additionally, post-program learning satisfaction was similarly high in both groups. Conclusion: Low-fidelity simulation is as effective as actual human practice in achieving comparable learning outcomes in a peripheral intravenous injection program for nursing students. With appropriate instructional design, low-fidelity simulation can be a viable alternative to human practice, providing flexibility and accessibility in nursing education. This study underscores the importance of incorporating additional educational modules that enhance emotional and social skills, such as communication and empathy, tailored to the characteristics of individual learners.

This study sought various ways to prevent the occurrence of waste fishing gear and promote the recovery. It is expected that the problem of waste fishing gear can be effectively solved through measures such as strengthening education and publicity, technical measures, establishment of recovery infrastructure, and provision of incentives. In particular, introduction of the waste fishing gear recovery promotion point system gives fishermen practical motivation. It can be an important means of inducing leisure and sustainable fishing activities. In addition, by inducing the participation of private companies, it is expected to promote the recovery and recycling of waste fishing ports and contribute to the protection of the marine environment and fisheries resources. The government or local government should actively review the measures suggested in this study and prepare related laws and policies. In addition, it is necessary to establish a system to induce the participation of various stakeholders and support sustainable fishing activities through public-private cooperation. Through this, we will be able to achieve carbon neutrality goals in the fishing sector in response to climate change. This study suggests an early stage plan, and in future research, it is necessary to evaluate and find and improve practical effects through pilot projects. Moreover, it is necessary to study the management of closed fishing gear and carbon neutrality practice measures at the global level by seeking international cooperation measures. Consequently, more effective and sustainable marine environment and fishery resource protection measures can be prepared.

In a previous study, we fractionated crude polysaccharide (AME-CP) with macrophage-stimulating activity from a hot-water extract (AME) of Astragalus membranaceus. AME-CP contained glucose (Glc) as a main component sugar, suggesting that it might be rich in starch-like compounds (SLC). To enhance the immunostimulating activity of AME-CP by pruning SLC rarely known to contribute to activity, hydrolysate (AME-SH) was prepared by digesting with starch-related enzymes, including α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. AME-SH was found to contain substances with molecular weights ranging from 3.9 to 84.4 kDa. These substances were primarily composed of galactose, galacturonic acid, Glc, arabinose, rhamnose, and mannose. AME-SH significantly enhanced the production of macrophage-stimulating factors, including nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12, in RAW 264.7 cells compared to AME-CP. Treatment of splenocytes isolated from C3H/HeN mice with AME-SH not only promoted IL-6 secretion, but also induced mitogenic activity. In addition, AME-SH promoted the secretion of hematopoietic growth factors including IL-6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in Peyer's patch (PP) cells and stimulated bone marrow cell proliferation through these PP cells. In conclusion, hydrolysate (AME-SH) digested from AME-CP with starch-related enzymes could be used as a potential immunostimulant.

To utilize pepper (Piper nigrum) as an immunostimulatory agent, we isolated macrophage stimulating polysaccharides from pepper and investigated their macrophage activating activities. Hot-water extracts (HW) of black pepper (BP) and white pepper (WP) were prepared, and their macrophage stimulating activities were evaluated using RAW 264.7 cells. BP-HW significantly promoted the secretion of macrophage stimulating factors such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12 compared to WP-HW. When BP and WP-HW were fractionated into crude polysaccharides (CP) and low molecules (LM) by ethanol precipitation, BP-CP demonstrated significantly more potent activity. Furthermore, BP-CP not only induced mRNA gene expression of macrophage activation factors, but also promoted nuclear localization of p65 and c-Jun. In addition, component sugar analysis revealed that glucan-type polysaccharides in BP-CP played a crucial role in macrophage activation. Taken together, these findings suggest that black pepper has industrial applicability not only as a spice, but also as an immunostimulatory functional material.

We presented foundational findings regarding the occurrence and acoustic characteristics of the finless porpoise through passive acoustic and visual surveys conducted on the southern coast of Korea, specifically at Hadong Jungpyeong Port. Over a survey period spanning from July 8 to August 16, 2023, totaling 40 days, we observed peaks in the number of clicks produced by this species on July 15, July 24, August 4, August 11, and August 16. The highest count, totaling 18,924 clicks, was recorded on July 15th, while the lowest count, at 3,888 clicks, occurred on August 8th. Examining the acoustic characteristics throughout the diurnal cycle, we found that the peak activity in terms of DPM (detection positive minute for one hour), DP10M (DPM for ten minutes), and overall number of click sounds was observed between 05:00 and 08:00, with a secondary peak occurring from 17:00 to 18:00. The quietest period was noted between 23:00 and 02:00. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the number of clicks from sunrise, with the maximum count of 21,581 clicks recorded at 6 AM. This count gradually decreased until noon, experienced a slight increase thereafter, peaked again at sunset, and then declined. The dominant frequency mode of this species was 126 kHz, with a concentration ranging from 112 to 136 kHz. The average duration of a click sound was 127 ㎲, with approximately 16 sinusoids (cycles) within each click sound and an average cycle length of approximately 7.9 ㎲. These findings from our study are anticipated to serve as foundational data for the development of a Korean pinger and acoustic warning system.

To increase industrial applicability of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) as immunostimulating materials, hot-water extract (AME) was prepared from AM and fermented with Kimchi-lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus sakei & Leuconostoc mesenteroides) to prepare fermented AM-postbiotics (FAME). Although FAME prepared from AM-postbiotics did not show a significant enhancement in macrophage stimulating activity compared to non-fermented AME, crude polysaccharide (FAME-CP) fractionated by EtOH precipitation from FAME showed significantly higher macrophage stimulating activity than AME-CP. Compared to AME-CP, FAME-CP showed dramatic changes in component sugar and molecular weight distribution. FAME-CP was a polysaccharide with a major molecular weight distribution of 113.4 kDa containing Man (44.2%), Glc (19.3%), Gal (10.2%), GalA (10.2%), and Ara (7.4%) as sugar components. FAME-CP with enhanced macrophage stimulatory activity not only increased expression levels of mRNA genes encoding macrophage-activated factors (iNOS, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6, and COX-2), but also led the nuclear translocation of activated p65 and c-Jun. In conclusion, crude polysaccharide from AM-postbiotics fermented with lactic acid bacteria could increase industrial applicability as a functional material with enhanced immunostimulating activity than AME-CP.

Aluminum alloys, known for their high strength-to-weight ratios and impressive electrical and thermal conductivities, are extensively used in numerous engineering sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, and construction. Recently, significant efforts have been made to develop novel aluminum alloys specifically tailored for additive manufacturing. These new alloys aim to provide an optimal balance between mechanical properties and thermal/ electrical conductivities. In this study, nine combinatorial samples with various alloy compositions were fabricated using direct energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing by adjusting the feeding speeds of Al6061 alloy and Al-12Si alloy powders. The effects of the alloying elements on the microstructure, electrical conductivity, and hardness were investigated. Generally, as the Si and Cu contents decreased, electrical conductivity increased and hardness decreased, exhibiting trade-off characteristics. However, electrical conductivity and hardness showed an optimal combination when the Si content was adjusted to below 4.5 wt%, which can sufficiently suppress the grain boundary segregation of the α- Si precipitates, and the Cu content was controlled to induce the formation of Al2Cu precipitates.

To produce an intestinal immunomodulatory beverage containing Centella asiatica extract (CAE), three types of CAE-added beverage prototypes were prepared, and their immunomodulatory activities and marker compounds were analyzed. As a result of the cytotoxicity assessment, all the beverages did not show significant toxicity compared to the control group. Next, the immunomodulatory activities of the beverage prototype were evaluated using the inflammatory model of IL-1β-induced intestinal epithelial cell line. All the samples significantly reduced the production of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 in a CAE concentration-dependent manner. In addition, CAE-added beverages inhibited NO, IL-6, and IL-12 production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. When the major triterpenoids, as marker compounds for the production of CAE-added beverages, were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, only asiaticoside was detected beyond the limit of quantification, while madecassoside, madecassic acid, and asiatic acid were not detected. The amounts of asiaticoside in CAE-added beverage prototypes were confirmed in No. 1 (19.39 μg/mL), 2 (19.25 μg/mL), and 3 (19.98 μg/mL). In conclusion, the results of this study suggested that CAE-added beverage prototypes induced immunomodulatory effects in the intestinal inflammatory cell line models and asiaticoside could be used as a marker compound for CAE-added beverage production.

This study aimed to identify the actual catch situation of offshore dredge gear which is newly regulated in the legislation. It’s also conducted to identify the species composition, weight of the catch including the target species and incidental catches, and to provide the basic information necessary for the resource management of aquatic organisms caught by offshore dredge. During the investigation period (from September 2022 to May 2023), a total of 61 species appeared in the test operation sea of Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do and Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, with 31 species of fishes, 11 species of malacostraca, six species of gastropoda, five species of bivalvia, three species of cephalopoda, three species of asteroidea, one species each of asteroidea and holothuroidea appeared. According to the results of the test operation conducted in September and November 2022, the non-catch season of Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata, 1,203 shellfishes were caught out of 2,979 caught in number, showing a bycatch rate of 59.6%, and by weight, 157.9 kg of shellfish was caught out of the total catch of 448.4 kg, showing a bycatch rate of 64.8%. On the other hand, in February and May 2023, the catch season for Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata, 3,692 fishsells were caught out of the 4,232 catches in total, showing a bycatch rate of 12.8%, and by weight, 1,185.0 kg of shellfish was caught out of the total catch of 1,293.2 kg, showing an 8.3% bycatch rate.

As the consumption of corn increases, the production of by-products is also increasing. In this study, functional substances and antioxidant activities of corn by-products were investigated to determine their applicability as functional materials. Total polyphenol, flavonoid contents, and ABTS antioxidant activity were the highest in leaves. The total phenolic acid content was the highest in cobs; p-coumaric and ferulic acid were the main components. Phytosterol content in leaves and stems was high at 64 and 50 days after sowing, 261.4 and 274.7 mg/100 g, respectively. β-sitosterol of the leaves and stems was the highest, 149.2 and 138.7 mg/100 g. The total phytosterol content of grains and by-products harvested 106 days after sowing was in the order of: corn silk, husk, grain, leaf, stem, and cob. Among the phytosterols, β-sitosterol was the highest, followed by stigmasterol and campesterol, and the composition was different depending on part. The total phytosterol content was the highest in husk and corn silk, but the stems and leaves, which account for 50% of the total corn biomass, also contained high phytosterol content. Therefore, corn leaves and stems are expected to be used as functional raw materials for the development of functional materials in the future.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant components, elastase inhibition activities, and melanin synthesis rates of Korean traditional Actinidia (Actinidia arguta) fruits and leaves depending on the ethanol extraction concentrations. The total polyphenol content was the highest in the 50% ethanol extract of both fruits and leaves, with values of 634.1 mg GAE/100 g and 3,985.2 mg GAE/100 g, respectively. The total flavonoid content was the highest in the fruit 90% extract and leaf 50% extract at 191.9 mg/100 g and 2655.6 mg/100 g, respectively. The vitamin C content was the highest in the 50% extract of leaves at 2990.3 mg/100 g. Elastase inhibition was the highest at 56.9% in the leaf 50% extract at a concentration of 1,000 μg/mL. Melanin synthesis inhibition showed the highest melanin synthesis inhibitory effect among the extracts, as the leaf 50% extract showed an inhibitory rate of 65% or more. Therefore, the antioxidant components, elastase inhibition activities, and melanin synthesis inhibitory rate were better in leaves than in fruits. The leaf 50% extract was particularly the best among the extracts. Korean traditional Actinidia leaves can be considered as potential sources for new functional materials.

Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) has been widely used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industry as a functional material. In a previous study, we have investigated not only pharmacological effects such as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, but also analyzed various functional ingredients. In this study, triterpenoids were analyzed using HPLC-DAD to determine marker compounds among functional ingredients. When triterpenoids were analyzed, asiaticoside from C. asiatica was determined as an optimal marker compound. Next, specificity, linearity, limited of detection (LOD), limited of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, and range were evaluated using HPLC-DAD to determine asiaticoside contents in C. asiatica juice and extracts. The specificity was elucidated by chromatogram and retention time using an established analytical method. The coefficient of correlation obtained was 0.9996. LOD was 4.99 μg/mL and LOQ was 15.12 μg/mL. Intra- and inter-day precision of asiaticoside were determined to be 0.48~1.68% and 0.08~1.09%, respectively. Furthermore, the recovery rate of asiaticoside was 98.88% and the analytical range of Field-70E was determined to be 0.625~10 mg/mL. As a results of evaluating ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP antioxidative effect, Field-70E showed potent antioxidant activities. Results of this study could be used as basic data for quality standardization of C. astiatica juice and extracts.

To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of submerged culture using Cordyceps militaris mycelium, culture-including mycelia was extracted and lyophilized into postbiotics (hot-water extract; CM-HW). HW was fractionated into crude polysaccharide (CM-CP) by ethanol precipitation, and CM-CP was further dialyzed into CM-DCP by dialysis with running water using 12~14 kDa dialysis tube. When the cytotoxicity of subfractions against cells was assessed, no subfraction had a cytotoxic impact that was substantially different from the control groups. In an inflammatory model using LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, CM-DCP significantly decreased IL-6 and MCP-1 production levels compared to the LPS-control group. CM-DCP also inhibited IL-6 and IL-8 secretion in HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated with TNF-α and IFN-γ. In the meanwhile, the neutral sugar content and mannose ratio of anti-inflammatory CM-DCP were higher than the other fractions, and CM-DCP contained β-1,3/1,6-glucan of 216.1 mg/g. High pressure size exclusion chromatography revealed that CM-DCP contained molecules with a molecular weight range of 5.6 to 144.0 kDa. In conclusion, postbiotics of C. militaris mycelium significantly promoted anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting that neutral polysaccharides including Glc and Man contribute to the anti-inflammation in RAW 264.7 or HaCaT cells.

This study aimed to investigate the biological activities, including polyphenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities, of various cultivars of Korean perilla leaves. The results indicated that among nine cultivars (Namcheon dlggae, Saedora, Nulbora, Donggel 1, Donggell 2, Soim, Sangyeop, Somirang, and Saebom) of perilla leaves, the total polyphenolic content (gallic acid equivalent mg/g, GAE) was the highest in “Nulbora,” while it was lowest in Namcheon dlggae. Moreover, flavonoid content in the extracts of nine cultivars leaves was in the range of 132.93~268.50 mg catechin equivalent/g sample. The antioxidant effects of the perilla leaves were determined using two different in vitro bioassays measuring DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities. The results revealed that antioxidant activity was also higher in “Nulbora” compared with other cultivars. Xanthin-oxidase-inhibition activity ranged from 65.65% to 80.58%, with “Nulbora” exhibiting the highest activity, although the difference with other cultivars was not significant. “Nulbora” extracts reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes and several cytokines, including IL-6 activation induced by LPS in macrophages in the range of 100–50 μg/mL. These results suggest that extracts from perilla leaves can be used as bioactive and functional materials that could be important in industrial applications in the future.

To enhance the bioavailability and bioactivities of mixed herbal medicines (RW), they were fermented with lactic-acid bacteria isolated from kimchi into postbiotics (FRW). Then, from the results of the 16s rRNA sequencing analysis, lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi were identified to be of two species, namely Lactobacillus sakei and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The FRW prepared from the RW were extracted using hot water (HW) and 70% EtOH (EtOH) for comparison of their macrophage-stimulating activities. Based on a comparison of the activities of the FRW extracts, nitric oxide (NO) production of HW was significantly higher than that in EtOH. An analysis of the chemical properties of the extracts showed that HW had higher contents of neutral sugar and uronic acid than EtOH as well as contained a large amount of glucose. In addition, crude polysaccharide (CP) was prepared to enhance the macrophage-stimulating activity. The FRW-CP not only secreted immunostimulatory mediators but also increased the expression of immunostimulatory genes (iNOS, TNF-α, MCP-1, and IL-6). The fractionated FRW-CP contained about 90% neutral sugars, and these sugars were mainly composed of glucose, galacturonic acid, and arabinose. Thus, FRW prepared by fermentation of RW with kimchi lactic acid bacteria were found to be immunostimulatory modulators.