In this study, using the surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) produced at atmospheric pressure to improve the physiological activities of quercetin was investigated. Quercetin (at 200 ppm) was treated using air DBD with an input power of 250 W. The tyrosinase inhibition effect and total phenolic content of quercetin increased from 38.96 to 91.58% and from 134.53 to 152.93 ppm, respectively, after 20 min of plasma treatment. The antioxidant activity of quercetin treated for 20 min in the lipid models was higher than that of quercetin treated for 0, 5, and 10 min. Furthermore, plasma-treated quercetin exhibited antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus, whereas activity was not shown in the control. Structural modifications of the quercetin molecule induced by plasma might be responsible for the improvements in its physiological activity. These results indicate that DBD plasma could be used to enhance the physiological activity of quercetin for various applications in food.

The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) or concentration treatment or sodium hydrogen carbonate addition on microbial and quality properties of cold drip liquid coffee were investigated during storage at room temperature. Cold drip liquid coffee was determined to pH, acidity, general bacteria, and Y&M (Yeast and Molds) according to HHP treatment or adding 0.2% sodium hydrogen carbonate for 40 days storage at 20°C. Also, an equivalent mixture of concentrated coffee and cold drip liquid coffee or liquid coffee with 0.2% sodium hydrogen carbonate was used for determining the sensory evaluation, due-trio and preference test. The cold drip liquid coffee with 0.2% sodium hydrogen carbonate had higher pH and lower titratable acidity than the control during 40 days storage at 20°C. Total viable cell and Y&M counts of cold drip liquid coffee added with 0.2% sodium hydrogen carbonate or treated by HHP at 300 MPa for 25 min were lower than the control during storage at 20°C. The result of the due-trio and preference tests shows that there was no significant difference between cold drip liquid coffee added to 0.2% sodium hydrogen carbonate and the control or between the equivalent mixture of concentrated coffee with cold drip liquid coffee and the control. As a results, Cold drip liquid coffee treated by HHP, concentrated by evaporation, and added to sodium hydrogen carbonate has a potential to extend a shelf life at ambient temperature storage.

To replace methyl bromide (MeBr) due to its ozone depletion properties and the life-threatening to related worker as well as fumigators, ethyl formate (EF) fumigation on exported and imported fruits and vegetables has been developed by QIA in Korea since 2005. The benefits of using ethyl formate (EF) fumigant is considered as the safest practice among the commercially available chemical alternatives. The issues was that the cylinderized EF with carbon doxide (CO2) is not enough to extend their applications in terms of fumigation cost. We have developed the cost-effective liquid EF applications with nitrogen gas and demonstrated in quarantine trials (10m3) on imported bananas. We showed the new 35 gm-3 of EF applications with inert gas (nitrogen), were completely control all stage of citrus mealybug (Planoccous citri) for 4hr fumigation at 13°C. These applications meet the quarantine guidelines and protocols in terms of efficacies to target pest and safety concern as well as satisfactions of consumers showing no damages to imported bananas. Extensively, this cost effective EF technology could be acceptable to other fruit and vegetable commodities to reduce the fumigation costs and green house gas (CO2).

Entomopathogenic fungi, widely distributed in nature, have been developed as biopesticides of agricultural pests. However, little is known about isolation method for obtaining a variety of highly virulent strains from the soil. In this work, the previously established method using mealworm (larvae of Tenebrio molitor) as a baiting system was used to efficiently isolate fungal strains from soil, and the isolated fungal library in Korea was established. To isolate entomopathogenic fungi, soil samples from 10 regions of Korea such as Iksan, Imsil, Gunsan, Yeosu, Suncheon, Gwangyang, Jinju, Hamyang, Boseong and Jangseong were collected. Of the collected soils, 21 and 34 isolates of entomopathogenic fungi were isolated from Iksan and Gunsan, respectively. The isolates were classified as genera of Metarhizium, Beauveria and Isaria. This work can suggest an effective insect pathogenic fungal isolation method

Entomopathogenic fungi have been known as promising candidates in biological control. However, a large number of conidia with higher stability should be produced for industrialization. In this work investigated the possibility of several grains for the production of thermotolerant Isaria javanica and I. fumosoroseus conidia. The fungal conidia were produced on ten grains for 14 days in Petri dish conditions. Of the ten granular substrates, millet, perilla seed and barley showed the high conidial production, 15.7 ± 8.4, 17.3 ± 5.2 and 13.5 ± 1.9 × 109 conida/g in I. javanica and 15.9 ± 0.6, 15.0 ± 0.5 and 15.0 ± 0.7 ×109 conida/g in I. fumosoroseus, respectively. However, the two strains showed relatively low thermal stability regardless of substrates, when exposed to 45℃ for 1, 2 and 3 hours. This work suggests a possible substrate for conidial production of entomopathogenic fungi with low cost.

The pea aphid Acyrthosiphom pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a pestiferous species with a worldwide distribution. We investigated the development periods and survivorship of A. pisum nymph, and longevity and fecundity of A. pisum adult. The study was conducted at five constant temperatures of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30°C. Higher temperature threshold (TH) and lower temperature threshold (TL) were calculated by two nonlinear functions. The temperature range of A. pisum from TL to TH using empirical model (29.29) was wider than that using biophysiological model (21.85). The adult emergence frequency of A. pisum over full range of constant temperatures was simulated using developmental rat

The cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important pest on several species of legumes. We investigated the development periods and survivorship of A. craccivora nymph, and longevity and fecundity of A. craccivora adult. The study was conducted at five constant temperatures of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30°C, respectively. The lower developmental threshold (LDT) and thermal constant (K) of A. craccivora nymph stage were estimated by linear regression. Higher temperature threshold (TH) and lower temperature threshold (TL) were calculated by biophysiological model. Developmental completion of A. craccivora nymph stage was described using a two-parameter Weibull distribution model. Life table parameters were estimated by the jackknife method.

Entomopathogenic fungi are expected to play a role as great biological control agents in the global bio-pesticide market in the future. The first step is the collection of fungal isolates and it should be a platform for the development of highly effective biopesticides. In this work, we constructed a fungal library using a mealworm pathogenecity-based fungal collection method and further characterized some isolates with high virulence. A phylogenetic tree was generated, and of the isolates 17 isolates’ biological features were characterized, such as morphology, virulence against several insect, stability of conidia for heat, production of biologically active materials, such as enzymes. This work reports an attractive entomopathogenic fungal library including the information of effective isolates in pest management.

Many turfgrass pests, Ectinohoplia rufipes, Exomala orientalis and Popillia quadriguttata, cause serious damage to grass fields in Korea. In this study, control of turfgrass pests using entomopathogenic fungi were investigated using Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis as an alternative insect. In a preliminary experiment, some Metathizium sp. showed ca. 60% virulence after 7 days exposure to the entomopathogenic fungi. Compared to the contact-exposure, overall a spray treatment showed lower control efficacy against P. brevitarsis seulensis. Furthermore, mortality of various developmental stages of P. brevitarsis seulensis was investigated under laboratory conditions. This work suggests that when treated with fungi mortality of P. brevitarsis seulensis was closely related with developmental stage. These results provide a basic information for the control of P. brevitarsis seulensis using entomopathogenic fungi

We report our research on aluminum mirror optics for future infrared astronomical satellites. For space infrared missions, cooling the whole instrument is crucial to suppress the infrared background and detector noise. In this aspect, aluminum is appropriate for cryogenic optics, because the same material can be used for the whole structure of the instrument including optical components thanks to its excellent machinability, which helps to mitigate optical misalignment at low temperatures. We have fabricated alu- minum mirrors with ultra-precision machining and measured the wave front errors (WFEs) of the mirrors with a Fizeau interferometer. Based on the power spectral densities of the WFEs, we conrmed that the surface accuracy of all the mirrors satised the requirements for the SPICA Coronagraph Instrument. We then integrated the mirrors into an optical system, and examined the image quality of the system with an optical laser. As a result, the total WFE is estimated to be 33 nm (rms) from the Strehl ratio. This is consistent with the WFEs estimated from the measurement of the individual mirrors.

This paper reviews the legacy of the SPCIA Coronagraph Instrument (SCI) of which the primary scientic objective is the characterization of Jovian exoplanets by coronagraphic spectroscopy in the infrared. Studies on binary shaped pupil mask coronagraphs are described. Cryogenic active optics is discussed as another key technology. Then approaches to observing habitable zones in exoplanetary systems with a passively-cooled space infrared telescope are discussed. The SCI was dropped in a drastic change of the SPICA mission. However, its legacy is useful for space-borne infrared telescopes dedicated for use in exoplanetary science in the future, especially for studies of biomarkers.

We present the development of a spectral dispersion device for wideband spectroscopy for which the primary scientic objective is the characterization of transiting exoplanets. The principle of the disperser is simple: a grating is fabricated on the surface of a prism. The direction of the spectral dispersion power of the prism is crossed with the grating. Thus, the prism separates the spectrum into individual orders while the grating produces a spectrum for each order. In this work, ZnS was selected as the material for the cross disperser, which was designed to cover the wavelength region, ⋋ = 0.6-13 μm, with a spectral resolving power, R ≥ 50. A disperser was fabricated, and an evaluation of its surface was conducted. Two spectrometer designs, one adopting ZnS (⋋ = 0.6-13 μm, R ≥ 300) and the other adopting CdZnTe (⋋ = 1-23 μm, R ≥ 250), are presented. The spectrometers, each of which has no moving mechanical parts, consist simply of a disperser, a focusing mirror, and a detector.

We present project updates of the next-generation infrared space mission SPICA (Space Infrared Tele- scope for Cosmology and Astrophysics) as of November 2015. SPICA is optimized for mid- and far-infrared astronomy with unprecedented sensitivity, which will be achieved with a cryogenically cooled (below 8 K), large (2.5 m) telescope. SPICA is expected to address a number of key questions in various fields of astrophysics, ranging from studies of the star-formation history in the universe to the formation and evolution of planetary systems. The international collaboration framework of SPICA has been revisited. SPICA under the new framework passed the Mission Definition Review by JAXA in 2015. A proposal under the new framework to ESA is being prepared. The target launch year in the new framework is 2027/28.

Modelling and tting the spectral energy distribution (SED) of galaxies or regions of galaxies is one of the most useful methods available to the astronomer nowadays. By modelling the SEDs and comparing the models to the observations, we can collect important information on the physical processes at play in the formation and evolution of galaxies. The models allow to follow the evolution of the galaxies from their formation on. The versatility of code is crucial because of the diversity of galaxies. The analysis is only relevant and useful if the models can correctly reproduce this diversity now and across (as best as possible) all redshifts. On the other hand, the code needs to run fast to compare several million or tens of millions of models and to select the best (on a probabilistic basis) one that best resembles the observations. With this important point in mind, it seems logical that we should efficiently make use of the computer power available to the average astronomer. For instance, it seems difficult, today, to model and fit SEDs without a parallelized code. We present the new Python version of CIGALE SED fitting code and its characteristics. CIGALE comes in two main avours: CIGALE Classic to fit SEDs and CIGALE Model to create spectra and SEDs of galaxies at all redshifts. The latest can potentially be used in conjunction with galaxy evolution models of galaxy formation and evolution such as semi-analytic ones.

Two species of the minuta-subgroup within the oncaeid copepod genus Triconia Böttger-Schnack, 1999 collected in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are newly recorded. A female T. minuta (Giesbrecht, 1893 [“1892”]) and both male and female T. umerus (Böttger-Schnack and Boxshall, 1990) from the northeast equatorial Pacific are redescribed with the comparison of its morphological details, which differs from previous studies, in terms of the larger body size, the length to width ratio of the genital double-somite, the relative length of the outer basal seta on P5, and the ornamentation of the appendages. The characters, which are used for identification, such as the length ratio of the outer subdistal and outer spine versus the distal spine on P3-P4, and the outer spine length of the middle exopodal segment on P3 and P4 are reported for the first time. Information on the variations in the endopodal spine lengths of swimming legs 2-4 is also provided for T. minuta and T. umerus, with the summary of the wide zoogeographical distribution of these two species.

The BCBJ (Back Contact and Back Junction) or back-lit solar cell design eliminates shading loss by placing the pn junction and metal electrode contacts all on one side that faces away from the sun. However, as the electron-hole generation sites now are located very far from the pn junction, loss by minority-carrier recombination can be a significant issue. Utilizing Medici, a 2-dimensional semiconductor device simulation tool, the interdependency between the substrate thickness and the minority-carrier recombination lifetime was studied in terms of how these factors affect the solar cell power output. Qualitatively speaking, the results indicate that a very high quality substrate with a long recombination lifetime is needed to maintain the maximum power generation. The quantitative value of the recombination lifetime of minority-carriers, i.e., electrons in p-type substrates, required in the BCBJ cell is about one order of magnitude longer than that in the front-lit cell, i.e., 5 × 10−4 sec vs. 5 × 10−5 sec. Regardless of substrate thickness up to 150 μm, the power output in the BCBJ cell stays at nearly the maximum value of about 1.8 × 10−2 W·cm−2, or 18 mW·cm−2, as long as the recombination lifetime is 5 × 10−4 s or longer. The output power, however, declines steeply to as low as 10 mW·cm−2 when the recombination lifetime becomes significantly shorter than 5 × 10−4 sec. Substrate thinning is found to be not as effective as in the front-lit case in stemming the decline in the output power. In view of these results, for BCBJ applications, the substrate needs to be only mono-crystalline Si of very high quality. This bars the use of poly-crystalline Si, which is gaining wider acceptance in standard front-lit solar cells.

Cobalt was electrodeposited onto chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene/Si/SiO2 substrates, during different time intervals, using an electrolyte solution containing a low concentration of cobalt sulfate. The intention was to investigate the details of the deposition process (and the dissolution process) and the resulting magnetic properties of the Co deposits on graphene. During and after electrodeposition, in-situ magnetic measurements were performed using an (AGFM). These were followed by ex situ morphological analysis of the samples with ΔtDEP 30 and 100 s by atomic force microscopy in the non-contact mode on pristine CVD graphene/SiO2/Si. We demonstrate that it is possible to electrodeposit Co onto graphene, and that in-situ magnetic measurements can also help in understanding details of the deposition process itself. The results show that the Co deposits are ferromagnetic with decreasing coercivity (HC) and demonstrate increasing magnetization on saturation (MSAT) and electric signal proportional to remanence (Mr), as a function of the amount of the electrodeposited Co. It was also found that, after the end of the dissolution process, a certain amount of cobalt remains on the graphene in oxide form (this was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), as suggested by the magnetic measurements. This oxide tends to exhibit a limited asymptotic amount when cycling through the deposition/dissolution process for increasing deposition times, possibly indicating that the oxidation process is similar to the graphene surface chemistry.

Vinca alkaloids from plant Vinca minor have been investigated for their effects of tyrosinase inhibition, stimulation of ROS generation and increasement of cell migration activity. The methanolic crude extract and the water-soluble fraction exhibited IC50 value of 3.1 mg/mL and 2.1 mg/mL. Vinca minor extract treatment significantly increased ROS levels in HaCaT cells, in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatments of Vinca minor extract led to increase wound closure when compared with non-treatment. Low dose (0.1% or 0.3%) of extracts have not significantly affected, compared with that in controls. By contrast, 0.5% extract have dramatic effect on wound healing activity of keratinocytes. Effects of Vinca minor extract in a filter-based cell mobility assay appear similar to that of wound closure assay, which suggests that the Vinca minor extract have wound healing effects on skin.

The concern over beauty is increasing as the importance of appearance is becoming more prominent. Accordingly, the importance of studying beauty is now apparent. The purpose of this study is to analyze existing beauty-related research in order to assess current trends in beauty-related studies. Materials were collected from the master’s theses and academic journals from 1997 through 2016. In addition, 81 beauty-related papers were selected and classified into 3 categories according to their subjects and content. There were 19 hair attitude papers, 52 papers about make-up and skincare, and 10 papers on cosmetic surgery. Each type was divided into detailed themes according to the study theme and its number was grasped. Consequently it was classified into 9 themes about the attitude toward hair and the relevant variable study, 10 themes about the attitude toward hair style and relevant variable study, 24 themes about the make-up attitude and relevant variable study, 28 themes about the skin care attitude and relevant variable study, and 10 themes about the cosmetic surgery attitude and relevant variable study. The results revealed that academic concern about beauty sharply increased starting in 2005. Moreover, we determined that the methodologies used in hair and make-up studies were sound and detailed, while cosmetic surgery studies were more inconsistent and poorly analyzed. Thus cosmetic surgery should be further researched in a more standardized and thorough manner. This review of attitudes toward beauty will serve as a basis for follow-up studies that employ meta-analyses to draw more quantitative conclusions by aggregating many more study results.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of two different feeding systems on blood metabolites in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the feeding systems. The following two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding system on blood metabolite changes in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the two systems. In experiment 1, the effects of two different feeding systems on cortisol, progesterone, and estradiol in Holstein heifers were examined. In experiment 2, the effects of two different feeding systems on the body weights of Holstein heifers and profitability of the two feeding systems were studied. Results showed that the pasture-raised heifers showed significantly decrease in the levels of blood cortisol (p<0.05) and increases in the levels of progesterone and estradiol (p>0.05) when compared with heifers raised in indoor feeding system. The average daily gain was significantly higher (p<0.05) in indoor-raised heifers (0.73 kg/day) as compared to pasture-raised heifers (0.58 kg/day). Also, 25.2% more profits were obtained from the pasture feeding system as compared to the indoor feeding system. These results together would be useful in the investigation of feeding system and growth performance in dairy cattle.