The major active components of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) are isoflavones, which exist in the form of various glycosides. Nuruk is a traditional fermentation starter in Korea, and is suitable for the biotransformation of isoflavone glycosides because it contains various microorganisms and enzymes. This study was performed to determine changes in the isoflavones and antioxidant properties of AM fermented (AF) with nuruk over 24 hours. AF was sampled after 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h of fermentation, and calycosin 7-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, and formononetin content, and the antioxidant properties of AF were analyzed. The total phenolic content increased with fermentation time, and the ABTS radical scavenging activity increased until 6 h of fermentation and then decreased. During fermentation, the isoflavone glycosides decreased significantly as fermentation time increased. The contents of calycosin and formononetin, which are aglycons of calycosin-7-glucoside and ononin, increased from 100.54 μg/g to 276.84 μg/g and from 56.29 μg/g to 123.04 μg/g, respectively, at 18 h of fermentation. Significant correlations were observed between fermentation time, isoflavone content, and antioxidant properties. The results of this study showed that fermentation with nuruk is suitable for the biotransformation of isoflavones in AM.

Aster koraiensis Nakai (A. koraiensis) which has been used as a food and medicinal plant in the past, is valuable as functional food material. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant properties and major phenolics of A. koraiensis extracts with different ethanol concentrations (0, 50, 70, and 100% aqueous ethanol solution). When ethanol concentration in the extraction solvent was increased, extraction yield decreased; 34.2, 23.2, 21.0, and 5.5% in 0, 50, 70, and 100% ethanolic extracts, respectively. Total phenolics content and antioxidant activities of extracts were increased in an ethanol concentration-dependant manner. The major phenolics in the extracts were chlorogenic acid (21.264~58.666 mg/g), isochlorogenic acid A (10.432~145.353 mg/g), and isochlorogenic acid C(0.239~13.148 mg/g), and these phenolic contents were higher in 70 and 100% ethanolic extracts than other extracts. Significant correlations were observed between ethanol concentration of extraction solvent, antioxidant properties, and major phenolics. These results indicated that the optimal ethanol concentration for extraction was 70%.

Fresh Omija (Schisandra chinensis) has good marketability, but its quality is difficult to maintain during storage and distribution. Freezing and freeze-thawing treatments can be utilized for the quality maintenance and processing of cold press juice. In this study, the color, antioxidant properties, and the major components of soaked liquor from Omija with freeze-thawing treatment were analyzed during the extraction periods. Each of the frozen and freeze-thawed Omija samples was soaked in 35% ethanol, extracted for 15 days, and used for analysis. The frozen and freeze-thawed samples showed a tendency toward better color and higher antioxidant activity and major component levels than the controls, and freeze-thawing was the best. The results of this study showed that freeze-thawing treatment improved the color, antioxidant properties, and level of the major components of Omija soaked liquor, and freeze storage is suitable for making soaked liquor.

Angelica gigas Nakai (A. gigas) easily changes its color during storage, and appropriate thermal treatment can improve storage stability through inactivation of enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, this study was performed to determine quality characteristics of dried A. gigas in response to high-temperature-short-time (HTST) treatment during storage. Dried A. gigas were treated at 120-180℃ for 10 min, the samples were stored at 4℃ and 50℃ for 10 weeks, and used for the analysis of qualities. Concerning the color values, the sample treated at 120℃ was similar to the control, and the color change was large when treated above 180℃. However, color difference (△E* ab) was lower in treated samples than in control. Browning index was similar for all the samples except for the sample treated at 180℃. Functional qualities (phenolics content, antioxidant activities, and level of major components) showed a slight difference according to storage periods in all samples without control, and nodakenin content was observed in control. The results of this study showed that HTST treatment improved storage stability such as stability of colors and browning index in dried A. gigas during storage, and the appropriate treatment temperature was 120℃ in terms of stability in color and browning index.

The aging treatment was applied to Rehmannia glutinosa rhizome (RGR) to improve the digestibility by the enzymatic hydrolysis of undigestible sugars. However, RGR spoils easily during the aging treatment. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of ethanol addition as preservatives on sugars and microbial growth of aged RGR. The RGR was treated with the addition of ethanol (0~10%) at 55℃ for eight days. Reducing, free sugars, and total bacterial counts of RGR with ethanol concentrations were analyzed during the aging periods. The aged RGR with 0-2% ethanol appeared spoiled in appearance, and total bacterial counts of these samples increased from 1.1×105 to 2.2×107 CFU and then decreased again. When treated with 4~10% ethanol, the total bacterial counts of aged RGR decreased by more than 99.9% at eight days. In all samples, reducing and digestible sugars increased, and stachyose decreased by the aging treatment. Sucrose content was highest in the 6% ethanol sample (18.2% at six days). These results indicate that the ethanol addition can be applied to the aging treatment of the RGR for improving qualities (sweetness, digestibility, and microbial growth), and can be considered for the stable production of high quality aged RGR.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect on oxidative stress induced PC12 cells, and volatile flavor composition of essential oils derived from medicinal plant seeds- Gossypium hirsutum L. (G. hirsutum), Coix lachryma-jobi (C. lachryma-jobi) and Oenothera biennis (O. biennis). The essential oils were obtained by the solvent (hexane) extraction method from the seeds. The essential oils of the seeds were analyzed by the solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). The major compounds of G. hirsutum, C. lachryma-jobi and O. biennis were cyclonexanol (16.65%), β-asarone (14.29%) and ylangene (50.01%). The DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50) was the highest value of 8.52 mg/mL in the O. biennis. Additionally, IC50 values of G. hirsutum and C. lachryma-jobi were 26.76 mg/mL and 36.81 mg/mL. For the oxidative stress on PC12 cells, we treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The pretreatment of oxidative stress induced PC12 cells with all the essential oils preserved or increased their cell viability and G. hirsutum and O. biennis attenuated the ROS generation (by 68.75% and 56.25% vs. H2O2 control). The results of this study suggest that the essential oils derived from medicinal plant seeds could be used as valuable back data as a natural essential oil material to prevent neurodegenerative diseases by protecting neuro-cells.

An organophosphorus pesticide, ethoprophos, has been widely used in agriculture to control major insect pests. As ethoprophos is a well-known neurotoxin, its accumulation in soils and groundwater is concerning worldwide. In this study, we constructed an artificial ethoprophos-enrichment soil system, and its active concentration in soils was measured by gas chromatography on 15-days intervals during 90 days after ethoprophos treatment. Furthermore, the changes in bacterial community and microorganisms responsible for efficient bioremediation were investigated while ethoprophos was degraded in soils. From 15 to 60 days after the treatment, ethoprophos was actively degraded in soils and members of genera Collimonas and Sphingobium appeared dominantly in a natural microbial community especially in 60-days-after-treatment soil. We isolated a bacterium EP60845 from this soil sample, showing significant ethoprophos biodegradation activity in vitro. When we challenged EP60845 strain into ethoprophos-enrichment soils (250 mg/kg of soil), most ethoprophos was removed within 5-days. Phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and biochemical properties by API 20GN kit demonstrated that the EP60845 strain was a novel Sphingobium sp., which could be used as an efficient ethoprophos- degrading agents for bioremediation purposes.

층면구조 안정성 다이어그램은 층면구조가 주어진 입도와 유속에서 나타나는 층면구조의 모양과 크기를 지시한다. 이 다이어그램은 대부분 수조실험에 의해 획득한 실험 데이터를 기반으로 작성되었다. 일반적으로, 수조실험은 입자의 크기와 유속사이의 관계를 이해하기 위해 분급이 좋고 단일입도의 분포를 보이는 퇴적물을 이용하여 수행되었다. 이 다이어그램에 의하면, 세립사와 중립사 퇴적물 표면에서 유속이 빨라지면서, 평행층에서 연흔이 형성되기 시작한다. 이 연구의 목적은 층면구조 안정성 다이어그램의 결과가 실험을 통하여 잘 재현되는지를 확인하고, 분급이 좋은 퇴적물과 달리 분급이 불량한 경우인 이정 입도 분포를 보이는 사질 퇴적물에서도 잘 재현되는지 확인하는 것이다. 본 연구 실험 결과는 2D 연흔이나 3D 연흔 층면구조가 형성되기 위해서, 분급이 불량한 퇴적물의 경우에, 분급이 좋은 퇴적물보다 더 높은 유체의 유속과 전단응력이 필요하다는 것을 보여주고 있다. 탄산염 퇴적물은 수력학적 분급작용이 활발하지 않으며, 퇴적물의 구성이 알로켐과 기질로 이루어지는 이정 입도 분포를 보이는 퇴적물로서 일반적으로 분급이 불량한 특징을 가지고 있다. 따라서, 실험의 결과는 탄산염 퇴적물에서 층면구조 형성을 위해 쇄설성 퇴적환경의 퇴적물 보다 더 높은 유속이 필요할 수 있음을 제안하고 있다. 분급이 불량한 퇴적물 입자가 침식되어 이동기 위해 더 높은 에너지와 유속이 필요하다는 것은 분급 효과, 마찰 효과, 안정성 효과, 갑옷 효과 등이 복합적으로 작용한 결과로 설명될 수 있을 것이다. 본 연구는 예비적 고찰로서, 이어지는 연구를 통해 이러한 현상을 과학적으로 설명하고 입도와 층면구조 형성의 상관성을 보다 정교하게 규명하고자 한다.

본 연구는 동백나무의 대량번식 및 양묘를 위한 기초 정보를 제공하기 위하여 종자 무게와 저장방법에 따른 발아특성과 유묘생장을 조사하였다. 실온저장과 4℃건조저장의 발아율은 종자 무게에 따라 일정한 경향이 없었다. 4℃ 습윤모래저장의 발아율은 종자무게가 무거울수록 높아졌으나 저장 120일에 매우 낮은 발아율을 나타내었다. 4℃ 습윤여과지저장의 발아율은 60 일, 90일, 120일 저장 모두 80% 이상으로 높았고, 종자 무게에 따른 발아율의 차이도 거의 나타나지 않았다. 평균발아일수는 실온저장과 건조저장에서 30일 내외의 긴 시간이 요구되었지만 습윤저장(모래, 여과지)은 13일 내외로서 짧았다. 엽수, 엽건물중, 줄기직경, 뿌리건물중은 종자 무게 1.21 g 이상부터 평균치를 상회하였고, 줄기길이는 종자 무게 1.01 g, 식물체건물중은 종자 무게 0.81 g, 줄기건물중은 종자 무게 0.61 g부터 유묘의 평균치를 상회하였다. 유묘 생장은 종자 무게가 무거울수록 양호하였으며, T/R율은 종자가 무거울수록 낮아지는 경향이었다. 동백나무 유묘의 대량생산을 위해서는 종자 무게 및 크기를 구체화할 필요성이 있고, 파종을 위한 종자저장은 4℃ 습윤여과 지저장이 가장 효율적인 방법으로 평가되었다.

Background : This study was carried out to provide the basic data for selection of excellent resources and true seeds of southern medicinal plant (Camellia japonica). Methods and Results : Camellia japonica seedlings (measure in October, seeding in May) were 7.4 leaves, 1.0 g leaf dry weight, 6.7 ㎝ stem length, 2.9 ㎜ stem diameter, 0.3 g stem dry weight, 17.3 ㎝ root length, 1.0 g root dry weight, 2.0 g plant dry weight and 1.4. T/R ratio. Leaf number, leaf dry weight, stem diameter and root dry weight were higher than average after 1.21 g of seed weight. Stem length was higher than average after 1.01 g of seed weight, plant dry weight was higher than average after 0.81 g of seed weight, and stem dry weight was higher than average after 0.61 g of seed weight. Seedling growth was good when the seeds were heavy, and T/R ratio tended to decrease when the seeds were heavy. Conclusions : In order to mass-produce of seedlings using Camellia japonica seeds, it was necessary to specify the weight and size of the seeds.

Background : This study was carried out to provide the basic data for selection of excellent resources and true seeds of southern medicinal plant (Camellia japonica). Methods and Results : The germination rate at room temperature and 4℃ dry storage did not show a tendency according to seed weight. The germination rate of 4℃ wet sand storage increased with seed weight but showed very low germination rate at 120 days of storage. The germination rate at 4℃ wet filter paper storage was higher than 80% in 60 days, 90 days and 120 days storage, and there was no difference in germination rate with seed weight. The mean number of germination days was about 30 days in average at room temperature and 4℃ dry storage, but wet storage (sand, filter paper) was short as about 13 days. Conclusions : The seeding of Camellia japonica seeds (last autumn harvest) in the spring of the next year was evaluated as the most efficient way to 4℃ wet filter paper storage