This study investigated the quality characteristics of black soybean sediments to diversify the availability of soybean. The cooking method selected for black soybean sediment preparation was a pressure cooking process without soaking, considering the isoflavone content. The black soybean sediments were prepared by the addition of 0, 10, 30, 50 and 100% (w/w) black soybean. When 0% to 100% black soybean was added to the black soybean sediments, the moisture and crude protein contents increased from 53.17% to 54.41% and from 12.07% to 21.68%, respectively. The total isoflavone content of the black soybean sediments was increased from 2.69 μg/g to 696.09 μg/g, respectively, by the addition of black soybean. The anthocyanin content of the black soybean sediments ranged from 279.29 μg/g to 387.8 μg/g by the addition of black soybean. The total polyphenol content and the total flavonoid content of the black soybean sediments range from 1.72 mg/g to 2.00 mg/g and 0.89 mg/g to 0.92 mg/g, respectively, by the addition of black soybean. Given the isoflavones, total polyphenol, and anthocyanin content of the black soybean sediments, it is appropriate that the ratio of added black soybeans is at least 50% after the pressure-cooking process, regardless of soaking.

Gastrodia elata Blume often has been used for the treatment of headaches, convulsions, hypertension, and neurodegenerative diseases. The main active constituents are gastrodin, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, vanillyl alcohol, 4-hydroxybenzylaldehyde and parishin A, B, C and E. Because Gastrodia elata has also unacceptable off-odor (swine barnyard-like) for food, there is a need to reduce it as well as allow for greater utilization as a functional food materials. In this study, a major off-odor producing substance of Gastrodia elata was fractionated by steam distillation and silica gel column chromatography. The substance was identified as p-cresol(4-methyl phenol) by GC-MS analysis and comparison of the retention time with that of an authentic compound in GC. The content of p-cresol in fermented Gastrodia elata was decreased. A fermented sample of Latobacillus sakei for 2 days was reduced to 54.7%, when compared with a unfermented sample. The five parishin derivatives in Gastrodia elata were identified by HPLC-MS analyses, and a comparison of HPLC retention times with those of authentic compounds. When compared with parishin derivatives of an unfermented Gastrodia elata, those of Gastrodia elata fermented by L. sakei, increased to 18.3% for 2 days. Increases of about 14.0~38.4% of the total phenolic compounds and 57.4~77.3% total flavonoids were found in fermented extracts, by 3 lactic acid bacteria strains. They were compared with 97.1±2.9 μg/g and 40.9±2.0 μg/g in the unfermented control, respectively. The extracts of Gastrodia elata Blume that were fermented by lactic acid bacteria had higher DPPH free radical scavenging activity and FRAP reducing power than the unfermented control.

본 연구는 국내 재배면적이 확대되고 있는 목이버섯의 부가가치 향상과 소비량 확대를 위해 팽화기술을 접목한 목이버섯 즉석죽을 제조하고, 품질특성을 조사하여 실버층에 쉽게 적용할 수 있는 제품을 개발하고자 하였다. 백미와 흑미를 75~100%와 25~0%로 혼합한 후 비타민 D2와 식이섬유 함량이 높은 건목이버섯을 0~4%로 첨가하여 호화도, 영양성분, 항산화성 및 관능 등을 조사하였다. 즉석죽 분말의 호화도는 건목이버섯 첨가량이 증가할수록, 흑미 첨가량이 감소할수록 최고점도와 유지강도, 강하점도, 최종점도, 노화점도가 증가하는 경향이었다. 백미 80%와 흑미 20%를 혼합한 후 건목이버섯 3%를 첨가한 즉석죽은 비타민 D2 18.53 μg/100 g, 식이섬유 3.73 g/100 g이 함유되어 있어 뼈의 형성과 유지와 배변활동 촉진 효과가 기대되었다. 또한 DPPH free radical 소거능도 56.79%로 나타나, 항산화성이 높아 실버층의 건강에 기여할 것으로 기대되었다. 본 실험 결과, 목이버섯은 기능성 가공제품 개발의 소재로서 사용가치가 매우 높아 실버층뿐 아니라, 다양한 연령층에 적합한 가공제품 생산에 응용가능하리라 생각된다.

The Egr family of zinc finger transcription factors is rapidly induced by various mitogens and regulates cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. While it is clear that loss of Egr1 leads to anovulatory infertility due to LHβ deficiency in female mice, molecular function of Egr1 in male reproduction has not been clearly investigated. Here, we demonstrate that Egr1 acts as an intrinsic transcription factor in Leydig cells to regulate their proliferation and steroidogenesis in the testis as well as an extrinsic factor for male reproduction via LHβ transcription in the pituitary. Egr1 is predominantly expressed in spermatogonia and Leydig cells in immature testes and later detected in some of these cell types in mature testes. The fertility potential of Egr1(-/-) male mice is relatively deteriorated even at 2 month-old age and aggravated with aging. The incidence of abnormalities of seminiferous tubules such as Sertoli cell only was dramatically increased with aging. The number and mean size of Leydig cells were significantly reduced in Egr1(-/-) testes. The impairment of Leydig cells is consistent with significant reduction in levels of testosterone and expression of factors critical for steroidogenesis such as StAR in Egr1(-/-) testes. Exogenous administration of hCG rapidly and transiently induced Egr1 expression in Leydig cells culture in vitro. hCG could reinstate reduced mean size of Leydig cells but not reduced number of Leydig cells and aberrantly low StAR expression, suggesting that Egr1 has critical functions for Leydig cell proliferation and their steroidgenesis. In addition, daily sperm production and in vitro fertilization (IVF) competence were significantly reduced, and apoptosis was facilitated in these mice. Furthermore, hCG administration to compensate for relatively low LH levels in Egr1(-/-) males could not restore the compromised reproductive phenotypes such as IVF competence and apoptosis in these mice. Interestingly, expression of Egr2, a member of Egr family, is significantly elevated in Egr1(-/-) Leydig cells suggesting that genetic compensation of Egr2 may alleviate phenotypic aberration of Egr1(-/-) male testes. Collectively, these results suggest that Egr1 act as an intrinsic transcription factor required for proliferation and steroidogenesis of Leydig cells to govern spermatogenesis in the testis.