This study aimed to investigate whether neurotransmitter receptors in the nervous system were also expressed in oral keratinocytes. Expressions of various neurotransmitter receptor genes in immortalized mouse oral keratinocyte (IMOK) cells were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. IMOK cells expressed calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor subunit genes Ramp1 and Ramp3 and glutamate receptor subunit genes Grina , Gria3 , Grin1 , Grin2a , and Grin2d . Moreover, IMOK cells expressed Adrb2 and Chrna5 that encode beta 2 adrenergic receptor and cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 5 for sympathetic and parasympathetic neurotransmitters, respectively. The expression of Bdkrb1 and Ptger4 , which encode receptors for bradykinin and prostaglandin E2 involved in inflammatory responses, was also observed at low levels. Expressions of Ramp1 and Grina in the mouse gingival epithelium were also confirmed by immunohistochemistry. When the function of neurotransmitter receptors expressed on IMOK cells was tested by intracellular calcium response, CGRP, glutamate, and cholinergic receptors did not respond to their agonists, but the bradykinin receptor responded to bradykinin. Collectively, oral keratinocytes express several neurotransmitter receptors, suggesting the potential regulation of oral epithelial homeostasis by the nervous system.

This study examined the combined effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and micro-perforated (MP) film packaging on the microbiological and physicochemical qualities of kimchi sauce stored under fluctuating temperature conditions. Before storage, treatment with 600 MPa HHP reduced the total lactic acid bacteria in the sauce samples to below the detection limit (1 log CFU/g). After 68-day storage, ten microbial strains isolated from the non-treated controls were identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus, whereas eight microbial strains isolated from the HHP-treated samples were identified as Bacillus spp., regardless of the packaging type. Additionally, the samples treated with HHP and packaged in a multilayer film bag (ML-HPP), as well as those in the MP-HHP group, exhibited higher pH values and reduced sugar content than the ML-control or MP-control after 68-day storage. No significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups regarding their electrical conductivity, salinity, and CIE a* values at the end of storage. However, there was no O2 reduction or CO2 accumulation in the MP-HHP group after 68-day storage. These results indicate that the combination of HHP treatment and MP-film packaging can extend the kimchi sauce's shelf life without packaging expansion during long-term storage.

This study was conducted to investigate the quality of kimchi cabbages stored under a pallet unit-controlled atmosphere (PUCA), containing 2% O2 and 5% CO2, and to develop quality prediction models for cabbages stored under such conditions. Summer and winter cabbage samples were divided into PUCA-exposed groups and atmospheric airexposed control groups (in a cold storage). The control summer cabbages lost up to 8.31% of their weight, whereas the PUCA-exposed summer cabbages lost only 1.23% of their weight. Additionally, PUCA storage effectively delayed the reduction in cabbage moisture content compared with the control storage. After storage for 60 and 120 days of the summer and winter samples, respectively, the reducing sugar contents were higher in the PUCA groups than in the control groups. The linear regression analysis-derived equations for predicting the storage period, weight loss, and moisture content in the control groups, as well as those for predicting the storage period and weight loss in the PUCA groups, were appropriate according to the adjusted coefficient of determination, root mean square error, accuracy factor, and bias factor values. Therefore, this PUCA system would be useful for improving the shelf life of the postharvest summer and winter cabbages used in the commercial kimchi industry.

Brucellosis is the most common zoonosis worldwide, which is caused by Brucella spp. In humans, it can be mainly occurred by direct contact with infected animals or consumption of contaminated dairy products. This study focused on human brucellosis caused by B. melitensis discovered from Chinese worker in Korea in 2015. We investigated molecular epidemiological evidence to find the infection source. We first performed several PCR methods including 16S rRNA PCR, multiplex PCR and real-time PCR to identify Brucella species. We also conducted MLVA typing for epidemiological trace-back analysis. The isolate from the patient was confirmed to B. melitensis through Brucella-specific PCR. In clustering analysis with B. melitensis from foreign countries, this human isolate was correlated with B. melitensis isolates from humans and sheep in China by 99.9% similarity. Thus, we assumed the brucellosis patient has been already infected in China followed by migration to Korea according to molecular epidemiological analysis with history evidence. Moreover, we suggest it needs to take measures to reduce the risk for intercountry transmission of brucellosis due to the influx of infected people from abroad.

기후변화, 외래병해충발생, 밀원수 감소 등 여러 요인으로 인해 우리 나라의 양봉농가는 벌꿀생산량 및 농가소득이 감소하는 추세이다. 또한 밀원이 없는 시기에 가축용 사료가 아닌 고가의 식용설탕을 꿀벌의 인공사료로 급여하고 있어 농가는 ‘생산비 상승’과 ‘밀원수 부족’을 국내양봉업이 직면한 가장 큰 문제점으로 지적하고 있다. 이에 따른 양봉농가의 생산비를 절감하고 꿀벌의 생리·생태의 개선효과를 가지는 저가형 당액사료개발을 위해 농산부산물에서 추출한 천연당을 봉군에 적용시험을 추진하였다. 양파(OS-1, OS-2), 양배추(CS-1, CS-2), 바나나(Banana)부산물에서 추출한 천연당의 봉군당 평균먹이소모량(mL)은 설탕당액(대조구) 처리구와 비교시 바나나추출당액 급여구에서 5500.00±0.00, 5133.33±404.15로 유사하였다. 그러나 꿀벌의 봉세발달은 대조구에 비해 21006.7±2137, 17403.3±2257마리로 조사되어 낮은 경향을 나타내었고 수명조사 결과는 큰 차이가 없었다. 농산부산물을 이용한 천연당은 우선 꿀벌의 기호도 향상을 우선으로 개선시켜야 할 것으로 보인다.