This study was carried out to investigate the effect on the growth and antioxidant activities of Cichorium intybus L.(CLE), Cichorium intybus L. var. folisum ‘treviso’ (CLET), Cichorium intybus L. var. folisum ‘rosaitaliana’ (CLER) in hydroponics added with Cr3+ or Selenium (Se) for 4 weeks. Total polyphenol, total flavonoids contents and FRAP values of three species of chicory were grown hydroponically with Cr3+ or Se were increased. These extracts were also showed stronger DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity than chicory extracts. In particular, chicories added with Cr3+ had higher antioxidant activities than chicories added with Se. CLER and CLE extracts added with Cr3+ were also showed α-glucosidase inhibition activities. These results indicate that chicories were cultivated in culture fluid added with Cr3+ or Se could be used as high functional vegetables.

This study was conducted to investigate of changes for organic acids in takju during storage conditions. Two types of takju, unsterilized and sterilized, were used. Acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid and succinic acid were detected in sample. Residues of malic acid was not detected after 7 days storage in room temperature( 25oC). In contrast to lactic acid was increased by times after storage. Acetic acid concentrations was gradually increased in room temperature but was not changed in cold temperature(4oC). After storage for 10 days, the organic acid residues lactic acid > citric acid > succinic acid > malic acid > acetic acid in unsterilized takju. Compared to unsterilized sample, organic acid residues in sterilized sample was not significantly changed. Consequently, organic acids residues mainly affected by sterilization.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is associated with porcine circovirus diseases (PCVD), of which postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome is considered to cause considerable economic losses in pig industry worldwide. As the virus-like particle (VLP) is a highly effective type of subunit vaccine and has unique advantages in terms of safety and immunogenicity, this study aimed to develop PCV2-like particles, which matched currently circulating Korean PCV2 and were applicable as vaccines. The ORF2 genes encoding PCV2 capsid protein were amplified from the PCV2 subgroup 1A/B Korean C275 isolate and the subgroup 2E C94 isolate by PCR assay with primer pair specific to PCV2 ORF2 gene, and were cloned into baculovirus transfer vector. Recombinant baculovirus was generated by cotransfection with the transfer vector and linear baculovirus DNA into the Sf9 cells, and then by plaque purification. Expression of PCV2 capsid protein was determined by the indirect immunofluorescence and Western blotting assays, and electron microscopy. By both immunological assays, PCV2 capsid antigen was detected in the Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculoviruses. The formation of empty virus particles, characteristic of VLP, was detected in the lysate of Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculoviruses by negative electron microscopy. From these results, VLPs of two genogroups of PCV2 were successfully expressed and generated in a baculovirus expression system. It is expected that the expressed VLPs of two genotypic groups can be used for control of PCV2 infection as good vaccine candidates.

Although several enteric viral pathogens including the porcine groups A, B and C rotaviruses (PGARV, PGBRV, and PGCRV), sapovirus (PSaV), and torovirus (PToV) are known to cause endemic diarrheas in weaning and post-weaning piglets, their precise prevalence in Korea is not clear. Therefore, we examined 1,222 diarrhea stools obtained from 627 farms during 2004～2009 by RT-PCR and/or nested PCR for evaluating their precise prevalence in Korea. PGARV was the predominant pathogen during 2004～2007 but its prevalence was markedly reduced during 2008～2009. PGBRV infections caused endemic diarrhea during 2004～2007, but was hardly detected during 2008-2009. PGCRV was detected at 27.0%, 14.5%, 42.4%, 28.8%, 7.3%, and 54.2% during each year of 2004～2009, respectively, indicating its high prevalence in Korea throughout the years. PSaV induced with high prevalence (32.4-39.2%) during 2004～2005 but its detection rate was markedly decreased during 2006～2009. PToV caused sporadic infections only during 2006 (1.0%) and 2007 (6.9%). These enteric viruses were detected in diarrhea specimens in piglets usually in combination with each other and/or together with bacterial pathogens including the Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Brachispira hyodysenteriae, and Lawsonia intracellularis. Infections with PGARV, PGCRV, PSaV, and PToV were more prevalent in fecal samples collected in cold seasons. These results provide important epidemiological data for the control and establishment of a surveillance system for the prevailing enteric viruses in Korea.

Gingival overgrowth can cause dental occlusion and seriously interfere with mastication, speech, and dental hygiene. It is observed in 25 to 81% of renal transplant patients treated with cyclosporine A (CsA). CsA-induced gingival overgrowth (CIGO) is caused by quantitative alteration of the extracellular matrix components, particularly collagen. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of CIGO remain poorly understood, despite intense clinical and laboratory investigations. The aim of the present work is to identify differentially expressed genes closely associated with CIGO. Human gingival fibroblasts were isolated by primary explant culture of gingival tissues from five healthy subjects (HGFs) and two patients with the CIGO (CIGO-HGFs). The proliferative activity of CsA-treated HGFs and CIGO-HGFs was examined using the MTT assay. The identification of differentially expressed genes in CsA-treated CIGO-HGF was performed by differential display reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by DNA sequencing. CsA significantly increased the proliferation of two HGFs and two CIGO-HGFs, whereas three HGFs were not affected. Seven genes, including the beta subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4HB) and testican 1, were upregulated by CsA in a highly proliferative CIGO-HGF. The increased P4HB and testican-1 mRNA levels were confirmed in CsA-treated CIGO-HGFs by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Furthermore, CsA increased type I collagen mRNA levels and suppressed MMP-2 mRNA levels, which are regulated by P4HB and testican-1, respectively. These results suggest that CsA may induce gingival overgrowth through the upregulation of P4HB and testican-1, resulting in the accumulation of extracellular matrix components.

The present study aimed to compare and investigate the morphological characteristics and yield components according to ploidy level of diploid and tetraploid Platycodon grandiflorum under vinyl-greenhouse and open field conditions. Plant height of diploid and tetraploid P. grandiflorum was 51.3 ㎝, 54.0 ㎝, respectively. The results revealed that the plants grown in the vinyl-greenhouse showed significantly higher growth compared to those grown in the open field. Regardless of the growing place, diploid and tetraploid of P. grandiflorum showed the rapid elongation of internodes after 4 and 3 internodes respectively and elongation tends to be decreased as entering the flower-bud differentiation period. The starting day of flowering in vinyl-greenhouse cultivation was found to be faster than that of the open field cultivation by 2∼ 3 days and tended to be delayed by about 5∼6 days in tetraploid P. grandiflorum compared to diploid. Fresh weight of roots from the vinyl-greenhouse cultivation showed a high quantity as 34.2g and 49.4g in diploid and tetraploid P. grandiflorum, respectively and especially tetraploid P. grandiflorum was found to be increased by approximately 44.4% compared to other plots.

It is known that mackerel and pork belly release a strong odor in the process of roasting. We evaluated a dilution factor of odor arising during roasting mackerel or pork belly and the relative odor strength using several cooking tools and analyzed compounds causing odors with gas chromatograph / mass detector. Roasting pans used were grill with lid, electric grill without lid and general roasting pan, and a grill with lid can attach the activated carbon charcoal deodorant at the inside of lid. And all electric grills have a drip tray under the heater. We investigated characteristics of odor emission depending on the presence of water and deodorants in these cooking tools. Study has shown that roasting mackerel produces approximately 36 time more odors than roasting pork belly, and the reduced odor emission when roast with water. And it shows the reduced deodorant effect when cooked with water after attaching activated carbon charcoal in the cooking pan. Major odor causing compounds arising when cooking mackerel and pork belly were aldehydes with high boiling point such as octyl aldehyde with a low odor threshold value.

To evaluate the effect of aging on solar salts produced in Korea, the chemical compositions of the solar salts, including their heavy metal contents, were analyzed after they were aged for one-year (OA) and for three years (TA). The average contents of the components were: sodium chloride; 81.4% (OA) and 90.9% (TA), chloride; 57.7% (OA) and 65.0% (TA), moisture content; 4.7% (TA) and 12.0% (OA), insoluble solids; 0.03% (OA) and 0.04% (TA), and SO4 ions; and 0.57% (TA) and 0.85% (OA). No significant difference was found, however, in the heavy metal contents. Heavy metals such as As, Pb, and Hg were detected with values far below the maximum permissible limit, and Cd was not detected in the salts. The TA solar salts showed higher values of sodium chloride, chloride, and insoluble solids than the OA solar salts, but the TA solar salts had lower moisture and SO4 values. These results clearly indicate that the levels of heavy metals in the OA and TA solar salts that are produced in Korea are safe.

Organotin compounds (OTs), namely butyltins compounds (BTs) and phenyltin compounds (PhTs), were measured in surface and core sediments collected in Jeju harbor. The horizontal and vertical distribution was examined and the relationship between the concentration of OTs and organic matter content and particle size distribution was also studied. BTs were detected in significant concentrations in sediments inside Jeju harbor. PhTs were detected in very low concentrations, compared to BTs. The main species in BTs and PhTs were dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), monophenyltin (MPhT), respectively. In the relationships between the concentrations of total BTs and organic carbon content, the significant correlations (r2=0.4898 in surface sediments, r2=0.53 in one core sediments) and no correlation in another core sediments obtained, which is estimated that the distribution of BTs in sediments were affected by several factors, such as their physicochemical properties including organic carbon content, and a tide, etc. In the relationships between the concentrations of total BTs and particle size (mud, sand, and gravel) in sediments, the concentrations of total BTs were higher in the sediments with higher mud content, indicating that higher BTs were distributed with increasing sediments of fine granules.

Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface sediments collected in 2001 inside Hallim Harbor where a lot of shipping occurs as one of major harbors of Jeju Island, in order to evaluate their distribution. BTs were detected in surface sediments of all stations and their concentrations were comparable to those in surface sediments of other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site. No correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect on the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affected on the distribution of BTs. The high correlations between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessel etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indexes ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) were in the range of 1.5～3.3 (mean 2.5), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago and degraded.