Cordyceps militaris is widely used in China, Korea, and other Asian countries as both a traditional medicinal ingredient and an edible fungus. This study aimed to optimize the growth conditions and fruiting body production of C. militaris by investigating various culture media and physical parameters such as pH, aeration, illumination, temperature, spawn materials, and oat–sawdust-based substrate formulations. After a 7-day incubation period, oats with a pH of 6.0, under sealed and illuminated conditions at 32°C, demonstrated the most effective mycelial growth. Substrates consisting of 70% oat and 30% sawdust had the shortest incubation time of 30.5 days for fruiting body formation. The basidiospores showed a typical germination pattern where the sporidium produced a single germ tube that elongated, and branched to form monokaryotic primary mycelia. In conclusion, using oats as a substrate in the cultivation of C. militaris could reduce production costs and help protect the environment.

We studied the effects of initial pH, different nitrogen sources, and cultivation methods (shake flask and static culture) on biomass production, exopolysaccharides (EPS), and adenosine by Paecilomyces tenuipes. Relatively low pH levels were optimal for mycelial growth and EPS production. Yeast extract was the most effective organic nitrogen source for EPS production, whereas soybean extract was the best for adenosine production. A high C/N ratio was beneficial for adenosine production; however, excessively high C/N ratios reduced adenosine production. Static fermentation significantly increased adenosine production. A Box-Behnken design was used to optimize adenosine production; the optimal conditions for adenosine production by P. tenuipes were pH 7.0, soybean concentration of 3%, and a static culture period of 20 days, with the maximum adenosine production of 141.10 mg/L (predicted value: 128.05 mg/L).

Ethanol production from various agricultural and forest residues has been widely researched, but there is limited information available on the use of mixed hardwood for ethanol production. The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of time on the steam explosion pretreatment of waste wood (mixed hardwood) and to determine the convenience of a delignification step with respect to the susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose residue and the recoveries of both cellulose and hemicellulosic sugars. Delignification did enhance enzymatic hydrolysis yields of steam exploded waste wood. For steam explosion pretreatment times of 3 and 5 min, the recovery yield of hemicellulosic-derived sugars decreased. The effective hemicellulose solubilization does not always result in high recoveries of hemicellulose-derived sugars in the liquid fractions due to sugar degradation. In the steam explosion pretreatment times of 3 and 5 min, where hemicellulose solubilization exceeded 95%, but sugar recoveries in the liquid fraction remained below 30%. Cellulose to glucose yield losses were less significant than hemicellulosic-sugar losses, with a maximum loss of 24% at 5 min. Up to 80% of the lignin in the original wood was solubilized, leaving a cellulose-rich residue that led to a concentrated cellulose to glucose yield solution (about 50 g/L after 72 h enzymatic hydrolysis in the best case). The maximum overall process yield, taking into account both sugars present in the liquid from steam explosion pretreatment and cellulose to glucose yield from the steam exploded, delignified and hydrolyzed solid was obtained at the lowest steam explosion pretreatment time assayed.

After the permanent shut down of Kori Unit 1, various decommissioning activities will be implemented, including decontamination, segmentation, waste management, and site restoration. During the decommissioning period, waste management is among the most important activities to ensure that the process proceeds smoothly and within the expected timeframe. Furthermore, the radioactive waste generated during the operation should be sent to a disposal facility to complete the decommissioning project. Square and cylindrical concrete re-package drums were generated during the 1980s and 1990s. The square, containing boron concentrates, and cylindrical, containing spent resin, concrete re-package drums have been stored in a radioactive waste storage building. Homogeneous radioactive waste, including boron concentrates, spent resin, and sludge, should be solidified or packaged in high-integrity containers (HICs). This study investigates the sequential segmentation process for the separation of contaminated and non-contaminated regions, the re-packaging process of segmented or crushed cement-solidified boron concentrate, and re-packaging in HICs. The conceptual design evaluates the re-packaging plan for the segmented and crushed cement-solidified waste using HICs, which is acceptable in a disposal facility, and the quantity of generated HICs from the treatment process.

The objective of this study was to determine the ultrasonication-assisted extraction conditions that maximize the DPPH radical scavenging activity of extracts obtained from the stems of Lespedeza bicolor Turcz through the application of the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Before delving into the analysis of extraction conditions using the RSM model, we conducted efficiency validation of ultrasonication-assisted extraction and executed single-factor experiments for ethanol concentration, extraction time, and extraction temperature. The data obtained from these single-factor experiments were employed to construct the Box-Behnken Design (BBD). In these results, in the single-factor experiments, it was evident that the parameters for ethanol concentration, extraction time, and extraction temperature exhibited quadratic trends. The single-factor experiments allowed us to discern the trends for each parameter leading to the maximum antioxidant capacity, and this data was subsequently applied to the BBD. Following the completion of initial experiments, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) model was constructed based on Box-Behnken Design (BBD). According to the predictive model developed in this study, it was anticipated that performing ultrasonic-assisted extraction for 85.0412 minutes at an ethanol concentration of 32.573% and an extraction temperature of 51.5608°C will result in a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 79.7146%. The predictive results were statistically verified through a comparative analysis with actual measurements and ANOVA analysis, confirming the statistical significance of the model. The finding of this study underscore the significance of optimizing extraction conditions in the precise quantification of the antioxidant potential for economic advantages in both experimental and industrial contexts.

Paecilomyces tenuipes (P. tenuipes) is a fungus cultivated artificially by South Korean researchers, utilizing rice bran as its substrate. The increased demand for this fungus has not been met with successful cultivation methods for fruiting body production in natural environments. Therefore, we tested the effect on the growth of P. tenuipes using a Solid media based on pests. In this results, the Solid media based on M.alternatus was effective in increasing the growth of P. tenuipes and the content of cordycepin. Moreover, we confirmed the conditions for manufacturing a Solid media based on M.alternatus for P. tenuipes growth. We suggested that the growth-promoting compounds offers valuable insights for optimizing fungal cultivation conditions, thereby enhancing productivity and contributing to a broader understanding of fungal physiology in varying nutritional environments.

Mushrooms play crucial roles as reservoirs of naturally occurring bioactive compounds. Among these, Cordyceps militaris is significant because of its well-established reputation for organoleptic excellence and positive health effects, which have led to its widespread commercialization. In contrast, the key properties of Paecilomyces variotii, an ectomycorrhizal symbiont, has received limited attention. In alignment with current research trends, the study of the mycelia and culture media of these mushrooms hold promise in identifying potential sources of valuable bioactive compounds. In the present study, we investigated C. militaris and P. variotii for their phenolic acids and sterols, assessing antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-proliferative activity. Interestingly, P. variotii mycelia exhibited higher concentrations of ergosterol and phenolic compounds, with comparable levels observed in the fruiting bodies, along with superior antioxidant activity compared to that of C. militaris. In contrast, C. militaris mycelia demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects (which were absent in P. variotii mycelia) and cytotoxicity comparable to, and at times exceeding, that of its fruiting bodies (in contrast to P. variotii). In addition, the species analyzed in this study displayed variations in growth rates and mycelial production, which merit consideration for potential future applications and further study.

Plants synthesize antioxidant compounds as a defense mechanism against reactive oxygen species. Recently, plant-derived antioxidant compounds have attracted attention due to the increasing consumer awareness in the heath industry. However, traditional methods for measuring the antioxidant activity of these compounds are time-consuming and costly. Therefore, our study constructed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model that can predict antioxidant activity using graph convolutional networks (GCN) from plant structural data. The accuracy (Acc) of the model reached 0.6 and the loss reached 0.03. Although with lower accuracy than previously reported QSAR models, our model showed the possibility of predicting DPPH antioxidant activity in a wide range of plant compounds (phenolics, polyphenols, vitamins, etc.) based on their graph structure.

Hypertension is characterized by excessive renin-angiotensin system activity, leading to blood vessel constriction. Several synthetic compounds have been developed to inhibit renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). These drugs often have adverse side effects, driving the exploration of plant protein-derived peptides as alternative or supplementary treatments. This study assessed the phenolic compound and amino acid content and the antioxidant and antihypertensive activity of 5 South Korean staple crops. Sorghum had the highest phenolic compound content and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Millet grains, particularly finger millet (38.86%), showed higher antihypertensive activity than red beans (14.42%) and sorghum (17.16%). Finger millet was found to contain a large proportion of branched-chain, aromatic, and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are associated with ACE inhibition. In particular, cysteine content was positively correlated with ACE inhibition in the crops tested (r=0.696, p<0.01). This study confirmed that the amino acid composition was more correlated with the antihypertensive activity of grains than the phenolic compound content. Finger millet mainly contained amino acids, which have higher ACE inhibitory activity, resulting in the strongest antihypertensive activity. These findings underscore the antihypertensive potential of select crops as plant-based food ingredients, offering insight into their biological functions.

Fulvic acid, a humic substance with unique properties, has sparked interest due to its potential applications in the treatment of allergic diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and as a microplastic adsorbent. However, conventional extraction methods produce insufficient quantities for commercial use, which has prompted research to enhance fulvic acid production. In this study, we investigated the impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on the yield and spectral characteristics of fulvic acid extracted from white peat. Fulvic acid was extracted from both S. cerevisiae-treated and untreated white peats using acid precipitation. The yield of fulvic acid from the S. cerevisiae treated group reached its highest at 3.5 % after 72 hr of fermentation, which was significantly higher than the untreated group (1.1 %). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed similarities in functional groups and characteristic absorption bands between the treated and untreated fulvic acid samples. These findings suggest that S. cerevisiae fermentation can increase the yield of fulvic acid extracted from white peat, providing a promising approach for enhancing the commercial viability of fulvic acid production.

본 연구는 주변 환경의 차이에 따른 화분매개곤충의 유입 특성을 파악하기 위하여 국립수목원 내 진화속을걷 는정원과 부추속전문전시원에 식재된 울릉산마늘의 화분매개곤충을 조사하였다. 2023년 5월 22일부터 6월 2일 까지 꽃이 70% 이상 개화하였을 때 포충망을 활용하여 8일간 곤충을 채집하였고, 각 전시원 별 식생(피도), 기후 (온도·습도·조도)를 조사하였다. 조사 결과 진화속을걷는정원에서 피도 60% 온도 26.4℃, 습도 31.5%, 조도 40953.6lx, 화분매개곤충 20과 450개체, 부추속전문전시원은 피도 90%, 온도 25.6℃, 습도 31.6%, 조도 6387lx, 화분매개곤충 15과 196개체로 나타났다. 온도와 조도가 상대적으로 높은 진화속을걷는정원이 채집된 곤충의 다양성과 방문 빈도가 높았다. 시간대별 곤충의 방문 빈도를 비교해본 결과 온도와 조도는 개체수가 증가할 때 같이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 습도는 반대의 경향을 보였다.

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) is a nucleoside analog known for its diverse range of biological activities. This study investigated the effect of different types of sawdust on the production of the bioactive compound cordycepin. The results of the study showed that different types of wood sawdust affected the biosynthesis of cordycepin and a significant increase was observed when the conventional SDB medium was replaced with 1% NaOH treated pine sawdust. To optimize cordycepin production from Paecilomyces tenuipes in a medium containing 1% NaOH-pretreated pine sawdust, we employed Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in its Box-Behnken design (BBD) canonical form. The optimal conditions were determined as follows: a particle size of 109.5111-mesh (140 m) for 1% NaOH-pretreated pine sawdust, an input weight of 21.1679 g/L, and an incubation time of 73.8423 hours. According to our model, this combination is expected to yield a maximum cordycepin content of 896.1428 g/mL. Experimental validation of this prediction was performed using the suggested optimal conditions, resulting in an average cordycepin content of 922.6771 g/mL across three replicates, thus confirming the model's accuracy.

Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a unique and valuable medicinal fungus belonging to the Cordyceps species. C. militaris is the only fungus that contains cordycepin which is a biologically active compound. In previous studies, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are known to be effective in increasing cordycepin content, but metabolic profiling of LED-stimulated C. militaris has not been confirmed. Metabolic profiling is essential to understanding the metabolic regulation of cordycepin. This study studied the physiologically active secondary metabolites of C. militaris according to the presence or absence of stimulation of LEDs through GC-MS analysis. Most of the metabolites were detected in both samples, but there was a clear difference in the detected concentration. In particular, C. militaris had a significant difference in amino acid levels when stimulated with LEDs. Our results suggested that LEDs could stimulate amino acid synthesis in C. militaris mycelium to increase the cordycepin content.

Roridin E, a constituent of Podostroma cornu-damae, has excellent medicinal properties and exhibits powerful anticancer effects. However, being a poisonous mushroom, P. cornu-damae is difficult to find in its natural environment. Therefore, only a limited amount of roridin E is isolated from P. cornu-damae. We isolated roridin E from mycelial culture medium of P. cornu-damae and examined its effects on five breast cancer cell lines. The purity of the isolated roridin E was 96%. It exhibited anticancer effects on all five breast cancer cell lines, with an IC50 of at least 0.0006 mg/L. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of roridin E isolated from the mycelium of P. cornu-damae mushrooms on five breast cancer cell lines. However, safety issues should be investigated and addressed in future studies before roridin E is used in clinical settings.

In the event of a radioactive release, it is essential to quickly detect and locate the source of the release, as well as track the movement of the plume to assess the potential impact on public health and safety. Fixed monitoring posts are limited in their ability to provide a complete picture of the radiation distribution, and the information they provide may not be available in real-time. This is why other types of monitoring systems, such as mobile monitoring, aerial monitoring, and personal dosimeters, are also used in emergency situations to complement the information provided by fixed monitoring posts. Also, the monitoring system can be improved by using the Kriging technique, which is one of the interpolation methods, to predict the radiation dose in the relevant districts. This can be achieved by utilizing both the GPS information and the radiation dose measured at a particular point. The Kriging method involves estimating the value between different measurement points by considering the distance between them. The model used GPS and radiation data that were measured around the Hanbit NPP. The data were collected using a radiation measuring detector on a bus that traveled around the NPP area at 2-second intervals for one day. From the collected data, 200 data points were randomly selected for analysis, excluding the data measured at the bus garage out of a total of 16,550 data points. The average dose of the daily measurement data was 117.94 nSv/h, and the average dose of the 200 randomly extracted data was 119.17 nSv/h. The GPS and radiation dose data were utilized to predict the radiation dose around the Yeonggwang area where the Hanbit NPP is located. In the event of an abnormal release of radioactive material, it can be difficult to accurately determine the dose unless a monitoring measurement point is present. This can delay the rapid evacuation of residents during an emergency situation. By utilizing the Kriging model to make predictions, it is anticipated that more accurate dose predictions can be generated, particularly during accident scenarios. This can aid in the development of appropriate resident protection measures.