• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1765-1773
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• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.129-133
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• 2005

The seasonal occurrence and influence of abiotic factors viz., maximum and minimum temperature, maximum and minimum humidity and rainfall on population fluctuation of aleyrodid, Dialeuropora decempuncta on a evolved mulberry (Morus alba L.) variety known to be susceptible to aleyrodid infestation was assessed during the period from 1999 - 2001 in twenty-five villages under nine blocks of Malda district of West Bengal. The results indicate that the aleyrodid population is practically very low or absent during January to June and thereafter increases gradually. The increase in population of various stages of aleyrodid is significantly correlated with increase in previous 7 days of average maximum relative humidity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제39권6호
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• pp.538-547
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• 2023

Rapid apple decline (RAD) is a complex phenomenon affecting cultivated apple trees and particularly dwarf rootstocks on grafted young apple trees. Since its first appearance in the United States, RAD has been reported worldwide, for example in Canada, South America, Africa, and Asia. The phenomenon has also been observed in apple orchards in Korea, and it presented similar symptoms regardless of apple cultivar and cultivation period. Most previous reports have suggested that RAD may be associated with multiple factors, including plant pathogenic infections, abiotic stresses, environmental conditions, and the susceptibility of trees to cold injury during winter. However, RAD was observed to be more severe and affect more frequently apple trees on the Malling series dwarf rootstock. In this study, we reviewed the current status of RAD worldwide and surveyed biotic and abiotic factors that are potentially closely related to it in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제41권10호
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• pp.290-301
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• 2017

Background: Forest edges create distinctive ecological space as adjacent constituents, which distinguish between different ecosystems or land use types. These edges are made by anthropogenic or natural disturbance and affects both abiotic and biotic factors gradually. This study was carried out to assess edge effects on disturbed landscape at the pine-dominated clear-cut area in a genetic resources reserve in Uljin-gun, eastern Korea. This study aims to estimate the distance of edge influence by analyzing changes of abiotic and biotic factors along the distance from forest edge. Further, we recommend forest management strategy for sustaining healthy forest landscapes by reducing effects of deforestation. Results: Distance of edge effect based on the abiotic factors varied from 8.2 to 33.0 m. The distances were the longest in $Mg^{2+}$ content and total nitrogen, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$ contents, canopy openness, light intensity, air humidity, $Na^+$ content, and soil temperature followed. The result based on biotic factors varied from 6.8 to 29.5 m, coverage of tree species in the herb layer showed the longest distance and coverage of shrub plant in the herb layer, evenness, species diversity, total coverage of herb layer, and species richness followed. As the result of calculation of edge effect by synthesizing 26 factors measured in this study, the effect was shown from 11.0 m of the forest interior to 22.4 m of the open space. In the result of stand ordination, Rhododendron mucronulatum, R. schlippenbachii, and Fraxinus sieboldiana dominated arrangement of forest interior sites and Quercus mongolica, Vitis amurensis, and Rubus crataegifolius dominated spatial distribution of the open area plots. Conclusions: Forest interior habitat lies within the influence of both abiotic and biotic edge effects. Therefore, we need a forest management strategy to sustain the stability of the plant and further animal communities that depend on its stable conditions. For protecting forest interior, we recommend selective logging as a harvesting method for minimizing edge effects by anthropogenic disturbance. In fact, it was known that selective logging contributes to control light availability and wind regime, which are key factors affecting microclimate. In addition, ecological restoration applying protective planting for the remaining forest in the clear-cut area could contribute to prevent continuous disturbance in forest interior.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2002

Adverse environmental conditions such as drought, high salt and cold/freezing are major factors that reduces crop productivity worldwide. According to a survey, 50-80% of the maximum potential yield is lost by these "environmental or abiotic stresses", which is approximately ten times higher than the loss by biotic stresses. Thus, improving stress-tolerance of crop plants is an important way to improve agricultural productivity, In order to develop such stress-tolerant crop plants, we set out to identify key stress signaling components that can be used to develop commercially viable crop varieties with enhanced stress tolerance. Our primary focus so far has been on the identification of transcription factors that regulate stress responsive gene expression, especially those involved in ABA-mediated stress response. Be sessile, plants have the unique capability to adapt themselves to the abiotic stresses. This adaptive capability is largely dependent on the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA), whose level increases under various stress conditions, triggering adaptive response. Central to the response is ABA-regulated gene expression, which ultimately leads to physiological changes at the whole plant level. Thus, once identified, it would be possible to enhance stress tolerance of crop plants by manipulating the expression of the factors that mediate ABA-dependent stress response. Here, we present our work on the isolation and functional characterization of the transcription factors.n factors.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.172-178
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• 2010

천연집단에 서식하는 개비자나무 개체들을 이용해 무생물 및 생물적 환경인자가homoharringtonine(HHT) 함량에 미치는 영향을 조사하여 향후 항암제 가능성이 있는 HHT의 고부가가치 산업적인 생산이 기대되는 연구에 기초자료를 제공하고자 본 연구를 수행하였다. 무생물적 환경인자(토양습도, 토양pH, 서식밀도, 기온)와 HHT 함량과의 상관관계에 있어 HHT 는 토양습도(0.77)와 토양pH(-0.68)에서 높은 상관을 보였다. 고도에 따른 무생물적 환경인자 (토양습도, 토양pH)와 HHT 의 함량 관계에 관해 다중회귀 분석을 실시한 결과, 토양 습도의 회귀계수($26.48^{***}$) 만 유의하여 토양 습도가 상대적으로 HHT 함량에 높은 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 생물적 환경인자(damage index)에 따른 HHT 함량에 미치는 영향을 살펴 본 결과, HHT는 2차곡선회귀적으로 증가하다 감소하는($H=278.23+1242D-398.87D^2$) 경향을 보였고 damage index는 HHT 함량에 높은 영향을 미치는 것으로 분석되었다. 마지막으로 HHT 의 함량에 영향을 미치는 최적환경인자를 분석한 결과, damage index와 토양 습도 모두가 2차다항회귀식으로 가장 적합하였고 결정계수는 각각 0.73와 0.67로 damage index가 상대적으로 HHT 함량에 높은 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 섭식자 또는 균류와 같은 스트레스로 인한 방어기작이 HHT 의 생성에 높은 영향을 미치는 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국초지조사료학회지
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.190-195
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• 2018

Cold, salt and heat are the most critical factors that restrict full genetic potential, growth and development of crops globally. However, clarification of genes expression and regulation is a fundamental approach to understanding the adaptive response of plants under unfavorable environments. In this study, we applied an annealing control primer (ACP) based on the GeneFishing approach to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Italian ryegrass (cv. Kowinearly) leaves under cold, salt and heat stresses. Two-week-old seedlings were exposed to cold ($4^{\circ}C$), salt (NaCl 200 mM) and heat ($42^{\circ}C$) treatments for six hours. A total 8 differentially expressed genes were isolated from ryegrass leaves. These genes were sequenced then identified and validated using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. We identified several promising genes encoding light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, alpha-glactosidase b, chromosome 3B, elongation factor 1-alpha, FLbaf106f03, Lolium multiflorum plastid, complete genome, translation initiation factor SUI1, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These genes were potentially involved in photosynthesis, plant development, protein synthesis and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. However, this study provides new insight regarding molecular information about several genes in response to multiple abiotic stresses. Additionally, these genes may be useful for enhancement of abiotic stress tolerance in fodder crops as well a crop improvement under unfavorable environmental conditions.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권11호
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• pp.1515-1522
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• 2012

식물호르몬인 abscisic acid (ABA)는 식물의 비생물학적 스트레스의 적응과정에서 중요한 역할을 수행하고 있다. 또한 ABA는 종자휴면, 발아, 세포분열의 저해, 기공개폐와 같은 중요한 과정에 관여하고 있다. OsABF2(Oryza sativa ABRE Binding Factor2)는 벼에서 비생물학적 스트레스와 ABA 신호전달 과정에 양성적으로 관여하는 bZIP 형태의 전사인자이다. OsABF2 유전자의 발현은 ABA와 다양한 스트레스 처리에 의해 유도된다. 본 논문에서는 OsABF2 유전자를 과발현한 애기장대가 가뭄, 고염, 고온 상태에서의 생존율이 야생형보다 증가하는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 ABA가 존재하는 상황에서 OsABF2 유전자를 과발현한 애기장대의 발아율이 감소하는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과로 미루어 OsABF2 유전자를 과발현한 애기장대는 비생물학적 스트레스에 대한 내성이 증가하고 ABA 감수성은 증가하는 것으로 확인되었다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.425-441
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• 2010

Forages are the backbone of sustainable agriculture. They includes a wide variety of plant species ranging from grasses, such as tall fescue and bermudagrass, to herbaceous legumes, such as alfalfa and white clover. Abiotic stresses, especially salinity, drought, temperature extremes, high photon irradiance, and levels of inorganic solutes, are the limiting factors in the growth and productivity of major cultivated forage crops. Given the great complexity of forage species and the associated difficulties encountered in traditional breeding methods, the potential from molecular breeding in improving forage crops has been recognized. Plant engineering strategies for abiotic stress tolerance largely rely on the gene expression for enzymes involved in pathways leading to the synthesis of functional and structural metabolites, proteins that confer stress tolerance, or proteins in signaling and regulatory pathways. Genetic engineering allows researchers to control timing, tissue-specificity, and expression level for optimal function of the introduced genes. Thus, the use of either a constitutive or stress-inducible promoter may be useful in certain cases. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made towards the development of transgenic forage plants with improved tolerance to abiotic stresses.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.260-267
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• 2012

Calling behavior is often used to infer breeding patterns in anurans. We studied the seasonal and diel calling activities of anuran species in a wetland in central Korea to determine the calling season and to evaluate the effects of abiotic factors on male calling. Acoustic monitoring was used in which frog calls were recorded for a full day, once a week, throughout an entire year. Using acoustic monitoring, we identified three frog species in the study site. Males of Rana dybowskii called in late winter and early spring; we thus classified this species as a winter/spring caller. The results of binary logistic regression showed that temperature, relative humidity, and 1-day lag rainfall were significant factors for male calling in R. dybowskii. Temperature and relative humidity were important factors for the calling activity of R. nigromaculata, whereas 24-h rainfall and 1-day lag rainfall were not significant. Thus, we determined R. nigromaculata to be a summer caller independent of weather. In Hyla japonica, relative humidity, 24-h rainfall, and 1- day lag rainfall were significant for male calling, suggesting that this species is a summer caller dependent on local rain.