• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1777-1789
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• 2019

Drought is more concerned to be a huge problem for agriculture as it affects plant growth and yield. Endophytic bacteria act as plant growth promoting bacteria that have roles for improving plant growth under stress conditions. The properties of four strains of endophytic bacteria were determined under water deficit medium with 20% polyethylene glycol. Bacillus aquimaris strain 3.13 showed high 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase production; Micrococcus luteus strain 4.43 produced indole acetic acid (IAA). Exopolysaccharide production was high in Bacillus methylotrophicus strain 5.18 while Bacillus sp. strain 5.2 did not show major properties for drought response. Inoculation of endophytic bacteria into plants, strain 3.13 and 4.43 increased height, shoot and root weight, root length, root diameter, root volume, root area and root surface of Jerusalem artichoke grown under water limitation, clearly shown in water supply at 1/3 of available water. These increases were caused by bacteria ACC deaminase and IAA production; moreover, strain 4.43 boosted leaf area and chlorophyll levels, leading to increased photosynthesis under drought at 60 days of planting. The harvest index was high in the treatment with strain 4.43 and 3.13 under 1/3 of available water, promoting tuber numbers and tuber weight. Inulin content was unchanged in the control between well-watered and drought conditions. In comparison, inulin levels were higher in the endophytic bacteria treatment under both conditions, although yields dipped under drought. Thus, the endophytic bacteria promoted in plant growth and yield under drought; they had outstanding function in the enhancement of inulin content under well-watered condition.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2016

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-lipogenic effect of Sobuncheong-eum on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in free fatty acid induced cellular model. Methods : HepG2 cells were treated with palmitate for 24h to overload intracellular triglyceride (TG) content in the presence or absence of Sobuncheong-eum extract. After palmitate treatment, Intracellular TG content was measured with TG assay kit. Several lipogenesis related markers, including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS), were assessed using Western-blot analyses and RT-PCR. Results : Palmitate markedly increased intracellular TG in HepG2 cells, and which were alleviated by coadministered Sobuncheong-eum extract. Sobuncheong-eum extract activated AMPK, which plays a key role in reducing hepatic lipid accumulation, and reduced lipogenic fators, SREBP-1c, ACC, and FAS. Conclusions : Taken together, it is conceivable that Sobuncheong-eum has an potential to alleviate steatosis, and which may be mediated by activating AMPK at least in part.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.55.1-55.17
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• 2021

Background: Naringenin and its glycoside naringin are well known citrus flavonoids with several therapeutic benefits. Although the anti-adipogenic effects of naringenin and naringin have been reported previously, the detailed mechanism underlying their anti-adipogenesis effects is poorly understood. Objectives: This study examined the anti-adipogenic effects of naringenin and naringin by determining differential gene expression patterns in these flavonoids-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods: Lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) content were determined by Oil red O staining and TG assay. Glucose uptake was measured using a 2-[N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose fluorescent d-glucose analog. The phosphorylation levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl Co-A carboxylase (ACC) were observed via Western blot analysis. Differential gene expressions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were evaluated via RNA sequencing analysis. Results: Naringenin and naringin inhibited both lipid accumulation and TG content, increased phosphorylation levels of both AMPK and ACC and decreased the expression level of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that 32 up-regulated (> 2-fold) and 17 down-regulated (< 0.6-fold) genes related to lipid metabolism, including Acaca, Fasn, Scd1, Mogat1, Dgat, Lipin1, Cpt1a, and Lepr, were normalized to the control level in naringenin-treated adipocytes. In addition, 25 up-regulated (> 2-fold) and 25 down-regulated (< 0.6-fold) genes related to lipid metabolism, including Acaca, Fasn, Fabp5, Scd1, Srebf1, Hmgcs1, Cpt1c, Lepr, and Lrp1, were normalized to the control level by naringin. Conclusions: The results indicate that naringenin and naringin have anti-adipogenic potentials that are achieved by normalizing the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes that were perturbed in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.407-422
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• 2018

The study evaluates properties of brick having coal ash and explores the possibility of utilization of coal bottom ash and coal fly ash as an alternative raw material in the production of coal ash bricks. Lower cement content was used in the investigations to attain appropriate strength and prohibit high carbon content that is cause of environmental pollution. The samples use up to 7% of cement whereas sand was replaced with bottom ash. Bricks were tested for compressive strength, modulus of rupture, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), water absorption and durability. The results showed mix proportions of bottom ash, fly ash and cement as 1:1:0.15 i.e., M-15 achieved optimum values. The coal ash bricks were well bonded with mortar and could be feasible alternative to conventional bricks thus can contribute towards sustainable development.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.377-390
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• 2017

This study proposes a mix design method for geopolymer concrete (GPC) using low calcium fly ash and alccofine, with the focus on achieving the required compressive strength and workability at heat and ambient curing. Key factors identified and nine mixes with varied fly ash content (350, 375 and $400kg/m^3$) and different molarity (8, 12 and 16M) of NaOH solutions were prepared. The cubes prepared were cured at different temperatures ($27^{\circ}C$, $60^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$) and tested for its compressive strength after 3, 7 and 28 days of curing. Fly ash content has been considered as the direct measure of workability and strength. The suggested mix design approach has been verified with the help of the example and targets well the requirements of fresh and hardened concrete.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.231-239
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• 2019

The present study deals with the development of metakaolin-based geopolymer concrete (GPC) and thereafter studying the effects of adding ultra-fine slag on its mechanical and permeability characteristics. The mechanical characteristics including compressive, split tensile, flexural strengths and elastic modulus were studied. In addition, permeability characteristics including water absorption, porosity, sorptivity and chloride permeability were studied up to 90 days. The results showed the effective utilization of metakaolin for the development of elevated temperature cured geopolymer concrete having high 3-day compressive strength of 42.6 MPa. The addition of ultra-fine slag up to 15%, as partial replacement of metakaolin resulted in an increase in strength characteristics. Similar improvement in durability properties was also observed with the inclusion of ultra-fine slag up to 15%. Beyond this optimum content of 15%, further increase in ultra-fine slag content affected the mechanical as well as permeability parameters in a negative way. In addition, the relationship between various properties of GPC was also derived.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.525-533
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• 2015

The effect of the hot water extract of defatted green tea seed cake (GTSE) on lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanisms of lipolysis in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were investigated. In this study, we found that the naringenin content of GTSE was 5.5 mg/g; however, catechins were not detected. The intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil Red O dye and quantified. Compared to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 52%, and intracellular triglyceride (TG) level was reduced by 33% after treatment with GTSE at a concentration of $40{\mu}g/mL$. To determine the mechanism of reduction in TG content, we determined the level of fatty acid synthase (FAS), phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) in the cell model. Incubation of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with GTSE stimulated AMPK and ACC phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased the expression of FAS.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.71-90
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• 2015

In order to investigate the feasibility and advantage of tuff used as pozzolan in cement-based composite, the representative specimens of tuff were collected, and their chemical compositions, proportion of vitreous phase, mineral species, and rock structure were measured by chemical composition analysis, petrographic analysis, and XRD. Pozzolanic activity strength index of tuff was tested by the ratio of the compression strength of the tuff/cement mortar to that of a control cement mortar. Pozzolanic reaction degree, and the contents of CH and bond water in the tuff/cement paste were determined by selective hydrochloric acid dissolution, and DSC-TG, respectively. The tuffs were demonstrated to be qualified supplementary binding material in cement-based composite according to relevant standards. The tuffs possessed abundant $SiO_2+Al_2O_3$ on chemical composition and plentiful content of amorphous phase on rock texture. The pozzolanic reaction degrees of the tuffs in the tuff/cement pastes were gradually increased with prolongation of curing time. The consistency of CH consumption and pozzolanic reaction degree was revealed. Variation of the pozzolanic reaction degree was enhanced with the bond water content and relationship between them appeared to satisfy an approximating linear law. The fitting linear regression equation can be applied to mutual conversion between pozzolanic reaction degree and bond water content.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.285-298
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• 2021

This study focused on experimental evaluation of mechanical properties of pervious concrete mixtures with the aim of achieving higher values of strength while considering the associated costs. The effectiveness of key parameters, including cement content, water to cement ratio (W/C), aggregate to cement ratio (A/C), and sand replacement was statistically analyzed using paired-samples t-test, Taguchi method and one-way ANOVA. Taguchi analysis determined that in general, the role of W/C was more significant in increasing strength, both compressive and flexural, than cement content and A/C. It was found that increase in replacing percent of coarse aggregate with sand could undermine specimens to percolate water, though one-way ANOVA analysis determined statistically significant increases in values of strength of mixtures. Cost analysis revealed that higher strengths did not necessarily correspond to higher costs; in addition, increasing the cement content was not an appropriate scenario to optimize both strength and cost. In order to obtain the optimal values, response surface method (RSM) was carried out. RSM optimization helped to find out that W/C of 0.40, A/C of 4.0, cement content of about 330 kg/m3 and replacing about 12% of coarse aggregate with sand could result in the best values for strength and cost while maintaining adequate permeability.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 2016

This study examined effects of Enterobacter ludwigii SJR3 showing a high 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, on growth of tomato plant and its expression of stress-related genes under drought and salt stress. SJR3 strain was inoculated at $10^6cell/g$ soil to 4-week grown tomato plants, and drought and salt stresses were treated. After additional incubation for 1 week, root length, stem length, fresh weight and dry weight of tomato plants treated with SJR3 increased by 37.8, 37.2, 96.8 and 146.6%, respectively compared to those of uninoculated plants in drought stress environment, and they increased by 19.2, 25.4, 19.5, and 105.8%, respectively in salt stress environment. Proline content in tomato leaves increased significantly under stress conditions as one of a protecting substance against stresses, but proline contents in tomato treated with SJR3 decreased by 62.1 and 54.1%, respectively. Relative expression of genes encoding ACC oxidase, ACO1 and ACO4, ethylene response factor genes ERF1 and ERF4, and some other stress-related genes were examined from tomato leaves. Compared to the non-stressed tomato, expressions of all stress-related genes increased significantly in the stressed tomato, but gene expressions in the inoculated tomato were similar to those of no-stressed control tomato. Therefore, E. ludwigii SJR3 may play an important role in mitigating drought and salt stress in plants, and can increase productivity of crops under various abiotic stresses.