• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.833-838
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• 2007

In this study, adhesion and transport of bacteria in positively-charged media was investigated with batch and column experiments. Bacterial species used in this study was Escherichia coli ATCC 11105(length: 2.2 ${\mu}m$, diameter: 0.6 ${\mu}m$) and media used were quartz sand(particle size distribution: 0.5-2.0 mm, mean diameter: 1.0 mm) and iron-coated sand. Batch results indicate that bacterial adhesion increased as the content of iron-coated media increased. At iron-coated media 0%(quartz sand 100%), around 46% of bacteria was adhered to media while at iron-coated media 100%(quartz sand 0%) about 97% was attached. Column results also show that bacterial adhesion was enhanced with an increase of iron-coated media content. As the iron-coated media content increased from 0 to 100%, bacterial adhesion increased from 8 to 94%. The experimental results demonstrate that positively-charged media could influence transport of bacteria in porous media.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.374-385
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• 2013

Environmental stresses induce several plant pathogenic bacteria into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, but the basis for VBNC is largely uncharacterized. We investigated the physiology and morphology of the copper-induced VBNC state in the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum in liquid microcosm. Supplementation of $200{\mu}M$ copper sulfate to the liquid microcosm completely suppressed bacterial colony formation on culture media; however, LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability staining showed that the bacterial cells maintained viability, and that the viable cells contain higher level of DNA. Based on electron microscopic observations, the bacterial cells in the VBNC state were unchanged in size, but heavily aggregated and surrounded by an unknown extracellular material. Cellular ribosome contents, however, were less, resulting in a reduction of the total RNA in VBNC cells. Proteome comparison and reverse transcription PCR analysis showed that the Dps protein production was up-regulated at the transcriptional level and that 2 catalases/peroxidases were present at lower level in VBNC cells. Cell aggregation and elevated levels of Dps protein are typical oxidative stress responses. $H_2O_2$ levels also increased in VBNC cells, which could result if catalase/peroxidase levels are reduced. Some of phenotypic changes in VBNC cells of R. solanacearum could be an oxidative stress response due to $H_2O_2$ accumulation. This report is the first of the distinct phenotypic changes in cells of R. solanacearum in the VBNC state.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.393-399
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• 2008

Purpose: Chronic infected wounds sustained over 4 weeks with exposed tendon or bone are difficult challenges to plastic surgeons. Vacuum assisted closure (VAC) device has been well used for the management of chronic wounds diminishing wound edema, reducing bacterial colonization, promoting formation of granulation tissue and local blood flow by negative pressure to wounds. But Commercial ready-made VAC device might have some difficulties to use because of its high expenses and heavy weight. So we modified traditional VAC device with silver dressing materials as topical therapeutic agents for control of superimposed bacterial wound infection such as MRSA, MRSE and peudomonas. Methods: We designed the modified VAC device using wall suction, 400 cc Hemovac and combined slow release silver dressing materials. We compared 5 consecutive patients' data treated by commercial ready-made VAC device(Group A) with 11 consecutive patients' data treated by modified VAC device combined with silver dressing materials(group B) from September 2004 to June 2007. Granulation tissue growth, wound discharge, wound culture and wound dressing expenses were compared between the two groups. Results: In comparison of results, no statistical differences were identified in reducing rate of wound size between group A and B. Wound discharge was significantly decreased in both groups. Modified VAC device with silver dressing materials showed advantages of convenience, cost effectiveness and bacterial reversion. Conclusion: In combination of modified VAC device and silver dressing materials, our results demonstrated the usefulness of managing chronic open wounds superimposed bacterial infection, cost effectiveness compared with traditional VAC device and improvement of patient mobility.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.888-897
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• 2014

A bacterial community analysis of the gut of Tenebrio molitor larvae was performed using pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. A predominance of genus Spiroplasma species in phylum Tenericutes was observed in the gut samples, but there was variation found in the community composition between T. molitor individuals. The gut bacteria community structure was not significantly affected by the presence of antibiotics or by the exposure of T. molitor larvae to a highly diverse soil bacteria community. A negative relationship was identified between bacterial diversity and ampicillin concentration; however, no negative relationship was identified with the addition of kanamycin. Ampicillin treatment resulted in a reduction in the bacterial community size, estimated using the 16S rRNA gene copy number. A detailed phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Spiroplasma-associated sequences originating from the T. molitor larvae were distinct from previously identified Spiroplasma type species, implying the presence of novel Spiroplasma species. Some Spiroplasma species are known to be insect pathogens; however, the T. molitor larvae did not experience any harmful effects arising from the presence of Spiroplasma species, indicating that Spiroplasma in the gut of T. molitor larvae do not act as a pathogen to the host. A comparison with the bacterial communities found in other insects (Apis and Solenopsis) showed that the Spiroplasma species found in this study were specific to T. molitor.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.46.1-46.10
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of different instrumentation and irrigation techniques using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) after root canal inoculation with Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). Materials and Methods: Mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals of extracted mandibular molars were apically enlarged up to a size 25 hand K-file, then autoclaved and inoculated with E. faecalis. The samples were randomly divided into 4 main groups according to the system of instrumentation and irrigation: an XP-endo Shaper (XPS) combined with conventional irrigation (XPS/C) or an XP-endo Finisher (XPF) (XPS/XPF), and iRaCe combined with conventional irrigation (iRaCe/C) or combined with an XPF (iRaCe/XPF). A middle-third sample was taken from each group, and then the bacterial reduction was evaluated using CLSM at a depth of $50{\mu}m$ inside the dentinal tubules. The ratio of red fluorescence (dead cells) to green-and-red fluorescence (live and dead cells) represented the percentage of bacterial reduction. The data were then statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test for comparisons across the groups and the Dunn test was used for pairwise comparisons. Results: The instrumentation and irrigation techniques had a significant effect on bacterial reduction (p < 0.05). The iRaCe/XPF group showed the strongest effect, followed by the XPS/XPF and XPS/C group, while the iRaCe/C group had the weakest effect. Conclusions: Combining iRaCe with XPF improved its bacterial reduction effect, while combining XPS with XPF did not yield a significant improvement in its ability to reduce bacteria at a depth of $50{\mu}m$ in the dentinal tubules.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.485-496
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• 2019

Sealing of leakage in waterfront or water-retaining structures is one of the major issues in geotechnical engineering practices. With demands for biological methods as sustainable ground improvement techniques, bioclogging, defined as the reduction in hydraulic conductivity of soils caused by microbial activities, has been considered as an alternative to the chemical grout techniques for its economic advantages and eco-friendliness of microbial by-products. This study investigated the feasibility of bioaugmentation and biostimulation methods to induce fermentation-based bioclogging effect in coarse sands. In the bioaugmentation experiments, effects of various parameters and conditions, including grain size, pH, and biogenic gas generation, on hydraulic conductivity reduction were examined through a series of column experiments while Leuconostoc mesenteroides, which produce an insoluble biopolymer called dextran, was used as the model bacteria. The column test results demonstrate that the accumulation of bacterial biopolymer can readily reduce the hydraulic conductivity by three-to-four orders of magnitudes or by 99.9-99.99% in well-controlled environments. In the biostimulation experiments, two inoculums of indigenous soil bacteria sampled from waterfront embankments were prepared and their bioclogging efficiency was examined. With one inoculum containing species capable of fermentation and biopolymer production, the hydraulic conductivity reduction by two orders of magnitude was achieved, however, no clogging was found with the other inoculum. This implies that presence of indigenous species capable of biopolymer production and their population, if any, play a key role in causing bioclogging, because of competition with other indigenous bacteria. The presented results provide fundamental insights into the bacterial biopolymer formation mechanism, its effect on soil permeability, and potential of engineering bacterial clogging in subsurface.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.137-151
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• 2021

The present study describes the bacterial blight of walnut, caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) in the northern Gyeongbuk province, Korea. Disease symptoms that appear very similar to anthracnose symptoms were observed in walnut trees in June 2016. Pathogens were isolated from disease infected leaves, fruits, shoots, bud, flower bud of walnut, and cultured onto yeast dextrose carbonate agar plates. Isolated bacteria with bacterial blight symptoms were characterized for their nutrient utilization profiles using Biolog GN2 and Vitek 2. In addition, isolates were subjected to physiological, biochemical, and morphological characterizations. Furthermore, isolates were identified using 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and multi-locus sequence analysis using atpD, dnaK, efp, and rpoD. To confirm pathogenicity, leaves, fruits, and stems of 3-year-old walnut plants were inoculated with bacterial pathogen suspensions as a foliar spray. One week after inoculation, the gray spots on leaves and yellow halos around the spots were developed. Fruits and stems showed browning symptoms. The pathogen Xaj was re-isolated from all symptomatic tissues to fulfill Koch's postulates, while symptoms were not appeared on control plants. On the other hand, the symptoms were very similar to the symptoms of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. When walnut plants were inoculated with combined pathogens of Xaj and C. gloeosporioides, disease symptoms were greater in comparison with when inoculated alone. Xaj population size was more in the month of April than March due to their dormancy in March, and sensitive to antibiotics such as oxytetracycline and streptomycin, while resistant to copper sulfate.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2022

Bacterial wilt caused by the pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum is a devastating disease of potato crops. Harmonizing immunity to pathogens and crop yield is a balance between productive, economic, and environmental interests. In this work, the agronomic performance of two events of potato cultivar INIA Iporá expressing the Arabidopsis thaliana EFR gene (Iporá EFR 3 and Iporá EFR 12) previously selected for their high resistance to bacterial wilt was evaluated under pathogen-free conditions. During two cultivation cycles, the evaluated phenotypic characteristics were emergence, beginning of flowering, vigor, growth, leaf morphology, yield, number and size of tubers, analyzed under biosecurity standards. The phenotypic characteristics evaluated did not show differences, except in the morphology of the leaf with a more globose appearance and a shortening of the rachis in the transformation events with respect to untransformed Iporá. The Iporá EFR 3 genotype showed a ~40% yield decrease in reference to untransformed Iporá in the two trials, while Iporá EFR 12 did not differ statistically from untransformed Iporá. Iporá EFR 12 shows performance stability in the absence of the pathogen, compared to the untransformed control, positioning it as an interesting candidate for regions where the presence of the pathogen is endemic and bacterial wilt has a high economic impact.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.189-198
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• 2004

T-RFLP analysis and clone sequencing analysis based on bacterial 16S rDNA were conducted to assess bacterial community structure and diversity in two layers (0-1cm, 6-7cm depth) of the sediment from Janghwari intertidal flat in Ganghwa Island. The results of T-RFLP (terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis using restriction enzyme HhaI showed that the T-RFs of various size ($60{\pm}2$) bp-($667{\pm}2$) bp) appeared evenly at the surface sediments but two T-RFs with 60(${\pm}2$)bp and 93 (${\pm}2$)bp predominated at 6-7cm depth. Analysis of partial sequences for 172 clones revealed that 98% of the clones were not matched with the sequences of cultured bacteria strains in the GenBank (${\geq}similarity$ 98%), and approximately 86% of them were classified as different phylotypes. Most clones belonged to $\alpha$-, $\gamma$-, and $\delta$-Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria/Holophaga and green nonsulfur bacteria group. Proteobacteria group occupied the highest proportion in both layers (69% at 0-1cm depth and 46% at 6-7cm depth). $\gamma$-Proteobacteria and $\delta$-Proteobacteria that are associated with oxidation and reduction of sulfur compounds were appeared to be dominant, and comprised 21.5% and 15.7% of total clones, respectively. Overall results indicated that extremely diverse bacterial groups were inhabiting in the sediment of Ganghwa intertidal flat, and bacterial communities associated with the behaviour of sulfur seemed to playa significant role in the biogeochemical environment in this anoxic sediment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2001

The effect of phenol on the change of bacterial community in the effluent water from a wastewater treatment plant was analyzed by PCR and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). The fragments of 16S rDNA were amplified by PCR with bacterial primers, where one of the primers was biotinylated at the 5'-end. After digestion with restriction enzymes, HaeIII and AluI, the biotinylated terminal restriction tragments (T-RFs) of the digested products were selectively isolated by using streptavidin paramagnetic particles. The single-stranded DNA of T-RFs was separated by electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel and detected by silver staining technique. When 10 standard strains were analyzed by our method, each strain had a unique T-RF which corresponded to the calculated size from the known sequences of RDP database. The T-RFLP fingerprint generated from the effluent water was very complex, and the predominant T-RFs corresponded to members of the genus Acinetobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. In addition, the perturbation of bacterial community was observed when phenol was added to the sample at the final concentration of 250 $l^{-1}$. The number of T-RFs increased and the major bacterial population could be assigned to the genus Acinetobacter, Comamonas, Cytophaga and Pseudomonas. A intense band assigned to the putative genera of Acinetobacter and Cytophaga was eluted, amplified, and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of the T-RF showed close relationship with the sequence of Acinetobacter junii.