• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1049-1057
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• 2012

The study investigated the biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay of pig slurry supplemented with mixed methanogens and cellulolytic bacteria to improve anaerobic digestion for methane production. For the BMP assay, 7 different microbial supplementation groups consisted of the cultures of mixed methanogens (M), Fibrobacter succinogenes (FS), Ruminococcus flavefaciensn (RF), R. albus (RA), RA+FS, M+RA+FS, and control. The cultures were added in the batch reactors with the increasing dose levels of 1% (0.5 mL), 3% (1.5 mL) and 5% (2.5 mL). Incubation for the BMP assay was carried out for 60 days at $38^{\circ}C$ using anaerobic digestate obtained from an anaerobic digester with pig slurry as inoculum. In results, 5% RF and RA+FS increased total biogas up to 8.1 and 8.4%, respectively, compared with that of control (p<0.05). All 5% microbial culture supplements significantly increased methane production up to 12.1~17.9% compared with that of control (p<0.05). Total solid (TS) and volatile solid (VS) digestion efficiencies showed no relationship to the increased supplementation levels of microbial cultures. After incubation, pH values in all treatment groups ranged between 7.527 and 7.657 indicating that methanogensis was not inhibited during the incubation. In conclusion, the results indicated that both hydrolysis and methanogenesis stages for methane production in anaerobic batch reactors were influenced by the supplemented microorganisms due to the chemical characteristics of pig slurry, but only the 5% supplementation level of all microbial culture supplements used in the experiment affected methane production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.885-892
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• 2009

To investigate host defense mechanisms for protecting the mammary gland from mastitis infection, the membrane fraction of mammary tissues from Holstein cows was purified by differential velocity centrifugation, and then the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) separated proteins were identified by ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with a Surveyor high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. A total of 183 proteins were identified. Bioinformatics software was applied to analyse physicochemical characteristics of the identified proteins and to predict biochemical function. These data may provide valuable information to investigate the mechanisms of mammary gland milk secretion and infectious disease, and enable a clear identification of proteins and potential protein targets for therapies.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.559-565
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• 2011

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a central enzyme that modulates numerous biological functions. For this reason, specific PKC inhibitors/activators are required to study PKC-related signaling mechanisms. To date, although many PKC inhibitors have been developed, they are limited by poor selectivity and nonspecificity. In this review, we focus on the nonspecific actions of PKC inhibitors on cardiovascular ion channels in addition to their PKC-inhibiting functions. The aim of this paper is to urge caution when using PKC inhibitors to block PKC function. This information may help to better understand PKC-related physiological/biochemical studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4301-4305
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• 2014

Tanshinone IIA is a pharmacologically active ingredient extracted from Danshen, a Chinese traditional medicine. Its molecular mechanisms are still unclear. The present study utilized computational approaches to uncover the potential targets of this compound. In this research, PharmMapper server was used as the inverse docking tool andnd the results were verified by Autodock vina in PyRx 0.8, and by DRAR-CPI, a server for drug repositioning via the chemical-protein interactome. Results showed that the retinoic acid receptor alpha ($RAR{\alpha}$), a target protein in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), was in the top rank, with a pharmacophore model matching well the molecular features of Tanshinone IIA. Moreover, molecular docking and drug repurposing results showed that the complex was also matched in terms of structure and chemical-protein interactions. These results indicated that $RAR{\alpha}$ may be a potential target of Tanshinone IIA for APL. The study can provide useful information for further biological and biochemical research on natural compounds.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Passive treatment systems are commonly used for remediation of mine drainage waters because they do not require continuous chemical inputs and operation. In this study, the selection and design criteria for such systems were evaluated, particularly the two most commonly used ones, i.e., permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) and vertical flow biological reactors (VFBRs). PRBs and VFBRs are operated on the same principles in terms of biochemical reaction mechanisms, whereas differences relate to configuration, engineering, and water management. In this study, each of these systems were described with respect to key design variables, such as metal removal mechanisms and removal rates, effectiveness and longevity, general design and construction, flow capacity, and cost. The information provided from this study could be used as a design guideline when a passive treatment option is considered for potential remediation of a mine site.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.617-623
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• 2003

Organisms living in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are exposed to strong constraints, of which temperature is a driving factor. Evolution has led to special adaptations, some with important implications at the biochemical, physiological, and molecular levels. The northern and southern polar oceans have very different characteristics. Tectonic and oceanographic events have played a key role in delimiting the two polar ecosystems and influencing evolution. Antarctica has been isolated and cold longer than the Arctic; its ice sheet developed at least 10 million years earlier. As an intermediate system, the Arctic is a connection between the more extreme, simpler Antarctic system and the very complex temperate and tropical systems. By studying the molecular bases of cold adaptation in polar fish, and taking advantage of the information available on hemoglobin structure and function, we analysed the evolutionary history of the ${\alpha}\;and\;{\beta}globins$ of Antarctic and Arctic hemoglobin using the molecular clock hypothesis as a basis for reconstructing the phylogenetic relationships among species.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.584-592
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• 2010

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a multifunctional cofactor of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) as well as an intracellular antioxidant in animals. Through regulation of NOS activity BH4 plays a pivotal role not only in a variety of normal cellular functions but also in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, which develop under oxidative stress conditions. It appears that a balanced interplay between BH4 and NOS is crucial for cellular fate. If cellular BH4 homeostasis maintained by BH4 synthesis and regeneration fails to cope with increased oxidative stress, NOS is uncoupled to generate superoxide rather than NO and, in turn, exacerbates impaired BH4 homeostasis, thereby leading to cell death. The fundamental biochemical events involved in the BH4-NOS interplay are essentially the same, as revealed in mammalian endothelial, cardiac, and neuronal cells. This review summarizes information on the cellular BH4 homeostasis in mammals, focusing on its regulation under normal and oxidative stress conditions.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.114-122
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• 2018

As part of a larger study of indigenous prokaryotic species diversity in South Korea, various samples from Namhangang were subjected to analyses. Fresh water, underwater sediment, and moss-inhabiting aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were isolated. 22 of the isolates were identified as unrecorded bacterial species in Korea that had ${\geq}98.7%$ 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with published species. The aerobic strains isolated were Kurthia gibsonii and Massilia plicata. Also identified were four facultative anaerobic strains: Bacillus hisashii, Enterococcus rotai, Paenibacillus vini, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. 16 strictly anaerobic strains were identified as Bacteroides xylanolyticus, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Clostridium argentinense, Clostridium beijerinckii, Clostridium butyricum, Clostridium cavendishii, Clostridium diolis, Clostridium frigidicarnis, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum, Clostridium sphenoides, Clostridium subterminale, Cutibacterium acnes, Paraclostridium bifermentans, Prevotella paludivivens, and Romboutsia lituseburensis. Based on the examination of morphological, cultural, physiological, and biochemical properties of the isolates, descriptive information of these previously unrecorded species is provided here.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.209-212
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• 2007

A 3-year-old female Cocker Spaniel dog acutely developed hepatopathy following ingestion of root of Cycad (Cycas revoluta). Seven hours after the ingestion, she showed acute continuous nausea, vomiting, and marked depression and was presented to the local veterinary clinic. At physical evaluation, the dog showed moderate weakness, pale mucous membrane, jaundice, and dehydration. Serum biochemical analysis revealed elevated alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and mild azotemia. The dog was treated with intravenous fluid, antibiotics, and hepatic protectants for 10 days and recovered without any sequela. Although the ingestion of Cycad in dogs is rare, it can be treated successfully with appropriate supportive therapy.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.267-275
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• 2009

Over the years, cyanobacteria have been regarded as ideal model systems for studying fundamental biochemical processes like oxygenic photosynthesis and carbon and nitrogen assimilation. Additionally, they have been used as human foods, sources for vitamins, proteins, fine chemicals, and bioactive compounds. Aiming to increase plant productivity as well as nutritional values, cyanobacterial genes involved in carbon metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and pigment biosynthesis have been intensively exploited as alternatives to homologous gene sources. In this short review, transgenic plants with cyanobacterial genes generated over the last two decades are examined, and the future prospects for transgenic crops using cyanobacterial genes obtained from functional genomics studies of numerous cyanobacterial genomes information are discussed.