• Title/Summary/Keyword: Biological Agents

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Antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of immature fruits of Malus pumila cv. Fuji (미성숙 사과의 항산화 및 tyrosinase 저해 활성 평가)

  • Kwon, O Jun
    • Food Science and Preservation
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.585-590
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    • 2016
  • In this study, the antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of aqueous ethanolic extract from the immature fruits of Malus pumila cv. Fuji were evaluated. The antioxidant capacities of the extract was investigated employing radical scavenging assays using DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals. The skin-whitening effect of M. pumila cv. Fuji extract was tested using mushroom tyrosinase assay. In addition, the total phenolic content was measured by a spectrophotometric analysis. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Among the tested samples, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from the immature fruits of M. pumila cv. Fuji was showed the significant DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals scavenging activities. Also, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from immature apples was higher than other solvent-soluble portion. These results suggest that unripe fruits of M. pumila cv. Fuji could be considered as a new valuable source of natural antioxidant and skin-whitening agents. Systematic investigation of immature fruits of Malus pumila cv. Fuji will be performed for the further development of its biological properties.

The Environmental Characteristics and Vegetation Structures of Kirengeshoma Koreana Habitats (나도승마 서식지의 환경적 특성과 식생구조)

  • Cho, Seon-Hee;Kim, Dae-Woo;Kang, Sang-Ho;Jeong, Yeo-Hong;Lee, Sung-Jae;Kim, Joon-Sun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.102 no.3
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    • pp.446-454
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    • 2013
  • The present study investigated the biological agents and environmental conditions of the habitats of the Kirengeshoma koreana, a class 2 endangered species class according to the South Korean Ministry of Environment (MOE), elucidated the structural characteristics of the forest stands in the habitats with the importance value and the diversity index, conducted comparative analysis of the factors, and explored their relationship with environmental factors. According to the results of direction analysis of natural habitats of the Kirengeshoma koreana, the direction was distributed to the north or the northeast, and the slope amounted to $15-40^{\circ}$, thus demonstrating that the slope has little effect. In addition, the results showed that the distribution of Kirengeshoma koreana populations dramatically increased starting in areas at least 600 m above the sea level and that the relative light intensity was 3.79% on an average. Most populations were native to gorges and crevices between rocks so that they mainly tended to inhabit areas that could see soil loss in times of precipitation. In addition, a considerable number of the populations were close to hiking trails as well, thus leading to concerns about their artificial destruction. The soil of layer a in the main growth space of the Kirengeshoma koreana was analyzed and turned out to be strongly acidic, measuring pH 4.45-4.89 (average: 4.68). All investigation sections were typical natural broad-leaved tree areas, and, judging from the fact that the Kirengeshoma koreana was most likely to appear in colonies of the Mongolian oak tree (Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb.), the Mongolian oak tree seems to be the species of tree that has the greatest effect on the inhabitation of the Kirengeshoma koreana.

Towards Integrated Pest Management of Rice in Korea

  • Lee, Seung-Chan
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.205-240
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    • 1992
  • In reality, it is a green revolution of the entire agricultural matrix in Korea that integrated pest control plays an important role in the possible breakthrough in rice self-sufficiency. In paddy agroecosystem as man-modified environment, rice is newly established every year by transplantation under diverse water regimes which affect a microclimate. Standing water benefits rice by regulating the microclimate, but it favors the multiplication of certain pets through the amelioration of the microclimate. Further, the introduction of high yielding varieties with the changing of cultural practices results in changing occurrence pattern of certain pests. In general, japonica type varieties lack genes resistant to most of the important pests and insect-borne virus diseases, whereas indica type possesses more genes conferring varietal resistance. Thus, this differences among indica type, form the background of different approaches to pest management. The changes in rice cultivation such as double cropping, growing high-yielding varieties requiring heavy fertilization, earlier transplanting, intensvie-spacing transplanting, and intensive pesticide use as a consequence of the adoption of improves rice production technology, have intensified the pest problems rather than reduced them. The cultivation of resistant varieties are highly effective to the pest, their long term stability is threathened because of the development of new biotypes which can detroy these varieties. So far, three biotypes of N. lugens are reported in Korea. Since each resistant variety is expected to maintain several years the sequential release of another new variety with a different gene at intervals is practised as a gene rotation program. Another approach, breeding multilines that have more than two genes for resistance in a variety are successfully demonstrated. The average annual rice losses during the last 15 years of 1977-’91 are 9.3% due to insect pests without chemical control undertaken, wehreas there is a average 2.4% despite farmers’insecticide application at the same period. In other words, the average annual losses are prvented by 6.9% when chemical control is properly employed. However, the continuous use of a same group of insecticides is followed by the development of pest resistance. Resistant development of C. suppressalis, L. striatellus and N. cincticeps is observed to organophosphorous insecticides by the mid-1960s, and to carbamates by the early 1970s in various parts of the country. Thus, it is apparent that a scheduled chemical control for rice production systems becomes uneconomical and that a reduction in energy input without impairing the rice yield, is necessarily improved through the implementation of integrated pest management systems. Nationwide pest forecasting system conducted by the government organization is a unique network of investigation for purpose of making pest control timely in terms of economic thresholds. A wise plant protection is expected to establish pest management systems in appropriate integration of resistant varieties, biological agents, cultural practices and other measures in harmony with minimizing use of chemical applications as a last weapon relying on economic thresholds.

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Biological Control of Root-Knot Nematodes by Organic Acid-Producing Lactobacillus brevis WiKim0069 Isolated from Kimchi

  • Seo, Hye Jeong;Park, Ae Ran;Kim, Seulbi;Yeon, Jehyeong;Yu, Nan Hee;Ha, Sanghyun;Chang, Ji Yoon;Park, Hae Woong;Kim, Jin-Cheol
    • The Plant Pathology Journal
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    • v.35 no.6
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    • pp.662-673
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    • 2019
  • Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are among the most destructive plant-parasites worldwide, and RKN control has been attempted mainly using chemical nematicides. However, these chemical nematicides have negative effects on humans and the environment, thus necessitating the search for eco-friendly alternative RKN control methods. Here, we screened nematicidal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from kimchi and evaluated their efficacy as biocontrol agents against RKNs. Of 237 bacterial strains, Lactobacillus brevis WiKim0069 showed the strongest nematicidal activity against the second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne incognita, M. arenaria, and M. hapla and inhibited the egg hatch of M. incognita. The culture filtrate of WiKim0069 had a pH of 4.2 and contained acetic acid (11,190 ㎍/ml), lactic acid (7,790 ㎍/ml), malic acid (470 ㎍/ml), and succinic acid (660 ㎍/ml). An artificial mixture of the four organic acids produced by WiKim0069 also induced 98% M. incognita J2 mortality at a concentration of 1.25%, indicating that its nematicidal activity was derived mainly from the four organic acids. Application of WiKim0069 culture filtrate suppressed the formation of galls and egg masses on tomato roots by M. incognita in a dose-dependent manner in a pot experiment. The fermentation broth of WiKim0069 also reduced gall formation on melon under field conditions, with a higher efficacy (62.8%) than that of fosthiazate (32.8%). This study is the first report to identify the effectiveness of kimchi LAB against RKNs and to demonstrate that the organic acids produced by LAB can be used for the RKN management.

Nucleophilic Fluorination Reactions in Novel Reaction Media for $^{18}F$-Fluorine Labeling Method ($^{18}F$-플루오린 표지를 위한 신개념 반응용매에서 친핵성 불소화 반응)

  • Kim, Dong-Wook;Jeong, Hwan-Jeong;Lim, Seok-Tae;Sohn, Myung-Hee
    • Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.91-99
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    • 2009
  • Noninvasive imaging of molecular and biological processes in living subjects with positron emission tomography(PET) provides exciting opportunities to monitor metabolism and detect diseases in humans. Measuring these processes with PET requires the preparation of specific molecular imaging probes labeled with $^{18}F$-fluorine. In this review we describe recent methods and novel trends for the introduction of $^{18}F$-fluorine into molecules which in turn are intended to serve as imaging agents for PET study. Nucleophilic $^{18}F$-fluorination of some halo- and mesyloxyalkanes to the corresponding $^{18}F$-fluoroalkanes with $^{18}F$-fluoride obtained from an $^{18}O(p,n)^{18}F$ reaction, using novel reaction media system such as an ionic liquidor tert-alcohol, has been studied as a new method for $^{18}F$-fluorine labeling. Ionic liquid method is rapid and particularly convenient because $^{18}F$-fluoride in $H_2O$ can be added directly to the reaction media, obviating the careful drying that is typically required for currently used radiofluorination methods. The nonpolar protic tert-alcohol enhances the nucleophilicity of the fluoride ion dramatically in the absence of any kind of catalyst, greatly increasing the rate of the nucleophilic fluorination and reducing formation of byproducts compared with conventional methods using dipolar aprotic solvents. The great efficacy of this method is a particular advantage in labeling radiopharmaceuticals with $^{18}F$-fluorine for PETimaging, and it is illustrated by the synthesis of $^{18}F$-fluoride radiolabeled molecular imaging probes, such as $^{18}F$-FDG, $^{18}F$-FLT, $^{18}F$-FP-CIT, and $^{18}F$-FMISO, in high yield and purity and in shorter times compared to conventional syntheses.

Cytotoxicity of Trichoderma spp. Cultural Filtrate Against Human Cervical and Breast Cancer Cell Lines

  • El-Rahman, Atef Abd El-Mohsen Abd;El-Shafei, Sally Mohamed Abd El-Aziz;Ivanova, Elena Vladimirovna;Fattakhova, Alfia Nurlimanovna;Pankova, Anna Victorovna;El-Shafei, Mohamed Abd El-Aziz;El-Morsi, El-Morsi Abu El-Fotouh;Alimova, Farida Kashifovna
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.17
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    • pp.7229-7234
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    • 2014
  • Trichoderma spp. are known as a rich source of secondary metabolites with biological activity belonging to a variety of classes of chemical compounds. These fungi also are well known for their ability to produce a wide range of antibiotic substances and to parasitize other fungi. In search for new substances, which might act as anticancer agents, the overall objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma asperellum cultural filtrates against human cervical and breast cancer cell lines (HeLa and MCF-7 cells respectively). To achieve this objective, cells were exposed to 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/ml of both T. harzianum cultural filtrate (ThCF) and T. asperellum cultural filtrate (TaCF) for 24h, then the cell viability and the cytotoxic responses were assessed by using trypan blue and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Morphological changes in cells were investigated by phase contrast inverted microscopy. The results showed that ThCF and TaCF significantly reduce the cell viability, have cytotoxic effects and alter the cellular morphology of HeLa and MCF-7 cells in a concentration dependent manner. A concentration of 80 and 100mg/ml of ThCF resulted in a sharp decline in the cell viability percent of HeLa and MCF-7 respectively (25.2%, 26.5%) which was recorded by trypan blue assay. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations ($IC_{50}$) of ThCF and TaCF in HeLa and MCF-7 were recorded as 16.6, 12.0, 19.6 and 0.70mg/ml respectively by MTT assay. These results revealed that ThCF and TaCF have a substantial ability to reduce the viability and proliferation of human cervical and breast cancer cells.

Microbial Control of Fly Maggots with Entomopathogenic Nematodes and Fungus in Outhouses of Farmhouses (곤충병원선충과 곰팡이를 이용한 농가화장실 파리의 미생물적 방제)

  • 추호렬;김형환;이동운;박영도
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.80-84
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    • 1996
  • Infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungus was evaluated against fly larvae in the laboratory and outhouses. Mortalities of Muscina stabulans larvae were 96.7f 2.8% in Steinernema glaseri Dongrae strain, 90.0+0.0% in S. carpocapsae All strain, 86.7f 2.7% in Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Hamyang strain, and 70.0+9.4% in S. carpocapsae Pocheon strain on the filter paper. When 260, 000 nem\ulcornertodes were sprayed into the outhouses, H. bacterwphora Hamyang strain killed 100%, S. glaseri Dongrae strain killed 76.9+3.9%, and S. carpocapsae Pocheon strain killed 58.5+6.1% of maggots. When 130, 000 nematodes and 7.0X lo9 cfu of entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria brongniartii were sprayed alone or combined into outhouses, mortalities of maggots were 73.6+0.1% in B. brongniartii alone, 77.8+3.9% in S. carpocapsae Pocheon strain plus B. brongniartii, and 77.7f 5.1% in H. bacteriophora Hamyang strain plus B. brongniartii. Entomopathogenic nematodes and fungus were potential biological control agents in this study.

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Diversity, distribution, and antagonistic activities of rhizobacteria of Panax notoginseng

  • Fan, Ze-Yan;Miao, Cui-Ping;Qiao, Xin-Guo;Zheng, You-Kun;Chen, Hua-Hong;Chen, You-Wei;Xu, Li-Hua;Zhao, Li-Xing;Guan, Hui-Lin
    • Journal of Ginseng Research
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    • v.40 no.2
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    • pp.97-104
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    • 2016
  • Background: Rhizobacteria play an important role in plant defense and could be promising sources of biocontrol agents. This study aimed to screen antagonistic bacteria and develop a biocontrol system for root rot complex of Panax notoginseng. Methods: Pure-culture methods were used to isolate bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of notoginseng plants. The identification of isolates was based on the analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences. Results: A total of 279 bacteria were obtained from rhizosphere soils of healthy and root-rot notoginseng plants, and uncultivated soil. Among all the isolates, 88 showed antagonistic activity to at least one of three phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Phoma herbarum mainly causing root rot disease of P. notoginseng. Based on the 16S rRNA sequencing, the antagonistic bacteria were characterized into four clusters, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetesi. The genus Bacillus was the most frequently isolated, and Bacillus siamensis (Hs02), Bacillus atrophaeus (Hs09) showed strong antagonistic activity to the three pathogens. The distribution pattern differed in soil types, genera Achromobacter, Acidovorax, Brevibacterium, Brevundimonas, Flavimonas, and Streptomyces were only found in rhizosphere of healthy plants, while Delftia, Leclercia, Brevibacillus, Microbacterium, Pantoea, Rhizobium, and Stenotrophomonas only exist in soil of diseased plant, and Acinetobacter only exist in uncultivated soil. Conclusion: The results suggest that diverse bacteria exist in the P. notoginseng rhizosphere soil, with differences in community in the same field, and antagonistic isolates may be good potential biological control agent for the notoginseng root-rot diseases caused by F. oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Panax herbarum.

A Pathotype of Pepper mild mottle virus Causing Necrotic Spot Symptoms in Paprika Fruit (파프리카 과실에 괴사반점을 일으키는 Pepper mild mottle virus의 병원형)

  • Choi, Gug-Seoun;Choi, Sung-Kook;Cho, Jeom-Deog;Cho, In-Sook
    • Research in Plant Disease
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.124-127
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    • 2013
  • Black necrotic spots were observed from the fruits of paprika that were cultivating in a vinylhouse. The casual agents of the symptom were identified as several isolates of Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) by responses of indicator plants, electron microscopy, and RT-PCR analysis. Symptoms of the viral disease were mild mottle in the young leaves, necrotic spots on the fruits and the fruit apex of paprika, but the symptoms were not shown on the mature leaves. All of the PMMoV isolates were determined as $P_{1.2.3}$ pathotypes from the biological responses on the chilli pepper lines used for discrimination of tobamovirus pathotypes. Pathogenicity of the PMMoV isolates was also confirmed using mechanical inoculation method to paprika seedlings. The coat protein (CP) genes of the PMMoV isolates were compared at the nucleotide and amino acid levels with the previously published PMMoV isolate. The isolates share 96 to 99% CP nucleotide identity among the isolates. The CP of $P_{1.2}$-pathotype PMMoV-P2 presented Met at position 139, But the CPs of $P_{1.2.3}$-pathotype PMMoVs from paprika showed Met to Asn substitution at the same position. This is the first report of identification of $P_{1.2.3}$-pathotype PMMoV isolates from paprika in Korea.

Comparison of in Vitro Cytotoxicity and Apoptogenic Activity of Magnesium Chloride and Cisplatin as Conventional Chemotherapeutic Agents in the MCF-7 Cell Line

  • Mirmalek, Seyed Abbas;Jangholi, Ehsan;Jafari, Mohammad;Yadollah-Damavandi, Soheila;Javidi, Mohammad Amin;Parsa, Yekta;Parsa, Tina;Salimi-Tabatabaee, Seyed Alireza;Kolagar, Hossein Ghasemzadeh;Jalil, Saeed Khazaei;Alizadeh-Navaei, Reza
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.sup3
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    • pp.131-134
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    • 2016
  • Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and also the second leading cause of cancer death among women and also in women that have a high mortality. Previous studies showed that magnesium (Mg) has cytotoxic effects on malignant cell lines. However, the anti-cancer effects of Mg on MCF-7 breast cancer cells are uncertain. This study was aimed at the comparison of the cytotoxic effect of Mg salt (MgCl2) and cisplatin on MCF-7 cells and fibroblasts (as normal cells). After treatment with various concentrations of MgCl2, and cisplatin as a positive control for 24 and 48 hours (h), cytotoxicity activity was measured by MTT assay. In addition, apoptosis was determined by annexin V/propidium iide assay. Both cisplatin and the MgCl2 exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic effects in the MCF-7 cell line, although the LD50 of the Mg was significantly higher when compared to cispaltin ($40{\mu}g/ml$ vs. $20{\mu}g/ml$). Regarding annexin V/propidium results, treatment of MCF-7 cells with LD50 concentrations of cisplatin and Mg showed 59% and 44% apoptosis at 24h, respectively. Finally, the results indicated that Mg has cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cells, but less than cisplatin as a conventional chemotherapeutic agent. However, regarding the side effects of chemotherapy drugs, it seems that Mg can be considered as a supplement for the treatment of breast cancer.