• Title/Summary/Keyword: Biological impacts

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Ongoing endeavors to detect mobilization of transposable elements

  • Lee, Yujeong;Ha, Una;Moon, Sungjin
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.55 no.7
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    • pp.305-315
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    • 2022
  • Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences capable of mobilization from one location to another in the genome. Since the discovery of 'Dissociation (Dc) locus' by Barbara McClintock in maize (1), mounting evidence in the era of genomics indicates that a significant fraction of most eukaryotic genomes is composed of TE sequences, involving in various aspects of biological processes such as development, physiology, diseases and evolution. Although technical advances in genomics have discovered numerous functional impacts of TE across species, our understanding of TEs is still ongoing process due to challenges resulted from complexity and abundance of TEs in the genome. In this mini-review, we briefly summarize biology of TEs and their impacts on the host genome, emphasizing importance of understanding TE landscape in the genome. Then, we introduce recent endeavors especially in vivo retrotransposition assays and long read sequencing technology for identifying de novo insertions/TE polymorphism, which will broaden our knowledge of extraordinary relationship between genomic cohabitants and their host.

Novel Approaches to Monitoring and Remediation of Veterinary Antibiotics in Soil and Water: A Review

  • Awad, Yasser M.;Lee, Sang-Soo;Kim, Sung-Chul;Yang, Jae-E.;Ok, Yong-Sik
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.315-327
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    • 2010
  • A vast increase of antibiotics usage in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) over the last few decades has led to an environmental risk due to the presence of antibiotic residuals in different environmental compartments. Especially in Korea, the use of antibiotics in CAFOs is much greater than in other developed countries. One of the primary adverse impacts of antibiotic residuals in the environment is that they readily produce antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), which exert detrimental effects on the ecosystem as well as human health. In this article, the impacts of veterinary antibiotic residuals with regard to their quantification and management, and desirable remediation technologies have been widely reviewed. This review article concluded that the continuous monitoring should be required to ensure the safety of antibiotic residuals in the surrounding environments. Furthermore, the management guidelines of antibiotic residuals need to be developed in the future.

Life Cycle Assessment on the End-of-Life Vehicle Treatment System in Korea (국내 폐자동차 처리시스템에 대한 전과정평가)

  • Hong, Seok-Jin;Jeong, Kee-Mo;Hong, John-Hee;Yun, Ju-Ho;Hur, Tak
    • Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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    • v.13 no.6
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    • pp.105-112
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    • 2005
  • This study aims at evaluating the environmental impacts stemmed from the End-of-Life Vehicle(ELV) treatment systems in Korea, using Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) method. In this study, both environmental burden from the ELV dismantling process & recycling processes and environmental benefit which were derived from the avoided environmental impacts by substituting recycled materials for virgin materials were considered. First of all, the key issues which were defined as the environmental aspects that account for more than $1\%$ out of the total environmental impacts were identified from the Life Cycle Impact Assessment(LCIA). $CO_2$, crude oil, natural gas, coal, etc. were found out to be the key issue parameters. From the LCI Analysis and LCIA studies, it was shown that the significant environmental aspects were related with the recycling process of ferro scrap, the shredding process of compressed car bodies and the dismantling process of end-of-life engines. In particular, the recycling process of ferro scrap has the most significant effects on the environmental impacts of the ELV treatment systems. Based on these results, it is recommended to improve the recycling process of ferro scrap in order to make the ELV treatment systems more environmentally sound.

Simulation of Effects of Swine Manure Application Rates on Nitrate Concentration in Runoff, Indiana, USA

  • Lim, Kyoung-Jae;Engel, Bernard A.;Jeon, Ji-Hong;Jones, Don;Sutton, Alan L.;Ok, Yang-Sik;Kim, Ki-Sung;Choi, Joong-Dae
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.38-46
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    • 2009
  • Livestock manure is an important source of nutrients for crop production. However, farmers typically do not know the exact nutrient values for livestock manure. In many instances, manure has been viewed as a waste, and as a result it is applied close to the source resulting in over application of nutrients. Thus, the goal of nutrient application has often been applied to reduce the application expense rather than to maximize crop income. This results in wasted money and potentially negative impacts on water quality. Several livestock manure management scenarios were created based on agronomic nutrient requirements using the Utilization of Animal Manure as a Plant Nutrient (AMANURE) software to investigate water quality impacts with the National Agricultural Pesticide Risk Analysis (NAPRA) WWW modeling system. Application of manure at agronomic rates can result in high nitrate-nitrogen losses for some soil types, especially when applied in late fall. The application of manure at an agronomic rate does not necessarily equate to adequate water quality protection, and farmers must take care applying manure at agronomic rates, because nitrate-nitrogen loss potential varies spatially and temporarily. Nutrient loss probability maps for Indiana at 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% values were created to demonstrate potential water quality impacts when livestock manure is applied to cropland at agronomic rates. The NAPRA WWW system coupled with AMANURE can be used to identify site-specific livestock manure management plans that are environmentally sound and agronomically appropriate.

A Review of Some Representative Techniques for Controlling the Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds

  • Kabir, Ehsanul;Kim, Ki-Hyun
    • Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.137-146
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    • 2012
  • Poor indoor air quality is now worldwide concern due to its adverse impacts on our health and environment. Moreover, these impacts carry a significant burden to the economy. Various technical approaches (e.g., biological, activated carbon fiber (ACF), photocatlytic oxidation (PCO), etc.) have gained popularity in controlling indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is because removing indoor VOC sources or increasing ventilation rates is often not feasible or economical. This review provides an overview of the various air purification technologies used widely to improve indoor air quality. Although most of these technologies are very useful to remove indoor VOCs, there is no single fully satisfactory method due to their diversity and presence at the low concentration. To achieve technical innovations and the development of specific testing protocols, one should possess a better knowledge on the mechanisms of substrate uptake at VOC concentrations.

Impacts of Soil Microbial Populations on Soil Chemical and Biological Properties under Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest, Coromandel Coast, India

  • Sudhakaran, M.;Ramamoorthy, D.;Swamynathan, B.;Ramya, J.
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.370-377
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    • 2014
  • There are very few studies about soil chemical and biological properties under tropical dry evergreen forest Coromandel Coast, India. The present study was conducted in six tropical dry evergreen forests sites such as Oorani, Puthupet, Vadaagram, Kotthatai, Sendrakillai and Palvathunnan. We measured the quantity of soil chemical, biological properties and selected soil microorganisms for investigating the impacts of soil microbial populations on soil chemical and biological properties. The result showed that total N, P, Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Co, exchangeable K, Olson P, extractable Ca and phosphobacterial population were higher in the soil from Kothattai forest site. Organic carbon, total Mg, extractable Na, soil respiration, ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity, bacterial population, fungi population and actinomycetes population were higher in the soil from Palvathunn forest site. Total K, $NH_4{^+}$-N, $NO_3{^-}$-N, exchangeable K, extractable Ca, extractable Na, azotobacter population, bacillus population and rhizobacteria population were higher in the soil from Sendrakillai. Beijerinckia population, rhizobacteria and soluble sodium were higher in Puthupet forest soil. Total Si, total Na and exchangeable K were higher in soil from Oorani forest site. Total Mo and exchangeable K were higher in the soil from Vadaagaram forest site. The results showed that organic carbon, total N, $NH_4{^+}$-N, $NO_3{^-}$-N, extractable P, extractable Ca, soil respiration and ${\beta}$-glucosidase were significantly correlated with soil microbial populations. Therefore soil microorganisms are important factor for maintaining soil quality in tropical dry evergreen forest.

Biological and Therapeutic Effects of Troxerutin: Molecular Signaling Pathways Come into View

  • Ahmadi, Zahra;Mohammadinejad, Reza;Roomiani, Sahar;Afshar, Elham Ghasemipour;Ashrafizadeh, Milad
    • Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.1-13
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    • 2021
  • Flavonoids consist a wide range of naturally occurring compounds which are exclusively found in different fruits and vegetables. These medicinal herbs have a number of favourable biological and therapeutic activities such as antioxidant, neuroprotective, renoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-tumor. Troxerutin, also known as vitamin P4, is a naturally occurring flavonoid which is isolated from tea, coffee and cereal grains as well as vegetables. It has a variety of valuable pharmacological and therapeutic activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-tumor. These pharmacological impacts have been demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo studies. Also, clinical trials have revealed the efficacy of troxerutin for management of phlebocholosis and hemorrhoidal diseases. In the present review, we focus on the therapeutic effects and biological activities of troxerutin as well as its molecular signaling pathways.

Obesity : Genetic vs Environmental Factors (비만 : 유전이냐 환경이냐)

  • Lee, Soyoung Irene;Jung, Han-Yong
    • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.45-53
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    • 2003
  • Debates relevant to the etiology of weight gain or obesity, i.e., the dichotomous understandings about whether obesity arises from the genetic predisposition or from the environmental influences, has long existed. This is an important issue because it is related to the therapists's prejudice when treating patients with obesity. In this review, the authors first discuss the environmental and the genetic factors that cause the obesity, and in the latter part, the interactions between genetic and environmental factors will be discussed. This issue is considered and described especially in a conceptual aspect for the therapists ultimately to understand how the genetic and the environmental factors interact to arise obesity. Conclusively, obesity is best understood as a complex, multifactorial, and chronic disabled state, which cause an individual with genetic predispostion to obesity under the environmental influences. In future, in favor of the accumulated knowledge about the genetic and environmental impacts and their interactions in detail, we will be able to provide a client-specific management or prevention of obesity.

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Environmental Chemical-Dioxin Impacts on Biological Systems: A Review

  • Vo, Thuy Thi Bich;Le, Binh Thi Nguyen;Nong, Hai Van;Yang, Hyun;Jeung, Eui-Bae
    • Journal of Embryo Transfer
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.95-111
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    • 2013
  • Worldwide there is concern about the continuing release of a broad range of environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and other halogenated organochlorines persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment. They are condemned for health adverse effects such as cancer, reproductive defects, neurobehavioral abnormalities, endocrine and immunological toxicity. These effects can be elicited via a number of mechanisms among others include disruption of endocrine system, oxidation stress and epigenetic. However, most of the mechanisms are not clear, thus several number of studies are ongoing trying to elucidate them in order to protect the public by reducing these adverse effects. In this review, we briefly limited review the process, the impacts, and the potential mechanisms of dioxin/dioxin like compound, particularly, their possible roles in adverse developmental and reproductive processes, diseases, and gene expression and associated molecular pathways in cells.