• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권7호
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• pp.746-752
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• 2011

A composite microbial system (XDC-2) was used to pretreat and hydrolyze corn stalk to enhance anaerobic digestion. The results of pretreatment indicated that sCOD concentrations of hydrolysate were highest (8,233 mg/l) at the fifth day. XDC-2 efficiently degraded the corn stalk by nearly 45%, decreasing the cellulose content by 22.7% and the hemicellulose content by 74.1%. Total levels of volatile products peaked on the fifth day. The six major compounds present were ethanol (0.29 g/l), acetic acid (0.55 g/l), 1,2-ethanediol (0.49 g/l), propionic acid (0.15 g/l), butyric acid (0.22 g/l), and glycerine (2.48 g/l). The results of anaerobic digestion showed that corn stalks treated by XDC-2 produced 68.3% more total biogas and 87.9% more total methane than untreated controls. The technical digestion time for the treated corn stalks was 35.7% shorter than without treatment. The composite microbial system pretreatment could be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly microbial method for efficient biological conversion of corn stalk into bioenergy.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.346-356
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Chemical fungicides not only may pollute the ecosystem but also can be environmentally hazardous, as the chemicals accumulate in soil. Biological control is a frequently-used environment-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides in phytopathogen management. However, the use of microbial products as fungicides has limitations. This study isolated and characterized a three-antifungal-enzyme (chitinase, cellulase, and ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase)-producing bacterium, and examined the conditions required to optimize the production of the antifungal enzymes. METHOD AND RESULTS: The antifungal enzymes chitinase, cellulase, and ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase were produced by bacteria isolated from an sawmill in Korea. Based on the 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, the bacterial strain AM50 was identical to Streptomyces sp. And their antifungal activity was optimized when Streptomyces sp. AM50 was grown aerobically in a medium composed of 0.4% chitin, 0.4% starch, 0.2% ammonium sulfate, 0.11% $Na_2HPO_4$, 0.07% $KH_2PO_4$, 0.0001% $MgSO_4$, and 0.0001% $MnSO_4$ at $30^{\circ}C$. A culture broth of Streptomyces sp. AM50 showed antifungal activity towards the hyphae of plant pathogenic fungi, including hyphae swelling and lysis in P. capsici, factors that may contribute to its suppression of plant pathogenic fungi. CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrated the multiantifungal enzyme production by Streptomyces sp. AM50 for the biological control of major plant pathogens. Further studies will investigate the synergistic effect, to the growth regulations by biogenic amines and antifungal enzyme gene promoter.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.492-498
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• 2015

The long-term changes in the soil properties are closely related to the policy direction and the national program for the soil management. In this study, chemical properties of paddy soils in Jeonnam province were investigated at four-year interval since 1999 and the factors affecting change of chemical properties were analyzed in relation to the soil management policies. Chemical fertilizers supplied to Jeonnam province reduced by 57% in 2013 as compared with 1999, and the ratio of Jeonnam province to the national fertilizer supply gradually decreased to 14.1% in 2013 from 17.6% in 1999 due to national policies to reduce use of chemical fertilizers in the 2000s. In the chemical analysis of paddy soils in Jeonnam province, pH value tended to increase gradually within the optimal range. Available phosphate and exchangeable potassium content were always higher than the optimal range and showed no significant difference since 1999. Organic matter, exchangeable calcium and available silicate content were found to be lower than average content in the whole country as well optimal range for rice cultivation in 1999, but were higher than average content in the whole country and optimal range in 2011 because of faster rate of increase in Jeonnam province than the other region since the mid-2000s. The cause of increase in organic matter, exchangeable calcium and available silicate contents is considered to be the increased use of green manure crops and by-products fertilizer as an alternatives for conventional application of chemical fertilizers and soil amendment such as silicate fertilizer for agronomic control of the disease and insect pest in rice cultivation of environmentally-friendly agriculture.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.335-342
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• 2022

In the agricultural sector where the fossil fuels are primary energy resources, the current global energy crisis together with the dissemination of smart farming has led to the new phase of energy pattern in which the electricity demand is growing faster particularly. Therefore, the fuel cell combined heat and power system, coupling the environmentally friendly fuel cell to biomass treatment and feeding, can be regarded as the most effective energy system in agriculture. In this mini-review, we discuss the R&D trend of the fuel cell combined heat and power system aimed at utilizing agricultural by-products as fuels and highlight the issues in terms of the process configuration and interconnection of individual processes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.762-779
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mediterranean diet is an environmentally friendly and healthy diet model. The diet offers many vegetables, fruits, nuts, and olive oil to consumers. In addition, it provides moderate amounts of fish and chicken, smaller quantities of dairy products, red meat, and processed meat. The Mediterranean diet has a high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant content, and it causes many physiological changes that can provide a physical performance advantage. This study examined the effects of a 15-day menu, which was planned using foods with a low acid load within the Mediterranean diet rules, on the exercise performance, lactate elimination, anthropometric measurements, and body composition. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Fifteen professional male athletes between the ages of 13 and 18, who were engaged in ski running, were included in the experimental study. Dietary intervention was applied for 15 days. The athlete performances were evaluated by applying the vertical jump test, hand grip strength, 20 meters shuttle run test, and Borg fatigue scale. After the shuttle run test (every 3 min for 30 min), blood was drawn from the finger, and the lactate elimination time was calculated. Performance and lactate measurements, body analysis, and anthropometric measurements were taken before and after dietary intervention. RESULTS: The vertical jump height and hand grip strength increased after the intervention (P < 0.05). The test duration, total distance, the number of shuttles, and maximum oxygen consumption parameters of the shuttle run test increased (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the athletes' perceived fatigue scores decreased in several stages of the shuttle run test (P < 0.05). The lactate elimination time and athlete's body composition were similar in repeated measurements (P > 0.05). In the last measurements, the upper middle arm circumference decreased while the height of the athletes increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the Mediterranean diet is a safe and feasible dietary approach for aerobic performance and strength increase.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.355-366
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• 2023

Biological corrosion, a crucial aspect of metal degradation, has received limited attention despite its significance. It involves the deterioration of metals due to corrosion processes influenced by living organisms, including bacteria. Soil represents a substantial threat to pipeline corrosion as it contains chemical and microbial factors that cause severe damage to water, oil, and gas transmission projects. To combat fouling and corrosion, corrosion inhibitors are commonly used; however, their production often involves expensive and hazardous chemicals. Consequently, researchers are exploring natural and eco-friendly alternatives, specifically nano-sized products, as potent corrosion inhibitors. This study aims to environmentally synthesize silver nanoparticles using an extract from Lagoecia cuminoides L and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing biological corrosion of buried pipes in soil. The optimal experimental conditions were determined as follows: a volume of 4 ml for the extract, a volume of 4 ml for silver nitrate (AgNO3), pH 9, a duration of 60 minutes, and a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Analysis using transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of nanoparticles with an average size of approximately 28 nm, while X-ray diffraction patterns exhibited suitable peak intensities. By employing the Scherer equation, the average particle size was estimated to be around 30 nm. Furthermore, antibacterial studies revealed the potent antibacterial activity of the synthesized silver nanoparticles against both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. This property effectively mitigates the biological corrosion caused by bacteria in steel pipes buried in soil.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.17-31
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• 2023

Amidst escalating global warming fueled by indiscriminate fossil fuel consumption, concerted efforts are underway worldwide to mitigate atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels. Electrochemical CO₂ reduction technology is recognized as a promising and environmentally friendly approach to convert CO₂ into valuable hydrocarbon compounds, deemed essential for achieving carbon neutrality. Copper, among the various materials used as CO₂ reduction electrodes, is known as the sole metal capable of generating C₂₊ compounds. However, low conversion efficiency and selectivity have hindered its widespread commercialization. This review highlights diverse research endeavors to address these challenges. It explores various studies focused on utilizing copper-based electrodes for CO₂ reduction, offering insights into potential solutions for advancing this crucial technology.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.247-259
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• 2024

This study assessed the effectiveness of brand image communication on consumer perceptions of cruelty-free fashion brands. Brand messaging data were gathered from postings on the official Instagram accounts of three cruelty-free fashion brands and consumer perception data were gathered from Tweets containing keywords related to each brand. Web crawling and natural language processing were performed using Python and sentiment analysis was conducted using the BERT model. By analyzing Instagram content from Stella McCartney, Patagonia, and Freitag from their inception until 2021, this study found these brands all emphasize environmental aspects but with differing focuses: Stella McCartney on ecological conservation, Patagonia on an active outdoor image, and Freitag on upcycled products. Keyword analysis further indicated consumers perceive these brands in line with their brand messaging: Stella McCartney as high-end and eco-friendly, Patagonia as active and environmentally conscious, and Freitag as centered on recycling. Results based on the assessment of the alignment between brand-driven images and consumer-perceived images and the sentiment evaluation of the brand confirmed the outcomes of brand communication performance. The study revealed a correlation between brand image and positive consumer evaluations, indicating that higher alignment of ethical values leads to more positive consumer assessments. Given that consumers tend to prioritize search keywords over brand concepts, it's important for brands to focus on using visual imagery and promotions to effectively convey brand communication information. These findings highlight the importance of brand communication by emphasizing the connection between ethical brand images and consumer perceptions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제34권9호
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• pp.1836-1847
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• 2024

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most widely used plastics in the world, causes serious environmental problems. Recently, scientists have been focused on the enzymatic degradation of PET, an environmentally friendly method that offers an attractive approach to the degradation and recycling of PET. In this work, PET hydrolase from Streptomyces sp. W2061 was biochemically characterized, and the biodegradation of PET was performed using the PET model substrate bis (2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate) (BHET). PET hydrolase has an isoelectric point of 5.84, and a molecular mass of about 50.31 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature were 7.0 and 40℃, respectively. LC-MS analysis of the enzymatic products showed that the PET hydrolase successfully degraded a single ester bond of BHET, leading to the formation of MHET. Furthermore, in silico characterization of the PET hydrolase protein sequence and its predicted three-dimensional structure was designed and compared with the well-characterized IsPETase from Ideonella sakaiensis. The structural analysis showed that the (Gly-x1-Ser-x2-Gly) serine hydrolase motif and the catalytic triad (Ser, Asp, and His) were conserved in all sequences. In addition, we integrated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to analyze the variation in the structural stability of the PET hydrolase in the absence and presence of BHET. These simulations showed the formation of a stable complex between the PET hydrolase and BHET. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on Streptomyces sp. W2061 to investigate the BHET degradation activity of PET hydrolase, which has potential application in the biodegradation of plastics in the environment.

• Resources Recycling
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.37-45
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• 2011

This study was conducted to recycle flotation tailings as non-sintered construction materials considering the economic and eco-friendly treatments. The particle size distribution( median $220\;{\mu}m$) of flotation tailings from Soon-shin mine was confirmed to be larger than that(median $140\;{\mu}m$) of tailings from Sam-kwang mine. Thus we investigated the properties of non-sintered eco-brick producted with the tailings from Sam-kwang mine and non-sintered water permeable block producted with the tailings from Soon-shin mine. Compressive strength of non-sintered water permeable block which was made with less than 25 wt% of tailings from Soon-shin mine was met with products class(over 14.70 MPa) of water permeable concrete(EL 245) from KEITL. Meanwhile, the coefficient of its permeability wasn't met with the products class( over $1.0{\times}10^{-2}\;cm/sec$). The properties of non-sintered eco-brick with less than 40 wt% of tailings from Sam-kwang mine were satisfied with third class in sintered clay brick products standard(KS L 4201). The non-sintered eco-brick as a result of leaching test on heavy metals by KSLT was verified to be environmentally stabile.