• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.303-320
• /
• 2019

Water quality is characterized by various complex factors. Therefore, a systematic understanding of water quality trends is required to carry out a proper evaluation. In this study, we analyzed the spatio-temporal water quality characteristics of the Nakdong River using five-year data from 2012 to 2016. Data was collected on the pH, DO, BOD, COD, SS, TN, TP, TOC, WT, EC, $NH_3-N$, $NO_3-N$, $PO_4-P$, Chl-a, rainfall, and total and fecal coliforms. A total of 38 water quality measurement stations, from Andong1 to Gupo, were considered. Statistical analyses including trend, cluster, and factor analyses were conducted to identify the dominant water quality components affecting the Nakdong River. The Nakdong River was spatially classified into three groups for up-stream (Andong1 to Sangju1), mid/up-stream (Donam to Dalseong), and mid/down-stream (Hwawonnaru to Gupo) data collection, and temporally into two groups for summer/fall (7~10), and the rest of the season (11~6) data. The water quality of the entire Nakdong River showed trends similar to the mid/down-stream section, which indicates the importance of water quality management in this section. Suspended solids, phosphorus, and coliform groups were established as important factors to be considered in the summer/fall season across the river, especially in the mid/down-stream section. Nitrogen and organic matter were identified as important factors to be considered in the rest of the season, especially in the mid/up-stream section. This study could help determine the water quality components that should be intensively monitored in the Nakdong River.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.1-17
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to identify the anti-inflammatory effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae radix Water extract (SMW) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation. Methods: RAW 264.7 cells were treated with 500 ng/ml of LPS. SMW (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 mg/ml) was treated 1 h prior to LPS. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Levels of nitric oxide (NO) were measured with Griess reagent and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We also examined molecular mechanisms such as mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) activation by western blot. In addition, we observed mice survival rate after LPS and examined their cytokine levels of serum and liver tissue. Results: SMW itself did not have cytotoxic effects in RAW 264.7 cells less than 0.5 mg/ml. SMW treatment inhibited the production of NO, and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ which is pro-inflammatory cytokine. And SMW treatment inhibited the LPS-induced activation of MAPKs such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 kinases (p38), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and $NF-{\kappa}B$. In addition, it also showed reducing the level of $IL-1{\beta}$ on the serum and liver tissue of mice. Also, death of LPS-induced mice was inhibited by SMW. Conclusions: The result suggests that treatment of SMW could reduce the LPS-induced inflammation. Thereby, SMW could be used as a protective agent against inflammation. Also, this study could give a clinical basis that SMW could be a drug or agent to prevent inflammatory diseases.

• Food Engineering Progress
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.242-248
• /
• 2017

The acidity of soy curd fermented by lactic acid bacteria is a major factor degrading the sensory properties of soy curd. For preparation of soy curd with low sour taste, lactic acid bacteria were separated from kimchi. The lactic acid bacteria which showed yellow-clear zone around the colonies on BCP plate and formed soy curd with low level of acidity were selected. The selected strain was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequence and named as Pediococcus inopinatus Y2. The maximum viable cell number of the soy curd fermented by P. inopinatus Y2 was obtained at 10.73 log CFU/mL at $25^{\circ}C$ for 24 h of fermentation. By the results of panel test, the overall sensory quality of the soy curd produced by P. inopinatus Y2 was higher than that of Leuconostoc mesenteroides No. 4395 and Lactobacillus sakei strain No. 383.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.993-1005
• /
• 2021

Objective: Zearalenone (ZEA) has estrogen-like effects. Our previous study has shown that ZEA (0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg) could induce abnormal uterine proliferation through transforming growth factor signaling pathway. To further study the other regulatory networks of uterine hypertrophy caused by ZEA, the potential mechanism of ZEA on porcine endometrial epithelial cells (PECs) was explored by the Illumina Hiseq 2000 sequencing system. Methods: The PECs were treated with ZEA at 0 (ZEA0), 5 (ZEA5), 20 (ZEA20), and 80 (ZEA80) µmol/L for 24 h. The collected cells were subjected to cell cycle, RNA-seq, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis. Results: The proportion of cells in the S and G2 phases decreased (p<0.05), but the proportion of cells in the G1 phase increased (p<0.05) in the ZEA80 treatment. Data analysis revealed that the expression of Wnt pathway-related genes, estrogen-related genes, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway-related genes increased (p<0.05), but the expression of genetic stability genes decreased (p<0.05) with increasing ZEA concentrations. The relative mRNA and protein expression of WNT1, β-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) were increased (p<0.05) with ZEA increasing, while the relative mRNA and protein expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) was decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, our immunofluorescence results indicate that β-catenin accumulated around the nucleus from the cell membrane and cytoplasm with increasing ZEA concentrations. Conclusion: In summary, ZEA can activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by up-regulating WNT1 and β-catenin expression, to promote the proliferation and development of PECs. At the same time, the up-regulation of GSK-3β and down-regulation of CCND1, as well as the mRNA expression of other pathway related genes indicated that other potential effects of ZEA on the uterine development need further study.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.79-88
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the plan type of excavation remains during the Mid to Late Joseon period around Jong-ro area in Seoul. 523 building remains were selected in accordance with plan type could identified through the excavation investigation report. Among these, 276 building remains were verified to the $15-16^{th}$, 145 and 102 building were verified to the 17-18th and the $19^{th}$ century. By classifying excavation remains, four dominant plan type of the each century came out. First, -shape was the most common plan type took nearly 50 percent. In a considerable proportion of cases, this plan type seems an annex of main building. However, -shape plan type also seemed to be used for main building in some cases. ㄱ and ㄷshape plan type took the second and the third. In most cases, these types seemed typical plan used for a main housing building. For the last, ㅁshape plan type identified the most unusual. This plan type merely took under five percent but, these cases are meaningful because it shows the plan alteration from ㄷshape to ㅁshape plan type. Existence proportion between each plan types of the $15-16^{th}$ century were continued to the $18-19^{th}$century without small changes between -and ㄱ types in $17-18^h$ century. By examining selected excavation remains, installing front Toi space on ㄱ, ㄷ and ㅁshape plan type stand out clearly compared with -shape plan type. From this tendency, it could be considered that plan type became a significant factor influenced installing Toi space. Similar to periodical tendency of plan type was not changed dramatically, the rate of installing Toi space in the $15-16^{th}$ century was not changed much until the $18-19^{th}$ century. It also shows the close relation between plan type and installing Toi space. In some excavation remains, floor type in the $15-16^{th}$ century also verified. There are some points of similarities on installing typical location of On-dol, Ma-ru and Bu-eok in these excavation remains with later period housing type such as Ut-Bang-Gguk-Oem-Jib and Ddeul-Jib.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.227-233
• /
• 2021

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and ubiquitous environmental toxin with known harmful effects to human health. Abnormal phenotypes of keratinocytes are closely associated with their exposure to B[a]P. Resorcinol is a component of argan oil with reported anticancer activities, but its mechanism of action and potential effect on B[a]P damage to the skin is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of resorcinol on B[a]P-induced abnormal keratinocyte biology and its mechanisms of action in human epidermal keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Resorcinol suppressed aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity as evidenced by the inhibition of B[a]P-induced xenobiotic response element (XRE)-reporter activation and cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) expression. In addition, resorcinol attenuated B[a]P-induced nuclear translocation of AhR, and production of ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokines. We also found that resorcinol increased nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activity. Antioxidant response element (ARE)-reporter activity and expression of ARE-dependent genes NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were increased by resorcinol. Consistently, resorcinol treatment induced nuclear localization of Nrf2 as seen by Western analysis. Knockdown of Nrf2 attenuated the resorcinol effects on ARE signaling, but knockdown of AhR did not affect resorcinol activation of Nrf2. This suggests that activation of antioxidant activity by resorcinol is not mediated by AhR. These results indicate that resorcinol is protective against effects of B[a]P exposure. The mechanism of action of resorcinol is inhibition of AhR and activation of Nrf2-mediated antioxidant signaling. Our findings suggest that resorcinol may have potential as a protective agent against B[a]P-containing pollutants.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.667-677
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the fish fauna and characteristics of the Carassius auratus population in the Boryeong Reservoir in Chungcheongnam-do from October 2017 to June 2018. The collected fish were identified as 3,506 individuals of 15 species from a total of nine families. The dominant and subdominant species were H. nipponensis with 1,706 (48.6%) individuals and C. auratus with 1,021 (29.1%) individuals, respectively. The biomass of C. auratus (246,130g), P. fulvidraco(50,610g), C. cuvieri (14,730 g), S. asotus (11,560 g), and C. carpio (10,930 g) was analyzed. The results of the community analysis showed a dominant index value of 0.87 (±0.2), a diversity index value of 0.78 (±0.5), an evenness index value of 0.47 (±0.2), and a richness index value of 0.99 (±0.5). The length-weight analysis of C. auratus showed a regression coefficient b of 3.06, and a condition factor (K) of 0.0004 with a positive slope. The frequency distribution of the total length analysis of the C. auratus population inhabiting the Boryeong Reservoir showed a high distribution of lengths between 140-160 mm and a low distribution between 230-280 mm. The normalized difference water index (NDWI) was analyzed over the Boryeong Reservoir water surface from 2013 to 2014 using Landsat 8 channel data. The areas where the NDWI was decreased were located at the inflow site of Ungcheon Stream.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2021

Plants protect against viruses through passive and active resistance mechanisms, and in most cases characterized thus far, natural recessive resistance to potyviruses has been mapped to mutations in the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E or eIF(iso)4E genes. Five eIF4E copies and three eIF(iso)4E copies were detected in Brassica rapa. The eIF4E and eIF(iso)4E genes could interact with turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) viral protein linked to the genome (VPg) to initiate virus translation. From the yeast two-hybrid system (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays, the TuMV-CHN2/CHN3 VPgs could not interact with BraA.eIF4E.a/c or BraA.eIF(iso)4E.c, but they could interact with BraA.eIF(iso)4E.a in B. rapa. Further analysis indicated that the amino acid substitution L186F (nt T556C) in TuMV-UK1 VPg was important for the interaction networks between the TuMV VPg and eIF(iso)4E proteins. An interaction model of the BraA. eIF(iso)4E protein with TuMV VPg was constructed to infer the effect of the significant amino acids on the interaction of TuMV VPgs-eIF(iso)4Es, particularly whether the L186F in TuMV-UK1 VPg could change the structure of the TuMV-UK1 VPg protein, which may terminate the interaction of the BraA.eIF(iso)4E and TuMV VPg protein. This study provides new insights into the interactions between plant viruses and translation initiation factors to reveal the working of key amino acids.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.53 no.12
• /
• pp.1193-1201
• /
• 2020

This study aims to develop a regression model that estimates a low-flow index that can be applied to ungauged basins. A total of 30 midsized basins in South Korea use long-term runoff data provided by the National Integrated Water Management System (NIWMS) to calculate average low-flow, average minimum streamflow, and low-flow index duration and frequency. This information is used in the correlation analysis with 18 basin factors and 3 climate change factors to identify the basin area, average basin altitude, average basin slope, water system density, runoff curve number, annual evapotranspiration, and annual precipitation in the low-flow index regression model. This study evaluates the model's accuracy by using the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) for 10 ungauged, verified basins and compares them with the previous model's low-flow calculations to determine the effectiveness of the newly developed model. Comparative analysis indicates that the new regression model produces average low-flow, attributed to the consideration of varied basin and hydrologic factors during the new model's development.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2022

In this paper, parameter characteristics such as pH effect, isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and competitive adsorption of dyes including malachite green (MG), direct red 81 (DR 81) and thioflavin S (TS), which have different functional groups, being adsorbed onto activated carbon were investigated. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were employed to find the adsorption mechanism. Effectiveness of adsorption treatment of three dyes by activated carbon were confirmed by the Langmuir dimensionless separation factor. The mechanism was found to be a physical adsorption which can be verified through the adsorption heat calculated by Temkin equation. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo second order and the rate limiting step was intra-particle diffusion. The positive enthalpy and entropy changes showed an endothermic reaction and increased disorder via adsorption at the S-L interface, respectively. For each dye molecule, negative Gibbs free energy increased with the temperature, which means that the process is spontaneous. In the binary component system, it was found that the same functional groups of the dye could interfere with the mutual adsorption, and different functional groups did not significantly affect the adsorption. In the ternary component system, the adsorption for MG lowered a bit, likely to be disturbed by the other dyes meanwhile DR 81 and TS were to be positively affected by the presence of MG, thus resulting in much higher adsorption.