• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 1993

First crop of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was harvested, wilted and ensiled with or without NaOH or $NH_3$, and fed to three rumen fistulated goats in a $3{\times}3$ Latin-square design. Each alkali treatment (2.44% of alfalfa dry matter) was made by spraying its solution prior to ensiling. Silage pH, $NH_3-N$ and butyric acid concentration were increased with each alkali addition, and NaOH-treated silage showed the lowest chemical quality. Compared with untreated silage, digestibilities of organic matter, ADF and cellulose were depressed by both alkali treatments, and the reductions in NaOH-treated silage were significant. Crude protein digestibility was also significantly decreased in NaOH-treated silage, but the goats receiving the silage excreted less nitrogen in urine than those on the other two silages. Nitrogen retention of goats was not different among the treatments. Ruminal solubility and potential degradability of dry matter and nitrogen determined with the in situ bag technique were reduced, and rate of degradation of the two components were increased by the NaOH treatment. Addition of $NH_3$ provided ruminal soluble nitrogen to the silage, but the rate of degradation was similar to that of untreated silage. These results suggest that NaOH treatment would denature the protein and reduce the susceptibility to microbial degradation in the rumen, while no positive effect of alkali treatment on fiber digestion and nitrogen utilization was observed in this study.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2006

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the development of the anammox process by the use of granular sludge selected from a digestion reactor as a potential seed source in a lab-scale UASB (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) reactor system. The reactor was operated for approximately 11 months and was fed by synthetic wastewater. After 200 days of feeding with $NH_4^+\;and\;NO_2^-$ as the main substrates, the biomass showed steady signs of ammonium consumption, resulting in over 60% of ammonium nitrogen removal. This report aims to present the results and to more closely examine what occurs after the onset of anammox activity, while the previous work described the start-up experiment and the presence of anammox bacteria in the enriched community using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. By the last month of operation, the consumed $NO_2^--N/NH_4^+-N$ ratio in the UASB reactor was close to 1.32, the stoichiometric ratio of the anammox reaction. The obtained results from the influent-shutdown test suggested that nitrite concentration would be one key parameter that promotes the anammox reaction during the start-up enrichment of anammox bacteria from granular sludge. During the study period, the sludge color gradually changed from black to red-brownish.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.772-779
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• 2005

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were enriched by repeating fed-batch cultivations in an AOB-selective medium of activated sludges from a domestic wastewater treatment plant. Enriched culture showed strong capabilities of ammonia oxidation [0.810 mg $NH_4^+$-N/mg mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS)$\cdot$day] as well as $NO_x^-$-N production (0.617 mg $NO_x^-$-N/ mg MLSS$\cdot$day). Degree of enrichment was examined through fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses using an AOB-specific Cy3-labeled oligonucleotide probe (NSOl90) and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses. FISH analyses confirmed that the fraction of AOB among 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained cells increased from about less than $0.001\%$ to approximately $42\%$ after enrichment of AOB, and T-RFLP analyses showed that bacterial community became simpler as enrichment was continued. When the enriched culture of AOB was added (150 mg/l as dry suspended solid) to the normal activated sludge (3,000 mg/l as dry suspended solid), nitrification efficiencies were improved from 0.020 mg $NO_x^-$-N/mg MLSS$\cdot$day to 0.041 mg $NO_x^-$-N/mg MLSS$\cdot$day in a synthetic wastewater and also from 0.0007 mg $NO_x^-$-N/mg MLSS$\cdot$day to 0.0918 mg $NO_x^-$-N/mg MLSS$\cdot$day in a real domestic wastewater. Therefore, it is expected that this enrichment method could be used for improving efficiency of nitrification in wastewater treatment plants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to investigate the growth rate and the optimal stocking density of sea cucumbers. Grow-out was studied in situ by conducting a follow-up survey using visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags. The rearing systems were made of polypropylene pipe for the frames and netting. The experiment ran for 70 days near Yeosu, Korea in the water depth of about 7 m. A total of 576 sea cucumbers which have three groups of body sizes (small: 5.15, medium: 12.34 and large: 23.26 g) were used. The five groups of stocking densities (150, 300, 450, 600 and $850g/m^2$) in rearing system for sea cucumber were considered. Sea cucumbers were fed a mixed diet (mud, mineral, fish meal, etc.). The feed was supplied to 10% of their body wet weight once every 7 days. The survival rate (73%) of sea cucumber in $850g/m^2$ was lower than those of other density groups ($150g/m^2$: 89%, $300g/m^2$: 84%, $450g/m^2$: 78% and $600g/m^2$: 86%). The survival rate of medium size group was higher than those of small and large groups regardless of the density (P<0.05). Most of density groups have no significant difference except for $850g/m^2$ (P>0.05). The growth rate of small size group ($0.63%day^{-1}$) was higher than those of medium ($0.38%day^{-1}$) and large ($0.34%day^{-1}$) group regardless of the density (P<0.05). The threshold water temperature was $11.0^{\circ}C$ for sea cucumber growth in winter season.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.599-604
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• 2006

Nitrogen removal with the combined SHARON (Single reactor system for high ammonium removal over nitrite)ANAMMOX (Anaerobic ammonium oxidation) process using the effluent of ADEPT (Anaerobic digestion elutriated phased treatment) slurry reactor with very low C/N ratio for piggery waste treatment was investigated. For the preceding SHARON reactor, ammonium nitrogen loading and removal rate were $0.97kg\;NH_4-N/m^3_{reactor}/day$ and $0.68kg\;NH_4-N/m^3_{reactor}/day$ respectively. In steady state, bicarbonate alkalinity consumption for ammonium nitrogen converted to $NO_2-N$ or $NO_3-N$ was 8.4 gram per gram ammonium nitrogen. The successive ANAMMOX reactor was fed with the effluent from SHARON reactor. The loading and removal rate of the soluble nitrogen defined as the sum total of $NH_4-N$, $NO_2-N$ and $NO_3-N$ in ANAMMOX reactor were $1.36kg\;soluble\;N/m^3_{reactor}/day$ and $0.7kg\;soluble\;N/m^3_{reactor}/day$, respectively. The average $NO_2-N/NH_4-N$ removal ratio by ANAMMOX was 2.41. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis verified that Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis were dominate, which means that they played an important role of nitrogen removal in ANAMMOX reactor.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

The microstructural features and mechanical behavior of directionally solidified $(Y_2O_3)ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ eutectic fibers after extended beat treatment in oxidizing environment were investigated. The fiber was grown continuously by an Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique. The microstructure was characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM). The microstructure of the fiber in the as-fabricated state consists of highly oriented colonv and fine lamellar microstructure along the fiber axis. Tensile strength of the $(Y_2O_3)ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ eutectic fiber remained unchanged with heat treatment at temperatures between $1200^{\circ}C$ and $1500^{\circ}C$ up to 300h. The weibulls modulus remained fairly constant after extended thermal exposure. The fracture toughness and crack propagation behavior were investigated. The fracture toughness ($K_{1C}$) of the $(Y_2O_3)ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ eutectic fiber in the as-fabricated state were measured to be 3.6 ${\pm}$ 0.5 MPa${\cdot}m^{1/2}$ by an indentation technique and 2.2 ${\pm}$ 0.2 MPa${\cdot}m^{1/2}$ by assuming elliptical flaw of a semi-infinite solid, respectively. The $(Y_2O_3)ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ eutectic fiber showed a radial (Palmqvist) crack type and exhibited an orthotropic crack growth behavior under 100 g load.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.279-287
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• 2007

Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element indispensable for brain development and function; either excess or deficiency in Cu can cause brain malfunction. While it is known that Cu and Fe homeostasis are strictly regulated in the brain, the question as to how systemic Fe status may influence brain Cu distribution was poorly understood. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that dietary Fe condition affects Cu transport into the brain, leading to an altered brain distribution of Cu. Rats were divided into 3 groups; an Fe-deficient (Fe-D) group which received an Fe-D diet ($3{\sim}5 mg$ Fe/kg), a control group that was fed with normal diet (35mg Fe/kg), and an Fe-overload group whose diet contained an Fe-O diet (20g carbonyl Fe/kg). Following a 4-week treatment, the concentration of Cu/Fe in serum, CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) and brain were determined by AAS, and the uptake rates of Cu into choroids plexus (CP), CSF, brain capillary and parenchyma were determined by an in situ brain perfusion, followed by capillary depletion. In Fe-D and Fe-O, serum Fe level decreased by 91% (p<0.01) and increased by 131% (p<0.01), respectively, in comparison to controls. Fe concentrations in all brain regions tested (frontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, mid brain, and cerebellum) were lower than those of controls in Fe-D rats (p<0.05), but not changed in Fe-O rats. In Fe-D animals, serum and CSF Cu were not affected, while brain Cu levels in all tested regions (frontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, mid brain, and cerebellum) were significantly increased (p<0.05). Likewise, the unidirectional transport rate constants $(K_{in})$ of Cu in CP, CSF, brain capillary and parenchyma were significantly increased (p<0.05) in the Fe-D rats. In contrast, with Fe-O, serum, CSF and brain Cu concentrations were significantly decreased as compared to controls (p<0.05). Cu transport was no significant change of Cu transport of serum in Fe-O rats. The mRNA levels of five Cu-related transporters were not affected by Fe status except DMT1 in the CP, which was increased in Fe-D and decreased in Fe-O. Our data suggest that Cu transport into brain and ensuing brain Cu levels are regulated by systemic Fe status. Fe deficiency appears to augment Cu transport by brain barriers, leading to an accumulation of Cu in brain parenchyma.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.30.1-30.10
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• 2017

Small-scale fish farmers in developing countries are faced with challenges owing to their limited information on aquaculture management. Nile tilapia farmers in Teso North Sub-County recorded lower yields than expected in 2009 despite having been provided with required inputs. Water quality was suspected to be the key factor responsible for the low yields. This study sought to assess the effects of earthen pond water physico-chemical parameters on the growth of Nile tilapia in six earthen fish ponds under semi-intensive culture system in Teso North Sub-County. The study was longitudinal in nature with pond water and fish being the units of analysis. Systematic sampling was used to select five ponds while a control pond was purposively selected based on its previously high harvest. Four ponds were fed by surface flow and two by underground water. Each pond was fertilized and stocked with 900 fry of averagely 1.4 g and 4.4 cm. Physico-chemical parameters were measured in-situ using a multi-parameter probe. Sixty fish samples were randomly obtained from each pond fortnightly for four months using a 10 mm mesh size and measured, weighed and returned into the pond. Mean range of physico-chemical parameters were: dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.86-10.53 mg/l, temperature $24-26^{\circ}C$, pH 6.1-8.3, conductivity $35-87{\mu}S/cm$ and ammonia 0.01-0.3 mg/l. Temperature (p = 0.012) and conductivity (p = 0.0001) levels varied significantly between ponds. Overall Specific Growth Rate ranged between 1.8% (0.1692 g/day) and 3.8% (1.9 g/day). Ammonia, DO and pH in the ponds were within the optimal levels for growth of tilapia, while temperature and conductivity were below optimal levels. As temperature and DO increased, growth rate of tilapia increased. However, increase in conductivity, pH and ammonia decreased fish growth rate. Temperature and DO ranging between 27 and $30^{\circ}C$ and 5-23 mg/l, respectively, and SGR of 3.8%/day and above are recommended for higher productivity.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2013

In Korea, wide spread use of whole cottonseed, which is primarily a GMO plant imported from foreign countries and being fed to animals as raw state, has aroused concern that it may disturb the existing ecology of the country unless dispersion of the seed is under proper control. The objective of this study was to elucidate the changes in various nutritive parameters due to heat treatment and to determine the effective condition for removing germination ability of whole cottonseed (WCS). Of the various temperatures applied (76, 78, 80, 85, $100^{\circ}C$/30 min) $85^{\circ}C$ for 30 min was confirmed to be the lowest temperature treatment which resulted in a complete removal of the germination ability of WCS. Therefore, based on the determined temperature condition ($85^{\circ}C$ 30 min) we tried to examine the changes of various nutritional parameters, including nutrient composition, in vitro digestibilities and ruminal protein degradabilities, comparing raw whole cotton seed (RWCS) and heated whole cotton seed (HWCS). Some changes in amino acid composition were observed with heat treatment of WCS, but these were regarded to originate from the variation in plant quality and seed morphology, which are usually affected by different environmental factors during the vegetation period. As for fatty acid composition, no significant differences were observed to occur during heat treatment. However, WCS heated at $85^{\circ}C$ for 30 min in a circulating oven showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) of in situ rumen degradability in both dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP), as compared to raw WCS. Overall results obtained in the study indicate that the heating condition used in this study, which was proven to be the most appropriate and economic to remove germination ability of WCS, may also improve the nutritional value of the ruminant with regard to reducing its protein degradability within the rumen.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1290-1297
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• 2008

To investigate the diversities of Accumulibacter phosphatis and its polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase gene (phaC) in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) sludge, an acetate-fed sequencing batch reactor was operated. Analysis of microbial communities using fluorescence in situ hybridization and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries showed that the population of Accumulibacter phosphatis in the EBPR sludge comprised more than 50% of total bacteria, and was clearly divided into two subgroups with about 97.5% sequence identity of the 16S rRNA genes. PAO phaC primers targeting the phaC genes of Accumulibacter phosphatis were designed and applied to retrieve fragments of putative phaC homologs of Accumulibacter phosphatis from EBPR sludge. PAO phaC primers targeting $G_{1PAO},\;G_{2PAO},\;and\;G_{3PAO}$ groups produced PCR amplicons successfully; the resulting sequences of the phaC gene homologs were diverse, and were distantly related to metagenomic phaC sequences of Accumulibacter phosphatis with 75-98% DNA sequence identities. Degenerate NPAO (non-PAO) phaC primers targeting phaC genes of non-Accumulibacter phosphatis bacteria were also designed and applied to the EBPR sludge. Twenty-four phaC homologs retrieved from NPAO phaC primers were different from the phaC gene homologs derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis, which suggests that the PAO phaC primers were specific for the amplification of phaC gene homologs of Accumulibacter phosphatis, and the putative phaC gene homologs by PAO phaC primers were derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis in the EBPR sludge. Among 24 phaC homologs, a phaC homolog (GINPAO-2), which was dominant in the NPAO phaC clone library, showed the strongest signal in slot hybridization and shared approximately 60% nucleotide identity with the $G_{4PAO}$ group of Accumulibacter phosphatis, which suggests that GINPAO-2 might be derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis. In conclusion, analyses of the 16S rRNA and phaC genes showed that Accumulibacter phosphatis might be phylogenetically and metabolically diverse.