• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.428-436
• /
• 2016

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been increased and become a public health concern worldwide. Many bacterial infections can be sequentially treated with different types of antibiotics. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the changes in survival, antibiotic susceptibility, mutant frequency, ${\beta}$-lactamase activity, biofilm formation, and gene expression in Klebsiella pneumoniae after exposure to sequential antibiotic treatments of ciprofloxacin and meropenem. Treatments include control (CON; no addition), 1/2 MIC ciprofloxacin addition (1/2CIP), 2 MIC ciprofloxacin addition (2CIP), initial 1/2 MIC ciprofloxacin addition followed by 1/2 MIC meropenem (8 h-incubation) and 2 MIC ciprofloxacin (16 h-incubation) (1/2CIP-1/2MER-2CIP), initial 1/2 MIC ciprofloxacin addition followed by 1/2 MIC meropenem (8 h-incubation) and 2 MIC meropenem (16 h-incubation) (1/2CIP-1/2MER-2MER), and initial 1/2 MIC ciprofloxacin addition followed by 2 MIC ciprofloxacin(8 h-incubation) and 2 MIC meropenem(16 h-incubation) (1/2CIP-2CIP-2MER). No growth of K. pneumoniae was observed for the 2CIP throughout the incubation period. The numbers of planktonic cells varied with the treatments (7~10 log CFU/ml), while those of biofilm cells were not significantly different among treatments after 24-h incubation, showing approximately 7 log CFU/ml. Among the sequential treatments, the least mutant frequency was observed at the 1/2CIP-1/2MER-2CIP (14%). Compared to the CON, 1/2CIP-2CIP-2MER decreased the sensitivity of K. pneumoniae to piperacillin, cefotaxime, and nalidixic acid. The highest ${\beta}$-lactamase activity was 22 nmol/min/ml for 1/2CIP-1/2MER-2CIP, while the least ${\beta}$-lactamase activity was 6 nmol/min/ml for 1/2CIP-2CIP-2MER. The relative expression levels of multidrug efflux pump-related genes (acrA, acrB, and ramA) were increased more than 2-fold in K. pneumoniae exposed to 1/2CIP-1/2MER-2MER and 1/2CIP-2CIP-2MER. The results suggest that the sequential antibiotic treatments could change the antibiotic resistance profiles in K. pneumoniae.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.219-224
• /
• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of Bisphenol A(BPA) and di-2 ethyhexyl phthalate (DEHP) as endocrine disrupters on sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity and abnormality during in vitro incubation of boar semen. Semen were randomly divide into 24 groups and healed with different concentrations of BPA md DEHP($1{\sim}100{\mu}M$) for 3, 6 and 9 hrs, respectively. The percentages of sperm motility and viability decreased by treatment time with both BPA and DEHP, and obiously differ from the controls. The percentages of sperm motility and viability significantly decreased by incubation with both $100{\mu}M$ of BPA and DEHP compared to control and other treatment groups(p<0.05). Sperm membrane integrity was significantly reduced by incubation with 10 and $100{\mu}M$ of BPA and DEHP, respectively(p<0.05), but sperm abnormality were not significantly affect both BPA and DEHP. These results indicate that high concentration of BPA and DEHP($>10{\mu}M$ can affect noxiously the sperm characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.116-122
• /
• 2004

Growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus in flour was investigated for production of noodle and bread. L. acidophilus grew when fermented in flour, and growth continued upon fermentation with salt for 72 hr. pH of L. acidophilus-fermented flour with salt decreased up to 72 hr, reaching 3.06. Fermented flour with salt showed no decomposition as compared to that without salt. In flour fermented by L. acidophilus, amounts of lactic and acetic acids produced increased with incubation time, and reached, after 72 hr incubation, 6,821 and 0.191 mg/g, respectively, resulting in significantly higher production of lactic acid. Viscosity of fermented flour with salt increased, whereas that without salt decreased with incubation time. Results reveal L. acidophilus-fermented flour with salt could be applied as effective agent in noodle and bread productions.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.635-646
• /
• 2004

Chronic outbreaks of green tide in the Nakdong estuary toll a heavy socioeconomic cost. The paper investigates the influence of sediments on the nitrogen eutrophication, being claimed as the primary cause of green tide. To measure the flux of nitrate at the sediments-water interface, sediment cores were taken in Jan., Mar., May and Sep., 2000 at Noksan located in the West-Nakdong river estuary. The dissolved oxygen was profiled and then the pore water was extracted in situ. Core samples were analyzed for their textural characteristics. Cores were incubated by a novel technique to measure the fluxes of nitrate $(NO_3^-)$ and ammonia $(NH_4^+)$ at the sediment-water interface. The dissolved oxygen was depleted usually within several millimeters in the top sediments. Nitrate started to decrease drastically at the layer where dissolved oxygen was nearly depleted. Nitrate was also exhausted within several centimeters, followed by ammonia build up rapidly. The flux at the sediments-water interface calculated from the pore water concentrations revealed that nitrate was removed from the water column into the sediments. The sediment incubation experiment confirmed the above result. On the other hand ammonia were released from the sediment to the water column. As the incubation went on, however, the nitrate concentration in the overlying water was dropped below that of a top sediment. Then the flux is reversed, i.e., nitrate was released from the sediments to the water column. The implication is that the sediment can supply nitrate to the water column if it falls below a certain level. Thus it is likely that sediments in the eutrophicated river buffers the nitrate concentration in the water column, which leads to a prolonged green tide.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.22-28
• /
• 2011

With the increasing cultivation of acid-loving plants such as blueberries, the artificial acidification of soils is frequently required. This research was conducted to determine the application rates of elemental sulfur (S) required in the soil acidification for blueberry cultivation. Laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to acidify three arable soils (pH 6-7) of different texture to pH 4.5-5.0 by the addition of varying amounts of elemental S. All rates of elemental S addition reduced soil pH, although the efficacy of acidification was related to the application rate and soil characteristics. pH reduction was slow in sandy loam soil, and the final equilibrium pH was obtained after 60, 43, and 30 days of incubation in sandy loam, loam, and silty clay, respectively. Although the final pHs obtained after 93 days of incubation were not significantly different among the three soils, the equilibrium pH was relatively higher in soil of higher clay content in the application rates of 1.5-2.0 g S $kg^{-1}$ soil. The estimated amounts of elemental S required in lowering pH to 4.5-5.0 were 0.59-1.01, 0.67-1.03, and 0.53-0.88 g S $kg^{-1}$ for sandy loam, loam, and silty clay, respectively. The lowest estimated amount of elemental S in the acidification of silty clay soil was attributable to the low organic matter content. For clay soils containing optimum level of organic matter, the application rates of elemental S should be much higher than those values estimated in this research. Soil acidification did not significantly increase the available concentrations of Ca, Mg and K. Extractable Cu and Zn was not greatly affected by the acidification, but extractable Fe, Mn, and Al in the acidified soils were higher than those found in non-acidified soils. Such increases in solubility are attributable to the dissolution of oxides and hydroxides of the elements.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.117-121
• /
• 2014

The experiments were conducted to provide information on the chemical concentrations and cultural characteristics in the periods of hyphal incubation, primordial formation, and fruiting bodies yield of winter mushroom, Flammulina velutipes at the mixture ratio of the raw materials. Substrates were analyzed for pH, total carbon (T-C), total nitrogen (T-N), and C/N ratio. In case of Flammulina velutipes, yield of fruiting bodies were 190.5 g/850 ml in the substrates, [Corn-cob + Rice bran + Soybean curd residue (75:20:5)], which was increased 20.4% more than the control, [Douglas fir sawdust + Rice bran (75:25)]. But the periods of hyphal incubation took 28 days, which was 7 days longer than the control. Also, in the substrates [Douglas fir sawdust + Rice bran + Soybean curd residue (75:20:5)], the yields was 172.7 g/850 ml and the periods of hyphal incubation was 21 days.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.9
• /
• pp.23.1-23.8
• /
• 2018

Background: Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) is an emerging candidate species in the Korean aquaculture domain owing to its highly valued caviar. Although the embryonic development of this species was previously described, the complete image data on the morphological differentiation of developing embryos have not been yet fully available. Further, with the viewpoint of larval production in hatchery, the effects of temperature on embryonic viability and the temporal window of hatching event have not been extensively studied. Hence, the objective of this study was to provide a complete set of photographic image data on the embryogenesis and also to examine the effects of incubation temperatures on embryonic viability and hatching event in farm-bred Russian sturgeon. Results: Typical characteristics of embryonic development including uneven, holoblastic cleavages with unequal blastomeres, followed by the formation of germ layer, neurulation, and organogenesis until hatching, were documented. Under different temperature conditions (12, 16, or $20^{\circ}C$), viability of embryos incubated at $12^{\circ}C$ was significantly lower as relative to those of 16 and $20^{\circ}C$ incubated embryos. Hatchability of embryos was higher, and the timing of hatching event was more synchronized at $20^{\circ}C$ than at 12 and $16^{\circ}C$. Conclusion: Data from this study suggest that the incubation of Russian sturgeon embryos at $20^{\circ}C$ would be desirable in the hatchery practice with respect to the good hatchability of embryos and the synchronization of hatching events. Additionally, the updated image data for complete embryonic development could be a useful reference guide for not only developmental researches but also artificial propagation of Russian sturgeon in farms.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 1975

The majority of Nocardial infections reported in North America areIN. ;asteroides while those in Latin America are N. brasiliensis species. Infection with N. brasiliensis, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported in Korea. The auther isolated one strain of Nocardia brasiliensis from the abscess of right bottock of 23 month old female leukemic patient who was treated with methotrixate for five months at the Seoul National University Hospital. The morphological characteristics and biological properties were similar with the R.E. Gordon's description. The results are summarized as follow: 1. After 5 days incubation on Sabouroud's glucose agar, the acid fast character appeared partially. 2. Tyrosine, casein and urea were decomposed by 7 days incubation both at room temperature and at $37^{\circ}C$. 3. Sod, citrate and sod. acetate were utilized at $22^{\circ}C\;and\;37^{\circ}C$ after 28 days incubation while the sod. benzoate utilization was negative. 4. The survival range of temperature was from $10^{\circ}C\;to\;40^{\circ}C$. 5. Dulcitol, galactose, glycerol, lactose, maltose, mannitol, raffinose, rhamnose, sorbitol, trehalose and xylose fermentations were not observed up to 28 days, while the fermentation of glucose and inositol were positive.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.212-218
• /
• 1987

Intact brain cell aggregates were dissociated from adult rat brains without cerebellum using a sieving technique. This proparation was used to elucidate the binding characteristics of agonist to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAchR) in brain. Incubation of cells with carbamylcholine (carbachol) was shown agonist-induced receptor down-regulation depending on the concentration of agonist, not depending on the incubation time. This effect of carbachol was due to a reduction in the maximal binding capacity ($B_{max}$) to the mAchR without decreasing the affinity of the remaining receptors in incubation at 37.deg.C but was not apparent inincubation at $15^{\circ}}C$In addition, it was abolished when the receptors were blocked by atropine. The decline in ($^3H$)N-methylscopolamine (($^3H$)NMS) binding induced by agonist was reflected as a significant reduction in the receptor density with no change in receptor affinity, suggesting that 'true' receptor down-regulation takes place. Moreover, when the receptors were labeled with the lipophilic antagonist ($^3H$) quinuclidinyl benzilate (($^3H$) QNB) insted of the hydrophilic ligand ($^3H$)NMS, the magnitude of the observed receptor down-regulation was significantly lower in case of the former than the latter. This suggested that exposure of intact brain cells to muscarinic agonists might induce a slight degree of accumulation of receptors in intracellular sites before the receptors are actually degraded.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.197-202
• /
• 2011

In this study, an Ag-polyaniline-silica (Ag-PANI-silica) nanoparticle was evaluated as a radioisotope carrier. An Ag-PANI-silica nanoparticle was incubated in the $^{125}I$ solution for a duration of 24 hr to test its radioisotope absorptivity. During the incubation, radioactivity of the nanoparticle was measured at 3, 6, 12, and 24 hr. After a 24 hr incubation, $^{125}I$-Ag-PANI-silica nanoparticle was incubated in a fresh saline for a duration of 48 hr to check its stability. Additionally, the $^{125}I$-Ag-PANI-silica nanoparticle was injected to the ICR mouse to investigate its in-vivo distribution characteristics. The $^{125}I$ absorption yield of the Ag-PANI-silica nanoparticle was higher than 95% after a 6 hr incubation period in the $^{125}I$ solution. And $^{125}I$-Ag-PANI-silica was stable for 48 hr at 80% yield at room temperature. The SPECT/CT image of a mouse that received $^{125}I$-Ag-PANI-silica complex showed that the $^{125}I$-Ag-PANI-silica complex was distributed in the lung, stomach and thyroid at 30 min post injection. From these results, the Ag-PANI-silica nanoparticle has good radio-iodine carrying property and can be applicable for the purpose of diagnosis and therapy.