• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.808-819
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• 2023

This study was conducted to develop a selection marker for the identification of the Bacillus licheniformis K12 strain in microbial communities. The strain not only demonstrates good growth at moderate temperatures but also contains enzymes that catalyze the decomposition of various polymer materials, such as proteases, amylases, cellulases, lipases, and xylanases. To identify molecular markers appropriate for use in a microbial community, a search was conducted to identify variable gene regions that show considerable genetic mutations, such as recombinase, integration, and transposase sites, as well as phase-related genes. As a result, five areas were identified that have potential as selection markers. The candidate markers were two recombinase sites (BLK1 and BLK2), two integration sites (BLK3 and BLK4), and one phase-related site (BLK5). A PCR analysis performed with different Bacillus species (e.g., B. licheniformis, Bacillus velezensis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus) confirmed that PCR products appeared at specific locations in B. licheniformis: BLK1 in recombinase, BLK2 in recombinase family protein, and BLK3 and BLK4 as site-specific integrations. In addition, BLK1 and BLK3 were identified as good candidate markers via a PCR analysis performed on subspecies of standard B. licheniformis strains. Therefore, the findings suggest that BLK1 can be used as a selection marker for B. licheniformis species and subspecies in the microbiome.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.188-196
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• 2023

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important crop in Korea, with a per capita consumption of 31.6 kg in 2019. In the southern region, wheat is grown after paddy rice, and it is harvested during the rainy season in mid-June. This timing, in combination with high humidity and untimely rainfall, activates the enzyme alpha-amylase, which breaks down starch in the wheat grains. As a result, sprouted grains have lower quality and value for flour. However, seeds that absorb water before sprouting are expected to maintain better quality. The aim of the study was to identify the critical period during wheat maturation when rainfall has the greatest impact on grain quality, to prevent price declines due to quality deterioration. Two wheat cultivars, Jokyoung and Hwanggeumal, were grown in a speed breeding room, and artificial rainfall was applied at different times after heading (30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 days). The proportion of vitreous grains decreased from 40 to 55 days after heading (DAH). Both cultivars had chalky grain sections from 35 DAH, with Hwanggeumal having a higher proportion of vitreous grains. Starch degradation was observed using FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope) at 40 DAH for Jokyoung and 50 DAH for Hwanggeumal. Color measurements indicated increased L and E values from 40 DAH, with rain treatment at 55 DAH leading to a significant increase in L values for both cultivars. Ash content increased at 45 DAH, whereas SDSS decreased at 35 DAH. Overall, grain quality from 40 DAH until harvest was found to be affected to the greatest extent by direct exposure of the spikes to moisture. Red wheat showed better quality than white wheat. These findings have implications for the cultivation of high-quality wheat and can guide future research efforts in this area.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.367-391
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• 2023

This study was conducted for 10 years from 2012, which is a year before the forest road construction in Minjujisan, to 2022 to analyze annual changes in flora and vegetation before and after the forest road construction and to provide strategies for management. The plant communities in the research sites along the forest road showed the differentiation between slopes with Quercus mongolica community on the northwestern slope and Quercus variabilis and Larix kaempferi communities on the southwestern slope. A total of 212 taxa have increased for number 7 between before and after the construction from a total of 66 taxa (44 families, 59 genera, 51 species, 13 varieties, and 2 forma) in 2012 and 207 taxa (71 families, 153 genera, 176 species, 27 varieties, and 4 forma) in 2015 to 278 taxa (78 families, 172 genera, 242 species, 1 subspecies, 31 varieties, and 4 forma) in 2022. It is noteworthy that the vegetation cover and the introduction of new taxa had been expanded in the sites adjacent to the construction, which is likely caused by the significantly increased amount of light and the introduction of annual herbaceous and naturalized plants after the construction. The results of 10 years of current study reveal that the vegetation cover and the number of new taxa had rapidly increased in earlier years after the construction, slowly decreased later on, and finally formed a stable forest with the increase in the ratio of dominant species. The vegetation cover of the herbaceous layer immediately increased on the slopes along the forest road for a few years after the construction although it had continuously decreased while that of the shrub layer quickly increased. It was shown that on the hillslope the vegetation cover of tall- and low-tree layers increased whereas that of herbaceous and shrub layers rapidly decreased.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.129-141
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• 2023

Crop models have been used to predict yield under diverse environmental and cultivation conditions, which can be used to support decisions on the management of forage crop. Cultivar parameters are one of required inputs to crop models in order to represent genetic properties for a given forage cultivar. The objectives of this study were to compare calibration and ensemble approaches in order to minimize the uncertainty of crop yield estimates using the SIMPLE crop model. Cultivar parameters were calibrated using Log-likelihood (LL) and Generic Composite Similarity Measure (GCSM) as an objective function for Metropolis-Hastings (MH) algorithm. In total, 20 sets of cultivar parameters were generated for each method. Two types of ensemble approach. First type of ensemble approach was the average of model outputs (E_em), using individual parameters. The second ensemble approach was model output (E_pm) of cultivar parameter obtained by averaging given 20 sets of parameters. Comparison was done for each cultivar and for each error calculation methods. 'Jowoo' and 'Yeongwoo', which are forage rice cultivars used in Korea, were subject to the parameter calibration. Yield data were obtained from experiment fields at Suwon, Jeonju, Naju and I ksan. Data for 2013, 2014 and 2016 were used for parameter calibration. For validation, yield data reported from 2016 to 2018 at Suwon was used. Initial calibration indicated that genetic coefficients obtained by LL were distributed in a narrower range than coefficients obtained by GCSM. A two-sample t-test was performed to compare between different methods of ensemble approaches and no significant difference was found between them. Uncertainty of GCSM can be neutralized by adjusting the acceptance probability. The other ensemble method (E_pm) indicates that the uncertainty can be reduced with less computation using ensemble approach.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the current status of seagrass species in the Nakdong River estuary from May to June 2023. To survey the seagrass habitat area, the Nakdong River estuary was divided into seven zones. Aerial photography using drones was conducted to find seagrass areas, GPS tracking was carried out on foot in the intertidal zone and by boat and SCUBA diving in the subtidal zone. To analyze the seagrass status, we measured the morphological characteristics, shoot density, and biomass of representative seagrass species in each zone. Four seagrass species were found in this area: Zostera japonica, Z. marina, Ruppia maritima, and Phyllospadix japonicus. The distribution areas of each species was 338.2 ha, 92.9 ha, 0.9 ha, and 1.4 ha, respectively, with a total area of 432.5 ha. Z. japonica was widely distributed in most of the tidal flats and mudflats of the Nakdong River estuary, while Z. marina was restricted to Nulcha-do, Jinu-do, and Dadae-dong. R. maritima occurred within the habitat of Z. japonica in Eulsukdo and Myeongji mudflats, and P. japonicus inhabited rocky areas in Dadae-dong. The shoot density of each species was 4,575.8±338.3 shoots m^-2, 244.8±12.0 shoots m^-2, 11,302.1±290.0 shoots m^-2, and 2862.5±153.5 shoots m^-2, respectively. The biomass of each species was 239.7±18.5 gDW m^-2, 362.3±20.5 gDW m^-2, 33.3±1.2 gDW m^-2, and 1,290.0±37.0 gDW m^-2, respectively. The results of this study revealed that Z. japonica was dominant in the Nakdong River estuary. In particular, Z. japonica habitats of Eulsukdo, Daema-deung, and Myeongji mudflats were identified as the largest in Korea. The Nakdong River estuary is an important site of ecological, environmental, and economic value, and will require continuous investigation and management of the native seagrasses.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.373-380
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• 2023

This study surveyed and compared the temperature distribution in domestic refrigerators and freezers used in Korea to determine whether temperature varied according to the location of food storage. We selected 50 people to collect temperature data; among them, 25 measured the temperature of refrigerators, while the remaining measured the temperature of freezers. Consequently, the lowest and highest temperatures measured in domestic refrigerators were found to be -8.2℃ and 15.8℃, respectively, with an average temperature of 3.73℃. The temperature distribution based on internal location was: 5.06±1.69℃ for the door storage compartment, 4.18±1.19℃ for the inside wall surface, and 3.41±1.36℃ for the inner storage box. Significant temperature differences between the top and bottom were only identified at the door storage compartment (P<0.01). Further, the minimum and maximum temperatures measured in the freezer was -30.3℃ and 0.7℃, respectively, with an average temperature of -17.95℃. The temperature distribution based on location was: -17.19±1.68℃ for the door storage compartment, -17.81±1.07℃ for the inside wall surface, and -18.78±1.72℃ for the inside storage box. The results were similar to that of the refrigerator, with the lowest temperature in the inside storage box, and a significant temperature difference between the top and bottom noted only at the door (P<0.01). The maximum temperature difference (between locations) within the refrigerator and freezer was found to be 2.18 and 2.02℃, respectively. In conclusion, the temperature in the entire space was not constant; there were significant deviations at different storage locations. Therefore, public authorities should actively advise customers on the recommended storage locations for each food type. People will benefit from awareness about storage management, including avoiding storage of temperature-sensitive foods in door compartment.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.390-401
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• 2023

Major components of lac coloring include laccaic acids A, B, C, and E. The Korean Food Additive Code regulates the use of lac coloring and prohibits its use in ten types of food products including natural food products. Since no commercial standards are available for laccaic acids A, B, C, and E, a standard for lac pigment itself was used to separate laccaic acids from the lac pigment molecule. A standard for each laccaic acid was then obtained by fractionation. To obtain pure lac pigment for use in food by High performance Liquid Chromatography Photo Diode Array (PDA), a C8 column yielded the best resolution among various tested columns and mobile phases. A qualitative analytical method using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Tandem Mass(LC-MS/MS) was developed. The conditions for fast and precise sample preparation begin with extraction using methanol and 0.3% ammonium phosphate, followed by concentration. The degree of precision observed for the analyses of ham, tomato juice and Red pepper paste was 0.3-13.1% (Relative Standard Deviation (RSD%)), degree of accuracy was 90.3-122.2% with r²=0.999 or above, and recovery rate was 91.6-114.9%. The limit of detection was 0.01-0.15 ㎍/mL, and the limits of quantitation ranged from 0.02 to 0.47 ㎍/mL. Lac pigment was not detected in 117 food products in the 10 food categories for which the use of lac pigment is banned. Multiple laccaic acids were detected in 105 food products in 6 food categories that are allowed to use lac color. Lac pigment concentrations range from 0.08 to 16.67 ㎍/mL.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.319-331
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• 2023

Aminoglycoside antibiotics, also known as aminoglycosides (AGs), are veterinary drugs effective against a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Owing to their recent use in cultured meats, it has become essential to establish an analytical method for safety management. AGs are highly polar compounds, and ion-pair reagents (IPRs) are used to ensure component separation. Owing to the high possibility of potential mechanical problems resulting from IPR addition to the mobile phase, an analytical method in which IPRs are added directly to the vial was explored. In this study, methods for analyzing 10 AGs via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with the addition of two IPRs were validated for selectivity, detection limit, quantitation limit, recovery, and precision. The detection limit was 0.0001-0.0038 mg/kg, the quantification limit was 0.004-0.011 mg/kg, and the linearity (R²) within the concentration range of 0.01-0.5 mg/kg was over 0.99. Recovery and precision (expressed as relative standard deviation) evaluated in the two matrices (beef and cell culture media) ranged from 70.7% to 120.6% and 0.2% to 24.7%, respectively. The validated AG analytical method was then applied to 15 meats prepared from chicken, beef, and pork, and 6 culture media and additives used in cultured meat. No AGs were detected in any of the 15 meats distributed in Korea; however, streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin were detected at levels ranging from 695.85 to 1152.71 mg/kg and 6.35 to 11.11 mg/kg, respectively, in the culture media additives. The LC-MS/MS method coupled with direct addition of IPRs to the vial can provide useful basic data for AG analysis and safety evaluation of meats as well as culture media and additives for cultured meats.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.179-192
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• 2023

In this study, changes in the microbial ecosystem of the Yeongheungdo island coastal waters were investigated for five years to collect basic data. To evaluate the influence of distance from the coast on the microbial ecosystem, four sites, coastal Site (S1) and 0.75, 1.5, and 3 km away from the coast, were set up and the changes in physicochemical and biological factors were monitored. The results showed seasonal changes in water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH but with no significant differences between sites. For nutrients, the concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen increased from 6.4 μM in April-June to 16.4 μM in July-November, while that of phosphorus and silicon phosphate increased from 0.4 μM and 2.5 μM in April-June to 1.1 μM and 12.0 μM in July-November, respectively. Notably, phosphorus phosphate concentrations were lower in 2014-2015 (up to 0.2 μM) compared to 2016-2018 (up to 2.2 μM), indicating phosphorus limitation during this period. However, there were no differences in nutrients with distance from the coast, indicating that there was no effect of distance on nutrients. Phytoplankton (average 511 cells mL^-1) showed relatively high biomass (up to 3,370 cells mL^-1) in 2014-2015 when phosphorus phosphate was limited. Notably, at that time, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon was not high, with concentrations ranging from 1.1-2.3 mg L^-1. However, no significant differences in biological factors were observed between the sites. Although this study revealed that there was no disturbance of the ecosystem, further research and more basic data on the microecosystem are necessary to understand the ecosystem of the Incheon.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.103-139
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• 2002

Korean society has significantly changed with the onset of a dramatic economic crisis in 1998. From 2000, however, the Korean economy has recovered and currently Korea is enjoying a similar standard of living and economic growth as the pre-1998 levels. This study is a follow-up analysis, comparing the results examining the success attribution of Korean students and adults in 2001 with the results obtained before the economic crisis in 1997. Using the indigenous psychological approach, this study compares the similarities and differences in Korean students and adults' attribution of their personal success before and after the economic crisis. A total of 988 participants, consisting of 481 primary, junior high, senior high and university students and 507 adults (236 fathers and 271 mothers of the students) completed the questionnaire developed by Kim and Park (1998). The results indicate that students perceived their academic achievement and adults perceived successful family life as their most proud achievement. Successful family life included items such as academic success of children, healthy development of their children, and harmonious family life. The person who provided the most significant support for students were parents and for adults, it was their spouse. For students, the importance of friends' social support increased during the high school years. In terms of type of social support, emotional support was reported to be the most important for both students and adults. As for the reason for their success, majority of students and men reported self-regulation and for women, supportive family environment was reported as being the most important. Comparing 2001 results with the 1997 results, the importance of family increased after the economic crisis. Even with the dramatic economic crisis, however, some of the underlying pattern remain strong (such as importance of academic achievement for students, family life for adults, the importance of social support, especially emotional social support from family members, and believing that self-regulation would lead to success). The similar pattern of results obtain before and after the economic crisis indicate that the above results reflect a fundamental values and belief system deeply imbedded in Korean mentality.