• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.776-781
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• 2010

Estimating the electrical conductivity of the saturation-paste (SP) is a common method to assess soil salinity. To assess soil salinity realistically, it is important to extract soil solution under field capacity. However, few studies on salinity assessment have been conducted for soil solution extracted under field capacity (-33 kPa; FC) moisture condition due to difficulty in soil solution extraction. This study was conducted to evaluate whether saturation-paste can represent field condition. Soil solutions were extracted from 22 soils in the plastic film house (PFH) and 18 soils in the reclaimed land (RL) at saturation and field capacity moisture conditions. Those were analyzed for pH, EC, cations ($K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$) and anions ($Cl^-$, ${NO_3}^-$, ${PO_4}^{3-}$, ${SO_4}^{2-}$). Both cations and anions of soil solution extracted from FC showed high correlations with ions extracted from SP in the PFH and the RL, except for ${NO_3}^-$, ${PO_4}^{3-}$ in the RL. Results of the t-test, the ECe and $EC_{FC}$ were not significant at significance level 0.05. The slopes of the equations between $EC_{FC}$ and ECe at more than sand 50% soils were higher than less than sand 50% soils, and differences of saturation percentage between SP and FC showed larger as increasing sand percentage. EC was related to soil water retention by soil texture. To determine the EC, soil texture and other soil properties which effect the soil moisture should be considered.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2011

Biochemical and enzymatic characterization for extracellular protease isolated from Cordyceps militaris cultivated on rice bran medium was investigated. C militaris produced proteolytic enzymes from 10 days after inoculation, maximum enzyme production was found at 25 days. The optimum temperature and pH of proteases production was at $25^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0, respectively. The protease activity was observed in the four peaks (Pro-I, Pro-II, Pro-III, and Pro-IV) separated through Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. The separated protease was optimally active at $25^{\circ}C$. Optimum pH of the protease was between 7 and 8. Enzyme was also stable over at $30-80^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was highly stable in a pH range of 4-9. Protease activity was found to be slightly decreased by the addition of $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$, whereas inhibited by the addition of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$ Protease activity was inhibited by protease inhibitor PMSF. On the other hand, the partially purified protease was investigated on proteolytic protease activity by zymogram gel electrophoresis using three substances (casein, gelatin and fibrin). Four active bands (F-I, FII, F-III, and F-IV) of fibrin degradation were revealed on fibrin zymogram gels. Both of F-II and FIII showed caseinolytic, fibrinolytic and gelatinolytic activities in three gels. Thermostability, pH stability, and pH-thermostability of the enzyme determined the residual fibrinolytic activity also displayed on fibrin zymogram gel. The only one enzyme (F-II) displayed over a broad range of temperature at $30-90^{\circ}C$. The FII displayed fibrinolytic activity in the pH range 3-5, but was inactivated in the range of pH 6-11. The F-I and F-III showed enzyme activity in the pH range of 6-11. In the pH-thermostability, the F-II only kept fibrinolytic activity after heating at $100^{\circ}C$ for 10, 20 and 30 min at pH 3 and pH 7, respectively. On the other hand, the F-II was retained activity until heating for 10 min under pH 11 condition. By using fibrin zymogram gel electrophoresis, extracellular fibrinolytic enzyme F-II from C. militaris showed unusual thermostable under acid and neutral conditions.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 2019

Freeze-dried silkworm powder has been approved as a functional ingredients for blood glucose control since 2009. Proximate and nutrient compositions of silkworm powder was summerized as bellow. Silkworm powder contained 4.7% moisture, 57.7% crude protein, 9.5% crude fat, 5.4% crude fiber, and 9.3% ash. The larval protein contained 18 known amino acid including glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Fat is composed of 3:7 ratio of saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid including various essential fatty acids. It contained 34.7 linolenic acid, 24.4% oleic acid, 20.2% palmitic acid, 9.2% stearic acid, and 7.7% linoleic acid. Five minerals, K, P, Ca, Mg, S were abundant in the silkworm powder with other minerals such as Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2007

Soil aggregation has been considered as an important factor not only for increasing soil productivity and soil quality but also improving nutrient use availability and water use efficiency. However, the relationship between soil aggregation and soil properties hasn't well reported for Korean soils. Objective of this research was to identify the relationship among soil water-stable aggregate (WSA), soil properties and soil dispersion ratio. Soil samples were analyzed for water-stable aggregate, Middleton's dispersion ratio, and soil physical and chemical properties. Water-stable aggregate was significantly correlated to soil textural properties, soil organic matter, and exchangeable cations. Middleton's dispersion ratio was significantly correlated with water-stable aggregate ($r=-0.76^{***}$). Regression equation for water-stable aggregate was estimated by Middleton's dispersion ratio (Y=-0.79X + 96.49; $r^2=0.58^{**}$). In this research, we conclude that water-stable aggregate was significantly correlated with some soil properties and was able to be estimated by rapid and easily measurable Middleton's dispersion ratio.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.583-590
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• 2021

Background: Gintonin, isolated from ginseng, acts as a ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand and elicits the [Ca²⁺]_i transient through six LPA receptor subtypes (LPARSs). However, the long-term effects of gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on the gene expression of six LPARSs remain unknown. We examined changes in the gene expression of six LPA receptors in the mouse whole brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, small intestine, colon, and testis after long-term oral GEF administration. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups: control vehicle and GEF (100 mg/kg, p.o.). After 21-day saline or GEF treatment, total RNA was extracted from nine mouse organs. Quantitative-real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to quantify changes in the gene and protein expression of the six LPARSs, respectively. Results: qRT-PCR analysis before GEF treatment revealed that the LPA6 RS was predominant in all organs except the small intestine. The LPA2 RS was most abundant in the small intestine. Long-term GEF administration differentially regulated the six LPARSs. Upon GEF treatment, the LPA6 RS significantly increased in the liver, small intestine, colon, and testis but decreased in the whole brain, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Western blot analysis of the LPA6 RS confirmed the differential effects of GEF on LPA6 receptor protein levels in the whole brain, liver, small intestine, and testis. Conclusion: The LPA6 receptor was predominantly expressed in all nine organs examined; long-term oral GEF administration differentially regulated LPA3, LPA4, and LPA6 receptors in the whole brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, small intestine, and testis.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2021

To utilize Malus pruniforia Borkh. as a functional material, cold-water (CW), hot-water (HW), and 70% ethanol (EtOH) extracts were prepared, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were compared. The antioxidant activity of the HW extract evaluated by ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP activity was significantly effective. The total polyphenol content of the HW extract was also higher by 15.5±0.7 mg GAE/g extract compared to other extracts. The EtOH extract showed significantly decreased TNF-α (39.8%), IL-6 (65.5%), and NO (34.9%) levels in RAW 264.7 cells compared to the LPS-induced control group. The levels of IL-6 (21.1%) and IL-8 (19.3%) were significantly decreased by treatment of EtOH extract in HaCaT keratinocytes induced with TNF-α and IFN-γ. The UHPLC-MS results indicated that the EtOH extract might have chlorogenic acid and phlorizin as the major compounds. This was validated using HPLC-DAD, which showed that the EtOH extract had higher levels of chlorogenic acid and phlorizin (1,185±58 and 470±10 ㎍/g extract, respectively). In conclusion, the present study suggested that the anti-inflammatory activity of the EtOH extract was more effective than the CW and HW extracts, and chlorogenic acid and phlorizin could be used as indicator compounds and functional substances.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.284-291
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• 2019

Background: Ginseng root rot disease, caused by Cylindrocarpon destructans and Fusarium solani is a major cause of replant failure in continuous cropping ginseng. Methods and Results: To control replant injury in soil infected with C. destructans and F. solani, biosolarization was performed by covering the plot with transparent polyethylene film after adding green manure of maize and sunflower for the summer season. Per 10 a, fresh and dry weight of maize was 10.1 and 2.5 tons, respectively, and that of sunflower was 8.1 tons and 1.2 tons, respectively. Mean maximum temperature at 20 cm depth was $33.2^{\circ}C$, $41.5^{\circ}C$ and $41.8^{\circ}C$ in the control, maize-incorporated and sunflower-incorporated plots, respectively. The elapsed time over $40^{\circ}C$ was 36.4 h in the maize-incorporated plot and 77.3 h in the sunflower-incorporated plot. Biosolarization increased $NO_3$ content in soil, while content of organic matter, Ca, and Mg was decreased. Electrical conductivity, $NO_3$ and $P_2O_5$ in soil significantly increased after two years of biosolarization. The number of spores of C. destructans in soil was significantly decreased by biosolarization, and sunflower treatment was more effective than maize treatment in decreasing the number of spores. Root yield of 3-year-old ginseng was significantly increased by biosolarization, however, there was no significant difference between maize and sunflower treatments. Rate of root rot in 3-year-old ginseng decreased to 16.5% with the incorporation maize and 5.0% with the incorporation of sunflower, while that in control 25.6%. Conclusions: Biosolarization was effective in inhibiting ginseng root rot by decreasing the density of root rot disease and improving soil chemical properties.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.151-163
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• 2022

This study was conducted to promote organic fertilizer(s) that sustain soil productivity for corn production and protect the environment as required by the Act on the promotion of eco-friendly agriculture. It was conducted at the research station of the Organic Agriculture Division of the National Institute of Agricultural. The treatments consisted of Compost (Com), Bokashi as fermented organic fertilizer (FOF), and mixed expeller pressed cake (PC). They were applied at 174 kg N /ha to field corn, together with a 'no fertilizer' check in Randomized Complete Block Design. At eight weeks after transplanting (WAT) corn, compost increased soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to 7.48 and 0.76 g/kg respectively, while other fertilizers maintained the initial levels (before treatment application). At corn harvest (13 WAT), soil chemical properties (total C, total N, pH, electrical conductivity, P₂O₅, Ca, K, and Mg) were similar among all organic fertilizer treatments. For soil respiration, FOF increased soil CO₂ respiration by 31-76% above other fertilizer treatments. However, there were no prominent changes in the trends of CH₄ fluxes following the two mechanical weeding operations. Fermented organic fertilizer affected N₂O emissions between 87-96% lower than other fertilizer treatments. Compared to the initial microbial densities, FOF increased fungi and actinomycete colony foming unit by 25 and 16% at harvest. Therefore, the additional potential of improving soil biological fertility and local availability of raw materials make FOF a better option to sustain soil productivity while protecting the environment.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.218-226
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• 2022

Flammulina velutipes, known as winter mushroom in the family of Physalacriaceae, is the main edible and export mushroom with the third highest production after oyster and king oyster mushroom in Korea. However, as normal consumers regard F. velutipes as a simple subsidiary material, there is a limitation to increasing mushroom demand. In order to overcome the consumption limit and increase the differentiation of new varieties, it is necessary to breed varieties with enhanced functionality in consideration of consumer preferences. Therefore, the study was performed to analyze nutrient components and several useful functional substances with 26 genetic resources of F. velutipes. Analyses of inorganic compound(Ca, K, Mg) and 15 amino acids revealed that Strain 4148 had the highest content among the 26 strains. Beta-glucan, which increases immune activity and polyphenol, which exert antioxidant effects were higher in non-white strains than in white strains with a small number of exceptions. Among the five fatty acids, linoleic acid(an omega-6 fatty acid) and α-linolenic acid(an omega-3 fatty acid), were detected in six mushroom strains. α-linolenic acid, which was not found in five major mushrooms including oyster mushrooms, was identified in F. velutipes. The results of HPLC analysis showed that 'Auram' (Strain 4232) and 'Baekseung'(Strain 4230) had the highest content of the stabilizing neurotransmitter GABA(15.38 ㎍/ml and 20.56 ㎍/ml, respectively) among non-white and white strains, respectively. Our findings provide useful information for breeding F. velutipes to obtain strains with enhanced functionality.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.665-679
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• 2022

Objective : Patients with mild ischemic stroke experience various sequela and residual symptoms, such as anxious behavior and deficits in movement. Few approaches have been proved to be effective and safe therapeutic approaches for patients with mild ischemic stroke by acute stroke. Sildenafil (SIL), a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5i), is a known remedy for neurodegenerative disorders and vascular dementia through its angiogenesis and neurogenesis effects. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of PDE5i in the emotional and behavioral abnormalities in rats with mild ischemic stroke. Methods : We divided the rats into four groups as follows (n=20, respectively) : group 1, naïve; group 2, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo30); group 3, MCAo30+SIL-pre; and group 4, MCAo30+SIL-post. In the case of drug administration groups, single dose of PDE5i (sildenafil citrate, 20 mg/kg) was given at 30-minute before and after reperfusion of MCAo in rats. After surgery, we investigated and confirmed the therapeutic effect of sildenafil on histology, immunofluorescence, behavioral assays and neural oscillations. Results : Sildenafil alleviated a neuronal loss and reduced the infarction volume. And results of behavior task and immunofluorescence shown possibility that anti-inflammation process and improve motor deficits sildenafil treatment after mild ischemic stroke. Furthermore, sildenafil treatment attenuated the alteration of theta-frequency rhythm in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, a known neural oscillatory marker for anxiety disorder in rodents, induced by mild ischemic stroke. Conclusion : PDE5i as effective therapeutic agents for anxiety and movement disorders and provide robust preclinical evidence to support the development and use of PDE5i for the treatment of mild ischemic stroke residual disorders.