• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.308-320
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• 2022

The high internal resistance (R_int) that develops across the sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFC) limits their power production (~4/10 mW m^-2) that can be recovered from an initial oil-contaminated sediment (OCS). In the anolyte, R_int is related to poor biodegradation activity, quality and quantity of contaminant content in the sediment and anode material. While on the catholyte, R_int depends on the properties of the catholyte, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the cathode material. In this work, the main factors limiting the power output of the SMFC have been minimized. The power output of the SMFC was increased (47 times from its initial value, ~4 mW m^-2) minimizing the SMFC R_int (28 times from its initial value, 5000 ohms), following the main modifications. Anolyte: the initial OCS was amended with several amounts of gasoline and kerosene. The best anaerobic microbial activity of indigenous populations was better adapted (without more culture media) to 3 g of kerosene. Catholyte: ORR was catalyzed in birnessite/carbon fabric (CF)-cathode at pH 2, 0.8M Na₂SO₄. At the class level, the main microbial groups (Gammaproteobacteria, Coriobacteriia, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria) with electroactive members were found at C-anode and were associated with the high-power densities obtained. Gasoline is more difficult to biodegrade than kerosene. However, in both cases, SMFC biodegradation activity and power output are increased when ORR is performed on birnessite/CF in 0.8 M Na₂SO₄ at pH 2. The work discussed here can focus on bioremediation (in heavy OCS) or energy production in future work.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권11호
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• pp.1577-1585
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• 2013

Bioethanol production from lignocellulose is considered as a sustainable biofuel supply. However, the low cellulose hydrolysis efficiency limits the cellulosic ethanol production. The cellulase is strongly inhibited by the major end product cellobiose, which can be relieved by the addition of ${\beta}$-glucosidase. In this study, three ${\beta}$-glucosidases from different organisms were respectively expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the ${\beta}$-glucosidase from Saccharomycopsis fibuligera showed the best activity (5.2 U/ml). The recombinant strain with S. fibuligera ${\beta}$-glucosidase could metabolize cellobiose with a specific growth rate similar to the control strain in glucose. This recombinant strain showed higher hydrolysis efficiency in the cellulose simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, when using the Trichoderma reesei cellulase, which is short of the ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity. The final ethanol concentration was 110% (using Avicel) and 89% (using acid-pretreated corncob) higher than the control strain. These results demonstrated the effect of ${\beta}$-glucosidase secretion in the recombinant S. cerevisiae for enhancing cellulosic ethanol conversion.

• 한국토양비료학회지
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.146-159
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• 2011

The continuous increase in the production of metals and their subsequent release into the environment has lead to increased concentration of these elements in agricultural soils. Because microbes are involved in almost every chemical transformations taking place in the soil, considerable attention has been given to assessing their responses to metal contaminants. Short-term and long-term exposures to toxic metals have been shown to reduce microbial diversity, biomass and activities in the soil. Several studies show that microbial parameters like basal respiration, metabolic quotient, and enzymatic activities, including those of oxidoreductases and those involved in the cycle of C, N, P and other elements, exhibit sensitivity to soil metal concentrations. These have been therefore, regarded as good indices for assessing the impact of metal contaminants to the soil. Metal contamination has also been extensively shown to decrease species diversity and cause shifts in microbial community structure. Biochemical and molecular techniques that are currently being employed to detect these changes are continuously challenged by several limiting factors, although showing some degree of sensitivity and efficiency. Variations and inconsistencies in the responses of bioindicators to metal stress in the soil can also be explained by differences in bioavailability of the metal to the microorganisms. This, in turn, is influenced by soil characteristics such as CEC, pH, soil particles and other factors. Therefore, aside from selecting the appropriate techniques to better understand microbial responses to metals, it is also important to understand the prevalent environmental conditions that interplay to bring about observed changes in any given soil parameter.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.151-157
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• 1983

To find antitumor components in Korean basidiomycetes, the carpophores of Armillariella mellea which were collected in Gyeong Gi Province were extracted with distilled water at $90{\sim}100^{\circ}C$ for eight hours. The hot water extract was concentrated under reduced pressure, mixed with three-fold volumes of ethanol and allowed to stand at $4^{\circ}C$ overnight. The precipitate was centrifugated and lyophilized to yield a protein-polysaccharide fraction. It was examined for antitumor activity against sarcoma 180 implanted in ICR mice. The fraction showed 75.7%, 83.9%, and 94.1% of tumor inhibition ratios at the doses of 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg/day, respectively. The chemical analysis of the fraction showed that it contained a polysaccharide(41.3%) and a protein (35.0%). The hydrolyzates of the polysaccharide moiety contained fucose (4.5%), xylose (1.1%), galactose (17.4%), glucose (55.4%), mannose(19.4%), and one unknown monosaccharide. The protein moiety contained seventeen amino acids. The protein-polysaccharide from A. mellea was administered, i.p., to mice and caused an influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) at $5{\sim}24$ hours which was followed by an accumulation of macrophages and disappearance of the PMN at $48{\sim}72$ hours.

• 동아시아식생활학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.199-206
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• 2006

This study was designed to investigate the effect of medicinal herb extract on the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against Helicobacter pylori, which is known as a ulcerogenic pathogen. The concentration of total phenolic compound of Scutellaria baicalensis(13.14%) was highest among water extracts and that of Ulmus parvifolia(15.12%) was highest among the ethanol extracts. The antioxidant activity of the water extract of Scutellaria baicalensis and of the ethanol extract of Ulmus parvifolia were 91.00% and 65.03%, respectively, in DPPH assay. The antioxidant activity of the water extract of Scutellaria baicalensis and of the ethanol extract of Ulmus parvifolia were 32.90% and 27.70%, respectively, in SOD assay. The antioxidant activity of the water extract of Ulmus parvifolia and of the ethanol extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer was 2.15 and 2.17, respectively, in TBARS assay. In disc method, Scutellaria baicalensis showed the highest anti-microbial activity against H. pylori, followed by Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer among the water extracts and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer showed the highest anti-microbial activity followed by Radix puerariae among ethanol extract.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.145-151
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• 1979

The carpophores of three Korean mushrooms, Coriolus versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinus edodes were respectively extracted with hot water and the extracts were dialyzed through Visking tube. They were found to exert an antitumor activity against sarcoma-180 implanted in mice. Especially, the inhibition ratio of the extract of Coriolus versicolor (100 mg/ Kg.i.p) was almost 100% . But all the extracts did not affect the growth of leukemia L517Y cells in vitro. Therefore these facts indicate that the extracts appear to stimulate cell-mediated immunity.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.398-402
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• 2005

The enzyme Xeronine was investigated as a microbial activating substance in biological wastewater treatment processes. Xeronine as bio-stimulant was injected in the anaerobic sludge and the activated sludge treating wastewater in order to examine the effect of hidden benefits. Bio-stimulant did not show significant improvement of anaerobic treatablity. In the aerobic system, higher bio-stimulant dose condition resulted in slightly more removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. Floc aggregation and zone settling velocity as solid-liquid separation factors in activated sludge systems was enhanced by bio-stimulant. Effects of bio-stimulants injection on improvement of water quality and microbial activity did not clear in terms of normal operation conditions.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.250-253
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• 2000

The effects of high relative humidity (RH) on the physicochemical properties and microbial activity of mature green tomatoes ('Dombito') during refrigerated storage were determined at three temperatures (5, 10, and $15^{\circ}C$) and four different RH levels (91, 94, 97, and 99%). At each temperature, the weight loss rates of tomatoes at different levels of RH were significantly (p<0.05) different from each other. For the samples stored at $10^{\circ}C$, the weight losses were generally higher than those for the samples at $15^{\circ}C$ within the same RH level (i.e., greater vapor pressure deficit). The color change rates ('a' value) showed positive slopes, indicating that the tomato color was changing from green to red. Neither bacteria nor fungi caused visible damages to the samples, and the microbial counts were below 650 colony forming units/$cm^2$ during the test period.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.165-169
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• 2000

Regarding to maturity evaluation of pig manure compost mixed with saw dust, change of constituents of organic matter influenced by microbial activities were investigated. Throughout the two stages of active composting period, we obtained a lot of data related to compost stabilization. However, we found out that only a couple of parameters could be used for adequate evaluation of compost. We, therefore, decided that total sugar and reducing sugar could be used for the reasonable standard criteria of maturity during composting process, even though some enzyme activities by phosphates and cellulase reactions were obtained and compared. Because the other parameters such as contents of lignin, cellulose, and organic acids were difficult to be used for maturity evaluation of pig manure compost.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.686-696
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• 2003

Ethyl (coumarin-4-oxy)acetate 1 was prepared through the reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin with ethyl bromoacetate. Compound 1 was allowed to react with hydrazine hydrate to produce coumarin-4-oxyacetic hydrazide 2. The synthesis of N-(arylidene and alkylidene)-coumarin-4-oxyacetic hydrazones 3-20 was performed. The preparation of 2-substituted-3-[(coumarin-4-oxy) acetamido]thiazolidinones 21-26 and 2-[(coumarin-4-oxy )methyl]-4-acetyl-5-substituted-$\Delta^2$-1,3,4-oxadiazolines 27-33 was performed by the reaction of the hydrazones 3, 4, 7, 9, 12, 14 with mercaptoacetic acid and the hydrazones 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 15, 16 with acetic anhydride, respectively. The antiviral activities, cytotoxicities and structure-activity relationship (SAR) towards different microorganisms of the prepared compounds were studied.