• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.29-48
• /
• 2021

Objectives: Banchong-san (BCS) is a herbal formula composed of 13 korean medicinal herbs and is traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases and pain. The object of this study was to research the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and antimicrobial effects of the BCS in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods: In this experiment, effects of BCS on the following four were measured as follows: (1) Anti-oxidative effects were evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) Radical scavenging activity, 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) Radical scavenging activity. (2) Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated by the production amount of Reactive oxygen species (ROS), Nitric oxide (NO), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)(the previous two are "mRNA"), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38), inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (IκBα), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) (the previous five are "Protein") in LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. (3)Antipruritic effects were evaluated by the production amount of histamine, Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), LeukotrieneC4 (LTC4) Levels in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA)/ionomycin-stimulated MC/9 mast cell. (4) Anti-microbial effects were evaluated by the growth suppression of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus niger. Results: The following results were obtained through each measurement: (1) DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity, ABTS Radical Scavenging Activity evoked a significant concentration-dependent increase. (2) ROS, NO, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, PGE₂ production amount, iNOS, COX-2 mRNA expression were significantly reduced in the BCS extraction group compared with the control group and significantly decreased the amount of ERK, JNK, p38, NF-κB Protein expression. The amount of IκB-α Protein Expression have increased significantly. (3) The amounts of histamine, LTB4, LTC4 were significantly decreased. (4) The antibacterial efficacy, BCS inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations of 5 ㎍/ml, but did not suppress the growth of staphylococcus aureus and aspergillus niger. Conclusions: The experimental results show that BCS has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and antimicrobial properties.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.69-82
• /
• 2022

In this study, we investigated the bacterial community structure in organic rice-fish mixed farming paddy soil by using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that compared with the organic rice cultivated soil, the content of AP (available phosphorus) increased by 310.23 % and the content of OM (organic matter) increased by 168.83%. The most abundant phyla in paddy soils were Proteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, and Chloroflexi, whose relative abundance was above 47.83%. Among the dominant genera, the relative abundance of Limisphaera in paddy soils was observed. Alpha diversity indicated that the bacterial diversity of paddy soils was similar among each other. The bacterial community structure was affected by the relative abundance of bacteria, not the species of bacteria. Principal Coordinated Analysis (PCoA) results showed that the bacterial communities in organic rice-fish mixed farming soil and organic paddy soil were correlated to each other; the bacterial community structure was distinctively grouped by four different systems (paddy soil under organic rice-fish mixed farming system, organic rice cultivation, and conventional rice cultivation), where the first two are closely related to each other than the third one. The results provide basal support for organic agri-cultivation while improving an ecological value at the same time.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.54-69
• /
• 2022

We conducted a field survey from 2018 to 2020 to analyze the spatial distribution of phytoplankton communities at 13 stations in the East Sea. The diatom Chaetoceros curvisetus appeared as the dominant species in winter, and small flagellates less than 20 ㎛ prevailed in all seasons except winter. The seasonal average range of the micro (>20 ㎛), nano (20 ㎛≥Chl-a>3 ㎛), and picophytoplankton (≤3 ㎛) was 20.6-26.2%, 27.1-35.9%, and 40.8-49.0%, respectively. The composition ratio of nano and picophytoplankton was high at the surface mixed layer from spring to autumn when the water columns were strongly stratified. Especially, the stability of the water mass was increased when the summer surface water temperature was higher than that of the previous year. As a result, the nutrient inflow from the lower layer to the surface was reduced as the ocean stratification layer was strengthened. Therefore, the composition ratio of nano and picophytoplankton was the highest at 77.9% at the surface mixed layer. In conclusion, the structure of the phytoplankton community in the East Sea has been miniaturized, which is expected to form a complex microbial food web structure and lower the carbon transfer rate to the upper consumer stage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2023

Objectives: Betula Platyphylla(BP) has been used as a analgesic, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant drug in Eastern Asia. However, it is still unknown whether BP ethanol extract could exhibit the inhibitory activities against ultraviolet B(UVB)-induced skin injury on human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. This study was aimed to investigate the protective activity of BP ethanol extract on UVB-irradiated skin injury in HaCaT cells. Methods: The skin injury model of HaCaT cells was established under UVB stimulation. HaCaT keratinocyte cells were pre-treated with BP ethanol extract for 1 h, and then stimulated with UVB. Then, the cells were harvested to measure the cell viability, production of reactive oxygen species(ROS), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin(IL) 1-beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-𝛼, hyaluronidase, type 1 collagen, matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)s. In addition, we examined the mitogen activated protein kinases(MAPKs) and inhibitory kappa B alpha(I𝜅;-B𝛼) as inhibitory mechanisms of BP ethanol extract. Results: The treatment of BP ethanol extract inhibited the UVBinduced cell death and ROS production in HaCaT cells. BP ethanol extract treatment inhibited the UVB-induced increase of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-𝛼. BP ethanol extract treatment inhibited the increase of hyaluronidase, MMP and decrease of collagen. BP ethanol extract treatment inhibited the activation of MAPKs and the degradation of I𝜅-B𝛼. Conclusions: Our result suggest that treatment of BP ethanol extract could inhibit the UVB-induced skin injury via deactivation of MAPKs and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-𝜅B) in HaCaT cells. This study could suggest that BP ethanol extract could be a beneficial agent to prevent skin damage or inflammation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.9-18
• /
• 2023

The rapid detection of bacteria in the oral cavity, its species identification, and bacterial count determination are important to diagnose oral diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. The existing clinical microbial diagnosis methods are time-consuming as they involve observing patients' samples under a microscope or culturing and confirming bacteria using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits, making the process complex. Therefore, it is required to analyze the development status of substances and systems that can rapidly detect and analyze pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity. With research advancements, a close relationship between oral and systemic diseases has been identified, making it crucial to identify the changes in the oral cavity bacterial composition. Additionally, an early and accurate diagnosis is essential for better prognosis in periodontal disease. However, most periodontal disease-causing pathogens are anaerobic bacteria, which are difficult to identify using conventional bacterial culture methods. Further, the existing PCR method takes a long time to detect and involves complicated stages. Therefore, to address these challenges, the concept of point-of-care (PoC) has emerged, leading to the study and implementation of various chair-side test methods. This study aims to investigate the different PoC diagnostic methods introduced thus far for identifying pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity. These are classified into three categories: 1) microbiological tests, 2) microchemical tests, and 3) genetic tests. The microbiological tests are used to determine the presence or absence of representative causative bacteria of periodontal diseases, such as A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, and T. denticola. However, the quantitative analysis remains impossible, and detecting pathogens other than the specific ones is challenging. The microchemical tests determine the activity of inflammation or disease by measuring the levels of biomarkers present in the oral cavity. Although this diagnostic method is based on increase in the specific biomarkers proportional to inflammation or disease progression in the oral cavity, its commercialization is limited due to low sensitivity and specificity. The genetic tests are based on the concept that differences in disease vulnerability and treatment response are caused by the patient's DNA predisposition. Specifically, the IL-1 gene is used in such tests. PoC diagnostic methods developed to date serve as supplementary diagnostic methods and tools for patient education, in addition to existing diagnostic methods, although they have limitations in diagnosing oral diseases alone. Research on various PoC test methods that can analyze and manage the oral cavity bacterial composition is expected to become more active, aligning with the shift from treatment-oriented to prevention-oriented approaches in healthcare.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2023.04a
• /
• pp.37-37
• /
• 2023

천마(天麻, Gastrodia elata Blume)는 난초과(蘭草科, Orchidaceae)에 속하는 식물로 잎과 뿌리가 없어 탄소동화능력이 없으며, 뽕나무버섯균과 공생하는 기생식물이다. 천마는 노지재배 시 혹한, 폭우 등 기상환경에 따른 연차간 수량성 차가 673~1,175kg/10a로 크고, 연작에 따른 수량성이 연작 1회 시 29%, 연작 2회 시 68%가 감소하는 경향을 보이고 있다. 최근 기후변화 대응으로 비가림시설재배가 이뤄지고 있으나, 비가림 시설재배 또한 연작장해가 발생하고 있다. 따라서, 본 연구는 비가림시설을 활용한 천마 재배의 연작장해 경감을 위해 태양열(6~10월, 비닐피복) 및 토양훈증(메탐소듐, 30 L/1,000 m²)으로 토양소독 처리를 하였고, 윤작(수단그라스)을 대조구로 설정하여 토양 화학성, 미생물상 및 수량성을 분석하였다. 토양소독 전·후 토양내 화학성을 분석한 결과, 비가림시설재배 시 토양 화학성의 변화는 거의 없었다. 토양소독 후 metagenome 분석 결과, JCR21(윤작), JCS21(태양열), JCF21(토양훈증)의 시료로부터 확보한 총 read는 598,425개였으며, 이 중에서 Eukaryota로 분류되지 않은 read는 2,397개(0.4%), no hit, not assign된 read는 17,094개 (2.9%), Bacteria로 분류된 read는 281,391개(47.0%), Eukaryota로 분류된 read는 총 297,543개(49.7%)였다. JCR21은 전체 read의 35.0%, JCS21은 34.0%, JCF21은 31.0%를 차지했고, Eukaryota는 JCR21 대비 JCS21, JCF21에서 각각 9.9%, 18.9% 낮았다. 그리고, Bacteria는 JCR21 대비 JCF21은 5.4% 감소하였으나, JCS21은 1.4% 증가하였다. 이 중 Eukaryota에서 종(species)명까지 정확하게 밝혀진 것은 27종이었고 속(genus) 으로는 18속이었다. JCF21은 전체 read의 30.2%, JCS21은 33.8%, JCR21은 36.0%를 차지했고, JCF21 포장은 토양훈증으로 JCS21에 비해 3.6%, JCR21에 비해 5.8%까지 균수가 감소함을 알 수 있었다. 대체적으로 발견된 균은 고르게 분포하고 있었으나 초작지, 연작 1회지, 연작 2회지에서는 많이 발견되지 않았던 Mucoromycota (41,490 read, 13.9%), Agaricales (10,586 read, 3.6%)가 높은 비율로 분포를 하고 있었다. 토양소독 처리에 따른 10a 당 수량을 살펴본 결과, 윤작 1,309 kg, 태양열소독 1,609 kg, 토양훈증 1,733 kg으로 나타났고, 수량지수가 윤작 처리구 대비 태양열소독은 23%, 토양훈증은 32% 높았다. 성마율은 윤작 51%, 태양열소독 63%, 토양훈증 68%으로 나타났으며, 자마율은 윤작 49%, 태양열소독 37%, 토양훈증 32%으로 나타났다. 괴경썩음 정도는 윤작 30-49%, 태양열소독 10-19%, 토양훈증 5-9%로 나타났다. 따라서, 비가림시설을 활용한 천마 재배 시 토양훈증 소독 처리를 하면 연작이 가능할 것으로 판단되었다.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.107-125
• /
• 2024

Three types of veterinary antibiotics, including oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) of tetracycline class and amoxicillin (AMX) of penicilline class, were artificially introduced into the irrigation water. The residue of veterinary antibiotics in the soil, the absorption-translocation of veterinary antibiotics into the red lettuce and young radish plant, and crops yield were investigated according to the agricultural water irrigation method (surface drip irrigation, underground drip irrigation, and sprinkler irrigation). There was no significant difference in the residue and translocation of veterinary antibiotics in the soils and crops according to the irrigation method and type of veterinary antibiotics (p>0.05). For the edible parts of red lettuce and young radish, all three types of veterinary antibiotics were found to be below the detection limit, indicating that the safety of the crops was secured. The translocation factor of red lettuce and young radish were found to be less than 0.3 and 0.2, respectively. However, continuous introduction of veterinary antibiotics in agricultural arable lands may have negative effects by affecting soil microbial activity and soil microbe species diversity, so continuous management is deemed necessary.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.165-175
• /
• 2024

The Korean fir tree (Abies koreana), an endemic species of South Korea, is experiencing a severe decline in population due to climate change. Studies on the conservation of Korean fir have been extensive, yet research regarding its correlation with rhizosphere bacterial communities remains scarce, warranting further investigation. In this study, metagenome amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA V4 region was conducted to examine the presence of specific bacterial communities in Korean fir and to investigate potential differences based on habitat types (rhizosphere of native or cultivated trees, soil of dead trees, and bulk soil) and seasonal variations (April, June, September, November). Here we show that although we could not identify specific taxa highly specifically with Korean fir, the rhizosphere bacterial community in native trees exhibited less variability in response to seasonal changes compared to that in bulk soils. Suggesting the establishment of relatively stable bacterial populations around the Korean fir natural habitat. Further research on other types of rhizosphere and/or microbes is necessary to investigate the distinct relationship of Korean fir with microbial communities.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.31-37
• /
• 2010

Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) hydrolyze the ${\beta}$-1,4-linkages in chitin, the second most abundant polymer of N-acetyl-${\beta}$-D-glucosamine which is a structural component of protective biological matrices such as fungal cell walls and insect exoskeletons. The glycosyl hydrolases 18 family including chitinases is an ancient gene family widely expressed in archea, prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Since earthworms live in the soil with a lot of microbial activities and fungi are supposed to be a major component of the diet of earthworm, it has been reported that there would be appropriate immune system to protect themselves from microorganisms attacks. In this study, the novel chitinase, EaChi, from the midgut of earthworm, Eisenia andrei, were identified and characterized. To obtain full-length cDNA sequence of chitinase, RT-PCR and RACE-PCR analyses were carried out by using the previously identified EST sequence amongst cDNA library established from the midgut of E. andrei. EaChi, a partial chitinase gene, was composed of 927 nucleotides encoding 309 amino acids. By the multiple sequence alignments of amino acids with other different species, it was revealed that EaCHI is a member of glycosyl hydrolases 18 family, which has two highly conserved domains, substrate binding and catalytic domain.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.277-283
• /
• 2009

Biogenic amines are generally formed through the decarboxylation of specific free amino acids by exogenous decarboxylases released by microbial species associated with the fish products and fermented feeds. This study was conducted to investigate the properties of e tuna waste regarding the control of degradation of biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, tryptamine, putrescine, and cadaverine) that might be related with the anti-nutritional factor of the tuna waste that is used for manufacturing domestic fish meal. The values of pH and the salt content were 6.51, 3.35% in tuna waste and 5.58 and 5.83% in tuna fish meal, respectively. The strains and dominant bacteria tested in the tuna waste sample were 9.20, 9.29, 5.67, 7.82 and 7.58 log CFU/g of total bacteria, aerobic plate count (APC), total coliform (TC), Lactobacillus spp. and Bacillus spp., respectively. The main histamine forming-bacteria (HFB) in tuna waste were detected by silica gel thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and 7 histamine-forming bacterial species were isolated among microbes grown in selective medium. The histamine concentration was determined by detection of fluorescence of ο-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) derivatives using HPLC and the date were used to reconfirm the identities of the amine-producing bacteria. The 15 histamine- forming bacteria strains grown in trypicase soy broth (TSB) supplemented with 1% L-histidine (TSBH) were identified as Lactococcus(L.) lactis subsp. lactis, Klebsiella pneummonlae, L. garvieae 36, Vibrio olivaceus, Hafnia alvei and L. garvieae which were main dominant amine - producing strains, and Morganella morganii identified by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing with PCR amplification. A Phylogenetic tree generated from the 16S rRNA sequencing data showed different phyletic lines that could be readily classified as biogenic amine forming gram-positive and negative bacteria.