• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.165-192
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• 2022

The microbial metagenome characteristics of bioaerosols and particulate matter (PM) in the outdoor atmospheric environment and the effects of climate and environmental factors on the metagenome were analyzed. The concentrations of bacteria and fungi in bioaerosols and PM were determined by sampling different regions with different environmental properties. A variety of culture-independent methods were used to analyze the microbial metagenome in aerosols and PM samples. In addition, the effects of meteorological and environmental factors on the diversity and metagenomes of bacteria and fungi were investigated. The survival, growth, and dispersal of the microorganisms in the atmosphere were markedly affected by local weather conditions and the air pollutant concentration. The concentration of airborne microorganisms increased as the temperature increased, but their concentration decreased in summer, due to the effects of high temperatures and strong ultraviolet rays. Humidity and microbial concentration were positively correlated, but when the humidity was too high, the dispersion of airborne microorganisms was inhibited. These comprehensive data on the microbial metagenome in bioaerosols and PM may be used to understand the roles and functions of microorganisms in the atmosphere, and to develop strategies and abatement techniques to address the environmental and public health problems caused by these microorganisms.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.105-114
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• 1995

There has been increasing awareness on the importance of not only removal of organic materials but also sterilization of microbial cell in the drinking water purification research, so there has been many researches on that area. This study has been designed to analyze the effects of $TiO_{2}$ and ZnO coated on activated carbon on Escherichia coli. In this study, the sterilization power was analyzed by (1) variation of $TiO_{2}$ and ZnO concentration coated on activated carbon (2) variation of UV intensity. In addition, the kinetics between exposure time and sterilization velocity was viewed by the method of Chick. The results are as follows. 1. Survival ratio of E. coli decreased as time goes on in application of $TiO_{2}$, ZnO and $TiO_{2}{\cdot}ZnO$. In $TiO_{2}$ and ZnO, the effect increased upto certain concentration, but decreased there-after. In $TiO_{2}{\cdot}ZnO$, the effect of sterilization was in similar way among 3 combinations. 2. Survival ratio of E. coli decreased proportionately to an increase of light intensity in ZnO and $TiO_{2}{\cdit}ZnO$. In $TiO_{2}$, the survival ratio differed over extent of irradiation but the difference over the light intensity was not significant. 3. When Chick's law of sterilization was applied, m values of three concentrations of $TiO_{2}$ were 1.57,0.98, 1.96 respectively. M values of three concentration of ZnO were 1.10, 1.18,0. 11 respectively and those of three combination of $TiO_{2}{\cdot}ZnO$ were 1.17, 1.24, 1.74 respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.76-85
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• 2009

This study was carried to select the proper vegetation base materials which improve soil quality in abandoned coal mine areas. Also, we aimed at the feasibility of the direct seeding method without soil molding for the ecological restoration in those areas. We set total eight plots within the study site established on an abandoned coal mine area near Taebaek city, Gangwon province in April 2006. The plots were classified as two groups(straw mats mulching and no mulching), and the four treatments (C; control, MI; microbial innoculation, WC; wood chip, OF; organic fertilizer) were applied in each two groups for the soil conditioning. The survival of Pinus densiflora was highest among other species(Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Amorpha fruticosa and Arundinella hirta). For the non straw mat, the survival rate of Pinus densiflora seedlings was highest in the WC treatment($1,756trees/m^2$). For the straw mat, survival rate of Pinus densiflora seedlings was also highest in the WC treatment ($1,622trees/m^2$). In addition, for the non straw mat, the height growth of Pinus densiflora seedling was highest in the OF treatment($12.4{\pm}3.9cm$). For the straw mat, the height growth of Pinus densiflora seedling was also highest in the OF treatment($18.7{\pm}5.3cm$). In general, organic fertilizer treatment with the straw mat was most effective for seedling growth. Also, we suggested that the direct seeding method without soil molding could be sufficiently possible for revegetating abandoned coal mine, Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2009

Trypanosoma brucei, a protozoan parasite, causes sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana disease in domestic animals in central Africa. The trypanosome surface is extensively covered by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins known as variant surface glycoproteins and procyclins. GPI anchoring is suggested to be important for trypanosome survival and establishment of infection. Trypanosomes are not only pathogenically important, but also constitute a useful model for elucidating the GPI biosynthesis pathway. This review focuses on the trypanosome GPI biosynthesis pathway. Studies on GPI that will be described indicate the potential for the design of drugs that specifically inhibit trypanosome GPI biosynthesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.991-994
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• 2000

Single cell of an indigenous phototrophic bacterium, Rhodovulum sulfidophilum, was incorporated in commercial fish feed for Oreochromis niloticus. The bacterial cell was analyzed for nutritional value and tested for toxicity and acceptability as an aquaculture feed supplement. The results showed higher survival rate and significantly higher growth rate (p<0.001) in O. niloticus fed with the bacteria incorporated fish feed. It is suggested that R sulfidophilum can be utilized as an aquaculture feed supplement.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2001

The viability of Bifidobacterium longum KCTC 3128, entrapped in calcium alginate beds in simulated gastroenteric juices (gastric and bile salt solution), was tested to evaluate the influences of several parameters (gel concentration, bead size, and initial cell number). The death rate of B. longum in beads after being sequentially exposed to simulated gastric juices and bile salt solution decreased propertionally with increasing both the alginate gel concentration and bead size. The number of initial cell loading in beads affected the numbers of survivors after being exposed to these solutions, while the death rate of the viable cells were not affected. From the results obtained, the influence of entrapment parameters on the survival of bifidobacteria was quantitatively and systematically evaluated by using a mathematical method.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.443-450
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• 2005

The multi-host pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, possesses an extraordinary versatility which makes it capable of surviving the adverse conditions provided by environmental, host, and, presumably, competing microbial factors in its natural habitats. Here, we investigated the P. aeruginosa-Bacillus subtilis interaction in laboratory conditions and found that some P. aeruginosa strains can outcompete B. subtilis in mixed planktonic cultures. This is accompanied by the loss of B. subtilis viability. The bactericidal activity of P. aeruginosa is measured on B. subtilis plate cultures. The bactericidal activity is attenuated in pqsA, mvfR, lasR, pilB, gacA, dsbA, rpoS, and phnAB mutants. These results suggest that P. aeruginosa utilizes a subset of conserved virulence pathways in order to survive the conditions provided by its bacterial neighbors.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.21.1-21.7
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• 2018

Metritis, the inflammation of the uterus caused by polymicrobial infections, is a prevalent and costly disease to the dairy industry as it decreases milk yield, survival, and the welfare of dairy cows. Although affected cows are treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics such as ceftiofur, endometrial and ovarian function are not fully recovered, which results in subfertility and infertility. According to culture-dependent studies, uterine pathogens include Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Prevotella melaninogenica. Recent studies using high-throughput sequencing observed very low relative abundance of Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes, and Prevotella melaninogenica in cows with metritis. Herein, we propose that metritis is associated with a dysbiosis of the uterine microbiota, which is characterized by high abundance of Bacteroides, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Agricultural water is known to be one of the major routes in bacterial contamination of fresh vegetable. However, there is a lack of fundamental data on the microbial safety of agricultural water in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated the density of indicator bacteria in the surface water samples from 31 sites collected in April, July, and October 2018, while the groundwater samples were collected from 20 sites within Jeollabuk-do in April and July 2018. In surface water, the mean density of coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli was 2.7±0.55, 1.9±0.71, and 1.4±0.58 log CFU/100 mL, respectively, showing the highest bacterial density in July. For groundwater, the mean density of coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli was 1.9±0.58, 1.4±0.37, and 1.0±0.33 log CFU/ 100mL, respectively, showing no significant difference between sampling time. The survival of E. coli O157:H7 were prolonged in water with higher organic matter contents such as total nitrogen (TN), and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N). The reduction rates of E. coli O157:H7 in the water showed greater in order of 25, 35, 5, and 15℃. CONCLUSION: These results can be utilized as fundamental data for prediction the microbiological contamination of agricultural water and the development of microbial prevention technology.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2008

As a basic study on the creation of artificial tidal flats using dredged sediments, the pilot-scale artificial tidal flats with 4 different mixing ratio of ocean dredged sediment were constructed in Nakdong river estuary. The phragmites australis was transplanted from the adjacent phragmites australis community after construction, and then the survival and growth rate of the planted phragmites australis were measured. Also the changes of soil chemical oxygen demand (COD), ignition loss (IL), and the heterotrophic microbial numbers were monitored. The survival rate of the planted phragmites australis decreased as the mixing ratio of dredged sediment increased but there was little difference of length and diameter of the shoots. 30% of COD and 9% of IL in the tidal flat with 100% dredged sediment decreased after 202 day, however, fluctuations of COD and IL concentrations were also observed possibly due to the open system. It was suggested that the construction of tidal flats using ocean dredged sediment and biological remediation of contaminated ocean dredged sediment can be possible considering the growth rate of transplanted phragmites australis, decrease of organic matter and increased heterotrophic microbial number in the pilot plant with 100% dredged sediment. However, the continuous monitoring on the vegetation and various environmental factors in the artificial tidal flat should be necessary to evaluate the success of creation of artificial flats using dredged sediments.