• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.529-536
• /
• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of white soybean Chungkookjang fermented by Bacillus subtilis D7. The highest germination rate was obtained under $25^{\circ}C$ when water was supplied for 4 days at intervals of 2 hr. The total isoflavone content was 971.3 ${\mu}g/g$ before germination and 1023.8 ${\mu}g/g$ after germination. The amino type- and ammonia type-nitrogen contents of Chungkookjang were proportional to the fermentation time. The pH values of all Chungkookjang soybeans increased up to pH 7.8-8.0 during fermentation. The number of viable cells in all Chungkookjang soybeans increased significantly up to 24 hr. The protease activity of all Chungkookjang soybeans increased up to 30-36 hr. The ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-amylase activities of Chungkookjang fermented by B. subtilis D7 were enhanced with increasing fermentation time. Analysis of the effect of Chungkookjang intake on the liver function of mouse showed that the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the Chungkookjang diet group were markedly higher than those in the control group. The asparatate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the germinated soybean Chungkookjang diet group was higher than that in the nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang diet group. Therefore, Chungkookjang soybeans fermented with B. subtilis D7 can be expected to have an increased content of functional components and improved quality characteristics.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.2077-2082
• /
• 2009

The conformational and electronic properties of 2-cyano-3-(thiophen-2-yl)acrylic acid (TCA) in analogues used as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells was examined using density functional theory (DFT) and natural bond orbital analysis methods. A relaxed potential energy surface scan was performed on NKX-2677 by rotating the C-C bond between the thiophene and cyanoacrylic acid which yielded activation energy barriers of about 13 kcal/mol for both E and Z configurations. The most stable conformation of all the analogues was E-180 except for NKX-2587 which has an electrostatic repulsion between the oxygen of the coumarin and the nitrogen of the cyanoacrylic acid. The increase in the electron delocalization between the thiophene and cyanoacrylic acid influences the stability for most of the analogues. But for NKX-2600, even though there was a greater deviation from the planarity of TCA, the stability was mainly due to the presence of a weak hydrogen bond between the hydrogen of the methyl group of the amine located in the donor moiety and the nitrogen of the cyanoacrylic acid. The vertical excitation energies of the analogues containing TCA were calculated by time-dependent DFT method. There were slight differences in its vertical excitation energies but the oscillator strengths vary significantly especially in the case of NKX-2600.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.22 no.8
• /
• pp.433-438
• /
• 2012

A chemical process involves polymerization within microspheres, whereas a physical process involves the dispersion of polymer in a nonsolvent. Nano-sized monodisperse microspheres are usually prepared by chemical processes such as water-based emulsions, seed suspension polymerization, nonaqueous dispersion polymerization, and precipitation polymerizations. Polymerization was performed in a four-necked, separate-type flask equipped with a stirrer, a condenser, a nitrogen inlet, and a rubber stopper for adding the initiator with a syringe. Nitrogen was bubbled through the mixture of reagents for 1 hr. before elevating the temperature. Functional silane (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) was used for the modification of silica nanoparticles and the self-assembled monolayers obtained were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), laser scattering system (LSS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis (EA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, polymer microspheres were polymerized by radical polymerization of ${\gamma}$-mercaptopropyl modified silica nanoparticles (MPSN) and acrylamide monomer via precipitation polymerization; then, their characteristics were investigated. From the elemental analysis results, it can be concluded that the conversion rate of acrylamide monomer was 93% and that polyacrylamide grafted to MPSN nanospheres via the radical precipitation polymerization with AAm in ethanol solvent. The microspheres were successfully polymerized by the 'graft from' method.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.298-305
• /
• 2016

In this study, we treated pitch-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) in hydrogen peroxide using electron beam (E-beam) irradiation to improve nitrogen monoxide (NO) sensing ability as an electrode material of gas sensor. The specific surface area of ACFs treated by E-beam irradiation with 400 kGy increased from $885m^2/g$ (pristine) to $1160m^2/g$ without any changes in structural property and functional group. The increase in specific surface area of the E-beam irradiated ACFs enhanced NO gas sensing properties such as response time and sensitivity. When the ACFs irradiated with 400 kGy, response time was remarkably reduced from 360 s to 210 s and sensitivity was increased by 4.5%, compared to the pristine ACFs. These results demonstrate convincingly that surface modification of ACFs using E-beam in hydrogen peroxide solution can enhance textural properties of ACFs and NO gas sensing ability of gas sensor at room temperature.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.313-323
• /
• 2014

Significant alteration in the microbial community can occur across reclamation areas suffering subsidence from mining. A reclamation site undergoing fertilization practices and an adjacent coal-excavated subsidence site (sites A and B, respectively) were examined to characterize the bacterial diversity using 454 high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing. The dominant taxonomic groups in both the sites were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Betaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes. However, the bacterial communities' abundance, diversity, and composition differed significantly between the sites. Site A presented higher bacterial diversity and more complex community structures than site B. The majority of sequences related to Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Anaerolineae were from site A; whereas those related to Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Gammaproteobacteria, Nitriliruptoria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Phycisphaerae originated from site B. The distribution of some bacterial groups and subgroups in the two sites correlated with soil properties and vegetation due to reclamation practice. Site A exhibited enriched bacterial community, soil organic matter (SOM), and total nitrogen (TN), suggesting the presence of relatively diverse microorganisms. SOM and TN were important factors shaping the underlying microbial communities. Furthermore, the specific plant functional group (legumes) was also an important factor influencing soil microbial community composition. Thus, the effectiveness of 454 pyrosequencing in analyzing soil bacterial diversity was validated and an association between land ecological system restoration, mostly mediated by microbial communities, and an improvement in soil properties in coal-mining reclamation areas was suggested.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.68-74
• /
• 2019

Objectives: Cultivated wild ginseng (cWG), called SanYangSanSam, has been used clinically in patients with chronic fatigue in Korea. Little is known about effects of the ginseng distilled (volatile) components produced during evaporizaiton. Recently, we first identified one major component from cWG distilled extract, panaxydol, by using mass spectrometry. However, functional properties of cWG distilled extract and panaxydol remains elusive. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effect of cWG distilled extract or panaxydol on exercise-induced fatigue in rats. Methods: Fatigue was induced by forced swimming and the immobility time was analyzed in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals received intraperitoneally either vehicle, cWG distilled extract, or panaxydol 10 min prior to beginning of the forced swimming test (FST) once daily for 5 days. After the FST on day 5, we also analyzed fatigue-related biochemical levels including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lactate acid (LAC), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum and levels of glycogen in liver and soleus muscle. Results: The forced swimming time in cWG distilled extract (0.6 mL/kg)-treated group was significantly longer than that of control group on day 4 and 5. Panaxydol (0.1 and 0.25 mg/kg)-treated groups showed significantly enhanced performance in the forced swimming, compared to control. In addition, a significant decrease in serum LDH level was found in panaxydol-treated group, while there were no alternations in levels of serum BUN and LAC and glycogen in liver or soleus muscle. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated cWG distilled extract and its active component panaxydol have a function of anti-fatigue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.843-850
• /
• 2003

Cu/PET film composites were prepared by electroless copper plating method. In order to improve adhesion between electroless plated Cu layer and polyester (PET) film, the effect of pretreatment conditions such as etching method, mixed catalyst composition were investigated. Chemical etching and plasma treatment increased surface roughness in decreasing order of Ar＞HCl＞O$_2$＞NH$_3$. However, adhesion of Cu layer on PET film increased in the following order: $O_2$＜Ar＜HCl＜NH$_3$. It indicated that appropriate surface roughness and introduction of affinitive functional group with Pd were key factors of improving adhesion of Cu layer. PET film was more finely etched by HCI tolution, resulting in an improvement in adhesion between Cu layer and PET film. Plasma treatment with NH$_3$produced nitrogen atoms on PET film, which enhances chemisorption of Pd$^{2+}$ on PET film, resulting in improved adhesion and shielding effectiveness of Cu layer deposited on the Pd catalyzed surface. Surface morphology of Cu plated PET film revealed that Pd/Sn colloidal particles became more evenly distributed in the smaller size by increasing the molar ratio of PdCl$_2$; SnCl$_2$from 1 : 4 to 1 : 16. With increasing the molar ratio of mixed catalyst, adhesion and shielding effectiveness of Cu plated PET film were increased.d.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.423-428
• /
• 2009

The comparative study of three calix[4]heterocycles (calix[4]pyrrole, calix[4]furan, and calix[4]thiophene) has been theoretically performed by using high-level density functional theory (DFT) at the MPWB1K/6-311G$^{**}$//B3LYP/6- 311G$^{**}$ level. The effect of different hetero-atoms (nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur) placed in the heterocycles on the conformational flexibility, thermodynamic stability order, cavity sizes, charge distributions, and binding propensities are examined. The thermodynamic stability differences between the conformers are found to be much greater in calix[4]pyrrole compared to those in calix[4]furan and calix[4]thiophene. Relatively larger NH group and higher dipole of a pyrrole ring in calix[4]pyrrole contribute to the higher energy barrier for the conformational conversions and relatively rigid potential energy surface compared to the case of calix[4]furan and calix[4]thiophene. The computational results herein provide theoretical understanding of the conformational flexibility and the thermodynamic nature which can be applied to understand the complexation behavior of the three calix[4]heterocycles.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.239-248
• /
• 2006

This study was conducted not only to investigate effects of different supplementation levels of Acanthopanax senticosus leaves on feed intakes, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention, and blood metabolites in Korean black goats but also to obtain basic data for nutritive value of Acanthopanax senticosus leaves and production of high quality functional animal products. Twelve Korean black goats were allotted to treatments in four groups of three goats per treatment and then they were housed in individual metabolism cages with completely random arrangements for 21 days. Four treatments were separated into controls and three different supplementation levels of Acanthopanax senticosus such as 10, 20 and 30%, respectively. For the chemical composition of experimental diets, crude protein (CP) contents of controls were 13.39% and those of supplementation treatments were lowered with increasing levels of Acanthopanax senticosus. Control groups tended to have higher acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents as compared to supplementation groups, but non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) contents tended to be higher far supplementation groups than those for controls. Feed intakes had no significant difference among treatments, but digestible dry matter amounts were significantly higher for 20 and 30% supplementation groups than those for other treatments. Dry matter intakes per metabolic body weight and their ratio per body weight were highest in 20% group, but those of 40% groups were lowest (p<0.05). Crude protein, ADF and NDF digestibilities were significantly higher in Acanthopanax senticosus supplementation groups in comparison to controls (p<0.05), and in particular, they were increased with increasing supplementation levels of tranthopanax senticosus. Nitrogen retention was significantly higher for 20 and 30% treatments than those fur controls (p<0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen concentration was significantly lower for 30% supplementation group than those fur controls (p<0.05). Furthermore, plasma triglyceride concentration was significantly lower for Acanthopanax senticosus groups than those for controls (p<0.05). The results showed that supplemental level of 20% Acanthopnnax senticosus leaves to Korean black goats improved nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention, and plasma urea nitrogen and triglyceride concentrations. Consequently, it might contribute to more efficient production of Korean black goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.12
• /
• pp.1742-1750
• /
• 2015

As a novel approach for disease control and prevention, nutritional modulation of the intestinal health has been proved. However, It is still unknown whether branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) is needed to maintain intestinal immune-related function. The objective of this study was to determine whether BCAA supplementation in protein restricted diet affects growth performance, intestinal barrier function and modulates post-weaning gut disorders. One hundred and eight weaned piglets ($7.96{\pm}0.26kg$) were randomly fed one of the three diets including a control diet (21% crude protein [CP], CON), a protein restricted diet (17% CP, PR) and a BCAA diet (BCAA supplementation in the PR diet) for 14 d. The growth performance, plasma amino acid concentrations, small intestinal morphology and intestinal immunoglobulins were tested. First, average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (p<0.05) of weaned pigs in PR group were lower, while gain:feed ratio was lower than the CON group (p<0.05). Compared with PR group, BCAA group improved ADG (p<0.05), ADFI (p<0.05) and feed:gain ratio (p<0.05) of piglets. The growth performance data between CON and BCAA groups was not different (p>0.05). The PR and BCAA treatments had a higher (p<0.05) plasma concentration of methionine and threonine than the CON treatment. The level of some essential and functional amino acids (such as arginine, phenylalanine, histidine, glutamine etc.) in plasma of the PR group was lower (p<0.05) than that of the CON group. Compared with CON group, BCAA supplementation significantly increased BCAA concentrations (p<0.01) and decreased urea concentration (p<0.01) in pig plasma indicating that the efficiency of dietary nitrogen utilization was increased. Compared with CON group, the small intestine of piglets fed PR diet showed villous atrophy, increasing of intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) number (p<0.05) and declining of the immunoglobulin concentration, including jejunal immunoglobulin A (IgA) (p = 0.04), secreted IgA (sIgA) (p = 0.03) and immunoglobulin M (p = 0.08), and ileal IgA (p = 0.01) and immunoglobulin G (p = 0.08). The BCAA supplementation increased villous height in the duodenum (p<0.01), reversed the trend of an increasing IELs number. Notably, BCAA supplementation increased levels of jejunal and ileal immunoglobulin mentioned above. In conclusion, BCAA supplementation to protein restricted diet improved intestinal immune defense function by protecting villous morphology and by increasing levels of intestinal immunoglobulins in weaned piglets. Our finding has the important implication that BCAA may be used to reduce the negative effects of a protein restricted diet on growth performance and intestinal immunity in weaned piglets.