• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.463-475
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• 2018

Salinity and extreme temperature stresses affect growth and productivity of crops negatively. Beneficial bacteria, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) induce growth promotion and tolerance of plants under abiotic stress conditions. In the present study, 20 strains were selected from 1944 isolated bacteria based on three plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity, phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid production, and growth ability under salinity and extreme temperature stress conditions. Seven among the 20 strains were selected based on growth-promoting effects on plants under saline or temperature stresses in tomato plants. It was expected that the seven strains could induce tolerance of tomato plants under salinity or extreme temperature stresses, which implies that these seven strains can act as potential inducers of multiple stresses tolerance in tomato plants.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2009

A two-dimensional (2D), laterally-averaged hydrodynamic and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2 was applied to evaluate the performance on simulating the effect of flushing from Daecheong Reservoir on the downstream water quality variations during the flushing events held on November, 2003 and March, 2008. The hydraulic and water quality simulation results were compared with field measurement data, as well as a one-dimensional (1D), unsteady model (KORIV1) that revealed limited capability in the previous study due to missing the resuspension process of river bottom sediments. The results showed that although the 2D model made satisfactory performance in reproducing the temporal variations of dissolved matters including phosphate, ammonia and nitrate, it revealed poor performance in simulating the increase of biological oxygen demand and suspended sediment (SS) concentrations during the passage of the flushing flow. The reason of the error was that the resuspension process of the 2D model is only the function of shear stress induced by wind. In reality, however, as shown by significant correlation between bottom shear stress ($\tau$) and observed SS concentration, the resuspension process can be significantly influenced by current velocity in the riverine system, especially during flushing event. The results indicate that the resuspension of river bottom materials should be incorporated into the water quality modeling processes if $\tau$ is greater than a critical shear stress (${\tau}_c$) for better simulation of flushing effect.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.62-75
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• 2016

Objectives: This study examined whether Lycii Radicis Cortex has an inhibitory effect on inflammatory response through an oxidative stress and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs)-mediated pathway in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic rats. Methods: Lycii Radicis Cortex was orally administered to STZ-induced diabetic rats in doses of 80 or 160 mg/kg body weight/day for 2 weeks, and its effects were compared with those of diabetic control and normal rats. Results: The administration of Lycii Radicis Cortex decreased the elevated serum urea nitrogen and renal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reduced the increased AGEs in the serum and kidney. The elevated protein expressions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits in the kidney of diabetic control rats were significantly decreased after Lycii Radicis Cortex treatments. Moreover, the kidney of diabetic rats exhibited the up-regulation of receptor for AGEs (RAGE) and AGEs-related proteins; however, Lycii Radicis Cortex treatment also significantly reduced those expressions (excepted RAGE). In addition, the diabetic rats exhibited an up-regulation of the expression of proteins related to inflammation in the kidney, but Lycii Radicis Cortex administration reduced significantly the expression of the inflammatory proteins through the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) pathways. Conclusions: This study provides scientific evidence that Lycii Radicis Cortex exerts the antidiabetic effect by inhibiting the expressions of AGEs and NF-${\kappa}B$ in the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2010

We assessed the effect of Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) treatment, at a dose of 0.75 mg/rat/day for 1 or 2 weeks, on the activities of antioxidant systems in Sprague-Dawley rat tissues. Significant changes in glutathione and antioxidant enzyme activities, with different patterns among tissues, were evidenced. Glutathione content and its reduction state in the liver, lung, and kidney were elevated upon MSC treatment, whereas they were significantly lowered in the spleen. Among the tissues exhibiting glutathione increase, there were different enzymatic responses: $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine ligase activity, the rate-limiting enzyme in the glutathione synthesis pathway, was increased in the liver, whereas the activities of the enzymes associated with glutathione recycling, namely, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were significantly increased in the lung and the kidney. The superoxide dismutase activity was decreased in all tissues upon MSC treatment, whereas catalase activity was increased in all tissues but the liver. Lipid peroxidation level was transiently increased at 1 week in the lung and the kidney, whereas it was persistently increased in the spleen. The increase was not evident in the liver. The results indicate that the MSC treatment results in an increase in the antioxidant capacity of the liver, lung, and kidney principally via an increase in glutathione content and reduction, which appeared to be a result of increased synthesis or recycling of glutathione via tissue-dependent adaptive response to oxidative stress triggered by MSC. The spleen appeared to be very sensitive to oxidative stress, and therefore, the adaptive response could not provide protection against oxidative damage.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the preventive effects of ethanol extract of Polygalae radix (EEPR) against oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, $H_2O_2$)-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in Chang liver cells. Methods: Chang liver cells were pretreated with various concentrations of EEPR and then challenged with 0.5 mM $H_2O_2$. The cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potentials (MMPs) and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) contents were measured. Expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were also determined using Western blot analysis. Results: The results showed that the decreased survival rate induced by $H_2O_2$ could be attributed to the induction of DNA damage and apoptosis accompanied by the increased production of ROS, which was remarkably protected by EEPR. In addition, the loss of $H_2O_2$-induced MMPs and ATP contents was significantly attenuated in the presence of EEPR. The inhibitory effect of EEPR on $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis was associated with up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of Bax, thus reducing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Conclusions: Our data prove that EEPR protects Chang liver cells against $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage and apoptosis by scavenging ROS and thus suppressing the mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 1997

Modified starches were used as additives to make tomato ketchup, and their effects on the rheological properties, serum separation and sensory characteristics of the tomato ketchup were examined. The magnitudes of the yield stress and the consistency index of the tomato ketchup with the additives, regarded as a Herschel-Bulkley fluid, were found to be in the order of ADA(acetylated distarch adipate)>SA(starch acetate) >HDP(hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate)>RCS(raw corn starch)>NS(no starch). The flow behavior indices of SA added ketchup and HDP added one were nearly constant regardless of the additive concentrations, whereas those of ADA and RCS increased with the additive concentration. In the serum separation test centrifugation, the ADA added ketchup showed the highest stability against separation, being fol-lowed by SA>HDP>RCS>NS. In the sensory evaluation, the magnitudes of the acceptance of the ketchup with the additives were as ADA(2%)>SA(2%)>RCS(2%)>NS>HDP(2%).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2016

Though there is an abundant supply of nitrogen in the atmosphere, it cannot be used directly by the biological systems since it has to be combined with the element hydrogen before their incorporation. This process of nitrogen fixation ($N_2$-fixation) may be accomplished either chemically or biologically. Between the two elements, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a microbiological process that converts atmospheric di-nitrogen ($N_2$) into plant-usable form. In this review, the genetics and mechanism of nitrogen fixation including genes responsible for it, their types and role in BNF are discussed in detail. Nitrogen fixation in the different agricultural systems using different methods is discussed to understand the actual rather than the potential $N_2$-fixation procedure. The mechanism by which the diazotrophic bacteria improve plant growth apart from nitrogen fixation such as inhibition of plant ethylene synthesis, improvement of nutrient uptake, stress tolerance enhancement, solubilization of inorganic phosphate and mineralization of organic phosphate is also discussed. Role of diazotrophic bacteria in the enhancement of nitrogen fixation is also dealt with suitable examples. This mini review attempts to address the importance of diazotrophic bacteria in nitrogen fixation and plant growth improvement.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.690-695
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• 1994

Simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater was studied by the anaerobic-aerobic system of activated sludge. In the anaerobic stage, most of the influent glucose was removed and orthophosphate was released, when the nitrate and/or nitrite concentration in the wastewater was almost zero. The amount of the released phosphorus was found to be directly proportional to the amount of the removed glucose. When the ratio of phosphorus to glucose in the influent was less than 0.04, the phosphorus in the wastewater was almost completely removed during the aerobic state. Under the anaerobic condition, activated sludge released phosphate and excess removal of phosphate occurred during the aerobic condition. Namely, the stress received in anaerobic period stimulated the uptake of phosphorus in aerobic period. The amounts of phosphorus release in the anaerobic and uptake in the aerobic stage were less in proportional to the concentration of $NO_x-N$. Further, if the initial ratio of $NO_2-N$/glucose was less than 0.37, the inorganic nitrogen in the influent could be completely removed.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2011

We investigated the effect of Orostachys japonicus extracts on serum lipids, leptin and insulin level in hyperlipidemic rats. Also, diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) were assessed. Inhibitory effect of DGAT related to triglyceride synthesis emerged approximately 96% in EtOAc fraction and showed 90% and 67%, respectively, in CHCl3 and BuOH fractions. Furthermore, the EtOAc and BuOH fractions inhibited 81% and 77%, respectively, in glycerol-3-phosphate acyl transferase (GPAT). Hyperlipidemia and obesity marker, contents of leptin and insulin on serum of hyperlipidemic rats, decreased 50% and 25%, respectively, compared with control group in treated EtOAc fraction. The oxidative stress marker, a concentration of TBARS, showed decrease of approximately 30% in treated EtOAc fraction. Moreover, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol contents on serum of rats fed a hyperlipidemic diet were increased 10% and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol decreased 50% as well as triglyceride amount of feces multiplied approximately two times more than control group in treated EtOAc fraction. The data suggest that the fractions of O. japonicus may be a potent biomaterial for treatment of hyperlipidemia or obesity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.612-616
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• 2006

In recent years, there has been increasing concerns in gene flow from GM crops to wild or weedy relatives as a potential risk in the commercialization of GM crops. To access the possibility of the environmental impacts by GM rice, small-scale experiments of gene transfer were carried out. Herbicide and drought stress resistant GM rice and non-GM rice Nakdongbyeo, wild rice Oryza nivara, and weedy rice Sharebyeo were used for artificial pollination experiments and bar gene was used as a tractable marker after pollination. The harvested putative hybrid seeds after artificial pollination were germinated and true hybrid plants were selected by basta treatment. The hybrid plants were verified again by PCR amplification of bar and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) genes and RAPD PCR analysis.