• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.89-95
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• 2009

Because of high contents of cellulose (~37 wt%) and hemicellulose (~17%), rice straw seems to be a potential lignocellulosic biomass for production of bioethanol. In this study, Ammonia Recycled Percolation (ARP) pretreatment of rice straw was extensively investigated. In particular, the experimental study included the effects of temperature, reaction time and concentration of ammonia on compositions and enzymatic digestibility of the resulting solid residues; the ranges of pretreatment conditions were, in turn, $150{\sim}190^{\circ}C$, 10~90 min and 0~20 wt%. Through ARP pretreatment, the lignin content was reduced by as high as ~84% while 20~80% of the hemicellulose was also solubilized. The solid residue resulted from the pretreatment with 15 wt% aqueous ammonia solution at $170^{\circ}C$ for 90 mim showed as high as ~90% of digestibility with 15FPU/g of glucan enzyme loading. Supplement of xylanese to cellulase led to a notable enhancement of digestibility, indicating a discernable inhibitory role of hemicellulose. Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) and Simultaneous Saccharification and Co-Fermentation (SSCF) were performed to obtain ethanol productions of 13.8 g/L (corresponding to 81% yield) and 15 g/L (corresponding to 89% yield), respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.219-225
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• 1993

The evaluation of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (DSB) was made following irradiation of human lymphocytes, murine lymphocytes and EL-4 leukemia cells over a wide dose range of $^{60}Co\;{gamma}-rays.$ In lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated murine lymphocytes, the slopes of the stand scission factor (SSF) revealed that lymphocytes with LPS increased DNA DSB formation by a factor of 1.432 (p<0.005). Furthermore, strand break production was relatively inefficient in the T lymphocytes compared to the B lymuhocytes. And EL-4 leukemia cells were found to form significantly more DNA DSB to a greater extent than normal lymphocytes (p<0.005). The in vitro studies of the intrinsic radiosensitivity between human lymphocytes and murine lymphocytes showed similar phasic kinetics. However, murine lymphocytes were lower in DNA DSB formation and higher in the relative radiation dose of 10 percent DNA strand breaks at 3.5 hours following ${gamma}-irradiation$ than human lymphocytes. Though it is difficult to interpret these results, these differences may be result from environmental and genetic factors. From our data, if complementary explanations for this difference will be proposed, the differences in the dose-effect relationship for the induction of DSB between humans and mice must be related to interspecies variations in the physiological condition of the peripheral blood in vitro and not to differences in the intrinsic radiation sensitivity of the lymphocytes. These results can be estimated on the basis of dose-effect correlation enabling the interpretation of clinical response and the radiobiological parameters of cytometrical assessment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 1995

Purpose : To investigate the effect of alkaloid fraction from Korean ginseng on radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (dsb) formation and repair in murine lymphocytes Materials and Methods : We used the neutral filter elution technique to assay $^{60}Co\;{\gamma}$ ray-induced DNA double strand breaks formation and repair in C57BL/6 mouse spleen lymphocytes for evaluating the dose-response relationship in the presence of alkaloid fraction as a radioprotective agent. The lymphocytes were stimulated with Phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 2 u g/ml) to label $^3[H]-thymidine.$ Isotope-labelled lymphocytes in suspension were exposed to 100 Gy at $0^{\cdot}C$ in the alkaloid fraction-treated group and elution procedure was performed at PH 9.6. The extents of formation of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks and repair were compared respectively via strand scission factor (SSF) and relative strand scission factor (RSSF). Results: Alkaloid fraction reduced the formation of double strand breaks with dose modification factor of 2 15, compared to control group Rejoining of DNA dsb appeared to take place via two components. The first fast component was completed within 20.4 minutes, but the second slow component was not completed until 220.2 minutes after irradiation. About $30\%$ of dsb formed by irradiation was ultimately unrejoined despite the administration of alkaloid fraction. The administration of alkaloid fraction had a great effect on the second slow component of repair; the half-time of fast component repair was not changed, but that of slow component was 621.8 minutes. Conclusion: Neutral filter elution assay Proved to be a very effective method to quantitate the extents of DNA dsb formation and its repair. By using this technique, we were able to evaluate the efficiency of alkaloid fraction from Korean ginseng as a valuable radioprotector. Alkaloid fraction can be used prophylactically to prevent or ameliorate the severe radiation damages in workers and neighbors around the atomic power plants. For more refined study, however, more advanced purification of alkaloid fraction wil be needed in the near future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.499-510
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• 2013

Among 25 isolates, Aspergillus fumigatus ASH (JX006238) was identified as a potent producer of homocysteine ${\gamma}$-lyase. The nutritional requirements to maximize the enzyme yield were optimized under submerged (SF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions, resulting in a 5.2- and 2.3-fold increase, respectively, after the last purification step. The enzyme exhibited a single homogenous band of 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE, along with an optimum pH of 7.8 and pH stability range of 6.5 to 7.8. It also showed a pI of 5.0, as detected by pH precipitation with no glycosyl residues. The highest enzyme activity was obtained at $37-40^{\circ}C$, with a $T_m$ value of $70.1^{\circ}C$. The enzyme showed clear catalytic and thermal stability below $40^{\circ}C$, with $T_{1/2}$ values of 18.1, 9.9, 5.9, 3.3, and 1.9 h at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. Additionally, the enzyme $K_r$ values were 0.002, 0.054, 0.097, 0.184, and 0.341 $S^{-1}$ at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme displayed a strong affinity to homocysteine, followed by methionine and cysteine when compared with non-S amino acids, confirming its potency against homocysteinuria-related diseases, and as an anti-cardiovascular agent and a specific biosensor for homocysteinuria. The enzyme showed its maximum affinity for homocysteine ($K_m$ 2.46 mM, $K_{cat}\;1.39{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), methionine ($K_m$ 4.1 mM, $K_{cat}\;0.97{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), and cysteine ($K_m$ 4.9 m M, $K_{cat}\;0.77{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$). The enzyme was also strongly inhibited by hydroxylamine and DDT, confirming its pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) identity, yet not inhibited by EDTA. In vivo, using Swiss Albino mice, the enzyme showed no detectable negative effects on platelet aggregation, the RBC number, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, or creatinine titer when compared with negative controls.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2008

This study was carried out to find out causes of high Ni content and characteristics of potential increase of Cu and Zn contents in the soils of Jeju area. Soil samples were collected from 4 series of Alfisols, 35 series of Andisols, 9 series of Entisols, 16 series of Inceptisols, and 1 series of Ultisols, respectively. Parent material (gravel) samples were also collected from the same sites where soil samples were taken. Both soil and parent material samples were analyzed for Ni, Cu, and Zn. The average Ni content of all the soil samples was $79.2mg\;kg^{-1}$, which was exceeded warning standard for Ni against the Soil Conservation Act in Korea, whereas that of Cu and Zn contents were lower than the warning standard for Cu and Zn. The difference of Ni, Cu and Zn content was not consistent depending upon soil color. Ni content in the soil samples from Entisols was particularly high, whereas that from the other soil orders was similar to each other. Cu and Zn contents in the soil samples were similar regardless of the difference in soil order. Ni content in Seongsan Formation(SSF), Cinder cone(C) and acicular Feldspar Olivine Basalt(FOB) was high, while that in Feldspar Basalt(FB) and Trachy Andesite lava(TA) was low. Ni content in the non-agricultural land was higher compared with that in the agricultural land, whereas Cu and Zn contents in the non-agricultural land were significantly lower than that of agricultural land. The topsoil/subsoil ratios for Ni content in most of the soil samples were less than 1, while that for total contents of Cu and Zn in many of the soil samples were larger than 1 indicating potential Cu and Zn accumulation in topsoil by artificial reasons.