• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.307-313
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• 2015

Unpolished rice (UR) is considered to be a healthy alternative to white rice when coping with chronic diseases. In the present study, the fermented slurry of unpolished rice (FSUR) was evaluated with respect to its antimicrobial activities and biochemical characteristics, including the quantities of sugar, total soluble sugar, organic acids, free amino acids, pH, and physiological activity. The antimicrobial efficiency of FSUR was assessed using the paper disc-agar diffusion method. FSUR exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against six pathogenic bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, and Yersinia enterocolitica) and two fermentation strains (Gluconacetobacter intermedius and Lodderomyces elongisporus). The antimicrobial activity of FSUR was higher than the commercial antibiotics, carbenicillin ($50{\mu}g/ml$) and tetracycline ($50{\mu}g/ml$) against S. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium, Y. enterocolitica, and L. elongisporus. Also FSUR had a high antioxidant activity. The microorganisms were isolated from FSUR using tryptic soy broth and yeast extract-peptone-dextrose agar media. The isolated microorganisms were characterized using physiological and biochemical analyses as well as by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenic analysis. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the isolated microorganisms had a high similarity to G. intermedius, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Acetobacter peroxydans.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.6 s.73
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• pp.1005-1012
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• 2005

Endophytic Bacillus sp. CY22 was previously isolated from the interior of balloon flower root and showed strong antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi such as Rhizoctonia solnni, Fusarium oxysporum, and Phythium ultimum. Many Bacillus strains produce antifungal compound such as iturin, fengycin, and mycosubtilin. We isolated and identified antifungal compound from cell supernatant of the endophytic strain. By the MALDI-TOF mass result, the antifungal compound was similar to the known antifungal lipopeptide iturin. It was found that the purified iturin had three isoforms with protonated masses of m/z 1,043.39, 1,057.42, and 1,071.42 and different structures in combination with $Na^{+}$ ion using MALDI-TOF MS. The ita22 gene, which transacylase gene is associated with production of antifungal iturin, had an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,200 bp encoding 400 amino acids. Results of deduced amino acids sequence homology search, Ita22 was homologous with FenF (BAB69697) of Bacillus subtilis 168.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.560-566
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• 1998

The bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus sp. GM7311 showed strong inhibitory activity against the growth of three Gram positive bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. When the bacteriocin was added to the culture at different phases, viable cells of all of the tested strains were decreased, although the most inhibited phase was different. Thereby, when the bacteriocin $(100\;Bu/m{\ell})$ was added to exponential and stationary phase of L. monocytogenes, the rapid reduction of viable cell counts occured. And, in the case of B. subtilis, the highest inhibitory effect occured at lag phase and mid-exponential phase by the addition of the bacteriocin under same condition as mentioned above. Also, we can observe the accelerated reduction of survivors counts for the all of the phase except stationary phase in the S. auresus. Transmission electron microscopic observation of L. monocrogenes and B. subtilis treated with bacteriocin revealed apparent Iysis of the cell wall and excretion of the cell contents, indicating bacteriolysis. Also, the amino acids and fatty acids compositions were different from controls. However, the Iysis of cell wall didn't occur in S. aureus, though the cytoplasmic materials were reduced. This result indicates that the bacteriocin inhibits the synthesis of nuclear materials such as DNA, RNA and proteins.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.339-347
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• 2019

Background: Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf.) is an important medicinal and cereal crop that contains high levels of protein, fatty acids and crude fiber, as well as calcium, phosphorus, zinc, minerals, and essential amino acids. Despite its economic significance, little is known about biological activity in adlay sprouts. This study investigated the total free sugar, polyphenol and flavonoid content, and antioxidative activity in adlay sprouts at different growth stages. Methods and Results: The total free sugar and coixol content of germinated adlay sprouts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The total phenolic content was measured by the Folin and Denis, and flavonoid content by the Davis method. Antioxidative activity was tested by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl method. All measured component, including total phenolic and coixol content ($2.71{\pm}0.02mg/g$ and $59.70{\pm}0.01mg/g$), and antioxidant capacity ($IC_{50}$; $453.93{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) were highest in 3 day old adlay sprouts. In contrast, total free sugar and flavonoid content (3.02% and $0.60{\pm}0.02mg/g$) were highest in sprouts at 5 days after sowing. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between antioxidative activity and total polyphenol content (r = 0.902, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Adlay sprouts between 3 days and 5 days following germination contain high levels of functional components and free sugar. This study therefore suggests that adlay sprouts can be developed as a valuable health-promoting food and a good source of natural antioxidants.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.749-757
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• 2019

Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) as starting materials were dissolved in various types of solvents, and hydrolysis with water and polycondensation reaction were carried out using various types of catalysts to prepare non-fluorinated water-repellent coating solutions. The coating solutions were spin-coated on cold-rolled steel sheets, and thermally cured to prepare water-repellent coating films. The effect of types of catalysts and solvents on the water repellency of the resulting coating films was investigated during this process. When hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, which are strong acids, were used as catalysts, the solutions showed a white opaque state due to the aggregation of siloxane polymers. On the other hand, when acetic acid, phosphoric acid, and oxalic acid, which are weak acids, were used, they were in a stable and transparent state without precipitation. As a result, the contact angles of the coated films, prepared from hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, were $58^{\circ}$ and $92^{\circ}$, respectively, showing low water repellency. On the other hand, when acetic acid, phosphoric acid, and oxalic acid were used, the contact angles of the coated films were $101^{\circ}$, $103^{\circ}$ and $116^{\circ}$, respectively, showing high water repellency. In addition, when isopropanol and ethanol were used as solvents, phase separation occurred in the solutions due to the aggregation of siloxane polymers. On the other hand, when methanol, ethyl acetate, and methyl ethyl ketone were used as solvents, the solutions were transparent and showed a stable state without sedimentation.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2012

Antimicrobial peptides of insects are found and reported as immune defence system against infectious agents. The peptides are produced by fat body cells and thrombocytoids, a blood cell type. Defensin is 38-45 amino acids long and consists of an ${\alpha}$-helix linked by a loop to an antiparallel ${\beta}$-sheet. Defensin from a bumblebee, Bombus ignitus, is known to comprise 52 amino acid residues. This peptide consists of two ${\alpha}$-helixes; ACAANCLSM and KTNFKDLWDKRF and one ${\beta}$-sheet; GGRCENGVCLCR. We carried out antibacterial activity test by radial diffusion assay against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive), Escherichia coli (Gram negative), Pseudomonas syringae (Gram negative), Candida albicans (fungi), MDRPA, MRSA, and VRE (antimicrobial resistant microbes) with synthetic oligopeptides from Peptron (Daejeon, Korea). The predicted curtailment fragment (GGRCEVCLCR-$NH_2$) for ${\beta}$-sheet had strong antibacterial activity when internal amino acids were removed. But, curtailment fragments (ACAANCLSM-$NH_2$ and TNFKDLWDKR-$NH_2$) of ${\alpha}$-helix were not showed antibacterial activity. These synthetic oligopeptides were showed the great activity against Gram positive and negative bacteria.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.232-237
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• 2022

Biorefineries, in which renewable resources are utilized, are an eco-friendly alternative based on biomass feedstocks. Alginic acid, a major component of brown algae, which is a type of marine biomass, is widely used in various industries and can be converted into value-added chemicals such as sugars, sugar alcohols, furans, and organic acids via catalytic hydrothermal decomposition under certain conditions. In this study, ruthenium-supported activated carbon and magnesium oxide were mixed and applied to the depolymerization of alginic acid in a batch reactor. The addition of magnesium oxide as a basic promoter had a strong influence on product distribution. In this heterogeneous catalytic system, the separation and purification processes are also simplified. After the reaction, low molecular weight alcohols and organic acids with 5 or fewer carbons were produced. Specifically, under the optimal reaction conditions of 30 mL of 1 wt% alginic acid aqueous solution, 100 mg of ruthenium-supported activated carbon, 100 mg of magnesium oxide, 210 ℃ of reaction temperature, and 1 h of reaction time, total carbon yields of 29.8% for alcohols and 43.8% for a liquid product were obtained. Hence, it is suggested that this catalytic system results in the enhanced hydrogenolysis of alginic acid to value-added chemicals.

• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2024

Globally, the demand for electric vehicles has surged due to greenhouse gas regulations related to climate change, leading to an increase in the production of used batteries as a consequence of the battery life issue. This study aims to selectively leach and recover valuable metal lithium from the cathode material of spent LFP (LiFePO₄) batteries among lithium-ion batteries. Generally, the use of inorganic acids results in the emission of toxic gases or the generation of large quantities of wastewater, causing environmental issues. To address this, research is being conducted to leach lithium using organic acids and other leaching agents. In this study, selective leaching was performed using the organic acid methane sulfonic acid (MSA, CH₃SO₃H). Experiments were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for selectively leaching lithium by varying the MSA concentration, pulp density, and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The results of this study showed that lithium was leached at approximately 100%, while iron and phosphorus components were leached at about 1%, verifying the leaching efficiency and the leaching rates of the main components under different variables.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.960-968
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• 2003

A bacterial isolate showing a strong endochitosanase activity was isolated from soil and then characterized. The isolate was identified and designated as Bacillus cereus P16, based on morphological and biochemical properties, assimilation tests, cellular fatty acids pattern, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence. The optimized medium for producing extracellular chitosanase in a batch culture contained 1% tryptone, 0.5% chitosan, and 1% NaCl (pH 7.0). Powder chitosan and tryptone served the best as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, for the chitosanase production. Chitosanase activity was the highest when culture was completed at $37^{\circ}C$ among various temperatures ($20-42^{\circ}C$) tested in a shaking incubator (200 rpm). The levels of chitosanase activity in the culture fluid were 2.0 U/ml and 3.8 U/ml, respectively, when incubated in a flask for 60 h and in a jar fermenter for 24 h. The culture supernatant showed a strong liquefying activity on the soluble chitosan. The viscosity of 1% chitosan solution, that was incubated with the culture supernatant, was rapidly decreased, suggesting the secretion of endochitosanolytic enzymes by P16. The culture fluid revealed six endo-type chitosanase isozymes, two major (38 and 45 kD), and four minor (54, 65, 82, and 96 kD) forms by staining profile. The crude enzymes were very stable, and full activity was maintained for 4 weeks at $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-20^{\circ}C$ in the culture supernatant, suggesting a highly desirable stability rate for making an industrial application of the crude enzymes. The supernatant also cleaved the insoluble chitosan powder, but the hydrolysis rate was much lower. The enzymic degradation products of chitosan contained $(GlcN)_n$ (n=2-8). The concentration of chitosan in the reaction mixture of the crude enzyme affected the chitooligosaccharides composition of the hydrolysis products. When the higher concentration of chitosan was used, the higher degree of polymerized chitooligosaccharides were produced. By comparison with other commercial chitosanase preparations, P16 was indeed found to be a valuable enzyme source for industrial production of chitooligosaccharides from chitosan.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1629-1640
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• 2015

This study was performed to compare carcass traits, sensory characteristics, physiochemical composition, and contents of nucleotides, collagen, and free amino acids among quality grades (QG) and to understand the association between QG and above parameters in loin and rump of Korean cattle steer. Loin and rump samples were obtained from 48 Korean cattle steers with each of four QG (QG 1++, 1+, 1, and 2; average 32 months of age). Carcass weight and marbling score (MS) were highest in QG 1++, whereas texture score measured by a meat grader was highest in QG 2. A correlation analysis revealed that MS (r = 0.98; p<0.01) and fat content (r = 0.73; p<0.01) had strong positive correlations with QG and that texture had a strong negative correlation (r = -0.78) with QG. Fat content in loin was highest but protein and moisture contents were lowest in QG 1++. Our results confirmed that a major determinant of QG is the MS; thus, intramuscular fat content. The International Commission on Illumination $L^*$, $a^*$, and $b^*$ values in loin were highest in QG 1++. Numeric values of shear force in loin were lowest in QG 1++, whereas those of tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability tended to be highest in QG 1++ without statistical significance. QG was strongly correlated with juiciness (r = 0.81; p<0.01) and overall acceptability (r = 0.87; p<0.001). All sensory characteristics were higher (p<0.05) in loin than those in rump. Adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP) and inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) contents in both loin and rump did not differ among QGs. No nucleotide (AMP, IMP, inosine, hypoxanthine) was correlated with any of the sensory traits. Total, soluble, and insoluble collagen contents in loin were higher in QG 1++ than those in QG 1. All three collagens had lower content in loin than that in rump. All three collagens were positively correlated with tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability. Glutamic acid content did not significantly differ among the four QGs in either loin or rump. In conclusion, it is confirmed that QG is associated with sensory traits but nucleotide contents in beef may not be a major factor determining meat palatability in the present study.