• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1509-1519
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• 2011

The protective effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the antioxidant system under paraquat(PQ) stress was investigated in leaves of 8-week-old lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants. PQ stress caused a decrease of leaf growth including leaf length, width and weight. Application of NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), significantly alleviated PQ stress induced growth suppression. SNP permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and of higher quantum yield for photosystem II than in non-treated controls under PQ exposure, suggesting that NO has protective effect on chloroplast membrane in lettuce leaves. Flavonoids and anthocyanin were significantly accumulated in the leaves upon PQ exposure. However, the rapid increase of these compounds was alleviated in the SNP treated leaves. PQ treatment resulted in lipid peroxidation and induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in the leaves, while SNP prevented PQ induced increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$. These results demonstrate that SNP serves as an antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O_2$ to protect plant cells from oxidative damage. The activities of two antioxidant enzymes that scavenge reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in lettuce leaves in the presence of NO donor under PQ stress were higher than those under PQ stress alone. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, to the lettuce leaves arrested SNP mediated protective effect on leaf growth, photosynthetic pigment and antioxidant systems. However, PTIO had little effect on lettuce leaves under PQ stress compared with that of PQ stress alone. The obtained data suggest that the damage caused by PQ stress is in part due to increased generation of active oxygen by maintaining increased antioxidant enzyme activities and SNP protects plants from oxidative stress. From these results it is suggested that NO might act as a signal in activating active oxygen scavenging system that protects plants from oxidative damage induced by PQ stress and thus confer PQ tolerance.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.288-296
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• 1995

To investigate high-level expression of Serratia marcescens metalloprotease (SMP) in Escherichia coli and S. marcescens, we constructed various recombinant plasmids: pSP2, containing SMP gene and lac promoter; pKSP2, containing SMP gene and tac promoter; pTSP2, containing SMP gene, trc99a promoter, and lacI$^{q}$. The recombinant E. coli (pKSP2) strain expressed SMP to a high-level, about 36% of total cellular proteins but accumulated inactive SMP precursors intracellularly, which indicated that E. coli does not have activation and secretion system for SMP. To overproduce active SMP, we transformed S. marcescens with the recombinant plasmids by a modified CaCl$_{2}$ method. The recombinant S. marcescens ATCC27117 (pSP2) containing lac promoter for SMP transcription produced 530 U/ml of active SMP on LB broth, which is about 5.1 times of the SMP yield, 105 U/ml of a control strain, S. marcescens ATCC27117 (pUC19). However, S. marcescens ATCC27117 (pKSP2) containing tac promoter for SMP transcription did not grow healthy and hardly produced SMP. To overcome a harmful effect of the strong tac promoter, we constructed a regulatory plasmid pTSP2 containing a strong trc99a promoter and its repressor gene lacI$^{q}$. When S. marcescens ATCC27117 (pTSP2) was induced with 1.0 mM IPTG after 9 hr cultivation, 2,200 U/ml of SMP was obtained in LB broth, which is about 21 times of that of a control strain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2005

The hyoscyamine 6${\beta}$-hydroxylase (h6h) gene was introduced into the genome of Scopolia parviflora through the Agrobacterium rhizogenes binary vector system. The enzyme was expressed ally and tissue specific selectively in roots, resulting in five transgenic hairy root lines. The presence of the h6h gene in kanamycin-resistant hairy roots and its overexpression were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Northern blotting, and Western blotting, respectively. In the transgenic hairy root lines which constitutively expressed the H6H enzyme, hyoscyamine and scopolamine accumulated in high concentration. Among the transgenic hairy root lines that expressed the H6H enzyme, only two were more productive. The levels of tropane alkaloids in transgenic hairy root varied greatly: The best transgenic line (#5) contained 8.12 mg of scopolamine per g dry weight, which produced the compound three times more than wild-type root. These results suggest a possibility of improving the yield of tropane alkaloids in hairy root lines by genetic and metabolic engineering.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1031-1040
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to characterize factors influencing genetic improvement of dairy cattle for milk production at farm level. Data were accumulated from 305-day milk yields and pedigree information from 1,921 first-lactation dairy cows that calved from 1990 to 2007 on 161 farms in Central Thailand. Variance components were estimated using average information restricted maximum likelihood procedures. Animal breeding values were predicted by an animal model that contained herd-year-season, calving age, and regression additive genetic group as fixed effects, and cow and residual as random effects. Estimated breeding values from cows that calved in a particular month were used to estimate genetic trends for each individual farm. Within-farm genetic trends (b, regression coefficient of farm milk production per month) were used to classify farms into 3 groups: i) farms with negative genetic trend (b<-0.5 kg/mo), ii) farms with no genetic trend (-0.5 kg/$mo{\leq}b{\leq}0.5$ kg/mo), and iii) farms with positive genetic trend (b>0.5 kg/mo). Questionnaires were used to gather information from individual farmers on educational background, herd characteristics, farm management, decision making practices, and opinion on dairy farming. Farmer's responses to the questionnaire were used to test the association between these factors and farm groups using Fisher's exact test. Estimated genetic trend for the complete population was $0.29{\pm}1.02$ kg/year for cows. At farm level, most farms (40%) had positive genetic trend ($0.63{\pm}4.67$ to $230.79{\pm}166.63$ kg/mo) followed by farms with negative genetic trend (35%; $-173.68{\pm}39.63$ to $-0.62{\pm}2.57$ kg/mo) and those with no genetic trend (25%; $-0.52{\pm}3.52$ to $0.55{\pm}2.68$ kg/mo). Except for educational background (p<0.05), all other factors were not significantly associated with farm group.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2001

This study was conducted to examine effect of different environment conditions in glass, PC, PET and PE greenhouses controlled by different environment control systems on the growth of green pepper. Light transmittance of 64.7% in the glass greenhouse was the highest among different green-houses. Air temperature was the highest in the glass greenhouse when ventilators were closed, and was the highest in the PE greenhouse when ventilators were open. Air relative humidity was the highest in the PE greenhouse during 24 hours. The amount of solar energy accumulated in soil was the greatest in the glass greenhouse and this energy released during the night escaped through covering materials. Latent heat and solar energy affected air temperature increased in greenhouses. The air temperature of glass greenhouse was 27.5$^{\circ}C$ at 11 O clock, which was the highest air temperature among the all greenhouse types. Clear differences were observed in leaf area and plant height at 30 days after transplanting. Days to first flowering was the shortest in the glass greenhouse with 72.7 days. Flower shedding was the greatest in the PE greenhouse with 12.6%. Days to fruit harvesting was the shortest in the glass greenhouse with 14.3 days. Fruit quality, such as fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit flesh thickness, and vitamin C content, was the best in the glass greenhouse. Percent marketable fruits was the highest with 95.3% when the pepper was grown hydroponically in the glass greenhouse.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2004

We have investigated characteristic solar wind dynamics associated with relativistic electron events at geosynchronous orbit. Most of the events for April, 1999 through December, 2002 are found to be accompanied by a prolonged solar quiet period which is characterized as low solar wind density, weak interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and fast alfvenic fluctuations in IMF $B_z$. In a typical relativistic event, electron fluxes begin to increase by orders of magnitude when solar wind parameters drop to low values (e.g., $n_{sw}∼5 cm^{-3}$ and ｜$B_{IMF}$∼5 nT) after sharp peaks. Then the elevated electron fluxes stay at the high level during the solar quiet period. This observation may suggest the following scenario for the occurrence of a geosynchronous relativistic event: (ⅰ) Quiet solar winds can yield a stable and more dipole-like magnetospheric configurations in which the geosynchronous orbit locates well inside the trapping boundary of the energetic electrons. (ⅱ) If a large population of MeV electrons are generated (by whatever acceleration process(es)) in the inner magnetosphere, they can be trapped and effectively accumulated to a high intensity. (ⅲ) The high electron flux can persist for a number of days in the geosynchronous region as long as the solar wind dynamics stays quiet. Therefore the scenario indicates that the occurrence of a relativistic event would be a result of a delicate balance between the effects of electron acceleration and loss. In addition, the sensitive dependence of a relativistic event on the solar wind conditions makes the prediction of solar wind variability as important as understanding of electron acceleration processes in the forecast of a relativistic event.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.149-158
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• 2014

The effects of spot cooling on growing ever-bearing strawberry in hydroponic cultivation during summer by spot cooling system was estimated in plastic greenhouse located in Pyeongchang. The temperature of cooling water was controlled by heat pump and maintained at the range of $15{\sim}20^{\circ}C$. Cooling pipes were installed in root zone and very close to crown. Spot cooling effect was estimated by applying system in three cases which were cooling root zone, crown plus root zone, and crown only. White low density polyethylene pipe in nominal diameter of 16 mm was installed on crown spot, and Stainless steel flexible pipe in nominal diameter of 15A was installed in root zone. Crown and root zone cooling water circulation was continuously performed at flowrates of 300 ~ 600 L/hr all day long. Strawberry yields by test beds were surveyed from Aug. 1 to Sep. 30. The accumulated yield growth rate compared with a control bed of crown cooling bed was 25 % and that of crown plus root zone cooling bed was 25 % and that of root zone cooling bed was 20 %. The temperatures of root spot in root zone cooling was maintained at $18{\sim}23.0^{\circ}C$ and that of crown spot in crown cooling was maintained at $19{\sim}24^{\circ}C$. Also, the temperatures of root spot in crown plus root zone cooling bed was maintained at $17.0{\sim}22.0^{\circ}C$ and that of crown spot was maintained at $19{\sim}25^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.241-246
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• 2005

Doam watershed is located at alpine areas in the Kangwon province. The annual average precipitation, including snow accumulation during the winter, at the Doam watershed is significantly higher than other areas. Thus, pollutant laden runoff and sediment discharge from the alpine agricultural fields are causing water quality degradation at the Doam watershed. To estimate soil erosion from the agricultural fields, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) has been widely used because of its simplicity to use. The USLE rainfall erosivity (R) factor is responsible for impacts of rainfall on soil erosion. Thus, use of constant R factor for the Doam watershed cannot reflect variations in precipitation patterns, consequently soil erosion estimation. In the early spring at the Doam watershed, the stream flow increases because of snow melt, which results in erosion of loosened soil experiencing freezing and thaw during the winter. However, the USLE model cannot consider the impacts on soil erosion of freezing and thaw of the soil. Also, it cannot simulate temporal changes in USLE input parameters. Thus, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was investigated for its applicability to estimate soil erosion at the Doam watershed, instead of the widely used USLE model. The SWAT hydrology and erosion/sediment components were validated after calibration of the hydrologic component. The $R^2$ and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient values are higher enough, thus it was found the SWAT model can be efficiently used to simulate hydrology and sediment yield at the Doam watershed. The effects of snow melt on SWAT estimated stream flow and sediment were investigated using long-term precipitation and temperature data at the Doam watershed. It was found significant amount of flow and sediment in the spring are contributed by melting snow accumulated during the winter. Thus, it is recommend that the SWAT model capable of simulating snow melt and long-term weather data needs to be used in estimating soil erosion at alpine agricultural land instead of the USLE model for successful soil erosion management at the Doam watershed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.400-406
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• 2012

To improve the hydrogen yield from biological fermentation of organic wastewater, a co-culture system of dark- and photo-fermentation bacteria was investigated. In a pure-culture system of the dark-fermentation bacterium Clostridium butyricum, a pH of 6.25 was found to be optimal, resulting in a hydrogen production rate of 18.7 ml-$H_2/l/h$. On the other hand, the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides could produce the most hydrogen at 1.81mol-$H_2/mol$-glucose at pH 7.0. The maximum specific growth rate of R. sphaeroides was determined to be 2.93 $h^{-1}$ when acetic acid was used as the carbon source, a result that was significantly higher than that obtained using either glucose or a mixture of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Acetic acid best supported R. sphaeroides cell growth but not hydrogen production. In the co-culture system with glucose, hydrogen could be steadily produced without any lag phase. There were distinguishable inflection points in a plot of accumulated hydrogen over time, resulting from the dynamic production or consumption of VFAs by the interaction between the dark- and photo-fermentation bacteria. Lastly, the hydrogen production rate of a repeated fed-batch run was 15.9 ml-$H_2/l/h$, which was achievable in a sustainable manner.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.26 no.1 s.84
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• pp.51-55
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• 1998

After bottle culture of Pleurotus ostreatus, sawdust was taken out from the bottle and accumulated in the middle of March, and then composted. As the result, Y value was decreased rapidly 30 days after composting, and it was decreased slowly after 30 days. It is considered that 118 days is required for composting, however, it is possible to use for casing material after at least 48 days composting. The pH and total nitrogen content of sawdust based on composting period had tendency to increase as composting was processed. Total carbon and C/N rate had tendency to decrease as time went on. Based on the rate of 10, 30 and 50%, each sawdust was added to clay loam used as casing material for culturing A. bisporrus. Among various treatments, the mycelial growth of A. bisporus was more favorable in the treatment of 30% sawdust than in the single treatment of clay loam. Based on the date necessary for primodium formation of A. bisporus, the primodium formation in the treatment of 30% sawdust was reduced to about 5 days as compared with that of any other treatments When 30% sawdust was added to clay loam used as casing material for culturing A. bisporus, the yield of its fruiting body was increased to 28%.