• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 1988

This experiment was carried out to obtain the thermophilic fungus producing amylase and to investigate properties of the amylase. The selected strain, L-11 was obtained from soil in the vicinity of a hot spring and identified as Mocor sp.. And then the conditions for enzyme production in wheat bran cultures and properties of the crude enzyme were investigated. Furthermore, the enzyme was purified and the characteristics of purified enzyme were studied. The results obtained were as follows: 1. On the wheat bran medium added 80-100% water, amylase was effectively produced by the selected strain, L-11 for 48 hrs incubation at $50^{\circ}C$. 2. When the crude enzyme solution of the strain L-11 was passed through DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, two peaks having amylase activity were obtained, and one peak was that of the main enzyme (enzyme of B peak). 3. The purified enzyme (enzyme of B peak) was recognized as single protein band on polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. 4. In the hydrolysis reaction of soluble starch by the enzyme of main amylase, oligosaccharides produced at early stage were maltose and maltotriose mainly and procedure of the reaction maltose amount of maltose and glucose was increased. 5. The strain L-11 was recognized as a special strain producing ${\alpha}-amylase$ mainly and scarcely glucoamylase. 6. The optimum pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and temperature stability of ${\alpha}-amylase$ were pH 4.0, $60-65^{\circ}C$, pH 4.0-9.0, and below$70^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.461-474
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• 2005

Physicochemical parameters, plankton community structure, and sediment were surveyed from 1988 to 2002, at two months interval, in a eutrophic coastal lagoon (Lake Songji, Korea). The lake basin is separated from the sea by a narrow sand dune, and a shallow sill divides the lake basin into two sub-basins. The stable stratifications and chemoclines are maintained all through the year at 1-2 m depth. DO was often very low (<1 $mgO_2\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$) in the monimolimnion. Secchi disc transparency was in the range of 0.5-2.7 m. TP, TN, and Chl. a concentration in the mixolimnion were 0.015-0.396 $mgP\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$), 0.223-3.521 $mgN\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$, and 0.5-129.8 mg ${\cdot}\;m^{-3}$, respectively. TSI was in the eutrophic range of 54 to 62. Sediment was composed of silt and coarse silt. COD, TP, and TN content of the sediment were 51.4-116.9 $mgO_2\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$, 0.04-1.46 $mgP\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$ and, 0.12-1.03 $mgN\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$, respectively. The 49 phytoplankton species were identified. The maximum phytoplankton abundance obscured the lake in September 2001 (max. density: 23,350 cells ${\cdot}\;mL^{-1}$. The Chlorophyte Schroederia judayi was dominant species in summer (max. density: 20,417 cells ${\cdot}\;mL^{-1}$). The lake showed unique limnological features of a brackish lagoon in respect to biological community, chemical characteristics, and physical phenomena.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2008

From the 4 sampling stations located in the basin of the Han River, total 46 strains of Enterococcus spp. composed of 15 E. faecium strains, 26 E. casseliflavus strains, 1 E. faecalis strain and 4 E. hirae strains were isolated. Among the 46 strains, 45 strains exhibited streptomycin-resistance, while 21 and 19 stains were resistant against tetracycline and quinupristin/dalfopristin, respectively. As for gentamicin and vancomycin, 15 strains and 1 strain showed resistance against the respective antimicrobial agents. Among the 46 strains, 39 strains showed resistance against more than 2 antimicrobial agents, and 10 strains demonstrated resistance to more than 5 antimicrobial agents. Especially, the strain isolated from the station C at Anyangcheon, exhibited resistance against all the 8 kinds of the antimicrobial agents. As the sampling site approached to the lower stream of the Han-river, the antibiotic resistant strains and the multi-drug resistant strains were detected more frequently. The MIC values of the antibiotic resistant strains measured by the disc diffusion method disclosed that 16 strains possessed maximum MIC value of 4,096 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against streptomycin and 17 strains possessed maximum MIC value of 2,048 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against gentamicin. Meanwhile, 1 strain exhibited maximum MIC value of 5121 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$ against vancomycin. As for quinupristin/dalfopristin and tetracycline, 2 and 33 strains showed maximum MIC value of 641 ${\mu}g$ mL$^{-1}$, respectively. Comparison of the MIC values of the strains of the this study with those of the strains of the other research groups isolated from the hospital drainage and also those from the live stock farm drainage indicated that the strains resistant against vancomycin and quinupristin/dalfopristin may be originated from the livestock farm drainage.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2008

The most critical point in the medical use of radiation is to minimize the patient's entrance dose while maintaining the diagnostic function. Low-energy photons (long wave X-ray) among diagnostic X-rays are unnecessary because they are mostly absorbed and contribute the increase of patient's entrance dose. The most effective method to eliminate the low-energy photons is to use the filtering plate. The experiments were performed by observing the image quality. The skin entrance dose was 0.3 mmCu (copper) filter. A total of 80 images were prepared as two sets of 40 cuts. In the first set (of 40 cuts), 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of signal + noise image set. In the second set of 40 cuts, 20 cuts were prepared for the non-filter set and another 20 cuts for the Cu filter of non-signal image (noisy image) with random location of diameter 4 mm and 3 mm thickness of acryl disc for ROC signal at the chest phantom. P(S/s) and P(S/n) were calculated and the ROC curve was described in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Accuracy were evaluated after reading by five radiologists. The number of optically observable lesions was counted through ANSI chest phantom and contrast-detail phantom by recommendation of AAPM when non-filter or Cu filter was used, and the skin entrance dose was also measured for both conditions. As the result of the study, when the Cu filter was applied, favorable outcomes were observed on, the ROC Curve was located on the upper left area, sensitivity, accuracy and the number of CD phantom lesions were reasonable. Furthermore, if skin entrance dose was reduced, the use of additional filtration may be required to be considered in many other cases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.145-158
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• 1986

This study was undertaken to purify cystic fluid (CF) antigen of Taenia solium metacestodes by affinity chromatogaphy using specific monoclonal antibody(McAb) and to characterize the antigenicity of the purified antigen. The hybridoma cell lines, prepared by fusion between mouse plasmacytoma and spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with CF, secreted antibodies reacting to various helminthic antigens. Majority of cell lines reacted to CF only but some also reacted to parenchymal antigen of T. solium metacestodes, adult T. saginata, sparganum, hydatid cystic fluid, Paragonimus westermani and Clonorchis sinensis, either in combination with CF, other antigens or independently. Cloned cells derived from monoclonal lines also produced antibodies reacting either to CF only or to other helminthes in combination or independently. These results indicated that CF of T. solium metacestodes contained proteins which possessed antigenic determinants not only specific to CF but also cross reactive with the afore-mentioned helminthes. CF of T. solium metacestodes was purified by affinity chromatography using the McAb which reacted to CF and parenchymal antigens. The affinity-purified antigen (A-Ag) and unbound pool CF (U-Ag) were separated. A-Ag showed 2 protein bands by disc-PAGE whereas CF exhibited 6 bands and U-Ag consisted of all bands CF had. The diagnostic significance of A-Ag was evaluated by ELISA in human neurocysticercosis and other helminthic and neurologic diseases. By A-Ag, the levels of the specific IgG antibody, as shown by absorbance in sera and CSF, were lower than those of CF and U-Ag. Accordingly, the sensitivity was about 70% of CF and U-Ag. However, the nonspecific positive reactions to CF and U-Ag, observed in sparganosis, T. saginata infection and paragonimiasis did not occur when A-Ag was used. These results indicated that the affinity-purified A-Ag had the higher specificity but the lower sensitivity as a diagnostic antigen in cysticercosis, probably because it only detected a single or limited numbers of monospecific antibodies among the diverse polyclonal antibodies produced in the patients with neurocysticercosis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2003

Purpose : Streptococcus pneumoniae is part of the normal flora but is also responsible for causing many invasive diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis in addition to noninvasive diseases such as otitis in children. Multi-drug resistant strains has raised a lot of concern worldwide and thus the importance of prevention has been emphasized. We have analyzed the current serotypes and antibiotic sensitivity of each serotype as a baseline study to estimate the efficacy of the pneumococcal vaccine in Korean children. Methods : One hundred sixteen cases of pneumococcus cultured at Yonsei Medical Center from September 2001 to January 2003 were analyzed. The serotyping was done with the Quellung reaction and penicillin resistance was tested using the oxacillin disc diffusion method. Results : Pneumococcus were cultured from the sputum in 76 cases(65.5%), from the blood in 13 cases(11.2%), from the ear discharge in 12 cases(10.3%), from the throat in 7 cases(6.0%), from the nasal cavity in 2 cases(1.7%), and one case(0.9%) each from the cerebrospinal fluid, eye discharge, peritoneal fluid, post-operational wound, brain abscess, and catheter tip. Serotyping was possible with 98 cases and the following serotypes were found; 15 cases of type 19F(15.3%), 11 cases of 19A(11.2%), 8 cases of 11A(8.2%), 7 cases each of 6A, 14 and 3(7.1%), 6 cases each of 35, 6B and 23F(6.1%). Eighty two cases(70.7%) out of 116 cases were penicillin resistant and serotypes 19F, 19A, 11A, 23F, 6A, 9V constituted the majority, 48 cases(59.8%). These serotypes showed resistance to cotrimoxazole (74.4%), tetracycline(69.5%), and erythromycin(90.3%) as well. In the 22 cases cultured from children, 19A and 19F were found in 25.0%, 6A, 6B, and 23F in 10.0%, 11A, 14, 19, and 29 in 5.0%. Fifty percent(10/20) of the clinical isolates were represented in the current 7-valent pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccine, and 85%(17/20) when the cross-reacting serotypes were included. Penicillin resistance was found in 86.4%(19/22). Conclusion : The percentage of serotypes included in the 7 valent pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccine found in our study was 40.8% which was less than other prior studies. In anticipation of a change of pneumococcal serotypes, a nationwide multicenter study is needed before the initiation of pneumococcal vaccines in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.505-512
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• 2012

This study evaluated the quality characteristics of rice-doenjang prepared with Aspergillus oryzae MD05 and Bacillus subtilis HJ18-4. The physicochemical characteristics of rice-doenjang prepared with three types of meju, such as grain type(Rice 1), disc shape(Rice 2), and brick shape(Rice 3), were compared. We determined amino and ammonia nitrogen contents, protease and amylase activities, reducing sugar content, and total aerobic counts and lactic acid bacteria counts. The amino nitrogen and reducing sugar contents in all meju types gradually increased during fermentation. The amino nitrogen contents reached 151.5~200.0 mg%. Rice 3 were had the highest levels among the 4 types of rice-doenjang. After 42 days of fermentation, amylase and protease activity of Rice 3 were 366.57 and 94.26 unit/g, respectively, which were the highest levels among the 4 types of rice-doenjang. The total aerobic bacteria counts were not changed during 42-day fermentation. This results suggest that high quality characteristics of brick-shaped meju(Rice 3) were better than those of the other meju preparations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.320-326
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial and antioxidative activities of water and ethanol extracts from a mixture of roasted coffee and red ginseng. The antibacterial effects of each extract were determined by the classical paper disc method. A water extract of mixture samples inhibited growth of all strains, but antibacterial effects were mostly weakened. Ethanol extracts showed stronger antibacterial effects than water extracts in all strains except Gram negative Escherichia coli and the fungi strain Candida albicans. Also, the antibacterial effect of the Bacillus cereus strain appeared in all samples, and the ES2 sample formed a clear zone of 19 and 20 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. Typhimurium respectively (MIC=0.25 and 0.125 mg/mL). Determinations of free radical elimination for the different mixture extracts using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were compared with ascorbic acid and butylated hyderoxytoluene as positive controls. The water and ethanol extracts of mixture samples (100 ${\mu}g/mL$) showed 55.38~60.01% and 59.37~70.50% DPPH scavenging activities, respectively. DPPH scavenging activities of all mixture samples were slightly higher than roasted coffee and red ginseng samples. However, DPPH scavenging activity decreased when red ginseng extract composed more than 70% of the total extract. The total polyphenol in the mixture samples measured by the Folin-Denis method revealed the highest level of polyphenol content in ethanol extract of sample 3, whereas polyphenol content differed with different mixture ratios, ranging from 105.16~119.79 mg/g in ethanol extract. In the water extract, the polyphenol content was greatest with water extract of sample 1, whereas in other samples the content varied from 93.75~109.18 mg/g.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.358-366
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts with various countries of origin. Three samples of licorice with various origins (Korea, China, and Uzbekistan) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six skin microflora. The bioassay applied for determining the antimicrobial effects included the disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration, and challenge test. The ethyl acetate fractions of G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts showed significant antimicrobial activities against two gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Propionibacterium acnes) and two gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. These samples had much more intensive antimicrobial activities than synthetic preservatives on B. subtilis, P. acnes, and P. aeruginosa, especially. Korean licorice showed the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the samples tested. In view of the observed inhibitory features of these G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts, it is suggested that they could be used as natural antiseptics against bacterial contamination in cosmetics and foods, instead of the common synthetic preservatives currently employed.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the expression patterns of foreign gene that controlled by tuber-specific patatin promoter in transgenic potatoes. Potato leaf disc cultured in vitro were transformed by the Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 containing pBl121 or pATGUS from potato cv. Desiree. In order to select the transgenic lines, gene-specific primers deduced from the NPTII were synthesized and used for polymerase chain reaction. The down part of the putative transgenic potatoes was transplanted weekly onto sucrose-enriched medium to accelerate the microtuber formation. RNA gel blot analysis was performed on the total RNAs obtained from tuber that had been harvested at a week interval. Also, histochemical assay was observed in the explants transformed with either pBI121 or pATGUS. Results showed that the transgenic plant containing pATGUS expressed GUS transcripts mainly at the tuber, not in stem, with the highest expression level in 5 weeks-grown microtubers. In contrast to pATGUS plants, the transformed plants with pBI121 showed an equal expression pattern throughout the whole developing stages. Consistent with RNA gel blot analysis, histochemical GUS staining and enzyme activity exhibited pATGUS transcripts were at the highest level in 5 weeks cultures. From these results, we suggest that the best stage to analyze the foreign gene introduced by patatin promoter into potato plants is at 5 weeks cultures after tuber formation.