• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.807-813
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• 2016

Escherichia coli are important indicator organisms, used routinely for the monitoring of water and food safety. For quick, sensitive and real-time detection of E. coli we developed a 2'F modified RNA aptamer Ec3, by Cell-SELEX. The 31 nucleotide truncated Ec3 demonstrated improved binding and low nano-molar affinity to E. coli. The aptamer developed by us out-performs the commercial antibody and aptamer used for E. coli detection. Ec3(31) aptamer based E. coli detection was done using three different detection formats and the assay sensitivities were determined. Conventional Ec3(31)-biotin-streptavidin magnetic separation could detect E. coli with a limit of detection of $1.3{\times}10^6CFU/ml$. Although, optical analytic technique, biolayer interferometry, did not improve the sensitivity of detection for whole cells, a very significant improvement in the detection was seen with the E. coli cell lysate ($5{\times}10^4CFU/ml$). Finally we developed Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) gap capacitance biosensor that has detection limits of $2{\times}10^4CFU/mL$ of E. coli cells, without any labeling and signal amplification techniques. We believe that our developed method can step towards more complex and real sample application.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2017

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), dissolved organic phosphate (DOP), and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were measured in the coastal sea off inland aqua farms in northeastern Jeju Island in summer 2015. The highest concentrations of DOC, DON, and DOP were revealed in the surface water off Hado-ri where the lowest salinity conditions prevailed (31.6). The concentrations of DOC, DON, and DOP in the surface water were lower in the inner stations (SH1-1, 1-2, and 1-3) near the aqua farms of the Haengwon-ri than in the outer stations. The concentrations of DOC, DON, and DOP negatively correlated with salinity. These results indicate that the contribution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the aqua farms seems to be not significant. On the other hand, the higher concentrations of DON and DOP in the inner stations of Hado-ri (HD 1-1) seem to be attributed to excrement of migrating birds. The three components of CDOM (T, M, and C peaks) showed no relationship with salinity, perhaps due to various in situ productions by marine organisms and decomposition by ultraviolet radiation. The observed lower C:M ratio, an indicator of terrestrial source, and the higher biological index (BIX) of CDOM in the station off Hado-ri indicate that DOM is produced mainly by biological activity. Based on the higher humification index (HIX) of CDOM and the higher DOC:DON ratio off Haengwon-ri, refractory DOM in the inland aqua farms is likely transported to the coastal sea.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2014

PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: PAHs) is the hydrophobic inorganic material composed of carbon and hydrogen that is easily adsorbed biological organisms in the ocean. Bivalves is the indicator of environment monitoring because of reflect growth, physiological response of bivalve followed their habitat environment. The aim of research is understand the change of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) physiological response under exposed PAHs concentration for control, 1, 10 and $100{\mu}g/L$. We investigated induced immune change response for oyster hemocyte and effect of tissue RNA/DNA ratio for mantle, gill and adductor muscle individually. As a result of experiment change of immune response the oyster hemocyte when exposed PAHs showed that viability and adhesion is no significant difference (ANOVA test, p < 0.05). However phagocytosis decreased under the over $10{\mu}g/L$ of PAHs concentration and ROS increased with the increase of PAHs concentration. The change of RNA/DNA ratio is R/D ratio decreased with the increase of PAH concentration in adductor muscle. However gill and mantle showed no change of R/D ratio with PAHs concentration. The oysters when exposed inorganic pollutant that decreased of physiological condition and damaged protein synthesis of adductor muscle.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.225-229
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• 2003

Plant ash and soil drainage, derived by frequent mountain fires during winter, might cause biological contamination to seaweeds at seashore and river mouse area. To thalli of Ulva pertusa, maximum non-lethal concentration(MNLC), lethal concentration 50 $(LC_{50})$ and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) of pine needle ash were shown as 60, 350 and 550 mg/mL, respectively. The yellow loess and granite sand did not damage at concentrations of 20 and 200 mg/mL, respectively To thalli of Porphyra yezoensis, the MNLC, LC5O, MLC of pine needle ash were shown as 0.08, 0.4 and 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. Effects of yellow loess and granite sand were approximately 1/2 and 1/10 of the ash. To thalli of Undaria pinnatifida, the pine needle ash, yellow loess and granite sand did not damage at the concentration range of 20 to 40 mg/mL. Change of pigments $(chlorophyll\;\alpha,\;lutein,\;\beta-carotene,\;phycoerthrin)$ was also determined at the MNLC, $LC-{50}$ and MLC of pine needle ash. Among three seaweeds tested, P. yezoensis produced the most 2.7-fold of lutein and 2.3-fold of $\beta-carotene$ at $LC-{50}$ of the ash. Thus the P. yezoensis, appeared as a sensitive indicator, could be used as one of test organisms for determination of the biological effect of pollutants contaminated in marine environment.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.295-305
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• 2004

After the Rio declaration on environment and development in 1992, developed countries are undertaking "environmentally sustainable transportation (EST)" projects. To meet the needs for EST, current transportation policies in Korea are rapidly reforming and one of its concerns is modernizing and upgrading railway freight system. Planning new railroad construction projects is increasing and subsequent environmental impact assessment (EIA) demands improvements, especially in both the EIA and decision making systems. In this paper, we discuss the present status of EIA for railroad construction projects, especially, by analyzing the EIA documents for the last six years. The EIA for railroad construction projects accounts for only 4.9% of total 918 project EIAs during 1998-2003, and the portion is gradually increasing. Major environmental concerns for EIA in railroad construction projects were geomorphological and ecological changes, protection of rare organisms, air pollution, water pollution, waste management, and noise, etc. We compared characteristics of environmental impacts of railroad construction with those of vehicle road construction, based on environmental and construction-planning indicators appeared in Environmental Impact Statements. Railroad construction usually requires longer tunnels and bridges for a given length than those for vehicle road construction. In addition, the amounts of geomorphological and ecological changes (road-cutting, embankment, devegetation, etc.) in railroad construction were generally less than 50% of those in vehicle road construction. To develop environmentally friendly railway systems, monitoring studies for environmental impacts of railroads such as habitat fragmentation and road kills, dispersal of alien plants, tunnelling effects on groundwater and vegetation, and noise impacts are highly recommended.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.125-148
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• 2017

This study analyzed the community structure of macrobenthic organisms in the subtidal area suffering under the influence of thermal discharge from the Uljin nuclear power plant during 2012-2013 and reviewed the temporal change in the faunal composition of the macrobenthic community using data from previous studies since the start of the plant operation in 1989. A total of 319 species were collected in 2012-2013, with a mean density of $3,330ind./m^2$ and a mean biomass of $131.96g/m^2$. These results were similar to those obtained in 2006-2007. The dominant species were not different from each other before and after the power plant operations began, but the faunal density near the power plant drainage port was significantly higher compared to those densities obtained from other stations. Spiophanes bombyx and Polydora sp., which is known as a pollution indicator species, was dominant only in the drainage port area. The study area consisted of two subregions with different macrobenthic communities depending on the water depth, which was similar to the results of the 2006-2007 survey. The macrobenthic community structures before and after the operation of the power plant in the coastal area were not changed, but there were seasonal differences in the long-term macrobenthic community structure which were strongly related to the thermal discharge from the power plant.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.754-762
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• 2012

Colbricon Superiore and Inferiore are two small adjacent high-mountain lakes located in the Paneveggio Natural Park (Italy) that offer the rare opportunity to study two iso-ecologic water environments differing only by area and volume in a ratio of 2:1 and 3:1, respectively. We took advantage of this setting to investigate phytoplankton dynamics, compare variability and productivity differences between the two basins, and assess size-dependent issues. The phytoplankton group of the Dinophyceae was chosen as the indicator organisms of ecological perturbation owing to their high sensitivity to environmental variations, as well as their acknowledged nature of versatile proxy to report global climatic changes. The study was conducted for over 10 years with fortnightly samplings. Results indicated that (a) the Dinophyceae communities in the smaller lake were significantly more resistant to changes exerted by the fluctuation of lakewater transparency and pH; and (b) the smaller lake sustained a consistently higher production with an average Dinophyceae density 1.73 fold higher than that of the larger lake. The coefficients of variation show that the chemical parameters in the smaller lake display higher time-related fluctuation while being spatially homogeneous and that such conditions correlate with a higher stability of the Dinophyceae assemblage. The use of this setting is also proposed as a model to test relationships between ecosystem production and physical stability.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.160-169
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• 2000

This study was conducted to understand the inhibitory garlic and ginger against the growth of food born pathogenic bacteria. Juice was prepared from the raw spices by using an electric homogenizer and membrane filter. Dry-powdered spices were treated with double distilled water and 70% ethanol to extract the antibacterial substances, respectively. Growth inhibitory effects of juice and extracts of the spices were monitored by using bacterial strains such as B. subtilis, L. moncytogenes, S. aureus,E. coli O157 : H7, P. aeruginosa, and S. typhimurium. On a solid medium where E. coli and S. aureus cells were grown, ginger juice formed inhibitory zone at the concentrations of 2-10% by paper disc test. The Bone formed by ginger juice was wider and more transparent than that formed by garlic juice on the same concentration.1. monocytogenes and B. subtilis were more sensitive to garlic juice than others, and stopped growing at 2% garlic juice. Ginger juice showed the growth inhibition by 30-50% at 1.0% concentration. On the contrast, P. aeruginosa which resisted to the garlic juice was the most sensitive to ginger juice. Water extract of garlic was not effective to inhibit the bacterial growth, while 2% ginger extract completely inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus. Alcohol extract of ginger inhibited the growth of bacteria at the concentration of 0.3%. This growth inhibition is almost 10 times lower than that of the garlic extract. It was clear that ginger had more potential than garlic as an inhibitor to control the growth of the indicator organisms.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.581-586
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• 2018

Enterococcus spp. have been considered major indicator organisms for antibiotic resistance due to their ability to easily acquire and to harbor antibiotic resistance. In this study, Enterococcus spp. were isolated from 174 retail fresh-cut products (fresh vegetable salads, microgreens, and sprouts) in Korea. Among the 20 Enterococcus isolates obtained, 18 (90.0%) were Enterococcus faecalis and 2 (10.0%) were Enterococcus faecium. The patterns of antibiotic resistance against nine antimicrobials were analyzed. Most of the isolates (85.0%) were resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, 40.0% and 50.0% of the isolates showed intermediate resistance to two critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, respectively. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were not detected in this study. Given the importance of antimicrobial resistance of enterococci in food safety as well as in public health, our results regarding the occurrence (level of contamination) and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. could provide useful information that aids the risk analysis of antibiotic resistance.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.173-183
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• 2023

The barren ground phenomenon in Korea began to occur and spread in the southern coast region and in Jeju Island in the 1980s, and since the 1990s, the damage has become serious in the east coast region as well. Korea has enacted the fisheries resource management act to manage such barren ground through the installation of sea forests among projects for the creation of fishery resources. Until now, projects related to the identification of the cause of barren ground have focused on the density of crustose coralline algae, sea urchins and seaweed, so the original cause of barren ground has not yet been identified. In order to manage barren ground, it is necessary to identify the cause of barren ground. To identify these causes, it is necessary to comprehensively consider i) studies on spatial characteristics such as rock mass distribution, slope and water depth, ii) studies on ecological and oceanographic characteristics such as water temperature, salinity, El Niño, and typhoons etc, iii) studies on organisms such as crustose coralline algae, macroalgae, and sea urchins, and iv) studies on coastal use such as living and industrial sewage inflow. Next, as with regard to legislative policy proposals , it is necessary to prepare self-management measures by the government, local governments, and fishermen as well as address management problems related to the use of sea forests by fishermen after their creation . In addition, when creating a sea forest, a management model for each resource management plan is required, and evaluation indicators and indexes that can diagnose the cause of barren ground and guidelines for barren ground measures should be developed.