• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.515-522
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• 2023

Objectives: The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exerted an unprecedented impact on the health of populations worldwide. However, the adverse health consequences of the pandemic in terms of infection and mortality rates have varied across countries. In this study, we investigate whether COVID-19 mortality rates across a group of developed nations are associated with characteristics of their healthcare systems, beyond the differential policy responses in those countries. Methods: To achieve the study objective, we distinguished healthcare systems based on the extent of healthcare decommodification. Using available daily data from 2020, 2021, and 2022, we applied quantile regression with non-additive fixed effects to estimate mortality rates across quantiles. Our analysis began prior to vaccine development (in 2020) and continued after the vaccines were introduced (throughout 2021 and part of 2022). Results: The findings indicate that higher testing rates, coupled with more stringent containment and public health measures, had a significant negative impact on the death rate in both pre-vaccination and post-vaccination models. The data from the post-vaccination model demonstrate that higher vaccination rates were associated with significant decreases in fatalities. Additionally, our research indicates that countries with healthcare systems characterized by high and medium levels of decommodification experienced lower mortality rates than those with healthcare systems involving low decommodification. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that stronger public health infrastructure and more inclusive social protections have mitigated the severity of the pandemic's adverse health impacts, more so than emergency containment measures and social restrictions.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.359-371
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• 2019

To optimize the expression and secretion of ferritin protein associated with ion storage in the mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii, a recombinant secretion vector, harboring the ferritin gene, was constructed using a pPEVPR1b vector under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter and signal sequence of pathogen related protein (PR1b). The ferritin gene was isolated from the T-Fer vector following digestion with EcoRI and HindIII. The gene was then introduced into the pPEVPR1b secretion vector, and it was then named pPEVPR1b-Fer. The recombinant vector was transferred into P. eryngii via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The transformants were selected on MCM medium supplemented with kanamycin and its expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. Expression of ferritin protein was optimized by modifying the culture conditions such as incubation time and temperature in batch and 20 L airlift type fermenter. The optimal conditions for ferritin production were achieved at 25℃ and after incubating for 8 days on MCM medium. The amount of ferritin protein was 2.4 mg/g mycelia, as measured by a quantitative protein assay. However, the signal sequence of PR1b (32 amino acids) seems to be correctly processed by peptidase and ferritin protein may be targeted in the apoplast region of mycelia, and it might not be secreted in the culture medium. The iron binding activity was confirmed by Perls' staining in a 7.5% non-denaturing gel, indicating that the multimeric ferritin (composed of 24 subunits) was formed in P. eryngii mycelia. Mycelium powder containing ferritin was tested as a feed additive in broilers. The addition of ferritin powder stimulated the growth of young broilers and improved their feed efficiency and production index.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.270-273
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• 2022

The present study investigated the optimum additive ratio of wheat straw pellet as a substitute for beet pulp during oyster mushroom cultivation. The chemical properties across treatments were pH of 4.8-5.5, total carbon content of 45.9-46.5%, total nitrogen content of 1.5-1.7%, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 27.8-31.0. Mycelial growth was the fastest in a medium containing 20% wheat straw pellet (at 88.2 mm in 'Heuktari' and 70.3-79.6 mm in 'Suhan-1Ho'); however, there were no significant differences in mycelial density among the treatments. The characteristics of fruiting bodies by variety were as follows. In 'Heuktari', the valid stipe number per bottle (1,100 cc) was 22.5 and yield was 177.1 g/1,100 cc in the mixed medium containing 10% wheat straw pellet, with the values being comparable to those of controls. In 'Suhan-1Ho', the valid stipe number per bottle (1,100 cc) was 14.0 and yield was 151.2 g/1,100 cc in the mixed medium containing 10% wheat straw pellet, with the values being comparable to those of controls.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.266-269
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigated optimum additive ratio of barley flour for substitution of rice bran at cultivation of winter mushrooms. Mycerial growth was faster according to increase of barley flour ratio than those of controls, but only some slow at the addition of 10% barley flour. Yields of fruiting body show the highest to 165.4 g/850 ml of medium which are the addition 30% of barley flour and not significant difference of yields up to the addition of 70% barley flour. Diameter of pileus was the highest at the addition of 30% barley flour. Hardness of pileus and stipes were the highest at the addition of 10% barley flour. The L value of stipes were the hight at the addition of barley flour, but the L value of pileus were decreased at the addition of barley flour, but there was no significant difference in the a-value and the b-value.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.352-360
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• 2012

Bacillus clausii I-52 which produced SDS- and $H_2O_2$-tolerant extracellular alkaline protease (BCAP) was isolated from heavily polluted tidal mud flat of West Sea in Incheon, Korea and stable strain (transformant C5) of B. clausii I-52 harboring another copy of BCAP gene in the chromosome was developed using the chromosome integration vector, pHPS9-fuBCAP. When investigated the production of BCAP using B. clausii transformant C5 through pilot-scale submerged fermentation (500 L) at $37^{\circ}C$ for 30 h with an aeration rate of 1 vvm and agitation rate of 250 rpm, protease yield of approximately 105,700 U/mL was achieved using an optimized medium (soybean meal 2%, wheat flour 1%, sodium citrate 0.5%, $K_2HPO_4$ 0.4%, $Na_2HPO_4$ 0.1%, NaCl 0.4%, $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ 0.01%, $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ 0.05%, liquid maltose 2.5%, $Na_2CO_3$ 0.6%). The enzyme stability of BCAP was increased by addition of polyols (10%, v/v) and also, the stabilities of BCAP towards not only the thermal-induced inactivation at $50^{\circ}C$ but also the SDS and $H_2O_2$-induced inactivation at $50^{\circ}C$ were enhanced. Among the polyols examined, the best result was obtained with propylene glycol (10%, v/v). The BCAP supplemented with propylene glycol exhibited extreme stability against not only the detergent components such as ${\alpha}$-orephin sulfonate (AOS) and zeolite but also the commercial detergent preparations. The granulized enzyme of BCAP was prepared with approximately 1,310,000 U/g of granule. Wash performance analysis using EMPA test fabrics revealed that BCAP granule exhibited high efficiency for removal of protein stains in the presence of anionic surfactants as well as bleaching agents. When compared to Savinase 6T$^{(R)}$ and Everlase 6T$^{(R)}$ manufactured by Novozymes, BCAP under this study probably showed similar or higher efficiency for the removal of protein stains. These results suggest that the alkaline protease produced from B. clausii transformant C5 showing high stability against detergents and high wash performance has significant potential and a promising candidate for use as a detergent additive.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.312-320
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• 2021

In this study, we aimed to develop a feed additive that can promote the growth of stone flounder (Kareius bicoloratus). To this end, we fermented mealworm medium (5%, w/v) with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with antibacterial function (HeTm_LpWpPa) and evaluated its efficacy as a feed additive. Fish (approximately 5-6 g) were reared in six completely recirculating tanks (100 fish/tank) for 6 weeks. The total length of fish with and without HeTm_LpWpPa supplementation was 8.26 and 8.42 cm and body weight was 19.71 and 20.28 g, respectively, at 6 weeks. The weight gain of the control and experimental groups was 223.26 % and 248.76 %, respectively. The specific growth rate at 6 weeks was 2.79 % (control) and 2.98% (experimental), and the growth rate of the experimental group was slightly higher (0.19 %) than that of the control group. At the end of the experiment (i.e. 6 weeks), the number of fish below the mean weight in the experimental group was 3 (1 %) and that in the control group was 17 (5.7 %). These results indicate that feed supplementation of 10 % HeTm_LpWpPa could be utilized to promote the growth of flounder in farming.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2008

The proteins in whey are separated and used as food additives. The remains (mainly lactose) are spray-dried to produce sweet whey powder, which is widely used as an additive for animal feed. Sweet whey powder is also used as a carbon source for the production of valuable products such as polysaccharides. Glucose, fructose, galactose, and sucrose as asupplemental carbon source were evaluated for the production of PS-7 from Azotobacter indicus var. myxogenes L3 grown on whey based MSM media. Productions of PS-7 with 2% (w/v) fructose and sucrose were 2.05 and 2.31g/L, respectively. The highest production of PS-7 was 2.82g/L when 2% (w/v) glucose was used as the carbon source. Galactose showed low production of PS-7 among the carbon sources tested. The effects of various carbon sources addition to whey based MSM medium showed that glucose could be the best candidate for the enhancement of PS-7 production using whey based MSM medium. To evaluate the effect of glucose addition to whey based media on PS-7 production, fermentations with whey and glucose mixture (whey 1, 2, 3%; whey 1% + glucose 1%, whey 1% + glucose 2% and glucose 2%, w/v) were carried out. Significant enhancement of PS-7 production with addition of 1% (w/v) and 2% (w/v) glucose in 1% (w/v) whey media was observed. The PS-7 concentration of 2% glucose added whey lactose based medium was higher than that of 1% glucose addition, however, the product yield $Y_{p/s}$ was higher in 1% glucose added whey lactose based MSM medium. Therefore, the optimal condition for the PS-7 production from the Azotobacter indicus var.myxogenes L3, was 1% glucose addition to 1% whey lactose MSM medium.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.530-534
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• 1990

A strain of actinomycetes, Thermoactinomyces sp. CH-53, was isolated from manure and composted livestock feces. Actinornycetes-feed additive was prepared with the solid wheat bran medium of Thermoactinomyces sp. CH-53 that grew vigorously on unsterilized poultry feces at $50^{\circ}C$. pH 6.5- 9.5 and moisture content of 55-65% and added at a rate of 1% (wtlwt) to the commercially assorted feed to be fed poultry. The excreted feces contained $10^7-10^8$. Thermoactinomyces sp. CH-53 cells per gram. Poultry feces malodour was got rid of during treatment. The effect on plant growth was evaluated on the basis of the amount of nitrogen as fertilizer under a loading of 0.2g N1600g soillpot. A11 samples were showed a promotion effect for plant growth. The treated poultry feces added from O.lg to 0.4g total nitrogen per 600g soil in a pat increased the growth of Brassica rapa var. perui-ridis.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 1996

Galactooligosaccharlde (GOS) is a kind of functional oligosaccharides that can be used as a food ingredient and a cosmetic additive. In this paper, characteristics of GOS synthesis by cellulase, using lactose as a substrate, were investigated. Penicillium funiculosum cellulose was found to be the most efficient for GOS production among six cellulose tested. The optimum pH and temperature for GOS production were 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. There was an optimum ratio of lactose concentration to enzyme loading; the value was 10 (w/w). The reaction pattern of P. funiculosum cellulase is consistent with that of microbial ${\beta}$-galactosidase which shows transgalactosylation activity. Amounts of GOS produced from 20% (w/v) lactose after 6 h incubation at $50^{\circ}C$, were 23% (w/w) based on total saccharide in the reaction medium. The GOS % increased with initial lactose concentration in the range of 5 to 20%. The products mainly consisted of a trisaccharide and tetrasaccharide from HPLC and TLC analysis. Among enzymes involved in transgalactosylation reaction, high molecular weight fractions over 50,000 Da, presumably ${\beta}$-glucosldase, were considered to be responsible for GOS production. Using this cellulose, a direct synthesis of galactosyl g1ucoside including GOS could be readily achieved with lactose as a galactosyl donor.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartC
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• v.13C no.5 s.108
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• pp.601-606
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• 2006

Decode-and-forward cooperative communications protocol (DFP) allows single-antenna users in wireless medium to obtain the powerful benefits of multi-antenna systems without physical antenna arrays. For this protocol, so far the relays have used SNR to evaluate the reliability of the received signal before deciding whether to forward the decoded data so as to prevent their unsuccessful detection. However, SNR only characterizes the long-term statistic of Gaussian noise and thus leading to inaccurate assesment. Therefore, we propose using log-likelihood ratio (LLR) which accounts for the instantaneous noise in the received signal as an alternative to SNR. A variety of simulation results reveal the significant superiority of the SNR-based DFP to the SNR-based DFP regardless of threshold level and relay position under the flat Rayleigh fading channel plus AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise).