• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2009

AfsR2 in Streptomyces lividans, a 63-amino acid protein with limited sequence homology to Streptomyces sigma factors, has been known for a global regulatory protein stimulating multiple antibiotic biosynthetic pathways. Although the detailed regulatory mechanism of AfsK-AfsR-AfsR2 system has been well characterized, very little information about the AfsR2-dependent down-stream regulatory genes were characterized. Recently, the null mutant of afsS in S. coelicolor (the identical ortholog of afsR2) has been characterized through DNA microarray system, revealing that afsS deletion regulated several genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis as well as phosphate-starvation. Through comparative DNA microarray analysis of afsR2-overexpressed S. lividans, here we also identify several afsR2-dependent genes involved in phosphate starvation, morphological differentiation, and antibiotic regulation in S. lividans, confirming that the AfsR2 plays an important pleiotrophic regulatory role in Streptomyces species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.285-293
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• 2007

The study was to determine zonal characteristics of nutrients and chlorophyll and evaluate their trophic relations in Daechung Reservoir. For this study, we compared longterm water quality data among three zones along with trophic state using 1993 to 2002 dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Total phosphorous (TP), Secchi depth (SD) and chlorophyll (CHL) showed typical longitudinal declines from the riverine to lacustrine zone, but total nitrogen (TN) was not evident. Largest seasonal variations in TP and CHL occurred during the summer monsoon from July to August. In the reservoir, ambient TN averaged 1.67 mg $L^{-1}$ and ratios of TN : TP averaged 88.04, indicating that nitrogen is not likely limited but phosphorus limitation was evident. Trophic State Index (TSI), based on CHL, TP, and SD, varied depending on the zones and seasons. Mean TSI (TP) in the riverine zone was 62 during the monsoon, indicating a hypertrophic condition, whereas the mean was 40 in the lacustrine, indicating a nearly oligotrophic. Values of TSI (CHL) showed maximum in the transition zone during the monsoon. The deviation analysis of TSI showed that about 65% of TSI (CHL)-TSI (TP) and TSI (CHL)-TSI (SD) values were less than zero and the lowest values were -42, indicating an effect of inorganic turbidity on algal growth in the reservoir. Correlation analysis of CHL vs. SD shewed greater correlation coefficient (p<0.001, r=-0.47) in the transition than other two zones (p<0.001, $r{\leq}-0.40$). Correlation analysis of TP vs. CHL was greatest in the lacustrine and TP was minimum in the lacustrine zone, indicating a lowest yield of algal biomass in the lacustrine. Overall data suggests that zonal response of chlorophyll yield at a given nutrient unit is clearly differed among the longitudinal gradients, so the management strategy such as cross sectional modelling should be provided in each zone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 2013

Physiochemical characters of sea waters during summer flood- and winter dry-seasons and their spatial variations were investigated along the coastal area off the eastern South Sea, Korea. Using the hierarchical clustering method, in this study, we present comprehensive analyses of coastal waters masses and their seasonal variations. The results revealed that the coastal water of the study area was classified into six water masses (A to F). During summer season, the surface water was mainly occupied by the coastal pseudo-estuarine water (water mass B) with low salinity and high nutrients and the river-dominated coastal water (water mass C) with low nutrients, respectively. The bottom water was dominated by cold water (water mass D) with very low temperature, high salinity and high nutrients, compared to masses of surface water. Notably, the water mass B, with high concentrations of nutrients (silicate and nitrogen) and low salinity, which is strongly controlled by the water quality of river freshwater, seems to play an important role in controlling the water quality and further regulating physical processes on ecosystem in the eastern coastal area of South Sea. The water mass D (bottom cold water) coupled with a strong thermocline, which exists in near-bottom layer along the western margin of Korea Strait, has a low temperature, pH and DO, but abundant nutrients. This water mass disappears in winter owing to strong vertical mixing, and subsequently may act as a pool for nutrients during winter dry-season. On the other hand, vertically well-mixed water column during the winter season was typically occupied by the Tsushima (water mass E) and the coastal water (water mass F) with a development of coastal front formed in a transition zone between them. These winter water masses were characterized by low nutrient concentration and balance in N/P ratio, compared with summer season with high nutrient concentrations and strong N-limitation. Accordingly, the analysis of water masses will help one to better chemical and biological processes in coastal area. In most of the study area, characteristically, the growth of phytoplankton community is limited by nitrogen, which is clearly different with coastal environment of West Sea of Korea, with a relative lack of phosphorus. It showed the western and the southern coasts in Korea are substantially different from each other in environmental and ecological characteristics.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.543-557
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• 2022

Purpose: Conditions that limit activity constitute one of the important factors that threaten the health of the elderly. This study sought to analyze the dietary habits and nutritional intake status of the Korean elderly who were faced with activity limitations. Methods: Utilizing data from the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we classified 1,383 elderly people aged 65 and over into 2 groups: those with activity limitations (n = 222, LG) and those without (n = 1,161, NG). We conducted a comparative analysis of the general characteristics, dietary habits, intake of major food groups, energy, and major nutrients. The nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), index of nutritional quality (INQ), and healthy eating practices were also analyzed. Complex sampling analysis was utilized for all the analyses with energy intake and socio-demographic variables adjusted. Results: The average age (73.8 years) of members of the LG was higher than those of the NG (72.6 years; p = 0.010). A higher percentage of participants in the LG lived alone (28.1%) compared to those in NG (17.2%; p = 0.004). The LG participants tended to regard their health status as "bad" or "very bad" (62.7%) more often than those in the NG (19.3%; p < 0.001). The LG subjects ate breakfast less frequently (p = 0.054) and ate out significantly less often than the NG subjects (p < 0.001). The LG subjects ate more grain (p = 0.001), fewer seeds (p = 0.014) and vegetables (p = 0.039). Carbohydrate made up a large percentage of their energy intake (p = 0.026). The LG subjects had significantly lower NARs of energy (p = 0.021), protein (p = 0.031), and riboflavin (p = 0.037). The LG participants also had a significantly lower rate of healthy eating practices (22.7%) compared to those in the NG (37.8%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Activity-limited elderly, despite their need for appropriate dietary management, were poorly nourished. They were likely to live alone, thereby making it hard to provide them with social support. Hence, there is a need to provide nutrition education and policy support for the elderly bearing the burden of limited activity.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.158-164
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• 2006

Yongdam Lake is the fifth largest artificial lake in Korea newly formed by the first impounding the Yongdam Multi-purpose Dam on December, 2002. Yongdam Lake, with her total water storage of 820 million M/T, is located at the roof-top region of the streams flowing into the just-constructed new Saemankeum Lake. Seasonal succession of phytoplakton in Yongdam Lake might affect cyanobacterial blooms in Saemankeum Lake by inoculating seasonal dominants. During 2002-2003 when the first impounding after the construction of Yongdam Multi-purpose Dam was still undergoing, summer cyanobacterial blooms by Anabaena, Microcystis, and Aphanizomenon were observed. Among these three, filamentous Anabaena is well known to have its species with $N_2-fixing$ ability and special cells such as heterocysts and akinetes as well as the vegetative cells. We established a clonal culture of Anabaena spiroides v. crasse (KNU-YD0310) from the live water samples collected at the bloom site of Yongdam Lake. The N- and P-nutrient requirement of the KNU-YD0310 was explored by the experimental cultivation of the laboratory strain. Ratio of heterocysts to vegetative cells increased as N-deficiency extended with its maximum at $N_2-fixing$ condition. The strain KNU-YD0310 exhibited considerable growth under N-limiting conditions while its growth was proportional to the initial phosphate-P concentration under P-deficient conditions. Under P-limiting conditions akinete density increased, which could be interpreted as an adaptation strategy to survive severe environment by transforming into resting stage. The above eco-physiological characteristics of Anabaena spiroides v. crassa might be useful as an ecological criterion in controlling cyanobacterial blooms at Shaemankeum Lake in near future.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4 s.105
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• pp.455-462
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• 2003

This study evaluated the change of water quality and chlorophyll - a at the birth stage of a large reclaimed estuarine lake (Lake Hwaong) of which the dike was finally constructed in March, 2002. Physico -chemical parameters and chlorophyll - a were investigated along a longitudinal transect, including 3 in-lake sites and 1 out-lake site from June to November, 2002. Salinity at all in-lake sites was over 21 psu during the study period, indicating that lake is still in the seawater phase. Salinity was periodically diluted at times when precipitation was high, especially in August. Chemocline was established in July near the dam site, and correspondingly vertical profile of dissolved oxygen was very clear during that Period. Total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations at all lake sites were in the eutrophic range, and they were especially high at the stream inlet site. Nutrients concentration was not much varied vertically but significantly varied temporally, and correlated significantly with precipitation and chlorophyll-a concentration, indicating that inflowing water from the watershed seemed not to improve lake water by dilution but cause eutrophication of the lake, and thereby stimulate phytoplankton development. Based on the analyses of nutrient ratio (N/P) and trophic state deviation, both phosphorus and nitrogen appeared to limit phytoplankton growth in the lake. Phosphorus limitation appeared to be probable at all in-lake sites with being most severe at the stream inlet site. Nitrogen limitation seemed to occur at both in-lake and out-lake sites. These results indicate that in Lake Hwaong experiencing the very early stage of a reclaiming lake, water quality and phytoplankton development appear to be affect-ed largely by salinity and hydrology and nutrients from the inflowing water. Lake biogeochemistry is still very unstable, and thus further long-term study is necessary to understand the effects of seawater to freshwater conversion on lake biology and water chemistry.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.392-396
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• 1989

Methylobacterium organophilum, a facultative methylotroph was cultivated on a methanol as a sole carbon and energy source. The cell growth was affected by the various components of minimal synthetic medium and the medium composition was optimized with 0.5% (v/v) methanol at pH 6.8 and at 3$0^{\circ}C$. The maximum specific growth rate of M. organophilum was achieved to 0.26 hr$^{-1}$ in the optimized medium which has following composition: Methanol, 0.5% (v/v):(NH$_4$)$_2$SO$_4$, 1.0g/l:KH$_2$PO$_4$, 2.13g/l:KH$_2$PO$_4$, 1.305g/ι:MgSO$_4$.7$H_2O$. 45g/l and trace elements (CaCl$_2$.2$H_2O$, 3.3mg:FeSO$_4$.7$H_2O$, 1.3mg:MnSO$_4$.4$H_2O$, 130$\mu\textrm{g}$:ZnSO$_4$.5$H_2O$, 40$\mu\textrm{g}$:Na$_2$MoO$_4$.2$H_2O$, 40$\mu\textrm{g}$:CoCl$_2$.6$H_2O$, 40$\mu\textrm{g}$:H$_3$BO$_3$, 30$\mu\textrm{g}$ per liter). By the limitation of nitrogen and deficiency of Mn$^{+2}$ or Fe$^{+2}$, the cell growth was significantly repressed. Methanol greatly repressed the cell growth and the complete inhibition was observed at concentration above 4% (v/v). In order to overcome the methanol inhibition and to prevent the methanol limitation, intermittent feeding of methanol was conducted by a D.O.-stat technique. PHB production by M. organophilum was stimulated by deficiency of nutrients such as NH$_{4}^{+}$, SO$_{4}^{-2}$, $Mg^{+2}$, $K^{+}$, or PO$_{4}^{-3}$ in the medium. The maximum PHB content was obtained as 58% of dry cell weight under deficiency of potassium ion in the optimized synthetic medium.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.327-336
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• 2011

Temporal and spatial variations of primary productivity were investigated in the estuary of Youngsan River and Mokpo coastal areas in 2009. After heavy rain, concentrations of ammonium, phosphate, and silicate increased at six stations in August. The torrential rainfall may cause an increase in nutrient concentrations during summer. There is no limitation of nutrients (except for February at the mid-Youngsan estuarine region YS2) but a potential phosphate limitation was apparent at all stations. Silicate depletion was observed at YS2 in February due to a massive diatom bloom. The trophic status of the Youngsan estuary and Mokpo coastal areas were inferred from an assessment of the primary productivity. In February and May, YS1 (upper Youngsan estuary site) and YS2, YS3 (near the Youngsan river estuary barrage), MP1 (upper Mokpo coastal region site) were appropriately assigned to the mesotrophic category. MP2 (mid-Mokpo coastal region site) and MP3 (outer site of Mokpo coastal region) were assigned to the oligotrophic category. All stations were classified to the oligotrophic status in November. In August, after heavy rain, Youngsan estuary stations maintained mesotrophic status. On the other hand, MP1 and MP2 were classified in the eutrophic category and MP3 to mesotrophic status. In particular, primary productivities of MP1 and MP2 were 9 and 7 times higher respectively than the standard of eutrophic status ($1,000-mgC\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$). These results suggest that a massive freshwater discharge from the Youngsan River estuary should be considered a main factor in the occurrence of phytoplankton bloom in Mokpo coastal areas during summer. Seasonal variations of primary productivity are closely related with depth-integrated Chl. a.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.605-619
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• 2019

The objective of this study was to analyze eutrophication characteristics, empirical model analysis, and variation of water quality according to monsoon intensity in Hapcheon Reservoir for 16 years from 2002 to 2017. Long-term annual water quality analysis showed that Hapcheon Reservoir was in a meso-nutrition to eutrophic condition, and the eutrophic state intensified after the summer monsoon. Annual rainfall volume (high vs. low rainfall) and the seasonal intensity in each year were the key factors that regulate the long-term water quality variation provided that there is no significant change of the point- and non-point source in the watershed. Dry years and wet years showed significant differences in the concentrations of TP, TN, BOD, and conductivity, indicating that precipitation had the most direct influence on nutrients and organic matter dynamics. Nutrient indicators (TP, TN), organic pollution indicators (BOD, COD), total suspended solids, and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), which was an estimator of primary productivity, had significant positive relations (p<0.05) with precipitation. The Chl-a concentration, which is an indicator of green algae, was highly correlated with TP, TN, and BOD, which differed from other lakes that showed the lower Chl-a concentration when nutrients increased excessively. Empirical model analysis of log-transformed TN, TP, and Chl-a indicated that the Chl-a concentration was linearly regulated by phosphorus concentration, but not by nitrogen concentration. Spatial regression analysis of the riverine, transition, and lacustrine zones of $log_{10}TN$, $log_{10}TP$, and $log_{10}CHL$ showed that TN and Chl-a had significant relations (p<0.005) while TN and Chl-a had p > 0.05, indicating that phosphorus had a key role in the algal growth. Moreover, the higher correlation of both $log_{10}TP$ and $log_{10}TN$ to $log_{10}CHL$ in the riverine zone than the lacustrine zone indicated that there was little impact of inorganic suspended solids on the light limitation in the riverine zone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.252-263
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine trophic state, based on nutrients (TN, TP), transparency (SD), and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ (Chl) and identify their empirical relations of TN-Chl, TP-Chl and Chl-SD depending on the dataset used along with dynamics of conductivity and suspended solids. Analysis of trophic states showed that more than half of 36 reservoirs were judged as eutrophic-hypertrophic conditions depending on the trophic variables. Seasonal values of TP varied by nearly 500% and showed greater in August than any other months. In contrast, TN varied within less than 90% and all monthly mean values of TN were never fall less than 1.2 mg L$^{-1}$ indicating low seasonal variations and high ambient concentrations (eutrophic-hypertrophic state). Analysis of empirical relations in the trophic variables showed that transparency had greater functional relations with Chl (R$^2$=0.31, p<0.001) than TP (R$^2$=0.15, p<0.001) and TN (R$^2$=0.20, p<0.001). Ratios of TN : TP in the ambient water indicated that most reservoirs showed a potential phosphorous limitation on the algal growth. Thus, algal biomass, based on Chl values, was more regulated by phosphorous than nitrogen. Analysis of linear regression model, based on log-transformed annual mean values, showed that only 30% in the variation of Chl was explained by TP (R$^2$=0.295, p=0.001, n=36) and 15% by TN (R$^2$=0.151, p=0.019, n=36). However, linear regression model, based on individual system, showed that Chl-TP model had strong positive relations (R$^2$=0.62, p=0.002, n=12), whereas the model had no any relations (p=0.892, n=12). Overall, our data suggested that averaging effect in the empirical model developments may influence the significance in the statistical analysis.