• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1015-1024
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• 2023

Antibiotics have greatly contributed to the treatment and prevention of bacterial diseases in humans, animals, and fish. However, antibiotic misuse has led to the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In addition to antibiotic discovery research, efforts are being made to combat such multidrug-resistant bacteria using antimicrobial agents, antioxidants, host immune enhancement, probiotics, and bacteriophages, as well as various symptomatic therapies. To discover novel bioactive compounds, it is crucial to adopt approaches that incorporate fresh ideas, new targets, innovative techniques, and untapped resources. Halophytes are plants that grow in high-salt soils and are known to adapt to salt-induced stress through unique metabolic processes that produce secondary metabolites. This study aimed to investigate the effects of extracts of halophytes native to Korea on oxidative stress and to determine whether they exert inhibitory activity against biofilms, which are major pathogenic factors of infectious bacteria. The Acinetobacter baumannii strain ATCC 17978, a representative drug-resistant bacterium, was used to measure anti-biofilm activity. The results showed that Aster spathulifolius, Carex kobomugi, Rosa rugosa, and Asparagus cochinchiensis exerted strong antioxidant and anti-biofilm effects without affecting bacterial growth itself. The halophytes used in this study are promising candidates for the development of pharmaceutical agents with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 2024

This study was conducted to selection and investigate appropriate conditions for mass production of antagonistic microbes to control cobweb disease caused by Cladobotryum mycophilum. A grampositive bacterium was isolated from spent substrate of Agaricus bisporus and showed significant antagonistic activity against Cladobotryum mycophilum. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus altitudinis. based on the cultural, biochemical and physiological characteristics, and 16S rRNA sequence. The isolate is saprophytic, but not parasitic nor pathogenic to cultivated mushroom whereas it showed strong inhibitory effects against C. mycophilum cells in vitro. The control efficacy of B. altitudinis HC7 against cobweb disease of C. mycophilum was up to 78.2% on Agaricus bisporus. The suppressive bacterium may be useful for the development of biocontrol system. To define the appropriate conditions for the mass production of the Bacillus altitudinis HC7, we have investigated appropriate culture conditions and effects of various nutrient source on the bacterial growth. The appropriate initial pH and temperature were determined as pH 6.0 and 30℃, respectively. The appropriate concentration of medium elements for the growth of pathogen inhibitor bacterium(Bacillus altitudinis HC7) was determined as follows: 3.0% soluble startch, 10% soytone, 1.0% (NH₄)₂HPO₄, 1.0 mmol KCl, and 0.5% L-asparagine.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2007

A natural deodorizing agent (NDA) was made using pine cone byproduct, and its effects on malodor emission and composting were analyzed in this study. NDA was manufactured by mixing pine cone byproduct with three species of microorganisms and water containing mineral nutrients and molasses, and then by incubating for 48 hours at $30^{\circ}C$. Lab scale experiments were done with three treatment groups, T1 (control, sawdust treatment), T2 (microorganisms and sawdust treatment group), and T3 (NDA and sawdust treatment group). During composting, temperatures reached over $55^{\circ}C$, a minimum temperature for the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms. No differences were found in physicochemical composition of compost among treatments. However, it was observed that over usage of NDA could obstruct temperature increase, since the biodegradation rate of organic matter of NDA was relatively low, Nitrogen loss due to ammonia gas emission, which normally happens during composting, was reduced by using NDA, and hence the nitrogen level of final compost was higher in T3 than in others. During experiment, it was found that ammonia gas emission was entirely lasted through compositing duration, but the $CH_3SH$ and $H_2S$ gases were produced only at early stage of composting. The ammonia concentration trapped in $H_2SO_4$ solution during 31 days of composting in T1, T2 and T3 was 12,660mg/L, 11,598mg/L and 7,367mg/L, respectively, showing distinguishable reduction of ammonia gas emission in T3. The emissions of $CH_3SH$ and $H_2S$ gases were also remarkably reduced in T3. Based on these obtained results, usage of the deodorizing agent made with pine cone byproduct could reduce the emission of malodor during composting, without any deterioration of compost quality.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.138-148
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• 2004

Purpose: Regardless of the underlying diseases, the proteinuric condition demonstrates ultrastructural changes in podocytes with retraction and effacement of the highly specialized interdigitating foot processes. We examined the molecular basis for this alteration of the podocyte phenotypes, including quantitative and distributional changes of ZO-1 protein as a candidate contributing to the pathogenic changes in the barrier to protein filtration. Methods: To investigate whether high glucose and advanced glycosylation endproduct(AGE) induce podocyte cytoskeletal changes, we cultured rat GEpC under 1) normal glucose(5 mM=control) or 2) high glucose(30 mM) or 3) AGE-added or 4) high glucose plus AGE-added conditions. The distribution of ZO-1 was observed by confocal microscope and the change of ZO-1 expression was measured by Western blotting and RT-PCR. Results: By confocal microscopy, we observed that ZO-1 moves from peripheral cytoplasm to inner actin filaments complexes in both AGE-added and high glucose condition. In Western blotting, high glucose or AGE-added condition decreased the ZO-1 protein expression by 11.1%(P>0.05) and 2.3%(P>0.05), respectively compared to the normal glucose condition. High glucose plus AGE-added condition further decreased ZO-1 protein expression to statistically significant level(12%, P<0.05). No significant change was seen in the osmotic control. In RT-PCR, high glucose plus AGE-added condition significantly decreased the expression of ZO-1 mRNA by 12% compared to normal glucose condition. Conclusion: We suggest that both high glucose and AGE-added condition induce the cytoplasmic translocation and suppresses the production of ZO-1 at transcriptional level and these changes may explain the functional changes of podocytes in diabetic conditions.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2011

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the dietary effects of multiple mixture of probiotics on laying performance and the faecal examination in laying hens (Hy-line Brown) at the early (21~40 wk) and middle (41~65 wk) laying term. Multiple probiotics were produced by developing products and the properties of microorganisms were examined for detecting of acid-resistance, bile salt-resistance and antibacterial activity against pathogenic enteric bacteria. Probiotics produced to the fermenting cultures of four selected organisms and soybean meal substrates by nine steps of NK proliferating system. The most microorganisms were shown higher resistance of acidity and bile salt. High antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium were observed, but was not against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Total egg production of the treatment was significantly higher than control group but was not statistically different between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). Average egg weight of the treatment in early laying term was also significantly higher than control but was not significantly different between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). But the egg weight of the treatment in middle laying term was significantly higher than control and between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). The mortality of 0.2% treatment was significantly lower than control (P<0.05), and 0.2% treatment in the early laying term was tended to decreased than 0.1% treatment and control. But there was not significantly between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments in middle laying term. In feed intake, 0.2% treatment in middle laying term was significantly increased than control and 0.1% treatment (P<0.05) but not in early laying term. In faecal examination, the total number of Lactobacillus of 0.1% treatment was significantly increased than control in whole laying term (P<0.05), but Coli form of the treatment was decreased than control in middle laying term. In conclusion, dietary long term supplementation of multiple probiotics improved performance of lay hens, egg weight and mortality drop by regulating enteric bacteria.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.280-289
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• 2015

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an economically important crop in worldwide. While the consumption of the maize is steadily increasing, the yield is decreasing due to continuous mono-cultivation and infection of soil-borne fungal pathogens such as Fusarium species. Recently, stalk rot disease in maize, caused by F. subglutinans and F. temperatum has been reported in Korea. In this study, we isolated bacterial isolates in rhizosphere soil of maize and subsequently tested for antagonistic activities against F. subglutinans and F. temperatum. A total of 1,357 bacterial strains were isolated from rhizosphere. Among them three bacterial isolates (GC02, GC07, GC08) were selected, based on antagonistic effects against Fusarium species. The isolates GC02 and GC07 were most efficient in inhibiting the mycelium growth of the pathogens. The three isolates GC02, GC07 and GC08 were identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus, B. amyloliquefaciens and B. thuringiensis using 16S rRNA sequence analysis, respectively. GC02 and GC07 bacterial suspensions were able to suppress over 80% conidial germination of the pathogens. GC02, GC07 and GC08 were capable of producing large quantities of protease enzymes, whereas the isolates GC07 and GC08 produced cellulase enzymes. The isolates GC02 and GC07 were more efficient in phosphate solubilization and siderophore production than GC08. Analysis of disease suppression revealed that GC07 was most effective in suppressing the disease development of stalk rot. It was also found that B. methylotrophicus GC02 and B. amyloliquefaciens GC07 have an ability to inhibit the growth of other plant pathogenic fungi. This study indicated B. methylotrophicus GC02 and B. amyloliquefaciens GC07 has potential for being used for the development of a biological control agent.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2007

The major fungal diseases which effecting garlic storage are blue mold and dry rot, caused by Penicillium hirsutum and Fusarium oxysporum, respectively. In order to reduce the damage by the pathogenic fungi, here we report the effects of 11 fungicides tested to reduce spoilage during storage of garlics. In the in vitro antimicrobial activity test, the fungicides, diphenylamine, prochloraz and tebuconazole showed 0.3, 2.2, and 1.3 nun inhibition zone to F. oxysporium, and cyprodinil, diphenylamine, fenbuconazole, hexaconazole, penconazole, prochloraz, propiconazole, pyrimethanil and tebuconazole exhibited 0.2, 2.4, 0.8, 0.4, 1.2, 1.5, 1.2, 0.4 and 1.5 mm to P. hirsutum, respectively. To test the in vivo control effect, when the diphenylamine, prochloraz, and tebuconazole were treated by standard concentration, the fungal mycelium of F. oxysporium started to grow 5 days after inoculation, and 80, 63.3 and 83.3% of the inoculated cloves are infected 11 days after inoculation. When the tebuconazole were treated by standard concentration, the P. hirsutum was completely inhibited the growth of the fungi. In case of diphenylamine, penconazole and propiconazole treatment, the P. hirsutum was observed 7 days after inoculation and $20{\sim}23.3%$ of the cloves were infected 11 days after inoculation. When cyprodinil, prochloraz and pyrimethanil were treated, pathogens occurred 5 days after inoculation and $60{\sim}100%$ of the cloves infected 11 days after inoculation. Three fungicides such as diphenylamine, prochloraz and tebuconazole also suppressed remarkably the infection and growth of F. oxysporium and P. hirsutum on garlic when both of the pathogens are inoculated after the garlic cloves were dipped for 10 min in the suspension of each agrochemical. Overall, diphenylamine, prochloraz and tebuconazole showed effective control efficacy on dry rot and blue mold There was significant correlation between in vitro and in vivo assay in diphenylamine and prochloraz to F. oxysporum and cyprodinil, prochloraz and pyrimethanil to P. hirsutum.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.594-598
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• 2005

Purpose : Phimosis is the inability to retract the foreskin of the penis over the glans of the penis. Even though phimosis is not pathogenic, the presence of phimosis is known to increase the risk of urinary tract infection in infancy. The use of topical steroids has been advocated as a safe and economical alternative to surgical intervention. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of topical steroids for the treatment of phimosis in young boys. Methods : A total of 53 boys with phimosis were divided into two groups to distinguish between the efficacy of low-potency topical steroid(group 1, 27 cases) and of high-potency topical steroid (group 2, 26 cases). Results : The success rate increased in the process of time. After 6 weeks, the success rate was 21 cases in group 1 and 22 cases in group 2. There was no significant differences in treatment outcomes between the two groups. The age of the boys, the appearance of prepuce prior to treatment, and the presence of previous symptoms, including symptoms of UTI, and ballooning of the prepuce at micturation had no significant difference on treatment outcomes. Conclusion : Topical steroid was effective in treatment of phimosis in boys younger than 4 years old. Although treatment outcomes between low- and high-potency topical steroids were not significantly different, those treated with a high-potency steroid cream showed more fast improvement. Further studies are necessary to assess systemic side effects of steroid treatment, duration of treatment and prevention of genitourinary tract infection in male infants.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.26 no.4 s.73
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• pp.229-237
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• 1987

In order to study the biological control of soil-borne disease of sesame, antagonistic isolates of Trichoderma , Bacillus sand streptomyces to Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of sesame plants and some other habitats. Out of the isolates of microorganisms collected a strain of Trichoderma viride was selected as a biological control agent for the study and its effect on the control of damping-off and the seedling growth of sesame was investigated. The results obtained are as follows: 26 percents of Bacillus spp. isolated from the rhizosphere soil of sesame plants showed antagonism to two pathogenic fungi. Important species were B. Subtilis and B. polymyxa. Streptomyces species isolated from the rhizosphere soils of sesame lysed the cell wall of hyphae and conidia of F. oxysporum and reduced conspicuously the formation of macroconidia and chlamydospores of the fungus. 84 percents of Trichoderma spp. isolated from the rhizosphere soil of sesame plants were antagonistic to F. oxysporum and 60 percents of the isolates were antagonistic to both F. oxysporum and R. solani. Trichoderma viride TV-192 selected from antagonistic isolates of Trichoderma spp. was highly antagonistic to F. oxysporum and soil treatment with the isolate reduced notably damping-off of sesame. T. viride TV-192 showed better growth in crushed rice straw, barley straw and sawdust media than F. oxysporum. Sawdust was selective for the growth of T. viride. Supplementation of wheat bran and mixtures of wheat bran and sawdust inoculated with T. viride TV-192 in the soil reduced remarkably damping-off of sesame by F. oxysporum but high density of the fungus TV-192 caused the inhibition of seed germination and seedling growth of sesame. Inhibitory effects of Trichoderma species on seed germination and seedling growth of sesame were different according to the isolates of the fungus. Normal sesame seedlings on the bed treated with the fungus showed better growth than not treated seedlings.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2008

To examine the effect of the electrolyzed alkaline reduced water (ERW) on animal immunity, by employing Echinostoma hortense that is a parasite in the small intestine, the immune response of C57BL/6 was examined. To C57BL/6 mice, Echinostoma hortense metacercaria 15 per animal was in oculate dorsally, the worm was collected after 2 weeks, and the change of goblet cells and mast cells in the mucosa of small intestine was examined, and by using a protein chip, the change of cytokines in the serum was compared and observed. As a result, average 8.3 worms were collected from the C57BL/6 mice infected with E. hortense, and in the group fed with the ERW, average 10 worms were collected. In regard to the examination of the change of goblet cells, in the experimental group infected with E. hortense and fed with the ERW, average 4.3 worms per villus were detected, hence, it was found that the expression of goblet cells was low (p<0.001). Regarding the examination of the change of mast cells, similarly, in the group infected with E. hortense and fed with the ERW, average 11 worms per villus were detected, and it appears to be less than control group (p<0.001). Regarding the expression of cytokines in mouse serum, in comparison of the experiment group infected with E. hortense and control group, in the expression of the Th1 cytokines IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, IFN-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-2, and the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, a significant difference was not detected. In our study, it was found that in the infection of E. hortense, the ERW mediates its effect on the number of goblet cells and mast cells in the intestinal mucosa, and simultaneously, the worm expulsion was delayed, and thus the conclusion that the ERW mediated its effect on the intestinal immunity of mice was obtained.