• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.155-163
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• 2022

The application of fungicides is indispensable to global food security, and their use has increased in recent times. Fungicides, directly or indirectly, have impacted insects, leading to genetic and molecular-level changes. Various detoxification mechanisms allow insects to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity induced by agrochemicals including fungicides. In the present study, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of detoxifying enzymes in Tenebrio molitor larvae following exposure to non-lethal doses (0.2, 2, and 20 ㎍/µL) of a fungicide captan. Transcripts of peroxidases (POXs), catalases (CATs), superoxide dismutases (SODs), and glutathione-s-transferases (GSTs) were screened from the T. molitor transcriptome database. RT-qPCR analysis showed that TmPOX5 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-captan exposure. A similar increase was noticed for TmSOD4 mRNA 3 h post-captan exposure. Moreover, the expression of TmCAT2 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-treatment with 2 ㎍/µL captan. TmGST1 and TmGST3 mRNA expression also increased noticeably after captan exposure. Taken together, these results suggest that TmPOX5 and TmSOD4 mRNA can be used as biomarkers or xenobiotics sensors for captan exposure in T. molitor, while other detoxifying enzymes showed differential expression.

• Journal of Appropriate Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.174-182
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• 2020

The permissible limit of ammonia concentration in drinking water recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 1.5 mg/L. However, in the case of groundwater in Kathmandu, Nepal, the concentration of ammonia fluctuates dramatically from 0 to 120 mg/L at different locations and groundwater depths (Chapagain et al., 2010). Such a high concentration of ammonia causes aesthetic problems in drinking water, such as bad taste and odor; hence, prior treatment is required. In Kathmandu, half of the population utilizes groundwater, which is also employed for drinking water, but owing to a lack of knowledge of household water filters, residents of Kathmandu tend to depend greatly on commercially available jar water than on the installation of a proper household filtration method. Thus, in our study, we employed adsorption and reverse osmosis (RO) as two of the most viable decentralized/household treatment options to address the issue of high contamination of ammonia in drinking water. We evaluated their performances from technical and the economic perspectives using synthetically prepared groundwater at varying ammonia concentrations (50 mg/L and 15 mg/L). Consequently, it was found that adsorption via ion exchange (IE) resin was a comparatively better ammonia removal technology than RO, with 100% ammonia removal even after regeneration; the removal by RO was limited to up to 90%. Furthermore, our study suggests that IE is the most suitable ammonia removal technology for places with lower water consumption (< 50 L/day), whereas RO seemed to be a cost-effective technology for places with higher water consumption, where the daily water demand exceeds 50 L/day. Lastly, these assessments suggest that installing a suitable household treatment system would be more efficient and sustainable from both technical and economic points of view than purchasing commercially bottled water.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2022

This study observed changes in survival, growth performance and water quality for 90 days to confirm the possibility of Leiocassis ussuriensis farming using Biofloc technology (BFT) using Bacillus subtilis. Feed and molasses were added to the experimental tank to produce BFT water before planting the experiment, and B. subtilis was inoculated to stabilize the water quality for 40 days. The survival rate of the experimental fish was 92.7±3.2% in the control group and 95.8±3.3% in the BFT group. The Weight gain (WG) was 118.1±9.0% of the control and 197.7±15.6% of the BFT, and the Specific growth rate (SGR) was 0.87±0.5% of the control and 1.21±0.06% of the BFT. As for the feed efficiency, the control was 43.7±2.6% and the BFT was measured at 70.1±4.1%, indicating that the feed efficiency of the BFT was higher. As a result of measuring the water quality change during the experimental period, pH was reduced in both the control and the BFT, and Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) did not show any change in the control, but the BFT showed a significant increase at 90 days. NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N showed a significant increase from the 30 days of the experiment in the control, but showed no change in the BFT. In conclusion, as a result of applying the BFT system using B. subtilis to the process of cultivating Leiocassis ussuriensis, the water quality tended to stabilize, and the growth rate and feed efficiency were found to be higher than those of the control, confirmiWng that it had a positive effect.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2022

This study was aimed to investigate spatial and vertical characteristics of greenhouse environments according to the location of the environmental sensors, and to investigate the correlations between temperature, light intensity, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration according to the type of greenhouse. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), CO₂, and light sensors were installed in the four-different vertical positions of the whole canopy as well as ground and roof space at the five spatial locations of the Venlo greenhouse. Also, correlations between temperature, light intensity, and CO₂ concentration in Venlo and semi-closed greenhouses were analyzed using the Curve Expert Professional program. The deviations among the spatial locations were larger in the CO₂ concentration than other environmental factors in the Venlo greenhouse. The average CO₂ concentration ranged from 465 to 761 µmol·mol^-1 with the highest value (646 µmol·mol^-1) at the Middle End (4ME) close to the main pipe (50Ø) of the liquefied CO₂ gas supply and lowest (436 µmol·mol^-1) at the Left Middle (5LM). The deviation among the vertical positions was greater in temperature and relative humidity than other environments. The time zone with the largest deviation in average temperature was 2 p.m. with the highest temperature (26.51℃) at the Upper Air (UA) and the lowest temperature (25.62℃) at the Lower Canopy (LC). The time zone with the largest deviation in average RH was 1 p.m. with the highest RH (76.90%) at the LC and the lowest RH (71.74%) at the UA. The highest average CO₂ concentration at each hour was Roof Air (RF) and Ground (GD). The coefficient of correlations between temperature, light intensity, and CO₂ concentration were 0.07 for semi-closed greenhouse and 0.66 for Venlo greenhouse. All the results indicate that while the CO₂ concentration in the greenhouse needs to be analyzed in the spatial locations, temperature and humidity needs to be analyzed in the vertical positions of canopy. The target CO₂ fertilization concentration for the semi-closed greenhouse with low ventilation rate should be different from that of general greenhouses.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.100-117
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• 2022

This study examines the spatio-temporal characteristics of the macrobenthic community in the coastal areas of South Korea for the past six years(2015-2020). The relationship between the number of individuals of macrobenthic species and the benthic environments were investigated using data collected at a total of 154 stations located in the West (70), the South (61), and the East Seas (23), except for the Jeju Sea. We examined the benthic environmental characteristics such as water depth, sediment, grain size, ignition loss, and total organic carbon. A total of 1,614 macrobenthic species were found in the coastal area, with a mean density of 0.62 ind./m² by station. The mean density was relatively high in the spring and summer seasons (May to August) with more than 450 species. The most dominant species belong to Polychaetes and the top five of them accounted for more than 20% of the total number of populations. The top five species were Heteromastus filiformis, Scoletoma longifolia, Sigambra tentaculata, Sternaspis scutata, and Notomastus latericeus. Cluster analysis was performed on the top five dominant species. The stations were clustered into three groups with similar locations on the West, South, and East Sea. Cluster 1 and 3 represent Heteromastus filiformis (44% each), but cluster 2 represents Scoletoma longifolia (66%). Each cluster has different benthic environmental characteristics, especially in the sediment's sand (31.0%, 51.9%) and clay (15.9%, 9.7%) contents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.947-955
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• 2022

Silkworms, which have recently shown promise as functional health foods, show functional differences between varieties; therefore, the need for variety identification is emerging. In this study, we analyzed the whole silkworm genome to identify 10 unique silkworm varieties (Baekhwang, Baekok, Daebaek, Daebak, Daehwang, Goldensilk, Hansaeng, Joohwang, Kumkang, and Kumok) using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) present in the genome as biomarkers. In addition, nine SNPs were selected to discriminate between varieties by selecting SNPs specific to each variety. We subsequently created a decision tree capable of cross-verifying each variety and classifying the varieties through sequential analysis. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used for SNP867 and SNP9183 to differentiate between the varieties of Daehwang and Goldensilk and between Kumkang and Daebak, respectively. A tetra-primer amplification refractory (T-ARMS) mutation was used to analyze the remaining SNPs. As a result, we could isolate the same group or select an individual variety using the nine unique SNPs from SNP780 to SNP9183. Furthermore, nucleotide sequence analysis for the region confirmed that the alleles were identical. In conclusion, our results show that combining SNP analysis of the whole silkworm genome with the decision tree is of high value as a discriminative marker for classifying silkworm varieties.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2022

Sandbars formed by sediment transportation and sedimentation are some of the most important habitats for specific wildlife and they provide an aesthetic landscape in streams. The purpose of this study was to understand the successional process of the colonization and development of early vegetation over time on sandbars exposed by the opening of a gate at a downstream weir. We selected the following four study sites in the Geumgang River, South Korea: three weir-upstream sites with different gate-opening times and a control site that was not affected by weir operation. Changes in the structural characteristics and spatial distribution of the riparian vegetation on the sandbars exposed after opening the gate at the weir were surveyed according to the different exposure periods of the sandbars at the study sites. The newly formed sandbars accounted for more than 33% of the area of the existing floodplain in the three weir-upstream sites of the Geumgang River after opening the gate at the weir. Nine main plant communities were distributed on the exposed sandbars. These communities were classified as annual mesophytic, perennial hydrophytic, perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree vegetation based on their species traits. As the duration of exposure of the sandbar increased, the area of the bare sandbar and the annual herbaceous and perennial hydrophytic communities decreased, and the areas occupied by perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree communities increased. Changes in vegetation on the sandbar were classified into three types of succession according to the condition of the aquatic habitat before the gate-opening and the degree of physical disturbance caused by the water flow after the gate-opening. The types of succession were: 1) succession starting from hydrophytes in the lentic aquatic zone, 2) succession starting from annual herbaceous hygrophytes in the lotic aquatic zone, and 3) willow-dominated succession in the disturbed channel side. Our results suggested that the dynamics of successional changes in vegetation should be considered during weir operation to ecologically manage the habitats and landscape of the fluvial landforms, including sandbars in streams.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. It is a natural part of aging and can lead to decreased mobility and increased frailty. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which is involved in muscle protein degradation, is closely linked to sarcopenia. Germinated Rhynchosia nulubilis hydrolysate (GRH) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but there have been no reports on its inhibitory effect on muscle reduction. However, no study has yet explored the relationship between GRH and muscle loss inhibition. In this study, we evaluated the effects of GRH on muscle atrophy inhibitory activity in dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy C2C12 myotubes and mouse models. Moreover, we identified a molecular pathway underlying the effects of GRH on skeletal muscle. May Grunwald-Giemsa staining showed that the length and area of myotubes increased in the groups treated with GRH. In addition, the GRH-treated group significantly reduced the expression of muscle ring finger protein 1 and muscular atrophy F-box (MAFbx) in the Dexa-induced muscular atrophy C2C12 model. GRH also improved muscle strength in C57BL/6 mice with Dexa-induced muscle atrophy, resulting in prolonged running exhaustive time and increased grip strength. We found that muscle strengthening by GRH was correlated with a decreased expression of the MAFbx gene in mouse muscle tissue. In conclusion, GRH can attenuate Dexa-induced muscle atrophy by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway via downregulation of the MAFbx gene expression.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2023

The fine particulate structure of biochar limits its use as a heavy metal adsorbent, and makes separation of the biochar from the solution technically challenging, thereby reducing recovery of the heavy metals. To address this issue, this study prepared biochar beads under various mixing conditions and investigated their efficiency in removing Pb from aqueous solutions using adsorption models. The biochar beads were produced by mixing alginate and biochar at different ratios: alginate bead (AB), 1% biochar + bead (1-BB), 2.5% biochar + bead (2.5-BB), and 5% biochar + bead (5-BB). The results revealed that the Freundlich isothermal adsorption pattern of the biochar beads to Pb was of the L-type. The highest Langmuir isothermal adsorption capacity (28.736 mg/g) was observed in the 2.5-BB treatment. The dominant mechanism among the kinetic adsorption characteristics of biochar beads for Pb was chemical adsorption. Additionally, the optimal pH range for Pb adsorption was found to be between 4 and 5.5. The highest Pb removal efficiency (97.9%) was achieved when 26.6 g/L of biochar beads were used. These findings suggest that biochar beads are an economical and highly efficient adsorbent that enables separation and recovery of fine biochar particles.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2022

In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of buckwheat. The diabetic animal models were divided into four groups: normal mice group (NOR), streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice group (STZ), group treated with seeds of common or tartary buckwheat (SCB or STB), and the group treated with whole plants of common or tartary buckwheat (PCB or PTB). Rutin content was 44-48 times higher in STB or PTB than in SCB. Oral glucose tolerance and insulin resistance were significantly reduced by treatment with STB, PCB, and PTB. Treatment with PTB also decreased the serum glucose level significantly and the serum insulin levels slightly compared with the STZ group. These results suggest that rutin content and antioxidant activity are closely related to the antidiabetic effect of the treatment. Our results demonstrate that the seeds of tartary buckwheat and whole plants of either common or tartary buckwheat have antidiabetic effects-attenuating blood glucose in an animal model of type II diabetes.