• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.400-407
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• 2003

In microbial coal desulfurization process (MCDP) by using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, the effect of process variables on pyritic sulfur removal efficiency has been investigated. The inhibitory effect of toxic materials contained in coal matrix on the activity of desulfurizing bacteria have been evaluated in coal extracts, and the results showed that the method was useful to evaluate the applicability of a coal which is to be desulfurization to MCDP. The removal efficiency increased with decreasing particle size and decreases with increasing pulp density, but has no significant influence of particle size and pup densities at high pulp densities over 20 wt%. The mass transfers of gaseous nutrients such as oxygen and carbon dioxide into coal slurry with various pulp densities and coal particle size has been studied in an airlift bioreactor. Mass transfer coefficient was independent of pulp density in coal slurry with fine particle below 175 $\mu\textrm{m}$, but significantly decreased with increasing pulp density over 225 $\mu\textrm{m}$. The coal particles over 575 $\mu\textrm{m}$ were significantly settled to the bottom of bioreactor resulting in poor mixing. Considering mass transfer, pulp density and coal mixing, an optimal size of coal particle for the microbial coal desulfurization process seems to be about 500 $\mu\textrm{m}$.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 2014

There is a burgeoning number of products on the market that contain probiotics, but do they do you any good? What exactly are probiotics? They have been defined as living organisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They are often referred to as "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria." Probiotics have been claimed, amongst other things, to (i) reduce the incidence of colon cancer and other diseases of the colon, such as IBS, (ii) stimulate the immune system, (iii) have anti-hypertensive and anti-cholesterolemic properties, (iv) mitigate against the effect of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiota, and (v) protect against gastrointestinal infections. However, the scientific basis for many of these claims is not well-established. Indeed, the European Food Safety Authority has denied the use of several health claims associated with probiotics, particularly those related to mitigation of diarrhea following consumption of antibiotics. Thus, there is a need for research on the mechanisms of action of probiotics. We have been mainly interested in the use of probiotics to control enteric infections. There are several possible modes of action to explain how probiotics may protect the host from enteric pathogens, including competitive exclusion and immunomodulation. We have shown that probiotics produce bioactive molecules that interfere with bacterial cell-cell communication (also called quorum sensing), and this results in a down-regulation of virulence genes that are responsible for attachment of the pathogen to the gastrointestinal epithelium. These bioactive molecules act on a variety of bacteria, including enterohemorrhagic and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, and there is evidence that they can inhibit the formation of biofilms by Listeria monocytogenes. These bioactive molecules, which are peptidic in nature, can exert their effects not only in vitro but also in vivo, and we have shown that they mitigate against E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in mice and Salmonella and E. coli K88 infections in pigs. They can be delivered in foods such as yoghurt and maintain their activity.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.449-455
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to evaluate antimicrobial effects of organic acid and some natural occurring antimicrobials against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from various origins (vegetables, peanut, pea leaf, kim-bab, person, perilla leaf, and animal) and to calculate their MIC and MBC values. Five organic acids (acetic, lactic, citric, malic, and propionic acid), three essential oils (carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol), and two other natural antimicrobials (nisin and cinnamic acid) were evaluated for their antimicrobial effects against 113 strains of S. aureus using combination treatments. Propionic acid (7%), nisin (1%), thymol (1%), carvacrol (1%) showed antimicrobial activities against S. aureus strains in agar disc diffusion test. And, carvacrol, thymol, and nisin were found to be the most effective with the lowest MIC values of 0.0313%, 0.0625%, and 0.0625% against S.aureus, respectively. Propionic acid (0.2313%) and citric acid (0.6000%) were the most effective among organic acids tested. Therefore, these five antimicrobials were selected for next combination treatments. Combination of propionic acid and citric acid were showed the strongest inhibitory effectiveness against S. aureus among combination treatments. These results suggest that organic acid such as propionic and citric acid, and natural occurring antimicrobial such as nisin, carvacrol, and thymol might be possibly used as preservatives for inhibiting S. aureus in foods.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 1999

In order to investigate the immune response induced by supplementation of herb medical stuff in diet on the nile tilapia. Oreochromis niloticus, experiments were performed with feeding of four different experimental diets supplemented with 2% ginseng. Panax ginseng, 3% Kugija. Lycium chinense, 3% Hasuo, Polygonum multiflorum, 2% Omija, Schizandra chinensis, respectively, for 84 days. The non-specific immune responses changed during the feeding period were investigated at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks in each group. Average body weight of the nile tilapia with supplemented diets was heavier than control group. The fish fed on diet supplemented with 3% Kugija showed the better growth than the other tested groups. Complement activity such as complete hemolytic activity ($CH_{50}$) and bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli tended to be increased by the supplementation of herb medical stuff. The lysozyme activity of serum and adherent phagocyte activity showed higher in the fish fec on diet supplemented with 3% kugija than the other tested groups. In respect to the RPS against experimental Edwardsiella tarda infection, all of the group fed on the herb medical stuff in diet appeared higher response compared with control group. From these results, herb medical stuff (Panax ginseng, Lycium chinense. Polygonum multiflorum, Schizandra chinensis) might be used a additives of diet for the increasing of non-specific immune response or resistance against bacterial fish diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2003

Prunus mume has been used for the folk medicine by many old civilizations to treat food-borne diseases or enteric disorders. This study was carried out to examine the antimicrobial effect of juice from Prunus mume against pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. The juice of Prunus mume had the strongest antimicrobial activity to Sal. enteritidis. The concentrations of Prunus mume juice for the formation of clear zone were 1% for Sai. enteritidis(15.0mm), 3% for Lis. monocytogenes(14.7mm), and 5% for Bac. cereus(14.75mm), Esc. coli(13.45mm) and Sta. aureux(11.9mm). The growth of all tested microorganisms was inhibited apparently in tryptic soy broth containing 3% and 4% Prunus mume juice. And it was found that the Prunus mume juice showed the highest antimicrobial properties, followed by Sal. enteritidis, Bac. cereus, Sta. aureus, Lis. monocytogenes, Esc. coli.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.473-479
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the storage stability of liquid stick packs containing concentrated and steam-dried ginseng berry. Storage stability of liquid stick packs was determined during storage at 10, 25 and $35^{\circ}C$ for 4 months. The pH was decreased from 4.81 to 3.81 after 4 months at $35^{\circ}C$ while the acidity and solubility were not changed during storage of 4 months. The DPPH radical scavenging activity was decreased during storage at $35^{\circ}C$ after 4 months. The Hunter L and yellowness (b) values decreased while the redness (a) was not changed during storage after 2 or 3 months. The total amount of six ginsenosides including Rg1, Rb1, F2, Rg3(S), Rg3(R), and Rg5 was not changed after storage of 4 months at 10 and $25^{\circ}C$. Neither bacteria nor coliforms were not detected during storage of 4 months. Considering quality parameters, significant changes were observed in color parameters L and b, while all others remained unchanged during 4 months stored at 10 and $25^{\circ}C$.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.363-368
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• 2010

Adequate acidic environment in wound healing prevents the inflammation of virus, increases the cell activity, promotes cell proliferation and regular rearrangement of fibroblast, and results in matured epithelialization. In this study, we prepared dressing materials consisting of pectin and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with varied ratios. These dressing materials showed different pH values according to the composition ratio. The effect of acidity of pectin/CMC dressing materials on wound healing rates, degree of epithelialization, collagen deposition, and so on, in 3 types of wound models (fresh surgical wounds, $3^{rd}$ degree burn wounds, and infection wounds) were investigated by animal tests. From the results of wound contraction, wound healing, and epithelialization, it can be deduced that dressing material having pectin/CMC ratio of 16/19 (pH 4.67) is most effective among the 3 types of wound models.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.15-25
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• 2019

The study was conducted to compare the chemical properties and microbial activity of soil and the crop productivity by applying homemade liquid fertilizers (LF) used in leading cucumber farms as well as to evaluate the eco-friendly LFs to substitute for a chemical fertilizer. Three homemade LFs, EM, starfish, and native microbes, and a chemical LF were regularly fertigated per three days during the growing season. Chemical LF contained the highest pH, EC (electrical conductivity), and concentrations of T-N, $P_2O_5$, K, Ca, and Mg, while the lowest EC level was observed for EM LF. Soil EC was the highest to the 3.0 dS/m for chemical LF-plots, with lowering soil pH, OM (organic matter), and Mg concentration. Soil chemical properties mostly increased in native microbes LF-plots. However, soil microbial properties were not significantly different among the LF treatment plots. OTU (operational taxonomic units), richness estimator, and diversity index of bacteria and fungi increased in the chemical LF and EM LF based on the pyrosequencing analysis. SPAD and PS II values on the treated-cucumber leaves were seasonally decreased from 32 to 60 days after transplanting, with the rapid decline observed at 45 days after transplanting. Number of leaves and crop height increased in the treatments with EM and native microbes LF. LF treated-cucumber crops were not significantly different for total fresh weight and fruit yield.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.448-452
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• 2018

The full genome sequence of Bacillus safensis KCTC 12796BP which had been isolated from the marine sponge in the seawater of Jeju Island, was determined by Pac-Bio next-generation sequencing system. A circular chromosome in the length of 3,935,874 bp was obtained in addition to a circular form of plasmid having 36,690 bp. The G + C content of chromosome was 41.4%, and that of plasmid was 37.3%. The number of deduced CDSs in the chromosome was 3,980, whereas 36 CDS regions were determined in a plasmid. Among the deduced CDSs in chromosome, 81 tRNA genes and 24 rRNA genes in addition to one tmRNA were allocated. More than 30 CDSs for sporulation, 16 CDSs for spore coat, and 20 CDSs for germination were also assigned in the chromosome. Several genes for capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and for flagella biosynthesis and chemotaxis in addition to genes for osmotic tolerance through glycine-choline betaine pathway were also identified. Above all, the biosynthetic gene cluster for anti-allergic compounds seongsanamides were found among two non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene clusters for secondary metabolites.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2022

CopA3 (LLCIALRKK), an antimicrobial peptide isolated from the Korean dung beetle, has been shown to suppress apoptosis in various cell types. CopA3 inhibits not only bacterial toxin-induced colonocyte apoptosis but also 6-hydroxy dopamine-induced neural cell apoptosis. Our recent study revealed that CopA3 directly binds to caspases (key regulators of apoptosis) and inhibits the proteolytic cleavage required for their activation. But molecular mechanisms underlying CopA3-mediated inhibition of apoptosis in multiple cell types remain unknown. Here we assessed possible effects of CopA3 on expression of survivin, which is known to inhibit apoptosis. In HT29 human colonocytes, CopA3 exposure markedly upregulated survivin expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. RT-PCR revealed that CopA3-mediated upregulation of survivin was attributable to increased gene transcription, and further showed that CopA3 also increased expression of Sp1, one of many transcription factors known to be involved in transcription of the survivin gene. Notably, blocking Sp1 by treatment with the Sp1 inhibitor, tolfenamic acid, significantly reduced CopA3-mediated upregulation of survivin. These results collectively suggest that CopA3 induces Sp1 expression, which in turn is involved in upregulation of survivin in human colonocytes. These novel findings establish another pathway for explaining the anti-apoptotic effects of CopA3 against various cellular apoptosis systems.