• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.136-141
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• 2010

In situ experiments of Nutrient Enrichment Bioassays (NEBs) were conducted in the field along with in the laboratory to determine which nutrient limited phytoplankton growth as a indicator of primary productivity. For the NEBs, the water was sampled using a polyethylene-lined container and dispensed into 6 L water tank in the laboratory. The control (C, no nutrient spike) and six treatments of phosphorus (P), 2-fold phosphorus (2P), 4-fold phosphorus (4P), nitrate nitrogen ($NO_3$-N), 2-fold nitrate nitrogen ($2NO_3$-N), and phosphorus and nitrate nitrogen (P+$NO_3$-N) were set up in the lacustrine zone near the dam site, Daechung Reservoir in September, 2009 and analyzed the diel changes of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and chlorophyll-$\alpha$ (Chl-$\alpha$) in the cubitainers. The short-term NEBs showed that algal response in the treatments spiked phosphorus (P, 2P, and 4P) were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than the response in the control (C), and nitrogen-spike. Also, the response in 4P-treatment was greater than those in the P- and 2P-treatments. In contrast, there was no significant differences (p > 0.20) between the $NO_3$-N and $2NO_3$-N treatment. The outcomes of the NEBs suggest that phosphorus limited the phytoplankton growth and nitrogen was not limited in this system. Furthermore, in the N + P treatments, the response was minimum, compared to all other treatments and the control, indicating that even if the system is evidently P-limited system, when added the nitrogen, the response showed the inhibition. Also, > 95% of observed long-term TN:TP ratios in the ambient water showed > 17, which is the criteria of P-limitation, supporting the P-limitation in the system. Overall, these results suggest that phytoplankton biomass near the dam is a direct linear function of P-loading near the watershed, if the phosphorus pool is mainly dissolved fraction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.475-480
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• 2021

Interest in edible insects such as Protaetia brevitarsis has increased rapidly, and several insect producers use these insects in industrialized mass production. However, mass rearing of insects can cause insect diseases. Sprouted barley is a valuable source of nutrients and has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sprouted barley as a feed additive for producing healthy P. brevitarsis larvae. P. brevitarsis larvae were fed feeds with or without sprouted barley, and their body weight and larval period wewe checked weekly. To confirm the antibacterial effects of sprouted barley, in vitro bioassays were performed by counting Serratia marcescens colonies, and in vivo bioassays were performed by determining the survival rate and body weights of the S. marcescens-infected larvae. Larvae fed different feeds were analyzed for their nutrient compositions (i.e., such as proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, and heavy metals). Larvae fed 5% and 10% sprouted barley had maximum weight increases of 19.2% and 23.1%, respectively. Both treatment groups had significantly shorter larval periods than those of the control group. Sprouted barley markedly inhibited the growth of entomopathogenic S. marcescens. Furthermore, larvae fed sprouted barley exhibited higher Cu, Zn, and K levels. Seventeen amino acids were present in larvae fed sprouted barley, of which, tyrosine and glutamic acid were predominant. No heavy metals were detected in any of the investigated groups. Therefore, sprouted barley may be a suitable feed additive for producing high-quality P. brevitarsis larvae.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2008

As an aquatic ecotoxicity test method, a bioassay using the inhibition of sporualtion of the green macroalga, Ulva pertusa, has been developed. Optimal test conditions determined for photon irradiance, pH, salinity and temperature were $100\;{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, $7{\sim}9$, $25{\sim}35\;psu$ and $15{\sim}20^{\circ}C$, respectively. The validity of the test endpoint was evaluated by assessing the toxicity of four metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) and elutriates of sewage or waste sludge collected from 9 different locations. When the metals were assayed, the $EC_{50}$ values indicated the following toxicity rankings: Cu ($0.062\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$) > Cd ($0.208\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$) > Pb ($0.718\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$) > Zn ($0.776\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$). When compared with other commonly used bioassays of metal pollution listed on US ECOTOX database, the sporualtion test proved to be the most sensitive. Ulva sporulation was significantly inhibited in all elutriates with the greatest and least effects observed in elutriates of sludge from industrial waste ($EC_{50}=6.78%$) and filtration bed ($EC_{50}=15.0%$), respectively. The results of the Spearman rank correlation analysis for $EC_{50}$ data versus the concentrations of toxicants in the sludge presented a significant correlation between toxicity and four heavy metals(Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn). The method described here is sensitive to toxicants, simple to use, easy to interpret and economical. It is also easy to procure samples and maintain cultures. The present method would therefore probably make a useful assessment of aquatic toxicity of a wide range of toxicants. In addition, the genus Ulva has a wide geographical distribution and species have similar reproductive processes, so the test method would have a potential application worldwide.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.275-282
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• 2015

In the present study, we synthesized a series of novel 7-methoxy-N-(substituted phenyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide derivatives in moderate to good yields and evaluated their neuroprotective and antioxidant activities using primary cultured rat cortical neuronal cells and in vitro cell-free bioassays. Based on our primary screening data with eighteen synthesized derivatives, nine compounds (1a, 1c, 1f, 1i, 1j, 1l, 1p, 1q and 1r) exhibiting considerable protection against the NMDA-induced excitotoxic neuronal cell damage at the concentration of $100{\mu}M$ were selected for further evaluation. Among the selected derivatives, compound 1f (with $-CH_3$ substitution at R2 position) exhibited the most potent and efficacious neuroprotective action against the NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. Its neuroprotective effect was almost comparable to that of memantine, a well-known NMDA antagonist, at $30{\mu}M$ concentration. In addition to 1f, compound 1j (with -OH substitution at R3 position) also showed marked anti-excitotoxic effects at both 100 and $300{\mu}M$ concentrations. These findings suggest that $-CH_3$ substitution at R2 position and, to a lesser degree, -OH substitution at R3 position may be important for exhibiting neuroprotective action against excitotoxic damage. Compound 1j was also found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and inhibit in vitro lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate in moderate and appreciable degrees. Taken together, our structure-activity relationship studies suggest that the compound with $-CH_3$ substitution at R2 and -OH substitution at R3 positions of the benzofuran moiety might serve as the lead exhibiting potent anti-excitotoxic, ROS scavenging, and antioxidant activities. Further synthesis and evaluation will be necessary to confirm this possibility.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2017

This study was conducted to monitor the insecticidal susceptibility of western flower thrip, Frankliniella occidentalis, which damage horticultural crops in the Gyeonggi area. Bioassays were conducted under laboratory and greenhouse conditions by using the recommended concentrations of commercial insecticides being used for the control of thrips. Neonicotinoid insecticides, especially acetamiprid (8%) soluble powder (SP), clothianidin (8%) SC, imidacloprid (10%) wettable powder (WP) and thiacloprid (10%) water dispersible granule (WG) were not toxic to F. occidentalis collected from horticultural crops. However, F. occidentalis collected from vegetable greenhouses was extremely susceptible to acetamiprid + spinetoram (6 + 4%) suspension concentration (SC), clothianidin + spinetoram (6 + 4%) SC and methoxyfenozide + spinetoram (6 + 4%) SC, which resulted in over 90% control of thrips. In the greenhouse test, spinetoram (5%) WG, which caused 100% F. occidentalis mortality in the laboratory test, showed 87.4, 88.0, and 98.3% control at 3, 6, and 9 days after treatment, respectively, while imidacloprid (10%) WP showed below 44% control. From the results of this study, spinosin insecticides, such as more than over 4 and 10% of spinetoram and spinosad, and pyrrole insecticide, such as 5% chlorfenapyr, are recommended for the effective control of F. occidentalis.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.189-202
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• 2017

This study was designed to examine the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gonglodes) extract. Kohlrabi was extracted using 70% ethanol and then fractionated sequentially with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol. Antioxidative ability was evaluated by bioassays using total polyphenol contents and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid diammonium salt) radical scavenging activity. Ethyl acetate fraction of kohlrabi was best on total polyphenol contents ($27.33{\pm}0.26mg\;GAE/g$) and ABTS radical scavenging effects ($IC_{50}\;172.9{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/mL$).For the anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells, the EtOAc fraction showed the highest inflammatory effect. Dose response studies were performed to determine the inhibitory effect of EtOAc fraction of kohlrabi on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The EtOAc fraction of kohlrabi inhibited the NO and $PGE_2$ production and the protein level of iNOS and COX-2, and protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6 and IL-$1{\beta}$), in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that kohlrabi has considerable potential as a ingredient with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.319-323
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of U. atrum treatment on control of Botrytis leaf blight of lily and Botrytis gray mold of cucumber, and to evaluate the U. atrum as the biological control agent of Botrytis diseases. The antagonistic isolates CNU 9037 and CNU 9054 isolated from tomato leaves were identified as Ulocladium atrum Preuss based on morphological characteristics. This is the first record of U. atrum in Korea. In bioassays on dead leaves of tomato and cucumber, treatment of U. atrum colonized the dead leaves and suppressed sporulation of Botrytis as compared with the untreated control. The suppression of spoulation of Botrytis on dead leaf segments by U. atrum was higher when U. atrum was treated before Botrytis was treated. The effect of treatments with conidial suspension of U. atrum on leaf blight of lily and gray mold of cucumber caused by Botrytis elliptica and B. cinerea, respectively, was investigated under greenhouse conditions. Spraying U. atrum ($1{\times}10^6$ conidia per ml) at intervals of 1 week for three times resulted in a significant reduction of natural infections of lily leaves caused by B. elliptica. Protective value of U. atrum treatment was higher than that of the fungicide (procymidone) treatment. Spraying U. atrum also resulted in a significant reduction of cucumber gray mold caused by B. cinerea. Our results show that U. atrum has a potential for biological control against diseases caused by Botrytis spp, in lily and cucumber.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 1993

Allelopathic chemicals exudated from plants stimulate or inhibit crops directly or indirectly. To prove the effects of allelochemics, we isolated and identified the compounds by bioassays on the monoculture and crosscropping cultre systems. p-Coumaric acid were exudated on all of the test crops such as tomato, red pepper, lettuce, chinese cabbage and sesame, but pyrogallol and phenylacetic acid on tomato. hydroquinone on red pepper and egg plant, pyrogallol on lettuce, and vanillic acid on chinese cabbage. The highest total concentration of allelochemics was $5,883{\mu}g$ on tomato, lowest was $220{\mu}g/g$ dry plant weight on sesame. On the cross-cropping culture of tomato-egg plant, tomato-red pepper, chinese cabbage-egg plant, chinese cabbage-red pepper and chinese cabbage-sasame, the plant height, aerial dry weight and total dry weight of the tomato and the chinese cabbage were inereased contrast with monoculture, but decreased greatly on red pepper and sesame. Growth rate of both crops on the cross-cropping culture of tomato-chinese cabbage declined, while that of chinese cabbage was increased but lettuce decreased on the chinese cabbage-lettuce cross-cropping culture contrast with monoculture.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.360-365
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• 2008

For the screening of residual antibiotics in foods, bioassays and microbiological inhibitor tests are commonly applied. These methods are tested by the various susceptibility of bacteria against different kinds of antibiotics. However, the sensitivity of bioassay is generally insufficient to detect some residual antibiotics at level of interest. This study was performed to investigate the detection limit of variable antibiotics of the bioassay and to improve the sensitivity to some antibiotics. The sensitivity of bioassay using Bacillus megaterium ATCC 9885, B. subtilis ATCC 6633, B. cereus ATCC 11778 and Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 10149 was low in the detection of macrolides, quinolones, chloramphenicol, and monensin. On the contrary, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 showed high sensitivity to macrolides and Escherichia coli ATCC 11303 was highly sensitive to quinolones and aminoglycosides. Consequently, both strains would be useful to improve sensitivity of bioassay with a wide detection range.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.644-651
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• 2013

The fermented manure derivative known as Preparation 500 is traditionally used as a field spray in biodynamic agriculture for maintaining and increasing soil fertility. This work aimed at characterizing the product from a microbiological standpoint and at assaying its bioactive properties. The approach involved molecular taxonomical characterization of the culturable microbial community; ARISA fingerprints of the total bacteria and fungal communities; chemical elemental macronutrient analysis via a combustion analyzer; activity assays for six key enzymes; bioassays for bacterial quorum sensing and chitolipooligosaccharide production; and plant hormone-like activity. The material was found to harbor a bacterial community of $2.38{\times}10^8$ CFU/g dw dominated by Gram-positives with minor instances of Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. ARISA showed a coherence of bacterial assemblages in different preparation lots of the same year in spite of geographic origin. Enzymatic activities showed elevated values of ${\beta}$-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, chitinase, and esterase. The preparation had no quorum sensing-detectable signal, and no rhizobial nod gene-inducing properties, but displayed a strong auxin-like effect on plants. Enzymatic analyses indicated a bioactive potential in the fertility and nutrient cycling contexts. The IAA activity and microbial degradation products qualify for a possible activity as soil biostimulants. Quantitative details and possible modes of action are discussed.