• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to isolate a new marine agarase-producing bacterium. Agarase can hydrolyze agar and agarose to produce agarooligosaccharides or neoagarooligosaccharides, which possess many physiological functions. Strain DH-3 was isolated from seawater collected from the coast of Yeosu at Jeollanam province, Korea. A 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed this strain to be Persicobacter sp. DH-3. Extracellular agarase was prepared from culture media of Persicobacter sp. DH-3 and used for characterization. Relative activities at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and $70^{\circ}C$ were 50, 55, 70, 100, 90, and 50%, respectively. Relative activities at pH 5, 6, 7, and 8 were 75, 100, 90, and 75%, respectively. The enzyme showed maximum activity at $50^{\circ}C$ in a 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer at pH 6. This enzyme could be useful, as agar is in liquid state at $50^{\circ}C$. Agarase activities were maintained at 80% or more for 2 hr at 20, 30, and $40^{\circ}C$. Thin layer chromatography analysis suggested that Persicobacter sp. DH-3 produced extracellular ${\beta}$-agarases as it hydrolyzed agarose to produce neoagarohexaose and neoagarotetraose. In addition, zymogram analysis confirmed that Persicobacter sp. DH-3 produces at least three agar-degrading enzymes with molecular weights of 45, 70, and 140 kDa. Therefore, it is expected that agarases from Persicobacter sp. DH-3 could be used to produce functional neoagarooligosaccharides.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 1998

A cDNA encoding desiccation-related protein was isolated from a flower bud cDNA library of Chinese cabbage (C-DH) and its nucleotide sequence was characterized. It contains 679 bp nucleotides with 501 bp open reading frame. The amino acid sequence of the putative protein showed the highest amino acid sequence homology (79 % identity) to dehydrin protein in Gossypium hirsutum. Also, the C-DH shares 48-52% amino acid sequence identity with the other typical dehydrin proteins in plant cells. When the amino acid sequence of their proteins were aligned, several peptide motifs were well conserved, of which function has to be solved. Particularly the C-DH contains 15 additional amino acids at its N-terminus. Genomic Southern blot analysis using the coding region of C-DH showed that the C-DH consists of a single copy gene in Chinese cabbage genome. The C-DH mRNA, whose transcript size is 0.7 kb, was expressed with a tissue-specific manner. It was highly expressed in seed, flower buds and low expression as detected in root, stem or leaf tissues of Chinese cabbage. And the transcript level of C-DH was significantly induced by the treatment of plant hormone, abscisic acid and water-deficit conditions.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.10
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• pp.125-135
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• 1992

Nine strains of xyl mutants that could not utilize xylose as a carbon source were isolated from E. coli JM109 by the treatment of NTG in order to investigate the regulation of xylose operon and to use recipient cells for the cloning of xylR gene. For the characterization of all isolated mutants, colony colors of all mutants on MacConkey-xylose and MacConkey-xylulose agar plate were observed for the utilization of xylose and xylulose, and the growth level and the activity of xylose isomerase and xylulokinase were determined in need. The isolated xylR/T mutants formed the white colony on MacConkey-xy-lose and MacConkey-xylulose agar plate. They did not detect the activity of xylose isomerase, and the activity of xylose isomerase was not restored in transformants of xylR/T mutant with pEX13 which contained xylA gene. xylR and xylT mutants were classified from xylR/T mutants depending upon the growth level in minimal medium. xylT mutants; DH13, DH121 and DH125 could grow a little in that medium, but xylR mutants; DH10, DH53, and DH60 could not grow that medium.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2017

Amid growing concerns about energy security, energy prices, economic competitiveness, and climate change, district heating (DH) system has been recognized for its significant benefits and the part it can play in efficiently meeting society's growing energy demands while reducing environmental impacts. Policy makers often need to quantify the fuel and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) emissions savings of DH system compared to conventional individual heating (IH) system in order to estimate its actual emissions reductions. The objective of this paper is to calculate energy efficiency and $CO_2$ emissions saving, and to propose the future direction for DH system in Korea. DH system achieved total system efficiencies of 67.9% compared to 54.1% for IH system in 2015. DH system reduced $CO_2$ emissions by $381,311ton-CO_2$ (4.1%) compared to IH system. The results suggest that DH system is more preferred than IH system using natural gas. In Korea, the aim is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to use energy more efficiently. DH system have significant potential with regard to achieving this aim, because DH system are already integrated with power generation in the electricity since combined heating and power (CHP) are used for heat supply. Although the future conditions for DH may look promising, the current DH system in Korea must be enhanced in order to handle future competition. Thus, the next DH system must be integrated with multiple renewable energy and waste heat energy sources.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2024

Objective : Some patients with disc herniation who underwent discectomy complain of back pain after surgery and are unsatisfied with the surgical results. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between preoperative disc height (DH), postoperative DH, and pain score 12 months after surgery in patients who underwent microdiscectomy for herniated lumbar disc. Methods : This study enrolled patients who underwent microdiscectomy at a medical center between January 2012 and December 2020. Patients with X-ray or computed tomography and pain score assessment (visual analog scale score) prior to surgery, immediately post-op, and at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery were included. The DH index was defined as DH/overlying vertebral width. The DH ratio was defined as the postoperative DH/preoperative DH. Simple linear regression and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to assess the correlation between DHs and leg pain scores 12 months after surgery. Results : A total of 118 patients who underwent microdiscectomy were included. DH decreased up to 12 months after surgery. The DH ratio at 1, 6, and 12 months after discectomy showed a significant positive correlation with the pain scores at 12 months after discectomy (1 month : p=0.045, B=0.52; 6 months : p=0.008, B=0.78; 12 months : p=0.005, B=0.69). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the level of surgery, sex, age, and body mass index had no significant relationship with back pain scores after 12 months. Conclusion : In patients who underwent microdiscectomy, the DH ratios at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery were prognostic factors for back pain scores at 12 months after surgery. Aggressive discectomy is recommended for lower postoperative DH ratios and Visual analog scale scores, leading to improved patient satisfaction.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2001

An osmometrical method for determination of the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of hemoglobin was comparatively examined through TNBS (trinitrobenzene) sulfonic acid) method using two experimental variables $({\alpha}\;and\;{\beta})$, which were chosen based on correlation curves between hydrolysis equivalents (h) and $leucine-NH_2$ equivalents. DH values measured through osmometry and TNBS method highly correlated with $R^2$ values of $0.974{\sim}0.991$, irrespective of the reaction pHs and types of enzyme used. $DH_{osm}/DH_{TNBS}$ was >$1.438{\sim}1.656$ depending on the hydrolysis pH $7.5{\sim}10.0)$. Correlation euqations were well fit for measuring DH of Hb hydrolysate at different pH conditions. $DH_{osm}/DH_{TNBS}$ for co-treatment system using Esperase and Flavourzyme was 1.658, in good agreement with that of 1.656 for the single enzyme (Esperase) system. Thus, the osmometrical method was suggested to be a convenient, reliable, and rapid method for determination of DH of hemoglobin hydrolysates.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.37-37
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• 2015

Kimchi cabbage (Chinese cabbage), radish and Cabbage are major Brassicaceae vegetables in Korea. Especially, we can easily develop whole plant from one microspore in Kimchi cabbage. To develop clubroot resistant doubled-haploid (DH) inbred lines, we pollinated a clubroot resistant turnip of 'IT 033820' with a Kimchi cabbage (Chinese cabbage) inbred of 'BP 079'. More than 85 DH inbred lines were developed from this combination. We screened about 400 materials including these DH inbred lines, commercial cultivars and breeding materials during 3 years using hydroponic system after inoculating single spore isolation race 4(SSI-04) inoculate. One inbred line derived from this combination selected as clubroot resistant and registered as 'Wonkyo20036ho'. We inoculated 26 DH inbred lines derived from 'Zoong-baek 2ho' using SSI-4, the percent of resistant plants varied from 0 to 83%. However the horticultural traits of highly resistant DH inbred line was poor. Thus we selected one DH line showing 77% resistant with yellow inner leaf and maid good head, was registered as 'Wonkyo20034ho'. Another DH inbred line derived from Korean variety of 'Wol-dong' showing 86% resistant was registered as 'Wonkyo20037ho'. Other DH inbred lines were derived from Chinese cultivar of 'Choon-hi-go-hang-wang' and 'Hwang-shim-zo48' showed 80 and 71% resistant, respectively, was also selected for registration. Even though DH inbred lines derived from turnip showed highly resistant to SSI-04 and provincial inoculate, they showed poor characteristics in horticultural traits. However, commercial seed companies showed interesting for adapting these DH inbred lines in commercial breeding.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.271-278
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• 2020

Glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) catalyzes the oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is the first step in the glycerol metabolism pathway. GlyDH has attracted great interest for its potential industrial applications, since DHA is a precursor for the synthesis of many commercially valuable chemicals and various drugs. In this study, GlyDH from Klebsiella pneumoniae (KpGlyDH) was overexpressed in E. coli and purified to homogeneity for biochemical and molecular characterization. KpGlyDH exhibits an exclusive preference for NAD⁺ over NADP⁺. The enzymatic activity of KpGlyDH is maximal at pH 8.6 and pH 10.0. Of the three common polyol substrates, KpGlyDH showed the highest k_cat/K_m value for glycerol, which is three times higher than for racemic 2,3-butanediol and 32 times higher than for ethylene glycol. The k_cat value for glycerol oxidation is notably high at 87.1 ± 11.3 sec^-1. KpGlyDH was shown to exist in an equilibrium between two different oligomeric states, octamer and hexadecamer, by size-exclusion chromatography analysis. KpGlyDH is structurally thermostable, with a T_m of 83.4℃, in thermal denaturation experiment using circular dichroism spectroscopy. The biochemical and biophysical characteristics of KpGlyDH revealed in this study should provide the basis for future research on its glycerol metabolism and possible use in industrial applications.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.414-424
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• 2007

Adenophorae Radix (AR), Liriopis Tuber (LT), Dendrobii Monile (DM), Polygonati Officinalis (PO), Polygonati Rhizoma (PR) have been used to treated a variety condition/diseases in traditional oriental medicine. The present study was conducted to investigate the immunmodulatory effects of the water-extracted AR, LT, DH, PO and PR. In spleen cell proliferation assay, DH was significantly enhanced mitogenic activity compared with control group. In RT-PCR, DH ad PO induced IL-2 and IFNr cytokine gene expression in mouse spleen cells. Methotrexate(MTX), immune supression agent, was significantly inhibited mouse spleen cell proliferation(1600 mg/ml). In spite of MTX treatement, DH and PO sustained the spleen cell proliferation, In the flow cytometry analysis, DH stimulated mouse spleen cells showed an increase in B-cell phenotype (CD45R/B220). The water-extracted DH and PO inhibited NO production and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cell. DH induced IL-2 and IFNg gene expression in human peripheral mononuclear cells. The GC-MS analysis show that the main component of water-extracted DH was b-Nitroethyl alcohol. The main components of water-extracted PO were Dipirartril-tropico, Methyl sulfoxide and Demsodrox. These data suggest that among these extracts, DH has a protective effcet of immune suppression caused by MTX. DH may be enhance cellular and humoral immune response by the regulation of cytokine gene expression, NO production and B cell production.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.250-256
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• 2013

To verify the multiplication of microorganisms on the surface of strawberries, the fate of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ at different temperatures, times and strawberry extract concentrations were measured. The population of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ rapidly increased by 7.36~7.78 log CFU/g at $25{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ for 24 hr and slowly increased by 6.49~8.49 log CFU/g at $10{\sim}20^{\circ}C$ for 48 hr. However, E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ did not grow at $10{\sim}15^{\circ}C$ on the surface of the strawberries, regardless of the contact times with the bacterial suspension. E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ reached 1.52~3.26 log CFU/g at $20^{\circ}C$ as the contact frequency increased from two to six times. The contact frequencies did not significantly differ. In the case of the six-time contact on the surface of the strawberry at 25 and $30^{\circ}C$, the E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ increased by 5.17 and 5.01 log CFU/g. The effects of the strawberry extracts on the growth of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ showed that sterilization and non-sterilization do not affect the growth of microorganisms for 96 hr. In the minimal broth, the growth of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ increased by 1 log CFU/g for 96 hr. In less than 50 percent of the strawberry extracts, the growth rate of E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ was higher than in the control and increased by 4 and 5 log CFU/g at 50 and 25 percent of strawberry extracts, respectively. Therefore, E. coli $DH5{\alpha}::gfp$ can multiply and survive on the surface of strawberries when it comes into contact with the fruit extract.