• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.72-79
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the effects of CMS (Condensed Molasses Soluble, a by-product generated from molasses during the lysine production) on the nutrient uptake, growth and yield of rice. The nitrogen uptake of rice was found to be higher in CMS treatments compared to the control treatment during the growth period. The leaf color index, height of the plants and number of tillers were increased by the application of CMS. Rice yield was highest in ($7,070kg\;ha^{-1}$) and an increase of 21% was observed in 0.3% CMS treated plots compared untreated control ($3,000kg\;ha^{-1}$). The protein content of unpolished rice increased from 4 to 28% due to the effect of CMS, while Toyo palatability score decreased. Though a decrease in pH and an increase in EC values were observed with CMS application, this phenomenon did not affect the growth and yield of rice in paddy field.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.313-319
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• 2002

N-Acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminidase ($\beta$-HexNAc'ase) (EC 3.2.1.52) was purified from rice seeds (Oryza sative L. var. Dongjin) using ammonium sulfate (80%) precipitation, Sephadex G-150, CM-Sephadex, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, sequentially. The activities were separated into 7 fractions($F_1-F_7$) by CM-Sephadex chromatography. Among them, F6 was further purified to homogeneity with a 13.0% yield and 123.3 purification-fold. The molecular mass was estimated to be about 52 kDa on SDS-PAGE and 37.4 kDa on Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of both p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminide (pNP-GlcNAc) and p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-$\beta$-D-hexosaminide (pNP-GalNAc) as substrates, which are typical properties of $\beta$-HexNAc'ase. The ratio of the pNP-GlcNAc'ase activity to the pNP-GalNAc'ase activity was 4.0. However, it could not hydrolyze chitin, chitosan, pNP-$\beta$-glucopyranoside, or pNP-$\beta$-glucopyranoside. The enzyme showed $K_m$, $V_{max}$ and $K_{cat}$ for pNP-GlcNAc of 1.65 mM, $79.49\;mM\;min^{-1}$, and $4.79{\times}10^6\;min^{-1}$, respectively. The comparison of kinetic values for pNP-GlcNAc and pNP-GalNAc revealed that the two enzyme activities are associated with a single binding site. The purified enzyme exhibited optimum pH and temperature for pNP-GlcNAc of 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme activity for pNP-GlcNAc was stable at pH 5.0-5.5 and $20-40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited at a concentration of 0.1 mM $HgCl_$ and $AgNO_3$, suggesting that the intact thiol group is essential for activity. Chloramine T completely inhibited the activity, indicating the possible involvement of methionines in the mechanism of the enzyme.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.391-394
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• 2012

Exposure and risk assessment during mixing/loading of chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate (EC, 20%) were carried out. Limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.02 and 0.1 ng, respectively. Calibration curve linearity and reproducibility were excellent. Recovery of chlorpyrifos from gloves was 72.3-103.4%. During mixing/loading procedure, average hand exposure amount of chlorpyrifos was 3.9 mg which is corresponding to 0.004% of total active ingredient in the prepared spray mixture. In calculation of MOS (Margin of Safety) for risk assessment, male Korean average body weight and AOEL (Acceptable Operator Exposure Level) were used. Nine events of mixing/loading procedure were assumed per day. And 75 percentile of 30 repetition (4.6 mg) was used as for the worst case. MOS was more than 1 for total repetition, indicating mixing/loading work was of least risk. However, MOS of individual repetition was examined, two cases were less than 1 suggesting careful work habit is essential in mixing/loading procedure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.232-238
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• 2005

There are growing needs for improving the general performances of the domestic working environment evaluation organizations. For this purpose, introduction of laboratory accreditation program has been suggested. This study was conducted as a part of this effort. With a questionnaire developed in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025, the current status of industrial hygiene (IH) laboratories in terms of manpower, management and technical aspects. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The average working staffs' number of the working environment evaluation organizations was $6.8{\pm}3.3$ persons. In addition, 49% of all organizations are run by less than 5 persons. This suggests that manpower of Korean IH laboratories is very limited. 2. IH laboratories surveyed in this study obtained 53% of the points by the international standard. And there is significant correlation between the number of staffing and total scores (P<0.05). 3. The period of work experience is one of the most important factors to determine the working capability. The average year of work experience of the laboratories' directors was $13.5{\pm}5.3$ years. Directors with more wok experiences obtained higher scores on the questions that ask to prove the appropriateness of the research methodology (p<0.05). 4. As for academic qualifications of laboratory directors, 14% had Ph.D., 31% with Master's, 29% with Bachelor's, and 4% had Associate degree. There was significant correlation between the total scores and the general managers' academic background (p<0.05). The 27% of laboratory directors have majored in either industrial hygiene or health, 8% majored in medicine, another 8% majored environmental studies, and 6% majored in chemistry. 5. Only 14% of all IH laboratories surveyed employ directors with Certified Industrial Hygienist licence, 41% have general managers with Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (Level 1) licence, and 45% of all laboratories either employ directors without relevant qualification or did not respond. When the laboratory manger holds relevant qualification, laboratory health and safety management was better (p<0.05). 6. When compared to the general international standard in terms of the management, and 55% in terms of technological level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 1996

The Nanji landfill is one of the biggest uncontrolled landfill in terms of its size and scale in the world. Because the landfill was constructed on the very vulnerable alluvial deposit installing no pollution control systems such as bottom liner and leachate collection systems, it has caused a serious adverse effect to near-by groundwater and surface water systems. A through remedial investigation comprising plume detection and site-characterization was performed to design the remedial measure. As a part the investigation, comprehensive water quality study was conducted, using ten existing observation wells and one bundle type monitoring well, to determine the contaminant indicators for the plume delineation and to define the vertical and horizontal variation of specific contaminants via distances from the landfill. The results clearly shows that EC and temperature are a good pollution indicators and the vertical concentrations of specific contaminants measured in the fully screened wells are 20 to 90% more than those measured at the same depth in bundle type well which is located just 2 m apart. This paper presents a cost effective monitoring and sampling method to define the contaminant plume and obtain a basic data for leachate control measures.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.206-213
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• 2008

We observed the physical and chemical properties of a soil on pine mushroom picking areas where were located in the most upper and lower parts showing a comparative climatic characteristics in Korea. The slope gradients within the investigation areas which were divided into 100 quadrates of $1m^2$ ranged from $5.7{\sim}8.6{\beta}$ to $24{\sim}22.7{\beta}$ (left to right) and $4.5{\sim}6.8{\beta}$ to $13.5{\sim}17.8{\beta}$ (top to bottom) for Ponghwa and Gansung, respectively. The amount of clay and thickness of organic matter were significantly decreased with increasing slope gradient, resulting in decrease of the soil moisture content around a fairly ring-colony of Tricholoma matsutake which was observed under the relatively thicker organic matter layer beyond 3 cm depth. Soil pHswere weak acid and average EC was $0.44dS\;m^{-1}$ in both areas. The cations were in the order of Fe K > Na > Mg > Ca and Fe > K > Na > Ca > Mg for the upper(Gansung) and the lower (Ponghwa) part. And the amount of Fe was approximately $80dS\;m^{-1}$ or greater in the pine mushroom picking soil. From this, we could assume that the growth of the pine mushroom was closely related not only with iron but also soil moisture content.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.382-390
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• 2018

Background: The plant Aster koraiensis has long been used as an ingredient in folk medicine. It has been reported that Aster koraiensis extract (AKE) prevents the progression of diabetes-induced retinopathy and nephropathy. However, although these beneficial effects of AKE on diabetes complications have been identified, the antidiabetic effects of AKE have not yet been completely investigated and quantified. In the present study, the glucose-lowering and antioxidant effects of aqueous and ethanolic AKEs were evaluated. Methods and Results: The glucose-lowering effects of aqueous and ethanolic (30%-, 50%-, and 80%-ethanol) AKEs were investigated via ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory assays. The mode of inhibition by AKEs on ${\alpha}$-glucosidase was identified through kinetic analysis. The total antioxidant capacity of each of the 4 AKEs was evaluated by assessing their conversion rate of $Cu^{2+}$ to $Cu^+$. The content of chlorogenic acid and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, the bioactive compounds in AKE, in each extract were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The AKEs showed potent ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity with mixed inhibition mode, and significant antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: These results of this study suggested that the AKEs tested had ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant effects. Among the extracts, the 80% ethanol extract showed the most significant ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$ value) of $1.65{\pm}0.36mg/m{\ell}$ and a half maximal effective concentration ($EC_{50}$ value) for its antioxidant activity of $0.42{\pm}0.10mg/m{\ell}$. It can therefore be used as a source of therapeutic agents to treat diabetes patients.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2008

The diversity of sulfate reducing bacteria was investigated in different depths of sediments in Lake Sihwa, Korea and Lake Aha, China by PCR amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone libraries targeting dissimilatory sulfite redectase (dsr) gene. In the analysis of DGGE band patterns, the community compositions of dsr gene in the sediments of both lakes were significantly different whereas bands in all depths of each environment revealed similar patterns. Bands from Lake Sihwa were produced much more than those from Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Total 68 clones containing dsr gene were obtained to analyze their sequences. Sequences from the sediment of Lake Sihwa were affiliated to Deltaproteobacteria, the Gram-positive thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to the genus Desulforomaculum and archaeal thermophilic SRB belonging to the genus Archaeoglobus, whereas sequences from the sediments of Lake Aha were related to genus Desulfotomaculum. Clones retrieved from sediment of Lake Sihwa revealed a higher numbers than those of Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Most of clones (59%) were distantly related to the known cultivated SRB with $60\sim65%$ of similarity, which were clustered only the sequences from the environments showed less than 90% similarity. These habitat specific sequences suggested that the clustered dsr sequences represent species or groups of species that were indigenous to these environments. This study showed that these lakes have a specific bacterial communities having dsr gene distinct from those in other environments such as soil and marine ecosystems around the world.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of seeding timing and method of rye and/or hairy vetch on seasonal soil and foliar nutrient concentrations as well as fruit quality in a pesticide-free pear orchard. METHODS AND RESULTS: The treatments included as followed: single seeding of rye in September (Sep-Mono), November (Nov-Mono), and January (Jan-Mono), or mix seeding of rye+hairy vetch in November (Nov-Mix) and January (Jan-Mix), or sod culture as a control. Cover crops or vegetation was mown and mulched on the soil surface in April and May for two years. Nov-Mix treatment produced the highest dry matter weight of $12,070kg\;ha^{-1}$, with the lowest dry matter weight for sod culture ($6,520kg\;ha^{-1}$), following Jan-Mix ($7,030kg\;ha^{-1}$). Nov-Mix treatments increased potential amount of N, P, and K from the raw materials of the cover crops as well as improved soil physical properties. Nov-Mix treatments overall elevated soil pH, EC, organic matter, and $P_2O_5$ in May compared to other cover crop treatments or sod culture. The difference of the seasonal nutrient concentrations in leaves or fruit qualities were not consistently occurred amongst treatments. CONCLUSION: Nov-Mix treatments showed playing role in a substitute of a chemical fertilizer. Delayed seeding of cover crops such as Jan-Mix did not increase the potential dry matter production due to the short growing period, and the seeding time would affect the dry matter production of cover crops.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2008

Green algae are important primary producers in aquatic ecosystem, and they are sensitive test species in bioassay. Green algae are broadly used to assess the adverse effects of various chemicals by measuring the inhibition of metabolism, reproduction and survival. In this study, we extensively gathered domestic and foreign toxicity test methods conducted using green algae, which are distributed in Korean water environment. Selected eight domestic green algae were Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Desmodesmus subspicatus (=Scenedesmus subspicatus), Scenedesmus abundans, Scenedesmus acutus, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Podohedriella falcata (=Ankistrodesmus falcatus), Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (=Selenastrum capricornutum), and Chlorella vulgaris. Forty four test methods were collected from the standard test ones, government reports, SCI papers and Korean research papers. P. subcapitata and D. subspicatus are the most common test species recommended by the standard test methods. Initial cell density and dilution water were the main differences among the test methods we collected. We proposed the suitable ecotoxicity test methods based on domestic green algae in Korea. This study could be a fundamental basis to establish the ecotoxicity test methods by green algae distributed in Korea.