• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.72-80
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• 2022

In this study, the survival capacity (acid and bile salt tolerance, and adhesion to gut epithelial cells) and probiotic properties (enzyme activity-inhibition and anti-inflammatory activities, inhibition of adipogenesis, and stress hormone level reduction) of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LRCC5314, isolated from kimchi (Korean traditional fermented cabbage), were investigated. LRCC5314 exhibited very stable survival at ph 2.0 and in 0.2% bile acid with 89.9% adhesion to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells after treatment for 2 h. LRCC5314 also inhibited the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which are involved in elevating postprandial blood glucose levels, by approximately 72.9% and 51.2%, respectively. Treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with the LRCC5314 lysate decreased the levels of the inflammatory factors nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and interferon-γ by 88.5%, 49.3%, 97.2%, and 99.8%, respectively, relative to those of the cells treated with LPS alone. LRCC5314 also inhibited adipogenesis in differentiating preadipocytes (3T3-L1 cells), showing a 14.7% decrease in lipid droplet levels and a 74.0% decrease in triglyceride levels, as well as distinct reductions in the mRNA expression levels of adiponectin, FAS, PPAR/γ, C/EBPα, TNF-α, and IL-6. Moreover, LRCC5314 reduced the level of cortisol, a hormone with important effect on stress, by approximately 35.6% in H295R cells. L. plantarum LRCC5314 is identified as a new probiotic with excellent in vitro multifunctional properties. Subsequent in vivo studies may further demonstrate its potential as a functional food or pharmabiotic.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.319-329
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• 2021

In the search for antibiotic alternatives from safe and effective medicinal plants against fish pathogenic bacteria, we found that a combined extract (CE) of 1:1 (w/w) ratio of Angelica gigas Nakai roots and aerial parts of Artemisia iwayomogi Kitamura showed antibacterial activity against the fish pathogenic bacteria. By antibacterial activity-guided fractionations and isolations, five compounds were isolated and identified as decursinol angelate (1), decursin (2), xanthotoxin (3), demethylsuberosin (4), and 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxyacetophenone (5) through spectroscopic analyses, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Among the compounds, 1 and 2 showed the highest antibacterial activities against Streptococcus iniae and Vibrio anguillarum, showing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 62.5-250 ㎍/mL. Compounds 3, 4, and 5 were also found to be active, with MICs of 31.25-1,000 ㎍/mL for those strains. Furthermore, active compounds, 1 and 2 in CE were simultaneously quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem MS (HPLC-MS/MS). The average contents of 1 and 2 in CE was 3.68% and 6.14%, respectively. The established method showed reliable linearity (r² > 0.99), good precision, accuracy, and specificity with intra- and inter-day variations of < 2 % and recoveries of 90.13%-108.57%. These results may be helpful for establishing the chemical profile of CE for its commercialization as an antibiotic alternative in aquaculture.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-63
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• 2022

Anti-cholinesterase (ChE)s are commonly prescribed as the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease. They are applied to prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) that bind to muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in the synaptic cleft. Seaweeds are one of the richest sources of bioactive compounds for both nutraceuticals and pharmacognosy applications. This study aimed to determine the anti-ChEs activity of Gracilaria manilaensis, one of the red seaweeds notables for its economic importance as food and raw materials for agar production. Methanol extracts (GMM) of G. manilaensis were prepared through maceration, and further purified with column chromatography into a semi-pure fraction. Ellman assay was carried out to determine the anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and anti-butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities of extracts and fractions. Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis was carried out to determine the inhibition kinetic of potent extract and fraction. Major compound(s) from the most potent fraction was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). GMM and fraction G (GMMG) showed significant inhibitory activity AChE with EC₅₀ of 2.6 mg/mL and 2.3 mg/mL respectively. GMM and GMMG exhibit mixed-inhibition and uncompetitive inhibition respectively against AChE. GMMG possesses neuroprotective compounds such as cynerine A, graveolinine, militarinone A, eplerenone and curumenol. These findings showed a promising insight of G. manilaensis to be served as a nutraceutical for neuronal health care in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.447-456
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• 2022

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Arctigenin on cell growth and the mechanism of cell death elicited by Arctigenin were examined in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells. To determine the apoptotic activity of Arctigenin in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells, cell viability assay, DAPI staining, caspase activation analysis, and immunoblotting were performed. Arctigenin inhibited the growth of cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Arctigenin-treated cells showed caspase-3/7 activation and increased apoptosis versus control cells. FasL, a death ligand associated with extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways, was up-regulated by Arctigenin treatment. Moreover, caspase-8, a part of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, was activated by Arctigenin treatments. Expressions of anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, components of the mitochondria-dependent intrinsic apoptosis pathway, significantly decreased following Arctigenin treatment. The expressions of pro-apoptotic factors such as BAX, BAD and caspase-9, and tumor suppressor -53 increased by Arctigenin treatments. In addition, Arctigenin activated caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) induced cell death. Arctigenin also inhibited the proliferation of FaDu cells by the suppression of p38, NF-κB, and Akt signaling pathways. These results suggest that Arctigenin may inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells through both the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway and the death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2022

In the present study, we investigated the effects of recombinant eel gonadotropins (rec-GTHs) on maturation induction in immature ovarian culture in vitro and sex steroid hormones in vivo in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. To study the in vitro effects of rec-GTHs on estradiol-17β (E2) production in immature ovarian tissues, ovarian tissues were incubated with different doses of rec-follicle-stimulating hormone (rec-FSH) or rec-luteinizing hormone (rec-LH). The results revealed that the E2 levels in the rec-FSH (0.1, 0.5, or 1 ㎍/mL)- and rec-LH (0.1 or 0.5 ㎍/mL)-treated groups were significantly higher than those in the female eels from the control group. Furthermore, to investigate the in vivo effects of rec-GTHs on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma sex steroid hormone levels, the eels were injected intraperitoneally with eel's ringer (control), salmon pituitary extract (SPE; for female eels), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; for male eels), rec-FSH, rec-LH, and rec-FSH + rec-LH once a week. The results revealed that except for the SPE and the hCG groups, none of the groups exhibited a significant difference in GSI values. However, in vivo plasma E2 levels increased at the end of 4 weeks after rec-FSH treatment in female eels. Based on these results, it is suggested that rec-GTHs may have a positive effect on sexual maturation in female eels; however, further studies on complementary rec-protein production systems and additional glycosylation of rec-hormones are needed to elucidate hormone bioactivity in vivo and in vitro.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.4_2
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• pp.595-602
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of apple fermentation when different types of salt were used during apple fermentation, and when salt was added or not. The pH decreased in all experimental groups during the fermentation process, and the final pH was 4.72-3.31. The sugar content was 17.8-18.5 °Brix, the lowest in the sea salt (FAS), and the highest in the control group (FA). The acidity was measured as 0.48-0.56%, which was high in the control group (FA), and was 0.83-1.06% on the 7th day of final fermentation. The alcohol content was generated from the 5th day of fermentation, and the control group (FA) showed a distribution of 39.23-29.4%, and the alcohol content was higher in the control group than in the experimental group, As for the total polyphenol content and total DPPH content, it was confirmed that the purified salt (3.11 mg GAE/mL) showed the highest total polyphenol content than the control (2.25 mg GAE/mL). When salt was added, the fermentation progress was excellent, and when the salt concentration was high, it was confirmed that the possibility of apple fermentation was high.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.470-481
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• 2023

Algal overgrowth in shrimp culture ponds can affect the quality of the aquatic environment, thereby adversely affecting the shrimp and causing economic losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in phytoplankton composition in intensive shrimp ponds in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam. Phytoplankton samples were collected in three black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) ponds and three whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) ponds. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and canonical correlation analysis softwares. In total, 75 species of phytoplankton were recorded in black tiger shrimp ponds and 64 species in whiteleg shrimp ponds. Diatoms had the highest species diversity with 29-30 species (39%-47%), followed by green algae with 9-19 species (14%-25%); species numbers of other phyla varied from 5-12 (8%-16%). The total number of phytoplankton species throughout the study varied from 34-50 species. Algal density was relatively high and ranged from 497,091-2,229,500 ind./L and 1,301,134-2,237,758 ind./L in black tiger shrimp and whiteleg shrimp ponds, respectively. The diatom density tended to increase during the final stage of the production cycle in black tiger shrimp ponds. Blue-green algae and dinoflagellates also increased in abundance at the end of the cycle, which can affect shrimp growth. Diatoms were significantly positively correlated with pH, salinity, total ammonia nitrogen, and nitrate (NO₃^-) concentrations (p < 0.05). Blue-green algae and dinoflagellates were positively correlated with salinity, phosphate (PO₄^3-), and NO₃^-. Algal species diversity was lower in the whiteleg shrimp ponds than in the black tiger shrimp ponds. Several dominant algal genera were recorded in the shrimp ponds, including Nannochloropsis, Gyrosigma, Chaetoceros, Alexandrium, and Microcystis. The results of this study provide basic data for further investigations, and they contribute to the management of algae in brackish-water shrimp ponds.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.491-499
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• 2023

Lake Tinisu Abaya is home to some fish species. The lake's native fish species include Barbus and Tilapia zilli. Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus L.) were stocked in Lake Tinishu Aabaya in 1997. This study aimed to investigate the feeding behaviors of O. niloticus in Lake Tinishu Abaya to develop an appropriate fisheries management approach in the lake. 428 O. niloticus fish samples (2.5 to 30.9 cm and 1.1 to 475 g) were collected to calculate the diet composition. Out of the total of 428 gut contents examined, 55 (12.85%) were found to be empty and 373 (87.15%) to be containing one or more food items. The diet behavior of the stocked fish in the study lake revealed that phytoplankton (39.5% by volume) and macrophytes (25.81% by volume) were the most noteworthy food items followed by detritus (14.39%) and zooplankton (12.95%). With increasing fish size, the importance of phytoplankton, macrophytes, and detritus increased while the contribution of zooplankton, insects, and other foods with an animal origin decreased. Seasonal variation in the diet composition of fish was evident (t-test; p < 0.05). Macrophytes, zooplankton, and detritus were the dominating food items during the wet season, while phytoplankton predominated during the dry season. This study demonstrated that O. niloticus had phytoplanktivores that primarily consumed phytoplankton and that the seasons and fish size had a significant impact on their feeding preferences. The diet of O. niloticus in Lake Tinishu Abaya comprised foods with both plant and animal origins. It concludes that the dietary habit of O. niloticus in the lake is, generally, the omnivorous type.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2023

Pacific yellowtail emperor, Lethrinus atkinsoni Seale, 1910, is one of the most targeted reef fish species in Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Therefore, assessing its stock is important to understand the condition of the population, providing valuable inputs for sustainable fisheries management in the area. Here we assess the stock condition of L. atkinsoni in Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia, using the length-based spawning potential ratio model. A total of 4,887 individuals were collected from commercially small-scale fishers from January to October 2022. The total length, sex, and gonad maturity of the individuals were examined. We observed that the fish length ranged from 10.5 to 39.5 cm, with an average length of 23.3 cm. The sex ratio was equal (1:1.2) between male and female individuals. Length at first maturity and length at first capture were 23.4 and 19.6 cm, respectively. In addition, we observed a growth coefficient of 0.45/year, with an asymptotic length of 41.14 cm and natural mortality of 0.6/year. Based on these life history parameters, we observed the spawning potential ratio (SPR) value of 12%, indicating an unsustainable fishery level (SPR of < 30%). Further concerns related to the sustainability of the species and strategy to rebuild stock of the L. atkinsoni in Southern Sulawesi are of utmost importance.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.318-335
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• 2023

It is important to understand the biological aspects of fish for fishing management. This study was conducted from February through October 2021. A total of 1,629 fishes were collected using different fishing gears. The length-weight relationship is a power curve for all fishes and showed a significant (r² > 0.8). All fishes revealed a negative allometric growth pattern except Labeobarbus intermedius. Oreochromis niloticus (1.714 ± 0.009) was found in better condition than other fish species (analysis of variance [ANOVA], p < 0.05). The length at maturity was 24.0 cm and 25.4 cm total length (TL), 28.9 cm and 28.2 cm fork length, and 53.2 cm and 57.5 cm TL for females and males of O. niloticus, L. intermedius and Clarias gariepinus, respectively. Fecundity was ranged between 100-947 eggs/g with absolute fecundity (AF) of 468-3,832 eggs, 200-1,000 eggs/g with AF of 2,752-136,420 eggs, and 505-900 eggs/g with AF of 2,000-6,404 eggs for O. niloticus, C. gariepinus, and L. intermedius, respectively. Their respective mean fecundity was 1,490 ± 91, 23,330 ± 5,070, and 3,096 ± 273 eggs, respectively. Mean fecundity revealed a significant variation between size classes and species (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The fecundity length and fecundity-body weight relationships except (O. niloticus) of fishes were curvilinear while the gonad weight (GW)-fecundity relationship was linear for all fish species. The fecundity was moderately associated with increasing length than body weight, and GW for all fishes (r² > 0.6). In conclusion, a tangible management setup is required to sustain the use of fish in the reservoir.