• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2013

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of new management policies on the incidence of invasive Candida infections Methods: This observational study involved a retrospective analysis of the patients' medical records. In total, 99 very low birth weight infants, who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Ajou University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2011, were enrolled for the study. Period I, defined as the period before the revision of management policies, comprised 57 infants; whereas, period II, defined as the period after the implementation of new management policies, comprised 42 infants. The new management policies entailed a reduction in antibiotic and histamine type 2 receptor blocker (H2 blocker) use, duration of central venous catheterization, and duration of endotracheal intubation. Results: There was a significant overall decrease in the use of antibiotics including 3rd generation cephalosporin and H2 blockers (P<0.05), and a significantly lower incidence of invasive Candida infections in period II as compared to period I (0/42 vs. 6/57, respectively; P=0.037). Comparison between infants with invasive Candida infections (n=6) and those without (n=93) showed that gestational age (odds ratio [OR], 0.909; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.829 to 0.996; P=0.042) and the duration of 3rd generation cephalosporin use (OR, 1.093; 95% CI, 1.009 to 1.183; P=0.029) were statistically significant risk factors. Conclusion: The new management policies effectively decreased overall use of antibiotics, especially 3rd generation cephalosporin, and H2 blockers, which led to a significantly lower incidence of invasive Candida infections.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2016

Magnetic nano-based sorbents have been synthesized for the recovery of two rare earth elements (REE: Nd(III) and Yb(III)). The magnetic nano-based particles are synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal procedure involving co-precipitation under thermal conditions of Fe(III) and Fe(II) salts in the presence of chitosan. The composite magnetic/chitosan material is crosslinked with epichlorohydrin and modified by grafting alanine and serine amine-acids. These materials are tested for the binding of Nd(III) (light REE) and Yb(III) (heavy REE) through the study of pH effect, sorption isotherms, uptake kinetics, metal desorption and sorbent recycling. Sorption isotherms are well fitted by the Langmuir equation: the maximum sorption capacities range between 9 and 18 mg REE $g^{-1}$ (at pH 5). The sorption mechanism is endothermic (positive value of ${\Delta}H^{\circ}$) and contributes to increase the randomness of the system (positive value of ${\Delta}S^{\circ}$). The fast uptake kinetics can be described by the pseudo-second order rate equation: the equilibrium is reached within 4 hours of contact. The sub-micron size of sorbent particles strongly reduces the contribution of resistance to intraparticle diffusion in the control of uptake kinetics. Metal desorption using acidified thiourea solutions allows maintaining sorption efficiency for at least four successive cycles with limited loss in sorption capacity.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2012

We previously reported that the truncated Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ ${\beta}$-glycosyl hydrolase protein exhibits multifunctional activities, including cellulase, xylanase, and lichenase. DNA shuffling of the truncated Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ enzyme was performed to enhance the enzymatic activity of the multifunctional ${\beta}$-glycosyl hydrolase. Two mutant enzymes, M2Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ that carries one mutation (P438A) and M21Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ that carries two mutations (A273T and P438A) were obtained. The enzymatic activity of the M21Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ double mutant was lower than enzymatic activity of the single mutant (M2Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$). However, both mutants displayed the enhancements in their enzyme activities that were ${\approx}1.3$- to 2.2-fold higher than the original enzymatic activity in Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$. In particular, the mutant M2Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$ exhibited an approximate 1.5- to 2.2-fold increase in the cellulase, xylanase, and lichenase activities in comparison with the control (Cel44C-$Man26A_{P558}$). The optimum cellulase, linchenase, and xylanase activities of ${\beta}$-glycosyl hydrolase were observed at pH 7.0, pH 7.0 and pH 6.0, respectively. These results, therefore, suggest that the amino acid residue Ala438 plays important roles in the enhancement of the activity of multifunctional ${\beta}$-glycosyl hydrolase.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.64-71
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• 1983

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of lime and phosphorus on soil and yield of rice plants in acid sulfate soil. 1. Lime requirement plus phosphorus (20Kg/10a) plot showed 60% increased in yield. 2. The effect of increase was 36% in lime and 15% in phosphorus. 3. pH and Eh were reversed each other by lime application, and lime and phosphorus increased soil reduction. 4. Sixty two percent of root was distributed in top soil (0-5cm) of control plot while it spreaed in sub soil (5-10cm) with high level of lime and phosphorus plot. 5. Soil pH reached maximum at maximum tillering stage and decreased there after approching near to original pH. But lime requirement was about half of original one. 6. There was significant positive correlation between yield silica or phosphorus in soil, which were high with increase of pH. 7. The application of lime and phosphorus increased nitrogen content in plants. When contents of phosphorus in rice plants were high the yield of rice was increased.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 1987

A laboratory experiment was conducted to find out the effect of inoculation with plant growth of associative $N_2$-fixing bacteria on the combination of eight different rice seedling with seven different associative $N_2$-fixing bacteria in which were isolated and identified from grasses and rice in saline and reclaimed saline paddy soil. Those were examined in N-free axenic culture medium. The result of this experiment exemplified the contribution of associative $N_2$-fixing bacteria to their host plant were varied much by the combination of rice cultivars and bacterial strains. Acetylene reduction ($N_2$-fixation) activity seems to be more variable with respect to the combination of rice cultivars and bacterial strains. The relationship between acetylene reduction activity and rice performance such as dry matter weight, plant height, root length, and number of root were statistically insignificant. However, in comparision with the control, the dry matter yield of Annapuruna was increased by inoculation of all the seven bacteria strains. Among the seven rice cultivars, the average acetylene reducing activity was the highest in Annapuruna, and Shingwang, and the lowest in IR-8 inoculated with Pseudomonas sp H8. Among the seven bacterial strains the highest acetylene reducing activity was obtained by the combination of Shingwang with Pseudomonas sp H8.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1383-1391
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• 2016

The fungal strain EML-DML3PNa1 isolated from leaf of white dogwood (Cornus alba L.) showed strong nematicidal activity with juvenile mortality of 87.6% at a concentration of 20% fermentation broth filtrate at 3 days after treatment. The active fungal strain was identified as Aspergillus oryzae, which belongs to section Flavi, based on the morphological characteristics and sequence analysis of the ITS rDNA, calmodulin (CaM), and β-tubulin (BenA) genes. The strain reduced the pH value to 5.62 after 7 days of incubation. Organic acid analysis revealed the presence of citric acid (515.0 mg/kg), malic acid (506.6 mg/kg), and fumaric acid (21.7 mg/kg). The three organic acids showed moderate nematicidal activities, but the mixture of citric acid, malic acid, and fumaric acid did not exhibit the full nematicidal activity of the culture filtrate of EML- DML3PNa1. Bioassay-guided fractionation coupled with ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR and EI-MS analyses led to identification of kojic acid as the major nematicidal metabolite. Kojic acid exhibited dose-dependent mortality and inhibited the hatchability of M. incognita, showing EC₅₀ values of 195.2 μg/ml and 238.3 μg/ml, respectively, at 72 h post-exposure. These results suggest that A. oryzae EML-DML3PNa1 and kojic acid have potential as a biological control agent against M. incognita.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.805-811
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• 2016

The present study was performed to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-proliferating activity of the water extract mixture of Cordyceps militaris (CM) and Allium tuberosum (AT). The water extract mixture rate of CM and AT was optimized by means of a sensory evaluation test. The optimized mixture rate were decided at 70% of CM, 30% of AT, and 10% of apple concentrate as an additive. The values of total acidity, pH, sugar contents, and turbidity of the water extract mixture were 0.1%, 4.28, 9.10 °Brix, and 1.48 respectively. The water extract mixture had effective DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power effect, and ABTS radical activity. DPPH radical activities of the water extract and the water extract mixture were 43.2% and 51.7% respectively; their reducing power (OD₇₀₀) was 1.14 and 1.43 respectively; and ABTS^.+ radical activities were 47.1% and 62.2% respectively. Also, the water extract mixture showed a higher anti-proliferating effect than the AT extract on human prostate cancer cells. These results provided experimental evidence that the water extract mixture of CM and AT is a better source of anti-oxidant and anti-cancer ingredients than a single extract of CM. In conclusion, the water extract mixture of CM and AT will be beneficial in development of a functional drink.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2017

This research was conducted to investigate the influence of post-planting fertilizer concentrations on the growth of seedlings and changes of nutrient concentrations of media in tomato seedling production through sub-irrigation. Two root media such as peat moss (grade of 0 to 6 mm, PM06) plus perlite (grade of 1 to 2 mm (PE2)(7:3, v/v) and peat moss (grade of 5 to 15 mm, PM515) plus PE2 (7:3, v/v) were formulated and filled into 72-cell plug trays. After seeds of 'Dotaerang Dia' tomato were sown and germinated at $28^{\circ}C$, the trays were moved to greenhouse and seedlings were raised 35 days. When the cotyledons were emerged, post-planting fertilizers of 13-2-13, 15-0-15 and 20-9-20 ($N-P_2O_5-K_2O$) were applied in a sequence. The fertilizer concentrations based on N in each plug stage were differed with $25mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in three treatments. The fertilizer solutions were supplied when the weight of plug trays decreased to 40 to 50% compared to container capacity. The root media were collected in 1, 2, 4, and 5 weeks after sowing and were divided into top, middle, and bottom parts, then were analysed for pH, EC and macro-nutrient concentrations. The seedling growth was investigated 5 weeks after sowing. The pH and EC in PM06+PE2 was higher than those of PM515+PE2. The bottom and mid-part had higher pH and lower EC compared to upper part in each medium. The differences of EC between upper and bottom parts were around 2 times in each medium. The $NH_4-N$ and K concentrations in program 3 of PM06+PE2 showed the highest concentrations among all treatments. The $NO_3-N$ concentrations in PM06+PE2 increased gradually and this rising tendency become severe as post-planting fertilizer concentrations were elevated. The seedling growth in terms of fresh and dry weights was the highest in the treatment of program 2 in PM06+PE2 among all treatments tested. Above results indicate that the gradual increases of fertilizer concentrations from 25 to $125mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in plug stages 2, 3, and 4 plug stages are desirable for

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2010

TCM-KWG (tissue culture medium waste after harvest of Korean wild ginseng) (panax ginseng) is left over of tissue culture medium used to grow Korean wild ginseng (KWG). The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of TCM-KWG on meat quality and the possible of application as additives in broiler chickens. A day old broiler chickens randomized in 6 groups (n=60/groups) were administered orally with 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 mL/L TCM-KWG through drinking water with one untreated control group. After administration for five weeks, we analyzed chemical composition and meat quality. Crude ash increased approximately 20% in TCM-KWG treatment groups as compared to control group whereas the concentration of moisture, crude protein and crude fat did not show any significant difference. Crude ash is essential to enhance skeleton formation and physiological function. TCM-KWG treatment gradually decreased the pH value of breast meat whereas it did not change the purge loss and cooking loss. The pH value of meat is important for preservation of meat for longer periods and high durability strength. These results suggest that TCM-KWG treatment may improve the quality of meat and can be apply as food additives in chickens.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1652-1660
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• 2004

Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) is essential in atherogenesis, being a factor that modulates its early progression rather than a terminal event in the course of the disease. Various stimuli, including oxide lipoproteins, altered hemodynamic stress and free radical, can induced VSMCs apoptosis in vitro. The protective effects of Sophorae Radix (SR) on apoptotic cell death induced by H₂O₂ were investigated in VSMCs. The viability of VSMCs was markedly decreased by H₂O₂. Sophorae Radix protected the H202-induced apoptotic death of VSMCs, which was characterized as nuclear fragmentation and increase of sub-G0/G1 fraction .. Sophorae Radix decreased the activation of caspase-3 like protease induced by H₂O₂ and recovered control level from H202-induced PARP, Bak, Bcl-XL and mitochondrial membrane potential. These results suggest that Sophorae Radix protected VSMCs apoptotic death induced by H₂O₂ via inactivation of caspase-3 and modulation of mitochondrial function. Also, the expression profile of proteins by using two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis was screened. Future investigations will need to explore the use of an anti atherosclerotic therapy of Sophorae Radix, which relies on inhibition of the proapoptotic activation of the vascular smooth muscle cells.