• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2015

This study was conducted to evaluate influence of short-term application of abscisic acid (ABA) in nutrient solution on growth and drought tolerance of tomato seedlings. The treatments included four ABA concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, $3mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$) and control (non-treatment) were applied to the nutrient solution in a hydroponic system. On the $5^{th}$ and $10^{th}$ day after growing in the nutrient solution containing ABA, seedlings were transferred to -5 bars of PEG-8000 in a growth chamber to induce water stress. Except for stem diameter and fresh and dry weight of root, there were no statistical differences in other growth parameters among control, 0.5 and $1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of ABA treatments. Seedlings growths were strongly inhibited in nutrient solution containing 2 and $3mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of ABA. The root growth such as fresh and dry weigh of root, total root surface area, and average root diameter was slightly enhanced in $1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of ABA treatment. The elevation of ABA concentrations in nutrient solution resulted in the decrease in transpiration rate and increase in stomatal diffusive resistance and leaf temperature of tomato seedlings. The initiations of seedling wilting after treating in -5 bars of PEG were delayed from 10 hrs in control to 30 hrs in ABA applied treatments. Additionally, the high percentages of recovered seedlings were observed in 0.5 and $1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of ABA treatments after re-irrigation. Therefore, short-term application of $1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of ABA in the nutrient solution stimulated the root growth and drought tolerance of tomato seedlings by delaying the start time of wilting point and enhancing the recovery after re-irrigation.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.158-166
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• 2017

The object of this study was to improve tomato seedling quality in low temperature(below 7, $10^{\circ}C$ during night time or daily mean air temperature was $18^{\circ}C$) by application of silicate fertilizer. Six different silicate fertilizer concentrations (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256mM) or water as the control were applied to tomato seedlings twice a week for 20 days. Positive effects were observed in the growth parameters of the seedlings treated with 16 and 32mM silicate fertilizer; the most effective concentration of silicate at which seedlings showed the best performance was 16mM. However, a high concentration of silicate (256mM) caused negative effects on the growth. The transpiration rate decreased alongside with the increase of silicate concentration up to 32mM, possibly due to the increased stomatal diffusive resistance. Silicate stimulated the growth and development of tomato seedlings, resulting in increased growth parameters and root morphology. However, no significant differences were observed among treatment numbers of soil-drenching wuth the silicate (6, 10, or 20 times with 16mM) for 20 days, suggesting that silicate treatment with 6 times may be sufficient to induce the silicate effects. The application of 16mM of silicate fertilizer reduced relative ion leakage and chilling injury during low temperature storage. In addition, the seedlings treated with silicate fertilizer recovered faster than those without silicate treatment after low temperature storage.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.278-285
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• 2016

The bifunctional PheA protein, having chorismate mutase and prephenate dehydratase (CMPD) activities, is one of the key regulatory enzymes in the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli, and is negatively regulated by an end-product, phenyalanine. Therefore, PheA protein has been thought as useful for protein engineering to utilize mass production of essential amino acid phenylalanine. To obtain feedback resistant PheA protein against phenylalanine, we mutated by using random mutagenesis, extensively screened, and obtained $pheA^{FBR}$ gene encoding a feedback resistant PheA protein. The mutant PheA protein contains substitution of Leu to Phe at the position of 118, displaying that higher affinity (about $290{\mu}M$) for prephenate in comparison with that (about $850{\mu}M$) of wild type PheA protein. Kinetic analysis showed that the saturation curve of $PheA^{FBR}$ against phenyalanine is hyperbolic rather than that of $PheA^{WT}$, which is sigmoidal, indicating that the L118F mutant enzyme has no cooperative effects in prephenate binding in the presence of phenylalanine. In vitro enzymatic assay showed that the mutant protein exhibited increased activity by above 3.5 folds compared to the wild type enzyme. Moreover, L118F mutant protein appeared insensitive to feedback inhibition with keeping 40% of enzymatic activity even in the presence of 10 mM phenylalanine at which the activity of wild type $PheA^{WT}$ was not observed. The substitution of Leu to Phe in CMPD may induce significant conformational change for this enzyme to acquire feedback resistance to end-product of the pathway by modulating kinetic properties.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.256-264
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• 2021

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is generally sown in late autumn and harvested in early summer in Korea, however, spring cultivation has also been attempted in some areas because frequent climate changes induce reducing productivity. Therefore, there is a need for a transplanting technology that is relatively easy to control of cropping season according to changes in cultivation conditions. In this study, to find out the optimal characteristics of seedlings for machine transplanting of spring cultivation, seedling morphological characteristics were investigated according to the seedling age of three varieties for 2020 and 2021. The hypocotyl length was less than 2 cm in both years and the 40-day-old seedling was the shortest among all seedling ages. The number and size of leaf were increased with longer seedling age in both years. To evaluate seedling quality, total seedling length, seedling weight, and impact resistance were measured before transplanting. Total seedling length was the longest in 40-day-old seedlings and the shortest in 25-day-old seedlings in both years. In the case of seedling weight, no significant differences were observed depending on the seedling age and the impact resistance increased with increasing seedling age. Finally, 'Jungmo7001', 'Naehan', and 'Tamla' showed a high transplanting rate in seedlings grown for more than 30 days, 35 days, and 40 days, respectively, in the field using a general transplanter. These results suggest that the proper seedling age for transplanting is limited depending on the rapeseed varieties. The suitable seedling cultivation method can be selected for different cultivation environments.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.356-369
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• 1985

In Korea, inevitable researches for the blast control exactly started from 1927 by the organization of Office of Rural Development with the local extensive outbreak of panicle blast at Jeonlla Buk-Do Province in 1926. At present, the rice blast is still one of the most destructive and widespread diseases in spite of considerable contributions by rice scientists, particularly plant pathologists during last 55 years in Korea. Rice blast control and management are very difficult because of the marked variability in pathogenicity of the blast fungus. From the results obtained through the disease surveys during last 70 years, different 3 prevalence type of blast such as bimodal leaf-blast type, bimodal panicle-blast type and bimodal continual blast type were recognized. In generally speaking, pattern of blast outbreak is said to be characterized by severe outbreak of panicle blast after slight outbreak of leaf blast with discontinuity between leaf and panicle blast. So we have to pay much attention for successful management of panicle blast giving direct influence to rice yield. Main factors induce blast epidemic were pointed out to be breakdown of the disease resistance, nutritional unbalance such as excess application of nitrogen, delay of transplantation and longspell of rain fall by extensive surveys and researches on blast during last 70 years in Korea. The fact some of Japonica varieties such as Kokuryomiyako, Tamanishiki, Ginbozu and Pungok belong to varietal group A had been cultivated with extensive acrage over 30 years in this country should be mentioned by Korean rice scientists. Differences in field resistance between varieties in the same group are detectable and apparently small but sometimes epidemiologically significant differential effects may be found out in case of blast. Much more attention should be payed to accumulate the knowledges on field resistance for successful management of blast. Excess application of nitrogen is more effective to outbreak of panicle blast than that of leaf blast of IR varieties. In comparatively low level application of nitrogen infection rate of panicle blast of IR varieties is considerably high. Low temperature effects on outbreak of blast is very great. It results in remarkable increase of the inoculum potential on the leaf lesions and infection of panicle blast in leaf sheathes of IR varieties during the booting stage. In economic point of view, it is concluded that 5 times sprays of effective fungicides including 3 times before and 2 times after heading is good enough to control blast. We have experienced no one of control measures for blast is superior to all others. The integrated control measures was established as guideline of blast control around 1950 in Korea. This guideline must be helpful for rice growers as long as rice growing continue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.380-387
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• 1998

Background: Minimal pressure support(PSmin) is a level of pressure support which offset the imposed work of breathing(WOBimp) developed by endotracheal tube and ventilator circuits in pressure support ventilation While the lower applied level of pressure support compared to PSmin could induce respiratory muscle fatigue, the higher level than PSmin could keep respiratory muscle rest resulting in prolongation of weaning period during weaning from mechanical ventilation PSmin has been usually applied in the level of 5~10 cm$H_2O$, but the accurate level of PSmin is difficult to be determinated in individual cases. PSmin is known to be calculated by using the equation of "PSmin = peak inspiratory flow rate during spontaneus ventilation$\times$total ventilatory system resistance", but correlation of calculated PSmin and measured PSmin has not been known. The objects of this study were firstly to assess whether customarily applied pressure support level of 5~10 cm$H_2O$ would be appropriate to offset the imposed work of breathing among the patients under weaning process, and secondly to estimate the correlation between the measured PSmin and calculated PSmin. Method : 1) Measurement of PSmin : Intratracheal pressure changes were measured through Hi-Lo jet tracheal tube (8mm in diameter, Mallinckroft, USA) by using pulmonary monitor(CP-100 pulmonary monitor, Bicore, USA), and then pressure support level of mechanical ventilator were increased until WOBimp was reached to 0.01 J/L or less. Measured PSmin was defined as the lowest pressure to make WOBimp 0.01 J/L or less. 2) Calculation of PSmin : Peak airway pressure(Ppeak), plateau airway pressure(Pplat) and mean inspiratory flow rate of the subjects were measured on volume control mode of mechanical ventilation after sedation. Spontaneous peak inspiratory flow rates were measured on CPAP mode(O cm$H_2O$). Thereafter PSmin was calculated by using the equation "PSmin = peak inspiratory flow rate$\times$R, R = (Ppeak-Pplat)/mean inspiratory flow rate during volume control mode on mechanical ventilation". Results: Sixteen patients who were considered as the candidate for weaning from mechanical ventilation were included in the study. Mean age was 64(${\pm}14$) years, and the mean of total ventilation times was 9(${\pm}4$) days. All patients except one were males. The measured PSmin of the subjects ranged 4.0~12.5cm$H_2O$ in 14 patients. The mean level of PSmin was 7.6(${\pm}2.5\;cmH_2O$) in measured PSmin, 8.6 (${\pm}3.25\;cmH_2O$) in calculated PSmin Correlation between the measured PSmin and the calculated PSmin is significantly high(n=9, r=0.88, p=0.002). The calculated PSmin show a tendancy to be higher than the corresponding measured PSmin in 8 out of 9 subjects(p=0.09). The ratio of measured PSmin/calculated PSmin was 0.81(${\pm}0.05$). Conclusion: Minimal pressure support levels were different in individual cases in the range from 4 to 12.5 cm$H_2O$. Because the equation-driven calculated PSmin showed a good correlation with measured PSmin, the application of equation-driven PSmin would be then appropriate compared with conventional application of 5~10 cm$H_2O$ in patients under difficult weaning process with pressure support ventilation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.66-78
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• 2014

Objectives : The specificity of acupuncture point has been a highly controversial subject. Existing researches said that ion-distribution differences are observed on the acupuncture point. This study was conducted under the assumption that multiple ionic changes induced by muscle fatigue would be different between the acupuncture point with non-acupuncture point. Methods : To induce the identical fatigue, twenty subjects performed the knee extension/flexion exercise using the Biodex System 3. ST32 and ST33 as well as adjacent non-acupuncture points were selected. We measured blood lactate and analyzed the median frequency(MF) and peak torque. To obtain the information on the extracellular fluid(ECW), intracellular fluid(ICW) and cell membrane indirectly, we used the multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis(MF-BIA) method. Results : MF, peak torque and blood lactate level of all measurement sites were gradually returned to normal. Re resistance of ST32 had a stronger response, but a non-acupuncture point adjacent to ST33 had a larger response up to 20 minutes post exercise. Ri resistances were similar for both acupoints and non-acupoints. The $C_m$ capacitance of ST32 had a stronger response after inducing fatigue, but ST33 had a smaller response than a non-acupuncture point adjacent to it. Conclusions : In comparison with before and after inducing fatigue, the specificity of acupuncture points was not clearly observed. Hence, we concluded that the body composition factors extraction method had the limitation as a method of finding the specificity of acupuncture points by inducing fatigue.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1156-1163
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• 2015

The present study investigated the immunomodulatory properties of four different medicinal plants in a cyclophosphamide-treated Balb/c mouse model. One of the four plants, Ulmus macrocarpa, showed partial resistance against immune suppression induced by cyclophosphamide. The bark of U. macrocarpa, commonly known as the Chinese elm, has been used as a pharmaceutical material in Korean traditional medicine to treat bacterial inflammation and induce wound healing. In this study, water extract of U. macrocarpa, named DEU-7, was used for its immunomodulating functional activity. DEU-7 increased the weight of the spleen and the number of splenocytes but did not significantly affect the liver, kidney, and thymus in vivo. A splenocyte viability assay confirmed that DEU-7 influenced ex vivo splenocyte survival. DEU-7 also increased the levels of cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-4, and immunoglobulins, such as IgM, IgG, and IgA. These results indicated that DEU-7 is involved in the activation of T and B lymphocytes. In addition, DEU-7 was able to maintain the production of cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-12, and IFN-γ, in the condition of cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression, suggesting that DEU-7 activated innate immune cells, even under immune suppression. We concluded that DEU-7 aids immunological homeostasis, thereby preventing immune suppression, and aids both innate and adaptive immune response by maintaining the levels of various cytokines and immunoglobulins. Consequently, it is worth investigating the potential of DEU-7 as a supplemental source for immune-enhancing agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.376-386
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• 2016

Apoptosis induction has been proposed as an efficient mechanism by which malignant tumor cells can be removed following chemotherapy. The intrinsic mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway is frequently implicated in chemotherapy-induced tumor cell apoptosis. Since DNA-damaging agent (DDA)-induced apoptosis is mainly regulated by the tumor suppressor protein p53, and since more than half of clinical cancers possess inactive p53 mutants, microtubule-damaging agents (MDAs), of which apoptotic effect is mainly exerted via p53-independent routes, can be promising choice for cancer chemotherapy. Recently, we found that the apoptotic signaling pathway induced by MDAs (nocodazole, 17α-estradiol, or 2-methoxyestradiol) commonly proceeded through mitotic spindle defect-mediated prometaphase arrest, prolonged Cdk1 activation, and subsequent phosphorylation of Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and Bim in human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells. These microtubule damage-mediated alterations could render the cellular context susceptible to the onset of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by triggering Bak activation, Δψm loss, and resultant caspase cascade activation. In contrast, when the MDA-induced Bak activation was inhibited by overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins (Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL), the cells in prometaphase arrest failed to induce apoptosis, and instead underwent mitotic slippage and endoreduplication cycle, leading to formation of populations with 8N and 16N DNA content. These data indicate that cellular apoptogenic mechanism is critical for preventing polyploid formation following MDA treatment. Since the formation of polyploid cells, which are genetically unstable, may cause acquisition of therapy resistance and disease relapse, there is a growing interest in developing new combination chemotherapies to prevent polyploidization in tumors after MDA treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1180-1186
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• 2014

Autophagy, the lysosomal degradation pathway, is an intracellular recycling system that is necessary for the metabolic benefits of exercise and for producing lasting beneficial effects of exercise in various diseases. However, the most recent studies have only examined the effect of a single bout of exercise or resistance exercise on autophagic responses. To determine the differential effects of acute and chronic exercise on the expression of autophagy-related genes in D. melanogaster, white-eyed mutant D. melanogaster were assigned randomly to four groups: control, acute exercise, 2 hr chronic exercise, and 3 hr chronic exercise. The flies were exercised using a mechanized platform known as the Power Tower. Our results revealed that a single bout of exercise resulted in increased mRNA levels of the Atg8a gene (~20%, p<0.05). However, Atg1 and Atg6 mRNA expression were not induced by acute exercise. Transcript levels of Atg6 (~29%, p<0.05) related to the nucleation of autophagosomes were significantly induced by 2 hr of chronic exercise. However, this chronic exercise was not enough to increase Atg1 and Atg8a mRNA expression. On the other hand, 3 hr of exercise for 7 days significantly increased Atg1, Atg6, and Atg8a gene expression-about 57%, 37%, and 71%, respectively (p<0.05). These results suggest that a single bout of exercise is not enough to induce full activation of selected autophagy-related genes in D. melanogaster. Our results demonstrated that chronic regular exercise induced autophagy-related gene expression, suggesting that chronic regular exercise training might be required to activate autophagic responses important for producing beneficial effects of exercise in various diseases.