• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.376-380
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• 2009

Effects of silver nanoparticles on the phytopathogenic fungal growth were investigated. Fungal phytopathogens, especially for sclerotium-forming species Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor, were selected due to their important roles in survival and disease cycle. Tests for the fungal hyphal growth revealed that silver nanoparticles remarkably inhibit the hyphal growth in a dose-dependent manner. Different antimicrobial efficiency of the silver nanoparticle was observed among the fungi on their hyphal growth in the following order, R. solani > S. sclerotiorum > S. minor. Tests for the sclerotial germination growth revealed that the nanoparticles showed significant inhibition effectiveness. In particular, the sclerotial germination growth of S. sclerotiorum was most effectively inhibited at low concentrations of silver nanoparticles. A microscopic observation revealed that hyphae exposed to silver nanoparticles were severely damaged, resulting in the separation of layers of hyphal wall and collapse of hyphae. This study suggests the possibility to use silver nanoparticles as an alternative to pesticides for scleotium-forming phytopathogenic fungal controls.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.760-764
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity of three different forms of silver nanoparticles against the unidentified ambrosia fungus Raffaelea sp., which has been responsible for the mortality of a large number of oak trees in Korea. Growth of fungi in the presence of silver nanoparticles was significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. We also assessed the effectiveness of combining the different forms of nanoparticles. Microscopic observation revealed that silver nanoparticles caused detrimental effects not only on fungal hyphae but also on conidial germination.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.973-978
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• 2001

The bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine that couples proton or sodium influx to force generation, mostly for driving rotation of the helical flagellar filament. In this study, we cloned a gene (motX) encoding a component of the sodium-driven flagellar motor from Vibrio fluvialis. The nucleotide sequence of the motX gene, composed of 633 bp and 211 amino acid residues, was determined. Overexpression of the motX gene in Escherichia coli using a strong promoter induced growth inhibition and cell lysis. The lethal effect of E. coli was suppressed by adding amiloride, as a potent inhibitor for the sodium channel. Electron microscopic observation of the expressed protein indicated that MotX protein induced by isopropyl ${\beta}$-D-thiogalactopyranoside caused the lysis of host cell.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.271-279
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of natural humectants such as honey and rice syrup to replace sorbitol in the production of restructured duck jerky. Each humectant was mixed at 3%, 6%, and 10% (wt/wt) concentrations with the marinating solution. The values of water activity and the moisture-to-protein ratio of all of the samples were maintained below 0.75. Jerky samples treated with honey retained more moisture than those exposed to other treatments. Among all samples, those treated with 10% sorbitol produced the highest processing yield and the lowest shear force values. The highest $L^*$ value and the lowest $b^*$ value were observed for the sorbitol-treated sample, followed by the rice syrup- and honey-treated samples. Duck jerky samples treated with 10% honey showed the highest scores for the sensory parameters evaluated. The overall acceptability scores of samples treated with rice syrup were comparable with those of samples treated with sorbitol. Microscopic observation of restructured duck jerky samples treated with honey showed stable forms and smaller pores when compared with other treatments.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1997

We collected 3,237 plant samples, mainly leaves of various trees, from many provinces in Korea and a total of 1,925 Bacillus thuringiensis isolates were obtained and characterized. The isolates were characterized in terms of crystal morphology, PAGE pattern of the toxin proteins, plasmids pattern, biochemical characteristics, and bioassay. The microscopic observation showed that 49.1% of the isolates have bipyramidal shape crystals, 7.1% of spherical shape crystals, 1.4% of rhomboidal shape crystals, and others have small or amorphous inclusions. The insecticidal activities of the spore-crystal mixtures of isolates were tested against Plutella xylostella, Bombyx mori, Culex pipiens, and Agelastica coerulea. Bioassay showed that 51.3% of the isolates were shown to be active; lepidopteran-specific (44.8%), dipteran-specific(4.9%) and coleopteran-specific (1.6%). The remainder(48.8%) did not show any activity against the insects we tested. Interestingly though, some of these non-active isolates were shown to have bipyramidal crystals. By serotyping 22 isolates of our collection, we found that there are various kind of subspecies such as aizawai, amagiens, canadensis, darmstadiensis, galleriae, finitimus, kurstaki, morrisoni and neoleonensis, and three isolates have been classified into a new serotype, H49, and one of them, the type strain, named subsp. muju. From this study it was found that phylloplane is a good source for the isolation of Bacillius thuringiensis, and Bacillus thuringiensis is distributed widely in Korea.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.285-290
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• 2003

Living cells are continuously subject to all sorts of stress such as ultraviolet rays on skin cells. Tests made in various laboratories show that when young fibroblasts (Le. at the beginning of their proliferate life) were repeatedly put under stress at subletal doses, they acquired a phenotype similar to Senescence Induced Prematurely by Stress (SIPS). The work presented hereafter was made on a new model of senescence induced prematurely by stress from ultraviolet Brays (UVB). The human fibroblast model was put under repeated UVB stress, causing SIPS. Several ageing biomarkers were used in order to characterise the cells that underwent stress:. an increase in the proportion of positive cells with senescence associated $\beta$-galactosidase activity (SA $\beta$-gal) measured by a specific coloration,. the proportion in the different morphological stages that fibroblasts undergo during culture visualised by microscopic observation,. the expression of genes known for overexpressing during senescence, particularly fibronectin and apolipoprotein J, measured by Real Time-PCR,. the common deletion of 4,977 bp in mitochondrial DNA, evaluated by nested PCR. Studying the variation of these 4 biomarkers, we have evaluated the protective effect of a Laminaria digitata extract (LDE) that can be used as a natural active ingredient for anti-ageing cosmetics.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.356-361
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• 2013

Microcapsules of two different self-healing agents, 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB) and ENB with a crosslinker, surrounded by a melamine-urea-formaldehyde shell were manufactured. In this work, a red dye was incorporated into the self-healing agents as a tracer for better visual observations. It revealed that the incorporation of a red dye into self-healing agents did not disturb the formation of microcapsules from the examination of thermal resistance, particle size/size distribution and morphology of the resulting microcapsules. Releasing of self-healing liquid into the induced crack from ruptured microcapsules and filling between crack planes were observed using an optical microscope. Also observed was the reaction of filled healing agent with embedded Grubbs' catalyst in an epoxy coating layer.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 1989

A new microsporidia (S85) was isolated from the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. in Suwon, Korea in 1985. The electron microscopic observation of the fine structure of the spore was studied for the characterization of the new microsporidia and its taxonomic position. The sporewall was composed of three different electron dense layers and the spore surface was rouph and wrinkled. The polaroplast has two parts which differed in the arrangement of the lamellae. The polarfilament was isofilar with thirteen coils and it was consisted of eight concentric layers of different electron density. The spore contained a single nucleus and the pansporoblast appeared as a thin ballon-like structure surrounding the spore. The membrane was generally smooth and shown occationally wrinkled.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.60-65
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• 2003

Tribological properties of novolac resin composites containing particulate barite (BaSO$_4$) or potassium titanate (K$_2$Oㆍ6(TiO$_2$))whiskers (two typical space fillers for commercial automotive brake linings) were investigated. The emphasis of the current investigation was given to the effect of the two fillers on the propensity of the stick-slip phenomena and formation of stable rubbing surface. A block-on-disk type tribometer was used for friction assessment. Results showed that the BaSO$_4$-filled composite produced large friction force oscillations at slow sliding speeds and created severe damage on the gray iron counter surface. On the other hand, the composite with $K_2$Oㆍ6(TiO$_2$) whiskers formed a stable rubbing surface and showed smooth sliding behavior without large friction force fluctuation. The microscopic observation of the rubbing surface revealed that the $K_2$Oㆍ6(TiO$_2$)whiskers played a key role in the formation of stable rubbing surface and smooth sliding behavior by effectively reinforcing the resin.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.524-527
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• 1992

Synechococcus sp. cyanophage was isolated from Baekwoon reservoir located in KyonggiDo. The cyanophage was purified by employing ultrafiltration. differential centrifugation. and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopic observation indicated that the sizes of its isometric head and contractile tail are 89 nm and] II nm. respectively. which means that the isolated cyanophage is included in the group. Myoviridae. The cyanophage maintained the stability of more than 50 percent from $20^{\circ}C$ to $40^{\circ}C$ and from pH 5 to 8. and had the maximal infectivity at $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 9 implying its ecological significance.