• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.597-604
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• 2014

$\small{D}$-Phenylglycine aminotransferase ($\small{D}$-PhgAT) from Pseudomonas stutzeri ST-201 is useful for enzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically pure $\small{D}$-phenylglycine. However, its low protein solubility prevents its application at high substrate concentration. With an aim to increase the protein solubility, the N-terminus of $\small{D}$-PhgAT was genetically fused with short peptides ($A_1$ ${\alpha}$-helix, $A_2$ ${\alpha}$-helix, and ALAL, which is a hybrid of $A_1$ and $A_2$) from a ferredoxin enzyme of a halophilic archaeon, Halobacterium salinarum. The fused enzymes $A_1$-$\small{D}$-PhgAT, $A_2$-$\small{D}$-PhgAT, and ALAL-$\small{D}$-PhgAT displayed a reduced pI and increased in solubility by 6.1-, 5.3-, and 8.1- fold in TEMP (pH 7.6) storage, respectively, and 5-, 4.5-, and 5.9-fold in CAPSO (pH 9.5) reaction buffers, respectively, compared with the wild-type enzyme (WT-$\small{D}$-PhgAT). In addition, all the fused $\small{D}$-PhgAT displayed higher enzymatic reaction rates than the WT-DPhgAT at all concentrations of L-glutamate monosodium salt used. The highest rate, $23.82{\pm}1.47$ mM/h, was that obtained from having ALAL-$\small{D}$-PhgAT reacted with 1,500 mM of the substrate. Moreover, the halophilic fusion significantly increased the tolerance of $\small{D}$-PhgAT in the presence of NaCl and KCl, being slightly in favor of KCl, where under the same condition at 3.5 M NaCl or KCl all halophilic-fused variants showed higher activity than WT-$\small{D}$-PhgAT.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.537-542
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• 2003

Sixty [(Duroc${\times}$Yorkshire)${\times}$Landrace] pigs (7.63$\pm$0.41kg average body weight and 25-d average age) were used in a 20-d growth assay to determine the effect of dietary recombinant human lactoferricin culture (RHLC) supplementation on growth performance, digestibility and plasma IgG concentration in weaning pigs. Dietary treatments included 1) Negative control (NC : without antibiotic), 2) Positive control (PC : NC diet + 0.1% chlortetracycline), 3) RHLC0.3 (NC diet + 0.3% RHLC), 4) RHLC0.5 (NC diet + 0.5% RHLC). No differences were found among treatments in average daily gain (P>0.05). ADFI of pigs fed RHLC0.3 diet was higher than that of pigs fed PC diet (P<0.05). However, pigs fed RHLC0.5 diet had improved gain/feed compared to pigs fed PC diet. Pigs fed PC and RHLC diets showed significantly increased dry matter digestibility compared to pigs fed NC diet (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma IgG concentrations (P>0.05). The supplementation of RHLC in starter pig diets appears to be an alternative to antibiotics.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.274-285
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• 2016

In order to elucidate the spatiotemporal variations of marine environmental parameters, we collected seawater samples in the middle east coast of Korea in 2013-2014. A high temperature and low salinity were distinctively observed in the summer and a low temperature and high salinity pattern in the winter. The temperature of the bottom water was in the range of $2^{\circ}C$ to $7^{\circ}C$, with the temperature being relatively high in the winter, while the salinity was measured to be around 34, with no large differences across the seasons. The dissolved oxygen concentrations were in the range of $7mg\;L^{-1}$ to $12mg\;L^{-1}$, and it was relatively high in May compared to other seasons. The seawater temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration at the surface layer showed a significant negative correlation in the autumn and winter seasons, based on which it is seemed that water temperature is the main factor controlling the amount of dissolved oxygen in the autumn and winter seasons. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and silicate (DSi) increased 11- and 7-fold, respectively, in the winter compared to the summer. The DIN to DIP (dissolved inorganic phosphorus) ratio for the surface seawater was approximately 16, but it was relatively low in the spring season. On the other hand, the DIN to DIP ratio was relatively high in the summer. Based on this, it is seemed that nitrogen and phosphorus were the growth-limiting nutrients for phytoplankton in the spring and summer, respectively. Water quality was I (excellent) ~III (medium) level at the most stations except for some stations (level IV) during the autumn season, having low dissolved oxygen saturations.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2014

In an effort to investigate special distribution of glucose content of potato tuber of a cultivar 'Superior' after harvest, a whole tuber was longitudinally cut into halves and cut-surface was divided into 11 regions. Approximate glucose concentration of each section was determined using a commercial blood glucose meter. Higher level of glucose was detected in the outer layers of tissue than inner part of tuber although there were lower coefficients of variation value, 37.4% and 34.1% among individual tubers and among defined sections, respectively. A positive correlation between the whole tuber and individual section was existed in glucose content, where the central pith tissue gave the highest coefficient (r = 0.921) and bud end tissue did the lowest (r = 0.544). Glucose content of the tubers stored for 4 months at $2.0^{\circ}C$ was 5.5 fold higher compared to the tubers kept in ambient temperature. The chip color of the former tubers was much brighter than those of the latter tubers. The result obtained in the present study suggests that the blood glucose meter can be used to a rapid and simple evaluation of glucose content and therein be applied to estimate the processing quality of potato tubers during postharvest handling.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.699-704
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• 2006

Twenty-four cannulated Small-tailed Han${\times}$Poll Dorset wethers (BW $47.5{\pm}2.1kg$) were used to determine the effects of forage to concentrate ratio (40:60 vs. 70:30), monensin supplementation (0, 15 or 30 ppm, DM basis) and interactions of these two factors on cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans-11 CLA) and trans-11 octadecenoic acid (trans11-$C_{18:1}$) concentrations in ruminal contents and plasma in sheep. The experiment was designed as a $2{\times}3$ factorial. The diet contained Chinese wild rye grass hay (Aneurolepidium Chinese), cracked corn, soybean meal, NaCl, limestone and trace mineral premix. Dietary crude fat and linoleic acid ($C_{18:2n-6}$) were adjusted with soybean oil to about 7.0% and 24.0 mg/g (DM basis), respectively. High forage diets increased (p<0.001) the concentrations of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ and cis-9, trans-11 CLA in ruminal contents and plasma. Monensin supplementation increased (p<0.001) the concentration of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ in ruminal contents, but had no effect on that of cis-9, trans-11 CLA. Concentrations of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ (p<0.019) and cis-9, trans-11 CLA (p<0.022) in plasma increased with dietary monensin levels. Interactions of forage: concentrate ratio and monensin level tended to affect the concentrations of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ (p<0.091) and $C_{18:2n-6}$ (p<0.083) in ruminal contents. Increasing forage levels increased the concentrations of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ and cis-9, trans-11 CLA in the rumen. Supplementing with monensin increased the ruminal production of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ and concentrations of trans11-$C_{18:1}$ and cis-9, trans-11 CLA in plasma.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1167-1173
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of providing fermented soy protein to weaned pigs on nitrogen balance and apparent fecal and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AA. Four weaned ((Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace)${\times}$Duroc) barrows (BW = 6.58${\pm}$0.98 kg), surgically fitted with a simple T-cannula approximately 15 cm prior to the ileo-cecal junction, were fed four diets according to 4${\times}$4 Latin square design. Diets were a basal diet supplemented with one of the following: 3% SDPP (spray dried plasma protein), 5% RBP (soy protein fermented by Lactobacillus spp.), 5% PSP (soy protein fermented by Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis), and 2.5% RPP (2.5% RBP+2.5% PSP). No differences were observed in DM and N intakes among treatments. However, the level of urine excretion was greater in the RPP group than in the PSP group. Additionally, fecal DM excretion, fecal N concentration and fecal N excretion were increased in the RBP, PSP and RPP groups when compared with the SDPP group (p<0.05). Furthermore, total excretion was increased in the RPP group when compared with the PSP group (p<0.05). In addition, N absorption and the N absorption ratio were higher in the SDPP group than in the RPP group (p<0.05). Moreover, the DM and N digestibilities were lower in the RBP, PSP and RPP groups than in the SDPP group (p<0.05), and the ash and energy digestibilities were higher in the SDPP and RBP groups than in the PSP and RPP groups (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the DM, N, Ash, Ca, P or ileal digestibilities among treatments, although the energy digestibility was higher in the SDPP group than the RBP group (p<0.05). In addition, the apparent ileal digestibilities of essential amino acids (Arg, His, Iso, Leu, Lys, Phe, Thr, and Val) were significantly higher in the SDPP group than in the other groups (p<0.05), and the levels of Ala, Cys, Glu and Try were greater in the SDPP treatment group than the RBP, PSP and RPP groups (p<0.05). Additionally, the levels of Asp, Gly and Ser were higher in the SDPP group than the PSP and RPP groups, and the level of Pro was higher in the SDPP group than the RPP group (p<0.05). Finally, total non-essential amino acid and total amino acid digestibility were higher in the SDPP group than in the other treatments (p<0.05). Taken together, the results of this study indicate that animal protein is more bioavailable than plant protein. However, the N absorption ratio and ileal digestibility were found to be similar in the SDPP and RBP groups.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2013

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin found in grapes, red wine, and berries. Resveratrol has been known to have many beneficial health effects, such as anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and life-prolonging effects. However, relatively little is known about the effects of resveratrol on the regulation of ligand-gated ion channels. We have previously reported that resveratrol regulates subsets of homomeric ligand-gated ion channels such as those of 5-$HT_{3A}$ receptors. The ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric $acid_C$($GABA_C$) receptor is mainly expressed in retinal bipolar cells and plays an important role in visual processing. In the present study, we examined the effects of resveratrol on the channel activity of homomeric $GABA_C$ receptor expressed in Xenopus oocytes injected with cRNA encoding human $GABA_C$ ${\rho}$ subunits. Our data show that the application of GABA elicits an inward peak current ($I_{GABA}$) in oocytes that express the $GABA_C$ receptor. Resveratrol treatment had no effect on oocytes injected with $H_2O$ or with $GABA_C$ receptor cRNA. Co-treatment with resveratrol and GABA inhibited $I_{GABA}$ in oocytes with $GABA_C$ receptors. The inhibition of $I_{GABA}$ by resveratrol was in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner. The $IC_{50}$ of resveratrol was $28.9{\pm}2.8{\mu}M$ in oocytes expressing $GABA_C$ receptor. The inhibition of $I_{GABA}$ by resveratrol was in voltage-independent and non-competitive manner. These results indicate that resveratrol might regulate $GABA_C$ receptor expression and that this regulation might be one of the pharmacological actions of resveratrol on the nervous system.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2012

Purpose: Toxic alcohols are responsible for accidental and suicide motivated poisonings, resulting in death or permanent sequelae for the afflicted patients. Major therapeutic modalities in these cases include treatment with alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors and extracorporeal elimination. There have been a number of case reports of toxic alcohol intoxication in Korea. The purpose of this study was to review the clinical characteristics of patients suffering toxic alcohol intoxication. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who presented with toxic alcohol intoxication at 8 emergency departments (ED) from Jun 2005 to Nov 2011. Patients who ingested methanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, and other alcohols except ethanol, were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of these patients were analyzed to include anion and osmolar gap, and estimated concentration of alcohol in the body. Results: During the study period, 21 patients were identified who had ingested toxic alcohol (methanol; 12 patients, ethylene glycol; 9 patients). At ED arrival, the mean anion gap was $18.7{\pm}6.9$ and the osmolar gap was elevated in 13 patients. Oral and IV ethanol were administrated to 11 patients in order to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase. Extracorporeal elimination procedures such as hemodialysis were performed in 9 patients. There were no fatalities, but the one patient suffered permanent blindness. Conclusion: This study found that ethylene glycol and methanol were the substances ingested which produced toxic alcohol intoxication. The patients presented with high anion gap metabolic acidosis and were typically treated with oral ethanol and hemodialysis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.473-481
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• 2016

We examined the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and eutrophication on the physiology of a red alga, Gracilariopsis chorda, using specimens collected at Wando Island, Korea, in July of 2015. The samples were transported to a laboratory and placed on growth media for treatments involving low or high levels of ammonium ($4{\mu}M$ or $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$) and low or high pH(7.5 or 8.2). The control treatment used filtered seawater (pH 8.2 and $4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$). All experiments were conducted at $20^{\circ}C$ and under a lighting intensity of $80{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$, with or without an injection of $CO_2$ (pH 7.5). In addition, we calculated rates of respiration under darkness, at a pH of 7.5 and $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$. Fluctuations in pH as well as the evolution of photosynthetic oxygen and $NH_4{^+}$ uptake rates were monitored for 6 h. The greatest increase in pH levels, from 7.50 to 8.65, occurred in response to $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, whereas the largest decrease, from 7.50 to 7.42, was associated with elevated respiration rates. At a pH of 7.5, rates of oxygen evolution were higher (236% saturation) for samples treated with $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$ than for the control (121% saturation). Ammonium uptake was highest at pH 7.5 and $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, with a rate of $0.526{\pm}0.002{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}\;FW\;h^{-1}$, followed in order by the treatments of $pH\;8.2/60{\mu}\;NH_4{^+}$, $pH\;7.5/4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, and the control ($pH\;8.2/4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$). We speculated that the rates of photosynthesis and $NH_4{^+}$ uptake could be enhanced at a higher ammonium concentration and lower pH because $CO_2$ concentrations were increased through greater photosynthetic activity. Therefore, these findings suggest that the physiology of G. chorda populations can be improved by the interaction of optimized $CO_2$ concentrations and an adequate supply of essential nutrients such as ammonium.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.5 s.86
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• pp.349-359
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• 2005

In this study, we focused on the geographical and the meterological conditions, the atmospheric examination, the soil contents and compositions in order to establish cultural properties conservation plan in Gyeongju and its surroundings. Also, the transport route with environmental contaminants in Ulsan and Pohang was examined. The results could be summarized as follows ; Air pollutant and environmental contaminant was transported by two types of winds. One is induced by local winds, the other is induced by synoptic winds. Air contaminant transported from coastal regions to inland regions were associated with wind velocity. Gyeongju had good atmospheric conditions, i.e. $SO_2\;0.009{\sim}0.011ppm,\;CO\;0.6{\sim}0.8ppm,\;NO_2\;0.015{\sim}0.020ppm,\;O_3\;0.017{\sim}0.032ppm,\;PM_{10}\;46{\sim}62{\mu}g/m^3\;and\;Pb\;0.034{\sim}0.060{\mu}g/m^3$, which was below environmental air qualify standards and was little lower than those of Pohang and Ulsan. However, Ulsan and Pohang city are located on south-east coast and have many industrial facilities. Hence, air pollution problems become serious issues in Ulsan, Pohang, Busan, Daegu and other cities due to the emission of air pollutants from the various industrial facilities, incinerator and power plants, etc. The soil of Gyeongju had heavy metals conditions, i.e. $Cd\;0.01{\sim}0.08mg/kg,\;Cu\;N.D{\sim}2.39mg/kg,\;As\;N.D{\sim}0.07mg/kg,\;Hg\;N.D{\sim}0.15mg/kg,\;Pb\;0.49{\sim}1.39mg/kg,\;Cr^{+6}\;0.02{\sim}0.42mg/kg,\;Fe\;0.74{\sim}1.55mg/kg,\;Mn\;0.11{\sim}0.49mg/kg\;and\;Zn\;1.11{\sim}3.56mg/kg$. However, pH value of soil had range of $4.12{\sim}7.45$. The results showed that high pH concentration of soil could occur due to air pollution diffusion and environmental contaminant transport at Ulsan and Pohang city.