• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.988-994
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• 2014

The effluents of chemical and petroleum industries often contain non-biodegradable aromatic compounds, with phenol being one of the major organic pollutants present among a wide variety of highly toxic organic chemicals. Phenol is toxic upon ingestion, contact, or inhalation, and it is lethal to fish even at concentrations as low as 0.005 ppm. Phenol biodegradation has been studied in detail using bacterial strains. However, these microorganisms suffer from substrate inhibition at high concentrations of phenol, whereby growth is inhibited. A phenol-degrading bacterium, P21, was isolated from oil-contaminated soil. The phenotypic characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis indicated the close relationship of strain P21 to Rhodococcus pyridinovorans. Phenol biodegradation by strain P21 was studied under shaking condition. The optimal conditions for phenol biodegradation by strain P21 were 0.09% $KNO_3$, 0.1% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.3% $NaH_2PO_4$, 0.015% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, 0.001% $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, initial pH 9, and $20-30^{\circ}C$, respectively. When 1,000 ppm of phenol was added to the optimal medium, the strain P21 completely degraded it within two days. Rhodococcus pyridinovorans P21 could grow in up to 1,500 ppm of phenol as the sole carbon source in a batch culture, but it could not grow in a medium containing above 2,000 ppm. Moreover, strain P21 could utilize toxic compounds, such as toluene, xylene, and hexane, as a sole carbon source. However, no growth was detected on chloroform.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.84-95
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• 2022

Purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common serious bacterial infections in young infants. Lumbar puncture (LP) has been used to diagnose coexisting meningitis in infants under 90 days of age with suspected UTI in many hospitals. However, the incidence of bacterial meningitis associated with UTIs is low. We aimed to describe the prevalence of concomitant bacterial meningitis in young infants with UTIs. Methods: The medical records of infants with the first episode of UTI admitted to the Chung-Ang University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Infants aged < 90 days who underwent LP with initial evaluation were included. Demographic and clinical features, laboratory findings, and imaging findings were collected and analyzed. Results: Eighty-six infants with UTIs were enrolled in the study. The median age was 61.5 days (interquartile range, 42.3-73.8 days) and boys (90.7%) were predominant. Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen (n=80, 93.0%) and followed by Klebsiella species (n=5, 5.8%). Fifteen (18.1%) specimens produced extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Five (5.8%) infants had positive blood culture results. Seven (8.1%) infants showed pleocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid, but none had coexisting bacterial meningitis. Twenty-four (30.8%) infants showed renal dilatation or hydronephrosis on ultrasonography. Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scans revealed cortical defects in 17 (21.3%) infants while voiding cystourethrography revealed vesicoureteral reflux in 6 (46.2%) infants. Conclusion: Co-existing bacterial meningitis was not observed in young infants with UTIs. LP could not be routinely performed considering the clinical condition of <90 days old UTI patients.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.158-164
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• 2006

Yongdam Lake is the fifth largest artificial lake in Korea newly formed by the first impounding the Yongdam Multi-purpose Dam on December, 2002. Yongdam Lake, with her total water storage of 820 million M/T, is located at the roof-top region of the streams flowing into the just-constructed new Saemankeum Lake. Seasonal succession of phytoplakton in Yongdam Lake might affect cyanobacterial blooms in Saemankeum Lake by inoculating seasonal dominants. During 2002-2003 when the first impounding after the construction of Yongdam Multi-purpose Dam was still undergoing, summer cyanobacterial blooms by Anabaena, Microcystis, and Aphanizomenon were observed. Among these three, filamentous Anabaena is well known to have its species with $N_2-fixing$ ability and special cells such as heterocysts and akinetes as well as the vegetative cells. We established a clonal culture of Anabaena spiroides v. crasse (KNU-YD0310) from the live water samples collected at the bloom site of Yongdam Lake. The N- and P-nutrient requirement of the KNU-YD0310 was explored by the experimental cultivation of the laboratory strain. Ratio of heterocysts to vegetative cells increased as N-deficiency extended with its maximum at $N_2-fixing$ condition. The strain KNU-YD0310 exhibited considerable growth under N-limiting conditions while its growth was proportional to the initial phosphate-P concentration under P-deficient conditions. Under P-limiting conditions akinete density increased, which could be interpreted as an adaptation strategy to survive severe environment by transforming into resting stage. The above eco-physiological characteristics of Anabaena spiroides v. crassa might be useful as an ecological criterion in controlling cyanobacterial blooms at Shaemankeum Lake in near future.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27
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• pp.29-46
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• 1984

To utilize several species of hard wood as raw materials of feed products, fermentation characteristics of cellulosic substrates to single cell protein was investigated, and results were summarized as follows. Among the microorganisms investigated, Tricoderma viride was selected as one of the most cellulolytic. Mixed culture of fungi did not show a synergistic effect on cellulose degradation. When the fungi were cultured at $28^{\circ}C$ for 7 days in a medium containing wheat bran 25 g, cellulose 0.25 g, proteose peptone 0.025 g and tween 800.025 g, cellulotic activities on carboxy methyl cellulose and filter paper reached maximum at 12 hr. The alkali treatment resulted in increased degradation of substrate from 13 to 18% when treated with enzymes for 12h, and reducing sugar formation increased with decreased size of substrates. Glucose was a very good feedback inhibitor of the enzyme from T.viride than that of xylose. When the substrate was rehydrolyzed, hydrolysis rate was 31% to reducing sugars within 12 hr. Quantative anlysis with HPLC showed the ratio of glucose to xylose in sugar syrups as 1.77 to 1. For the purpose of producing cellulosic-single cell protein from the sawdust of mulberry tree, 15 strains of xylose-assimilating yeast were isolated from 42 samples of rotten woods and compost soils and examined for their ability to utilize xylose. Then three strains were selected by their strong xylose-assimilating activities. The cultivative condition, the growth characteristics, and protein and nucleic acid productivities of three strains were investigated. The results obtained were, 1. Wood hydrolysate of mulberry tree was assimilated by 5 strains of CHS-2, CHS-3, ST-40, CHS-12 and CHS-13. 2. The optimum initial pH and temperature for the growth of strain CHS-13 were 4.4 and $30^{\circ}C$. 3. The specific growth rate of strain CHS-13 was $0.23h^{-1}$ and generation time was 3.01 hrs at the optimum condition. 4. CHS-13 strain assimilated 81 % of sugar in wood hydrolysate. 5. CHS-13 strain was identified as Candida guilliermondii var. guilliermondii 6. When the CHS-13 strain was cultured in the wood hydrolysate containing yeast extract, L-protein content was increased with yeast extract concentration. 7. The L-protein and nucleic acid yields from wood hydrolysate were 0.73 mg/ml and $4.92{\times}10^{-2}\;mg/ml$ respectively. 8. An optimal nucleic acid content of CHS-13 strain was observed in the medium containing 0.2% of yeast extract.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.53-90
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• 1989

Feeding proper level of ration matchable with the appetite of fish will enhance production and also prevent waste of food and its consequence, side effects such as pollution of culture medium. To pursue this goal, elaborate studies on dissolved oxygen concentrations- as the major force in inducing appetite and the growth outcome are necessary. The growth of common carp of 67, 200, 400, 600, and 800 gram size groups was studied at oxygen concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 6 mg/$\iota$ in relation to rations from 1 to as many percent of the initial body weight as could be consumed under constant temperature of $25^{\circ}C$. The results from the experiments are summarized as followings; 1. Appetite: The smaller fish exhibited higher degree of appetite than the bigger ones at the same oxygen concentrations. The bigger the fish the less tolerant it was to the lower oxygen thersholds, and the degree of tolerence decreased as ration level increased. 2. Growth : Growth rate (percent per day) increased - unless consumption was suppressed by low oxygen levels- as the ration was increased to maximum. In case of 67 g fish, it reached the highest point of $5.05\%$ / day at $7\%$ ration under 5.0 mg/$\iota$ of oxygen. In case of 200 g fish, the maximum growth rate of $3.75\%$/day appeared at the maximum ration of $6\%$ under 5.5 mg/$\iota$ of oxygen. In 400 g fish, the highest growth of $3.37\%$/day occurred at the maximum ration of $5\%$ and 6.0 mg/$\iota$ of oxygen. In 600 g fish, the highest growth rate of $2.82\%$ /day was at the maximum ration of $4\%$ under 5.5 mg/$\iota$ oxygen. In case of 800g fish, the highest growth rate of $1.95\%$/day was at maximum tested ration of $3\%$ under 5.0 mg/$\iota$ oxygen. 3. Food Conversion Efficiency: Food conversion efficiency ($\%$ dry feed converted into the fish tissue) first increased as the ration was increased, reached maximum at certain food level, then started decreasing with further increase in the ration. The maximum conversion efficiency stood at higher feeding rate for the smaller fish than the larger ones. In case of 67 g fish, the maximum food conversion efficiency was at $4\%$ ration within 3.0-4.0 mg/$\iota$ oxygen. In 200g fish, the maximum efficiency was at $3\%$ ration within 4.0-4.5 mg/$\iota$ oxygen. In 400g fish, the maximum efficiency was at $2\%$ ration within 4.0 - 4.5 mg/$\iota$ oxygen. In 600 and 800g fish, the maximum conversion efficiency shifted to the lowest ration ($1\%$) and lower oxygen ranges. 4. Behaviour: The fish within uncomfortably low oxygen levels exhibited suppressed appetite and movements and were observed to pass feces quicker and in larger quantity than the ones in normal condition; in untolerably low oxygen the fish were lethargic, vomited, and had their normal skin color changed into pale yellow or grey patches. All these processes contributed to reducing food conversion efficiency. On the other hand, the fish within relatively higher oxygen concentrations exhibited higher degree of movement and their food conversion tended to be depressed when compared with sister groups under corresponding size and ration within relatively low oxyen level. 5. Suitability of Oxygen Ranges to Rations: The oxygen level of 2.0- 2.5 mg/$\iota$ was adequate to sustain appetite at $1\%$ ration in all size groups. As the ration was increased higher oxygen was required to sustain the fish appetite and metabolic activity, particularly in larger fish. In 67g fish, the $2\%$ ration was well supported by 2.0-2.5 mg/$\iota$ range; as the ration increased to $5\%$, higher range of 3.0-4.0 mg/$\iota$ brought better appetite and growth; from 5 till $7\%$ (the last tested ration for 67 g fish) oxygen levels over 4.0 mg/$\iota$ could sustain appetite. In 200 g fish, the 2 and $3\%$ rations brought the best growth and conversion rates at 3.5-4.5 mg/$\iota$ oxygen level; from 3 till $6\%$ (the last tested ration at 200 g fish) oxyge groups over 4.5 mg/$\iota$ were matchable with animal's appetite. In 400, 600, and 800 g fish, all the rations above $2\%$ had to be generally supported with oxygen levels above 4.5 mg/$\iota$.