To find out the growth conditions for the maximum activity of nitrogenase which catalyzes nitrogen fixation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides, the promoter activities of nifA and nifH were analyzed and the results indicated that expression of both nifA and nifH was increased in response to deprivation of both O2 concentration and nitrogen source. The nifA mutant was constructed by deleting the gene to investigate the effect of NifA, the transcriptional regulator, on the nifH and nifA expression in R. sphaeroides. Analysis of expression of nif genes using the nifA::lacZ and nifH::lacZ fusions in the nifA mutant revealed that NifA acts as a positive activator for nifH and an autoregulator in its own expression. The promoter activities of nifA and nifH in the prrA mutant grown under anaerobic and NH4 +-free conditions were derepressed, comparing with those of the wild-type grown under the same conditions, indicating that the prrA product acts as a positive regulator in expression of nifA and nifH.

본 연구의 목적은 비제어 다양체(uncontrolled manifold) 가설의 소개와 이 가설을 간단한 인간의 손가락 과제에 적용하여 설명하는 데에 있다. 최근 운동제어 분야의 주요한 연구쟁점은 인간움직임 체계 내에서 실제로 제어되는 것이 무엇이며, 기본 단위로 구성된 다양한 동작들이 운동 과제를 성공적으로 수행하기 위하여 어떻게 협응되어지는 지에 대한 해답을 구하고자 하고 있다. ``공동작용(synergy)``의 의미는 이러한 질문에 대한 해답을 제시하기 위하여 사용되고 있다. 공동작용이란, 공통의 목적을 달성하기 위하여 기본 요소들이 함께 작용하는 방식으로 인간의 제어 체계는 여러 개의 기본 요소들(elementary variables)이 협응을 잘 이루도록 조정한다. 만약 주어진 과제가 여러 손가락으로 일정한 총 합력을 내는 것이라면, 각 손가락들이 발생하는 힘들의 수많은 다양한 조합들은 이 과제를 동일하게 만족시킬 수 있을 것이다. 왜냐하면 특정한 과제에 사용되는 기본 요소들의 수는(예, 두 손가락 혹은 세 손가락), 여러 손가락들이 생성하는 힘의 합력이라는 수행 과제를 만족시키는 제한요소들의 수보다 많기 때문이다. 이러한 현상을 운동요소 과잉의 문제(motor redundancy problem)라고 하며, 이 문제를 해결하기 위한 중추 신경계의 제어 방식은 비제어 다양체 분석을 통하여 정량화가 가능하다. 비제어 다양체 가설에서의 분석은 반복적인 시행에 걸친 기본 요소들의(예, 효과기 말단의 힘, 관절 위치 등) 동작의 공분산을(covariance) 수량화시킬 수 있으며, 공분산은 두 개의 구성요소로 구분된다: 1)수행 변인에 영향을 미치지 않는 분산(VUCM, 'good variance'), 그리고 2) 수행 변인에 영향을 미쳐 동작의 오류를 발생시키는 분산(VORT, 'bad variance'). 공동작용의 지수는 총 분산에 대한 VUCM과 VORT의 차이의 상대적인 양을 사용하며, 공동작용의 지수가 큰 경우 협응이 좋다는 것으로 해석할 수 있다. 비제어 다양체 분석은 기본 변인들과 수행 변인 간의 변화의 관계가 선형적이라는 것을 전제하므로, 이러한 관계가 비선형적일 경우에는 비선형을 선형화하거나 비선형을 다룰 수 있는 다른 계산적 접근이 필요하다.

본 연구의 목적은 양측성 재활운동프로그램을 통한 상지기능의 향상 정도를 운동기능 평가와 운동학적 측정을 통해 규명하는 것이다. 19명의 만성 뇌졸중 환자가 연구에 참여하였으며, 양측성 재활운동 그룹과 단측성 재활운동 그룹으로 무선할당하여 12주간의 재활운동을 실시하였다. 재활운동 프로토콜은 T-바 밀고 당기기, 손목 들어올리기, 암-컬(arm-curl), 전완 비틀기, 손가락 사다리의 5가지 세부 운동방법으로 구성되며, 양측성 재활운동 그룹은 각각의 운동과제를 수행할 때 환측 상지와 정상측 상지를 동시에 같은 방향으로 움직이도록 하였다. 단측성 재활운동 그룹은 운동과제를 환측 상지만을 사용하여 수행하였다. 훈련그룹에 따른 재활운동참여 효과를 비교하기 위하여, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Box and Block Test, 그리고 3차원 영상 분석을 사용하였다. FMA와 BBT는 환측 상지의 기능적 움직임을 평가하기 위해 사용되었으며, QUALISYS 3차원 영상분석 시스템은 뻗기 동작 수행시 환측 상지의 운동학적 변인을 측정하기 위해 사용되었다. 연구결과 모든 그룹에서 재활운동참여를 통해 FMA 점수와 BBT 점수가 유의하게 향상되었으며, 운동시간과 저크코스트는 유의하게 감소되었다. 또한 양측성 재활운동 그룹의 경우 단측성 재활운동 그룹에 비해 저크코스트에서 더 큰 감소를 보였다. 이러한 결과를 통해 재활운동참여의 긍정적 효과와 양측성 재활운동프로토콜의 유용성을 확인 할 수 있었다.

The bacterial community structure in biological activated carbon (BAC) process in drinking water treatment plant was investigated by Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) with rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probe. Samples were collected at different three points in BAC process every month for one year. They were hybridized with a probe specific for the alpha, beta, gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria, Cytophaga- Flavobacteria group and Gram-positive high G+C content (HGC) group. Total numbers of bacteria in BAC process counted by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining were 5.4×1010 (top), 4.0×1010 (middle) and 2.8×1010 cells/ml (bottom). The number of the culturable bacteria was from 1.0×107 to 3.6×107 cells/ml and the culturability was about 0.05%. The faction of bacteria detectable by FISH with the probe EUB338 was about 83% of DAPI counts. Gamma and alpha subclass of the class Proteobacteria were predominant in BAC process and their ratios were over 20% respectively. In top and middle, alpha, beta and gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria competed with each other and their percentages was changed according to the season. In bottom, gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria was predominant all through the year. It could be successfully observed the seasonal distribution of bacterial community in biological activated carbon process using FISH.

Algicidal bacterium was isolated from sea water during the declining period of Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms and this bacterium had a significant algicidal activity against C. polykrikoides. In this study, algicidal bacterium was identified on the basis of biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. The algicidal bacterium showed 98.6% homology with Micrococcus luteus ATCC 381T. Therefore, this bacterium was designated Micrococcus luteus SY-13. The optimal culture conditions of the algicidal bacterium was 25℃, initial pH 8.0, and 3.0% NaCl concentration. M. luteus SY-13 is assumed to produce secondary metabolites which have algicidal activity. When 10% culture filtrate of this strain was applied to C. polykrikoides (1.0 × 104 cells/㎖) cultures, over 98% of C. polykrikoides cells were destroyed within 6 hours. The culture filtrate of M. luteus SY-13 exhibited similar algicidal activity after heat-treatment at 121℃ for 15 min. While algicidal activity remained in filtrates with pH adjusted to 8.0, loss of algicidal activity occurred when the pHs of filtrates were adjusted to over 9.0 or heat-treated at 121∼180℃ for 1 hour. M. luteus SY-13 showed significant algicidal activities against C. polykrikoides (98.9%) and a wide algicidal range against various harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. However, there was no algicidal effect on diatom and marine livefood organisms except Isocrysis galbana. These results suggest that M. luteus SY-13 could be a candidate for use in the control of HABs.

Feathers are produced in huge quantities as a waste product at commercial poultry processing plants. Since feathers are almost pure keratin protein, feather wastes represent an alternative to more expensive dietary ingredients for animal feedstuffs. Generally they become feather meal used as animal feed after undergoing physical and chemical treatments. These processes require significant energy and also cause environmental pollutions. Therefore, biodegradation of feather by microorganisms represents an alternative method to prevent environment contamination. The aim of this study was to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic protease production by Bacillus pumilus RS7. We also assessed the nutritive value of microbial and alkaline feather hydrolysates. The composition of optimal medium for the keratinolytic protease was fructose 0.05%, yeast extract 0.3%, NaCl 0.05%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04% and MgCl2ㆍ6H2O 0.01%, respectively. The optimal temperature and initial pH was 30℃ and 9.0, respectively. The keratinolytic protease production under optimal condition reached a maximum after 18 h of cultivation. Total amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was 113.8 ㎍/ml and 504.9 ㎍/ml, respectively. Essential amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was 47.2 ㎍/ml and 334.0 ㎍/ml, respectively. Thus, feather hydrolysates have the potential for utilization as an ingredient in animal feed.

The aim of this study was to isolate mesophilic chicken feather-degrading bacteria and to evaluate feather hydrolysate as alternative biofertilizer. Isolate RS7 was isolated from compost and identified as Bacillus pumilus according to API analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. Chicken feathers were completely degraded after 5 days of cultivation at 30℃. Feather hydrolysate treated by B. pumilius RS7 positively influenced Helianthus sannuus L. (sunflower) growth (e.g. growth rate, number and dry weight of leave, and flowering rate). These results suggest that feather hydrolysate prepared using B. pumilius RS7 could successfully be used as alternative biofertilizer, thereby reducing the environmental impact of feather waste from the poultry industry.

The textile remains have been affected largely by environmental factors including microorganisms because they were composed of organic compounds to be easy to damage. So, we selected 8 strains of the 131 isolated strains from museum environments and textile remains by high protease activity, and identified them for measuring the antibacterial activity of Gingko biloba extracts. They were identified Genus Arthrobacter spp. 3 strains (Arthrobacter nicotiannae A12, Arthrobacter sp B12, Arthrobacter oxidans B13), Genus Bacillus spp. 2 strains (Bacillus licheniformis D9, Bacillus cereus D33), Genus Pseudomonas spp. 2 strains (Pseudomonas putida A24, Pseudomonas fluorescene C21) and a Genus Staphylococcus sp. 1 strain (Staphylococcus pasteuri D3) as closest strains through the blast search of NCBI. Though antibacterial activity of the extracts of Gingko biloba leaves as MIC was lower than that of other pharmaceutical antibiotics. However the extracts was crude extracts, the extracts might have good antibacterial against most of the isolates from museum. Especially, the antifungal activity of Gingko biloba is known previously, the extracts of Gingko biloba leaves has possibility of usage as a good natural material for conservation of remains.