SWAT modeling of best management practices for Chungju dam watershed in South Korea under future climate change scenarios

Suitable and practicable best management practices (BMPs) need to be developed due to steadily increasing agricultural land development, intensified fertilization practices, and increased soil erosion and pollutant loads from cultivated areas. The soil and water assessment tool model was used to evaluate the present and future proper BMP scenarios for Chungju dam watershed (6,642 km²) of South Korea, which includes rice paddy and upland crop areas. The present (1981–2010) and future (2040s and 2080s) BMPs of streambank stabilization, building recharge structures, conservation tillage, and terrace and contour farming were examined individually in terms of reducing nonpoint source pollution loads by applying MIROC3.2 HiRes A1B and B1 scenarios. Streambank stabilization achieved the highest reductions in sediment and T-N, and slope terracing was a highly effective BMP for sediment and T-P removal in both present and future climate conditions.     

Preparation and properties of waterborne poly(urethane-urea) ionomers effect of the type of neutralizing agent

A series of waterborne poly(urethane-urea) anionomers were prepared from isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), polycaprolactone diol (PCL), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), ethylene diamine (EDA), and triethylamine (TEA), NaOH, or Cu(COOCH₃)₂ as neutralizing agent. This study was performed to decide the effect of neutralizing agent type on the particle size, viscosity, hydrogen bonding index, adhesive strength, antistaticity, antibacterial and mechanical properties. The particle size of the dispersions decreased in the following order: TEA based samples (T-sample), NaOH based samples(N-sample), and Cu(COOCH₃)₂ based sample (C-sample). The viscosity of the dispersions increased in the order of C-sample, N-sample, and T-sample. Metal salt based film samples (N and C-sample) had much higher antistaticity than TEA based sample. By infrared spectroscopy, it was found that the hydrogen bonding index (or fraction) of samples decreased in the order of T-sample, N-sample, and C-sample. The adhesive strength and tensile modulus/strength decreased in the order of T-sample, N-sample, and C-sample. The C-sample had strong antibacterial halo, however, T- and N-samples did not.     

The effect of compressional under-layer on muscle activity and exercise performance using EMG

The effect of functional under-layer on muscle activity and exercise performance was investigated on the basis of physiological tests and electromyography (EMG). EMG was used to study muscle activity during exercise after fitting compressional under-layer. We observed slight differences in the results of anaerobic and aerobic muscle EMG tests among subjects because of differences in body muscle content. In addition, muscle activity was varied according to muscle parts used during the physiological tests with fitting the functional under-layer. We suggest that compressional under-layer decreases muscle vibration and improves blood circulation, resulting in overall improved muscle activity on the basis of the usage of different muscles in each type of exercise. However, future studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of the functional under-layer.     

EMS-induced mutation of an endoplasmic reticulum oleate desaturase gene (<Emphasis Type="Italic">FAD2</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">2</Emphasis>) results in elevated oleic acid content in rapeseed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L.)

The development of rapeseed cultivars (Brassica napus L.) with high oleic acid and low linolenic acid is highly desirable for food and industrial applications. In this study, the Korean rapeseed cultivar Tamla was used for ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutagenesis and seed oils were screened up to generation M₇ for high oleate mutants. Two mutant populations (M₇) with an average of approximately 76% oleic acid content were isolated. Yield components between two mutant populations and untreated Tamla plants were not substantially different, although the mutants in the vegetative stage were slightly smaller in size than Tamla. Genomic analyses of six fatty acid desaturase (four FAD2 and two FAD6) genes revealed that the elevated oleic acid content in the mutants is the result of single gene mutations. Changes in DNA sequence were observed in two genes out of six fatty acid desaturase (four FAD2 and two FAD6). FAD2-2 exhibited a 2-bp deletion in the upstream region of the gene in the two mutants, resulting in a severely truncated polypeptide (57 aa instead of 469 aa), while six point mutations in the other gene did not result in changes in the amino acid sequence. Based on these results, FAD2-2, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) oleic acid desaturase, is affected in the mutants, resulting in a ~ 7% increase in oleic acid content in comparison to untreated Tamla plants. The induced mutants could be utilized for the development of high oleic oil rapeseed varieties and for regulatory studies of lipid metabolism in seed oils.     

Aluminum tolerance associated with enhancement of plasma membrane H+-ATPase in the root apex of soybean

Seventeen soybean cultivars were screened to discern differences in aluminum (Al) sensitivity. The Sowon (Al-tolerant) and Poongsan (Al-sensitive) cultivars were selected for further study by simple growth measurement. Aluminum-induced root growth inhibition was significantly higher in the Poongsan cultivar than in the Sowon cultivar, although the differences depended on the Al concentration (0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 μmol L^–1) and the amount of exposure (0, 3, 6, 12 or 24 h). Damage occurred preferentially in the root apex. High-sensitivity growth measurements using India ink implicated the central elongation zone located 2–3 mm from the root apex. The Al content was lower 0–5 mm from the root apices in the Sowon cultivar than in the apices of the Poongsan cultivar when exposed to 50 μmol L^–1 Al for 12 h. Furthermore, the citric acid exudation rate was more than twofold higher in the Sowon cultivar. Protein production of plasma membrane (PM) H⁺-ATPase from the root apices (0–5 mm) was upregulated in the presence of Al for 24 h in both cultivars. This activity, however, decreased in both cultivars treated with Al and the Poongsan cultivar was more severely affected. We propose that Al-induced growth inhibition is correlated with changes in PM H⁺-ATPase activity, which is linked to the exudation of citric acid in the root apex.