BACKGROUND AND AIM: Busan is the second largest city in Korea, known for the port industry. Due to the high emissions of pollutants from ships and heavy traffics, the concentration of fine dust is high in the city. In this study, air quality data was analyzed to identify areas with high levels of fine dust in Busan and to monitor the exposure of residents in the areas. METHOD: Air quality data from 31 air pollution monitoring stations in Busan were collected by using the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (Air Korea). The mean concentrations and spatial distribution were analyzed by location and year, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. To determine the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among residents in areas with high levels of fine dust, urine samples were collected and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The mean of PM10 fine dust by location for 10 years from 2011 to 2020 were 46.99 μg/m³ (39.00 μg/m³ to 63.02 μg/m³). The spatial distribution showed that the western and central regions had higher concentrations. From 2018 to 2020, the mean of PM10 was particularly high at H location, with 42.50 μg/m³. The mean of t,t-MA (trans,trans-muconic acid) and BMA (N-Acetyl-S-(benzyl)-L-cysteine) were 71.15 μg/g creatinine and 7.00 μg/g creatinine, respectively among the 400 residents near H town, which were higher than the 4th and 5th KoNEHS (Korean National Environmental Health Survey) reference values of 64.60 μg/g creatinine and 5.02 μg/g creatinine, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The western region of Busan showed a higher average concentration of PM10 fine dust and the results of the resident monitoring survey were higher than the nationwide average value. Continuous monitoring for the western region is needed to establish a foundation for efforts to reduce fine dust and to monitor the health impacts on the residents.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Busan is the second largest city in Korea, known for the port industry. Due to the high emissions of pollutants from ships and heavy traffics, the concentration of fine dust is high in the city. In this study, air quality data was analyzed to identify areas with high levels of fine dust in Busan and to monitor the exposure of residents in the areas. METHOD: Air quality data from 31 air pollution monitoring stations in Busan were collected by using the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (Air Korea). The mean concentrations and spatial distribution were analyzed by location and year, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. To determine the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among residents in areas with high levels of fine dust, urine samples were collected and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The mean of PM10 fine dust by location for 10 years from 2011 to 2020 were 46.99 μg/m³ (39.00 μg/m³ to 63.02 μg/m³). The spatial distribution showed that the western and central regions had higher concentrations. From 2018 to 2020, the mean of PM10 was particularly high at H location, with 42.50 μg/m³. The mean of t,t-MA (trans,trans-muconic acid) and BMA (N-Acetyl-S-(benzyl)-L-cysteine) were 71.15 μg/g creatinine and 7.00 μg/g creatinine, respectively among the 400 residents near H town, which were higher than the 4th and 5th KoNEHS (Korean National Environmental Health Survey) reference values of 64.60 μg/g creatinine and 5.02 μg/g creatinine, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The western region of Busan showed a higher average concentration of PM10 fine dust and the results of the resident monitoring survey were higher than the nationwide average value. Continuous monitoring for the western region is needed to establish a foundation for efforts to reduce fine dust and to monitor the health impacts on the residents.

Protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) in aleurone cells coalesce during germination, and this process is highly coupled with mobilization of PSV reserves, allowing de novo synthesis of various hydrolases in aleurone cells for endosperm degradation. Here we show that in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) oleosins, the major integral proteins of oleosomes are encoded by four genes (HvOle1 to 4), and the expression of HvOle1 and HvOle3 is strongly up-regulated by abscisic acid (ABA), which shows antagonism to gibberellic acid. In aleurone cells, all HvOLEs were subcellularly targeted to the tonoplast of PSVs. Gain-of-function analyses revealed that HvOLE3 effectively delayed PSV coalescence, whereas HvOLE1 only had a moderate effect, with no notable effect of HvOLE2 and 4. With regard to longevity, HvOLE3 chiefly outperformed other HvOLEs, followed by HvOLE1. Experiments swapping the N- and C-terminal domain between HvOLE3 and other HvOLEs showed that the N-terminal region of HvOLE3 is mainly responsible, with some positive effect by the C-terminal region, for mediating the specific preventive effect of HvOLE3 on PSV coalescence. Three ACGT-core elements and the RY-motif were responsible for ABA induction of HvOle3 promoter activity. Transient expression assays using aleurone protoplasts demonstrated that transcriptional activation of the HvOle3 promoter was mediated by transcription factors HvABI3 and HvABI5, which acted downstream of protein kinase HvPKABA1.

Fragilariopsis cylindrus is one of the most successful psychrophiles in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the molecular mechanism of biomineralization in this species, we attempted to synchronize F. cylindrus growth, since new cell wall formation is tightly coupled to the cell division process. Nutrient limitation analysis showed that F. cylindrus cultures rapidly stopped growing when deprived of silicate or light, while growth continued to a certain extent in the absence of nitrate. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that deprivation of either silicate or light could effectively arrest the cell cycle of this diatom species at the G1 phase, suggesting that synchrony can be established using either factor. Fluorescence labeling of new cell walls was faintly detectable as early as approximately 6 h after silicon repletion or light irradiation, and labeling was markedly intensified by 18 h. It is revealed that the synthesis of girdle bands begins before valve synthesis in this species, with active valve synthesis occurring during the G2 / M phase. Expression profiling revealed that selective member(s) of the F. cylindrus SIT genes (FcSIT) respond to silicate and light, with a different set of genes being responsive to each factor. The Si / light double depletion experiments demonstrated that expression of one FcSIT gene is possibly correlated to transition to G2 / M phase of the cell cycle, when the valve is actively formed.

Rupesh Tayade, TienDung Nguyen, Sung Aeong Oh, Yong Sik Hwang, In Sun Yoon, Rupesh Deshmuk, Ki-Hong Jung, and Soon Ki Park. Plant Breeding and Biotechnology 2018;6:1-18. https://doi.org/10.9787/PBB.2018.6.1.1