• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1581-1590
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• 2009

Hizikia fusiforme is a kind of brown edible seaweed that mainly grows in the temperate seaside areas of the northwest pacific, including Korea, Japan and China, and has been widely used as a health food for hundreds of years. Recently, H. fusiforme has been known to exert pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticoagulant activities. However, the molecular mechanisms of H. fusiforme in malignant cells have not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of ethyl alcohol extract of H. fusiforme (EAHF) on the anti-proliferative effects of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were investigated. EAHF treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent growth inhibition by including apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells and G1 phase arrest in MCF-7 cells, which could be proved by MTT assay, DAPI staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis. In MDA-MB-231 cells, the increase in apoptosis induced by EAHF treatment correlated with up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. EAHF treatment induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and a concomitant inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, $\beta$-catenin, phospholipase-${\gamma}1$ protein and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase. Taken together, these findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of H. fusiforme.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.281-291
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• 2014

In March to August 2013, the emission of gases ($CH_4$, VOC, $CO_2$, $O_2$, and LEL) was measured three times from the intertidal flat sediments at Sogeun-ri, Taean-gun, in the Mid-western seashore of Korea by using chamber method. After analyzing gas emission concentrations inside of flux enclosure chamber by using a GC equipped with Agilent 6890. The gas emission fluxes were calculated from a linear regression of the changes in the concentrations with time. The ranges of gas flux during the experimental period were $+0.06{\sim}+0.60mg/m^2/hr$ for $CH_4$, $+58.45{\sim}+95.58mg/m^2/hr$ for $CO_2$, $-0.02{\sim}-0.20mg/m^2/hr$ for $O_2$, and $-0.60{\sim}+0.65mg/m^2/hr$ for VOC, respectively. The flux measurement results revealed that $CH_4$ fluxes during March in the relatively low sediment temperature ($14.5^{\circ}C$) were significantly higher ($+0.60mg/m^2/hr$) than during June and August ($+0.06{\sim}+0.18mg/m^2/hr$) in high sediment temperature ($32.0{\sim}36.8^{\circ}C$). $CH_4$ flux to mean size of sediments and temperature of inner chamber exhibited strong positive correlation ($R^2=-0.97$ and $R^2=-0.89$, respectively).

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.269-289
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• 2010

In Summer 2008, a multidisciplinary survey was conducted onboard R/V Haeyang 2000 to understand plankton response to the three distinct physico-chemical settings that developed in the Ulleung Basin of the East Sea. Baseline settings of hydrographic conditions included the presence of the thin (<20 m) Tsushima Surface Water (TSW) on top of the Tsushima Middle Water (TMW). It extends from the Korea Strait to $37^{\circ}N$ along the $130^{\circ}E$ and then turns offshore and encompasses the relatively saline (T>$26^{\circ}C$, S>33.7) Ulleung Warm Eddy surface water centered at $36.5^{\circ}N$ and $131^{\circ}E$. A relatively colder and saline water mass appeared off the southeastern coast of Korea. It was accompanied by higher nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations, suggesting a coastal upwelling. Most of the offshore surface waters support low phytoplankton biomass (0.3 mg chl-a $m^{-3}$). A much denser phytoplankton biomass (1-2.3 mg $m^{-3}$) accumulated at the subsurface layer between 20-50 m depth. The subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum (SCM) layer was closely related to the nutricline, suggesting an active growth of phytoplankton at depth. The SCM developed at shallow depth (20-30 m) near the coast and deepened offshore (50-60 m). A fucoxanthin/zeaxanthin ratio was high in coastal waters while it was low in offshore waters, which indicated that diatoms dominate coastal waters while cyanobacteria dominate offshore waters. The community structure and biomass of phytoplanktonare closely related to nitrogen availability. Zooplankton biomass was higher in the coastal region than in the offshore region while species richness showed an opposite trend. Zooplankton community structure retained a coastal/offshore contrast. These suggest that summer hydrography is a stable structure, lasting long enough to allow a hydrography-specific plankton community to evolve.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.535-548
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• 1994

Community structures and fish densit were investigated on three different types of artificial reefs, dice, turtle artificial reef and tubes, constructed in the Korean waters. Variations of fish fauna according to type of artificial reef and the proper artificial reef in each area for optimizing harvest were discussed. Fish were captured by trammel gill net during May, June, September and November, 1988 and both identified and counted. Fourty-five fish species were found in the artificial reefs. Of these, Sebastes spp., Hexagrammos otakii, Pleuronectidae, Navodon modestus and Stephanolepis cirrhifer showed high occurrence-frequency. The dominant species groups were coastal settlement, demersal or rock fishes such as Pleuronectidae, Rajiformes, Stephanolepis cirrhifer, Navodon modestus, Hexagrammos otakii and Sebastes spp. in all of the Artificial reefs except the oceanic area of southern waters. Scomber japonicus was predominant in the oceanic area of southern waters. Composition of demersal, rock and pelagic fishes were different depending on the types of artificial reef. Dice artificial reefs were occupied by rock fish, on the other hand turtle artificial reefs were dominated by dermersal fish. Fish density was high at the dice artificial reef in all survey areas except the middle area of Eastern waters, with high fish density evident in the Tube artificial reef. Fish community structures were remarkably different between Dice and Turtle artificial reefs. The Tube artificial reef showed intermediate characteristics between the above two types of artificial reefs. The coastal areas of Southern waters and the middle and southern areas of Western waters revealed similar fish fauna. Results from the oceanic areas of Southern waters were well associated with the middle and southern areas of Eastern waters.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.720-728
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• 2001

Cercaria yamagutii Ito, 1957 (C. yamagutii) was found in Lunatia fortuni (L. fortuni) and Neverita didyma (N. didyma) collected from the tideland of Sim-po located at the estuary of the Mankyong River, Chonbuk. It was finally confirmed that the parasite is Acanthoparyphium tyosenense Yamaguti, 1939 (A. tyosenense) and its life history was clarified in this study. Mactra veneriformis (M. veneriformis) was artificially infected with C. yamagutii isolated from L. fortuni and N. didyma. It began to intrude into M. veneriformis through the inhalent canal. Five hours after infection, the tails of the cercaria began to be separated from the main body and the cercaria started to form cysts. Mature cysts were formed 340 hours (14 days) after infection. The cysts were $300\sim360{\mu}m$ in diameter and the encysted metacercarias were $790\sim800\times300\sim310{\mu}m$ in size. The metacercarias were administered orally to Larus crassiostris (L. crassiostris), and adult worms of $84.5\sim112.5\times55\sim65{\mu}m$ were found full of eggs with $2.20\~3.70$ mm long and $0.40\~0.59$ mm wide after 10 days. In a field study, it was observed that the infection rate of A. tyosenense is $99.5\%$ in M. venerifomis, $76.3\%$ Solen strictus (S. strictus), and $37\%$ Ruditapes philippinarum (R. philippinarum), No difference was found among different host sizes, It was concluded that the first intermediate hosts of A. tyosenense Yamaguti were L. fortuni, N. didyma, Tympanotonus microptera, Cerithidea (Cerithidea) largillierti, Cerithidea (Cerideopsilloa) cingulata, the second intermediate hosts M. venerifomis, S. strictus and R. philippinamn, and the final hosts L. crassiostris and Melanitta fusca stejnegeri.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.691-696
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• 2001

The first bloom of Cochlodinium polykrikoides was observed in the estuary of Nak-dong river near Pusan in Korea in 1982. Since then, there have been irregular blooms, sometimes spread over the adjoining .to Jinhae Bay even though it was confined to the bay and its vicinites until 1988. It had been outbroken frequently in the adjacent to Tongyeong, Geoje, Namhae and Yeosu coast since 1989. It became widespread along the coast of the South Sea to the East Sea of Korea in 1995. And in October in 1998 and 1999, the bloom had been taken place in Kunsan coast of Yellow Sea. According to the observations in situ, the frequency of occurrence has been increased year by year. The prevailing bloom season was from July to October with peak in September. The duration of the bloom became longer with the year, and sometimes lasted more than one month. The density of the bloom did not exceed 5,000 cells $mL^{-1}$until 1991, but it increased year by year to the highest of 43,000 cells $mL^{-1}$ in 1999. With respect to the assembleges of species in dinoflagellate blooms, C. polykrikoides was one of the important species with diatoms and the other dinoflagellates in 1980s. But since then, C. polykrikoides made an almost monospecific bloom. Based on two decadal observations of C. polykrikoides blooms, it became widespread throughout whole coast of the Korea, persistent for about one or two month long in some year, and monospecisc high density blooms. It was reported that significant fish mortalities were caused by this harmful dinoflagellate blooms especially in the fishfarms accomodating intensive fish cages such as Tongyeong, Namhae-do, Geoje, Yeosu and Geomun-do fishfarming yards. This widespread and persistent harmful algal blooms impede the development of marine aquaculture industries.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Genomic DNA isolated from two geographical populations of pond-smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis) was amplified for RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis. The populations were obtained from Chungju (CJ), in the inland area, and Dangjin (DJ), in the vicinity of the West Sea in Korea. Seven arbitrarily selected primers, OPB-06, OPB-10, OPB-13, OPB-17, OPC-09, OPC-17 and OPC-20, were used to generate the shared loci, polymorphic, and specific loci. Three hundred and eighty-three loci observed per primer were identified in the CJ population, and 287 were identified in the DJ population. Among them, 91 polymorphic loci or 23.8% were polymorphic in the CJ population, and 47 (16.4%) in the DJ population. The number of shared loci observed was 198 in the CJ population and 176 in the DJ population. Forty-four and 75 specific loci were detected in the CJ and DJ populations, respectively. Especially, 99 numbers of shared loci by the two populations, with an average of 14.1 per primer, were observed in the two pond-smelt populations. The average bandsharing value between the two geographical pond-smelt populations was $0.700{\pm}0.008$, ranging from 0.600 to 0.846. Compared separately, the bandsharing value of individuals within the CJ population was higher than that of the DJ population. The dendrogram obtained using the data from the seven primers indicated three genetic clusters: cluster 1, CJ 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, and 11; cluster 2, DJ 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, and 09; and cluster 3, DJ 10 and 11. The genetic distance between the two geographical populations ranged from 0.040 to 0.545. Thus, RAPD-PCR analysis revealed a significant genetic distance between the two pond-smelt populations.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.850-857
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• 2015

This study was aimed to identify the characteristics of nest and breeding site conditions of Chinese Egret (Egretta europhotes) that breed in the uninhabited islets of the western coast of South Korea. It is expected that the information collected through this study can contribute to providing basic information required when building and managing artificial nests in their natural breeding habitats. Chinese Egrets make their nests in the shrub layers of Long Leaf Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus macrophylla), Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica), and Baby Brier (Rosa multiflora). A total of 50 breeding nests of Chinese Egret were investigated in June and July 2013, with area-wise distribution as follows: Seomando (11 nests), Hwangseodo (14 nests), Mokdo (10 nests), and Napdaekiseom (15 nests). Vegetation coverage (cover, %), height from the ground to the top (height, cm), thickness from top to bottom of the nest (thickness, cm), reuse period, major axis (cm), minor axis (cm), and depth (cm) of each nest were measured. According to the results of the study on the nest characteristics of 4 breeding groups, the nests in Hwangseodo had the highest coverage, the nests in Mokdo were built in the highest places, the nests in Napdaekiseom showed the longest reuse period, and the nests in Mokdo had the greatest depth. The differences in height and reuse period were significant between Mokdo and Napdaekiseom. Moreover, there were significant differences in reuse period and depth between Seomando and Hwangseodo. There were significant differences in cover, minor axis, and depth between breeding groups that built nests on Arrow Bamboo (Mokdo and Napdaekiseom) and Baby Brier (Seomando and Hwangseodo). Nest characteristics of Chinese Egret were generally similar, while some variables showed different values for different breeding groups.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.327-338
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• 2001

In this study, the short-term variability of methane concentrations were investigated over 24-hr scale. The data obtained form the Moo-Ahn (MAN) station located in the western coastal area of Korea were analyzed from various respects to describe its distribution characteristics over short term scale. The MAN data were compared with those obtained from the two major background observatory sites: Point Barrow (Alaska) and Mauna Loa (Hawaii). The mean concentration of methane for the whole study period, when computed using the daily mean values, was found to be 1898${\pm}$85.3ppb (N=812). The mean values for the two comparable sites were observed to be 1832${\pm}$29.6ppb (N=823) for Point Barrow and 1745${\pm}$14.8ppb (N=818) for Mauna Loa. According to the analysis of frequency distribution. the mode value for the MAN area is found to be 1900ppb, but the mean concentration for Point Barrow and Mauna Loa are shown to have relatively low values of 1850 and 1750ppb, respectively. When examined over diurnal scale, the CH$_4$data for the MAN area exhibit a rather consistent trend; CH$_4$level is low during the daytime (after 6:00 A.M) and rises during the nighttime. The findings of the generally enhanced methane concentration in the MAN station may be explained form various respects. One of the most important reasons is that the MAN area is under the influence of various source processes relative to all the other stations under consideration. The short-term distribution patterns for the MAN station are hence characterized not only by the high methane concentration but also by the high oscillation in its CH$_4$concentration level.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2009

Shrimp farming which is entirely conducted in outdoor ponds in the west coast of Korea has been suffered from mass mortality due to viral epizootics. Intensive indoor shrimp culture under limited water exchange can solve these problems of outdoor ponds including viral transmission from environment, pollution due to discharge of rearing water, low productivity and limited culture period. In this study, juvenile L. vannamei (B.W. 0.08-0.09 g) was stocked with $3,000-5,455/m^3$ in density in four raceway tanks (two $12.9\;m^2$, two $18\;m^2$ tanks) and cultured for 42 days with 2.7-3.4% of daily water exchange. Results from four tanks showed FCR of 0.79-1.29, survival of 38.2-48.0%, and yields of $2.49-4.22\;kg/m^3$ which is consistent with 12-20 and 8-14 times higher than those of commercial shrimp hatchery and outdoor pond in Korea, respectively. Concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen in all four tanks were 1.11-1.42 ppm in mean level and did not exceed 6.0 ppm (0.096 ppm of $NH_3$) which is still acceptable levels for shrimp growth. During the culture trial, concentration of $NO_2$-N rapidly increased from stocking, resulting in mean concentration of 18.45-22.07 ppm. It also exceeded 10 ppm over four weeks and maintained at 35-45 ppm for four days in all tanks, accounting for low survival of shrimp due to long-term exposure to high concentration of $NO_2$-N. Nevertheless, the results with survival rate over 38% from raceways which experienced the extreme $NO_2$-N levels suggests that under "biofloc system" white shrimp can acclimate to high $NO_2$-N concentration to some degree.