• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.287-297
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• 2021

Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc. is traditionally used as an edible and medicinal plant in many countries in East Asia. Previous studies have shown the pharmacological potential of extracts and components of C. officinalis, but comparative analysis of the composition of the leaf, stem, and fruit extracts has been insufficient to date. In the present study, the content of active antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients was verified in different C. officinalis parts (under-ripe sansuyu, ripe sansuyu, seed, leaf, stem, and dried sansuyu). One active component, morroniside, was high in fruit (under-ripe and ripe sansuyu), while loganin was high in fruit (under-ripe sansuyu) and cornin was high in seeds. Total polyphenol contents were highest in fruit (ripe sansuyu) and flavonoids were highest in leaves. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in leaves, followed by seeds and then ripe sansuyu extract. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of leaf extracts of C. officinalis (LCO) was further investigated by measuring their effects on levels of nitric oxide (NO) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of LCO effectively decreased the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of inducible NO synthase, resulting in decreased NO production. LCO also significantly suppressed LPS-induced production and expression of IL-1β and IL-6. Taken together, the present findings suggest that C. officinalis leaves have potential as natural materials for the development of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2021

Heterotrimeric kinesin-2 is a molecular motor protein of the kinesin superfamily (KIF) that moves along a microtubule plus-end directed motor protein. It consists of three different motor subunits (KIF3A, KIF3B, and KIF3C) and a kinesin-associated protein 3 (KAP3) that form a heterotrimeric complex. Heterotrimeric kinesin-2 interacts with many different binding proteins through the cargo-binding domain of the KIF3s. The activity of heterotrimeric kinesin-2 is regulated to ensure that the cargo is directed to the right place at the right time. How this regulation occurs, however, remains in question. To identify the regulatory proteins for heterotrimeric kinesin-2, we performed yeast two-hybrid screening and found a specific interaction with creatine kinase B (CKB), which is the brain isoform of cytosolic creatine kinase enzyme. CKB bound to the cargo-binding domain of KIF3A but did not interact with the KIF3B, KIF5B, or KAP3 in the yeast two-hybrid assay. The carboxyl (C)-terminal region of CKB is essential for the interaction with KIF3A. Another protein kinase, CaMKIIa, interacted with KIF3A, but GSK3a did not interact with KIF3A in the yeast two-hybrid assay. KIF3A interacted with GST-CKB-C but not with GSK-CKB-N or GST alone. When co-expressed in HEK-293T cells, CKB co-localized with KIF3A and co-immunoprecipitated with KIF3A and KIF3B but not KIF5B. These results suggest that the CKB-KIF3A interaction may regulate the cargo transport of heterotrimeric kinesin-2 under energy-compromised conditions in cells.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2021

In the Arctic Ocean, the distribution of sea ice and ice sheets changes as climate changes. Because the distribution of ice cover influences the mineral composition of marine sediments, studying marine sediments transported by sea ice or iceberg is very important to understand the global climate change. This study analyzes marine sediment samples collected from the Arctic Ocean and infers the provenance of the sediments to reconstruct the paleoenvironment changes of the western Arctic. The analyzed samples include four gravity cores collected from the Araon mound in the Chukchi Plateau and one gravity core collected from the slope between the Araon mounds. The core sediments were brown, gray, and greenish gray, each of which corresponds to the characteristic color of sediments deposited during the interglacial/glacial cycle in the western Arctic Ocean. We divide the core sediments into three units based on the analysis of bulk mineral composition, clay mineral composition, and Ice Rafted Debris (IRD) as well as comparison with previous study results. Unit 3 sediments, deposited during the last glacial maximum, were transported by sea ice and currents after the sediments of the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers were deposited on the continental shelf of the East Siberian Sea. Unit 2 sediments, deposited during the deglacial period, were from the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers flowing into the East Siberian Sea as well as from the Mackenzie River and the Canadian Archipelago flowing into the Beaufort Sea. Unit 2 sediments also contained an extensive amount of IRD, which originated from the melted Laurentide Ice Sheet. During the interglacial stage, fine-grained sediments of Unit 1 were transported by sea ice and currents from Northern Canada and the East Siberian Sea, but coarse-grained sediments were derived by sea ice from the Canadian Archipelago.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of Stewartia koreana as oral healthcare materials. The antibacterial activity of ethanol extracts from leaves and branches of S. koreana against oral bacteria was confirmed. The leaf and branch extracts (1 mg/disc) showed antibacterial activity against P. gingivalis only among several tested oral bacteria. The leaf extracts showed higher antibacterial activity, with values similar to those of chlorhexidine, which was used as a positive control. The MIC of the leaf extract against P. gingivalis was 0.4 mg/ml and showed bacteriostatic action. The inhibitory effects of the extract on biofilm formation and on gene expression related to biofilm formation by P. gingivalis were determined by biofilm biomass staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and qRT-PCR analysis. The biofilm production rate and cell growth of P. gingivalis in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml of S. koreana leaf extracts were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on the formation of P. gingivalis biofilms at concentrations of 1 mg/ml was confirmed by SEM. The qRT-PCR analysis showed concentration-dependent suppression of the fimA and fimB gene expression associated with fimbriae formation in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml S. koreana leaf extract. These results support the conclusion that S. koreana leaf extracts can be used as oral healthcare materials derived from natural materials, as demonstrated by the antibacterial action and inhibition of biofilm formation of P. gingivalis.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2020

Objectives : Although the seasonality of suicide is a well-known phenomenon, little is reported about the seasonality of non-suicidal self-injury. The purpose of this study was to identify the seasonality of wristcutting behavior and to examine its relationship with meteorological factors. Methods : To identify the presence of seasonality, we investigated whether there was a difference in the average number of visits per month to an emergency room (ER) of an urban hospital for 226 patients with wrist-cutting behavior enrolled between December 2014 and May 2019. To ascertain significant meteorological factors, we used the multiple Poisson regression using generalized additive model with time, monthly temperature, monthly sunshine hour, and atmospheric pressure in the prior month as explanatory variables. Results : In males, the average number of monthly visits to the ER for wrist cutting behavior differed by month and was the highest in September (male : p=0.048, female : p=0.21, total : p=0.28). As a result of multiple regression analysis, the average number of patients admitted to the ER for wrist cutting behavior was related to the interaction between atmospheric pressure in the prior month and temperature in males (p=0.010), and showed a positive correlation with sunlight in females [p=0.044, β=4.70×10-3, 95% CI=(1.19×10-4, 9.27×10-3)]. Conclusions : Wrist cutting behavior shows seasonality in male, which is associated with changes in meteorological variables.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2021

The biological activities of non-edible extracts of asparagus stems and roots were investigated using hot water and ethanol. The highest contents of rutin and total polyphenol were 31.74 mg/g and 20.14 mg GAE/g, respectively, in the stem hot water extract. ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities were 541.1±21.0 and 649.5±6.6 ㎍/mL, respectively, in stem hot water extract. All extracts were non-cytotoxic in HepG2 cells, but 200 ㎍/mL stem extracts tended to decrease the viability of RAW 264.7 cells. The highest xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity was 43.68% in the root hot water extract at 200 ㎍/mL. The expression level of MMP-9 was significantly decreased in the asparagus extracts. The highest GGT, AST, and LDH activities showed a concentration-dependent decrease in the stem ethanol extract. In conclusion, the presence of bioactive substances in the non-edible extracts of asparagus was confirmed for the development of extracts with antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti-gout activities.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.136-149
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• 2020

It is generally believed that Douglas Fir timber imported from North America is used in repair work for Korean wooden heritage sites due to an insufficient supply of extra-large sized Korean pine timber. Based on this understanding in the cultural heritage repair field, Cultural Heritage Repair Business Entities ("CHRBE") prefer North American Douglas Fir timber which is more easily acquired on the market than large Korean pine timber. However, if CHRBE use large quantities of foreign-origin wood in the heritage repair field, this presents the threat of negative domestic impacts on cultural heritage such as breaching the preservation principal and ultimately weakening material authenticity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the current supply status of large Korean pine timber through examination of existing research, interviews with experts engaged in CHRBE, and timber mills. With this information, the authors seek to identify whether the market supply of large Korean pine timber is indeed insufficient or not. In addition to this, this paper identifies the reasons why large Korean pine timber is not widely used if such timber supply is actually sufficient. In order to propose suggestions regarding the issues above, the authors study the distribution channel for large Korean pine timber and the price spectrum of this timber through examination of price information from the public agencies under the Korea Forest Service, research papers from the Cultural Heritage Administration, and estimation documents from timber mills. This paper also identifies two main opinions about why Korean timber has not been commonly used in the Korean heritage repair field. The first opinion is that the supply of large Korean pine timber really is insufficient in Korea. However, the second opinion is that it is hardly used due to inappropriateness of the government's procurement and estimation system, despite the fact that the supply of the timbers on the market is actually sufficient. Through the aforementioned research, this paper comes to the conclusion that the second opinion has strong grounds in many aspects. In terms of suggestions, alternative routes are proposed to stimulate the use of large Korean pine timber via supply by the 'Korea Foundation for Traditional Architecture and Technology' and surveys of the price spectrum of the timber, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.23-43
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• 2021

In this study, we selected two essential oils, Citrus unshiu and Cinnamomum cassia with superior antioxidant effects from the essential oils of 7 wild plants in South Korea and examined their antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, which causes dermatitis to identify the antimicrobial components in the essential oils. As a result of measuring DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, SC50 value of the Citrus unshiu essential oil was 0.010 mg/mL, while for the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil, SC50 value was 0.09 mg/mL. In addition, when ABTS (2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity was measured, SC50 value of the Citrus unshiu essential oil was 0.09 mg/mL, while for the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil, it was 0.06 mg/mL, exhibiting high antioxidant activity. For the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the essential oil of Cinnamomum cassia was 1.25 mg/mL and that of Citrus unshiu was 5 mg/mL, demonstrating a high antimicrobial activity of the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil. Through the thin layer chromatography (TLC) bioassay, we assessed the antimicrobial activity against C. albicans according to the fraction components of the two essential oils. Also, by using preparative TLC (prep. TLC), we obtained the active fractions, and by performing GC/MS analysis of the components with the same Rf value, we identified the antimicrobial-active components. As a result, the main components having antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were cinnamyl acetate, eucalyptol, linalool, and citral of the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil and linalool from the Citrus unshiu essential oil. Also, based on the analysis of the fractional components that showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in both of the two essential oils, it was found that linalool has antioxidant activity, while cinnamyl acetate, eucalyptol, citral, and geranyl acetate have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.126-134
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• 2020

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors and related factors in patients with cancer and their caregivers. Methods : 182 patients and 114 caregivers were recruited. Distress Thermometer and Problem List and scale ranging 0~10 measuring the degree of needs for return-to-work support were utilized. The needs for return-to-work support between the patient group and caregiver group (patient's needs evaluated by the caregiver) were compared, and related factors were investigated using logistic regression analysis. Results : 34.6% and 28.1% of patients and caregivers reported return-to-work support of cancer survivors is "very necessary". The degree of needs was 6.60±3.365 points in the patient group and 6.17±3.454 points in the caregiver group, with no significant difference (p=0.282). The needs for return-to-work support evaluated by patients was high when they underwent surgery (OR=2.592, p=0.007), has fertility problems (OR=6.137, p=0.025), has appearance problems (OR=2.081, p=0.041), or has fatigue (OR=2.330, p=0.020). The needs for return-to-work support of patients evaluated by caregivers was high when patients treated with breast cancer (vs respiratory cancer, OR=13.038, p=0.022 ; vs leukemia/lymphoma, OR=4.517, p=0.025 ; vs other cancer, OR=13.102, p=0.019), has work/school problems (OR=4.578, p=0.005), or has depression (OR=3.213, p=0.022). Conclusions : The degree of needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors was high, and factors related to the needs were different between the two groups. This suggests that return-to-work support of cancer survivors is required, and clinical characteristics, the distress of patients, and differences between patients and their caregivers should be considered in establishing a support plan.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.77-85
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• 2020

This study analyzes the effects of mixed fermented organic fertilizer on chinese cabbage growth and soil properties in order to investigate the nutritional effects of organic fertilizers, which are developed as an alternative fertilizer for imported castor oil cake. In this study, four treatments were set up: 100% and 200% rate of nitrogen application (320 kg ha-1 for Chinese cabbage) on mixed fermented organic fertilizer A(FA) and mixed fermented organic fertilizer B(FB), respectively, 100% rates of the mixed expeller cake (MEC) fertilizer, and the untreated control. Results revealed that the growth and yield of Chinese cabbage increased as more fermented organic fertilizer was used. However, while there were no significant differences in growth characteristics between treatments of 100% rate of mixed fermented organic fertilizer and 100% rate of MEC, the impacts on yields resulted similar. The nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of Chinese cabbage was measured a range of 20-31% depending on the response to treatment. The 100% FA showed the same as NUE and nitrogen absorption with 100% rate of MEC. Regarding soil properties after cultivation, there were no significant differences among the effects of fertilizers in pH, EC, soil organic matter, and available phosphate. However, the content of exchangeable cations(K, Ca, Mg) was higher in areas treated with mixed fermented organic fertilizer than in untreated areas. Furthermore, the bacterial population density in the soil was higher in areas treated with mixed fermented organic fertilizer than in untreated areas and increased as more mixed fermented organic fertilizer was used. There were no significant differences in the population density of actinomycetes and fungi when fertilizer was applied to the soil. These results also show that FA, as a alternative organic fertilizer for imported castor oil cake, has similar nutritional effects as that of MEC. Therefore, further research the appropriate amounts of fertilizer is required to achieve economical and eco-friendly nutrient management.