• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.625-639
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• 2019

Microplastics are one of the substances threatening the marine ecosystem. Here, we summarize the status of research on the effect of microplastics on marine life and suggest future research directions. Microplastics are synthetic polymeric compounds smaller than 5 mm and these materials released into the environment are not only physically small but do not decompose over time. Thus, they accumulate extensively on land, from the coast to the sea, and from the surface to the deep sea. Microplastic can be ingested and accumulated in marine life. Furthermore, the elution of chemicals added to plastic represents another risk. Microplastics accumulated in the ocean affect the growth, development, behavior, reproduction, and death of marine life. However, the properties of microplastics vary widely in size, material, shape, and other aspects and toxicity tests conducted on several properties of microplastics cannot represent the hazards of all other microplastics. It is necessary to evaluate the risks according to the types of microplastic, but due to their variety and the lack of uniformity in research results, it is difficult to compare and analyze the results of previous studies. Therefore, it is necessary to derive a standard test method to estimate the biological risk from different types of microplastics. In addition, while most of the previous studies were conducted mostly on spheres for the convenience of the experiments, they do not properly reflect the reality that fibers and fragments are the main forms of microplastics in the marine environment and in fish and shellfish. Furthermore, studies have been conducted on additives and POPs (persistent organic pollutants) in plastics, but little is known about their toxic effects on the body. The effects of microplastics on the marine ecosystems and humans could be identified in more detail if standard testing methods are developed, microplastics in the form of fibers and fragments rather than spheres are tested, and additives and POPs are analyzed. These investigations will allow us to identify the impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems and humans in more detail.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.71-83
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• 2001

Laminin, a kind of multidomain glycoproteins, is mainly localized in the basement membranes of various tissues. It is known that laminin plays an important part in mammalian lung morphogenesis. The authors have undertaken this study to investigate the changes in the distribution of laminin, and to find out cells which synthesize laminin during the organogenesis and differentiation of the lung. The fetal and neoantal rats (Sprague-Dawley strain) were used as experimental animals. The immunohisto-chemical methods were employed for detection of laminin within the developing lung tissue and the immunegold cytochemical methods were performed for detection of cells which synthesize laminin according to each stage of development. The results are as follows; 1. During fetal life, strong immunoreactivity for laminin is maintained in the basement membranes of the blood vessels and the bronchioles, the extracellular matrix of the mesenchyme, and basal lamina of the alveolar septum in the fetal rat lung. 2. After birth, laminin immunoreactivity at the alveolar septum is gradually reduced. 3. During fetal life, laminin is mainly detected within the cytoplasm of the mesenchymal cells, the endothelial cells of blood vessels and the fibroblasts in fetal rat lung. 4. According to the differentiation of type I and type II pneumocyte after birth, laminin is detected within cytoplasm of the type I pneumocytes, type II pneumocytes and fibroblasts. It is consequently suggested that laminin is largely expressed in the developing lung and laminin may be also synthesized by the type II pneumonocytes at early newborn stages.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 1997

In the system $MgO-SiO_2-H_2O$, Talc[$Mg_3Si_4O_{10}(OH)_2$] has been synthesized hydrothermally at 200 MPa, $600^{\circ}C$ from the oxide mixture of the bulk composition of talc. The oxide mixture of the bulk composition of anthophyllite$[Mg_7Si_8O_{22}(OH)2]$ converted to talc, enstatite $(MgSiO_3)$, quartz at 200 MPa, $750^{\circ}C$ with excess of $H_2O$. In low to medium pressure metramorphism, enstatite-talc assemblage is metastable relative to anthophyllite with the reaction talc + 4 enstatite=anthophyllite (Greenwood, 1963). The high temperature stability of talc is bounded with the dehydration reaction to anthophyllite rather than that to enstatite(Greenwood, 1963; Chernosky et al., 1985). Therefore our experiment result assemblage, enstatite-talc-quatz at 200 MPa, $750^{\circ}C$ from oxide mixture of bulk compostion of anthophyllite is metastable assemblage. The hydrothermal experiment performed at 41 to 243 MPa, 680 to $760^{\circ}C$ with the starting material composed of synthetic talc, enstatite and quartz. Talc or enstatite grows during the runs and no extra phases including anthophyllite nucleated. Based on the increase or decrease of the each phase from run products, one of the possible reactions is talc=3 enstatite+quartz+H_2O$. The reversal bracket of the reaction is 699 to $700^{\circ}C$ at 100 MPa. Talc is stable up to $740^{\circ}C$ at 200 MPa and enstatite grow at $680^{\circ}C$, 40 MPa and at $760^{\circ}C$, 250 MPa. Though the high temperature limit of talc around 200 MPa is bounded thermodynamically by the reaction, 7 talc=3 anthophyllite+4 quartz+4 H_2O$, talc persisted throughout the previous reaction up to the reaction, talc=3 enstatite+quartz+$H_2O$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.650-658
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• 2006

The recycling of TDA from solid waste of TDI plant(TDI-R) by near-critical hydrolysis reaction had been studied by means of a statistical design of experiment. The main and interaction effects of process variables had been defined from the experiments in a batch reactor and the correlation equation with process variables for TDA yield had been obtained from the experiments in a continuous pilot plant. It was confirmed that the effects of reaction temperature, catalyst type and concentration, and the weight ratio of water to TDI-R(WR) on TDA yield were significant. TDA yield decreased with increases in reaction temperature and catalyst concentration, and increased with an increase in WR. As a catalyst, NaOH was more effective than $Na_2CO_3$ for TDA yield. The interaction effects between catalyst concentration and temperature, WR and temperature, catalyst type and reaction time on TDA yield had been defined as significant. Although the effect of catalyst concentration on TDA yield at $300^{\circ}C$ as subcritical water was insignificant, the TDA yield decreased with increasing catalyst concentration at $400^{\circ}C$ as supercritical water. On the other hand, the yield increased with an increase in WR at $300^{\circ}C$ but showed negligible effect with WR at $400^{\circ}C$. The optimization of process variables for TDA yield has been explored with a pilot plant for scale-up. The catalyst concentration and WR were selected as process variables with respect to economic feasibility and efficiency. The effects of process variables on TDA yield had been explored by means of central composite design. The TDA yield increased with an increase in catalyst concentration. It showed maximum value at below 2.5 of WR and then decreased with an increase in WR. However, the ratio at which the TDA yield showed a maximum value increased with increasing catalyst concentration. The correlation equation of a quadratic model with catalyst concentration and WR had been obtained by the regression analysis of experimental results in a pilot plant.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.659-668
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• 2006

The optimization of supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) process for decomposing nitromethane was studied by means of a design of experiments. The optimum operating region for the SCWO process to minimize COD and T-N of treated water was obtained in a lab scale unit. The authors had compared the results from a SCWO pilot plant with those from a lab scale system to explore the problems of scale-up of SCWO process. The COD and T-N in treated waters were selected as key process output variables (KPOV) for optimization, and the reaction temperature (Temp) and the mole ratio of nitromethane to ammonium hydroxide (NAR) were selected as key process input variables (KPIV) through the preliminary tests. The central composite design as a statistical design of experiments was applied to the optimization, and the experimental results were analyzed by means of the response surface method. From the main effects analysis, it was declared that COD of treated water steeply decreased with increasing Temp but slightly decreased with an increase in NAR, and T-N decreased with increasing both Temp and NAR. At lower Temp as $420{\sim}430^{\circ}C$, the T-N steeply decreased with an increase in NAR, however its variation was negligible at higher Temp above $450^{\circ}C$. The regression equations for COD and T-N were obtained as quadratic models with coded Temp and NAR, and they were confirmed with coefficient of determination ($r^2$) and normality of standardized residuals. The optimum operating region was defined as Temp $450-460^{\circ}C$ and NAR 1.03-1.08 by the intersection area of COD < 2 mg/L and T-N < 40 mg/L with regression equations and considering corrosion prevention. To confirm the optimization results and investigate the scale-up problems of SCWO process, the nitromethane was decomposed in a pilot plant. The experimental results from a SCWO pilot plant were compared with regression equations of COD and T-N, respectively. The results of COD and T-N from a pilot plant could be predicted well with regression equations which were derived in a lab scale SCWO system, although the errors of pilot plant data were larger than lab ones. The predictabilities were confirmed by the parity plots and the normality analyses of standardized residuals.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2018

A cold-active and alkaline serine protease (Pro21717) was partially purified from the Antarctic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas arctica PAMC 21717. On a zymogram gel containing skim milk, Pro21717 produced two distinct clear-zones of approximately 37 kDa (low intensity) and 74 kDa (high intensity). These were found to have identical N-terminal sequences, suggesting they arose from an identical precursor and that the 37 kDa protease might homodimerize to the more active 74 kDa form of the protein. Pro21717 displayed proteolytic activity at $0-40^{\circ}C$ (optimal temperature of $40^{\circ}C$) and maintained this activity at pH 5.0-10.0 (optimal pH of 9.0). Notably, relative activities of 30% and 45% were observed at $0^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$, respectively, in comparison to the 100% activity observed at $40^{\circ}C$, and this enzyme showed a broad substrate range against synthetic peptides with a preference for proline in the cleavage reaction. Pro21717 activity was enhanced by $Cu^{2+}$ and remained stable in the presence of detergent surfactants (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate and sodium dodecyl sulfate) and other chemical components ($Na_2SO_4$ and metal ions, such as $Ba^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$, $K^+$, and $Na^{2+}$), which are often included in commercial detergent formulations. These data indicate that the psychrophilic Pro21717 has properties comparable to the well-characterized mesophilic subtilisin Carlsberg, which is commercially produced by Novozymes as the trademark Alcalase. Thus it has the potential to be used as a new additive enzyme in laundry detergents that must work well in cold tap water below $15^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.103-134
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• 1977

The physiological and biochemical role of potassium for upland crops according to recent research reports and the nutritional status of potassium in Korea were reviewed. Since physical and chemical characteristics of potassium ion are different from those of sodium, potassium can not completely be replaced by sodium and replacement must be limited to minimum possible functional area. Specific roles of potassium seem to keep fine structure of biological membranes such as thylacoid membrane of chloroplast in the most efficient form and to be allosteric effector and conformation controller of various enzymes principally in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Potassium is essential to improve the efficiency of phoro- and oxidative- phosphorylation and involve deeply in all energy required metabolisms especially synthesis of organic matter and their translocation. Potassium has many important, physiological functions such as maintenance of osmotic pressure and optimum hydration of cell colloids, consequently uptake and translocation of water resulting in higher water use efficiency and of better subcellular environment for various physiological and biochemical activities. Potassium affects uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients and quality of products. potassium itself in products may become a quality criteria due to potassium essentiality for human beings. Potassium uptake is greatly decreased by low temperature and controlled by unknown feed back mechanism of potassium in plants. Thus the luxury absorption should be reconsidered. Total potassium content of upland soil in Korea is about 3% but the exchangeable one is about 0.3 me/100g soil. All upland crops require much potassium probably due to freezing and cold weather and also due to wet damage and drought caused by uneven rainfall pattern. In barley, potassium should be high at just before freezing and just after thawing and move into grain from heading for higher yield. Use efficiency of potassium was 27% for barley and 58% in old uplands, 46% in newly opened hilly lands for soybean. Soybean plant showed potassium deficiency symptom in various fields especially in newly opened hilly lands. Potassium criteria for normal growth appear 2% $K_2O$ and 1.0 K/(Ca+Mg) (content ratio) at flower bud initiation stage for soybean. Potassium requirement in plant was high in carrot, egg plant, chinese cabbage, red pepper, raddish and tomato. Potassium content in leaves was significantly correlated with yield in chinese cabbage. Sweet potato. greatly absorbed potassium subsequently affected potassium nutrition of the following crop. In the case of potassium deficiency, root showed the greatest difference in potassium content from that of normal indicating that deficiency damages root first. Potatoes and corn showed much higher potassium content in comparison with calcium and magnesium. Forage crops from ranges showed relatively high potassium content which was significantly and positively correlated with nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium content. Percentage of orchards (apple, pear, peach, grape, and orange) insufficient in potassium ranged from 16 to 25. The leaves and soils from the good apple and pear orchards showed higher potassium content than those from the poor ones. Critical ratio of $K_2O/(CaO+MgO)$ in mulberry leaves to escape from winter death of branch tip was 0.95. In the multiple croping system, exchangeable potassium in soils after one crop was affected by the previous crops and potassium uptake seemed to be related with soil organic matter providing soil moisture and aeration. Thus, the long term and quantitative investigation of various forms of potassium including total one are needed in relation to soil, weather and croping system. Potassium uptake and efficiency may be increased by topdressing, deep placement, slow-releasing or granular fertilizer application with the consideration of rainfall pattern. In all researches for nutritional explanation including potassium of crop yield reasonable and practicable nutritional indices will most easily be obtained through multifactor analysis.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 1975

The subject of this study deals with phase relations between stannite ($Cu_2FeSnS_4$) and sphalerite (${\beta}-ZnS$)/wurtzite (${\alpha}-ZnS$). The phase relations were systematically investigated from liquidus temperature to $400^{\circ}C$ under controlled conditions. ${\beta}-stannite$ (tetragonal) is stable up to $706{\pm}5^{\circ}C$, where it inverts to a high-temperature polymorph ${\alpha}-stannite$ (cubic) melting congruently at $867{\pm}5^{\circ}C$. Sphalerite (cubic, ${\beta}-ZnS$) inverts at $1013{\pm}3^{\circ}C$ to wurtzite, which is the hexagonal hightemperature polymorph of ZnS. Between ${\alpha}-stannite$ and sphalerite a complete solid solution series exists above approximately $870^{\circ}C$ up to solidus temperature. The melting temperature of ${\alpha}-stannite$ rises towards sphalerite and reaches a maximum at $1074{\pm}3^{\circ}C$, which is the peritectic with the composition of 91 wt. % sphalerite and 9 wt. % ${\alpha}-stannite$. At this temperature, wurtzite takes only 5wt. % ${\alpha}-stannite$ in solid solution which decreases with increasing temperature. The inverson temperature of ${\alpha}/{\beta}-stannite$ is lowered with increasing amounts of sphalerite in solid solution down to $614{\pm}7^{\circ}C$, which is the eutectoid with the composition of 13 wt. % sphalerite and 87 wt. % ${\alpha}-stannite$. Here, ${\beta}-stannite$ contains only 10wt. % sphalerite in solid solution. With decreasing temperature, the ranges of the solid solution on both sides of the system narrow. The phase relations in the above pure system changed due to the FeS impurities in the sphalerite solid solution. The eutectoid increased from $614{\pm}7^{\circ}C$ up to $695{\pm}5^{\circ}C$ (5 wt. % FeS) and $700{\pm}5^{\circ}C$ (10wt. % FeS), while the peritectic decreased from $1074{\pm}3^{\circ}C$ down to $1036{\pm}3^{\circ}C$ (wt. %FeS) and $987{\pm}3^{\circ}C$ (10wt. %FeS). A most notable change is the appearance of non-binary regions. An important feature is the combination of this study system with the experimental results reported by Sprinfer (1972). If a stannite-kesterite solid solution is used in the place of stannite as a bulk composition, the inversion temperature is lowered to less than $400^{\circ}C$ which belongs to temperatures of the hydrothermal region.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-42
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• 1971

I. Chemical analysis A study was planned to see if administration of ginseng extract has any influence upon the adrenal, the hepatic, the splenic, and the pancreatic nucleic acid contents of rats, and to estimate the effect of ACTH administration as a substitute for stress reaction upon these nucleic acid contents of rats previously primed with ginseng. Ninety male rats$(body\;weight:\;150{\sim}200gm)$ were divided into the ginseng, the saline, and the normal control groups, which received for 5 days 0.5ml/100 gm body weight of ginseng extract solution (4 mg of ginseng alcohol extract in 1 ml of saline), same amount of saline, or no medication, respectively. On the 5th experimental day, each of the 3 groups was further divided into 2 subgroups yielding the ginseng, the ginseng-ACTIT, the saline, the saline-ACTH, the normal control, and the normal-ACTH subgroups. The ginseng, the saline, and the normal control subgroups were sacrificed 3 hours after the last medication, while the ginseng-ACTH, the saline·ACTH, and the normal-ACTH subgroups received ACTH(0.1 unit/subject) 1 hour after the last medication and were sacrificed after 1 more hour. The adrenal gland, the liver, the spleen and the pancreas of each rat were measured for RNA and DNA contents using the chemical method of Schmidt-Thannhauser-Schneider. Following results were obtained: 1. Adrenal RNA and DNA contents and RNA/DNA ratio were all significantly higher in the ginseng group compared with the values obtained from the normal control and the saline groups. Generally administration of ACTH reduced nucleic acid contents of the viscera examined. However, in the ginseng group the rate of decrease [(value of ginseng-ACTH subgroup-value of ginseng subgroup) x100/value of ginseng subgroup)] in adrenal RNA and DNA contents and in RNA/DNA ratio were more conspicuous than they were in the normal control and the saline groups. 2. Hepatic RNA and DNA contents and RNA/DNA ratio were all significantly less in the ginseng group than in the normal control and the saline groups. After ACTH, the rate of decrease in hepatic RNA, DNA, and RNA/DNA ratio of the ginseng· group was less conspicuous than those of the other 2 groups. 3. With regard to the splenic nucleic acid contents, the RNA and the RNA/DNA values of the ginseng group were higher than those of the normal control group but lower than those of the saline group, while the DNA value of the ginseng group was lower than that of the normal control group but higher than that of the saline group. Following administration of ACTH, the rate of decrease in RNA and DNA contents and in RNA/DNA ratio of the ginseng group was more conspicuous than that of the normal control group but less remarkable than that of the saline group. 4. Pancreatic RNA and DNA contents were notably lower in the ginseng group than in the normal control and the saline groups. However, the RNA/DNA ratio of the ginseng group was higher than that of the normal control and the saline groups.'After ACTH, the rate of decrease in pancreatic RNA and RNA/DNA ratio of the ginseng group was less than that of the normal. control group but more than that of the saline group, while the DNA content was actually increased in the ginseng group though it decreased in the normal control and the saline groups. Although the results are not clear enough for an accurate interpretation, they seem to indicate that ginseng exerts notable influence upon the RNA and DNA contents and the RNA/DNA ratio of the viscera stodied. On the whole the drug tends to increase the RNA and DNA contents and RNA/DNA ratio of the adrenal gland but seems to diminish the values of the other 3 viscera. In the early period following ACTH, ginseng facilitates the fall in RNA and DNA contents and RNA/DNA ratio of the adrenal gland, while it tends to reduce the fall in the values of the other viscera studied. II. Autoradiographic and histochemical analysis It was planned autoradiographically and histochemically to affirm and extend the results obtained in part I with regard to the chemically assessed change in the adrenal, the pancreatic, the hepatic and the splenic DNA and RNA contents under the influence of ginseng and ACTH. Fourty male mice (body weight: $18{\sim}20gm$) and 20 male rats were used. Each animal species was divided into the saline, the ginseng, the saline-ACTH, and the ginseng-ACTH groups according to the administered drugs. In the mice, the adrenal, the pancreatic, the splenic and the hepatic DNA-synthetic activity was assessed autoradiographically after administration of $^3H$-thymidine. In the rats, the RNA content of the above 4 organs was assessed histochemically after staining them with methylgreen pyronine. Following results were obtained: 1. Labeled cells were significantly more numerous in the adrenal cortex, the spleen and the liver of the ginseng group than in those of the saline group, although they were less numerous in the pancreas of the ginseng group than in the pancreas of the saline group. The adrenocortical, the pancreatic, the splenic and the hepatic tissues were stained with methylgreen pyronine more deeply in the ginseng group than in the saline group. 2. The adrenocortical, the pancreatic, the splenic and the hepatic tissues contained labeled cells less numerously in the saline-ACTH and the ginseng-ACTH group than in the saline and the ginseng groups. All these tissues were also stained with methylgreen pyronine less deeply in the saline-ACTH and the ginseng-ACTH groups than in the saline and the ginseng groups. 3. However, the adrenal cortex, the spleen, the pancreas, and the liver contained labeled cells more numerously in the ginseng-ACTH group than in the saline-ACTH group. the 4 tissues were stained with methylgreen pyronine more deeply in the ginseng-ACTH group than in the saline-ACTH group. It is inferred from the above results that though with exception, the ginseng mostly facilitates cellular synthesis of nucleic acids and mitigates reduction in nucleic acid content of tissues after administration of ACTH.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.150-184
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• 1978

Nutritional characteristics and physio-chemical properties of mycelial growth and fruitbody formation of oyster mushroom(Pleurotus ostreatus)in synthetic media, the curtural condition for the commerical production in the rice straw and poplar sawdust media, and the changes of the chemical components of the media and mushroom during the cultivation were investigated. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. Among the carbon sources mannitol and sucrose gave rapid mycelial growth and rapid formation of fruit-body with higher yield, while lactose and rhamnose gave no mycelial growth. Also, citric acid, succinic acid, ethyl alcohol and glycerol gave poor fruit-body formation, and acetic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, n-butyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol and iso-butyl alcohol inhibited mycelial growth. 2. Among the nitrogen sources peptone gave rapid mycelial growth and rapid formation of fruit-body with higher yield, while D,L-alanine, asparatic acid, glycine and serine gave very poor fruit-body formation, and nitrite nitrogens, L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine inhibited mycelial growth. Inorganic nitrogens and amino acids added to peptone were effective for fruit-body growth, and thus addition of ammonium sulfate, ammonium tartarate, D,L-alanine and L-leucine resulted in about 10% increase fruit-body yield. L-asparic acid about 15%, L-arginine about 20%, L-glutamic acid, and L-lysine about 25%. 3. At C/N ratio of 15.23 fruit-body formation was fast, but the yield decreased, and at C/N ratio of 11.42 fruit-body formation was slow, but the yield increased. Also, at the same C/N ratio the higher the concentration of mannitol and petone, the higher yield was produced. Thus, from the view point of both yield of fruit-body and time required for fruiting the optimum C/N ratio would be 30. 46. 4. Thiamine, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and magnecium sulfate at the concentration of $50{\mu}g%$. 0.2% and 0.02-0.03%, respectively, gave excellent mycelial and fruit-body growth. Among the micronutrients ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate and manganese sulfate showed synergetic growth promoting effect but lack of manganese resulted in a little reduction in mycelial and fruit-body growth. The optimum concentrati on of each these nutrients was 0.02mg%. 5. Cytosine and indole acetic acid at 0.2-1mg% and 0.01mg%, respectively, increased amount of mycelia, but had no effect on yield of fruit-body. The other purine and pyrimidine bases and plant hormones also had no effect on mycelial and fruit-belly yield. 6. Illumination inhibited mycelial growth, but illumination during the latter part of vegetative growth induced primordia formation. The optimum light intensity and exposure time was 100 to 500 lux and 6-12 hours per day, respectively. Higher intensity of light was injurous, and in darkness only vegetative growth without primordia formation was continued. 7. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was $25^{\circ}C$ and for fruit-body formation 10 to $15^{\circi}C$. The optimum pH range was from 5.0 to 6.5. The most excellent fry it-body formation were produced from the mycelium grown for 7 to 10 days. The lesser the volume of media, the more rapid the formation of fruit-body; and the lower the yield of fruit-body; and the more the volume of media, the slower the formation of fruit-body, and the higher the yield of fruit-body. The primordia formation was inhibited by $CO_2$. 8. The optimum moisture content for mycelial growth was over 70% in the bottle media of rice straw and poplar sawdust. 10% addition of rice bran to the media exhibited excellent mycelial growth and fruit-body formation, and the addition of calciumcarbonate alone was effective, but the addition of calcium carbonate was ineffective in the presence of rice bran. 9. In the cultivation experiments the total yield of mushroom from the rice straw media was $14.99kg/m^2$, and from the sawdust media $6.52kg/m^2$, 90% of which was produced from the first and second cropping period. The total yield from the rice straw media was about 2.3 times as high as that from the sawdust media. 10. Among the chemical components of the media little change was observed in the content of ash on the dry weight basis, and organic matter content decreased as the cultivation progressed. Moisture content, which was about 79% at the time of spawning, decreased a little during the period of mycelial propagation, after which no change was observed. 11. During the period from spawning to the fourth cropping about 16.7% of the dry matter, about 19.3% of organic matter, and about 40% of nitrogen were lost from the rice straw media; about 7.5% of dry mallet, about 7.6% of organic matter, and about 20% of nitrogen were lost from the sawdust media. For the production of 1kg of mushroom about 232g of organic matter and about 7.0g of nitrogen were consumed from the rice straw media; about 235g of organic matter and about 6.8g of nitrogen were consumed from the sawdust media, 1㎏ of mushroom from either of media contains 82.4 and 82.3g of organic matter and 5.6 and 5.4g of nitrogen, respectively. 12. Total nitrogen content of the two media decreased gradually as the cultivation progressed, and total loss of insoluble nitrogen was greater than that of soluble nitrogen. Content of amino nitrogen continued to increase up to the third cropping time, after which it decreased. 13. In the rice straw media 28.0 and 13.8% of the total pentosan and ${\alpha}$-cellulose, respectively, lost during the whole cultivation period was lost during the period of mycelial growth; in the sawdust media 24.1 and 11.9% of the total pentosan and ${\alpha}$-cellulose, respectively, was lost during the period of mycelial growth. Lignin content in the media began to decrease slightly from the second cropping time, while the content of reduced sugar, trehalose and mannitol continued to increase. C/N ratio of the rice straw media decreased from 33.2 at spawining to 30.0 at ending; that of the sawdust media decreased from 61.3 to 60.0. 14. In both media phosphorus, potassium, manganese and zinc decreased, at magnesium, calcium and copper showed irregular changes, and iron had a tendency to be increased. 15. Enzyme activities are much higher in the rice straw media than in the sawdust media. CMC saccharifying and liquefying activity gradually increased from after mycelial propagation to the second cropping, after which it decreased in both media. Xylanase activity rapidly and greatly increased during the second cropping period rather than the first period. At the start of the third cropping period the activity decreased rapidly in the rice straw media, which was not observed in the sawdust media. Protease activity was highest after mycelial propagation, after which it gradually decreased. The pH of the rice straw media decreased from 6.3 at spawning to 5.0 after fourth cropping; that of the sawdust media decreased from 5.7 to 4.9. 16. The contents of all the components except crude fibre of the mushroom from the rice straw media were higher than those from the sawdust media. Little change was observed in the content of the components of mushroom cropped from the first to the third period, but slight decrease was noticed at the fourth cropping.