• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2014

This study was orchestrated with the purpose of uncovering new nutraceutical resources possessing biological activities in the plant kingdom. To fulfill our objective, we analyzed several Chinese plants and selected three possessing powerful anti-oxidative activities. The anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects these three Chinese plants, Malus hupehensis, Ophiorrhiza cantonensis, and Psychotria rubra ethanol extracts were then evaluated. First of all, they possessed potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl, similar with that of ascorbic acid, used as a positive control. Moreover, they inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species, in a dose-dependent manner, in RAW 264.7 cells. Also, they induced the expression of an anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1, and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2. Furthermore, they suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) formation, without cytotoxicity. The inhibition of NO formation was the result of the down regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). The suppression of NO and iNOS by the three extracts might be the result of modulation by the upstream transcription factors, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ and activator protein-1. Taken together, these results indicate that these three Chinese plants possess potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, they might be utilized as promising materials in the field of nutraceuticals.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.240-248
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• 2006

In this study, a retrofitting BNR process that was modified for the economical applicability was proposed and evaluated in the pilot plant($50m^3/d$). At the same time the bacterial community structure was investigated in the pilot plant by using FISH(fluorescent in situ hybridization) method. Economically 16% of the initial construction cost for the proposed process(introduction of a biological nutrient removal process of $60,000m^3/d$ scale basis) was reduced due to the absence of a bioreactor. Water treatment efficiencies and maintenance facilities of the modified process were satisfied with the strengthened discharge permits in Korea throughout a long term pilot plant operating including a winter season. Bacterial populations in the pilot plant and in the control plant(A2/O process, B SIP(Sewage Treatment Plant)) were remained uniformly during the test period, but bacterial structure in the bioreactor was changed drastically. Proportions of ${\beta}$-proteobacteria group including soil bacteria which play a important role in wastewater treatment increased $25{\sim}607%$ in population.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.225-237
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• 2001

The community structure of macrobenthos was investigated around Sorido Island, southern coast of Korea between August 1996 and April 1997. Triplicate macrobenthic samples were taken seasonally at twelve stations in August and November 1996 and fourteen stations in February and April 19n by van Veen grab ($0.1m^2$). A total of 217 macrobenthic species were identified during study Period: 80 species were from polychaetes, 60 species from crustaceans, and 46 species from mollusks. The mean density of macrobenthos estimated $1,068 ind/m^2$, and polychaetes comprised $85\%$ of total density. The mean biomass was $110.2 g/m^2$, and echinoderms contributed to more than a half of the biomass. Major dominant species based on abundance were three polychaetes Tharyx sp., Lumbrineris longifolia, and Magelona japonica, which frequently occur in the coastal area enriched by organic pollution. The densities of the species were $582 ind/m^2$, $72 ind/m^2$, and $41 ind/m^2$, respectively. These species showed very low density in the offshore area. The study area was classified into four regions each sustaining specific macrofaunal assemblages by Bray-Curtis cluster analysis: a station group adjacent to the Kwangyang Bay and Yosu harbour and three station groups around Sorido Island. There were negative correlations between the concentration of PAHs in sediments and the abundance of Ampeliscidae spp. and Amphipoda. These results were discussed in terms of both environmental factors and distribution of benthic community.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.1321-1327
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• 2011

The microorganism producing an invertase (E.C. 3.2.1.26) was isolated from wine and tentatively identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae by cellular fatty acid analysis. The invertase was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitant, dialysis, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200 from the culture supernatant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae JS59. The specific activity and the purification fold of the purified invertase were 7620.9 unit/mg protein and 13.9, respectively. The molecular weight of the purified invertase was estimated to be 38.5 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature for the invertase activity were pH 5 and $55^{\circ}C$, respectively. The invertase activity was relatively stable at pH 4~6 and temperature $55^{\circ}C$. The activity of invertase was inhibited by $Ag^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$, but on the contrary, activated by $Co^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$. Michaelis constant ($K_m$) for invertase reaction in sucrose solution was 11.5 mM. TLC analysis of the products produced in sucrose solution during invertase reaction showed the progressive presence of glucose and fructose in accordance with sucrose hydrolysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.86 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1997

As the first step to estimate the potential natural vegetation distribution of the globe, the best spherical interpolation method was developed to the temperature and precipitation which have close relation to the distribution pattern of world natural vegetation. For developing the interpolation method, a named Light Climatic Dataset composed of 1,060 stations around the globe was randomly divided into halves of feeding side and target side. The discrepancy between the observed and estimated values at the target stations was compared with combinations of parameters and methods. The estimated values were calculated to each combination which is all-out, constant radius and constant station methods in the selection of the feeding stations, n square reciprocal and negative exponential functions in weighting function of distance between feeding stations and each target, and oval weighting in direction of the feeding stations from each target. As a result, it turned out that the spherical interpolation with negative exponential weighting function fed from the constant radius stations ovally weighed yields the best estimates both for temperature and for precipitation. The parameters for temperature are $30^{\circ}$ in constant radius, 0.78 in negative exponential function and 0.4 in oval weighting, and for precipitation are $30^{\circ}$, 0.53 and 0.4, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.52-59
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• 2011

Recently, new ginseng cultivars having superior agricultural traits have been developed in Korea. For newly developed plant cultivars, the identification of distinctiveness is very important factors not only in plant cultivar management but also in breeding programs. Thus, eighty-five inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers were applied to detect polymorphisms among six major Korean ginseng cultivars and two foreign ginsengs. A total of 197 polymorphic bands with an average 5.8 polymorphic bands and 2.9 banding patterns per assay unit across six Korean ginseng cultivars and foreign ginsengs from 236 amplified ISSR loci with an average 6.9 loci per assay unit were generated by 34 out of 85 ISSR primers. Three species of Panax ginseng including the Korean ginseng cultivars, P. quinquefolius, and P. notoginseng, could be readily discriminated using most tested primers. UBC-821, UBC-868, and UBC-878 generated polymorphic bands among the six Korean ginseng cultivars, and could distinguish them from foreign ginsengs. Sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker system was introduced in order to increase the reproducibility of the polymorphism. One SCAR marker, PgI821C650, was successfully converted from the randomly amplified polymorphism by UBC-821. It showed the expected dominant polymorphism among ginseng samples. In addition, the specific polymorphism for Sunwon was generated by treating Taq I restriction enzyme to polymerase chain reaction products of PgI821C650. These results will serve as useful DNA markers for identification of Korean ginseng, especially Sunwon cultivar, seed management, and molecular breeding program supplemented with marker-assisted selection.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2014

Background: This study evaluated changes in ginsenoside compositions and antioxidant activities in hydroponic-cultured ginseng roots (HGR) and leaves (HGL) with heating temperature. Methods: Heat treatment was performed at temperatures of $90^{\circ}C$, $110^{\circ}C$, $130^{\circ}C$, and $150^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours Results: The ginsenoside content varied significantly with heating temperature. The levels of ginsenosides Rg1 and Re in HGR decreased with increasing heating temperature. Ginsenosides F2, F4, Rk3, Rh4, Rg3 (S form), Rg3 (R form), Rk1, and Rg5, which were absent in the raw ginseng, were formed after heat treatment. The levels of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, and Rb1 in HGL decreased with increasing heating temperature. Conversely, ginsenosides Rk3, Rh4, Rg3 (R form), Rk1, and Rg5 increased with increasing heating temperature. In addition, ginsenoside contents of heated HGL were slightly higher than those of HGR. The highest extraction yield was 14.39% at $130^{\circ}C$, whereas the lowest value was 10.30% at $150^{\circ}C$ After heating, polyphenol contents of HGR and HGL increased from 0.43 mg gallic acid equivalent/g (mg GAE eq/g) and 0.74 mg GAE eq/g to 6.16 mg GAE eq/g and 2.86 mg GAE eq/g, respectively. Conclusion: Antioxidant activities of HGR and HGL, measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging ability, increased with increasing heating temperature. These results may aid in improving the biological activity and quality of ginseng subjected to heat treatments.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.353-360
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• 2011

The sequence data of the plastid DNA (trnL-F IGS, trnL intron, and trnH-psbA) and nuclear DNA (RNApol2_i23) markers were utilized to study phylogenetic relationships among the taxa in the Polygonatum odoratum complex (Ruscaceae). European P. odoratum individuals form a clade with a high bootstrap value, which is a sister to the clade of Korean P. odoratum var. odoratum, P. odoratum var. pluriflorum and P. robustum. The formation of the clade with P. odoratum var. odoratum, P. robustum, and one accession of P. odoratum var. pluriflorum indicates geological speciation in isolated populations in the islands following dispersal events from the mainlands. All data sets form two major clades, which are congruent with the subgroups divided by the basic chromosome numbers (x = 9 and x = 10). Although it is not easy to test the hypothesis of the decrease in the basic chromosome number due to scatter taxon sampling in this study, the molecular data strongly suggested that aneuploidy plays an important role in lineage diversification in the genus Polygonatum. The cytological data was not strongly supported by the cpDNA sequences. Further investigations of the cytological, morphological, and geographical characteristics with comprehensive sampling are desired to understand the evolution and lineage diversification in the genus.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2018

The distribution aspect and extinction threat evaluation of the endangered species, Rhodeus pseudosericeus were investigated from 2012 to 2017 in Korea for the subject of this study. The number of appearance sites in the past literature of available and identified R. pseudosericeus was 26. During the study period, the samples of R. pseudosericeus were collected in 44 sites (Hangang River 35 sites, Sapgyocheon Stream 4 sites, Daecheoncheon Stream 5 sites) among the noted 214 sampling stations investigated. Among these, the newly appearance streams were Ilricheon Stream, Samsancheon Stream, Bangyecheon Stream and Hanpocheon Stream in the Hangang River. In addition, the habitats and populations in the upper Seomgang River (Hoengseong Dam), lower Heukcheon Stream, Muhancheon Stream and Daecheoncheon Stream decreased due to dam construction, river work, water pollution, and the spread of the exotic species Micropterus salmoides. The main habitat of R. pseudosericeus was the middle-upper stream of clean water with slow water velocity, sand-pebble bottoms and lots of aquatic plants. Given this evidence as noted for the 30.2% reduction in occupancy within 10 years, due to the qualitative decline of habitat, the overfishing risk of ornamental fish and the spread of M. salmoides, in this case R. pseudosericeus is considered to be Vulnerable (VU A2cde) based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.858-864
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• 2015

Developmental changes in the vocal signals of serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) during their infancy were examined in this study. The analysis was conducted on 4 infant serotine bats from 1 to 40 days after their birth. Pulse duration (PD), pulse interval (PI), peak frequency (PF), maximum frequency ($F_{MAX}$), minimum frequency ($F_{MIN}$), and bandwidth (BW) were measured. As the bats grew, their vocalizations became increasingly consistent and similar to those of adults. For infant bats, PD and PI decreased as they grew older, whereas PF, $F_{MAX}$, $F_{MIN}$, and BW increased. The greatest change in vocalizations was observed between the $10^{th}$ and $20^{th}$ days after birth. Also, PF, $F_{MAX}$, $F_{MIN}$ and BW, which describe sound frequency, increased dramatically during the period between the $10^{th}$ and the $20^{th}$ days. In contrast, the greatest change in PD occurred between the $30^{th}$ and $40^{th}$ days after birth. The results collected in this study suggest that frequency increased as the contraction ability of the muscles developed by around 20 days of age. Muscle relaxation ability, which is related to PD, was found to develop significantly at 30 to 40 days of age. According to the results of this study, although 40 day-old infant bats are not yet able to fly, their vocal signals were similar to those of adults. This indicates that vocal development and flying activity develop separately in young bats.