• 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.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.442-448
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to analyze mutant lines of Chinese cabbage ($Brassica$ $rapa$ ssp. $pekinensis$) using gene tagging system (plasmid rescue and inverse polymerase chain reaction) and to observe the phenotypic characteristics. Insertional mutants were derived by transferring DNA (T-DNA) of $Agrobacterium$ for functional genomics study in Chinese cabbage. The hypocotyls of Chinese cabbage 'Seoul' were used to obtain transgenic plants with $Agrobacterium$ $tumefaciens$ harboring pRCV2 vector. To tag T-DNA from the Chinese cabbage genomic DNA, plasmid rescue and inverse PCR were applied for multiple copies and single copy insertional mutants. These techniques were successfully conducted to Chinese cabbage plant with high efficiency, and as a result, T-DNA of pRCV2 vector showed distinct various integration patterns in the transgenic plant genome. The polyploidy level analysis showed the change in phenotypic characteristics of 13 mutant lines was not due to variation in somatic chromosome number. Compared with wild type, the $T_1$ progenies showed varied phenotypes, such as decreased stamen numbers, larger or smaller flowers, upright growth habit, hairless leaves, chlorosis symptoms, narrow leaves, and deeply serrated leaves. The polyploidy level analysis showed the change in phenotypic characteristics of 13 mutant lines was not due to variation in somatic chromosome number. To tag T-DNA from the Chinese cabbage genomic DNA, plasmid rescue and inverse PCR were applied for multiple copies and single copy insertional mutants. Mutants that showed distinct phenotypic difference compared to wild type with 1 copy of T-DNA by Southern blot analysis, and with 2n = 20 of chromosome number were selected. These selected mutant lines were sequenced flanking DNA, mapped genomic loci, and the genome information of the lines is being recorded in specially developed database.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1448-1454
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• 2018

Insects have been investigated as a novel source of food and biomaterial in several recent studies. However, their osteoblastogenic cell activity has not been sufficiently researched and so, to investigate the potential of this natural material for promoting osteoblastogenesis, we studied the activity of Locusta migratoria ethanol extract (LME) on MG-63 pre-osteoblast cells. The cytotoxicity and proliferation effects of LME on MG-63 cells were measured by MTS assay, and there was no cytotoxicity up to $1,000{\mu}g/ml$. With LME treatment of 500 and $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ for 48 hr, cell proliferation increased to 105% and 116% versus control, respectively. The osteoblastogenic activity of the LME was measured through alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining at three and five days. As a result, both 500 and $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ LME concentrations were seen to increase ALP activity by more than three times compared with control at three and five days. In addition, the expression level of the osteogenic markers ALP and RUNX2 was markedly increased after LME treatment. These results demonstrate that Locusta migratoria ethanol extract promotes osteoblastogenesis as evidenced by the increased osteogenic markers and suggest that LME may be a potential agent for bone formation and osteoporosis prevention.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.2-32
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• 2020

In recent years, significant importance has been given to chitooligosaccharides (COS) due to its potent notable biological applications. COS can be derived from chitosan which is commonly produced by partially hydrolyzed products from crustacean shells. In order to produce COS, there are several approaches including chemical and enzymatic methods which are the two most common choices. In this regard, several new methods were intended to be promoted which use the enzymatic hydrolysis with a lower cost and desired properties. Hence, the dual reactor system has gained more attention than other newly developed technologies. Enzymatic hydrolysis derived COS possesses important biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-hypersentive, anti-dementia (Altzheimer's disease), anti-diabeties, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, etc. Results strongly suggest that properties of COS can be potential materials for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical product development.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.2
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• pp.311-318
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• 2022

We conducted this study to derive the site index, which is a criterion for the planting of Robinia pseudoacacia, a honey plant, and to investigate the diameter distribution change by derived site index. We applied the Chapman-Richards equation model to estimate the site index of the Robinia pseudoacacia stand. The site index was distributed within the range of 16-22 when the base age was 30 years. The fitness index of the site index estimation model was low, but we judged that there was no problem in the application because the residual distribution of the equation had not shifted to one side. We used the Weibull diameter distribution function to determine the diameter distribution of the Robinia pseudoacacia stand by site index. We used the mean diameter and the dominant tree height as independent variables to present the diameter distribution, and our analysis procedure was to estimate and recover the parameters of the Weibull diameter distribution function. We used the mean diameter and the dominant tree height of the Robinia pseudoacacia stand to show distribution by diameter class, and the fitness index for dbh distribution estimation was about 80.5%. As a result of schematizing the diameter distribution by site indices as a 30-year-old, we found that the higher the site index, the more the curve of the diameter distribution moved to the right. This suggests that if the plantation were to be established in a high site index stand, considering the suitable trees on the site, the growth of Robinia pseudoacacia woul d become active, and not onl y the production of wood but al so the production of honey would increase. We therefore anticipate that the site index classification table and curve of this Robinia pseudoacacia stand will become the standard for decision making in the plantation and management of this tree.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.4
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• pp.622-629
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• 2022

The study aim was to derive a stem taper equation for Phyllostachys pubescens, a type of bamboo in South Korea, and to develop a stem volume table. To derive the stem taper equation, three stem taper models (Max & Burkhart, Kozak, and Lee) were used. Since bamboo stalks are hollow because of its woody characteristics, the outer and inner diameters of the tree were calculated, and connecting them enabled estimating the tree curves. The results of the three equations for estimating the outer and inner diameters led to selection of the Kozak model for determining the optimal stem taper because it had the highest fitness index and lowest error and bias. We used the Kozak model to estimate the diameter of Phyllostachys pubescens by stem height, which proved optimal, and drew the stem curve. After checking the residual degree in the stem taper equation, all residuals were distributed around "0", which proved the suitability of the equation. To calculate the stem volume of Phyllostachys pubescens, a rotating cube was created by rotating the stem curve with the outer diameter at 360°, and the volume was calculated by applying Smalian's method. The volume of Phyllostachys pubescens was calculated by deducting the inner diameter calculated volume from the outer diameter calculated volume. The volume of Phyllostachys pubescens was only 20~30% of the volume of Larix kaempferi, which is a general species. However, considering the current trees/ha of Phyllostachys pubescens and the amount of bamboo shoots generated every year, the individual tree volume was predicted to be small, but the volume/ha was not very different or perhaps more. The significance of this study is the stem taper equation and stem volume table for Phyllostachys pubescens developed for the first time in South Korea. The results are expected to be used as basic data for bamboo trading that is in increasing public and industrial demand and carbon absorption estimation.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2023

Hydrogels that are made of natural polymer-based double networks have excellent biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and high water content, assuring that the material has the properties required for a variety of biomedical applications. However, hydrogels also have limitations due to their relatively weak mechanical properties. In this study, hydrogels based on an alginate di-aldehyde (ADA) and gelatin (Gel) double network that is reinforced with additional hydrogen bonds formed between the hydroxyl (-OH) groups of the hyperbranched polymer (HPG) and the functional groups present inside of the hydrogels were successfully synthesized. The enhanced mechanical properties of these synthesized hydrogels were evaluated by varying the amount of HPG added during the hydrogel synthesis from 0 to 25%. In addition, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) were synthesized within the hydrogels and the structures and the magnetic properties of the hydrogels were also characterized. The hydrogels that contained 15% HPG and Fe₃O₄ NPs exhibited superparamagnetic behaviors with a saturation magnetization value of 3.8 emu g^-1. These particular hydrogels also had strengthened mechanical properties with a maximum compressive stress of 1.1 MPa at a strain of 67.4%. Magnetic hydrogels made with natural polymer-based double networks provide improved mechanical properties and have a significant potential for drug delivery and biomaterial application.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 2023

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly contagious, and immunosuppressive disease in young chickens, and causes considerable economic losses to the poultry industry. More than 30 years ago, an antigenic variant IBDV (avIBDV) was reported in chicken farms in the United States. Recently, a novel avIBDV exhibited clear differences in molecular characteristics compared with previous variant strains. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of recently isolated avIBDV strains in Korea. Strains of avIBDV were confirmed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and were propagated in 10-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs through chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) inoculation. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses of hypervariable regions VP2 gene revealed that the strains originated from two different avIBDV lineages (G2a and G2d). In our results, we confirmed the co-existence and prevalence of avIBDV genogroup G2a and G2d in chicken farms. It is necessary to study the protective efficacy of current vaccines against avIBDVs.