• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.668-675
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• 1998

These surveys were conducted to check the occurrence of disease in various horticultural crops in alpine areas, especially Daekwallyong areas, Pyongchang-Gun, and Hyeongseong-Gun in Kangwon province. TuMV on Chinese cabbage was one of the most serious diseases, especially in 1994 and 1997. The incidence of soft rot and clubroot has been increased gradually. Brittle root rot on Chinese cabbage was significantly decreased. Soft rot, gray mold, downy mildew, powdery mildew, bottom rot and Alternaria leaf spot were the common diseases on most vegetable crops. Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) on celery, cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora sp.) on melon, powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) on lettuce, and clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) on parsley are newly found in Korea. The most common and predominant diseases were viruses, especially CMV, TMV, TuMV, BBMV, and gray mold, wilts, and cercospora leaf spot on many flowers in alpine areas. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. eustomae causing wilting on lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), Turnip mosaic virus causing mosaic and color breaking on stock, Cercospora spp. causing cercospora leaf spot on various wild lily, Cladosporum echinulatum causing leaf spot on carnation, and phytoplasma causing witches' broom on statice (Limonium sinuatum) and blazing star (Liatris spp.) were newly found during these surveys in Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.160-171
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• 2017

Larvae of Bradysia agrestis, an insect vector that transports plant pathogens, were sampled from geographically isolated regions in Korea to identify their cutaneous fungal and bacterial flora. Sampled areas were chosen within the distribution range of B. agrestis; each site was more than 91 km apart to ensure geographical segregation. We isolated 76 microbial (fungi and bacteria) strains (site 1, 29; site 2, 29; site 3, 18 strains) that were identified on the basis of morphological differences. Species identification was molecularly confirmed by determination of universal fungal internal transcribed spacer and bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in comparison to sequences in the EzTaxon database and the NCBI GenBank database, and their phylogenetic relationships were determined. The fungal isolates belonged to 2 phyla, 5 classes, and 7 genera; bacterial species belonged to 23 genera and 32 species. Microbial diversity differed significantly among the geographical groups with respect to Margalef's richness (3.9, 3.6, and 4.5), Menhinick's index (2.65, 2.46, and 3.30), Simpson's index (0.06, 0.12, and 0.01), and Shannon's index (2.50, 2.17, and 2.58). Although the microbial genera distribution or diversity values clearly varied among geographical groups, common genera were identified in all groups, including the fungal genus Cladosporium, and the bacterial genera Bacillus and Rhodococcus. According to classic principles of co-evolutionary relationship, these genera might have a closer association with their host insect vector B. agrestis than other genera identified. Some cutaneous bacterial genera (e.g., Pseudomonas) displaying weak interdependency with insect vectors may be hazardous to agricultural environments via mechanical transmission via B. agrestis. This study provides comprehensive information regarding the cutaneous microflora of B. agrestis, which can help in the control of such pests for crop management.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.638-645
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• 2019

Objectives: For the risk management of airborne fungal diseases, our aim was to evaluate airborne fungi and study the toxicity associated with fungal allergic diseases using fungal species native to Korea. Methods: Fungi were isolated from outdoor air samples collected from Seoul, Incheon, Cheonan, Gwangju, Ulsan, Busan, and Jeju and tested for their cytotoxicity potential and their ability to induce proliferation and secretion of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) in human mast cells (HMC-1). Results: More than 18 species of fungi were collected from outdoor air in Korea over one year, and the strains were identified and systematically analyzed. The results showed that the Cladosporium (59%) and Alternaria (22%) strains are the most common in outdoor air. Three of the collected strains (Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Penicillium) showed mild toxicity in cells involved in allergic inflammation, and twelve induced cell proliferation in HMC-1 cells. More importantly, many strains (Edgeworthia, Trametes, Emmia, Irpex, Talaromyces, Penicillium, Periconia, Epicocum, Bipolaris) induced the MDC protein in activated HMC-1 cells. Conclusion: Nineteen percent of the tested strains caused cytotoxicity in mast cell lines, whereas, most of the non-toxic strains contributed to cell activity. Among the tested strains, more than 80% increased the expression of MDC protein, which contributes to the severity of atopic dermatitis, asthma, and rhinitis. It is, in fact, one of the markers for these conditions. Therefore, airborne fungus could be considered as an important marker for environmental risk management for allergic diseases in Korea.

• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2018

Mold grows more easily when humidity is higher in indoor spaces, and as such is found more often on wetted areas in housing such as walls, toilets, kitchens, and poorly managed spaces. However, there have been few studies that have specifically assessed the level of mold in the indoor spaces of water-damaged housing in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the levels of airborne mold according to the characteristics of water damage types and explored the correlation between the distribution of mold genera and the characteristics of households. Samplings were performed from January 2016 to June 2018 in 97 housing units with water leakage or condensation, or a history of flooding, and in 61 general housing units in the metropolitan and Busan area, respectively. Airborne mold was collected on MEA (Malt extract agar) at flow rate of 100 L/min for 1 min. After collection, the samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 hours. The cultured samples were counted and corrected using a positive hole conversion table. The samples were then analyzed by single colony culture, DNA extraction, gene amplification, and sequencing. By type of housing, concentrations of airborne mold were highest in flooded housing, followed by water-leaked or highly condensed housings, and then general housing. In more than 50% of water-damaged housing, the level of airborne mold exceeded the guideline of Korea's Ministry of Environment ($500CFU/m^3$). Of particular concern was the fact that the I/O ratio of water-damaged housing was greater than 1, which could indicate that mold damage may occur indoors. The distribution patterns of the fungal species were as follows: Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. (14%), Aspergillus spp. (13%) and Alternaria spp. (3%), but significant differences of their levels in indoor spaces were not found. Our findings indicate that high levels of mold damage were found in housing with water damage, and Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium brevicompactum were more dominant in housing with high water activity. Comprehensive management of flooded or water-damaged housing is necessary to reduce fungal exposure.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2022

Background: Airborne fungi are ubiquitous in the air and exposure to an airborne fungus can be a significant risk factor. The composition of fungi has been potentially important for human health, especially for respiratory diseases like asthma and atopic dermatitis. Therefore, we attempted to ascertain what kind of airborne fungi affect human health at a nationwide level. Objectives: This study was carried out to provide information on indoor fungi distribution at multi-use facilities throughout South Korea. Methods: We classified our data by region and public facility after collection, cultivation, and identification via the sequencing of the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region. We investigated whether or not the proliferation of HaCaT cells was affected by the identified airborne fungi. Results: In our data, the most isolated airborne fungi by region were Penicillium spp (Seoul, Daegu), Periconia sp (Gyeonggi-do), Iprex sp (Gangwon-do), Phanerochaete sp (Busan), Bjerkandera sp (Gwangju), and Aspergillus sp (Jeju-do). In the public facilities, the most detected fungi were Cladosporium sp (public transport), Penicillium sp (apartment house, retail market, financial institution, karaoke room), Bjerokandera sp (underground parking lot, public toilet, medical institution), Periconia sp (retail store), and Fusarium sp (general restaurant). Next, we selected twenty airborne fungi to examine their cytotoxicity and proliferation of human skin cells. In this experiment, the proliferation of the cells was influenced by most of the identified fungi. In case of the cytotoxicity test, most genera except for Rhodotorula sp and Moesziomyces sp showed cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. Conclusions: The distribution of mold in the indoor air in multi-use facilities in South Korea differs from region to region, and this is an indicator that should be considered in future health impact studies. In addition, as a result of culturing about 20 types of bacteria dominant in indoor air, it was found that most (90%) inhibit the growth of skin cells, which can be harmful to health. An in-depth study of the health effects of floating fungi is needed.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.280-287
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• 2011

This investigation was undertaken to survey toxigenic fungal contamination of various rice samples in 93 rice processing complexes (RPC) in Korea. Rice was grown in 2009 and the samples were collected in 2010. Seven types of rice samples such as unhusked, brown, blue-tinged, discolored, polished, half-crushed, and rice husks were obtained from each RPC. One-hundred and five grains of each sample were placed on PDA plates after surface disinfection. The incidence of fungal contaminants was 26.8%. Aspergillus spp. was the most dominant fungal contaminants and Fusarium spp. was the most frequently occurred in samples. The heaviest Fusarium contamination was found in unhusked grain, rice husks, and bare blue-tinged rice and followed by colored rice whereas broken rice was the least contaminated. Regional difference of fungal contamination was distinctive. Fusarium incidence in the rice samples from southern region of Korea including Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces was higher than those from central region including Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon Provinces. In contrast to Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. were dominated in brown and polished rice samples and their incidences were more severe in central region than southern region. The major contaminants shown more than 1% of kernels infected were Aspergillus (5.0%), Fusarium (2.0%), Alternaria (1.4%), Dreschlera (1.3%), Penicillium spp. (1.3%), and Nigrospora spp. (1.0%). Collectotrichum, Pyricularia, Myrothecium, Epicoccum, Cladosporium, Moniliella, Gloeocercospora, Chaeto- mium, Curvularia, Phialopora, Acremonium, Gliomastix, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, Phomopsis, Paecilomyces, Genicularia, Geotrichum, Acremoniella, Rhizoctonia, Phoma, Oidiodendran, and Candida spp. were among the rest observed at low incidence. The major contaminants of rice samples were well-known as toxigenic fungal genera so toxin producibility of these fungal isolates is necessary to be examined in future. It is also needed to study Myrothecium spp. on species level as it was detected for the first time in rice.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2013

This study was performed to identify the cheese starter potential of antifungal lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kimchi. Eight fungi were isolated from cheese or the cheese ripening room, and identified as Penicillium and Cladosporium by ITS-5.8S rDNA analysis. Twenty-two lactic acid bacteria species with antifungal activity were isolated from Kimchi, and identified as Lactobacillus and Pediococcus by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Six lactic acid bacteria species were selected (L. sakei subsp. ALJ011, L. sakei subsp. ALI033, L. sakei subsp. ALGy039, P. pentosaceus ALJ015, P. pentosaceus ALJ024, and P. pentosaceus ALJ026) based on higher antifungal activity from the initial 22 species. Out of the six identified species, L. sakei subsp. ALI033 had the highest antifungal activity. For growth of the six lactic acid bacteria, optimal temperature and pH were $30{\sim}37^{\circ}C$ and 7.0, respectively. Proteolytic activities of the six lactic acid bacteria were almost as strong as the commercial strain Str. thermophilus Body-1. Coagulative activities of L. sakei subsp. ALI033, P. pentosaceus ALJ015, and P. pentosaceus ALJ024 were higher than those of L. sakei subsp. ALJ011, L. sakei subsp. ALGy039, and P. pentosaceus ALJ026. The acid resistance of L. sakei subsp. was higher than that of P. pentosaceus. The major organic acid component of the lactic acid bacteria culture medium was lactic acid.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2003

Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense were extracted with methanol and then fractionated with nhexane, EtOAc and BuOH to get active fractions. And their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in each fraction were determined. Ethyl acetate and butanol fraction of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense showed strong antioxidant activities, but hexane fraction did not show any activities. But in the antimicrobial test, Ethyl acetate fraction showed strong antimicrobial activities except to Aspergillus awamori, Asperigillus niger. Especially, Ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest activities against Bacillus subtilis. And aqueous fraction showed the strongest activities against Cladosporium herbarum, Hypocrea nigricans. This study was performed to determine the antimutagenic and cytotoxic effect of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense methanol extract on Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100 and cancer cell lines using Ames test and cytotoxicity assay, respectively. Cancer cell lines include human lung carcinoma(A549), human breast adenocarcinoma(MCF-7) and human hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B). Futher fractionations with hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water from methanol extract of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense were performed to obtain effective fraction, methanol extract showed 60.14% inhibition effect on the mutagenesis induced by MNNG against TA100, while 77% and 72.5% inhibition was observed on the mutagenesis induced by 4NQO against TA98 and TA100, respectively. and methanol extract showed 82.25% and 73.7% inhibitory effect on the mutagenesis induced by Trp-P-1 against TA98 and TA100, respectively. methanol extract showed the strongest effect against A549, MCF-7 and Hep3B at the same concentration compared to those of other fration.