• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2012

Minerals from marine materials such as deep ocean water and Dead Sea water have been used since ancient times. We made a mask pack sheet including deep ocean water and salt from the Dead Sea and evaluated the function of the mask pack sheet through animal study. Three full-thickness skin defects were made on the backs of Sprague-Dawley rats. The wounds were left untreated in group Con, and mask pack sheets including deep ocean water or deep ocean water and Dead Sea water were used as treatment for 20 min on the skin of animals in groups DP and DDP, respectively. We analyzed the gross, histological and biochemical findings. Groups DDP and DP showed decreases in wound size, as compared to group Con at 7 days after wound infliction. The histological findings revealed that wound healing had progressed further in groups DP and DDP than in group Con, with more rapid collagen deposition and regression of neutrophils. Also, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ were increased in groups DDP and DP compared with those in group Con at 3 days after wound infliction. Mask sheet packs including deep ocean water and Dead Sea salt affected wound healing by reducing the inflammatory phase and stimulated wound contracture by facilitating the deposition of collagen.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2018

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between soil environmental factors and halophyte distribution in the west coast of South Korea. Soils of our study sites were categorized into two groups: salt marsh and estuary marsh. Results: Salinity was higher in the salt marsh group than that in the estuary marsh group. However, total nitrogen, silt, and clay contents were higher in the estuary marsh group than those in the salt marsh group. Although altitude had a wider range in the salt marsh group, the mean altitude was higher in the estuary marsh group than that in the salt marsh group. Annual halophytes of seed propagation species were distributed parallel to the coast line on salt marsh. Higher coverage of vegetation was found in the area closer to the coast line. Plant density was higher near dead parental plants in estuary marsh, showing less difference in area that was more distant from the coast line. Conclusions: Results of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) for vegetation distribution and sediment environmental factors and germination analysis in the coast line showed significant relationship with halophyte distribution. Therefore, they can be used as an indicator of coastal plant movement due to sea level rise.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.341-350
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• 2015

Skin carrys out protective role against harmful outer environment assaults including ultraviolet radiation, heavy metals and oxides. Especially, ultraviolet-B (UVB) light causes inflammatory reactions in skin such as sun burn and erythma and stimulates melanin pigmentation. Furthermore, the influx of UVB into skin cells causes DNA damage in keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, inhibition of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis which leads to a decrease in elasticity of skin and wrinkle formation. It also damages dermal connective tissue and disrupts the skin barrier function. Prolonged exposure of human skin to UVB light is well known to trigger severe skin lesions such as cell death and carcinogenesis. Haloarcula vallismortis is a halophilic microorganism isolated from the Dead Sea, Its growth characteristics have not been studied in detail yet. It generally grows at salinity more than 10%, but the actual growth salinity usually ranges between 20 to 25%. Because H. vallismortis is found mainly in saltern or salt lakes, there could exist defense mechanisms against strong sunlight. One of them is generation of additional ATP using halorhodopsin which absorbs photons and produces energy by potential difference formed by opening the chloride ion channel. It often shows a color of pink or red because of their high content of carotenoid pigments and it is considered to act as a defense mechanism against intense UV irradiation. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of the halophilic microorganism, H. vallismortis, extract was investigated. It was found that H. vallismortis extract had protective effect on DNA damage induced by UV irradiation. These results suggest that the extract of halophilic bacterium, H. vallismortis could be used as a bio-sunscreen or natural sunscreen which ameliorate the harmful effects of UV light with its anti-inflammatory and DNA protective properties.