• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.210-220
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• 2015

Athletic performance is an important criteria used for the selection of superior horses. However, little is known about exercise-related epigenetic processes in the horse. DNA methylation is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. We carried out comparative genomic analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the blood samples of two different thoroughbred horses before and after exercise by methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq). Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the pre-and post-exercise blood samples of superior and inferior horses were identified. Exercise altered the methylation patterns. After 30 min of exercise, 596 genes were hypomethy-lated and 715 genes were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas in the inferior horse, 868 genes were hypomethylated and 794 genes were hypermethylated. These genes were analyzed based on gene ontology (GO) annotations and the exercise-related pathway patterns in the two horses were compared. After exercise, gene regions related to cell division and adhesion were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas regions related to cell signaling and transport were hypermethylated in the inferior horse. Analysis of the distribution of methylated CpG islands confirmed the hypomethylation in the gene-body methylation regions after exercise. The methylation patterns of transposable elements also changed after exercise. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) showed abundance of DMRs. Collectively, our results serve as a basis to study exercise-based reprogramming of epigenetic traits.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.4 s.32
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• pp.391-403
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• 1990

In order to assess the degree of atmospheric pollution and noise and to contribute the health improvement of residents in Pusan, the author measured the levels of CO, $SO_2,\;NO_2$, TSP, HCHO and noise in 8 areas (industrial, residential and park areas) from January to March in 1990. The results were as follows : 1. Sasang industrial area was significantly higher($2.85{\pm}0.84ppm$) in the average concentration of CO than other areas. However, there no areas to affect the human body in terms of CO concentration. 2. In general, industrial area was significantly higher ($0.134{\pm}0.084ppm$) in the average concentration of $SO_2$ than other areas, and it was the lowest ($0.009{\pm}0.005ppm$) in the Namchon-dong area. 3. Industrial ($0.033{\pm}0.009ppm$) and residential area ($0.029{\pm}0.004ppm$) were significantly higher in the average concentration of $NO_2$ than Park area ($0.009{\pm}0.001ppm$). However, there were no areas to affect the human body in terms of $NO_2$ concentration. 4. Sasang industrial area was the highest ($580.4{\pm}415.26{\mu}g/m^3$) at the average concentration of TSP and Hae-Un Dae area was the lowest ($97.22{\pm}37.86{\mu}g/m^3$). But TSP concentration showed the level to affect the human body in most areas. 5. Industrial area was significantly higher ($2.25{\pm}1.15ppb$) in the average concentration of HCHO than residential ($1.13{\pm}0.25ppb$) and park area ($1.33{\pm}0.20ppb$). 6. Industrial area was significantly higher ($77.28{\pm}6.92dB(A)$) in the level of noise than residential ($65.77{\pm}3.76dB(A)$) and park area ($64.65{\pm}5.25dB(A)$). In comparison with regional Standard Noise Level, howeverm the average noise level of residential and park area was higher than that of the Standard. In general, the level of pollution of industrial complex areas was relatively higher than those of residential and park areas. Among the industrial areas, sasang area was worst in most items. Both $SO_2$ and TSP showed the level to affect the human body in most of studied areas. It is necessary to install a new Air Quality Standard for HCHO to screen our environmental pollution.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2016

Plant disease caused by root-knot nematode is a major problem in crop production. Using of chemical pesticides, one of the most efficient methods to control nematodes, have raised issues in toxicity to humans and animals and environmental pollution. In this study, to select actinomycete strains that have potential to serve as a microbial agent for control of nematodes, we investigated nematicidal activity of culture broth from 670 Streptomyces isolates. A culture filtrate of KRA15-528 isolate that was identified as S. flavogriseus on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence analysis, showed strong nematicidal activity against second stage of juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita and inhibited egg hatching; exposure to 10% of culture filtrate resulted in 71% juvenile mortality at 48 hours afters treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 54% at 9 days after treatment. When the KRA15-528 culture filtrate was partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol, ethyl acetate layer exclusively showed strong activity; 91%, 53%, 30% of mortality at 1,000, 500, $250{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Additionally, the culture filtrate suppressed gall formation on cucumber plant by M. incognita with no phytotoxicity. These results suggest that S. flavogriseus KRA15-528 has potential to serve as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.185-198
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• 2011

This study was carried out to select a proper forage crop, and to estimate the proper level of application of cattle manure and carrying capacity of organic livestock per unit area. Corns and forage sorghum hybrids were cultivated with different types of livestock manures and different amount of them to produce organic forage. For both corns and forage sorghum hybrids, no fertilizer plots had significantly (p<0.05) lower annual dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) yields than those of other plots, whereas the N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorous-kalium) plots ranked the highest yields, followed by 150% cattle manure plots and 100% cattle manure plots. DM, CP and TDN yields of in cattle manure plots were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of no fertilizer and P-K (phosphorous-kalium) plots. The yields of in cattle slurry plots tended to be a little higher than those of in composted cattle manure plots. Assuming that corn and forage sorghum hybrids produced from this trial were fed at 70% level to 450kg of Hanwoo heifer for 400g of average daily gain, the carrying capacity (head/year/ha) of livestock ranked the highest in 150% cattle slurry plots (mean 6.0 heads), followed by 100% cattle slurry plots (mean 5.3 heads), 150% composted cattle manure plots (mean 4.7 heads), 100% composted cattle manure plots (mean 4.4 heads), and no fertilizer plots (mean 2.8 heads) in corns (or the cultivation of corns). Meanwhile, in the case of forage sorghum hybrids, 150% cattle slurry plots (mean 6.4 heads) ranked the highest carrying capacity, followed by 150% composted cattle manure plots (mean 4.8 heads), 100% cattle slurry plots (mean 4.4 heads), 100% composted cattle manure plots (mean 4.1 heads), and no fertilizer plots (mean 2.8 heads). The results indicated that the application of livestock manure to cultivated soil could enhance not only DM and TDN yields, but also the carrying capacity of organic livestock as compared with the effect of chemical fertilizers. In conclusion, the production of organic forage with reutilized livestock manure will facilitate the reduction of environmental pollution and the production of environmentally friendly agricultural products by resource circulating system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 1998

Analysis of gravity, magnetic, and seismic reflection data from the Ulleung Basin, East Sea has provided some insights into the opening mechanism and crustal type of the basin. Free-air gravity anomaly data show positive anomalies of about 40~60 mgal near the Korea Plateau and Oki Bank and of about -20~20 mgal in the central basin. Bouguer gravity anomaly data exhibit NE-SW trending positive anomalies of about 150 mgal in the central basin which is interpreted to be related to high-density crustal material. Abrupt changes in both Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomaly profiles across the basin margins may be due to transition between continental and oceanic crusts. Magnetic anomalies in the basin are generally less than -400 nT. No stripe pattern is evident in the magnetic anomaly map but a NW-SE trending symmetric pattern is seen in some magnetic profiles. The symmetric pattern is probably associated with the high-density crustal material in the central basin suggested by Bouguer gravity anomaly. The acoustic basement in the deep part of the basin has only a small amount of local relief. No graben or half-graben structures are seen in the acoustic basement from which mechanical extension might be inferred. The lack of high-relief structures in the acoustic basement may suggest that the basin is underlain by oceanic crust or that the basement is overlain by thick volcanic layer which obscures the structures and relief of the basement. High-density crust in the central basin inferred from gravity data, abrupt changes in gravity anomalies across the basin margins, symmetric pattern seen in some magnetic anomaly profiles, and lack of relief in the acoustic basement may suggest sea-floor spreading origin of the Ulleung Basin.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2015

Recent laboratory studies have documented that mixotrophic dinoflagellates Dinophysis spp. and heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyphysis oxytoxoides share a common prey, i.e. the mixotrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. Nonetheless, very little is known about the population dynamics and species interactions among these protists in natural environments. To investigate the interactions between the dinoflagellate predators and their ciliate prey in the field, we took the samples twice a day from 26 July to 28 August, 2011 at a fixed station in Masan Bay and analyzed their abundances. During this study, salinity was highly variable, ranging from 5 to 28, due to the periodic input of rainfalls to the sampling station. Water temperature was on average $26.5^{\circ}C$ until 20 August and thereafter was about $21^{\circ}C$ by the end of the sampling period. The ciliate M. rubrum occurred persistently throughout the sampling period, ranging from 13 to $492\;cells\;mL^{-1}$. Cell densities of D. acuminata and O. oxytoxoides ranged from undetectable level to $19,833\;cells\;L^{-1}$ and from undetectable level to $100,333\;cells\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The high abundance of D. acuminata mostly followed the blooming of the ciliate M. rubrum, but it often did not peak even during heavy blooms of the prey, probably due to sensitivity to large salinity fluctuation and also presumably overlapped grazing by other mixotrophic dinoflagellates. The abundance of O. oxytoxoides was detected only when water temperature was lower than $24^{\circ}C$, indicating that water temperature is an important environmental factor to control the population dynamics of the dinoflagellate species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3 s.104
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• pp.286-294
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• 2003

This study was attempted to understand seasonal dynamics of phyto- and zooplankton communities in shallow, eutrophic Lake llgam and to compare them with the PEG (Plankton Ecology Group) model. Seasonal succession pattern of phytoplankton community was similar to PEG model as Chlorophyceae and Baciliphyceae increase during spring and autumn fellowed by increase of Cyanophyceae. However, based on the cell density and biomass, a dominant phytoplankton community differed with PEG model: Cyanophyceae had been a dominant community throughout a year, except for ice-cover period during which Chlorophyceae was a dominant group. In spring, when ice melted and dissolved nutrients in water column increased, the increase of Chlorophyceae occurred: when nutrients (DIN and DIP) rapidly decreased, Cyanophyceae increase occurred. Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, Merismopedia were maior dominant species of Cyanophyceae and their cell density and/or biomass was the highest in October 2000 (12.9${\pm}$5.8${\times}10^5$ cells/ml, 3.5${\pm}$0.9${\times}10^3{\mu}gC/l$). Cyanophyceae biomass showed positive relationship with chlorophyll a ($r^2$ = 0.71,P< 0.001) and TP concentration ($r^2$ = 0.62, P< 0.001). Small-sized rotifers such as Keratella cochlearis, increased between March and May when Chlorophyceae increased. Both high standing crop of copepods and cladocerans, such as Diaphanosoma brachyrum and Bosmina longirostris occurred between June and September accompanied with the increase of Dinophyceae and Bacillariophyceae. There was no evidence that clear-water phase was caused by zooplankton grazing. The diversity and evenness index of phyto- and/or zooplankton increased with chlorophyll a concentration. These results suggest zooplankton grazing and limiting nutrient deficiency could lead to change of phytoplankton biomass, but not the phytoplankton community in Lake llgam.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.282-291
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• 2014

This study was conducted to make distribution model of the Red-crowned Crane and the White-naped Crane according to the anthropogenic and natural factors affecting distribution of crane in Cheorwon, Korea. It was investigated that the impact power and its range of the indirect anthropogenic influence to feeding flock density in cranes from the road, residential area, military facilities, civilian control zone (CCZ), greenhouse and natural influence such as roosting site and available feeding area. Available feeding area is the most important factor for the crane's feeding site selection. The feeding flock density of the cranes near the residential area was lower than that of area far from the area, and tended to increase within 2.5 km distance. The increasing tendencies of feeding flock density from military facilities and high traffic volume road were similar, but the density in military facilities increased within 800 m, and the density from high traffic volume road increased within 2 km. These results suggested that residential area, military facilities and the road with high traffic volume had significant effect on foraging densities to the certain range. As the distance from the road with low traffic volume and roosting site increased, feeding flock density tended to decrease. The density of Red-crowned crane and White-naped crane inside the CCZ were respectively higher than those of outside the CCZ, especially for the Red-crowned crane. As a result, density of Red crowned cranes inside the CCZ was 5.2 times higher than that of outside, while that of white-naped cranes was 2.2 times bigger. If the density of greenhouse is lower than $40km^{-2}$, crane's feeding flock density in the low greenhouses density area was higher than that of high greenhouses density area. However, there was no difference in the feeding flock density if the density of the green houses is higher than $40km^{-2}$. The model for the Red-crowned Crane was related with available feeding area, distance from residential area, civilian control zone and distance from high traffic road. The model of the White-naped Crane was related with available feeding area, distance from roosting site and distance from lake. Finally, the estimated feeding flock density of cranes significantly correlated with density model according to the natural and anthropogenic factors.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 2016

The sustainability of Iris koreana, a rare and endemic plant designated by the Korea Forest Service, is threatened due to artificial factors such as habitats loss and climate change etc. and internal factors such as changes in biological properties of the habitats etc. but conservation biology research has not been performed in South Korea. The objective of this study is to establish the species conservation strategies by analyzing the characteristics of their habitats, including: 1) Population characteristics, and 2) habitat analysis of the vegetation and abiotic environments. From April to May, 2015, population characteristics [density (stems $m^{-2}$), flowering rate (%) and leaf area size ($cm^2$)] in I. koreana habitats such as Buan1~6 (BA1~6), Jangseong1~2 (JS1~2) and vegetation characteristics (phytosociological research and ordination analysis), and abiotic environments [soil temperature ($^{\circ}C$), soil humidity (%), transmitted light ($mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and canopy openness (%)] were measured. I. koreana was mainly distributed at elevation 50 to 150 m and 2 to $11^{\circ}$ slope. Slope direction was shown as 90 to $193^{\circ}$. The average degree of canopy openness was 11.9%. It showed the highest at BA2 (17.5) and the lowest at JS1 (7.7). The average degree of transmitted light was $6.3mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. It showed the highest at BA2 (10.1) and the lowest at JS1 (3.6). Population density showed average 25.8 (stems $m^{-2}$). It showed the highest at JS2 (19.7) and the lowest at JS1 (9.3). flowering stems showed average 16.9 (stems). It showed the highest at BA3 (35) and the lowest at BA5 (4). Leaf area size was average $94.1cm^2$.