• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2020

The effect of a greenhouse-covering material on its indoor environment and on the characteristics of cherry tomatoes grown in it was investigated. The conventional polyethylene (PE) film on the greenhouse roof was replaced by a polycarbonate (PC) sheet, while maintaining the main structural frame intact. Color changes and the formation of water droplets on the PC surface were avoided by applying coextrusion and coating layers. When compared to the PE greenhouse, the PC greenhouse enabled increased light transmittance and thus a higher indoor temperature during both summer and winter. The thermal insulating property of the PC sheet effectively reduced the heating loss by approximately 55% during winter. The cherry tomatoes grown in the PC greenhouse exhibited superior fruit characteristics in terms of size, weight, and sugar content. The total amount of cherry tomatoes produced per unit area (1,000 ㎡) in the PC greenhouse was found to be greater by approximately 19% compared to that in the PE greenhouse.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.175-186
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• 2020

This study approaches, from a floristic perspective, the under-researched human-primate competition for forest resources. Investigating the human impact on fruit trees edible for Kinda baboons (Papio kindae Lönnberg), we have collated dietary data on a free-ranging troop and floristic information on two forest sites of the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), Democratic Republic of Congo: the relatively intact Integral Zone (IZ) and the human-disturbed Annex Zone (AZ). Trees with DBH≥10 cm have been identified, counted and measured throughout 22 sample plots (11 per site), each measuring 1,000 ㎡. A total of seven woody species whose fruits are eaten by Kinda baboons were recorded. Four of them, namely the Sycamore fig Ficus sycomorus L., the Mobola plum Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth, the Kudu berry Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax and the Monkey orange Strychnos innocua Delile were found in both sites, while the Large-leaved jackal-berry Diosyros kirkii Hiern and the Buffalo thorn Ziziphus mucronata Willd. were exclusively in the IZ, and Strychnos cocculoides Baker only in the AZ. Compared to the IZ, the AZ had lower values of stem density, species richness and diversity indices, suggesting a negative human impact on baboon-edible trees, in line with our hypothesis. Moreover, as was expected, human activities decreased the abundance of larger baboon-edible fruit trees. However, the size-class distribution of P. curatellifolia depicted a reverse J-curve in the AZ. The abundant younger P. curatellifolia trees remaining in that human-disturbed site constitute an important food stock for baboons, if well preserved. These results also illustrate the critical role of rangers' patrols, formerly more frequent (and presumably efficient) in the IZ than in the AZ of the Park. Their implications on baboons and miombo forests are discussed from both the research and conservation perspectives.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.361-368
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• 2002

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preprocessing the transmitted energy spectrum data on development of a robust model to predict the sugar content in intact apples. The spectrum data were measured from 120 Fuji apple samples conveying at the speed of 2 apples per second. Computer algorithms of preprocessing methods such as MSC, SNV, first derivative, OSC and their combinations were developed and applied to the raw spectrum data set. The results indicated that correlation coefficients between the transmitted energy values at each wavelength and sugar contents of apples were significantly improved by the preprocessing of MSC and SNV in particular as compared with those of no-preprocessing. SEPs of the prediction models showed great difference depending on the preprocessing method of the raw spectrum data, the largest of 1.265%brix and the smallest of 0.507% brix. Such a result means that an appropriate preprocessing method corresponding to the characteristics of the spectrum data set should be found or developed for minimizing the prediction errors. It was observed that MSC and SNV are closely related to prediction accuracy, OSC is to number of PLS factors and the first derivative resulted in decrease of the prediction accuracy. A robust calibration model could be d3eveloped by the combined preprocessing of MSC and OSC, which showed that SEP=0.507%brix, bias=0.0327 and R2=0.8823.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.531-537
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• 2000

The simple microgel electrophoresis of single cells, a 'comet assay', on fruit seeds enabled the rapid identification of irradiated fruits by comparing the intact non-irradiated cells and the damaged cells of irradiated fruits. Grapes and plums were irradiated with 0.1, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 kGy and strawberries, peaches, apples, and nectarines were irradiated with only 1.0 kGy. Seeds were isolated, crushed, and the suspended cells were embedded in an agarose layer. After lysis of the cells, they were subjected to microgel electrophoresis for 2 minutes, and then stained. The DNA radiation-induced fragmentation of all the fruits stretched and migrated out of the cells forming a tail toward the anode giving the appearance of a comet, while the undamaged cells appeared as intact nuclei without tails. Grape and plum seeds irradiated at 0.5 kGy and higher showed significant increases in tail length. With increasing the irradiation doses, longer extention of the DNA from the nucleus toward the anode was observed. Strawberry, peach, apple, and nectarine seeds irradiated with 1.0 kGy also showed the longer tails than non-irradiated ones. DNA comet assay as a rapid and inexpensive screening technique could be an officially validated method for the detection of irradiated fruits.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 1998

The effects of inflorescence herbivory and flowering time on plant architecture and reproductive yields were examined with a perennial herbacious species, Vicia cracca, occurring in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. Natural herbivory on inflorescences was observed among the total of 157 plants during a growing season. Vegetative and reproductive characters were measured in the field as well as in the lab depending on the characters. Approximately 64% of the plants were subjected to herbivory on inflorescences. Plants were classified into three groups; unbrowsed plants, partially browsed, and totally browsed plants, according to the level of herbivory on inflorescences of each plant. Plants were also categorized by their flowering time such as early vs late flowering plants. Herbivores tended to favor inflorescences on rather small plants, resulting in a pattern of totally contact or partially intact inflorescences on taller plants. The mean number of stems, which was assumed to be a direct result of severe herbivory in this population, differed among herbivory groups. There also was a tendency that plants flowering late in the season had more nodes with more leaves, suggesting that herbivory on stem tips early in the season before flowering might have induced growth of side branches or branchlets along the main stems. Comparison between unbrowsed and partially browsed plants showed that the latter compensated for browsing in terms of numbers of inflorescences, fruits, seeds and seed size (weight), though they did not compensate in flower number. The probability of fruit production (presence vs absence of fruits) and seed weight declined toward the end of the season. These results suggest that resources are deficient at the end of the season. Almost complete reproductive failure in totally browsed plants is attributed to the destruction of inflorescence display and the disadvantage of small vegetative size of those plants. After all, in this population, a moderate level of herbivory on inflorescences did not reduce the maternal fitness of the plants. However, severe herbivory on inflorescences resulted in antagonistic interactions between plants and herbivores.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.132-142
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• 2018

An elephant digests only around 30~45% of what it consumes; therefore the undigested material mainly passes as intact fibres. Elephant food is usually composed of grass, leaves, twigs, bark, fruit and seed pods. This research aimed to utilize the elephant dung fibers as material for composite board and citric acid as a bonding agent. Citric acid contents in this research were set at 0 wt% (binderless composite board), 10 wt%, 20 wt%, and 30 wt% based on dry weight particles, while the target density was set at $0.8g/cm^3$. Pressing temperatures were set at $180^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ with the pressing time was 10 minutes. Physical and mechanical properties tests were then performed according to Japanese Industrial Standard A 5905. The result showed that elephant dung fibers could be used as potential materials for composite board. Addition of citric acid and pressing temperature significantly increased the quality of composite board. Infrared analysis indicated that the presence of ester linkages much higher with the increasing of citric acid content and pressing temperature. The optimum properties of composite board made from elephant dung fibers could be achieved at pressing temperature of $200^{\circ}C$ and a citric acid content of 20 wt%.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2010

This study examined the biological characteristics of the insect and examined potential cultural controls using peduncle topping methods. Ginseng stem fungus gnat eggs hatched after 5 days; ecdysis lasted 3-4 weeks, and after 5 days pupation, adults emerged. Adults deposited eggs 1-2 days after emerging, and the entire life cycle lasted 32-40 days. The fungus gnats laid eggs $327\times220{\mu}m$ in size on cut planes of stems, but not on intact stem parts that had not been topped or wounded. Analyses of major weather data for the experimental areas and weather data for the past 30 years acquired from the Korea Meteorological Administration revealed that fungus gnat dispersion was prevalent under highly humid conditions and in areas with thick and frequent fogging. Among the topping times examined, fungus gnat damage to ginseng was lowest when topping occurred in late May. Among the five different topping methods evaluated on experimental ginseng farms, the cumulative fungus gnat damage to ginseng was low (0.8%) under partial peduncle topping (removal of peduncle with lateral fruit remaining) and removal of only flower buds (0.6%), with fungus gnat control effects of 82% and 86%, respectively, compared to conventional topping (removal of peduncle about 5 cm above its base). No fungus gnat damage to ginseng was observed under the no-topping treatment. These results suggest that partial topping of peduncles, while letting lateral fruits remain, is a potentially environmentally friendly method of controlling the ginseng stem fungus gnat.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.477-486
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• 2011

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether polyphenol-rich fraction extracted from fruit wine of Rubus coreanum M (PCRC) can affect the contractility of the thoacic aortic strips isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and to clarify its mechanism of action. PCRC (200-800 ${\mu}g/mL$) concentration-depenedently blocked phenylephrine (10 ${\mu}M$)-induced contractile responses of the isolated aortic strips of SHRs. PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$), added in to bath medium, also depressed the contractile active tension evoked by both phenylephrine (3 and 10 ${\mu}M$) and high potassium (25 and 56 mM). In the simultaneous presence of PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$) and L-NAME (a selective inhibitor of NO synthase, 300 ${\mu}M$), the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$ were recovered to considerable level of the corresponding control contractility compared with those effects of PCRC-treatment alone. However, in the simultaneous presence of indomethacin (10 ${\mu}M$, a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$), they were not affected. In the endothelium-denuded aortic strips by CHAPS-treatment, PCRC did not affect the contractile responses induced by phenylephrine or high potassium. Interestingly, PCRC (1.0, 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg/30 min, i.v., respectively) dose-dependently suppressed norepiphrine-induced vasopressor responses in anesthetized SHRs. Collectively, we concluded that PCRC causes vasorelaxation in the thoracic aortic strips with intact endothelium of SHRs at least partly by the increased NO production through the activation of NO synthase of vascular endothelium, but not through the activation of cyclooxygenase. These results suggest that PCRC might be helpful to prevent or alleviate cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2009

Intact black raspberry fruits, which were crushed by hand or ground using a blender, were immersed in 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% ethanol (125 g fruits per 900 mL ethanol) and exuded for 30, 60, and 90 days at room temperature. Monomeric anthocyanin contents (MAC) and polyphenol contents (PHC) of the exudates were determined measuring absorbance using a spectrophotometer. DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities (50%: $SC_{50}$) were determined for the antioxidant activities of the exudates. Twenty % ethanol exudates from black raspberry had significantly lower MAC and PHC regardless of the fruit types. $SC_{50}$ were higher in 20% ethanol exudates, suggesting 20% ethanol exudates from black raspberry had lower antioxidant activities. MAC and PHC of the black raspberry exudates decreased with time. This study suggests that MAC and PHC in the black raspberry could be exuded more efficiently using 40% or higher concentration of ethanol and that crushing and grinding little affect exuding MAC and PHC. The exudates with higher MAC and PHC showed higher antioxidant activities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.6
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• pp.633-638
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• 2007

The Elaeagnus macrophylla is a stenoecious evergreen plant with nitrogen-fixing symbionts and its timing of fruit-ripening coincides with spring migration of many birds in southwestern Korea. To recognize bird species which eat fleshy fruits of the Elaeagnus macrophylla and to evaluate the effects of bird ingestion on seed germination and dispersal, we monitored birds and carried out germination experiments using its fruits and seeds from March to April 2007 at Hongdo Island, Jeonnam Province, Korea. As a result, eight species of birds including the Gray Starling (Sturnus cineraceus), the Brown-eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) and the Dusky Thrush (Turdus naumanni) ingested the fruits. Germination rate was enhanced but length of seed dormancy was instead shortened in ingested (collected from the feces of birds) and manually extracted seeds (obtained directly from the fruits) than in intact fruits collected directly from the plant. Moreover, the possible scale of seed dispersal by the frugivorous birds ranged up to 6.9 ha based on home ranges of starlings. Consequently, the Elaeagnus macrophylla supplies food resources for migratory birds, and the birds give the plant opportunities of new colonization. We suggest that this kind of interaction between the nitrogen-fixing plant and avian seed dispersers is applicable as a process of natural restoration in degraded coastal evergreen forests.