• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.961-969
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• 2015

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main catechin in green tea, has been shown to have some beneficial effects against various human diseases, including diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity. To investigate the mechanism of the suppressive effects of EGCG on inflammatory response in macrophages, alterations on the levels of nitric oxide (NO) regulatory factors and inflammatory cytokines were measured in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells. No significant toxicity was detected in RAW264.7 cells treated with 100–400 μM EGCG. Moreover, the optimal concentration of LPS was determined to be 1 μg/ml based on the results of cell viability assay, NO assay and IL-6 enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, NO levels decreased significantly by 68.2% in the 400 μM EGCG/LPS treated group, while the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression decreased by 12-17% in the 200 and 400 μM EGCG/LPS treated group. A significant decrease in transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF- α and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) was also detected in the EGCG/LPS treated group. However, IL-6 transcript and protein was maintained at a constant level when in the LPS treated group relative to the EGCG/LPS treated group. Overall, these results suggest that the differential regulation of inflammatory cytokines is an important factor influencing the suppressive effects of EGCG against LPS-activated inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.347-366
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• 2023

In the present study, the vegetation was classified using the phytosociological method and canonical-correlation analysis (CCA) was implemented to analyze correlation between community structure and environmental factors in the natural habitats of forest byproducts, especially medicinal plants, such as Cudrania tricuspidata, Sorbus commixta, and Hovenia dulcis, in 2021-2022 to provide primary ecological data to establish environmental conditions for wild vegetable cultivation. A total of 11 plots in five regions, 8 plots in three regions, and 17 plots in 5 regions were selected for the natural habitats of C. tricuspidata in southern Korea, S. commixta in high mountains, and H. dulcis in valleys of central Korea, respectively. The importance value in each community was respectively analyzed as follows, in C. tricuspidata community, the importance value of C. tricuspidata (61.10) was the highest, followed by Celtis sinensis, Pinus thunbergii, Neolitsea aciculata, Styrax japonica, Carpinus coreana, Quercus serrata, and Q. acutissima. In Sorbus commixta community, Q. mongolica (57.21) was the highest, followed by, S. commixta (42.58), Betula ermani, Tilia amurensis, A. pseudosieboldianum, A. tschonoskii var. rubripes, Cornus controversa, Magnolia sieboldii, and Taxus cuspidata. In H. dulcis community, H. dulcis (64.58) was the highest, followed by Zelkova serrata, Cornus controversa, A. mono, Q. serrata, C. cordata, and Juglans mandshurica. As the result of the analysis on DBH of the major species having the high importance value, in C. tricuspidata community, C. tricuspidata, C. sinensis, Neolitsea aciculata, and C. coreana show the density of normal distribution, so the dominant status of these species is likely to continue. In S. commixta community, S. commixta show the density of reverse J-shaped curve, so the dominant status of these species is likely to be stable, and Q. mongolica, B. ermani and T. amurensis, show the density of normal distribution, so the dominant status of these species is likely to continue. In H. dulcis community, C. cordata, and J. mandshurica show the density of reverse J-shaped curve, so the dominant status of these species is likely to be stable, and H. dulcis, Z. serrata, C. controversa and A. mono had a formality distribution, suggesting a continuous domination of these species over the other species for the time being. The results of CCA ordination analysis using 11 environmental factors and 30 communities of three taxa classified by TWINSPAN analysis revealed that the altitude showed the strongest correlation with the vegetation. C. tricuspidata community was distributed on the moderate and gentle northeastern slope at low altitude with the highest pH, C.E.C, Ca²⁺, and Mg² and various P₂O₅, whereas S. commixta community was distributed on the steep slope at high altitude with the highest O.M and T-N and lower P₂O₅, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, C.E.C and pH, which is the opposite tendency of the environment of C. tricuspidata community. H. dulcis community was distributed on the gentle northern slope at lower altitude with an average pH, O.M, T-N, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and C.E.C, except higher P₂O₅.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.83-94
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to offer basic data about prototype conservation of the Orijangnim, natural monument No. 404. For this study, March to August 2010, was a literature surveys and field research, and based on this, the Delphi survey of local residents and experts meeting were diagnosed with forest back ground, spatial extent, in the form of forests, flora and vegetation of the surrounding area, so examined closely the original form. Range of the Orijangnim was presumed from Jacheon middle school entrance($N36^{\circ}05^{\prime}59.9^{{\prime}{\prime}}/E128^{\circ}54^{\prime}32.9^{{\prime}{\prime}}$) to Odong of Hwabukmyeon village entrance($N36^{\circ}05^{\prime}31.0^{{\prime}{\prime}}/E128^{\circ}54^{\prime}32.5^{{\prime}{\prime}}$). The Orijangnim in the original form of the existing forest surrounding the village along gohyeon river going back a long S-shaped about 2km is considered. The investigated vascular plants consist of total 198 taxa : 2 forms, 20 varieties, 179 species, 152 Genera, 72 Families. Most of the 60 kinds of large land plants lots of whole plants accounted for 33.3%. A main vegetation of the Orijangnim have been distributed 473 objects of 21 species, and evergreen conifers is 19% to 92 objects, on the other hand, deciduous broadleaf tree is 79% to 373 objects, so the Orijangnim can be maxed forest that deciduous broadleaf tree is dominant. When consider the composition purpose of forest, environment of location, tree size, surrounding flora and vegetation, because an original vegetation of Orijangnim is suggested Zelkova serrata, Salix glandulosa, Celtis sinensis Pers., Quercus variabilis, Quercus acutissima , Sophora japonica L., Cornus walteri Wanger. we must restore around such species of tree. Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) Loudon, Chaenomeles sinensis, Prunus yedoensis Matsum., Ginkgo biloba , Pinus thunbergii Parl., Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee is considered to have been planted in the last.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.406-414
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• 2010

Antioxidative activity, including inhibitory activities of angiotensin I converting enzyme(ACE), aminopeptidase N(APN) and $\alpha$-amylase, was investigated in the methanol extracts from Theaceae plants native to Jeju island, in order to select the plant species containing bioactive materials for functional food or medicines. ACE inhibitory activity was above 50% in Ternstroemia japonica(stem bark) and Cleyera japonica(leaf), and APN inhibitory activity was low to be positive only in C. japonica(leaf, stem bark) and T. japonica(stem bark). $\alpha$-Amylase inhibitory activity was above 30% in Camellia japonica(fruit), Eurya emarginata(stem), T. japonica(stem bark) and Thea sinensis(stem). The antioxidative activity, estimated by the DPPH radical scavenging capacity, was above 30% in C. japonica(stem bark), T. japonica(stem bark) and T. sinensis(leaf). Particularly, the antioxidative activity analyzed by dot-blot test was very high in C. japonica(stem bark) relatively to those of other plants, and remained high in the low concentration($1.25\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). From the TLC analysis of antioxidative compounds, EGC(Rf 0.26) was found to have high activity in stem bark of C. japonica and EGCG(Rf 0.09) was found to have high activity in stem bark of C. japonica, E. emarginata, and T. japonica. Five bands (Rf 0.54, 0.46,0.44, 0.16, 0.03) which were not identified as compared with catechins were detected as polyphenolic compounds on the TLC plates sprayed with the Folin-Ciocalteu solution or the Ferric chloride-alcohol solution. These results suggests that Theaceae plants except E. japonica could be potentially used as a resource of bioactive materials for functional foods or medicines and further research is reguired to identify the bioactive substances and determine the functions of them.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of cultivating tea plants planted in the mountain area of west Gyeongnam province, Korea for 2 years from March 27th, 2001 to July 30th 2003. Ninety each plants collected from 5 different sife were cultivated in nursery cup pot$(\phi\;16cm)$. in the greenhouse condition and transplanted in 5 different location and monitored their survival growing state etc. The results obtained are as follow : 1. Survival rate tea plants after transfer to soil was relatively high Gaya-myeon Hanyang-gun with $90.0\%$ and the lowest in Buksang-meyon Geochang-gun with $80.0\%$. The tea plant collected from Gaya-myeon showed the best growing activity at early stage. 2. For the second year of harvesting time, survival rate was the highest in Machun-myeon Hamyang-gun with $92.2\%$ and the lowest was Buksang-myeon Geochang-gun with $76.7\%$. 3. For the 3rd year of harvesting time, it was impossible to data collection because of the most upper parts of plants were killed by severe freezing weather condition. In the Baekjeon-myeon, Hamyang-gun Buksang-myeon, Ungyang-myeon Geochang-gun, which are severly cold$(below\;-10^{\circ}C)$ in winter season, seems not a suitable places for tea plant cultivation since it is very different to harvest the young loaves in growing season. In conclnsion we could select two sites Gaya-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, Machun-myeon, Hamyang-gun, as tea plant cultivation in the mountain area of west-Gyeongnam province, korea.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.446-454
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• 2017

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and traditional herb has several functional properties and strong biological activities, making it useful as a functional food material. We investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of mixed compounds from red garlic and supplementary materials, including ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), doraji (Platycodon grandiflorum), quince (Chaenomeles sinensis), citrus peel (Citri Pericarpium), and mint (Mentha arvensis). The extracts were prepared with water (W) and ethanol (E) at $70^{\circ}C$ (W-70, E-70) and $95^{\circ}C$ (W-95, E-95) for 3 h. The total content of phenolic compounds was the highest in E-70 (608.60 mg/100 g). Alliin, one of the active ingredients in red garlic, was contained at 1.18-1.29 mg/g and 0.81-0.85 mg/g in water and ethanol extract, respectively. Another active ingredient of red garlic, S-allyl-cysteine (SAC) had higher content in the water extract than in the ethanol extracts. DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher in E-70 (15.96-73.65%) at $313-5,000{\mu}g/mL$. ABTS radical scavenging activity was also higher in E-70 (5.71-77.19%) than in the others. The ROS production rate showed the same tendency as the NO production, with more efficacy in E-95. The expression level of iNOS and $IL-1{\beta}$ was decreased in the E-95 significantly at the concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ compared to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated group. Based on the above results, the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts of red garlic and supplementary materials were expressed by different useful substances. The contents of these useful substances were different according to the extraction solvent and temperature.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.431-440
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• 2015

This study investigated the correlation between the trees planted on the slope of the first landfill where the landfill was completed and the soil environment. 69 plots (($7{\sim}20m{\times}5{\sim}20m$) were planted with 26 kinds of major trees in the first landfill slopes for vegetation survey. The survey was conducted from 2007 to 2009. Soil analysis from 2007 to 2008 was made on the basis of the injured index and the indicator species were selected. Depending on the rate of growth of the indicator species, seven survey locations were selected for soil sample analysis. 10 tree species appeared to adapt to the landfill environment. Among them, the coniferous trees were Pinus thunbergii (Seedling) and Juniperus chinensis and the deciduous trees were Quercus aliena, Salix preudo-lasiogyne, Castanea crenata (Seedling), Prunus armeniaca var. ansu, Quercus acutissima, Chionanthus retusus, Liriodendron tulipifera (Seedling) and Celtis sinensis. 8 species of trees did not adapt well to the landfill environment. Among them, two kinds were coniferous, the other six kinds were deciduous. In addition, judgment on the other 8 species of trees as to whether they adapted well or not was postponed. The species for which judgment was postponed included one coniferous tree and seven deciduous trees. Indicator species of injured index was the species that have more than 25 % of the defect. The soil was collected from where Catalpa ovata, Sophora japonica, Albizzia julibrissin and Acer palmatum were planted for analysis. According to the soil analysis, the soil pH showed that the soil was alkaline. Regarding the three phases of the soil, most sample soil showed 60 % for the solid phase or 55 % for the solid phase but with less than 10 % of gas phase. The organic matter content was found to be 0.14 to 2.52 %.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2013

In this study, the distribution of Cantao ocellatus in Korea occurred at Jindo, Tongyoung, Gwangju and Taean including Jejudo in 2012 and was coincidentally in accordance with the distribution of Mallotus japonicus as a host plant. The adult emerges in M. japonicus occur from late June to early July and can be observed until the end of October. The investigation of the female and male was measured, developmental characteristics, host plant and oviposition preference under the conditions of temperature $25^{\circ}C({\pm}2)$, humidity 65%(${\pm}2$), day length 16L:8D, by indoor breeding. For females and males respectively, average body lengths were 26.20 mm and 23.88 mm, body widths 11.35 mm and 10.57 mm, head widths 3.84 mm and 3.64 mm, probosics lengths 7.90 mm and 7.27 mm, antennal lengths 9.87 mm and 9.69 mm, anterior leg lengths 12.50 mm and 12.27 mm, intermediate leg lengths 14.61 mm and 13.12 mm, posterior leg lengths 16.90 mm and 16.53 mm, and fresh weights 0.46 g and 0.31 g. It was seen that two kinds of C. ocellatus had prickles at the end of the pronotum which had developed in the fifth instars. The female is distinguished from the male by the reproductive organ and the spotted pattern on the abdominal segment. The preference of drinks was fruit, leafstalk, midrib, and branch in Mallotus japonicus (Thunb.) Muell. Arg., Mallotus japonicus 'Variegatus', Ricinus communis L., Lonicera japonicus var. repens (Siebold) Rehder, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck and Zelkova serrata (Thunb.) Makino.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2010

Infection status of intestinal flukes was investigated in residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea. Total 1,257 fecal samples of residents were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation technique and Kato-Katz thick smear method. Helminth eggs were detected from 95 (7.6%) residents, and eggs of heterophyid flukes and Clonorchis sinensis were found from 62 (4.9%) and 40 (3.2%) cases, respectively. The larger heterophyid eggs, somewhat darkbrown in color and $37.7{\times}21.5{\mu}m$ in average size, and found in 32 (2.6%) out of 62 egg positive cases of heterophyid flukes. To confirm the adult flukes, we performed worm recovery from 12 cases after praziquantel treatment and purgation with $MgSO_4$. A total of 1,281 adult flukes, assigned to 7 species, were recovered from 9 cooperative cases. Heterophyes nocens (total 981 specimens) was collected from 9 cases, Stictodora fuscata (80) from 7, Gymnophalloides seoi (75) from 5, Pygidiopsis summa (140) from 3, Stellantchasmus falcatus (3) from 2, and Stictodora lari and Acanthotrema felis (each 1 worm) from 1 case each. The intrauterine eggs of S. fuscata collected from the recovered worm were identical with the larger heterophyid eggs detected in the stool examination. By the present study, it was confirmed that A. felis is a new intestinal fluke infecting humans, and residents in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do are infected with variable species of intestinal trematodes.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1969

1. Physicochemical properties of sea water and soil of Korean tidal flats densely populated with species of Mactra veneriformis, Cyclina sinensis, Meretrix lusoria, and Tapes philippinarum, were investigated in order to find out the index of environmental factors in marine bivalve culture. 2. The turbidity varied with the change in concentrations of organic matter, silicate, and the exchangeable copper in sea water. All of these concentrations in Inchon, Kunsan, and Hansando were higher than those in Yusoo. In the 5 areas investigated the lowest were ditected at Kangnung. 3. The minerals and organic matter content in sea water dia not vary significantly among the different bivalve beds. And it was presumed that the soil texture was one of the most important environmental factors for the density of the bivalves in tidelands. 4. The soil texture index of the different bivalve beds was obtained as follow: 5. There were no significant differences of pH, the exchangeable calcium, and the exchangeable copper contents of bottom soils in the 4 different bivalve beds. As important factors in these areas, it seems that the amount of chemical properties might not affect the distribution of bivalve species. 6. Among the 4 beds the soil organic matter content was highest at the T. philippinarum bed and varied with the total nitrogen content. 7. Among the different bivalve beds, it was significant that the water holding capacity and available phosphorus content were highest at the M. veneriformis bed.