• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.823-827
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• 2010

This study was conducted to assess the propriety of models for soil water characteristics estimation in anthropogenic soil through the measurement of soil water content and soil water matric potential. Soil profile was characterized with four different soil layers. Soil texture was loamy sand for the first soil layer (from soil surface to 30 cm soil depth), sand for the second (30~70 cm soil depth) and the third soil layers (70~120 cm soil depth), and sandy loam for the fourth soil layer (120 cm < soil depth). Soil water retention curve (SWRC), the relation between soil water content and soil water matric potential, took a similar trend between different layers except the layer of below 120 cm soil depth. The estimation of SWRC and air entry value was better in van Genuchten model by analytical method than in Brooks-Corey model with power function. Therefore, it could be concluded that van Genuchten model is more desirable than Brook-Corey model for estimating soil water characteristics of anthropogenic soil accumulated with saprolite.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 2000

A pot-lysimeter experiment was conducted with 3-year-old 'Tsugaru' apple (Malus domestica Borkh) trees to examine the changes in oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) with lateral flow velocity of water through soil. The influence of lateral water flow velocity on water relations and elemental content in leaf, and sap temperature distribution patterns of the xylem of trees were also determined. Trees were grown under four soil water regimes: (1) fast laterally flowing (FWT, $2.50{\times}10^{-4}cm\;s^{-1}$), (2) slow laterally flowing (SWT, $0.25{\times}10^{-4}cm\;s^{-1}$), and (3) stagnant water table (WLT) at 60-cm, and (4) drip-irrigation at -40 kPa of soil matric potential as a control. The rate of $O_2$ diffusion converged near $2{\times}10^{-3}g\;m^{-2}\;min^{-1}$ for FWT and control soils, but decreased below $1{\times}10^{-3}g\;m^{-2}\;min^{-1}$ 40 days after treatment (DAT) for WLT soils. For SWT soils, however, the ODR at 15 cm below the soil surface was similar to that of control, but at 45 cm below the soil surface, ODR was similar to that of the WLT treatment. Leaf water potential of FWT and SWT plants was similar to that of control plants, but the values for SWT plants declined by 98 DAT. Leaf water potential of WLT plants decreased from -1.86 MPa (9 DAT) to -2.41 MPa (59 DAT) and finally down to -2.70 MPa. The sap temperature measured at 1100-hr was lowest at top and highest at bottom for FWT and control plants, but this pattern of SWT and WLT plants was disturbed from 29 DAT. However, for SWT plants, such thermal disturbance of sap temperature disappeared from 63 DAT.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.E1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2008

Relationship between the optimum soil water content and clay content on soil samples from mid-latitude European forest was tested. Soil samples from 4 different experimental sites (two forest sites in the Netherlands and a Danish forest) were collected, and analyzed for the soil physical and chemical characteristics. Water retention curves for the soil samples were determined according to the standard procedure ISO 11274, and pF decreased with increase in soil water contents. NO is simultaneously produced and consumed by microbiological processes, which comprise of nitrification and denitrification. NO consumption and production rates were determined from the soil samples and compared to their corresponding water retention curves in order to find the optimum soil water content and matric potential for maximum NO release from mid-latitude soils. NO consumption rate coefficient (k) in Hollandse Hout was significantly lower than those in other soil sites. Maximum NO production was observed at an intermediate soil moisture ($0.2{\sim}0.3kg/kg$) in all the soil samples. Resulting from the NO consumption and production rates for the soils, the empirical NO fluxes of the different soils were calculated in the laboratory.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.712-723
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• 2015

This study was conducted to develop the SWCC estimation equation using scaling technique, and to investigate relative sensitivity of the SWCC according to the soil water tension, for the four kinds of soil texture such as Sand [S], Sandy Loam [SL], Loam [L] and Clay Loam [CL]. The SWCC estimation equation of scale factor [${\Theta}sc$] (Eq. 1) was developed based on the log function (Eq. 2) and exponential function (Eq. 3). ${\Theta}sc=[({\Theta}-{\Theta}r)/({\Theta}s-{\Theta}r)]$ (Eq. 1) ${\Theta}sc=-0.196ln(H)+0.4888$ (Eq. 2) ${\Theta}sc=0.3804(H)^{(-0.448)}$ (Eq. 3) where, ${\Theta}$: water content (g/g %), ${\Theta}s$: water content at 0.1bar, ${\Theta}r$: water content at 15bar, H: soil water tension (matric potential) (bar) Relative sensitivity of soil water content was decreased as increase soil water tension, those according to soil water tension were 0.952~0.620 compared to 0.1bar case. Relative sensitivity of scale factor was also decreased as increase soil water tension, those according to soil water tension were 0.890~0.577 compared to 0.2bar case.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2011

Protected vegetable production area is greater than 26% of the total vegetable production area in Korea, and portion of protected production area is increasing for flowers and fruits. To secure stable productivity and profitability, continuous and intensive monitoring and control of protected crop production environment is critical, which is labor- and time-consuming. Failure to maintain proper environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature, humidity) leads to significant damage to crop growth and quality, therefore farmers should visit or be present close to the production area. To overcome these problems, application of remote monitoring and control of crop production environment has been increasing. Wireless monitoring and control systems have used CDMA, internet, and smart phone communications. Levels of technology adoption are different for farmers' needs for their cropping systems. In this paper, potential of wireless remote monitoring of protected agricultural environment using CDMA SMS text messages was reported. Monitoring variables were outside weather (precipitation, wind direction and velocity, temperature, and humidity), inside ambient condition (temperature, humidity, $CO_2$ level, and light intensity), irrigation status (irrigation flow rate and pressure), and soil condition (volumetric water content and matric potential). Scenarios and data formats for environment monitoring were devised, tested, and compared. Results of this study would provide useful information for adoption of wireless remote monitoring techniques by farmers.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.282-287
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• 1999

The object of this study was to determine the difference of the time course changes of transpiration, diffusion resistance and photosynthetic rate of rice at several different growth stages subjected to soil moisture stress (SMS) and recovery by irrigation. A japonica rice cultivar 'Dongjinbyeo', was grown under flooded condition in a plastic container filled with silty loam soil. At 5 main growth stages, the container was treated by SMS until initial wilting point (IWP) and then reirrigated. The duration of SMS until IWP were the longest, 13 days for tillering stage, and the shortest, 7 days for panicle initiation and meiosis stage. The transpiration rate rapidly decreased during SMS and the transpiration rate at IWP of the stressed plant showed 10∼20% compared with control, and the transpiration rate of stressed plant at most growth stages also recovered rapidly after irrigation and then reached 100% of control within a week. The shoot photosynthetic rate in all growth stages rapidly decreased by SMS, and the rates at IWP of stressed plants were de-creased nearly to 0%, beside the treatment at tillering stage. The recovery degree of photosynthetic rate by irrigation ranged from 20 to 90%, showed higher at early growth stages of SMS treatment than that of later stages. At all growth stages the leaf diffusion resistance of stressed plants was over 3 times that of the control resulting from a rapid increase at 3 to 5 days after draining for SMS, and showed quick recovery by irrigation within 3 days after drainage. The above physiological parameters changed in close relation with the decrease of the soil matric potential after SMS. These results indicate that at all main growth stages of rice plants the transpiration and photosynthesis reduction by stomatal closure reponded sensitively to the first stage of SMS closely related with decrease of soil water potential, while those recovery pattern and recovered degree by irrigation are little different by growth stage of rice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2781-2785
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• 2016

Background: Matric metalloproteinase (MMP) 13 gene expression is increased in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and associated with increasing tumor invasion, lymph node involvement and decreased survival rates. Levels of the circulating enzyme may be elevated and used as a marker of tumor progression. In this study, clinical application of MMP-13 serum levels was evaluated for early detection, prediction of prognosis and survival time of ESCC patients. Materials and Methods: Serum levels of MMP13 were determined by ELISA in 66 ESCC patients prior of any treatment and 54 healthy controls for comparison with clinicopathological data through statistical analysis with Man Whitney U and Log-Rank tests. In addition, clinical value of MMP13 levels for diagnosis was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) test. Results: The serum level of MMP-13 in patients (>250 pg/ml) was significantly higher than in the control group (<100 pg/ml) (p value=0.004). Also the results showed a significant correlation between MMP-13 serum levels with tumor stage (p value = 0.003), depth of tumor invasion (p value=0.008), involvement of lymph nodes (p value = 0.011), tumor size (p value = 0.018) and survival time. While there were no significant correlation with grade and location of tumors. ROC analysis showed that MMP-13 level is an accurate diagnostic marker especially to differentiate pre-invasive/ invasive lesions from normal controls (sensitivity and specificity: 100%). Conclusions: These findings indicate a potential clinical significance of serum MMP13 measurement for early detection and prognostic assessment in ESCC patients.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.622-627
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• 2012

The processes to determine the composition, dynamics, and activity of infection mechanisms by the rhizosphere microflora have attracted the interest of scientists from multiple disciplines although considerable progress of the infection pathways and plant-pathogen interactions by soil borne fungal pathogens have been made. Soilborne pathogens are confined within a three-dimensional matrix of mineral soil particles, pores, organic matter in various stages of decomposition and a biological component. Among the physical and chemical properties of soils soil texture and matric water potential may be the two most important factors that determine spread exudates by soil borne fungal pathogens, based on the size of the soil pores. Pathogenic invasion of plant roots involves complex molecular mechanisms which occur in the diffuse interface between the root and the soil created by root exudates. The initial infection by soilborne pathogens can be caused by enzymes which breakdown cell wall layers to penetrate the plant cell wall for the fungus. However, the fate and mobility of the exudates are less well understood. Therefore, it needs to develop methods to control disease caused by enzymes produced by the soilborne pathogens by verifying many other possible pathways and mechanisms of infection processes occurring in soils.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2008

Clubroot of Chinese cabbage, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is one of the most serious plant diseases in the world. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of the irrigation times on the development of club root after planting and to evaluate the effect of clubroot disease on yield of chinese cabbage in pot and field. The clubroot disease gradually increased with increasing irrigation frequency after planting. The growth characters and yield of chinese cabbage by irrigation times varied according to soil moisture and clubroot disease severity. Based on marketable yield and control value, an ideal irrigation point was at the soil matric potential of 0.06 MPa. These results suggest that the suppression on clubroot disease development could be achieved by initially reduced irrigation times after planting. Future studies on irrigation times using fungicide treatment and resistant cultivar under natural field conditions are required to improve the control effect of clubroot.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 1999

Soil moisture condition is an important limiting factor in growth and yield in rice culture. The purpose of this study was to compare the influence on the growth, yield and Quality of rice subjected to soil moisture stress (SMS) at different growth stages. Ajaponica rice cultivar, Dongjinbyeo, was cultured under flooded conditions in a plastic container filled with silty loam soil. The container was subjected to SMS until the initial wilting point (IWP) coincided with about 10% in soil moisture content and about-200 kPa in soil matric potential, and was then irrigated again, at 6 and 5 of main growth stage in 1996 and 1997, respectively. At maturity, the plant height, tiller number, leaf area and top dry weight were decreased more in SMS treatments at the early stage than the late stage. The averaged yield index of SMS to control in both years was lowest at meiosis (62.5%), which primarily resulted from lower percent ripened grain and 1,000 grain weight, and second＇ reduced the spikelet number per panicle and panicle number per hill, and followed at tillering stage (68.5%) which resulted from the lower production in tiller number and top dry matter during and after SMS treatment. The percent-age of read rice in SMS plants varied with the treatment stage as order of lower at meiosis (44.0%), heading (53.9%), panicle initiation (70.1%), tillering (72.1%), ripening (75.8%) and 5 days after transplanting (DAT) (79.0%). Protein content in brown rice was slightly larger in SMS at late growth stage than the control, while the contents of fat and ash differed very little between SMS and control. Contents of Mg and K and Mg/K in brown rice with SMS were lower at some treatment stages such as at ripening or panicle initiation.