• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.307-316
• /
• 2010

Complex terrain refers to irregular surface properties of the earth that influence gradients in climate, lateral transfer of materials, landscape distribution in soils properties, habitat selection of organisms, and via human preferences, the patterning in development of land use. Complex terrain of mountainous areas represents ca. 20% of the Earth's terrestrial surface; and such regions provide fresh water to at least half of humankind. Most major river systems originate in such terrain, and their resources are often associated with socio-economic competition and political disputes. The goals of the TERRECO-IRTG focus on building a bridge between ecosystem understanding in complex terrain and spatial assessments of ecosystem performance with respect to derived ecosystem services. More specifically, a coordinated assessment framework will be developed from landscape to regional scale applications to quantify trade-offs and will be applied to determine how shifts in climate and land use in complex terrain influence naturally derived ecosystem services. Within the scope of TERRECO, the abiotic and biotic studies of water yield and quality, production and biodiversity, soil processing of materials and trace gas emissions in complex terrain are merged. There is a need to quantitatively understand 1) the ecosystem services derived in regions of complex terrain, 2) the process regulation occurred to maintain those services, and 3) the sensitivities defining thresholds critical in stability of these systems. The TERRECO-IRTG is dedicated to joint study of ecosystems in complex terrain from landscape to regional scales. Our objectives are to reveal the spatial patterns in driving variables of essential ecosystem processes involved in ecosystem services of complex terrain region and hence, to evaluate the resulting ecosystem services, and further to provide new tools for understanding and managing such areas.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.137-146
• /
• 2006

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of donor cell types, the source of recipient oocytes and estrous synchronization on pregnancy and delivery rates of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos in Korean native goats. Recipient oocytes were surgically collected after superovulation. Ear cells and fetal fibroblasts were collected and cultured in serum-starvation condition (TCM-199 + 0.5% FBS) for cell confluence. The zonae pellucidae of in vivo- and in vitro-matured oocytes were partially drilled using a laser system. Single somatic cell was transferred into the enucleated oocyte. The reconstructed oocytes were electrically fused with 0.3 M mannitol. After the fusion, embryos were activated by Ionomycin+6-DMAP. NT embryos were cultured in mSOF medium supplemented with 0.8% BSA at $39^{\circ}C$ in an atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$ for 12 to 20 hr. One hundred and two SCNT embryos were transferred into 20 recipients and pregnancy rate at days 30 was 20.0%. Of them, one developed to term and delivered 1 kid. Ear cells showed significantly higher fusion (63.8 vs. 26.5%) and pregnancy rates (20.0 vs. 0.0%) than those of fetal fibroblast (p<0.05). The recipients synchronized by CIDR showed significantly lower pregnancy rates compared to that of recipient in natural estrus ($0.0{\sim}25.0%$ vs. 100%) (p<0.05). Cloned kid was born from the recipient in natural estrus. For the synchronization of estrus between recipient and donor, there was no difference between treatments (${\pm}0$ vs. +12 hr) in pregnancy rate. The first healthy cloned kid (Jinsoonny) was produced by transfer of SCNT embryos derived from in vivo oocytes and ear cells into a recipient goat whose estrus was synchronized with the donor. These results imply that donor cells for nuclear transfer may affect the success rate, and the estrus synchronization between donor and recipient animals can also be important.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2005

This experiment was conducted to evaluate forage production and quality, and soil improvement of three legumes at Cheonan Yonam College. The three legumes used in the experiment were crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) red clover(Trifolium pratense L.) and chinese milk vetch(Astragalus sinicus L.). Flowering stage was observed on the 20th of April for chinese milk vetch and on the 30th of April for crimson clover, but the red clover did not produce flower until harvest time. The dry matter(DM) content of crimson clover was the highest among the three legumes. In terms of DM yield, crimson clover has the highest yield, the highest yield in crude protein(CP) and total digestible nutrients(TDN) was red clover. In terms of forage quality, the highest CP content was red clover, while the chinese milk vetch was the lowest for both neutral detergent fiber(NDF) and acid detergent fiberr(ADF). Red clove. and chinese milk vetch were highest fur TDN content, and the chinese milk vetch has the highest for relative feed value(RFV). Assessment of the chemical properties of soil after harvest showed that the nitrogen content of soil increased in all legumes. The organic matter(OM) content of soil in both crimson and red clover increased, while the chinese milk vetch decreased. The available $P_2O_5$ decreased in all three legumes, but the biggest decrease was in the chinese milk vetch. The exchangeable potassium in the soil for both crimson and red clover increased, but in chinese milk vetch it decreased. Based on the results of this study, the chinese milk vetch was superior in terms of forage quality, but crimson and red clover are excellent in forage yield and in maintaining soil quality in upland.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 2008

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of DM (dry matter) content and split application of liquid swine manure (LSM) on productivity of rye and subsequent soil quality on the pasture of Livestock Policy Division, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The experiment was done between November, 2005 and June 2006, using split plot design. Treatments were 2 main plots (7.0 and 1.6% DM LSM) and 2 subplots (basal fertilizer 100% and basal fertilizer 50%+top dressing 50%). Application of 7.0% DM LSM resulted in significant increase in DM yield and plant length of rye compared with 1.6% DM LSM (p<0.05). Crude protein content of rye was significantly higher in split application(basal fertilizer 50%+ top dressing 50%) than in basal fertilizer 100% (p<0.05). No significant difference in macro and micro mineral contents of rye or in subsequent soil quality was found by application of LSM. Mean P content (0.16%) of rye appeared to be lower than proper P level $(0.2{\sim}0.4%)$ of grass crop. The pH (5.5), OM (13.3%), available $P_2O_5$ (47.6 mg/kg) and Ca (2.75cmole/kg) content of the pasture soil studied were lower, compared with those of cultivated soil. Results show that the application of a 7.5% DM liquid swine manure increases the productivity of rye compared with a 1.6% DM liquid swine manure, meanwhile the property of pasture soil was not influenced by application of LSM.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2015

$CH_4$ is a trace gas and one of the key greenhouse gases, which requires continuous and systematic monitoring. The application of eddy covariance technique for $CH_4$ flux measurement requires a fast-response, laser-based spectroscopy. The eddy covariance measurements have been used to monitor $CO_2$ fluxes and their data processing procedures have been standardized and well documented. However, such processes for $CH_4$ fluxes are still lacking. In this note, we report the first measurement of $CH_4$ flux in a rice paddy by employing the eddy covariance technique with a recently commercialized wavelength modulation spectroscopy. $CH_4$ fluxes were measured for five consecutive days before and after the rice transplanting at the Gimje flux monitoring site in 2012. The commercially available $EddyPro^{TM}$ program was used to process these data, following the KoFlux protocol for data-processing. In this process, we quantified and documented the effects of three key corrections: (1) frequency response correction, (2) air density correction, and (3) spectroscopic correction. The effects of these corrections were different between daytime and nighttime, and their magnitudes were greater with larger $CH_4$ fluxes. Overall, the magnitude of $CH_4$ flux increased on average by 20-25% after the corrections. The National Center for AgroMeteorology (www.ncam.kr) will soon release an updated KoFlux program to public users, which includes the spectroscopic correction and the gap-filling of $CH_4$ flux.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.728-735
• /
• 1996

Background : Recognition and ingestion of opsonized microorganisms by neutrophils induces the burst of oxidative metabolic activity. Products of the respiratory burst activity provide powerful oxygen dependent killing mechanism. Measurement of respiratory burst activity has been a major indicator of the functional capacity of neutrophils. We determined the respiratory burst activity of neutrophils in patients with pneumonia and observed the changes during the clinical course of pneumonia. Methods: The EDTA blood was drawn from 24 normal controls and same numbers of pneumonia patients. The respiratory burst activity(with the production of $H_2O_2$ which changes nonfluorescent DCF-DA to green fluorescent DCF) in the non-stimulated state and the stimulated state with fMLP and PMA of neutrophils was measured by flowcytometry at day 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 of admission. Results: The respiratory burst activity of neutrophils was mildly increased by stimulation with fMLP. But there was no statistical significance between normal control and patients with pneumonia. The respiratory burst activity of neutrophils was markedly increased by stimulation with PMA in both groups. There was a significant difference in response to PMA between normal control and patients with pneumonia. The production of hydrogen peroxide from neutrophils was decreased during early course of pneumonia and it was recuperated gradually to normal level in 9 days. Conclusion : Hydrogen peroxide production from neutrophils was suppressed during early course of pneumonia and restored after treatment. It is suggested that the production of oxygen radical in response to PMA stimulation from each neutrophils is decreased rather than increased during the early course of pneumonia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.22-32
• /
• 2003

Background : Sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli(AFB) examined microscopically is the most important diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the AFB observed on the smear may represent either M. tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). This study examined the recovery rate of NTM from the AFB smear-positive sputum specimens in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Materials and Methods : This study analyzed the results for the 1,889 AFB smear-positive and culture-positive sputum specimens collected from 844 patients from July, 1997 to December, 2001. Results : The 1,889 sputum specimens collected from 844 patients tested positive on both microscopy and culture during the 4.5 years. The NTM were recovered from 10.3% (195/1,889) of the smear-positive sputum specimens and 11.0% (93/844) of patients with smear-positive sputum. The NTM were isolated more than two times in 44.1% (41/93) of the patients from whom the NTM was recovered. Trends of the recovery rate of the NTM from the AFB smear-positive sputum specimens were increasing from 6.5%(17/262) in the latter half of 1997 to 17.8%(36/202) in the latter half of 2001 (p<0.001, test for trend). Conclusions : These results suggest that some patients with AFB smear-positive sputum have NTM pulmonary disease rather than pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.217-222
• /
• 2007

To investigate effects of inorganic $(GeO_2)$ and organic (Ge-132) germanium (Ge) on seed germination and on early stage growth of plane and the uptake characteristics, various concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, 100 mg $L^{-1}$) of Ge to popular vegetables such as leaf mustard, chinese cabbage and pak-choi, respectively, were treated. On seed germination, no significant effect was observed in both inorganic and organic Ge treatments except 100 mg $L^{-1}$ treatment of inorganic Ge. Exogenous inorganic Ge ($10{\sim}100$ mg $L^{-1}$ treatments significantly inhibited the early root elongation growth of all plants. However, slight enhancement of early shoot elongation was detected in low concentrations (10 and 25 mg $L^{-1}$) of Ge in the leaf mustard and chinese cabbage plants. Organic Ge treatments significantly stimulated the 개ot and shoot growth at the 10, 25 and 50 mg $L^{-1}$ treatments. Ge was accumulated linearly in the vegetables as both inorganic and organic Ge concentrations were increased. Interestingly, total contents of Ge in plants with Ge-132 treatments were $2\sim4.5$ times more than those with inorganic Ge treatments in all concentrations. At 25 mg $L^{-1}$ treatment of Ge, contents of Ge in vegetables are following: in leaf mustard, inorganic Ge: 0.37 mg $g^{-1}dw$ and organic Ge: 1.47 mg $g^{-1}dw;$ in the chinese cabbage, inorganic Ge: 0.4 mg $g^{-1}dw$ and organic Ge: 0.86 mg $g^{-1}dw;$ in the pak-choi, inorganic Ge: 0.33 mg $g^{-1}dw$ and organic Ge: 0.70 mg $g^{-1}dw$, respectively. These results showed organic Ge is much better on early stage seedling growth and on germanium accumulation of vegetables than inorganic Ge.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.24 no.7
• /
• pp.1025-1033
• /
• 2017

In this study, Ledum palustre L. was extracted by 4 different methods (LPW, hot water extraction; LPA, autoclave extraction; LPU, ultrasonification extraction; LPE, 70% ethanol extraction) and LPE was fractionated by using polarity difference of each solvent and used as 4 samples (LPE/H, the n-hexane layer; LPE/E, the EtOAc layer; LPE/B, the n-BuOH layer; LPE/W, the $H_2O$ layer). Antioxidant activities of Ledum palustre L. extracts were measured by DPPH and ABTS. As a result, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging showed high activities with LPE (82.3%, 99.8%) and LPE/E (91.8%, 99.6%) at the concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$. The anti-inflammatory activities of LPE and LPE/E were measured by the inhibitory activity against NO, $PGE_2$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 production on LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 macrophages. As a result of MTT assay, cell viabilities of LPE and LPE/E were more than 90% at $25{\mu}g/mL$. NO and $PGE_2$ productions were inhibited by LPE (NO: 50%, $PGE_2$: 70%) and LPE/E (NO: 57%, $PGE_2$: 73%) at the concentration of $25{\mu}g/mL$. The inhibition activities against TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 production were 24%, 47% and 40% at the concentration of $25{\mu}g/mL$ of LPE. In particular, LPE/E showed 51%, 57% and 62% inhibition activities at the same concentration, respectively. From the above results, it can be concluded that $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ of LPE and LPE/E have the high antioxidant activities similar with Vitamin C, and $25{\mu}g/mL$, the low concetration of LPE and LPE/E have excellent anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, if more research about anti-aging, whitening and antimicrobial activity of Ledum palustre L. extracts is carried out in the future, it will be possible to use them as effective materials for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases and in the areas of functional foods and cosmetics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
• /
• 2003.06a
• /
• pp.80-80
• /
• 2003

${\beta}$-lapachone(${\beta}$-Lap), a natural o-naphthoquinone, presents in the bark of the Lapacho tree. ${\beta}$-Lap is cytotoxic against a variety of human cancer cells and it potentiates the anti-tumor effect of Taxol. In addition, ${\beta}$-Lap has been reported to radiosensitize cancer cells by inhibiting the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage.In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of ${\beta}$-Lap against RKO human colorectal cancer cells as well as the combined effect of ${\beta}$-LaP and ionizing radiation. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h killed almost 90％ of the clonogenic cells. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h or longer also caused massive apoptosis. Unlike other cytotoxic agents, ${\beta}$-Lap did not increase the expression of p53 and p21 and it suppressed the NFkB expression. The expression of Caspase 9 and 3 was minimally altered by ${\beta}$-Lap. Radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap acted synergistically in inducing clonogenic cell death and apoptosis in RKO cells when ${\beta}$-Lap treatment was applied after but not before the radiation exposure of the cells. Interestingly, a 4 h treatment with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap starting 5 h after irradiation was as effective as that starting immediately after irradiation. The mechanisms of ${\beta}$-Lap-induced cell killing is controversial but a recent hypothesis is that ${\beta}$-Lap is activated by NAD(P)H: quinone-onidoreductase (NQO1) in the cells followed by an elevation of cytosolic Ca$\^$2+/ level and activation of proteases leading to apoptosis. It has been reported that NQO1 level in cells is markedly up-regulated for longer than 10 h after irradiation. Indeed, using immunological staining of NQO1, we observed a significant elevation of NQO1 expression in RKO cells 5h after 2-4 Gy irradiation. Such a prolonged elevation of NQO1 level after irradiation may be the reasons why the ${\beta}$-Lap treatment applied S h after irradiation was as effective as that applied immediately after irradiation in killing the cells. In view of the fact that the repair of radiation-induced damage is usually completed within 1-2 h after irradiation, it is highly likely that the ${\beta}$-Lap treahment applied 5 h after irradiation could not inhibit the repair of radiation-induced damage. For in vivo study, RKO cells were injected S.C. into the hind-leg of Nu/Nu mice, and allowed to grow to 130 mm3 tumor. The mice were i.p. injected with ${\beta}$-lapachone or saline 2 h after irradiation of tumors with 10 Gy of X-rays. The radiation induced growth delay was increased by 2.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g of ${\beta}$-lapachone. Taken together, we may conclude that the synergistic interaction of radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap in killing cancer cells is not due to radiosensitization by ${\beta}$-Lap but to an enhancement of ${\beta}$-Lap cytotoxicity by radiation through an upregulation of NQO1. The fact that NQO1 is elevated in tumors and that radiation causes prolonged increase of the NQO1 expression may be exploited to preferentially kill tumor cells using ${\beta}$-Lap in combination with radiotherapy.