• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2013

In the present study, we investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (EEZS) on cholinergic blockade-induced memory impairment in mice. Male ICR mice were treated with EEZS. The behavioral tests were conducted using the passive avoidance, the Y-maze, and the Morris water maze tasks. EEZS (100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in our present behavioral tasks without changes of locomotor activity. The ameliorating effect of EEZS on scopolamine-induced memory impairment was significantly reversed by a sub-effective dose of MK-801 (0.0125 mg/kg, s.c.). In addition, single administration of EEZS in normal naive mouse enhanced latency time in the passive avoidance task. Western blot analysis was employed to confirm the mechanism of memory-ameliorating effect of EEZS. Administration of EEZS (200 mg/kg) increased the level of memory-related signaling molecules, including phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase or cAMP response element-binding protein in the hippocampal region. Also, the time-dependent expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor by the administration of EEZS was markedly increased from 3 to 9 h. These results suggest that EEZS has memory-ameliorating effect on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, which is mediated by the enhancement of the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, in part, via NMDA receptor signaling, and that EEZS would be useful agent against cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.216-230
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• 1998

The taxonomic review of the family Platycephalidae from Korea was made based on the morphological characteristics of specimens collected in the Korean coasts from December 1987 to April 1998. The family Platycephalidae from Korea was classified into 10 species belonging to 7 genera: Onigocia macrolepis, O. spinosa, Rogadius asper, Suggrundus meerdervoorti, lnegocia japonica, I. guttata, Cociella crocodila, Ratabulus megacephalus, Platycephalus indicus and Platycephalus sp. Of them, Onigocia macrolepis was recorded for the first time in Korea and Platycephalus sp. was demanded to recheck its taxonomic position comparing with other Asian specimens in future. A new key to the genera and species of the family Platycephalidae from Korea was reported, with description of their morphological characteristics and distribution.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2015

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with progressive memory loss and neuronal cell death. Although numerous previous studies have been focused on disease progression or reverse pathological symptoms, therapeutic strategies for AD are limited. Alternatively, the identification of traditional herbal medicines or their active compounds has received much attention. The aims of the present study were to characterize the ameliorating effects of spinosin, a C-glucosylflavone isolated from Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa, on memory impairment or the pathological changes induced through amyloid-${\beta}_{1-42}$ oligomer ($A{\beta}O$) in mice. Memory impairment was induced by intracerebroventricular injection of $A{\beta}O$ ($50{\mu}M$) and spinosin (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) was administered for 7 days. In the behavioral tasks, the subchronic administration of spinosin (20 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated $A{\beta}O$-induced cognitive impairment in the passive avoidance task or the Y-maze task. To identify the effects of spinosin on the pathological changes induced through $A{\beta}O$, immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses were performed. Spinosin treatment also reduced the number of activated microglia and astrocytes observed after $A{\beta}O$ injection. In addition, spinosin rescued the $A{\beta}O$-induced decrease in choline acetyltransferase expression levels. These results suggest that spinosin ameliorated memory impairment induced through $A{\beta}O$, and these effects were regulated, in part, through neuroprotective activity via the anti-inflammatory effects of spinosin. Therefore, spinosin might be a useful agent against the amyloid ${\beta}$ protein-induced cognitive dysfunction observed in AD patients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.5
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• pp.539-547
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal biodiversity, spore density and root colonization in relation to site ages at expressway cut-slopes in Korea. Stabilization of exposed surface involved soil amendments and spraying seed mixture of turf grasses and/or nitrogen-fixing shrub species. Eighteen sites were selected with varying ages (2 to 16 years). Soil samples collected in October from each site were analyzed for fungal diversity and spore counts. Fine root samples from the plants were assayed for fungal colonization. Of the total 37 plants inspected in the sites, 26 species had endomycorrhizal colonization with an average root colonization rate of 18%, and with a range from 1 to 67%. The average endomycorrhizal colonization rate of initially introduced Festuca arundinacea which became the most dominant grass in later stage showed 22.8%, while that of Lespedeza bicolor which became the most dominant woody species were 21.6%. Naturally-invading Robinia pseudoacacia showed higher colonization rate in the old sites. Although site age did not show significant effects on fungal diversity, the root colonization rates of initially introduced plants decreased with the site aging, while those of invading plants increased with aging of the sites. The soil chemical properties, pH, N, and P contents, were negatively correlated with spore density, root colonization and endomycorrhizal species diversity. A total of forty arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species in seven genera were identified. Of the 40 species, Acaulospora lacunosa, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus constrictum, Scutellospora erythropa, and Acaulospora spinosa were the five most dominant species in the decreasing order.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 1999

This study was conducted to examine the effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae inoculation and phosphorus application on early growth of hot pepper. Gigaspora margarita and Acaulospora spinosa were chosen for this investigation and inoculated into soils of different P levels by varying inoculation time and density. After treatment, some relevant growth responses of hot pepper were measured. Regardless of soil P levels, hot peppers treated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi had 5~34% more fresh weight than those untreated, but the effect of inoculation time and density was not different between two species. With decreased P levels, the infection rate and dependency of hot peppers increased. The content of P and K of AMF-inoculated hot peppers increased with increasing P levels, but the shoot to root ratio of those elements decreased. The results of this study showed that inoculation of AMF would be effective in promoting growth of hot pepper seedlings and increase transplant adaptation due in part to the resulted higher root development.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2004

The Shihwa constructed wetland was established for the treatment of severely polluted water from Banwoul, Donghwa and Samhwa streams. This study was focused on investigating dynamics of phytoplankton communities in open waters and periphytic algae on reed (Phragmites communis) planting area at 5 stations from October 2001 to July 2002. The concentration of T-N and T-P of inlet stations from the streams were decreased by flowed through the wetland. However, the TN/TP ratios at all stations were shown as a little over 16 indicating that the T-P will play some role as a limitation factor. Phytoplankton communities were identified as a total 413 taxa which were composed of 375 species, 21 varieties, 2 forma and 15 unidentified species. Standing crops of phytoplankton communities and chlorophyll-a concentrations ranged from $330{\sim}36,420\;cells/mL$ and $2.5{\sim}170.7\;{\mu}g/L$ respectively, and showed the decreasing tendency after flowing through the wetland at almost all stations. Dominant species were 14 taxa at all stations which were Euglena oblonga and Synura spinosa etc. Periphytic algae on the reed were a total 329 taxa which were composed of 295 species, 13 varieties, 3 forma and 17 unidentified species. The species numbers were recorded in order of Chlorophyceae-Bascillariophyceae-Cyanophyceae-Euglenophyceae-Chrysophyceae. The relative abundance (%) was showed a seasonal variation from Cyanophyceae to Bascillariophyceae and to Chlorophyceae. Chlorophyll-a concentrations, ie. the biomass of periphytic algae were ranged from $5.5{\sim}363.8\;mg/m^2$. Dominant species were 16 taxa which were Lyngbya angusta of Cyanophyceae in the early investigation, and were changed to Stigeoclonium lubricum of Chlorophyceae, and Nitzschia plea of Bacillariophyceae etc. in the late. Species number, standing crops and chlorophyll-a concentrations of phytoplankton and perphytic algae were shown higher values at the inlet stations than the stations after flowing through the wetland.