• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.420-428
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• 2009

In this study, the variation of 20 Pinus thunbergii isolates of F. circinatum from 2 damaged sites in Jeju-Island were compared with a known Fusarium circinatum using molecular biological techniques. Two- and four-year-old seedlings of Pinus rigida${\times}$Pinus x rigitaeda and two-, three- and six-year-old seedlings of P. thunbergii were inoculated with one of the most virulent isolates, FT-7, to determine differences in susceptibility. In site 1 (FT), 13 isolates of F. circinatum were isolated from 14 individuals and in site 2 (FS), 7 isolates of F. circinatum were isolated from 9 individuals. No difference was found in the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA genes in the FS and FT isolates, and also even in the known isolate of F. circinatum, FE 1-1. However, the ITS sequences of the FS and FT isolates differed from those of a fungus, Botrytis cinerea. Two-year-old seedlings of P. rigida${\times}$P. x rigitaeda showed higher susceptibility (93.3% of mortality) than four-year-old ones. Three-year-old seedlings of P. thunbergii showed the highest susceptibility (66.7% of mortality) compared to those at other ages in the same species. We found a positive correlation between basal diameter and lesion length in the seedlings of P. rigida${\times}$P. x rigitaeda ($R^2=0.66$) and P. thunbergii (p < 0.0001), respectively. There were significant differences in susceptibility by the age of seedlings in each of P. rigida${\times}$P. x rigitaeda (p < 0.0001) and P. thunbergii (p < 0.0001) based on lesion length.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.210-218
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• 2018

Background: Soil respiration (Rs) is a major factor of the absorption and accumulation of carbon through photosynthesis in the ecosystem carbon cycle. This directly affects the amount of net ecosystem productivity, which affects the stability and sustainability of the ecosystem. Understanding the characteristics of Rs is indispensable to scientifically understand the carbon cycle of ecosystems. It is very important to study Rs characteristics through analysis of environmental factors closely related to Rs. Rs is affected by various environmental factors, such as temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, litter supply, organic matter content, dominant plant species, and soil disturbance. This study was conducted to analyze the effects of micro-topographical differences on Rs in forest vegetation by measuring the Rs on the ridge and southern slope sites of the broadly established Quercus mongolica forest in the central Korean area. Method: Rs, Ts, and soil moisture data were collected at the southern slope and ridge of the Q. mongolica forest in the Mt. Jeombong area in order to investigate the effects of topographical differences on Rs. Rs was collected by the closed chamber method, and data collection was performed from May 2011 to October 2013, except Winter seasons from November to April or May. For collecting the raw data of Rs in the field, acrylic collars were placed at the ridge and southern slope of the forest. The accumulated surface litter and the soil organic matter content (SOMC) were measured to a 5 cm depth. Based on these data, the Rs characteristics of the slope and ridge were analyzed. Results: Rs showed a distinct seasonal variation pattern in both the ridge and southern slope sites. In addition, Rs showed a distinct seasonal variation with high and low Ts changes. The average Rs measurements for the two sites, except for the Winter periods that were not measured, were $550.1\;mg\;CO_2m^{-2}h^{-1}$ at the ridge site and $289.4\;mg\;CO_2m^{-2}h^{-1}$ at the southern slope, a difference of 52.6%. There was no significant difference in the Rs difference between slopes except for the first half of 2013, and both sites showed a tendency to increase exponentially as Ts increased. In addition, although the correlation is low, the difference in Rs between sites tended to increase as Ts increased. SMC showed a large fluctuation at the southern slope site relative to the ridge site, as while it was very low in 2013, it was high in 2011 and 2012. The accumulated litter of the soil surface and the SOMC at the depth range of 0~5 cm were $874g\;m^{-2}$ and 23.3% at the ridge site, and $396g\;m^{-2}$ and 19.9% at the southern slope site. Conclusions: In this study, Rs was measured for the ridge and southern slope sites, which have two different results where the surface litter layer is disturbed by strong winds. The southern slope site shows that the litter layer formed in autumn due to strong winds almost disappeared, and while in the ridge site, it became thick due to the transfer of litter from the southern slope site. The mean Rs was about two times higher in the ridge site compared to that in the southern slope site. The Rs difference seems to be due to the difference in the amount of litter accumulated on the soil surface. As a result, the litter layer supplied to the soil surface is disturbed due to the micro-topographical difference, as the slope and the change of the community structure due to the plant season cause heterogeneity of the litter layer development, which in turn affects SMC and Rs. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce and understand these micro-topographical features and mechanisms when quantifying and analyzing the Rs of an ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2020

Biomonitoring Survey and Assessment Manual for lake ecosystem suggest zooplankton collection methods to compare relatively the number of species, population density, and community indices, taking into account the convenience of the field sampling according to the sites' water depth. In this study, the oblique towing and 20 m vertical towing methods presented in the manual were respectively compared with the whole water column-vertical towing and we analyzed the differences and characteristics of zooplankton community information gathered by each collection method. For community indices, there was no difference in the comparison of oblique/vertical towing methods in the shallow lake, but in the deep lake, the diversity and richness indices increased when vertically towing through whole water column rather than when limiting the towing depth to 20 m. In addition, the total zooplankton density collected by the oblique/20 m vertical towing methods was about three times higher than the whole water column-vertical towing method, which means that the density of zooplankton community can be overestimated depending on the collection methods. It appears to be results of differences in the zooplankton density by water layer arising from their vertical distribution and in filtered raw water quantity according to the towing depth/distance. Hence, for zooplankton community information to be used as a functional quantitative indicator representing the entire lake, it would be more appropriate to apply the whole water column-vertical towing method with considering the distribution of zooplankton density by depth and contribution rate of each water layer when converting total zooplankton density.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.542-549
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the body size, sexual size dimorphism (SSD), and related environmental factors between Red-tongued viper snakes (Gloydius ussuriensis) inhabiting two different places, i.e., Jeju Island and its islet Gapado, and to provide data required to maintain species diversity from May, 2006 until June, 2009. The snout-vent length of the Red-tongued viper snake population inhabiting Jeju Island was found to be 242-532 mm ($422.0{\pm}46.7mm$, n = 100) in females and 296-580 mm ($434.5{\pm}51.7mm$, n = 63) in males. In contrast, the snout-vent length was observed to be 205-395 mm ($335{\pm}43.6mm$, n = 55) in female and 215-430 mm ($328{\pm}39.4mm$, n = 73) in male Red-tongued viper snakes inhabiting Gapado. These data demonstrated the snout-vent length of both female and male Red-tongued viper snakes on Jeju Island to be larger than those on Gapado (Female t = 17.343, df = 115, P<0.001; Male = 19.128, df = 101, P<0.001). SSD was measured to be -0.03 in the Red-tongued viper snake population on Jeju Island, with more or less larger sizes in the males, while it was 0.02 in the Red-tongued viper snake population in the Gapado, with a little larger sizes in the females. The reason for this difference in the snake populations between Jeju Island and Gapado may be due to adaption to the different ecological environments. In addition, as SSD, the snout-vent length of the Red-tongued viper snake populations and in young vipers was somewhat higher in the males than in the females on Jeju Island (t = -2.011, df = 117, P<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the snout-vent length of the young and the general Red-tongued viper snake populations on Gapa Island. For the population on Jeju island, the head length (F = 6.318, $df_{1,2}$=1,117, P<0.05), head width (F=8.090, $df_{1,2}$=1,117, P<0.01), inter eye length (F=15.898, $df_{1,2}$=1,117, P<0.001), and tail length (F=238.488, $df_{1,2}$=1,111, P<0.001) were all larger in the males, while females showed higher body mass (F=64.111, $df_{1,2}$=1,114, P<0.001). In the case of the Gapa Island population, no significant differences in the head length, head width, and inter eye length between females and males were observed, while the males had a longer tail length (F=168.555, $df_{1,2}$=1,74, P<0.001) and the females were heavier (F=17.812, $df_{1,2}$=1,76, P<0.001). Though no significant differences were found in the head length, head width, and inter eye length, the tail length (F=67.793, $df_{1,2}$=1,72, P<0.001) and body mass (F=4.558, $df_{1,2}$=1,72, P<0.05) were higher in the young male Red-tongued viper snakes than in the females. The snout-vent length, head length, head width, and inter eye length, which did not display SSD in the young Red-tongued viper snake populations, were higher in the male Red-tongued viper snake populations than in the female population from Jeju Island, implying that SSD in the Red-tongued viper snake population on Jeju Island is expressed due to environmental effects during their growth.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 1999

Heavy metal elements were analysed to assess degrees of heavy metal contents for the plants, M. sinensis, A. vulgaris and G. oldhamiana, from the Baekdong serpentine area within the western part of Chungnam. The area was divided into two sites ; serpentine area (SP, consisting of serpentinite, SP) and non-serpentine area (NSP, containing amphibole schist, AS and gneiss, GN). Their host rocks(R) and top soils(S) were also collected from the each site. As the results of the study, the plants contain high concentration of Ni Cr, Co in the SP and Fe, Zn in the AS and GN. Plants from the AS of the NSP contain mainly high content in the most of elements. Averages of Ni, Co and Cr for the plants decreased in the order of SP, AS and GN. In the total element contents, M. sinensis and A. vulgaris decreased in the order of Fe > Ni or Cr > Zn > Co > As > Sc within the SP and in the order of Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni, within the GN. Comparing among the parts of plants, root parts were higher in the most of elements than the above grounds. In the relative element ratios of plants collected from the SP and GN (SP/GN) M. sinensis was lower than A. vulgaris in the most of elements, suggesting that the M. sinenis shows low absorption within the infertile serpentine soil and high absorption within the fertile gneiss soil. In the element contents of the top soils and their host rocks, the SP shows higher Ni, Co and Cr contents than the others. Their total contents decreased from SP to AS and GN, suggesting that the soils reflect the composition of their host rocks. Total element contents of the SP decreased in the order of Fe> Cr or Ni> Co> Zn> As> Sc and, for the GN, in the order of Fe> Zn> Cr> Ni> Co or Sc, respectively. In the relative element ratios, R/S of the SP decreased in the order of Cr> As> Fe> Sc> Co> Ni> Zn and for the GN, in the order of Sc> Fe> Ni> Zn> Cr> Co. Comparing with plants within the each site, their top soils were higher than the plants in the most of elements. and their increase and decrease trends for each element are similar. Differences of element contents between the top soils and plants decreased in the order of SP, AS and GN. Plants of the GN were moi-e similar to their soils than those of the others, suggesting that each plant species show different absorptions within the different soils. Comparing with the plants of GN, higher Ni, Co, Cr contents within those of the SP and their survival within the infertile serpentine soil suggest that the M. sinensis, A vulgaris and G. oldhamiana may be the tolerance species in the serpentine soil. Comparisons with the upper crust show that M. sinensis, and A. vulgaris within the SP show high Hi and Cr contents. suggestive of hyperaccumulation. Upper results with the previous studies for the contaminated soils developed as parent materials with the serpentinites suggest additional studies for ecological behaviors for the plant and degrees of accumulations for the elements need to know phytoextraction of the heavy metal elements within the soils.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.646-653
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• 1995

Background: The confirmative diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis(Tb) can be made by the isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis(MTb) in the culture of the sputum, respiratory secretions or tissues of the patients, but positive result could not always be obtained in pulmonary Tb cases. Although there are many indirect ways of the diagnosis of Tb, clinicians still experience the difficulty in the diagnosis of Tb because each method has its own limitation. Therefore development of a new diagnostic tool is clinically urgent. It was reported that silica cause some lysosomal enzymes to be released from macrophages in vitro and one of these enzymes is elevated in workers exposed to silica dust and in silicotic subjects. In pulmonary Tb, alveolar macrophages are known to be activated after ingestion of MTb. Activated macrophages can kill MTb through oxygen free radical species and digestive enzymes of lysosome. But if macrophages allow the bacilli to grow intracellularly, the macrophages will die finally and local lesion will enlarge. Then it is assumed that the lysosomal enzymes would be released from the dead macrophages. The goal of this investigation was to determine if there are differences in the plasma activities of lysosomal enzymes, ($\beta$-glucuronidase(GLU) and $\beta$-N-acetyl glucosaminidase(NAG), among the groups of active and inactive pulmonary Tb and healthy control, and to see if there is any possibility that the plasma activity of GLU and NAG can be used as diagnostic indicies of active pulmonary Tb. Methods: The plasma were obtained from 20 patients with bacteriologically proven active pulmonary Tb, 15 persons with inactive Tb and 20 normal controls. In 10 patients with active pulmonary Tb, serial samples after 2 months of anti-Tb medications were obtained. Plasma GLU and NAG activities were measured by the fluorometric methods using 4-methylumbelliferyl substrates. All data are expressed as the mean $\pm$ the standard error of the mean. Results: The activites of GLU and NAG in plasma of the patients with active Tb were $21.52{\pm}3.01$ and $325.4{\pm}23.37$(nmol product/h/ml of plasma), respectively. Those of inactive pulmonary Tb were $24.87{\pm}3.78$, $362.36{\pm}33.92$ and those of healthy control were $25.45{\pm}4.05$, $324.44{\pm}28.66$(nmol product/h/ml of plasma), respectively. There were no significant differences in the plasma activities of both enzymes among 3 groups. The plasma activities of GLU at 2 months after anti-Tb medications were increased($42.18{\pm}5.94$ nmol product/h/ml of plasma) in the patients with active pulmonary Tb compared with that at the diagnosis of Tb(P-value <0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present investigation suggest that the measurement of the plasma activities of GLU and NAG in the patients with active pulmonary Tb could not be a useful method for the diagnosis of active Tb. Further investigation is necessary to define the reasons why the plasma activities of the GLU was increased in the patients with active pulmonary Tb after Tb therapy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.897-903
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• 2012

Food allergies have become a serious health concern in the past two decades, especially in developed countries. Foods associated with allergies include vegetables, some fruits, shellfish, wheat, egg, chicken, and nuts. To describe the specific fundamentals, etiological factors, and clinical manifestations, we analyzed the different physical frequency on spleen index in sensitized and regular exercise-trained mice. We also conducted a proliferation assay of lymphocytes to OVA, ROS, ASAS, and we determined the cytokine levels. Female BALB/c mice were bred in the animal laboratory of the P and D university under controlled conditions ($22{\pm}2^{\circ}C$, RH 45-55%, and a 12-hour photoperiod). The animals were 6 weeks old at the start of the study and were fed a standard commercial chow diet from 09:00 to 15:00 for the 8-week study period. All animals had access to distilled deionized water ad libitum. They were divided into four groups: a control group (S; control sensitized, n=25), a low-frequency training group (F2, n=25), a mid-frequency training group (F3, n=25), and a high-frequency training group (F5, n=25) following the treatment of exercise time per week. The results were as follows: The mice spleen index showed the highest grade in the F5 group compared with the other groups; this level showed in an exercise frequency-dependent manner. In the proliferation assay of OVA, the F5 group showed the highest grade compared with the other groups; this level was also showed in an exercise frequency-dependent manner. Peritoneal ROS and ASAS showed a statistically significant increase in the F5 group and decreased in the F2 group compared with the S group. However, there were no significant differences in the F3 group. The highest level of IL-4 was found in the F5 group compared with the other groups. However, the highest level of INF-${\gamma}$ was in the F2 group. The results suggest that FDEIA is positively correlated with the frequency of exercise due to the direct effect of physical exercise on peritoneal ROS and the cytokine profile. Further research is needed on the specific mechanism underlying the combined effects of exercise intensity and frequency on physical-induced allergy anaphylaxis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.256-264
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• 2006

Background: An acute lung injury(ALI) is characterized by the recruitment, activation, and apoptosis of inflammatory cells, numerous products released by inflammatory cells such as reactive oxygen species, inflammatory mediators, and a variety of proteolytic enzymes. It was reported that bacterial infections in diabetics showed impaired PMN functions such as reduced PMN respiratory burst and decreased microbicidal activity in inflamed tissue. However, the effect of the proteinase - inhibitor (MMP-9 vs TIMP-1) in ALI in diabetics is unclear. This study evaluated the differences in the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 after the stimulation of endotoxin in a rat model. Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into normal, DM, LPS and DM+LPS groups. The peripheral blood, BAL fluids, and lung tissues were obtained from individual rats. The MMP-9 activity was measured by gelatin zymography and the TIMP-1 level was measured by Western blotting. Results: The total BAL cells of the DM-LPS groups were significantly lower than the LPS groups (p < 0.01). The MMP-9 activities in the serum were higher in the DM+LPS groups than in the other groups. The MMP-9 activities in the BAL fluids were significantly higher in the DM+LPS group than in the normal and diabetic rats (p < 0.05). TIMP-1 expressions in the BAL fluids were significantly lower in the DM+LPS group than other groups (p < 0.05). The ratio between MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the BAL fluids was significantly higher in the DM+LPS groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In ALI in diabetics the higher MMP-9 activity and lower TIMP-1 level are believed to prolonged and intensify the course of inflammation.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2007

A natural deodorizing agent (NDA) was made using pine cone byproduct, and its effects on malodor emission and composting were analyzed in this study. NDA was manufactured by mixing pine cone byproduct with three species of microorganisms and water containing mineral nutrients and molasses, and then by incubating for 48 hours at $30^{\circ}C$. Lab scale experiments were done with three treatment groups, T1 (control, sawdust treatment), T2 (microorganisms and sawdust treatment group), and T3 (NDA and sawdust treatment group). During composting, temperatures reached over $55^{\circ}C$, a minimum temperature for the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms. No differences were found in physicochemical composition of compost among treatments. However, it was observed that over usage of NDA could obstruct temperature increase, since the biodegradation rate of organic matter of NDA was relatively low, Nitrogen loss due to ammonia gas emission, which normally happens during composting, was reduced by using NDA, and hence the nitrogen level of final compost was higher in T3 than in others. During experiment, it was found that ammonia gas emission was entirely lasted through compositing duration, but the $CH_3SH$ and $H_2S$ gases were produced only at early stage of composting. The ammonia concentration trapped in $H_2SO_4$ solution during 31 days of composting in T1, T2 and T3 was 12,660mg/L, 11,598mg/L and 7,367mg/L, respectively, showing distinguishable reduction of ammonia gas emission in T3. The emissions of $CH_3SH$ and $H_2S$ gases were also remarkably reduced in T3. Based on these obtained results, usage of the deodorizing agent made with pine cone byproduct could reduce the emission of malodor during composting, without any deterioration of compost quality.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.252-257
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• 1991

In a two-year's field experiment, the effectiveness of magnesium-and boron-enriched complex fertilizer (CF, N-P$_2$O$_{5}$-K$_2$O-MgO-B$_2$O$_3$: 14-10-12-3-0.2) on the maintenance and management of hilly pasture was studied. The effects of CF and some straight fertilizers (SF) on forage yields, yield components, and chemical compositions were compared in a mixed grass-clover (orchardgrass, tall fescue, kentucky bluegrass, and ladino clover) and a pure grass (orchardgrass) swards. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Considerably higher average dry matter yields were obtained in the CF plots than in the SF plots. In the mixed sward, the yields of whole mixed forages were inclosed by 10.8-14.5%, grasses by 11%, and legume by 21.5-31.0% by the use of the CF over the use of SF. In the pure grass sward, the yield of grasses was increased by 7.0-21.8%. 2. The rates of yield increase due to the application of CF were dependent on such factors as types of sward (pure or mixed), application rates of NPK, and forage species. The increase of forage yields due to the CF was greater at the normal rate of NPK application than at lower application rate, and in legume forage than in grass forage. 3. The crude fiber, crude fat and NFE contents of forages were not significantly changed by different treatments. However, the forage of CF plot at the normal application rate of NPK contained relatively higher amount of crude protein and crude fat compared with the forages of other plots. 4. There were no significant differences in the contents of mineral nutrients in forages among the different treatments. In spite of the application of Mg-enriched CF, the contents of Mg in soils and forages were below the optimum level.