• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.931-937
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• 2018

Triptolide is a compound found in Tripterygium wilfordii and reported to have an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. A previous study shows that the dietary supplementation with triptolide increases resistance to environmental stressors, including oxidative stress, heat shock, and ultraviolet irradiation, and extends lifespan in C. elegans. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanisms involved in the lifespan-extending effect of triptolide. The effect of triptolide on age-related diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease, was also examined using animal disease models. The longevity phenotype conferred by triptolide was not observed in the eat-2 mutant, a well-known genetic model of dietary restriction, while there was an additional lifespan extension with triptolide in age-1 and clk-1 mutants. The long lifespan of age-1 mutant is resulted from a reduced insulin/IGF-1-like signaling and the clk-1 mutant lives longer than wild-type due to dysfunction of mitochondrial electron transport chain reaction. The effect of dietary restriction using bacterial dilution on lifespan also overlapped with that of triptolide. The toxicity of high glucose diet or transgenic human amyloid beta gene was significantly suppressed by the supplementation with triptolide. These findings suggest that triptolide can mimic the effect of dietary restriction on lifespan and onset of age-related diseases. We conclude that triptolide can be a strong candidate for the development of dietary restriction mimetics.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.165-174
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate composition of understory vegetation and indicator species by altitude and slope azimuth in Mt. Gyebang designated as Protected Area for Forest Genetic Resource Conservation and National Park. Tracheophytes were 350 taxa; 80 families, 203 genera, 303 species, 38 varieties, 5 forma and 4 sub-species in research area. The species of greatest importance value were Tripterygium regelii (9.143%), Acer pseudosieboldianum (7.594%), Symplocos chinensis for. pilosa (6.347%) in the shrub layer and were Sasa borealis (8.653%), Isodon excisus (2.936%) and Carex siderosticta (2.897%). In the herb layer as a result of NMS analysis, the distribution range of the major species were found to be affected by the altitude (shrub layer: $R^2$ > 0.3, herb layer: $R^2$ > 0.6). The result of plexus diagram analysis showed that Acer pseudosieboldianum was associated with Magnolia sieboldii, Acer barbinerve, Euonymus oxyphyllus etc. in the shrub layer; Meehania urticifolia was associated with Aconitum jaluense, Veratrum oxysepalum, Prunus padus etc. in the herb layer. The significant indicator species were analyzed for 60 species by the altitude and investigated for 30 species in accordance with the slope azimuth. As a consequence of MRPP, interspecies composition along the altitude group was heterogeneous and the species composition according to the azimuth slope was extremely different between the NE and SW.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.79 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 1990

The purpose of this study is to investigate the developmental process of plant community during the secondary succession through the analysis of floristic composition, life form etcectra in burned site, and the structure of forest stand before forest fire occurrence was estimated by the method of anatomical wood identification for dead trees in burned site, Cheisuk-bong in Mt. Chiri of Korea. Plant community before forest fire occurrence was estimated the high mountain conifer stand of the last successional stage to consist of Pinus koraiensis(75%), Abies koreana(15%) and Picea jezoensis(10%), and Betula costata was survived only one species after forest fire occurrence. The total number of plant species in the investigated area was 19 families and 23 species that was identified. The dominate species in burned site were Festuca ovina and Arrhenatherum elatius, Carex humilis, Ligularia fischeri etcectra in the investigated area flora. The life form of plant in burned site was the erect from 47.8%, the tufted from 30.4%, the branched and the prostrate from was both 8.7%, It was assumed that dominant species in the burned sites were Gramineae (Festuca ovina, Arrhenatherum elatius), Carex humilis ${\rightarrow}$Sorbus commixta, Rhododendron schrippenbachii, Sambucus williamsii var. coreana, Tripterygium regelii ${\rightarrow}$Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, Betula costata, Quercus mongolica${\rightarrow}$Pinaceae forest(Pinus koraiensis, Abies koreana, Picea jezoznsis).

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2000

The pattern of gap regeneration and vegetational changes were carried out in gaps with different ages and in an intact forest in a Quercus mongolica (mongolian oak) stand located at Munsubong of Mt. Worak. In the early stage of gap formation, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Tripterygium regelii, Quercus mongolica, and Stephanadra incisa were dominants in shrub layers. The numbers of shrubs with smaller diameters at ground surface were abundant in the early stage of gap formation. On the other hand, as gap age increased, the number of individuals of Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla forming tall tree layer decreased. However the diameter at ground surface of Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla increased. There were few young Quercus mongolica, but those over 130 years old appeared in mature Quercus mongolica stands. The last regeneration episode ended about 130 years ago and the new one started 40 years ago in this study site. Considering the presence of Quercus mongolica below 40 years old in gap and the absence of Quercus mongolica from 40 to 130 years old in closed stand, it is concluded that Quercus mongilica forest is maintained by discontinued regeneration.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2016

It has been generally accepted that obesity and overweight are associated with metabolic diseases and cancer incidence. In fact, obesity increased risks of cancers i.e. breast, liver, pancreatic and prostate. Celastrol is a pentacyclic triterpenoid isolated from Thunder god vine, was used as a Chinese traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, lupus erythematosus and Alzheimer's disease. Also, celastrol has various biological properties of chemo-preventive, neuro-protective, and anti-oxidant effects. Recent studies demonstrated that celastrol has anti-proliferation effects in different type of obesity-related cancers and suppresses tumor progression and metastasis. Anticancer effects of celastrol include regulation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, heat shock protein, JNK, VEGF, CXCR4, Akt/mTOR, MMP-9 and so on. For these reasons, celastrol has shown to be a promising anti-tumor agent. In this review, we will address the anticancer activities and multiple mechanisms of celastrol in obesity-related cancers.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.190-208
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• 2016

This study was carried out to understand the spatial distribution and conservation, restoration plan for vegetation in the Hwaeom wetland protected area. Total 29 phytosociological releves consisted of 117 plant species (unidentified species contained) was made during field studies conducted at 2008 and 2013 applying Braun-Branquet method. The collected vegetations were arranged 8 plant communities and thus divided hydric types (Drosera rotundifolia-Eleocharis congesta community, Carex forficula-Molinia japonica community) and xeric types (Miscanthus sinensis community, Rhododendron yedoense var. poukhanense community, Tripterygium regelii community, Carex gifuensis-Quercus mongolica community) under moisture conditions. The hydric types growing in hydric conditions distributed along hollowed out ground or the water channel that have a key qualification to protect. In the wetland protected area, the hydric vegetation types were mostly covered about 3.8% and the xeric types dominating by Miscanthus sinensis were most wildly distributed about 51.5%. Various woody plant species invaded the place. In 2008, invasion plants observed with total 14 species - 8 tree species (227 individual), 6 shrub species (51 individual) and alders (Aluns japonica) found in 2013. We suggested finding out that the sustainable conservation and management in Hwaeom wetland should be setting up plan focused on activity and variability such as continuous monitoring (changing vegetation types, spatial distribution, invasion plants) and zonation management (core zone, buffer zone, transition zone).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

Although landslides were frequently occurred under Tripterygium regelii and Rubus sp. vegetations, the damage of landslide was not observed in sasa (Sasa borealis) stands. These phenomena may be affected by forest vegetation types. This result suggested that the landslide occurred in Jirisan (Mt.) National Park may be closely related to water retention capacity at Sasa borealis stands. This study compared and analyzed the water retention capacity of each soil horizon of sasa, larch (Larix leptolepis) and mongolian oak (Quercus mongorica) stands. Soil bulk density in A horizon was lower in sasa (0.776g/$cm^3$) than in mongolian oak (0.828g/$cm^3$) and in larch stands (1.282g/$cm^3$). Water permeability in A horizon was 0.02055cm/sec for sasa, 0.00575cm/sec for mongolian oak, and 0.0007cm/sec for larch stands, respectively. The water permeability of sasa stand was about 3.6 times and about 29 times higher than in mongolian oak and in larch stands, respectively. This result indicates that water infiltration of soil surface during a rain event is more rapid in sasa than in other two stands. Soil organic matter content in B horizon was lower in larch (0.7%) than in mongolian oak (6.5%) and in Sasa (3.3%) stands. The solid ratio in A horizon was highest in larch among three stands, but that of mongolian oak and larch stands showed a similar rate. Pore space rates was 70.7% for A horizon and 70.6% for B horizon of sasa, 68.9% for A horizon and 70.6% for B horizon of sasa, 68.9% for A horizon and 70.6% for B horizon of mongolian oak forests and 51.7% for A horizon and 49.2% for B horizon of larch forests, respectively. According to pore space rates, the water retention capacity may be poor in larch stand compared with other two stands. Soil strength in sasa and mongolian stands was over 25kgf/$cm^2$ from 40cm depth, while the strength was over 25kgf/$cm^2$ from 25cm depth in larch stand. The result indicates that tree growth and water permeability in larch stand could be limited due to high soil strength. Larch stand was poor for soil pore space development to be offered to the water retention capacity, but water retention capacity of A horizon soil in sasa stand was high than that of other two stands. Therefore, establishment of sasa stand under larch stand could help to prevent landslides.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2004

Mt. Deogyusan, 1,614m in altitude, is located in the southwest of South Korea. Around Mt. Duckyu, many Korean endemic and rare plants are populated, so it is considered a very important biogeographical area where the temperature zones of northern and southern plants are crossed. Because it is the graceful figure of Mt. Duckyu, it is a common mountain where many tourists visit frequently. Continuous tourist's visit may cause a bad influence on vegetation around the climbing paths. Therefore, weed community around the climbing paths on Mt. Duckyu, where visitors exert a bad influence directly on its community by coming in and out, was surveyed phytosocialogically. Our surveys have been accomplished from July to August, 2003. Weed communities formed around the climbing paths on Mt. Duckyu were divided into several patterns and analysed. They have been divided into 8 communities and 4 subcommunities. Community A: Plantago asiatica community, A-a: Carex bostrychostigma subcommunity, A-b: Artemisia princeps var. orientalis subcommunity, B: Sasa borealis community, B-a: Carex siderosticta subcommunity, B-b: Veratrum parulum subcommunity, C: Rubus crataegifolius community, D: Hosta longipes community, E: Tripterygium regelii community, F: Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens community, G: Carex okamotoi community, H: Lespedeza maximowiczii community. The flora surveyed in these communities was constituted of 34 families, 83 genera, 12 varieties, and 92 species. Wild plants such as Plantago asiatica, Artemisia princeps var. orientalis, Rubus crataegifolius, Sasa borealis and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens were mostly light loving plants and higher resistant plants against the stamping pressure.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.449-461
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• 2013

This study is contributed to examine the vegetation characteristics of the Quercus mongolica which are located in between two summits, hyangnobong and gitdaebaggybong, with dividing two regions(I, II). A total of 63 Quercus mongolica communities were enrolled in this survey. A~E, 5 communities were the result of analysed classification by TWINSPAN. Spatial distribution of the communities; 'A' community is concentrated at an altitude of about 1,300 meters in Mt. Taebaek(II region). 'B' and 'C' communities are concentrated at an altitude of between 700 and 1500 meters in Mt. Seorak and Odae(Iregion). 'D' and 'E' communities are concentrated at an altitude of below 1,100 meters in Mt. Cheongok and geumdaebong(II region), and also Mt. Seorak and Odae(Iregion). Arboral and shrub populations, maximum species diversity and height of arboral of each communities have a characteristic of decreasing according to increasing altitude gradually. And the result of studying on arboreal growth increment with up to 40-year-old trees, there is no special tendency with growth increment in the altitude of subnormal 1,100 meters, but there is a tendency that growth increment becomes lower in the altitude of more than 1,100 meters. In correlation analysis, it is -0.53 in the Quercus mongolica and Betula costata community at an altitude of over 1,000 meters, the correlation shows negative(-). It is +0.59 in the Quercus mongolica and Rubus crataegifolius community at an altitude of less than 1,000 meters, the correlation shows positive(+). And those are cognate trees with the correlation of Betula costata, Betula costata Trautv., Tripterygium regelii Sprague&Takeda., Acer barbinerve Maxim. With a summary of the results, the changes in the environment according to the elevation affect Quercus mongolica community.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.497-506
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• 2010

This study intended to investigate the environmental factors including soil and vegetation in order to better understand the environmental and ecological characteristics of ten different habitats of $Hanabusaya$ $asiatica$. These habitats, according to investigations, are mostly located on the slopes of mountains facing north at an altitude of 580 m to 1,396 m above sea level with angles of inclination ranging from 5 degrees to 80 degrees. A total of 146 vascular plant taxa are identified in 32 quadrates of the ten habitats. The importance value of $H.$ $asiatica$ is 8.87%, and 5 highly ranked species such as $Carex$ $siderosticta$ (8.67%), $Ainsliaea$ $acerifolia$ var. $subapoda$ (7.10%), $Calamagrostis$ $arundinacea$ (6.79%), $Athyrium$ $yokoscense$ (5.33%), $Astilbe$ $rubra$ (3.11%) are considered to be an affinity with $H.$ $asiatica$ in their habitats. Dominant species of woody plants in ten habitats are represented as $Quercus$ $mongolica$ in tree layer (T1), $Acer$ $pseudo$-$sieboldianum$ in subtree layer (T2), $Rhododendron$ $schlippenbachii$ and $Tripterygium$ $regelii$ in shrub layer (S). The degree of their average species diversity is 1.30, and that of dominance and evenness are 0.08 and 0.88, respectively. The type of soil is sandy loam, loam and loamy sand, and the average field capacity of soil is 23.95%. Their average organic matter is 12.28%, soil pH 5.79, and available phosphorus is 25.48%. Correlation coefficients analysis based on environmental factors, vegetation and soil analysis shows that the coverage of tree layers is correlated with richness, diversity, dominance, evenness and coverage of $H.$ $asiatica$.