• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.490-496
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• 2018

The present study aimed to identify the importance of forest experience activity by examining what effects forest experience activity has on primary school students. The study population consisted of 108 students enrolled as fourth graders in primary schools in Chuncheon as of November 2017. The study measured the changes in their attitude toward forest and personality from before and after forest experience activity. The results indicated that the primary school students who participated in forest experience activity showed statistically significant increase in attitude toward forest and personality. In other words, the study identified the positive effects of forest experience activity on recognizing the importance of nature and personality building. The present study aimed to test the importance and effects of forest experience through forest experience activity outside of the classroom, as well as to present the validity of promoting forest experience activity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2020

Background: Although Sancho (Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold & Zucc) oil has traditionally been used for its antibiotics properties, there is currently a lack of scientific evidence regarding its biological activities. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Sancho oil against food-hazardous microorganisms, phytopathogens, and dermatophytes. Methods and Results: We investiated the antimicrobial activity of Sancho oil against 11 food-hazardous microorganisms, nine phytopathogens, and six dermatophytes. The Sancho oil was found to show the strongest antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri and Listeria spp. Sancho oil also showed high antifungal activity against plant pathogens, particularly Fusarium oxysporum, and showed antimicrobial activity against dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum canis and Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity of Sancho oil was measured using the DPPH method, and was found to be stronger than that of unrefined oil. Moreover, this activity increased with increasing oil concentration. Conclusions: We found that Sancho oil showed differing antimicrobial activities against food-hazardous microorganisms, dermatophytes, and plant pathogens. The antimicrobial activity spectrum of Sancho oil was not broad and varied among microbial strains. On the basis of our findings, we consider that Sancho oil could be used an antibacterial material for food-borne S. flexneri and Listeria spp., a biopesticide for Fusarium spp., and a treatment for dermatophytes such as T. rubrum.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.66-70
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• 2004

The antioxidant activities of six isoflavonoids isolated from Sophora japonica wood and bark were examined by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method. This study was focused on the relationship between antioxidant activity of isoflavonoids and their chemical structures. From the results of this study, it could be concluded that the hydroxyl groups that linked at ring B and ring A in isoflavonoids have importance in the antioxidant activity. Additionally, the absence of the 2,3-double bond on the isoflavonoid enhances its antioxidant activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.551-557
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• 2020

In this study, we were performed to elucidate the antioxidant and anticancer activity by leaves extracts from Acer tegmentosum (AT-L). In DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, the AT-L revealed the high scavenging activity. Especially, the AT-L measured the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity, which is higher than ascorbic acid. The types of human cancer cells for evaluating the anticancer activity were colorectal cancer (SW480), prostate cancer (PC-3), breast cancer (MCF-7), pancreatic cancer (AsPC-1), lung cancer (A549) and liver cancer (HepG2). Human cancer cell viability was measured using MTT assay. Treatment of the AT-L decreased the cell viability and induced apoptosis in SW480 cells. These results suggest that extracts of the AT-L can be used as supplementary material for developing the natural antioxidant and anticancer drug for human cancer cells.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3616-3624
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to inquire into the perceptions and the needs of parents on their forest experience activity. To achieve this, a survey was carried out on 250 parents of children in a Gyeonggi-based private kindergarten from December 26 to December 31, 2013. The results are as follows. For the perceptions of parents on the forest experience activity, the 'perception on overall effectiveness' was the highest, followed in order by 'perception on educational effectiveness' and 'general perception'. For the needs of parents on their forest experience activity, 58.2% of them recognized the importance of regular forest experience activity. For the necessity of an annual program, 60.7% of them recognized the necessity of a planned annual program. For the recommendation of forest experience activity, 61.1% of them gave a strong recommendation for forest experience activity. As stated above, most parents positively viewed children's forest experience activity in the environment as it is difficult to approach nature in downtown areas, and children also highly viewed the educational effectiveness of it.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.187-197
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• 2023

The study aims to identify factors related to landscape structure and socioeconomic characteristics that influence adults' physical activity and health. The study analyzes data from 148,643 respondents from the Korea Community Health Survey conducted in 2021. The study measures various factors, including the frequency of physical activity, stress, depression, and landscape metrics of forest patches. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Larger forest patches and more irregular shapes are associated with higher levels of physical activity among adults. The percentage and area of the forest patch are associated with fewer mental health complaints. Configuration-related landscape metrics such as shape or arrangement of the forest patch did not show a significant association with physical activity. Overall, the study provides insights into how specific characteristics of forest patches in urban areas may influence physical activity and mental health among adults. It emphasizes the importance of green spaces and their potential positive effects on both physical and mental well-being.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2005

We tested the hypothesis that alpine plants have special physiological and biochemical mechanisms in addition to their structural adaptation in order to survive under extreme conditions. The photosynthetic organs of Pinus pumila were used to examine the seasonal changes in sugar concentration, antioxidative enzyme, and lipid peroxidation. The concentrations of sucrose, glucose, fructose and reducing sugar were the highest in the leaves in April. But sugar contents in buds and inner barks did not respond sensitively on temperature change. Meanwhile superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity responded sensitively on the change of temperature and SOD in all tissues maintained high activity in April. Meanwhile anthocyanin content increased rapidly in June but the increase of anthocyanin content was not enough to prevent their tissues from the damage by the exposure of high temperature or other stress. In conclusion, under low temperature condition, P. pumila increased the concentration of soluble sugars and SOD activity in their tissues in order to overcome extreme environmental condition. But in summer, these stress defense system against high temperature might be disturbed slightly. This results in the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in three tissues by lipid peroxidation.

• Forest Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.158-163
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• 2017

We examined the activities of lignin-degrading enzymes of the mycelium of cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis latifolia). Three different strains of S. latifolia collected from several sites in Korea and one crossbred strain were cultured on potato dextrose broth (PDB) and Kirk's medium in order to study the activities of their ligninolytic enzymes. Mycelial growth reached maximum levels between 14 and 21 days after inoculation and pH increased by 0.12 units over 35 days. Laccase activity began increasing after 14 days on both types of media. Manganese peroxidase (MnP) activity followed a trend similar to that of laccase on Kirk's medium, but not on PDB. The activity of lignin peroxidase (LiP) differed from that of other enzymes; its activity decreased by half after 14 days on PDB but remained constant on Kirk's medium over 35 days. The total protein concentration increased considerably after 14 days and peaked at 21 days on PDB. A similar maximum was attained on Kirk's medium. In contrast, the residual glucose increased rapidly at 14 days on Kirk's medium, while increasing gradually up to 28 days on PDB. This study indicates that S. latifolia is more similar to white rot fungi than to other brown rot fungi.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.222-225
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• 2005

Strains showing antifungal activity against Cryphonectria parasitica were isolated from coast soil of Taean , Korea. Of 152 strains isolated, 6 strains showed antifungal activity in vitro against C. parasitica. Ta24 strain showed highest activity with 1.6 cm clean inhibition zone. For strain identification, the morphological characteristic and 16S rDNA sequences were determined. Ta24 strain showed 99% homology with Streptomyces sampsonii and was identified as Streptomyces sp.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.414-426
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• 2022

The Lauraceae family has commercial uses, such as in the food, pharmaceutical, and perfume industries. This study was conducted to investigate anti-asthmatic activity of essential oils from the seven species in the Lauraceae family. The essential oils were extracted from the leaves of seven species, and the chemical composition was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major constituents of essential oils differed depending on the species, even if they belonged to the same family. The main constituents were camphor (89.09%) in Cinnamomum camphora, linalool (26.91%) in Cinnamomum cassia, 1,8-cineole (23.90%) in Cinnamomum japonicum, d-limonene (10.27%) and β-eudesmol (10.03%) in Lindera obtusiloba, δ-cadinene (13.85%) and α-phellandrene (11.57%) in Machilus japonica, cis-,trans-β-ocimene (13.80% and 12.06%) and elemol (11.46%) in Neolitsea aciculata, and cis-β-ocimene (37.94%) and sabinene (24.91%) in Neolitsea sericea. The anti-asthmatic activity of essential oils was investigated using the lipopolysaccharide-induced NCI-H292 cells. The relative expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6] and mucus gene (MUC5AC and MUC5B) were significantly reduced by essential oils from seven species in the Lauraceae family. Among the seven essential oils, the essential oil from L. obtusiloba had the most superior anti-asthmatic activity. These results suggest that the essential oil of L. obtusiloba leaves could be used as an agent to suppress mucus hypersecretion.