• Title/Summary/Keyword: fragmentation

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Spatio-temporal Variations in the Dynamics and Export of Large Wood in Korean Mountain Streams (우리나라 산지계류에 있어서 유목 동태의 시.공간적 다양성과 그에 따른 유출 특성)

  • Seo, Jung Il;Chun, Kun Woo;Kim, Suk Woo;Im, Sangjun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.101 no.3
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    • pp.333-343
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    • 2012
  • In-stream large wood (LW) has a critical impact on the geomorphic characteristics relevant to ecosystem management and disaster prevention, yet relatively little is known about variations in its dynamics and subsequent export on the watershed-scale perspective in Korea. Here we review variations in the dynamics and subsequent export of LW as a function of stream size, which is appropriate for Korean mountain streams. In upstream channels with narrow bankfull widths and low stream discharges, a massive amount of LW, resulting from forest dynamics and hillslope processes, may persist for several decades on valley floor. These pieces, however, are eventually transported during infrequent debris flows from small tributaries, as well as peak hydrology in main-stem channels. During the transport, these pieces suffer fragmentation caused by frictions with boulders, and stream bank and bed. Although infrequent, these events can be dominant processes in the export of significant amounts of LW from upstream channel networks. In downstream channels with wide bankfull widths and high stream discharges, LW is dominantly recruited by forest dynamics and bank erosion only at locations where the channel is adjacent to mature riparian forests. With the LW pieces that are supplied from the upstream, these pieces are continuously transported downstream during rainfall events. This leads to further fragmentation of the LW pieces, which increases their transportability. With decreasing stream-bed slope, these floated LW pieces, however, can be stored and form logjams at various depositional sites, which were developed by interaction between channel forms and floodplains. These pieces may decay for decades and be subsequently transported as particulate or dissolved organic materials, resulting in the limitation of LW fluvial export from the systems. However, in Korea, such depositional sites were developed in the extremely limited streams with a large dimension and no flood history for decades, and thus it does not be expected that the reduction of LW export amount, which can be caused by the long-term storage. Our review presents a generalized view of LW processing and is relevant to ecosystem management and disaster prevention for Korean mountain streams.

Analysis of Changes in Forest According to Urban Expansion Pattern and Morphological Features - Focused on Seoul and Daegu - (도시의 공간 확장 및 형태적 특징에 따른 산림녹지의 변화 분석 - 서울, 대구를 중심으로 -)

  • Ryu, Jieun;Hwang, Jinhoo;Lee, Junhee;Chung, Hye-In;Lee, Kyung-il;Choi, Yu-Young;Zhu, Yongyan;Sung, Min-Jun;Jang, Raeik;Sung, Hyun-Chan;Jeon, Seongwoo;Kang, Jin-Yung
    • Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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    • v.33 no.5_3
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    • pp.835-854
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    • 2017
  • Government regulations and policies are important means of restraining the indiscreet expansion of urban areas. According to the standards from those means, it is clear that the fluctuation of forest green proportion encroached by the increase of urban space is obvious. In this study, we interpreted the changes of urban areas as well as the green ones owing to the urban expansion by the decades from 1996, with focusing on the cities of Seoul and Daegu highly developed in South Korea. The purpose of this study is to analyze the spatial expansion and morphological characteristics of urban land cover using not only satellite imageries (1996, 2006, 2016). but also the urban expansion intensity index (UEII) and GUIDOS program. Ultimately, this study is to compare the changes in the rate of forests due to urban expansions annually analyzed based on areas of forest elevation, slope, and the area of single forest patch. In Seoul, the expansion begun from urban space to suburban areas was comparatively rapid, which led the forest fragmentation and the gradual decline of the single patch. However, when it comes to DEM (Digital elevation model) and slope above a certain standard, by the development regulations, there was little decrease in area by anthropogenic developments. The city of Daegu has increased at a slow speed since 1996 in urban and suburban areas, whereas green forests have greatly increased through green forest conservation campaigns. In this way, as to the government policies and regulations, the quantitative and morphological expansion of cities owing to development could be controlled and forest spaces could be preserved as well. Therefore, regulations and policies by the government should be appropriately utilized for sustainable cities.

Study on Characteristics of Community and Ecology of Fishes in the Newly Constructed Gunwi Dam Reservoir (신규로 건설된 군위댐 호내 어류 군집 및 생태적 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Jin-Woong;Yoon, Ju-Duk;Kim, Jeong-Hui;Park, Sang-Hyeon;Baek, Seung-Ho;Chang, Kwang-Hyeon;Jang, Min-Ho
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.48 no.4
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    • pp.219-228
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    • 2015
  • To secure water resources, dams are normally constructed on the upper - middle part of streams, and it generates physical disturbances such as habitat alteration and stream fragmentation. Such construction can restrict movement of aquatic organisms, especially for freshwater fish which is one of top predator in aquatic ecosystem, and cause genetic fragmentation and community change. In this study, to investigate impact of habitat alteration after dam construction on freshwater fish, we monitored fish community changes, and compared fish fauna between dam reservoir and inflows. Additionally, movement characteristics and habitat boundaries of four species were identified by radio telemetry method. The study was conducted in the Gunwi Dam which was constructed in December 2010. Radio telemetry was applied to Pungtungia herzi, Zacco platypus (living lotic and lentic), Silurus asotus (lentic preferred species) and Zacco koreanus (lotic preferred species). The number of species was remarkably decreased (4 family, 10 species) comparing with before the dam construction (7 family, 15 species). Specifically, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Niwaella multifasciata, Liobagrus mediadiposalis, Coreoperca herzi and Odontobutis platycephala that inhabit in the lotic environment were not collected in the study area. A total of 8 species were caught in both the dam reservoir and tributaries except 2 species (C. auratus and S. asotus). Sorenson's similarity between the reservoir and its tributaries was high (0.842). All of the radio tagged species stayed in the reservoir except S. asotus which moved to the tributary. These species mainly utilized the shallow littoral zone as a habitat. These results could be useful as a baseline data for efficient management of fishes in lakes.

A Novel Chenodeoxycholic Derivative HS-1200 Induces Apoptosis in Human HT-29 Colon Cancer Cells (인체 대장암 세포주(HT-29)에서 담즙산 합성유도체(HS-1200)의 세포 사망 기전)

  • Oh Sin Geun;Yang Kwang Mo;Hur Won Joo;Yoo Young Hyun;Suh Hong Suk;Lee Hyung Sik
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.367-374
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : To investigate the growth inhibitory effects, and the underlying mechanism of human colon cancer cell (HT-29) death, induced by a new synthetic bile acid derivative (HS-1200). Materials and Methods : Human colon cancer cells (HT-29), in exponential growth phase, were treated with various concentrations of a new synthetic bile acid derivative (HS-1200). The growth inhibitory effects on HT-29 cells were examined using a frypan blue exclusion assay. The extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis, TUNEL assays and Hoechst staining. The apoptotic cell death was also confirmed by Western blotting of PARP, caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) analysis. To investigate the involvement of mitochondria, we employed immunofluorescent staining of cytochrome c and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses. Results : The dose required for the half maximal inhibition $(IC_{50})$ of the HT-29 cell growth was $100\~150\;{\mu}M$ of HS-1200. Several changes, associated with the apoptosis of the HT-29 cells, were reveal by the agarose gel eletrophoresis, TUNEL assays and Hoechst staining, following their treatment with $100\;{\mu}M$ of HS-1200. HS-1200 treatment also induced caspase-3, PARP and DFF degradations, and the western blotting showed the processed caspase-3 p20, PARP p85 and DFF p30 and p11 cleaved products. Mitochondrial events were also demonstrated. The cytochrome c staining indicated that cytochrome c had been released from the mitochondria in the HS-1200 treated cells. The mitochondrial membrane potential $(\Delta\Psi_m)$ was also prominently decreased in the HS-1200 treated cells. Conclusion : These findings suggest that the HS-1200 - induced apoptosis of human colon cancer cells (HT-29) is mediated via caspase and mitochondrial pathways.

A Habitat Characteristic of Population of Khingan Fir(Abies Nephrolepis) in Seoraksan National Park Using Landscape Indices (경관지수를 활용한 설악산국립공원 아고산대 분비나무개체군의 서식지 특성)

  • Lee, Ho-young;Park, Hong-chul;Lee, Na-yeon;Lee, Ho
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.170-178
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    • 2020
  • There are few landscape ecological analyses of Khingan fir (Abies nephrolepis) and other habitats of the sub-alpine zone in South Korea. In this study, we tried to quantitatively interpret and assess the habitat characteristics by analyzing 15 landscape indices according to the differences in tree layer coverage, in the Khingan fir habitat growing naturally in the sub-alpine zone of Seoraksan National Park. It was difficult to identify the tendency of landscape ecology to increase and decrease the tree layer coverage in the study site, which was the entire Khingan fir habitat in Seoraksan National Park. However, the Khingan fir habitat was found to be generally low in coverage, and population density as the tree layer coverage of less than 50 percent accounts for 85 percent of the total habitat. Moreover, the Khingan fir habitat in the 10 to 50 percent range was fragmented into a total of 286 patches, making it relatively less connected to the habitat. The total edge length and edge density, which could determine the edge effect of the main part according to the physical form, were the highest in the habitat of 26 to 50 percent coverage, indicating a relatively high impact from outside than habitats of other coverages. The shape with the tree layer coverage of between 10 and 50 percent was more complex even with patches of the same size, and it is believed that these characteristics make it more susceptible to habitat fragmentation and external confounding. We expect that the results of this study can be useful for time series analysis of spatial expansion or reduction of the Khingan fir habitat in Seoraksan National Park and provide the reference data for the morphological change and movement of patches and the connectivity and break-off between forests.

Apoptosis Induction of Human Breast Carcinoma Cells by Ethyl Alcohol Extract of Hizikia fusiforme (Apoptosis 유도에 의한 톳 ethyl alcohol 추출물의 인체 유방암세포 증식 억제)

  • Jung, Sun-Hwa;Hwang, Won-Deuk;Nam, Taek-Jeong;Choi, Yung-Hyun
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.19 no.11
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    • pp.1581-1590
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    • 2009
  • Hizikia fusiforme is a kind of brown edible seaweed that mainly grows in the temperate seaside areas of the northwest pacific, including Korea, Japan and China, and has been widely used as a health food for hundreds of years. Recently, H. fusiforme has been known to exert pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticoagulant activities. However, the molecular mechanisms of H. fusiforme in malignant cells have not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of ethyl alcohol extract of H. fusiforme (EAHF) on the anti-proliferative effects of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were investigated. EAHF treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent growth inhibition by including apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells and G1 phase arrest in MCF-7 cells, which could be proved by MTT assay, DAPI staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis. In MDA-MB-231 cells, the increase in apoptosis induced by EAHF treatment correlated with up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. EAHF treatment induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and a concomitant inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, $\beta$-catenin, phospholipase-${\gamma}1$ protein and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase. Taken together, these findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of H. fusiforme.

Management Plan for Humanistic and Ecological Characteristics of Suweol Village Forest in Tongyoung (통영 수월숲의 인문학적 특성 및 생태적 특성을 고려한 관리방안)

  • Lim, Eui-Jea;Lee, Soo-Dong;Kim, Mi-Jeong
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.85-98
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    • 2013
  • In order to propose effective conservation management plan, this study verified ecological characteristics, humanities and Social characteristics. The research site is private property which is owned belonging to the Kim's of Gimhae that have long history. The study site is more than a thousand years old and was created for protecting from typhoon. There held the religious ritual what is called Dongsinje until 1960s. There have been protected and managed by the villagers. As the results of analysis, the area of windbreak are $12,392.69m^2$. The windbreak is dominated old years deciduous broad-leaved tree such as Zelkova serrata, Celtis sinensis, Aphananthe aspera. Around there were farmlands(52.1%), urbanized area(26.3%), forest area(16.6%). The vegetation communities of windbreak were classified by considering the dominant species and current status of forest. The forest types are following as; A. aspera community(I) which is using less pressure, Platycarya strobilacea-Carpinus coreana-Z. serrata community(II). Z. serrata community(III) which is using high pressure, Z. serrata-A. aspera community(IV), Z. serrata community(V) which is damaged under canopy trees. The windbreak was in good condition whereas, there were concerns the some wrong status was being undermined such as the wrong forest restoration projects in the past, the trails that is penetrating inside the forest, building up education facilities. Therefore, in order to restore the value of windbreak what is so called Suwol forest, we should improve the problems of forest ecosystem such as wrong management, forest fragmentation by facilities and decline in forest by lack of growing the next generation trees. In addition, we should remove excessive resting facilities and lead to passive use of forest. to improve the way of wrong management, moreover, we should close off he trails that is penetrating inside the forest for improving fragmentation. We should restore vegetation restoration and fostering the next generation trees for forest ecosystem. In order to restore unique of histo-cultural and ecological forest landscape, the next generation trees should be grown up that is the dominant species in Suwol forest. Moreover, as a results of comparing the between good vegetation communities and damaged vegetation communities, it is necessary to complementary planting for demeged vegetation communities, therefore there needs to 10.8 under canopy trees, 79.7 shrubs.

Activation of Pro-Apoptotic Multidomain Bcl-2 Family Member Bak and Mitochondria-Dependent Caspase Cascade are Involved in p-Coumaric Acid-Induced Apoptosis in Human Jurkat T Cells (p-Coumaric acid에 의해 유도되는 인체 Jurkat T 세포의 에폽토시스 기전)

  • Lee, Je-Won;Kim, Young-Ho
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.21 no.12
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    • pp.1678-1688
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    • 2011
  • The apoptogenic effect of p-coumaric acid, a phenolic acid found in various edible plants, on human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells was investigated. Exposure of Jurkat T cells to p-coumaric acid (50-$150{\mu}M$) caused cytotoxicity and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive apoptotic DNA fragmentation along with Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, activation of caspase-9, -3, -7, and -8, and PARP degradation in a dose-dependent manner. However,these apoptotic events were completely abrogated in Jurkat T cells overexpressing Bcl-2.Under these conditions, necrosis was not accompanied. Pretreatment of the cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) could prevent p-coumaric acid-induced sub-$G_1$ peak representing apoptotic cells, whereas it failed to block ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, indicating that the activation of caspase cascade was prerequisite for p-coumaric acid-induced apoptosis as a downstream event of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss. FADD- and caspase-8-positive wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3, FADD-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I2.1, and caspase-8-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I9.2 exhibited similar susceptibilities to the cytotoxicity of p-coumaric acid, excluding an involvement of Fas/FasL system in triggering the apoptosis. The apoptogenic activity of p-coumaric acid is more potent in malignant Jurkat T cells than in normal human peripheral T cells. Together, these results demonstrated that p-coumaric acid-induced apoptogenic activity in Jurkat T cellswas mediated by Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, and subsequent activation of multiple caspases such as caspase-9, -3, -7, and-8, and PARP degradation, which could be regulated by anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.

High Glucose Induces Apoptosis through Caspase-3 Dependent Pathway in Human Retinal Endothelial Cell Line (인간망막 내피세포주에서 고농도 포도당이 caspase-3 경로를 통해 세포자연사 유도)

  • Seo, Eun-Sun;Chae, Soo-Chul;Kho, Eun-Gyeong;Lee, Jong-Bin
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.66-72
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    • 2009
  • Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness among adults in the western countries. Hyperglycemia is a condition, that induces apoptotic cell death in a variety of cell types in diabetes, but the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the study is to understand the effects of high Glucose on Human Retinal Endothelial Cells. Retinal endothelial cells were cultured in Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM) containing 5, 25 and 50 mM Glucose, incubated for 24, 36 and 48 hours in humidified 5 % CO$_2$ incubator at 37$^{\circ}C$. Human Retinal Endothelial Cell Line (HREC) were characterized for morphology with different treatment by phase contrast microscopic analysis. Number of dead and viable cells was counted by trypan blue exclusion and supported by MTT assay. The intracellular Hydrogen peroxide (H$_2$O$_2$), a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation in high glucose conditions was assessed by FOX II assay and apoptosis by caspase-3 assay. The high glucose treated cells undergoing DNA fragmentation was witnessed by Agarose gel electrophoresis. We found that the cells incubated with 25 and 50 mM glucose containing medium for 48 hours altered the morphology of the cell, induced apoptosis and DNA fragmentation. The dead cell number were high in 25 and 50 mM when compared to the cells incubated with 5 mM glucose for 24, 36, and 48 hours. Also, the H$_2$O$_2$ levels and the activity of caspase-3 were increased in high glucose treated cells. Conclusions/interpretation: Our results demonstrated that elevated glucose induces apoptosis in cultured HREC. The hyperglycemia-induced increase in apoptosis may be dependent on caspase activation. The association between ROS generation and caspase-3 activation on high glucose treated cells is yet to be investigated.

Radiographic Changes of the Medial Epicondyle in Little League Baseball Player (청소년기 야구선수의 주관절 내상과의 방사선학적 변화)

  • Choi Chang-Hyuk;Eum Dong-Hwan
    • Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.43-48
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : We evaluated radiographic changes and clinical manifestations of the elbow joint to identify the effects of the throwing between dominant and non-dominant arms. Materials and Methods : A hundred and five little leaguer’s baseball player in 5 elementary school and 2 middle school were evaluated for clinical symptoms and radiographic changes about elbow joint. Mean age was 12 years old and average periods of exercise were 32 months. Elbow functions were evaluated using ASES standardized assessment form and radiographic changes of medial epicondyle were examinated for enlargement, separation of the apophyses, fragmentation and irregularity. Results : Thirty seven players (35$\%$) were complained pain with throwing and the average score was 4.8 using visual analog scale. There were no significant differences in range of motion except flexion angle, valgus angle, and strength between dominant arm and non-dominant arm. Valgus laxity was more prominent in dominant arm. Ulnohumeral tenderness, radiocapitellar tenderness and medial flexor origin tenderness were in 18, 6, and 17 cases respectively in dominant arm. Medial epicondyle was enlarged in dominant arm with 13.0 by 6.3 mm compared to non-dominant arm with 11.7 by 6.1 mm. Apophyseal separation was 0.8 mm in dominant arm and 0.5 mm in non-dominant arm. Fragmentation and irregularity were 14 (13$\%$) and 25 (24$\%$) cases respectively in dominant arm. Conclusion : In little league baseball player, it needs usage of ball and bat with appropriate weight, and careful conditioning programs through throwing exercise in order to avoid elbow injuries.

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