• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.283-289
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• 2016

Naturally occurring antioxidants, such as polyphenols are widely found in fruits, vegetables, wines, juices, and other plant-based dietary sources and are divided into several sub classes, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, and lignans. As part of the our ongoing search for bioactive food ingredients, the antioxidant and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activities of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Cirsium setidens were investigated in vitro bioassay system. The antioxidant properties were evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ($ABTS^+$) radicals. In addition, the activity of C. setidens against diabetes complications was also tested via AGEs formation inhibition assay. The total phenolic contents were determined using a UV-VIS spectrophotometric method. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent radical scavenging and AGEs inhibitory activities. In particular, the n-butanol (BuOH)-soluble portion showed the most potent radical scavenging activities against DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals with $IC_{50}$ values of $24.3{\pm}1.7$ and $25.0{\pm}3.3{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Futhermore, the inhibition of AGEs formation by the n-BuOH-soluble portion ($IC_{50}$ value; $46.0{\pm}1.5{\mu}g/mL$) was higher than that those of the soluble portions for the other solvent. The results showed that C. setidens could be considered as an effective source of natural antioxidants and other ingredients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.4
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• pp.710-721
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• 2012

This study is to find out the search of the desirable tree cutting permit system by investigating and analyzing timber logger's consciousness in Korea. A sample group, including 64 officers in 5 Regional Forest Services and 27 National Forest Stations, 161 local government of 322 officers and team leaders with cutting permits, and 308 tree loggers was surveyed. The survey results showed that the ongoing harvest year plan for national, public and private-type forests, which was applied differently, could be integrated as 3.73 points, which was not significant among the groups. A total of 95.1% of the national forest officers stated that the environmentally friendly harvesting system could be improved and that it is exempted from bad broadleaf trees and renewal of forest type (4.14 points). An environmentally friendly harvesting system including the type of forest and location status (slide, soil, etc) is needed (3.87 points). Additionally, the round timber purchased from tree loggers managed in 2009 was about 10.6% of the domestic timber supply ($3,176,000m^3$) and round timber sales were about 50.1%. A total of 72% of the loggers suggested that a environmentally friendly harvesting system is needed (4.11 points). These results show that a new system for harvesting timber is needed to replace the current environmentally unfriendly harvesting system, and that tree loggers should be registered for management.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 1994

The search for tumor-avid agents for use in nuclear medicine imaging or therapy is a field of ongoing importance. Metallothionein (MT) is an intracellular protein that binds many metals with isotopes having imaging or radiotherapeutic potential. The purpose of the study was to determine whether uptake of radioisotopes that bind to MT is increased in tumor. We measured the uptake of Cd-109 and Ga-67 in tumor and normal tissues of sarcoma-bearing mice. Tumors were grown subcutaneously in female Balb/C mice from cultured Balb/3T3 cells transformed by the Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MMSV). When the tumors reached about 1 cm in diameter, mice were injected subcutaneously with Cd-109 and Ga-67. Eighteen and seventy-two hours later, the mice were sacrified. Organs and tissues were removed, weighed, and activity per mg tissue determined by gamma well-counting. Uptake of Cd-109 by MMSV tumors exceeded that by normal tissues examined, with the exception of liver and kidney (the organs known to be richest in MT). The tumor-to-tissue ratios of uptake for Cd-109 were far greater than those for Ga-67 for many normal tissues of great importance in terms of background activity (bone, intestine, fat, muscle, and blood). We concluded that metals that bind to MT may be useful for oncologic imaging or rediotherapy of cancer.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2017

Collagen synthesis is decreased and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) levels are increased in naturally aged human skin, and these alterations cause changes such as skin wrinkling and decreased elasticity. As a part of our ongoing search for bioactive ingredients, MMP-1 inhibitory and type-1 procollagen synthesis inducing activities of aqueous methanolic extract of manufactured gambir product from Uncaria gambir were investigated in in vitro bioassay systems. In addition, total phenolic contents were quantified using a spectrophotometric method. Among tested samples, 40% MeOH eluate from 80% methanolic extract of manufactured U. gambir using open column chromatography packed with Diaion HP-20 resin showed significant MMP-1 inhibitory activities with an $IC_{50}$ value of $15.6{\pm}1.3{\mu}g/mL$. Furthermore, type-1 procollagen synthesis promoting property of 40% MeOH eluate ($IC_{50}$ value; $6.9{\pm}0.7{\mu}g/mL$) from 80% methanolic extract of manufactured gambir was higher than other eluates. Additionally, the present investigation revealed that 40% MeOH eluate of manufactured gambir product contained a high level of total phenolic compounds. The result suggests a distinct relationship between anti-wrinkle activity and total phenolic contents, and manufactured gambir product could be considered a new effective source of natural bioactive ingredients. Systematic investigation of manufactured gambir product will be performed for further development of its biological properties.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.119-135
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• 2021

Korea has stepped up efforts to investigate and catalog its flora and fauna to conserve the biodiversity of the Korean Peninsula and secure biological resources since the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992 and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits (ABS) in 2010. Thus, after its establishment in 2007, the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) of the Ministry of Environment of Korea initiated a project called the Korean Indigenous Species Investigation Project to investigate indigenous species on the Korean Peninsula. For 15 years since its beginning in 2006, this project has been carried out in five phases, Phase 1 from 2006-2008, Phase 2 from 2009-2011, Phase 3 from 2012-2014, Phase 4 from 2015-2017, and Phase 5 from 2018-2020. Before this project, in 2006, the number of indigenous species surveyed was 29,916. The figure was cumulatively aggregated at the end of each phase as 33,253 species for Phase 1 (2008), 38,011 species for Phase 2 (2011), 42,756 species for Phase 3 (2014), 49,027 species for Phase 4 (2017), and 54,428 species for Phase 5(2020). The number of indigenous species surveyed grew rapidly, showing an approximately 1.8-fold increase as the project progressed. These statistics showed an annual average of 2,320 newly recorded species during the project period. Among the recorded species, a total of 5,242 new species were reported in scientific publications, a great scientific achievement. During this project period, newly recorded species on the Korean Peninsula were identified using the recent taxonomic classifications as follows: 4,440 insect species (including 988 new species), 4,333 invertebrate species except for insects (including 1,492 new species), 98 vertebrate species (fish) (including nine new species), 309 plant species (including 176 vascular plant species, 133 bryophyte species, and 39 new species), 1,916 algae species (including 178 new species), 1,716 fungi and lichen species(including 309 new species), and 4,812 prokaryotic species (including 2,226 new species). The number of collected biological specimens in each phase was aggregated as follows: 247,226 for Phase 1 (2008), 207,827 for Phase 2 (2011), 287,133 for Phase 3 (2014), 244,920 for Phase 4(2017), and 144,333 for Phase 5(2020). A total of 1,131,439 specimens were obtained with an annual average of 75,429. More specifically, 281,054 insect specimens, 194,667 invertebrate specimens (except for insects), 40,100 fish specimens, 378,251 plant specimens, 140,490 algae specimens, 61,695 fungi specimens, and 35,182 prokaryotic specimens were collected. The cumulative number of researchers, which were nearly all professional taxonomists and graduate students majoring in taxonomy across the country, involved in this project was around 5,000, with an annual average of 395. The number of researchers/assistant researchers or mainly graduate students participating in Phase 1 was 597/268; 522/191 in Phase 2; 939/292 in Phase 3; 575/852 in Phase 4; and 601/1,097 in Phase 5. During this project period, 3,488 papers were published in major scientific journals. Of these, 2,320 papers were published in domestic journals and 1,168 papers were published in Science Citation Index(SCI) journals. During the project period, a total of 83.3 billion won (annual average of 5.5 billion won) or approximately US $75 million (annual average of US $5 million) was invested in investigating indigenous species and collecting specimens. This project was a large-scale research study led by the Korean government. It is considered to be a successful example of Korea's compressed development as it attracted almost all of the taxonomists in Korea and made remarkable achievements with a massive budget in a short time. The results from this project led to the National List of Species of Korea, where all species were organized by taxonomic classification. Information regarding the National List of Species of Korea is available to experts, students, and the general public (https://species.nibr.go.kr/index.do). The information, including descriptions, DNA sequences, habitats, distributions, ecological aspects, images, and multimedia, has been digitized, making contributions to scientific advancement in research fields such as phylogenetics and evolution. The species information also serves as a basis for projects aimed at species distribution and biological monitoring such as climate-sensitive biological indicator species. Moreover, the species information helps bio-industries search for useful biological resources. The most meaningful achievement of this project can be in providing support for nurturing young taxonomists like graduate students. This project has continued for the past 15 years and is still ongoing. Efforts to address issues, including species misidentification and invalid synonyms, still have to be made to enhance taxonomic research. Research needs to be conducted to investigate another 50,000 species out of the estimated 100,000 indigenous species on the Korean Peninsula.