• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.308-312
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• 2012

Argon-plasma jet (Ar-PJ) is generated by ionizing Ar gas, and the resulting Ar-PJ consists of a mixture of neutral particles, positive ions, negative electrons, and various reactive species. Although Ar-PJ has been used in various biomedical applications, little is known about the biological effects on cells located near the plasma-exposed region. Here, we investigated the effects of the Ar-PJ on actin cytoskeleton of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in response to indirect as well as direct exposure to Ar-PJ. This Ar-PJ was generated at 500 mL/min of flow rate and 100 V electric power by our device mainly consisting of electrodes, dielectrics, and a high-voltage power supply. Because actin cytoskeleton is the key cellular machinery involved in cellular movement and is implicated in regulation of cancer metastasis and thus resulting in a highly desirable cancer therapeutic target, we examined the actin filament architectures in Ar-PJ-treated MEFs by staining with an actin-specific phalloidin labeled with fluorescent dye. Interestingly, the Ar-PJ treatment causes destabilization of actin filament architectures in the regions indirectly exposed to Ar-PJ, but no differences in MEFs treated with Ar gas alone and in untreated cell control, indicating that this phenomenon is a specific cellular response against Ar-PJ in the live cells, which are indirectly exposed to Ar-PJ. Collectively, our study raises the possibility that Ar-PJ may have potential as anti-cancer drug effect through direct destabilization of the actin cytoskeleton.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.246-253
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• 1993

The composition of the nitrogen forms of the organic layer and mineral soil horizons of 8 differing soil type was measured to find a clue to elucidate the problem on the fertility and nitrogen availabilities of forest soils. The ratio of inorganic $N(NH_4-N+NO_3-N)$ to total N was very low in every 0 layer and its maximum was only about 2%. And the inorganic N concentration of every mineral soil horizon was low, and the maximum of its rate to N was 3.7% in surface horizon and about 4.1% in lower horizon. Organic N form of O layer were characterized by the decrease of aminoacid-N, and the increased of hexosamine-N and amide-N according to the advance of decomposing process. The ranges of hydrolyzable-N of every flesh litter, F and H layer of the selected soils were about 80-90% and they- were hardly affected by the differences of tree species and decomposing process. The organic N form of every litter was similar and it was follows : aminoacid-N was not abundant and it ranges were about 40-50%, more than half of hydrolyzable-N. The hexosamine-N was eery poor and it ranged to only 2-7%. The amide-N teas low and about 10-23%. No distinguished difference was seen between the organic N forms of the O layer and surface horizon of dry and wet soils in brown forest soils.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.3
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• pp.261-267
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• 2006

A nursery trial comprising 109 progenies of 5 populations of Cornus kousa was analysed using multivariate analysis of 12 quantitative traits (growth and leaf form). The aim of this study was to examine geographic variation of the species based on the single, existing nursery trial to support a genetic resource conservation plan of Cornus kousa in Korea. Nested Anova showed that there were statistically significant differences among populations as well as among families within populations in all 12 quantitative traits. In 10 of 12 traits, variance components among families within populations were higher than those among populations. Cluster analysis using complete linkage method showed three groups to Euclidean distance 0.8. Among principal components, primary 2 principal components appeared to be major variables because of the loading contribution of 91.9%. The first contribution component was maximum width, vein number, blade length/petiole length and upper 1/3 width lower 1/3 width; the second one was height, diameter at root collar, blade length, upper 1/3 width, petiole length and petiole length/vein number, respectively. But all characters showed no significant difference with the pattern of geographic distribution.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 1982

The pollen morphology of 2 forms, 6 varieties, 50 species, 15 genera, 11 families of Korean Sapindales was studied. The keys were provided for general and families of Korean Sapindales. General pollen morphology was diversed and taxonomically significant differences were obtained in shape, aperture, type and size, sculpture pattern and exine thickness of pollen grains. Pollen grains of Korean Sapindales could be grouped into four types and five subtypes. One of five sub-types pollen grains of Acer could be ground into four under subtypes: ginnala type, barbinerve type, psseudo-sieboldianum type and negundo type. Pollen morphology of Empetraceae, Buxaceae and Balsaminaceae appeared to have very special features in the equatorial view and aperature type compare with pollen grain of the other families of Korean Sapindales.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.197-203
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• 2015

Particulate matter (PM) has emitted in many regions of the world and is causing many health-related problems. Thus reasonable politics and solutions are needed to reduce PM in Seoul. Further it is required to clearly explain the major portions of chemical components contained in $PM_{10}$ to figure out the characteristics of $PM_{10}$, and to develop effective reduction measures in order to decrease the adverse effects of $PM_{10}$. $PM_{10}$ samples were collected in Seoul and analyzed their ions to examine the physical and chemical characteristics of ionic species. Since hydrogen ion ($H^+$) and carbonate ion (${CO_3}^{2-}$)) cannot be analyzed by Ion chromatography (IC), concentrations of $H^+$ and ${CO_3}^{2-}$ were initially estimated by pH and equivalent differences between anions and cations in this study. Starting from the study findings, good combination results for compositional patterns between anions and cations were obtained by applying a mathematical modelling technique that was based on the mass balance principle. The ions in $PM_{10}$ were combined with $H^+$, ${CO_3}^{2-}$, and supplement for $NO_3{^-}$, $Cl^-$ formed such compounds $NH_4Cl$, $NH_4NO_3$, $CaSO_4$, $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, $NaNO_3$, NaCl, $Na_2CO_3$, and $(NH_4)_2CO_3$ in the study area.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.675-688
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• 2007

To characterize organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) contents, daily $PM_{2.5}$ measurements were performed in August 2006 (summer) and Jan $11{\sim}Feb$ 12 2007 (winter) at an urban site of Gwangju. Daily size-segregated aerosol samples were also collected for WSOC analysis. No clear seasonal variations in EC and WSOC concentrations were observed, while seasonal differences in OC concentration, and OC/EC and WSOC/EC ratios were shown. The WSOC/OC ratio showed higher value in summer (0.56) than in winter (0.40), reflecting the greater enhancement of secondary WSOC formation at the site in summer. Secondary WSOC concentrations estimated using EC tracer method were in the range $0.0{\sim}2.1\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (average $0.42\;{\mu}g/m^3$) and $0.0{\sim}1.1\;{\mu}g/m^3\;(0.24\;{\mu}g/m^3)$, respectively, accounting for $0{\sim}51.6%$ (average 16.8%) and $0{\sim}52.5%$ (average 13.1 %) of the measured WSOC concentrations in summer and winter. Sometimes higher WSOC/OC ratio in winter than that in summer could be attributed to two reasons. One is that the stable atmospheric condition often appears in winter, and the prolonged residence time would strengthen atmospheric oxidation of volatile organic compounds. The other is that decrease of ambient temperature in winter would enhance the condensation of volatile secondary WSOC on pre-existing aerosols. In summertime, atmospheric aerosols and WSOC concentrations showed bimodal size distributions, peaking at the size ranges $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ (condensation mode) and $3.2{\sim}5.6\;{\mu}m$ (coarse mode), respectively. During the wintertime, atmospheric aerosols showed a bimodal character, while WSOC concentrations showed a unimodal pattern. Size distributions of atmospheric aerosols and WSOC with a peak in the size range $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ were observed for most of the measurement periods. On January 17, however, atmospheric aerosols and WOSC exhibited size distributions with modal peaks in the size range $1.0{\sim}1.8\;{\mu}m$, suggesting that the aerosol particles collected on that day could be expected to be more aged, i.e, longer residence time, than the aerosols at other sampling periods.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2012

This study was carried out in order to compare the residue levels of pesticides among lettuce, kale and perilla leaf depending on the morphological characteristics of plant. Residue levels were investigated at the zero, second, fifth days after last application, 9 species of systemic or non-systemic pesticide were twice applied with 7 days interval by knapsack power sprayer with 2 heads fan shape nozzle. Ratios of leaf area to weight ($cm^2$ $g^{-1}$) were 58 of perilla leaf, 27 of lettuce and 23 of kale. Ratios of leaf area to weight of perilla leaf was 2.1 times higher than that of lettuce. Residue levels of perilla leaf were 1.3 to 2.3 times higher than those of lettuce at the day of spraying and 1.3 to 3.3 times higher at the fifth day. Therefore the differences of pesticide residues between perilla leaf and lettuce were affected by the ratio of leaf area to weight. Residue levels in lettuce were 2.4 to 7.3 times higher than those in kale at the day of spraying because the adhesive effect of pesticide particles on kale leaf was low.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-32
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• 2018

The need for seawater desalination is increasing in terms of securing various water resources, but few studies are available as for the environmental impact of hypersaline concentrated water (brine) discharged from desalination plants. Domestic studies are concentrated mainly on toxicity evaluation that phytoplankton, zooplankton larvae and green algae (Ulva pertusa) are negatively affected by concentrated water. The mortality of Paralichthys olivaceus showed a linear relationship with increasing salinity, and Oryzias latipes died 100% at concentrations above 60 psu. Foreign studies included monitoring cases as well as toxicity evaluations. The number of species decreased around the area where the concentrated water discharged. The hypersaline concentrated water affects the pelagic and benthic organisms. However, the fishes escaped when exposed to salinity, and the pelagic and benthic organisms resistant to salinity survived the hypersaline environment. The salinity limit and distance from the outlet was presented as the regulatory standard for bine discharge. There were differences in regulatory standards among country and seawater desalination plants, and these regulatory standards have been strengthened recently. In particular, California Water Boards were revised to ensure that the maximum daily salinity concentration does not exceed 2 psu above the ambient salinity level within 100 m of the outlet.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2011

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are present in many consumer products ranging from fabrics to plastics and electronics. Wide use of flame retardants can pose an environmental hazard, which makes it important to determine the mechanism of their toxicity. In the present study, dose-dependent toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a flame retardant, was examined in male prepubertal rats (postnatal day 18) treated orally with TBBPA at 0, 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg for 30 days. There were no differences in body weight gain between the control and TBBPA-treated groups. However, absolute and relative liver weights were significantly increased in high dose of TBBPA-treated groups. TBBPA treatment led to significant induction of CYP2B1 and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) expression in the liver. In addition, serum thyroxin (T4) concentration was significantly reduced in the TBBPA treated group. These results indicate that repeated exposure to TBBPA induces drug-metabolising enzymes in rats through the CAR signaling pathway. In particular, TBBPA efficiently produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) through CYP2B1 induction in rats. We measured 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, in the kidney, liver and testes of rats following TBBPA treatment. As expected, TBBPA strongly induced the production of 8-OHdG in the testis and kidney. These observations suggest that TBBPA-induced target organ toxicity may be due to ROS produced by metabolism of TBBPA in Sprague-Dawley rats.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.259-265
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• 2002

Apple mosaic virus (ApMV), a member of the genus Ilarvirus, was detected and isolated from diseased 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica) in Korea. The coat protein (CP) genes of two ApMV strains, denoted as ApMV-Kl and ApMV-K2, were amplified by using the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were analyzed thereafter. The objectives were to define the molecular variability of genomic information of ApMV found in Korea and to develop virus-derived resistant gene source for making virus-resistant trans-genic apple. RT-PCR amplicons for the APMVS were cloned and their nucleotide sequences were determined. The CPs of ApMV-Kl and ApMV-K2 consisted of 222 and 232 amino acid residues, respectively. The identities of the CPs of the two Korean APMVS were 93.1% and 85.6% at the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. The CP of ApMV-Kl showed 46.1-100% and 43.2-100% identities to eight different ApMV strains at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. When ApMV-PV32 strain was not included in the analysis, ApMV strains shared over 83.0% and 78.6% homologies at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. ApMV strains showed heterogeneity in CP size and sequence variability. Most of the amino acid residue differences were located at the N-termini of the strains of ApMV, whereas, the middle regions and C-termini were remarkably conserved. The APMVS were 17.(1-54.5% identical with three other species of the genus Ilarviyus. ApMV strains can be classified into three subgroups (subgroups I, II, and III) based on the phylogenetic analysis of CP gene in both nucleotide and amino acid levels. Interestingly, all the strains of subgroup I were isolated from apple plants, while the strains of subgroups II and III were originated from peach, hop, or pear, The results suggest that ApMV strains co-evolved with their host plants, which may have resulted in the CP heterogeneity.