• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.1104-1111
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Sikhe made by medicinal herb on the functional level of liver. Water extract I (12.9% W/W) and II (25.8% W/W) were obtained from medicinal materials: Caragana Sinica, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Atractylodes rhizoma alba, Atractylodes rhizoma alba, Crataegus pinnatifida, Paeonia lactiflora Pasll., Hordeum vulgare Linne, Oryza sativa Linne, ginger, peer and jujube. Experimental groups were divided into the control diet group (C), high fat diet group (HF), high fat diet treated with 5% extract I group (HFE I ) and high fat diet treated with 5% extract II group (HFE II). In sensory evaluation, overall quality scores associated with color, aroma, flavor and taste were significantly higher in water extract II than in water extract 1. After investigating functional and lipid levels of livers in rats, we found that the administration of water extract I or water extract II to the high fat diet group (HF) did not affect the gain of body weight but mildly reduced GOT or GPT activity in the high diet group. Moreover, administration of these medicinal herbal extracts significantly decreased the levels of total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol in the high fat diet group (HF). However, administration of these medicinal herbal extracts did not affect the level of phospholipid. In conclusion, as Sikhe made by medicinal herb slightly decreased the activity of GOT or GPT and amount of lipid in liver, prevention against high fat diet is thought to be important for liver protection.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.426-431
• /
• 2013

With the objective of developing a functional food source, we established optimal processing conditions for the larvae of Allomyrina dichotoma, which have been used in traditional medicine to treat hepatic disorders in Korea. Without suitable processing, the larvae are difficult to consume as a food because of their disgusting taste and smell; moreover, in this form they might be a potential microbial hazard. In this study, we investigated the effect of feeding material, sterilization, and powdering after freeze-drying on the food quality of the larvae of A. dichotoma and on cytotoxicity against Raw 264.7 cells. Three to five days feeding with the sawdust from discarded oak-trees is sufficient for the breeding process. The sawdust was sterilized by vapor for five minutes. Sterilization of the larvae at a high temperature ($115^{\circ}C$ for 5 min, 0.9 $kgf/cm^2$) is necessary to eliminate pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The results of the cytotoxicity assay showed no toxicity in the prepared extract from larvae of A. dichotoma. In addition, to prepare the larvae for human consumption, various feeds were used and the smell, color, and taste were evaluated. Our results suggested that larvae of A. dichotoma could be developed as food source when a suitable processing method is established.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.7
• /
• pp.854-862
• /
• 2013

The number of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae is known to be an unfixed trait among mammals. This study focused on the relationship between numerical variations of cervical (CER), thoracic (THO), and lumbar (LUM) vertebrae and the total number of vertebrae (TNV) and carcass traits in Jejunative black pigs (JBPs), Landrace pigs, and their intercrossed $F_2$ population. There were no numerical variations in CER vertebrae. On the other hand, the numbers of THO and LUM vertebrae and the TNV varied in all three populations. Of the traits investigated in the three populations, only the means${\pm}$SE of the LUM vertebrae did not show statistical significance (p>0.05). The carcass weights (CW), meat color (MC), marbling score (MS), backfat thickness (BFT), carcass length (CLE), THO vertebrae, and TNV all showed statistical significance (p<0.05). The JBP had 14-16 THO vertebrae, 5-6 LUM vertebrae, and 27-29 TNV. The Landrace pigs had 15-16 THO vertebrae, 5-7 LUM vertebrae, and 28-29 TNV. The $F_2$ population had 14-17 THO vertebrae, 5-7 LUM vertebrae, and 27-30 TNV. In the F2 population, increased numbers of THO vertebrae and TNV were associated with a significant increase in the CW, CLE, and BFT (p<0.05). In particular, the increase in the TNV was caused by an increase in the number of THO rather than LUM vertebrae. Although the animals with a greater number of THO and TNV had thicker backfat, they had a longer CLE and a heavier CW. Both these traits are economically more important than the level of backfat when determining the productivity level. These results suggest that genetic selection to increase the number of vertebrae, especially in Landrace pigs, JBPs, and their related populations, may be an excellent strategy for improving productivity.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.501-509
• /
• 2013

Formaldehyde (FA) is widely used in industries, and it is an indoor and outdoor pollutant. Exposure to FA may cause inflammation and respiratory oxidative stress. Studies have demonstrated that FA can cause cancer in animal models. During the regeneration process of injured starfish (Asterina pectinifera), several changes have been observed in the expression of cytokines. In particular, higher TGF-${\beta}1$ expression has been detected in arm cut starfish extract after eight days. The current study was designed to elucidate the in-vitro and the in-vivo pharmacological effects of starfish extract on FA exposure. We investigated the protective effects of intact starfish extract and arm cut starfish extract on an IMR-90 cell line and on mouse lung injury in response to FA exposure. In the presence of FA, inhalation of the arm cut starfish extract was associated with more promising cell proliferation, TNF-${\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ decrement, and $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$ increment. In the experimental group, the pulmonary structure of the arm cut starfish extract-treated group in the presence of FA exposure was similar to the control group, whereas the FA exposure group showed damage to the pulmonary structure. Moreover, the arm cut starfish extracts was more effective than the intact starfish extracts in terms of the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$, $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$, and surfactant protein A. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that arm cut starfish extracts are more effective in protecting pulmonary structure and function against FA exposure than intact starfish extracts.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.390-397
• /
• 2017

Iron (Fe) is an important micronutrient for the health and growth of plants. Iron is usually provided by fertilizers, and iron-chelate fertilizers are well absorbed by plants. This study presents the plant growth-promoting effects of a new functional iron fertilizer, Fe-chelating crab shell powder (FCSP), which is generated from the chelation of Fe ions with crab shell powder. Iron chelate was derived from spent pickling liquor, which is rich in reductive iron, iron(II) oxide. To analyze the effects of FCSP on plant growth, we treated lettuce with several concentrations of FCSP in both lab- and field-scale experiments. In the lab-scale test, the treatment of 50 ppm of FCSP highly promoted growth and resulted in increases in the size, weight, number and chlorophylls content of leaves of plants compared to the treatment of crab shell powder. Fifty ppm of FCSP also increased the size and weight of leaves up to 2 times compared to the application of chemical fertilizer and/or compost in field conditions. In addition, the FCSP treatment resulted in the highest ion uptake of Fe in lettuce leaves. Moreover, FCSP led to increases in the amounts of Fe, Ca, available phosphorus and organic matter in treated soil, indicating that soil quality was improved. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FCSP promotes lettuce growth via enhancement of Fe availability and improves soil quality. Therefore, FCSP can be utilized as a new functional iron fertilizer.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.1156-1162
• /
• 2018

To investigate the anti-thrombotic activities of the lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner), various hot-water extracts were prepared from the leaf, pod of seed (PS), seed, embryo of seed (ES), root, and the node of root (NR) of the lotus. The highest extraction ratio was found in the NR (20.3%), followed by the seed, root, leaf, ES, and PS. These extracts had pH and acidity levels ranging from 5.6~6.5 and 0.06~0.20%, respectively. The seed extract showed 70% brix, whereas the leaf and PS extracts showed less than 0.1% brix. The highest contents of total polyphenol (179.7 mg/g), total flavonoids (161.4 mg/g), and reducing sugar (161.4 mg/g) were observed in the leaf extract, and the highest total sugar content (873.0 mg/g) in the seed extract. Anti-coagulation assay of the extracts of NR, leaf, and PS showed strong activities. In particular, at a concentration of 5 mg/ml, the PS extract had 15-fold extended thrombin, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin times. However, only the ES extract showed activities inhibitory to platelet aggregation, with treatment with 0.25 mg/ml of ES extract decreasing platelet aggregation to 25.1%, a reduction comparable to that effected by aspirin. The extracts other than the seed extract showed no hemolysis activities against human RBC at treatments of up to 1 mg/ml. These results suggest that the NR, PS, seed, and ES, all byproducts of the lotus agriculture industry, have high potential as novel sources of anti-thrombotic agent.

• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.113-135
• /
• 2004

This paper defines appraisal items and weights of the items for the purpose of developing an appraisal instrument that objectively measures employee's effectiveness of knowledge contribution. Deductive research is used for the development of appraisal items and delphi method for the development of weights of the items. In the deductive research the term, "effectiveness of knowledge contribution" is first defined. Then knowledge contribution activities are classified as "dimension of explicit contribution" and " dimension of tacit contribution" due to the characteristics of knowledge. Each dimension is divided again by components. The dimension of explicit contribution is divided according to the content of knowledge, and the dimension of tacit contribution is divided according to the extent of tacitness of knowledge contribution. The total components of dimensions are 7. The dimension of explicit contribution is composed of factual knowledge and procedural knowledge. The factual knowledge is made up of "procedural knowledge outcome" and "other factual knowledge". The procedural knowledge is made up of "procedural knowledge manual" and "lessons-learned procedural knowledge". The dimension of tacit contribution is composed of "agency", "model" and "Q&A". The basic framework for measuring 7 components of knowledge contribution is quantitative and qualitative approach. This paper is premised on the assumption that the outcomes of employee's knowledge contribution activities are recorded in the knowledge management systems in order to evaluate them objectively. The appraisal items are defined as follows: at the dimension of explicit contribution, in quantitative approach, "the upload number" or "performance number", and in qualitative approach, other employee's "referred number" and other employee's "content and format satisfaction evaluation"; at the dimension of tacit contribution, "demanded number of performance" After the development of appraisal items by the deductive method, delphi method was used for the analysis of the weights of the items with the total degree of knowledge contribution, 100. This research does not include the standard marks of the appraisal items. It is because when companies apply this appraisal instrument, they could use their own standard appraisal marks of the appraisal items considering their present situations and companies' goals. Through this almost desert-like research about the appraisal instrument of employee's knowledge contribution effectiveness, it proposes a cornerstone in the research field of appraisal instrument, which provides a standard for employee's knowledge contribution appraisal, and appraisal items that make organizational knowledge to be managed more systemically in business sites.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.365-380
• /
• 2009

Flora of vascular plants in mountains located at Wonju-si and Hoengseong-gun areas such as Chiak-san(1,288m), Taegi-san(1,261.4m), Obong-san(1,126.2m), Eungbong-san(1,094.9m), Eodab-san(789.4m), Deokgo-san(521.2m), Deokga-san(700.5m) and Seongji-bong(791m) was investigated from April, 2008 to May, 2009, and results from the previous researches in which voucher specimens had been presented from Balgyo-san(998.4m), Oeum-san(930.4m), Baekun-san(1,037.1m) and Chiak-san(1,288m) were included in the list of vascular plants from these areas. This investigations resulted in 804 taxa consisted of 680 species, 1 subspecies, 111 varieties, and 12 forms of 383 genera under 97 families, and totally in 973 taxa (21.14% of all vascular plants in Korea) of 818 species, 1 subspecies, 138 varieties and 16 forms of 418 genera under 105 families on addition of voucher specimens in the previous researches. Forests of the investigated areas were generally mixed of Pinus densiflora and deciduous trees. The areas with comparatively excellent vegetation were valley from Guryong-sa (temple) to Biro-bong (summit) via Seryeom-pokpo (fall) in Mt. Chiak-san, and Keunseong-gol (valley) and eastern slope from Taegibungyo-teo to Naksu-dae (fall) in Mt. Taegi-san. 10 families with abundantly collected species were Compositae, Graminae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Leguminosae, Cyperaceae, Liliaceae, Saxifragaceae, Umbelliferae and Labiatae in order, and they occuied 49.12% of all collected taxa. Endemic plants found in these areas were 38 taxa including Hanabusaya asiatica, Megaleranthis saniculifolia, and Pyrus ussuriensis var. diamantica, and rare and endangered ones were 24 taxa including Hanabusaya asiatica, Viola websteri, Viola diamantica, and Patrina saniculaefolia. Specially designated plants by the Ministry of Environment were 88 taxa including 12 taxa of 5th degree such as Woodsia intermedia, Hanabusaya asiatica, Equisetum pratense, Iris koreana, Lilium cernum, Trillium tschonoskii, Magnolia kobus(cultivated), Gastrodia elata, Polypodium virginianum, Cimicifuga heracleifolia, Megaleranthis saniculifolia and Viola websteri. 47 taxa of alien plants were found. As to 609 taxa (13.23% of all vascular plants in Korea) of useful plants, 334 taxa for the edible, 269 taxa for the medicinal, 127 taxa for the ornamental, 332 taxa for the forage, 3 taxa for the industrial raw material, 31 taxa for the timber and 13 taxa for the fiber were classified, respectively.

• Land and Housing Review
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.77-87
• /
• 2013

About 1,800 villages have released from Greenbelt since Greenbelt-reform-policy for readjustment of the area was promoted after 1997. Even though the government intended to attract planned development & improvement of these lifted villages through District Unit Plan and designating the lifted area as low-rise and low-density zoning considering the characteristics of the Greenbelt region, there are still many problems to be solved: a lack of funds, insufficient capability for self-improvement and unexecuted SOCs in long-term etc. It seems that these problems are caused by focusing on the lifting areas itself instead of researching deeply the condition and characteristics of the villages and searching proper direction/plans of improvement before lifting Greenbelt In addition, the existing plan of village improvement and management was not considering physical and spacial characteristics of the areas, social and economic situation of residents and relationship between the villages and surrounding cities, though these conditions are different among each villages, and the related regulations are applied uniformly across all the villages and those have been causing many civil appeals and environmental problems. In these respects, this study aims to consider the problems of the lifted villages using the existing researches on them and to make typology by characteristics-data of the villages and to establish improvement strategies of each types. In this study, the villages were classified into 5 types as a result of cluster analysis on 424 villages among all 1,800 through variables of locational potentiality : location, accessibility, size and form of village, condition of regulations etc. According to function of the villages, they were divided into 4 types: urban-type, rural-type, industrial-type and neighborhood-centered-type. This study also drew 4 improvement-strategy-types by combination of locational potentiality and village-function : type of improving life-environment, type of improving production-infra, type of inducing-planned-improvement and type of constructing center-of living-circle. Finally, this study suggested the directions of the each 4 types to desirable improvement and management which could be used to make and complement plans for village improvement.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
• /
• v.8 no.1 s.15
• /
• pp.51-63
• /
• 2000

Dynamic traffic assignment(DTA) has been a topic of substantial research during the past decade. While DTA is gradually maturing, many aspects of DTA still need improvement, especially regarding its formulation and solution algerian Recently, with its promise for In(Intelligent Transportation System) and GIS(Geographic Information System) applications, DTA have received increasing attention. This potential also implies higher requirement for DTA modeling, especially regarding its solution efficiency for real-time implementation. But DTA have many mathematical difficulties in searching process due to the complexity of spatial and temporal variables. Although many solution algorithms have been studied, conventional methods cannot iud the solution in case that objective function or constraints is not convex. In this paper, the genetic algorithm to find the solution of DTA is applied and the Merchant-Nemhauser model is used as DTA model because it has a nonconvex constraint set. To handle the nonconvex constraint set the GENOCOP III system which is a kind of the genetic algorithm is used in this study. Results for the sample network have been compared with the results of conventional method.