• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1370-1382
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• 2021

Previous studies have been conducted on domestic materials as a single extract. Research on complex mixtures for maximizing plant characteristics by individual extraction and potential interference with effects is insufficient. Therefore, this study confirmed the GC-MSD according to the extraction of essential oils for Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze(AR), Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zuccarini(PD), Curcuma longa, Curcuma domestica(CC), Zingiber officinale Roscoe(ZR), Foeniculum vulgare Miller(FV), and Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle(CS). The cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of the blending oil were confirmed to confirm its potential as a cosmetic material. As a result of analyzing GC-MSD aroma components, the main components were estragole of AR, à-Pinene for PD, Zingiberene for CC and ZR, Anethole from FV, and D-Limonene for CS. At a concentration of 100 uL/mL with no confirmed cytotoxicity, NO production was inhibited by 70.62%, DPPH radical scavenging activity was 64.03%, and ABTS radical scavenging activity was 89.55%. Through this, blended essential oil suggests the possibility of useful application as a raw material with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the cosmetic and food industries.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.275-280
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• 2022

The treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) is challenging due to its complex etiology. From epidermal disruption to chronic inflammation, various cells and inflammatory pathways contribute to the progression of AD. As with immunosuppressants, general inhibition of inflammatory pathways can be effective, but this approach is not suitable for long-term treatment due to its side effects. This study aimed to identify a plant extract (PE) with anti-inflammatory effects on multiple cell types involved in AD development and provide relevant mechanistic evidence. Degranulation was measured in RBL-2H3 cells to screen 30 PEs native to South Korea. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Parasenecio auriculatus var. matsumurana Nakai extract (PAE) in AD, production of cytokines and nitric oxide, activation status of FcεRI and TLR4 signaling, cell-cell junction, and cell viability were evaluated using qRT-PCR, western blotting, confocal microscopy, Griess system, and an MTT assay in RBL-2H3, HEK293, RAW264.7, and HaCaT cells. For in vivo experiments, a DNCBinduced AD mouse model was constructed, and hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, toluidine blue, and F4/80-staining were performed. The chemical constituents of PAE were analyzed by HPLC-MS. By measuring the anti-degranulation effects of 30 PEs in RBL-2H3 cells, we found that Paeonia lactiflora Pall., PA, and Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) Libosch. ex Steud. show an inhibitory activity of more than 50%. Of these, PAE most dramatically and consistently suppressed cytokine expression, including IL-4, IL-9, IL-13, and TNF-α. PAE potently inhibited FcεRI signaling, which mechanistically supports its basophil-stabilizing effects, and PAE downregulated cytokines and NO production in macrophages via perturbation of toll-like receptor signaling. Moreover, PAE suppressed cytokine production in keratinocytes and upregulated the expression of tight junction molecules ZO-1 and occludin. In a DNCB-induced AD mouse model, the topical application of PAE significantly improved atopic index scores, immune cell infiltration, cytokine expression, abnormal activation of signaling molecules in FcεRI and TLR signaling, and damaged skin structure compared with dexamethasone. The anti-inflammatory effect of PAE was mainly due to integerrimine. Our findings suggest that PAE could potently inhibit multi-inflammatory cells involved in AD development, synergistically block the propagation of inflammatory responses, and thus alleviate AD symptoms.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.154-164
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• 2009

In 2007, 94% of organic wastewater sludge from industries located in Ulsan was disposed of by ocean dump. The ocean dump of organic sludge would be totally prohibited by the year of 2012. However, there is no alternative but incinerating the sludge from the industries located in Ulsan. Securing the technology for sludge treatment and on-land disposal is very important issue among the industries in the Ulsan Petrochemical Industry Complex. In this study, the material aspects of dried and carbonized sludge as a fuel were evaluated for petrochemical and sewage sludge from Ulsan. The dried and carbonized sludges from the factories producing terephthalic acid, BTX, propylene, chemical textile, etc. of which the low heat value exceeded 3,000 kcal/kg had high potential as a fuel according to the results of thermal characteristic analysis. However, the dried sludges with heat values lower than 2,100 kcal/kg and carbonized sludges, lower than 1,100 kcal/kg containing more Inorganic material from the industries producing pulp, paper, methylamine, amide, etc. had a little potential to be used as a fuel. In most cases, drying the sludge showed better results than carbonization in the aspect of thermal characteristics of sludge.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.538-548
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• 2023

The research has been conducted on the isolation of antimicrobial compounds from plant natural extracts and their potential application in oral health care products. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial mechanism by analyzing the changes in gene expression of Streptococcus mutans, a major oral pathogen, in response to complex compounds extracted from Aralia continentalis and Arctii Semen using organic solvents. Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) revealed that both natural extracts commonly upregulated or downregulated the expression of various genes associated with different metabolic and physiological activities. Three genes (SMU_1584c, SMU_2133c, SMU_921), particularly SMU_921 (rcrR), known as a transcription activator of two sugar phosphotransferase systems (PTS) involved in sugar transport and biofilm formation, exhibited consistent high expression levels. Additionally, component analysis of the A. continentalis extract was performed to compare its effects on gene expression changes with the A. Semen extract, and two active compounds were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the active fraction. The n-hexane fraction (ACEH) from the A. continentalis extract exhibited antibacterial specificity against S. mutans, leading to a significant reduction in the viable cell counts of Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii among the tested multi-species bacterial communities. These findings suggest the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity of the A. continentalis extract and provide essential foundational data for the development of customized antimicrobial materials by elucidating the antibacterial mechanism of the identified active compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.395-406
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• 2023

The first technological advance to improve the output and efficiency of the latest steam turbines operating in co-generation plants in Korea can be said to be progress in the field of materials that can use high-temperature, high-pressures steam. As a result of design efforts to improve the internal efficiency of steam turbines along with the development of materials, only a few manufacturers of steam turbine have produced high efficiency steam turbines. The internal efficiency of a steam turbine on the steam path operating for a long period of time is gradually lost owing to the limit of mechanical life, and efficiency and output decrease. Therefore, this study aims to develop a model that can analyze the steam flow path performance of HP (High Pressure) and IP (Intermediate Pressure) steam turbine for a co-generation plant using a commercial program and propose a performance calculation method. Owing to the complex performance calculation method of steam turbines, major variables are presented to serve as practically useful references for steam turbine practitioners. In addition, the thermal dynamic analysis(such as heat balance diagram calculation) and the the thermal dynamic calculation required for steam turbine performance calculation and the suitability of the steam turbine performance calculation results were compared with the performance test results.

• Korea Science and Art Forum
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• v.16
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• pp.157-169
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• 2014

Lake Biwa Canal was a dream project that reminds us the passion and innovation of Kyoto Citizens more than water supply. It is a modernization project combining engineering knowledge and scientific technology, which started transportation by ship through big-scale civil construction as well as supplying electricity as the first waterpower plant in Japan, and it overcame the physiographic limit through adopting unique method of waterway transportation. Lake Biwa Canal, which has tangible and intangible culture heritage value as the traditional space of Kyoto, the Old Capital of 1200 years, conceives a cultural meaning that is connected through various mutual relation as well as scientific technologic factor. Lake Biwa Canal is not only the function for supplying water to gardens and temples of Kyoto region, but it is also a cultural fruit that is formed by complex causal relationship of various contents such as geographical and environmental background, the phases of the times, local development policy, political circumstances and religions. This study is aimed at interpreting the value of Lake Biwa Canal multilaterally by the convergence of cultural and technological aspects through the view of the world which the age tried to pursue, focusing on the construction of Lake Biwa Canal which was accomplished in the process of promoting the modernization of Kyoto.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in the biogeochemical cycling in freshwater ecosystem. However, it has been rarely explored, particularly complex river watershed dominated by natural and anthropogenic sources, such as various effluent facility and livestock. The current research developed a new analytical method for TOC/TN (Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen) stable isotope ratio, and distinguish DOM source using stable isotope value (δ¹³C-DOC) and spectroscopic indices (fluorescence index [FI] and biological index [BIX]). The TOC/TN-IR/MS analytical system was optimized and precision and accuracy were secured using two international standards (IAEA-600 Caffein, IAEA-CH-6 Sucrose). As a result of controlling the instrumental conditions to enable TOC stable isotope analysis even in low-concentration environmental samples (<1 mgC L^-1), the minimum detection limit was improved. The 12 potential DOM source were collected from watershed, which includes top-soils, groundwater, plant group (fallen leaves, riparian plants, suspended algae) and effluent group (pig and cow livestock, agricultural land, urban, industry facility, swine facility and wastewater treatment facilities). As a result of comparing characteristics between 12 sources using spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC values, it were divided into four groups according to their characteristics as a respective DOM sources. The current study established the TOC/TN stable isotope analyses system for the first time in Korea, and found that spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC are very useful tool to trace the origin of organic matter in the aquatic environments through library database.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2011

The results of tracking the symbolism of plants in the introduction factors of Sokhwa(folk painting) are as the following. 1. The term Sokhwa(俗畵) is not only a type of painting with a strong local customs, but also carries a symbolic meaning and was discovered in "Donggukisanggukjip" of Lee, Gyu-Bo(1268~1241) in the Goryo era as well as the various usage in the "Sok Dongmunseon" in the early Chosun era, "Sasukjaejip" of Gang, Hee-mang(1424~1483), "Ilseongrok(1786)" in the late Chosun era, "Jajeo(自著)" of Yoo, Han-joon(1732~1811), and "Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango(五洲衍文長箋散稿)" of Lee, Gyu-gyung(1788~?). Especially, according to the Jebyungjoksokhwa allegation〈題屛簇俗畵辯證說〉in the Seohwa of the Insa Edition of Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango, there is a record that the "people called them Sokhwa." 2. Contemporarily, the Korean Sokhwa underwent the prehistoric age that primitively reflected the natural perspective on agricultural culture, the period of Three States that expressed the philosophy of the eternal spirits and reflected the view on the universe in colored pictures, the Goryo Era that religiously expressed the abstract shapes and supernatural patterns in spacein symbolism, and the Chosun Era that established the traditional Korean identity of natural perspective, aesthetic values and symbolism in a complex integration in the popular culture over time. 3. The materials that were analyzed in 1,009 pieces of Korean Sokhwa showed 35 species of plants, 37 species of animals, 6 types of natural objects and other 5 types with a total of 83 types. 4. The shape aesthetics according to the aesthetic analysis of the plants in Sokhwa reflect the primitive world view of Yin/yang and the Five Elements in the peony paintings and dynamic refinement and biological harmonies in the maehwado; the composition aesthetics show complex multi-perspective composition with a strong noteworthiness in the bookshelf paintings, a strong contrast of colors with reverse perspective drawing in the battlefield paintings, and the symmetric beauty of simple orderly patterns in nature and artificial objects with straight and oblique lines are shown in the leisurely reading paintings. In terms of color aesthetics, the five colors of directions - east, west, south, north and the center - or the five basic colors - red, blue, yellow, white and black - are often utilized in ritual or religious manners or symbolically substitute the relative relationships with natural laws. 5. The introduction methods in the Korean Sokhwa exceed the simple imitation of the natural shapes and have been sublimated to the symbolism that is related to nature based on the colloquial artistic characteristics with the suspicion of the essence in the universe. Therefore, the symbolism of the plants and animals in the Korean Sokhwas is a symbolic recognition system, not a scientific recognition system with a free and unique expression with a complex interaction among religious, philosophical, ecological and ideological aspects, as a identity of the group culture of Koreans where the past and the future coexist in the present. This is why the Koran Sokhwa or the folk paintings can be called a cultural identity and can also be interpreted as a natural and folk meaningful scenic factor that has naturally integrated into our cultural lifestyle. However, the Sokhwa(folk paintings) that had been closely related to our lifestyle drastically lost its meaning and emotions through the transitions over time. As the living lifestyle predominantly became the apartment culture and in the historical situations where the confusion of the identity has deepened, the aesthetic and the symbolic values of the Sokhwa folk paintings have the appropriateness to be transmitted as the symbolic assets that protect our spiritual affluence and establish our identity.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.375-384
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• 2010

We tried to establish the history of outbreaks and control methods of 'hwangchung' in Joseon Dynasty, uncovering the biological reality of the 'hwangchung' (called hwang or bihwang) analyzed through the Database program on 'the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty' and 'the Emollment of Haegoeje', two of the finest examples of classical historical records. The total number of articles on the outbreak of the hwangchung is 261 in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and 65 in the Emollment of Haegoeje. There were four peaks by hwangchung throughout the Joseon Era. Among them, the periods of King Taejo to King Sejong had the highest incidence. By comparing the number of records of the hwangchung from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty with that in the Emollment of Haegoeje during the same period, results show the former was less than the latter, 35 vs 65. However, both records were relatively inconsistent with each other. Insect pests in forests as well as in agriculture were included in the biological identities of the hwangchung in the Joseon Dynasty periods, which is in accordance with those of Saigo's. The taxonomic identity could be confirmed in only 25 cases (9.5%) among the articles on hwangchung. It largely coincided with Paik's opinion: II in armyworm, nine in moth larva, one in rice stem borer, two in migratory locust, one in planthopper and one in rice-plant weevil. Therefore, it is not reasonable to regard hwangchung as a migratory locust or grasshopper only. The number of reports on the occurrence of hwangchung in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty was 173 (66% of the total) and 47% of them were just simple reports, which means the report itself on the appearance of hwangchung was very significant. The reports on controlling insect pests were of low frequency, in 20% (34 cases) of the total reports, capturing insect pests or holding traditional ceremony called 'Poje'. Among them, only one case related to the treatment of seeds to prevent the damage by hwangchung was published in the King Sejong period. There were 37 discussions about changes and management of government policies due to disasters by hwangchung. They were mostly about relief or tax cut to the people who suffered damage and about cancellation of recruiting people to military training, constructing castles, and so on. It seems that not only the people but also the king was influenced by the hwangchung. In the case of King Seongjong, he referred to the stress of the prevention measure of locusts in 10 articles. The damage also had an effect on abdication in the reign of King Jeongjong.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1030-1041
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• 2018

Abiotic stresses limit the growth and productivity of plants. Cellular adaptation to abiotic stresses requires coordinated regulation in gene expression directed by complex mechanisms. This study used the activation tagging system to identify novel salt stress-responsive genes. The study selected 9 activation tagging lines that showed salt stress-tolerant phenotypes during their germination stages. Thermal asymmetric interlaced-PCR (TAIL-PCR) was used to identify the T-DNA tagging sites on the Arabidopsis genome in selected activation tagging lines, including AT7508, AT7512, AT7527, AT7544, AT7548, and AT7556. RT-PCR analysis showed that ClpC2/HSP93-III (At3g48870), plant thionin family (At2g20605), anti-muellerian hormone type-2 receptor (At3g50685), vacuolar iron transporter family protein (At4g27870), and microtubule-associated protein (At5g16730) were activated in AT7508, AT7512, AT7527, AT7544, and AT7556, respectively. Interestingly, in AT7548, both the genes adjacent to the T-DNA insertion site were activated: Arabinogalactan protein 13 (AGP13) (At4g26320) and F-box/RNI-like/FBD-like domains-containing protein (At4g26340). All of the seven genes were newly identified as salt stress-responsive genes from this study. Among them, the expression of ClpC2/HSP93-III, AGP13, F-box/RNI-like/FBD-like domains-containing protein gene, and microtubule-associated protein gene were increased under salt-stress condition. In addition, AT7508, AT7527, and AT7544 were more tolerant to salt stress than wild type at seedling development stage, functionally validating the screening results of the activation tagging lines. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the activation tagging system is useful for identifying novel stress-responsive genes.