• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.217-221
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• 2015

Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans encounters a variety of host defense factors produced in oral cavity. Nitric oxide (NO) and NO-mediated reactive nitrogen species are potential antimicrobials of innate immunity that can threaten the fitness of S. mutans in their ecological niches. Streptococcal strategies to detoxify cytotoxic NO, which allow S. mutans to persist in caries or other environments of the oral cavity, remain unknown. In this study, we directly measured NO consumption rates of S. mutans isolated in Korea. Surprisingly, all S. mutans strains were unable to consume exogenous NO efficiently, while an intracellular parasite Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing the NO-metabolizing enzyme flavohemoglobin consumed most of the NO. This result suggested that S. mutans has alternative detoxification systems for tolerating NO-induced nitrosative stresses.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.63-70
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• 2011

In respond to the global energy crisis and climate change, there have been many ongoing national efforts to develop a sustainable housing prototype followed by "2 million Green Home Project" in Korea. More than 50% of nation's population are currently living in apartment housing thus the country is seriously in need of developing green apartment prototype. In this research, we focused on energy-conservative green apartment design prototype that have both passive components and active systems explored in a systemic design approach. After selecting an existing basic apartment unit, we analyzed and compared statistical data with the simulated annual energy consumption to match these two data sets for validating simulation accuracy performed with TRNSYS package. We performed energy simulations with different passive design factors such as varied insulation thickness, window types and infiltration rates as well as the active design factors including boilers and lighting fixtures to analyze their impacts on the energy performance of the housing unit using TRNSYS software. As a result, we acquired significant energy reduction effect with explored design strategies but the life cycle cost analysis for the final design guidline would need to be performed. In this study, we focused on a systematic comparative energy analysis based on TRNSYS that can improve the design of a green apartment housing.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.40.1-40.8
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• 2022

The concepts of phylogeny and floral genetics play a crucial role in understanding the origin and diversification of flowers in angiosperms. Angiosperms evolved a great diversity of ways to display their flowers for reproductive success with variations in floral color, size, shape, scent, arrangements, and flowering time. The various innovations in floral forms and the aggregation of flowers into different kinds of inflorescences have driven new ecological adaptations, speciation, and angiosperm diversification. Evolutionary developmental biology seeks to uncover the developmental and genetic basis underlying morphological diversification. Advances in the developmental genetics of floral display have provided a foundation for insights into the genetic basis of floral and inflorescence evolution. A number of regulatory genes controlling floral and inflorescence development have been identified in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Antirrhinum majus using forward genetics, and conserved functions of many of these genes across diverse non-model species have been revealed by reverse genetics. Transcription factors are vital elements in systems that play crucial roles in linked gene expression in the evolution and development of flowers. Therefore, we review the sex-linked genes, mostly transcription factors, associated with the complex and dynamic event of floral development and briefly discuss the sex-linked genes that have been characterized through next-generation sequencing.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.368-373
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• 2002

The strip intercropping system has used due to many advantages. Many researches supported these crop systems are usually equal to or better than monoculture crop systems in both total production and profit. There was no research to examine the important ecological factors in the competition between crops. A strip intercropping system composed of adjacent narrow strips of corn, soybean, and oat/legumes has been investigated in Iowa, USA. This study conducted to investigate why and how the differences in soybean yield are produced and affected by light, one of the microclimate, of the strip intercropping system. In height, the two rows of soybean closest to corn were taller than the two rows near the then-empty oat strip. The height of each crop decreased as the amount of light received increased. Weight of plant parts was lowest in row 1, nearest corn, and highest in row 4, next to the vacant oat strip. Daily photon flux density(PFD) increased with increasing distance from corn, with the highest value occurring on the edge next to the empty oat strip. Analyses of the relationship between light and biomass of soybean showed that all biomass measurements had a positive relationship to total PFD per day except height.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-389
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• 2010

Understanding the factors relevant to endangerment and the patterns of habitat locations in relation to protected areas is critically important for the conservation of rare species. Although 64 plant species have recently been listed as endangered species in Korea, this information has, until now, not been available, making appropriate management and conservation strategies impossible to devise. Thus, we collected information on potentially threatening factors, as well as information on the locations in which these species were observed. The potentially threatening factors were classified into seven categories. National parks, provincial parks, ecosystem conservation areas, and wetland conservation areas were defined as protected conservation areas. Korean digital elevation model data, along with the maps of all protected areas were combined with the maps of endangered plant species, and analyzed via Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Excluding the category of "small population", endangered plant species in Korea were associated more frequently with extrinsic factors than intrinsic factors. Considering land surface only, all conservation areas in Korea totaled 4.9% of the land, far lower than International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)'s 10% coverage target. At the species level, 69% of the endangered plant species were detected in conservation areas, mostly in national parks. However, this result demonstrates that 31% of endangered species inhabit areas outside the conservation zones. Furthermore, at the habitat level, a large proportion of endangered species were found to reside in unprotected areas, revealing "gaps" in protected land. In the face of rapid environmental changes such as population increases, urbanization, and climate changes, converting these gap areas to endangered species' habitats, or at least including them in habitat networks, will help to perpetuate the existence of endangered species.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.135-159
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• 2014

Industrial insect is defined as the insect utilized in industries that creates added value. Most of the industrial insects used in Korea are exotic species that are introduced through artificial means. Despite the rapid expansion of market for industrial insects, the system for risk assessment of industrial insects is not being adequately conducted. Although Korea carries out a risk assessment for the species designated as disease and insect pest by Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, far too little consideration is being given to overall ecosystem, as the control system is covered in the Plant Quarantine Law. To solve this problem, we analyzed the Korean risk assessment system and looked at systems in other countries. The results show that it is essential for stakeholders to reach an agreement to set up fundamental directions for the system. Unless the integration system of taxonomical and ecological information is prepared, the ecological risk assessment should be conservative to protect ecosystems and should also follow the precautionary principle. It also requires cooperation among the ministries. In addition, the results indicated that a differentiation between risk assessment and screening is urgent. Several solutions such as setting up clear objectives in both assessment and screening stages, target species, steering organization and assessment criteria assessment systems from were proposed as practical institutional strategies. Among many foreign countries the assessment system from Ireland equally considers various factors such as economical, ecological safety and management aspects, It is also based on precautionary principle to fulfil its original purpose. It was suggested that the Ireland system would be the best reference that can be modified and applied into the Korean system by considering distinct characteristics of the industrial insects.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.363-373
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• 2021

An ecological niche is defined as the specific role of a species influenced by time, space, and other resources. By investigating overlaps between ecological niches of different species, we could estimate the degrees of interspecific competition. Such studies often use geographic information systems (GIS) to discover niche overlaps between species. In this study, we used GIS to estimate the spatial niches of two Korean frog species(Pelophylax nigromaculatus and P. chosenicus). This enabled us to predict their geographic distributions in order to identify their coexistence regions and distribution patterns. The results confirmed that altitude was an important variable for predicting their distribution, with a correlation with their climatic range. Spatial distributions of the two frog species were highly overlapped, as the distribution range for P. nigromaculatus included most of the range of P. chosenicus, showing a sympatric distribution pattern. Within the coexisting regions, however, the presence sites for the two species did not overlap, implying weak competition. To confirm the principal factors influencing their competitive relationship and reasons for their sympatric distribution pattern, we need more detailed in-depth studies on the diverse environmental variables within the regions where the two species coexist. By doing so, we would be able to identify various mechanisms for avoiding competition in sympatric frog species.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.165-183
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• 2003

The effect of red tide on the marine ecological system is so severe that many researches on the diverse subjects related to it have been conducted. Notwithstanding the enormous efforts and inputs the results of the past researches show no clear ways to deal with the HAB problems. As many researches are being conducted, the efficient and appropriate research project management systems as one of the critical factors for successful research are also needed as well as the fund and the capabilities of the researchers. It is assumed that the development of the evaluation and management systems for red tide research projects is so important and critical to enhance the researches and to utilize efficiently the physical and human resources for research. In this respect this study aims to present the evaluation and management scheme for the red tide researches that can not only decide the priority of the research subjects and tell the desirable research directions, but also support to develop the useful managerial policies and guidelines for the policy maker. The main subjects dealt with in this study are as follows : the characteristics of the HAB researches, the basic attributes and criterion of the research evaluation systems, the structure and design of the evaluation systems, and the development of the managerial policies by the type of the evaluation system. The conceptual scheme developed in this study is expected to be applied to the related areas and can suggest to the policy makers so many implications for identifying and setting the proper policy objects and management techniques. This study has a couple of weak points. It suggests only the conceptual scheme but not the applications so that the researches focusing on the applications in practical perspectives are needed to follow.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.35-42
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• 2021

In the article, the authors investigate the economic security system in the conditions of the powers transformation. It is substantiated that economic security acts as a certain system that includes components and at the same time acts as a subsystem of the highest order. It is determined that the economic security system of regions acting as a system has its subsystems, which include: production, financial, environmental, innovation, investment and social subsystems. The parameters of the economic security system include relative economic independence, economic stability and self-development of economic systems, and it is proved that an important feature of economic security in addition to its systemic nature is multi-vector. It is substantiated that the monitoring of ensuring the economic security system of the development of economic systems of different levels in the conditions of the powers transformation should contain the analysis of social, economic and ecological development of regions; spheres of possible dangers of the development of regional economic systems; the nature of the threats; the degree of the possibility of threats; time perspective of economic development threats; possible consequences of losses for economic entities; the impact of threats to the object of the economic entities' activity; possible asymmetry of economic development of regional economic entities. Possible threats as a consequence of the powers transformation have been identified. A PEST analysis of the impact of factors of different nature on economic security and the development of regional economic systems in the powers transformation is carried out. A recurrent ratio is proposed for the economic security system in the conditions of the powers transformation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.229-236
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• 2010

As air pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing urban environmental concerns, many studies have investigated the influence of air pollutants(ex: $O^3$, $NO^2$, $SO^2$, Acid rain, etc.) on roadside trees and urban grove. In Korea, population density started to increase since the industrialization. Since dense population aggravates our living conditions, it's very important for us to preserve and keep a lively and refreshing nature in order to live with green nature in harmony under the current artificial environment-dominating world. In metropolitan cities, the production of pollutants increases in proportion to population growth. The vehicle exhaust gas and air pollutants from cooling and heating systems have been the major causes of acid rain. Furthermore, tire particles which are naturally produced by tire wearing on roads and other toxic substances in exhaust gas have caused a problem in human health directly and indirectly. In fact, a lot of studies have analyzed air pollution, roadside trees and plants in Korea. However, they are mostly limited to covering the influence of air pollution on the growth of plants. No paper has clearly explained why air pollution-resistant or-vulnerable species has shown different reactions yet. Even though a lot of urban roadside trees have died or stopped to grow from time to time, this kind of problem has not been properly examined. This paper is aimed to comparatively analyze physio-ecological characteristic such as photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, soil volume water figure out their relationship with environmental factors against the expanding roadside trees in Cheong-ju, and provide basic data for management of roadside trees and elaboration of urban environment preservation policies.