• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1670-1680
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• 2017

Lignocellulose, composed mostly of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin generated through secondary growth of woody plant, is considered as promising resources for biofuel. In order to use lignocellulose as a biofuel, biodegradation besides high-cost chemical treatments were applied, but knowledge on the decomposition of lignocellulose occurring in a natural environment is insufficient. We analyzed the 16S rRNA gene and metagenome to understand how the lignocellulose is decomposed naturally in decayed Torreya nucifera (L) of Bija forest (Bijarim) in Gotjawal, an ecologically distinct environment. A total of 464,360 reads were obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing, representing diverse phyla; Proteobacteria (51%), Bacteroidetes (11%) and Actinobacteria (10%). The metagenome analysis using single molecules real-time sequencing revealed that the assembled contigs determined originated from Proteobacteria (58%) and Actinobacteria (10.3%). Carbohydrate Active enZYmes (CAZy)- and Protein families (Pfam)-based analysis showed that Proteobacteria was involved in degrading whole lignocellulose, and Actinobacteria played a role only in a part of hemicellulose degradation. Combining these results, it suggested that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria had selective biodegradation potential for different lignocellulose substrates. Thus, it is considered that understanding of the systemic microbial degradation pathways may be a useful strategy for recycle of lignocellulosic biomass, and the microbial enzymes in Bija forest can be useful natural resources in industrial processes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.2
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• pp.330-344
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• 2022

While deforestation and forest degradation has continued globally, global society has been making efforts to prevent deforestation towards sustainable development. Reforestation in developing countries is linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as climate change mitigation, conservation of biodiversity, eradication of poverty and upholding of human rights. Forest official development assistance (ODA) restores the global forest land, and increases the public benefit. Bilateral forest ODA projects of the Republic of Korea have gradually increased and most of those projects have currently been concentrated in Asian countries. Selecting recipient countries for forest ODA requires more comprehensive approach since the global goals for sustainable development has been widely adapted to ODA strategic plans. We proposed potentially promising countries that are eligible for receiving 'Green ODA' in perspective of economic, social and environment to implement reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+), conserving biodiversity, and combating desertification. As a result, the study suggests that forestry cooperation could be expanded from Asian countries more toward South America and African countries. In addition, we emphasized the need to promote convergence and integration with green technology to fundamentally solve the negative impacts of deforestation such as food, energy, water resource shortages, and forest fires. We advocated expanding bilateral ODA in the forestry sector through diversification of project activities, financial sources, and participants. Our study can contribute to the provision of basic information for establishing long-term strategies to expand bilateral cooperation in the forestry sector.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.187-198
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• 2020

This study extracted deforestation area and degraded forestland area, which are potential REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) project candidate areas in Paraguay using Land Cover Map (LCM) and Tree Cover Map (TCM). The REDD+ project objectives scenarios were set three stages: 'afforestation and economic efficiency scenario', 'local capacity reinforcement scenario', and 'Infrastructure-oriented scenario'. And then, we evaluated the project unit suitable area of the REDD+ project. All scenarios selected the evaluation factors for each scenario in addition to the area ratio factors for deforestation area and degraded forestland area and weighted values were extracted by assigning category scores. As a result of the three scenarios comparison analysis, Concepcion state score was the highest. Within Concepcion state, the Belon district had the highest score, making it appropriate as a project unit REDD+ project candidate area in Paraguay, while the San Carlos district had the lowest score. This study can be used as basic data for selecting REDD+ project candidate area in Paraguay, and it is expected to contribute sufficiently to REDD+ project if additional data or information of social, cultural and economic sectors are secured.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.634-640
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• 2018

Aralia cordata (A. cordata), which belongs to Araliaceae, is a perennial herb widely distributed in East Asia. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of stems (AC-S), roots (AC-R) and leaves (AC-L) extracted with 100% methanol of A. cordata and elucidated the potential signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The AC-L showed a strong anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of NO production. AC-L dose-dependently inhibited NO production by suppressing iNOS, COX-2 and $IL-{\beta}$ expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AC-L inhibited the degradation and phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, which donated to the inhibition of p65 nuclear accumulation and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Furthermore, AC-L suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38. These results suggested that AC-L may utilize anti-inflammatory activity by blocking $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK signaling pathway and indicated that the AC-L can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.276-285
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• 2001

This report surveyed degradation of forest environment and rehabilitation in Ashio of Japan. Since 1880, a large scale forestry in this area has been destroyed by sooty smoke, and the local government invested heavily to rehabilitate the damaged forestry and denuded mountains. These degradations are due to complex operations, such as sulfurous acid gas from copper refinery, forest fires, steep slope and disadvantageous climate. The rehabilitation works on degraded forestry(2,399ha) were undertaken by tree planting fur three years from 1897. However, forest degradation and disasters were continued, and the total damaged areas were about 2,400~3,000ha in 1956. A Manual labor method, a Helicopter method and also Combination of manual labor and helicopter method had been adopted to rehabilitation works from 1945 to 1996, while 828.19ha of the degraded mountains was rehabilitated. Total investment for those projects was 80 billion yen. A debris control dam, a soil arresting structure, a vegetation-block, a vegetation sack measures and tree planting have implemented significantly fur the method of rehabilitation. An objective of manual labor works is a complete rehabilitation on each place through 3 stage working. The revived green areas accounted fur 49% of the total, and the entire afforest areas are less than 10%. In coming 25 years, an amount of 21.3 billion yen will be invested to rehabilitate 564ha of degraded mountain lands. However, it is impossible to estimate that how long it will take until the whole degraded mountain lands are completely rehabilitated. Rehabilitation works in Ashio may be applicable to environmental restoration and revegetation in the abandoned coal-mine lands of Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2010

Organosolv pretreatments which utilized sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and ammonia as catalysts were conducted to screen the effective catalyst for organosolv pretreatment of Liriodendron tulipifera. The enzymatic hydrolysis was achieved effectively with sulfuric acid (74.2%) and sodium hydroxide (63.7%). They were thus considered as effective catalysts for organosolv pretreatment of L. tulipifera. The organosolv pretreatments with sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide showed a different behavior on the reaction mechanism. The pretreatment with sulfuric acid increased the biomass roughness and pore numbers. On the other hand, the pretreatment with sodium hydroxide enhanced the surface area due to the size reduction and minor defiberization which were caused by hemicellulose degradation at an initial stage and more defiberization by lignin degradation at a later stage. The organosolv pretreatment with sodium hydroxide was performed at several different conditions to evaluate effectiveness of sodium hydroxide as a catalyst for organosolv pretreatment. According to the results of enzymatic digestibility, the changes of chemical composition and the morphological analysis of pretreated biomass, it was suggested that the pretreatment time impacted primarily on enzymatic hydrolysis. Increase in surface area during the pretreatment was a major cause for improvement in enzymatic digestibility when sodium hydroxide was used as a catalyst.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.98-100
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• 2007

Tropical forests have variety of biodiversity values, which provide invaluable services to the living being on earth. In the recent years, tropical forests are regarded as valuable global resources that act as sink for carbon dioxide in order to mitigate global climatic change. In many parts of the world, tropical forests are being rapidly cleared by various means. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is concentrated in the upper 12 inches of the soil. So it is readily depleted owing to the degradation activities. In the present study, it was aimed to assess the magnitude of disturbance in the availability of SOC in a semi- evergreen forest, situated in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. The forest density of this region was mapped with QuickBird satellite data. Intensive field soil sampling and floristic study were conducted to estimate the SOC status in different density classes and to identify the species availability. The SOC density ranged from 274.06 t/ha to 147.84 t/ha in the very dense and degraded semi-evergreen forest respectively. The SOC content was also varied from 3.70 to 1.83 % in the very dense semi-evergreen and medium semi-evergreen forests respectively. The species composition in different density classes was also varied considerably. As a result of this study, it was identified that the disturbance to forests by various means not only affect the density of forests but also affect the below ground SOC status proportionately.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2011

In this study, the coating properties and surface performance of exotic cherry wood (Prunus serotina) were estimated, reviewing color difference, hardness and abrasion resistibility in order to evaluate probability as construction interior members such as wall and floor. The reduction effect of color difference was represented in the order of water soluble color stain, water soluble transparent stain, and non-coated lumber. However, the tendency of distinct difference according to wood grain pattern was not found. The wavy grain lumber showed better properties in hardness and resistance to abrasion than quarter grain. In conclusion, it was supposed that the application of wavy grain lumber in wall and floor as interior materials would be acceptable in practicality.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.465-469
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• 2010

In order to develop effective recycling technologies of disused railway wood ties, wood properties and residual creosote oil of wood ties were investigated. Among the total 50 wood ties, 32 wood ties were identified as tropical hardwood tree, such as, Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.), Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis), Kapur (Dryobalanops spp.) Naytoh (Palaquium rostratum), and so on. Disused wood ties showed mostly sound structure without degradation of cell walls by decay fungi. Disused wood ties showed high strengths of bending and compressive parallel to grain because degradation of wood properties was hardly occurred in use under exterior condition. Disused railway wood ties had relatively poor depth of penetration and residual of creosote oil because of refractory wood structures. These results suggest that disused railway wood ties may be useful as recycling wood wastes.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2008

Nepal is rich country in terms of its vast array of biological diversity. The relationship between local communities and the biological diversity in Nepal is a very entangle one, whereby two-thirds of our population are heavily dependent upon the biodiversity for their survival. The destruction of biodiversity signifies the destruction of people's livelihoods and survival. Biodiversity and genetic resources conservation has been a most significant part of the Nepalese society due to its socio-economic and cultural importance and provides the human race trees for timber, fuel, food, industrial raw materials, pharmaceuticals, beverages and environmental stabilization. Threats to biodiversity at global level is of greater concern, specially, human activities are the greatest factor currently affecting biodiversity, through the use of natural resources by industry, agriculture, hunting, and energy generation.