• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2008

Marine algal flora and community structure were seasonally examined at three sites in the vicinity of the Wolseong nuclear power plant in Korea from February to November 2006. A total of 126 seaweeds including 25 green, 31 brown, 70 red algae, and 1 marine plant were identified. The greatest number of species occurred at Jeonchonri (101 species) followed by intake (88 species) and discharge (29 species) during the study period. Of 126 seaweeds, 76 annuals and 13 warm tolerance species were recorded. Dominant species based on important value (IV > 10) were Ulva pertusa and Enteromorpha linza at intake, U. pertusa and Padina arborescens at discharge, and Sargassum horneri and Corallina pilulifera at Jeonchonri shore. Annual average biomass exhibited a wide range of variations, from 40.67g m-2 in dry weight at discharge to 133.69g m-2 at Jeonchonri. Among six functional groups, dominant group was coarsely-branched form at intake and Jeonchonri, but it was different at discharge site as filamentous form. Seaweed community structures of discharge site were distinguishable in decreasing species richness, biomass, species diversity index (H’), richness index (R), and evenness index (J’). Also, the ratios of green algae, warm tolerance species, annual algae, filamentous form and dominance index (DI) remarkably increased. Such phenomenons of discharge site are usually found under environmentally stressful conditions such as high disturbance. Thus, I can conclude that the heated effluents of nuclear power plant act as environmental stress influencing seaweed community structures and it can be detected with various community indices.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.969-976
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• 2015

Macroalgal community structure was seasonally examined at Hakampo (Taean) in western coast of Korea from February 2007 to October 2010. Also, the effects of "Hebei Spirit" oil spill on the seaweed community structure were evaluated. A total of 101 macroalgal species were identified, comprising 12 green, 18 brown and 71 red algae. Species richness ranged 58-65 species with maximal in 2008 and minimal in 2009. Seaweed biomass ranged $75.81-102.06g\;dry\;wt./m^2$ (mean, $88.78g/m^2$) with maximal in 2008 and minimal in 2010. Vertical distribution from the high to low intertidal zone was Neorhodomela aculeata and Polyopes affinis; Corallina pilulifera and Chondrus ocellatus; Sargassum thunbergii and Ulva australis. Coarsely-branched seaweeds comprised the highest proportion of biomass ($37.17g/m^2$, or 41.86% of the total biomass) and ecological state group I (ESG I) seaweed biomass was between 81.67-85.44%. Also, ephemeral macroalgae including Ulva species sharply increased in species number and biomass within 1-2 year from the "Hebei Sprit" oil spill in the mid and low intertidal zone. Hakampo rocky shore is still good condition as evaluated based on macroalgal species number, biomass, and composition in functional form and ESG I seaweeds.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

Seasonal variability in algal community structure was examined at the intertidal zones of five study sites on the Taean Peninsula, on the western coast of Korea, from February 2014 to November 2015. A total of 118 species of marine algae, comprising 17 green, 24 brown and 77 red algae, were identified. The maximum number of species was observed at the Mohang site (75 species), and the minimum at the Yeonpo site (46 species). The seaweed biomass was $160.24g\;dry\;wt./m^2$ on average, and was maximal at Uihang ($519.04g\;dry\;wt./m^2$) and minimal at Yeonpo ($19.03g\;dry\;wt./m^2$). Based on biomass, the dominant seaweeds at Taean peninsula were Sargassum thunbergii and Corallina pilulifera. Community indices were as follows: richness index (R), 3.21-5.01; evenness index (J'), 0.33-0.38; and diversity index (H'), 0.90-1.12. Based on evaluation of the environmental states by the community indices, the ecological evaluation index (EEI) of Taean peninsula was "moderate". The overall species and biomass of seaweeds decreased after the oil spill. However, Hakampo previously showed a similar algal community structure. In conclusion, the algal community was temporarily affected by the oil spill, but rapidly recovered.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.100-104
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• 2012

Oligosaccharides production showed various biological activities in vivo like functional foods and industrial materials utilized available within many practical applications which have obtained from the degradation of alginate. Alginate is rich in the main component of seaweeds especially the brown algae. We investigated what degrading alginate from seaweeds to make alginate oligosaccharides can utilize in various fields using enzyme secreting Erwinia tasmaniensis. In this study, we observed an optimal culture condition of E. tasmaniensis, and characteristics of alginate lyase secreting E. tasmaniensis. These bacteria, E. tasmaniensis, were isolated from Nuruk. In this case, a suitable growth factor for E. tasmaniensis was culture it for 36 h in broth media on concentration of 1.0% (w/v) alginate. The enzyme showed the highest level of alginate lyase activity when cultured on broth media containing 1.0% (w/v) sodium alginate for 72 h. Optimal condition of pH, temperature and duration time for alginate lyase activity were found to be pH 6.0, $20^{\circ}C$ and 60 min, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.927-934
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• 2014

Marine algal flora and community structure were seasonally examined at Jungjado, on the southern coast of Korea, from July 2007 to May 2008. A total of 112 seaweeds, including 15 green, 24 brown, and 73 red algae, were identified and 33 species were found throughout the year. The average seaweed biomass was 145.78 g dry weight $m^{-2}$, and the biomass was maximal in winter (184.74 g) and minimal in autumn (106.17 g). The dominant and subdominant species in terms of biomass were Sargassum thunbergii and Grateloupia elliptica in summer, S. thunbergii and Corallina pilulifera in autumn, S. thunbergii and Chondracanthus intermedius in winter, and Sargassum fusiforme and G. elliptica in spring. The vertical distribution patterns of seaweeds from the upper to lower intertidal zones at Jungjado were S. thunbergii - Ulva conglobata - Gelidium elegans in summer; Caulacantus ustulatus - Chondria crassicaulis - C. pilulifera in autumn; Ulva australis - S. thunbergii - G. elliptica in winter; and Gloiopeltis tenax - S. fusiforme - G. elliptica in spring. Seasonally the evenness, richness, and diversity indices tended to have their highest values during the winter and their lowest values in the summer. However, the dominant index was recorded as lowest in winter and highest in the summer. The C/P, R/P, and (R+C)/P values reflecting the flora characteristics were 0.58, 3.04, and 3.62, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.323-331
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• 2007

Barren ground is an abnormal phenomenon in coastal ecosystems where seaweeds are destroyed and largely replaced by coralline algae containing calcium carbonate components. To restore the seaweed forest, we attempted reconstruction in an area of Samcheok, Korea, where barrenness is extensive. We developed two methods of seaforest construction underwater longline and seed transplantation for the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica, a fast-growing edible seaweed. The blade length of L. japonica attached to an underwater long line was $93.9{\pm}38.2cm$ and blade weight $7.6{\pm}2.1g$ in February 2004. Seaweed size declined after August 2004. A Similar pattern was observed using the transplantation method with maxima of $179.3{\pm}40.3cm\;and\;14.9{\pm}3.2g$ for blade length and weight, respectively in July 2004. The transplanted seaweeds matured in October as did a wild population. These results indicate that transplanted seaweed acclimate to new environments.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Fucoidan is a physiologically functional ingredient extracted from seaweed brown algae, which is a sulfated polysaccharide containing fucose as a main molecule backbone. Fucoidan has a variety of immune-modulating or -stimulating effects, including promoting antigen uptake and enhancing anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-tumor effects. In addition, recent studies have suggested the possibility of use of fucoidan as a vaccine adjuvant in the field of human vaccine. Use of fucoidan as supplementary feeds have already been studied, but the development of fucoidan as an adjuvant of fish vaccine is still premature. However, the intracellular uptake of fucoidan differs depending on the molecular weight of fucoidan, and there is a limit to the study on specific immune response including the production of antibodies to fish caused by an artificial infection of pathogen. Although the safety of fucoidan has been demonstrated in animal cells, there is a need to confirm the safety of fucoidan in fish. Therefore, active research in this field is needed to use fucoidan as a vaccine adjuvant. This study discussed the effects of fucoidan on immune stimulation, humoraland cellular- immunity including humans and animals. The prospect of fucoidan as a vaccine adjuvant in fisheries also reviewed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

Brown seaweeds have been shown to decrease blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity previously. In this study, we investigated the effect of fucoidan, a complex polysaccharide derived from brown seaweeds, on glucose uptake to improve insulin resistance, and examined its mechanism of action in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We observed that fucoidan significantly increased glucose uptake and it was related to an increased expression of plasma membrane-glucose transporter 4 (PM-GLUT4) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fucoidan treatment increased the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1tyr) compared with that of the control cells. Fucoidan also promoted the phosphorylation of Akt and protein kinase C (PKC)-λ/ζ compared to that of the control cells. Moreover, fucoidan significantly upregulated acetyl-CoA-carboxylase (ACC) and adenosine monophosphate - activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. As a result, translocation of GLUT4 was significantly enhanced in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which significantly promoted glucose uptake via the PI3K/AMPK pathways. The elevation of glucose uptake by fucoidan was blocked by inhibitor of PI3K and inhibitor of AMPK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These findings indicate that fucoidan might ameliorate glucose uptake through GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane by activating the PI3K/Akt and AMPK pathways in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fucoidan is thought to be of high material value to diabetes treatments and functional foods.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.595-604
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• 2018

In this study, in a bid to develop natural bioadhesives for paper craft, the hanji industry, and preserving cultural assets, complex polysaccharides were extracted from brown and red algae and used as an ingredient in adhesives. Brown algae include sea trumpet, kelp, sea oak, and sea mustard, whereas red algae include Pachymeniopsis elliptica agar-agar weed, Gloiopeltis tenax, and hunori. The polysaccharides were extracted after transforming them from non-aqueous Ca complexes contained in each of the brown and red algae into water-soluble polysaccharides containing alkali metals with a solubility level of 1. and extracted Subsequently, only the polysaccharides were extracted using alcohol precipitation. The adhesion tensile strengths of kelp, a brown algae, and Pachymeniopsis elliptica, a red algae, were 21.58 and 32.99 kgf, respectively. They thus demonstrated better adhesion than that of solid glue products such as water plants (18.45 kgf) and glue sticks (20.45 kgf). The extraction yield of these polysaccharides is supposed to be determined according to their extracted environments; however, no difference in adhesion strength was seen. Further, it was found that the shapes of polysaccharides were determined by their growing environment instead of extraction environment. Use of multi-step alcohol precipitation method during extraction enabled the removal of the constituents except protein and other polysaccharides, thereby demonstrating a stable outcome without cultivation of mold. Furthermore, there was no occurrence of mold even after production of the adhesives by the simple solution method, which demonstrates the adhesive's potential as an environment-friendly adhesive material.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.298-303
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• 2011

A large number of edible seaweeds are consumed by the coastal peoples of Asia. Some of them are used in traditional remedies in many parts of the world. In this study we investigated effects of supplementation with ethyl acetate extracts of the brown alga Eisenia bicyclis (EBE) on rat macrophage to evaluate the possibilities as immune-modulators. Twelve male SD rats were divided into two groups and the treatments were as follows: A, no Eisenia bicyclis extract (EBE) intake and distilled water ; B, oral supplemented with EBE 200 mg/kg. After 5 weeks of supplementation, rats were sacrificed to assess the effect on peritoneal macrophage functions. We showed no increasing effects on tumoricidal activity, phagocytic activity and NO production in macrophages in EBE supplementation group. However, EBE supplementation suppressed NO-iNOS production and p65 translocation into the nucleus in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Overall, these results suggest that the supplementation of EBE might have an anti-inflammatory effects on NO-iNOS production in macrophages throughout the inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation.