• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2018

Millettia erythrocalyx, a species of plant in the Fabaceae family, is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, such as the Indies, China, and Thailand. The antiviral activity of flavonoids from M. erythrocalyx has been reported; however, the antioxidative and anticancer activities of M. erythrocalyx remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidative and anticancer effects of ethanol extract of M. erythrocalyx (EEME) and the molecular mechanism of its anticancer activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. EEME exhibited significant antioxidative effects, with a concentration at 50% inhibition ($IC_{50}$) value of $2.74{\mu}g/ml$, as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay; moreover, it inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in HepG2 cells. Cell cycle analyses showed that EEME induced HepG2 cell accumulation in the subG1 phase in a dose-dependent manner. EEME also induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells, with increases in apoptotic cells and apoptotic bodies, as detected by Annexin V and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, respectively. Treatment with EEME resulted in increased expression of First apoptosis signal (Fas), a death receptor, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), a proapoptotic protein, and the activation of caspase-3, 8, and 9, resulting in the cleavage of poly (Adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Collectively, these results suggest that EEME may exert an anticancer effect in HepG2 cells by inducing apoptosis via both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2016

To minimize cultivation costs, prevent insect-pest infestation, and improve the production efficiency of thermophilic mushrooms, plant substrates obtained from local areas in Cambodia were used for production of both spawn and mushrooms. In this experiment, different sawdusts different organic wastes and grain ingredients and analyzed for improvement of spawn-production efficiency. Four thermophilic mushroom species, Pleurotus sajor-caju (oyster mushroom, Sambok), Ganoderma lucidum (deer horn shaped), Auricularia auricula (ear mushroom), and Lentinula edodes (shiitake), were used to identify efficient new substrates for spawn and mushroom production. Although the mycelia in the rubber tree sawdust medium showed a slightly slower growth rate (10.9 cm/15 days) than mycelia grown in grains (11.2 cm/15 days in rice seeds), rubber tree sawdust appeared to be an adequate replacement for grain spawn substrates. Th findings indicate that rubber tree sawdust, sugarcane bagasse, and acacia tree sawdust supplemented with rice bran and calcium carbonate could be new alternative the substrates for. Although sugarcane bagasse and rubber tree sawdust showed similarly high biological efficiencies (BE) of 60% and 60.8%, respectively, acacia tree sawdust exhibited relatively a low biological efficiency of 22.4%. However, it is expected that acacia sawdust has potential for the mushroom cultivation when supplemented with currently used sawdust substrates in Cambodia, because of its relatively low price. The price of the sawdust (20 kg sawdust= 6500 Riel or 1.6 USD) currently used was 6.5 times higher than the price of acacia sawdust (201000 Riel or 0.25 USD). Therefore, utilization for acacia sawdust for mushroom cultivation could become feasible as it would reduce by producing costs of mushrooms in rural areas of Cambodia.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.110-123
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• 2016

In order to obtain scientific information for the conservation of Utricularia japonica Makino, rare plant species, we investigated life history, phenology, growth and distribution in the east coastal region of Korea. Seven habitats of U. japonica were confirmed in this study. Turion of U. japonica rests overwinter at the bottom and ripens at the water surface and then usually germinate and sprout when the water warms in spring. A single shoot grown from turion divided into several shoots. Shoot decomposition started in October and formed a new turion at the end of the decomposed shoot. Flowering period was from early July to late October. Percentage of flowering ramets was significantly low as 6.3%. U. japonica showed the fastest growth rate from April to July, the maximum growth in August and the highest biomass in October. U. japonica tended to be concentrated in larger ramets in the water depth of 50 cm~150 cm in Cheonjin lake. The main factors affecting the growth of U. japonica were water temperature and turbidity. The establishment and growth of U. japonica in Cheonjin lake were determined by responses to water temperature with seasonal change and to light conditions caused by the different plants. These conditions affect the temporal and spatial distribution of U. japonica and population change. The findings of this study would be helpful to provide the basic information needed for the conservation and restoration of U. japonica.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.658-667
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• 2003

Antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase; SOD, ascorbate peroxidase; APX, glutathione reductase; GR) play major roles in scavenging mechanism of reactive oxygen species which were involved in various stress conditions including salt. In order to investigate the relation between their growth responses (dry weight) and the changes of antioxidative enzymes activity, salt-tolerant spinach beet having 15cm of shoot length were treated with various salt levels (0, 50, 200, 1000 mM NaCl) for 24 hours. Spinach beet exhibited an increase in the activity of antioxidative enzymes by salt, the maximal activity at 200 mM NaCl and the lowest activity at 50 mM NaCl in 2 hrs. after treatments. As a result of PAGE, it has been confirmed that spinach beet contained 3 isoforms (Fe-SOD, CuZn-SOD and Mn-SOD) of SOD and main isoform was CuZn- SOD form. In case of APX, isoforms of the low molecular weight(No. 7, 8) were showed strong expression especially at 200 and 400 mM NaCl treatment. Meanwhile, GR did not show specific pattern of isoforms among the salt treatments. Especially, in case of 50 mM treatment, plant showed the lowest activity of SOD with the best growth, a low enzyme activity was induced by inactivation of the Mn-SOD. Therefore, we suggested that the decrease of SOD activity at a low salt level (50 mM NaCl) or the increase of enzyme activity at a high salt level (200 mM NaCl) may be related to expression of the Mn-SOD isoform. These antioxidative enzymes showed the increase of activity in a short time by salt addition. So, it is considered that spinach beet copes effectively with a stressful condition such as salt by operating effective antioxidative defense mechanism rapidly under high salt level.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.163-176
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• 2009

Investigating endophyte distribution, naturally occurring in native grasses, is important for understanding endophyte-grass associations and using the beneficial effects of endophytes in cultivated plants. The goal of this study was to investigate endophytes from natural Festuca spp. in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan Provinces of China, and to study the compatibility between the endophytes and turf type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) which is widely used for lawn and athletic fields in that region. Of 628 accessions in F. ovina, 421 had endophytes identified in leaf sheath from on-site microscopic examination. From Festuca spp, three isolates were obtained from the seeds and ninety isolates were obtained from seedlings established from the collected seeds. The isolates from F. ovina and F. stapfii were tentatively identified as Neotyphodium typhinum and Neotyphodiumstarii, respectively. We tested compatibility of the two fungal species with seven tall fescue cultivars, Little Hero, Sub Boy, Eldorado, Arid III, Millennium, Crossfire, and Fawn. N. typhinum or N. starii did not infect 'Fawn' with either seed injection or seed soaking method. The highest infection rate byboth N. typhinum and N. starii was in 'Sun Boy' and 'Eldorado'. There were significant interaction effects between tall fescue cultivar and type of endophyte on infection.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.54-67
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• 1991

To investigate the structure of the plant community of Daewon valley forest in Mt. Chiri, eighty-nine plots were set up by the dumped sampling method. The classification by TWINSPAN and DCA ordination were applied to the study area in order to classify item into several groups based on woody plants and environmental variables. The classification had been successfully overlayed on an ordination of the same data using DCA. The plots can be classified into five groups by TWINSPAN and DCA. There are Pinus densiflora community. Quercus variabilis-Q. serrata community. Carpinus laxiflora community. Q. monogolica community and Cornus controversa-Q. mongolica community. The successional trends of tree species by both techniques seem to be from P. densiflora through Q. variabilis, Q. serrata to C. laxiflora on the low altitude and from Q. mongolica to C. controversa on the high altitude in the canopy layer. As a result of the analysis for the relationship between the stand scores of DCA and environmental variables. they had a tendancy to increase significantly from the P. densiflora community to C. laxiflora community that was soil moisture. the amount of soil humus and soil nutrients.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2014

This study classified the types of major forest vegetation and analyzed the syngeographical characteristics of the vegetation in the Mt. Deokhang with exhumed lime rocks. The forest vegetation on the ridge of Mt. Deokhang was classified into 1 community group, 3 communities, 2 groups, and 2 subgroups, 5 types in total. The syngeographical form of Deokhangsan fully exhibited the topographical peculiarity, proximity to subalpine, and limestone zone. In addition, Carex ciliato-marginata, Carex humilis var. nana, and so forth which appear as species with high consistency in the well-drained semiarid zone represent the soil environment of the lime stone area and northern plants such as Carex ussuriensis and Asplenium ruta-muraria represent the characteristics of the vegetation in alpestrine in close proximity. Moreover, the Carpinus turczaninowii in the area appears to show the characteristics of migratory vegetation due to the peculiarity of the habitat. The syngeographical characteristics of this study area show both the characteristics of the habitat and phytogeographic characteristics. Furthermore, they are expected to contribute to the diversity in community and habitat form in Korean peninsula in terms of vegetation science.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2012

The effect of natural enemies on four major pests of hot pepper was tested in greenhouses. The aphids were successfully controlled by introducing three Aphidius colemani-banker plants, and releasing 23.3 wasps per $m^2$ on April 16 and 23 wasps per $m^2$ in a greenhouse of 660 $m^2$. To control thrips, Orius laevigatus was released twice, 3.0 bugs per $m^2$ at a time(May $11^{th}$ and June $12^{th}$). The thrips population was controlled within 0.3 thrips per flower during the growing season. To control two species of mites, Tetranychus kanzawai and Polyphagotarsonemus latus, and the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, a total of 113.7 individuals of Amblyseius swirskii were released twice(May $11^{th}$ and $30^{th}$). The densities of B. tabaci and T. kanzawai were kept within 171.0 individuals/trap and 0.8 individual/leaf, respectively. P. latus was suppressed completely twelve days after release. The cost of the released natural enemies to control the four arthropod pests in this study was 420,000 Won per 660 $m^2$.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.485-490
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• 2014

This study was conducted to assess the occurrence and damages by thrips on greenhouse-cultivated fig in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. We identified the collected species as Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, and F. intonsa Trybom. The density of thrips in the greenhouses during the summer months was monitored using yellow sticky traps; T. tabaci showed the highest density, followed by F. occidentalis and F. intonsa. The damages by thrips were characterized by stunted plant growth because of delayed discoloration of the pericarp, and development of rough fruit surface. Stereomicroscopic observation on the fruit flesh revealed the growth of gray mold at the damaged area, as well as the dead bodies and exuviae of thrips. The rates of fig fruit damages per month, were 18.2%, 9.7%, 2.9%, and 1.3% in July, August, September, and October, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.45-45
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• 2017

The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, is one of the most important pests of stored food in the food processing industry worldwide. To control the Indian meal moth, methyl bromide, phosphine, high carbon dioxide, sulfuryl fluoride and plant essential oil fumigation have been considered. However, these treatments have disadvantages. For example, depleting the ozone layer, showing resistance in insect, low control efficacy or need high cost for treatment. Chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) is strong disinfectant and insecticide. The gas caused a malfunction in enzymes. The oxidative stress induced by $ClO_2$ gas treatment damaged to a physiological system and all life stages of P. interpunctella. The gaseous $ClO_2$ is a convincing alternative to methyl bromide for controlling P. interpunctella. The gaseous $ClO_2$ was generated by a chlorine dioxide generator (PurgoFarm Co., Ltd., Hwasung, Korea). It generated highly pure $ClO_2$ gas and the gas blown out through a vent into a test chamber. Gas entry to the chamber was automatically controlled and monitored by a PortaSene II gas leak detector (Analytical Technology, Collegeville, PA, USA). The properly prepared eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of P. interpunctella were used in this experiment. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. Percentage data were statistically analyzed after arcsine-root transformation. Analysis of variance was performed using general linear model, and means were separated by the least significant difference test at P < 0.05. Fumigation is an effective management technique for controlling all stages of P. interpunctella. We found that $ClO_2$ gas treatment directly effects on egg, larvae, pupae and adults of P. interpunctella. The gas treatment with proper concentration for over a day achieved 100 % mortality in all stages of P. interpunctella and short time treatment or low concentration gas treatment results showed that the egg hatchability, pupation rate, and adult emergency rate were lowered compare with untreated control. Also, abnormal pupae or adult rate were increased. Gaseous $ClO_2$ treatment induced insecticidal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and it resulted in fatal oxidative stress in P. interpunctella. Taken together, these results showed that exposure proper concentration and time of the gas control all stages of P. interpunctella by inducing fatal oxidative stress. Further studies will be required to apply the gas treatment under real-world condition and to understanding physiological reaction in P. interpunctella caused by oxidative stress.