• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.3
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• pp.339-350
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate distributional condition of rare plants and useful plant resources, and to verify distributional patterns of understory vegetation associated with the upper layer's vegetation structure. Total 59 families, 160 genera, 218 kinds of vascular plants were identified at the study site including 6 rare plants designated by Korea Forest Service (Lloydia triflora Bak., Trillium kamtschaticum Pall., Lilium distichum Nakai, Anemone koraiensis Nakai, Iris odaesanensis Y.N. Lee, Viola diamantica Nakai). Twenty three species of useful plant resources were also identified at the site; 8 of them showed clustered distributions and the others were prone to scatter. Actual vegetation of this study area consisted of one natural community dominated by Quercus mongolica Fisch. and three disturbed communities of Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carriere, Abies holophylla Max. and/or a herbaceous vegetation resulting from forest removal and strong wind of mountain top. This classification was strongly supported by cluster analysis based on the surveyed plot data. Distributional patterns of understory vegetation within forest stand were somewhat related to overstory vegetation structure, but showed a different tendency according to site condition, species composition, and competitive pressure among understory vegetation. Therefore, in order to protect the important understory components as forest genetic resources, forest treatments such as density control of overstory should be implanted based on understanding of impact on understory's dynamics and growing condition.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.573-582
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• 2008

We report a newly found natural habitat of Abeliophyllum distichum in mountainous slope range of Yeongdong-gun, Chungbuk Province. Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai is one of the Korean monotypic endemic species. Natural growth habitats of this species have been recorded from seven sites up to now, and all of the natural habitats are located in middle (Chungbuk Prov.) and middle west (Jeonbuk Prov.) parts of South Korea. Among the previously recorded seven natural habitats, six sites have been designated as Korean national monuments and protected with in situ conservation. New natural habitat of A. distichum is located on northwest slope of stiff hillock area beside the small stream, Seolgye-ri, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungbuk Province. Total growing area is nearly $3,000 m^2$. It is 10-25 cm in soil depth and pH 5.0-6.5 in soil acidity in that area. And many of A. distichum are clustered with 2-5 individuals extended by stoloniferous asexual reproduction. And the total numbers of A. distichum are about 700 individuals with only typical white flowers, and the ratio between pin type and thrum type is 37% and 63%, respectively. The huge population of A. distichum is growing with Quercus mongolica-Fraxinus rhynchophylla association in a mixed forest, and it shows high affinity with Stephanandra incisa, Ligustrum obtusifolium, Euonymus alatus for. ciliatodentatus, and Smilax sieboldi.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 2014

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from abnormal cellular process lead to various human diseases such as inflammation, ischemia, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Sensitive to apoptosis gene (SAG), a RING-FINGER protein, has anti-apoptotic activity and anti-oxidant activity. In this study, we investigate whether Tat-SAG, fused with a Tat domain, could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine (MPTP) toxicity. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis showed that, unlike SAG, Tat-SAG transduced efficiently into SH-SY5Y cells and into the brain, respectively. Tat-SAG remarkably suppressed ROS generation, DNA damage, and the progression of apoptosis, caused by $MPP^+$ in SH-SY5Y cells. Also, immunohistochemical data using a tyrosine hydroxylase antibody and cresyl violet staining demonstrated that Tat-SAG obviously protected DA neurons in the SN against MPTP toxicity in a PD mouse model. Tat-SAG-treated mice showed significant enhanced motor activities, compared to SAG- or Tat-treated mice. Therefore, our results suggest that Tat-SAG has potential as a therapeutic agent against ROS-related diseases such as PD.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.43-60
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• 2019

Background: Tropical montane forests played an important role in the provision of ecosystem services. The intense degradation and deforestation for the need of agricultural land expansion result in a significant decline of forest cover. However, the expansion of agricultural land did not completely destruct natural forests. There remain forests inaccessible for agricultural and grazing purpose. Studies on these forests remained scant, motivating to investigate biomass and soil carbon stocks. Data of biomass and soils were collected in 80 quadrats ($400m^2$) systematically in 5 forests. Biomass and disturbance gradients were determined using allometric equation and disturbance index, respectively. The regression modeling is employed to explore the spatial distribution of carbon stock along disturbance and environmental gradients. Correlation analysis is also employed to identify the relation between site factors and carbon stocks. Results: The result revealed that a total of 1655 individuals with a diameter of ${\geq}5cm$, representing 38 species, were measured in 5 forests. The mean aboveground biomass carbon stocks (AGB CS) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks at 5 forests were $191.6{\pm}19.7$ and $149.32{\pm}6.8Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$, respectively. The AGB CS exhibited significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation with SOC and total nitrogen (TN) stocks, reflecting that biomass seems to be a general predictor of SOCs. AGB CS between highly and least-disturbed forests was significantly different (P < 0.05). This disturbance level equates to a decrease in AGB CS of 36.8% in the highly disturbed compared with the least-disturbed forest. In all forests, dominant species sequestrated more than 58% of carbon. The AGB CS in response to elevation and disturbance index and SOC stocks in response to soil pH attained unimodal pattern. The stand structures, such as canopy cover and basal area, had significant positive relation with AGB CS. Conclusions: Study results confirmed that carbon stocks of studied forests were comparable to carbon stocks of protected forests. The biotic, edaphic, topographic, and disturbance factors played a significant variation in carbon stocks of forests. Further study should be conducted to quantify carbon stocks of herbaceous, litter, and soil microbes to account the role of the whole forest ecosystem.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.191-201
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• 2021

Rivers have been damaged due to rapid urbanization, and river management has been carried out focusing on flow and flood control functions. Recently, interest in river restoration, emphasizing the environmental aspects of rivers, is increasing, but the beginning of river restoration requires an appropriate evaluation of the environmental flow required for the ecosystem. This study analyzed the effects on the habitat of the river ecosystem by estimating the changes in flow regime and environmental flow following the construction of the Buhang dam in Gamcheon, the first tributary of the Nakdong River. To evaluate the environmental flow, the dominant species of Gamcheon, Zacco Platypus, and the protected species Squalidus gracilis majime, and riparian vegetation were selected, and the environmental flow was calculated using the HEC-EFM (Ecosystem Function Model). The evaluated environmental flow was linked with hydraulic analysis and GIS platform, and habitat area change and habitat connectivity analysis before and after dam construction were performed by spatial habitat analysis in the river. Based on the results of this study, it can be used as a river restoration project and a dam operation plan considering the river environment through the calculation of environmental flow and habitat connectivity analysis to improve the habitat of the river ecosystem.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.354-362
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• 2020

A common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina inhabiting North America is internationally protected as an endangered species. It is known that the individuals of common snapping turtles were imported to South Korea as pets, and after being abandoned, some inhabit the natural ecosystem of South Korea like wild animals. No genetic survey has yet been performed for the common snapping turtles imported to South Korea. Hereby, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) information, which is 594 bp long, was determined for a total of 16 C. serpentina individuals, of which one was found in nature, twelve legally imported and their descendants, and the other three were provided from the Kansas Herpetological Society, USA. The obtained data were combined with thirteen COI sequences of C. serpentina retrieved from NCBI GenBank for the subsequent population genetic analyses. The results showed that there exist five haplotypes with high sequence similarity (only three parsimoniously informative sites). In the TCS and phylogenetic analyses, all the examined C. serpentina samples coincidently formed a strong monoclade with those collected mostly from Kansas State, USA, indicating that the imported ones to South Korea are from the central North America. In addition, there found the amino acid changes and the high degree of nucleotide sequence differences between C. serpentina and C. rossignoni with some important morphological characters. It is expected that the present results could provide an important framework for systematic management and control of exotic snapping turtles imported and released to nature of South Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.329-340
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• 2024

Mangiferin is a kind of natural xanthone glycosides and is known to have various pharmacological activities. However, since the beneficial efficacy of this compound has not been reported in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, this study aimed to evaluate whether mangiferin could protect human RPE ARPE-19 cells from oxidative injury mimicked by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The results showed that mangiferin attenuated H₂O₂-induced cell viability reduction and DNA damage, while inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and preserving diminished glutathione (GSH). Mangiferin also antagonized H₂O₂-induced inhibition of the expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as manganese superoxide dismutase and GSH peroxidase, which was associated with inhibition of mitochondrial ROS production. In addition, mangiferin protected ARPE-19 cells from H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, decreasing caspase-3 activation, and blocking poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Moreover, mangiferin suppressed the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, which was achieved by interfering with mitochondrial membrane disruption. Furthermore, mangiferin increased the expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor-erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2). However, the inhibition of ROS production, cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic effects of mangiferin were significantly attenuated by the HO-1 inhibitor, indicating that mangiferin promoted Nrf2-mediated HO-1 activity to prevent ARPE-19 cells from oxidative injury. The results of this study suggest that mangiferin, as an Nrf2 activator, has potent ROS scavenging activity and may have the potential to protect oxidative stress-mediated ocular diseases.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.250-257
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• 2023

Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter distributed in the central nervous system of mammals. However, high concentrations of glutamate are known to cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke by causing nerve cell death. In this study, the antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effect of subtropical natural products were analyzed. Among 11 subtropical plant extracts mainly tested, Sallacca wallichiana extract (SE) showed the greatest free radical scavenging activity. Then, we confirmed through WST-1 assay that SE protected HT22 cells against glutamate-induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. The protective effects of SE against glutamate-induced apoptosis in HT22 cells were also confirmed by flow cytometry analysis using Annexin V/PI double staining. We also confirmed using H₂DCF-DA single staining that SE inhibits glutamate-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species. And we were confirmed through that SE inhibited glutamate-induced phosphorylation of Mitogen-activated Protein kinases. Consequently, our results propose that SE may contribute to the development of therapeutics to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.45 no.3 s.144
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• pp.269-274
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• 2006

Temperature-dependent development studies of two aphid species, A. egomae and A. gossypii occurring in green perilla greenhouse were conducted at $15{\sim}35^{\circ}C$, and 16:8 (L:D h) of light period in the laboratory. The mortality of two aphid species was high in young stages (1st and 2nd). In A. egomae, the mortalitiy increased with increasing and decreasing temperature: the mortalitie at $15^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$ were 22.3% and 15.6%, respectively. While the mortalities of A. gossypii increased with increasing temperature: the mortality at $35^{\circ}C$ was 50.0%. The developmental periods of A. egomae and A. gossypii ranged from 20.8days to 5.4days and from 22.6days to 9.1days at $15^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$ of temperature resion, respectively, and were 7.2days and 10.7days at $35^{\circ}C$ for each species. The lower developmental threshold temperatures for total nymphs of A. egoame and A. gossypii were $9.9^{\circ}C$ and $4.9^{\circ}C$, respectively and an effective degree-days (DD) for the developmental completion of total nymph were 108.0 DD for.A. egomae and 221.2DD for A. gossypii. In green perilla greenhouse, the occurrence period of A. gossypii was earlier about 15 days than that of A. egomae. When the occurrence period of two aphid species was estimated by degree-days based on lower threshold temperatures, A. gossypii occurred earlier than A. egomae in the field. A. gossypii occurred from early April and showed dominant position to late May compared with A. egomae Whereas, A egomae started to occur from mid April and then were abundant after late May followed by abrupt population crash around late July.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2022

The Geumgang Pine (Pinus densiflora) Forest in Sogwang-ri, Uljin has traditionally been a pine tree protection area (prohibited forest) for timber production purposes, and is now designated and managed as a protected area for forest genetic resource conservation by the Korea Forest Service. This study, we analyzed topographical characteristics, existing vegetation, tree age, and plant community structure, and proposed a sustainable management method for the Geumgang Pine (Pinus densiflora) Forest in Sogwang-ri, Uljin for timber havesting purposes. The topographical characteristics of the target area were 36.7% ridges and 38.7% valleys; the ratio of ridges to valleys was similar, and the slopes formed 24.7% of the total area. The types of pine forest communities are divided into six types based on the progress of pine forest renewal, the competition with other species such as deciduous broadleaf trees, and the formation of layered structures. It has been confirmed that the age of the large-diameter pine trees (40~60cm in diameter) is approximately 60~70 years, which is relatively low. As a result of the analysis of the relative importance percentage and layered structure, differences depended on the progress of the pine forest renewal project, and not only the maintenance of the pine forest, but also the creation of a secondary growth forest, the density adjustment of pine trees, and the active management of competitive trees. The average basal area by the community was 12,642.1~25,424.4cm² for the tree layer and 1.8~1,956.5cm² for the low tree layer based on a quadrat of 400m². The difference in the basal area appeared to depend on the size and number of trees forming the tree layer and the degree of pine forest renewal (the degree of time elapsed after thinning pine trees). The average number of species that appeared in each community was 8.7-20.3; there were many species located in valleys, and the type competes with deciduous broadleaf trees due to the lack of management. The diversity of species ranged from 0.6915-1.0942, and was evaluated as low compared to pine communities in central temperate zones. In this paper, we determined the management goals of Geumgang Pine (Pinus densiflora) Forest in Sogwang-ri, Uljin to produce timber with high economic value, and suggested efficient vegetation management for continuous afforestation, the establishment of a timber production system, and improvement of wood production as a management direction.