• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.731-738
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• 2019

Endophytic fungi are an important component of plant microbiota, and have the excellent capacity for producing a broad variety of bioactive metabolites. These bioactive metabolites not only affect the survival of the host plant, but also provide valuable lead compounds for novel drug discovery. In this study, forty-two endophytic filamentous fungi were isolated from Ficus elastica leaves, and further identified as seven individual taxa by ITS-rDNA sequencing. The antimicrobial activity of these endophytic fungi was evaluated against five pathogenic microorganisms. Two strains, Fes1711 (Penicillium funiculosum) and Fes1712 (Trichoderma harzianum), displayed broad-spectrum bioactivities. Our following study emphasizes the isolation, identification and bioactivity testing of chemical metabolites produced by T. harzianum Fes1712. Two new isocoumarin derivatives (1 and 2), together with three known compounds (3-5) were isolated, and their structures were elucidated using NMR and MS. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli. Our findings reveal that endophytic fungi from the rubber tree F. elastica leaves exhibit unique characteristics and are potential producers of novel natural bioactive products.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.864-870
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• 2010

This study was conducted to determine the effects of foliage plants on reducing indoor carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). Five foliage plants such as $Hedera$ $helix$ L., $Ficus$ $benjamina$ L., $Pachira$ $aquatica$, $Chamaedorea$ $elegans$, and $Ficus$ $elastica$ were selected and cultivated in two different growth medium (peatmoss and hydroball). Each plant was placed in an airtight chamber and then treated with the combinations of two different $CO_2$ concentrations (500 or 1,000 ppm) and two different light intensities (50 or $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$). The change of $CO_2$ concentration (ppm) in the airtight chamber during day and night was measured and then converted into the photosynthetic rate (${\mu}mol\;CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$). As the results, each foliage plant reduced $CO_2$ level in the airtight chamber for one hour by photosynthesis. $Pachira$ $aquatica$ and $Ficus$ $elastica$ absorbed $CO_2$ more effectively compared to the other plants. The plants exposed to higher $CO_2$ concentration (1,000 ppm) and higher light intensity ($200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$) showed more effective $CO_2$ elimination rate and photosynthetic rate. The plants that have wide leaves and big leaf areas such as $Pachira$ $aquatica$, $Hedera$ $helix$ L.,and $Ficus$ $elastica$ showed higher photosynthetic rate than the other plants that have smaller leaves. Released $CO_2$ concentration by respiration of the plants during the night was very low compared to the absorbed $CO_2$ concentration by photosynthesis during the day. There was no significant difference between peatmoss and hydroball medium on reducing $CO_2$ concentration and increasing photosynthetic rate. In conclusion, this study suggested that foliage plants can effectively eliminate indoor $CO_2$. Optimum environmental control in relation to photosyntheis and usage of right indoor foliage plants having lots of leaves and showing active photosynthesis even under low light intensity like indoor light condition would be required to increase the elimination capacity of indoor $CO_2$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3461-3464
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• 2012

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate growth characteristics of woody plants that are widely used indoors in accordance with irrigation frequency and to find the optimum irrigation conditions for plants that help to improve the indoor environment. Four woody plants used in this study included Ardisia pusilla, Clusia rosea, Fatsia japonica, and Ficus elastica. They were planted in pots with a diameter of 10cm and cultivated in three different irrigation frequencies: two times per week, one time per week, and one time per two weeks. After 120 days, they were measured by plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, SPAD value, leaf color, leaf water potential, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), and photosynthetic rate. The average soil moisture content was $48.8{\pm}2.1%$ in two times per week, $25.2{\pm}4.4%$ in one time per week, and $10.3{\pm}2.4%$ in one time per two weeks. For A. pusilla, leaf water potential was higher, and Fv/Fm value was 0.731 in two times per week irrigation, showing more wetness. For A. pusilla, F. japonica and F. elastica photosynthetic rate was significantly lower in one time per two weeks irrigation, appearing to be more sensitive to drying than C. rosea. When irrigated one time per week, with the soil's volume average moisture content of 25%, all four woody plants used in this experiment proved to grow smooth. Thus, it was determined to be good for use in indoor landscaping.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.476-483
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• 2010

Total bacterial populations were cultured from the Hydroball cultivation media in the rhizospheres of 9 different plants including $Hedera$ $helix$ L. and $Dracaena$ $deremensis$ cv. Warneckii Compacta, etc. These cultured bacterial populations were studied to test if the bacterial populations in the plant growing pots may play a role on removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and toluene in the air. To meet this objective, first, we tested the possibility of removal of VOCs by the cultured total bacteria alone. The residual rates of benzene by the inoculation of total bacterial populations from the different plant growth media were significantly different, ranging from 0.741-1.000 of $Spathiphyllum$ $wallisii$ 'Regal', $Pachira$ $aquatica$, $Ficus$ $elastica$, $Dieffenbachia$ sp. 'Marrianne' Hort., $Chamaedorea$ $elegans$, compared to the control with residual rate of 0.596 (LSD, $P$=0.05). This trend was also similar with toluene, depending on different plants. Based on these results, we inoculated the bacterial population cultured from $P.$ $aquatica$ into the plant-growing pots of $P.$ $aquatica$, $F.$ $elastica$, and $S.$ $podophyllum$ inside the chamber followed by the VOCs injection. The inoculated bacteria had significant effect on the removal of benzene and toluene, compared to the removal efficacy by the plants without inoculation, indicating that microbes in the rhizosphere could play a significant role on the removal of VOCs along with plants.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.210-221
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigte the visual preference and response between introduced and native trees for utilization of the south native trees in interior space. 1. The intensity of illumination was below 500lux at 24 buildings of interior spaces surveyed. Generally the temperature was 24~$26^{\circ}C$, and humidity was 60~70%. 2. Total number of introduced tree species were 9 familiar, 16 genus, 18 species, especially palm genus were the largest tree among them at these surveyed interior spaces, but native trees were only 2 species. The introduced tree of 2 to 3m in height was 46 percent, and the case of 1.2 to 2m was 42 percent. 3. The mean of visual preference was the highest at Rhapis excelsa and howeia belmoreana, and followed with Neolitsea sericea, Daphniphllum macropodum, Listsea japonicum. In the mean of visual preference for selected tree groups, native tree was not different as compared with introduced tree. 4. Visual image factor of the native and introduced trees at interior spaces was classified by individual factor and emotional factor. These 2 factors were shown 66.5% total variance. The native tree was strongly recognized on individual factor, as , and introduced tree was also strongly recognized on emotional factor. 5. In the analysis of visual preference and image, a difference between the selected groups of the introduced and native trees were not shown significant, and the introduced trees were similar to the native trees on the visual image. This result was as follow There was an analogy between Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum japonicum and Ficus retusa, Ficus benjamina. There is an analogy between Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii, Cinnamomum japonicum and Ficus retusa, Ficus benjamina. There was an analogy between Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus, Fatsia japonica and Rhapis excelsa, Howeia belmoreana. There was an analogy between Neolitsea sericea, Daphniphyllum macropo여, Listsea japonica and Rhapis excelsa, Howeia belmoreana. There was an analogy between Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus, Fatsia japonica and Dracaena fragranse, Ficus elastica, Monstera deliciosa.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.33 no.4 s.111
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• pp.119-128
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• 2005

This study was carried out to obtain fundamental information of growth response of interior landscape plants under a fluorescent lighting, a sunlight at indoor. Ficus elastica Roxb. vu. decora Hort, Spathiphyllum 'Clevelandii', Codiaeum variegatum Blume var. pictum Mvell. Arg. 'Exalant' and Cordyline terminalis Kunth var. red edge Hort were examined under 100lux, 500lux, 1,000lux and 2,000lux light intensity consisted of fluorescent lighting and sunlight at indoor condition. Result of experiments are as follows; 1. A Ficus elastica Roxb. var. decora Hort plant growth status was better showed under fluorescent lighting than sunlight. A plant growth status showed the best result under 2,000lux light intensity of fluorescent lighting in cases of all conditions. 2. A Spathiphyllum 'Clevelandii' showed the best effective adaptations under law intensity among experimental plants. A Spathiphyllum 'Clevelandii', plant growth status was better showed under fluorescent lighting than sunlight. A plant growth status showed the best result under 1,000lux light intensity of fluorescent lighting in cases of all conditions. 3. It need the best high establishment of fluorescent lighting among experimental plants for good plant growth. A Codiaeum variegatum Blume var. pictum Mvell. Arg. 'Exalant' plant growth status was better showed under fluorescent lighting than sunlight. A plant growth status was better showed under high light intensity in case of same light source. A plant growth status showed the best result under 2,000lux light intensity of fluorescent lighting. 4. A Cordyline terminalis Kunth var. red edge Hort plant growth status was better showed under fluorescent lighting than sunlight. but, A plant growth status was better showed under $500lux\sim1,000lux$ than 2,000lux in cases of all intensity of fluorescent lighting. while, A plant growth status was better showed under $1,000lux\sim2,000lux$ in cases of all intensity of sunlight.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.163-167
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• 2006

Reverse-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) based technique is one of the most sensitive techniques to detect the antibiotics present in honey. In the southern part of Tamilnadu, India, majority of the farmlands are occupied by plantations such as coconut, banana and rubber. A variety of antimicrobial compounds and antibiotics, which have been reported in pollen, nectar and other floral parts of the plant, gets accumulated in honey through honeybees (Apis mellifera). We have collected the nectar samples from banana (Musa paridasiaca) and rubber (Ficus elastica) flowers and the honey from honey hives of banana and rubber cultivated areas. The extracted nectar and honey samples are subjected to RP-HPLC analysis with authentic antibiotic standards. Nectar and honey samples showed 4-17, 11-29 ${\mu}g/kg$ of streptomycin, 2-29, 3-44 ${\mu}g/kg$ of ampicillin and 17-34, 26-48 ${\mu}g/kg$ of kanamycin respectively.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.186-192
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• 2010

An infrared heating system, installed in a small venlo-type glasshouse ($280m^2$) in Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea, was used to investigate its heating effect with potted Phalaenopsis, Schefflera arboricola 'Hongkong', Ficus elastica 'Variegata', and Rosa hybrida 'Yellow King' as the test plants. Temperature changes in test plants with the system turned 'On' and 'Off' were measured by using an infrared camera and the consumption of electricity by this infrared heating system was measured and analyzed. In potted Phalaenopsis, when the set air temperature of the greenhouse was $18^{\circ}C$, temperature of leaves and the growing medium were $22.8{\sim}27^{\circ}C$ and $21.3{\sim}24.3^{\circ}C$, respectively. In such tall plants as Schefflera arboricola 'Hongkong' and Ficus elastica 'Variegata', the upper part showed the highest temperature of 24.0 and $26.9^{\circ}C$, respectively. From the results of temperature change measurements, the plant temperatures were near or above the set point temperatures with some fluctuations depending on the position or distance from the infrared heating system. When air temperature between night and dawn dropped sharply, plant temperatures were maintained close to the set temperature ($18^{\circ}C$). There was a significant difference between 'On' and 'Off' states of the infrared heating system in average temperatures of root zone and leaf: 21.8 and $17.8^{\circ}C$ with the system 'On' and 20.4 and $15.5^{\circ}C$ with the system 'Off', respectively, in a cut rose Rosa hybrida 'Yellow King'. The heating load was about $24,850{\sim}35,830kcal{\cdot}h^{-1}$, which comes to about 27,000~40,000 won in Korean currency when calculated in terms of the cost of heating by a hot water heating system heated by petroleum. The cost for heating by the infrared heating system was about 35% of that of a hot water heating system. With the infrared heating system, the air temperature during the night was maintained slightly lower than the set point air temperature, probably due to the lack of air tightness of the glasshouse. Therefore, glasshouses with an infrared heating system requires further investigation including the installation space of the heat-emitting units, temperature sensor positions, and convection.