In traditional Korean and Chinese medicine, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) for the treatment of centralnervous system-related symptoms such as tremor, seizure, stroke and epilepsy. We investigated the effects of safflower couldinfluence cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments. Administration of safflower for 1 day(200㎎/㎏ body weight, p.o.) increased the survival of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons after transient global brainischemia. And neurological functions measured as short term memory. Post-treatment with safflower for 2 times decreasedthe induction/reduction - induced production of neuronal cell loss from global cerebral ischemia. Safflower markedlydecreased neuronal cell death and also caused a decrease in the content of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances(TBARS) (55.2±9.4µmol mg-¹) and significant improvement of activities of glutathione (GSH) (27.2±5.0µmol mg-¹) inhippocampus. We conclude that treatment with safflower attenuated learning and memory deficits, and neuronal cell lossinduced by global cerebral ischemia. These results suggest that safflower may be a potential candidate for the treatment ofvascular dementia.

Ginsenosides of roots in Panax ginseng were analyzed by metabolic-targeting HPLC using the partial leastsquares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and compared depending on sowing methods between direct seeding andtransplanting method. Score plots derived from PLS-DA could identify the sowing method between the direct seeding andtransplanting method in P. ginseng roots. The ginsenoside compounds were assigned as Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc,Rb2, Rb3, and Rd. Contents of Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb3, and Rd of main roots produced from the transplanting methodwere relatively higher than those of samples produced from direct seeding method. Also, contents of Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1,Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd of lateral roots from the transplanted samples were relatively higher than those of samples producedfrom direct seeding method. Therefore, HPLC with PLS-DA analysis can be a straightforward tool for identificationof ginsenosides in main or lateral roots of P. ginseng obtained from two different seeding methods between directand transplanting methods.

The purpose of this research was evaluated economical effect to apply alternative external carbon source. Conventional activated sludge process in municipal wastewater treatment plant was adapted and introduced to Biological nutrient removal processes to meet the newly enforced effluent quality standard for nutrient removal in Korea. Low COD/NH4+-N ratio and higher nutrient concentration of influent characteristics force to inject external carbon source for denitrifying recycled nitrate. In the most case, methanol was used as external carbon source. But Methanol is expensive and very dangerous in handling. So we could find cheaper and safer external carbon source substituted methanol in last study. This alternative external carbon source is named RCS(recoverd carbon source) and a by-product of fine chemical product at chemical plant. When RCS was applied real municipal wastewater treatment plant, average 55~65% of T-N removal efficiency, 8.8mg/l of effluent T-N concentration, 11.3mg/l of effleunt COD concentration were obtained without effluent COD increase as against used methanol. To apply RCS in municipal wastewater treatment plant obtain approximately 74.5% expenditure cost reduction in comparison with methanol dosage cost.

Concentrations of PCBs in the sediment of the Kumho River was determined. Samples were collected at 23 locations along the river. Total PCB levels ranged from 2.7 to 87.6 ng/g dry weight. The site near the Keomdan factory district had the highest concentrations. The levels of PCB congeners significantly correlated with the total organic carbons in the sediment. The major fractions of PCBs were congeners containing 4, 5, or 6 chlorine atoms per biphenyl molecule.