• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 2007

Purpose : To analyze the clinical characteristics, spontaneous resolution rate and predictive factors of resolution in children with primary vesicoureteral reflux(VUR). Methods : Between October 1991 and July 2003, 149 children diagnosed with primary VUR at Chonbuk National University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. All of the patients were maintained on low-dose antibiotic prophylaxis and underwent radionuclide cystograms at 1 year intervals over 3 years after the initial diagnosis of VUR by voiding cystourethrogram was made. Results : The median time to resolution of VUR was 24 months and the total 3 year-cumulative resolution rate of VUR was 61.7%. The following variables were associated with resolution of VUR according to univariate analysis-; age<1 year, male gender, mild grade of reflux, unilateral reflux, congenital hydronephrosis as clinical presentation at time of diagnosis of VUR, absence of focal defects in the renal scan at diagnosis, absence of recurrent UTI, renal scars and small kidney during follow-up. After adjustment by Cox regression model, five variables remained as independent predictors of VUR resolution; age<1 yew, relative risk 1.77(P<0.05), VUR grade I+II 2.98(P<0.05), absence of renal scars 2.23(P<0.05), and absence of small kidney 5.20(P<0.01) during follow-up. Conclusion : In this study, spontaneous resolution rate of VUR, even high grade reflux, is high in infants during medical management, and it was related to age, reflux grade at diagnosis, absence of renal scars and small kidney during follow-up. Therefore early surgical intervention should be avoided and reserved for the selected groups.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 2005

Purpose : Changes in metalloproteinases(MMP) activity have been demonstrated in several disease states, including rheumatoid arthritis and tumor metastasis. More importantly, increased myocardial MMP activity has been reported to occur in both clinical and experimental forms of dilated cardiomyopathy. There was no report about MMP in adriamycin(ADR)-induced cardiomyopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate gene expression of MMP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases(TIMP) in ADR-induced cardiomyopathy and clarify the relationship between MMP and cytokines. Methods : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. The first group was control. The second group was given intraperitoneal injections of ADR(5 mg/kg) twice a week over two weeks. Serum concentrations of MMP, TIMP, interleukin(IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-${\alpha}$ were measured. RNA extraction was performed from frozen rat hearts. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was employed. cDNA Microarray analysis was performed by using a set of 5,184 sequence-verified rat cDNA clones. Results : Serum MMP and TIMP levels were not significantly different between the two groups. IL-6 was $36.8{\pm}2.8pg/mL$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ $2.2{\pm}2.7pg/mL$ in the ADR group. They were significantly higher than in the control group. Serum MMP correlated significantly with TNF-${\alpha}$(r=0.41, P<0.05). There was no gene expression of MMP, IL-6 or TNF-${\alpha}$ in the hearts of both groups. Gene expression of TIMP was significantly depressed in the hearts of the ADR group. Conclusion : These results suggested a potential role for TNF-${\alpha}$ in the regulation of extracellular matrix remodeling in ADR induced cardiomyopathy. Rapid screening of multiple decreased gene expression by DNA chip may be a useful diagnostic test to detect early cardiac injury before developing ADR induced cardiomyopathy.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.spc
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• pp.68-76
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• 2008

This study examined the inhibition effects of a freshwater bivalve (Unio douglasiae) and a submerged plant (Potamogeton crispus) on the cyanobacterial bloom (Oscillatoria sp.). The experiment were conducted in aquarium $(50cm{\times}65cm{\times}120cm)$ with lake sediments in the bottom of the aquarium in 10 cm thick. Before the experiments, artificial cyanobacterial bloom was induced with the addition of lake sediment and CB medium. Total 12 transparent acrylic cylinders (${\Phi}19cm$, height 40 cm) were placed in the aquarium, and within which bivalves and plants were placed in various conditions such as the control (C), plant addition (P:5 stems), mussel addition (U:2 individuals), and both mussel and plant addition (PU: the same quantity as used in each treatment). The experiment was conducted in triplicate during 7 days. pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electric conductivity (EC), salinity, cyanobacterial cell density, chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentration, and mussel filtering rate were monitored daily. At the end of the experiment, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and plant height and weight were measured. Overall, a large degree of cyanobacterial growth inhibition appeared in both P and U treatments, and the effect was highest in the U treatment, followed by P and PU. The combined treatment of both U and P did not show any synergic effects compared to the effect in separated treatment. In all enclosures of the treatments chlorophyll-${alpha}$ (Chl-${alpha}$) concentration decreased until 36 hours after the additions of the plants and mussels. In contrast, Chl-${alpha}$ concentrations increased in PU enclosures after 36 hours. The same trend was shown in the cell density of Oscillatoria. pH and DO gradually decreased until 120 and 144 hours, respectively, in the P and PU enclosures. TP concentration increased in the mussel enclosures (U and PU), while TN concentration largely decreased in the plant enclosures (P and PU). Our results suggest that applied bivalve (Unio) and submerged plant (Potamogeton) seemed to have a potential effect on the growth inhibition of cyanobacteria, but their combined application may have an antagonistic effect to diminish the degree of the inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.384-395
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate the environment factors including community structure and soil characteristics in the wild habitats of Cephalotaxus koreana, and offers the basic information for habitats conservation and restoration. Most of the wild habitats were located at altitudes between 148~835 m with inclinations ranged as $12{\sim}32^{\circ}$. The average soil pH was 4.7~5.9, soil organic matter was 5.72~15.99%, cation exchange capacity was $14.1{\sim}19.9cmolc/kg^{-1}$ and exchangeable $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ was 0.25~0.48 cmolc/kg, 0.79~6.68 cmolc/kg, 0.31~1.73 cmolc/kg, respectively. The dominant species of tree layer were found to be dominated by Quercus dentata in Jekbo-san (C1), Acer pictum in Bogae-san (C2), Acer pseudosieboldianum in Geumwon-san (C3), Q. serrata in Jiri-san (C4), Zelkova serrata in Baegun-san (C5), and Q. acutissima in Duryun-san (C6). The Species diversity (H') was 0.854~1.234, evenness (J') was 0.654~0.993, and dominance (D) was found to be 0.067~0.346. Correlation coefficients analysis based on environmental factors, community structure and value of species diversity shows that growth of Cephalotaxus koreana is correlated with species diversity and evenness. This result show that Cephalotaxus koreana habitats located in mature stands.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 2012

The purpose of the study is to collect basis data for to establish standard administrative processes of liquid fertilizer treatment. From this survey we could make out the key point of each step through a case of effective liquid manure treatment system in pig house. It is divided into six step; 1. piggery slurry management step, 2. Solid-liquid separation step, 3. liquid fertilizer treatment (aeration) step, 4. liquid fertilizer treatment (microorganism, recirculation and internal return) step, 5. liquid fertilizer treatment (completion) step, 6. land application step. From now on, standardization process of liquid manure treatment technologies need to be develop based on the six steps process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 1984

Potted, germinating Pinus rigida ${\times}$ P. taeda seedlings were inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) ectomycorrhizal fungus to test the effectiveness of Pt in relation to organic amendment and changes in soil fertility and soil texture. Pt was cultured as mycelia in vermiculite-peat moss mixture with nutrients and added to sterilized pot soils with or without organic amendment (fully fermented compost) at three soil texture levels (sand, loamy sand, and sandy loam) in a factorial design. Plants were grown in a greenhouse for 4 months and harvested to compare their growth with non-mycorrhizal plants and plants infected by natural fungi. Regardless of sod texture, soil fertility, or organic amendment, seedlings inoculated with Pt were better in dry weight and height than non-mycorrhizal plants or those infected by natural fungi. An exception was observed in the most fertile soil (0.075% N and 1.32% organic matter content in sandy loam with organic amendment), where non-mycorrhizal plants were slightly bigger (8%) and heavier (18%) than Pt-inoculated plants. In over-all average, Pt-inoculated seedlings were 30% taller and 107% heavier than those infected by natural fungi and 31 % taller and 60% heavier than non-mycorrhizal plants. Growth stimulation of seedlings by Pt was more pronounced in less fertile sand soil when organic was not amended. Mycorrhizal frequency of Pt (% of mycorrhizal root tips) was reduced to about half (from 84 to 33% in sandy loam and from 77 to 40% in loamy sand) by organic amendment, while that of natural fungi was not significantly affected. Severe nitrogen deficiency was observed in the needles of non-mycorrhizal plants (1.38% N), while both Pt-inoculated plants (1.68% N) and those infected by natural fungi (1.89% N) did not develop symptom, suggesting an active role of mycorrhizae in absorption of soil nitrogen. Top to root ratio increased with organic amendment to non-mycorrhizal plants, but was not significantly affected by fungal treatment. It was concluded from this study that relative effectiveness of Pt was determined by soil fertility. Organic amendment to less fertile sand soil increased effectiveness of Pt, while the same amendment to more fertile loamy sand and sandy loam decreased effectiveness of Pt. Benefits of Pt mycorrhizae would be expected most either when organic was not added to the soil, or when soil nutrients were not abundant.