• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.639-650
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• 2023

The levels of harmful components in aerosols from heated tobacco products (HTPs) have been reported to be significantly lower than in cigarette smoke. However, it remains unclear whether the use of HTPs can mitigate the cardiovascular risks associated with cigarette smoking (CS). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term switch from CS to HTP use on cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR). Seven healthy male smokers completed an open-label, randomized, cross-over trial consisting of five days of CS, use of three different HTPs (IQOS use, IQ; lil SOLID use, LS; lil HYBRID use, LH), or non-smoking (NS). Each session was separated by a one-week washout period, and levels of exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate variability (HRV) reflecting CAR were assessed before use of the product assigned to each session and at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hr after use. Levels of exhaled CO and COHb were statistically significantly reduced only during NS. There were no statistical changes in SBP and DBP within any session. However, in HRV spectral analysis, log-transformed high frequency (lnHF) increased statistically significantly in IQ, LS, and NS, respectively. Normalized HF (HFnu) was significantly increased in NS and LH, respectively. lnHF and HFnu showed significant interaction effects. The findings of this study suggest that a short-term switch to HTPs instead of CS may lead to different distribution patterns of CAR, primarily driven by enhanced cardiac vagal tone.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.63-75
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• 2015

Atmospheric environment in Korea is influenced by outside, especially China. The concentrations of air pollutants in China have showed decreasing trends since 2000. However, these concentration levels in China are still higher than other developed countries. The Chinese Government has tried several measures to control the air pollution. In this study, the details of the amendments and smog reduction strategies in China, especially for Beijing are reviewed and the strategies for Korean side to promote cooperation in Northeast Asia are suggested and discussed. The Chinese State Council amended the Environmental Protection Provisions and Clean Air Act and announced The Action Plan for Air Pollution Control (2013-2017), focusing on three key regions, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area (Jing-Jin-Ji), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Pearl River Delta (PRD). These policy actions and plan are mainly for the reducing coal usage and emissions from vehicles. It is suggested that, Korea should actively promote multi-national cooperation in the region to take an initiative role in environmental areas.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2017

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe and potentially fatal pneumonia caused by colonization of human-made water system and subsequent aerosolization and inhalation of Legionella bacteria. A total of 147 Legionella strains was isolated from environmental water sources from public facilities in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The distribution of Legionella isolates was investigated according to facility type, and sample type. L. pneumophila was distributed broadly throughout Gyeonggi-do, accounting for 85.7% of the isolates, and L. pneumophila serogroup (sg) 1 predominated in all of the public facilities. L. wadsworthii predominated among non-L. pneumophila species. We performed comparative analyses of L. pneumophila sg 1 isolated from environment water of public facilities in Gyeonggi-do by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and sequence-based typing (SBT). Thirty-two isolates were classified into 22 types by PFGE and 9 sequence types (STs) by SBT and categorized into 3 groups. ST1 was the most prevalent sequence type and two STs obtained in this study had unique allelic profiles. The use of SBT data from different countries for epidemiology study of LD constitutes a technically uncomplicated and relatively easy method for strain subtyping, especially compared to other contemporary techniques.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.255-262
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• 1988

An epidemiological study on brugian filariasis was carried out in endemic areas including Cheju Island in Korea, with a brief review of literatures. The results showed that the incidence among residents has remarkably decreased in Cheju Island, which was the main endemic area. Reviewing available informations on the prevalence of filariasis reported in recent years and also judging from the present socio·economic conditions which enable people to practice personal protection against mosquitos, it can be said with confidence that alariasis has almost disappeared from Cheju Island and inland areas. The disease is considered to remain at a low level of endemicity in Hugsan Islands. Certainly mass diethylcarbamasine (DEC) treatment carried out in Cheju Island in the 1960s and 1970s and remarkable economic growth followed by improved living standard and altered life-style of inhabitants could all have combined effects on the disappearance of this mosquito-borne disease in this island. If the present trends go on, the possibility of resurgence of filariasis in Cheju Island is hardly postulated.