• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.344-350
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• 2004

This study was conducted to develop and assess the applicability of mixed-bed ion exchange resin capsules for water quality monitoring in small agricultural watershed. Recoveries of resin capsules for inorganic N and P ranged from 96 to 102%. The net activation energies and pseudo-thermodynamic parameters, such as ${\Delta}G^{o\ddag},\;{\Delta}H^{o\ddag},\;and\;{\Delta}S^{o\ddag}$ for ion adsorption by resin capsules, exhibited relatively low values, indicating the process might be governed by chemical reactions such as diffusion. However, those values increased with temperature coinciding with the theory. The reaction reached pseudo-equilibrium within 24 hours for $NH_4-N\;and\;NO_3-N$, and only 8 hours for $PO_4-P$, respectively. The selectivity of resin capsules were in the order of $NO_3\;^-\;>\;NH_4\;^+\;>\;PO_4\;^{3-}$, coinciding with that of encapsulated Amberlite IRN-150 resin. At the initial state of equilibrium, the resin adsorption quantity was linearly proportional to the mass of ions in the streams, but the rate of movement leveled off, following Langmuir-type sorption isotherm. The overall results demonstrated that the resin capsule system was suitable for water quality monitoring in small agricultural watershed, judging from the reaction mechanism(s) of the resin capsule and the significance of model in field calibration.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.150-161
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• 2009

Purpose : Staphylococcus aureus causes a variety of infections, ranging from benign skin infections to fatal invasive infections. Recently, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections have emerged in patients who do not have established risk factors. This study was conducted to characterize S. aureus infections in children with an emphasis on communityassociated MRSA infections at a tertiary care pediatric facility during a 3-year period. Methods : Four hundred twenty-nine cases of S. aureus infections diagnosed at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 2004 and December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The cases were classified as hospitalonset (HO) or community-onset (CO), healthcare-associated (HA), or community-associated (CA) infections. Results : Among the 206 cases <1 year of age, 72%, 7%, and 21% were HO-HA, CO-HA, and CA infections, respectively, as compared to 48%, 28%, and 24% among the 223 cases >1 year of age. The proportion of CO-HA infections among HA infections (8.6% vs. 37.1%, P<0.001) and the proportion of HA infections among the CO infections (24.5% vs. 54.3%, P <0.001) were greater in older children than in infants. Overall, 57% of the isolates were methicillin-resistant. Twenty-nine (30%) of 96 CA strains were MRSA, and the most common site of CA-MRSA infection was the skin and soft tissues (26 cases). Conclusion : The methicillin resistance rate of S. aureus from CA infections was high and CA-MRSA was most often associated with skin and soft tissue infections.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.55-65
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• 2013

Sterilization of Neurospora crassa has been investigated in this research by using a surface air plasma with dielectric barrier discharged (DBD) structure under atmospheric pressure. The sinusoidal alternating current has been used in this experiment with discharge voltage of 1.4~2.3 kV. The phase difference between the voltage and current signals are found to be almost 80 degree due to the capacitive property of dielectric barrier. Temperature on the biomaterials has been minimized by radiating the heat with the air cooling system. It is noted that the substrate temperature remains under 37 degree for plasma exposure time of 10 minutes with operation of cooler system. It is found that the ozone, $O_3$, has been measured to be about 25~30 ppm within 1 cm region and to be about 5 ppm at the 150 cm downstream region away from the suface plasma. It is also noted that the nitric oxide, NO, and nitric dioxide, $NO_2$, are not nearly detected. Germination rate and mitochodrial activity of Neurospora crassa immersed in the deionized water have been found to be drastically decreased as the plasma treatment time and its electrical power are increased in this experiment. Here, the mitochondrial activity has been analyzed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethy lthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) assay. However, sterilization of Neurospora crassa immersed in the Vogel's minimal media has been found to be low by plasma treatment, which is caused by surrounding background solution. This research shows the sterilization possibility of Neurospora crassa by using the noncontated surface DBD plasma, which is different from the plasma jet. This is mainly attibuted to the reactive species generated by the surface plasma, since they play a major role for inhibition of micobes such as Neurospora crassa.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.477-487
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• 2019

Objectives: Firefighters are known to be exposed to a variety of toxic substances, but little information is available on the exposure profile of firefighting activities. The aims of this study were to conduct exposure monitoring of toxic chemicals at fire scenes, to compare the concentrations of respective chemicals among firefighting tasks, and to assess the main factors influencing the concentrations of chemicals. Methods: Researchers performed sampling at firefighting scenes during four weeks in 2013. At the scene, we collected samples based on firefighters' own activities and examined the situation and scale of the accident. Collected samples were classified into three categories, including fire extinguishing and overhaul, and were analyzed in the laboratory according to respective analysis methods. Results: A total of fourteen fire activity events were surveyed: five fire extinguishing, six overhaul, and three fire investigations. Although no substance exceeded the ACGIH TLV, PAHs were detected in every sample. Naphthalene ranged from 0.24 to 279.13 mg/㎥ (median 49.6 mg/㎥) and benzo(a)pyrene was detected in one overhaul case at 10.85 ㎍/㎥. Benzene (0.01-12.2 ppm) was detected in every task and exceeded the ACGIH TLV. No significant difference in concentrations between tasks was shown. Conclusions: These results indicate that all firefighting tasks generated various hazardous combustion products, including possible carcinogens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.9-44
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• 1993

An explorative and descriptive study in order to determine the effect of family structure and other socio-demographic variables on health behavior, belief, locus, and value and utilization of public health service was carried out. Data were collected from 1,653 subjects randomly sampled in three areas, Seoul, Kyunggi province, and Cheju province. From Seoul 849 subjects were selected, 397 subjects Kyunggi, and 407 subjects from Cheju, respectively. Self-reporting questionaires were administered during the period from March to June, 1992. The major findings were as follows: 1) The subjects visited herb-doctor's at irregular intervals mainly to have tonic medicine prepared. They preferred herb-doctor's rather than with doctors at clinics and hospitals. Statistically significant difference was found among the regions studied (p<0.05). 2) The reason for visiting hospitals was primarily for treatment of diseases. They preferred hospital because they felt that the hospitals offer much highly reliable treatment services as well as medical accessibility. For the purpose of hospital utilization, statistically significant differences existed among sex, educational level, family type and region. However, no significance was found among sex, educational level, and region (p<0.05). 3) The subjects utilized general hospitals mainly for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. They preferred general hospitals because of their much better facilities and reliability. Statistical significance was found among sex, educational level, and region (p<0.05). 4) The subjects visited dentist at irregular intervals basis. They visited once half a year or three to four months. their purpose of visit was mainly for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Statistical significance differences were found among educational level, region and economic standard (p<0.05). 5) Whenever their illnesses were mild and the pharmacies was located in nearby they visited to pharmacies. They visited once a month and patient medicines. Statistically significant differences were found among sex, educational level and region (p<0.05). 6) The subjects believed that herb medicine was quite efficacious for treatment of some diseases, particularly by information handed down through time-honored tradition and experience. However, they recognized that the efficacy of folk medicine can vary with type and severity of diseases. Statistical significance was among sex, educational level, region and economic standard (p<0.05). 7) The reason why subjects believed that pray and superstition are effective for treatment of certain type of diseases, particularly in neuropathy, was the belief in God's almighty. Statistically significant differences were found among sex, educational level, regions and economic standard (p<0.05). 8) Most of subjects under same condition preferred western medicine because they believed that it is more scientific and prompts in showing therapeutic effect. Statistical significance was not found in the choice of type of public health service among, regions. But significant differences were found among sex, educational level and region (p<0.05). 9) The subjects looked for pharmacy if they thought the symptom was mild. However, they visited hospitals for chronic disease and general hospitals for emergency treatment. Statistical significances were found among educational level, region and economic standard (p<0.05). 10) Although most of students wanted to have a healthy life as for the component of health standard and value, they think that they are not healthy (p<0.05). As for the health behavior, significant difference was found in the proportion of smoking and drinking between educational level and region (p<0.05). The health locus was affected by educational level, and health behavior was influenced by region, sex and educational level. The utilization of type of public health service was influenced by family type and region, and health belief by region and educational level, and the health values by region and economic standard respectively, most of correlation showed statistical significance. Among them, the highest correlation was seen between locus of control and external/internal locus of control, which is quite obvious. The correlation between health belief and behavior was the next highest, but still low (0.343). All the other variables are low but significant except only a few of those. These findings indicate that health education should be incorporated into the curriculum so as to develop desirable health habit, and ability of self-control in accordance with their growth stages. A systematic and scientific understanding on the herb/folk medicine is needed, and greater reliability of the utilization of public health services are is still required. Health policy for equal distribution of health service throughout the country along the hierarchical health service system and complementary mutual assistance and cooperation among various health organizations are also required.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.197-204
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• 2019

In this study, smart farm technology was used by farmers cultivating 'CHIKUMASSHU T-011' in order to develop an optimal growth model for the precision cultivation of bottle-grown winter mushroom and the results of the same are mentioned herein. Farmers participating in the experiment used 60 ㎡ of bed area with 4 rows and 13 columns of shelf shape, 20 horsepower refrigerator, 100T of sandwich panel for insulation, 6 ultrasonic humidifiers, 12 kW of heating, and 20,000 bottles of Flammulina velutipes mushroom spores. The temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentrations, which directly affect the growth of the mushroom, were collected and analyzed from the environmental sensors installed at the winter mushroom cultivation area. The initial temperature was found to be 14.5℃, which was maintained at 14℃ to 15℃ until the 10th day. In the restriction phase, the initial temperature was 4℃ and was maintained between 2℃ and 3℃ until the 15th day, while during the growth phase, it was maintained between 7.5℃ to 9.5℃. Analysis of the humidity data revealed initial humidity to be 100%, which varied between 88% to 98% during primordia formation period. The humidity remained between 77% to 96% until the 15th day, in the restriction phase and between 75% to 83% during the growth phase. The initial carbon dioxide concentration was 3,500 ppm and varied between 3,500 ppm to 6,000 ppm during primordia formation period and was maintained at 6,000 ppm until the 15th day. During the growth phase, the carbon dioxide concentration was found to be over 6,000 ppm. Fruiting body characteristics of 'CHIKUMASSHU T-011' cultivated in the farmhouse were as follows: Pileus diameter of 7.5 mm and thickness of 4.1 mm, stipe thickness of 3.3 mm, and length of 154.2 mm. The number of valid fruiting bodies was 1,048 unit per 1,400 mL bottle, and the individual weight was 0.71 g per unit. The yield of fruiting bodies was 402.8 g per 1,400 mL bottle.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2019

Currently, cultivation of mushrooms using the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based smart farming technique is increasing rapidly. The main environmental factors for growth of mushrooms are temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and light. Among all the mentioned factors, currently, only temperature has been maintained under automatic control. However, humidity and ventilation are controlled using a timer, based on technical experience.Therefore, in this study, a Pleurotus eryngii first-generation smart farm model was set up that can automatically control temperature, humidity, and ventilation. After installing the environmental control system and the monitoring device, the environmental condition of the mushroom cultivation room and the growth of the fruiting bodies were studied. The data thus obtained was compared to that obtained using the conventional cultivation method.In farm A, the temperature during the primordia formation stage was about 17℃, and was maintained at approximately 16℃ during the fruiting stage. The humidity was initially maintained at 95%, and the farm was not humidified after the primordia formation stage. There was no sensor for CO₂ management, and the system was ventilated as required by observing the shape of the pileus and the stipe. It was observed that, the concentration of CO₂ was between 700 and 2,500 ppm during the growth period. The average weight of the mushrooms produced in farm A was 125 g, and the quality was between that of the premium and the first grade.In farm B. The CO₂ sensor was in use for measurement purposes only; the system was ventilated as required by observing the shape of the pileus and the stipe. During the growth period, the CO₂ concentration was observed to be between 640 and 4,500 ppm. The average weight of the mushrooms produced in farm B was 102 g.These results indicate that the quality of the king oyster mushroom is determined by the environmental conditions, especially by the concentration of CO₂. Thus, the data obtained in this study can be used as an optimal smart farm model, where, by improving the environmental control method of farm A, better quality mushrooms were obtained.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3 s.49
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• pp.171-187
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• 2006

The status of heavy metal contamination was investigated using chemical analyses of stream waters and sediments obtained from Samsanjeil and Sambong Cu mining area in Goseong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. In addition, the degree and the environmental risk of heavy metal contamination in stream sediments was assessed through pollution index (Pl) and danger index (DI) based on total digestion by aqua regia and fractionation of heavy metal contaminants by sequential extraction, respectively. Not only the degree of heavy metal contamination was significantly higher in Samsanjeil area than in Sambong area, but its environmental risk was also revealed much more serious in Samsanjeil area than in Sambong area. The differences in status and level of contamination and environmental risk between both two mining areas may be attributed to existence of contamination source and geology. Acid mine drainage is continuously discharged and flows into the stream in Samsanjeil mining area, and it makes the heavy metal contamination in the stream more deteriorated than in Sambong mining area in which acid mine drainage is not produced. In addition, the geology of Samsanjeil mining area is mainly comprised of andesitic rocks including a small amount of calcite and having lower pH buffering capacity fer acid mine drainage, and it is likely that the heavy metal contamination cannot be naturally attenuated in streams. On the contrary, the main geology of Sambong mining area consists of pyroclastic sedimentary Goseong formation containing a high content of carbonates, particularly calcite, and it seems that these carbonates of high pH buffering capacity prevent the heavy metal contamination from proceeding downstream in stream within that area.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2007

In this study, we constructed and tested retrovirus vectors designed to express the human thrombopoietin gene under the control of the tetracycline-inducible promoters. To increase the hTPO gene expression at him-on state, WPRE sequence was also introduced into retrovirus vector at downstream region of either the hTPO gene or the sequence encoding reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator (rtTA). Primary culture cells (PFF, porcine fetal fibroblast; CEF, chicken embryonic fibroblast) infected with the recombinant retrovirus were cultured in the medium supplemented with or without doxycycline for 48hr, and induction efficiency was measured by comparing the hTPO gene expression level using RT-PCR, western blot and ELISA. Higher hPTO expression and tighter expression control were observed from the vector in which the WPRE sequence was placed at downstream of the hTPO (in CEF) or rtTA(in PFF) gene. This resulting tetracycline inducible vector system may be helpful in solving serious physiological disturbance problems which have been a major obstacle in successful production of transgenic animals.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.409-418
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary probiotics and immunomodulator on growth performance, carcass characteristics, fecal $NH_3$ content and pathogenic bacteria counts in ileum and cecum and ileum of broiler chicken (Korean native chicken, HanHyup No. 3). A total of 120 (day-old) chicks were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 3 replicates and there were 8 birds per replicate. Dietary treatments consisted of five diets; the corn-soybean based control diet (C), the diet containing antibiotics (Avilamycin) 10 ppm (T1), the diet containing probiotics 1 [(Lactobacillus ($4.45{\times}10^6$) + yeast ($1.51{\times}10^6$) + Bacillus subtilis ($3.50{\times}10^5$)] at 0.5% level (T2), probiotics 2 [(Lactobacillus ($6.70{\times}10^7$) + yeast ($3.10{\times}10^6$)] at 0.5% level in diet (T3), and the diet containing probiotics 3 [T2 + ${\beta}$-glucan + organic acid] (T4) and raised for 9 weeks. There were no significant differences among treatments in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. Carcass ratios of broilers were higher in T3 and T4 than other treatments, however, the differences were non-significant. Internal organs and liver, heart weight were significantly increased in T4 (p<0.05) compared to other treatments. The fecal $NH_3$ gas content was decreased (p<0.05) in antibiotics fed group than others. However, probiotic fed groups were not different when compared with control. The number of Salmonella and E. coli in cecum were reduced in the group supplemented with probiotics and immunomodulator compared to the antibiotics (p<0.05). In this experiment, we showed that diets containing pro-biotics and immunomodulator were capable of an alternative to antibiotics.