• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.118-138
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• 2022

This study was conducted to identify the vegetation structure of major vegetation by region and elevation in the subalpine zone of Seoraksan National Park and prepare an inventory of flora. We reviewed the results of the previous subalpine studies and, through a preliminary survey, determined that the first appearance point of subalpine vegetation was about 800 m based on the south. Then we conducted a site survey by installing a total of 77 plots, including 12 plots on the northern Baekdamsa-Madeungnyeong trail (BD), 13 plots on the west Hangyeryeong-Kkeutcheong trail (HG), 13 plots on the east side of Sinheungsa-Socheongbong trail (SA), and 39 plots in the southern Osaek-Kkeutcheong, Osaek-Daecheongbong trail (OS), in an interval of 50 m above sea level. The analysis classified 7 communities, including Qercus mongolica-Abies holophylla-Acer pseudosieboldianumcommunity, Q. mongolica-Tilia amurensiscommunity, Q. mongolica-Pinus koraiensiscommunity, Q. mongolica-A. pseudosieboldianumcommunity, Betula ermanii-A. nephrolepiscommunity, P. koraiensis-A. nephrolepiscommunity, and mixed deciduous broad-leaf tree community according to the species composition based on the appearance of the major subalpine plants such as Quercus mongolica, Betula ermanii, and Abies nephrolepis, region, and elevation. 10.68±2.98 species appeared per plot (100 m²), and 110.87±63.89 individuals were identified. The species diversity analysis showed that the subalpine vegetation community of Seoraksan National Park was a mixed forest in which various species appeared as important species. Although there was a difference in the initial elevation for the appearance of major subalpine plants by region, they were distributed intensively in the elevation range of 1,100 to 1,300 m. In the Seoraksan National Park, 322 taxa, 83 families, 193 genera, 196 species, 1 subspecies, 26 varieties, and 4 forms of vascular plants were identified. One taxon of Trientalis europaeavar.arcticawas identified as the protected species. The endemic plants were 19 taxa, and 58 taxa were identified as subalpine plants.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.157-163
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• 2012

Objective: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes that play a crucial role in the detoxification of both the endogenous products of oxidative stress and exogenous carcinogens. Recent studies investigating the association between genetic polymorphisms in GSTs and the risk of adult brain tumors have reported conflicting results. The rationale of this pooled analysis was to determine whether the presence of a GST variant increases adult glioma susceptibility by combining data from multiple studies. Methods: In our meta-analysis, 12 studies were identified by a search of the MEDLINE, HIGHWIRE, SCIENCEDIRECT and EMBASE databases. Of those 12, 11 evaluated GSTM1, nine evaluated GSTT1 and seven evaluated GSTP1 Ile105Val. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using ${\chi}^2$-based Q statistic and the $I^2$ statistic. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms and the risk of adult gliomas. Results: The quantitative synthesis showed no significant evidence to indicate an association exists between the presence of a GSTM1, GSTT1 or GSTP1 Ile105Val haplotype polymorphism and the risk of adult gliomas (OR, 1.008, 1.246, 1.061 respectively; 95% CI, 0.901-1.129, 0.963-1.611, 0.653-1.724 respectively). Conclusions: Overall, this study did not suggest any strong relationship between GST variants or related enzyme polymorphisms and an increased risk of adult gliomas. Some caveats include absence of specific raw information on ethnic groups or smoking history on glioma cases in published articles; therefore, well-designed studies with a clear stratified analysis on potential confounding factors are needed to confirm these results.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.649-655
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• 2005

Nutrigenomics refers to research that investigates the interaction between nutrition and the human genome. Caffeine in tea and coffee is widely and routinely consumed by people. This study was performed to confirm the effect of caffeine treatment on the gene expression and cytokine profiling in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells using microarray and protein array methodology. Treatment of caffeine in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells increased expression of several genes related with obesity including adipocyte C1Q and collagen domain containing (ACDC), Adipsin (ADN), uncoupling protein 3(UCP3), while glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), which is known as lipid storage enzyme, was decreased by caffeine treatment. Furthermore, cytokines, such as interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-12(IL-12), interleukin-13 (IL-13), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were decreased in caffeine treated 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells. These results provided interesting information about the genes related with caffeine and cytokine expression profiling in obesity.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.202-215
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• 1998

Purpose : To shorten processing time for variety of medical affairs of the patient at the outpatient clinic of a big hospital is very important to qualify medical care of the patient. Therefore, patient's waiting time for drug delivery after doctor's prescription is often utilized as a strong tool to evaluate patient satisfaction with a medical care provided. We performed this study to investigate factors influencing patient satisfaction related with waiting time for drug delivery. Methods : The data were collected from July 21 to August 12, 1998. A total 535 patients or their families who visited outpatient clinics of Inha University Hospital were subjected to evaluate the drug delivery time and the level of their satisfaction related, which were compared with those objectively evaluated by Quality Improvement Team. The reliability of the scale was tested with Cronbach's alpha, and the data were analyzed using frequency, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis and multiple regression. Results : The mean drug delivery time subjectively evaluated by the patient (16.1 13.0 min) was longer than that objectively evaluated (10.9 7.6 min) by 5.2 min. Drug delivery time objectively evaluated was influenced by the prescription contents, total amount or type of drug dispensed, etc, as expected. The time discrepancy between two evaluations was influenced by several causative factors. One of those proved to be a patient's late response to the information from the pharmacy which the drug is ready to deliver. Interestingly, this discrepancy was found to be more prominent especially when waiting place for drug delivery was not less crowded. Other factors, pharmaceutical counseling at the pharmacy, emotional status or behavior of a patient while he waits for the medicine, were also found to influence the time subjectively evaluated. Regarding the degree of patient satisfaction with the drug delivery, majority of patients accepted drug delivery time with less than 10 min. It was also found to be influenced by emotional status of the patient as well as kindness or activity of pharmaceutical counselor. Conclusion : The results show that, besides prescription contents, behavior pattern or emotional status of a patient, environment of the waiting place, and quality of pharmaceutical counseling at the pharmacy, may influence the patient's subjective evaluation of waiting time for drug delivery and his satisfaction related with the service in the big hospital. In order to improve patient satisfaction related with waiting time for drug delivery, it will be cost effective to qualify pharmaceutical counseling and information system at the drug delivery site or waiting place rather than to shorten the real processing time within the pharmacy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.355-372
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of multiaxial lower extremity orthosis on correction of genu valgum. 20 volunteers among people visited department of Rehabilitation Medicine, chungnam national university hospital, who had been diagnosed as genu valgum without other musculoskeletal problems were included. 10 individuals(mean age: 9.gyrs) who had been taken multiaxial lower extremity orthosis at least 12month were included in experimental group and the other 10 individuals(mean age: 11.7yrs) refused taking this orthosis in the control group. We measured the Q-angle & femorotibial angle using plain roentgenogram images at visiting day and repeat same test after 1year follow up. Multiaxial lower extremity orthosis consist of proximal horizontal bar with both thigh cuff, central vertical bar and distal horizontal bar with both shoes. we narrowed inter-shoes distance from start to 6th month and inter-thigh cuff distance together with above correction for next 6month in the frontal plane and from 10th month, dorsiflexed both shoes in sagittal plane. Also, we rotate the both shoes externally and retract the proximal vertical bar every month. This orthosis have to be taken at least 4 hours during sleep. The result were as follows 1. There were no statistical significant difference in each parameter between the right and left Q-angle before multiaxial lower extremity orthosis. 2. The left Q angle reduced $-11^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 3. The right Q angle reduced $-13^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 4. There were no statistical significant difference in each parameter between the right and left femorotibial angle before multiaxial lower extremity orthosis. 5. The left femorotibial angle reduced $-10.1^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after lyear follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 6. The right femorotibial angle reduced $-11.2^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001).

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2002

We authors developed a new small-size birdcage RF coil for animal MR images. And we compared signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the new small coil with a conventional knee coil. The dimension of the low-pass type birdcage coil with 12 elements at 37 MRI system are 13 cm outer diameter, 12 cm inner diameter and 20 cm length. For each element, the width of copper tape is 0.05 mm, thickness is 8 mm and length is 20 cm. The small birdcage coil with 12 elements exhibited 7 resonance modes. The isolation of the quadrature channel could be achieved more than 20 ㏈. The coil quality factor (Q value) was 98.6. The SNR of the animal coil was 243.2 on the average and was about twice as high as the conventional knee coil. The present study successfully demonstrated that the small birdcage coil could provide high quality animal MR images with the improved SNR. Therefore, it is expected that the small birdcage coil could be used in the clinical diagnosis and research studies for veterinary medicine in the near future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.5
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• pp.666-676
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• 2000

For the study of morphological variation of Q. variabilis natural population in Korea, 19 populations were selected through the country in considering latitude, longitude, and geographical characters. Thirty trees were randomly selected from each population and 60 mature leaves were sampled from each tree. Four characters (leaf blade length, maximum blade width, petiole length, and vein number) were measured, and their ratios (the ratio of blade length to maximum blade width, the ratio of blade length to petiole length, the ratio of petiole length to vein number, upper 1/3 blade width to maximum blade width, and upper 1/3 blade width to lower 1/3 blade width) were calculated. 1. Analysis of variance for all leaf characters were significantly different among populations and among individuals within population. Contributions of variance among individuals within population in all the characters were higher than those among populations. Therefore, selection of plus trees may be preferable to desirable populations for breeding program of Q. variabilis. 2. Among principal component analysis for leaf characters, primary 2 principal components appeared to be major variables for leaf form of Q. variabilis because of the loading contribution of 80.5%. The first contribution component was petiole length/vein number and petiole length ; the second one was upper 1/3 blade width/maximum blade width, upper blade width/lower 1/3 blade width and vein number, respectively. 3. Latitude was positively correlated with blade length/maximum blade width and blade length/petiole length, but negatively correlated with petiole length/vein number, upper 1/3 blade width/maximum blade width, upper 1/3 blade width/lower 1/3 blade width, petiole length, and vein number. But, for longitude and altitude the former two traits and the later five traits exhibited the negative and positive correlation, respectively. 4. Cluster analysis using complete linkage method for leaf characters showed two groups to Euclidean distance 1.6. They were group I of population 1. 4, 5, and 13 and group II of population 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19. However, group II was divided again to Euclidean distance 1.3, that is a group including population 3, 7, 10, 14, 15, and 17(group II-1) and the other group comprising population 2, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18, and 19(group II-2). This cluster could be mainly observed due to difference among population in aspect (group I : NE, group II-1 : SE, and group II-2 : SW).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.491-500
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• 2010

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of polyurethane coated urea on in vitro ruminal fermentation, ammonia release dynamics and lactating performance of Holstein dairy cows fed a steam-flaked corn-based diet. In Exp. 1, a dual-flow continuous culture was run to investigate the effect of polyurethane coated urea on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters and microbial efficiency. Three treatment diets with isonitrogenous contents (13.0% CP) were prepared: i) feedgrade urea (FGU) diet; ii) polyurethane coated urea (PCU) diet; and iii) isolated soy protein (ISP) diet. Each of the diets consisted of 40% steam-flaked corn meal, 58.5% forages and 1.5% different sources of nitrogen. PCU and FGU diets had significantly lower digestibility of NDF and ADF (p<0.01) than the ISP diet. Nitrogen source had no significant effect (p = 0.62) on CP digestibility. The microbial efficiency (expressed as grams of microbial N/kg organic matter truly digested (OMTD)) in vitro of the PCU diet (13.0 g N/kg OMTD) was significantly higher than the FGU diet (11.3 g N/kg OMTD), but comparable with the ISP diet (14.7 g N/kg OMTD). Exp. 2, an in vitro ruminal fermentation experiment, was conducted to determine the ammonia release dynamics during an 8 h ruminal fermentation. Three treatment diets were based on steam-flaked corn diets commonly fed to lactating cows in China, in which FGU, PCU or soybean meal (SBM) was added to provide 10% of total dietary N. In vitro $NH_3-N$ concentrations were lower (p<0.05) for the PCU diet than the FGU diet, but similar to that for the SBM diet at all time points. In Exp. 3, a lactation trial was performed using 24 lactating Holstein cows to compare the lactating performance and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations when cows were fed PCU, FGU and SBM diets. Cows consuming the PCU diet had approximately 12.8% more (p = 0.02) dietary dry matter intake than those consuming the FGU diet. Cows fed the PCU diet had higher milk protein content (3.16% vs. 2.94%) and lower milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration (13.0 mg/dl vs. 14.4 mg/dl) than those fed the FGU diet. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration was significantly lower for cows fed the PCU (16.7 mg/dl) and SBM (16.4 mg/dl) diets than the FGU (18.7 mg/dl) diet. Cows fed the PCU diet had less surplus ruminal N than those fed the FGU diet and produced a comparable lactation performance to the SBM diet, suggesting that polyurethane coated urea can partially substitute soybean meal in the dairy cow diet without impairing lactation performance.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

This paper presents a wideband ${\Delta}{\Sigma}$ fractional-N frequency synthesizer for a multi-band single chip CMOS RFIC transceivers. A wideband VCO utilizes a 6-bit switched capacitor array bank for 2340~3940 MHz frequency range. VCO frequency calibration circuit is designed for optimal capacitor bank code selection before phase locking process. It finishes the calibration process in $2{\mu}s$ over the whole frequency band. The LO generation block has selectable multiple division ratios of ${\div}2$, ${\div}16$, and ${\div}32$ to generate LO I/Q signals for T-DMB/DAB/FM Radio systems in L-Band (1173~1973 MHz), VHF-III (147~246 MHz), VFH-II (74~123 MHz), respectively. The measured integrated phase noise is quite low as it is lower than 0.8 degree RMS over the whole frequency band. Total locking time of the ${\Delta}{\Sigma}$ frequency synthesizer including VCO frequency calibration time is less than $50{\mu}s$. The wideband ${\Delta}{\Sigma}$ fractional-N frequency synthesizer is fabricated in $0.13{\mu}m$ CMOS technology, and it consumes 15.8 mA from 1.2 V DC supply.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are located at the chromosomal ends and progressively shortened during each cell cycle. Telomerase, which is regulated by hTERT and c-MYC, maintains telomeric DNA sequences. Especially, telomerase is active in cancer and stem cells to maintain telomere length for replicative immortality. Recently we reported that walnut phenolic extract (WPE) can reduce cell viability in a colon cancer stem cell (CSC) model. We, therefore, investigated the effect of WPE on telomere maintenance in the same model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: $CD133^+CD44^+$ cells from HCT116, a human colon cancer cell line, were sorted by Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and treated with WPE at the concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and $40{\mu}g/mL$ for 6 days. Telomere lengths were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) using telomere specific primers and DNA extracted from the cells, which was further adjusted with single-copy gene and reference DNA ($ddC_t$). Telomerase activity was also measured by qRT-PCR after incubating the PCR mixture with cell protein extracts, which was adjusted with reference DNA ($dC_t$). Transcriptions of hTERT and c-MYC were determined using conventional RT-PCR. RESULTS: Telomere length of WPE-treated cells was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner ($5.16{\pm}0.13$ at $0{\mu}g/mL$, $4.79{\pm}0.12$ at $10{\mu}g/mL$, $3.24{\pm}0.08$ at $20{\mu}g/mL$ and $3.99{\pm}0.09$ at $40{\mu}g/mL$; P = 0.0276). Telomerase activities concurrently decreased with telomere length ($1.47{\pm}0.04$, $1.09{\pm}0.01$, $0.76{\pm}0.08$, and $0.88{\pm}0.06$; P = 0.0067). There was a positive correlation between telomere length and telomerase activity (r = 0.9090; P < 0.0001). Transcriptions of both hTERT and c-MYC were also significantly decreased in the same manner. CONCLUSION: In the present cell culture model, WPE reduced telomere maintenance, which may provide a mechanistic link to the effect of walnuts on the viability of colon CSCs.