• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2012

Objectives: Controversy regarding the relationship between exposure to Agent Orange and disease has progressed for more than four decades, both at home and abroad. Recently, the allegation by US veteran Steve House of the burial of Agent Orange at the US Army base Camp Carroll located in Waegwan-eup, Korea, has emerged. We reviewed published articles and reports related to Agent Orange. Methods: Articles and reports were collected online using the keywords 'agent orange' and 'health' and then reviewed. Results: A number of epidemiologic studies have reported disease outcomes due to exposure to Agent Orange, while others were unable to establish a link to the injuries of veterans of the Vietnam War. This can be explained by the fact that accurate exposure assessment should be carried out since exposure misclassification in epidemiologic studies can affect estimates of risk. In the case of the burial of Agent Orange at Camp Carroll, an exposure pathway could be through underground water supplies, which differs from the cases of Vietnam and Seveso in Italy. Conclusion: There still remains a dispute among academics regarding the relationship between exposure to Agent Orange and disease, although Agent Orange is a highly toxic chemical. This dispute indicates that accurate exposure pathway and exposure assessment is needed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.157-170
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• 2014

Objectives: Agent Orange TCDD has been related to serious diseases among Korean veterans who were exposed to it. Decades after the end of the war, however, its effects are still being debated. The object of this study was to examine various unmet needs raised among Agent Orange exposed veterans and their families and to find grounds of a new welfare policy for providing alternative legislation. Methods: Literatures concerning Agent Orange, TCDD, the associated diseases, compensation for veterans and Supreme Court sentencing were searched using PubMed, ProQuest, press news and relevant homepages. Results: Agent Orange exposed veterans are eligible for various benefits from the government, including disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has classified certain diseases into two categories, Agent Orange sequela diseases and sequela suspect diseases and has provided differential benefits based on separated laws. Big differences exist in benefits to veterans and their families between the two laws. The absence of definite standards to classify the Agent Orange associated diseases was confirmed by recent Supreme Court sentencing which ruled in favor of US manufacturers. Conclusion: It appears that the evidence for cause and effect of Agent Orange related diseases would never be perfect. The results suggest a need to change welfare principles from presumptive or indefinite disease basis to exposure experiences combined with integrated disability evaluation. We propose to extend eligibility by enacting a new law for Agent Orange exposed Korean veterans.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2003

Objective : The aim of this study was to identify the validity of recruiting medical checkup participants of Vietnam veterans using a mail survey, and to identify the 'Vietnam service related characteristics' and 'general characteristics' of Vietnam veterans groups, Method : In this study, a total 900 veterans were randomly selected from the list of Vietnam veterans from f964 to 1973. The veterans were classified into 5 groups, taking into consideration their registered status in the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs: the VRD (veterans who have agent orange-related diseases), VSD (veterans who have agent orange-suspected disease), VM (veterans who peformed meritorious deeds during the war), VR (veterans who were registered with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affair) and OV (other veterans) groups. By means of postal surveys, the veterans' intention to participate in the medical checkup for our research, and their socioeconomic and general characteristics were investigated. 52 surveys were returned due to the subjects not residing at the listed address, and were excluded from the analysis. Result : 699 of the 848 veterans (82.4%) responded to the survey, of which 619 (88.6%) intended to participate in the medical checkup for our research. The S veterans groups all had similar ages, Vietnam service period, Agent Orange exposure, troop characteristic and wartime class, with the exception of VM, who were older, and with a greater number of officers than the other 4 groups, There was a big difference in the health statius among the Vietnam veterans group. The VM and OV were much healthier than VRD, VSD and VR groups, The socioeconomic stati of the VRD, VSD and VR groups were lower than those of the VM and OV groups. Conclusion : Although there were some limitations, the recruitment, by mail, of medical checkup participants from Vietnam veterans is a valid and feasible method. The VM and OV groups were much healthier, and with higher socioeconomic stati, than the VRD, VSD, and VR groups.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.84-84
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• 2023

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2020

Purpose: Agent Orange (AO) is a herbicide and defoliant used by the United States and its military allies during the Vietnam War. Pneumonia is a common cause of death among Vietnam veterans in our hospital. There have been no previous studies researching any association between AO exposure and the prognosis for pneumonia. The primary objective of this study was to investigate associations between AO exposure and 30-day mortality due to pneumonia. The secondary objective was to examine the clinical factors associated with therapeutic outcomes in veterans with pneumonia, and to assess the prevalence of combined diseases in AO-exposed veterans. Methods: This study retrospectively included veteran patients diagnosed with pneumonia in the emergency department and hospitalized between February 2014 and March 2018. The enrolled patients were grouped according to their defoliant exposure history, and the clinical information of defoliant-exposed and non-defoliant-exposed groups were compared. Patients were divided according to 30-day mortality, and significant factors influencing mortality were evaluated by using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis. The final multivariate model revealed the effect of AO exposure on therapeutic outcomes of pneumonia. Results: A total of 1006 patients were analyzed. Of these, 276 patients had a history of AO exposure, whereas 730 patients had not been exposed. Factors positively associated with 30-day mortality were malignancy, respiratory rate, blood urea nitrogen, and albumin which was negatively associated with mortality. Conclusion: Exposure to defoliant is not associated with 30-day mortality in patients with pneumonia. However, veterans with defoliant exposure are associated with a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, malignancy, and chronic kidney disease.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2007

Perilla rust is a damaging disease in perilla cultivation in Korea. Its causal agent was identified as Coleosporium plectranthi based on descriptions of morphological characteristics of spores and spore-producing fruiting structures(in uredinial and telial stages from perilla and in aecial stage from the alternate host pine) collected in 15 locations in Korea during the disease survey from 2004 to 2006. These characteristics were yellow or orange uredinium; globose or ellipsoid urediniospore of $20.8{\mu}m{\times}18{\mu}m$ in size; verruca of $0.3mm{\times}1.2mm$; orange telium; one-celled, oblong ellipsoid teliospore of $63.1{\mu}m{\times}19.7{\mu}m$ with one-layered crusts or four-celled(when mature), internal basidium of $64.2{\mu}m{\times}19.7{\mu}m$; ellipsoid to globoid basidiospore of $20.3{\mu}m{\times}12{\mu}m$; type 2 spermogonium; yellow, broadly ellipsoid peridial cell of $35.6{\mu}m{\times}23.1{\mu}m$; and broadly ellipsoidal or subglobose aeciospore of $25.9{\mu}m{\times}18.8{\mu}m$. Phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA sequences revealed the closest relatedness to those of the genus Coleosporium, a monophyletic group distinguished from other rust fungi and divided into two main lineages, one of which was C. plectranthi grouped with high bootstrap value(96%). In pathogenicity test, both aeciospores and urediniospores caused rust development on perilla leaves. This is the first description of C. plectranthi causing perilla rust with the first findings of its telial stage on perilla and the first rust disease on the aecial host in Pinus densiflora. These aspects would provide basic information for the development of control measures of the disease.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.312-321
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• 2013

Objective: In May 2011, an interview with three United States Forces Korea veterans revealed that chemicals believed to be 'Agent Orange' were buried at Camp Carroll (situated in Waegwan, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea) in 1978. Many hazardous chemicals, such as perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and organochlorines were subsequently found in a joint US-ROK environmental investigation, although dioxins or burial evidence related to 'Agent Orange' have been not uncovered. This study was carried out to investigate the relevance of hazardous chemical exposure and health effects of the residents around Camp Carroll. Methods: The authors conducted a health questionnaire survey among residents around Camp Carroll regarding Waegwan groundwater ingestion, length of residence in Waegwan, and physician-diagnosed disease history (such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes and etc.). Logistic regression was performed to identify the associations between hazardous chemical exposure and physician-diagnosed diseases. Results: Among the 5,320 residents, excluding those living outside the Waegwan area, 3,430 subjects age 30 and over were analyzed. Among females, upon correction of age, smoking history and Camp Carroll working history, a higher distribution in the Waegwan groundwater ingestion group was demonstrated for patients with physician-diagnosed cancer and hypertension. The odds ratios have a tendency to increase with increased length of Waegwan groundwater ingestion. Conclusions: This study may be limited by not adopting a cohort study for the evaluation of factors that may confound environmental exposure. Yet it is meaningful that the correlation between Waegwan groundwater ingestion and chronic diseases were found through regression analysis in female; and further, this outcome may be used as a sampling basis for a secondary epidemiologic study.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2023

Citrus black rot is a serious disease of citrus plants caused by Alternaria citri. The current study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) by chemically or green method and investigate their antifungal activity against A. citri. The sizes of synthesized as measured by transmission electron microscope of ZnO-NPs were 88 and 65 nm for chemical and green methods, respectively. The studied prepared ZnO-NPs were applied, in vitro and in situ, at different concentrations (500, 1,000, and 2,000 ㎍/ml) in post-harvest treatment on navel orange fruits to verify the possible control effect against A. citri. Results of in vitro assay demonstrated that, at concentration 2,000 ㎍/ml, the green ZnO-NPs was able to inhibit about 61% of the fungal growth followed by 52% of chemical ZnO-NPs. In addition, scanning electron microscopy of A. citri treated in vitro with green ZnO-NPs showed swelling and deformation of conidia. Results showed also that, using a chemically and green ZnO-NPs at 2,000 ㎍/ml in situ in post-harvest treatment of orange, artificially-infected with A. citri, has reduced the disease severity to 6.92% and 9.23%, respectively, compared to 23.84% of positive control (non-treated fruits) after 20 days of storage. The out findings of this study may contribute to the development of a natural, effective, and eco-friendly strategy for eradicating harmful phytopathogenic fungi.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.378-381
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• 2014

A new pathogen was isolated from zoysiagrass-planted park of Jeju island in 2014. Symptoms appeared a type of irregular patches occurring brownish leaf blight, followed by stem and crown rot. The symptom was very similar to that of large patch caused by Rhizoctonia solani, a well-known devastating zoysiagrass disease. The isolate showed thin orange-colored mycelia and screlotia were formed on the medium based on cultural characteristics. The causal agent of the disease was finally identified as Waitea circinata by analysis of ribosomal DNA. On the inoculation test, Waitea circinatae showed strong pathogenicity to the zoysiagrass. The mycelia were obviously observed in the inoculated tissues. This is the first report of Waitea ring patch caused by Waitea circinata on zoysiagrass.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.137-142
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• 1995

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease of large and small ruminants, causing losses through mortality, abortion, weight loss and reduced milk production. In one dairy farm, for example, 250 of a total of 800 imported goats were diagnosed with a mysterious type of anemia during the summer and autumn of 1992. The etiologic agent was identified as Anaplasma spp by acridine orange and ultrastructure by electron microscopy. In order to monitor variations in blood biochemical and hematological parameters associated with the disease, blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture from 50 goats at 3 month intervals between the period of February and October, 1993. The levels of RBCs, HB and HCT decreased from $18.48{\pm}1.96$ to $13.47{\pm}2.48X10^6/mm^3$, $12.25{\pm}1.41$ to $9.54{\pm}1.77g/dl$, and $43.09{\pm}4.75$ to $30.93{\pm}5.78%$, respectively. The values of MCH(Mean corpuscular hemoglobin), MCHC(Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) and PLT(Platelet) were elevated from $6.58{\pm}0.30$ to $7.05{\pm}0.47pg$, $28.40{\pm}1.20$ to $30.82{\pm}1.85g/dl$ and $1688.34{\pm}750$ to $2046.82{\pm}783X10^3/mm^3$, respectively. Percent parasitized erythrocytes(PPE) increased from $0.61{\pm}0.5$ to $2.22{\pm}1.9%$, clinical biochemical parameters aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were $66.64{\pm}23.1K.U$ and $14.90{\pm}6.59K.U$, respectively and persisted at high levels throughout the observation period. The level of albumin(2.46)0.52 g/dl) was decreased corresponding to an elevated globulin and a reduced albumin/globulin ratio in October as compared with the values in February. It is concluded that caprine anaplasmosis may be an important cause of anemia and hepatic malfunction in goats.