• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2017

'The worstest environment disaster', 'World's first biocide massacre', 'Home-based Sewol ferry disaster' are all phrases attached to the recent humidifier disinfectant disaster. In the spring of 2011, four of 8 pregnant women including 1 adult man passed away at a university hospital in Seoul due to breathing failure. Epidemiologic investigation conducted by the Korean CDC soon revealed the inhalation of humidifier disinfectant, which had been widely used in Korea during the winter, to be responsible for the disease. As well as lung fibrosis hardening of the lungs, other diseases including asthma, rhinitis, skin disease, liver disease, fetal disease or cancers have been researched for their relation with exposure to the products. By February 9, 2017, 5,342 cases had registered for health problems and 1,131 of them were already dead (20.8% mortality rate). Based on studies by government agencies and a telephone survey of the general population by Seoul National University and civic groups, around 20% of the general public of Korea has used these products. Since the market release of the first product by SK Chemical in 1994, over 7.1 million items from around 20 brands were sold up to 2011. Most of the products were manufactured by well-known large conglomerates such as SK, Lotte, Samsung, Shinsegye, LG, and GS, as well as some European companies including UK-based Reckitt Benckiser and TESCO, the German firm Henkel, the Danish firm KeTox, and an Irish company. Even though this disaster was unveiled in 2011 by the Korean government, the issue of the victims was neglected for over five years. In 2016, an unexpected but intensive investigation by prosecutors found that Reckitt Benckiser manipulated and concealed animal tests for its own brand and brought several university experts and company employees to court. The matter was an intense social issue in Korea from May to June with a surge in media coverage. The prosecutor's investigation and a nationwide boycott campaign organized by victims and environmental groups against Reckitt Benckiser, whose product had been used by more than 70% of victims, led to the producer's official apology and a compensation scheme. A legislative investigation organized after the April 2016 national election revealed the producers' faults and the government's responsibility, but failed to meet expectations. A special law for the victims passed the National Assembly in January 2017 and a punitive system together with a massive environmental epidemiology investigation are expected to be the only solutions for this tragedy. Sciences of medicine, toxicology and environmental health have provided decisive evidence so far, but for the remaining problems the perspectives of social sciences such as sociology and jurisprudence are highly necessary, similar to with the Minamata disease and Wonjin Rayon events. It may not be easy to follow this issue using unfamiliar terminology from medical and chemical science and the long, complicated history of the event. For these reasons the author has attempted to write this article in a question and answer format to render it easier to follow. The 17 questions are: Q1 What is humidifier disinfectant? Q2 What kind of health problems are caused by humidifier disinfectant? Q3 How many victims are there? Q4 What is the analysis of the 1,112 cases of death? Q5 What is the problem with the government's diagnostic criteria and the solution? Q6 Who made what brands? Q7 Has there been a recall? What is still on sale? Q8 Was safety not checked by any producers? Q9 What are the government's responsibilities? Q10 Is it true that these products were sold only in Korea? Q11 Why and how was it unveiled only in 2011 after 17 years of sales? Q12 What delayed the resolution of the victim issue? Q13 What is the background of the prosecutor's investigation in early 2016? Q14 Is it possible to report new victim cases without evidence of product purchase? Q15 What is happening with the victim issue? Q16 How does it compare with the cases of Minamata disease and Wonjin Rayon? Q17 Are there prevention measures and lessons?

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.683-690
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of high-b-values diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the preoperative detection of focal rectum cancers. 60patients with diffusion weighted imaging were evaluated for the presence of rectal cancers. Forty were male and twenty were female, and their ages ranged from 38 to 71 (mean, 56) years. Used equipment was 1.5Tesla MRI((GE, General Electric Medical System, Excite HD). Examination protocols were used the fast spin echo T2, T1 weighted imaging. All examination protocols were performed by the same location with diffusion weighted imaging for accuracy detection. The b-values used in DWI were 250, 500, 750, 1000. 1500, 2000$(s/mm^2)$. The rectum, bladder to tumor contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of MR images were quantitativlely analyzed using GE software Functool tool, four experienced radiologists and three radiotechnologists qualitatively evaluated image quality in terms of image artifacts, lesion conspicuity and rectal wall. These data were analysed by using ANOVA and Freedman test with each b-value(p<0.05). Contrast to noise ratio of rectum, bladder and tumor in b-value 1000 were 27.21, 24.44, respectively(p<0.05) and aADC value was $0.73\times10^{-3}$. As a qualitative analysis, the conspicuity and discrimination from the rectal wall of lesions were high results as $4.0\pm0.14$, $4.4\pm0.16$ on b-value 1000(p<0.05), image artifacts were high results as $4.8\pm0.25$ on b-value 2000(p<0.05). In conclusion, DWI was provided useful information with depicting the pre-operative detection of rectal cancers, High-b-value 1000 image was the most excellent DWI value.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.268-275
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• 2007

Diversity of the mud flat microbial population in Suncheon Bay was investigated by studying extracellular enzyme activities and 16S rDNA sequences. Four culturable bacterial strains with CMCase, xylanase and protease activities were isolated from the wetland and the mud flat. All the strains produced more xylanase activity than CMCase or protease activity, and the properties of the isolate enzymes from the wetland were similar to those from the mud flat. About 2,000 clones were obtained with the 16S rDNA amplified from the metagenomic DNA isolated from the mud samples. Based on the restriction pattern(s), seventeen clones were selected for base sequence analysis. Of the 17 clones, only 35% (6 clones) were found to be cultured strains and 65% (11 clones) to be uncultured strains. The similarities in the base sequences of the clones ranged from 91.0% to 99.9% with an average similarity of 97.3%. The clones could be divided into 7 groups, Proteobacteria (9 clones, 52.9%), Firmicutes (3 clones, 17.6%), Bacteroidetes (1 clone), Flavobacteria (1 clone), Verrucomicrobia (1 clone), Acidobacteria (1 clone), and Chloroflexi (1 clone). Most of the Proteobacteria clones were gamma Proteobacteria associated with oxidation-reduction of sulfur.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.593-601
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• 2016

This study was carried out to establish an effective marketing strategy based on Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) of rice-convenience foods. IPA is one of the most efficient and simple methods to evaluate product quality. Data were collected from 652 people (320 males and 332 females) and analyzed by SPSS 19.0. Subjects consumed rice-convenience foods as a snack substitute (19.3%), breakfast (20.7%), lunch (37.4%), dinner (15.2%), and late-night meal (7.4%). The purpose for consumption of rice-convenience foods were as follows: light meal (34.8%), lack of time to prepare meal (42.2%), favorite restaurant is not nearby (2.3%), save money (3.4%), and outdoor activities (9.7%). All attributes about rice-convenience foods were categorized into intrinsic property and extrinsic property. As a result of factor analysis, health, sensibility, and diversity factors were extracted from intrinsic property. In addition, dependence and appearance factors were drawn from extrinsic property. In analyzing the differences between importance and performance, there were significant differences; 16 items in the intrinsic property (P<0.01), and 10 items in the extrinsic property (P<0.001). The IPA matrix is composed of four quadrants, and each represents different strategies; the first, 'keep up the good work', the second, 'possible overkill', the third, 'low priority for management', and the fourth, 'concentrate management'. As a result, factors of rice-convenience foods positioned in the fourth quadrant were 'safety (from food additives, etc.)' and 'price' in the intrinsic property and 'nutrition label' and 'safety of packaging material' in the extrinsic property. They need to be improved immediately. In this study, rice-convenience food factors for continuous maintenance and concentrative improvement were compared by IPA. Based upon the results of this study, it is necessary to develop methods to make efficient use of limited resources and practical marketing strategies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 1992

Pinus koraiensis (Pk), P. rigida (Pr) and P. rigida ${\times}$ P. taeda (Pr. t) seedlings in a bare-rooted nursery were artificially inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) and Thelephora terrestris (Tt) to test long term effects of ectomycorrhizal inoculation on host growth. Mycelial inocula of Pt and Tt were mass-cultured in vermiculite-peatmoss mixture and introduced into fumigated nursery soil before seed sowing. Bare-rooted, inoculated seedlings at one to four years of age were outplanted to the field with $P_2O_5$ content of 25 ppm in soil. At the time of outplanting, Pk seedlings(4 years old), Pr seedlings(2 years old), and Pr.t seedlings(1 year old) all infected by Pt were significantly taller by 28%. 26%, and 77%, respectively, than controlled seedlings infected by natural population of mycorrhizal fungi in the non-fumigated plot. Ten years after inoculation or six to nine years after outplanting, Pk seedlings inoculated with Pt were significantly taller by 9% Pr.t seedlings significantly taller by 18%, and Pr slightly Caller by 2%(not significant) than controlled seedlings, suggesting that the stimulatory effect of Pt on host growth gradually declined or became minimal after outplanting. Tt failed to stimulate host growth either in the nursery or in the field, and the survival rate of outplanted seedlings was not different among fungal treatments. Considerable loss of the infected root system during lifting the seedlings for outplanting would be the primary cause of the reduced effect of Pt in the field. Pt infected more than 90% of the fine roots in the fumigated nursery during the first growing season, but Pt assumed to fail to compete successfully with natural population of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the field. It is necessary to select other mycorrhizal fungi which adapt well in both nursery and field.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1576-1582
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of administration of calcium supplementary food containing fermented product of Bacillus subtilis SE4 highly producing poly-$\gamma$-glutamic acid on the growthparameters of adolescent male rats. Four-week old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed for 4 weeks and assigned to the following 4 groups: two groups administered orally with new calcium supplementary food (such as 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) containing fermented product of B. subtilis SE4, one group administered with conventional calcium supplementary food product (150 mg/kg) and one saline group as control. Daily weight gain and daily food intake in the two new food product groups were higher than those of conventional food product group and control group. Especially, the content of serum IGF-I in the two new food product groups were significantly higher than those in conventional food product group and in control group (p<0.05). In addition, length and weight of longitudinal bone in the two new food product groups were longer and heavier than those of conventional food product group and control group. Therefore, the addition of fermented food product of B. subtilis SE4 into the conventional calcium supplementary food increased all the parameters examined for the growth of the adolescent male rats.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.339-352
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• 2014

The study was carried out to analyze vegetation structure of Pinus densiflora and Quercus mongolica forests located in Jochimryeong to Shinbaeryeong of the Baekdudaegan mountain range. The survey for 50 plots was conducted from April 2012 to August 2013 in the permanent plots ($100m{\times}100m$) using phytosociological analysis. As a result, the vegetations were classified into five vegetation units. In species composition, they were classified into Q. mongolica community group divided into 2 community such as Fraxinus rhynchophylla community and Carpinus cordata community, F. rhynchophylla community was subdivided Pinus densiflor group (into Euonymus sachalinensis subgroup, Vitis coignetiae subgroup) and Juglans mandshurica group. C. cordata community was subdivided Acer komarovii group and Betula ermanii group. In terms of importance value, P. densiflora and Q. mongolica were more than 20% respectively. P. densiflora was found to have the highest relative coverage. Analysis of interspecific association showed four types which were coincident with differential species and character species on the constancy table. Based on the diameter class distribution, P. densiflora forest presented a normal distribution pattern except for other species which showed a reverse Jshaped distribution pattern, therefore P. densiflora forest would likely be replaced by Q. mongolica forests. While in Q. mongolica forest, diameter class distribution of all species population presented a reverse J-shaped distribution pattern, therefore Q. mongolica forest could likely remain in the future.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2009

Step-drawdown tests were conducted at four pumping Wells, two in porous media and two in fractured rocks, respectively. In general, P = 2.0 suggested by Jacob (1947) is applied to porous media and fractured rocks in terms of drawdowns of step-drawdown test. In an attempt to review problems of linear model (Jacob's graphic method) in interpreting the step-draw down test, the outcomes of well parameters (aquifer loss coefficient (B), well loss coefficient (C) and well loss exponent (P)) calculated from linear and nonlinear model (Labadie and Helweg's least-squares method) were compared and analyzed. The values of C and P calculated from linear and nonlinear models differed according to permeability of aquifer and the conditions of pumping well. The value C obtained from nonlinear models in porous media and fractured rocks is about $10^0{\sim}10^{-2}$ and $10^{-3}{\sim}10^{-6}$ times lower than in their linear models, respectively. The value P of porous media obtained from nonlinear model ranged from 2.123 to 2.775, while it ranged from 3.459 to 5.635 for fractured rocks. In case of nonlinear model, well loss highly depends on the value P. At this time, well efficiencies calculated from linear and nonlinear models were $1.56{\sim}14.89%$ for porous media and $8.73{\sim}24.71%$ for fractured rocks, showing a significant error according to chosen models. In nonlinear model, it was found that the regression analysis using the least squares method was very useful to interpret step-drawdown test in all aquifer.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.366-373
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• 2011

To analyze the genetic relationships among Korean potato cultivars and to develop cultivar identification method using DNA markers, we carried out genotyping using simple sequence repeats (SSR) analysis and developed multiplex-SSR set. Initially, we designed 92 SSR primer combinations reported previously and applied them to twenty four Korean potato cultivars. Among the 92 SSR markers, we selected 14 SSR markers based on polymorphism information contents (PIC) values. PIC values of the selected 14 markers ranged from 0.48 to 0.89 with an average of 0.76. PIC value of PSSR-29 was the lowest with 0.48 and PSSR-191 was the highest with 0.89. UPGMA clustering analysis based on genetic distances using 14 SSR markers classified 21 potato cultivars into 2 clusters. Cluster I and II included 16 and 5 cultivars, respectively. And 3 cultivars were not classified into major cluster group I and II. These 14 SSR markers generated a total of 121 alleles and the average number of alleles per SSR marker was 10.8 with a range from 3 to 34. Among the selected markers, we combined three SSR markers, PSSR-17, PSSR-24 and PSSR-24, as a multiplex-SSR set. This multiplex-SSR set used in the study can distinguish all the cultivars with one time PCR and PAGE (Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) analysis and PIC value of multiplex-SSR set was 0.95.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2016

Saccharin (o-benzoic sulfimide) is the first artificial and non-caloric sweetener that was first synthesized in 1879. In this study, we examined the biological activity of saccharin against various human cancer cell lines and human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. A viability assay based on the conversion of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) was performed to test for the cytotoxicity of saccharin about the four human cancer cell lines (H460, H157, A549 and SKOV3), one murine cancer cellline (Raw264.7), and MSCs. In order to find the differentially expressed gene in saccharin-treated MSCs against untreated MSCs, we performed annealing control primer (ACP)-based differential display reverse transcriptionp-olymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR). All tested cells were treated with saccharin at various concentrations (0.0, 4.8, 7.2, 9.6, 12.0, 14.4 mg/mL) for 48 hr. The number of metabolically active cancer cells decreased when treated with the saccharin at various concentrations for 48 hr as compared with the untreated cells. The decrease in cell survival was more evident with increasing concentrations of saccharin. Moreover, novel candidate genes, which were differentially expressed in MSCs in response to saccharin, were identified in 16 bands on 2% agarose gel. This revealed 16-7 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated-differentially expressed genes indicated by arrows. One of these candidate genes was a FK506-binding protein gene. The functional roles of FK506 binding proteins, with respect to the activities of stem cell proliferation, were not characterized. Further studies are required to get a better understanding of FK506-binding proteins in its roles in increasing stem cell proliferative activities from using saccharin.