• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.31-42
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• 2006

Drought indices, such as PDSI (palmer Drought Severity Index), SWSI (Surface Water Supply Index) and SPI (Standardized Precipitation Index), have been developed to assess and forecast an intensity of drought. To find the applicability of groundwater level data to a drought assessment, a correlation analysis between SPI and groundwater levels was conducted for each time series at a drought season in 2001. The comparative results between SPI and groundwater levels of shallow wells of three national groundwater monitoring stations, Chungju Gageum, Yangpyung Gaegun, and Yeongju Munjeong, show that these two factors are highly correlated. In case of SPI with a duration of 1 month, cross-correlation coefficients between two factors are 0.843 at Chungju Gageum, 0.825 at Yangpyung Gaegun, and 0.737 at Yeongju Munjeong. The time lag between peak values of two factors is nearly zero in case of SPI with a duration of 1 month, which means that groundwater level fluctuation is similar to SPI values. Moreover, in case of SPI with a duration of 3 month, it is found that groundwater level can be a leading indicator to predict the SPI values I week later. Some of the national groundwater monitoring stations can be designated as DIW (Drought Index Well) based on the detailed survey of site characteristics and also new DIWs need to be drilled to assess and forecast the drought in this country.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2000

Management of phosphorus availability in the plastic film house soils in Korea merits attention because salts have been accumulated for last decades due to the heavy application of fertilizers and intensive cropping practices. In an attempt to characterize the P availability, available phosphorus contents and electrical conductivity of the saturated extracts ($EC_e$) were measured for soils collected from the 169 plastic film houses in Kangwon-do. Soil phosphorus contents were analyzed by methods of Lancaster, Bray No. 1, Olsen, Truog, water extractable and saturation extracts. Phosphorus concentrations in the saturated extracts of the plastic film house soils ranged from 0.02 to $34mg\;L^{-1}$, with the average of $8mg\;L^{-1}$. The available $P_2O_5$ of the soils ranged from 136 to $3,689mg\;Kg^{-1}$, with the average of $1,261mg\;Kg^{-1}$. The water soluble $P_2O_5$ ranged from 2 to $118mg\;L^{-1}$, with the average of $39mg\;L^{-1}$. A significant correlation existed between saturation extract P (Y) and available $P_2O_5$ (X) [Y = -5.075 + 0.018X, $r=0.662^{***}$] indicating $1.0mg\;P\;L^{-1}$ of in the saturated extract was equivalent to $337mg\;Kg^{-1}$ of the available $P_2O_5$ by Lancaster method. Electrical conductivity of the saturated pastes ($EC_e$) was highly significantly correlated with EC (1:5), yielding the slope of 12.2 for the coarse textured plastic film house soils. Results of higher concentrations of available P in soil solution and dilution factor of 12.2 for $EC_e$ demonstrate that a special care must be taken in terms of fertilizer management and data interpretation for soils under this specific condition.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 1995

The model equations including scaling factors to estimate the soil water characteristics curve(SWCC) without direct measurement of soil water tension were developed. Scaling were applied to a data set of soil water content, soil water tension, particle size distribution, and OM contents of the 134 soil samples with the 10 soil textural classes. The capability of the model equations was tested on another 205 soil samples. The parameter, ${\theta}^*$, of soil water contents was used by scale transformation as follows : ${\theta}^*=[{\theta}i-{\theta}(1.5MPa)]$/$[{\theta}(10KPa)-{\theta}(1.5MPa)]$ Using ${\theta}^*$ a model equation to estimate SWCC, which was applicable to all textural classes, was developed as follows: $H(0.1MPa)=0.13{\cdot}({\theta}^*)^{-2.04}$. Other model equations to estimate the water content at the soil water tension of 10KPa [${\theta}(10KPa)$] and 1.5MPa [${\theta}(1.5MPa)$], which are required to ${\theta}^*$ were developed by using scale factors of sand(S) and silt(Si) content and organic matter content(OM) as foilows : ${\theta}(10KPa)=26.80-3.99ln[S]+2.36{\sqrt{[Si]}}+2.88[OM]$ ($R=0.81^{**}$) ${\theta}(1.5KPa)=15.75-2.86ln[S]+0.55{\sqrt{[Si]}}+0.70[OM]$ ($R=0.76^{**}$) The measured and estimated values of ${\theta}(1/30MPa)$ on the 205 soil samples were highly correlated on 1 : 1 corresponding line with $R=0.85^{**}$.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2001

Purpose : Proctitis is one of acute complications encountered when radiotherapy was appled to the pelvis. Radiation-induced proctitis represents similar microscopic findings that are observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the inflammatory process and many data suggest a close relationship between NO production and gastrointestinal inflammation. This study was aimed to establish the optimal radiation dose for radiation-induced proctitis in rat and to find a relationship between radiation proctitis and NO production. Materials and methods : Female Wistar rats, weighing from 150 to 220 g, received various doses(10-30 Gy) of radiation to the rectum. On the 5th and 10th day after irradiation, rectal specimens were evaluated grossly and microscopically. In addition, the degree of NO production by irradiation dose was evaluated by study with NOS expression and nitrite production in the irradiated rectal tissue. To evaluate relationship between radiation proctitis and NO, we administered aminoguanidine, iNOS inhibitor and L-arginine, substrate of NOS to rats from 2 days before to 7 days after the irradiation. Results : There were obvious gross and hostological changes after 17.5 Gy or higher radiation dose but not with 15 Gy or less radiation dose. Twenty Gy or higher dose of radiation caused Grade 4 damage in most of rectal specimens which were more likely to be related to the late complications such as fibrosis, rectal bleeding and rectal obstruction. A single fraction of 17.5 Gy to the rat rectum is considered to be an optimal dose to produce commonly experienced proctitis in the clinic. The result demonstrated that severity of microscopic damage of rectal mucosa from irradiation significantly correlated with iNOS over-expression. However, administration of iNOS inhibitor or substrate of iNOS did not influence the degree of rectal damage. Conclusion : A single fraction of 17.5 Gy irradiation to the rat rectum considered to be an optimal dose for radiation induced proctitis model. These results indicated that an excess production of NO contributes to pathogenesis of radiation-induced proctitis in part but was not the direct cause of rectal damage.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.4 s.51
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• pp.911-923
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• 1995

With increased use of neurotoxic agents in manufacturing industries, hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents pose significant problems in protecting health of workers who work in these industries. A normal range of neurobehavioral performance is required to study hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents among workers. However, such reference for Korean population is not available yet. The objective of this study is to estimate a normal range of neurobehavioral test performance of female workers in Korea. Data for neurobehavioral test performance developed by the World Health Organization were obtained from 165 female workers. Study subjects, 140 production workers and 25 clerks, who voluntarily participated in this study were not occupationally exposed to neurotoxic agents. The mean age and the mean education years of them were 32 years and 10.9 years, respectively Santa Ana dexterity, pursuit aiming, digit symbol, simple reaction time, and Benton visual retention tests among the Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery(NCTB) were included in the evaluation. Subjects were interviewed by a trained interviewer for their detailed occupational history $Mean({\pm}SD)$ performance of the participants were: $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in the Santa Ana dexterity test of the preferred and non-preferred hands; $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in correct dot of the pursuit aiming test; $57.7{\pm}16.0$ in the digit symbol test; $274.8{\pm}44.6$ msec in the mean simple reaction time and $70.5{\pm}69.0$ msec in the mean standard deviation of it; and $7.8{\pm}1.7$ in the Benton visual retention test. Most neurobehavioral performance scores were correlated significantly with age and educational level. Educational level was found to be a significant independent variable which was associated with all test scores. Age was significantly associated with scores of pursuit aiming and digit symbol tests.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2013

Fructus Sophorae, the dried ripe fruit of Styphnolobium japonicum (L.), is an herbal ingredient used in traditional Oriental medicine. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Fructus Sophorae extracts (FSE) on immune modulation in a murine RAW 264.7 macrophage model. As immune response parameters, the production of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and tumor necrotic $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) were evaluated. Our data revealed that FSE increased the macrophage activation and the production of $PGE_2$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$, which was consistently correlated with upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and $TNF-{\alpha}$ expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. On comparative cytokine protein array, FSE significantly increased several cytokines, which was associated with phosphorylation of mitogen- activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Akt in RAW 264.7 cells. However, each inhibitor of these molecules attenuated the FSE-induced $PGE_2$ production. These results indicate that FSE activated macrophages through the activation of MAPKs and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages. These findings suggest that FSE may provide a promising source of an immunoenhancing agent.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 1996

The joint diseases threaten modern people's healthy life. They bring about a long pain, an anasarca, loss of joint function or even deformation and rigidity of joint, limiting people's ordinary activities much. The chronic joint patients may be subject to some hypochondria caused by anxiety for their life, social isolation, financial problem and physical disability. Therefore, this population should continue to be duely taken care of by medical personnels. In particular, nurses should adequately help these people to recover and improve their health through suitable adaptations. With such basic conceptions in mind, this study was aimed at reviewing these patients' conditions in their ordinary life before and after a plastic operation for artificial joint replacement as well as their satisfaction with their life. For this purpose, those patients who underwent some plastic operations for artificial joint replacement at university hospitals in Seoul from January 2, 1993 to June 30, 1995 were selected as the population of this study. Among them, 87 people were randomly sampled to answer a questionnaire designed specially. For the surveying tools, Jette's (1980) scale was applied to address the sample people's inconveniences experienced and supports received in their ordinary life, while the scale of Wood, Wylie & Sheafer was used to measure their satisfaction with their life. The collected data were analyzed for percentiles, means, SD, t-test and Pearson's correlations. The results of survey can be summarized as follows ; As a result of t-test the frequencies of other people's support before and after the plastic operation, it was disclosed that those who underwent the operation were supported less frequently. In addition, as a result of t-testing their satisfaction with life before and after the operation, it was found that the operation increased their satisfaction with life significantly. Meanwhile, as a result of t-test inconveniences, frequencies of supports and life satisfaction before and after the plastic operation for artificial knee replacement, it was disclosed that only the inconveniences were significantly reduced after the operation. In contrast, the t-test the variables before and after the plastic operation for artificial hip replacement, it was found that only the frequencies of other people's supports were significant reduced after the operation. Furthermore, the differences 6 months, one year and two years after the plastic operation for artificial joint replacement were t-tested on the variables. As a result, it was disclosed that people's inconvenience, frequencies of supports and life satisfaction were not improved 6 months after the operation but their frequencies of supports decreased significantly one year after, while their inconveniences and life satisfaction were significantly improved two years after. As a result of analyzing the variables with Pearson's correlations, inconveniences and frequency of supports were negatively correlated significantly with the life satisfaction. In conclusion, the plastic operation for artificial joint replacement significantly improved people's living inconveniences, reduced their frequency of other people's support and enhanced their satisfaction with life. To break don the plastic operation for artificial knee replacement improved patients' inconveniences, while the plastic operation for artificial hip replacement not only improved patients' inconveniences but reduced the frequencies of other people's support also. Finally, the finding that the plastic operation for artificial joint replacement brought about the improvement two years after suggests that this period is needed for the patients to adapt themselves to the post-operation conditions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.4 s.173
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• pp.435-450
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• 2005

The purpose of the study is to analyze the hydrogeochemical characteristics by multivariate statistical method, to interpret the hydrogeochemical processes for the new variables calculated from principal components analysis (PCA), and to infer the groundwater flow and circulation mechanism by applying the geostatistical methods for each element and principal component. Chloride and nitrate are the most influencing components for groundwater quality, and the contents of $NO_3$ increased by the input of agricultural activities show the largest variation. The results of PCA, a multivariate statistical method, show that the first three principal components explain $73.9\%$ of the total variance. PC1 indicates the increase of dissolved ions, PC2 is related with the dissolution of carbonate minerals and nitrate contamination, and PC3 shows the effect of cation exchange process and silicate mineral dissolution. From the results of experimental semivariogram, the components of groundwater are divided into two groups: one group includes electrical conductivity (EC), Cl, Na, and $NO_3$, and the other includes $HCO_3,\;SiO_2,$ Ca, and Sr. The results for spatial distribution of groundwater components showed that EC, Cl, and Na increased with approaching the coastal line and nitrate has close relationship with the presence of agricultural land. These components are also correlated with the topographic features reflecting the groundwater recharge effect. The kriging analysis by using principal components shows that PC 1 has the different spatial distribution of Cl, Na, and EC, possibly due to the influence of pH, Ca, Sr, and $HCO_3$ for PC1. It was considered that the linear anomaly zone of PC2 in western area was caused by the dissolution of carbonate mineral. Consequently, the application of multivariate and geostatistical methods for groundwater in the study area is very useful for determining the quantitative analysis of water quality data and the characteristics of spatial distribution.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.435-441
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• 2007

Ground-based optical sensing over the crop canopy provides information on the mass of plant body which reflects the light, as well as crop nitrogen content which is closely related to the greenness of plant leaves. This method has the merits of being non-destructive real-time based, and thus can be conveniently used for decision making on application of nitrogen fertilizers for crops standing in fields. In the present study relationships among leaf nitrogen content of rice canopy, crop growth status, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were investigated. We measured Green normalized difference vegetation index($gNDVI=({\rho}0.80{\mu}m-{\rho}0.55{\mu}m)/({\rho}0.80{\mu}m+{\rho}0.55{\mu}m)$) and NDVI($({\rho}0.80{\mu}m-{\rho}0.68{\mu}m)/({\rho}0.80{\mu}m+{\rho}0.68{\mu}m)$) were measured by using two different active sensors (Greenseeker, NTech Inc. USA). The study was conducted in the years 2005-06 during the rice growing season at the experimental plots of National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology located at Suwon, Korea. The experiments carried out with randomized complete block design with the application of four levels of nitrogen fertilizers (0, 70, 100, 130kg N/ha) and same amount of phosphorous and potassium content of the fertilizers. gNDVI and rNDVI increased as growth advanced and reached to maximum values at around early August, G(NDVI) were a decrease in values of observed with the crop maturation. gNDVI values and leaf nitrogen content were highly correlated at early July in 2005 and 2006. On the basis of this finding we attempted to estimate the leaf N contents using gNDVI data obtained in 2005 and 2006. The determination coefficients of the linear model by gNDVI in the years 2005 and 2006 were 0.88 and 0.94, respectively. The measured and estimated leaf N contents using gNDVI values showed good agreement ($R^2=0.86^{***}$). Results from this study show that gNDVI values represent a significant positive correlation with leaf N contents and can be used to estimate leaf N before the panicle formation stage. gNDVI appeared to be a very effective parameter to estimate leaf N content the rice canopy.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.184-190
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• 2016

Objectives : This study analyzed the differences of body mass index(BMI) in Korean patients with Alzheimer's diseases(AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment(MCI), and healthy controls to verify whether low BMI is associated with cognitive impairment. Furthermore, this study also sought to examine any association between BMI and Mini Mental State Examination-Korean version(MMSE-K), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR), and Global Deterioration Scale(GDS). Methods : A total of 257 subjects were included in the study. History taking, mental status examination, physical examination and neurocognitive function test were carried out for the diagnosis of AD and MCI. The subjects' demographic data and presence of diseases were also surveyed. The overall cognitive function and severity of diseases were assessed using MMSE-K, GDS, and CDR. Results : The order of BMI was found to be healthy controls>MCI>AD, with statistically significant differences among the groups. The order of MMSE-K scores was similar, with healthy controls>MCI>AD in statistically significant differences. The healthy controls had the lowest CDR and GDS scores, and AD patients had the highest scores. There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and MMSE scores(r=0.238, p=0.000). BMI was negatively correlated with CDR(r=-0.174, p=0.008) as well as with GDS(r=-0.233, p= 0.000). Conclusions : Measuring BMI of patients with AD or MCI is expected to be meaningful in that BMI could be a clinical indicator of AD. We expect this to be beneficial for the diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic approach of AD and also expect large-scale, long-term longitudinal studies to follow.