• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6721-6726
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• 2013

Background: Changes in DNA methylation patterns are believed to be early events in hepatocarcinogenesis. A better understanding of methylation states and how they correlate with disease progression will aid in finding potential strategies for early detection of HCC. The aim of our study was to analyze the methylation frequency of tumor suppressor genes, P14, P15, and P73, and a mismatch repair gene (O6MGMT) in HCV related chronic liver disease and HCC to identify candidate epigenetic biomarkers for HCC prediction. Materials and Methods: 516 Egyptian patients with HCV-related liver disease were recruited from Kasr Alaini multidisciplinary HCC clinic from April 2010 to January 2012. Subjects were divided into 4 different clinically defined groups - HCC group (n=208), liver cirrhosis group (n=108), chronic hepatitis C group (n=100), and control group (n=100) - to analyze the methylation status of the target genes in patient plasma using EpiTect Methyl qPCR Array technology. Methylation was considered to be hypermethylated if >10% and/or intermediately methylated if >60%. Results: In our series, a significant difference in the hypermethylation status of all studied genes was noted within the different stages of chronic liver disease and ultimately HCC. Hypermethylation of the P14 gene was detected in 100/208 (48.1%), 52/108 (48.1%), 16/100 (16%) and 8/100 (8%) among HCC, liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and control groups, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between the studied groups (p-value 0.008). We also detected P15 hypermethylation in 92/208 (44.2%), 36/108 (33.3%), 20/100 (20%) and 4/100 (4%), respectively (p-value 0.006). In addition, hypermethylation of P73 was detected in 136/208 (65.4%), 72/108 (66.7%), 32/100 (32%) and 4/100 (4%) (p-value <0.001). Also, we detected O6MGMT hypermethylation in 84/208 (40.4%), 60/108 (55.3%), 20/100 (20%) and 4/100 (4%), respectively (p value <0.001. Conclusions: The epigenetic changes observed in this study indicate that HCC tumors exhibit specific DNA methylation signatures with potential clinical applications in diagnosis and prognosis. In addition, methylation frequency could be used to monitor whether a patient with chronic hepatitis C is likely to progress to liver cirrhosis or even HCC. We can conclude that methylation processes are not just early events in hepatocarcinogenesis but accumulate with progression to cancer.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 1984

Giardia lamblia is a pathogenic flagellate causing intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and malabsorption of nutrients. Giardia is mainly infected by the ingestion of contaminated foods per os. Craun (1979) has recently reported that mass infection of this flagellate through the contaminated water supply systems is one of public health hazards. Also, so-called traveller's diarrhea is sometimes caused by Giardia infection (CDC, U.S.A., 1971). However, a few epidemiological studies figuring out the mode of infection or control measures of Giardia infection has been done so far in Korea. The present study was aimed to know the prevalence of Giardia infection in several Korean populations, detectability of this flagellate in water systems and the viability of the cysts against sewages and disinfectants applying to drinking water. In the present study, 388 stool specimens from orphanage children in Chun-joo, Chung-joo, On-yang and Chun-an areas and 538 stool specimens from inhabitants in Woo-do, In-chon, and Chun-joo were examined by formalin-ether concentration technique to detect out Giardia cysts. On the other hand, water samples from 14 sites of Han River and its tributaries were collected in May through July, 1984. Fifty liter of water sample in each sampling site was then filtered through water filtering system deviced by U.S. Environmental Proutection Agency and the sediments rinsed out from the thread rolls, a part of water filtering system, were examined to detect out the Giardia cysts. In order to observe the viability of Giardia cysts in the sewage samples, the cysts were treated in it at $4^{\circ}C$ or $25^{\circ}C$ for 7 through 28 days. For this purpose, the cysts were also exposed to various concentrations of disinfectants such as chlorine, iodine and ozone gas for proper time intervals. After treatment, the viability test of the Giardia cysts were carried out by method of Rice and Schaefer (1981) with minor modification. The results obtained in this study were as follows : 1) The detection rates of G lamblia cysts in the stool specimens were 18.3% in orphans and 4.3% in general examinees. 2) The prevalences of Giardia Infection were higher in the young age groups than in-adults. The highest positive rate was 18.4% in the age group less than 10. 3) Of 14 water specimens sampled from Han River system and its tributaries around the Seoul area, the Giardia cysts were detected from 4 samples, and no cyst was found in the water supply systems. 4) The cysts treated in the sewage survived for 28 days at $4^{\circ}C$ and for 13 days at $25^{\circ}C$. 5) The cysts were completely destroyed within 60 minutes by exposure to 8 mg/l of residual chlorine at 4g and within 30 minutes by exposure to the same concentration of chlorine at $25^{\circ}C$. 6) The cysts were all dead when exposed to 1 mg/1 of iodine for 60 minutes at $4^{\circ}C$ or $25^{\circ}C$. 7) The cysts were destroyed after 10 minute exposure in 0.15 mg to 0.25mg of residual ozone gas per liter. Summarizing the above results, it is considered that Giardia infection is regarded as water-borne disease and the cysts are able to be controlled by the application with the disinfectants in the water supply systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Association of Geographic Inforamtion Studies Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.363-368
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• 2003

We have successfully developed a more effective algorithm to extract the lineament in the area covered by wide alluvial deposits characterized by a relatively narrow range of brightness in the Landsat TM image, while the currently used algorithm is limited to the mountainous areas. In the new algorithm, flat areas mainly consisting of alluvial deposits were selected using the Local Enhancement from the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The aspect values were obtained by 3${\times}$3 moving windowing of Zevenbergen & Thorno's Method, and then the slopes of the study area were determined using the aspect values. After the lineament factors in the alluvial deposits were revealed by comparing the threshold values, the first rank lineament under the alluvial deposits were extracted using the Hough transform In order to extract the final lineament, the lowest points under the alluvial deposits in a given topographic section perpendicular to the first rank lineament were determined through the spline interpolation, and then the final lineament were chosen through Hough transform using the lowest points. The algorithm developed in this study enables us to observe a clearer lineament in the areas covered by much larger alluvial deposits compared with the results extracted using the conventional existing algorithm. There exists, however, some differences between the first rank lineament, obtained using the aspect and the slope, and the final lineament. This study shows that the new algorithm more effectively extracts the lineament in the area covered with wide alluvlal deposits than in the areas of converging slope, areas with narrow alluvial deposits or valleys.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.103-107
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• 1984

The present study was carried out to invest igate on changing phases of the concentrations of serum LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone, GOT and CPT in male pigs at various body weight. Six Duroc ${\times}$ Large White ${\times}$ Landrace boars were used to obtain serial blood samples at approximately 20kg body weight intervals from birth to 130kg body weight. The results obtained in this study were as follows: 1. Serum LH concentrations ranged between 2.89 and 4.25 mIU/ml from birth to 130kg body weight. FSH concentrations were below 1.25 mIU/ml under the limit of detection of the assay. 2. Serum prolactin concentrations were 8.05ng/ml at birth, between 3.07 and 4.25ng/ml from 15 to 50kg body weight, between 7.30 and 6.89 ng/ml from 70 to 90kg body weight and then declined to 4.10 ng/ml at 110kg body weight. 3. Serum testosterone concentrations were 0.42 ng/ml at birth, between 0.11 and 0.09 ng/ml from 15to 30kg body weight, and then increased to 1.15ng/ml at 50kg body weight and remained fairly constant thereafter. 4. Serum GOT concentrations were highest (130.75 karmen units/ml) at birth, and rapidly declined between 58.56 and 65.25 karmen units/ml from 15 to 70kg body weight and then increased 83.60 karmen units/ml at 90kg body weight. 5. Serum GOT concentrations were highest (63.25 karmen ullits/ml) at birth and rapidly declined between 27.25 and 30.75 karmen units/ml from 15 to 70kg body weight and then increased to 41.62 karmen units/ml at 90kg body weight.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.233-243
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• 1984

The present study was carried out to determine the changes of the sex hormone levels in serum throughout the estrous cycle and the gestation period on the Landrace gilts. The blood samples were taken from the vein of six gilts. LH, FSH, prolactin, progesterone, $estradiol-17{\beta}$ and cortisol in serum were analyzed by the radioimmunoassay methods. The results obtained on this study were summarized as follows; 1. The age at puberal estrus was 179.5 days, the weight at puberal estrus was 88.2kg, the length of estrous cycle was 21.3days, the gestation length was 114days and the litter size was 9.5 head in the Landrace gilts. 2. During the estrous cycle, the serum LH and prolactin concentrations were below 1.56mIU/ml and 2.4ng/ml, respectively, under the limit of detection of the assay. The FSH concentrations ranged from 1.50 to 2.20mIU/ml for day 6~15 after the estrus and they were below 1.25mIU/ml from day 3 to day + 3, with day 0 being the first day of the estrus. 3. Progesterone concentrations were 1.90ng/ml at day 0 of the estrus and increased about 13.1ng/ml at day 3 of the estrus, and reached peak levels at day 9. $Estradiol-17{\beta}$ concentrations were below 27.2pg/ml throughout the luteal phase, and reached about 27.2pg/ml at day 0 and day 18. Cortisol concentrations reached peak levels at dey 0 and ranged from 24.65 to 28.57ng/ml throughout the luteal phase. 4. During the gestation period, the concentrations of LH, FSH and prolactin ranged of 3.10~4.37mIU/ml, 1.30~1.80mIU/ml and 2.60~6.70ng/ml, respectively. 5. Progesterone concentrations declined from 38.90~16.85ng/ml throughout the pregnancy to 1.90ng/ml at the time of parturition. $Estradiol-17{\beta}$ concentrations increased from 27.20pg/ml at 15 days after the pregnancy to 620.17pg/ml at the time of parturition. Cortisol concentrations reached peak levels at the time of parturition and ranged from 13.58 to 22.31ng/ml throughout the pregnancy.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2005

A two-dimensional (2-D) interpretation of MT data has been performed for the purpose of fracture detection for geothermal development. Remote stations have been operated in Kyushu, Japan (480 km apart) as well as in Korea (60 km and 165 km apart in 2002 and 2003 data set, respectively). Apparent resistivity and phase curves calculated by remote processing with the Japan remote data showed enough quality for 2-D inversion for the whole frequency range. Remote reference processing with Korea remote reference data also showed quite good continuity in apparent resistivity and phase curves except some noisy frequency bands; around the power frequency, 60 Hz, and around the dead band $10^{-1}Hz\;Hz\;\~1\;Hz$, where the natural EM signal is known to be very weak. Even though the subsurface showed severe three-dimensional (3-D) characteristics in the survey area so that 2-D inversion by itself could not give enough information for deep geological structures, the 2-D inversion for the 5 survey lines showed several common features. The conductive semi-consolidate mudstone layer is dipping from north to south (about 500 m depth on the south and 200 m on the north most part of the survey area). The boundary between the low (L-2) and high (H-2) resistivity anomalies can be thought as a major fault with strike $N15^{\circ}E$, passing through the sites 206, 112 and 414. The shallow (< 1 km) conductive anomalies (L-4) seem to be fracture zones having strike E-W (at site 105) and $N60^{\circ}W$ (at site 434). And there exists a conductive layer in the western and west-southern part of the survey area in the depth below $2\~3\;km$, for which further investigation is to be needed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 1997

At the tailings dam of the disused Brukunga pyrite mine in South Australia, reaction of groundwater with the tailings causes the formation and discharge of sulphuric acid. There is a need to improve remediation efforts by decreasing groundwater flow through the tailings dam. Geophysical methods have been investigated to determine whether they can be used to characterise variations in depth to watertable and map preferred groundwater flow paths. Three methods were used: transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings, direct current (DC) soundings and profiling, and self potential (SP) profiling. The profiling methods were used to map the areal extent of a given response, while soundings was used to determine the variation in response with depth. The results of the geophysical surveys show that the voltages measured with SP profiling are small and it is hard to determine any preferred channels of groundwater flow from SP data alone. Results obtained from TEM and DC soundings, show that the DC method is useful for determining layer boundaries at shallow depths (less than about 10 m), while the TEM method can resolve deeper structures. Joint use of TEM and DC data gives a more complete and accurate geoelectric section. The TEM and DC measurements have enabled accurate determination of depth to groundwater. For soundings centred at piezometers, this depth is consistent with the measured watertable level in the corresponding piezometer. A map of the watertable level produced from all the TEM and DC soundings at the site shows that the shallowest level is at a depth of about 1 m, and occurs at the southeast of the site, while the deepest watertable level (about 17 m) occurs at the northwest part of the site. The results indicate that a possible source of groundwater occurs at the southeast area of the dam, and the aquifer thickness varies between 6 and 13 m. A map of the variation of resistivity of the aquifer has also been produced from the TEM and DC data. This map shows that the least resistive (i.e., most conductive) section of the aquifer occurs in the northeast of the site, while the most resistive part of the aquifer occurs in the southeast. These results are interpreted to indicate a source of fresh (resistive) groundwater in the southeast of the site, with a possible further source of conductive groundwater in the northeast.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

This study was aimed at assess environmental conservation functions by analyzing the change of land use areas in agricultural fields between 1999 and 2006, and comparing land surface temperature distribution between 1994 and 2006 in Yongin city. Land use maps of Yongin city were obtained from soil maps for 1999, Quickbird satellite images(less than 1 m) and parcel map for 2006. The land use area for Yongin city was in the order of forest > paddy field > upland > residence & building in 1999, and forest > residence & building > paddy field > upland in 2006. Decrease of paddy and upland fields reduced 34% and 41% of the capability of agricultural multifunctionality as to environment including flood control, groundwater recharge, and air cooling. Land surface temperature(LST) was derived from Landsat TM thermal infrared band acquired in September of 1994 and 2006 and classified into three grades. The results impplied that green vegetation in agricultural field and forest play an important role to reduce land surface temperature in warm season.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between various estrous behavior and ovulation time, and to determine which estrous behavior could predict ovulation time more accurately. In total, 37 ovulations and 28 estrous detection were observed in 51 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Various estrous behavior were observed during 72 h from two days after $PGF_2{\alpha}$ injection and their relation with the time of ovulation (ultrasound examinations at 4-h intervals) was investigated. In estrous periods, the rate of sniffing, chin resting, mounting, standing heat was 81%, 78%, 78% and 56%, respectively. Ovulation occurred $25.6{\pm}7.9h$ after onset of estrus (ranging between 7 and 37h) and $13.4{\pm}7.1h$ after end of estrus (ranging between 1 and 28h). Interval between onset of estrus and ovulation time was significantly (p<0.05) shorter for standing heat $(17.33{\pm}5.83h)$ than for mounting, sniffing and chin resting $(23.58{\pm}5.12h,\;24.25{\pm}6.09h,\;23.42{\pm}6.04h)$. In 88% of the animals that displayed mounting, ovulation occurred between $16{\sim}28h$ after onset of mounting. Onset of standing heat, sniffing and chin resting occurred between $10{\sim}22(81%)h,\;16{\sim}28(79%)h\;and\; 19{\sim}31(79%)h$ before ovulation respectively. Sniffing and chin resting were displayed during the non-estrous period and are therefore, not useful predictors of ovulation time. The standing heat and mounting can be a good predictor for time of ovulation but the disadvantage of using standing heat is that only a limited number of cows display standing heat. Thus, it is concluded that mounting behavior could be the best predictor for time of ovulation.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between body condition score (BCS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and estrous expression for the purpose of improving reproductive performance. In total, 37 ovulations and 28 estrous detection were observed among 51 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The estrous inducement rate and estrous expression rate were significantly lower for cows with BCS below 2.0 than for cows with BCS above 2.0. There was 0% of rate of standing heat in cows with BCS below 2.0 whereas the rate of standing heat was markedly increased in cows with BCS above 2.0 (46.7% and 64.7% for BCS $2.0{\sim}2.49$ and BCS $2.5{\sim}3.0$ cows, respectively). The estrous expression rate was significantly lower for cows with BUN below 10mg/dl than for cows with BUN above 10mg/dl. There was no significant difference among duration time of estrus, estrous behavior patterns and BUN concentration. The rate of estrous expression and concentration of BUN was not significantly different between primiparous and multiparous cows. This result shows that the level of BCS and BUN affect the estrous expression. Considering the situation that estrous expression is decreased in recent years, effective nutritional management should be accompanied to improve reproductive performance.