• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.591-600
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• 2010

We estimated and compared C storages and annual $CO_2$ uptakes by 9 dominant tree species planted along the streets. DBH and age by tree species were measured in the sites selected considering the planting status and distributions of tree species, and biomass, C storage, growth rate, and annual $CO_2$ uptake were estimated for each species. As a result, L. tulipifera, M. glyptostroboides, P. occidentalis were classified into fast-growing group, P. serrulata, G. biloba, Z. serrata, S. japonica, A. palmatum showed intermediate growth rates, and P. densiflora was slow-growing. Average C storage per tree was 205kgC/tree and ranged from 518kgC/tree(L. tulipifera) to 41kgC/tree(P. densiflora). Average annual $CO_2$ uptake by urban street trees over their lifespan ranged from $7.6kgCO_2$/tree/y to $99.1kgCO_2$/tree/y and L. tulipifera was the greatest, followed by glyptostroboides and P. occidentalis, and P. densiflora was the lowest. Total annual $CO_2$ uptake by all street trees in Gyeonggi-do, estimated based on the annual $CO_2$ uptake by each species, was as small as approximately 0.67% of that by forest in Gyeonggi-do. However, urban trees are still important because forest area continues to decrease and urbanization occurs annually in Gyeonggi-do, and should be managed considering their multi-functional aspects, including mitigation of heat island effect and building energy saving(indirect $CO_2$ uptake).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2008

The growth characteristics and the Germanium (Ge) uptake of rice plant (Hopyungbyeo) in soil with Ge were investigated under different soil textures to obtain the basic information for agricultural utilization of Ge. This study was carried out in the Wagner pot ($15,000^{-1}a$). Ge concentration in soils such as clay loam, silt loam, loam and sandy loam for rice plant cultivation was treated at $8mg\;kg^{-1}$. The growth status of rice plant was almost similar in all soil texture, and rice yield was higher in the order of silt loam > clay loam > loam > sandy loam. In rice bran, the Ge uptakes in silt loam, clay loam, loam and sandy loam were 980, 868, 754 and $803{\mu}g\;pot^{-1}$, respectively. The Ge uptakes of brown rice and polish rice were greater in the order of silt loam > sandy loam > clay loam > loam. In silt loam, the Ge uptake rates in leaf, stem, root, rice bran and brown rice were 19.7, 2.3, 0.03, 3.1 and 0.44%, respectively. Therefore, under the given experimental condition the optimum soil texture for production of functional rice with Ge is a silt loam.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1995

Nine species of edible seaweed [green laver (Monostroma nitidium) and sea staghorn ( Codium fragile) of green algae; sea mustard (Undaria pinnatifida), seaweed fusiforme(Hizikia fusiforme), gulf weed (Sargassum fulvellium), and sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) of brown algae; seaweed dilatata (Halimeniopsis dilatata), seaweed furcata (Gloiopeltis furcata), and laver (Porphyra tenera) of red algae] collected from Kijang, Chungmu, and Yosu in Korea, were examined and compared on their chemical and mineral composition depending on their harvesting season. Crude protein $(N\pm6.25)$ showed about $45\%$ on moisture free basis (the contents of every components described below are shown as moisture free basis) for laver and $30\%$ for green laver collected from ever seasons and sites. Sea tangle showed the highest content in crude lipid $(10\%)$ among brown seaweeds and green laver had $6\%$ of crude lipid regardless their habitats. Ash and carbohydrate in sea staghorn hold about $90\%$ of total solids but those levels were only $50\%$ in laver. The relationship between ash and carbohydrate content showed a tendency with reverse correlation. Mineral compositions were examined on green laver, sea mustard, and seaweed furcata collected from Kijang. Sodium was eminent element (1,798-7,334mg/l00g) followed by potassium. Magnesium and calcium content were low level compared with sodium and potassium. As a micro-element iron was appraised the highest status (165-330mg/100g) in green laver, however, iron in sea mustard and seaweed furcata was comparatively low amount (2.7-47.4mg/100g). The level of zinc was also comparatively high and that was varied on habitats. In conclusion, chemical compositions of these algae were distinctively varied on species and habitats, and mineral compositions were notably changed by the harvesting season.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

During a last decade, the introduced traits in commercialized GM crops have been diversified from a simple trait such as herbicide resistance gene or insectresistance gene which are related to the crop production into more complicated traits such as modification of fatty acid or essential amino acid composition, modified coloring pattern of flower. In addition, it was investigated that several other GM crops bearing more refined traits expected to lead next generation are also awaiting for risk assessment (RA) or under field test for the preparation of RA in the near future. These GM crops include abiotic stress resistance including drought or cold, increased biomass, production of bioethanol or diesel, production of pharmaceuticals or functional materials for industrial. In particular, in 2008 and 2009, it was reported that the highest number of GM crops for molecular farming are under developed in laboratory or green house level in all the world. Likewise, in Korea, 171 events from 49 plant species are under developed to introduce several important traits. At present, about 10 events are under field test to select elite lines for RA application. For the first time, herbicide resistance turfgrass developed by Korean research team has been submitted for RA and currently under requested for additional data. Moreover, GM rice resistant to leaf roll (folder) disease is expected as a next event to be submitted for RA application.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.4.1-4.11
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• 2015

Objectives: This survey was designed to conduct the first nationwide dietary exposure assessment on hazardous substances including the intakes of functional food and herbal medicine. In this paper, we introduced the survey design and the results of the dietary exposure status and internal exposure levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg). Methods: We selected 4867 subjects of all ages throughout Korea. We conducted a food survey, dietary survey, biomonitoring, and health survey. Results: Pb and Cd were the highest (median value) in the seaweed ($94.2{\mu}g/kg$ for Pb; $594{\mu}g/kg$ for Cd), and Hg was the highest in the fish ($46.4{\mu}g/kg$). The dietary exposure level (median value) of Pb was $0.14{\mu}g/kg$ body weight (bw)/d, $0.18{\mu}g/kg$ bw/d for Cd, and $0.07{\mu}g/kg$ bw/d for Hg. Those with a blood Pb level of less than $5.00{\mu}g/dL$ (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reference value for those 1 to 5 years of age) were 99.0% of all the subjects. Those with a blood Cd level with less than $0.30{\mu}g/L$ (German Federal Environmental Agency, reference value for non-smoking children) were 24.5%. For those with a blood Hg level with less than $5.00{\mu}g/L$ (human biomonitoring I, references value for children and adults, German Federal Environmental Agency) was 81.0 % of all the subjects. Conclusions: The main dietary exposure of heavy metals occurs through food consumed in a large quantity and high frequency. The blood Hg level and dietary exposure level of Hg were both higher than those in the European Union.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.294-300
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• 2011

This study was performed to examine the presence of dysphagia and analyze characteristics of the symptoms in cerebrovascular accident(CVA) patients without awareness of dysphagia. A questionnaire for this study was given to CVA patients who had visited P rehabilitation medical center in Busan. Eleven patients (4 males and 7 females) who answered no awareness of dysphasia were given to VFSS, functional dysphasia scale, and NCSE. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were performed by SPSS 12.0. All of subjects without awareness of dysphasia showed characteristics of dysphasia symptoms. Prominent dysfunctions were problems in oral phase and delay of swallowing reflex in pharyngeal phase. For the aspect of cognition, they showed lower score in construction, memory, and similarity than other NCSE items. There was highly significant correlation between orientation, judgment and delay of swallowing reflex. Verbal comprehension and residual materials in oral cavity showed closed correlation. CVA patients without awareness had dysphagia with high probability. The early evaluation of dysphagia should be performed in CVA patients in order to prevent complications due to CVA, so it is necessary to increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1994

The occurrence and time course of capacitation, acrosomal loss, and hyperactivated motility require quantitative definition in order to characterize fertile human sperm. Recently the method has been developed to estimate the quality of spermatozoa by using kinematic parameters such as curvilinear velocity(VCL), average path velocity(VAP), linearity(LIN), straightness(STR), amplitude of lateral head displacement(ALH), and beat cross frequence(BCF) from Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA). In this study, using the Hamilton Thorn motility analyzer HTM 2030(Hamilton Thorn Research, Beverly, MA), we attempted to identify the spermatozoa with hyperactivated motility (HA) objectively and to monitor hyperactivation of human spermatozoa during incubation in capacitating media and after treatment of calcium ionophore as compared with acrosome status. And we examined whether HA are related to the result of SPA. Semen samples obtained from 16 healthy men were prepared by swim up technique and preincubated in a capacitating media(modified BWW medium) for 5 hours and treated with calcium ionophore solution. The acrosome reaction was detected with PSA-FITC labelling of the acrosome and in vitro sperm ferilizing capacity was assessed by the zona free hamster ovum penetration assay (SPA). The incidence of hyperactivated sperm was 2.6% in fresh semen, 14.3% of the swim up population, 13.7% after 5h of incubation. Significant increase of percentage of hyperactivated sperm was observed after the incubation (p<0.05) but after treatment, no significant changes of percentage of hyperactivated sperm(l1.8%) in contrast to significant rise in the percentage of acrosome reacted cells. Correlation analysis failed to show any significant relationship between the percentage of sperm with HA and SPA score. In conclusion, although no direct correlations were found between the results of SPA and HA, hyperactivation of sperm is associated with capacitation and monitoring hyperactivated sperm will be expected as a method of evaluating the functional quality of sperm such as SPA.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.239-248
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• 2016

Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of chronic persistent post-surgical pain (CPPP) and the role of signal transduction genes in patients undergoing staging laparotomy for carcinoma ovary. Methods: The present observational study was undertaken following institutional ethical committee approval and informed consent from all the participants. A total 21 patients of ASA grade I to III with age 20-70 years, scheduled for elective staging laparotomy for carcinoma ovary were included. Patients were excluded if had other causes of pain, cognitive dysfunction or chronic neurological disorders. Statistical analysis of pool data was done using SPSS version-17. For various scales like GPE, PDQ, NPSI, the visual analogue scale (VAS), global perceived effect (GPE), the pain DETECT questionnaire (PDQ), and neuropathic pain symptoms inventory (NPSI), one factor repaeted measure ANOVA applied with simple contrast with baseline as on post-operative day 1 (considered as reference and compared with subsequent time-interval), and the P values were adjusted according to "Bonferroni adjustments". In patients with CPPP, the ${\Delta}ct$ values of mRNA expressions of genes at the end of postoperative day 90 were compared with the baseline control values by one factor repeated ANOVA. P value < 0.005 significant. Results: The present study demonstrates 38.1% (8 out of 21 patients) incidence of CPPP. The functional status and quality of life as were observed to be significantly diminished in all patients with chronic pain. An up-regulation in the mRNA expression of signal transduction and a positive correlation was noted between the mRNA expression of signal transduction genes and VAS score in all patients with CPPP at the end of postoperative day 90. Conclusions: The reported incidence of CPPP in patients with carcinoma ovary was 38.1%. An up-regulation and positive correlation between mRNA expression of signal transduction genes and VAS score depicts its potential role in the pathogenesis of CPPP.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2009

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a basic multifunctional protein which has been reported to be a serine phosphoprotein with yet-identified functions. As a first step towards understanding the general role of N protein phosphorylation during virus replication, the non-phosphorylated mutant N gene was constructed by mutating all serine residues to alanine. This recombinant N protein was identified to be unphosphorylated, confirming that serine residues truly function as core amino acids responsible for N protein phosphorylation. The PRRSV N protein has been shown to possess the biological features of nuclear localization and N-N homodimerization which individually play critical roles in virus infection. In the present study, therefore, it was attempted to investigate whether these two properties of the N protein are modulated by its phosphorylation status. However, experimental results showed that the non-phosphorylated N protein was still present in the nucleus and nucleolus, and was able to associate with itself by non-covalent interactions. Taken together, the data suggest phosphorylation-independent regulation of N protein nuclear transport or oligomerization, thereby implying the potential involvement of phosphorylation in regulating the activities of the N protein at other levels including RNA-binding capacity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.365-372
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Owing to health concerns related to the consumption of traditional snacks high in sugars and fats, much effort has been made to develop functional snacks with low calorie content. In this study, a new recipe for Korean rice cookie, dasik, was developed and its antioxidative, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects and related mechanisms were elucidated. The effects were compared with those of traditional rice cake dasik (RCD), the lipid-lowering effect of which is greater than that of traditional western-style cookies. MATERIALS/METHODS: Ginseng-added brown rice dasik (GBRD) was prepared with brown rice flour, fructooligosaccharide, red ginseng extract, and propolis. Mice were grouped (n = 7 per group) into those fed a normal AIN-76 diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD supplemented with RCD or GBRD. Dasik in the HFD accounted for 7% of the total calories. The lipid, reactive oxygen species, and peroxynitrite levels, and degree of lipid peroxidation in the plasma or liver were determined. The expression levels of proteins involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation, and those of antioxidant enzymes were determined by western blot analysis. RESULTS: The plasma and hepatic total cholesterol concentrations in the GBRD group were significantly decreased via downregulation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (P < 0.05). The hepatic peroxynitrite level was significantly lower, whereas glutathione was higher, in the GBRD group than in the RCD group. Among the antioxidant enzymes, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly upregulated in the GBRD group (P < 0.05). In addition, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-${\kappa}B$) expression in the GBRD group was significantly lower than that in the RCD group. CONCLUSIONS: GBRD decreases the plasma and hepatic cholesterol levels by downregulating cholesterol synthesis. This new dasik recipe also improves the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory status in HFD-fed mice via CAT and GPx upregulation and NF-${\kappa}B$ downregulation. These effects were significantly higher than those of RCD.