• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 2016

Baekdudaegan Mountain System (BDMS) is a unique and traditional concept in Korea that puts importance on the connectivity of energy when Korean people recognize their mountain system. Two main national organizations that are in charge of managing natural environment in Korea, Korea Forest Service (KFS) and Ministry of Environment (MoE), have been independently investigating the natural resources in protected areas of BDMS. Each organization released its first survey report for the whole protected areas in 2011. In order to provide better understanding of BDMS's natural environment, the results contained in the first reports of KFS and MoE were compared. It was found that KFS contains a wider variety of survey items, though many of the items are overlapped between the reports of KFS and MoE. It was noticeable that the survey results of KFS and MoE were not always matched even for the same or similar items in the identical target areas. The main causes of the different survey results are suggested to be the differences of the details of the survey conditions between KFS and MoE, such as the season of the surveys and the subjectivity of surveyors, and the type of literatures included in the indoor survey. As a result, it is difficult to directly compare the survey results of KFS and MoE, which leads to low usability of the data and low efficiency of the survey processes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the sections and methodologies of survey should be clearly set with consideration for the research purposes. The survey data and geographical information should be digitalized and opened to the public for better accessibility to BDMS information. Also, the survey reports should include English summary, thereby the results can be utilized globally for scientific, cultural and political purposes, such as designation of a heritage site.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.902-912
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• 2020

Objective: Mongolia is one of a few countries that supports over 25 million goats, but genetic diversity, demographic history, and the origin of goat populations in Mongolia have not been well studied. This study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity, phylogenetic status and population structure of Mongolian native goats, as well as to discuss their origin together with other foreign breeds from different countries using hypervariable region 1 (HV1) in mtDNA. Methods: In this study, we examined the genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of Mongolian native goat populations using a 452 base-pair long fragment of HVI of mitochondrial DNA from 174 individuals representing 12 populations. In addition, 329 previously published reference sequences from different regions were included in our phylogenetic analyses. Results: Investigated native Mongolian goats displayed relatively high genetic diversities. After sequencing, we found a total of 109 polymorphic sites that defined 137 haplotypes among investigated populations. Of these, haplotype and nucleotide diversities of Mongolian goats were calculated as 0.997±0.001 and 0.0283±0.002, respectively. These haplotypes clearly clustered into four haplogroups (A, B, C, and D), with the predominance of haplogroup A (90.8%). Estimates of pairwise differences (Fst) and the analysis of molecular variance values among goat populations in Mongolia showed low genetic differentiation and weak geographical structure. In addition, Kazakh, Chinese (from Huanghuai and Leizhou), and Arabian (Turkish and Baladi breeds) goats had smaller genetic differentiation compared to Mongolian goats. Conclusion: In summary, we report novel information regarding genetic diversity, population structure, and origin of Mongolian goats. The findings obtained from this study reveal that abundant haplogroups (A to D) occur in goat populations in Mongolia, with high levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.182-188
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• 2014

Genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in six natural populations of Abies holophylla Max were investigated using ISSR marker system. From 6 ISSR primers, the average percentage of polymorphic loci was 85.6%, and the average expected heterozygosity ($H_e$) was 0.288. From the result of AMOVA, 94.4% of total genetic variation came from the differences among individuals within populations, and 5.6% was caused by those of among-populations. On the basis of Bayesian inference, genetic differentiation (${\theta}^{II}$ and $G_{ST}$) and inbreeding coefficient for all populations were 0.045, 0.038, and 0.509, respectively. The correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance was highly significant at the Mental's test (r = 0.74, P < 0.05). Six populations divided into two groups according to the results of UPGMA and PCA. One group included Namwon, Cheongdo and Mungyeong population. The other was Inje, Hongcheon and Pyeongchang population. Also, in Bayesian clustering analysis, 6 populations were divided into two clusters. But Cheongdo population was assigned into the other cluster unlike those of UPGMA or PCA. Taking the regions based on the results of the cluster analysis into consideration of AMOVA, 3.9% of genetic variation came from the regional difference. The dendrogram from UPGMA could provide the most genetically reasonable explanation for the distribution of Abies holophylla populations in South Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2017

Variant surface antigens (VSAs) encoded by pir families are considered to be the key proteins used by many Plasmodium spp. to escape the host immune system by antigenic variation. This attribute of VSAs is a critical issue in the development of a novel vaccine. In this regard, a population genetic study of vir genes from Plasmodium vivax was performed in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Eighty-five venous blood samples and 4 of the vir genes, namely vir 27, vir 21, vir 12, and vir 4, were selected for study. The number of segregating sites (S), number of haplotypes (H), haplotype diversity (Hd), DNA diversity (${\pi}$ and ${\Theta}_w$), and Tajima's D test value were conducted. Phylogenetic trees of each gene were constructed. The vir 21 (S=143, H=22, Hd=0.827) was the most genetically diverse gene, and the vir 4 (S=6, H=4, Hd=0.556) was the opposite one. Tajima's D values for vir 27 (1.08530, P>0.1), vir 12 (2.89007, P<0.01), and vir 21 (0.40782, P>0.1) were positive, and that of vir 4 (-1.32162, P>0.1) was negative. All phylogenetic trees showed 2 clades with no particular branching according to the geographical differences and cluster. This study is the first survey on the vir genes in ROK, providing information on the genetic level. The sample sequences from vir 4 showed a clear difference to the Sal-1 reference gene sequence, whereas they were very similar to those from Indian isolates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7523-7527
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• 2015

Background: Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pALL) patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City represent a pure Saudi Arabian population. ETV6-RUNX1 positive pALL patients have good prognosis as compared to ETV6-RUNX1 negative counterparts. Therefore, frequencies of these two patient groups have a huge consideration in treatment strategies of pALL in a given population. Different geographical locations have been reported to have different frequencies of ETV6-RUNX1 ranging from 10% in Southeast Asia to 30% in Australia. Aim: Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish the ETV6-RUNX1 status of Saudi Arabian pALL patients and its association with clinical parameters and early remission. Materials and Methods: Clinical parameters and ETV6-RUNX1 status (using FISH technique) of pALL patients attending the Pediatric Oncology Clinic, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh from 2006 to 2011 were studied. Comparisons between ETV6-RUNX1 positive and negative groups were accomplished using chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS version 9.2 (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC). Results: Out of 54 patients, 33 were male and 21 were females (ratio 1.57:1). B- and T-cell lineages were found in 47 (87%) and 7 (13%) patients respectively. Only 5 (9.3%) patients were ETV6-RUNX1 positive while 49(80.7%) were ETV6-RUNX1 negative. All ETV6-RUNX1 patients (100%) were of B-cell lineage and 80% (4/5) were in the 3-7 year age group. None of the ETV6-RUNX11 patients had ${\geq}5%$ blasts (no remission) at day 14 as compared with 9% in the ETV6-RUNX1 negative group (Figure 1). Conclusions: Frequency of ETV6-RUNX1 positive patients (less than 10%) in our pALL patients is much lower than reported for most European countries, North America, Australia and Japan while it is in accordance with ETV6-RUNX1 frequencies from Egypt (11.6%), Pakistan (10%), Spain (2%) and India (5-7%). This shows ethnic differences in genetics of pALL as well as higher frequencies of ETV6-RUNX1 positive pALL mostly in more industrialized countries, probably due to some industrial pollutants or westernized lifestyle.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2001

Genomic DNA from the blood of crucian carp(Carassius carassiu) from lake and aquaculture facility in Kunsan, Korea was extracted in order to identify genetic differences by polymerase chain reaction-randomly amplified polymorphic DNAs(PCR-RAPD). Out of 12 primers, 6 generated 266 highly reproducible RAPD markers, producing approximately 2.1 polymorphic bands per primer in crucian carp from lake. The degree of similarity varied from 0.18 to 0.76 as calculated by bandsharing analysis in crucian carp from lake. The RAPD outlines obtained with DNA of two different crucian carp populations from Kunsan were different(0.47 from lake and 0.70 from aquaculture facility, respectively). The electrophoretic analysis of polymerase chain reaction-randomly amplified polymorphic DNAs(PCR-RAPD) products showed high levels of similarity between different individuals in crucian carp from aquaculture facility. This result implies the genetic similarity due to raising in the same environmental condition or inbreeding within the crucian carp from aquaculture facility in Kunsan. In other words, crucian carp may have high levels of genome DNA diversity due to the introduction of the wild population from the other sites of Knsan even if it may be the geographical diverse distribution of this species. Generally, the RAPD polymorphism generated by these primers may be useful as a genetic marker for strain or population identification of important aquacultural fish species, crucian carp. However, in future, additional populations and sampling sites will be necessary to complement weak points.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.33-37
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• 2016

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, including in Iran. Variations in its incidence rate among geographical areas are due to various contributing factors. Since there has been a lack of studies on this topic in our country, the present spatial analysis of skin cancer incidence in Iran in 2009 was conducted using data from the cancer registry system for the country. The reported incidences of the disease were standardized on the basis of the World Health Organization population and the direct method. Then the data were inserted into the GIS software, and finally, using the analysis of hot spots (Getis-Ord Gi), high-risk areas were drawn. Provinces that were 1.9 SD higher or lower than the national average were considered hot spots or cold spots, with significance at the level of 0.05. In 2009, a total of 9,964 cases of skin cancer occurred, 3,696 in women and 6,268 in men (standardized incidence rates of 15.8 and 22.6, respectively). The results of the study showed that in men and women, the disease demonstrated high incidence in the central provinces and desert regions. In women, Yazd Province and in men, Qom Province had significant hot spots (p <0.05). While Isfahan, Markazi, Tehran and Kurdistan provinces were expected to be hot spots, the differences from the national average were not significant at the 0.05 level. As well, the provinces of Sistan Va Baluchistan, Kerman, and Hormozgan were identified as cold or low-risk disease regions (p <0.05). The central provinces of the country due to hot weather conditions, more solar radiation, and closer vicinity to the central desert of Iran demonstrated higher incidence rates for skin cancer, so further epidemiological studies into the etiology and early detection are essential in these areas.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.366-377
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• 2013

We examined the nutritive value of common grass species in the semi-arid rangelands of Borana in southern Ethiopia using local experience based herbage preference (LEBHP) perception and laboratory techniques. Local pastoralists in the study area were asked to identify common grass species and rank them according to the species' preferences and palatability to cattle. The pastoralists listed a total of 15 common grass species which were then sampled during the main rain and cold dry seasons and analyzed for crude protein (CP), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and ash content to verify pastoralists' claim regarding the quality of individual species. The relative feed value (RFV) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) were also calculated using NDF and ADF contents. Spearman's rank correlation was used to examine possible relationships between laboratory results and pastoralists' experience on grass quality. Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon aucheri, Digitaria milanjiana, Eragrostis papposa and Panicum maximum were the top five species based on LEBHP perception. There were indications of inconsistency in terms of LEBHP perception among the different pastoral communities. The chemical composition of all grass species showed significant (p<0.05) variation between sites, seasons and species. The results showed that the CP values for the Borana rangelands were in the range of 8.7% in the main rain season to 5.1% for the cold dry season. The fiber constituents were relatively low in the main rain season compared to the cold dry season. Overall, Digitaria milanjiana had the highest CP (16.5%) content, while the least was recorded with Heteropogon contortus (10.8) and Aristida adoensis (9.8%) during the main rain season. It seems that the spatial variability of landscapes within the wider geographical regions, soil properties and texture, and land-use patterns probably contributed to site differences in species quality. Generally, the RFV of individual grass species was significantly (p<0.05) varied between and within sites. The ranking of species by pastoralists according to their preferences by cattle was highly correlated with the chemical composition of laboratory results of individual grass species with 'r' values for CP (0.94), ash (0.95), NDF (-0.98), ADF (-0.93) and ADL (-0.93). We suggest the complimentary use of LEBHP and laboratory techniques in evaluating the nutritive quality of rangeland forage species for sustainable animal production.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1887-1893
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to detail characteristics of mammary Paget's disease (PD) representing the whole population in China. A total of 4211 female breast cancer inpatients at seven tertiary hospitals from seven representative geographical regions of China were collected randomly during 1999 to 2008. Data for demography, risk factors, diagnostic imaging test, physical examination and pathologic characters were surveyed and biomarker status was tested by immunohistochemistry. The differences of demography and risk factors between PD with breast cancer and other lesions were compared using Chi-square test or t-test, with attention to physical examination and pathological characters. The percentage of PD was 1.6% (68/4211) in all breast cancers. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.1, and 63.2% (43/68) patients were premenopausal. There is no difference in demography and risk factors between PD with breast cancer and other breast cancer (P > 0.05). The main pattern of PD in physical exam and pathologic pattern were patients presenting with a palpable mass in breast (65/68, 95.6%) and PD with underlying invasive cancer (82.4%, 56/68) respectively. The rate of multifocal disease was 7.4% (5/68). PD with invasive breast cancer showed larger tumor size, more multifocal disease, lower ER and PR expression and higher HER2 overexpression than those in other invasive breast cancer (P < 0.05). These results suggested that PD in China is a concomitant disease of breast cancer, and that PD with underlying invasive cancer has more multiple foci and more aggressive behavior compared with other breast invasive cancer. We address the urgent needs for establishing diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for mammary PD in China.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2020

RAM of elements to support weapon systems is conducted at the initial development phase and standard is suggested to accomplish strategy requirement performance from a design spec. Operational availability is a key point of the military's ability to ensure combat readiness and to win the battle. In the weapon system development phase, operational availability is used as a development standard. The military provides ALDT, operation and standby time, which are elements of operational availability. ALDT is a key element of operational availability that must be maintained for combat readiness, as it depends on the aging of a weapon system, maintenance policies and geographical conditions. Operational Availability to be set at the development phase has many differences from the operational availability that is analyzed in the actual operational phase because ALDT is applied as a simple assumption. In the paper, we analyzed ALDT applying the decision tree method through failure data acquired from initial operation. Through this study, we have devised the optimal ALDT setting method to achieve operational availability about operation when the weapons system is unstable.