• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 2005

Malaria is a re-emerging infectious disease that is spreading to areas where it had been eradicated, such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia. To avoid the mortality from malaria, early detection of the parasite is a very important issue. The peripheral blood smear has been the gold standard method for the diagnosis of malaria infection. Recently, several other methods have been introduced for quantitative detection of malaria parasites. Real time PCR that employs fluorescent labels to enable the continuous monitoring of PCR product formation throughout the reaction has recently been used to detect several human malaria parasites. 18S rRNA sequences from malaria parasites have been amplified using Taqman real time PCR assay. Here, a SYBR Green-based real time quantitative PCR assay for the detection of malaria parasite-especially, Plasmodium vivax - was applied for the evaluation of 26 blood samples from Korean malaria patients. Even though SYBR Green-based real time PCR is easier and cheaper than Taqman-based assay, SYBR Green-based assay cannot be used because 18S rRNA cannot be specifically amplified using 1 primer set. Therefore, we used DBP gene sequences from Plasmodium vivax, which is specific for the SYBR Green based assays. We amplified the DBP gene from the 26 blood samples of malaria patients using SYBR Green based assay and obtained the copy numbers of DBP genes for each sample. Also, we selected optimal reference gene between ACTB and B2M using real time assay to get the stable genes regardless of Malaria titer. Using selected ACTB reference genes, we successfully converted the copy numbers from samples into titer, ${\sharp}$ of parasites per microliter. Using the resultant titer from DBP based SYBER Green assay with ACTB reference gene, we compared the results from our study with the titer from Taqman-based assay. We found that our results showed identical tendency with the results of 18S rRNA Taqman assay, especially in lower titer range. Thus, our DBP gene-utilized real time assay can detect Plasmodium vivax in Korean patient group semi-quantitatively and easily.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2010

Ixeris dentata var. albiflora Nakai, a herbal plant, is often used to make a strong stomach as an antiphlogistic used when dyspepsia and to improve appetite in Korea and China. And also it is used for adult diseases such as diabetes and liver diseases as Korean traditional medicine. In this study, the composition and DPPH radical scavenging activities of the root of Ixeris dentata var. albiflora Nakai and its effects on cell viability on vero and chang cells were investigated. Moisture, crude ash, crude protein and crude lipid were 79.14, 2.49, 8.28 and 2.56 g/100 g respectively. The highest mineral content was K. The major free sugars were glucose, fructose and sucrose. Major fatty acid are linoleic acid, palmic acid and linolenic acid. Major amino acids were glutamic acid, arginine and aspartic acid and the total contents of amino acids were 28.12 mg/g. The methanol extracts were further fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and water to get an active fraction. In addition, cell viabilities in each fraction were determined. Methanol extract, butanol, and aqueous fraction showed strong survival rates in vero cell and chang cell viability test, and hexane, chloroform, and ethylacetate fraction were examined for toxin in a cell. The root of Ixeris dentata var. albiflora Nakai had scavenging activities against DPPH radicals in a dose-dependent assay. Ethylacetate fraction's SC50 was $6.8\{\mu}g/mL$, very strong DPPH radical scavenging activities, but water fraction did not show any activity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.754-766
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• 2008

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of nutrient intake levels on the relative risk of breast cancer in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk area. The case subjects were 103 patients newly diagnosed as breast cancer at Kyungpook National University Hospital. The control subjects were 159 healthy women without breast cancer-related disease in the same community selected by frequency matching of age and menopausal status. The survey was administered by individual interviews by trained dietitians using semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. The odds ratios were determined by using unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for the confounding factors found in the analysis of general characteristics of the subjects. In overall, it has been found that high consumptions of energy and carbohydrates significantly raised the relative risk of breast cancer, and that high intakes of total fat, plant fat, dietary fiber, all kinds of fatty acids, vitamin E and calcium significantly lowered the risk of breast cancer. The results of the study suggest that the possible protective factors to the breast cancer risk include a higher intakes of total fat, especially plant fat, dietary fiber, and micronutrients such as vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. On the other hand, high intakes of energy and carbohydrate appeared to be the risk factors.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.445-466
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• 2017

Yeongdong area is located in the contact zone between central southeastern Ogcheon belt and Yeongnam massif, in which Cretaceous Yeongdong basin exists. Therefore, the study area has complex geological environment of various geological age and rock types such as Precambrian metamorphic rocks, age-unknown Ogcheon Supergroup, Paleozoic/Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic igneous rocks and Quaternary alluvial deposits. This study focuses on the link between the various geology and water type, and discussed the source of some major ions and their related water-rock interaction. For this study, the field parameters and ion concentrations for twenty alluvial/weathered and eighty bedrock aquifer wells were used. Statistical analysis indicates that there was no significant differences in groundwater quality between wet and dry seasons. Although various types were observed due to complex geology, 80 to 84 % of samples showed $Ca-HCO_3$ water type. Some wells placed in alluvial/weathered aquifers of Precambrian metamorphic and Jurassic granitic terrains showed somewhat elevated $NO_3$ and Cl concentrations. $Mg-HCO_3$ typed waters prevailed in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rocks. The deeper wells placed in bedrock aquifers showed complicated water types varying from $Ca-HCO_3$ through $Ca-Cl/SO_4/NO_3$ to $Na-HCO_3$ and Na-Cl type. Groundwater samples with $Na-HCO_3$ or Na-Cl types are generally high in F concentrations, indicating more influences of water-rock interaction within mineralized/hydrothermal alteration zone by Cretaceous porphyry or granites. This study revealed that many deep-seated aquifer had been contaminated by $NO_3$, especially prominent in Jurassic granites area. Based on molar ratios of $HCO_3/Ca$, $HCO_3/Na$, Na/Si, it can be inferred that Ca and $HCO_3$ components of most groundwater in alluvial/weathered aquifer wells were definitely related with dissolution of calcite. On the other hand, Ca and $HCO_3$ in bedrock aquifer seem to be due to dissolution of feldspar besides calcite. However, these molar ratios require other mechanism except simple weathering process causing feldspar to be broken into kaolinite. The origin of $HCO_3$ of some groundwater occurring in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rock area seems to be from dissolution of dolomite($MgCO_3$) or strontianite($SrCO_3$) as well.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.487-495
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• 2017

A granite rock body, called 'Bukbawi', located on a mountaineering trail at Mt. Palgong Provincial Park is popular among the public because it resembles a percussion instrument. If someone hits the specific surface area of this rock body, people can hear drum-like sound. Such phenomenon may be geologically associated with exfoliation process of the granite body or miarolitic cavity developed after gasses escaped during formation of granite. To understand better the inner structure causing drum-like sound, we carried out a non-destructive ground-penetrating radar survey. In this study, as our primary target is very close to the surface, we utilized 1 GHz antennas to produce high-resolution near-surface images. In order to construct 3-D internal images, the measurements were conducted along a pre-defined grid. The processed radargrams revealed that the locations associated with 'drum' sound coincide with strong reflections. In addition, both reflection patterns of fracture and cavity were observed. To further quantify the observed reflections, we simulated GPR scans from a synthetic fracture in a granite body, filled with different materials. The simulated results suggest that both exfoliation process and miarolitic cavity may have contributed to the 'drum' phenomena. Furthermore, the radargrams showed a well-developed cavity signature where two major reflection planes were crossed. Thus, our study is an example of non-destructive geophysical studies that can promote Earth Science in the broader community by examining geological structures attracting the public.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2013

Genomic relationship matrix (GRM) was constructed using whole genome SNP markers of swine and genomic breeding value was estimated by substitution of the numerator relationship matrix (NRM) based on pedigree information to GRM. Genotypes of 40,706 SNP markers from 448 pure Landrace pigs were used in this study and five kinds of GRM construction methods, G05, GMF, GOF, $GOF^*$ and GN, were compared with each other and with NRM. Coefficients of GOF considering each of observed allele frequencies showed the lowest deviation with coefficients of NRM and as coefficients of GMF considering the average minor allele frequency showed huge deviation from coefficients of NRM, movement of mean was expected by methods of allele frequency consideration. All GRM construction methods, except for $GOF^*$, showed normally distributed Mendelian sampling. As the result of breeding value (BV) estimation for days to 90 kg (D90KG) and average back-fat thickness (ABF) using NRM and GRM, correlation between BV of NRM and GRM was the highest by GOF and as genetic variance was overestimated by $GOF^*$, it was confirmed that scale of GRM is closely related with estimation of genetic variance. With the same amount of phenotype information, accuracy of BV based on genomic information was higher than BV based on pedigree information and these symptoms were more obvious for ABF then D90KG. Genetic evaluation of animal using relationship matrix by genomic information could be useful when there is lack of phenotype or relationship and prediction of BV for young animals without phenotype.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.219-227
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• 2013

This study was conducted to elucidate the characteristics of equine meat traits and to evaluate the utilization of dried-citrus pulp abundantly produced in Jeju Island as feed ingredient in the diet of finished meat horses. Treatment groups consisted of wheat bran (A) and the dried-pellet mixture of citrus pulp (20%) and wheat bran (80%) (B). Feeding of agricultural by-products were 2 times in a day at the level of 1.5% of body weights. Water and dried-grass forage was not restricted. The average daily gain was similar in both groups. Feed conversion of treatment B showed lower level than that of A. Carcass rate of B was relatively lower than that of A, but meat yield grade of B was higher than that of A. For meat color traits, $L^*$ of B was lighter than that of A, and $b^*$ of group B was lower than that of group A. From the analysis of physical characteristics of equine meats, shearing force had decreased in the treatment B but the levels of drip loss and water holding cavity had increased in the treatment B compared to A. The level of crude fat is lower in the treatment B than the treatment A. For the mineral contents, the treatment B showed higher levels of Ca, K, Mg, Cu and Mn than that of A. For the fatty acid contents, the treatment B showed increased levels of stearic acid, oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, and arachidonic acid compared to A. Consequently, these results suggested that dried-citrus pulp might be utilized as replacement material for equine forage. Please rewrite the whole abstract and should include all required information. Before resubmission, please check it again from a native colleague in your group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2018

This study sought to analyze changes in the vegetation structure and species diversity indices in the Abies koreana forest in the Yeongsil area of Hallasan Mountain and establish basic data for Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER). The results show that the number of woody plants per 1ha has increased by 804 (45.1%) from 1,781 to 2,585 individual plants, whereas the number of live A. koreana did not change much with 796 individual plants. The number of dead tree plants, however, jumped by 807 (82.2%) from 982 to 1,789 plants. With other tree species, the number of live individual plants increased by 807 (82.2%) from 982 to 1,789 plants, whereas the number of dead plants increased by 31 from 10 to 41 individual plants. Results of the average importance index analysis show that the number of A. koreana decreased, while the number of Weigela subsessilis, Rhododendron yedoense for. poukhanense, and Magnolia sieboldii increased. The species diversity index increased by 6.7% as per the maximum level in the upper layer and by 7.2% in the lower layer, respectively. Results of the stem morphology analysis show that the number of AS type was highest with 700 individual plants among A. koreana, while their distribution by type shifted from AS>AL>DS>DB to AS>DS>AL>DB. As for other species, the AS type was most abundant with 1,580 individual plants, while their distribution by type shifted from AL>AS>AF>AB to AS>AL>AB>AD. The number of newly sprouted tree plants has increased from 420 in 2014 to 453 in 2016. Of the individual plants that were alive in 2014, 23 were found dead and 33 individual plants younger than 3 years old have been newly added to the group. The number of deaths after 2014 was highest among the 2 years olds, whereas the number of 2 years olds that sprouted in 2014 was highest among the newly sprouted tree plant group. In the A. koreana forest in Yeongsil, the density of other species was rising rapidly with the exception of the dead and live A. koreana. The occurrence of new tree plants is decreasing rapidly, thereby confirming the rapid change in the area's vegetation structure. Therefore, there is a need for continuous long-term ecological research to monitor vegetation change. It can also be used as a basic data for efficient restoration research.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.336-344
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate changes in the physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of burdock during 9 repeated rounds of steaming ($90^{\circ}C$, 3 h) and drying ($60^{\circ}C$, 20 h) procedures. The moisture content decreased from 81.95% to 7.64% as the process was repeated. Fresh burdock showed the highest total sugar content, with 518.35 mg/g of soluble sugar, 86% being inulin. The reducing sugar content was the greatest (377.00 mg/g) in burdock that had been processed 3 times. The brown color continuously intensified, reaching its peak at 7 rounds of processing, and then weakened. Crude saponin content was the highest (6.17%) after the 5th processing. Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) were the highest at the 3rd and 5th procedures, respectively. Repeated processing weakened the grass and root odors and the bitter, astringent, and metallic tastes, whereas it strengthened the sweet and savory odors, caramel flavor, and richness.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2008

This experiment was carried out to show a reform measures by grouping for problems by the survey of TMR plants. Twenty total mixed ration (TMR) plants (10 cooperation and 10 private plants) were surveyed, of which 13 plants, 65% of total TMR plants, committed TMR formulae to a outside nutrition specialist (TMR formulator). With respect to consulting fee for TMR formulae, $500{\sim}900$ thousands Won was paid monthly. On the basis of dry matter 1kg, the prices of TMR products were $325.6{\sim}347.0$Won, whereas those of wet TMR products $365.7{\sim}375.0$Won, which was appeared to be factors to increase management cost. And also, because the TMR plants did not provide TDN (total digestible nutrient) value on their products, nutritional balance feeding for cows could not be managed in farms. It was calculated, based on ADF (acid detergent fiber) value, that TDN value in dry type TMR was 63.0% and 73.2% fur private and cooperation TMR plants, respectively and that the corresponding figure in wet type TMR was 64.9% and 67.2%. According to TMR plant employee's opinion, a prier items to enlarge TMR utilization were TMR education, TMR advertisement, and improvement of ability to make TMR formula. Therefore, for the purpose of further development of TMR, special education of persons related to TMR should be supported.