• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

Radiation exposure from medical diagnostic imaging procedures to patients is one of the most significant interests in diagnostic x-ray system. A miniature x-ray intraoral tube was developed for the first time in the world which can be inserted into the mouth for imaging. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging device for clinical use. In this study, dose evaluation of the new x-ray unit was performed by 1) using a custom made in vivo Pig phantom, 2) determining exposure condition for the clinical use, and 3) measuring patient dose of the new system. On the basis of DRLs (Diagnostic Reference Level) recommended by KDFA (Korea Food & Drug Administration), the ESD (Entrance Skin Dose) and DAP (Dose Area Product) measurements for the new x-ray imaging device were designed and measured. The maximum voltage and current of the x-ray tubes used in this study were 55 kVp, and 300 mA. The active area of the detector was $72{\times}72mm$ with pixel size of $48{\mu}m$. To obtain the operating condition of the new system, pig jaw phantom images showing major tooth-associated tissues, such as clown, pulp cavity were acquired at 1 frame/sec. Changing the beam currents 20 to $80{\mu}A$, x-ray images of 50 frames were obtained for one beam current with optimum x-ray exposure setting. Pig jaw phantom images were acquired from two commercial x-ray imaging units and compared to the new x-ray device: CS 2100, Carestream Dental LLC and EXARO, HIOSSEN, Inc. Their exposure conditions were 60 kV, 7 mA, and 60 kV, 2 mA, respectively. Comparing the new x-ray device and conventional x-ray imaging units, images of the new x-ray device around teeth and their neighboring tissues turn out to be better in spite of its small x-ray field size. ESD of the new x-ray device was measured 1.369 mGy on the beam condition for the best image quality, 0.051 mAs, which is much less than DRLs recommended by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and KDFA, both. Its dose distribution in the x-ray field size was observed to be uniform with standard deviation of 5~10 %. DAP of the new x-ray device was $82.4mGy*cm^2$ less than DRL established by KDFA even though its x-ray field size was small. This study shows that the new x-ray imaging device offers better in image quality and lower radiation dose compared to the conventional intraoral units. In additions, methods and know-how for studies in x-ray features could be accumulated from this work.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2011

Plantago asiatica L. (PA), which is widely distributed in Korea, Japan and China, has traditionally been used as a popular folk medicine for the treatment of liver diseases. A variety of activities of PA was reported, that is hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-glycation and anti-oxidant effect. Ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) is a potent nephrotoxic agent and has been reported to induce renal proximal tubular necrosis. In the present study, pre-treatment with PA extract (PAE) in Wistar rat followed by Fe-NTA i.p. treatment (13.5 mg Fe/kg body weight) was performed to detect the renal protective effect of PAE. Only Fe-NTA treated group showed increases in the level of serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Cr), and renal tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), product of lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the level of biomarkers indicate the antioxidants status, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) were decreased. However, PAE pre-treated group showed decreases in the levels of serum BUN, serum Cr and renal tissue MDA in concentration dependent manner and increases in the level of GSH, GST and GR. These results are significantly different (p < 0.05) to the other groups. Our data suggest that PAE may be used as an chemopreventive material against Fe-NTA-mediated renal oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2006

We investigated the reproductive cycle of the hard clam, Meretrix petechialis with its gonadal development by histological observations. The seasonal changes in biochemical component of the adductor muscle, visceral mass, foot muscle and mantle of the clam were studied by biochemical analysis, from January to December, 2002. The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: early stage (January to March), late active stage (February to May), ripe stage (April to August), partially spawned stage (July to August) and spent/inactive stage (September to January). Total protein content in the visceral mass was over two times higher than that in the adductor muscle. Monthly changes of total protein content in the adductor muscle were not statistically significant (ANOVA, p = 0.071), while the changes in the visceral mass were significant (p < 0.001). Total protein content in visceral mass was higher during the early active, late active, and ripe stages (from January to May), while the lowest in July. Glycogen content in the adductor muscle was higher than that in the visceral mass. Monthly changes in glycogen contents were statistically significant in both adductor muscle (F = 237.2, p < 0.001) and the visceral mass (F = 64.04, p < 0.001). Glycogen content in the adductor muscle was the highest in the ripe stage (April). Its content was lower in the partially spawned and the spent/inactive stages (June-September). Glycogen contents in the visceral mass were relatively lower until the early active stage, while the highest in the late active stage. RNA content was higher in visceral mass than that in the adductor muscle. Monthly changes in RNA contents were significant in both adductor muscle (F = 195.2, p < 0.001) and visceral mass (F = 78.85, p < 0.001). RNA content in the adductor muscle was high in the early active stage (January-February), and then it decreased rapidly in the late active stage (March-April), thereafter, slightly increased during the partially spawned stage (June-July). RNA content in the visceral mass reached a maximum during the ripe stage (May), and then it decreased rapidly during the partially-spawned stage (June-July). There was significant positive correlation in total protein contents between adductor muscle and visceral mass (r = 0.715, p = 0.020). However, there was no correlation between adductor muscle and visceral mass in glycogen (p = 0.550), while a negative correlation was found between the adductor muscle and visceral mass in RNA (p = 0.518) contents. Especially, changes in RNA content showed a negative correlation between the adductor muscle tissue and visceral mass. Therefore, these results suggest that the nutrient content of the adductor muscle, visceral muscle and foot muscle changed in response to gonadal energy needs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.111-131
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• 2002

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) received a great deal of attention from the Orient and West as a tonic agent, health food and/or alternative herbal therapeutic agent. However, controversy with respect to scientific evidence on pharmacological effects especially, evaluation of clinical efficacy and the methodological approach still remains to be solved. Author reviewed those articles published since 1980 when pharmacodynamic studies on ginseng have intensively started. Special concern was paid on metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, circulatory disorders, malignant tumor, sexual dysfunction, and physical and mental performance to give clear information to those who are interested in pharmacological study of ginseng and to promote its clinical use. With respect to chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, malignant disorders, and sexual disorders, it seems that ginseng plays preventive and restorative role rather than therapeutics. Particularly, ginseng plays a significant role in ameliorating subjective symptoms and preventing quality of life from deteriorating by long term exposure of chemical therapeutic agents. Also it seems that the potency of ginseng is mild, therefore it could be more effective when used concomitantly with conventional therapy. Clinical studies on the tonic effect of ginseng on work performance demonstrated that physical and mental dysfunction induced by various stresses are improved by increasing adaptability of physical condition. However, the results obtained from clinical studies cannot be mentioned in the indication, which are variable upon the scientist who performed those studies. In this respect, standardized ginseng product and providing planning of the systematic clinical research in double-blind randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the real efficacy for proposing ginseng indication. Pharmacological mode of action of ginseng has not yet been fully elucidated. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic researches reveal that the role of ginseng not seem to be confined to a given single organ. It has been known that ginseng plays a beneficial role in such general organs as central nervous, endocrine, metabolic, immune systems, which means ginseng improves general physical and mental conditons. Such multivalent effect of ginseng can be attributed to the main active component of ginseng,ginsenosides or non-saponin compounds which are also recently suggested to be another active ingredients. As is generally the similar case with other herbal medicines, effects of ginseng cannot be attributed as a given single compound or group of components. Diversified ingredients play synergistic or antagonistic role each other and act in harmonized manner. A few cases of adverse effect in clinical uses are reported, however, it is not observed when standardized ginseng products are used and recommended dose was administered. Unfavorable interaction with other drugs has also been suggested, which the information on the products and administered dosage are not available. However, efficacy, safety, interaction or contraindication with other medicines has to be more intensively investigated in order to promote clinical application of ginseng. For example, daily recommended doses per day are not agreement as 1-2g in the West and 3-6 g in the Orient. Duration of administration also seems variable according to the purpose. Two to three months are generally recommended to feel the benefit but time- and dose-dependent effects of ginseng still need to be solved from now on. Furthermore, the effect of ginsenosides transformed by the intestinal microflora, and differential effect associated with ginsenosides content and its composition also should be clinically evaluated in the future. In conclusion, the more wide-spread use of ginseng as a herbal medicine or nutraceutical supplement warrants the more rigorous investigations to assess its effacy and safety. In addition, a careful quality control of ginseng preparations should be done to ensure an acceptable standardization of commercial products.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.177-193
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• 2014

Over the past decade, there has been a rapid diffusion of electronic commerce and a rising number of interconnected networks, resulting in an escalation of security threats and privacy concerns. Electronic commerce has a built-in trade-off between the necessity of providing at least some personal information to consummate an online transaction, and the risk of negative consequences from providing such information. More recently, the frequent disclosure of private information has raised concerns about privacy and its impacts. This has motivated researchers in various fields to explore information privacy issues to address these concerns. Accordingly, the necessity for information privacy policies and technologies for collecting and storing data, and information privacy research in various fields such as medicine, computer science, business, and statistics has increased. The occurrence of various information security accidents have made finding experts in the information security field an important issue. Objective measures for finding such experts are required, as it is currently rather subjective. Based on social network analysis, this paper focused on a framework to evaluate the process of finding experts in the information security field. We collected data from the National Discovery for Science Leaders (NDSL) database, initially collecting about 2000 papers covering the period between 2005 and 2013. Outliers and the data of irrelevant papers were dropped, leaving 784 papers to test the suggested hypotheses. The co-authorship network data for co-author relationship, publisher, affiliation, and so on were analyzed using social network measures including centrality and structural hole. The results of our model estimation are as follows. With the exception of Hypothesis 3, which deals with the relationship between eigenvector centrality and performance, all of our hypotheses were supported. In line with our hypothesis, degree centrality (H1) was supported with its positive influence on the researchers' publishing performance (p<0.001). This finding indicates that as the degree of cooperation increased, the more the publishing performance of researchers increased. In addition, closeness centrality (H2) was also positively associated with researchers' publishing performance (p<0.001), suggesting that, as the efficiency of information acquisition increased, the more the researchers' publishing performance increased. This paper identified the difference in publishing performance among researchers. The analysis can be used to identify core experts and evaluate their performance in the information privacy research field. The co-authorship network for information privacy can aid in understanding the deep relationships among researchers. In addition, extracting characteristics of publishers and affiliations, this paper suggested an understanding of the social network measures and their potential for finding experts in the information privacy field. Social concerns about securing the objectivity of experts have increased, because experts in the information privacy field frequently participate in political consultation, and business education support and evaluation. In terms of practical implications, this research suggests an objective framework for experts in the information privacy field, and is useful for people who are in charge of managing research human resources. This study has some limitations, providing opportunities and suggestions for future research. Presenting the difference in information diffusion according to media and proximity presents difficulties for the generalization of the theory due to the small sample size. Therefore, further studies could consider an increased sample size and media diversity, the difference in information diffusion according to the media type, and information proximity could be explored in more detail. Moreover, previous network research has commonly observed a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variable (Kadushin, 2012). In this study, degree centrality as an independent variable might have causal relationship with performance as a dependent variable. However, in the case of network analysis research, network indices could be computed after the network relationship is created. An annual analysis could help mitigate this limitation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.375-387
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• 2012

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and assessment of health risk effects of heavy metals in herbal pills. 31 Items and 93 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas, herbal markets and on-line supermarkets from Jan to Jun in 2010. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in samples were as follows : 0.87 mg/kg for Pb, 0.08 mg/kg for Cd, 2.87 mg/kg for As and 0.16 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. In addition, the average contents of heavy metals in different parts of plants, including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were 0.63 mg/kg, 3.94 mg/kg, 1.42 mg/kg, 1.05 mg/kg, 0.16 mg/kg, 22.31 mg/kg and 10.17 mg/kg, respectively. After the estimations of dietary exposure, the acceptable daily intake (ADI), the average daily dose (ADD), the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and the relative hazard of heavy metals were evaluated. As the results, the relative hazards compared to PTWI in samples were below the recommended standard of JECFA as Pb 3.1%, Cd 0.9%, Hg 0.5%. Cancer risks through slope factor (SF) by Ministry of Environment Republic Korea and Environmental Protection Agency was $4.24{\times}10^{-7}$ for Pb and $3.38{\times}10^{-4}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic). Based on our results, possible Pb-induced cancer risks in herbal pills according to parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.95{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.45{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.14{\times}10^{-7}$, $6.27{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.99{\times}10^{-8}$, $3.61{\times}10^{-7}$ and $9.64{\times}10^{-8}$, respectively. Possible As-induced cancer risks in herbal pills by parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.54{\times}10^{-5}$, $7.24{\times}10^{-5}$, $1.23{\times}10^{-4}$, $2.02{\times}10^{-5}$, $3.25{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.18{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.67{\times}10^{-6}$ respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.231-252
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• 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key technology that will change the future the most. It affects the industry as a whole and daily life in various ways. As data availability increases, artificial intelligence finds an optimal solution and infers/predicts through self-learning. Research and investment related to automation that discovers and solves problems on its own are ongoing continuously. Automation of artificial intelligence has benefits such as cost reduction, minimization of human intervention and the difference of human capability. However, there are side effects, such as limiting the artificial intelligence's autonomy and erroneous results due to algorithmic bias. In the labor market, it raises the fear of job replacement. Prior studies on the utilization of artificial intelligence have shown that individuals do not necessarily use the information (or advice) it provides. Algorithm error is more sensitive than human error; so, people avoid algorithms after seeing errors, which is called "algorithm aversion." Recently, artificial intelligence has begun to be understood from the perspective of the augmentation of human intelligence. We have started to be interested in Human-AI collaboration rather than AI alone without human. A study of 1500 companies in various industries found that human-AI collaboration outperformed AI alone. In the medicine area, pathologist-deep learning collaboration dropped the pathologist cancer diagnosis error rate by 85%. Leading AI companies, such as IBM and Microsoft, are starting to adopt the direction of AI as augmented intelligence. Human-AI collaboration is emphasized in the decision-making process, because artificial intelligence is superior in analysis ability based on information. Intuition is a unique human capability so that human-AI collaboration can make optimal decisions. In an environment where change is getting faster and uncertainty increases, the need for artificial intelligence in decision-making will increase. In addition, active discussions are expected on approaches that utilize artificial intelligence for rational decision-making. This study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence on decision-making focuses on human-AI collaboration and the interaction between the decision maker personal traits and advisor type. The advisors were classified into three types: human, artificial intelligence, and human-AI collaboration. We investigated perceived usefulness of advice and the utilization of advice in decision making and whether the decision-maker's personal traits are influencing factors. Three hundred and eleven adult male and female experimenters conducted a task that predicts the age of faces in photos and the results showed that the advisor type does not directly affect the utilization of advice. The decision-maker utilizes it only when they believed advice can improve prediction performance. In the case of human-AI collaboration, decision-makers higher evaluated the perceived usefulness of advice, regardless of the decision maker's personal traits and the advice was more actively utilized. If the type of advisor was artificial intelligence alone, decision-makers who scored high in conscientiousness, high in extroversion, or low in neuroticism, high evaluated the perceived usefulness of the advice so they utilized advice actively. This study has academic significance in that it focuses on human-AI collaboration that the recent growing interest in artificial intelligence roles. It has expanded the relevant research area by considering the role of artificial intelligence as an advisor of decision-making and judgment research, and in aspects of practical significance, suggested views that companies should consider in order to enhance AI capability. To improve the effectiveness of AI-based systems, companies not only must introduce high-performance systems, but also need employees who properly understand digital information presented by AI, and can add non-digital information to make decisions. Moreover, to increase utilization in AI-based systems, task-oriented competencies, such as analytical skills and information technology capabilities, are important. in addition, it is expected that greater performance will be achieved if employee's personal traits are considered.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.72
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• pp.365-400
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• 2018

The signs of $G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}$(干支: the sexagesimal calendar system) almanac, which marked each year, month, day and time with 60 ordinal number marks made by combining 10 $Ti{\bar{a}}ng{\bar{a}}ns$(天干: the decimal notation to mark date) and 12 $D{\grave{i}}zh{\bar{i}}s$(地支 : the duodecimal notation to mark date), were used not only as the sign of the factors affecting the occurrence of a disease and treatment in the area of traditional oriental medicine, but also as the indicator of prejudging fortunes in different areas of future prediction techniques.(for instance, astrology, the theory of divination based on topography, four pillars of destiny and etc.) While theories of many future predictive technologies with this $G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}$(干支) almanac signs as the standard had been established in many ways by Han dynasty, it is difficult to find almanac discussion later on the fundamental theory of 'how it works like that'. As for the method to mark the era of $Ti{\bar{a}}nt{\check{i}}l{\grave{i}}$(天體曆: a calendar made with the sidereal period of Jupiter and the Sun), which determines the name of a year depending on where $Su{\grave{i}}x{\bar{i}}ng$(歲星: Jupiter) is among the '12 positions of zodiac', there are three main ways of $$Su{\grave{i}}x{\bar{i}}ng-J{\grave{i}}ni{\acute{a}}nf{\check{a}}$$(歲星紀年法: the way to mark an era by the location of Jupiter on the celestial sphere), $$T{\grave{a}}isu{\grave{i}}-J{\grave{i}}ni{\acute{a}}nf{\check{a}}$$ (太歲紀年法: the way to mark an era by the location facing the location of Jupiter on the celestial sphere) and $$G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}-J{\grave{i}}ni{\acute{a}}nf{\check{a}}$$(干支紀年法: the way to mark an era with Ganzhi marks). Regarding $$G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}-J{\grave{i}}ni{\acute{a}}nf{\check{a}}$$(干支紀年法), which is actually the same way to mark an era as $$T{\grave{a}}isu{\grave{i}}-J{\grave{i}}ni{\acute{a}}nf{\check{a}}$$(太歲紀年法) with the only difference in the name, there are more than three ways, and one of them has continued to be used in China, Korea and so on since Han dynasty. The name of year of $G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}$(干支) this year, 2018, has become $W{\grave{u}}-X{\bar{u}}$(戊戌) just by 'accident'. Therefore, in this discussion, the need to realize this situation was emphasized in different areas of traditional techniques of future prediction in which distinct theories have been established with the $G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}$(干支) mark of year, month, day and time. Because of the 1 sidereal period of Jupiter, which is a little bit shorter than 12 years, once about one thousand years, 'the location of Jupiter on the zodiac' and 'the name of a year of 12 $D{\grave{i}}zh{\bar{i}}s$(地支) marks' accord with each other just for about 85 years, and it has been verified that recent dozens of years are the very period. In addition, appropriate methods of observing the the twenty-eight lunar mansions were elucidated. As $G{\bar{a}}nzh{\bar{i}}$(干支) almanac is related to the theoretical foundation of traditional medical practice as well as various techniques of future prediction, in-depth study on the fundamental theory of ancient $Ti{\bar{a}}nt{\check{i}}l{\grave{i}}$(天體曆) cannot be neglected for the succession and development of traditional oriental study and culture, too.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.68-86
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• 1976

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the correct nutritional status on pre-school children in Korea. Furthermore, it made an attempt to find and define nutrional problems, and assist in establishment on their nutritional improvement plan. For this, food intake and health condition (physical, clinical, biochemical and parasitological) survey on 109 Pre-school children in both sexes, randomly selected from Yang-Gu area in Gang-Won province and Rea-ju area in Kyong-gy Province, were conducted by means of three-day records, during the two periods of Spring and Fall season in 1975. The results obtained are summerized as follows: 1. The food intake; Average food intake of the subjects per day were $508{\sim}647g$ ($83{\sim}91%$ in vegetable foods and $5.5{\sim}11.7%$ in animal foods) in Yang-gu area, and $587{\sim}698g$ ($88{\sim}89%$ in vegetable foods and $6.3{\sim}7.6%$ in animal foods) in Rea-ju area. 2. The intake of energy and nutrients; a) Calory intake. Average energy intake of subjects per day in Yang-gu area$(1120{\sim}1415kcal)$ were all lower than the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the subjects in Rea-ju area were lower intake $(1213{\sim}1418kcal)$ than the RDA in the Spring but higher intake$(1516{\sim}1755kcal)$ than the RDA in the Fall, and the average intake were similar level with that of RDA. b) Protein intake. Average protein intake of the subjects per day in Yang-gu area $(33{\sim}43g)$ girl subjects in Rea-ju area $(35{\sim}39g)$ were lower than the RDA in either Spring and Fall survey, whereas the boy subjects in Rea-ju area$(36{\sim}38g)$ were lower in Spring and higher $(49{\sim}57g)$ in the Fall than that of the RDA, but the average $(43{\sim}47g)$ were similar level with the RDA. The protein intake from animal sources in all subjects were much lower $(5.5{\sim}11.7\;of\;total\;protein)$ than the RDA. c) Fat intake. Average fat intake were very lower in all subjects of both area $(14{\sim}24g\;in\;Yang-gu,\;10{\sim}12g\;in\;Rea-ju)$ than that of RDA which is recommended $12{\sim}14%$ of total energy to be supplied from fat. d) Calcium intake. Average calcium intake were very low in all subjects of both area $(264{\sim}355mg\;in\;Yang-gu\;and\;283{\sim}429mg\;in\;Rea-ju)$, especially, these in Spring were about a half level of the RDA, and it was much increased in the Fall due to increased intake of milk, but it was still not enough than the RDA. e) Vitamin A intake. Average intake of V.A ($703{\sim}1465\;IU$ in Ynag-gu and $750{\sim}1521\;IU$ in Rea-ju) were also lower than the RDA, moreover their V-A sources were mainly vegetable, so that the V-A supply might be critical one for the subjected. f) Riboflavin intake. Average riboflavin intake on all subjects in both area except boys in Rea-ju area in Fall, were very lower than the RDA. 3. The physical status; a) Average weight and height of boys aged 4 and 5 in Yang-gu area and girls of aged 5 in Rea-ju area were lower than those of Korean Standard of 1967 report, but those by age of girls in Yang-gu area and boys in Rea-ju area were a little heigher than the Korean Standard. It is, hower, present Korean standard of physical status might be somehow heigher than the 1967, since the socio-economical situation has been much improved during past a decade. So that, if one considered on this sense, the physical status of the subjects on this survey might be somehow lower than those of present Korean standard. b) Average upper arm circumference in both area were no difference each other, and their mean values of age 4, 5 and 6 in boy and girl were 15.6, 16.5, 16.4 and 15.5, 16.5, 16.4cm respectively. c) Average chest girth of boys were similar to those of Korean standard whereas the girls were smaller than the Korea standard. The average head circumference also showed similar tendency with the chest girth. 4. The clinical findings; The most popular clinical signs were angular stomatitis and dental caries, and boys had more heigher incidence then the girls. 5. The biochemical findings; a) Hemoglobin and anemia Average Hb value of boys and girls were 11.4 and 10.9g per 100 ml of blood respectively. The incidence of anemia (Hb value below 11 g/100 ml, by WHO) was increased by age, and girls had more heigher incidence than the boy (34% : 48%). The incidence of anemia in age of 4,5, and 6 in boys and girls were 28%, 41% 34%, and 33%, 50%, 49% respectively. The degree of the anemia was not severe, and the anemia of there subjects may be caused mainly low intake of better quality protein and low iron intake as well. b) Hematocrit. Average Ht value of whole subject were $39.9{\sim}41.6%$. c) Blood plasma protein. Average blood plasma protein contents of whole subjects were $6.6{\sim}7.4gm$ per 100 ml. The incidence of deficient range (<6.0g%, by ICNND) was only one girl of age 4 in yang Gu area. 6. Parasitological findgs; The most popular parasitism were asicris lumbicoides and trichocephalus trichiura, and about 2/3 of the whole subjects were suffering one or more of these parasitism.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 1986

This study was designed to evaluate the partially purified antigens which were fractionated from crude extract of Paragonimus westermani and to monitor the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in experimental cat paragonimiasis during the course of infection as well as before and after chemotherapy. Crude extract of 6-month-old adult P. westermani was fractionated to 5 antigens by successive applications of ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. And the cats, 10 in each group, were infected with 60, 30, 15, and 5 metacercariae, then the half of each group was treated with praziquantel 2 times in one day of 100mg per kilogram of weight on 150 days after the infection. Sera were collected every 10 days. ELISA was performed with the concentration of $2{\mu}g/ml$ antigen, 100 times diluted sera and 1,000 times diluted alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-cat IgG. The results were as follows: 1. Absorbance by ELISA with proteins precipitated by differential concentration of ammonium sulfate was the highest at $51{\sim}65%$ precipitate (PA2), followed by $0{\sim}50%$ precipitate (PAl), $66{\sim}80%$ precipitate (PA3), and $81{\sim}90%$ precipitate (PA4). Unprecipitated protein over 90% ammonium sulfate (PA5) showed the lowest antigenicity. 2. Fractionation of PA1, PA2, and PA3 through the DEAE-cellulose column did not differentiate the antigenic proteins. 3. By passing through the Sephadex G-200 column, PA1 and PA2 were fractionated to high molecular weight proteins and those of low molecular weight which showed high absorbance by ELISA (PA1-I, II and PA2-I, II). But PA3 was shown to have a fraction of high molecular weight proteins (PA3-I) which showed high antigenicity. 4. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of PA1-I, P A1-II, PA2-I, PA2-II, PA3-I, and crude extract was performed. Fraction PA1-I was composed of proteins which had the molecular weight of 270 kilodaltons(KD) to 196 KD; of them 220KD protein was major band. Fraction PA2-I was composed of $255{\sim}225\;KD$, and PA3-I, $255{\sim}240\;KD$, respectively. Fraction PA1-II and fraction PA2-II consisted of 30 KD proteins. 5. Absorbance by ELISA began to increase within $10{\sim}20$ days after the infection and reached the highest on $140{\sim}180$ days, then made plateau thereafter. 6. Absorbance by ELISA decreased after praziquantel treatment. In 60 metacercariae infection group, the absorbance had been decreasing, but remained within the positive range during observation period, while those of 30, 15, and 5 metacercariae infection groups turned to negative range. 7. Fraction PA1-II showed the highest antigenicity in ELISA, then fraction PA2-I, fraction PA1-I, fraction PA2-II, fraction PA3-I and crude extract followed. In early phase of infection, the absorbance of fraction PA1-II showed more rapid increase than those of the other fractions and it came to positive range at $20{\sim}30$ days after infection.