• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2303-2306
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• 2015

Objective: Skin tumors are the most commonly seen cancer type worldwide. Regarding pathogenesis, it is thought that disruption of kinetics through T lymphocyte-mediated development of chronic inflammation may be involved. The present study was intended to identify role of inflammatory cells such as neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes in the determination of risk for skin cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed charts of 569 cases diagnosed as having primary skin tumors. Data regarding age, gender and histopathological subtype were recorded. Blood parameters studied on the day before surgery including WBCs, neutrophils, and lymphocyte counts, neutrophil:lymphocyte and neutrophil:monocyte ratios were also recorded. Two-hundred and two healthy individuals presented for check-up in an outpatient clinic were selected as the control group. Parameters studied in cases with skin cancer were compared to those healthy individuals. Findings: Of the cases with skin cancer, 401 were basal cell carcinoma (BCC) while 144 were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 13 were malignant melanoma (MM). WBC, neutrophil and monocyte counts and the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio were found to be lower in the patient group than in the healthy control group (p<0.001) while no significant difference was found in other parameters reviewed (p>0.05). No significant difference was found in WBC, neutrophil, neutrophil: monocyte ratio according to gender (p>0.05). Monocyte count was found to be $0.68{\pm}0.61$ in men and $0.55{\pm}0.25$ in women, indicating strong statistical significance (p<0.001). WBC, neutrophil and monocyte values were highest in control group while lowest in BCC. When BCC and SCC groups were compared to controls, significant differences found (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in lymphocyte counts among groups (p=0.976). Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios were 3.24 in BCC, 3.59 in SCC, 3.44 in MM and 5.06 in control group (p<0.001). Conclusions: In our study, it was found that there were significant differences in complete blood count, neutrophil, monocyte and neutrophil:lymphocyte levels among groups. Neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio was found to be lowest in BCC among skin cancers.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.32-41
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• 2019

Background: Limitations in hip flexion caused by tight hamstrings lead to excessive lumbar flexion and low back pain. Accordingly, many studies have examined how to stretch the hamstring muscle. However, no study has focused on the effect of hamstring eccentric exercise for tight hamstrings on trunk forward bending. Objects: We compared the short-term effect of hamstring eccentric exercise (HEE) and hamstring static stretching (HSS) on trunk forward bending in individuals with tight hamstrings. Methods: Thirty individuals with tight hamstrings participated in the study. The subjects were randomly allocated to either a HEE or HSS group. To determine whether the hamstrings were tight, the active knee extension (AKE) test was performed, and the degree of hip flexion was measured. To assess trunk forward bending, subjects performed the fingertip to floor (FTF) and modified modified Schober tests, and the degree of trunk forward bending was measured using an inclinometer. We used paired t-tests to compare the values before and after exercise in each group and independent t-tests to compare the two groups on various measures Results: The FTF test results were improved significantly after the exercise in both groups, and AKE for both legs increased significantly in both groups. There was no significant difference in the hip angles, mmS test results, or degree of trunk forward bending between groups after the exercise. No test results differed significantly between the two groups at baseline or after the exercise. Both groups increased hamstring flexibility and trunk forward bending. Conclusion: HSS and the HEE groups increased hamstring flexibility and trunk forward bending. However, HEE has additional benefits, such as injury prevention and muscle strengthening.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.119-130
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• 2021

This study aimed at Evaluate Students' Interaction and Happiness in Distance Learning Among Students with Learning-Difficulties, by identifying the level of students' interaction in distance education and differences between them, as well as its impact on their happiness to learn. To achieve the aim of the study, two scales were designed for this purpose and were applied to a sample consisting of (310) individuals. The results showed that the level of students' interaction through the e-learning platform was at a high level. The results also showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of males and females in the scale of students' interaction through the e-learning platform. There was no statistically significant difference between them in their happiness for distance learning via the online platform. There were also no statistically significant differences related to the grade variable in the level of interaction through the electronic platform and in the happiness to learn, while there was a positive statistically significant effect of interaction through the electronic platform on students' happiness to learn.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study addressed the question whether the composition of supposedly 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' dietary regimes has a calorie-independent short-term effect on biomarkers of metabolic stress and vascular risk in healthy individuals. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Healthy male volunteers (age $29.5{\pm}5.9years$, n = 39) were given a standardized baseline diet for two weeks before randomization into three groups of different dietary regimes: fast food, Mediterranean and German cooking style. Importantly, the amount of calories consumed per day was identical in all three groups. Blood samples were analyzed for biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and metabolic stress after two weeks of the baseline diet and after two weeks of the assigned dietary regime. RESULTS: No dietary intervention affected the metabolic or cardiovascular risk profile when compared in-between groups or compared to baseline. Subjects applied to the Mediterranean diet showed a statistically significant increase of uric acid compared to baseline and compared to the German diet group. Plasma concentrations of urea were significantly higher in both the fast food group and the Mediterranean group, when compared to baseline and compared to the German diet group. No significant differences were detected for the levels of vitamins, trace elements or metabolic stress markers (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, malondialdehyde and methylglyoxal, a potent glycating agent). Established parameters of vascular risk (e.g. LDL-cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), homocysteine) were not significantly changed in-between groups or compared to baseline during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: The calorie-controlled dietary intervention caused neither protective nor harmful short-term effects regarding established biomarkers of vascular or metabolic risk. When avoiding the noxious effects of overfeeding, healthy individuals can possess the metabolic capacity to compensate for a potentially disadvantageous composition of a certain diet.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.415-427
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• 1996

As a part of host factors of dental caries, saliva has been well known for its important role in relation to dental caries. The studies on its physical and chemical characteristics on development and progress of dental caries has been conducted. Recently, various comparisons between saliva of caries-susceptable individuals and caries-free individuals has been done and the efforts to understand the mechanisms of salivary intervention of development and progress of dental caries is actively in progress. In this study, 15 children with rampant dental caries and 15 caries free children without any systemic diseases from the ages of 2 to 5 were chosen for the experiment and the whole saliva and parotid saliva from each individuals were collected and protein compositions were compared using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). As results of this study, in parotid saliva, there was no difference in protein compositions between the rampant dental caries and the caries free children. While electrophoresis was done with the whole saliva, protein with 120 KDa was found in children with rampant dental caries. However, this protein was not found or unclear, if any for the caries free group. (Exceptionally, clear protein band was present for one person.) Protein compositions of whole saliva of rampant dental caries group was compared before and after the caries control and thick and clear protein bands of about 120 KDa were found in both cases. Protein compostions of caries free children and adults were identical. Quantitative analysis of protein was done for the rampant dental caries group and the control group and no significant difference was found. Taken all together, protein with molecular weight of 120 KDa, found in rampant dental caries group, was still present when the treatment for the dental caries was done so it can be assumed that this protein has no interrelation with the presence of active carious lesions during saliva collecting. It can also be presumed that this specific salivary protein with the molecular weight of 120 KDa found in rampant dental caries group has effect on development and progress of dental caries. Identification on this protein with the molecular-weight of 120 KDa and the role of this protein against dental caries remain to be solved.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.712-719
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• 2023

This study investigated the diversity of butterfly communities inhabiting agroecosystems and examined the effect of latitude and longitude. The ecological characteristics of butterflies inhabiting rural ecosystems, such as habitat preference and food plant range, were also examined. This study was conducted from 2019 to 2022, selecting 10 locations nationwide and conducting line transect surveys every two weeks for four years, confirming a total of 112 species and 21,901 individuals. There was no difference in the number of species and individuals by region, but there was a clear difference in community composition. The most abundant species in rural ecosystems were Pieris rapae, Polygonia c-aureum, Zizeeria maha, and Colias erate, in that order. There was no significant difference in the number of species and individuals by latitude and longitude, indicating no peninsula effect. Habitat preference showed that butterflies preferring grasslands and forest edges were much more common than those preferring the forest interior, and the food breadth was mostly oligophagous, followed by monophagous and polyphagous. Butterflies inhabiting agroecosystems had ecological characteristics that preferred open spaces such as grasslands and forest edges or relatively diverse foods, due to the similarity of the environmental characteristics of the survey points. Through this study, we believe that continuous monitoring is necessary to determine whether climate change, which is currently underway and habitat change are affecting butterflies in agroecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.461-467
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• 2007

The research on food habits of the Fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis, distributed in Korea was done targeting a total of 487 individuals in 4 inland areas and 8 areas of Jeju island from April 1990 to September 1992. The survey results showed that there was no difference In the number of the preys of the Korean Fire-bellied per individual between the inland areas and Jeju island and the toad preyed on 1 to 3 individuals on an average, but there happened a case where some Fire-bellied toads in Jeju preyed on as much as 94 individuals. There were 13 orders surveyed in the kinds of prey of the Fire-bellied toad inland, and 10 in Jeju island with a high predation frequency and the number of the preyed individuals of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. The predation frequency of the two populations was similar in terms of prey taxa, but there appealed a different aspect in the number of the individuals by prey taxa. In short, the inland population of Fire-bellied toad was found to eat more various sorts of preys, not satisfied with limited sorts of preys in comparison with the Jeju toad. There appeared a difference in eating habits by month between the two populations; the feeding duration of the inland population was from May to October, but the Jeju population was from April to September. Among the kinds of prey taxa, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera were equally distributed to the two populations of Korean Fire-bellied toad for this research purpose during the survey period. The number of orders, predation frequency and the number of the prey taxa by one population prey were rather higher in the summer. Therefore, it is concluded that the most active period of predation of the Korean Fire-bellied toad is summer.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.256-266
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• 2016

A total of 13,000 individuals of Dendrobium moniliforme (L.) Sw. artificially propagated in laboratories and greenhouses were restored in their natural habitat of Bogildo Island, Wandogun, in the southern part of Korea in June of 2013. The growing conditions of the individuals were monitored for two years. The parental individuals for the restoration were obtained from a wild population in southern Korea, from which seeds were produced via artificial crossings. These seeds were germinated and cultivated in growing media and two-year-old plants were then grown in greenhouse beds. The genetic diversity among the propagated individuals was confirmed by examining DNA sequences of five regions of the chloroplast genome and the nuclear ITS region. The diversity values were as high as the average values of natural populations. All propagated individuals were transplanted into two different sites on Bogildo by research teams with local residents and national park rangers. After restoration, we counted and measured the surviving individuals, vegetative propagated stems, and growth rates in June of both 2014 and 2015. There was no human interference, and 97% of the individuals survived. The number of propagules increased by 227% in two years. In contrast, the average length of the stems decreased during the period. In addition, different survival and propagation rates were recorded depending on the host plants and the restored sites. The shaded sides of rock cliffs and the bark of Quercus salicina showed the best propagation rates, followed by the bark of Camellia japonica. A few individuals of D. moniliforme successfully flowered, pollinated, and fruited after restoration. Overall, our monitoring data over two years indicate that the restored individuals were well adapted and vigorously propagated at the restored sites. In order to prevent human disturbance of the restored sites, a CCTV monitoring system powered by a solar panel was installed after the restoration. In addition, a human surveillance system is operated by national park rangers with local residents.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2011

Understanding the metapopulation structure and movement of a species are required for conserving the species. In this paper, migration patterns and connectivity of patches of a threatened butterfly, Parnassius bremeri Bremer, were postulated using the mark-release-recapture (MRR) technique in a habitat located in the mid-southern region of the Korean peninsula. A total of 194 individuals were captured (137 males and 57 females) and, of them, 93 individuals (73 males and 20 females) were recaptured during the MRR experiment. The migration analysis showed 23-150% immigration and 28-53% emigration. There were high correlations between the migrating individuals and the distance between patches, but there was no correlation between migrating individuals and patch size or between migrating individuals and the number of host plants. Consequently, the migration of butterflies occurred frequently between closer patches, while patch size and quantity of the food plant had minor effects on migration behavior. Additionally, males migrated more frequently than females. Analysis of the migration patterns of P. bremeri showed that the central patch played an important role on linking patch groups and more frequent migrations were monitored between nearby patches than between the remote patches. This study suggested that active migrations take place between the neighboring multiple patches and these are accelerated if there is a stepping-stone patch between them.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.118-129
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• 2010

A taxonomic study of Viola albida complex, containing the representative individuals of three taxa, V. albida var. albida, V. albida var. chaerophylloides, and V. albida var. takahashii, was done based on RAPD data. The amplified loci were 476 in total; obtained with 68 universal primers on seven OTUs. Nei's genetic dissimilarity appeared relatively low within individuals of V. albida var. albida and V. albida var. chaerophylloides (0.118-0.171 and 0.051 respectively), however, it was higher in individuals of V. albida var. takahashii (0.348). On the other hand, there is no specific trend in terms of genetic dissimilartiy among taxa, such as between individuals of V. albida var. albida and V. albida var. takahashii, between those of V. albida var. albida and V. albida var. chaerophylloides, and between those of V. albida var. albida and V. albida var. takahashii. The similarity of OTUs studied is high in clustering analysis, so that this result is compatible with the establishment of this complex. All OTUs are clustered within two groups. The individuals of V. albida var. takahashii, however, are clustered both to the group of V. albida var. albida and to the group of V. albida var. chaerophylloides, meaning that the genetic difference is high which would be commensurate with their morphological variations.