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Functional MR Imaging of Working Memory in the Human Brain

  • Dong Gyu Na;Jae Wook Ryu;Hong Sik Byun;Dae Seob Choi;Eun Jeong Lee;Woo In Chung;Jae Min Cho;Boo Kyung Han
    • Korean Journal of Radiology
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.19-24
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    • 2000
  • Objective: In order to investigate the functional brain anatomy associated with verbal and visual working memory, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Materials and Methods: In ten normal right handed subjects, functional MR images were obtained using a 1.5-T MR scanner and the EPI BOLD technique. An item recognition task was used for stimulation, and during the activation period of the verbal working memory task, consonant letters were used. During the activation period of the visual working memory task, symbols or diagrams were employed instead of letters. For the post-processing of images, the SPM program was used, with the threshold of significance set at p < .001. We assessed activated brain areas during the two stimulation tasks and compared the activated regions between the two tasks. Results: The prefrontal cortex and secondary visual cortex were activated bilaterally by both verbal and visual working memory tasks, and the patterns of activated signals were similar in both tasks. The superior parietal cortex was also activated by both tasks, with lateralization to the left in the verbal task, and bilaterally without lateralization in the visual task. The inferior frontal cortex, inferior parietal cortex and temporal gyrus were activated exclusively by the verbal working memory task, predominantly in the left hemisphere. Conclusion: The prefrontal cortex is activated by two stimulation tasks, and this is related to the function of the central executive. The language areas activated by the verbal working memory task may be a function of the phonological loop. Bilateral prefrontal and superior parietal cortices activated by the visual working memory task may be related to the visual maintenance of objects, representing visual working memory.

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Assessment of Osteoporosis Based on Changes in SNR and ADC Values on MR Diffusion Weighted Images (확산강조영상에서 신호대 잡음비, 현성 확산 계수 변화에 따른 골다공증 평가)

  • Cho, Jae-Hwan;Kim, Yeong-Soo
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.70-77
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    • 2010
  • This study tested how S/N (Signal to Noise Ratio) ratios and ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) values vary with different T-scores in a group of patients with osteoporosis. Based on DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) T-scores for L1.L4 for two groups of subjects consisting of 30 healthy people without osteoporosis and 30 patients who came for treatment of waist (lumbar or low back) pain and were suspected to have osteoporosis as judged from the simple X-ray findings, this study classified every spine into two groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Signal intensity measurements were made in the four regions of L1 to L4 on diffusion-weighted MR images obtained using 1.5T MR scanner, while ADC measurements were obtained from ADC map images. As an approach for quantitative analysis, the comparison of the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for varying T-scores in the selected regions of interest was carried out based on averaged T-scores, S/N ratios, and ADC values. Also, the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for each of the groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia, which were classified into by T-scores, were compared. For qualitative analysis, a careful naked eye examination of signal intensity differences in the area of L4 was made on T1-weighted sagittal images for each of the healthy (normal), osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups. In the qualitative analysis, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the S/N ratios on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the S/N ratio found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest S/N ratio was found in the osteoporosis group. With respect to ADC map, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the ADC values on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the ADC values found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest ADC value was found in the osteoporosis group. On the other hand, in the qualitative analysis, the osteoporosis group showed the highest signal intensity. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest signal intensity was found in the healthy (normal) group. It was found that as osteoporosis progressed, S/N ratio and ADC decreased, whereas signal intensity increased on T1-weighted images. Also, in diagnosing osteoporosis, MRI tests turned out to be (more) effective.

A Study on the Prevalence Rate of Hypertension and the Actual Conditions of Control (일 지역 성인의 고혈압 유병률 및 관리 실태)

  • Kim, Hyeon-Ok
    • Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.154-172
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    • 1999
  • In order to analyse the prevalence rate of hypertension and the actual conditions of control, we selected five districts out of eleven eups and myuns in Chinan Country. We administered structured questionaries to 309 adults above the age of 40, computerized the data using SPSS - PC+. More than 40.1% of adults over 40 in Chinan County have health disorders ranging from high blood pressure to hypertension including alert high blood pressure at 36.2%, relatively high. Among general characteristics, differences in the rate of hypertension were influenced by age, occupation and places of residence. Over 71 who are engaged in agriculture, who don't have jobs, who reside in Sungsu, Jungchun, Chinan-eup all have higher hypertension rates than other groups. Accordingly, the control of hypertension should be focused on these people. As a result of the control of blood pressure, the survey showed 93.0% of the subjects were checked mainly at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers and community health posts more than once a year, relatively high level of blood pressure management. However, the difference between their blood pressure measurements at ordinary times and the level of blood pressure at the time of research was quite considerable. Only 47.3% of the subjects diagnosed with high blood pressure and 70.3% of the subjects with normal blood pressure recognized their blood pressure accurately 52.7% of the subjects diagnosed with high blood pressure showed errors in understanding their blood pressure at normal times. Because these errors can cause problems in the control of blood pressure, proper management should be executed through a systematic examination. As a result of the high blood pressure control condition, the average period of hypertension was 74.5( ${\pm}92.8$) months, 92.3% of the subjects were diagnosed with high blood pressure at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers community health posts, but only 29.5% were examined after a general check up on high blood pressure was completed. 70.5% were diagnosed with high blood pressure only after measuring their blood pressure. 14.1% of the subjects were hospitalized because of falls influenced by high blood pressure. 33.3% attended hospitals and health centers regularily for medical treatment and this shows how low the rate of the control of blood pressure. Most people did not undergo medical treatment, because they had no painful symptoms (46.7%), they didn't need to take the medicine(28.9%), or they forget to take the medicine(20.0%). These problems in the control of hypertension were discovered in the process of diagnosing high blood pressure at health medical institutions. Many people did not recognize the need for consistent control of blood pressure. That is, although the diagnosis for high blood pressures performed at hospitals clinics, health centers subhealth centers and community health posts, was 92.3%, more than 70.5% of the subjects were not examined completely with regard to blood pressure. Accordingly, heath medical institutions must diagnose high blood pressure not only by only measuring blood pressure but also by using systematic process of examination. As for the people diagnosed with high blood pressure, one should perform consistent medical approaches and help them to recognize the importance of the continuous control of blood pressure through subject-oriented education. Problems the subjects experienced were the following numbness in the limbs easily paralyzed stitches in their shoulders which felt painful, stiff necks, occiputs felt heavy, headaches when they got up in the morning, felt dizzy when standing and moving their heads and poor eyesight. The rate of knowledge related to high blood pressure was 78.7 points, comparatively low. Whether they had normal blood pressure or hypertension made no difference. These results are not desirable. Adult-oriented education forgot the prevention and management of high blood pressure should be implemented. Hypertensive-oriented education should be especially reinforced. Because there was a difference in the level of knowledge according to age, academic career, occupation or place of residence, education related to hypertension should be intensified and focused on those over the age of 71 those who did not attend school, those who do not have jobs and are engaged in agriculture and residents living in Bugui, Jungchun regions. The degree of healthy life practice in hypertensives is poor, particularly weight control, as opposed to people who have normal blood pressure. It makes no difference in smoking, the amount of daily smoking, drinking, the control of salt because each result means that they are not practicing healthy life or modifying their life-style. The development and programs to improve a healthy life should be executed.

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Application of False Discovery Rate Control in the Assessment of Decrease of FDG Uptake in Early Alzheimer Dementia (조기 알츠하이머 치매의 뇌포도당 대사 감소 평가에서 오류발견률 조절법의 적용)

  • Lee, Dong-Soo;Kang, Hye-Jin;Jang, Myung-Jin;Cho, Sang-Soo;Kang, Won-Jun;Lee, Jae-Sung;Kang, Eun-Joo;Lee, Kang-Uk;Woo, Jong-In;Lee, Myung-Chul
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.37 no.6
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    • pp.374-381
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    • 2003
  • Purpose: Determining an appropriate thresholding is crucial for PDG PET analysis since strong control of Type I error could fail to find pathological differences between eariy Alzheimer' disease (AD) patients and healthy normal controls. We compared the SPM results on FDG PET imaging of early AD using uncorrected p-value, random-field based corrected p-value and false discovery rate (FDR) control. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight patients ($66{\pm}7$ years old) with early AD and 18 age-matched normal controls ($68{\pm}6$ years old) underwent FDG brain PET. To identify brain regions with hypo-metabolism in group or individual patient compared to normal controls, group images or each patient's image was compared with normal controls usingthe same fixed p-value of 0.001 on uncorrected thresholding, random-field based corrected thresholding and FDR control. Results: The number of hypo-metabolic voxels was smallest in corrected p-value method, largest in uncorrected p-value method and intermediate in FDG thresholding in group analysis. Three types of result pattern were found. The first was that corrected p-value did not yield any voxel positive but FDR gave a few significantly hypometabolic voxels (8/28, 29%). The second was that both corrected p-value and FDR did not yield any positive region but numerous positive voxels were found with the threshold of uncorrected p-values (6/28, 21%). The last was that FDR was detected as many positive voxels as uncorrected p-value method (14/28, 50%). Conclusions FDR control could identify hypo-metaboiic areas in group or individual patients with early AD. We recommend FDR control instead of uncorrected or random-field corrected thresholding method to find the areas showing hypometabolism especially in small group or individual analysis of FDG PET.

The iron status and the relationship between iron deficiency and body mass index in middle school girls (여중생의 철분 영양 상태와 체질량 지수와의 관계)

  • Han, Hee Youn;Chang , Joo Hee;Shim, Hae Sun;Hong, Young Jin;Son, Byong Kwan;Kim, Hwan Cheol;Kim, Soon Ki
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.49 no.11
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    • pp.1174-1179
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    • 2006
  • Purpose : Obesity and iron deficiency are common nutritional problems. Obese children are known to have iron deficiencies, but one presented opposite opinion in Korea. This study investigated the prevalence of obesity and iron deficiency in Incheon and the relationship between iron deficiency and obesity. Methods : Physical measurement and hematologic examinations were done a 764 healthy female students aged 14 to 15 years in May, 2005. Overweight was defined as a body mass index ${\geq}85th$ percentile. Iron deficiency was defined as serum ferritin <10 ng/mL. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was defined as serum Hb <12 g/dL and serum ferritin <10 ng/mL and/or transferrin saturation <16%. Results : 1) The prevalence of overweight was 24.4 percent (n=186), and that of obesity 16.5 percent (n=126). Ferritin and transferrin saturation was the lowest in the normal weight group. 2) The prevalence of iron deficiency and IDA was 18.7 percent (n=102) and 5.3 percent (n=41), respectively. 3) Iron deficiency was more common in the normal weight group compared with the overweight and underweight groups. Also, the non-obese had more iron deficiency and IDA than the obese. Conclusion : The prevalence of obesity in middle school girls could be higher in Incheon than in other regions, but there might be no difference in iron deficiency. However, iron deficiency was more prevalent in the normal weight group than in overweight group. The overweight group ate more food and gained more iron, so seemed to be less prevalent in iron deficiency than the normal weight group.

Effect of GB 34-GB 39 Electro-acupuncture on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Stroke Patients and Normal Volunteers Evaluated by $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ SPECT (양릉천-현종 전침치료가 뇌경색환자 및 정상인의 뇌혈류에 미치는 영향 - SPECT와 SPM을 이용한 연구 -)

  • Han, Jin-An;Jeong, Dong-Won;Bae, Hyung-Sup;Park, Sung-Uk;Jung, Woo-Sang;Park, Jung-Mee;Ko, Chang-Nam;Cho, Ki-Ho;Kim, Young-Suk;Kim, Deok-Yoon;Moon, Sang-Kwan
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine
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    • v.27 no.3 s.67
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    • pp.187-200
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    • 2006
  • Objectives: Acupuncture has been applied in Asia for thousands of years, especially to rehabilitation after stroke. It has been reported that acupuncture increased cerebral blood supply and stimulated the functional activity of brain nerve cells shown by using brain imaging techniques. This study was to evaluate the effect of GB 34-GB 39 electro-acupuncture (EA) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in stroke patients and normal volunteers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods: The study procedure was divided into two parts: patients and volunteers studies. For the patients study, ten ischemic stroke patients (3 males, 7 females, mean age $68.5{\pm}8.9$ years old) were selected. Baseline brain SPECT was done with triple head gamma camera (MultiSPECT3, Siemens, USA) after intravenous administration of 1,110 MBq of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$. Fifteen-minute EA at GB 34 and GB 39 were applied on the affected limb. The same dose of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ was injected during the EA, and the second set of SPECT images wasobtained. Using the computer software (ICON 7.1, Siemens, USA), 3 SPECT slices (upper, middle, lower) surrounding the brain lesion were selected and each slice was divided into 10-16 brain regions. Asymmetry indexes (AI) were analyzed in each brain region. We regarded over 10% changes of AI between before and after EA as significance. For the volunteers study, 10 healthy human volunteers (5 males, 5 females, mean age $28.1{\pm}6$ years old) were selected. In the resting state, $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ brain SPECT scans were performed. On the 7th day after the resting examination, 15 minute EA was applied at GB 34 and GB 39 on the right side of the subjects. Immediately after EA, the second SPECT images were obtained inthe same manner as the resting state. Significant increases and decreases of rCBF after EA were estimated by comparing their SPECT images with those of the resting state using paired t statistics at every voxel, which were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping with a threshold of p = 0.01, uncorrected (extent threshold: k=100 voxels). Results: In stroke patients, six of the eight (75%) had significantly increased perfusion in post-acupuncture scans compared to their baseline state. In normal volunteers, GB 34-GB GB EA increased rCBF in both hemispheres including right ventral posterior cingulate (Brodmann area (BA) 23), left superior temporal, anterior transverse temporal (BA 22, 41), left parastriate, peristriate (BA 18, 19), right occipitotemporal, angular (BA 37, 39), left rostral postcentral, caudal postcentral and preparietal (BA 2, 3, 5). However GB 34-GB 39 EA decreased rCBF in the right hemisphere including triangular and middle frontal lobes. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that OB 34-GB 39 EA increased cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke patients and increased rCBF grossly in temporal lobes of normal volunteers. It is also suggested that there may be a correlation between the GB meridian and the territory of the middle cerebral artery.

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Role of MYH Polymorphisms in Sporadic Colorectal Cancer in China: A Case-control, Population-based Study

  • Yang, Liu;Huang, Xin-En;Xu, Lin;Zhou, Jian-Nong;Yu, Dong-Sheng;Zhou, Xin;Li, Dong-Zheng;Guan, Xin
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.11
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    • pp.6403-6409
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    • 2013
  • Purpose: Biallelic germline variants of the 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OG) repair gene MYH have been associated with colorectal neoplasms that display somatic $G:C{\rightarrow}T:A$ transversions. However, the effect of single germline variants has not been widely studied, prompting the present investigation of monoallelic MYH variants and susceptibility to sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) in a Chinese population. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2012, 400 cases of sporadic CRC and 600 age- and sex-matched normal blood donors were screened randomly for 7 potentially pathogenic germline MYH exons using genetic testing technology. Variants of heterozygosity at the MYH locus were assessed in both sporadic cancer patients and healthy controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine risk factors for cancer onset. Results: Five monoallelic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the 7 exon regions of MYH, which were detected in 75 (18.75%) of 400 CRC patients as well as 42 (7%) of 600 normal controls. The region of exon 1 proved to be a linked polymorphic region for the first time, a triple linked variant including exon 1-316 $G{\rightarrow}A$, exon 1-292 $G{\rightarrow}A$ and intron 1+11 $C{\rightarrow}T$, being identified in 13 CRC patients and 2 normal blood donors. A variant of base replacement, intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$, was identified in the exon 10 region in 21 cases and 7 controls, while a similar type of variant in the exon 13 region, intron 13+12 $C{\rightarrow}T$, was identified in 8 cases and 6 controls. Not the only but a newly missense variant in the present study, p. V463E (Exon 14+74 $T{\rightarrow}A$), was identified in exon 14 in 6 patients and 1 normal control. In exon 16, nt. 1678-80 del GTT with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was identified in 27 CRC cases and 26 controls. There was no Y165C in exon 7 or G382D in exon 14, the hot-spot variants which have been reported most frequently in Caucasian studies. After univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, the linked variant in exon 1 region (p=0.002), intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$ (p=0.004) and p. V463E (p=0.036) in the MYH gene were selected as 3 independent risk factors for CRC. Conclusions: According to these results, the linked variant in Exon 1 region, Intron 10-2 $A{\rightarrow}G$ of base replacement and p. V463E of missense variant, the 3 heterozygosity variants of MYH gene in a Chinese population, may relate to the susceptibility to sporadic CRC. Lack of the hot-spot variants of Caucasians in the present study may due to the ethnic difference in MYH gene.

Comparison of Yield and Quality Characteristics on Mid-Late Maturing Rice Cultivars in Major Cultivation Areas of Gangwon Province (강원도 주요 농업지대별 중만생종 벼 품종의 쌀 수량 및 품질특성 비교)

  • Jeong, Jeong-Su;Goh, Byeong-Dae;Ham, Jin-Kwan;Choi, Kyung-Jin;Yang, Un-Ho
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.60 no.4
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    • pp.421-430
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    • 2015
  • Rural Development Administration has recently developed mid-late maturing rice cultivars with high quality. This study was conducted to select suitable mid-late maturing rice cultivar in major cultivation areas of Gangwon Province among domestic breeding cultivars for 2 years from 2013 to 2014. The average air temperature during the experiment in 2013 and 2014 was higher $0.6{\sim}1.1^{\circ}C$ in Chuncheon, $1.0{\sim}1.3^{\circ}C$ in Gangreung, and $0.1{\sim}0.7^{\circ}C$ in Cheolwon than normal year. Precipitation in ripening period was higher 52.5 mm in 2013, but lower 176.4 mm in 2014 than normal year in Chuncheon, lower 103.1 mm in 2013 and higher 42.9 mm in 2014 in Gangreung, lower 225.9~322.7 mm in Cheolwon. Duration of sunshine in ripening period was higher 142 hours in Chuncheon, 108 hours in Gangreung, and 94 hours in Cheolwon than normal year in 2013, higher 20~21 hours in Chuncheon and Gangreung, and 82 hours in Cheolwon than normal year in 2014. Milled rice yield of 'Samgwangbyeo' and 'Daebobyeo' was 594 kg per 10a, and 578 kg for 'Jinsumibyeo' in Chuncheon in plain area. For Gangreung in east coastal area, the yield of 'Daebobyeo' was 555 kg per 10a, 'Hopumbyeo' was 554 kg, and 'Chilbobyeo' was 546 kg. For Cheolwon in mid-mountainous area, the yield was 504 kg per 10a for 'Daebobyeo' and 489 kg for 'Haiamibyeo'. But there was no difference in milled rice yield among cultivars tested in the study at each area. Head rice ratio of 'Haiamibyeo', 'Jinsumibyeo', and 'Mipumbyeo' in Chuncheon was 94.2~95.6% higher than the other cultivars. In Gangreung head rice ratio of 'Hopumbyeo', 'Haiamibyeo', and 'Samgwangbyeo' were 85.2~88.3% but there was no difference among cultivars except 'Gopumbyeo' and broken rice ratio of 'Haiamibyeo', 'Samgwangbyeo', and 'Mipumbyeo' were low as 7.5~8.5% and palatability of 'Mipumbyeo' was higher than the other cultivars. Head rice ratio of 'Daebobyeo' was the highest as 89.2% and there was no difference in broken and chalky rice ratio and palatability among cultivars in Cheolwon. Considering rice yield and quality in major cultivation areas of Gangwon Province, suitable mid-late maturing rice cultivars were 'Samgwangbyeo', 'Haiamibyeo', and 'Jinsumibyeo' in Chuncheon, 'Daebobyeo' and 'Chilbobyeo' in Gangreung, and 'Daebobyeo' and 'Haiamibyeo' in Cheolwon. The results obtained in the study imply that the selected cultivars with high yield and quality and suitability to Chuncheon, Gangreung, and Cheolwon, respectively could be recommended to rice cultivating farmers in the regions with high priority.

Comparison of the Plant Characteristics and Nutritional Components between GM and Non-GM Chinese Cabbages Grown in the Central and Northern Parts of Korea (중·북부지역에서 재배된 GM 배추와 Non-GM 배추간의 식물체 특성 및 영양 성분 비교 분석)

  • Cho, Dong-Wook;Oh, Jin-Pyo;Park, Kuen-Woo;Lee, Dong-Jin;Chung, Kyu-Hwan
    • Horticultural Science & Technology
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.836-844
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    • 2010
  • This study was carried out to investigate plant characteristics and nutritional components of the genetically modified (GM) Chinese cabbage and its control line grown in the central and northern parts of Korea in order to establish the evaluating protocol and standard assessment. The GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage was planted with normal and concentrated density at two locations in spring and fall of 2008 and 2009. From the statistic analysis on plant characteristics and nutritional components, there were not many significant differences between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage. Only few differences in the plant characteristics were found between the dense and normal planting. In the dense planting, there was no significant difference between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbages except for three out of 18 plant traits, such as leaf shape, hairiness and midrib length. On the other hand, nine plant traits including leaf length, leaf width, leaf color, leaf shape, fresh weigh of ground part, number of leaf, midrib length, midrib width and root diameter were slightly different between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage in the normal planting. In case of leaf length, midrib length, midrib width and fresh weigh of ground part, there were significantly differences not only between two lines, but also between two locations. From nutritional component analysis, only five fatty acids were identified in the Chinese cabbage: palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. Except linoleic acid, four fatty acids in one gram of dried sample from GM line were little higher than those from non-GM line. However, there were no significant differences in total contents of fatty acids not only between GM and non-GM Chinese cabbage line, but also between northern and central cultivating areas in the normal and dense planting. According to the composition of inorganic elements identified in the samples from both lines, there were six macro-elements, such as N, P, Ca, K, Mg and Na, and four micro-elements, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Based on the result from PCA analysis, specific clusters were not found between GM Chinese cabbage and the control line, but found between two regions.

Synoptic Climatological Characteristics of Spring Droughts in Korea (한국의 춘계한발의 종관기후학적 특성)

  • Yang, Jin-Suk
    • Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.43-56
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    • 1998
  • The purpose of this study is to identify distributional characteristics of climatic elements and to analyze synoptic characteristics on the pressure fields for spring droughts in Korea. In the distributions of minimum temperature during the spring droughts, positive anomalies and negative anomalies are mixed up, but in March the negative anomaly areas are widely distributed in Korea. It implies that the droughts of March have more frequent occurrences of the west-high, east-low pressure patterns. In the maximum air temperatures, the positive anomalies appear in Korea. It indicates that the spring droughts have rain days, cloud amount and humidities less than normal. As a result, the amount of evaporation is increased in Korea. In the pressure anomaly of surface pressure fields, the positive anomalies appear in the west, negative anomalies in the east in March, but in May the positive anomalies appeared zonally around the Korean peninsula. It indicates that March droughts have more frequent occurrences of the west-high. east-low patterns, but in May the Korean Peninsula has more frequent recurrences of the migratory anticyclone patterns. The height anomaly patterns of 500hPa pressure surface in spring droughts are similarly shown to those of surface fields. In March droughts, the positive height anomalies appear in the west, the negative height anomalies in the east, but in April the negative height anomaly areas are extended to the west part. In May the positive anomalies appear zonally around the Korean Peninsula, and strong positive height anomalies appear around the Kamchatka Peninsula and the sea of Okhotsk. These are the result of circulations that inhibit the eastward movement of westerlies and that has persistent anticyclone circulation patterns around the Korean Peninsula. As a result, the zonal indices of westerlies during March and April droughts are lower than normal, but higher in May. These data indicate that early spring droughts are associated with weak zonal flow, but the late spring droughts are obviously related with strong zonal flow. In addition, during early spring droughts the abnormally deep trough over the west coast of the North Pacific Ocean that accompanied the anticyclone was associated with frequent advection of air from the dry regions in the Central Asia into the Korean Peninsula. The atmospheric circulation patterns at the height of the 500hPa pressure surface in May was quite different from March and April circulation patterns. Instead of the abnormal ridge in the west and trough in the east, the circulation pattern in May was characterized by a much stronger than normal anticyclone over the Korean Peninsula. Also, the zonal indices of westerlies in May are higher than normal. The occurrences of drought in early spring, therefore, have mechanism different from those of late spring.

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