• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.376-386
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• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial hazards posed by food utensils and fixtures in food service operations at selected middle and high schools located in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We collected 200 samples of utensils and fixtures including cups, spoons/chopsticks, food trays and tables from five different schools in Seoul. Target microorganisms of this study were divided into two groups: total bacterial count and total coliform as indicators of microbial contamination and Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus as pathogens of food poisoning. We used selective media to quantify microbial concentration and 16S rRNA PCR assay for qualitative analysis. In addition, intensive interviews with nutritionists were conducted and observations were made to identify factors that may affect microbial contamination. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the relationship between the microbial concentration and operation characteristics of each operation. Results: The level of microbial concentration in school B and C were significantly lower than in school A, D and E (p<0.05). Some samples from school A, D and E showed over 3.4 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total bacterial count) and 1.0 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ (total coliform), which requires immediate hygienic action. The number of customers per staff member, periodicity of hygiene education for staff and daily operation time of sterilizers were also found to be important factors related with the microbial contamination of food service operations. Conclusions: These results suggested that not only a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach, but also efforts to assess internal risk factors within operations be needed to reduce the microbial contamination of food utensils and fixtures. This study is expected to provide preliminary data for assessing microbial hazards in food service operations.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the frequence of 4 periodontal pathogens in the supra- and subgingival plaque in periodontally healthy subjects. Twenty adult individuals aged 22 to 28 years (mean age 23.65 years) participated in this study. All subjects had no pocket sites more than 3 mm deep, and the sites selected for sampling were all negative for bleeding. After drying and isolation of the sites with cotton rolls, supragingival plaque was sampled using sterile periodontal curette. Each plaque sample was placed in individual tubes containing 500 ml of 1X PBS. After removal of the supragingival sample and any remaining supragingival plaque, subgingival plaque samples were taken from the same sites using sterile curette and placed in similar individual tubes. Identification of 4 putative periodontal pathogens from the samples was performed by polymerase chain reaction based on 16S rDNA. Chi-square test was employed to identify significant explanatory variables for the presence of the 4 periodontal pathogens. The data show that Actinobacillus actinmycetemcomitans, Porphyromonanas gingivalis, Bacteroides forsythus, and Fusobacterium nucleatum occurred in 16.9%, 14.4%, 52.5%, and 80.6%, respectively. No significant differences were noted in the periodontal pathogens between supra- and subgingival plaques according to the kind of teeth. However, the incisors were at higher risk for harboring F. nucleatum (p <0.05). Conclusion: These results reveal that anaerobic periodontal pathogens can be detected in supragingival plaques. Supragingival plaque may function as a reservoir of peri-odotopathogens.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2013

Background: This study was carried out for the purpose of comprehensively evaluating the mercury exposure level of residents in several areas and the correlation between hair mercury concentration and blood mercury concentration. Method: One thousand one hundred ninety seven subjects were sampled from 30 sites using random assignment sampling. We performed a questionnaire survey and measured the level of total mercury in hair and blood samples from all subjects. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury in all subjects were 1.27 mg/kg [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-1.32 mg/kg] and 5.24 ${\mu}g/L$ [95% CI: 5.07-5.41 ${\mu}g/L$], respectively. Male (1.56 mg/kg in hair, 6.00 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood) was significantly higher than that of female (1.03 mg/kg in hair, 4.56 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood), and the concentrations were elevated as age increased up to the 50s. Education, smoking, alcohol drinking, and using of pesticides were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in hair and blood. The ratio of hair/ blood mercury concentration was 261.3. The total mercury concentration in hair was identified to be significantly related with total mercury concentration in blood (r=0.814, p<0.001). Conclusion: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury were higher than the levels provided in international recommendations. The total mercury concentration in hair was positively correlated with the concentration in blood. The results of this study suggest that hair mercury be considered as a useful tool for the evaluation of mercury exposure.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-137
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• 2015

Studies on carbon flux in the oceans have been highlighted in recent years due to increasing awareness about climate change, but the coastal ecosystem remains one of the unexplored fields in this regard. In this study, the dynamics of carbon flux in a vegetative coastal ecosystem were examined by an evaluation of net and gross ecosystem production (NEP and GEP) and $CO_2$ exchange rates (net ecosystem exchange, NEE). To estimate NEP and GEP, community production and respiration were measured along different habitat types (eelgrass and macroalgal beds, shallow and deep sedimentary, and deep rocky shore) at Gwangyang Bay, Korea from 20 June to 20 July 2007. Vegetative areas showed significantly higher ecosystem production than the other habitat types. Specifically, eelgrass beds had the highest daily GEP ($6.97{\pm}0.02g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$), with a large amount of biomass and high productivity of eelgrass, whereas the outer macroalgal vegetation had the lowest GEP ($0.97{\pm}0.04g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). In addition, macroalgal vegetation showed the highest daily NEP ($3.31{\pm}0.45g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) due to its highest P : R ratio (2.33). Furthermore, the eelgrass beds acted as a $CO_2$ sink through the air-seawater interface according to NEE data, with a carbon sink rate of $0.63mg\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Overall, ecosystem production was found to be extremely high in the vegetated systems (eelgrass and macroalgal beds), which occupy a relatively small area compared to the unvegetated systems according to our conceptual diagram of a carbon-flux box model. These results indicate that the vegetative ecosystems showed significantly high capturing efficiency of inorganic carbon through coastal primary production.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.536-547
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• 2008

Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS, leucoanthocyanidin oxygenase), a 2-oxoglutarate iron-dependent oxygenase, catalyzed the penultimate step in the biosynthesis of the anthocyanin class of flavonoids, from the colorless leucoanthocyanidins to the colored anthocyanidins. The full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of ANS gene (designated as GbANS) were isolated from Ginkgo biloba for the first time. The full-length cDNA of GbANS contained a 1062-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 354-amino-acid protein. The genomic DNA analysis showed that GbANS gene had three exons and two introns. The deduced GbANS protein showed high identities to other plant ANSs. The conserved amino acids (H-X-D) ligating ferrous iron and residues (R-X-S) participating in 2-oxoglutarate binding were found in GbANS at the similar positions like other ANSs. Southern blot analysis indicated that GbANS belonged to a multi-gene family. The expression analysis by real-time PCR showed that GbANS expressed in a tissue-specific manner in G. biloba. GbANS was also found to be up-regulated by all of the six tested abiotic stresses, UV-B, abscisic acid, sucrose, salicylic acid, cold and ethylene, consistent with the promoter region analysis of GbANS. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed in E. coli strain with pET-28a vector. The in vitro enzyme activity assay by HPLC indicated that recombinant GbANS protein could catalyze the formation the cyanidin from leucocyanidin and conversion of dihydroquercetin to quercetin, suggesting GbANS is a bifunctional enzyme within the anthocyanidin and flavonol biosynthetic pathway.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.76-81
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• 1994

승용차에 있어 엔진의 공회전시나 주행중에 발생하는 여러 형태의 진동 및 소음의 저감은 승차감 및 차량의 안정성에 있어 중요한 과제가 되고 있다. 이러한 소음, 진동은 주로 엔진에서 발생하는 토크의 비주기적인 변동성분이 클러치(clutch), 변속기(transmission), 구동축을 거쳐 바퀴로 전달되는 과정에서 발생한다. 셔플(shuffle)은 주행중 가속페달(accelerator)을 급조작(tip-in, tip-out)하였을 때 차량이 전후로 과도적으로 울렁거리는 종진동 현상을 말하며, 이것은 가속페달의 급조작으로 인해 엔진토크가 큰 변동을 일으키고, 동력전달계를 통해 타이어에 전달된 이 토오크는 타이어축에서 구동측으로 역토오크를 발생시키기 때문에 발생한다. 여기서 팁-인(tip-in)이란 승용차를 저속으로 운전하다가 갑자기 가속페달을 밟는 경우를 말하며, 팁-아웃(tip-out)은 반대로 고속상태에서 갑자기 가속페달을 떼는 경우를 말한다. 실험과 시뮬레이션을 사용한 자동차 동력전달계의 비틀림 진동에 대한 연구는 이미 여러 연구자들에 의해 보고되었다. H.Arai은 2자유도 비선형 모델을 사용하여 클러치 접속시 발생하는 외란과 계의 안정성을 고려하여 시뮬레이션을 수행하였고, M.Kataoka는 기어의 공차(clearance)를 고려한 변속기의 강제 비틀림 진동을 실험과 시뮬레이션을 통하여 해석하였다. 그리고, Wu Hui-Le는 자동차 동력전달계의 비틀림 진동 현상을 실험과 이론적인 계산을 통해 연구하였고, R.J.Comparin는 치타음의 발생구조와 특성을 고찰하고 비서형 비틀림 공진 저감에 의한 치타음 저감 기법에 대하여 연구하였다. 또한 G.J.Fudala는 다자유도 모델을 이용하여 클러치의 비틀림 특서엥 따라 주파수분석을 수행하여 치타음 저감 방법을 연구하였고, T.Sakai는 5자유도 모델을 이용하여 엔진 공회전시 발생하는 치타음에 대해 이론과 실험을 통해 해석하고, 엔진 회전수 변동, 클러치 특성, 변속기의 드래그(drag) 토크의 영향과 치타음 저감을 위한 개선된 클러치 특성을 제시하였다. 이 외에도 Thomas C.T.와 E.P.Petkus는 특정 차량에 대한 동력전달계의 비틀림 진동 현상에 대해 연구하였다. 이러한 연구들로 볼 때, 자동차 동력전달계에서 발생하는 진동은 이론과 실험을 통해 그 해석이 가능하며 설계에 매우 유용하게 이용되고 있음을 알 수 있다. 따라서, 본 연구는 4 실린더 4 싸이클 1.5 L 엔진을 장착한 경승용차의 실차 주행실험을 통해 가속 페달의 급조작에 따른 차체의 종진동 현상을 측정하고, 엔진-변속기-타이어-차체의 반환정계 4자유도 진동모델로 시뮬레이션을 수행하여 실차 주행실험의 결과치와 비교, 분석한 후 클러치 비틀림 특성을 비롯한 자동차 동력전달계의 각 설계인자들이 차체의 종진동에 어떠한 영향을 미치는가를 해석하고자 한다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 2015

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and renewable energy technology that can produce biogas from a variety of biomasses such as animal manure, food waste and plant residues. In developing countries this technology is widely used for the production of biogas using local biomasses, but there is little information about the value of these biomasses for energy production. This study was therefore carried out with the objective of estimating the biogas production potential of typical Vietnamese biomasses such as animal manure, slaughterhouse waste and plant residues, and developing a model that relates methane ($CH_4$) production to the chemical characteristics of the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomass characteristics were measured. Results showed that piglet manure produced the highest $CH_4$ yield of 443 normal litter (NL) $CH_4kg^{-1}$ volatile solids (VS) compared to 222 from cows, 177 from sows, 172 from rabbits, 169 from goats and 153 from buffaloes. Methane production from duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was higher than from lawn grass and water spinach at 340, 220, and 110.6 NL $CH_4kg^{-1}$ VS, respectively. The BMP experiment also demonstrated that the $CH_4$ production was inhibited with chicken manure, slaughterhouse waste, cassava residue and shoe-making waste. Statistical analysis showed that lipid and lignin are the most significant predictors of BMP. The model was developed from knowledge that the BMP was related to biomass content of lipid, lignin and protein from manure and plant residues as a percentage of VS with coefficient of determination (R-square) at 0.95.This model was applied to calculate the $CH_4$ yield for a household with 17 fattening pigs in the highlands and lowlands of northern Vietnam.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1529-1539
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• 2012

A whole genome association (WGA) study was performed to detect significant polymorphisms for meat quality traits in an $F_2$ cross population (N = 478) that were generated with Korean native pig sires and Landrace dams in National Livestock Research Institute, Songwhan, Korea. The animals were genotyped using Illumina porcine 60k SNP beadchips, in which a set of 46,865 SNPs were available for the WGA analyses on ten carcass quality traits; live weight, crude protein, crude lipids, crude ash, water holding capacity, drip loss, shear force, CIE L, CIE a and CIE b. Phenotypes were regressed on additive and dominance effects for each SNP using a simple linear regression model, after adjusting for sex, sire and slaughter stage as fixed effects. With the significant SNPs for each trait (p<0.001), a stepwise regression procedure was applied to determine the best set of SNPs with the additive and/or dominance effects. A total of 106 SNPs, or quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected, and about 32 to 66% of the total phenotypic variation was explained by the significant SNPs for each trait. The QTL were identified in most porcine chromosomes (SSCs), in which majority of the QTL were detected in SSCs 1, 2, 12, 13, 14 and 16. Several QTL clusters were identified on SSCs 12, 16 and 17, and a cluster of QTL influencing crude protein, crude lipid, drip loss, shear force, CIE a and CIE b were located between 20 and 29 Mb of SSC12. A pleiotropic QTL for drip loss, CIE L and CIE b was also detected on SSC16. These QTL need to be validated in commercial pig populations for genetic improvement in meat quality via marker-assisted selection.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.154-161
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the physiological responses of Bupleurum latissimum, endangered plants by light condition. We investigated photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll contents and chlorophyll fluorescence under different shading treatments (Shaded 50%, 70%, 90% and non-treated). Results showed that net apparent quantum yield (AQY) and chlorophyll contents were significantly increased with elevating shading level. However, light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiration ($R_d$) were shown the opposite trend. Especially, non-treated exhibited photoinhibition such as reduction of chlorophyll contents and maximum photosynthesis rate ($Pn_{max}$) also variation trend of stomatal conductance ($g_s$), and transpiration rate (E) were decreased to prevent water loss. Photosynthetic rate ($P_{Nmax}$) and photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) of 90% treatment showed a drastic reduction in July. This implies that photosynthetic activity will be sharply decreased with a long period of low light intensity. The 50% treatment showed relatively higher photosynthetic activity than other treated. This result suggested that growth and physiology of B. latissimum adapted to 50% of full sunlight.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.833-843
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of hygiene education on the microbiological changes of processing utensils and the environmental in the manufacture of cereals and to evaluate the Cd, Pb contents and nutrient compositions of 11 cereals. The result of microbiological evaluation was that fungi, coliforms and staphylococcus species were detected in employees, on equipment, utensils and environments in the first inspection. Fungi were detected in most of the cereals, staphylococcus species were detected in soybeans, perilla seeds and sea tangle How, and bacillus cereus was detected in sorghum and black sesame seeds. The water content of rice, barley, glutinous rice, brown rice and carrot flour in packaged products, and in carrot flour, angelica keiskei, carrot, sea mustard and potato in bulk products was in excess of 8.0%. The Pb content of cereals was 0.14-0.51 mg/kg and Cd was not found. The acid value of Job s tears flour and black sesame seed flour was higher than 5.0 mg/g oil. Cereals were manufactured from 41 different cereals and grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, vegetables, potatoes, seaweeds, fruits, glucose and salt. The average content of cereals and grains, legumes, and seeds and nuts in cereals was 75.75%, 16.19% and 4.93%, respectively. The mean nutrient content per 100 g of cereals was calories 365.8kcal, protein 13.3 g, fats 5.9 g, carbohydrates 63.4 g, Ca 91.8 mg, p 269.9 mg, Fe 3.15 mg, Na 76.2 g, K 421.8 mg, Zn 2.33 mg, Vit. A 12.5 R.E., Vit. B$_1$0.23 mg, Vit. $B_2$ 0.16 mg, Vit. $B_6$ 0.46 mg, Niacin 3.5 mg, Vit. C 1.36 mg, folic acid 62.3 $\mu$g and Vit. E 1.24 mg. When nutrients value of 48 g of cereals and 200 $m\ell$l of milk was compared to 1/3 of the RDA, the values were below than 60% of 1/3 of the RDA except Na, K, Vitamin $B_1$ and C contents. The average carbohydrate : protein : fat ratio of energy intake was 54.27 : 17.45 : 28.28, respectively. Therefore, a training program consisting of the education of the staff in surveillance and standard operating procedures, the elimination of dangerous procedures, sanitation checklist, the implementation of Preparation methods and standard recipes for cereals is required.