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Fractionation of Heavy Metals and Correlation with Their Contents in Rice Plant Grown in Paddy near Smelter Area (제련소 인근 논 토양 중 중금속 형태 분류 및 수도체중 중금속 함량과의 상관성)

  • Kim, Seong-Jo;Baek, Seung-Hwa;Moon, Kwang-Hyun
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.1-10
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    • 1996
  • The contents of heavy metals in soil near the Janghang smelter area were observed to understand present status and relationship between their fraction and the absorption by rice. The soil samples were taken from the eight sites of the paddy fields in 1982 and 1990, and analysis on heavy metals including Cd, Zn, Cu and Pb was performed. The results were as follows: Total contents of heavy metals in the samples of 1990 were higher than those of 1982. The order of increasing ratio was Cu > Zn > Pb > Cd and the variation of Cd content by sequential differente extracting was residual > exchangeable > dilute acid-extractable fractions and its increasing range was from 38 to 71% during nine years. The ratio of immobile heavy metals bound within an oxide or silicate matrix of Fe-Mn oxide bound and residual in surface soil was that Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were 31.65, 42.22, 76.57 and 79.49%, respectively, and their mobile ratios of exchangeable, dilute acid-extractable and organically bound were more than 20.28%. Those of mobile Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were 68.35, 55.78, 23.43 and 20.28%, respectively. Correlation between the heavy metal contents in surface soil and those in tissue of rice plant, such as leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem and panicle axis, were significant, but were not significant in subsurface soil. The dilute acid-extractable and organically bound fractions of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soil were more significantly correlated with those in tissues of paddy rice.

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AMP-activated Kinase Regulates Adipocyte Differentiation Process in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes Treated with Selenium (AMP-activated protein kinase가 셀레늄으로 처리된 3T3-L1 지방세포의 분화과정 억제에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Song-Yi;Hwang, Jin-Taek;Lee, Yun-Kyoung;Kim, Young-Min;Park, Ock-Jin
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.423-428
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    • 2009
  • Selenium was investigated using human origin preadipocytes to see whether it possesses preventive or therapeutic effects for obesity. Unveiling the potential of selenium in the reduction of adipogenesis can help predict the therapeutic capabilities of selenium in obesity. In the present study, the molecular mechanism of the inhibition of adipogenesis by selenium was explored to unravel the involvement of the AMP-activated protein kinase. There is emerging evidence that AMPK, a sensor of cellular energy status, is a possible molecular target of controlling adipocyte differentiation on the basis of discovery that AMPK is responsible for the major metabolic responses to exercise, and integration of nutritional and hormonal signals to modulate feeding behavior or energy expenditure in the hypothalamus. Treatment of selenium resulted in inhibition of the adipocyte differentiation process and induction of mature apoptosis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We hypothesized that selenium may exert anti-adipogenic potential though modulating AMPK. We have found that selenium significantly activated AMPK and phosphorylated its substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase ($ACC-serine^{79}$) during the inhibitory process of adipocytes. Also, the inhibition process of adipocyte differentiation by selenium was comparable to either reveratrol or a synthetic AMPK activator, AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-${\beta}$-D-ribofuranoside). To evaluate the involvement of AMPK in anti-lipogensis, we applied AICAR and Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, to 3T3-L1-adipocytes and found that AMPK is required for the adipocyte differentiation blocking process. These results suggest that selenium has a potential to control adipogenesis and that this effect is mediated by AMPK, an essential kinase for both inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and apoptosis of mature adipocytes.

A Study on the Aviation Safety Policy and Enhancement of Aviation Safety for Low Cost Carriers in Korea (한국의 저비용항공사 안전 향상을 위한 안전정책 연구)

  • Lee, Kang-Seok
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.69-104
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    • 2009
  • This study is to know the Enhancement of Aviation Safety for Low Cost Carrier in Korea through the long and mid term air safety policy. Especially, the aviation safety authorities of the developed countries in aviation establish action plans under the system plan of central government. Then the countries implement those plans systematically to the related aviation business so that they promote efficient air safety policy implementation. At this time, the Korean government should present the vision about an air safety and systematic strategic plan to cope with the future aviation industry change. Also, it is needed to establish a specific aviation safety action plan. Namely, an air safety master plan and long-term road map must be established. This paper deduces some implications through the abroad cases of aviation safety plan, and then tries to find the applying method of the implications to Korea in the rapidly changing aviation market in the 21st century. It is expected that this paper will help the Korean aviation industry to play a major role in the future. In oder to get suggestions aviation policies of advanced countries with regard to aviation safety, we have looked at the aviation policies of the U.S., the U.K., Australia and Japan, and also LCC's states overseas, LCC's safety policies in Korea, and aviation safety status. Since existing LCCs and new LCCs based in Korea have become the new concept, this new market for LCC has been booming recently. Around Southeast Asia, while there are some LCCs including Air Asia which is supported by the government of Malaysia with emphasis on safety, there are other LCCs, which have failed to achieve confidence in safety and have led to aircraft accidents and financial mismanagement, so we need to verify the safety of overseas LCCs, try to improve domestic LCCs in order to fly international routes and aid international aviation safety. LCCs have been increasing lately thanks to open skies policy and a wide variety of flights.lines. Air Busan, Jin Air, Jeju air, Eastar Air are in service. so the risk of new potential hazards may increase. Therefore it is necessary to take the initiative in aviation markets inside and outside of Korea and the safety management of new LCCs should be taken more seriously than ever before. Among overseas aviation safety policies, we need to implement the FAA's Filght Plan which has a specific Business Plan. I hope this thesis will help improve aviation safety locally and internationally.

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Compilation of 104 Experimental Theses on the Antitumor and Immuno-activating therapies of Oriental Medicine (한의학의 항종양 면역치료에 관한 연구 -1990년 이후 발표된 실험논문을 중심으로-)

  • Kang Yeon Yee;Kim Tai Im;Park Jong Ho;Kim Sung Hoon;Park Jong Dai;Kim Dong Hee
    • Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.1-24
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    • 2003
  • This study was done to compile 104 experimental theses which are related to the antitumor and immuno-activating therapies between February 1990 through February 2002. Master's and doctoral theses were dassified by schools, degrees, materials, effects, experimental methods of antitumor and immunoactivity, and results. The following results were obtained from this study : 1. Classifying the theses by the school, 34.6% were presented by Daejeon University, 29.8% by Kyung-hee University and 11.5% by Won-kwang University. Of all theses, 51.0% were aimed for the doctoral degree and 43.3% were for the master's degree. All of three universities have their own cancer centers. 2. Classifying the theses by herb materials, complex prescription accounted for 60.3%, single herb accounted for 24.8% and herbal acupuncture accounted for 14.2%. Considering the key principles of the traditional medicine, complex prescription was much more thoroughly studied than single herb prescription. The results showed that the complex prescription had both antitumor activity and immuno-activating activity, which might reflects on multi-activation mechanisms by complex components. 3. Classifying the theses by the efficacy of herbs examined, in single herb, invigorating spleen and supplementing was 35.5%, expelling toxin and cooling was 29.0%, activating blood flow and removing blood stasis was 12.9%. In herbal acupuncture, invigorating spleen and supplementing was 52.9%, expelling toxin and cooling was 29.4%. In complex prescription, pathogen-free status was 41.9%, strengthening healthy qi to eliminate pathogen was 35.5%, strengthening healthy qi was 22.6%. It is presumed that the antitumor and immunoactivating therapy based on syndrome differentiation is the best way to develop oriental oncology. 4. Classifying the theses by antitumor experiments, cytotoxic effect was 48.1 %, survival time was 48.1 % and change of tumor size was 42.3%. Survival rate was not necessarily correlated with cytotoxicity. These data reflect the characteristic, wholistic nature of the oriental medicine which is based on BRM (biological response modifier). 5. Classifying the theses by immunoactivating experiments, hemolysin titer was 51.0%, hemagglutinin titer was 46.2% and NK cell's activity was 44.2%. In the future studies, an effort to elucidate specific molecular and cellular mechanisms of cytokine production in the body would be crucial. 6. Classifying the theses according to the data in terms of antitumor activity, 50% was evaluated good, 24.0% was excellent, and 15.5% have no effect. In an evaluation of immuno-activating activity, 35.9% was excellent and 18.0% showed a little effect. The index point, as described here, may helps to use experimental data for clinical trials. Changes in index points by varying dosage implicate the importance of oriental medical theory for prescription. 7. In 167 materials, IIP (immunoactivating index point, mean : 3.12±0.07) was significantly higher than AIP(antitumor index point, mean : 2.83±0.07). These data demonstrate that the effect of herb medicine on tumor activity depends more on immunoactivating activity than antitumor activity. This further implies that the development of herbal antitumor drugs must be preceded by the mechanistic understanding of immunoactivating effect. 8. After medline-searching tumor and herb-related articles from NCBI web site, we conclude that most of the studies are primarily focused on biomolecular mechanisms and/or pathways. Henceforth, we need to define the biomolecular mechanisms and/or pathways affected by herbs or complicated prescriptions. 9. Therefore, the most important point of oriental medical oncology is to conned between experimental results and clinical trials. For the public application of herbal therapy to cancer, it is critical to present the data to mass media. 10. To develop the relationship of experimental results and clinical trials, university's cancer clinic must have a long-range plan related to the university laboratories and, at the same time, a regular consortium for this relationship is imperative. 11. After all these efforts, a new type herbal medicine for cancer therapy which is to take care of the long-term administering and safety problem must be developed. Then, it would be expected that anti-tumor herbal acupuncture can improve clinical symptoms and quality of life (QOL) for cancer patients. 12. Finally, oriental medical cancer center must be constructed in NCC (National Cancer Center) or government agency for the development of oriental medical oncology which has international competitive power.

A Studyof Psychiatric Treatment Compliance in Referred Patients at a General Hospital (자문의뢰된 입원환자의 특성과 정신과 치료 순응도에 대한 연구)

  • Shim, In-Bo;Ko, Young-Hoon;Lee, Moon-Soo;Kim, Yong-Ku;Han, Chang-Su
    • Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.66-73
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    • 2011
  • Objectives:The present study investigates the status of inpatient psychiatric consultations at a general hospital in order to find factors that contribute to treatment compliance related to psychiatric consultations. Methods:The subjects were 333 patients who were hospitalized at Korea University Medical Center Ansan Hospital from 1 September 2009 to 31 July 2010.The patients were referred for psychiatric consultation during hospitalization. This study investigates demographic data, request department, referral causes, requestor, psychiatric history and diagnosis, andpsychiatric treatment compliance. Treatment compliance was defined as whether or not the patient had accepted psychiatric treatment during hospitalization or outpatient department(OPD) follow-up. This study ascertains the factors that have impact on compliance, by taking binary logistic regression with compliance and other variables. Results:Among the patients that were offered psychiatric treatment during hospitalization(N=310), treatment compliance was 82.9%. Among the patients that were offered OPD treatment(N=111), compliance was 55.8%. Elderly group(>65 years) showed better compliance to treatment during hospitalization than the younger patient group(OR=4.838, p=0.004). Patients with secondary psychiatric disorders showed better OPD follow-up compliance than patients with secondary psychiatric disorders(OR=8.520, p=.008). Conclusion:Elderly patients showed better compliance for psychiatric treatment during hospitalization. However they commonly have disorders such as delirium and mood disorders that have impact on the patient's physical state, hence further active measures should be carried out. Patients referred due to primary psychiatric disorders showed poor OPD compliance. Therefore clinicians have to suggest multidisciplinary interventions that will improve treatment compliance of such patients.

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A Case Study of the Performance and Success Factors of ISMP(Information Systems Master Plan) (정보시스템 마스터플랜(ISMP) 수행 성과와 성공요인에 관한 사례연구)

  • Park, So-Hyun;Lee, Kuk-Hie;Gu, Bon-Jae;Kim, Min-Seog
    • Information Systems Review
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.85-103
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    • 2012
  • ISMP is a method of writing clearly the user requirements in the RFP(Request for Proposal) of the IS development projects. Unlike the conventional methods of RFP preparation that describe the user requirements of target systems in a rather superficial manner, ISMP systematically identifies the businesses needs and the status of information technology, analyzes in detail the user requirements, and defines in detail the specific functions of the target systems. By increasing the clarity of RFP, the scale and complexity of related businesses can be calculated accurately, many responding companies can prepare proposals clearly, and the level of fairness during the evaluation of many proposals can be improved, as well. Above all though, the problems that are posed as chronic challenges in this field, i.e., the misunderstanding and conflicts between the users and developers, excessive burden on developers, etc. can be resolved. This study is a case study that analyzes the execution process, execution accomplishment, problems, and the success factors of two pilot projects that introduced ISMP for the first time. ISMP performance procedures of actual site were verified, and how the user needs in the request for quote are described was examined. The satisfaction levels of ISMP RFP for quote were found to be high as compared to the conventional RFP. Although occurred were some problems such as RFP preparation difficulties, increased workload, etc. due to the lack of understanding and execution experience of ISMP, in overall, also occurred were some positive effects such as the establishment of the scope of target systems, improved information sharing and cooperation between the users and the developers, seamless communication between issuing customer corporations and IT service companies, reduction of changes in user requirements, etc. As a result of conducting action research type in-depth interviews on the persons in charge of actual work, factors were derived as ISMP success factors: prior consensus on the need for ISMP, the acquisition of execution resources resulting from the support of CEO and CIO, and the selection of specification level of the user requirements. The results of this study will provide useful site information to the corporations that are considering adopting ISMP and IT service firms, and present meaningful suggestions on the future study directions to researchers in the field of IT service competitive advantages.

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North Korea's Nuclear Strategy: Its Type Characteristics and Prospects (북한 핵전략의 유형적 특징과 전망)

  • Kim, Kang-nyeong
    • Korea and Global Affairs
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    • v.1 no.2
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    • pp.171-208
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    • 2017
  • This paper is to analyze the type characteristics and prospects of the North Korean nuclear strategy. To this end, the paper is composed of 5 chapters titled introduction; the concept and type of nuclear strategy; the nuclear capabilities of North Korea and the declarative nuclear strategy; the operational characteristics and prospects of the North Korean nuclear strategy; and conclusion. Recently, the deployment of nuclear weapons and the enhancement of nuclear capabilities in North Korea have raised serious problems in our security and military preparedness. Nuclear strategy means military strategy related to the organization, deployment and operation of nuclear weapons. The study of North Korea's nuclear strategy begins with a very realistic assumption that the nuclear arsenal of North Korea has been substantiated. It is a measure based on North Korea's nuclear arsenal that our defense authorities present the concepts of preemptive attack, missile defense, and mass retaliation as countermeasures against the North Korean nuclear issue and are in the process of introducing and deploying them. The declared nuclear declaration strategy of the DPRK is summarized as: (1)Nuclear deterrence and retaliation strategy under the (North Korea's) Nuclear Weapons Act, (2)Nuclear preemptive aggression, (3)The principle of 'no first use' of nuclear weapons in the 7th Congress. And the intentions and operational characteristics of the North Korean nuclear strategy are as follows: (1)Avoiding blame through imitation of existing nuclear state practices, (2)Favoring of nuclear strategy through declarative nuclear strategy, (3)Non-settlement of nuclear strategy due to gap between nuclear capability and nuclear posture. North Korea has declared itself a nuclear-weapon state through the revised Constitution(2012.7), the Line of 'Construction of the Nuclear Armed Forces and the Economy'(2013.3), and the Nuclear Weapons Act(2013.4). However, the status of "nuclear nations" can only be granted by the NPT, which is already a closed system. Realistically, a robust ROK-US alliance and close US-ROK cooperation are crucial to curbing and overcoming the North Korean nuclear threat we face. On this basis, it is essential not only to deter North Korea's nuclear attacks, but also to establish and implement our own short-term, middle-term and long-term political and military countermeasures for North Korea's denuclearization and disarmament.

Effects of Baby Boomers' Stress and Depression on Their Psychological Well-being : Moderation Effects of Social Supports - A Comparative Study of the 1st- and 2nd-Generation Baby Boomers - (베이비붐 세대의 스트레스, 우울이 심리적 안녕감에 미치는 영향 : 사회적 지지의 조절효과 - 1차·2차 베이비 붐 세대의 비교연구)

  • Lee, Yon-Sil;Seo, In-Kyun
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.16 no.8
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    • pp.292-309
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    • 2016
  • The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the effects of stress and depression experienced by the first (1955-1964) and second (1968-1974) generations of baby boomers on their psychological well-being as well as the moderation effects of social supports for them. For this purpose, 369 who come under the category of the first- and second-generation baby boomers were selected by convenient sampling from among the participants in the programs of the life-long educational institutes in Seoul metropolitan area and questionnaires of self-administered type were distributed to them. Frequency analysis, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis and hierarchial regression analysis which used input of mean-centered variables and interaction term were conducted to determine the moderating effects of social supports based on the replies to the questionnaires. The major outcomes of the analyses could be summed up as follows: first, the stress and depression suffered by the first and second generations of baby boomers turned out to have negative (-) influence upon their psychological well-being; second, the social supports for those two generations were found to exercise positive (+) effects upon their psychological well-being; and third, a survey of difference in the moderating effects of social supports between the first- and second-generation baby boomers showed that, in case of the first generation, the worse their economic status and the higher their stress and depression were, the lower their psychological well-being tended to be and that social supports functioned to hike their psychological well-being but had moderating effects only in connection with stress. In case of the second generation, however, it was shown that the higher their stress and depression got, the lower their psychological well-being developed and that social supports might increase their psychological well-being but without any moderating effects on the part of relationship with their stress and depression. A practical and political method was discussed to improve baby boomers mental health.

Status of Maize Production and Distribution in South East Asia (동남아시아 옥수수 생산 및 유통현황)

  • Lee, Sang-Kyu;Song, Jun-Ho;Baek, Seong-Bum;Kwon, Young-Up;Lee, Byung-Moo
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.60 no.3
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    • pp.318-332
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    • 2015
  • The maize production in South-eastern Asian countries showed a continuous increase with increasing poultry-livestock from the beginning of the 1990s to early 2010. Also the need for a new variety development of each contries was increased rapidly in the same period. Single-Cross hybrid varieties have been developed and supplied from 2001 instead of multi-cross maize varieties since 1992 in Indonesia. In Cambodia, CP group is mainly manufacturing feeds with most of the forage maize from farmers who are growing its seeds from the company. Cambodian main cultivars are varieties of multinational corporations such as DK8868 from Monsanto, NK6326, NK7328 from Syngenta and CP333 from CP group including local business company. Vietnam is the main maze importing country in South-Eastern Asia which had imported 13 times scale of amount compared to exports in average from 1990 to 2011. Vietnamese government has developed a range of varieties for improving their efficiency in production, such as the LVN-10 with political investments. Their production has been reached to 80% of the total. According to the 2012 MIFAFF (Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) data in Korea, domestic edible maize cultivation area was approximately 15,000ha. It showed 74,399 tons of production, 3.8% of food self-sufficiency in maize and around 0.9% of grain self-sufficiency rate. The consumption of grain is mostly rely on imports in Korea. To overcome the limit of the domestic seed market and increase maize self-sufficiency, the need to develop maze varieties for world-class is increasing at present through analyzing the market trend and prospect of the seed industry in South-eastern Asia.

The Status of Endangered Plants Distributed in the Middle Eastern Area of Korea and Evaluation of the Risk Factors (우리나라 중동부지역에 분포하는 멸종위기야생식물 현황과 위험요인 평가)

  • Kim, Young-Chul;Chae, Hyun-Hee;Hong, Bo-Ram;Oh, Hyun-Kyung;Lee, Kyeong-Hwa;Lee, Kyu-Song
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.291-307
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    • 2016
  • Evaluation of the extinction risk of endangered plants at international, national as well as at regional levels is essential to the implementation of plans for direct conservation activities. Reports indicate that 34 endangered plants are distributed in the middle eastern area of Korea. For each endangered plant, we investigated the sites, area of extents, population size, and factors that affect population extinction. We assessed risk factors based on 10 evaluation criteria including the results from the investigation and the life traits each endangered plant has. As a result of evaluating the risk factors, these 34 endangered plants are classified into 3 groups: the first category comprises 12 endangered plants that require active and urgent conservation of habitats due to multiple risk factors; the second group has 16 endangered plants that should be able to persist with the removal of a few direct risk factors; the third category has 6 endangered plants that can persist with minimal management due to comparatively large distributed area and numerous individuals. It was found that most major risk factors in the population of endangered plants are caused by disruption of habitats and population extinction due to the increase of human habitation in the concerned areas, development and illegal harvesting. Futhermore, ecological collapse from decreasing habitats and malfunctioning mechanism of extinction and regeneration due to the changes of vegetational environment can be the other causes. From the area of the present investigations, we selected 5 regions according to the number of species and the frequency of appearance and importance of conservation measures. Also, we suggested a conservation strategy according to the regional characteristics. We suggest that the method for evaluating extinction risk of endangered plants includes distributional data and life traits of species. In addition, we underscore the necessity for understanding population dynamics and ecological niche of the each target species.