• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1752-1760
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• 2011

In this study, the effect of the Opuntiahumifusa extracts on proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen synthesis and ROS level of a cell was investigated using an osteoblast. Opuntiahumifusawas separated intoOpuntiahumifusapeel (OH-P), seed (OH-Se) and stem (OH-St).These were subjected to extraction by using hot water and ethanol. The proliferation of the MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells that were treated with OH-Se water extract were increased by approximately 120%. Regarding the effects of OH-Se on ALP activity, the $50{\mu}g/ml$ ethanol extract group showed the highest activity. The synthesis of collagen increased significantly in response to treatment with OH-Se water extract. The ROS scavenging effects of Opuntiahumifusawere investigated for involvement of oxidativedamage, cell culture and staining. Also, when OH-Se water extract $100{\mu}g/ml$ was added, the ROS level decreased by 54%. These results indicate that Opuntiahumifusa extracts have an anabolic effect on bone through the promotion of osteoblastic differentiation, suggesting that it could be used for the treatment of common metabolic bone diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1205-1213
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• 2011

The optimal concentrations of salts in medium for cell growth and the production of carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) by a recombinant E. coli JM109/DL-3 were established using two statistical methods: orthogonal array method (OAM) and response surface method (RSM). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of data based on OAM indicated that $K_2HPO_4$ gave maximum sum of square (S) and percentage contribution (P) for cell growth as well as production of CMCase. The optimal concentrations of $K_2HPO_4$, NaCl, $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in medium for cell growth extracted by Qualitek-4 (W32b) Software were 10.0, 1.0, 0.2, and 0.6 g/l, respectively, whereas those for the production of CMCase by E. coli JM109/DL-3 were 5.0, 1.0, 0.4, and 0.6 g/l. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) resulting from RSM indicated that a highly significant salt for cell growth was $K_2HPO_4$ ("probe>F" less than 0.0001), whereas $K_2HPO_4$ and $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ were significant for the production of CMCase. The optimal concentrations of $K_2HPO_4$, NaCl, $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ for cell growth extracted by Design Expert Software were 7.44, 1.08, 0.22, and 0.88 g/l, respectively, whereas those for production of CMCase were 5.84, 0.69, 0.28, and 0.54 g/l. The optimal concentrations of salts and their influences on cell growth and production of CMCase extracted by OAM were almost the same as those by RSM. Production of CMCase by a recombinant E. coli JM109/DL-3 under optimized concentration of salts was 1.93 times higher than that by Bacillus amyloliquifaciens DL-3.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.199-207
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• 2016

This study was conducted to develop a forest fire occurrence model using meteorological characteristics for practical forecasting of forest fire danger rate by reflecting the climate change for the time period of 2000yrs. Forest fire in South Korea is highly influenced by humidity, wind speed, temperature, and precipitation. To effectively forecast forest fire occurrence, we developed a forest fire danger rating model using weather factors associated with forest fire in 2000yrs. Forest fire occurrence patterns were investigated statistically to develop a forest fire danger rating index using times series weather data sets collected from 76 meteorological observation centers. The data sets were used for 11 years from 2000 to 2010. Development of the national forest fire occurrence probability model used a logistic regression analysis with forest fire occurrence data and meteorological variables. Nine probability models for individual nine provinces including Jeju Island have been developed. The results of the statistical analysis show that the logistic models (p<0.05) strongly depends on the effective and relative humidity, temperature, wind speed, and rainfall. The results of verification showed that the probability of randomly selected fires ranges from 0.687 to 0.981, which represent a relatively high accuracy of the developed model. These findings may be beneficial to the policy makers in South Korea for the prevention of forest fires.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.237-243
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• 2008

Purpose: Postoperative Infectious complications are recognized as major complications that are associated with surgery. Although many studies have focused on the risk factors of postoperative complications, little is known about the risk factors of infectious complications after gastric cancer surgery, and especially after elective gastrectomy. There is now more and more interest in the risk factors of infectious complications in relation to controlling infection and as indicators of qualitatively assessing infectious complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors related with infectious complications after performing elective gastrectomy for treating gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 788 patients who had undergone elective gastrectomy for gastric cancer between Jan. 2000 and Dec. 2007. The characteristics of the patients were divided according to the patients' factors and the operations' factors. Results: The patients' mean age was 58.9 (range: 24~91) years; 545 were male and 243 were female. The mean duration of the hospital stay was 20.3 days (range: 5~135 days), the mean operation time was 181.3 minutes (range: 65~440 minutes). The total complication rate was 17.1% (n=135) and the complication rate was 38.5% (n=52) among the 135 patients with infectious complications. The infectious complications were surgical site infection (59.7%), Pneumonia (19.3%), intra-abdominal abscess (11.5%), pseudomembranous colitis (5.7%), bacteremia (1.9%) and hepatic abscess (1.9%). On the univariate analysis, the significant risk factors were male gender, blood transfusion, smoking at the time of diagnosis, alcohol drinking, diabetes mellitus and previous cardiovascular disease (P<0.05 for all). On multivariate analysis that used a logistic regression model, the significant independent risk factors were smoking at the time of diagnosis (OR: 2.877. 95% CI: 1.449~5.713), blood transfusion (OR: 3.440, 95% CI: 1.241~9.534), diabetes mellitus (OR: 3.150, 95% CI: 1.518~6.538), and previous cardiovascular disease (OR: 2.784, 95% CI: 1.4731~5.2539). Conclusion: Pre- or post-operative blood transfusion and the patient's medical history such as previous cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking etc. are the risk factors for infectious complications after undergoing elective gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The patients that have these risk factors need to be treated with great care to prevent infectious disease after elective gastrectomy.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.172-180
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• 2007

Among the nuclear medicine imaging methods available today, $H_2^{15}O-PET$ is most widely used by cognitive neuroscientists to examine regional brain function via the measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). The short half-life of the radioactively labeled probe, $^{15}O$, often allows repeated measures from the same subjects in many different task conditions. $H_2^{15}O-$ PET, however, has technical limitations relative to other methods of functional neuroimaging, e.g., fMRI, including relatively poor time and spatial resolutions, and, frequently, insufficient statistical power for analysis of individual subjects. However, recent technical developments, such as the 3-D acquisition method provide relatively good image quality with a smaller radioactive dosage, which in turn results in more PET scans from each individual, thus providing sufficient statistical power for the analysis of individual subject's data. Furthermore, the noise free scanner environment $H_2^{15}O$ PET, along with discrete acquisition of data for each task condition, are important advantages of PET over other functional imaging methods regarding studying state-dependent changes in brain activity. This review presents both the limitations and advantages of $^{15}O-PET$, and outlines the design of efficient PET protocols, using examples of recent PET studies both in the normal healthy population, and in the clinical population.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.101-107
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• 2006

We have recently discovered that mycelium of Phellinus linteus, popular medical mushrooms in Korea, possess alcohol dehydrogenase and produce alcohol. In the present study, it was examined that the effect of fermented rice wine made by using mycelium of P. linteus (FLMP) on the expression of in-flammation-related proteins in both $HepG_2$ cells and rats. To examine the effect of FLMP on the morphology and expression of inflammatory proteins in $HepG_2$ cells, the cells were incubated with ethanol, and FLMP for 24 hours, and then analyzed by microscopic observation and Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). While ethanol induced the morphological change accompanied with cell debris formation and scattering on $HepG_2$ cells, FLMP had no effect. The results of Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 was induced by ethanol, however, FLMP inhibited the expression of these proteins and its mRNAs. In the animal model, the value of flutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase was significantly increased by administration with ethanol. But the group administrated with FLMP showed lower levels on the changes of these markers compared with ethanol-administrated group. Besides, the results of Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the expression of inflammatory proteins such as iNOS, COX-1 and COX-2 was not affected by FLMP administration in rat liver. About histopathological and immunohistochemical observations, inflammatory loci were markedly decreased in the FLMP-administrated rat compared to ethanol-administrated rats and showed weaker COX-2 and iNOS jmmunoreactions. These results suggested that FLMP showed slight changes on the inflammatory proteins expression compared to ethanol and FLMP may be used as a functional alcoholic beverage.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.666-672
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• 1997

Twenty years' daily mean air temperature data was used to calculate the critical early seeding date(CESD), the optimum heading date(OHD), the critical late heading date for stable ripening(CHDR) and the critical late ripening date(CLRD) for rice seeded on dry paddy in different agroclimatic zones in Korea. The CESD was defined as the first day with mean air temperature of 13$^{\circ}C$, and the OHD as the first day of the 40 consecutive days with mean air temperature of 22$^{\circ}C$ or above after heading. The CHDR was defined as the date after which the cumulative daily mean air temperature would be at least 76$0^{\circ}C$. Lastly, the CLRD was defined as the last day when daily mean air temperature remains above 15$^{\circ}C$. This information was used for the estimation of periods from the earliest date of seeding to optimum heading date, the latest possible date of heading and the latest possible date of ripening in respective regions. For instance, in Suwon, those respective periods mentioned were found to be 104days, 124days, and 165days.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.165-173
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• 2013

To establishment of PT Program for Indoor air quality field that manufacture of confidential development PTMs (proficiency testing materials) and examined of proficiency testing evaluation included sampling process whether or not that is valid. Confirmation of homogeneity and stability of PTMs prepared. PTMs were confirmed to be homogeneous enough to be used as proficiency testing materials since withinbottle homogeneities of the RMs were lower than 0.3 times of targeted standard deviation of proficiency testing. The result of this study showed that the Robust RSD of proficiency testing for VOCs (volatile organic compounds) appeared 23~43% in concentration of 50~320 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for Method A(Distribution by adsorption in Tenax-tube of VOCs), but less 13~42% in concentration of 200~1200 ${\mu}g/m^3$, 16~31% in concentration of 100~450 ${\mu}g/m^3$ for Method B (distribution by VOCs of gas phase in 10L Tedalr bag), C (directly sampling of cylinder with high pressure) respectively. The result of this study showed that method C with sampling is most adequate to the proficiency testing for VOCs in indoor air.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 1996

The effects of growth regulators, sucrose and gelling agents were investigated to increase the efficiency of the callus growth and plant regenerarion in tissue culture of Angelica koreana Max. The fresh weight and dry weight of subcultured callus was highest in MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2,4-D. Callus growth was excellent in 2% sucrose, but it was inhibited in propotion to sucrose content. Effect of gelling agents on callus growth was highest on 1.2% agar and 0.4% Gelrite medium, respectively. The browning of callus was protected on the media supplemented with 10 mg/l ABA and 5 or 10 mg/l $AgNO_3$. In the callus induction and growth from the peduncle of immature inflorescence, 2,4-D was more effective than NAA, and the frequency of callus induction was highest as 81.7% in 2 mg/l 2,4-D. Plant was not regenerated from the callus derived from young leaf. Somatic embryos were developed from the surface of callus drived from the peduncle of immature inflorescence in the medium containing 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D, 1 mg/l kinetin, 5 mg/l ABA and 5 mg/l $AgNO_3$. Plants were developed from the matured somatic embryos in the medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/l 2,4-D and 1 mg/l kinetin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.121-146
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• 2005

Newcastle disease (ND), infectious bronchitis (IB), low pathogenic avian Influenza (LPAI) and fowl typhoid (FT) have been known as egg drop laying diseases because of the serious layer damage from mass zone layer. In this study, such egg drop laying diseases were investigated. To access this study, we peformed to evaluate antibody titers in serum and isolated bacteria and virus from organs and feces on May, July and September in 2003. The distribution of ND from January to May, IB and LPAI from October to February of the next year, and FT from March to September were inspected by the question survey in 21 farms. ND revealed to be positive rates of 490 to 474 $(96.7\%)$ in May, 510 to 506 $(99.2\%)$ in July and 510 to 510 $(100\%)$ in September with hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. The mean antibody titers were 10.2, 9.9 and 10.2, respectively. With regard to IB, 484 out of 490 samples $(98.7\%)$ in May, 508 of 510 $(99.6\%)$ in July and 509 of 510 $(99.8\%)$ in September showed positive results and the mean antibody titers were gradually increased with 8.2, 9.0 and 9.4, respectively. According to HI test of LPAI, the positive results were shown in 442 of 480 $(92.1\%)$, 394 of 494 $(79.8\%)$ and 402 of 483 $(83.2\%)$ in May, July and September, respectively The mean antibody titers were decreased with 4.6, 4.3 and 4.0. The distribution of LPAI also elicited the positive rates of 480 to 475 $(99.0\%)$ in May, 494 to 485$(98.2\%)$ in July, 483 to 472 $(97.7\%)$ in September as determined by ELISA and the mean S/P ratio were 2.319, 2.557 and 2.380, respectively. Compared ELISA results with HI test of LPAI the positive results were 480 to 422 $(92.1\%),\;475(99.0\%),\;494\;to\;394 (79.8\%),\;485 (98.2\%)\;and\;483\;to\;402(83.2\%),\;472(97.7\%)$. Therefore, the positive rate determined by ELISA was higher than that of HI test with 6.9, 18.4 and $14.5\%$, respectively. When performed RT-PCR for ND using organ and feces samples, the pathotypes were detected $5(15.6\%)\;in\;May,\; 2(5.3\%) in\;July,\;2(7.1\%)$ in September but there is no samples showing positive band for LPAI. In attempt to isolate Salmonella gallinarum, bacteria were obtained from 4 cases (12.5%) in May, 9 (23.6%) in July, 5 (17.8%) in September. Thus the highest rate for isolation revealed to be shown in July When evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility to 18 isolated strains of 5. gallinarum, bacteria were sensitive to trimethoprim/sulfamethox$(61.1\%),\;kanamycin\;(55.5\%),\;ampicillin\;(55.5\%)$ and amoxacillin/clavulanic acid $(55.5\%)$, cephalothin $(50.0\%)$, but resistant to penicillin $(88.9\%)$, streptomycin $(88.9\%)$, erythromycin $(83_4\%)$ and tetracycline $(61.1\%)$. According to HI test of ND and LPAI using captured 164 wild Korean tree sparrows (Passer nontanus), the positive rates were $47.6\%\;and\;57.3\%$, and the mean HI titers were 5.32 and 4.02, respectively. 71 $(43.2\%)\;and\;58(35.3\%)$ in captured sparrows also showed more than 4 titers for HI test to ND and LPAI, respectively However, the attempt for isolation of viruses failed in all samples.