• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2018

At present the biodiversity of the riparian forest is under threat due to various anthropogenic pressures. Hence study was conducted along the three unprotected zones of riparian forest in Dikhu river, Nagaland, north-east India in order to compared the diversity, distribution and population structure of riparian trees. In each zone $100{\times}100m^2$ plot were marked and subdivided into 20 plots of $10{\times}10m^2$. 10 plots on each side of the river were taken randomly covering 0.02 ha. Only tree with dbh ${\geq}10cm$ and dbh above 1.5 m above ground level were recorded as individual species. A total of 29 tree species belonging to 18 families were recorded from the three zones of the river. Tree species richness was highest at the middle zone (19) followed by upper (14) and lower zone (7). The most abundant species and family recorded at upper, middle and lower zones were Melia azaderach of Euphorbiaceae ($380\;stems\;ha^{-1}$), Terminalia chebula of Euphorbiaceae ($432.5\;stems\;ha^{-1}$) and Duabanga grandiflora of Lythraceae ($365\;stems\;ha^{-1}$) respectively. The ranges of diversity indices observed in the three zones were: Shannon-Wiener index (1.25-0.73), Simpson diversity index (0.42-0.93), Evenness index (0.47-0.37) and Index of co-dominance (0.75-0.94). Rest of other indices were also estimated and compared. Distribution of trees shows the contagious pattern common in the upper and middle zones and regular in the lower zone. The girth size class analysis demonstrated that the riparian forest is in less mature succession stage. This study emphasize the need for management and conservation of riparian forest by developing policy to declare the riparian zone as protected area to prevent further degradation and loss of biodiversity from these unregulated zones along the river.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.23-32
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• 2015

This paper addresses the effects of extreme rainfall on the stability of cut slopes in Yen Bai city, Northern Viet Nam. In this area, natural slopes are excavated to create places for infrastructures and buildings. Cut slopes are usually made without proper site investigations; the design is mostly based on experience. In recent years, many slope failures have occurred along these cuts especially in rainy seasons, resulting in properties damaged and loss of lives. To explain the reason that slope failure often happens during rainy seasons, this research analyzed the influence of extreme rainfalls, initial ground conditions, and soil permeability on the changes of pore water pressure within the typical slope, thereafter determining the impact of these changes on the slope stability factor of safety. The extreme rainfalls were selected based on all of the rainfalls triggering landslide events that have occurred over the period from 1960 to 2009. The factor of safety (FS) was calculated using Bishop's simplified method. The results show that when the maximum infiltration capacity of the slope top soil is less than the rainfall intensity, slope failures may occur 14 hours after the rain starts. And when this happens, the rainfall duration is the deciding factor that affects the slope FS values. In short, cut slopes in Yen Bai may be stable in normal conditions after the excavation, but under the influence of tropical rain storms, their stability is always questionable.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.51-56
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• 2016

Purpose: As declines in the quality of residential environments occur, such as urban heat island effect, tropical night phenomenon, and violations of right to light and privacy due to urban densification and high rise building, these problems are emerging as social issues. In order to improve these issues, design factors which consider environmental aspects must be selected when planning apartment complexes, and ways to reflect them in the planning phase must be explored. Method: In this study, the analytical hierarchy process(AHP) was used to deduce design factors that considered environmental elements during the planning of apartment complexes. Furthermore, the priority and weight for each evaluation index were assessed. The objective was to propose a guideline for planning apartment complexes by finding the best solution for each evaluation index using complex weight values. Result: Floor area ratio was selected as the most important evaluation criterion in the environmentally conscious evaluation index for apartment complex planning. The shape and placement of skylights were selected as the most important evaluation criteria in the sunshine environment for a pleasant residential environment. Ground surface cover design was selected as the most important criterion in the outdoor thermal environment index for improving the microclimate within cities and apartment complexes. Thus, the results of this study can serve as an investigation guideline that concerns policy and regulations, and as reference data that can be used in planning apartment complexes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 1996

A nationwide survey was performed to know the geographical distribution of Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) metacercariae in Korea, by examining the infection status of locally produced oysters, Crassosden gillu. A total of 24 coastal areas (myons) of 14 guns (=counties) in Kyonggi-do, Chollabuk-do, Chollanam-do, Kyongsangnam-do, Kyongsangbuk-do, or Kangwon-do, where natural oysters are produced but G. seoi has never been reported, and 13 areas (myons) of Shinan-gun, Chollanam-do, nearby the known endemic area, were surveyed. Oysters from non- endemic areas were free from G. seoi infection, except Byonsan-myon of Buan-gun, Chollabuk-do, where one of 50 oysters examined was infected with 15 metacercariae of G. seoi. In Shinan-gun, oysters from 10 areas including Aphae-myon (= township) and Anjwa-myon were infected with the metacercariae, with the infection rate ranging from 1.7% to 100% by areas. The intensity of infection was the highest in Aphae-myon, 785.9 metacercariae per oyster. The results indicate that high prevalence of G. seoi is confined to Shinan-gun, but low grade prevalence is also present in adjacent areas such as Buan- gun, Chollabuk-do.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.769-775
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• 2016

This retrospective case-control study explored the factors associated with anaphylactic shock during surgery for cystic echinococcosis (CE) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between October 2008 and September 2013. Patients who suffered from anaphylactic shock (n=16) were age-matched 3:1 to patients who did not (n=43). Multivariate analysis suggested that IL-4 levels (odds ratio=1.096; 95% confidence interval=1.015-1.185; P=0.02) and cyst size (odds ratio=3.028, 95% confidence interval=1.259-7.283, P=0.013) were independently associated with CE-induced perioperative anaphylactic shock. Using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and a cut-off value of 415.7 ng/ml, IL-4 showed an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.926, sensitivity of 75.0%, and specificity of 97.7%. Using a cut-off value of 7.8 cm, cyst size showed an AUC of 0.828, sensitivity of 81.3%, and specificity of 76.7%. In conclusion, results suggest that levels of IL-4 and cyst size were independently associated with echinococcosis-induced perioperative anaphylactic shock. These results could help identifying patients with echinococcosis at risk of anaphylactic shock in whom appropriate prophylaxis could be undertaken.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2017

The present study was performed to analyze molecularly the phylogenetic positions of human-infecting Trichostrongylus species in Mazandaran Province, Iran, which is an endemic area for trichostrongyliasis. DNA from 7 Trichostrongylus infected stool samples were extracted by using in-house (IH) method. PCR amplification of ITS2-rDNA region was performed, and products were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequence data was performed using MEGA 5.0 software. Six out of 7 isolates had high similarity with Trichostrongylus colubriformis, while the other one showed high homology with Trichostrongylus axei registered in GenBank reference sequences. Intra-specific variations within isolates of T. colubriformis and T. axei amounted to 0-1.8% and 0-0.6%, respectively. Trichostrongylus species obtained in the present study were in a cluster with the relevant reference sequences from previous studies. BLAST analysis indicated that there was 100% homology among all 6 ITS2 sequences of T. colubriformis in the present study and most previously registered sequences of T. colubriformis from human, sheep, and goat isolates from Iran and also human isolates from Laos, Thailand, and France. The ITS2 sequence of T. axei exhibited 99.4% homology with the human isolate of T. axei from Thailand, sheep isolates from New Zealand and Iran, and cattle isolate from USA.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a prediction model for future smoking intention among Korean adolescents aged 13 to 15 in order to identify the high risk group exposed to future smoking. Methods: The data was collected from a total of 5940 students who participated in a self-administrated questionnaire of a cross-sectional school-based survey, the 2004 Korea Global Youth Tobacco Survey. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the relevant determinants associated with intentions of adolescents’ future smoking. Receiver Operation Characteristic (ROC) assessment was applied to evaluate the explanation level of the developed prediction model. Results: 8.4% of male and 7.2% of female participants show their intentions of future smoking. Among non-smoking adolescents; who have past smoking experience [odds ratio (OR) 2.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92- 3.88]; who have intentions of smoking when close friends offer a cigarette (OR 31.47; 95% CI = 21.50 - 46.05); and who have friends that are mostly smokers (OR 5.27; 95% CI = 2.85 - 9.74) are more likely to be smokers in the future. The prediction model developed from this study consists of five determinants; past smoking experience; parents smoking status; friends smoking status; ownership of a product with a cigarette brand logo; and intentions of smoking from close friends’ cigarette offer. The area under the ROC curve was 0.8744 (95% CI=0.85 - 0.90) for current non-smokers. Conclusions: For efficiency, school-based smoking prevention programs need to be designed to target the high risk group exposed to future smoking through the prediction model developed by the study, instead of implementing the programs for all the students.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2011

A total of 286 individuals from 3 selected communities (Areedi-Aje, Ipakodo/Ojokodo, and Ijebu-Igbo) of Ijebu-North, southwestern Nigeria were examined for Loa loa microfilaremia using finger prick blood smear, between December 2008 and March 2009. Rapid assessment procedure for loiasis (RAPLOA) was used to obtain information, from 187 Ijebu-Igbo residents, on adverse reactions experienced from retrospective treatments with ivermectin and history of eye worm. Only 33.9% of the respondents reported having had a history of eye worm while 33.2% had microfilaremia. The demographic factor of gender was not significant determinants of the prevalence (p>0.05) while age was significant (P<0.05). The highest prevalence of eye worm history and microfilaremia were recorded in 61-70 and 15-20 years of age categories, respectively. Ijebu-Igbo had 27.3% eye worm history, 32.1% microfilaremia, and the highest intensity of 140 microfilariae (mf)/ml. Ipakodo area had the highest eye worm history of 54.4% and the highest intensity of 420 mf/ml. Areedi-Aje had the highest occurrence of 45.2% microfilaremia and the highest intensity of 460 mf/ml. Predictably, Areedi-Aje and Ipakodo areas were high risk communities. The low intensity of L. loa infection with an insignificant (2.1%; P>0.05) adverse reactions from 187 subjects involved in the retrospective ivermectin administration confirmed that ivermectin delivery may be considered safe. The community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) programme was most probably responsible for the low prevalence and intensity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2015

Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, and Dirofilaria repens are filarial nematodes transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles genera. Screening by vector dissection is a tiresome technique. We aimed to screen filarial parasites in their vectors by single and multiplex PCR and evaluate the usefulness of multiplex PCR as a rapid xenomonitoring and simultaneous differentiation tool, in area where 3 filarial parasites are coexisting. Female mosquitoes were collected from 7 localities in Assiut Governorate, were microscopically identified and divided into pools according to their species and collection site. Detection of W. bancrofti, D. immitis, and D. repens using single PCR was reached followed by multiplex PCR. Usefulness of multiplex PCR was evaluated by testing mosquito pools to know which genera and species are used by filarial parasites as a vector. An overall estimated rate of infection (ERI) in mosquitoes was 0.6%; the highest was Culex spp. (0.47%). W. bancrofti, D. immitis, and D. repens could be simultaneously and differentially detected in infected vectors by using multiplex PCR. Out of 100 mosquito pools, 8 were positive for W. bancrofti (ERI of 0.33%) and 3 pools each were positive for D. immitis and D. repens (ERI 0.12%). The technique showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity. El-Nikhila, El-Matiaa villages, and Sahel Seleem district in Assiut Governorate, Egypt are still endemic foci for filarial parasites. Multiplex PCR offers a reliable procedure for molecular xenomonitoring of filariasis within their respective vectors in endemic areas. Therefore, it is recommended for evaluation of mosquito infection after lymphatic filariasis eradication programs.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.309-312
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• 2008

The advent of high resolution products of surface wind and temperature derived by satellite data has permitted us to investigate ocean and atmosphere interaction studies in detail. Especially the Kuroshio extension region of the western North Pacific is considered to be a key area for such studies. We have constructed gridded products of surface wind/wind stress over the world ocean using satellite scatterometer (Qscat/SeaWinds), available as the Japanese Ocean Flux data sets with Use of Remote sensing Observation (J-OFURO). Using new data based on improved algorithm which have been recently delivered, we are reconstructing gridded product with higher spatial resolution. Intercomparison of this product with the previous one reveals that there are some discrepancies between them in short-period and high wind-speed ranges especially in the westerly wind region. The products are validated by not only comparisons with in-situ measurement data by mooring buoys such as TAO/TRITON in the tropical Pacific and the Kuroshio Extension Observation (KEO) buoys, but also intercomparison with numerical weather prediction model (NWPM) products (the NRA-1 and 2). Our products have much smaller mean difference in the study areas than the NWPM ones, meaning higher reliability compared with the NWPM products. Using the high resolution products together with sea surface temperature (SST) data, we examine a new type of relationship between the lower atmosphere and upper ocean in the Kuroshio Extension region. It is suggested that the spatial relation between the wind speed and SST depends upon, more or less, the surrounding oceanic condition.