• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.789-802
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Habitual coffee consumption was inversely associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hyperglycemia in observational studies, but the causality of the association remains uncertain. This study tested a causal association of genetically predicted coffee consumption with T2D using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We used five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs) associated with habitual coffee consumption in a previous genome-wide association study among Koreans. We analyzed the associations between IVs and T2D, fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2h-postprandial glucose (2h-PG), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. The MR results were further evaluated by standard sensitivity tests for possible pleiotropism. RESULTS: MR analysis revealed that increased genetically predicted coffee consumption was associated with a reduced prevalence of T2D; ORs per one-unit increment of log-transformed cup per day of coffee consumption ranged from 0.75 (0.62-0.90) for the weighted mode-based method to 0.79 (0.62-0.99) for Wald ratio estimator. We also used the inverse-variance-weighted method, weighted median-based method, MR-Egger method, and MR-PRESSO method. Similarly, genetically predicted coffee consumption was inversely associated with FBG and 2h-PG levels but not with HbA1c. Sensitivity measures gave similar results without evidence of pleiotropy. CONCLUSIONS: A genetic predisposition to habitual coffee consumption was inversely associated with T2D prevalence and lower levels of FBG and 2h-PG profiles. Our study warrants further exploration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.140-148
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• 2007

Diabetic nephropathy has been increasing, although blood glucose and blood pressure can be controlled by angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) or advanced glycosylation end products(AGE) inhibitors in the diabetic patients. We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of sea tangle on the blood glucose, and pathological scoring of diabetic kidneys in the streptozotocin(STZ) induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal rats fed control diet and diabetic rats fed control diet or control diet supplemented with powder or oater extract of sea tangle. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of STZ(60mg/kg, ip) in citrate buffer. The animals were fed the experimental diet and water for 13 weeks. Dietary supplementation of sea tangle decreased blood glucose in the diabetic rats. However, dietary supplementation of sea tangle did not affect the antioxidant enzyme activities, MDA content and pathology of diabetic kidneys. These results indicate that decreased blood glucose by sea tangle could not delay the progression of diabetic kidney disease.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.590-598
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• 2015

Despite various control methods for pine wilt disease, the disease has been increasing at an alarming rate every year in Korea. Still there is a lack of research on the problems of the current methods used to curb the disease. One main method to control pine wilt disease is fumigation for eliminating the larva of the pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus alternatus) which is known as the vector insect for pine wilt disease. We surveyed and analyzed the amount of destroyed uninfected trees in the fumigated area by studying 32 survey plots ($100m^2$) in Miryang city. The destroyed trees' crown area was estimated by induced regression between root collar area and crown area of the remaining trees (coniferous tree: $R^2=57.4$, deciduous broad-leaved tree: $R^2=63.8$). According to the analysis results, the infected trees (cut trees) were 18.7% and cut trees which were not infected were 35.5% of the total tree population of the study area on the basis of total crown area. In case of pine trees, 8.4% of uninfected trees were cut off but 62% of uninfected deciduous broad-leaved trees including Quercus spp. were affected and damaged during the fumigation process. Since these broad-leaved trees dominate the sub-canopy layer of the forest, this indiscriminate interruption of broad-leaved trees has the adverse effect of depriving the public benefits such as shadow, a cooler weather, controlling humidity, etc.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.289-303
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• 1992

Investigation of the environmental impact of widespread pesticide use has revealed a virtue/vice relationship. Although many pesticides perform their function and disappear without harm to the environment, others persist beyond their useful purpose and cause direct of indirect hazard to man, domestic animals and wildlife. Concurrently, many pests have rapidly adjusted to chemical control practices through changes in behavior that avoid exposure to pesticides of throuth genetic selection for populations resistant to the toxicants. The prospect of losing control over insect herbivores and desease vectors and returning to the days of global hunger and disease is unthinkable. Fortunately, from basic studies of insect and plant biology many opportunities for the development of safe, selective and environmentally pacific strategies for insect pest management are being realized.

• Mycobiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.304-312
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• 2020

Over the past 15 years, downy mildew became the most destructive foliar disease in cultivated Impatiens species (Balsaminaceae) worldwide. A previous study had revealed that the causal agent was not Plasmopara obducens (Oomycota, Peronosporales) but Plasmopara destructor on Impatiens walleriana, and Plasmopara velutina on Impatiens balsamina. This hints to a relatively high degree of specialization of Plasmopara on Balsaminaceae. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to perform multigene phylogenetic analysis and detailed morphological investigation for several Korean downy mildew samples parasitic to cultivated I. walleriana, and I. balsamina, but also to a northeast Asian wild plant, Impatiens textori. It was revealed that I. textori harbors a new species, which is introduced and described here as Plasmopara elegantissima.

• Mycobiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.330-334
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• 2016

In 2010, disease symptoms, including necrotic lesions on stems and leaves with circular yellow-brown or irregular brown color patches, were observed on cool-season turfgrass at golf courses (OHCC) and the Daegu University research farm in Gyeongbuk, Korea. We isolated the causal agent and identified it as Waitea circinata var. zeae by morphological characterization and molecular analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of brown patch caused by W. circinata var. zeae on cool-season turfgrass in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.309-314
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• 2016

Objective: There are no guidelines for choosing appropriate gait assistive devices. The aim of this study was to evaluate gait assistive devices in patients with Parkinson's disease. Method: We evaluated 15 individuals with Parkinson's disease who did or did not use one of two different devices including canes and two-wheeled walkers. Data were collected using the GAITRite system. Results: Participants in the group using canes and two-wheeled walkers had significantly increased double support time and decreased gait velocity, normalized gait velocity, and stride length compared with those who did not. Participants who used a two-wheeled walker had significantly decreased gait velocity, normalized gait velocity, and stride length compared with those who used a cane. Furthermore, participants who used a two-wheeled walker had significantly decreased coefficients of variation for step time, stride length, and swing time compared with those who used a cane. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the two-wheeled walker offered the most consistent advantages for decreasing the risk of falling.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.374-380
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• 2017

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is one of the hazardous pine tree diseases in whole world. In Korea, PWD has been spreading since it was first observed in Busan in 1988. Dispersion of PWD is mainly mediated by its vectors such as Japanese pine sawyer. In this study, we characterized environmental condition including meteorological factors, geographical factors, and land use factors influencing on the occurrence of PWD. The occurrence data of PWD were collected at 153 sites where were the initial occurrence sites of PWD in local government regions such as city, Gun, or Gu scale. We used Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to evaluate the relative importance of environmental variables on the discrimination of occurrence or absence of PWD. The results showed that altitude, slope, and distance to road were the most influential factors on the occurrence of PWD, followed by distance to building. Finally, our study presented that human activities highly influenced on the long term dispersal of PWD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.35-53
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• 2021

A field survey was carried out targeting 59 pine wilt disease control areas distributed in Andong, and the ecological characteristics of the areas affected by pine wilt disease were analyzed using vegetation information, ecological information, and land use information. Vegetation characteristics of Pine wilt disease affected forest area showed a 3-layer vegetation structure, high percentage of accidental occurrence species (37%) and secondary vegetation species (59.6%), appearing 12 taxa naturalized plants and 3 taxa ecosystem disturbance organisms designated by the Ministry of Environment. Ecological information of Pine wilt affected area showed frequent occurrence of water stress in south and west slopes, low lying grounds in mountains, and in well-drained soils. Also, surrounding the area has been used as roads, tombs, and cultivation where intensive human activities were the cause of disturbance and stress to the pine forest. It was analyzed that the pine forest in Andong city suffered extensive damage due to the onset of pine wilt disease while the pine trees were weakened due to continuous human activities. Conclusively, the spread and onset of pine wilt disease are worsened by artificial factors than natural environmental conditions.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.212-221
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• 2024

Objectives: Metabolic disease is strongly associated with future insulin resistance, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Thus, identifying early biomarkers of metabolic-related disease based on serum profiling is useful to control future metabolic disease. Our study aimed to assess the association of serum branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs) ratio and metabolic disease according to body mass index (BMI) status among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 78 adults aged 20-59 years in Korea. We compared serum amino acid (AA) levels between adults with normal-weight and adults with obesity and investigated biomarkers of metabolic disease. We examined serum AA levels, blood profile, and body composition. We also evaluated the association between serum AAs and metabolic-related disease. Results: The height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip-ratio, body fat mass, body fat percent, skeletal muscle mass, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were higher in the group with obesity compared to normal weight group. The group with obesity showed significantly higher levels of BCAA, AAA, and BCAA and AAA ratio. Further, BCAA and AAA ratio were significantly positively correlated with triglyceride, body weight, and skeletal muscle mass. The evaluation of metabolic disease risks revealed an association between the ratios of BCAAs and AAAs, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: Our study is showed the associations between BCAA and AAA ratio, obesity, and obesity-related diseases using various analytical approaches. The elevated BCAA and AAA ratio could be early biomarkers for predicting future metabolic diseases in Korean population.