• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2004

The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively the impact of the red ginseng extract on circulating interleukin (IL) 2 and 10 in advanced gastric cancer during chemotherapy after operative treatment. Analysis of circulating IL-2 and 10 was performed in 50 patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent a curative surgery or with an unresectable gastric adenocarcinoma by using ELISA and monoclonal antibodies at preoperative day 1, postoperative months 1, and 3. Twenty-five patients as the control group, twenty-six patients as the non-ginseng (NG) group, and twenty-four patients as the ginseng (G) group were eligible in this study. All plasma IL-2 of the NG and G groups was significantly lower an that of the control group on preoperative 1 day. These values of the G group were more increase than these of the NG group during the postoperative chemotherapy. The mean value of serum IL-10 of the control group (0.608pg/ml) was significantly lower than that of the advanced gastric cancer patients including the NG (12.015 pg/ml) and G group (9.409 pg/ml) (p＜0.001). These values of the G group were reduced progressively during the postoperative chemotherapy. The mesh value of the G group were only close to that of the control group on postoperative months 3 (p=0.003). The number of patients who were enrolled in this study was relatively small to fully evaluate the immunologic effects of the red ginseng extract on circulating IL-2 and 10. Despite this limitation, these results suggest that the post-operative intake of the red ginseng extract have potential to improve earlier anti-cancer immunity with recovering IL-2 and reducing IL-10 from the depressed IL-2 and elevated IL-10 by gastric cancer during the postoperative chemotherapy. This study will be based on the future study to evaluate the anti-immunity of the red ginseng extract.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2016

Background: Rhizospheric fungi play an essential role in the plantesoil ecosystem, affecting plant growth and health. In this study, we evaluated the fungal diversity in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old healthy Panax notoginseng cultivated in Wenshan, China. Methods: Culture-independent Illumina MiSeq and culture-dependent techniques, combining molecular and morphological characteristics, were used to analyze the rhizospheric fungal diversity. A diffusion test was used to challenge the phytopathogens of P. notoginseng. Results: A total of 16,130 paired-end reads of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 were generated and clustered into 860 operational taxonomic units at 97% sequence similarity. All the operational taxonomic units were assigned to five phyla and 79 genera. Zygomycota (46.2%) and Ascomycota (37.8%) were the dominant taxa; Mortierella and unclassified Mortierellales accounted for a large proportion (44.9%) at genus level. The relative abundance of Fusarium and Phoma sequenceswas high, accounting for 12.9% and 5.5%, respectively. In total,113 fungal isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soil. They were assigned to five classes, eight orders (except for an Incertae sedis), 26 genera, and 43 species based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer. Fusarium was the most isolated genus with six species (24 isolates, 21.2%). The abundance of Phoma was also relatively high (8.0%). Thirteen isolates displayed antimicrobial activity against at least one test fungus. Conclusion: Our results suggest that diverse fungi including potential pathogenic ones exist in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old P. notoginseng and that antagonistic isolates may be useful for biological control of pathogens.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.255-267
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• 2010

The primary utilization of recently improved (U-Th)/He thermochronometry is to reveal the low-T thermal histories of shallow crustal sections or transient episodes (such as wildfires or meteorite impacts) because of the high sensitivity of He diffusion to temperature in host minerals. In this contribution, we present reviews and perspectives regarding how this method can be used to characterize the ejection-related shock metamorphism of Martian meteorites. The temperature conditions of shock metamorphism can be constrained through shock recovery experiments, paleomagnetism, and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ and (U-Th)/He dating. The most reliable constraints can be deduced when these independent approaches are combined. However, the thermal history of the ALH84001 Martian meteorite has been under serious debate because the different methods have yielded contrasting results. Recent work has shown how single-grain (U-Th)/He and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ dating, two noble-gas based thermochronometries with different T sensitivities, can be used to resolve this issue, providing a good example for future research on other meteorites.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.220-223
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• 2002

In April of 2002, fruit rot infected with blue mold was found at maturing stage of melon (Cucumis melo cv. Gayabaegja) growing under tunnel cultivation in Daesan-myon, Haman-gun, Gyeongnam Province, Korea. Floral parts were infected first and colonized by fungal mycelial mats. From the point of infection, fruits become collapsed and mostly ruptured. The pathogenic fungus from infected fruits was isolated. Colony color of the fungus was white on MEA and CYA agar, Conidia were ellipsoid and 2.6~7.4$\times$2.6~5.8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size. Stipes were 86~320$\times$2.8~4.3 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size. Metulae were 12.4~31.6$\times$2.6~4.2 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size. Phialides were ampulliform to cylindroid, and 8.2~15.4$\times$3.6~4.6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size. Rate of infected fruits in the field was 4.3%. Based on the cultural and mycological characteristics and pathogenecity test on host plants, the fungus was identified as Penicillium oxalicum, This is the first report on the blue mold of melon (Cucumis melo) caused by P. oxalicum in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2006

Crown gall on lower stem of weeping fig(Ficus benjamina Roxb.) was first observed at Daejon in 2003. Tumors were about 15 cm in size and semi-round with rough surface texture of dark brown color. Two virulent isolates among ten bacteria isolated from the tumor tissues were characterized. Their colonies were convex, glistening, circular with an entire edge, and white or tannish cream in color on potato dextrose agar supplemented with 0.5% $CaCO_3$. They were rod shape with peritrichous flagellae, gram-negative, aerobic growth, oxidase-positive, and grew on D1M agar. The isolates were identified as Agrobacterium larrymoorei and A. tumefaciens based on biochemical and physiological characteristics, fatty acid profiles and substrate utilization patterns. Seedlings of some host plants excepting grapevine produced typical galls two to three weeks after inoculation with cell suspensions of the virulent strains. This is the first report on crown gall of weeping fig in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2006

Crown gall on lower stem and root of chrysanthemum(Dendranthema grandiflorum Kitamura) was observed at Hwasung and Gumi in 2001 and 2004, respectively. Tumors were semi-round with rough surface texture of dark brown color. Nine isolates inducing gall formation on lower stem of chrysanthemum among twenty isolates from the tumor tissues were characterized. Their colonies were convex, glistening, circular with an entire edge and whitish or tannish cream in color on potato dextrose agar supplemented with 0.5% $CaCO_3$. The virulent isolates were rod-shaped with peritrichous flagellae, gram negative, aerobic and growing on D1M agar. Among nine virulent isolates, one isolate was identified as Agrobacterium rubi and eight isolates were A. tumefaciens based on biochemical and physiological characteristics, fatty acid profiles and substrate utilization patterns. A. tumefaciens had strong pathogenicity and broad host range compared with A. rubi. This is the first report on crown gall of chrysanthemum in Korea. To our knowledge, crown gall of chrysanthemum caused by A. rubi is first report in this study worldwide.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.290-293
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• 2006

A fruit rot of sweet persimmon(Diospyros kaki cv. 'Fuyu') that infected with blue mold was found during the storage and transport in Jinju Gyeongnam Province, Korea. Fruit surfaces that infected with the fungus were formed water soaked lesion at first then gradually colonized with the fungus and formed mycelial mats. From the point of infection, fruits become sunken and mostly ruptured. The pathogenic fungus was isolated from infected fruits and cultured on potato dextrose agar. The colonies of the pathogenic fungi were white at frist then became greyish green on malt extract agar. Conidia were ellipsoidal and $2.6{\sim}3.8{\times}2.4{\sim}3.8{\mu}m$ in size. Phialides were ampulliform, verticilate of 3-7, $8.0{\sim}9.2{\times}2.0{\sim}3.0{\mu}m$ in size. Metulae were verticils of 2-4, smooth, $9.0{\sim}12.6{\times}3.0{\sim}4.6{\mu}m$ in size. Ramuli were groups 1-3, smooth, $11.0{\sim}17.6{\times}2.3{\sim}3.0{\mu}m$ in size. Rami were groups 1-2, $7.5{\sim}32.6{\times}2.6{\sim}4.2{\mu}m$ in size. Stipes were septate, smooth, thin walled, $56{\sim}302{\times}2.8{\sim}4.0{\mu}m$ in size. Penicilli were mostly quaterverticillate. Based on the cultural and mycological characteristics as well as pathogenicity test on host plants, the fungus was identified as Penicillium expansum. This is the first report on the blue mold of sweet persimmon(Diospyros kaki) caused by P. expansum in Korea.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.95-110
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• 1992

Much progress has been made in understanding the subcellular events of the human lung injuries after acute exposure to environmental air pollutants. Host of those events represent oxidative damages mediated by reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and the hydroxy, free radical. Recently, nitric oxide (NO) was found to be endogenously produced by endothelial cells and cells of the reticulo-endothelial system as endothelialderived relaxation factor (EDRF) which is a vasoactive and neurotransmitter substance. Together with superoxide, NO can form another strong oxidant, peroxonitrite. The relative importance of exogenous sources of $N0/N0_2$ and endogenous production of NO by the EDRF producing enzymes in the oxidative stresses to the heman lung has to be elucidated. The exact events leading to chronic irreversible damage are still yet to be known. From chronic exposure to oxidant gases, progressive epithelial and interstitial damages develop. Type I epithelial cells become thicker and cover a smaller average alveolar surface area while thee II cells proliferate instead. Under acute damages, the extent of loss of the alveolar epithelial cell lining, especially type II cells appears to be a good predictor of the ensuing irreversible damage to alveolar compartment. Interstitial matrix undergo remodeling during chronic exposure with increased collagen fibers and interstitial fibroblasts. However, Inany of these changes can be reversed after cessation of exposure. Among chronic lung injuries, genetic damages and repair responses received particular attention in view of the known increased lung cancer risks from exposure to several air pollutants. Heavy metals from foundry emission, automobile traffics, and total suspended particulate, especially polycystic aromatic hydrocarbons have been positively linked with the development of lung cancer. Asbestos in another air pollutant with known risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma, but asbestos fibers are nonauthentic in most bioassays. Studies using the electron spin resonance spin trapping method show that the presence of iron in asbestos accelerates the production of the hydroxy, radical in vitro. Interactions of these reactive oxygen species with particular cellular components and disruption of cell defense mechanisms still await further studies to elucidate the carcinogenic potential of asbestos fibers of different size and chemical composition. The distribution of inhaled pollutants and the magnitude of their eventual effects on the respiratory tract are determined by pollutant-independent physical factors such as anatomy of the respiratory tract and level and pattern of breathing, as well as by pollutant-specific phyco-chemical factors such as the reactivity, solubility, and diffusivity of the foreign gas in mucus, blood and tissue. Many of these individual factors determining dose can be quantified in vitro. However, mathematical models based on these factors should be validated for its integrity by using data from intact human lungs.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.209-247
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• 2004

Although various publicly reserved funds have recently come to the fore of academic and policy-making attention in Korea, researchers rarely take up the issue of the reserve fund retained from annual profits by the central bank (i.e., the Bank of Korea). Starting with the general public choice premise that bureaucrats seek to maximize their discretionary budget, this paper first provides a theoretical reasoning why central bank's bureaucrats would prefer retaining annual profits to turning them to the Treasury. The major tenet to be emphasized is that retained profits as a reserve fund can give the central bankers discretionary power in their disposition. In particular, we focus on the close relationship between the reserve fund and the discount windows. The latter, as a monetary instrument, has traditionally been demonstrated to cause secrecy, arbitrariness, and other bureaucratic amenities in the previous literature. Subsequently, this paper, based on 61 countries data, empirically verifies that the central bank's reserve fund is at least partially used to additionally increase the discount windows. Since an excessive use of discount windows results in inflationary bias, we conclude the paper with some policy suggestions to have such bureaucratic power of discretion in check. This paper, if in its experimental nature yet, is expected to shed a critical implication for establishing the meaningful independence of the central bank to a host of countries.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.96-101
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• 2015

This paper describes a design and implementation of the NFC bridge chip which performs interface between kinds of devices and mobile phones including NFC controller through NFC communication. The NFC bridge chip consists of the digital part and the analog part which are based on NFC Forum standard. Therefore the chip treats RF signals and then transforms the signal to digital data, so it can interface kinds of devices with the digital data. Especially the chip is able to detect RF signals and then wake up the host processor of a device. The wakeup function dramatically decreases the power consumption of the device. The carrier frequency is 13.56MHz, and the data rate is up to 424kbps. The chip has been fabricated with SMIC 180nm mixed-mode technology. Additionally an NFC bridge chip application to the blood glucose measurement system is described for an application example.