• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.171-174
• /
• 2014

Agriculture in Bangladesh is slowly transforming to the production of high-value fruit and vegetable crops to satisfy the nutrient requirements of their large size population, and this transformation is creating new challenges as regards improving and maintaining the productivity and crop quality. The country has a declining trend of insect pollinators due to habitat loss, land use changes, monoculture-dominated agriculture, and the excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides. Such pollinator deficiencies can cause reduced yields, thereby threatening the subsistence of marginal farmers. In Bangladesh, growers enjoy free pollination services from the naturally occurring insect populations. While honeybees pollinate mustard, onions, and melons, many other hymenopterans, coleopterans, hemipterans, dipterans, and thysanopterans also visit the crop fields, making these insects significant for the food security, environment, and economy of the nation. Therefore, attention should be given to public policy, research, and human resource development that promotes knowledge and appreciation of the conservation and utilization of insect pollinators.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.12
• /
• pp.7127-7131
• /
• 2013

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ribosomal protein SA (RPSA) gene with colorectal cancer (CRC). A case-control study including 388 controls and 387 patients with CRC was conducted in a Chinese population. Information about socio-demography and living behavior factors was collected by a structured questionnaire. Three SNPs (rs2133579, rs2269349, rs7641291) in RPSA gene were genotyped by Illumina SnapShot method. Multiple logistic regression models were used for assessing the joint effects between tea consumption and SNPs on CRC. The subjects with rs2269349 CC genotype had a decreased risk for CRC (OR=0.60; 95%CI = 0.37-0.99), compared with TT/CT genotype after adjustment for covariates. A similar association of rs2269349 with rectal cancer was observed (OR=0.49; 95%CI=0.24-1.00). Further analyses indicated that this SNP could modify the protective effect of tea drinking on CRC. Among the subjects with rs2269349 TT/CT or rs2133579 AA/GA, there was a marginal significantly lower risk of CRC (OR and 95%CI: 0.63 and 0.39-1.01 for rs2269349; 0.64 and 0.40-1.02 for rs2133579) in tea-drinking subjects in comparison to non-tea-drinking subjects. Mutants in the RPSA gene might be associated with genetic susceptibility to CRC and influence the protective effect of tea consumption in the Chinese population.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.509-532
• /
• 2013

Minimum Housing Standard is an instrument to cope with the problems of public health and community hygiene, deterioration of working class housing conditions appeared commonly in the process of capitalist industrialization and rapid rural-to-urban migration. This paper aims to examine the institutionalization of histories of minimum housing standard in the advanced countries, and analyze the spatio-temporal changes and characteristics of households failing to meet the New Minimum Housing Standard in Seoul Metropolitan since 1995. The analysis of this paper is based on the census data on population and housing. The results are as follows; Households failing to meet the New Minimum Housing Standard in Seoul are 501,000 households(1.368 million person, 14.4%). This means Seoul has overtaken the national average 11.8% for the first time and there are structurally marginal band of households who can not improve the housing conditions by themselves. In addition, the fact that the rate of Seoul households living in the marginal shelter including the basement and rooftop room is the highest in Korea means the housing quality issues of Seoul is serious. Spatial distribution of households failing to meet the standard is divided into the northeast area and the southwest area in Seoul. Main features of the households are female-headed families, middle and old-aged people, divorce families, lower educated people, under and graduate students, non-apartments, dweller in 15~20 year old houses.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.190-195
• /
• 2018

Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] represents an attractive starch crop that can be used to facilitate solving global food and environmental problems in the $21^{st}$ century. It can be used as industrial bioreactors to produce various high value-added materials, including bio-ethanol, functional feed, antioxidants, as well as food resources. The non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) announced sweetpotato as one of the ten 'super foods' for better health, since it contains high levels of low molecular weight antioxidants such as vitamin-C, vitamin-E and carotenoids, as well as dietary fiber and potassium. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also reported that sweetpotato is the best bioenergy crop among starch crops on marginal lands, that does not affect food security. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that world population in 2050 will be 9.7 billion, and require approximately 1.7 times more food than today. In this respect, sweetpotato will be a solution to solving problems such as food, energy, health, and environment facing the globe in the $21^{st}$ century. In this paper, the current status of resources, and cultivation of sweetpotato in the world was first described. Development of a new northern route of the sweetpotato and its prior tasks of large scale cultivation of sweetpotato, were also described in terms of global food security, and production of high-value added biomaterials.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.25-41
• /
• 2017

In recent years, the amount of sludge ash (SA) has considerably increased due to rapid urbanization and population growth. In addition, its storage in landfills induces environmental pollution and health problems. Therefore, its disposal in an environmentally friendly way has become more important. The main goal of this study is to investigate the reusability of sludge ash as an additive with polypropylene fiber (PF) to stabilize marginal sand based on the compressive strength performances from UCS tests. For this purpose, a series of UCS tests was conducted. Throughout the experimental study, the used inclusion rates were 10, 15, 20 and 30% for sludge ash and 0, 0.5 and 1% for polypropylene fiber by total dry weight of the sand+sludge ash mixture and the prepared samples were cured for 7 and 14 days prior to the testing. Freezing and thawing resistance of the mixture including 10% sludge ash and 0, 0.5 and 1% polypropylene fiber was also examined. On the basis of UCS testing results, it is said that sludge ash inclusion remarkably enhances UCS performance of sand. Moreover, the addition of polypropylene fiber to the admixtures including sand and sludge ash significantly improves their stress-strain characteristics and post-peak strength loss as well as UCS. As a result of this paper, it is suggested that sludge ash be successfully reused with polypropylene fiber for stabilizing sand in soil stabilization applications. It is also believed that the findings of this study will contribute to some environmental concerns such as the disposal problem of sludge ash, recycling, sustainability, environmental pollution, etc. as well as the cost of an engineering project.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.73-83
• /
• 2010

Objectives: We investigated the clustering of selected lifestyle factors (cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, lack of physical exercise) and identified the population characteristics associated with increasing lifestyle risks. Methods: Data on lifestyle risk factors, sociodemographic characteristics, and history of chronic diseases were obtained from 7,694 individuals ${\geq}20$ years of age who participated in the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Clustering of lifestyle risks involved the observed prevalence of multiple risks and those expected from marginal exposure prevalence of the three selected risk factors. Prevalence odds ratio was adopted as a measurement of clustering. Multiple correspondence analysis, Kendall tau correlation, Man-Whitney analysis, and ordinal logistic regression analysis were conducted to identify variables increasing lifestyle risks. Results: In both men and women, increased lifestyle risks were associated with clustering of: (1) cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and (2) smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of physical exercise. Patterns of clustering for physical exercise were different from those for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. The increased unhealthy clustering was found among men 20-64 years of age with mild or moderate stress, and among women 35-49 years of age who were never-married, with mild stress, and increased body mass index (>$30\;kg/m^2$). Conclusions: Addressing a lack of physical exercise considering individual characteristics including gender, age, employment activity, and stress levels should be a focus of health promotion efforts.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.235-237
• /
• 2017

The AKARI NEP Deep Field Survey is an international multiwavelength survey over $0.4deg^2$ of the sky. This is the deepest survey made by the InfraRed Camera (IRC) of the infrared astronomical satellite AKARI with 9 filters continuously covering the $2-25{\mu}m$ range, including three filters in the Spitzer gap between the IRAC and MIPS coverages. This enabled us to make sensitive MIR detection of AGN candidates at z~ 1, based on hot dust emission in the AGN torus. It is also efficient in detecting highly obscured Compton-thick AGN population. In this article, we report the first results of X-ray observations on this field. The field was covered by 15 overlapping Chandra ACIS-I observations with a total exposure of ~300 ks, detecting ${\approx}450$ X-ray sources. We utilize rest-frame stacking analysis of the MIR AGN candidates that are not detected individually. Our preliminary analysis shows a marginal detection of the rest-frame stacked Fe $k{\alpha}$ line from our strong Compton-thick candidates.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.297-305
• /
• 1979

Occlusive coronary artery disease presents a potential threat to a significant population in the United States. According to many case reports, the increasing incidence of coronary artery disease due to atherosclerosis is noted in Korean, recently. Operative vascular procedures have increased steadily in number over the past 20 years in the United States. There have been many isolated case reports about coronary artery surgery, but these had little clinical impact. Nowadays, major three coronary bypass surgery has developed principally at three cardiac centers in the United States since 1967. Among three coronary bypass operation, the aorta-coronary artery saphenous vein bypass graft was first demonstrated by Favolaro and Effler at the Cleveland Clinic in 1967. We experienced one case of coronary artery disease, which was treated successfully by aorta-coronary saphenous vein graft with mild hypothermia under extracorporeal circulation in May, 1977. Saphenous vein was removed from above the knee and was 2.5 mm in diameter. The left ventricle was not vented for the left ventricle was not overdistended. Temporary artificial pace-maker-Medtronic-was implanted for the prevention and treatment of post-operative arrhythmia and heart block in post-operative first day. He is a 57 year old male businessman who had been suffered from hypertension [200 mmHg in systolic pressure] since 4 years ago, who had intermittent conservative treatment at local clinic. He had been afflicted with severe chest pain with choking sensation for 50 days. This symptom was aggravated exposing cold weather, or cold water, but was respond to rest. Pre-operative ECG revealed no any other ischemic sign except sinus bradycardia. Significant S-T segment depression was noted at lead II, AVF after double 5 minutes exercise, indicating positive Master`s test. Serum cholesterol was slight elevated to 253 mg/dl. Final pre-operative diagnosis was made by coronary arteriogram, which showed about 1.0-cm segmental 90 % occlusive atherosclerotic lesion in the proximal part of right coronary artery above the origin of acute marginal artery. Left coronary artery revealed good patency and there was no collateral circulation between right and left coronary artery .Hospital course was not eventful. He was discharged with good result on the post-operative day. He has been free from chest pain for longer than 2 years. And also the arterial flow in the coronary bypass graft is auscultated with the pocket-sized ultrasonic velocity detector, which shows the patency of the coronary bypass graft good.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
• /
• 1999.11a
• /
• pp.145-167
• /
• 1999

Our self-sufficiency of food has become less than $30{\%}$ and our nation is highly dependant on world's grain market for food. which is unstable in long term due to the world population growth faster than food production. Therefore, it is a great possibility that food might become a political weapon by way of its global shortage. its purchasing difficulty in international free trade market. and the resultant price rising. Our maximal capability of food production has become the most outstanding problem in the dimension of future food security. It would be the utmost scheme for maximal production of food to realize the maximal utilization of arable land through the enlargement of sufficient farming land and the conversion of rotation system for the more grain production. Extensional enlargement of arable land can be positively executed through the development of farming land in domestic and abroad countries. The readjustment of arable land and the installation or irrigation and drainage system can enforce the farming basement for maximal utilization of arable land through the improved rotation between paddy and upland. The prevention policy against farming land encroachment should be strictly executed through grain production encouragement on resting or marginal lands and regulation of utilization conversion for the other than food production on high grade farming lands. It is also required urgently to develope high yielding and high quality varieties through advanced genetic technology for the improvement of unit area yield, especially of wheat, corn. and soybean we import in large quantity The maximal utilization of arable land for the highest production of food can be realized through rational rotation system, the most adaptable crop cultivation on the suitable land, and the most optimal fertilization through the GIS analysis of agricultural environment information on the basis of the computerized soil resource data on super detailed soil maps(1:5000) surveyed plot by plot of whole nation.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2011

Obesity provokes many serious human diseases, including various cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Body mass index (BMI) is a highly heritable trait that is broadly used to diagnose obesity. To identify genetic loci associated with obesity in Asians, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of a population of Korean adults (n=6,742, age 40~60 years) and detected six BMI risk loci (TNR, FAM124B, RGS12, NFE2L3, MC4R and FTO) having p< $1{\times}10^{-5}$. However, in the replication study, only melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) (rs9946888, p=$4.58{\times}10^{-7}$) was replicated with marginal significance (p<0.05) in the second cohort (n=5,102, age 40~60 years). This study indicates that each locus associated with BMI has very weak genetic effect.