• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-11
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• 2006

It has been reported for several decades that microbes, which naturally contaminate cotton fibres during crop growth and subsequent storage can have an adverse effect on the structural quality of cotton lint. Although several studies have analysed the relationship between numbers of Gram-negative bacteria or bacterial endotoxin and particular physical properties, these studies have been limited to cotton from the United States, and the possible effects of fungal contamination have not been examined in detail. This study quantified the Gram-negative bacteria and fungal cells, as well as measuring concentrations of bacterial endotoxin and fungal glucan, on cotton lint samples from international sources. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients calculated between these results and quality data analysed by an automated testing instrument revealed several significant correlations. Findings included inverse correlations between the biological contamination parameters and fibre elongation, micronaire and reflectance. The possible causes and implications of these findings were also discussed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparison of blood biochemical parameters, physical activity, stress, and sleep management between obese and non-obese subjects according to the body mass index (BMI). Methods: Data were collected from February 1 to May 31 in 2012. This research involved 403 subjects who visited an obesity clinic in Korea. They were divided into 4 groups: normal weight 100 ($18.5{\leq}BMI$ < $23.0kg/m^2$), overweight 100 ($23.0{\leq}BMI$ < $25.0kg/m^2$), obese 100 ($25.0{\leq}BMI$ < $30.0kg/m^2$), and severely obese 103 ($BMI{\geq}30.0kg/m^2$). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0. Results: There were significant differences on the SGPT (F=22.98, p<.001), SGOT (F=12.91, p<.001), creatinine (F=4.82, p=.003), triglyceride (F=20.17, p<.001), and total cholesterol (F=6.55, p<.001) among the subjects according to the BMI. There was no significant association between frequency of physical activity according to the BMI. There was significant association regarding the management of sleep (F=5.13, p=.002), but no significant association regarding the management of stress. Overall, there were significant association regarding the management of stress and sleep (F=3.79, p=.011) among the groups. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that it is possible to use the information as basic data for educational and nursing intervention programs based on the BMI.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.591-607
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• 2013

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the aquatic environment of an urban stream using various ecological parameters of biological biomarkers, physical habitat quality and chemical water quality and to develop a "Multimetric Eco-Model" ($M_m$-E Model) for the ecosystem evaluations. For the applications of the $M_m$-E model, three zones including the control zone ($C_Z$) of headwaters, transition zone ($T_Z$) of mid-stream and the impacted zone ($I_Z$) of downstream were designated and analyzed the seasonal variations of the model values. The biomarkers of DNA, based on the comet assay approach of single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), were analyzed using the blood samples of Zacco platypus as a target species, and the parameters were used tail moment, tail DNA(%) and tail length (${\mu}m$) in the bioassay. The damages of DNA were evident in the impacted zone, but not in the control zone. The condition factor ($C_F$) as key indicators of the population evaluation indicator was analyzed along with the weight-length relation and individual abnormality. The four metrics of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) were added for the evaluations of physical habitat. In addition, the parameters of chemical water quality were used as eutrophic indicators of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and conductivity. Overall, our results suggested that attributes of biomarkers and bioindicators in the impacted zone ($I_Z$) had sensitive response largely to the chemical stress (eutrophic indicators) and also partially to physical habitat quality, compared to the those in the control zone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2013

The ecological health, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) was evaluated in 10 stream sites of Southern Han River. Eleven parameters of 12 parameters (Karr 1981) were modified for the application of regional Korean circumstance. The ecological health, based on IBI grade, was in "good condition" and the IBI score ranged from 33 to 47. Nine parameters of the original 12-parameter metrics in QHEI model (Plafkin et al. 1989) were applied in the habitat assessment. The mean QHEI model values were judged as "partially supporting" and ranged from 75 (non-supporting) to 109 (supporting). Comparative analyses revealed that values of IBI and QHEI models were greater in Gj stream than Ig- and Dn streams. The analysis of fish compositions showed that the proportions of insectivore, omnivore, and carnivore were 61.9%, 19%, and 9.5%, respectively. According to tolerance guild analysis, sensitive species and tolerant species were 76.1% and 4.7%, respectively, indicating a healthy trophic state in terms of food chain. The analysis by habitat guild type indicated that riffle benthic species dominated (57.1%) when compared to water column species (28.5%). The introduced species and individuals with diseases or external abnormality were not observed. Overall, the model values of IBI and QHEI suggested that the ecological health was maintained well in this upstream region.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.757-767
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• 2006

Biological assessments are the primary tool for evaluating the biological condition of a water body and makes it possible to understand accumulative and long-term effect of stressors. They also provide reliable biological information for which disturbed systems are to be restored. Sustainable water environment is not enough with attaining only the clean water, but it should sustain healthy and diverse aquatic life. Aquatic organisms are affected by various factors, including not only water quality but also habitat condition and stressors, and thus good condition of both physical and chemical water quality is prerequisite for sustaining healthy organisms. Therefore, biological assessment, along with other physical and chemical assessments, are crucial for evaluating the health of a water body. Overall, sustainability of water environment demands the attainment and maintenance of ecological integrity, which is resulted from the combination of physical, chemical and biological integrity. The biological criteria will play very important role in the water resource management and policy issues, and thus bioassessment program should be fully implemented and supported eventually by the law. To keep ecosystem health of water environment safely from the toxic pollutants and other stressors, the following suggestions need to be considered in environmental quality standards in Korea. For the first step, the biological indicators need to be introduced in evaluating river quality condition; they provide a qualitative description of biological condition of water body. Secondly, the biological water quality standards using biotic indices should be developed and implemented under the consideration of characteristics of Korean river systems. Lastly, the ecological status classification regime (ESCR) should be developed and introduced; it could be used in quality assessment of the water environment in general. In developing ESCR, integration of physico-chemical, biological, and habitat parameters should be taken into account.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2005

Aqueous mixtures of hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) system and hydrogels thereof were introduced to obtain new bioartificial materials that have excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and enhanced rheological properties. The interactions between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) and/or borax were investigated by rheological measurements. Preparation parameters of the aqueous mixtures were mixture composition, the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. From the rheological behavior, it could be deduced that the key factor of the interaction between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) was the hydrogen bonding between them and the effect was pronounced with borax. Enhanced viscosity was observed at the composition of $20wt\%$ of hyaluronic acid solution and $80wt\%$ of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax solution. Rheological properties were influenced by the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. As the degree of hydrolysis and borax concentration increased, rheological properties increased due to the increased hydrogen bonding and networking of hyaluronate aggregates. Physical hydrogels from hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) were prepared and the composition dependence of the gels was rheologically investigated as well.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the diverse characteristics of a novel commercial bolus, CLEANBOLUS-WHITE (CBW), to ascertain its suitability for clinical application. Methods: The evaluation of CBW encompassed both physical and biological assessments. Physical parameters such as mass density and shore hardness were measured alongside analyses of element composition. Biological evaluations included assessments for skin irritation and cytotoxicity. Dosimetric properties were examined by calculating surface dose and beam quality using a treatment planning system (TPS). Additionally, doses were measured at maximum and reference depths, and the results were compared with those obtained using a solid water phantom. The effect of air gap on dose measurement was also investigated by comparing measured doses on the RANDO phantom, under the bolus, with doses calculated from the TPS. Results: Biological evaluation confirmed that CBW is non-cytotoxic, nonirritant, and non-sensitizing. The bolus exhibited a mass density of 1.02 g/cm³ and 14 shore 00. Dosimetric evaluations revealed that using the 0.5 cm CBW resulted in less than a 1% difference compared to using the solid water phantom. Furthermore, beam quality calculations in the TPS indicated increased surface dose with the bolus. The air gap effect on dose measurement was deemed negligible, with a difference of approximately 1% between calculated and measured doses, aligning with measurement uncertainty. Conclusions: CBW demonstrates outstanding properties for clinical utilization. The dosimetric evaluation underscores a strong agreement between calculated and measured doses, validating its reliability in both planning and clinical settings.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.265-274
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• 1995

Skin temperatures were tested under the same conditions by using the thermography in order to extract the biological characteristics of the physical constitutional types in according to the Lee's 4 type physical constitutional theory. The subjects of this experiment were 14 ; 5 Macro-Negative subjects, 5 Micro-Negative subjects, 3 Micro-Positive subjects and 1 Macro-Positive subject. All subjects were stimulated with 2.5Hz 30Vpeak-peak pulses for 2 minutes. As the results, in normal prestimulation state the skin temperatures of the trunk in Micro-Positive and Macro-Positive subjects were higher than those of Macro-Negative and Micro-Negative subjects. In Macro-Negative subjects the reflected skin temperature of lever was the highest in the anterior trunk. In Micro-Negative subjects the reflected skin temperature of kidney was the highest in the trunk. In Micro-Positive subjects the reflected skin temperature of stomach was the highest in the trunk.In Macro-Positive subject the reflected skin temperature of lung was the highest in the trunk. In transient poststimulation state, heart rate was decreased in 7 cases among of 10 Macro-Negative ana Micro-Negative subjects, but it was increased in 3 cases among of 4 Micro-Positive and Macro-Positive subjects. And the hand temerature was increased in 8 cases among of 10 Macro-Negative and Micro-Negative subjects, but it was decreased in 3 cases among of 4 Micro-Positive and Macro-Positive subjects.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1993 no.11
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• pp.13-16
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• 1993

In this paper the morphological characteristic parameters according to the Lee's physical constitution theory are suggested using the X-ray computed tomography. The Lee's physical constitution theory is classify into 4 physical constitutional types by the relative degree of visceral function: those are macro-negative(strong liver- weak lung), micro-negative(strong kidney- weak spleen), micro-positive(strong spleen- weak kidney) and macro-positive(string lung- weak liver). The morphological characteristic parameters are the following. The AA-line is the distance between Rt. & Lt. acupuncture point keug-cheun. The BB-line is the length of lung. The CC-line is the longest width of thorax. The DD-line is the vertical distance between the CC-line and the EE-line. The EE-line is the distance between the Rt. and Lt. anterior superior iliac spines. As the results macro-negative(strong liver-weak lung) has the longest CC-line and the short BB-line. Micro-negative(strong kidney-weak spleen) has the longest EE-line and the short CC-line. Micro-positive(strong spleen-weak kidney) has the longest DD-line and the short BB-line. And macro-positive(strong lung-weak kidney) has the longest BB-line and the short EE-line.

• Mycobiology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.228-232
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• 2002

This study focused on the production of high quality compost for the growth of aero-thermophilic fungi, which has a promoting effect on the growth rate and production of oyster mushrooms. The automated solid-state bioreactor system was designed on the basis of a Three-Phase-One system, which controls the serial steps of prewetting, pasteurization and fermentation processes. High numbers of thermophilic fungi and bacteria were recovered from the mushroom composts prepared by this solid-state bioreactor. The rates of composting process were depended on physical as well as chemical factors. Among these factors, the parameters of moisture content and temperature were found to be particularly important. In our automated system, constant levels of moisture content, temperature and ventilation via mixing were provided by a centralized control apparatus including PLC, water tank and water jacket systems. These features induced higher microbiological activity of aero-thermophiles.