• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.430-441
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• 2011

Maize is divided into two types based on the starch composition of the endosperm in the seed, normal maize(or non-waxy maize) and waxy maize. In this study, genetic diversity and population structure were investigated among 80 waxy maize and normal inbred lines(40 waxy maize inbred lines and 40 normal maize inbred lines) using 50 SSR markers. A total of 242 alleles were identified at all the loci with an average of 4.84 and a range between 2 and 9 alleles per locus. The gene diversity values varied from 0.420 to 0.854 with an average of 0.654. The PIC values varied from 0.332 to 0.838 with an average of 0.602. To evaluate the population structure, STRUCTURE 2.2 program was employed to confirm genetic structure. The 80 waxy and normal maize inbred lines were separated with based on the membership probability threshold 0.8, and divided into groups I, II and admixed group. The 13 waxy maize inbred lines were assigned to group I. The 45 maize inbred lines including 7 waxy maize inbred lines and 38 normal maize inbred lines were assigned to group II. The 22 maize inbred lines with 20 waxy maize inbred lines and 2 normal maize inbred lines were contained in the admixed group. The cluster tree generated using the described SSR markers recognized three major groups at 31.7% genetic similarity. Group I included 40 waxy maize inbred lines and 11 normal maize inbred lines, and Group II included 27 normal maize inbred lines. Group III consist of only 2 normal maize inbred lines. The present study has demonstrated the utility of SSR analysis for the study of genetic diversity and the population structure among waxy and normal maize inbred lines. The information obtained from the present studies would be very useful for designing efficient maize breeding programs in Maize Experiment Station, Kangwon Agricultural Research and Extension Services.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.338-342
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• 2007

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are caused by expansion of (CAG)n triplet repeats. These repeats occur as polymorphic forms in general population; however, beyond a threshold size they become pathogenic. The sizes and distributions of repeats at the SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA7 and DRPLA loci were assessed by molecular analysis of 124 unrelated ataxia patients and 44 controls, and the association of larger normal (LN) alleles with disease prevalence was evaluated. Triplet repeat expansions in the disease range were detected in 8% (10/124) of the cases, with the majority having expansion at the SCA1 locus. Normal allele ranges in the cohort studied were similar to the Caucasian and North Indian populations but differed from the Korean and Japanese populations at various loci. The percentage of individuals with LN alleles at the SCA1 and SCA2 loci was higher than reported in Indians, Japanese and Caucasians. LN alleles showed a good correlation with the incidence of SCA1, indicating that SCA1 is the most prevalent ataxia in our population. The majority of cases with clinical symptoms of SCA could not be diagnosed by established CAG repeat criteria, suggesting that there may be an alternative basis for disease pathogenesis: (i) Repeats lower than the normal range may also result in abnormal phenotypes (ii) LN alleles at different loci in the same individual may contribute to symptoms (iii) Exogenous factors may play a role in triggering disease symptoms in individuals with LN alleles (iv) Triplet repeats may reach the disease range in the brain but not in the blood.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2002

Population fluctuation of O. kashmirica benefica, a major natural enemy of citrus red mite (Panonychus citri), was surveyed from 1997 to 2000 in yuzu orchards in Goheung region and, developmental periods, developmental threshold temperature (DT) and effective cumulative temperature (ET) were estimated. Under four constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 30$\^{C}$, developmental periods from egg to adult of the beetles were 67.3, 31.4, 19.4 and 15.3 days, respectively. The period of each stage was long in the order of pupa> egg > 3rd larva> 2nd larva> 1st larva. Mean numbers of eggs oviposited by a female per day were 3.3, 5.6, 7.3 and 7.7 under the temperatures, respectively. The highest hatchability (92%) and adult emergence (60%) were shown under 25$\^{C}$. Adult longevity was 54.3 days for females, and 58.6 days for males. In natural condition, the sex ratio of the beetle was 0.58. Developmental thresholds (DT) for egg, 1st, 2nd, 3rd larva, pupa, and egg to adult were 12.7, 10.0, 10.8, 7.9, 10.1 and 10.6$\^{C}$, respectively. The effective cumulative temperatures (ET) were 41.4, 22.9, 22.7, 46.6, 165.3, 292.9 day-degree at the same development stage, respectively. The beetle occurred from early April to early December in yuzu orchards. The population peak of the beetles was dependent on the amount of prey mite (Panonychus citri), and the ratio of the predator to prey mite was 1 to 100-200 at predator peak stage in the field.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2003

Dispersion pattern for adult citrus red mite (CRM), Panonychus citri (McGregor) using by Taylor's power law (TPL) and Iwao's patchiness regression (IPR) was determined to develop a monitoring method on citrus orchards, on Jeju, in Autumn season, during 2001 and 2002.CRM population was sampled by collecting leaves and fruits. The relationships of CRM adults between leaf and fruit were analyzed by different season. The regression equation for CRM adults between leaf (X) and fruit (Y) was ln(Y+1) : 1.029 ln(X+1) ( $r^2$ : 0.80). The density of CRM was higher on fruit than on leaf according to fruit maturing level. TPL provided better description of mean-variance relation-ship for the dispersion indices compared to IPR. Slopes and intercepts of TPL from leaf and fruit samples did not differ between sample units and surveyed years. Fixed-precision levels (D) of a sequential sampling plan were developed using Taylor's power law parameters generated from adults of CRM in leaf sample. Sequential sampling plans for adults of CRM were developed for decision making CRM population level based on the different action threshold levels (2.0,2.5 and 3.0 mites per leaf) with 0.25 precision. The maximum number of trees and required number of trees sampled on fixed sample size plan on 2.0,2.5 and 3.0 thresholds with 0.25 precision level were 19, 16 and 15 and their critical values T$_{critical}$ at were 554,609 and 659, respectively. were 554,609 and 659, respectively.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.323-328
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• 2004

The development of group-specific tissue probability maps (TPM) provides a priori knowledge for better result of cerebral tissue classification with regard to the inter-ethnic differences of inter-subject variability. We present sequential procedures of group-specific TPM and evaluate the age effects in the structural differences of TPM. We investigated 100 healthy volunteers with high resolution MRI scalming. The subjects were classified into young (60, 25.92+4.58) and old groups (40, 58.83${\pm}$8.10) according to the age. To avoid any bias from random selected single subject and improve registration robustness, average atlas as target for TPM was constructed from skull-stripped whole data using linear and nonlinear registration of AIR. Each subject was segmented into binary images of gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid using fuzzy clustering and normalized into the space of average atlas. The probability images were the means of these binary images, and contained values in the range of zero to one. A TPM of a given tissue is a spatial probability distribution representing a certain subject population. In the spatial distribution of tissue probability according to the threshold of probability, the old group exhibited enlarged ventricles and overall GM atrophy as age-specific changes, compared to the young group. Our results are generally consistent with the few published studies on age differences in the brain morphology. The more similar the morphology of the subject is to the average of the population represented by the TPM, the better the entire classification procedure should work. Therefore, we suggest that group-specific TPM should be used as a priori information for the cerebral tissue classification.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.63-77
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• 2002

Salinization is an important environmental problem encountered in coastal aquifers. In order to evaluate the salinization problem in the western coastal area of Korea, we have performed a regional hydrochemical study on shallow well groundwaters (N=229) collected within 10 km away from the coastline. The concentrations of analyzed solutes are very wide in range, suggesting that the hydrochemistry is controlled by several processes such as water-rock interaction, seawater mixing, and anthropogenic contamination. Based on the graphical interpretation of cumulative frequency curves for some hydrochemical parameters (esp., $Cl^{-}$ and ${NO_3}^-$), the collected water samples were grouped into two major populations (1) a background population whose chemistry is predominantly affected by water-rock interaction, and (2) an anomalous population which records the potential influences by either seawater mixing or anthropogenic pollution. The threshold values obtained are 34.7 mg/l for $Cl^{-}$ and 37.2 mg/l for ${NO_3}^-$, Using these two constituents, groundwaters were further grouped into four water types as follows (the numbers in parenthesis indicate the percentage of each type water) : (1) type 1 waters (38%) that are relatively poor in $Cl^{-}$ and ${NO_3}^-$, which may represent their relatively little contamination due to seawater mixing and anthropogenic pollution; (2) type 2 waters (21%) which are enriched in $Cl^{-}$, Indicating the considerable influence by seawater mixing; (3) ${NO_3}^-$-rich, type 3 waters (11%) which record significant anthropogenic pollution; and (4) type 4 waters (30%) enriched in both $Cl^{-}$ and ${NO_3}^-$, reflecting the effects of both seawater mixing and anthropogenic contamination. The results of the water type classification correspond well with the grouping on a Piper's diagram. On a Br x $10^4$versus Cl molar ratio diagram, most of type 2 waters are also plotted along or near the seawater mixing line. The discriminant analysis of hydrochemical data also shows that the classification of waters into four types are so realistic to adequately reflect the major process(es) proposed for the hydrochemical evolution of each water type. As a tool for evaluating the degree of seawater mixing, we propose a parameter called 'Seawater Mixing Index (S.M.I.)’ which is based on the concentrations of Na, Mg, Cl, and $SO_4$. All the type 1 and 3 waters have the S.M.I. values smaller than one, while type 2 and type 4 waters mostly have the values greater than 1. In the western coastal area of Korea, more than 21% of shallow groundwaters appear to be more or less affected by salinization process.

• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.35-77
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• 2023

This study aims to solve the entangled loop between demographic transition (DT) and economic growth by analyzing cross-country data. We undertake a national-level group analysis to verify the compressed transition of demographic variables over time. Assuming that the LA (latecomer advantage) on DT over time exists, we verify that the DT of the latecomer is compressed by providing a formal proof of LA on DT over income. As a DT has the double-kinked functions of income, we check them in multiple aspects: early maturation, leftward threshold, and steeper descent under a contour map and econometric methods. We find that the developing countries (the latecomer) have speedy DT (CDT, compressed DT) as well as speedy income such that DT of the latecomers starts at lower levels of income, lasts for a shorter period, and finishes at the earlier stage of economic development compared to that of developed countries (the early mover). To check the balance of DT, we classify countries into four groups of DT---balanced, slow, unilateral, and rapid transition countries. We identify that the main causes of rapid transition are due to the strong family planning programs of the government. Finally, we check the effect of latecomer's CDT on economic growth inversely: we undertake the simulation of the CDT effect on economic growth and the aging process for the latecomer. A worrying result is that the CDT of the latecomer shows a sharp upturn of the working-age population, followed by a sharp downturn in a short period. Compared to early-mover countries, the latecomer countries cannot buy more time to accommodate the workable population for the period of demographic bonus and prepare their aging societies for demographic onus. Thus, we conclude that CDT is not necessarily advantageous to developing countries. These outcomes of the latecomer's CDT can be re-interpreted as follows. Developing countries need power sources to pump up economic development, such as the following production factors: labor, physical and financial capital, and economic systems. As for labor, the properties of early maturation and leftward thresholds on DTs of the latecomer mean that demographic movement occurs at an unusually early stage of economic development; this is similar to a plane that leaks fuel before or just before take-off, with the result that it no longer flies higher or farther. What is worse, the property of steeper descent represents the falling speed of a plane so that it cannot be sustained at higher levels, and then plummets to all-time lows.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2023

Objectives : Depressive disorder and anxiety disorder frequently co-occur, even at sub-threshold level. This study aims to identify network structure of co-morbid depression and anxiety at symptom level in nonclinical population and to reveal the central symptoms and bridge symptoms of the co-morbidity. Methods : This study was based on 2022 Asan Youth Mental Health Screening. Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7) were used to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms of 810 young adult participants from community sample. Network structure of co-morbid depressive and anxiety symptoms was estimated by Isingfit model. Results : Depressed mood, Restlessness and Nervousness were the most central symptoms in the network. Bridge symptoms between anxiety and depression were Restlessness and Irritability. Conclusions : This study revealed key central symptoms and bridge symptoms of co-morbid depression and anxiety in nonclinical population and provided potential insight for treatment targets to reduce co-morbidity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2020

Objectives: Police officers may be at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the general population due to their highstress occupation. This study evaluated how an educational program based on the health belief model (HBM) may protect police officers from developing CVD. Methods: In this single-group experimental study, 58 police officers in Iran participated in a 5-week intervention based on HBM principles. Outcomes included changes in scores on an HBM scale, time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), body mass index (BMI), blood lipid profile, blood glucose, and blood pressure. The intervention consisted of 5 HBM-based educational sessions. Follow-up was conducted at 3 months post-intervention. The paired t-test was used to examine differences between baseline and follow-up scores. Results: All aspects of the HBM scale improved between baseline and follow-up (p<0.05), except the cues to action subscale. Self-efficacy and preventive behaviors improved the most. BMI decreased from 26.7±2.9 kg/㎡ at baseline to 25.8±2.4 kg/㎡ at follow-up. All components of the lipid profile, including triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein, showed significant improvements post-intervention. Blood glucose and blood pressure also decreased, but not significantly. Nearly 25% of participants who were not physically active at baseline increased their physical activity above or beyond the healthy threshold. Conclusions: A relatively brief educational intervention based on HBM principles led to a significant improvement in CVD risk factors among police officers. Further research is needed to corroborate the effectiveness of this intervention.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1066-1073
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• 2017

Objective: Growth-related traits are important economic traits in the swine industry. However, the genetic mechanism of growth-related traits is little known. The aim of this study was to screen the candidate genes and molecular markers associated with body dimension and body weight traits in pigs. Methods: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) on body dimension and body weight traits was performed in a White $Duroc{\times}Erhualian$ $F_2$ intercross by the illumina PorcineSNP60K Beadchip. A mixed linear model was used to assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the phenotypes. Results: In total, 611 and 79 SNPs were identified significantly associated with body dimension traits and body weight respectively. All SNPs but 62 were located into 23 genomic regions (quantitative trait loci, QTLs) on 14 autosomal and X chromosomes in Sus scrofa Build 10.2 assembly. Out of the 23 QTLs with the suggestive significance level ($5{\times}10^{-4}$), three QTLs exceeded the genome-wide significance threshold ($1.15{\times}10^{-6}$). Except the one on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 7 which was reported previously all the QTLs are novel. In addition, we identified 5 promising candidate genes, including cell division cycle 7 for abdominal circumference, pleiomorphic adenoma gene 1 and neuropeptides B/W receptor 1 for both body weight and cannon bone circumference on SSC4, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, and bone morphogenetic protein 7 for hip circumference on SSC17. Conclusion: The results have not only demonstrated a number of potential genes/loci associated with the growth-related traits in pigs, but also laid a foundation for studying the genes' role and further identifying causative variants underlying these loci.