• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2011

Objectives : The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) among inpatients with schizophrenia, and to compare with general population. Methods : Nine hundreds seventy inpatients were included to assess the prevalence of MS from two mental hospitals in Yong-in city. Assessment of MS was performed based on modified American Heart Association criteria with abdominal obesity threshold of 90cm for men, 85cm for women. Comparative analysis was performed using age- and gender matched sample from Korea Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III. For evaluating risk factors, analysis included 766 inpatients taking consistent medications at least for 30 days. Results : The prevalence of MS of inpatients with schizophrenia was 26.2%, in females it was 33.2%, compared to 20.2% in males(p < 0.001). Compared to general population, the prevalence of MS was significantly lower in male and higher in female patients. In terms of criteria prevalence, who met abdominal circumference criterion were more prevalent in patient group(p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, female gender and old age remained as risk factors of MS. Conclusions : The prevalence of MS of inpatients with schizophrenia was 26.2% and significantly low compared to general population. Female gender and old age were risk factors of MS.

• Plant Resources
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 1998

This paper describes the variations in eight agronomic traits in three unadapted local landraces and an inbred cultivar of corn. To compare the agronomic traits in field evaluation with molecular marker evaluation the genotypes of the plant introduction were also checked by 4 microsatellite-SSR loci. The variations of the eight agronomic traits were higher in the local landrades than in the inbred line. which was substantiated by the high genetic variation in the landrades with microsatellite-SSR loci. The level of genetic variation was also different between landraces. Since the genetic evaluation can be easily quantified by the analysis of microsatellite-SSR loci. the threshold level of genetic homogeneity in the population for parental lines in breeding program can be determined and the effort of maintaining the landrace population would be alleviated. As an example in our analysis. the entry from Whachon should not need the same number of selfing generations as the other two landraces to get the level of inbred state. Since this line showed lowest intra-genetic variation within the population.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2013

Objectives: Elevated temperatures during summer months have been reported since the early 20th century to be associated with increased daily mortality. However, future death impacts of high temperatures resulting from climate change could be variously estimated in consideration of the future changes in historical temperature-mortality relationships, mortality, and population. This study examined the future death burden of high temperatures resulting from climate change in Seoul over the period of 2001-2040. Methods: We calculated yearly death burden attributable to high temperatures stemming from climate change in Seoul from 2001-2040. These future death burdens from high temperature were computed by multiplying relative risk, temperature, mortality, and population at any future point. To incorporate adaptation, we assumed future changes in temperature-mortality relationships (i.e. threshold temperatures and slopes), which were estimated as short-term temperature effects using a Poisson regression model. Results: The results show that climate change will lead to a substantial increase in summer high temperature-related death burden in the future, even considering adaptation by the population group. The yearly death burden attributable to elevated temperatures ranged from approximately 0.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2001-2010 to about 1.5 deaths per 100,000 people in Seoul in 2036-2040. Conclusions: This study suggests that adaptation strategies and communication regarding future health risks stemming from climate change are necessary for the public and for the political leadership of South Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2010

A comparative analysis of size and age structures of coastal subfossil shell assemblages of the shortnecked clam Ruditapes philippinarum from open and protected bays of Cheju Island (Korea) was carried out. On the whole, taking into account the damage of small fragile shells, size and age structures of the shell assemblages corresponded to the classical curve of bivalve population distribution when its mortality diminishes with age increase up to a certain threshold. It was found that shell samples from open bays of the western, southern and eastern coasts included shells of smaller and younger individuals (L ${\leq}$ 40 mm, ${\leq}$ 4 years) than samples from the eastern protected bay (L ${\leq}$ 54.5 mm, ${\leq}$ 6 years). Evidently, strong wave activity was the reason for a short life-span of the clams from the open areas. Growth was investigated retrospectively by annual growth rings on the shells. Growth rates of the clams from the various coasts of Cheju Island differed. However, growth rates of the clams from different biotopes at the same (eastern) side of the Island were similar. Shell height/length and width/length ratios statistically significantly increased with the clam age increase. Most likely, the reason for such shell shape alteration is that more conglobated individuals more survive being more energy-optimal than oblong specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.51-70
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• 2013

This paper develops a model to predict the adoption and level of usage of network technology in a two-level supply chain with buyer-supplier relationships. A firm's adoption of a new technology depends not only on its own beliefs of the new technology's costs and benefits, but also on the adoption decisions of other firms in the supply chain. A model first analyzes an individual supplier's decision about a new technology adoption considering with multiple suppliers and buyers. Individual suppliers' decisions are aggregated with a population model to project how new technology diffuses across the supply chain and examine the pattern of diffusion process. This study found that as more firms adopt in initial periods, the total amount of information to the potential adopters in the population increases, and then the number of firms persuaded by the information increases as the process moves up the distribution of adoption process. We consider three factors influencing the diffusion speed of the new technology in a supply chain network : mean benefits, cost sharing, and information provision. This study examines how such factors affect the reduction of threshold levels, which implies that reductions in threshold levels have an aggregate effect by accelerating the rate of adoption. In particular, we explore relationship factors available in practice in a buyer-supplier relationship and numerically examines how these relationship factors contribute to increase the diffusion speed of the technology in a two-level supply chain.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2010

This study was performed to examine the asymmetry of hearing loss among the noise exposed male workers. Findings of otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry and tympanometry were evaluated for 179 male workers working in the noise exposed workplace. And also selfadministered structured questionnaires were used for each worker's work-related and general characteristics including personal health behaviors. There were significant differences of hearing threshold between right and left ears at 1,000 Hz and 3,000 Hz(p<0.05). And also significant differences of hearing threshold were noted in the age group over 50 at 3,000 Hz, the high risk drinking group either at 3,000 Hz and 4,000 Hz, the work duration group 10-19 years at 3,000 Hz, the noise exposure group under 90 dB(A) at 3,000 Hz, the noise exposure group over 90 dB(A) at 1,000 Hz, the non-wearing protective device group at 4,000 Hz, and the wearing protective device group at 3,000 Hz(p<0.05). Further study is needed to explore the extent and the related factors of the asymmetry of hearing loss in the general population and occupationally noise exposed group.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.35-39
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• 2015

The developmental responses of insects to temperature are important considerations in gaining a better understanding of their ecology and life histories. Temperature-dependent phenology models permit examination of the effects of temperature on the geographical distributions, population dynamics, and management of insects. Measurements of insect developmental and survival responses to temperature pose practical challenges that depend on the chosen modality, variability among individuals, and high mortality rates near the lower and upper threshold temperatures. Different temperature levels can significantly affect larval development of Eurema hecabe. The development of E. hecabe reared on leaves of Lespedeza cuneata was investigated at three temperature regimes (20, 25, and 30℃), a relative humidity of 60%, and a light:dark photoperiod of 14:10 h. The developmental time from larva to adult was 34.3, 20.6, and 17.9 d at temperatures of 20, 25, and 30℃, respectively. Pupal rate was 47.6%, 47.6%, and 61.9% at temperatures of 20, 25, and 30℃, respectively. The developmental threshold temperature estimated from larva to pupae was 8.1℃ with 381.7 degree-days. There is an increasing need for a standardized manual for rearing this butterfly species based on adequate knowledge of its ecology.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 1993

Electrical or chemical stimulation of many areas in the brainstem modulates activity of dorsal horn neurons (DHN). This is known to be mediated by a population of bulbospinal neurons. Yet, little is known about responses of DHNs to stimulation of the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM). Thus, the purpose of the present study is to see if there is any change in activity of DHNs when CVLM is stimulated electrically. Thirty-one DHNs were recorded from dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Fourteen DHNs (45%) were classified as wide dynamic range neurons and 9 (19%) were high threshold cells, and 4 (13%) and 4 (13%) were deep and low threshold neurons, respectively. Among 31 neurons tested for responses to stimulation of CVLM, 21 DHNs (68%) were inhibited by the electrical stimulation of CVLM ($200{\mu}A,\;100{\mu}s$ duration, 100 Hz), and 9 cells (39%) did not show any change in neuronal activity. One neuron was excited by the stimulation. The electrical stimulation of CVLM not only inhibited spontaneous activity of DHNs but also inhibited evoked responses of DHNs to somatic stimulation in the receptive field. These data suggest that CVLM is one of the pain-modulatory areas that control transmission of ascending information of noxious input to the brain from the spinal cord.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.158-161
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• 1999

We determined threshold environmental factros to initiate infection of pepper plants by Botrytis cinerea, a fungal pathogen of pepper gray mold, in two greenhouse conditions. A new efficient spore-trapping method was developed to estimate population density of airborne conidia in the greenhouses, and spore release was measured using a Kerssies' selective medium. At a given day, spores were released greater during daytime (mostly from 7:30 am to 10:30 am and at 4:30 pm) than nighttime. Diurnal and nocturnal temperatures in the greenhouse-1 were about $25^{\circ}$ and $17^{\circ}$,and relative humidity was 100% for prolonged 24 h due to rain on December 17, 1997. Population density of air-borne conidia was 3.0$\times$103 conidia/ $0.5\textrm{m}^3$ after two days, and the initial infection occurred in ten days. During the same period of time in the greenhouse-2, diurnal temperature was about $25^{\circ}$ and nocturnal temperature was below $15^{\circ}$, and population density of air-borne conidia was 104 conidia/ $0.5\textrm{m}^3$. Under these conditions, the initial infection started in three days. This indicates that the early infection occurs under which diurnal temperature is approximately $25^{\circ}$, nocturnal temperature is maintained below $15^{\circ}$, and population density of air-borne conidia is 104 conidia/ $0.5\textrm{m}^3$ at saturated relative humidity condition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2721-2728
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• 2012

Background: There are limited data evaluating the cost-effectiveness of gastric cancer screening using endoscopy or upper gastrointestinal x-ray in the general population. Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of population-based screening for gastric cancer in South Korea by decision analysis. Methods: A time-dependent Markov model for gastric cancer was constructed for healthy adults 30 years of age and older, and a deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed. Cost-utility analysis with multiple strategies was conducted to compare the costs and effects of 13 different screening alternatives with respect to the following eligibility criteria: age at the beginning of screening, screening interval, and screening method. The main outcome measurement was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Results: The results revealed that annual endoscopic screening from ages 50-80 was the most cost-effective for the male population. In the females, biennial endoscopy screening from ages 50-80 was calculated as the most cost-effective strategy among the 12 screening alternatives. The most cost-effective screening strategy may be adjustable according to the screening costs and the distribution of cancer stage at screening. The limitation was that effectiveness data were obtained from published sources. Conclusions: Using the threshold of $19,162 per quality-adjusted life year on the basis of the Korean gross domestic product (2008), as suggested by the World Health Organization, endoscopic gastric cancer screening starting at the age of 50 years was highly cost-effective in the Korean population. The national recommendation for gastric cancer screening should consider the starting age of screening, the screening interval, and the screening modality.