• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

Objectives: Sleep disturbance is a very rapidly growing disease with aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances and its predictive factors in a three-year cohort study of people aged 60 years and over in Korea. Methods: In 2012 and 2014, we obtained data from a survey of the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. We asked participants if they had been diagnosed with stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arthritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, cataract, glaucoma, hepatitis B, urinary incontinence, prostate hypertrophy, cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or metabolic syndrome. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination for dementia screening in 2012, and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, a structured clinical interview for Axis I psychiatric disorders was administered to 235 people, and sleep disturbance was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The perceived stress scale and the State-trait Anger Expression Inventory were also administered. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict sleep disturbance by gender, age, education, depression score, number of coexisting diseases in 2012 and 2014, current anger score, and perceived stress score. Results: Twenty-seven percent of the participants had sleep disturbances. Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of medical diseases three years ago, the depression score one year ago, and the current perceived stress significantly predicted sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Comorbid medical disease three years previous and depressive symptoms evaluated one year previous were predictive of current sleep disturbances. Further studies are needed to determine whether treatment of medical disease and depressive symptoms can improve sleep disturbances.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.218-225
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• 1992

This experiment was carried out to compare the varietal differences of winter hardiness based on the values of winter hardiness index(W1) and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rate (DWIRTAR), and the evaluate the method of measurements for winter hardiness in 17 orchardgrass varieties grown under mountainous area of Tackwalyon, Kangwon-do. Korea. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Seedling vigours(SV) of plant before wintering indicated highly significant negative correlation with the dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates (DWIRTAR). 2. The dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) indicated significant positive correlations with the number of tillers per plant(NT). dry weight of a tiller(WT), lield survival rate(SR). heading rate(HR) and the dry weight of heading tillers(HDW). 3. Correlation coefficients of the dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) with winter hardiness index(W1) was 0.499(p<0.05), and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) was 0.895(p<0.001), respectively. 4. Between the winter hardiness index(W1) and field survival rate(SR) showed highly significant positive correlation(p<0.001). And, the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) showed highly significant positive correlation(p<0.001) with the dry weight of a tiller(WT) and the dry weight of heading tillers(HDW). 5. The varieties were classified into 2 groups by winter hardiness index(W1). The 13 varieties of Hallmark. lna, Rancho, Amba, Filippa, Sparta, Hokuto, Kitamidori, Okamidori, Wasemidori, Shinyo, Potomac and Summer-green belong to the group of W1)100, and 4 varieties of Able, Juno, Napier and Jesper belong to the group of WI(100, respectively. 6. And, also classified into 2 groups by the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates (DWIRTAR). The 4 varieties of Amba, Okamidori, Wasemidori and Summer-green belong to the group of DW1RTAR)l.O and 13 varieties of Able, Hallmark, Ina, Juno, Napier, Rancho, Filippa. Jesper, Sparta, Hokuto, Kitamidori, Shinyo and Potomac belong to the group of DW/RTAR(1.0, respectively. The variety with DW/RTAR)I.O is belong to the group of high potential winter hardiness, and also obtained a high values over the 100 of winter hardiness index(W1). 7. The dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) may be a very useful ecological character to evaluate the potential winter hardiness of orchardgrass varieties grown under mountainous area of Taekwalyon(altitudinal ranges about 800m).

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.81-86
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• 2000

The objective was to develop herbicides for liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), one of most important ingredients of herbal medicine in Korea. Soil-applied herbicides, pendimethalin at 1,585 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, simazine at 1,000 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, alachlor at 5 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, metolachlor at 1,600 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, and ethalfluralin at 1,050 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$ provided greater control of hairy crabgrass and barnyardgrass (> 60%) but less control of Abutilon avicennae and Fagopyrum esculentum under growth chamber conditions. Of tested soil-applied herbicides, pendimethalin and simazine showed slight injury to liquorice (<17%). In the field experiment conducted in Chunchon, pendimethalin and simazine provided greater control of weeds: total fresh weight of weeds in control plots was 187 g $m^{-2}$, while those in both herbicides-treated plots were nil. Fresh weights of liquorice seedlings in pendimethalin- and simazine-applied plots, however, were not different from those in control plots. Foliar-applied herbicides, such as dicamba at 964 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, 2,4-D at 280 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, mecoprop at 2,500 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, flazasulfuron at 75 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, imazaquin at 800 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, bentazon at 1,600 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$, and pyribenzoxim at 30 g a.i. $ha^{-1}$ reduced the growth of liquorice seedlings and provided moderate to total damage. Overall results show that pendimethalin and simazine appears to be effective herbicide candidates for liquorice.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.304-313
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• 2006

Background : Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative degradation of heme to form biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and free iron. The current evidence has indicated a critical role of HO-1 in cytoprotection and also in other, more diverse biological functions. It is known that the high expression of HO-1 occurs in various tumors, and that HO-1 has an important role in rapid tumor growth because of its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. Therefore, the role of HO-1 was analyzed in human lung cancer cell lines, and especially in the A549 cell line. Material and Methods : Human lung cancer cell lines, i.e., A549, NCI-H23, NCI-H157 and NCI-H460, were used for this study. The expression of HO-1 in the untreated state was defined by Western blotting. ZnPP, which is the specific HO inhibitor we used, and the viability of cells were tested for by conducting MTT assaysy. The HO enzymatic activity, as determined via the bilirubin level, was also indirectly measured. Moreover, the generation of intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was monitored fluorimetrically with using a scopoletin-horse radish peroxidase (HRP) assay and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). We have also transfected small HO-1 interfering RNA (siRNA) into A549 cells, and the apoptotic effects were evaluated by flow cytometric analysis and Western blotting. Results : The A549 cells had a greater expression of HO-1 than the other cell lines, whereas ZnPP significantly decreased the viability of the A549 cells more than the viability of the other lung cancer cells in a dose-dependant fashion. Consistent with the viability, the HO enzymatic activity also was decreased. Moreover, intracellular H2O2 generation via ZnPP was induced in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptotic events were, then induced in the HO-1 siRNA transfected A549 cells. Conclusion : HO-1 provides new important insights into the possible molecular mechanism of the antitumor therapy in lung cancer.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2007

Purpose : GFR(glomerular filtration rate) is a fundamental parameter in detecting renal impairment and predicts the progression of renal disease. Because serum creatinine has several disadvantages, serum cystatin C has been recently proposed as a new endogenous marker for GFR. We compared serum cystatin C with creatinine and creatinine clearance to investigate the clinical usefulness of cystatin C. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 46 patients(60 case numbers) who had various renal diseases and classified them into 3 groups according to creatinine clearance(Group 1 : CrCl <40 mL/min/$1.73m^2$, Group 2 : CrCl 40-60 mL/min/$1.73m^2$, Group 3 CrCl >60 mL/min/$1.73m^2$). We measured serum creatinine, cystatin C and creatinine clearance and also analyzed the correlations among them. Results : Serum cystatin C and creatinine showed a similar correlation to creatinine clearance (r=0.685, r=0.640, respectively) and showed similar diagnostic accuracy in detecting decreased GFR(AUC, cystatin C 0.829 vs. creatinine 0.826, P=0.848). Serum cystatin C showed a greater sensitivity for detecting a decreased GFR than creatinine in Group 2 and 3(Group 1 : 100% vs. 100%, Group 2 : 70% vs. 35%, Group 3 : 46% vs. 15%). Conclusions : Serum cystatin C could be a useful endogenous marker for GFR and would be superior to serum creatinine in early detection of renal impairment in pediatric patients with renal diseases.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.461-471
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• 2016

This study was conducted to establish an in vitro propagation system for sea-milkwort (Glaux maritima L.), which is an endangered coastal plant species with high horticultural value. Two phenotypes, 'Red type (RT)' and 'Pistachio type (PT)' based on the colors of stem and flower, were obtained from a personal horticulturist in 2009 and used for this study as plant materials. The stock plants showed typical morphologies in flower, capsule, and seed appearances as previously reported. Low temperature treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ for four or more weeks after in vitro sowing maximized seed germination percentage, indicating that imbibition of seed and subsequent low temperature treatment are crucial for its germination. The in vitro seedlings had phenotypic variation, falling into 'RT' and 'PT' classes like the stock plants. Although slight differences depending on genotype and medium were recognized, the fourth or fifth nodes detached from the in vitro seedlings revealed the best multiplication efficacy when estimated on the basis of total number of nodes of newly developed axillary shoots. In addition, the nodes from 'RT' and 'PT' regenerated the most shoots on medium supplemented with $0.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ BA alone and $0.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ BA plus $0.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ IAA, respectively. The node culture-derived plantlets were well acclimatized in a culture room ex vitro and completed the pseudo-annual life cycle coincident with that in the natural salt march habitat with the current cultivation method of applying fresh water-irrigation under an inland environment. This work represents the first report of in vitro propagation of sea-milkwort. Thus, our study will contribute to exo-habitat conservation and natural habitat restoration of this endangered species in addition to development of a horticultural product.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.91-103
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and cheap bioassay of four lignans (schisandrin, schisandrin C, the gomisin A and gomisin N) isolated from Schizandra chinensis Baill on seed germination and seedling growth of the radish. Its structure was determined by analysis of MS and NMR spectroscopic data. Radish seeds immersed for 1 hr in the solutions of $10^{-5}M$, $10^{-6}M$ and $10^{-7}M$ of schisandrin, schisandrin C, gomisin A, and gomisin N, seed germination was observed with in 60 hr after all of the treatments. Also, the seeds were germinated faster compared to untreated controls. At early germination stage, 48 hr after the treatment of the lignans, the suppression of germination was observed from all treatments; the suppression due to schisandrin and gomisin A was the highest at the concentration of $10^{-6}M$. The level of suppression increased as the concentration increased in the treatment of schisandrin C and gomisin N. Percent germination of seed after 184 hr was increased 90% at all treatments. For the effects of lignan treatment on seedling growth in radish, the growth of hypocotyl was promoted by gomisin A and gomisin N at all concentrations. Root elongation was significantly promoted by schisandrin and gomisin N at $10^{-5}M$ and $10^{-6}M$, respectively. Fresh and dry weights of the seedlings were high at a low concentration of $10^{-7}M$, but significantly reduced by schisandrin C at a high concentration of $10^{-5}M$. The results of the germination activity and seedling growth of the lignans from S. chinensis suggest their potential use as natural growth regulators.