• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1337-1344
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• 2019

Osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mass and typically manifests as an increase in fractures. Because this disease is common in elderly populations and lifespans are rapidly increasing, the incidence of osteoporosis has also grown. Most drugs currently used for osteoporosis treatment target osteoclasts in the bone tissue to prevent absorption. However, these medications also cause certain side effects and, furthermore, cannot increase bone mass. Thus, in order to control osteoporosis, regenerative medicine that utilizes adult stem cells and osteoblasts has been extensively studied. Statins, also known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are cholesterol-lowering drugs that have been widely prescribed for cardiovascular diseases. Interestingly, recent studies have reported the beneficial effects of various statins on bone formation via the activation of osteoblasts. Thus, the current study investigated the effects of seven statin-family drugs on osteoblast activity during osteogenic differentiation using adult stem cells from human periosteal tissue. Specifically, statin effects on alkaline phosphatase activity, an early marker of bone cell differentiation, and on calcium deposit, a late marker of bone cell differentiation, were assessed. The results demonstrate that some statins (for example, pitavastatin and pravastatin) have a weak but positive effect on bone formation, and the findings therefore suggest that statin treatments can be a novel modulator for osteogenic differentiation and regenerative medicine using periosteal stem cells.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.441-451
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• 2017

The present study was conducted from August to December 2016 in a cylindrical water tank with a diameter of 1 m, a height of 4 m and a capacity of 3,000 L. The field water and sediment from the Nakdong River were also sampled for the experimental culture (field water+sediment) and control culture (field water), respectively. In this study, we aimed to investigate phytoplankton succession pattern using the phytoplankton functional group in the enclosed culture system. A total of 50 species in 27 genera including Chlorophyceae (30 species), Bacillariophyceae (11 species), Cyanophyceae (7 species), and Cryptophyceae (2 species) were identified in the experimental and control culture systems. A total of 19 phytoplankton functional groups (PFGs) were identified, and these groups include B, C, D, F, G, H1, J, K, Lo, M, MP, N, P, S1, $T_B$, $W_0$, X1, X2 and Y. In particular, $W_0$, J and M groups exhibited the marked succession in the experimental culture system with higher biovolumes compared to those of the control culture system, which may be related to the internal cycling of nutrients by sediment in the experimental culture system. The principal component analyses demonstrated that succession patterns in PFG were associated with the main environmental factors such as nutrients(N, P), water temperature and light intensity in two culture systems. In conclusion, the present study showed the potential applicability of the functional group for understanding the adaptation strategies and ecological traits of the phytoplankton succession in the water bodies of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2020

The biological indices based on the community structure with species richness and/or abundance are commonly used to assess aquatic ecosystem health. Meanwhile, recently functional traits-based approach is considered in ecosystem health assessment to reflect ecosystem functioning. In this study, we developed a database of biological traits for 136 taxa consisting of major stream insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata) collected at Korean streams on the nationwide scale. In addition, we obtained environmental variables in five categories (geography, climate, land use, hydrology and physicochemistry) measured at each sampling site. We evaluated the relationships between community indices based on taxonomic diversity and functional diversity estimated from biological traits. We classified sampling sites based on similarities of their environmental variables and evaluated relations between clusters of sampling sites and diversity indices and biological traits. Our results showed that functional diversity was highly correlated with Shannon diversity index and species richness. The six clusters of sampling sites defined by a hierarchical cluster analysis reflected differences of their environmental variables. Samples in cluster 1 were mostly from high altitude areas, whereas samples in cluster 6 were from lowland areas. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) displayed similar patterns with cluster analysis and presented variation of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity. Based on NMDS and community-weighted mean trait value matrix, species in clusters 1-3 displayed the resistance strategy in the life history strategy to the environmental variables whereas species in clusters 4-6 presented the resilience strategy. These results suggest that functional diversity can complement the biological monitoring assessment based on taxonomic diversity and can be used as biological monitoring assessment tool reflecting changes of ecosystem functioning responding to environmental changes.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.220-228
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• 2010

This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of an unused tunnel as a rice storage place. The physicochemical changes of rice grains were investigated during 8-months of storage in the tunnel located at Kyungnam province, Korea. Two kinds of tunnel stored rices, NP(rice grown with no pesticides) and LP(rice grown with less pesticides) were compared with $5^{\circ}C$ stored rice as a control. The peroxidase activities, as an index of freshness of rice grains, gradually decreased and NP appeared to be fresher than LP. Whiteness, grain wholeness, and chalkyness were less desirable for the tunnel stored rice than the control, with no significant difference of physicochemical properties, including the broken, damaged, colored rice, and contents of moisture, protein, and amylose. Palatability dropped below 70 in all three groups at later phase. The sensory evaluation showed that overall preference was slightly higher for the control but not significantly different from the other two groups. From all the evidences shown, unused tunnels may be an effective place for a long-term rice storage, since the average temperature inside the tunnel was maintained very constantly around $14.3^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity was optimal for rice storage, especially during spring and summer seasons.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2009

Purpose : A number of countries have experienced an increase in pertussis during the past decade. In particular, there has been an increase in the incidence rate among adolescents and adults. To learn more about the current epidemiology of pertussis, we studied the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pertussis in children in Cheonan, South Korea. Methods : We collected nasopharyngeal aspirates of 118 patients who were treated for respiratory symptoms at Dankook Univeristy Hospital between March 2008 and September 2009. We performed multiplex PCR for detection of Bordetella pertussis in those aspirates. Results : Of the 118 patients, 10 (8%) were positive by PCR for B. pertussis. Six episodes occurred during the period July to September 2009. Nine of the 10 patients were less than 3 months old. Seven of them had not received DTaP vaccine. The mean duration of coughing before diagnosis was 10.9${\pm}$5.2 days. Ten patients (100%) had paroxysmal cough and 8 (80%) had post-tussive vomiting. Only one patient had fever. One who had complications that include pneumonia, atelectasis and pneumomediastinum developed an absolute increase in leukocyte count (84,400/$mm^3$). There was a statistically significant relation between vaccine being received and development of complications (P =0.033). Conclusion : We suspect that there was an epidemic of pertussis between July and September 2009. Further investigation by a pediatric or nationwide surveillance system is needed to monitor the changing epidemiology for pertussis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2002

Objective : To test if the intake of $H_2$ receptor antagonists ($H_2$-RAs) increases the risk of gastric cancer in the elderly. Methods : The source population for this study was drawn from the responders to a questionnaire survey administered to the Korea Elderly Pharmacoepidemiological Cohort (KEPEC), who were beneficiaries of the Korean Medical Insurance Corporation, were at least 65 years old, and residing in Busan in 1999. The information on $H_2$-RAs exposure was obtained from a drug prescription database compiled between inn. 1993 and Dec. 1994. The cases consisted of 76 gastric cancer patients, as confirmed from the KMIC claims data, the National Cancer Registry and the Busan Cancer Registry. The follow-up period was from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1998. Cancer free controls were randomly selected by 1:4 individual matching, which took in to consideration the year of birth and gender. Information on confounders was collected by a mail questionnaire survey. The odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals, were calculated using a conditional logistic regression model. Results : After adjusting for a history of gastric ulcer symptoms, medication history, and body mass index, the adjusted OR (aOR) was 4.6 (95% CI=1.72-12.49). The odds ratio of long term use (more than 7 days) was 2.3 (95% CI=1.07-4.82). The odds ratio of short term use was 4.6 (95% CI=1.26-16.50). The odds ratio of parenteral use was 4.4 195% CI=1.16-17.05) and combination use between the oral and parenteral routes (aOR, 16.8; 95% CI=1.21-233.24) had the high risk of gastric cancer. The aOR of cimetidine was 1.7 (95% CI=1.04-2.95). The aOR of ranitidine was 2.0 (95% CI=1.21-3.40). The aOR of famotidine was 1.7 (95% CI=0.98-2.80). Conclusion : The intake of $H_2$-RAs might increase the risk of gastric cancer through achlorhydria in the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.208-214
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• 2000

Objectives : Face-to-face interviews were conducted to investigate the relationship between blood pressure and the impairment of cognitive function in rural elderly (N=932) aged 60-64 in Dalsung County, April to September in 1996 Methods : Impairment of cognitive function was defined as a score of less than 23 by the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSEK). Blood pressure was measured once in each subject using a portable automatic sphygmomanometer. Results : By univariate logistic regression on males, no category of systolic blood pressure bore statistical significance. Groups with diastolic blood pressures of, less than 80 mmHg, 90-94 mmHg, and more than 95mmHg had odds ratios of more than one compared with the reference group (80-89 mmHg). This was most significant in the group with blood pressures lower than 80 mmHg, which had a statistically significant odds ratio of 1.68 (95% confidence interval CI; 1.02-2.75). No category of blood pressure was statistically significant in females. Multivariate logistic regression for males, with adjustment for age, educational attainment, smoking, alcoholic drinking, body mass index, atherosclerotic disease, and antihypertensive medication use, did not alter the odds ratios significantly in terms of systolic blood pressure. However, the group with diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg had an increased odds ratio of 2.01 (95% CI; 1.15-3.52) compared with the reference group. In females, systolic blood pressure did not alter the odds ratio, but the group with a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg had a statistically significant odds ratio of 0.57 (95% CI; 0.37-0.89). Conclusions : These results suggest that the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function status is stronger diastolic than systolic blood pressure and that there is a complex relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function by sex.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2008

The influence of rice bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease incidence on yield and quality of Nampyung, Gang-baek and Iksan493 was investigated in three areas, Gimje, Yeongam and Jangheung, frequently found BLB infested rice. The infection rate of Nampyung, susceptible to BLB disease, was higher ($23{\sim}93%$) than Gang-baek ($2{\sim}15%$) and Iksan493 ($2{\sim}6%$), have resistant gene Xa7 and xa5, respectively. BLB disease incidence was severely found in Gimj and then yield of Nampyung was reduced 65% (352 kg/10a) compared to Iksan493 (540 kg/10a) due to the decrease in the ripen grain filling, brown/rough ratio and 1,000 grain weight. There was no difference of rice yield among Nampyung, Gangbaek and Iksan493 in Yeongam and Jangheung. The occurrence time of disease in Yeongam and Jangheung was later than Gimje and BLB disease was less infected in these areas. BLB infected rice grain showed inferior grain appearance and taste index to sound grain. independent of rice with resistant gene. In Yeongam and Jangheung, Gangbaek and Iksan493 cultivated showed lower ratio of white color to belly than Nampyung. Iksan493 showed better grain appearance and lower ratio of white core to belly than Gangbaek. In protein content of rice grain, the range of Gangbaek and Iksan493 was $6.9{\sim}9.8%$, but Nampyung showed unstable ranged from undetermined to 9.0%.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2008

Blending of eggshell powder into soil as ratio of 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, and 1:25 did not affect seed germination rates of several crops including Chinese cabbage. The blending increased pH of distilled water and decreased the viability of resting spores of Plasmodiophora hrassicae. The ratio of non-viable resting spores in eggshell-blending water was over five times higher than in distilled water of the same pH. Chinese cabbage (cv. 'Norangbom') grew more in eggshell-blended soil than in non-treated soil, but other crops grew less. Leaf numbers and above ground growth of Norangbom increased to around 150% and 470%, respectively, in soil blended with $1:20{\sim}1:15$ of eggshell powder. Even though the optimum sizes of eggshell powder were $0.8{\sim}2.0mm$ for growth and smaller than 0.4 mm for inhibition of clubroot disease of Chinese cabbage, there was no statistical difference among the sizes. Soil pH was above 8.0 in all eggshell treatments without any statistical difference among them. Eggshell powder blending to 1:20 showed lower control efficacy, 58.5%, than registered fungicide 'Hokanna (flusulfamide)', 78.5%. However, Chinese cabbage of that blending ratio recorded the highest growth among the treatments. Therefore, blending of eggshell powder into clubroot-contaminated soil may make culture of Chinese cabbage possible by growth-increasing, even though eggshell powder could not inhibit clubroot disease entirely.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2010

In this study, changes in virus disease occurrence and yield were monitored in conventional cropping system(rice-barley) and soybean-barley double cropping system in virus-prone area for 5 years. Also, changes in the density of Polymyxa graminis, a fungal vector, was investigated. In assay tests, mixed infection of Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) was observed. Disease severity was in the range of 7~9 in conventional cropping system. In continuous cropping of soybean-barley and 3-yearfallow land, disease severity also was around 7. However, disease severity was reduced to medium level (5) when barley cultivation was paused for one or two years in soybean-barley cropping. When barley cultivation was paused for a year, the density of P. graminis, a fungal vector for BaYMV and BaMMV, reduced in barley root and soil. Similarly, barley growth was also enhanced by adopting fallow seasons. Compared with the fifth year of conventional cropping, the number of tillers per $m^2$ was increased by 158 when barley cultivation was paused for an year in soybean-barley cropping. When soybean and barley were cultivated continuously or complete fallow period was extended to three years, plant height and the number of tillers of barley were decreased. Yield components of barley in soybean-barley cropping were superior to those in rice-barley cropping. Compared with the fifth year of conventional cropping and soybean-barley cropping, culm length of barley was 1.3~2.3 cm higher and the number of tillers per $m^2$ was 36~90 higher when barley cultivation was paused for one or two years. However, those in continuous cropping of soybean-barley and 3-year-fallow land were lower compared with conventional cropping. Similarly, yield was increased when barley cultivation was paused for one or two years in the third, forth, and fifth years when compared with conventional cropping.