• Title/Summary/Keyword: Biological indicators

Search Result 217, Processing Time 0.029 seconds

Implications for Coastal Ecosystem Health Assessments and Their Applications in Korea (연안해역 생태계 건강성 평가의 의미와 국내 적용 방향)

  • Kim, Young-Ok;Shim, Won-Joon;Yum, Ki-Dai
    • Ocean and Polar Research
    • /
    • v.29 no.4
    • /
    • pp.319-326
    • /
    • 2007
  • Coastal marine ecosystems continue to suffer unrelenting pressures from human population growth, increased development, and climate change. Moreover, these systems' capacity for self-repair is declining with such increases in anthropogenic production of various pollutants. What is the present health status or condition of the coastal ecosystem? If our coastal areas are unhealthy, which conditions are considered serious? To answer such questions, the United States, Canada, and Australia are currently assessing coastal ecosystem health using systematic monitoring programs as well as identifying and implementing management plans to improve the health of degraded coastal ecosystems. To evaluate marine environments, Korea is currently using a limited number of factors to estimate water quality. In fact, we are ill-prepared for assessing coastal ecosystem health because no biologically specific criteria are in place to measure the responses to various pollutants. We should select ecosystem-specific indicators from physicochemical stressors and evaluate the subsequent biological responses within each ecosystem. Furthermore, a set of practical indicators should be generated by considering the characteristics and uses of a local coastal area and the key issues at hand. The values of indicators should be presented as indices that allow understanding by the general public as well as by practitioners, policy makers, environmental managers and other stakeholders.

Synergistic Ensemble of Optogenetic Actuators and Dynamic Indicators in Cell Biology

  • Kim, Jihoon;Heo, Won Do
    • Molecules and Cells
    • /
    • v.41 no.9
    • /
    • pp.809-817
    • /
    • 2018
  • Discovery of the naturally evolved fluorescent proteins and their genetically engineered biosensors have enormously contributed to current bio-imaging techniques. These reporters to trace dynamic changes of intracellular protein activities have continuously transformed according to the various demands in biological studies. Along with that, light-inducible optogenetic technologies have offered scientists to perturb, control and analyze the function of intracellular machineries in spatiotemporal manner. In this review, we present an overview of the molecular strategies that have been exploited for producing genetically encoded protein reporters and various optogenetic modules. Finally, in particular, we discuss the current efforts for combined use of these reporters and optogenetic modules as a powerful tactic for the control and imaging of signaling events in cells and tissues.

Research on Outcome Indicators in Clinical Trials of Asthma, Cough, and Sputum by Reviewing Papers Searched from PubMed (해외논문고찰을 통한 천식 및 기침${\cdot}$가래 치료제의 유효성 평가지표 개발연구)

  • Oh, Mi-Hyune;Lee, Ji-Hyung;Jang, Bo-Hyoung;Jung, Sung-Ki;Sun, Seung-Ho;Ko, Ho-Yeon;Jun, Chan-Yong;Park, Jong-Hyeong;Ko, Seong-Gyu
    • The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
    • /
    • v.28 no.3
    • /
    • pp.519-530
    • /
    • 2007
  • Objectives : The purpose of this study was to develop outcome indicators in clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma. cough and sputum. To accomplish the objective, this study collected outcome indicators developed and used according to conventional medical concepts. Methods : Our research group reviewed SCI papers concerned with developing outcome indicators to evaluate amelioration of asthma, cough and sputum. We also reviewed clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for them. Results : To evaluate asthma, objective as well as subjective methods were chosen according to the purpose of each trial. Objective methods were PEF, FEVl, serum IgE, peripheral eosinophil counts, and so on. Subjective methods were symptom scores, symptom diaries, quality of life measures, etc. To evaluate cough and sputum, objective and subjective methods were also chosen. Objective methods were tussigenic challenges, sputum induction and computerized methodology, and subjective methods were similar to the methodology evaluating asthmatic symptoms. Conclusions : It is desirable for a clinical trial evaluating herbal drugs for asthma, cough and sputum to use objective and subjective outcome indicators together. However, biological outcome indicators, a kind of objective methods, can not be chosen as the purpose of trial. Valid and reliable subjective outcome indicators are needed to develop good clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma, cough and sputum.

  • PDF

Health Effects of Exposure to Oil-contaminated Water Using Biological Markers: Focusing on G Village near the Area of Daecheon Beach (생체지표를 이용한 지하수 오염의 건강 영향 평가: 일개 지역을 중심으로)

  • Oh, Doo-Nam;Lim, Kyung-Choon;Park, Seungmi
    • Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
    • /
    • v.15 no.2
    • /
    • pp.74-81
    • /
    • 2013
  • Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the health effects of exposure to oil-contaminated water in G village near the area of Daecheon beach on which air force had test fired. Methods: Eighty residents consented and were divided into three groups; 33 residents(drinking well water and still living there), 23 residents(drinking well water but do not live there any more), and 24 residents(did not drink well water but live there now: control group). Data were collected from August to September, 2010 from the survey questionnaires, general health examination, specific functional test, and biological marker tests. Results: Current residents showed higher levels of body mass index, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose that are related to adult diseases. 64 participants received specific test for cancer. Only one person had esophageal cancer. Perchloroethylene was not found in the Urine Samples. Current residents showed a higher level of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, an indicator of oxidative damage, and there was a statistically significant difference after correcting the confounding variables. Conclusion: We need education programs for managing the risk factors that are related to adult diseases in people who are now living in this village. We also need to expand further studies for investigating oxidative damage indicators.

A Study for The Prognostic Indicators of Korean Alcoholics in Psychological, Social and Biological Aspects (한국인 알코올중독 환자의 예후인자에 관한 연구 : 심리적, 사회적, 생물학적 요인을 중심으로)

  • Sung, Sang-Kyung;Chang, Hwan-Il
    • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.218-236
    • /
    • 1995
  • The author studied prognostic indicators of sixty Korean male alcoholics in psychological, social and biological aspects who were divided into abstinent and drinking groups. Thirty patients were assigned to each group. They were controlled in age and sex. Both groups were compared in terms of the demographic characteristics, past drinking history, treatment history, famaily history, ego strength and personality factors differences and distribution of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene Al allele. Also the author studied relation of clinical course, alcoholic family history and dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene Al allele in both groups. The results were as follows; 1) The abstinent group had higher rate of married state, higher economic status, longer education years and maintained more stable job than the drinking group. But made no differences in occupation and religion. 2) The abstinent group showed higher rate of living with family members than the drinking group, and wives and fellows of the alcoholics anonymous were important factors for maintenance of abstinence. Family loading and parent's characters were not different. 3) The abstinent group had longer maximal length of abstinence but mean amount of alcohol consumption per day were larger than the drinking group. But there were no differences in duration of past drinking, drinking pattern, main drinking time, first drinking age and preference of the kind of alcoholic beverage in the past drinking history. 4) The abstinent group showed stronger treatment motivation, absolute abstinence in treatment goal, more voluntary adimission and maintained longer therapeutic relationship otter discharge than the drinking group. But both groups showed negative attitude toward antabuse therapy. 5) The abstinent group had higher mean score in ego strength scale than the drinking group. 6) In the personality factor questionnaire, the abstinent group showed strong laugh poise and the trait of praxernia, conservatism personality but the drinking group showed tough poise, the trait of weak ego strength(unstableness) and tough mindedness personality. 7) In comparision of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene A1 allele, the prevalence of A1 allele was seventy percent and the frequency was 0.38 in the abstinent group. The prevalence of A1 allele was sixty percent and the frequency was 0.42 in the drinking group. Both groups were not significantly different in A1 allele prevalence and frequency. 8) In comparision of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene A1 allele according to alcoholic family history, the prevalence of A1 allele was seventy percent and the frequency was 0.43 in the family history positive group. The prevalence of A1 allele was sixty-one percent and the frequency was 0.38 in the family history negative group. Both groups were not significantly different in A1 allele prevalence and frequency. In comparision of past drinking history according to alcoholic family history, the family history positive group showed earlier first drinking and problem drinking, but the family history negative group hod longer duration of past drinking. The mean amount of alcohol consumption per day, the longest duration of abstinence and Alcoholism Screening Test of Seoul Natoinal Mental Hospital(NAST) results were not significant. In conclusion, the results suggest that successful prognostic indicators of Korean alcoholics are married state, higher economic status, longer education years, stable job, living with family members, longer abstinence during past drinking history, strong treatment motivation, absolute abstinence in treatment goal, voluntary adimission, maintained therapeufic relationship, strong ego strength and the trait of praxernia, conservatism personality. But occupation, religion, alcoholic family history, parent's characters, duration of past drinking, drinking pattern, main drinking time, first drinking age, preference of the kind of alcoholic beverage, attitude to antabuse therapy and distribution of dopamine $D_2$ receptor A1 allele were not significantly related to the prognostic indicators of Korean alcoholics.

  • PDF

Cholesteric Liquid Crystals as Multi-Purpose Sensor Materials

  • Lisetski, L.N.
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
    • /
    • v.30 no.1
    • /
    • pp.27-30
    • /
    • 2005
  • New possibilities are discussed for cholesteric liquid crystals (CLC) as sensor materials for detection of ionizing radiation, biologically active UV radiation, and the presence of hazardous vapors in atmosphere. A distinguishing property of CLC-based detectors is their 'bioequivalence', i.e., mechanisms of their response to external factors essentially imitate the corresponding mechanisms of biological tissues. Such detectors can ensure sufficiently high sensitivity to make feasible their use as alarm indicators or in biophysical studies. Specific examples ate given of sensor compositions and their response characteristics.

Carabid beetle species as a biological indicator for different habitat types of agricultural landscapes in Korea

  • Kang, Bang-Hun;Lee, Joon-Ho;Park, Jong-Kyun
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.35 no.1
    • /
    • pp.35-39
    • /
    • 2012
  • In the current study, several carabid beetle species were proposed as potential biological indicators for different habitat types (levee, upland dike, hillock, and streamside) of agricultural landscapes focusing on agrobiont species. Synuchus arcuaticollis and Synuchus orbicollis were found in all habitat types, indicating that they are general species for all habitat types. Harpalus eous and Synuchus cycloderus are potential bioindicator species for the paddy levee and hillock habitats, respectively. Amara pseudosimplicidens, Anisodactylus punctatipennis, and Chlaenius ocreatus, which occurred widely, and Bembidion morawitzi, which occurred only in the streamside habitat, are potential bioindicators for the streamside habitat.

Diversity Structure of Ground-walking Coleoptera at Mujechi 1st Moor of Ulju-gun (울주군 무제치 제1늪의 지표보행성 갑충군의 다양성 구조)

  • DO, Yuno;MOON, Tae-Young
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
    • /
    • v.4 no.1
    • /
    • pp.33-41
    • /
    • 2002
  • Investigated was the ground-walking Coleoptera at the moor and adjacent forest at 800 m and rice paddies at lower level of 50 m in altitude. There were 5 species belonging to 5 genera and 2 families, 4 species belonging to 4 genera and 3 families, and 17 species belonging to 11 genera and 2 families respectively. Diplous depressus (Gebler) was the dominant species at the moor and forest in distinctive numbers, while Pheropsophus javanus (Dejean) was the one at the paddies. Three investigated sites supported independently their ground-walking Coleoptera groups. The moor group seemed to fail in establishing the resident Coleoptera community. The fact may imply to be related a kind of the pioneer species in early dry succession that D. depressus was found in a considerable range between forest and moor. The Coleoptera groups of moor and forest was different from that of paddies in species structure.

  • PDF

Analysis of the correlation between marker compounds contents and cultivation environment of Cornus officinalis (산수유의 지표성분 함량과 입지환경과의 상관관계 분석)

  • Eo, Hyun Ji;Kang, Yeongyeong;Kim, Da Som;Park, Youngki;Kim, Hyun Jun;Park, Gwang Hun
    • Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
    • /
    • v.63 no.3
    • /
    • pp.175-180
    • /
    • 2020
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the cultivation site of Cornus officinalis (C. officinalis) by analyzing the contents of loganin and morroniside according to the cultivation environment of C. officinalis. The loganin and morroniside contents were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography. Mg content and pH in soil data were found to have the greatest effect on logainin content. In soil data, Mg, Na content, pH, salinity, silt ratio and clay ratio were found to have the greatest effect on morroniside content. Therefore, Mg content, pH, and clay ratio were found to have a high effect on the contents of loganin and morroniside, which are indicators of C. officinalis. In conclusion, Mg content, pH, and clay ratio in soil may have a high effect on the contents of loganin and morroniside, which are indicators of C. officinalis.

A Systematic Review Focused on Health Behavior and Physiological Indicators of Diabetic Patients in Interventional Studies Based on Health Belief Model (건강신념모델 기반 중재연구가 당뇨환자의 건강행위와 생리적지표에 미치는 효과를 중심으로 한 체계적 문헌고찰)

  • Noh, Eun-Young;Cho, Yoonjeong;Lee, Yewon;Yun, Sunyoung
    • Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
    • /
    • v.22 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-10
    • /
    • 2020
  • Purpose: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of death with a prevalence rate of 12.4% in South Korea. Self-management is crucial for patients with DM, because many studies have reported that self-management intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) is effective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of HBM based intervention studies and the components and effects of the theories used in the study for diabetes patients. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Embase databases from January 2009 to May 2019. We reviewed characteristics of intervention based on the HBM in randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental study intervention. Results: Eight studies published in English between 2009 and 2019 were included in this review. The key components of the health behavior promotion program applied to the DM patients were perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers and self-efficacy. The intervention based on these components has reported to significantly increase the health behavior change, likelihood of taking health action and improve physiological indicators (HbA1c, and fasting blood sugar etc.). Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of intervention programs based on the HBM for DM patients.