• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.385-391
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• 2005

Background : The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infections in Korea is increasing. This retrospective study was performed to examine the recovery rate of NTM from respiratory specimens as well as the isolated NTM colony characteristics, and to assess the clinical significance of a NTM isolation. Methods : The results of the respiratory specimens requested for an acid-fast bacilli (AFB) examination during 2002 at Asan Medical Center, along with the patients clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results : A total 26,820 respiratory specimens were requested for the acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture during the study period. The proportion of M. tuberculosis and NTM isolation was 5.7% and 2.2%, respectively. Among the AFB smear and culture positive specimens, 12.2% were found to be NTM. The scotochromogen showing a low colony count < 20, which appeared to be contaminants, were isolated in 31.8% of the 584 NTM isolates. Excluding the low-colony scotochromogens, the M. avium-intracellulare complex was the most common NTM isolates (42.1%), and was also the most common causative organism for NTM pulmonary diseases. 8.4% (23/275) and 17.8% (49/275) of patients with NTM isolates met the American and British Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for NTM pulmonary disease, respectively. Conclusion : In case of a positive AFB-smear or culture result, the possibility of NTM being a causative organism should always be considered, even in Korea, which has an intermediate incidence of tuberculosis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.87-95
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• 2005

Vegetation structure of the vascular plants was investigated from March 2003 to October 2003 in Haepyeong wetland, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. Actual vegetation of Haepyeong wetland largely can be classified by floristic composition and physiognomy into 18 communities; Xanthium strumarium-Digitaria sanguinalis, Humulus japonicus, Persicaria perfoliata-Humulus japonicus, Phragmites japonica-Miscanthus sacchariflorus, Persicaria hydropiper-Phragmites communis, Persicaria hydropiper, Phragmites japonica-Persicaria hydropiper, Miscanthus sacchariflorus- Phragmites japonica, Persicaria hydropiper-Phragmites japonica, Miscanthus sacchariflorus-Salix glandulosa, Salix nipponica-Salix glandulosa, Salix nipponica-Salix koreensis, Salix nipponica, Miscanthus sacchariflorus-Salix nipponica, Phalaris arundinacea-Salix nipponica, Salix glandulosa-Salix nipponica, Trapa japonica, and Ceratophyllum demersum-Trapa japonica. Among them, the area of the Salix nipponica-Salix koreensis community was the largest as 122.2ha(9.23%). The dominant vegetation type was Miscanthus sacchariflorus-Persicaria hydropiper community based on phytosociological method, and it was was classified into three subcommunities; Salix glandulosa-Salix nipponica subcommunity, Digitaria sanguinalis subcommunity, and Cyperus amuricus subcommunity. Differential species of Salix glandulosa-Salix nipponica subcommunity were Salix nipponica, S. glandulosa, S. koreensis, Scirpus radicans, Persicaria maackiana, and Achyranthes japonica; differential species of Digitaria sanguinalis subcommunity were D. sanguinalis, Setaria viridis, Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior, and Cyperus orthostachyus; differential species of Xanthium strumarium subcommunity were X. strumarium, Acalypha australis, Erigeron canadensis, Echinochloa crus-galli, and Vicia tetrasperma. Zonation of vascular hydrophytes and hygrophytes was as followers: Salix glandulosa, S. koreensis, S. nipponica were distributed in the region of land which water table is low, and Persicaria maackiana, Persicaria hydropiper, Scirpus radicans were distributed in the understory. And emergent plants such as Phragmites communis and Scirpus karuizawensis, floating-leaved plant such as Trapa japonica, submersed plant such as Ceratophyllum demersum, and free floating plant such as Spirodela polyrhiza formed the zonation from shoreline to water. The specified wild plants designated by the Korean Association for Conservation of Nature, Ministry of Forest, and Ministry of Environment were not distributed in the study area. It was expected that Haepyeong Wetland worthy of conservation contributed purifying water pollution, giving habitats of many lifes, and providing beautiful scenes of the river.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.296-301
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• 2014

Rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children in developed and developing countries. The use of probiotics for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases is both safe and easily accessible. In this study, we evaluated the anti-rotaviral activities of probiotic mixtures in a Sprague-Dawley rat. 24 litters with their dams were randomly assigned to four groups; placebo, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and two probiotic mixture (PRO-1 and PRO-2) groups. All rats were inoculated with rotavirus at dose of 8 log plaque forming units per rat at 5 days old. Animals in the PRO-1 and PRO-2 groups were orally administered probiotic mixtures 1 or 2, respectively, at a dose of 8 log colony forming units daily during 4 days. For control purposes, placebo and PBS groups were orally administered the same amount of placebo (containing maltose and polydextrose) or PBS once daily for 4 days, respectively. Antiviral analysis was performed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and observing intestinal villi. As a result, weights of small intestines were greater in the PRO-1, PRO-2 groups than in control groups. Villi were short and villous epithelial necrosis was exhibited in control groups, but these morphological changes were not observed in PRO-1, PRO-2 treated rats. RT-qPCR analysis showed that VP7 gene level of rotavirus in fecal samples and small intestinal epithelial cells were lower in the PRO-1 and PRO-2 groups. These findings suggest that probiotic mixtures may be useful probiotics for the treatment of or as alternative therapies for rotaviral gastroenteritis.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.183-198
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• 1997

This case study was conducted by verification the site characteristics based on the questionnaire and interview obtained from the all factories located at No. 1 developing area in Kumi industrial complex. The site characteristics were presumed from the process of location behavior and spatial linkage. Kumi industrial complex was developed to improve export industry at national levels by providing chief land price and benefiting various tax. Kumi industrial complex which enticed many factories is playing an important role in export industry in Korea. At beginning, the detention of large enterprises promoted the establishment of related small to medium sized factories into the complex. Two distinctive industries. textile and electronic, were reflected by the purpose to establish the complex and industrial characteristics of Taegu city. respectively. In Kumi industrial complex, positive responses on traffic and raw material supply and negative reactions on the environmental impact on social community as well as high labor charge were investigated. Especially the higher labor cost prevented to hire laborers effectively. In the linkages of spatial and raw material, most factories in the complex depended on the availability of out side the Kumi city. For the textile factories, the supply of raw material and parts were relied on Taegu and/or other cities, whereas in electronic factories purchased them mainly from other cities and partly from abroad. Although questionnaire and interview suggested it, most of the parts were supplied by a parts maturing companies on the complex to a few large enterprises. In the marketing linkage, textile factories revealed higher relation-ship with the foreign countries and sewing factories in Korea. On the other hand, electronic factories have strong relation-ships in the marketing linkage to the parts supplying companies in the complex or large-scale resembling companies in other cities. In the textile companies, the right for decision on purchasing raw materials and parts is belonging to the owner whereas mother enterprise usually have the right for the marketing. In the case of the electronic factories, all the purchasing activities are related to the sub-contracting companies. In the service linkage, the Quality of the service created spatial distinction. There was high linkages on inside of Kumi complex for the low grade services such as repairing and installing machines, whereas strong linkages on outside of the complex for the high grade services such as management, law, taxation, new product development. and manufacturing technology. In the linkages of activity on the R&D (research and development), electronic factories do not have sufficiently qualified institutes in the complex. Strong regional linkages in the field of textile and electronic industries revealed limitations of the local industrial complex. In the sub-contracting linkage, high linkage ship within Kumi boundary reflected the characteristics of industrial site in the complex. There, most decisions by the companies centered by the mother enterprise.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2014

Implementation of smart embryo technologies in cattle e.g. ovum pick-up followed by in vitro embryo production (OPU-IVP). Seasonal variation is important factor for follicular growth, oocytes quality, quantity and developmental competence. Therefore the aim of present study was carried out to investigated whether the seasons (hot and cool) effect on follicular development, oocyte recovery and subsequent embryo development. Follicular oocytes were aspirated from Korean native cows (Hanwoo) by the ovum pick-up (OPU) method, which was performed 24 times during two different seasons, the hot (July to September) and cool (October to December), from OPU donors. The recovered oocytes were classified according to morphological categories and used for in vitro embryo production (IVEP). The mean number of total follicles was significantly higher (p<0.05) during the hot season ($18.32{\pm}2.26$) compared to cool season ($15.41{\pm}3.34$). Furthermore, seasons did not significantly effect on the number of oocytes recovered (hot season: 41.16% vs. cool season: 46.14%). However, the average number of Grade A oocytes was significantly greater during hot ($1.75{\pm}1.86$) season compared to the cool season ($1.00{\pm}1.46$), but there was no significant difference of other grades oocytes. The cleavage rate (hot: 66.67% vs. cool: 63.3%) and embryo development (hot: 58.95% vs. cool: 56.97%) did not differ significantly between the seasons. In conclusion, the results of present study suggest that the season (hot and cool) does not have effects on the oocyte recovery and embryo developmental competence of in vitro cultured embryos.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.766-783
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• 2006

This study describes philosophical background regarding '虛' in oriental medicine in an effort to understand the relationships among some of the Eastern philosophy in accordance with differentiated meanings in several resources by analyzing examples of '虛' in Huang Di Nei Jing. The various usages of '虛' used in Huang Di Nei Jing are as follows: naming; condition of pulse; emptiness; '太虛' which was referred universal space by Chinese ; insufficiency, lack or scarcity, deficiency ; and the description of vitality, mental faculties. 外丹修煉(training by external substances) had the attitude do that withdraw the death by taking external materials. The meaning of '虛'in 外丹修煉 is similar to that in oriental medicine in terms of deficiency. That is, both 外丹修煉 and the oriental medicine consider that the death and disease are caused by the deficiency of something. However, there also exists difference between 外丹修煉 and the oriental medicine. 外丹修煉 supplements through withdrawal prohibition due to the characteristic of unchangeability and stern or immortal while oriental medicine provides concrete object of deficiency. 精(essence of life), 氣(ki, functional activity), and fe(vitality) not only have been considered as basic component of human body, but they also have been an important subject of health preservation for longevity with health in Taoism and oriental medicine. In oriental medicine, 精 and 氣 have been perceived as physical basis of human body and 神 as controller. 內丹修煉(Training of internal active substances) 掠nds to return to '虛', the early state of life through individual training, and attempts to withdraw death through continuous recurrence. The oriental medicine and 內丹修煉 held great value of 神 among health preservation of 精, 氣, and 神. They seek theoretical basis from philosophical Taoism. However, '虛' in Taoism is different from that in training by internal substances and oriental medicine: '虛' in philosophical Taoism has metaphysical concept which refers overcome of life and death, but '虛' in 內丹修煉 and oriental medicine have empirical concept. '太虛' is considered as formless space where it is emp Dut filled with 氣. It is conceptualized with the premise of the relevant adaptation of human body to natural environment theory referring that the interaction between the heaven and the earth makes changes; all creation is originated , and human is affected by the interaction of the heaven and the earth. Furthermore, in $\ulcorner$運氣七篇$\lrcorner$ (Seven chapters described about the five circuit phases and the six atmospheric influences), the expression that the earth is in the center of '太虛' and huge amount of 氣 supports it proves that $\ulcorner$運氣七篇$\lrcorner$ adapts '渾天設'(Chaotic universe thee). In Taoism, '虛' is the grounds where all creation is generated in the optimal condition of Tao. As regards the aspect of mentality, it is the condition in which one can free from the dualistic concepts such as right and wrong, beauty and ugliness, life and death, and so on. Although the ultimate goal of oriental medicine, the achievement of longevity without sickness, might contrast with the Taoist belief that perceives life and death as the natural phenomena or the flowing of the 氣, and eliminates all international, the idea of Taoism that one should live substantial life with naivety, and make Harmony with the nature might be influential to the oriental medicine.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 1999

An earlier study of the effect of rain found that the capacity of freeway systems was reduced, but did not address the effects of rain on the nature of traffic flows. Indeed, the substantial variation due to the intensity of adverse weather conditions is entirely rational so that its effects must be considered in freeway facility design. However, all of the data in Highway Capacity Manual(HCM) have come from ideal conditions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of rain on urban freeway traffic flows in Seoul. To do so, the relations between three key traffic variables(flow rates, speed, occupancy), their threshold values between congested and uncontested traffic flow regimes, and speed distribution were investigated. The traffic data from Olympic Expressway in Seoul were obtained from Imagine Detection System (Autoscope) with 30 seconds and 1 minute time periods. The slope of the regression line relating flow to occupancy in the uncongested regime decreases when it is raining. In essence, this result indicates that the average service flow rate (it may be interpreted as a capacity of freeway) is reduced as weather conditions deteriorate. The reduction is in the range between 10 and 20%, which agrees with the range proposed by 1994 US HCM. It is noteworthy that the service flow rates of inner lanes are relatively higher than those of other lanes. The average speed is also reduced in rainy day, but the flow-speed relationship and the threshold values of speed and occupancy (these are called critical speed and critical occupancy) are not very sensitive to the weather conditions.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.141-153
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• 2012

Samples collected from six tomato farms(A, B, C : soil culture, D, E, F : Nutriculture) located in Gyeongsangnam-do were tested for the analyses of biological(sanitary indications, major foodborne pathogens, fungi), chemical(heavy metals, pesticides) and physical hazards. The highest levels of total bacteria(7.5 log CFU/g) and coliforms(5.0 log CFU/g) in soil culture farms were higher than those of nutriculture farms(total bacteria: 2.5 log CFU/mL, coliforms: 0.6 log CFU/mL). In crops and personal hygiene soil culture farms showed a slightly higher contamination levels. From all farms, the levels of fungi in soil farms were higher than those of nutrient solution. In case of major pathogens, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in all sample with the exception of nutrient solution. Meantime, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, E.coli O157 and Salmonella spp. were not detected. For airborne bacteria, soilculture farms showed less contamination than nutriculture farms. A piece of glass and can was confirmed asphysical hazards. Heavy metal(Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Hg, Zn, Ni and As) and pesticide residues as chemical hazards were detected, but their levels were lower than the regulation limit. These results demonstrate that potential hazards on harvesting stage of tomato fam were exposed. Therefore, proper management is needed to prevent biological hazards due to cross-contamination, while physical and chemical hazards were in appropriate levels based on GAP criteria.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.47-66
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• 2019

A parametric numerical analysis according to diameter, length, and N values of soil was conducted for the PHC pile socketed into weathered rock through sandy soil layers. In the numerical analysis, the Mohr-Coulomb model was applied to PHC pile and soils, and the contacted phases among the pile-soil-cement paste were modeled as interfaces with a virtual thickness. The parametric numerical analyses for 10 kinds of pile diameters were executed to obtain the load-settlement relationship and the axial load distribution according to N-values. The load-settlement curves were obtained for each load such as total load, total skin friction, skin friction of the sandy soil layer, skin friction of the weathered rock layer and end bearing resistance of the weathered rock. As a result of analysis of various load levels from the load-settlement curves, the settlements corresponding to the inflection point of each curve were appeared as about 5~7% of each pile diameter and were estimated conservatively as 5% of each pile diameter. The load at the inflection point was defined as the mobilized bearing capacity ($Q_m$) and it was used in analyses of pile bearing capacity. And SRF was appeared above average 70%, irrespective of diameter, embedment length of pile and N value of sandy soil layer. Also, skin frictional resistance of sandy soil layers was evaluated above average 80% of total skin frictional resistance. These results can be used in calculating the bearing capacity of prebored PHC pile, and also be utilized in developing the bearing capacity prediction method and chart for the prebored PHC pile socketed into weathered rock through sandy soil layers.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.799-808
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• 2021

This study was performed to investigate the extent of microbial contamination, the presence of enterotoxin genes, and the antibiotic susceptibility of Bacillus cereus in 58 red pepper plants and 43 environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and gloves) associated with the plant cultivation. The detected counts of total aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus were lower in these samples, as compared to the regulations of standards for foods; moreover, pathogens, such as E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp., were not detected. Genes encoding hemolysin BL enterotoxins (hblA, hblC, and hblD) as well as non-hemolytic enterotoxins (nheA, nheB, and nheC) were detected in 23 B. cereus specimens that were isolated from the test samples and had β-hemolytic activity. Interestingly, B. cereus is resistant to β-lactam and susceptible to non-β-lactam antibiotics. However, in this case, the isolated B. cereus specimens exhibited a shift from resistant to intermediate in response to cefotaxime and from susceptible to intermediate in case of rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. Therefore, the levels of B. cereus should be monitored to detect changes in antibiotic susceptibility and guarantee their safety.