• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.5469-5475
• /
• 2012

Background and Objectives: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a complex genetic disease involving many fusion oncogenes (FO) having prognostic significance. The frequency of various FO can vary in different ethnic groups, with important implications for prognosis, drug selection and treatment outcome. Method: We studied fusion oncogenes in 101 pediatric ALL patients using interphase FISH and RT-PCR, and their associations with clinical features and treatment outcome. Results: Five most common fusion genes i.e. BCR-ABL t (22; 9), TCF3-PBX1 (t 1; 19), ETV6-RUNX1 (t 12; 21), MLL-AF4 (t 4; 11) and SIL-TAL1 (del 1p32) were found in 89/101 (88.1%) patients. Frequency of BCR-ABL was 44.5% (45/101). BCR-ABL positive patients had a significantly lower survival ($43.7{\pm}4.24$ weeks) and higher white cell count as compared to others, except patients with MLL-AF4. The highest relapse-free survival was documented with ETV6-RUNX1 (14.2 months) followed closely by those cases in which no gene was detected (13.100). RFS with BCR-ABL, MLL-AF4, TCF3-PBX1 and SIL-TAL1 was less than 10 months (8.0, 3.6, 5.5 and 8.1 months, respectively). Conclusions: This is the first study from Pakistan correlating molecular markers with disease biology and treatment outcome in pediatric ALL. It revealed the highest reported frequency of BCR-ABL FO in pediatric ALL, associated with poor overall survival. Our data indicate an immediate need for incorporation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of BCR-ABL+ pediatric ALL in this population and the development of facilities for stem cell transplantation.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.117-128
• /
• 2002

Objectives：For the purpose of obtaining the more vivid present status and prevention program of teenage pregnancy, this survey was done by Obstetricians, as study subject, who manage the pregnant teenager in real clinical situation. Methods：Structured survey form about teenage pregnancy was sent to 2,800 obstetricians. That form contained frequency, characteristics, decision making processes, and psychiatric aspects of the teenage pregnancy. 349 obstetricians replied that survey form and we analysed these datas. Results：(1) The trend of teenage pregnancy was mildly increased. (2) The most common cases were unwanted pregnancy by continuing sexual relationship with boyfriends rather than by forced, accidental sexual relationship with multiple partners. (3) The most common reason of labor was loss the time of artificial abotion. (4) Problems of pregnant girls' were conduct behaviors and poor informations about contraception rather than sexual abuse or mental retardation. (5) Most obstetricians percepted the necessity of psychiatric consultation, however psychiatric consultation was rare due to parents refusal and abscense of available psychiatric facility. (6) For the prevention of teenage pregnancy, the most important thing was practical education about contraception. Conclusions：Based on the result of this study, further study using structured interview schedule with pregnant girl is needed for the detecting risk factor of teenage pregnancy and effective systematic approach to pregnant girl.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.26-46
• /
• 2020

An irrigated-maize agroecosystem is viewed as an open thermodynamic system upon which solar radiation impresses a large gradient that moves the system away from equilibrium. Following the imperative of the second law of thermodynamics, such agroecosystem resists and reduces the externally applied gradient by using all means of this nature-human coupled system acting together as a nonequilibrium dissipative process. The ultimate purpose of our study is to test this hypothesis by examining the energetics of agroecosystem growth and development. As a first step toward this test, we employed the eddy covariance flux data from 2003 to 2014 at the AmeriFlux NE1 irrigated-maize site at Mead, Nebraska, USA, and analyzed the energetics of this agroecosystem by scrutinizing its radiation, energy and entropy exchange. Our results showed: (1) more energy capture during growing season than non-growing season, and increasing energy capture through growing season until senescence; (2) more energy flow activity within and through the system, providing greater potential for degradation; (3) higher efficiency in terms of carbon uptake and water use through growing season until senescence; and (4) the resulting energy degradation occurred at the expense of increasing net entropy accumulation within the system as well as net entropy transfer out to the surrounding environment. Under the drought conditions in 2012, the increased entropy production within the system was accompanied by the enhanced entropy transfer out of the system, resulting in insignificant net entropy change. Drought mitigation with more frequent irrigation shifted the main route of entropy transfer from sensible to latent heat fluxes, yielding the production and carbon uptake exceeding the 12-year mean values at the cost of less efficient use of water and light.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.183-193
• /
• 1988

The relationship between the sulfur fertilization, and the quality and yield of garlic was investigated. The garlic was grown in pot and field at the five fertilization levels of sulfur. The growth characteristics, yield and flavour components of the garlic were studied. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The sulfur applications contributed to a weight and yield of the bulb in SP-10 (10kg/10a) and SF-20 (20kg/10a) significantly, respectively. 2. From the volatile oil obtained by steam distillation of garlic, fourteen organie sulfur components were separated, identified and quantified by GC and GC/MASS and the SP-10 and SF-20 were higher in the concentration of the flavour components in the volatile oil than other treatments. 3. It is considered that the organic sulfur components were synthesized in the top and transported to the bulb of the garlic. 4. In conclusion, SF-20, 20kg/sulfur per 10a, could be recommended to get maximum yield and a good quality of garlic in view of evaluation through the contents of organic sulfur components in the volatile oil and the yield of the bulb.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.10
• /
• pp.1081-1090
• /
• 2015

Diabetes has been one of major health risks in industrialized countries. Allium hookeri is a wild herb distributed in India and Myanmar. The root of the plant has been used as food and medicine in Southeast Asia. We investigated Allium hookeri extract improves type 2 diabetes mellitus in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse. C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse arise out of Type 2 diabetes and we treated Allium hookeri methanol extract 400 mg/kg (AH 400), 800 mg/kg (AH 800), positive control group (thiazolidinedine;TZDs) were administered orally for 8weeks. AH treated group normalized lipid enzyme system (triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) and serum glucose, HbA1c and plasma insulin level. AH treated group recovered β-cell damage by hyperglycemia and fatty liver disease. AH treated group significantly up regulated expression of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase4 (PDK4), Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP 1) and fork head box O1 (FOX 01) proteins in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse liver. And we found that AH treated group decreased hepatic malondialdehyde formation in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse liver. These results indicate that Allium hookeri methanol extract might be a potential anti-diabetic agent and could be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2010

A previous study has shown that the g.17924G>A polymorphism of fatty acid synthase (FASN) is associated with unsaturated fatty acid composition in the Hanwoo beef, hence this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within FASN gene on the selection phenotypes of Hanwoo breeding stock. A total of 925 progeny test steers were used to genotype g.11280G>A, g.13125T>C, and g.17924G>A polymorphisms and significant associations were found among g.11280G>A, g.17924G>A, and carcass traits, such as carcass weight, backfat thickness, and beef quantity index. No significant association was found between g.13125T>C and carcass traits. Although the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) was not strong among g.11280G>A, g.13125T>C, and g.17924G>A in the LD analysis, four major haplotype classes were formed with the genotypic information within the FASN gene; the frequencies of the halpotypeswere -GCG-[0.378], -ATG-[0.301], -GTA-[0.191], and -ACG-[0.063], respectively. Phenotypic association was performed among these haploptypes, and the haplotype 2 (-ATG-)was significantly associated with higher carcass weight when compared to the other haplotypes, i.e. haplotype 1 (-GCG-) and haplotype 3 (-GTA-). A copy number of the FASN haplotype 3 (-GTA-) had also a significant association with carcass weight of subjects. In conclusion, it was observed that two polymorphisms (g.11280G>A and g.17924G>A) and their haplotypes within the FASN gene are consistently associated with carcass traits. Therefore, it is desirable to use the FASN polymorphisms for pre-selection program as genetic marker with improved carcass yield and beef quality of the Hanwoo sire at the Hanwoo Improvement Center as well as for commercial Hanwoo producers, the FASN genotypic information can be used for a part of selecting Hanwoo dam for superior calf production.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 1988

The species of the slug used in the experiment is Limax flavus L. For identifying the chemical characteristics of the epidermis, granules and mucus-producing cell of this animal is examined with methylene blue-basic fuchsin double stain and PAS-alcian blue reagent. For the ultrastructural research of the epidermal free surface, the epitheial cell and the parenchymal cell are used with scanning electron microscope and transmission elec-tron microscope respectively. I . Epidermal tissue The epidermal tissue of the slug is observed being divided into the dorsal and the ventral side(toot pad) respectively. 1) Dorsal epidermal tissue The dorsal epidermis of the slug is constituted with the simple columnar epithelium and the microvilli are compacted on the epidermal free surface. Two different types of the secretory granules of the neutral and the acid mucus are observed between the epithelial cells, and the neutral mucous granules are highest electron-dense but the acid mucous granules are observed to be electron-lucent. 2) Foot epidermal tissue The Foot epidermis is formed with the taller simple columnar epithelium than the dorsal epidermis and these cells have both a large number of the microvilli and a few number of the large villi. The secretory granules of three different types, which are acid, neutral and mixed mucous granule of two different types are observed between the epithelial cells. The neutral mucous granules are highest electron dense but the acid mucous granules are observed to be electron-lucent. II . Mucous granule-producing cell and mucus-producing cells Seven different types of the granules-producing cell and the mucus-producing cells are observed between the parenchyma. 1) A-type of acid mucous granule-producing cell The electron-lucent granules are largely occupied in the cytoplasm of these cells and then the granules are surrounded by irregular membrane. These electron-lucent granules exhibit alcianophilia with PAS-alcian blue reaction, so these granules are certified to be acid mucopolysaccharide. 2) B-type of acid mucus-producing cell The nucleus and the cytoplasm of these cells are pushed by the acid mucus of the electron-lucent toward the cell membrane. This mucus has been confirmed to be the acid mucopolysaccharide with PAS-alcian blue reagent. 3) A-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain the electron-dense round granules with approximately $1{\mu}m$ in diameter, which exhibit strongly PAS-positive reaction. These granules are confirmed to be the neutral mucoplysaccharide. 4) B-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain two different types of electron dense granules and electron-lucent granules; The former exhibits to be strongly PAS-positive and the latter to have alcianophilia reaction respectively. 5) C-type of neutral mucus-producing cell These cells are similar to the shape and the size of the B-type of mucus-producing cell but these two different types of cells are stained with reversing properties to each other. The mucus of the C-type cell that electron-lucent is largely occupied in the cytoplasm that exhibits strongly PAS-positive reaction. 6) D-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain round granules about $1{\mu}m$ in size which are observed to be medium electron-dense granules and those granules are stained brightly red with PAS-weak positive reaction. The granules are certified to be neutral mucopolysaccharide. 7) E-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells are similar to the shape and the size of the D-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell. These cells contain a large number of granules with about $1{\mu}m$ in diameter showing electron-lucent and then granules are seen to be PAS-weak positive reaction. III. Parenchyma The clear cell and dark cell are found in the parenchyma of the Limax flavus L. 1) Clear cell These cells are round formed and the nucleus of the cells are larger than cytoplasm. These cells which have the electron-lucent cytosol possess poorly developed organelles. 2) Dark cell These cells are found to be dark cells due to high electron-density, which exhibit strongly methylene-blue reaction from double stain of methylene blue-basic fuchsin.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.11
• /
• pp.105-117
• /
• 1972

This experiment has been made to study the relationship between several characters affecting the field lodging and to establish some useful standards for selection of lodging resistant varieties and to classify the degree of lodging resistance in wheat and barley varieties of different sources. The experiment was carried at the Crop Experiment Station, Suwon in 1968. The results obtained are summarized as followings. a. The lodging index modified with bending moment of culm at breaking seemed to be the most useful character in checking the lodging resistance. Highly significant positive correlation (Barley; r=0.40-0.67, Wheat; r=0.46-0.68) was obtained between the lodging index and actual field lodging. b. Between two essential components expressing bending stiffness of the culm, the bending moment at breaking and secondary moment of inertia, a highly significant positive correlation (Barley; r=0.59, wheat; r=0.46-0.53) was observed. c. The bending stiffness of culm got stronger as the dry weight per unit culm, which express the quantity of accumulated dry matters in culm, increased. The correlation coefficient between those two factors was 0.35 to 0.40 in barley and 0.33 to 0.76 in wheat respectively. d. In both wheat and barley, highly significant negative correlation between lodging index and the other factors such as dry weight per unit culm (Barley; r=-0. 51 to -0.70, Wheat; r=-0.65 to -0.83) and bending moment of culm at breaking (Barley; r=-0.29 to -0.69, Wheat: r=-0.54 to -0.89) were observed. Particulary, weight of culm at breaking, secondary moment of inertia and section modulus showed significant negative correlation with lodging index in wheat. e. Outside diameter of culm expressed more intimate relationship with physical characteristics of culm than inside diameter and also showed highly significant correlation with weight of culm at breaking (Barley; r=0.42-0.56, Wheat; r=0.39-0.44) and with bending moment of culm at breaking (Barley; r=0.40-0.41, Wheat; r=0.38-0.49) and with secondary moment of inertia (Barley; r=0.56-0.57, Wheat; r=0.28-0.98) and with section modulus (Wheat; r=0.22-0.96). Between the thickness of culm and physical characteristics of culm also showed the positive correlation. f. There was positive correlation between the culm length and actual field lodging in several groups of variety among the varieties tested. But the culm length seemed to undesirable as a selection measure for the selection of the lodging resistant variety considering the stiffness of culm. g. In classification of lodging resistance for the varieties tested, many Korean barley varieties expressed excellent lodging resistant than wheat, but most of the wheat and barley varieties from Japan considered quite resistant to lodging. h. In selection of lodging resistant varieties, lodging index lower than 1.67 in barley and 1. 76 in wheat considered highly resistant to actual field lodging.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.123-127
• /
• 1978

The major objective of this research is to identify those hospital characteristics that best explain cost variation among hospitals and to formulate linear models that can predict hospital costs. Specific emphasis is placed on hospital output, that is, the identification of diagnosis related patient groups (DRGs) which are medically meaningful and demonstrate similar patterns of hospital resource consumption. A casemix index is developed based on the DRGs identified. Considering the common problems encountered in previous hospital cost research, the following study requirements are estab-lished for fulfilling the objectives of this research: 1. Selection of hospitals that exercise similar medical and fiscal practices. 2. Identification of an appropriate data collection mechanism in which demographic and medical characteristics of individual patients as well as accurate and comparable cost information can be derived. 3. Development of a patient classification system in which all the patients treated in hospitals are able to be split into mutually exclusive categories with consistent and stable patterns of resource consumption. 4. Development of a cost finding mechanism through which patient groups' costs can be made comparable across hospitals. A data set of Medicare patients prepared by the Social Security Administration was selected for the study analysis. The data set contained 27,229 record abstracts of Medicare patients discharged from all but one short-term general hospital in Connecticut during the period from January 1, 1971, to December 31, 1972. Each record abstract contained demographic and diagnostic information, as well as charges for specific medical services received. The 'AUT-OGRP System' was used to generate 198 DRGs in which the entire range of Medicare patients were split into mutually exclusive categories, each of which shows a consistent and stable pattern of resource consumption. The 'Departmental Method' was used to generate cost information for the groups of Medicare patients that would be comparable across hospitals. To fulfill the study objectives, an extensive analysis was conducted in the following areas: 1. Analysis of DRGs: in which the level of resource use of each DRG was determined, the length of stay or death rate of each DRG in relation to resource use was characterized, and underlying patterns of the relationships among DRG costs were explained. 2. Exploration of resource use profiles of hospitals; in which the magnitude of differences in the resource uses or death rates incurred in the treatment of Medicare patients among the study hospitals was explored. 3. Casemix analysis; in which four types of casemix-related indices were generated, and the significance of these indices in the explanation of hospital costs was examined. 4. Formulation of linear models to predict hospital costs of Medicare patients; in which nine independent variables (i. e., casemix index, hospital size, complexity of service, teaching activity, location, casemix-adjusted death. rate index, occupancy rate, and casemix-adjusted length of stay index) were used for determining factors in hospital costs. Results from the study analysis indicated that: 1. The system of 198 DRGs for Medicare patient classification was demonstrated not only as a strong tool for determining the pattern of hospital resource utilization of Medicare patients, but also for categorizing patients by their severity of illness. 2. The wei틴fed mean total case cost (TOTC) of the study hospitals for Medicare patients during the study years was $11,27.02 with a standard deviation of $117.20. The hospital with the highest average TOTC ($1538.15) was 2.08 times more expensive than the hospital with the lowest average TOTC ($743.45). The weighted mean per diem total cost (DTOC) of the study hospitals for Medicare patients during the sutdy years was $107.98 with a standard deviation of $15.18. The hospital with the highest average DTOC ($147.23) was 1.87 times more expensive than the hospital with the lowest average DTOC ($78.49). 3. The linear models for each of the six types of hospital costs were formulated using the casemix index and the eight other hospital variables as the determinants. These models explained variance to the extent of 68.7 percent of total case cost (TOTC), 63.5 percent of room and board cost (RMC), 66.2 percent of total ancillary service cost (TANC), 66.3 percent of per diem total cost (DTOC), 56.9 percent of per diem room and board cost (DRMC), and 65.5 percent of per diem ancillary service cost (DTANC). The casemix index alone explained approximately one half of interhospital cost variation: 59.1 percent for TOTC and 44.3 percent for DTOC. Thsee results demonstrate that the casemix index is the most importand determinant of interhospital cost variation Future research and policy implications in regard to the results of this study is envisioned in the following three areas: 1. Utilization of casemix related indices in the Medicare data systems. 2. Refinement of data for hospital cost evaluation. 3. Development of a system for reimbursement and cost control in hospitals.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.41 no.7
• /
• pp.634-664
• /
• 2008

This study investigated the effects of the nutrition education on body weight, visceral fat and diet quality in the postmenopausal women. The subjects (n = 101) were randomly divided into two groups: Nutrition education + Exercise (NEE) group (n = 51) and Exercise only (EO) group (n = 50). Nutrition education was consisted of counseling in portion control, food selection for low carbohydrate, high fiber food items and for the improvement in micronutrient intakes and diet quality. After 6 months, the reduction in the body weight and visceral fat area was significantly greater in the NEE than in the EO group. The NEE subjects were further divided into two groups according to the amount of visceral fat area reduction; high visceral fat area loss (HVL) group with a visceral fat area reduction 2.35% or greater and low visceral fat area loss (LVL) group with a reduction less than 2.35%. In the HVL group, the reduction in body weight, BMI, percent body fat, waist to hip ratio and visceral fat area was significantly greater than that in the LVL group. We observed a significant increase in the serum HDL-cholesterol level and a decrease in systolic blood pressure, fasting blood sucrose, total and LDL-cholesterol levels in the HVL group compared to the LVL group. The energyadjusted protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin $B_6$, vitamin C, vitamin E intakes were significantly increased in the HVL compared to LVL group. The index of nutritional quality (INQ) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were also increased in the HVL group compared to the LVL group. These results show that our nutrition education program was an effective intervention measure for the reduction of body weight and visceral fat, blood pressure, glucose and lipid levels in the blood and also for the improvement of nutrient intake and diet quality in postmenopausal women who are overweight.