• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 1989

An experiment was carried out at the International Rice Research Institute in 1987 to understand the seed dormancy and germination habit of rice and several weed species. The germinability of the weed seeds just after harvest was variable depending on the species and ranged from 0 to 72%. Two rice cultivars, IR64(lowland type) and UPLRi-5(upland type) had higher than 95% in germination ability throughout the experimental period due to the fact that the rice seeds came from the harvest of the previous season and dormancy had already been overcome. The length of the storage period needed to overcome dormancy at room temperature($25{\pm}2^{\circ}C$) was about 50 days for Echinochloa glabrescens Munro ex Hook, f., more than 60 days for E. crus-galli ssp. hispidula (Retz.) Honda and 20 days for Ludwigia octovalvis(Jacq.) Raven. Seeds of E. colona(L.) Link, Monochoria vaginalis(Burm. f.) Presl, Fimbristylis miliacea(L.) Vahl and Cyperus difformis L. appeared to have no dormancy. Among the nine species M. vaginalis had the lowest germination of less than 1% throughout the experimental period. However, its seed germinated easily when planted in soil. The low germinability of E. glabrescens, E. crus-galli ssp. hispidula and L. octovalvis just after harvest could be overcome through pretreatment of seeds either by soaking in nitric acid(0.1N) for 1 day or removal of the hull in the grass species, the nitric acid treatment being superior. The results imply that germination habit of weed species varied depending on the species through their differential dormancy period or differential germination strategy.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 1994

It is well known that Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT can reflect the functional lesions better than X-ray computerized tomography(CT) and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in the cerebral disorders. In order to evaluate the clinical utilities of Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT in patients with post-traumatic chronic organic mental disorder(OMD), we included 28 patients diagnosed as OMD in department of psychiatry after traumatic head injury. And we compared the results of Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT with those of MRI, EEG and MINI mental status ex amination(MMSE). The results were as follows 1) All patients diagnosed as OMD showed diffuse or focal decreased cerebral perfusion on Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. 2) Most frequent lesion on brain Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT was decreased perfusion on both frontal lobe. And most frequent lesion on brain Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT showing normal brain MRI result was also decreased both frontal perfusion. 3) Eight of 28 patients showed focal brain MRI lesions(4 small frontal hygroma, 3 small cerebral infarction and 1 cerebellar encephalomalacia) which were not detected in brain Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. 4) The patients showing less than 20 points on MMSE disclosed abnormal results of EEG more frequently than those disclosing more than 20 points. In conclusion, we think that Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT is sensitive method to detect functional lesions of the brains in patients with chronic post-traumatic organic mental disorder.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.742-753
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate risk factors of pre-hypertension and hypertension in rural residents. Nine hundred and ninety four subjects aged 40-70 yrs in Chungnam-do participated in this study. The subjects (n = 824) were classified into three groups of hypertensive, pre-hypertensive, and normotensive according to the Joint National Committee (JNC)-7 criteria. The weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and serum total protein, albumin, BUN, and triglyceride (TG) were positively correlated with SBP and DBP. After adjusted by age, sex and BMI, the total protein, albumin and TG were significantly correlated with SBP and DBP (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in eating habits according to the level of blood pressure. The serum albumin, creatinine, Glu-FBS, Glu-PP l20, and triglyceride were higher in both prehypertensive and hypertensive group than in the normotensive group. However, mean serum cholesterol was not different among three blood pressure groups. In this study, the common risk factors of pre-hypertension and hyper-tension were male, age of fifties, lower education level, ex-smoking, higher drinking frequency, higher BMI, body fat %, waist circumference, WHR, serum albumin and diabetes, even though the degree of risks in these variables were higher in the hypertensive group. The higher BUN was a risk factor of prehypertension, while the family history, prediabetes, serum total protein, Glu-PP l20 and higher alcohol drinking amount were the risk factors of hypertension. This result suggests that maintaining good health habit and normal range of blood parameters as well as controlling body weight have to be paid attention in order to prevent hypertention, and further reseasch on the relationship of blood pressure and BUN are needed.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.151-156
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• 2002

Root zone cooling, such as soil or nutrient solution cooling, is less expensive than air cooling in the whole greenhouse and is effective in promoting root activity, improving water absorption rate, decreasing plant temperature, and reducing high temperature stress. The heat transfer of a soil cooling system in a plastic greenhouse was analyzed to estimate cooling loads. The thermal conductivity of soil, calculated by measured heat fluxes in the soil, showed the positive correlation with the soil water content. It ranged from 0.83 to 0.96 W.m$^{[-10]}$ .$^{\circ}C$$^{[-10]}$ at 19 to 36％ of soil water contents. As the indoor solar radiation increased, the temperature difference between soil surface and indoor air linearly increased. At 300 to 800 W.m$^{-2}$ of indoor solar radiations, the soil surface temperature rose from 3.5 to 7.$0^{\circ}C$ in bare ground and 1.0 to 2.5$^{\circ}C$ under the canopy. Cooling loads in the root zone soil were estimated with solar radiation, soil water content, and temperature difference between air and soil. At 300 to 600 W.m$^{-2}$ of indoor solar radiations and 20 to 40％ of soil water contents,46 to 59 W.m$^{-2}$ of soil cooling loads are required to maintain the temperature difference of 1$0^{\circ}C$ between indoor air and root zone soil.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.904-910
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• 2006

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the only antigen presenting cells (APCs) capable of initiating immune responses, which is crucial for priming the specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response and tumor immunity. Upon activation by DCs, CD4+ helper T cells can cross-prime CD8+ CTLs via IL-12. However, recently activated DCs were described to prime in vitro strong T helper cell type 1 $(Th_1)$ responses, whereas at later time points, they preferentially prime $Th_2$ cells. Therfore, we examined in this study the optimum kinetic state of DCs activation impacted on in vivo priming of tumor-specific CTLs by using ovalbumin (OVA) tumor antigen model. Bone-marrow-derived DCs showed an appropriate expression of surface MHC and costimulatory molecules after 6 or 7-day differentiation. The 6-day differentiated DCs pulsed with OVA antigen for 8 h (8-h DC) and followed by restimulation with LPS for 24 h maintained high interleukin (IL)-12 production potential, accompanying the decreased level in their secretion by delayed re-exposure time to LPS. Furthermore, immunization with 8-h DC induced higher intracellular $interferon(IFN)-{\gamma}+/CD8+T$ cells and elicited more powerful cytotoxicity of splenocytes to EG7 cells, a clone of EL4 cells transfected with an OVA cDNA, than immunization with 24-h DC. In the animal study for the evaluation of therapeutic or protective antitumor immunity, immunization with 8-h DC induced an effective antitumor immunity against tumor of EG7 cells and completely protected mice from tumor formation and prolonged survival, respectively. The most commonly used and clinically applied DC-based vaccine is based on in vitro antigen loading for 24 h. However, our data indicated that antigen stimulation over 8 h decreased antitumor immunity with functional exhaustion of DCs, and that the 8-h DC would be an optimum activation state impacted on in vivo priming of tumor-specific CTLs and subsequently lead to induction of strong antitumor immunity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.331-338
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• 2000

Background : While the incidence of lung cancer is gradually leveling off in developed countries, it is continuing to rise in Korea. With the rapid increase in the prevalence of smoking among women and the young, the incidence of lung cancer is also expected to increase within the next three and four decades. The aims of the present study are to analyze the smoking habits in patients with lung cancer and to evaluate of the relative risk of lung cancer according to patients' smoking habits. Method : This investigation was a hospital-based, case control study, which included data of 93 case subjects with lung cancer and 1132 controls with disease unrelated to smoking, obtained through a smoking history questionnaire by a direct personal interview. Result : Compared with non-smokers, those who smoked for more than 50 years had an odds ratio for lung cancer of 8.8(1.8-20.7). The odds ratios was 8.5(3.5-20.7) for those who smoke more than a total of 40 cigarettes per day and 5.5(2.3-13.3) for men who started habitual smoking under the age of 20. The risk increased for men with more than of cigarette smoking(OR : 5.5, 95% CIa : 2.6-11.9). Odds ratios associated with cigarette smoking were 2.5(1.1-5.8) and 5.1(2.6-10.4) for ex-smokers and current smokers, respectively and 2.2(0.0-4.6) for non-filter smokers of more than 16 years. Conclusion : There was a clear dose-response relationship between the risk of lung cancer and smoking. It can be concluded that dose is an important risk factor for lung cancer, as well as smoking habits.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2011

Background: Osteopontin (Opn) is recognized as an important adhesive bone matrix protein and a key cytokine involved in immune cell recruitment and tissue repair and remolding. However, serum levels of osteopontin have not been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the serum levels of osteopontin in patients experiencing COPD exacerbations and in patients with stable COPD. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 22 healthy control subjects, 18 stable COPD patients, and 15 COPD with exacerbation patients. Serum concentrations of osteopontin were measured by the ELISA method. Results: Serum levels of osteopontin were higher in patients with acute exacerbation than with stable COPD and in healthy control subjects ($62.4{\pm}51.9ng/mL$, $36.9{\pm}11.1ng/mL$, $30{\pm}11ng/mL$, test for trend p=0.003). In the patients with COPD exacerbation, the osteopontin levels when the patient was discharged from the hospital tended to decrease compared to those at admission ($45{\pm}52.1ng/mL$, $62.4{\pm}51.9ng/mL$, p=0.160). Osteopontin levels significantly increased according to patient factors, including never-smoker, ex-smoker and current smoker ($23{\pm}5.7ng/mL$, $35.5{\pm}17.6ng/mL$, $58.6{\pm}47.8ng/mL$, test for trend p=0.006). Also, osteopontin levels showed a significantly negative correlation with forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$%) predicted in healthy controls and stable COPD patients (r=-0.389; p=0.013). C-reactive protein (CRP) was positively correlated with osteopontin levels in patients with COPD exacerbation (r=0.775; p=0.002). Conclusion: The serum levels of osteopontin increased in patients with COPD exacerbation and tended to decrease after clinical improvement. These results suggest the possible role of osteopontin as a biomarker of acute exacerbation of COPD.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.55-92
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• 2010

In terms of labor market accomplishments, such as income, size of the company, and the matching quality between one's job and college major (specialization), a very large discrepancy is observed between the graduates from colleges located in Seoul and those outside Seoul. But, when the department average score of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) at the time of college entrance is controlled for, the discrepancy is found to be reduced to a considerable degree. In the case of wage gap, at least two third can be explained by the SAT score gap. The remaining wage gap seems to reflect the characteristics of workplace. In other words, graduates with high SAT scores enter colleges located in Seoul and thus tend to find better jobs leading to earning differences. This result that confirms the importance of aptitude test scores suggests that in the labor market, one of the major reasons behind a lower accomplishment of the graduate from local colleges is due to a lower competitiveness of local colleges in attracting the brightest students. But, this should not be viewed as only an internal problem of local colleges. This is because the growth of local economies tends to haul the advancement of local colleges in that area rather than being the other way around. The agglomeration effect in Seoul where headquarters of large corporations and financial institutions gather is the factor that has elevated the status of colleges located in Seoul since this provides highly preferred job choices of graduates. When the competitiveness of college is significantly influenced by exogenous factors, such as the vicinity to Seoul, the effort being made by colleges alone would not be enough to improve the situation. However, the central government, too, is not in the position to carry out countermeasure policies for such problems. The regional development strategy boosted through supportive policies for local colleges, such as financial support, is not based on the persuasive and empirical grounds. It is true that college education is universal and that the government''s intervention in assisting local colleges to secure basic conditions, such as tenure faculty and adequate facilities is necessary. However, the way of intervention should not be a support-only type. In order to improve the efficiency and effect of financial support, restructuring programs, including the merger and integration of insolvent colleges, should be underway prior to providing support. In addition, when the policy is focused on education recipients-local college students, and not on education providers-local colleges, the importance of regional gap in compulsory education (elementary and junior high schools) turns out to be much important as the gap between metropolitan area colleges and local colleges. Considering the educational gap before college entrance shown from the discrepancies of aptitude test scores among different regions, the imbalance between regions in terms of human resources is apparently derived from compulsory education, and not from college education. Therefore, there is a need to double the policy efforts to reduce the educational gap among different regions. In addition, given the current situation where it is difficult to find appropriate ex post facto policy measures to solve the problem of income gap between the graduates from metropolitan colleges and local colleges, it can be said that improving the environment for compulsory education in local areas is a growing necessity for bridging the educational gap among different regions.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the soil salinity and salt spray drift of the indigenous windbreak trees, and its main purpose was to provide basic data for the selection of salt-tolerant trees in the saline coastal region in the South Sea of Korea. The soil salinity($EC_{1:5}$)was $0.18dSm^{-1}$, which was an average degree of the whole areas of investigation whose salinity degree ranged from $0.05dSm^{-1}$ to $0.58dSm^{-1}$. The level of soil salinity gradually decreased as it moved farther inland, except the belt I. The level of decreasing soil salinity was found to be in the following order: belt II, belt III, belt I, belt IV. The degree of soil salinity was $EC_{1:5}$ $0.22dSm_{1:5}$, $0.22dSm_{1:5}$ $0.19dSm^{-1}$ and $0.13dSm^{-1}$ respectively. The total 110 taxa, which consisted of 45 families, 74 genus, 101 species, and 9 varieties, were found to be tolerant to both soil salinity and salt spray drift. The trees that grow in the highest degree of salinity($EC_{1:5}$ $0.50dSm^{-1}$)were Parthenocissus tricuspidata(Siebold & Zucc.), Planch and Lonicera japonica Thunb. The next group of trees that grow in the high degree of salinity ranging from $EC_{1:5}$ 0.41 to $0.50dSm^{-1}$ was Cudrania tricuspidata(Carr.) Bureau ex Lavall$\acute{e}$e, Rubus parvifolius L., Zanthoxylum schinifolium(Siebold & Zucc.), Hedera rhombea(Miq.) Bean., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Quercus serrata Thunb., Callicarpa dichotoma(Lour.) K. Koch, and so on. The woody species which grew in the entire belts were Pueraria lobata(Willd.) Ohwi and Vitis flexuosa Thunb., and Vitex rotundifolia L. f. which was known to be highly tolerant to salt spray drift was found only in belt I. The woody species with high important value(IV) were Zelkova serrata(Thunb.) Makino., Celtis sinensis Pers., Koelreuteria paniculata Laxmann, Mallotusjaponicus(Thunb.) Muell. Arg., Trachelospermum asiaticum(Siebold & Zucc.) NAKAI, and Pueraria lobata(Willd.) Ohwi. These species were classified as native windbreak trees that are comparatively more tolerant to salt spray drift than other kinds.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2010

The vascular plants of the 15 sites of Taeanhaean National Park were identified as 493 taxa; 117 families, 326 genera, 436 species, 49 varieties, 6 form, 2 hybrids. The National Park area includes coastal areas and islands, these islands reflects well the floristic characteristics of coastal area and transition area of the middle province and the southern province. The study revealed that Ficus erecta Thunb., Machilus thunbergii S. et Z., Neolitsea sericea (Bl.) Koidz. and Eurya japonica Thunb. etc. were the mainly distributed species in the southern area while Rosa rugosa Thunb., Carex kobomugi Ohwi and Elymus mollis Trin., etc. were mainly distributed species over the coastal dune area. Deciduous and evergreens broad-leaved trees like Acer palmatum Thunb. ex. Murray, Euonymus japonica Thunb. and Camellia japonica L., etc. were all together distributed in Taeanhaean National Park. There are no any Endangered species designated by The Ministry of Environment were not found. The floristic special plants were recorded to a total of 53 taxa; that is, class I species (41 taxa) were containing as Vitex rotundifolia L. Fil., Arisaema heterophyllum Bl. and Arisaema ringins (Thunb.) Schott, etc, class II species (1 taxon) were Iris ensata var. spontanea (Makino) Nakai, class III species (7 taxa) were containing; Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm., Salsola collina Pall. and Daphniphyllum macropodum Miq., etc, class IV species (1 taxon) were Angelica japonica A. Gray, class V species (1 taxon) were Utricularia vulgaris var. japonica (Makino) Tamura. The naturalized plants were identified a total of 52 taxa; 17 families, 44 genera, 51 species, 1 form; Solanum carolinense L., Phytolacca americana L. and Oenothera odorata Jacq., etc. Among them the ecosystem disturbance wild animals·plants was identified as Solanum carolinense L. Hypochoeris radicata L. and Solidago altissima L. The study suggests that these areas require management such as physical remove of this ecosystem disturbance field plants.