• Title/Summary/Keyword: Environmental Studies

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Interpretation of Microscale Behaviors and Precision Measurement Monitoring for the Five-story and Seven-story Stone Pagodas from Cheongnyangsaji Temple Site in Gongju, Korea (공주 청량사지 오층석탑 및 칠층석탑의 정밀 계측모니터링과 미세거동 해석)

  • LEE Jeongeun;PARK Seok Tae;LEE Chan Hee
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.56 no.4
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    • pp.132-158
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    • 2023
  • The five-story and seven-story stone pagodas at Cheongnyangsaji temple site in Gongju are located under the Sambulbong peak of Gyeryongsan mountain, and are known to have been built of the middle in Goryeo dynasty. As the two pagodas in which two types of Baekje stone pagoda coexist in one era, their historical and academic value are recognized. The seven-story pagoda was overturned by robbery in 1944, and as a result, the five-story pagoda was tilted. Although the two pagodas were restored in 1961, structural instability was continuously raised. In this study, measurement data accumulated from May 2021 to March 2022, and seasonal characteristics were reviewed, and the micro behavior of pagodas were analyzed according to temperature and precipitation during the same period. As a result, the micro thermoelastic behavior was repeated according to the daily temperature change in all sensors, and both the slope and the displacement showed microscale behavior. In the inclinometer, moisture containing the surface and inside of the stones repeated expansion and contraction due to temperature change, showing the micro movements. In particular, the upper part of the five-story pagoda moved up to 3.89° to the northwest, and the seven-story pagoda tilted up to 0.078° to the northeast. The maximum displacements were recorded as 0.127 and 0.149 mm in the five-story and the seven-story pagoda, respectively. These values tended to return to the original position at the end of the measurement, but did not recover completely, indicating a state requiring precise monitoring. The result obtained through the study can be used as basic data for the stable conservation of the two stone pagodas. Based on the behavioral characteristics considering various environmental factors should be analyzed, and the preventive conservation through the maintenance of measurement system built this time should be continued.

The Effect of Retinal and Perceived Motion Trajectory of Visual Motion Stimulus on Estimated Speed of Motion (운동자극의 망막상 운동거리와 지각된 운동거리가 운동속도 추정에 미치는 영향)

  • Park Jong-Jin;Hyng-Chul O. Li;ShinWoo Kim
    • Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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    • v.34 no.3
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    • pp.181-196
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    • 2023
  • Size, velocity, and time equivalence are mechanisms that allow us to perceive objects in three-dimensional space consistently, despite errors on the two-dimensional retinal image. These mechanisms work on common cues, suggesting that the perception of motion distance, motion speed, and motion time may share common processing. This can lead to the hypothesis that, despite the spatial nature of visual stimuli distorting temporal perception, the perception of motion speed and the perception of motion duration will tend to oppose each other, as observed for objects moving in the environment. To test this hypothesis, the present study measured perceived speed using Müller-Lyer illusion stimulus to determine the relationship between the time-perception consequences of motion stimuli observed in previous studies and the speed perception measured in the present study. Experiment 1 manipulated the perceived motion trajectory while controlling for the retinal motion trajectory, and Experiment 2 manipulated the retinal motion trajectory while controlling for the perceived motion trajectory. The result is that the speed of the inward stimulus, which is perceived to be shorter, is estimated to be higher than that of the outward stimulus, which is perceived to be longer than the actual distance traveled. Taken together with previous time perception findings, namely that time perception is expanded for outward stimuli and contracted for inward stimuli, this suggests that when the perceived trajectory of a stimulus manipulated by the Müller-Lyer illusion is controlled for, perceived speed decreases with increasing duration and increases with decreasing duration when the perceived distance of the stimulus is constant. This relationship suggests that the relationship between time and speed perceived by spatial cues corresponds to the properties of objects moving in the environment, i.e, an increase in time decreases speed and a decrease in time increases speed when distance remains the same.

Scientific Study on Clepsydra of Changgyeonggung Palace, National Treasure for Diagnosis on State of Conservation (국보 창경궁 자격루 누기의 보존상태 진단을 위한 과학적 조사)

  • YOU Harim;LEE Jaesung;YU Jia;JO Hanui;PARK Younghwan;RYU Dongwan
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.56 no.3
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    • pp.138-156
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    • 2023
  • Some of the metal cultural heritage that make up a considerable proportion of Korea's cultural heritage have been installed and displayed outdoors due to their own functions, roles, and scale. Therefore, more diverse and complex damages can occur outdoors than they are in a stable environment. Therefore, it is necessary to combine accurate diagnosis and systematic survey methods in order to utilize basic data obtained from research results as data for the long-term and continuous conservation management as well as to do the research to diagnose the conservation status of outdoor cultural heritage. The clepsydra(hereinafter referred to as Jagyeongnu) of Changgyeonggung Palace, the National Treasure has been installed and displayed outdoors since it was manufactured. Though regular conservation and maintenance of the Jagyeongnu have been carried out, damage still occurred. Therefore, the scientific research on Jagyeongnu to diagnose the state of conservation was conducted prior to the full-scale conservation treatment. First, the state of conservation was investigated with an examination of basic data, macroscopic inspections and past records of repair history according to the purpose of the research. More detailed examinations were also conducted through the 3D scan, surface pattern investigation, and color difference analysis, and the analysis on materials and contaminants were conducted through P-XRF, FT-IR, and Py-GC/MS. The scientific research reveals that squalane and silicone oil have been applied in the past for conservation treatment and directly exposed to outdoor environmental factors, which caused damage to Jagyeongnu and contaminants such as dust adhered thickly to its surface, accelerating severe damage. A greater incidence of damage was found around the part with relatively high exposure effect, which corresponded with the tendency identified by grouping color difference data. As a result of integrating various research methodologies to diagnose the state of conservation and secure basic data, the causes and types of damage were identified. Furthermore, the process of obtaining digital data to be utilized in various ways, and the color difference analysis presenting visible damage as scientific data and identifying the tendency of damage patterns were confirmed to have been effective.

A Study on the Design of Sustainable App Services for Medication Management and Disposal of Waste Drugs (약 복용 관리와 폐의약품 처리를 위한 지속 가능한 앱 서비스 디자인 연구)

  • Lee, Ri-Na;Hwang, Jeong-Un;Shin, Ji-Yoon;Hwang, Jin-Do
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.48-68
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    • 2024
  • Due to the global pandemic aftermath of the coronavirus, the importance of health care is being emphasized more socially. Due to the influence of these changes, domestic pharmaceutical companies have introduced regular drug delivery services, that is, drug and health functional food subscription services. Currently, this market is continuously growing. However, these regular services are causing new environmental problems in which the number of waste drugs increases due to the presence of unused drugs. Therefore, this study proposes a service that not only promotes health management through regular medication adherence to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical waste but also aims to improve awareness and practices regarding proper medication disposal. As a preliminary survey for service design, a preliminary survey was conducted on 51 adults to confirm their perception of drug use habits and waste drug collection. Based on the Honey Comb model, a guideline for service design was created, and a prototype was produced by specifying the service using the preliminary survey results and service design methodology. In order to verify the effectiveness of the prototype, a first user task survey was conducted to identify the problems of the prototype, and after improving this, a second usability test was conducted on 49 adults to confirm the versatility of the service. Usability verification was conducted using SPSS Mac version 29.0. For the evaluation results of the questionnaire, Spearmann Correlation Analysis was conducted to confirm the relationship between frequency analysis and evaluation items. This study presents specific solutions to the problem of waste drugs due to the spread of drug subscription services.

Current and Future Perspectives of Lung Organoid and Lung-on-chip in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

  • Junhyoung Lee;Jimin Park;Sanghun Kim;Esther Han;Sungho Maeng;Jiyou Han
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.34 no.5
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    • pp.339-355
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    • 2024
  • The pulmonary system is a highly complex system that can only be understood by integrating its functional and structural aspects. Hence, in vivo animal models are generally used for pathological studies of pulmonary diseases and the evaluation of inhalation toxicity. However, to reduce the number of animals used in experimentation and with the consideration of animal welfare, alternative methods have been extensively developed. Notably, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have agreed to prohibit animal testing after 2030. Therefore, the latest advances in biotechnology are revolutionizing the approach to developing in vitro inhalation models. For example, lung organ-on-a-chip (OoC) and organoid models have been intensively studied alongside advancements in three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting and microfluidic systems. These modeling systems can more precisely imitate the complex biological environment compared to traditional in vivo animal experiments. This review paper addresses multiple aspects of the recent in vitro modeling systems of lung OoC and organoids. It includes discussions on the use of endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts composed of lung alveoli generated from pluripotent stem cells or cancer cells. Moreover, it covers lung air-liquid interface (ALI) systems, transwell membrane materials, and in silico models using artificial intelligence (AI) for the establishment and evaluation of in vitro pulmonary systems.

The Study on the Height Characteristics of Abies Nephrolepis Community in South Korea - In the Case of Seorak·Odae·Taebaek National Park - (우리나라 분비나무의 수고 특성 연구 - 설악·오대·태백산국립공원을 대상으로 -)

  • Jin-Won Kim;Ho-Young Lee;Young-Moon Chun;Choong-Hyeon Oh
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.169-177
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    • 2024
  • This study investigated whether population dynamic analysis based on the height characteristics of Abies nephrolepis was feasible. It was necessary because existing population dynamic analyses based on age and diameter at breast height (DBH) made it difficult to reflect the slow growth characteristics of Abies nephrolepis in harsh environments of high altitudes. The limitations of population dynamics analysis based on the age and DBH distribution of Abies nephrolepis in Seoraksan, Odaesan, and Taebaeksan National Parks, where Abies nephrolepis populations are representative, were verified, and the characteristics of height growth were investigated to comprehensively analyze whether a vertical structure based on height could reveal the population dynamics. The result of this study showed some limitations in understanding the population dynamics of Abies nephrolepis based on age distribution due to practical difficulties in sampling all trees and variations in age distribution within the same community depending on factors such as light conditions. Moreover, it was challenging to differentiate the distribution of DBH classes at fine levels, making it difficult to reflect the rapid growth characteristics of Abies nephrolepis when light conditions become suitable after prolonged stays in smaller DBH classes under shade conditions. However, a comprehensive analysis of the height characteristics of Abies nephrolepis revealed that the density corresponding to the population dynamic characteristics of Abies was high and adequately reflected the predominant tree death at similar height stages, as well as the U-shaped population dynamics at the lower stratum. Moreover, it was possible to identify a transition point in height values under shaded conditions, where the annual growth of Abies nephrolepis individuals in the lower stratum increases significantly, indicating that Abies nephrolepis individuals can escape from competition with other shrubs and undergo vigorous growth only at this height level. Therefore, this study confirmed that a vertical structure based on height can be utilized to understand the population dynamics of Abies nephrolepis in high altitudes, and it is expected that future studies on height characteristics can intuitively reveal the maintenance status of Abies nephrolepis populations in the field.

Study on the relationship between dietary habits and the quality of life of some high school students in Seoul based on the nutrition quotient for adolescents (NQ-A) (청소년 영양지수(NQ-A)를 활용한 서울지역 일부 고등학교 학생의 식행동과 삶의 질의 관련성 연구)

  • Ho-Jung Kim;Jung-Sug Lee;Yookyung Kim
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.57 no.3
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    • pp.320-335
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    • 2024
  • Purpose: This study examined the impact of adolescents' dietary behavior on their quality of life using the nutrition quotient for adolescents (NQ-A) for some high school students in Seoul. Methods: The subjects were 176 high school students living in Seoul. The NQ-A was used to assess the dietary quality, and the quality of life was assessed by categorizing it into life satisfaction, environment, health, participation and safety, leisure activities, and emotional factors using survey questions validated through previous studies. Results: The NQ score of the survey subjects was 49.30 points. Based on the NQ scores, 7.4%, 46.6%, and 46.0% of participants were categorized as the 'high', 'medium', and 'low' groups, respectively. The total NQ score and balance, diversity, and practice factor scores were positively correlated with life satisfaction, environment, health, participation and safety, and leisure activities among the quality of life subscales. Regression analysis showed that the total NQ score was positively associated with life satisfaction, health, leisure activities, and emotions; the moderation factor was negatively associated with life satisfaction and health. The balance factor was positively associated with the environmental factor. The practice factor was positively associated with health, leisure activities, and emotions, and the environment factor was negatively associated with emotions. Conclusion: These results show that adolescents' quality of life is closely related to their diet, so it is necessary to maintain a balanced and varied food intake and desirable eating behaviors to improve adolescents' quality of life. Furthermore, adolescents' quality of life is influenced by other factors. Therefore, further research is needed to assess the quality of life, including dietary factors, as well as physical, emotional, psychological, and social development.

Studies on the Propagation of the Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan) Reared in the Laboratory 2. Life History and Seedling Production (담수산 새우, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan)의 증${\cdot}$양식에 관한 생물학적 기초연구 2. 생활사 및 종묘생산에 관한 연구)

  • KWON Chin-Soo;LEE Bok-Kyu
    • Journal of Aquaculture
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.29-67
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    • 1992
  • Life cycle and seed production of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, were studied and the results are as follows : 1. Larval development : Embryos hatched out as zoea larvae of 2.06 mm in mean body length. The larvae passed through 9 zoea stages in $15{\~}20$ days and then metamorphosed into postlarvae measuring 5.68 mm in mean body length. Each zoea stage can be identified based on the shapes of the first and second antennae, exo- and endopodites of the first and second pereiopods, telson and maxillae. 2. Environmental requirements of zoea larvae : Zoea larvae grew healthy when fed with Artemia nauplii. Metamorphosing rate was $65{\~}72{\%}$ at $26{\~}28\%$ and $7.85{\~}8.28\%_{\circ}Cl.$. The relationship between the zoeal period (Y in days) and water temperature (X in $^{\circ}C$) is expressed as Y=46.0900-0.9673X. Zoeas showed best survival in a water temperature range of $26{\~}32^{\circ}C$ (optimum temperature $28^{\circ}C$), at which the metamorphosing rate into postlarvae was $54{\~}72\%$ The zoeas survived more successfully in chlorinity range of $4.12{\~}14.08{\%_{\circ}}Cl.$, (optimum chlorinity $7.6{\~}11.6\;{\%_{\circ}}Cl.$.), at which the metamorphosing rate was $42{\~}76{\%}$. The whole zoeal stages tended to be longer in proportion as the chlorinity deviated from the optimum range and particularly toward high chlorinity. Zoeas at all stages could not tolerate in the freshwater. 3. Environmental requirements of postlarvae and juveniles : Postlarvae showed normal growth at water temperatures between $24{\~}32^{\circ}C$ (optimun temperature $26{\~}28^{\circ}$. The survival rate up to the juvenile stage was $41{\~}63{\%}$. Water temperatures below $24^{\circ}C$ and above $32^{\circ}$ resulted in lower growth, and postlarvae scarcely grew at below $17^{\circ}C$. Cannibalism tended to occur more frequently under optimum range of temperatures. The range of chlorinity for normal growth of postlarvae and juveniles was from 0.00 (freshwater) to $11.24{\%_{\circ}}Cl.$, at which the survival rate was $32{\~}35\%$. The postlarvae grew more successfully in low chlorinities, and the best growth was found at $0.00\~2.21{\%_{\circ}}Cl.$. The postlarvae and juveniles showed better growth in freshwater but did not survive in normal sea water. 4. Feeding effect of diet on zoea Ilarvae : Zoea larvae were successfully survived and metamorposed into postlarvae when fed commercial artificial plankton, rotifers, and Artemia nauplii in the aquaria. However, the zoea larvae that were fed Artemia nauplii and reared in Chlorella mixed green water showed better results. The rate of metamorphosis was $68\~{\%}75$. The larvae fed cow live powder, egg powder, and Chlorella alone did not survive. 5. Diets of postlarvae, juveniles and adults : Artemia nauplii and/or copepods were good food for postlarvae. Juveniles and adults were successfully fed fish or shellfish flesh, annelids, corn grain, pelleted feed along with viscera of domestic animals or fruits. 6. Growth of postlarvae, juveniles and adults : Under favorable conditions, postlarvae molted every five or six days and attained to the juvenile stage within two months and they reached 1.78 cm in body length and 0.17 g in body weight. The juveniles grew to 3.52 cm in body length and 1.07 g in body weight in about four months. Their sexes became determinable based on the appearance of male's rudimental processes (a secondary sex character) on the endopodites of second pereiopods of males. The males commonly reached sexual maturity in seven months after attaining the postlarvae stage and they grew to 5.65 cm in body length and 3.41 g in body weight. Whereas the females attained sexual maturity within six to seven months, when they measured 4.93 cm in body length and 2.43 g in body weight. Nine or ten months after hatching, the males grew $6.62{\~}7.14$ cm in body length and $6.68{\~}8.36$ g in body weight, while females became $5.58{\~}6.08$ cm and $4.04{\~}5.54$ g. 7. Stocking density : The maximum stocking density in aquaria for successful survival and growth was $60{\~}100$ individuals/$\ell$ for zoeas in 30-days rearing (survival rate to postlarvae, $73{\~}80{\%}$) ; $100{\~}300$ individuals/$m^2$ for postlarvae of 0.57 cm in body length (survival rate for 120 days, $78{\~}85{\%}$) ; $40{\~}60$ individuals/$m^2$ for juveniles of 2.72 cm in body length (survival rate for 120 days, $63{\~}90{\%}$) : $20{\~}40$ individuals/$m^2$ for young prawns of 5.2 cm in body length (survival rate for 120 days, $62\~90{\%}$) ; and $10\~30$ individuals/$m^2$ for adults of 6.1 cm in body length (survival rate for 60 days, $73\~100{\%}$). The stocking density of juveniles, youngs and adults could be increased up to twice by providing shelters.

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Studies on the Characteristics of Volatile Fatty Acid Evolution from Fresh Animal Feces (축분의 휘발성 지방산 발현 양상 연구)

  • ;;;Hudson, Neale
    • Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.11-22
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    • 2004
  • This work was carried out to measure volatile fatty acids emissions from different manure (poultry, swine, cattle) incubated at $10^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $37^{\circ}C$ for 6 days under anaerobic condition. Following are summary of these tests results. 1. Amounts of Acetic acid generated were 1,128.05mg/kg, 628.21mg/kg and 592.50mg/kg for swine, poultry, and cattle manure, respectively, during the period of incubation. In the case of swine and cattle manure, 83.87%(946.10mg/kg) and 57.49%(340.63mg/kg) from all the temperature treatments were produced in the $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. 83.57% in swine and 78.79% in cattle manure were intensively emerged from 3 day, 4 day and 5 day of the $25^{\circ}C$ treatment. In the case of poultry manure, 45.36%(284.93mg/kg) and 45.36%(284.93mg/kg) in the $25^{\circ}C$ and in the $37^{\circ}C$, respectively, were produced. Accordingly, acetic acid generated from poultry manure was characteristic of being mainly produced in more than $25^{\circ}C$. 2. Amounts of propionic acid generated were 238.56mg/kg, 162.14mg/kg and 155.49mg/kg for swine, poultry, and cattle manure, respectively, during the period of incubation. In the case of swine manure, 78.52%(187.32mg/kg) of propionate emitted from all the temperature treatments was produced in the $25^{\circ}C$ and 79.1% of them was intensively emerged from 3day, 4day and 5day of the $25^{\circ}C$ treatment. In the case of poultry manure, 35.12%(56.95mg/kg) and 45.89%(74.40mg/kg) of the propionate amounts were produced in the $25^{\circ}C$ and in the $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. In the case of cattle manure, 28.21% (43.86mg/kg) and 49.30% (76.66mg/kg) of the propionate amounts were produced in the $10^{\circ}C$ and in the $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. Accordingly, propionate evolved from poultry manure was characteristic of being mainly produced in more than $25^{\circ}C$ and from cattle manure, in less than $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. 3. Amount of butyric acid generated were 1,463.87mg/kg, 96.72mg/kg and 129.18mg/kg for swine, poultry, and cattle manure, respectively, during the period of incubation. The time intensively emerged from the period of incubation was differently generated from the incubation temperature and animal feces. 4. Amounts of iso-valeric acid generated were 6,885.99mg/kg, 399.28mg/kg and 307.47mg/kg for swine, cattle and poultry manure, respectively, during the period of incubation. In the case of swine and cattle manure, 28.22%(1,943.52mg/kg) and 48.56%(193.90mg/kg) in the $25^{\circ}C$, 68.76%(4,734.90mg/kg) and 46.93%(187.40mg/kg) in the $37^{\circ}C$, respectively, were occupied. Accordingly, iso-valeric acid evolved from swine and cattle manure was characteristic of being mainly produced in more than $25^{\circ}C$. In the case of poultry manure, 59.89%(184.13mg/kg) of iso-valeric acid generated from all the temperature treatments was produced in the $37^{\circ}C$ and 100% of them was intensively emerged from 2 day and 3 day of the $37^{\circ}C$ treatment.

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Epidemiological Studies of Clonorchiasis. - I. Current Status and Natural Transition of the Endemicity of Clonorchis sinensis in Gimhae Gun and Delta, a High Endemic area in Korea (간흡충증(肝吸虫症)의 역학(疫學) - I. 고도유행지(高度流行地) 김해지방(金海地方)에 있어서의 간흡충감염(肝吸虫感染)의 현황(現況)과 자연추이(自然推移))

  • Kim, D.C.;Lee, O.Y.;Lee, J.S.;Ahn, J.S.;Chang, Y.M;Son, S.C.;Moon, I.S.
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.44-65
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    • 1983
  • As a part of the epidemiological studies of clonorchiasis, this study was conducted to evaluate the current endemicity and the natural transition of the Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gun and delta area a high endemic area in Korea in recent years, prior to the introduction of praziquantel which will eventually influence the status of the prevalence. The data obtained in this study in 1983 were evaluated for natural transition of the infection in comparison with those obtained 16 years ago in 1967 by the author(Kim, 1974). The areas of investigation, villages and schools surveyed, methods and techniques used in this study were the same as in 1967, except for the contents of the questionnaire for raw freshwater fish consumption by the local inhabitants. 1) The prevalence rate of clonorchiasis in the general population of the villages was 48.1% on the average out of a total of 484 persons examined. The average of those of the riverside-delta area was 65.2% and 43.0% in the inland area. Among the schoolchildren, the prevalence rate was 8.2% on the average out of a total of 1,423 examined. By area, the prevalence rate was 10.8% in the riverside delta area and 2.8% in the inland area. By sex, difference in the prevalence was seen only in the inhabitants of the inland area showing 52.4% in the male and 33.5% in the female. 2) In the natural transition of the infection, the prevalence rate among the inhabitants has decreased from 68.8% in 1967 to 48.1% in 1983, and in the schoolchildren from 56.4% in 1967 to 8.2% in 1983. The reduction rate was higher in the riverside-delta area than in the inland area. 3) In the prevalence rate by age, 11.9% was first seen in the 5-9 age group and the rate gradually increased up to 75.0% in the 50-59 age group. By sex, the rate was higher in the male than in the female in the 20-29 age group and over. 4) In the natural transition of the prevalence rate by age, the reduction rate of the infection during the past 16 years was greater in the younger age groups up to the 40-49 age group and reached the same level in the age group 50-59. Reduction was seen again in the age group over 60s. By sex, the reduction rate was greater in the female than in the male in the 20-29 age group and over. By area, the reduction rate was greater in the riverside delta area than in the inland area, particularly in the young age groups. 5) In the intensity of the infection among the cases, the mean egg out-put per mg feces per infected cases(EPmg) in the inhabitants was 6.3. EPmg of those of the river-side-delta area was 15.4 and that of the in-land was 2.8. On the other hand, in the schoolchildren, EPmg was 3.2, and no difference was seen between the two areas, the river-side-delta area and the inland area. 6) In the transition of the intensity of the infection by area, EPmg among the inhabitants inexplically increased from 7.8 in 1967 to 15.4 in 1983. This was probably caused by uneven specimen collection in the process of sampling the population. EPmg of the inhabitants in the inland area and those of the schoolchildren of both riverside delta and inland areas showed a similar decrease in the past 16 years. 7) The intensity of the infection by age showed a relatively low level in the 20-29 age group and below, and EPmg 5.1-9.5 was seen in the 30-39 age group and over. Sex, Epmg was 5.8 in the male and 4.7 the female. By in 8) In the transition of the intensity of the infection, EPmg decreased from 6.2 in 1967 to 5.4 in 1983. By age, in contrast to the figures of 1967 in which EPmg gradually increased with some fluctuation from 1.1 in the 0-4 age group to peak 10.5 in the 50-59 age group, in 1983 lower intensity of the infection was seen in the age group from 10-14 to 20-29 with the EPmg range of 0.6-2.7. 9) In the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by the range of EPmg value, 43.2% of the cases were in 0.1 0.9 and 34.6% in 1.0-4.9. As a whole by cumulative percent, 44.6% of them were under 0.9 as light infection and 86.1% of them under 9.9 up to moderate infection. By sex, no difference was seen in Epmg. 10) In the transition of the distribution by the range of Epmg, the cases were distributed up to the range 80.0-99.9 in 1967 and to 60.0-79.9 in 1983. By cumulative percent, in the range of 0.1-0.9 and less, light infection, 34.3% of them were distributed in 1967 and 44.6% in 1983 with about 10% increase. In the range of 5.0-9.9 and less, up to moderate infection, 83.2% in 1967 and 86.1% in 1983 of the cases were seen, respectively. 11) The practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants seems to have decreased in recent years. Those who admitted to raw freshwater fish consumption in the last two years among the infected inhabitants were 59.3%, although 86.8% of them professed to have experience with raw freshwater fish consumption. 31.7% of those who have had experience of the raw freshwater fish consumption denied any further consumption in recent years. From an interview of 543 school-children, 24.1% of them admitted to an experience of raw freshwater fish consumption. However, those who have practised in the past two years comprized 17.9%. Those who denied raw freshwater fish consumption in recent years among those who had such experience were 26.0% out of 131 interviewed. The rate of raw freshwater fish consumption in both inhabitants and schoolchildren were higher in the male than in the female. On the contrary, the rate of those who did not practise in recent years among those who had experience of raw freshwater fish consumption was higher in the female than in the male. 12) The major reason for the reduction of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants was the risk of the fluke infection. However, it has become apparent that such change of taste has resulted from water pollution impact which has affected throughout the areas of the freshwater systems in this locality since last several years. 13) In animal survey, Clonorchis infection was seen in 14.8% of 88 dogs examined and 3.7% of 27 house rats examined. It was noted that populations of dogs and cats have increased in the villages surveyed. Although the prevalence rate was lower in the present survey than those of 1967, the significance of the animals as the reservoir host has not changed. 14) Prevalence rate of Clonorchis infection by cercariae in the first intermediate host, Parafossarulus manchouricus, was 0.6% out of 517 snails examined. The infection rate was lower in comparison with 2.3% out of 2,124 examined in 1967. Moreover, sharp decreases in number and distribution of the intermediate host snails in many watershed areas of the huge freshwater systems in this locality seemed to reduce transmission of Clonorchis in connection with the intermediate host stage of its life cycle. 15) Clonorchis infection in the second intermediate fish hosts was relatively low. The mean number of Clonorchis metacercaria per fish in Pseudorasbora parva was 517 in 1983, whereas it was 1943 in 1968 through 1969. Environmental water pollution has also caused the decreased fish population density in these areas, and this has also apparently affected to the practice of raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants. 16) In conclusion, endemicity of Clonorchis infection in Gimhae Gum and delta area of the Nagdong River has sharply decreased during the past 16 years. The major cause of the regressive transition of the infection was the water pollution of the land water systems of this locality. The pollution has upset the ecosystems comprizing of the intermediate hosts of Clonorchis in many areas, and also affected to a significant extent to the discontinuance of the local inhabitants for raw freshwater fish consumption.

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