• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1261-1266
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• 2012

Introduction: HPV has been found repeatedly in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues. However, reported detection rates of HPV DNA in these tumors have varied markedly. Differences in detection methods, sample types, and geographic regions of sample origin have been suggested as potential causes of variation. We have reported that infection of HPV DNA in ESCC tumors depends on anatomical sites of esophagus of the patients from Mazandaran, north of Iran. Materials and Methods: HPV DNA was examined in 46 upper, 69 middle and 62 lower third anatomical sites of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens collected from Mazandaran province in north Iran, near the Caspian Littoral as a region with high incidence of ESCC. HPV L1 DNA was detected using Qualitative Real time PCR and MY09/MY11 primers. Results: 28.3% of upper, 29% of middle and 25.8% of lower third of ESCC samples were positive for HPV DNA. 13.6% for males and 14.1% for females were HPV positive in all samples. Conclusions: HPV infection is about one third of ESCC in this area. Findings in this study increase the possibility that HPV is involved in esophageal carcinogenesis. Further investigation with a larger sample size is necessary.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2006

The conventional water quality measurements by point sampling provide only site specific temporal water quality information but not the synoptic geographic coverage of water quality distribution. To circumvent these limitations in temporal and spatial measurements, the use of remote sensing is increasingly involved in the water quality monitoring research. In other to assess a trophic state of Yongdam reservoir using satellite imagery data, I obtained Landsat ETM data and water quality data on 16th September and 18th October 2001. The approach involved acquisition of water quality samples from boats at 33 sites on 16th September and 30 sites on 18th October 2001, simultaneous with Landsat-7 satellite overpass. The correlation coefficients between the DN values of the imagery and the concentrations of chlorophyll-a were analyzed. The visible bands(band 1,2,3) and near infrared band(band 4) data of September image showed the correlation coefficient values higher than 0.9. The October image showed the correlation coefficient values about 0.7 due to the atmospheric effect and low variation of chlorophyll-a concentration. Regression models between the chrophyll-a concentration and DN values of the Landsat imagery data have been developed for each image. The regression model was determined based on the spectral characteristics of chlorophyll, so the green band(band 2) and near infrared band(band 4) were selected to generate a trophic state map. The coefficient of determination(R2) of the regression model for 16th September was 0.95 and that of the regression model for 18th October was 0.55. According to the trophic state map made based on Aizaki's TSI and chlorophyll-a concentration, the trophic state of Yongdam reservoir was mostly eutrophic state during this study.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1126-1132
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• 2009

Bridge structures are designed to support ordinary loadings such as vehicles, wind, temperature and current as well as unexpected loadings like earthquakes and storm. Especially, the displacement of Flexible bridges like an suspension bridge under ordinary loading conditions is necessary to be monitored. In case of long span bridges, there are some difficulties in monitoring the displacement of center of the main span using traditional laser displacement sensors. In this study, the static and dynamic displacement responses due to vehicle loadings were measured by DGPS(differential global positioning system) technique. The displacement response data were compared with data obtained from traditional laser displacement sensors so that the static and dynamic behavior of the bridge under vehicle loadings was examined and the applicability of the displacement response measurement using DGPS technique was verified. The static and dynamic loading test for an self-anchored suspension bridge, So-rok Bridge, was performed using vehicles. The displacement response from DGPS technique and that from laser displacement sensors of the bridge monitoring system were compared. The amplitude of white noise from DGPS based measurement was about 7 mm and that of laser displacement sensor based measurement was about 3 mm. On the other hand, dynamic behavior of the center of main span from DGPS based measurement showed better agreement with influence line of the bridge than that from laser displacement sensors. In addition, there were some irregular and discontinuous variation of data due to the instability of GPS receivers or frequent appearance of GPS satellites. Post-processing via the reference station close to an observation post provided by NGII(National Geographic Information Institute) will be a counter-plan for these defects.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2011

Thais Roding, 1798, commonly known as rock-shell, is among the most frequently found gastropod genera worldwide on intertidal rocky shores including those of Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. This group contains important species in many marine environmental studies but species-level taxonomy of the group is quite complicated due to the morphological variations in shell characters. This study examined the genetic variations and relationships among three Korean Thais species based on the partial nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cox1 gene fragments. Phylogenetic trees from different analytic methods (maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining, and maximum likelihood) showed that T. bronni and T. luteostoma are closely related, indicating the most recent common ancestry. The low sequence divergence found between T. luteostoma and T. bronni, ranging from 1.53% to 3.19%, also corroborates this idea. Further molecular survey using different molecular marker is required to fully understand a detailed picture of the origin for their low level of interspecific sequence divergence. Sequence comparisons among conspecific individuals revealed extensive sequence variations within the three species with maximum values of 2.43% in T. clavigera and 1.37% in both T. bronni and T. luteostoma. In addition, there is an unexpectedly high level of mitochondrial genotypic diversity within each of the three Korean Thais species. The high genetic diversity revealed in Korean Thais species is likely to reflect genetic diversity introduced from potential source populations with diverse geographic origins, such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and a variety of different coastal regions in South China and Japan. Additional sequence analysis with comprehensive taxon sampling from unstudied potential source populations will be also needed to address the origin and key factors for the high level of genetic diversity discovered within the three Korean Thais species studied.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1520-1522
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• 2001

Relationship among Tibetan cashmere goats, Inner Mongolia cashmere goats and Liaoning cashmere goats was studied using the technique of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). One primer and four primer combinations were screened. With the five primers and primer combinations, DNA fragments were amplified from the three breeds. Each breed has 28 samples. According to their RAPD fingerprint maps, the Nei's (1972) standard genetic distance was: 0.0876 between Tibetan cashmere goats and Inner Mongolia cashmere goats, 0.1601 between Tibetan cashmere goats and Liaoning cashmere goats, 0.0803 between the Inner Mongolia cashmere goats and Liaoning cashmere goats. It coincides with their geographic location. The genetic heterogeneity of Tibetan cashmere goats, Inner Mongolia cashmere goats and Liaoning cashmere goats is 0.3266, 0.2622 and 0.2475 respectively. It is also consistent with their development history.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10757-10762
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of VIA screening with cryotherapy and to record normative values for indicators anticipated in similar low resource settings. Women aged 30-49 years were targeted, resulting in 1961 women screened and treated at two primary health care (PHC) centres near Suva, Fiji. Recruitment was through provision of information, education and communication (IEC). Referrals to a gynaecology outpatient department (OPD) at a referral hospital occurred throughout the screening pathway. Participation was 32% (95%CI 31-33%), higher in iTaukei (Melanesians) women (34%, 95%CI 33-36) compared to Fijians of Indian descent (26%, 95%CI 24-28). Regression analysis, adjusted for confounders, indicated significantly lower participation in those of Indian descent, and age groups 35-39 and 45-49 years. Of those examined by VIA, 190 were positive with aceto-white lesions (9.9%), within the expected range of 8-15%, with minor geographic and ethnic variation. Positive VIA results were more common in the peri-urban area, and in those aged 35-39 years. Of women aged 30-49 years, 59 received cryotherapy (none of whom had significant complications), 91 were referred to OPD, two cervical carcinomas were identified and eight cervical intra-epithelial neoplasms (CIN) II-III were diagnosed. These results provide normative findings from a community-based VIA screening program for other similar low resource settings.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to improve the method of evaluating groundwater recharge by using grid-based soil moisture routing technique. A model which predicts temporal variation and spatial distribution of soil moisture on a daily time step was developed. The model uses ASCII-formatted map data supported by the irregular gridded map of the GRASS(Geographic Resources Analysis Support System)-GIS and can generate daily and monthly spatial distribution map of surface runoff, soil moisture content, evapotranspiration within the watershed. The model was applied to Ipyunggyo watershed($75.6\;\textrm{km}^2$) located in the upstream of Bocheongchun watershed. Seven maps; DEM(Digital Elevation Mode]), stream, flow path, soil, land use, Thiessen network and free groundwater level, were used for input data. Predicted streamflows resulting from two years (l995, 1996) daily data were compared with the observed values at the watershed outlet. The results of temporal variations and spatial distributions of soil moisture are presented by using GRASS GIS. As a final result, the monthly predicted groundwater recharge was presented.sented.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2002

The sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and 5.8S ribosomal DNA gene from five Cordyceps species and one Paecilomyces japonica were determined. The total length of the ITSI, 5.8S and ITS2 regions ranged from 528 to 549 bp. When the C. militaris collected from Korea was used as a standard genotype, the sequence showed 88.4%, 88.6%, 91.1% and 86.8% identity to C. pruinosa, C. sphecocephala, C. scarabaeucika and R japonica, respectively, while the lowest identity was found with C. sinensis (75.4%). Interestingly, C. sinensis was phylogenetically distant from the other Cordyceps species. To test geographic variation, furthermore, sequences of the ITS regions in the 8 samples of C. militaris collected from two localities in Korea and China analyzed and compared with the GenBank-searched sequences from Japan and China. The total length of the ITS regions of C. militaris from Korea, Japan and China was completely identical to each other with 528 bp, and the sequence divergence among three localities in pairwise comparisons ranged from 0.2% (1 bp) to 0.4% (2 bp).

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.100-111
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• 2020

Background: Few studies have examined the performance of the public long-term care insurance (LTCI) from the perspective of geographic equity. This study investigated regional variations and associated factors in the supply and utilization of nursing home care within and also between Japan and Korea. Methods: A comparative dataset was developed by extracting data from 2013-2015 LTCI statistics yearbooks and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development regional statistics, as well as other comparable data in Japan and Korea. The unit of analysis was the prefecture in Japan and the province in Korea. We computed variation indices and conducted regression analyses for regional variations within each country and decomposition analyses to examine the variations between the countries. Results: The overall regional supply and use of nursing home care were higher in Japan, but the regional variations in Korea were larger than in Japan. In both countries, the nursing home supply was negatively associated with the proportion of older people with independent living. Nursing home use was also negatively associated with the supply of hospital beds and home care agencies in Korea; the relationship was the opposite in Japan, however. The country-based differences were more likely to be explained by differences in the distributions of the variables included in the analytical model than country-specific characteristics. Conclusion: Regional-level nursing home supply and use were unequal in both countries, and the contributing factors were not the same. Policy efforts are needed to advance regional equality in long-term care (LTC) and collaboration between health and LTC institutions for frail older people, especially in Korea.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.537-542
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• 2009

For a period of over 6 years, more than 160,000 milk samples were collected and analyzed to determine the influence of different seasonal temperatures and geographic regional location on milk composition in South Korea. Fat, protein, lactose, non fat milk solids (NFMS) and total solids (TS) contents were significantly higher among dairy cows milked in winter season than other seasons (p<0.05). In contrast, freezing point (FP), milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and somatic cell count (SCC) were significantly higher in summer season than other seasons (p<0.05). The average SCC in the autumn season was $358{\times}10^3$/ml, which was lower than any other seasons (p<0.05). These results may be due to the changes in temperature during different seasons. Meanwhile, milk produced by dairy cows in central region had higher fat, protein, lactose, NFMS, TS and MUN and had lower SCC compared to other regions (p<0.05). Fat, TS, FP, MUN and citric acid in northeast region were lower than other regions (p<0.05). The SCC was significantly higher in southeast region than those of other regions (p<0.05). As a result, it might be possible that the differences in feeding management in each different region may affect the milk composition. In conclusion, present results indicated that milk composition is clearly influenced by both season and regional location. Therefore, based on these results, development of different feeding systems, according to season and region is needed to produce high quality and satiable milk production.