• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.2076-2081
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• 2013

The objective of this study is to investigate the gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit improvement effect of DL-methionine methylsulfonium chloride (MMSC) in functional dyspepsia animal models. Cisplatin causes nausea, vomiting, and inhibition of gastric emptying. Rats were divided into four groups: G1 (normal group), G2 (gastric emptying induced by cisplatin), G3 (gastric emptying induced by cisplatin with itopride 30 mg/kg pretreatment), and G4 (gastric emptying induced by cisplatin with MMSC 4 mg/kg pretreatment). Immediately after an oral administration of a liquid meal (phenol red), delayed gastric emptying was induced by cisplatin (10 mg/kg (i.p.)). After 20 min in the cisplatin administration, the animals were sacrificed. In rats treated with cisplatin, the gastric emptying rate was significantly reduced. On the other hand, MMSC reversed the reduction of gastric emptying induced by cisplatin. And also, MMSC caused to travel FITC-dextran more significantly longer distance than the control, which is based on the values of the mean geometric center in the atropine driven delayed gastrointestinal transit animal models. Furthermore, MMSC drastically increased the gastrointestinal transit in rats, considerably increased the values of the mean geometric center (MGC), compared to the control, which was comparable to that of mosapride. These results suggest that MMSC could be an effective component for the treatment of functional dyspepsia.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.406-417
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• 2011

Objectives: Exposure to bioaerosols in the indoor environment could be associated with a variety adverse health effects, including allergic disease such atopy. The objectives of this study were to assess children's exposure to bioaerosol in home indoor environments and to evaluate the association between atopy and bioaerosol, environmental, and social factors in Ulsan, Korea. Methods: Samples of viable airborne bacteria and fungi were collected by impaction onto agar plates using a Quick Take TM 30 and were counted as colony forming units per cubic meter of air (CFU/$m^3$). Bioaerosols were identified using standard microbial techniques by differential stains and/or microscopy. The environmental factors and possible causes of atopy based on ISAAC (International Study of Allergy and Asthma in Childhood) were collected by questionnaire. Results: The bioaerosol concentrations in indoor environments showed log-normal distribution (p < 0.01). Geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) of airborne bacteria and fungi in homes were 189.0 (2.5), 346.1(2.0) CFU/$m^3$, respectively. Indoor fungal levels were significantly higher than those of bacteria (p < 0.001). The concentration of airborne bacteria exceeded the limit recommended by the Korean Ministry of Environment, 800 CFU/$m^3$, in three out of 92 samples (3.3%) from 52 homes. The means of indoor to outdoor ratio (I/O) for airborne bacteria and fungi were 8.15 and 1.13, respectively. The source of airborne bacteria was not outdoors but indoors. GM of airborne bacteria and fungi were 217.6, 291.8 CFU/$m^3$ in the case's home and 162.0, 415.2 CFU/$m^3$ in the control's home respectively. The difference in fungal distributions between case and control were significant (p = 0.004) and the odds ratio was 0.996 (p = 0.027). Atopy was significantly associated with type of house (odds ratio = 1.723, p = 0.047) and income (odds ratio = 1.891, p = 0.041). Some of the potential allergic fungal genera isolated in homes were Cladosporium spp., Botrytis spp., Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Alternatia spp. Conclusions: These results suggest that there this should be either 'was little' meaning 'basically no significant association was found' or 'was a small negative' mean that an association was found but it was minor. It's a very improtant distinction. Association between airborne fungal concentrations and atopy and certain socioeconomic factors may affect the prevalence of childhood atopy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.588-595
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• 2006

Indoor radon($^{222}Rn$) concentrations of subway stations in Seoul area were measured to survey the environmental indoor radon levels and to identify sources of radon. The radon concentration of indoor air by method of long-term measuring with a-track detector were surveyed at 232 subway stations from 1998 to 2004. And the radon concentration in ground-water was measured with a method of alpha particle counting. To trace main source of radon, 8 out of 232 stations were selected and their radon concentrations in tunnel and on platform were analyzed. Total geometric mean and arithmetic mean of radon concentrations in all stations from 1998 to 2004 were $1.40{\pm}1.94pCi/L,\;1.65{\pm}1.07$ respectively. Geometric means of radon concentrations on platform and concourse were $1.54{\pm}1.96pCi/L,\;1.23{\pm}1.88pCi/L$ respectively, with higher concentration at the platform than at the concourse. The geological structure was significantly correlated to the indoor radon concentration in subway stations region. Radon concentrations of adjacent tunnel and ground-water of subway station was significantly correlated to the indoor radon concentration in subway stations. And There was a significant difference in radon concentration, depending on the depth levels in platform of subway stations(p<0.05).

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.107-122
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• 2015

PURPOSES : The use of virtual driving tests to determine actual road driving behavior is increasing. However, the results indicate a gap between real and virtual driving under same road conditions road based on ergonomic factors, such as anxiety and speed. In the future, the use of virtual driving tests is expected to increase. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to analyze the gap between real and virtual driving on same road conditions and to use a calibration formula to allow for higher reliability of virtual driving tests. METHODS : An intelligent driving recorder was used to capture real driving. A driving simulator was used to record virtual driving. Additionally, a virtual driving map was made with the UC-Win/Road software. We gathered data including geometric structure information, driving information, driver information, and road operation information for real driving and virtual driving on the same road conditions. In this study we investigated a range of gaps, driving speeds, and lateral positions, and introduced a calibration formula to the virtual record to achieve the same record as the real driving situation by applying the effects of the main causes of discrepancy between the two (driving speed and lateral position) using a linear regression model. RESULTS: In the virtual driving test, driving speed and lateral position were determined to be higher and bigger than in the real Driving test, respectively. Additionally, the virtual driving test reduces the concentration, anxiety, and reality when compared to the real driving test. The formula includes four variables to produce the calibration: tangent driving speed, curve driving speed, tangent lateral position, and curve lateral position. However, the tangent lateral position was excluded because it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of analyzing the formula from MPB (mean prediction bias), MAD (mean absolute deviation) is after applying the formula to the virtual driving test, similar to the real driving test so that the formula works. Because this study was conducted on a national, two-way road, the road speed limit was 80 km/h, and the lane width was 3.0-3.5 m. It works in the same condition road restrictively.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.271-280
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to analyze spatial and temporal patterns of bacterial pollution levels and the relationship between bacterial pollutants and environmental parameters at the main stream and tributaries of Nakdong River. Water quality data including total coliform and fecal coliform were compiled from a total of 50 monitoring sites (30 at the main stream and 20 at the tributaries) along with rainfall and discharge data for three consecutive years from 2012 to 2014. During the study periods, the geometric mean values of total coliforms and fecal coliforms in the main stream were 74 (22~465) CFU/100 mL and 8 (3~42) CFU/100 mL, respectively. The geometric mean values of total coliforms and fecal coliforms in the tributaries were 275 (36~5,145) CFU/100 mL and 6 (1~1,352) CFU/100 mL, respectively. High concentrations of fecal coliforms were observed at Gumi (M 10), Hyeonpung (M 19), Hapcheon (M 23), and Namji (M 25) in the main stream, whereas Gamcheon (T 6), Bakcheon (T 7), Geumho-gang (T 8), and Gyeseongcheon (T 16) were identified as pollution hot spots in the tributaries. Although bacterial pollution levels showed complex behavior across monitoring sites and time, the highest coliform concentrations were routinely observed in the monsoon season between July and September of each year, indicating that the pollution levels were strongly dependent on precipitation in addition to other physiochemical parameters. Statistically significant correlations were found between fecal coliform concentrations and precipitation (r=0.403, p<0.01), followed by SS (r=0.425, p<0.01), nutrient TP (r=0.388, p<0.01), organic matter COD (r=0.322, p<0.01), and PO₄-P (r=0.317, p<0.01) in the main stream in the order of correlation coefficient from high to low.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.393-401
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• 2013

Objectives: Endotoxins in dust generated in occupational settings is known to contribute to the occurrence of respiratory illness among workers. The relationship between the level of endotoxins in total dust or respirable particulates collected from swine farms and immunological markers related with respiratory allergy was evaluated among swine husbandry workers. Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from ten workers at ten swine farms at Gyeonggi province, Korea. Peripheral mononuclear cells were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin for 48 hours. The levels of various cytokines produced at culture supernatants were determined using a commercially available ELISA kit. The concentration of particulate matter($PM_{10}$) in the indoor air of the swine farms was evaluated using a PVC membrane filter and mini volume air sampler, and endotoxin levels in the dust were measured by Limulus Amebocyte Lysate Kinetic QCL method. Results: Levels of endotoxins in the total dust were categorized into high(geometric mean: $109.35EU/m^3$) and low concentrations (geometric mean: $0.95EU/m^3$) for five swine farms. Interleukin-4 levels were higher in the high endotoxin group than in the low endotoxin group, while interferon-${\gamma}$ levels were lower in the high endotoxin group than in the low endotoxin group. The ratio (interferon-${\gamma}$ to interleukin-4), indicating immunologic skewedness against allergic reactivities, was lower in the high endotoxin group($1.15{\pm}0.60$) than the low endotoxin group($3.09{\pm}2.38$). In addition, the level of interleukin-13, another cytokine contributing to the occurrence of allergic responses, was significantly higher in the at the high endotoxin group($1.12{\pm}0.37ng/m{\ell}$) than in the low endotoxin group($0.37{\pm}0.04ng/m{\ell}$). Hematologic assessment showed significantly lower cellularity in the number of total leukocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils in the high endotoxin group than in the low endotoxin group. Conclusions: Even though a sufficient number of swine workers and farms were not investigated, this study generlly suggests that the immunological function of swine farm workers exposed to high levels of endotoxin could be modulated toward allergic reactivities.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2013

Background: This study was carried out for the purpose of comprehensively evaluating the mercury exposure level of residents in several areas and the correlation between hair mercury concentration and blood mercury concentration. Method: One thousand one hundred ninety seven subjects were sampled from 30 sites using random assignment sampling. We performed a questionnaire survey and measured the level of total mercury in hair and blood samples from all subjects. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury in all subjects were 1.27 mg/kg [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-1.32 mg/kg] and 5.24 ${\mu}g/L$ [95% CI: 5.07-5.41 ${\mu}g/L$], respectively. Male (1.56 mg/kg in hair, 6.00 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood) was significantly higher than that of female (1.03 mg/kg in hair, 4.56 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood), and the concentrations were elevated as age increased up to the 50s. Education, smoking, alcohol drinking, and using of pesticides were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in hair and blood. The ratio of hair/ blood mercury concentration was 261.3. The total mercury concentration in hair was identified to be significantly related with total mercury concentration in blood (r=0.814, p<0.001). Conclusion: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury were higher than the levels provided in international recommendations. The total mercury concentration in hair was positively correlated with the concentration in blood. The results of this study suggest that hair mercury be considered as a useful tool for the evaluation of mercury exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.68-80
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• 2006

This study aimed to prepare the fundamental data and assess the status and trend of exposure level for 5 chemical substances such as sulfuric acid, hydrogen chloride, ammonia, formaldehyde and phenol in manufacturing industry by type of industry, working process, and size of factory, chronological change. Subjects related to this study consist of 146 factories, 12 industries and 17 working processes located in Busan area from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 2001. 1. All 5 kinds of chemical substances by type of industry, working process were generated in chemical manufacturing industry. There were founded in 8 types of industries and 13 types of working processes for ammonia, which is the highest number of in all 5 chemical substances. 2. In terms of the exposure level for 5 chemical substances by type of industry, working process, geometric mean concentration for sulfuric acid was $0.40mg/m^3$ in manufacture of chemicals and chemical products, $0.30mg/m^3$ in compounding process, for hydrogen chloride was 0.57 ppm in manufacture of basic metal, 0.48 ppm in dyeing process, for ammonia was 1.11 ppm in manufacture of rubber and plastic products, 0.94 ppm in buffing process, for formaldehyde was 0.49 ppm in manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles straw and plating materials, 0.53 ppm in mixing process, and for phenol were 0.53 ppm in manufacture of chemical and chemical products, 0.55 ppm in compounding process, respectively. Results for 5 chemical substances by type of industry and working process were significantly higher than those of the others(p<0.05). 3. The exposure level for hydrogen chloride, formaldehyde were significantly increased by size of industry (p<0.01). ammonia was significantly decreased by size of industry (p<0.01). 4. In trend of the concentration difference of five chemical substances by chronology, geometric mean concentration for sulfuric acid was significantly increased (p<0.01), hydrogen chloride and ammonia were significantly decreased by year (p<0.05) and for formaldehyde and phenol were decreased in chronological change. According to the above results 5 chemical substances were founded together in a way mixed in the same places one another and concentrations of chemical substances by industry, working process, size of industry and year appeared markedly. The authors recommend more systemic and effective work environmental management should be conducted in workplaces generating five chemical substances.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2015

Necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium (C.) perfringens commonly occurs in domestic broiler farms since antibiotic supplementation in poultry feed has been banned. We evaluated the antibacterial activities of medicinal plant extracts against C. perfringens isolates to select alternative compounds for preventing NE. We compared antibacterial activities using two methods and evaluated susceptibilities of the isolates based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Two (Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance [FRH] and Geranium koreanum Kom. [GKK]) of the 30 plant extracts had potent antibacterial activities against C. perfringens ATCC 13124 in two assays. The MIC values for FRH and GKK against 20 C. perfringens isolates were $128{\sim}256{\mu}g/mL$ and $32{\sim}128{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The geometric MIC mean values for the two extracts were $147.2{\mu}g/mL$ and $68.8{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The MBCs for the two extracts against the same strains were $1,024{\sim}2,048{\mu}g/mL$ and $256{\sim}1,024{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The geometric mean MIC and MBC for GKK were about two-fold lower than those of FRH. The modified spot-on-lawn assay may be useful for measuring primary antibacterial potential. FRH and GKK are expected to be used as feed additives to prevent or treat NE in veterinary practice.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.215-226
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• 2005

Loop invariant code motion (LICM) optimization includes relatively heavy code analyses, thus being not readily applicable to Java Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation where the JIT compilation time is part of the whole running time. 'Classical' LICM optimization first analyzes the code and constructs both the def-use chains and the use-def chains. which are then used for performing code motions. This paper proposes a light-weight LICM algorithm, which requires only the def-use chains of loop invariant code (without use-def chains) by exploiting the fact that the Java virtual machine is based on a stack machine, hence generating code with simpler patterns. We also propose two techniques that allow more code motions than classical LICM techniques. First, unlike previous JIT techniques that uses LICM only in single-path loops for simplicity, we apply LICM to multi-path loops (natural loops) safely for partially redundant code. Secondly, we move loop-invariant, partially-redundant null pointer check code via predication support in Itanium. The proposed techniques were implemented in a JIT compiler for Itanium processor on ORP (Open Runtime Platform) Java virtual machine of Intel. On SPECjvrn98 benchmarks, the proposed technique increases the JIT compilation overhead by the geometric mean of 1.3％, yet it improves the total running time by the geometric mean of 2.2％.