• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2009

We have recently reported that the continuous exposure of rats to a concrete building environment under cool temperatures had adverse effects on general health parameters and embryo-fetal development. This study examined to compare the potential effects of concrete and wood building environments on pregnant dams and embryo-fetal development in rats. Groups of 10 mated females were exposed to polycarbonate (control), concrete, or wood cages from gestational days (GD) 0 to 20 under cool temperatures $(11.9\sim12.3^{\circ}C)$. All the females underwent a caesarean section on GD 20, and their fetuses were examined for any morphological abnormalities. The temperatures in the cages were similar in all groups but the relative humidity in the concrete and wood groups were higher than in the control group. The concentration of volatile organic compounds in the wood group was higher than in the control group. In the concrete group, maternal effects manifested as an increase in the incidence of clinical signs, a lower body weight, and a decrease in the thymus and ovary weights. Developmental effects included increased post-implantation loss and decreased litter size. Infrared thermal analysis showed that the skin temperature of the rats in the concrete group was lower than that in the control group. In contrast, there were no exposure-related adverse effects on the maternal and developmental parameters in the wood group. Overall, the exposure of pregnant rats to a concrete building environment under cool temperatures has adverse effects on the clinical signs, body weight, skin temperature, organ weight, and embryo-fetal development. On the other hand, exposure to a wood building environment does not have any adverse effects in rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1994

The occurrence and time course of capacitation, acrosomal loss, and hyperactivated motility require quantitative definition in order to characterize fertile human sperm. Recently the method has been developed to estimate the quality of spermatozoa by using kinematic parameters such as curvilinear velocity(VCL), average path velocity(VAP), linearity(LIN), straightness(STR), amplitude of lateral head displacement(ALH), and beat cross frequence(BCF) from Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA). In this study, using the Hamilton Thorn motility analyzer HTM 2030(Hamilton Thorn Research, Beverly, MA), we attempted to identify the spermatozoa with hyperactivated motility (HA) objectively and to monitor hyperactivation of human spermatozoa during incubation in capacitating media and after treatment of calcium ionophore as compared with acrosome status. And we examined whether HA are related to the result of SPA. Semen samples obtained from 16 healthy men were prepared by swim up technique and preincubated in a capacitating media(modified BWW medium) for 5 hours and treated with calcium ionophore solution. The acrosome reaction was detected with PSA-FITC labelling of the acrosome and in vitro sperm ferilizing capacity was assessed by the zona free hamster ovum penetration assay (SPA). The incidence of hyperactivated sperm was 2.6% in fresh semen, 14.3% of the swim up population, 13.7% after 5h of incubation. Significant increase of percentage of hyperactivated sperm was observed after the incubation (p<0.05) but after treatment, no significant changes of percentage of hyperactivated sperm(l1.8%) in contrast to significant rise in the percentage of acrosome reacted cells. Correlation analysis failed to show any significant relationship between the percentage of sperm with HA and SPA score. In conclusion, although no direct correlations were found between the results of SPA and HA, hyperactivation of sperm is associated with capacitation and monitoring hyperactivated sperm will be expected as a method of evaluating the functional quality of sperm such as SPA.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 1986

Empyema thoracis following pneumonia, intra-abdominal pathology, trauma, and surgical procedure continues to be a source of major morbidity and mortality. Thirty seven adult and eleven pediatric patients with empyema thoracis were treated at the University of Yeungnam Medical Center from May 1983 to November 1986. Age distribution ranged from 6 months to 72 years and showed a double-peaked curve with the highest incidence between 36 and 65 years and below 15 years of age. There were male predominence in patients above 16 years of age. The most common predisposing factors was impaired consciousness due to either alcoholism or head injury. The causes of empyema were as follows: pneumonia 64.6%, lung abscess 6.4%, intraabdominal pathology 6.4%, and surgical procedure 6.4%. The cardinal symptoms were fever, cough, chest pain, dyspnea, sputum, weight loss, anorexia, and night sweat in orders. Culture of empyema fluid were positive in 50% of patients. The isolated organisms were Gram-negative bacilli 33.3%, staphylococcus aureus 25%, and streptococcus 25%. The patients received antibiotics in conjunction with various invasive procedures : chest tube drainage 77.1%, decortication 6.3%, and repeated thoracentesis 10.3%. There were 4 deaths, 1 child and 3 adults, with a overall mortality of 8.3%.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.545-552
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• 2017

Ground subsidence can result in the formation of sinkholes, potholes, settlement of structures, and road subsidence. Road subsidence is described as the sudden collapse of the road surface into subsurface cavities caused by the loss of bearing capacity in the ground, such as the dissolution of limestone by fluid flow in the surface causing the formation of voids leading to subsidence at the surface. Road subsidence occurs about 665 times annually, and this incidence has been increasing until 2013. Damaged underground facilities, management negligence, and lowering of the ground water table have been the causes of road subsidence in Seoul. Seoul metropolitan government announced special management counter plans to relieve the anxieties and make the roads safe for passing. Construction sites, such as excavation works, need to be managed properly because they have strong potential to induce road subsidence. The aim of this study was to identify the main causes of road subsidence and suggest management plans. First, life cycle cost analysis revealed the daytime construction to be more appropriate than nighttime. In addition, by analyzing the limitations of using sand as a backfill material, it is proposed to use a flowable backfill material instead of sand. Finally, to reduce the blind spots, which is a problem in surveying the road pavement conditions of local governments, the road to be managed is divided into several zones, and a specialized agency is selected for each zone and a method of surveying the blind spots through collaboration is suggested.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.511-519
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• 2011

Dietary intake of whole grains reduces the incidence of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In an earlier study, we showed that Panicum miliaceum L. extract (PME) exhibited the highest anti-lipogenic activity in 3T3-L1 cells among extracts of nine different cereal grains tested. In this study, we hypothesized that PME in the diet would lead to weight loss and augmentation of hyperlipidemia by regulating fatty acid metabolism. PME was fed to ob/ob mice at 0%, 0.5%, or 1% (w/w) for 4 weeks. After the experimental period, body weight changes, blood serum and lipid profiles, hepatic fatty acid metabolism-related gene expression, and white adipose tissue (WAT) fatty acid composition were determined. We found that the 1% PME diet, but not the 0.5%, effectively decreased body weight, liver weight, and blood triglyceride and total cholesterol levels (P < 0.05) compared to obese ob/ob mice on a normal diet. Hepatic lipogenic-related gene ($PPAR{\alpha}$, L-FABP, FAS, and SCD1) expression decreased, whereas lipolysis-related gene (CPT1) expression increased in animals fed the 1% PME diet (P < 0.05). Long chain fatty acid content and the ratio of C18:1/C18:0 fatty acids decreased significantly in adipose tissue of animals fed the 1% PME diet (P < 0.05). Serum inflammatory mediators also decreased significantly in animals fed the 1% PME diet compared to those of the ob/ob control group (P < 0.05). These results suggest that PME is useful in the chemoprevention or treatment of obesity and obesity-related disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.355-373
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• 2015

In this study the factors of fire damage are analyzed through previous research reviews. Local environmental factors as well as those factors attributed to fire damage (number of fire events, number of injured, number of death, economic loss) were selected to compose mutual relationship model. In order to verify this relationship model, official statistics concerning fire damage were collected from 228 local governments and compared with results from previous research. As a result of this comparison four dependent variables and 22 independent variables that affect fire damage were analyzed. Independent variables are divided into human vulnerability factors, physical vulnerability factors, economic vulnerability factors, mitigating factors and local characteristics. To analyze a relationship between selected dependent variables and independent variables, we applied a semi-logarithm model and performed regression analysis. Among the 22 independent variables, the number of the weak to disaster, social welfare service workers, workers in manufacturing industry, and the number of workers in restaurants and bars per 10,000 people show the significant correlation with the number of fire incidence. The number of death from fire is significantly related to two variables which are the number of social welfare service workers per 10,000 and the ratio of commercial area. Damage cost is significantly dependent on the property taxes per 10,000 people. These factors were included in the research model as vulnerability factors (human, physical, economic) and mitigating factors and local characteristics, and the validity of research model was verified. The result could contribute to fire-fighting resource allocation in Korea or they can be utilized in establishing fire prevention policy, which will enhance the national level of fire safety.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.352-358
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• 2020

Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited congenital disorder, characterized by impaired blood coagulation due to platelet dysfunction. It was first reported by the pediatrician Glanzmann in 1918. GT affects both males and females, and it is more common in regions of the Middle East, India, and France, where intermarriage is common. It has an incidence of about 1 in 1,000,000 people. In South Korea, according to the Division of Rare Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 200 cases have been reported in 2018. Clinical symptoms include petechia, ecchymosis, epistaxis, and gingival bleeding. The spontaneous loss of deciduous teeth can result in excessive bleeding with that blood transfusion should be considered. Preventing hemorrhages and hemostasis are most important factors in dental treatment. Local bleeding can be controlled by compression, but platelet transfusion can be required by prolonged bleeding. Pediatric dentists can minimize the gingival bleeding by control of the oral hygiene to prevent gingivitis and dental caries. The importance of oral hygiene and periodic recall check-up should be emphasized. During dental treatment, the examination and the treatment plan of patient should be modified to prevention of hemorrhages carefully. A 6-year-old girl with GT was referred for the treatment of dental caries, and resin restoration was performed under nitrous oxide inhalation sedation. After treatment, compression was required for the bleeding control.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.977-986
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aims to estimate the financial cost of rotavirus infection in Korea in the year of 2005. Methods : The incidence rates used were from the epidemiological profile at Jeoungeub District (5.8 cases/1,000 children <5 years old for inpatients, and 22.65 cases/1,000 children <5 years old for outpatients, per year). The health care cost per capita of rotavirus infection (ICD code: A08.0) was extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database in Korea. The patient survey was conducted to capture information about non-medical costs and associated productivity loss incurred by adult caregivers. Results : The number of annual national cases among children <5 years old with rotavirus infection was estimated to be 69,122 (i.e., 55,030 outpatients and 14,092 inpatients). The total cost of rotavirus infection was estimated at 13.3 billion Korean won, comprising 11 billion Korean won (82.7%) of direct medical costs, 1.6 billion Korean won (12.0%) of direct non-medical costs (e.g., transportation and supplies), and 0.68 billion Korean won (5.1%) of productivity lost by adult caregivers. Conclusion : Rotavirus infection carries not only medical costs but also non-medical and indirect costs; together, these costs incur a significant burden on South Korean society. The impact of rotavirus on quality of life and health among patient caregivers was not considered in this study, but it does merit further research.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage temperature on fruit quality attributes and physiological disorders including peel blackening in 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit stored in air at -1, 0.5 or $3^{\circ}C$ for up to 3 months. Higher storage temperature reduced ethylene production but not respiration rate, compared with lower storage temperature. Flesh firmness decreased continuously as storage time passed but firmness was reduced rapidly in the fruits stored at higher storage temperature. Fresh weight loss increased at higher storage temperatures. Soluble solids content was higher at lower storage temperature than at higher storage temperature. All color variables ($L^*$, $a^*$, $b^*$) were reduced by lower storage temperature, compared with higher storage temperature, regardless of tissue regions. Fruit softening increased as storage duration advanced and with the increase in storage temperature. Results indicated that the 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon fruits stored at higher storage temperature ($3^{\circ}C$) could not retain fruit quality properly on account of lower flesh firmness and higher incidence of peel blackening and fruit decay, compared with lower storage temperature.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2020

Host shifting and host expansion of fungal plant pathogens increases the rate of emergence of new pathogens and the incidence of disease in various crops, which threaten global food security. Magnaporthe species cause serious disease in rice, namely rice blast disease, as well as in many alternative hosts, including wheat, barley, and millet. A severe outbreak of wheat blast due to Magnaporthe oryzae occurred recently in Bangladesh, after the fungus was introduced from South America, causing great loss of yield. This outbreak of wheat blast is of growing concern, because it might spread to adjacent wheat-producing areas. Therefore, it is important to understand the host range and population structure of M. oryzae and related species for determining the evolutionary relationships among Magnaporthe species and for managing blast disease in the field. Here, we collected isolates of M. oryzae and related species from various Poaceae species, including crops and weeds surrounding rice fields, in Korea and determined their phylogenetic relationships and host species specificity. Internal transcribed spacer-mediated phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. oryzae and related species are classified into four groups primarily including isolates from rice, crabgrass, millet and tall fescue. Based on pathogenicity assays, M. oryzae and related species can infect different Poaceae hosts and move among hosts, suggesting the potential for host shifting and host expansion in nature. These results provide important information on the diversification of M. oryzae and related species with a broad range of Poaceae as hosts in crop fields.