• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.888-901
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• 2020

Objective: A set of microsatellite markers with high polymorphism from Tsaiya duck were used for the genetic monitoring and genetic structure analysis of Brown and White Tsaiya duck populations in Taiwan. Methods: The synthetic short tandem repeated probes were used to isolate new microsatellite markers from the genomic DNA of Tsaiya ducks. Eight populations, a total of 566 samples, sourced from Ilan Branch, Livestock Research Institute were genotyped through novel and known markers. The population genetic variables were calculated using optional programs in order to describe and monitor the genetic variability and the genetic structures of these Tsaiya duck populations. Results: In total 24 primer pairs, including 17 novel microsatellite loci from this study and seven previously known loci, were constructed for the detection of genetic variations in duck populations. The average values for the allele number, the effective number of alleles, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were 11.29, 5.370, 0.591, 0.746, and 0.708, respectively. The results of analysis of molecular variance and principal component analysis indicated a contracting Brown Tsaiya duck cluster and a spreading White Tsaiya duck cluster. The Brown Tsaiya ducks and the White Tsaiya ducks with Pekin ducks were just split to six clusters and three clusters when K was set equal to 6 and 3 in the Bayesian cluster analysis. The individual phylogenetic tree revealed eight taxa, and each individual was assigned to its own population. Conclusion: According to our study, the 24 novel microsatellite markers exhibited a high capacity to analyze relationships of inter- and intra-population in those populations with a relatively limited degree of genetic diversity. We suggest that duck farms in Taiwan could use the new (novel) microsatellite set to monitor the genetic characteristics and structures of their Tsaiya duck populations at various intervals in order to ensure quality breeding and conservation strategies.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-164
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• 2010

Radiofrequency ablation (RA) is being used to manage atrial fibrillation (AF) with patients failed at the $1^{st}$-line anti-arrhythmic medications. Patients undergoing this procedure are at increased risk of thromboembolism after ablation, and anticoagulation management surrounding the ablation remains controversial. Although no conclusive recommendations can be made, published guidelines and data support therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin. The purpose of this study was to analyze effectiveness of current therapy and to find factors fluctuate International Normalized Ratio (INR) values in patients undergone RA followed by anticoagulation service (ACS). Retrospective review was conducted utilizing database in a hospital. Among 110 patients under warfarin around ablation between January 2006 to September 2007, 54 patients were selected and allocated into 2 groups: Group A included 47 who discontinued warfarin after ablation, while 7 in B continued the medication. Information on demographics, amount and length of warfarin dosing, INR values and measuring frequencies, and the causing factors on INR fluctuation were abstracted. Differences were analyzed using chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, and unpaired Student t-test. Mean amount of warfarin before and after surgery was 4.0 mg, 4.1 mg in Group A and was 5.1 mg, 4.6 mg in Group B, respectively. Average duration of warfarin doing before ablation was 73.7 days in Group A, 129.9 days in B with no significant difference (p = 0.312). The duration time of warfarin on groups after ablation lasted several months. The number of checking INRs was 4.1 and 7.6, respectively. Inter-individual variability of INR fluctuations were $2.1{\pm}0.6$ in Group A and $2.2{\pm}0.7$ in B which were not significantly different (p = 0.062). 164 cases of decreased INR were: 'omission in taking medication, stressfulness and headache, 'increased intake of high vitamin K foods', 'lifestyle change of increased physical activities', and 'increase of food-intakes'. To the contrary, 36 cases of increased INR were: 'reduce of food-intake', 'use of non-prescription drugs', 'reduction in physical activities', and 'excessive restriction on food-intake', consecutively. In conclusion, the study validated therapeutic outcomes of RA patients who we treated with standard guideline and demonstrated 9 factors of INR fluctuations in the patient. A well-trained, pharmacist-monitored anticoagulation service could reduce the risk of adverse effects and prevent complications in patients with AF around RA operation.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartA
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• v.14A no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2007

The intima media thickness(IMT) of the carotid artery from B mode ultrasound images has recently been proposed as the most useful index of individual atherosclerosis and can be used to predict major cardiovascular events. Ultrasonic measurements of the IMT are conventionally obtained by manually tracing interfaces between tissue layers. The drawbacks of this method are the inter and intra observer variability and its inefficiency. In this paper, we present a multiresolution snake method combined with the dynamic programming, which overcomes the various noises and sensitivity to initialization of conventional snake. First, an image pyramid is constructed using the Gaussian pyramid that maintains global edge information with smoothing in the images, and then the boundaries are automatically detected in the lowest resolution level by minimizing a cost function based on dynamic programming. The cost function includes cost terms which are representing image features and geometrical continuity of the vessel interfaces. Since the detected boundaries are selected as initial contour of the snake for the next level, this automated approach solves the problem of the initialization. Moreover, the proposed snake improves the problem of converging th the local minima by defining the external energy based on multiple image features. In this paper, our method has been validated by computing the correlation between manual and automatic measurements. This automated detection method has obtained more accurate and reproducible results than conventional edge detection by considering multiple image features.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.25 no.2 s.49
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• pp.129-142
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to estimate correlations of craniocervical posture and craniofacial morphology in Korean young adults. The sample consisted of 50 young adults (25 males and 25 females) who had good profile and Class I molar relationship. The analysis of craniocervical posture and craniofacial morphology was performed on lateral cephalograms taken in natural head position. The results were as follows, 1. The mean and the standard deviation of postural and morphologic variables were obtained. 2. Korean young adult had cervical lordosis of which degree between OPT and CVT shows $3.55{\pm}2.58^{\circ}$ 3. Craniocervical posture and each of vertical ratio, facial prognathism, mandibular rotation showed high correlation. 4. Correlation coefficients between postural variables and each of intermaxillary relation, anteroposterior ratio were low. 5. The head positioning error of natural head position was smaller than the inter-individual variability of postural variables.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.47-56
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• 2009

The orbicularis oris muscle (OOM) is a very important muscle that originate from the second branchial arch and is innervated by the facial nerve. The aim of this study was to elucidate distribution types of two muscle fibers that composing OOM by using enzyme-histochemical examinations and tried to make a basis for a clinical application. The fresh frozen tissues from the superior and inferior portions of the OOM were taken from post mortem 65-year-old Korean male adult. Total five different sagittal sections were used on the midline of the philtrum, the middle portion of lower lip, the mouth corner, and each midlateral side of upper and lower mouth. We used enzyme-histochemical staining such as Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS), Succinic Dehydrogenase (SDHase), reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide-Tetrazolium Reductase (NADH-TR), Adenosine Triphosphatase (ATPase) in pH 9.4, 4.6 and 4.3, and Modified Gomori Trichrome. There were about 30.24 % type 1 muscle fiber and 65.40 % type 2 muscle fiber in the midline of the philtrum (p < 0.05). Enzyme-histochemical staining is very useful and innovative method to elucidate characteristics of muscle fibers. We expect that chiloplasty and reconstruction of the lip portions for cleft lip patients, based on these results, are better to recovery function and aesthetic. However, we have some problems as an intramuscular variability and the inter-individual variation etc. Therefore we have to make progress these studies continuously to overcome these problems.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.366-377
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• 2011

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a multigene family of phase II detoxifying enzymes that metabolize a wide range of exogenous and endogenous electrophilic compounds. GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms may account for inter-individual variability in coping with oxidative stress. We investigated the relationships between the level of lymphocyte DNA and antioxidative parameters and the effect on GST genotypes. GSTM1 and GSTT1 were characterized in 301 young healthy Korean adults and compared with oxidative stress parameters such as the level of lymphocyte DNA, plasma antioxidant vitamins, and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in smokers and non smokers. GST genotype, degree of DNA damage in lymphocytes, erythrocyte activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and plasma concentrations of total radical-trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP), vitamin C, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherol, ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-carotene, and cryptoxanthin were analyzed. Lymphocyte DNA damage assessed by the comet assay was higher in smokers than that in non-smokers, but the levels of plasma vitamin C, ${\beta}$-carotene, TRAP, erythrocyte catalase, and GSH-Px were lower than those of non-smokers (p < 0.05). Lymphocyte DNA damage was higher in subjects with the GSTM1- or GSTT1-present genotype than those with the GSTM1-present or GSTT1- genotype. No difference in erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities, plasma TRAP, or vitamin levels was observed in subjects with the GSTM1 or GSTT1 genotypes, except ${\beta}$-carotene. Significant negative correlations were observed between lymphocyte DNA damage and plasma levels of TRAP and erythrocyte activities of catalase and GSH-Px after adjusting for smoking pack-years. Negative correlations were observed between plasma vitamin C and lymphocyte DNA damage only in individuals with the GSTM1-present or GSTT1- genotype. The interesting finding was the significant positive correlations between lymphocyte DNA damage and plasma levels of ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene, and cryptoxanthin. In conclusion, the GSTM1- and GSTT1-present genotypes as well as smoking aggravated antioxidant status through lymphocyte DNA damage. This finding confirms that GST polymorphisms could be important determinants of antioxidant status in young smoking and non-smoking adults. Consequently, the protective effect of supplemental antioxidants on DNA damage in individuals carrying the GSTM1- or GSTT1-present genotypes might show significantly higher values than expected.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2004

To evaluate the acute effects of fine particles on pulmonary function, a longitudinal study was conducted. This study was carried out for the schoolchildren (3rd and 6th grades) living in Beijing, China. Each child was provided with a mini-Wright peak flow meter and a preformatted health symptom diary for 40 days, and was trained on their proper use. Participants were instructed to perform the peak flow test three times in standing position, three times a day (9 am, 12 pm, and 8 pm), and to record all the readings along with the symptoms (cold, cough, and asthmatic symptoms) experienced on that day. Daily measurement of fine particles (PM$_{10}$ and PM$_{2.5}$) was obtained in the comer of the playground of the participating elementary school for the same period of this longitudinal study. The relationship between daily peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and fine particle levels was analyzed using a mixed linear regression models including gender, height, the presence of respiratory symptoms, and daily average temperature and relative humidity as extraneous variables. The total number of students participating in this longitudinal study was 87. The range of daily measured PEFR was 253-501$\ell$/min. In general, the PEFR measured in the morning was lower than the PEFR measured in the evening (or afternoon) on the same day. The daily mean concentrations of PM$_{10}$ and PM$_{2.5}$ over the study period were 180.2$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ and 103.2$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, respectively. The IQR (inter-quartile range) of PM$_{10}$ and PM$_{2.5}$ were 91.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ and 58.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥. During the study period, the national ambient air quality standard of 150$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ (for PM$_{10}$) was exceeded in 23 days (57.5%). The analysis showed that an increase of 1$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ of PM$_{10}$ corresponded to 0.59$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ increment of PM$_{2.5}$. Daily mean PEFR was regressed with the 24-hour average PM$_{10}$ (or PM$_{2.5}$) levels, weather information such as air temperature and relative humidity, and individual characteristics including gender, height, and respiratory symptoms. The analysis showed that the increase of fine particle concentrations was negatively associated with the variability in PEFR. The IQR increments of PM$_{10}$ or PM$_{2.5}$ (at 1-day time lag) were also shown to be related with 1.54 $\ell$/min (95% Confidence intervals: 0.94-2.14) and 1.56$\ell$/min (95% CI: 0.95-2.16) decline in PEFR.R.ine in PEFR.ine in PEFR.