• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2565-2571
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• 2016

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 730 participants from 4 rural districts of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, with a reported high incidence of liver fluke infection. This study was aimed to examine and evaluate the nutritional status in relation to Opisthorchis viverrini infection. Participants were purposive selected from Chum Phuang, Mueang Yang, Bua Yai, and Kaeng Sanam Nang districts. Stool samples were prepared by Kato Katz technique and then assessed by microscopy. Anthropometry was evaluated according to the body mass index from weight and height. Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the association between the nutritional status and O. viverrini infection. Of 1.64% infected with O. viverrini the highest proportions were found in age groups ${\geq}61$ and 41-50 years old, Mueang Yang district. The majorities of participants had normal weight (32.2%), followed by class II obesity (28.1 %), class I obesity (21.8%), underweight (10.3%), and class III obesity (8.63%). Nutritional status with class II obesity (rS=0.639, p<0.01) and class I obesity (rS=0.582, p<0.05), had moderately statistical significant correlations with O. viverrini infection. Meanwhile, normal weight (rS=0.437, p<0.05) and class III obesity (rS=0.384, p<0.05) demonstrated lower statistical significance. These findings raise the possibility that infection with O. viverrini may contribute to fat deposition and thereby have long-term consequences on human health. Further studies are needed to better understand whether O. viverrini contributes directly to fat deposition and possible mechanisms.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 2015

Mushroom sciarid fly Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour), syn. L. mali (Fitch) is one of the most common fly pests affecting the mushroom cultivation in Korea. This study was carried out to investigate the development at different temperatures and damages of L. ingenua in A. bisporus mushroom cultivation. Rearing of mushroom flies were carried out on mycelial culture in Petri dishes. The development of L. ingenua from egg to adult at the temperature of 16, 20, 24, $28^{\circ}C$ were 35.2, 25.8, 23.5, and 22.2 days, respectively. Adult flies invade mushroom farms and oviposit in freshly spawned compost. Damages are mainly caused by the larvae of 1-7 mm, which feed on growing mycelium and also developing stipes and caps of mushrooms. Adult flies spoil the appearance of the fruiting bodies, spread various fungal and bacterial disease, and transmit mites. The damages by mushroom flies increased without pest control causing yield loss of up to 27%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.685-689
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• 2016

Opisthorchiasis is still a major health problem in rural communities of Thailand. Infection is associated with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), which is found frequently in Thailand, particularly in the northeastern. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of health intervention in the population at risk for opisthorchiasis and CCA. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Meuang Yang district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand, between June and October 2015. Participants were completed health intervention comprising 4 stations; 1, VDO clip of moving adult worm of liver fluke; 2, poster of life cycle of liver fluke; 3, microscopy with adult and egg liver fluke; and 4, brochure with the knowledge of liver fluke containing infection, signs, symptoms, related disease, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control. Pre-and-post-test questionnaires were utilized to collect data from all participants. Students paired t-tests were used to analyze differences between before and after participation in the health intervention. Knowledge (mean difference=-7.48, t=-51.241, 95% CI, -7.77, -7.19, p-value =0.001), attitude (mean difference=-9.07, t=-9.818, 95% CI=-10.9, -7.24, p-value=0.001), and practice (mean difference=-2.04, t=-2.688, 95% CI=-3.55, -0.53, p-value=0.008), changed between before and after time points with statistical significance. Community rules were concluded regarding: (1) cooked cyprinoid fish consumption; (2) stop under cooked cyprinoid fish by household cooker; (3) cooked food consumption; (4) hygienic defecation; (5) corrected knowledge campaign close to each household; (6) organizing a village food safety club; (7) and annual health check including stool examination featuring monitoring by village health volunteers and local public health officers. The results indicates that the present health intervention program was effective and easy to understand, with low cost and taking only a short time. Therefore, this program may useful for further work at community and provincial levels for liver fluke prevention and control.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2006

The recent fingerprint recognition system has unstable factors, such as copy of fingerprint patterns and hacking of fingerprint feature point, which mali cause significant system error. Thus, in this research, we used the fingerprint as the main recognition device and then implemented the multi-biometric recognition system in serial using the speech recognition which has been widely used recently. As a multi-biometric recognition system, once the speech is successfully recognized, the fingerprint recognition process is run. In addition, speaker-dependent DTW(Dynamic Time Warping) algorithm is used among existing speech recognition algorithms (VQ, DTW, HMM, NN) for effective real-time process while KSOM (Kohonen Self-Organizing feature Map) algorithm, which is the artificial intelligence method, is applied for the fingerprint recognition system because of its calculation amount. The experiment of multi-biometric recognition system implemented in this research showed 2 to $7\%$ lower FRR (False Rejection Ratio) than single recognition systems using each fingerprints or voice, but zero FAR (False Acceptance Ratio), which is the most important factor in the recognition system. Moreover, there is almost no difference in the recognition time(average 1.5 seconds) comparing with other existing single biometric recognition systems; therefore, it is proved that the multi-biometric recognition system implemented is more efficient security system than single recognition systems based on various experiments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.381-386
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• 2016

Background: Bladder cancer is an international public health problem. It is the ninth most common cancer and the fourteenth leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide. Given aging populations, the incidence of this cancer is rising. Information on the incidence and mortality of the disease, and their relationship with level of economic development is essential for better planning. The aim of the study was to investigate bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates, and their relationship with the the Human Development Index (HDI) in the world. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from incidence and mortality rates presented by GLOBOCAN in 2012. Data on HDI and its components were extracted from the global bank site. The number and standardized incidence and mortality rates were reported by regions and the distribution of the disease were drawn in the world. For data analysis, the relationship between incidence and death rates, and HDI and its components was measured using correlation coefficients and SPSS software. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: In 2012, 429,793 bladder cancer cases and 165,084 bladder death cases occurred in the world. Five countries that had the highest age-standardized incidence were Belgium 17.5 per 100,000, Lebanon 16.6/100,000, Malta 15.8/100,000, Turkey 15.2/100,000, and Denmark 14.4/100,000. Five countries that had the highest age-standardized death rates were Turkey 6.6 per 100,000, Egypt 6.5/100,000, Iraq 6.3/100,000, Lebanon 6.3/100,000, and Mali 5.2/100,000. There was a positive linear relationship between the standardized incidence rate and HDI (r=0.653, P<0.001), so that there was a positive correlation between the standardized incidence rate with life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, and the level of income per person of population. A positive linear relationship was also noted between the standardized mortality rate and HDI (r=0.308, P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the standardized mortality rate with life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, and the level of income per person of population. Conclusions: The incidence of bladder cancer in developed countries and parts of Africa was higher, while the highest mortality rate was observed in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. The program for better treatment in developing countries to reduce mortality from the cancer and more detaiuled studies on the etiology of are essential.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2889-2894
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• 2016

This study aimed to modify behavior regarding liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma prevention in Chumphuang district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand through integrated learning. A total of 180 participants were included through purposive selection of high-risk scores on verbal screening. Participants attended the health education program which applied the health belief model included family based, knowledge station based, academic merit based and community based learning. Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of 4 parts: 1) personal information, 2) knowledge, 3) perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers, 4) practice regarding liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma prevention. The result revealed that the majority were female (79.9%), age ${\geq}60$ years old (33.2%), primary school educational level (76.1%), and agricultural occupation (70.1%). The mean scores of knowledge, perception, and practice to liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma prevention, before participated the integrative learning were low, moderate, and low, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean score of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers, and practice regarding liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma prevention, were higher with statistical significance after participation in the integrated learning. This finding indicates that health education programs may successfully modify health behavior in the rural communities. Therefore they may useful for further work behavior modification in other epidemic areas.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.81-90
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• 2016

This study aims to investigate the association between stock performance and credit ratings, and credit rating changes using a sample of 1,691 KRX firm-years that acquire equity in the form of long-term bonds from 2002 to 2013. Previous U.S. literature is mixed with regard to the relation between credit ratings and stock price. On one hand, there is evidence of a positive relation between credit ratings and stock prices, an anomaly established in U.S. studies. On the other hand, the CAPM model suggests a negative relation between stock prices and credit ratings, implying that investors expect financial rewards for bearing additional risk. To our knowledge, we are the first to examine the relationship between stock price and default risk proxied by credit ratings in period t+1. We find a negative (positive) relation between credit ratings (risk) in period t+1 and stock returns in period t, suggesting that credit rating agencies do not consider stock returns as a metric with the potential to influence default risk. Our results suggest that market participants may prefer firms with higher credit risk because of expected higher returns.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 1995

This study was conducted from 1991 to 1993 to develop a fungicidal spray program for the apples exportable to the United States of America, in which quarantine and pesticide residue in agricultural products are strictly regulated. In 1991, 2 spray schedules were applied to an orchard, in one of which the 7 fungicides registered for apple both in Korea and U.S. were used, and in the other of which the Bordeaux mixture for which the tolerance was exempted in U.S. was used 2 times along with those 7 fungicides. The apple white rot and fruit infection by Alternaria mali were not effectively controlled by the 7 fungicides alone; however, the control efficacy was raised by adding the Bordeaux mixture to the spray schedule. In 1992, 4 spray schedules were applied in which the kinds of fungicides and spray intervals were different one another. The results suggested that an effective spray program can be developed by adopting the Bordeaux mixture for 3 times or adopting the imminoctadine-triacetate which has not tolerance level in U.S. for same times in the vulnerable stage of apple white rot and alternaria blotch. In spite of the high efficacies against major apple diseases, the Bordeaux mixture could not be recommended to the apple growers due to the various defects such as restrictions in compatibility with insecticides and acaricides, troublesomeness in preparation and spray, especially the harmful effect on the finish of Fuji apples. In 1993, a spray program adopting 3 times of imminoctadine-triacetate during the growing season of apple was developed, which not only can effectively control the major apple diseases but also avoid the pesticide residue problems if it was sprayed 2 or 3 times after bagging. On the basis of the 3 years results, a basic fungicide spray program was formulated in which 1~3 times of imminoctadine-triacetate and 1~2 times of bitertanol were adopted in addition of the 7 common fungicides registered in both countries. In the results of application of the spray schedule to the actual farming in the 4 areas of Kyungpook Province in 1994, no noticeable defects were detected at the first year trial. However, this spray program will be continuously evaluated and modified to obtain better control efficacies against major apple diseases.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 1994

Ninty three species of domestic weeds were collected and screened for antimicrobial, antitumor, antioxidant and herbicidal activities. Among them, few showed antifungal activities. Cuscuta japonica showed inhibitory activity against Alternaria mali, Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Geranium sibiricum against Phytophthora capsici, Aster yomema and Aster pilosus against Phytophthora parasitica. Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Artemisia princeps, Artemisia capillaris, Ludwigia prostrata, Chrysanthemum zawadskii, Bidens frondosa, and Geranium sibiricum showed broad antibacterial activities. Carex chordorhiza, Artemisia capillaris, Persicaria nodosa, Senecio koreanus, Pariicum bisulcatum, Geranium sibiricum showed antiblebbing activity on human chronic leukemia K562 cell, among them, Persicaria nodosa was the strongist. Angelica decursiva, Equisetum arvense, Cimicifuga heracleifolia, Persicaria nodosa, Geranium sibiricum, Oenothera odorata, Cyperus sanguinolentus showed antioxidant activities. Ludwigia prostrata and Peucedanum terebinthaceum showed strong herbicidal activities.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 2006

Previously we demonstrated that virus-inducible stress protein (VISP) is induced in fish cells by the infection of a fish rhabdovirus. In this paper, we investigated the subcellular localization of the VISP and determined the region of VISP responsible for the subcellular localization. The CHSE-214 cells were stained with monoclonal antibody raised against VISP and observed with confocal microscope to detect the endogenous VISP. The results showed that the VISP localizes to the perinuclear region as spots. A plasmid expressing VISP fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was constructed. The transient expression of full-length VISP fused to EGFP in CHSE-214 cells confirmed the spot formation of the VISP at perinuclear region. To determine the region responsible for the perinuclear localization of the VISP, we constructed a series of deletion mutants and, by using these deletion mutants, we found that C-terminal region of the VISP (aa 612-710) is essential for the perinuclear distribution of VISP and that this region contained nuclear receptor binding motif (691-TLTSLLL-697). Our results suggest that VISP localizes to the perinuclear region and C-terminal regions are important for this localization. Further studies on the role of the perinuclear localization of VISP in IHNV growth mali reveal the novel mechanism of IHNV pathogenecity.