• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.303-311
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• 2019

Background: Cerebrovascular disease is included in four major diseases and is a disease that has high rates of prevalence and mortality around the world. Moreover, it is a disease that requires a high cost for long-term hospitalization and treatment. This study aims to figure out the correlation between grip strength, which was presented as a simple, cost-effective, and relevant predictor of cerebrovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease based on the results of a prior study. And furthermore, our study compared model suitability of the model to measuring grip strength and relative grip strength as a predictor of cerebrovascular disease to improve the quality of cerebrovascular disease's predictor. Methods: This study conducted an analysis based on the generalized linear mixed model using the data from the Korea Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2006 to 2016. The research subjects consisted of 9,132 middle old age people aged 45 years or older at baseline with no missing information of education level, gender, marital status, residential region, type of national health insurance, self-related health, smoking status, alcohol use, and economic activity. The grip strength was calculated the average which measured 4 times (both hands twice), and the relative grip force was divided by the body mass index as a variable considering the anthropometric figure that affects the cerebrovascular disease and the grip strength. Cerebrovascular diseases, a dependent variable, were investigated based on experiences diagnosed by doctors. Results: An analysis of the association between grip strength and found that about 0.972 (odds ratio [OR], 0.972; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.963-0.981) was the incidence of cerebral vascular disease as grip strength increased by one unit increase and the association between relative grip strength and cerebrovascular disease found that about 0.418 (OR, 0.418; 95% CI, 0.342-0.511) was the incidence of cerebral vascular disease as relative grip strength increased by unit. In addition, the model suitability of the model for each grip strength and relative grip strength was 11,193 and 11,156, which means relative grip strength is the better application to the predictor of cerebrovascular diseases, irrespective of other variables. Conclusion: The results of this study need to be carefully examined and validated in applying relative grip strength to improve the quality of predictors of cerebrovascular diseases affecting high mortality and prevalence.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.365-372
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• 2013

Background: Malnutrition of inpatients has been associated with higher morbidity, mortality, cost, and longer hospital stay. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy plays an important role in decreasing morbidity and mortality among critical inpatients in hospitals, and has been commonly used to improve clinical outcomes. However, only a few studies were conducted regarding patients' nutritional improvement by TPN. Method: This study therefore evaluated the changes in nutritional parameters by TPN therapy for early malnourished inpatients. Data from early malnourished inpatients who were treated with TPN therapy between January 2012 and June 2013 at the ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ university Hospital were studied retrospectively. Information regarding sex, age, underlying diseases, division, TPN (peripheral and central), and changes in nutritional parameters were collected by reviewing electronic medical records. The criteria for evaluation of the changes in nutritional parameters were included physical marker, body mass index (BMI), and biochemical markers, including albumin (Alb), total lymphocyte count (TLC), and cholesterol. Nutritional parameters were collected three times: pre-TPN, mid-TPN and end-TPN. A total of 149 patients (peripheral, 97; central, 52) was evaluated. Results: In all patients, the malnutrition number was significantly decreased following the complete TPN therapy (peripheral patients, pre-TPN: $3.33{\pm}0.12$, mid-TPN : $3.06{\pm}0.17$, and end-TPN: $2.85{\pm}0.21$ (p < 0.05); central patients, pre-TPN: $3.38{\pm}0.11$, mid-TPN: $3.06{\pm}0.13$, and end-TPN: $2.75{\pm}0.21$ (p < 0.05). The malnutrition number means number of nutrition parameters below normal range of malnutrition. In addition, all of the four nutritional parameters (BMI, Alb, TLC and cholesterol) were increased with duration of TPN periods for all patients, and the changes in the early stage were larger than in the late stage (p < 0.05). The nutritional parameters of non-cancer patients were increased to a greater extent compared to cancer patients with longer TPN therapy, but it was not significant. The nutritional parameters of younger patients (50-60 years) were also increased more than of older patients (70-80 years), but it was not significant. Conclusion: In conclusion, the TPN therapy decreases malnutritional status and improves nutritional parameters in malnourished patients, thereby decreasing morbidity and mortality. The combined evaluation of all four nutritional parameters is more accurate for nutritional assessment than a single one.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2005

A soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis HJ927, exhibiting strong antagonistic property against pathogenic fungi was isolated from pepper fields infested with Phytophthora capsici. Pepper plants inoculated with P. capsici revealed severe root mortality while plants co-inoculated with B. subtilis HJ927 and P. capsici showed drastically reduced root mortality. Low molecular weight substances released by B. subtilis HJ927 mediated the plant protective effect. The anti-fungal compounds released by B. subtilis HJ927 were identified as 3-methylbutyric acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, and methyl 2-hydroxy, 3-phenylpropanoate by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition to these compounds, B. subtilis HJ927 also produced ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase, a hydrolytic enzyme implicated in antifungal activity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2012

This study examined the control effects of amino acid biochemical agent extracted from chicken feathers on Meloidogyne incognita for the purpose of developing an environmentally friendly nematicidal agent that can replace chemical control of root-knot nematodes (RKN). We investigated the lethal effects of J2 juveniles for 19 types of commercial amino acids. As a result, five kinds of amino acids (L-asparagine, L-aspartic acid, L-methionine, L-tyrosine, L-cysteine) showed mortality rate of more than 50% at a concentration of 50 mM. L-asparagine showed the highest mortality rate at 94%. We also investigated the lethal effect of J2 juveniles and suppressive effects of egg hatching by feather amino acids (FAA) biochemical agent. It showed that the mortality rate of J2 juveniles was more than 80% and suppression rate of egg hatching was 74% at 1/50 concentrations of FAA. As a result of conducting a tomato pot culture experiment for 60 days after treating 1/50 concentrations of FAA biochemical agent in rhizosphere soil, it showed that the control effects were 63% of juveniles density in the soil, 59% of egg mass and 61% of root gall index, respectively. Based on the above results, it is considered that the FAA biochemical agent extracted from chicken feathers can be used as an environmentally friendly nematicidal agent of RKN.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.6
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• pp.474-481
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• 2011

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by air low limitation, which is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. There have been many studies on survival rates in the world literature, but there have been few reports regarding the survival rate in Korean patients with COPD. Acute exacerbation is regarded as a risk factor for mortality in patients with COPD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival rate and the effect of acute exacerbations on the survival rate of Korean patients with COPD. Methods: A total of 502 COPD patients who were diagnosed on the basis of history and lung function tests were enrolled in this study. The frequency of acute exacerbations, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP) and pulmonary hypertension were analyzed. Results: The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 98% and 83%, respectively. The median survival time was 78 months. The median survival time was 55 months in 322 patients with one or more acute exacerbations. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were significantly lower in the 322 patients with one or more acute exacerbations than in those without any. The mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with CRP>3 mg/L than in those with CRP ${\leq}3$ mg/L (p<0.005); it was significantly higher in patients with pulmonary hypertension than in those without it (p<0.01). Conclusion: Because the 5-year survival rate is 83% in Korean patients with COPD, the management of stable patients with COPD should focus on the prevention of acute exacerbations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.204-212
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• 2013

This study analyzed the occurrence of tunic softness, survival rate, metabolic rate and histopathologic changes arising from the effect of hypoxic environment in order to find the causes of occurrences of tunic softness, which manifests as the key phenomenon of mass mortality of Halocynthia roretzi. Regarding the survival of H. roretzi with reduction in dissolved oxygen, all the entities died on the 4th day of exposure to the dissolved oxygen concentration of $2mg\;L^{-1}$ while 50% mortality was observed on the 5th day of exposure to the dissolved oxygen concentration of $3mg\;L^{-1}$. Therefore the 5 days-$LC_{50}$ was found to be $3.55mg\;L^{-1}$ (1.86~$4.96mg\;L^{-1}$). However, occurrence of tunic softness was not observed during the period of exposure to low oxygen concentration. The oxygen consumption rate significantly decreases at the dissolved oxygen concentration of less than $5mg\;L^{-1}$ in comparison to the control group. Therefore, it is presumed that H. roretzi controls the respiration rate for prescribed period of time when exposed to hypoxic environment. Regarding the histopathologic changes in the gill, digestive gland and cyst of H. roretzi due to hypoxic environment, necrosis of epithelial layer, in filtration of blood cells, and condensation of nucleus that compose each of the organs were observed. Regarding morphological changes, the decrease in volume with shrinking of the tunic, discoloration of the internal organs and necrosis of gill and hepatopancreas were observed.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2007

To find out the effect of the spat planting time and environmental factors in the arkshell, Scapharca broughtonii (Schrenck), we investigated the growth, survival rate of arkshell and habitat characteristics in Gamak Bay, Yeoja Bay and Saryang Island. We planted artificial spats of arkshell in Gamak Bay and Yeoja Bay at November 2004, and also planted domestic and Chinese natural spats in Saryang Island at March 2005. We measured growth, survival rate of arkshell, physiochemical parameters of the water mass (water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients and chlorophyll a) and characteristics of the sediment (oxygen penetration depth, oxygen microprofiles, ignition loss and chemical oxygen demand) by monthly. The cumulative survival ratio of arkshell in Gamak Bay was the highest at December, whereas the ratio of arkshell in Yeoja Bay was recorded as 0% at October. The monthly growth rates of arkshell length in Gamak Bay and Yeoja Bay were the highest in May and the growth rate of the Korean arkshell in Saryang Island was higher than Chinese ones significantly. The high mortality (> 65%) of the arkshell in Yeoja Bay during summer probably caused by high water temperature, inflow of low salinity water, and low dissolved oxygen concentration in sediment. The concentrations of nutrient and sediment COD were considered to play an important role in the monthly survival ratio of arkshell in Gamak Bay and Sarayng Island. We suggest that the growth and mortality of arkshell might be influenced to the planting time of spat and the habitat characteristics.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2017

Overuse of synthetic pesticides caused negative side-effects such as environmental contamination, development of insect pests' resistance, and effects on non-target organisms. Plant origin substances without/or with low mammalian toxicity have been considered as promising alternatives to the synthetic pesticides. Fumigant toxicity of the essential oil of Iranian Yarrow, Achillea millefolium L., was investigated against a cosmopolitan stored-product insect pest: saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis L.). Chemical profile of this essential oil was studied by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Tested concentrations were significantly effective to the mortality of insect pest. A positive correlation between essential oil concentrations and pest mortality were realized. LC50 value (lethal concentration needed to 50% mortality) was achieved as $17.977(16.195{\pm}20.433){\mu}l/l$ air. The main components were 1,8-Cineole (13.17%), nerolidol (12.87%), ${\alpha}$-cubebene (12.35%), artemisia ketone (6.69%), ${\alpha}$-terpineol (5.27%), alloaromadendrene oxide (4.71%) and borneol (3.99%). Terpenic compounds including monoterpene hydrocarbons (8.19%), monoterpenoids (44.23%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (21.69%) and sesquiterpenoids (22.24%) were 96.35% of the total identified compounds. Results indicated that the terpene-rich A. millefolium essential oil may be considered as a safe bio-agent in the O. surinamensis management.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-124
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• 2017

Cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) and green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) are serious pests damaging various crops including vegetables such as pepper, cucumber, and Chinese cabbage. We conducted a study to control two aphids with secondary metabolite of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. A B. bassiana was already selected as a high virulence isolate against cotton aphid and green peach aphid. The culture filtrate of the isolate showed high pathogenicity against both aphids as 100% mortality against cotton aphid 3 days after treatment and 99% against green peach aphid 5 days after treatment. A different fraction extracts with $CHCl_3$ : MeOH of B. bassiana culture filtrate (30:1, 50:1, 70:1, 90:1, 100:1; v/v) through silica gel column chromatography showed different control effect to aphids. Among them, 50:1 ($CHCl_3$ : MeOH) fraction had highest mortality as 77.3% and 75.4% against A. gossypii and M. persicae, respectively. A mixture of each fraction (1:1) had no synergistic effects because control effect of every mixture was lower than only 50:1 extract; for example, mortality of 50:1 + 70:1 showed $2^{nd}$ highest as 72% of cotton aphid and 70.2% of green peach aphid and other mixtures were lower than these values. In future we will study the identification and mass production of aphicidal compound isolated from 50:1 fraction to develop stable aphid control agent.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 2019

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the incidence continues to rise. Although many prognostic factors have been identified, the clinical characteristics and outcomes in Korean lung cancer patients are not well defined. Methods: Of the 23,254 new lung cancer cases registered at the Korea Central Cancer Registry in 2013, total 489 patients from 19 hospitals were abstracted by the Korean Central Cancer Registry. The clinical data retrospectively analyzed, patients were followed up until December 2015. Results: The median age was 69 years (interquartile range, 60-74 years); 65.4% were male and 62.1% were ever-smokers. Cough was the most common initial symptom (33.5%); 13.1% of patients were asymptomatic. While squamous cell carcinoma was the most common subtype in male patients (37.2%), adenocarcinoma was the most frequent histological type in all patients (48.7%) and females (76.3%). The majority of patients received treatment (76.5%), which included surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.037), lower body mass index (HR, 0.904), ever-smoker (HR, 2.003), small cell lung cancer (HR, 1.627), and distant metastasis (HR, 3.990) were independent predictors of mortality. Patients without symptoms (HR, 0.387) and without treatment (HR, 0.364) were associated with a favorable outcome in multivariate Cox analysis. Conclusion: Lung cancer in Korea occurs predominantly in elderly patients, with adenocarcinoma being the most frequent subtype. The prognosis was poorer in ever-smokers and older, malnourished, and untreated patients with advanced lung cancer.