• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.139-149
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• 2018

Background: Ethiopia is among the poorest countries where land degradation caused livelihood problem to its inhabitants. The livelihood of rural communities in Ethiopia is seriously threatened by land degradation. Land is the major natural resource that economic, social, infrastructure, and other human activities are undertaken on. Thus, land resources play an important role in shaping rural livelihoods, and lack of sustainable land management practices leads to land degradation. Thus, this study aimed to analyze interlink between land degradation and livelihood of rural communities in Chilga district, Northwest Ethiopia. It also addresses the factors which influence income diversification for livelihood of households in the study area. Result: The result depicts that the major causes of land degradation are both natural and anthropogenic. Land degradation and livelihood are negatively interlinked with each other. The livelihood of the majority of the population in the study area is dependent on subsistence agriculture both farming and animal husbandry with low diversification. The survey result showed that more than half (69%) of the sample households have farm size of less than 2 ha, nearly one third (31%) have 2.0-2.5 ha, and insignificant number of farmers have more than 2.5 ha. More than 80% of the respondents pointed out that land degradation has impacts both on crop yield and livestock production. Most of the explanatory variables such as gender, age, education level, farmland size, and family size have statistical significant influence (at P < .01 and P < .05 levels) for income diversification of households, while marital status on the other hand is not statistically significant though it has positive relation with income diversification in this study. Conclusions: Our results suggest awareness should be created in the community about the livelihood diversification mechanisms which enabled them to engage in different income-generating activities and comprehensive watershed management should be implemented.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.114-120
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A pivotal role of oxidative stress has been emphasized in the pathogenesis as well as in the disease progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed at investigating serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and elucidating whether they could be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of PD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Serum levels of retinol, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherols, ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-carotenes, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin and ${\beta}$-cryptoxanthin were measured and compared between 104 patients with idiopathic PD and 52 healthy controls matched for age and gender. In order to examine the relationship between antioxidant vitamins and the disease progression, multiple group comparisons were performed among the early PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage I and II, N = 47), advanced PD (stage III and IV, N = 57) and control groups. Separate correlation analyses were performed between the measured antioxidant vitamins and clinical variables, such as Hoehn and Yahr stage and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score. RESULTS: Compared to controls, PD patients had lower levels of ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-carotenes and lycopene. ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene levels were significantly reduced in advanced PD patients relative to early PD patients and were negatively correlated with Hoehn and Yahr stage and UPDRS motor score in PD patients. No significant differences were found in serum levels of retinol, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherols, and other carotenoids between PD patients and controls. No significant correlations were found between these vitamin levels and clinical variables in PD patients. CONCLUSTIONS: We found that serum levels of some carotenoids, ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene, were lower in PD patients, and that these carotenoids inversely correlated with clinical variables representing disease progression. Our findings suggest that decreases in serum ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene may be associated with the pathogenesis as well as progression of PD.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.121-133
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• 2019

Natural variability associated with a variety of large-scale climate modes causes regional differences in sea level rise (SLR), which is particularly remarkable in the Pacific Ocean. Because the superposition of the natural variability and the background anthropogenic trend in sea level can potentially threaten to inundate low-lying and heavily populated coastal regions, it is important to quantify sea level variability associated with internal climate variability and understand their interaction when projecting future SLR impacts. This study seeks to identify the dominant modes of sea level variability in the tropical Pacific and quantify how these modes contribute to regional sea level changes, particularly on the two strong El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ events that occurred in the winter of 1997/1998 and 2015/2016. To do so, an adaptive data analysis approach, Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD), was undertaken with regard to two datasets of altimetry-based and in situ-based steric sea levels. Using this EEMD analysis, we identified distinct internal modes associated with El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) varying from 1.5 to 7 years and low-frequency variability with a period of ~12 years that were clearly distinct from the secular trend. The ENSO-scale frequencies strongly impact on an east-west dipole of sea levels across the tropical Pacific, while the low-frequency (i.e., decadal) mode is predominant in the North Pacific with a horseshoe shape connecting tropical and extratropical sea levels. Of particular interest is that the low-frequency mode resulted in different responses in regional SLR to ENSO events. The low-frequency mode contributed to a sharp increase (decrease) of sea level in the eastern (western) tropical Pacific in the 2015/2016 El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ but made a negative contribution to the sea level signals in the 1997/1998 El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$. This indicates that the SLR signals of the ENSO can be amplified or depressed at times of transition in the low-frequency mode in the tropical Pacific.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.799-807
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• 2020

Background: The skin acts as a barrier to protect organisms against harmful exogenous agents. Compound K (CK) is an active metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2 and Rc, and researchers have focused on its skin protective efficacy. In this study, we hypothesized that increased expression of the serine protease inhibitor Kazal type-5 (SPINK5) may improve skin barrier function. Methods: We screened several ginsenosides to increase SPINK5 gene promoter activity using a transactivation assay and found that CK can increase SPINK5 expression. To investigate the protective effect of CK on the skin barrier, RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to investigate the expression levels of SPINK5, kallikrein 5 (KLK5), KLK7 and PAR2 in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and histological changes associated with the skin barrier were performed in a UVB-irradiated mouse model and a 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis-like model. Results: CK treatment increased the expression of SPINK5 and decreased the expression of its downstream genes, such as KLKs and PAR2. In the UVB-irradiated mouse model and the DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis model, CK restored increased TEWL and decreased hydration and epidermal hyperplasia. In addition, CK normalized the reduced SPINK5 expression caused by UVB or DNCB, thereby restoring the expression of the proteins involved in desquamation to a level similar to normal. Conclusions: Our data showed that CK contributes to improving skin-barrier function in UVB-irradiated and DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like models through SPINK5. These results suggest that therapeutic attempts with CK might be useful in treating barrier-disrupted diseases.

• 인삼문화
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• 제1권
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• pp.57-66
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• 2019

Ginseng has been recognized as a lifespan extending medicine which has been regarded as one of the medicines classified as top medicines, as the Boncho (medical herbs) study which is influenced by the idea of guidance's costume and food concept mainly in China is gaining its bona fide form. As the demand for ginseng has been expanded to other levels, the demand for ginseng has been increasing. Ginseng from the nature reached its supply chain limit due to its extinction and difficulty of picking, so it translated into ginseng cultivation of economy rather than harvesting in nature. After the start of ginseng cultivation, the ginseng cultivation was further enhanced by the rapid development of processing methods such as white-ginseng and red-ginseng, and the surge of consumption due to the traditional belief in ginseng drug efficacy and support of scientific research. In the Joseon Dynasty, the name Gasam (cultivated ginseng) had been created as ginseng was cultivated on farmland after the stage of SanYang (wild cultivated ginseng), the purpose of the new name Gasam is to differentiate from natural ginseng, and natural ginseng lost its firm position as the genuine ginseng as the Gasam replaced the genuine ginseng, and the natural ginseng got a new name of SanSam (wild ginseng). Because the real ginseng substance concept dissipated, and as Gasam is being called ginseng, the name Gasam was also disappeared. As a result, it was possible to grow large quantities according to the arrival of the Gasam era, and it was possible to supply the demand for ginseng, and it could become one agricultural industry. In this ginseng cultivation, in Japan where ginseng did not grow naturally, it was difficult to obtain ginseng from Joseon and faced with a shortage of ginseng at all times. Therefore, the shogun cultivated the Gasam systematically at the national level by the inside of the shogunate. However, since the natural ginseng is native to China and Korea, there is a concern about the deterioration of the quality of natural ginseng due to the incorporation of cultivated ginseng (Gasam). To protect the interests, the cultivation of ginseng was subject to control. For this reason, the lack of historical information on Gasam cultivation, which had to be started secretly, would be a natural result. In this paper, althouh not sufficient enough, the historical informations were used to summarize the history of ginseng cultivation in China, Japan and Korea.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.48-59
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• 2018

Beryllium (Be), cobalt (Co), thallium (Tl) and vanadium (V) are candidates of 21 priority soil pollutants in Korea. The distribution of their concentration in soils from three contamination sources including industrial, roadside and mining areas was investigated. Concentrations of the metals were evaluated quantitatively using pollution indices and the fractionation of metals was conducted using modified SM&T (Standards Measurements and Testing programme) sequential extraction. Concentrations of the metals for all samples from industrial and roadside soils were within the range of natural background levels, while some of Be in soils from abandoned mines exceeded that the range. Enrichment Factor (EF) and Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI) for Be, Co, Tl and V showed that there are effects or possibilities of anthropogenic activities. Pollution Load Index (PLI) analyses indicated all investigated sites needed further monitoring. The results of sequential extractions indicated mobile fractions (F1+F2) of Be, Tl and V were below 30% except some of Co in soil, which implies their low mobility to neighboring environment media. Variable tools like sequential extraction, comparison with background/actual concentration and pollution indices, as well as aqua regia extraction should be considered when evaluating Be, Co, Tl, V in soil.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.30-39
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• 2018

Soil contamination survey was conducted during March - July, 2017 to obtain soil contamination profile of 16 organic and inorganic contaminants in Hanam industrial complex located in Gwangju, Korea. The concentrations of all surveyed contaminants except Cd showed were within 0.3~1.5 times of their natural background levels. Cd showed concentrations as high as 6.9 times of the background level, signifying the influence of the metal processing facilities in the complex. The concentrations of Zn, Pb and Hg in areas nearby industrial facilities were 1.3~5.5 times higher than those within the facility and green area. The concentration of Cu in the green area was 1.4~2.9 times higher than in other areas. The Soil Pollution Index (SPI) analysis revealed 54% of the total area belong to first-grade soil, 43% to second-grade, and 3% to third-grade. The Enrichment Factor (EF) of Zn, Pb, and Cd were 9.2, 15.6, and 88.5, respectively, indicating high accumulation and contamination of the soil with Cd.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 제어로봇시스템학회 2005년도 ICCAS
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• pp.49-51
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• 2005

Robot control involves advance programming, scientific and high technology. The systematic and methodological aspects of robot controls often results in having superficial control design problems that can negatively affect the robot application, usability and appeal. User friendly interface of robot control is extremely advantageous and more attractive. To illustrate, the application of medical robot is usually handled by clients who have little background in advance programming language. Thus, it would be difficult if the client needs to use programming language to control the robot. It would justify better if the robot control is presented in a meaningful interface to the client. This way the robot application would be more natural and user friendly. This paper describes the method of developing the user interface for web based communication to control an internet robot named Tarou. The web based communication tasks involves three levels. The first one accommodates on the client sending commands to robot through the internet. The next communication level relates to the robot receiving the commands sent by the client. The final communication level generates on sending feedback on status of commands by the robot to the client. The methodology used here can be elaborated in four hierarchical steps; identify user needs and robot tasks, identify the enhancing tag reference used by the server, induce the tag into HTML, present the HTML in attractive user interface as the client control panel.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.123-127
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• 2006

Background: Caveolin-1 is a principal component of caveolae membranes in vivo. Although expression of caveolae structure and expression of caveolin family, caveolin-1, -2 and -3, was known in chondrocytes, the functional role of caveolae and caveolins in chondrocytes remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of caveolin-1 in articular chondrocytes. Methods: Rabbit articular chondrocytes were prepared from cartilage slices of 2-week-old New Zealand white rabbits by enzymatic digestion. Caveolin-1 cDNA was transfected to articular chondrocytes using LipofectaminePLUS. The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression levels were determined by immunoblot analysis, immunostaining, immunohistochemistry, and prostaglandin $E_2\;(PGE_2)$ assay was used to measure the COX-2 activity. Results: Ectopic expression of caveolin-1 induced COX-2 expression and activity, as indicated by immunoblot analysis and $PGE_2$ assay. And also, overexpression of caveolin-1 stimulated activation of p38 kinase and ERK-1/-2. Inhibition of p38 kinase and ERK-1/-2 with SB203580 and PD98059, respectively, led to a dose-dependent decrease COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production in caveolin-1-transfected cells. Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that ectopic expression of caveolin-1 contributes to the expression and activity of COX-2 in articular chondrocytes through MAP kinase pathway.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.205-215
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• 2000

The Anyang River runs through highly industrialized area and joins the lower part of the Han River. loading out large amounts of potential pollutants. Attempts were made to understand geochemical behavior of trace elements in the stream sedimens collected from the bottom of the river and the stream water. Bottom sediments, suspended solids and stream waters were collected and analysed for the chemical and mineralogical composition. Heavy metals including Cr, Zn, Ni, and Co in the sediments were enriched appeared to reflect anthropogenic input. Pb, Cu, As were also enriched between several to 10 times , compared to background levels. Although some heavy metals were derived from anthropogeic input, geochemical associations seem to implyh much of the elements are originated from natural sources as well, mainly from granitic rocks . This is also supported by the mineralogical composition of the suspended solids, which are mainly composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. Most of the elements are associated with total carbon and clay sized fractions, with high values of correlation coefficient. Most of the elements are associated with total carbon and clay sized fractions , with high values of correlation coefficient. It was noteworthy that Hg was detected between 2 and 4 ppb in the stream water.