• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.224-228
• /
• 2019

Background: European policymakers encourage individuals to become self-employed because it is a way to promote innovation and job creation. It can be assumed that health and well-being among the self-employed and managers in small-scale enterprises are particularly crucial in this enterprise group because the smallness of the enterprise makes its members vulnerable. Earlier studies have indicated that the self-employed have a high working pace and work for long and irregular hours, indicating that it can be difficult to stay at home because of sickness. The purpose of this study is to investigate the occurrence of sickness presenteeism among the self-employed in relation to the organizationally employed and to analyze whether any differences can be explained by higher work demands among the self-employed. Methods: The study is based on the fifth European survey on working conditions (2010) and includes the northwestern European countries in the survey. The questions cover a wide range of topics designed to meet the European Union's political needs. The main variables in this study are sickness presenteeism and several indicators of time demands. Results: The results show that the self-employed report a higher level of sickness presenteeism than the employed: 52.4 versus 43.6%. All indicators of time demands are significantly related to the risk for sickness presenteeism, also when controlling for background characteristics. Conclusion: The results confirm that the level of sickness presenteeism is higher among the self-employed and that high time demands are a major explanation to this.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.79-91
• /
• 2017

It is imperative to understand the characteristics of atmospheric circulation patterns under the climate system due to its impact on climatic factors. Thus this study focused on analyzing the impact of the atmospheric circulation on the relationship between precipitation and temperature regionally. Here we used monthly gridded observational data (i.e., CRU-TS3.2, NOAA-20CR V2c) and HadGEM2-AO climate model by RCP8.5, for the period of 1960~1999 and 2060~2099. The experiment results indicated that the negative relationship was presented over East Asia and Europe during summer. On the other hand, at around Korea (i.e. EA1: $31^{\circ}N{\sim}38^{\circ}N$, $126^{\circ}E{\sim}140^{\circ}E$) and Northwestern Europe (i.e. EU1: $48^{\circ}N{\sim}55^{\circ}N$, $0^{\circ}E{\sim}16^{\circ}E$) in winter, strong positive relationship dominate due to warm moist advection come from ocean related to intensity variation of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), respectively. It was found that values of positive relation in EA1 and EU1 at the end of the 21st century is regionally greater than at the end of 20th century during winter since magnitude of variation of the EAWM and NAO is projected to be greater in the future as result of simulation with RCP 8.5. Future summer, the negative correlations are weakened in EA1 region while strengthened in EU1 region. For better understanding of correlations with respect to RCP scenarios, a further study is required.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2019.10a
• /
• pp.104-104
• /
• 2019

Licorice species (Glycyrhiza species) are perennial plants belonging to the Leguminosae family. Licorice is world-widely distributed in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The licorice species, such as Glycyrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) and G. glabra, have been widely used in traditional oriental medicine. G. uralensis is found in Central Asia to the northeastern part of China and G. glabra is distributed from southern Europe to the northwestern part of China. These licorice species are characterized by having various pharmacological activities, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune improvement, and anti-tumor effects. In this study, we investigated the comparative anti-inflammatory effects of four licorice varieties (G. glabra L., G. uralensis FISCH., Shinwongam, and Wongam) on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of licorices at various concentrations. In addition, the nitric oxide (NO) production was elucidated by the treatment of licorice.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.294-298
• /
• 2008

Snow cover is a potential water resource for later spring and summer seasons as well as a thermal mirror with high reflectivity causing decreases of surface air temperature during cold winter seasons. In this study, current and future changes in Northern Hemisphere snow extent and their potential linkages with atmospheric circulation are examined. The NOAA AVHRR visible snow extent (1967-2006) data as well as observational (NCEP-DOE 1979-2006) and modeled (GFDL 2.1 2081-2100) pressure and surface air temperature data are used. Analyses of observational data demonstrate that the snow extent in meteorological spring (March to April) and summer (June to August) has significantly decreased since the late 1980s. The offset of snow seasons (the timing of snow melt in spring) have also significantly advanced particularly in Europe, East Asia, and northwestern North America. Analyses of pressure fields reveal that the spatial patterns of the earlier snow melt are associated with changes in atmospheric circulation such as the Arctic Oscillation (AO). In the positive winter AO years, multiple positive pressure departure cores in the upper troposphere (200hPa) are observed over the mid-latitude regions from March to mid-April, while a negative pressure departure core (70hPa) prevails over the Arctic Ocean. The reversed anomaly patterns related to later snow melt occur in negative winter AO years. The comparison between current and future thermal spring onsets suggest that snow melt patterns will intensify with larger greenhouse gas emissions, indicating earlier hydrological spring onset.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.1563-1567
• /
• 2005

Mori Cortex Radicis is distributed in Northwestern China, northern Asia, northern Europe, North America, and Korea. This extracts drops sugar in bloods and inhibits cyclic AMP phophodiesterase. In this study, we investigated whether Mori Cortex Radicis would cause apoptotic death of A549 lung cancer cells. To examine the apoptotic effect of Mori Cortex Radicis, cytotoxicity assay, DNA fragmentation analysis, caspase-3 activity assay, and Western blotting for caspase-3, caspase-9 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and cytochrome c were performed. Treatment of cells with Mori Cortex Radicis was shown to induce cell death in a dose-dependent manner. DNA fragmentation was made in response to Mori Cortex Radicis. The active fragments of caspase-3, caspase-9 and PARP were almost completely induced and cytochrome c was released following exposure to Mori Cortex Radicis. To elucidate the apoptotic mechanisms, RT-PCR and Western blot analyses for the expression of Bcl-2, Bu and Cox-2 were carried out. Treatment with Mori Cortex Radicis was expressed the reduction of Bcl-2 and Cox-2 and the induction of Bax. Especially p21 and p53 were increased prior to untreated control, while cyclin E and cyclin D1 decreased in the cytosol. These results suggest that the effect Mori Cortex Radicis is associated with the cell cycle arrest and pro-apoptotic cell death in A549 lung cancer cells.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.125-136
• /
• 2019

Vitis vinifera is very susceptible to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola). A number of authors have suggested different genetic populations of this fungus exist in Europe, each showing a different degree of virulence. Work performed to date indicates this diversity to be the result of different factors. In areas where gene flow is greater and recombination more frequent, the diversity of P. viticola appears to be wider. In vineyards isolated by geographic barriers, a race may become dominant and produce clonal epidemics driven by asexual reproduction. The aim of the present work was to identify the conditions that influence the genetic diversity of P. viticola populations in the vineyards of northwestern Spain, where the climatic conditions for the growth of this fungus are very good. Vineyards situated in a closed, narrow valley of the interior, in more open valleys, and on the coast were sampled and the populations of P. viticola detected were differentiated at the molecular level through the examination of microsatellite markers. The populations of P. viticola represented in primary and secondary infections were investigated in the same way. The concentration of airborne sporangia in the vegetative cycle was also examined, as was the virulence of the different P. viticola populations detected. The epidemiological characteristics of the fungus differed depending on the degree of isolation of the vineyard, the airborne spore concentration, and on whether the attack was primary or secondary. Strong isolation was associated with the appearance of dominant fungal races and, therefore, reduced populational diversity.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.239-249
• /
• 1982

The outlines of superior stands, including species mixed, age classes, canopies, and ecological conditions of the stands, were examined in the forests of west Germany, Sweden, and Netherland. The establishment schemes of tree seed orchards for the production of high genetic quality seed were also investigated in the present study. 1. The meteorological conditions, abundant in precipitation and high in relative humidity, prove it to be oceanic climate characteristics in the Scandinavia located in high latitude and north-western part of Europe. The photo periodical characteristics following to day-length and the frost times determine the patterns of tree growth and distribution as well as the tree adaptability due to bud-setting and bud-flushing in Sweden forest. 2. The European forests are generally characterized by dense multistoried forest type composed of upper stories of tall tree species such as Norway spruce, fir, Scots pine and beech, lower stories of shade tolerant poles and saplings of spruce, fir, beech, and floor vegetations covered with birch, oak and hornbeam etc. 3. The single tree selection method and group shelterwood method are commonly applied for silvicultural system but shelterwood method and clearcutting method practiced partially in limited area. Badischer Femelschlagbetrieb and Bayerischer Femelschlagbetrieb are popularized to the regeneration of Schwarzwald but selection method applied in part. 4. Tree cuttings are properly limited so as not to exceed annual increment volume for the sustained yield and the preservation of ecosystem in European forest management. Land preservation and recreation function are more interested with the promotion of wood production in the forest management. 5. Careful attentions are paid to the reforestation of the introduced exotic species, such as Douglas-fir, red oak, pines from America, Japanese larch, Italian poplar etc., with concern against the insect and pest damage, and the meteorological damage. 6. Some intensive studies on tree improvement, such as selection of plus tree, selection of plus stand for seed collection, provenance trial, progeny test of clone, hybrid seed orchard for clone complexing, are performed in the countries and the great part of the seed required for reforestation are supplied from the seed orchard established in Sweden and Netherland.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 1996

I followed the results of Lee and Min(1996) for classification of the months of cold and warm winter. The winter of 1992 and 1984 recorded extraordinary cold and warm. Study of the Synoptic Climatology on the January's cold and warm winter is below: (1) Climatology's characteristic. Temperature of extremely high temperature month is higher compared with extremely low temperature month. Also precipitation is more than over low temperature month compared with extremely high temperature month. (2) In circulation of 500hPa surface. (1) Extremely high temperature month At 500hPa, negative geopotential height anomalies in high latitude, three trough developed over eastern Canada. In midlatitude, a deep trough persisted in the central North Pacific and conspicuous positive height anomalies showed over northwestern Europe, Where a blocking anticyclone developed. It had been warmer than normal since last year in Korea due mainly to positive height anomalies stretched from central Siberia (2) Extremely low temperature month Appeared the strong meridional circulation and negative height anomalies showed from Far East to the Mid-Pacific and appeared ridge in the west of the North America and Atlantic. Alutien Low shows negative deviation during 1984. In northern hemisphere shows negative deviation. Therefore, we can show that the surface pressure distribution and height distribution of 500hPa level are closely connected with each other as parts of general circulation. (3) The characteristics of the general circulation pattern of the 500hPa (1) Extremely high temperature month is high than extremely low temperature month1984 in Zonal index (2) The majority type is S type in 500hPa level circulation of extremely high temperature month but extremely high temperature month is M type (3) The wave number in 500hPa all shows 3 wave. So can not distinguished by only predominant wave number pattern.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.227-232
• /
• 2006

Styela clava (also called as rough sea squirt or leathery tunicate) is regarded as native to the northwest Pacific region including Korea and widely distributed in parts of northwestern Europe, North America and Australia. To evaluate Styela clava as a potential bioactive agent, the antioxidant activity of aceton extracts from Styela clava (whole, substance and tunic) was tested by measuring inhibitory effect of $H_2O_2$ induced DNA damage using comet assay. Also, anticancer activity on human colon cancer cell (HT-29) was investigated by MTT reduction assay. The $200\;{\mu}M$ $H_2O_2$ induced DNA damage was inhibited with Styela clava aceton extract in dose dependent manner in human leukocytes. The maximum inhibition was by 62.8, 62.1 and 78.3% at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ of whole, substance and tunic extracts, respectively. The aceton extracts from S. clava were also found to inhibit the growth of human colon cancer cell. The cell proliferation rates decreased to 26.9, 30.6 and 12.0% at the concentration of $500\;{\mu}g/ml$ of whole, substance and tunic extracts, respectively. These results support that aceton extracts from S. clava may be a potential candidate as a possible antimutagenic and chemotherapeutic agent.