• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Purpose: Little is known regarding the extent to which dying patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive life-sustaining procedures and palliative care in U.S. hospitals. We examine hospital cost trends and the impact of palliative care utilization on the use of life-sustaining procedures in this population. Methods: Retrospective nationwide cohort analysis was performed using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2005 and 2014. We examined the receipt of both palliative care and intensive medical procedures, defined as systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, or surgeries using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9-CM). Results: We used compound annual growth rates (CAGR) to determine temporal trends and multilevel multivariate regressions to identify factors associated with hospital cost. Among 77,394,755 hospitalizations, 79,314 patients were examined. The CAGR of hospital cost was 5.83% (P<0.001). The CAGRs of systemic procedures and palliative care were 5.98% and 19.89% respectively (each P<0.001). Systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, and surgeries were associated with increased hospital cost by 59.04%, 72.00%, 55.26%, respectively (each P<0.001). Palliative care was associated with decreased hospital cost by 28.71% (P<0.001). Conclusion: The volume of systemic procedures is the biggest driver of cost increase although there is a cost-saving effect from greater palliative care utilization.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the microbiological contamination levels in rice cakes and rice flour due to climate change in three areas classified to their temperature and precipitation. We investigated the contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens of rice flour and 3 rice cakes such as Garaetteok, Sirutteok and Gyeongdan. Contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria in rice flour were 4.9 log CFU/g. In a total of 70 rice flour, yeasts & molds and coliforms were detected in 42 and 52 samples at the levels of 43 CFU/g and 1.29 log CFU/g, respectively. S. aureus were detected in only 1 rice flour (1.66 log CFU/g) out of 70. In an investigation of contamination levels in rice cakes, the population of total aerobic bacteria were highest in Gyeongdan (5.18 log CFU/g) and coliforms were highest in Gareattock (2.93 log CFU/g). There was no detection of E. coli and B. cereus except for only 1 Gareattock (1.20 log CFU/g). There were no differences of contamination levels among the three areas. If constant monitoring of rice cakes and rice flour is conducted on the basis of this study, it is expected to be able to analyze the change of contamination levels in rice cakes and rice flour due to climate change.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.293-298
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• 2013

In this study, sorbic acids and benzoic acids frequently used in foods retailed in Korea were monitored and their estimated daily intakes were assessed for a purpose to ensure food additives safety management. The estimated daily intakes were calculated by categorizing the assessment items into the national average, by gender, by age and the high intake ($95^{th}$) groups based on concentrations of preservatives in foods as well as national health and nutrition survey data. The calculations were then compared with the ADI of the JECFA and the possibility of risk to be imposed on the people was examined. The results indicated that the estimated daily average intakes of preservatives were $221.60{\mu}g/kg{\cdot}bw/day$ of sorbic acids and $27.30{\mu}g/kg{\cdot}bw/day$ of benzoic acids. Compared to the ADI, the intake levels were 0.89 and 0.55% respectively, which were in a safe range. The estimated daily intakes of sorbic acids and benzoic acids in the high intake group ($95^{th}$) were $1140.27{\mu}g/kg{\cdot}bw/day$ and $194.95{\mu}g/kg{\cdot}bw/day$, which were 4.56% and 3.90% of the ADI (%) respectively, indicating that the intake levels of sorbic acids and benzoic acids in the high intake group were within a safe range. As for gender difference, the amount of benzoic acids intake was slightly larger in men than in women. However, gender differences were not observed in terms of the intake of sorbic acids. In terms of the levels of intake by age, the rates were found to be in the range of 0.52-2.10% for sorbic acids and 0.15-1.23% for benzoic acids. Therefore, the levels of sorbic acids and benzoic acids intakes were found not to exceed the ADI in all groups, and thus were within the safe ranges.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 1968

An outbreak of typhoid fever in Samchunpo city was surveyed and the results were summarized as follows: 1. 638 of clinical cases were detected in 17 Dongs(districts) of the city of Samchunpo,(54,064), during the epidemic period from 1st September to the end of November, 1967. 2. The morbidity rate was 1,189 per 100,000 population;(1,300 female, and 1,060 male). 3. The highest peak was reached in the third week of September and a second peak appeared at the end of September 1967. 4. The mode of infection was suspected strongly as a water-borne and the source of infection as an old public well called Gal-Dae-Saim, since the causative agent was found in close public latrine and the contaminated sewage ditch witch was connected with the well. 5. All patients and carriers were treated at their home under the supervision of local medical authorities. 6. The Gal-Dae-Saim was closed immediately on 7th October, 1967 by the order of the mayor. 7. At the end of November, 1967 when the outbreak in Samchunpo was almost ended, another small epidemic occurred in Koseong county which bordered the eastern outskirt of the city. 8. During the survey, a strain of Shigella flexneri was isolated from the sewage located three meters from Gal-Dae-Saim and also from one case. 9. It was reported by the local health center in May, 1968, that no carrier had been detected in the survey made among the persons who had had typhoid fever in 1967. Also thereafter no cases of typhoid fever were reported through October, 1968.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.203-216
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• 2016

Probiotic microorganisms are thought to provide health benefits when consumed. In 2001, the World Health Organization defined probiotics as "live microorganisms which confer a health benefit on the host, when administered in adequate amounts." Three methods for screening potential probiotics have currently widely available. (1) In vitro assays of potential probiotics are preferred because of their simplicity and low cost. (2) The use of in vivo approaches for exploring various potential probiotics reflects the enormous diversity in biological models with various complex mechanisms. (3) Potential probiotics have been analyzed using several genetic and omics technologies to identify gene expression or protein production patterns under various conditions. However, there is no ideal procedure for selecting potential probiotics than testing cadidate strains on the target population. Hence, in this review, we provide an overview of the different methodologies used to identify new probiotic strains. Furthermore, we describe futre perspectives for the use of in vitro, in vivo and omics in probiotic research.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2010

The ecological characteristics of the Korean Aucha perch, Coreoperca herzi, were determined in order to estimate stock of the mid-upper system of the Seomjin River. The age was determined by counting the otolith annuli. The oldest fish observed in this study was 5 years old. Relationships between body length (BL) and body weight (BW) were $BW=0.0195BL^{3.08}$ ($R^2=0.966$) (p<0.01). Relationships between the otolith radius (R) and body length (BL) were BL=3.882R+1.66 ($R^2=0.944$). The von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated from a non-linear regression method were $L_{\infty}=19.68\;cm$, $W_{\infty}=188.64\;g$, $K=0.17\;year^{-1}$ and $t_0=-1.46$ year. Therefore, growth in length of the fish was expressed by the von Bertalanffy's growth equation as $L_t=19.68$ ($1-e^{-0.17(t+1.46)}$) ($R^2=0.997$). The annual survival rate (S) was estimated to be $0.666\;year^{-1}$. The instantaneous coefficient of natural mortality (M) of estimated from the Zhang and Megrey method was $0.346\;year^{-1}$, and instantaneous coefficient of fishing mortality (F) was calculated $0.061\;year^{-1}$. From the estimates of survival rate (S), the instantaneous coefficient of total mortality(Z) was estimated to be $0.407\;year^{-1}$.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2007

The effects of microbial feedstuff additives on feed conversion rate and physical and chemical characteristics of excreta in growing pigs were investigated. Three different products (A, B and C) were compared. Microbial population tests showed B contained higher numbers of total bacteria, Lactobacillus spp. and yeasts. The amylase activity of B was also higher than that of A and C. The daily feed intake rates fer control, A, B and C were 2.06, 2.13, 2.17 and 2.34 kg, respectively. Pigs feed product C had the highest liveweight gain(2.89 kg). However, the results of feed conversion rate were not significantly different between treatments. Amount of faces excreted for control, A, B and C was 1.18, 1,19, 1.23 and 1.32 kg, respectively. Urine volume for control, A, B, and C was 1.91, 1.80, 2.19 and 2.31 kg respectively. Moisture content, T-N, $P_2O_5$ and $K_2O$ in pig manure were not significantly different between treatments. The range of BOD values was 63,453 to $73,758mg/\ell$ for faeces, and 5,678 to $7,428mg/\ell$, for urine. SS values of solid and liquid excreta ranged from 142,200 to 176,000 and from 710 to $1,025mg/\ell$, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.412-416
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• 2011

Taste sensation plays a crucial role in selecting and ingesting foods with different qualities which convey information about their nutrient content and/or safety. Sweetness is one of the five modalities in humans and serves as an energy resource for metabolism. There are reports on allelic polymorphisms which influence perception of sweetness in mice and humans. Since the influence of genetic factors on taste disorder has not been studied, we investigated the association of genetic polymorphisms in TAS1R3 and guanine nucleotide binding protein, alpha transducing 3 (GNAT3) genes and taste disorder. A total of 150 individuals composed of 50 patients with taste disorder and 100 healthy controls were recruited for the study and PCR-mediated directing sequencing method was used to genotype for two different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) - rs307355 (T>C) and rs35744813 (T>C) in the TAS1R3 gene, and rs7792845 (T>C) and rs1524600 (C>T) in the the GNAT3 gene. The allele and genotype frequencies of rs307355 and rs35744813 in the TAS1R3 gene showed a significant association between patients with taste disorder (p=0.022 and p=0.013 in both of SNPs, respectively). In addition, the frequency of T-T haplotype in the TAS1R3 gene was higher in taste disorder cases than in the controls (OR, 1.93: 95%. CI, 1.09-3.39, p=0.022). In the GNAT3, the genotype frequency of rs7792845 in the patients was also different from the controls (p=0.048), but allele frequency was not significantly associated in either group. Our result provides the frequencies of SNPs and haplotypes of the TAS1R3 and GNAT3 genes for the fundamental information of nutrigenetics in perception of the taste of sweetness in the Korean population. Also, the study suggests that the allelic polymorphisms of TAS1R3 and GNAT3 genes may be useful as a molecular marker for evaluating patients with taste disorder. Further studies with large samples are required to clarify our observation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

We recently reported the distributions of AMPA ($\alpha$-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate) receptor subtypes glutamate receptors (GluR) 1 and GluR4 in the superior colliculi (SC) of hamsters with antibody immunocytochemistry and the effect of enucleation on these distributions. We also compared these labelings to those of calcium-binding proteins calbindin D28K, calretinin, parvalbumin, and GABA. In the present study, we investigated whether the GluR1- and GluR4-immunoreactive (IR) neurons are interneurons or projection neurons by injection of the retrograde tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into one of each major ascending and descending pathways of the SC. HRP injections were made into a tecto-reticulospinal pathway (TRS) and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Animals were then allowed to recover and to survive for 48 hr before perfusion. Sections containing retrograde-labeled neurons were then treated for GluR-immunoreactivity. HRP injections proved that only a small population of the GluR1-IR cells project into TRS (1.4%) and dLGN (2.6%). However, a large subpopulation of GluR4-IR cells project into TRS (32.7%). The differential compositions of inter/projection neurons, along with our previous studies on the separate distribution of the GluR subunits, its differential co-localization with calcium-binding proteins and GABA, and differential reactions to enucleations, strongly imply the functional variety of the receptor subunits in visual behavior responses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2010

This study investigated cut-off values of body mass index (BMI) and body fat measures for metabolic syndrome (MS) in elderly Koreas. Questionnaire surveys, anthropometric measurements, medical examinations, and body composition analyses were conducted for 10,077 subjects aged 40-65 years in the health examinee cohort in Korea between 2004 and 2006. Cut-off values were identified using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for both men and women. Stratified analyses by weight range (<60, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-89, ${\geq}90\;kg$ for men; <50, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, ${\geq}80\;kg$ for women) were conducted. Among male subjects, the cut-off points were $25.5\;kg/m^2$ for BMI with a sensitivity of 70.0% and a specificity of 72.0%, and 26.1% for body fat percentage with a sensitivity of 60.6% and a specificity of 76.4%. Among female subjects, the cutoff points were $24.1\;kg/m^2$ for BMI with a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 68.8%, and 31.5% for body fat percentage with a sensitivity of 76.7% and a specificity of 65.6%. Stratified analysis by weight range showed that the cutoff points of BMI and body fat measures tended to higher as weight level increased. The results of our study suggest cut-off values of BMI and body fat measure for MS were similar to the general obesity criteria in Korea.