• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2005

Agricultural sciences field in South Korea has many strong points such as numerous researchers, establishment of research infra-structure, excellence in research competitiveness and high technological level. However, there are also many weaknesses including insufficient leadership at related societies and institutes, deficiency of the next generation research group, and insufficiency in research productivity. There are many opportunities including increasing the importance of the biotechnological industry, activating international cooperation researches, and exploring the multitude of possible research areas to be studied. However, some threats still exist, such as pressure from the government of developed countries to open the agricultural market, the decrease of specialized farms, and intensification for researches to gratify economic and social demands. To encourage research activities in the agricultural sciences field in Korea, the following actions and systems are required: 1) formulation of a mid- and a long-term research master plan, 2) development of a database on the man power in related fields, 3) activation of top-down research topics, and associated increase of individual research grants, 4) development of special national programs for basic researches in agricultural sciences, 5) organization of a committee for policy and planning within the related societies, and 6) system development for the fair evaluation of the research results.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2017

A survey was conducted to research on planting system and pesticide spray methods including spray volume, sprayer types, and spray nozzles used in apple orchards. The survey was deployed to 395 farmers in 17 cities and towns including 7 regions which are major producers of apple via interview. Major apple varieties were Fuji (79.2%) and Hongro (50.9%) and high density planting system was mainly used in apple orchards (distance between rows: 4.0-4.5 m (73.1%); planting distance: 1.5-3.5 m (88.6%); canopy height: 3.0-4.5 m (88.2%)). The percentages of sprayer types were 77.6% and 22.1% for speed sprayer (airblast sprayer) and power sprayer, respectively. Spray volumes per 10a were 250-300 L in April, the month of spraying the lowest volume, and 300-400 L in June-August, the months of spraying the highest volume. Significant difference in spray volumes were not observed between conventional planting and high density planting, but regional spray volume showed significant difference. The main nozzles used by apple farmers using power sprayers were super jet nozzle (45%), super wide nozzle (26%), and 2-3 vertical head nozzle (25%). The results will helpful to establish practical agrochemicals management policy including suggestion of pesticide spray volume and evaluation of pesticide residue data and efficacy data.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.3-37
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• 2012

In perspective of biodiversity conservation and protected areas (PAs), the aims of the study are to review the mid-long term national plans, which deal with national territory and environment in Korea, and to find out the way to improve this issue. Key issues were drawn by referring "Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Targets" and "Protected Area Decision" in CBD CoP-10 and 7 National comprehensive or basic Plans were reviewed. Quoting Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Target 5, "By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero, and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced", most of national plans included various methods such as "No Net Loss of Green", "No Net Loss of Wetlands", and so on. Regarding the target 11, "By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water, and 10% of coastal and marine areas, ecologically representative and well connected systems of PAs and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscape and seascapes", 15% by 2015 was set up as a target of total PAs in Korea and 13% by 2015 or 2020 was set up as a target of coastal and marine PAs. CBD CoP-10 Decision X/31 (Protected Areas) invites parties to develop a national long-term action plan for the implementation of PoWPA and describes 10 issues that need greater attention. National action plan for the implementation of PoWPA doesn't be mentioned at any national plans even PoWPA. Regarding the 10 issues, most of issues were well reflected within various national plans, however there is still a need to improve the details and corelation between plans. Particularly, in terms of management effectiveness evaluation (MEE), there was no national plan to directly deal with MEE even though CBD invites parties to work towards assessing 60% of the total PAs by 2015. Based on the review results, below 4 items were suggested; (1)"The Comprehensive Plan of the National Territory" needs more attention on the Biodiversity Conservation and PAs, (2)Consider to establish "National PA System Plan" embedded into "the Comprehensive Plan of National Environment", (3)Establish a "National Action Plan for the implementation of PoWPA", (4)Improve the National Plans through linking with Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Targets and relevant PA key issues.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.469-479
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• 2001

This study investigated the trends in the number of applicants and mean score and applicants’ responses on the test items of Earth Science in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) implemented for 3 years (1999-2001). The percentage of applicants of science track were 43.14% in 1995, but reduced through 29.5% in 2001 to 26.92% in 2002 CSAT For elective subject, about 22% of science track students applied to Earth Science II which ranked third to Biology II and Chemistry II. In 1999, test items were developed to have the expected difficulty 40 ${\sim}$ 59% (6 items) to 60 ${\sim}$ 79% (10 items). But in 2001 every 16 items were developed to have difficulty 60 ${\sim}$ 79%, which was caused by the policy of so called ‘easy CSAT’. Thus the mean score of ‘Earth Science II’ was increased from 50.26 in 1999 through 64.47 in 2000, to 67.58 in 2001. Applicants were generally very good at solving test items focusing on process skills only and familar items but poor at solving test items related to the motion of the earth and planets and sea wave, especially items calling two or more concepts. Thus special measures to cope with the decrease in applicants of science track should be provided. And it is recommended to develop test items with wider range of difficulty and to reduce test items calling process skills only. And special consideration should be given to teaching the content area with poor achievement and high actual difficulty compared to the expected.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.224-231
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• 2010

Purpose: Hospital readmissions have recently increased due to early hospital discharge and increased trends in breast-feeding. Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia can lead to fatal permanent neurological sequelae without appropriate management. Early detection and intervention are critical. We evaluated the clinical features, risk factors, and brain MRI findings of Korean newborns with idiopathic nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia to determine the optimal management policy. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of 79 newborns with idiopathic nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia was performed at the NICU of the Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 2006 to September 2009. All patients were 35 or more weeks of gestation, and their peak level of serum total bilirubin was more than 20 mg/dL. Results: The mean gestational age was $38^{+3}{\pm}1^{+4}$ weeks, and the mean age on admission was 8.8$\pm$4.0 days. The mean body weight (3,105$\pm$479 g) was decreased by 2.8$\pm$6.4 percent compared to the mean birth weight (3,174$\pm$406 g). There were no statistically significant differences for the peak serum bilirubin level or the duration and effects of phototherapy between the patients with and without risk factors, which included: breastfeeding, cephalohematoma, subdural hemorrhage, and/or ABO incompatibility. Patients were grouped according to change of body weight. Group I consisted of patients that gained weight compared to birth weight, and group II of patients that lost weight compared to birth weight. There were significant differences in the peak serum total bilirubin level between the two groups. Thirty nine patients had brain MRI evaluation; 21 patients had bilateral symmetric signal intensity increases in the globus pallidus compared to adjacent corticospinal tract and putamen on T1-weighted images. Conclusion: Bilirubin encephalopathy is preventable with early screening and proper management. Parents require instruction on feeding practices and follow-up to prevent complications from idiopathic nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2013

It is a global trend that the water management policy is shifting from a water quality-oriented assessment to the aquatic ecosystem-based assessment. The majority of aquatic ecosystem assessment systems were developed solely based on physicochemical factors (e.g., water quality and bed structure) and a limited number of organisms (e.g., plankton and benthic organisms). Only a few systems use plants for a health assessment, although plants are sensitive indicators reflecting long-term disturbances and alterations in water regimes. The development of an assessment system is underway to evaluate and manage lakes as ecosystem units in the Korean Ministry of Environment. We reviewed the existing multivariate health assessment methods of other leading countries, and discussed their applicability to Korean lakes. The application of multivariate assessment methods is costly and time consuming, in addition to the correlation problem among variables. However, a single variable is not available at this moment, and the multivariate method is an appropriate system due to its multidimensional evaluation and cumulative data generation. We, therefore, discussed multivariate assessment methods in three steps: selecting metrics, scoring metrics and assessing indices. In the step of selecting metrics, the best available metrics are species-related variables, such as composition and abundance, as well as richness and diversity. Indicator species, such as sensitive species, are the most frequently used in other countries, but their system of classification in Korea is not yet complete. In terms of scoring metrics, the lack of reference lakes with little anthropogenic impact make this step difficult, and therefore, the use of relative scores among the investigated lakes is a suitable alternative. Overall, in spite of several limitations, the development of a plant-based multivariate assessment method in Korea is possible using mostly field research data. Later, it could be improved based on qualitative metrics on plant species, and with the emergence of further survey data.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.121-136
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• 2000

This study reports on a comparison between the Korean diffusion of agricultural innovation or extension service and the cooperative extension service in the United States of America. It focuses on relevant differences between the two systems and provides recommendation for improvement of the Korean system to insure success in important areas related to the diffusion of agricultural innovations. After a comparative study on diffusion of innovations it is clear that: in order to have a productive agriculture that makes effective and efficient use of natural resources and helps achieve sustainability goals, a mechanism that delivers knowledge to agricultural communities must be established and maintained. This mechanism is clearly an agricultural extension service that is cooperatively funded by federal, state and local governments and that insures participation of constituents in the process of establishing priorities and evaluating achievements. The success of US agriculture, the most productive in the world, is to a large degree to the Cooperative Extension Service. Based on the results of this study and the differences of the United States and Korea, the following recommendations should be emphasized for more effective communication for agricultural innovation and rural development in Korea: 1) In order to insure that extension educators are high caliber professional individuals, it is important to establish a system that nationally recognizes these individuals as such, and that provides a professional development path. 2) The results of the decision of transfer of extension educators to local governments has not yielded positive outcomes, especially in terms of professional status. It is clearly demonstrable that valuable professionals are leaving the service, that local governments do not have the will and resources to implement a successful extension program. 3) Because of the critical importance of diffusing innovations to agricultural producers in order to insure and quality and steady food supply, it is of critical importance that these issues be addressed before the extension service is further deteriorated. Given the cement situation, it is clear that the extension service should become nationally supported again in cooperation with local and state governments and that extension professionals be given appropriate rank at the national level, commesurate with their peers in research and teaching. 4) The common current committee practice of lengthy reporting and short discussion needs to be changed to one that results in char, brief and substantive action oriented goals. Joint participation by researchers, extension educators and farmers should be encouraged in planning, implementation and evaluation of communication for agricultural innovations. Roles and functions of committees for institutional cooperation, and or agricultural extension committees should be enlarged. 5) Extension educators should be encouraged to adopt new communication technologies to improve their diffusion of innovations methods. Agricultural institutions and organizations should be encouraged to adopt farmer-first and or client-oriented approach in agricultural extension and diffusion of agricultural technologies. The number, complexity and rapid change of information in agricultural extension require the development of a computer based information and report system to support agricultural extension. 6) To facilitate and expand the further development of communication for agricultural innovation and rural development, agricultural communication programs in universities especially in colleges of agriculture and life sciences. 7) To strengthening the sense of national and social responsibility communication for agricultural innovation and rural development among students in agricultural colleges and universities through participation in learning activities by proactive recruitment. 8) To establish and reinforce a policy that insures participation in communication for agricultural innovation and regal development activities. 9) To improve further development of communication for agricultural innovation and rural development in Korea, more research activities should be encouraged.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.279-292
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• 2005

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze agricultural accident and disease using statistical data and materials about National Survey for Health & Nutrition in 2001 and to provide fundamental materials for studies about farmers' health and safety, decision of priority about research and policy. Results: Diagnosed chronic disease prevalence is 72.4% in farmer/fisher group, 49.8% in non farmer/fisher group. The chronic disease prevalence of musculoskeletal disease, circulatory disease, and gastroenteric disease is 46.5%, 18.2%, and 17.9% in farmer/fisher group respectively. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disease in farmer/fisher is 2.4 times higher than non farmer/fisher. This result shows that it need to evaluation for risk factors of musculoskeletal disease preferentially. Lifetime accident/poisoning rate is 18.2% In farmer/fisher group and 13.3% in non farmer/fisher group. The types of accidents were fracture>sprain>contusion and the reasons of accidents were traffic accident>falling/sliding. Conclusions: "Bad or very bad" response of farmer/fisher is almost 2 times higher than non farmer/fisher group. The rate of smoking and no exercising in farmer/fisher group is higher than non farmer/fisher group.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.237-264
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• 2017

With the onset of the Human Genome Project, social concerns about 'genetic information discrimination' have been raised, but the problem has not yet been highlighted in Korea. However, non-medical institutions' genetic testing which is related to disease prevention could be partially allowed under the revised "Bioethics and Safety Act" from June 30, 2016. In the case of one domestic insurance company, DTC genetic testing was provided for the new customer of cancer insurance as a complimentary service, which made the social changes related to the recognition of the genetic testing. At a time when precision medicine is becoming a new standard for medical care, discipline on genetic information discrimination has become a problem that can not be delayed anymore. Article 46 and 67 of the Bioethics Act stipulate the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of genetic information and penalties for its violation. However, these broad principles alone can not solve the problems in specific genetic information utilization areas such as insurance and employment. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany have different regulations that prohibit genetic information based discrimination. In the United States, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act takes a form that adds to the existing law about the prohibition of genetic information discrimination. In addition, the range of genetic information includes the results of genetic tests of individuals and their families, including "family history". Canada has recently enacted legislation in 2017, expanding coverage to general transactions of goods or services in addition to insurance and employment. The United Kingdom deals only with 'predictive genetic testing results of individuals'. In the case of insurance, the UK government and Association of British Insurers (ABI) agree to abide by a policy framework ('Concordat') for cooperation that provides that insurers' use of genetic information is transparent, fair and subject to regular reviews; and remain committed to the voluntary Moratorium on insurers' use of predictive genetic test results until 1 November 2019, and a review of the Concordat in 2016. In the case of employment, The ICO's 'Employment Practices Code (2011)' is used as a guideline. In Germany, Human Genetic Examination Act(Gesetz ${\ddot{u}}ber$ genetische Untersuchungen bei Menschen) stipulates a principle ban on the demand for genetic testing and the submission of results in employment and insurance. The evaluation of the effectiveness of regulatory framework, as well as the form and scope of the discipline is different from country to country. In light of this, it would be desirable for the issue of genetic information discrimination in Korea to be addressed based on the review of related regulations, the participation of experts, and the cooperation of stakeholders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1090-1098
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• 2016

The anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extract from Grateloupia crispata (GCEE) were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophages. Anti-inflammatory effects were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. There was no cytotoxic effect on proliferation of macrophages treated with GCEE compared to the control. GCEE significantly inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, and $IL-1{\beta}$] as well as nitric oxide in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, GCEE suppressed expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ in a dose-dependent manner. GCEE significantly reduced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. In the in vivo test, evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of GCEE was performed using croton oil-induced ear edema in ICR mice. Oral administration of 10 mg/kg to 250 mg/kg of GCEE significantly reduced ear edema in a dose-dependent manner compared to croton oil-induced mice. Moreover, GCEE reduced ear thickness and the number of mast cells compared to croton oil-induced mice in the histological analysis. These data suggest that GCEE could be used as a potential source for anti-inflammatory agents.