• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypolgycemic activity of water extract of fermented yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) leaves tea (Yacon LWE) in high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Male ICR mice were fed with a HFD (37% calories from fat) for 4 weeks prior to intraperitoneal injection with STZ (100 mg/kg body weight). Diabetic mice were supplemented with two doses of Yacon LWE (0.16% and 0.8%, wt/wt) for 6 weeks. The supplementation of high-dose Yacon LWE significantly lowered blood glucose levels and plasma ALT and AST activities compared with the control group. High-dose Yacon LWE also improved the insulin tolerance without any changes in plasma and pancreatic insulin concentrations in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice. Yacon LWE supplementation increased the insulin staining of pancreatic $\beta$-cells in a dose-dependent manner. Both 0.16% and 0.8% of Yacon LWE significantly elevated plasma leptin concentration, hepatic glucokinase activity and glucokinase/glucose-6-phosphatase ratio compared with the control group. However, glycosylated hemoglobin concentration was not different among the groups. These results suggest that high-dose Yacon LWE lowers the blood glucose level partly by enhancing insulin sensitivity and hepatic glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic mice.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.158-167
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• 2016

The requirements for medical laboratories ISO 15189 is examined in organization and a quality management system, stressing the importance of evidence, document control, and control of records and clinical material. Medical services are provided from the areas of resource management, and pre-examination, examination and post-examination processes. The main goal of ISO 15189 accreditation is to improve the quality of laboratory services provided for patients and clinical users not only through compliance with consensually developed and harmonized requirements but also by adopting the philosophy of continual improvement using the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. Laboratory quality should be evaluated and improved in all steps of the testing process as the state-of-the art indicates that the pre- and post-analytical phases are more vulnerable to errors than the intra-analytical phase. The Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS), a national accreditation body, provides medical laboratory accreditations for appropriate approaches to evaluating the competence of a medical laboratory in providing effective services to its customers and clinical users. Adoption of ISO 15189 in 2010s as a government policy has been delayed, and only 5 laboratories have been accredited to date in Korea. The medical laboratories should seek the adoption of ISO 15189 with a positive attitude for quality improvement and strengthening of international competitiveness.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 2012

This study was designed to evaluate a repeated oral dose toxicity and immunomodulating activity of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ in Sprague-Dawley rats. The female rats were treated with $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ of control group, low group (0.5 ml/kg), medium group (1 ml/kg), high group (2 ml/kg) for distilled water, intragastrically for 4 weeks, respectively. To ensure the safety of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana $ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ such as the following were observed and tested. We examined the body weight, the feed intake, the clinical signs, the ophthalmological test, the hematological and the serum biochemical analysis. We also observed the histopathological changes of liver and kidney in rats. Hematological results were the increase of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in the high dose group of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$. The increase immune cells in the high dose group of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ might immunomodulating activity. No significant differences in body weight, feed intake, serum biochemical analysis and histopathological between control and fed group were found. In conclusion, $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ is physiologically safe and improve immunomodulating activity.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.143-152
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the current status of hospice palliative care facilities in Korea. Based on the result, we attempted to suggest activation plans of hospice palliative in Korea. Methods: To conduct a survey, we obtained a list of hospice palliative care facilities from related agencies and academic societies. A survey was conducted from February, 2009 to March, 2009. The survey was consisted of general characteristics of organizations, manpower, facilities & equipments, and so on. In addition, we used data from Statistics Korea to estimate the number of beds required and the bed occupancy rate. Results: Total number of facilities responded to the questionnaire were 53. Forty-two facilities were general hospitals and 6 facilities were clinics among the total 53 facilities, and 18.8% of facilities were located in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggido. Overall bed occupancy rate was rather low as 21.9%, and there were 4 provinces where bed occupancy rates were 0%. Deaths in hospice palliative care facilities during 2008 were 6.3% of total deaths from cancers. As for the questions about the financial status of facilities, 86% of facilities were answered financial insufficiency. Also more than half of the facilities gave financial insufficiency as the reason for shortage of human resource supplies and inability to achieve the standard for authorization by the government. Facilities answered in order to activate the hospice palliative care, governmental support is needed, mostly in financial support (71.2%), donation tax deduction (43.1%), and setting up a public utility foundation (23.5%). Conclusion: This study showed low rates of hospice palliative care use and bed occupancy in Korea. Regional variance in bed occupancy rate was significantly high. As a roadblock for these problems, most of the facilities cited financial insufficiency. Therefore, there must be some action plans to boost financial support to activate hospice palliative care in Korea. Finally, efforts to improve these circumstances including lack of understanding about hospice and palliative care, are needed as well.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.284-288
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• 2005

This study was conducted to clarify the effects of supplying methods of selenium on the growth and Se uptake of hydroponically grown tomato plants. Tomato seeds (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Momotaro T-93, Daki Seed Co.) were sown in plug tray with fifty holes, and raised for sixty days. Tomato seedlings transplanted to coco fiber slabs were supplied with the nutrient solutions adjusted to EC $2.3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and pH $5.8\~6.2$ recommended by the Japanese Horticultural Experiment Station. Selenium forms used were inorganic $SeO_2$ (here in after referred to Se) and organic selenium chlenium with sugar fatty acid ester (here in after referred to chelated-Se). 10 ppm selenium solutions were treated to tomato plants with foliar applications, drenching, and foliar application plus drenching. Growth characteristics in terms of plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and chlorophyll content were significantly increased in the plot of foliar application ot Se, and in the plot of foliar application plus drenching of chelated-Se than other plots, respectively. Transported contents of selenium into the tomato fruits were highest as 0.302 ppm in the plot of foliar application plus drenching of chelated-Se. Also, it had tended to be higher in the plot of foliar application plus drenching than in the plots of foliar application or drenching in both of Se and chelated-Se. Foliar application and drenching of organic chelated-Se were effective to produce the functional tomato fruits.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.663-672
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• 2015

The study was performed to investigate the effects of enzyme treated garlic (EG) and its natural resources composites on lipid levels in serum and liver of rats fed a high fat diet. Four different types of EG-composite extracts prepared: EG and EG + grape peel (EGG), EG + Persimmon (EGP) and EG + Catechu (EGC) by mixed 9.5:0.5, 9:1 and 8:2 (w/w) ratios, respectively. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity in vitro, show the highest in EG + Catechu (EGC) composite by mixed 8:2 (w/w). EG and EG-composites extracts (8:2, w/w) were administered orally to SD-male rats at a concentration of 2.5 g/kg/day for 5 weeks. Total lipid and cholesterol contents in serum were significantly lower in EGC group than control group, and triglyceride content was the lowest in EGP group by 54.29 mg/dL. HDL-cholesterol contents were significantly higher in EGP and EGC groups. LDL-cholesterol content was lower in EG group than EG-composite groups, and VLDL cholesterol content was the lowest in EGP group. GOT, GPT and ALP activity was significantly lower in EGP group. Total lipid, cholesterol and triglyceride contents in liver were significantly lower in EGP and EGC group than control group. Antioxidant activity in serum was the highest in EGC groups by 50.86%, in liver was the highest in EGP groups. TBARS content in serum and liver was the lowest in EGP group. In these results, we suggest that EGP composites could have hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effects in rats fed a high fat diet.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.52-58
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• 2011

Osteoporotic fracture (OF), along with bone mineral density (BMD), is an important diagnostic parameter and a clinical predictive risk factor in the assessment of osteoporosis in the elderly population. However, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on OF has not yet been clarified sufficiently. To identify OF-associated genetic variants and candidate genes, we conducted a GWAS in a population-based cohort (Korean Association Resource [KARE], n=1,427 [case: 288 and control: 1139]) and performed a de novo replication study in hospital-based individuals (Asan and Catholic Medical Center [ACMC], n=1,082 [case: 272 and control: 810]). In a combined meta-analysis, a newly identified genetic locus in an intergenic region at 10p11.2 (near genes FZD8 and ANKRD30A ) showed the most significant association (odd ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.47~2.74, p=$1.27{\times}10^{-6}$) in the same direction. We provide the first evidence for a common genetic variant influencing OF and genetic information for further investigation in bone metabolism.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 1994

This study was investigated for the purposes of securing forage resource using idled rice paddy recently increased in accordance to a current trend of farm products' liberalization and also of presevation of environment by using cattle sluny as liquid manure, which is seriously increasing these days. In this study, mean annual dry matter yield and its seasonal variation with reed canarygrass, and a optimum rate of cattle sluny application were investigated. The results are as follows: 1. According to the conditions of cutting frequencies(3, 4 and 5 cutting per year), mean annual dry matter yield was recorded from 8.9 tons to 10.9 tons per hectare and was the highest at 3 cutting frequency. 2. The use of cattle sluny with the levels of between 300 and 360 kg N per hectare showed a significantly higher mean annual dry matter yield than that of the control (non-fertilization). 3. The treatments with 3 and 4 cutting frequencies(90 kg Nhdyear, 120 kg Nhdyear) recorded higher dry matter yields than the control of the former level by 1.23 tons and 2.34 tons respectively and in the treatment of 5 cutting frequency, the second level with cattle sluny of 300 kg Nhdyear showed an increased dry matter yield of 2.11 tons compared to the former level(l50 kg Nhdyear). With regards to nitrogen efficiency, one kg of nitrogen is applied to 13.7, 19.4 and 14.1 kg of dry matter yields in the conditions of 3, 4 and 5 cutting frequencies respectively. 4. In view of seasonal variance of annual dry matter yield, the second cut in 3 cutting frequency, the third cut in 4 cutting frequency and the third in 5 cutting frequency showed the highest ratio as 42, 37 and 32% respectively compared to the total. 5. Under the conditions of this study, the 'Input-Output curve' from 5 cutting frequency was the closest to sigmaformed process(i=0.9993) of various cutting frequencies, and the maximum marginal yield in the treatment was obtained at the level of 250 kg Nha with cattle sluny. The economic level of cattle sluny was between 371.0 and 402.2 kg N and the highest dry matter yield was obtained at 489.3 kg Mdyear in the same treatment

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2010

A high sugar rice cultivar 'Danmi' which has been recently developed and released in the Functional Crop Resource Development Division, Department of Functional Crop, National Institute of Crop Science, has high glucose and sucrose contents but has a poor seed development. This defect poses some problem in ensuring stable seedling establishment in the nursery bed. We examined the germination and seedling emergence characteristics of 'Danmi' and determined an optimum seeding rate for seedling establishment. 'Danmi' seeds has a light 1,000-grain weight of 18.2g compared with Ilmibyeo's 26.7g. The 97.4% of 'Danmi' seeds has specific gravity below 1.0 while only 2.0% of seeds was fully developed with specific gravity above 1.12. However, the reverse is true in the Ilmibyeo seed used as a control cultivar. Although the seed germination of Danmi was 89-91% regardless of seed specific gravity but at a slower rate than Ilmibyeo regardless of water soaking temperatures of $20-30^{\circ}C$ because of high seed amount of specific gravity below 1.0 in 'Danmi'. It took 2～4 days longer of seed soaking in the Danmi seeds than Ilmibyeo before germination. 'Danmi' has low normal seedling emergence rate than Ilmibyeo in the seedbed soil due to high percentage of abnormal seedlings like stunting and incomplete growth. Normal seedling emergence rate of 'Danmi' in the seedbed was 62.6～64.9% for 10-day old seedling and 83.5～86.7% for 30-day old seedling which is lower by 29.6～30.0% and 11.3～12%, respectively than Ilmibyeo. Although 'Danmi' has low normal seedling emergence rate, but it has greater seed number per weight basis. Therefore, based on the normal seedling number per unit area of Ilmibyeo(control cultivar) for seedling rate of 10-day and 30-day old seedlings, the recommended seeding rate of 'Danmi' for transplanting rice is 220g seeds for 10-day old seedling and 130g for 30-day old seedling per nursery box, which is equivalent to 1.5 times seed volumes of Ilmibyeo.

• Journal of KIISE:Databases
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.742-757
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• 2001

Since database management systems(DBMSS) have limited lock resources, transactions requesting locks beyond the limit mutt be aborted. In the worst carte, if such transactions are aborted repeatedly, the DBMS can become paralyzed, i.e., transaction execute but cannot commit. Lock escalation is considered a solution to this problem. However, existing lock escalation methods do not provide a complete solution. In this paper, we prognose a new lock escalation method, adaptive lock escalation, that selves most of the problems. First, we propose a general model for lock escalation and present the concept of the unescalatable look, which is the major cause making the transactions to abort. Second, we propose the notions of semi lock escalation, lock blocking, and selective relief as the mechanisms to control the number of unescalatable locks. We then propose the adaptive lock escalation method using these notions. Adaptive lock escalation reduces needless aborts and guarantees that the DBMS is not paralyzed under excessive lock requests. It also allows graceful degradation of performance under those circumstances. Third, through extensive simulation, we show that adaptive lock escalation outperforms existing lock escalation methods. The results show that, compared to the existing methods, adaptive lock escalation reduces the number of aborts and the average response time, and increases the throughput to a great extent. Especially, it is shown that the number of concurrent transactions can be increased more than 16 ~256 fold. The contribution of this paper is significant in that it has formally analysed the role of lock escalation in lock resource management and identified the detailed underlying mechanisms. Existing lock escalation methods rely on users or system administrator to handle the problems of excessive lock requests. In contrast, adaptive lock escalation releases the users of this responsibility by providing graceful degradation and preventing system paralysis through automatic control of unescalatable locks Thus adaptive lock escalation can contribute to developing self-tuning: DBMSS that draw a lot of attention these days.