• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2018

This research was conducted to estimate moisture content in cucurbitaceae seedlings, such as cucumber and watermelon, using hyperspectral imagery. Using a hyperspectral image acquisition system, the reflectance of leaf area of cucumber and watermelon seedlings was calculated after providing water stress. Then, moisture content in each seedling was measured by using a dry oven. Finally, using reflectance and moisture content, the moisture content estimation models were developed by PLSR analysis. After developing the estimation models, performance of the cucumber showed 0.73 of $R^2$, 1.45% of RMSE, and 1.58% of RE. Performance of the watermelon showed 0.66 of $R^2$, 1.06% of RMSE, and 1.14% of RE. The model performed slightly better after removing one sample from cucumber seedlings as outlier and unnecessary. Hence, the performance of new model for cucumber seedlings showed 0.79 of $R^2$, 1.10% of RMSE, and 1.20% of RE. The model performance combined with all samples showed 0.67 of $R^2$, 1.26% of RMSE, and 1.36% of RE. The model of cucumber showed better performance than the model of watermelon. This is because variables of cucumber are consisted of widely distributed variation, and it affected the performance. Further, accuracy and precision of the cucumber model were increased when an insignificant sample was eliminated from the dataset. Finally, it is considered that both models can be significantly used to estimate moisture content, as gradients of trend line are almost same and intersected. It is considered that the accuracy and precision of the estimating models possibly can be improved, if the models are constructed by using variables with widely distributed variation. The improved models will be utilized as the basis for developing low-priced sensors.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.296-305
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• 2006

The heterogeneity of crop transpiration is important to clearly understand the microclimate mechanisms and to efficiently handle the water resource in greenhouses. A computational fluid dynamic program (Fluent CFD version 6.2) was developed to study the internal climate and crop transpiration distributions of greenhouses. Additionally, the global solar radiation model and a crop heat exchange model were programmed together. Those models programmed using $C^{++}$ software were connected to the CFD main module using the user define function (UDF) technology. For the developed CFD validity, a field experiment was conducted at a $17{\times}6 m^2$ plastic-covered mechanically ventilated single-span greenhouse located at Pusan in Korea. The CFD internal distributions of air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity at 1m height were validated against the experimental results. The CFD computed results were in close agreement with the measured distributions of the air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity along the greenhouse. The averaged errors of their CFD computed results were 2.2%,2.1%, and 7.7%, respectively.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2015

CpBV (Cotesia plutellae bracovirus) is a polydnavirus and encodes a cystatin (CpBV-CST1) gene. Its overexpression suppresses insect immunity and alters insect developmental processes. This study aimed to construct a genetically modified (GM) tobacco to further explore the physiological function of the viral cystatin and to apply to control insect pests. To this end, the transgenic tobacco lines were screened in expression of the target gene and assessed in insecticidal activity. A recombinant vector (pBI121-CST) was prepared and used to transform a bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefasciens. The transformed bacteria were used to generate transgenic tobacco lines, which were induced to grow callus and resulted in about 92% of shoot regeneration. The regenerated plants were screened by PCR analysis to confirm the insertion of the target gene in the plant genome. In addition, the expression of the target gene was assessed in the regenerated plants by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR analysis showed that the transgenic line plant expressed the target gene about 17 times more than the control tobacco, indicating a stable insertion and expression of the target gene in the transgenic tobacco line. The insecticidal activity was then analyzed using the screened transgenic tobacco lines against the teneral 1st instar larvae of the oriental tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa assulta. Though there was a variation in the insecticidal efficacy among transgenic lines, T9 and T12 lines exhibited more than 95% mortality at 7 days after feeding treatment. These results suggest that CpBV-CST1 is a useful genetic resource to be used to generate GM crop against insect pests.

• 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.