• Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2018

Purpose: Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common type of seizure in children between 6 months to 5 years of age. A family history of febrile seizures can increase the risk a child will have a FS. Yet, prevalence of FS regarding external environment has not been clearly proved. This study attempts to determine the association between prevalence of FS and weather. Methods: This study included medical records from the Korea National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Data were collected from 29,240 children, born after 2004, diagnosed with FS who were admitted to one of the hospitals in Seoul, Korea, between January 2009 and December 2013. During the corresponding time period, data from the Korea Meteorological Administration on daily monitoring of four meteorological factors (sea-level pressure, amount of precipitation, humidity and temperature) were collected. The relationships of FS prevalence and each meteorological factor will be designed using Poisson generalized additive model (GAM). Also, the contributory effect of viral infections on FS prevalence and weather will be discussed. Results: The amount of precipitation was divided into two groups for comparison: one with less than 5 mm and the other with equal to or more than 5 mm. As a result of Poisson GAM, higher prevalence of FS showed a correlation with smaller amount of precipitation. Smoothing function was used to classify the relationships between three variables (sea-level pressure, humidity, and temperature) and prevalence of FS. FS prevalence was correlated with lower sea-level pressure and lower humidity. FS prevalence was high in two temperature ranges (-7 to $-1^{\circ}C$ and $18-21^{\circ}C$). Conclusion: Low sea-level pressure, small amount of precipitation, and low relative air humidity may increase FS prevalence risk.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 2008

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of feed withdrawal time(FWT) before transport in farm(<2 hrs, 2~4 hrs, 4~6 hrs) and total feed withdrawal time(TFWT) before slaughter(<8 hrs, 8~12 hrs, >12 hrs) on carcass defects, grades and meat quality of broilers. FWT of 2~4 hrs before transport in the farm showed lower incidences of dead-on-arrival chicks(p<0.05) and bruising chicks, and a little higher incidences of 1st or 2nd carcass grade compared to shorter than 2 hrs or 4~6 hrs of FWT in the farm. In the meat quality of breast meat, FWT of 2~4 hrs in the farm tended to show higher pH and water holding capacity(WHC), and lower drip loss, cooking loss and shear force values compared to shorter than 2 hrs or 4~6 hrs of FWT in the farm. In the total microbial counts of breast meat during 7 days of cooler storage, FWT of 2~4 hrs in the farm showed significantly lower value than shorter than 2 hrs of FWT in the farm. In the carcass defects and grades by TFWT before slaughter, TFWT shorter than 8hrs showed lower(p<0.05) incidences of dead-on-arrival chicks and bruising chicks, and higher(p<0.05) incidences of 1st carcass grade than TFWT longer than 12 hrs before slaughter. In the meat quality of broiler breast meat, TFWT longer than 12hrs before slaughter showed lower(p<0.05) pH and WHC values, and a little higher drip loss, cooking loss and shear force values compared to TFWT shorter than 8 hrs or 8~12 hrs before slaughter. In the total microbial counts of broiler breast meat during 7 days of cooler storage, TFWT longer than 12 hrs before slaughter tended to show higher value than TFWT shorter than 8 hrs or 8~12 hrs before slaughter. As a result, 2~4 hrs of feed withdrawal time before transport in the farm and total feed withdrawal time shorter than 8hrs or 8~12hrs before slaughter could be recommended for the production of high quality broiler meat.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2009

Purpose : In February 2007, an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections occurred in two newborns in the neonatal unit of Sahmyook Seoul Hospital. We performed this study to investigate the characteristics of MRSA nasal carriage among neonatal unit staffs and the effective infection control measures. Methods : Nasal swab specimens were obtained from the neonatal unit staff for the presence of MRSA. MRSA-colonized staffs were offered decolonization therapy with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or 2% mupirocin ointment. Every 2-4months after decolonizaton, repeat nasal swab specimens were obtained. Also, samples from the neonatal unit environment and room air were collected. Results : Successful decolonization was achieved in 92% of the cases in 2 weeks after decolonization therapy, but most of the staffs were recolonized after several months. The nature of antibiotic susceptibility was changed from multi-drugsusceptible to multi-drug-resistant. The most frequently contaminated objects were dressing carts, computer keyboards, bassinets and washbowls. In environmental cultures using the settle microbe count method, the colony counts were decreased significantly at the last study period compared with the first study period in the neonatal room, breastfeeding room, service room, and dressing room (P <0.05). Conclusion : Effective control of sustained MRSA transmission within an institution may require prompt identification, treatment, and monitoring of colonized and/or infected staffs. However, nasal decolonization therapy may induce multi-drugresistant MRSA infection and had no effect on decreasing the MRSA nasal carriage rate in our study. Other factors might be more important, such as improving staff education, increasing hand hygiene practices, and environmental sterilization for controlling MRSA infections.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.264-273
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• 2001

Antimicrobial activities of ave different probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri, L. acidophillus, L. bulgaricus, L. casei and Bifidobacterium longum) against 8 bacterial pathogens were determined on the Mueller Hinton Agar containing supernatant of probiotics obtained from 3 different growth conditions (MRS without glycerol, MRS with 0.5 M glycerol or 0.25 M glycerol solution). Though antimicrobial activity of L. reuteri in the first two conditions was not better than the others', the activity was significantly higher than that of others in 0.25 M glycerol solution. This prominent effect might be attributable to reuterin, produced by L. reuteri using glycerol. We could detect the presence of reuterin in the supernatant of 0.25 M glycerol solution with 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). The result of minimum bactericidal concentration (dilution fold) has revealed that reuterin showed pan-bactericidal effects against 8 major food-borne pathogens. To examine any changes of antimicrobial activities of the probiotics, the probiotics were treated with different pH conditions, pepsin or trypsin digestion. Antimicrobial activity of reuterin was not entirely affected by any of these treatments, while the activities of the other probiotics were significantly decreased.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2010

This study was performed to develop a formulation using an antagonistic bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A-2 to control tomato leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva. B. amyloliquefaciens A-2 was grown in a medium with rice oil and mixed with various carrier and additives. One of the formulations, A2-MP, showed the best disease control value among the tested formulations. The disease control value of A2-MP at 100-fold and 500-fold diluted treatment was not significantly different from that of chemical fungicide triflumizole in a growth chamber. Although disease control effect was decreased by serial diluted treatment of the prepared A2-MP, 1,000-fold diluted treatment of A2-MP still showed high disease control value of 72.0%. For the green house experiments, the disease control values of A2-MP was indicated as 79.4% which is similar to that of chemical fungicide, triflumizole showing 79.6%. When the disease control activity of the formulation A2-MP was compared in tomato production conditions, disease control values of 100-fold diluted A2-MP and 3,000 fold diluted triflumizole exhibited 60%, 81.6%, respectively. The disease control efficiency by A-2MP was 73% of the disease control value of chemical fungicide. The formulation A-2MP maintained the stable bacterial viability and disease control activity when stored at $4^{\circ}C$. This result suggested that A-2MP develped from B. amyloliquefaciens A-2 could be used to control tomato leaf mold.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.435-443
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• 2011

In this study, we evaluated the effects of harvey powder on the fernentation of Yulmoo Kimchi, by measuring sensory, physicochemical, and microbiological properties during fermentation up to 31 days. The Yulmoo Kimchi, with various levels [0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4% (w/w)] of harvey powder, was fermented at $10^{\circ}C$. The product containing the control evidenced the highest scores for appearance and smell. Taste, carbonated taste, texture and overall acceptability were highest in the 0.1% harvey powder and control. During fermentation, titratable acidity increased while pH gradually decreased. Reducing sugar showed no difference at initial fermentation and then steadily decreased. Total vitamin C was gradually decreased during fermentation and reduced sharply after 10 days, and then almost maintained. Total polyphenol content was the highest in the 0.3% harvey powder on day 0 and maintained in all samples thereafter. Antioxidant effect of the Yulmoo Kimchi with 0.1% harvey powder was shown to be the highest. Also, the time required to achieve maximum levels of lactic acid bacteria, as determined by log numbers of cells and total viable cells, were more delayed in the experimental groups with added harvey powder than in the controls. Our results indicated that the Yulmoo Kimchii with below 0.1% added harvey powder was acceptable.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2607-2616
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• 2012

This study was designed to figure out patient safety culture of medical institutions and try to utilize the study results as basic data for analyzing doctor's awareness of patient safety culture. To this end, questionnaire survey was conducted from August 1st to September 5th, 2011, targeting doctors working at senior general hospitals located in G city, and 194 questionnaires were utilized for final analysis. The research results are as follows. First, there was a difference in awareness of deployment of staffs depending on gender, age, term of service in the hospital, contact with patients and working hours per week in relationship between subjects, wards and hospital safety culture, and organizational learning and teamwork in the ward turned out to be significant in accordance with working hours per week, and all sub-areas of the ward safety culture by departments. Second, feedback about the malpractice, communication, report on malpractice frequency and overall safety awareness were found to be significant by departments in relationship of subjects, medical incident reporting system, patient safety evaluation and overall level of consciousness, and the overall safety awareness showed significant results according to contact with patients and working hours per week. Third, there was a positive corelation in sub-areas of the ward and hospital safety culture awareness, overall recognition and patient safety evaluation, and a positive corelation with medical incident reporting system was found in all areas except for attitude of managers/immediate supervisors and that of hospital executives. Fourth, sub-areas of patient safety culture which has a effect on patient safety showed significant results in organizational learning, openness of communication, overall safety awareness, systematic cooperation between departments, feedback/communication and non-punitive response. In conclusion, to increase the level of the ward and hospital patient safety culture of doctors and implement medical incident reporting system faithfully, it is necessary to activate teamwork through organizational learning in the ward based on the adequate staffing and working hours, promote open communication between departments and provide feedback on medical malpractice, thereby establishing a cooperative system by departments and active support of hospital executives for patient safet.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4517-4525
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• 2016

Background: Sperm DNA damage is underlying aetiology of poor implantation and pregnancy rates but also affects health of offspring and may also result in denovo mutations in germ line and post fertilization. This may result in complex diseases, polygenic disorders and childhood cancers. Childhood cancer like retinoblastoma (RB) is more prevalent in developing countries and the incidence of RB has increased more than three fold in India in the last decade. Recent studies have documented increased incidence of cancers in children born to fathers who consume alcohol in excess and tobacco or who were conceived by assisted conception. The aetiology of childhood cancer and increased disease burden in these children is lin ked to oxidative stress (OS) and oxidative DNA damage( ODD) in sperm of their fathers. Though several antioxidants are in use to combat oxidative stress, the effect of majority of these formulations on DNA is not known. Yoga and meditation cause significant decline in OS and ODD and aid in regulating OS levels such that reactive oxygen speues meditated signal transduction, gene expression and several other physiological functions are not disrupted. Thus, this study aimed to analyze sperm ODD as a possible etiological factor in childhood cancer and role of simple life style interventions like yoga and meditation in significantly decreasing seminal oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage and thereby decreasing incidence of childhood cancers. Materials and Methods: A total of 131 fathers of children with RB (non-familial sporadic heritable) and 50 controls (fathers of healthy children) were recruited at a tertiary center in India. Sperm parameters as per WHO 2010 guidelines and reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA fragmentation index (DFI), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy guanosine (8-OHdG) and telomere length were estimated at day 0, and after 3 and 6 months of intervention. We also examined the compliance with yoga and meditation practice and smoking status at each follow-up. Results: The seminal mean ROS levels (p<0.05), sperm DFI (p<0.001), 8-OHdG (p<0.01) levels were significantly higher in fathers of children with RB, as compared to controls and the relative mean telomere length in the sperm was shorter. Levels of ROS were significantly reduced in tobacco users (p<0.05) as well as in alcoholics (p<0.05) after intervention. DFI reduced significantly (p<0.05) after 6 months of yoga and meditation practice in all groups. The levels of oxidative DNA damage marker 8-OHdG were reduced significantly after 3 months (p<0.05) and 6 months (p<0.05) of practice. Conclusions: Our results suggest that OS and ODD DNA may contribute to the development of childhood cancer. This may be due to accumulation of oxidized mutagenic base 8OHdG, and elevated MDA levels which results in MDA dimers which are also mutagenic, aberrant methylation pattern, altered gene expression which affect cell proliferation and survival through activation of transcription factors. Increased mt DNA mutations and aberrant repair of mt and nuclear DNA due to highly truncatred DNA repair mechanisms all contribute to sperm genome hypermutability and persistant oxidative DNA damage. Oxidative stress is also associated with genome wide hypomethylation, telomere shortening and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to genome hypermutability and instability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report decline in OS and ODD and improvement in sperm DNA integrity following adoption of meditation and yoga based life style modification.This may reduce disease burden in next generation and reduce incidence of childhood cancers.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2013

This research was performed to investigate the effect of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts on the levels of lipids in the serum of rats fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. Experimental groups were divided into basal diet only (BDG), high fat diet control (HFDCG), high-fat diet and 5% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder (HF5S), and high-fat diet and 10% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder(HF10S) groups. The levels of hematological variables were not significantly different among the four groups. Compared with the control group's serum total cholesterol level of 89.14 mg/dL, the levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 77.26 and 75.47 mg/dL, respectively. Compared with the control group's LDL-cholesterol leve of 27.41 mg/dL, the LDL-cholesterol levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 20.64 and 20.17 mg/dL, respectively. Also, compared to the control group's serum triglyceride level of 98.36 mg/dL, the triglyceride levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 87.94 and 87.39 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicate that dietary intake of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts might have beneficial effects on obesity by reducing body weight and improving blood lipid profile.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.236-250
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• 2016

This study was conducted to provide baseline data regarding functional cosmetics so that Inula. based cosmetics can increase its competitiveness in the market as well as to understand current trends to enable anticipation of demands for future product development. For this research, general consumers over the age of 20 residing in Seoul and the Gyeonggi district were surveyed. The results show consumers preferred serum-type products among various types of cosmetics, and that they purchased these once every 1-3 months. Consumers also preferred these products in less than 10-30ml capacity, and at costs of less than 30,000-50,000 KRW. For whitening, functional cosmetics consumers also preferred the serum type, in less than 30-50ml capacity and priced less than 30,000-50,000 KRW. Consumers preferred to purchase functional cosmetics in single units. The major purchasing location, with a high preference rate, was cosmetic stores, and the major sources of information, also with high preference rates, were 'experienced reviews from family, friends and acquaintances' and 'TV advertisements'. Respondents selected 'over 50,000 KRW' the most for all items when responding to 'Purchase Intent for Functional Cosmetics containing Inula', and responded that they were willing to pay 10%-30% more for functional cosmetics containing Inula compared to standard functional cosmetics. These results show that businesses in the cosmetics industry need to take consumer demand into account when developing new functional cosmetic products, as well as establish plans to create specialized spaces that provide better quality service and increase word of mouth effect through better utilization of various types of offline media, social media, and blogs. The study also shows a need for businesses to develop products fully utilizing the Inula flower, which has been shown to be effective as a natural skin whitener, wrinkle reducer and skin moisturizer, to appeal to the increasing number of customers interested in health and beauty.