• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.230-238
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• 2018

Human enteric Adenovirus-41 (HuEAdV-41) causes gastroenteritis, which detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) base diagnostic system for clinical, food, environmental, fish and shellfish samples. We developed improved PCR and nested PCR primer set which had high specificity, sensitivity and reduced times. In this study, we compared seventeen conditions reported in the previous study that was using the PCR based HuEAdV-41 detection system, and non-enteric Adenovirus were detected in nine conditions. The most sensitive detection condition was up to 25 copies however it took 184 minutes of PCR reaction time. In this study, the PCR primer set developed had same level of sensitivity, it reduced the time of detection for clinical, food and seafood samples to 112 minutes. Developed nested PCR primer set needed 112 minutes but detected up to approximately 1 copy. In addition, developed PCR and nested PCR primer set was validated with twenty samples of underground water at random, of which ten samples showed specific band without non-specific reaction. We expect this study will be used to diagnose HuEAdV-41 from various samples.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.310-315
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• 1999

We extracted narrow open water streams from JERS-1 SAR images of the Amazon rain forest. The extracted range of these streams were almost comparable to a high level extraction of the same streams from near-IR images of JERS-1 VNIR data notwithstanding that these features in SAR images show the strong dependence of the observation angle. Large water bodies are relatively easy to extract from JERS-1 SAR images, as they tend to appear as very dark areas; but streams whose width is nearly equal to or less than the spatial resolution no longer appear as very dark features. By using strong scatterers distributed sparsely along the radar facing sides of the streams, we can successfully estimate approximate ranges of waterways and then extract relatively dark line-like features within these ranges.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2 s.53
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• pp.93-102
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• 2006

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), an octane booster that is added to the reformulated gasoline, has been a widespread contaminant in aquatic ecosystem. MTBE is a recalcitrant pollutant having low biodegradability. Due to its higher water solubility and low octanol-water partition coefficient, it can be rapidly transported to the surrounding water environment. Also, MTBE is a known animal carcinogen, and is classified as a possible human carcinogen by U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. The adverse effect of MTBE to aquatic biota was widely reported. In Korea, the recent detection of MTBE in groundwater near gasoline filling stations has drawn concern to public health and ecosystem. To address this concern, the effect of MTBE to human health and ecosystem was discussed in this review. Also, ecotoxicity data of MTBE for fish, invertebrates, and algae were extensively compared to estimate the hazard concentration 5($HC_5$) of MTBE as a screening level.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.510-515
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• 2001

There has been an increasing need for analytical methods of dissolved total iron (tFe) that are highly sensitive, rapid, inexpensive and simple for environmental samples. A sensitive flow injection analysis (FIA) method for determining the concentration of tFe in environmental samples was developed. The proposed method required 10 minutes and only $500{\mu}L$ of sample for and analysis. The standard deviation was 5.0% at $0.5{\mu}gL^{-1}$ (n=6), and the detection limit was $0.075{\mu}gL^{-1}$. The developed method was applied to environmental samples such as tap water, mineral water, rain, snow and cloud water. Since this FIA system was free form interferences of coexisting ions commonly found in samples, sub-${\mu}gL^{-1}$ level of tFe could be easily determined without further preconcentration and separation.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.274-283
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• 2015

The reservoir shores seem to be vulnerable to biological invasion. The purpose of this research was to find out the floristic composition of alien plants and their relationship between environmental factors on reservoir shorelines in Korea. We investigated flora of alien plants and environmental factors of geomorphology, hydrology, water quality and soil on the shoreline of a total of 35 reservoirs with different water level managements. There were 56 species of alien plants, which was 15% of the total plant species identified in the study of reservoirs. A total of 57% of these alien species were the species which were introduced shortly after opening the port from 1876 to 1921 in Korea. More than 80% of the alien plants on the reservoir shores originated from America and Europe. The current distribution of Ambrosia trifida and Paspalum distichum were restricted in the central part and the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, respectively. The water level fluctuation, flood frequency at the median water level, water pollution index, coverage of rock exposure and mean degree of shoreline slope were determined as important environmental factors that have an effect on the characteristics of shoreline alien flora. Our results suggest that the reservoir shore was in danger of being invaded by alien plants due to the water level management and other human disturbances. For effective conservation of the reservoir ecosystem, periodic monitoring systems are required for the early detection of alien species on the reservoir shore.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.523-532
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• 2017

A field survey studying intestinal parasites in humans and microbial pathogen contamination at environment was performed in a Laotian rural village to identify potential risks for disease outbreaks. A parasitological investigation was conducted in Ban Lak Sip village, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR involving fecal samples from 305 inhabitants as well as water samples taken from 3 sites of the local stream. Water analysis indicated the presence of several enteric pathogens, i.e., Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp., E. coli H7, E. coli O157: H7, verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC), Shigella spp., and enteric adenovirus. The level of microbial pathogens contamination was associated with human activity, with greater levels of contamination found at the downstream site compared to the site at the village and upstream, respectively. Regarding intestinal parasites, the prevalence of helminth and protozoan infections were 68.9% and 27.2%, respectively. Eight helminth taxa were identified in fecal samples, i.e., 2 tapeworm species (Taenia sp. and Hymenolepis diminuta), 1 trematode (Opisthorchis sp.), and 5 nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, trichostrongylids, and hookworms). Six species of intestinal protists were identified, i.e., Blastocystis hominis, Cyclospora spp., Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, Entamoeba coli, and Giardia lamblia. Questionnaires and interviews were also conducted to determine risk factors of infection. These analyses together with a prevailing infection level suggested that most of villagers were exposed to parasites in a similar degree due to limited socio-economic differences and sharing of similar practices. Limited access to effective public health facilities is also a significant contributing factor.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to develop a real-time PCR method for the rapid detection and quantification of the protozoan pathogen Perkinsus olseni using a TaqMan probe. For the standard, genomic DNA was extracted from $10^5$ in vitro-cultured P. olseni trophozoites, and then 10-fold serial dilutions to the level of a single cell were prepared. To test the reliability of the technique, triplicates of genomic DNA were extracted from $5{\times}10^4$ cells and 10-fold serial dilutions to the level of 5 cells were prepared. The standards and samples were analyzed in duplicate using an $Exicycler^{TM}$ 96 real-time quantitative thermal block. For quantification, the threshold cycle ($C_T$) values of samples were compared with those obtained from standard dilutions. There was a strong linear relationship between the $C_T$ value and the log concentration of cells in the standard ($r^2$ = 0.996). Detection of DNA at a concentration as low as the equivalent of a single cell showed that the assay was sensitive enough to detect a single cell of P. olseni. The estimated number of P. olseni cells was similar to the original cell concentrations, indicating the reliability of P. olseni quantification by real-time PCR. Accordingly, the designed primers and probe may be used for the rapid detection and quantification of P. olseni from clam tissue, environmental water, and sediment samples.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.6_1
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• pp.1041-1053
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• 2018

In this study, a real-time storage level and capacity monitoring and forecasting system for Yongdam Dam watershed was developed using high resolution satellite image. The drought indices such as Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) from satellite data were used for storage level monitoring in case of drought. Moreover, to predict storage volume we used a statistical method based on Principle Component Analysis (PCA) of Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA). According to this study, correlation coefficient between storage level and SPI (3) was highly calculated with CC=0.78, and the monitoring and predictability of storage level was diagnosed using the drought index calculated from satellite data. As a result of analysis of principal component analysis by SSA, correlation between SPI (3) and each Reconstructed Components (RCs) data were highly correlated with CC=0.87 to 0.99. And also, the correlations of RC data with Normalized Water Surface Level (N-W.S.L.) were confirmed that has highly correlated with CC=0.83 to 0.97. In terms of high resolution satellite image we developed a water detection algorithm by applying an exponential method to monitor the change of storage level by using Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) sensor of Sentinel-2 satellite. The materials of satellite image for water surface area detection in Yongdam dam watershed was considered from 2016 to 2018, respectively. Based on this, we proposed the possibility of real-time drought monitoring system using high resolution water surface area detection by Sentinel-2 satellite image. The results of this study can be applied to estimate of the reservoir volume calculated from various satellite observations, which can be used for monitoring and estimating hydrological droughts in an unmeasured area.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2003

Pseudomonas tolaasii causing brown blotch disease was detected by PCR from water samples collected from the oyster mushroom cultivation farms to find the contamination level of the pathogen in water. Sixteen water samples (28.1%) contain less than 1,000 cfu, 31 samples (54.4%) contain 1,001-10,000 cfu, 6 samples (10.5%) contain 10,001-100,000 cfu, and 4 samples (7%) contain of bacteria per milliliter. P. tolaasii-specific DNA band was amplified in 3 samples (5.3%) by nested-PCR and in 20 samples (35.1%) by immunocapture (IC)-nested PCR respectively. These results suggest that IC-nested-PCR was much more sensitive than nested-PCR in detection of P. tolaasii and a quite few waters using for oyster mushroom cultivation were contaminated with P. tolaasii.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.481-486
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• 2017

This paper aims to evaluate the characteristics of direct and indirect effluents'toxicity level and difference between two test durations (24 h and 48 h) of test method. The proportion of the indirect effluent samples which exceeded the ecotoxicity permit limitations (TU 1 or TU 2) showed more than 2 times higher than that of direct effluent samples. However, effluent toxicity of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WTPs) indicated less than TU 1 regardless of influent toxicity. From this results, treatment process was thought to have a good efficiency. WTP Salinity was very similar between influent and effluent. This trend could be reconfirmed by the component ratio of ion concentration between them and $Na^+$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $C^-$ lions which have a greater percentage than other ions. In addition, in case of high salinity, toxicity value also showed high level. To judge from above results, indirect effluents which were exempted from application of ecotoxicity standards, may need a new effluent limitations regardless of the treatment efficiency of WTP. According to circumstances, effective countermeasure may need to restrain the discharge of salinity-contained effluents which came from indirect-effluent factories. Test duration comparative study indicated that 48 h results were higher toxicity (exceeding rate of ecotoxicity criteria) than 24 h by the 5 to 5.4 percentage. 24 h test duration seemed to be useful in case of rapid detection, whereas 48 h test method could be applied for reinforcement of ecotoxicity regulatory system.