• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.279-290
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• 2000

To alleviate the harmful effects from contamination, the Sihwa Lake waters have been regularly fluxed out into the ocean to mix and circulate with the oceanic waters, and then allowed to flow back into the lake. In the present study, eco-environmental impacts by the outflowing contaminated lake waters to the benthic communities of the coastal zones along Kyonggi Bay were examined at three separate areas. A total of 22 groups of meiobenthic animals were commonly found in the subtidal zones of the Bay. All groups of the meiobenthic animals on the 1st and 7th days after the outflow were remarkably reduced in numbers from the selected areas examined, as compared to those observed one day before the outflow. It was also found that the community structure of meiobenthos was changed drastically: At the station near the water gate, for example, where the immediate outflow of the lake water was encountered, the benthic harpacticoids, the group observed to be one of the predominant groups before the outflow, were found to have disappeared completely. For an area that was relatively far away from the water gate, the reduction rate of meiobenthos after the outflow events was slower and more gradual than the nearer sites. An area that is the farthest from the water gate, no reduction in any of the meiobenthos group was observed. The ratio between nematodes/copepods (N/C) was remarkably changed by the outflows at the station near the water gate: One day before the outflow, the ratio was 0.7 while the ratio was 19.0 at the station near the water gate. In contrast, at the stations relatively far from the water gate, the ratio decreased one day after the outflow event, but increasing trends were observed one week later. In the tidal flats, Station 1 exhibited the common observed regional values of the ratio whereas Station 2 showed a very high ratio of 191.3. The results suggested that the contaminated lake water outflows directly effect meiobenthos in a relatively short time period and thus the meiobenthos may be a good indicator animal group for examining the effect of pollution. [Lake Sihwa, contaminat water outflow, meiobenthic animals living]

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.45-72
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• 2005

C. neoformans-associated cryptococcosis is primarily a disease of immunocompromised persons, has a world-wide distribution, and is often spread by pigeons in the urban environment. In contrast, C. gattii causes infection in normal hosts, has only been described in tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world, and has a unique niche in river gum Eucalyptus trees. Cryptococcosis is acquired through inhalation of the yeast propagules from the environment. C. gattii has been identified as the cause of an emerging infectious disease centered on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. No cases of C. gattii-disease were diagnosed prior to 1999; the current incidence rate is 36 cases per million population. A search was initiated in 2001 to find the ecological niche of this basidiomycetous yeast. C. gaftii was found in the environment in treed areas of Vancouver Island. The highest percentage of colonized-tree clusters were found around central Vancouver Island, with decreasing rates of colonization to the north and south. Climate, soil and vegetation cover of this area, called the Coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone, is unique to British Columbia and Canada. The concentration of airborne C. gattii was highest in the dry summer months, and lowest during late fall, winter, and early spring, months which have heavy rainfall. The study of the emerging colonization of this organism and subsequent cases of environmentally acquired disease will be informative in planning public health management of new routes of exposure to exotic agents in areas impacted by changing climate and land use patterns. Cryptococcosis is an infection associated with an encapsulated, basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. The route of entry for this organism is through the lungs, with possible systemic spread via the circulatory system to the brain and meninges. There are four cryptococcal serogroups associated with disease in humans and animals, distinguished by capsular polysaccharide antigens. Cryptococcus neoformans: variety grubii (serotype A), variety neoformans (serotype D), and variety gattii (serotypes B and C) (Franzot et at. 1999). C. neoformans variety gattii has recently been elevated to species status, C. gattii. C. neoformans val. grubii and var. neoformans have a world-wide distribution, and are particularly associated with soil and weathered bird droppings. In contrast, C. gattii (CG) is not associated with bird excrement, is primarily found in tropical and subtropical climates, and has a restricted environmental niche associated with specific tree species. (Ellis & Pfiffer 1990) Ellis and Pfeiffer theorize that, as a basidiomycete, CG requires an association with a tree in order to become pathogenic to mammals. In Australia, CG has been found to be associated with five species of Eucalypts, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis, E. blakelyi, E. gomphocephala, and E. rudis. Eucalypts, although originally native to Australia, now have a world-wide distribution. CG has been found associated with imported eucalypts in India, California, Brazil, and Egypt. In addition, in Brazil and Columbia, where eucalypts have been naturalized, native trees have been shown to harbour CG (Callejas et al. 1998; Montenegro et al. 2000). In British Columbia, Canada, since the beginning of 1999, there have been 120 confirmed cases of cryptococcal mycoses associated with CG in humans, including 4 fatalities (data from British Columbia Centre for Disease Control), and over 200 cases in animal pets in BC (data from Central Laboratory for Veterinarians). What is remarkable about the BC outbreak of C. gattii-cryptococcosis is that all of the cases have been residents of, or visitors to, a narrow area along the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, BC, from the tip of the island in the south (Victoria) to Courtenay on the north-central island as illustrated in Figure 1. Of the first 38 human cases, 58% were male with a mean age of 59.7 years (range 20 - 82): 36 cases (95%) were Caucasian. Ten cases (26%) presented with meningitis, the remainder presented with respiratory symptoms. Cultures recovered from cases of cryptococcosis associated with the outbreak were typed as serogroup B, which is specific to CG (Bartlett et al. 2003). This was the first reported outbreak of CVG in Canada, or indeed, the world. Where infection with CG is endemic, for example, Australia, the incidence of cryptococcosis ranges from 1.8 - 4.7 per million between the southern and northern states (Sorrell 2001). However, the overall incidence of cryptococcosis in immunocompenent individuals has been estimated at 0.2 per million population per year (Kwon-Chung et al. 1984). The population of Vancouver Island is approximately 720,000,consequently, even if the organism were endemic, one would expect a maximum of 0.15 cases of cryptococcal disease annually.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.898-907
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• 2003

Antioxidative function of uncooked powdered food (Sangsik) was evaluated in rats consuming nutritionally unbalanced diet including 1％ cholesterol, high proportion of animal lipids (lard : soybean oil : 8 . 2) , sub-optimal levels of vitamin and mineral mixture along with 0.5% ethanol in drinking water. The uncooked powdered food tested in the present study was a mixture composed of 42 kinds of plant foods (cereals, legumes, seaweeds, vegetables, and fruits) supplemented with vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber. Control rats were fed the semi-purified diet based on the AIN-93G composition, and nutritionally unbalanced rats were divided into 3 groups, and fed one of the following diets with 0.5% ethanol in drinking water for 5 weeks : unbalanced control diet (UC) ,20% Sangsik powder supplemented diet (S20), and 40% Sangsik powder supplemented diet (S40) . Food efficiency ratio was significantly higher in rats fed S40 compared to the value for rats fed UC (p < 0.05). Hepatic level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was significantly lower in rats fed UC compared to that for control rats (p < 0.05) , and was not influenced by dietary supplementation of the Sangsik powder. Hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher in rats fed UC compared to that for control rats (p < 0.05) , and significantly reduced in rats fed S20 or S40 compared to the value for unbalanced control rats. Feeding unbalanced control diet significantly reduced the ratio of hepatic GSH-Px ＋ catalase/SOD activities compared to the value for control rats, and this decrease in the ratio of antioxidant enzyme activities was reversed by adding the Sangsik powder to the diet at 20% (p <0.05) . Based on the results of antioxidant enzyme activities, feeding uncooked powdered diet appears to provide a favorable environment for body's antioxidative defense mechanism. Serum levels of Fe and Cu were significantly lower in rats fed the Sangsik powder supplemented diets compared to the value for unbalanced control rats (p < 0.05) , and levels of Se, Mn, and Zn were also tended to be decreased by dietary supplementation of the Sangsik powder. These results postulate the possibility that ingredients used in the uncooked powdered food may decrease the bioavailability of trace elements in rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.938-943
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• 2009

Purpose : We performed this study in order to investigate the effect of direct renin inhibition on an experimental animal model with nephrotoxic serum nephritis and tried to give useful information for clinical research and renin inhibitor treatment. Methods : Thirty BALB/c 6-week-old male mice were divided into 4 groups: control group (CO, n=5), control-treatment group with aliskiren (CT, n=5), disease group (DO, n=10), and disease treatment group with aliskiren (DT, n=10). Nephritis was induced by an intravenous injection of 0.25 mg/g weight of rabbit anti-GBM immunoglobulin G. Model 2002 Alzet mini-osmotic pumps (Durect Corp.) for aliskiren infusion were implanted into CT and DT. Each group strain was sacrificed serially one at a time on day 14. We estimated the protein-creatinine ratio in 12-hour-collected urine (UP/Cr) and measured the mesangial matrix score in the PAS-stained kidney of each strain. Results : One strain at CT and DT died on day 6 and 7, respectively. Each group strain was sacrificed serially at a time on day 10 because DO were seriously ill. The UP/Cr of each group is as follows: CO, $31.24{\pm}6.54mg/mg$, CT, $23.38{\pm}13.60mg/mg$, DO, $112.72{\pm}10.97mg/mg$, DT $114.07{\pm}32.30mg/mg$. There was no significant difference between DO and DT. The mesangial matrix score of each group was CO, $0.23{\pm}0.10$; CT, $0.13{\pm}0.03$; DO, $1.90{\pm}0.48$; and DT, $1.28{\pm}0.41$, respectively, and there was a significant difference between DO and DT in the extent of mesangial matrix expansion (P=0.008). Conclusion : We found that renin inhibition was able to suppress the mesangial matrix expansion in experimental mice with acute nephritis, although there were no significant differences in UP/Cr.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.350-356
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• 2014

This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of the spent mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) substrates (SMS) in laying hens (Hy-Line Brown). The fresh spent mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) substrates collected from the Namkyung farm were fermented with Bacillus subtilis EJ3 for 2 weeks. A total of twenty-four laying hens were fed corn-soy based experimental diets containing 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 10% (T2) and 15%(T3) fermented SMS for 12 weeks. There were no significant differences among the treatments in egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion and viability during the experimental period. Feed intake was significantly lowered in T0 (118.3 g) than T1 (121.9 g), T2 (120.3 g) and T3 (122.4 g). There were no significant differences among the treatments eggshell breaking strength, thickness and haugh unit, whereas the yolk color of T1, T2 and T3 were significantly heavy than T0. The palatability of boiled meat was significantly better in the T3 laying hens than in the T0 laying hens. In conclusion, fermented SMS can be used as resource of feed in laying hen feed at 5.0-15% level without effect on performance and egg qualify.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.139-150
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• 1985

In order to determine the seasonal prevalence and population density of vector mosquitoes in Kyungpook Province, a survey based on average numbers of female mosquito per trap-night, were carried out during the period from May to November in 1984. Among the 34, 571 mosquitoes collected in Kyungsan county in animal shelters and human dwellings by light traps, approximately 45.0 per cent were Culex tritaeniorhynchus, 34.0 per cent Culex pipiens pallens, and 19.0 per cent Anopheles sinensis. By comparison, distribution of mosquito species in Ankang town, in which Japanese encephalitis had been reported in the past, were quite different and A. sinensis was the most abundant species, being constituted in 75.8 per cent, followed by C. tritaeniorhynchus(23.2 per cent), and C. pipiens pallens(O.6 per cent). In the general pattern of seasonal prevalence, C. tritaeniorhynchus first appeared in mid-June, and trapped in large numbers during the periods from mid-August to early September, showing a simple sharply pointed one-peaked curve, while C. pipiens pallens was found to be active through almost the entire season showing irregular curves with several peaks. The trend of seasonal distribution of A. sinensis was similar to that of C. tritaeniorhynchus, but the earliest dates of appearance and disappearance differed from that of C. tritaeniorhynchus. The results of hourly catches of mosquitoes by human baited traps have clearly shown the differences in the biting rhythm among the vector mosquitoes of this Province, such as the facts that C. tritaeniorhynchus and A. sinensis are rather constantly active all through a night with more or less inconspicuous peaks twice a night, while C. pipiens pallens exhibits an irregular curve, and the numbers of A. vexans nipponii, C. vagans and Armigeres subalbatus are very small and are not sufficient for estimating the biting rhythm. Four genera and fourteen species of larval mosquitoes collected from eighteen kinds of habitats which classified according to the categories followed by Bates (1949). The main breeding sites contributing to peak C. tritaeniorhynchus adult densities in this surveyed areas were evidently ricefields, ground pools, puddles and swamps and marshes, etc. Summarizing the results, this study indicated that the highest population density of C. tritaeniorhynchus was encountered in late August and early September, showing a simple sharply pointed one-peaked curve.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.1 s.60
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• pp.91-103
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• 1998

Under experimental conditions, UVB radiation, a type of ultra violet radiation, has shown to .elate with the occurrence of skin erythema (sun-burn) in human and skin cancer in experimental animal. Cumulative exposure to UVB is also believed to be at least partly responsible for the 'aging' process of the skin in human. It has also been observed to have an effect of altering DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). UVB radiation is both an initiator and a promoter of non-melanoma skin cancer. Meta-analysis is a new discipline that critically reviews and statistically combines the results of previous researches. A recent review of meta-analysis in the field of public health emphasized its growing importance. Using a meta-analysis in this study, we explored more reliable dose-response relationships between UVB radiation and skin cancer incidence. We estimated skin cancer incidence using measured UVB radiation dose at a local area of Seoul (Shin chou-dong). The studies showing the dose-response relationships between UVB radiation and non-melanoma skin cancer incidence were searched and selected for a meta-analysis. The data for 7 reported epidemiological studies of three counties (USA, England, Australia) were pooled to estimated the risk. We estimated rate of incidence change of skin cancer using pooled data by meta-analysis method, and exponential and power models. Using either model, the regression coefficients for UVB did not differ significantly by gender and age. In each analysis of variance, non-melanoma skin cancer incidence after removing the gender and age and UVB effects was significant (p>0.01). The coefficients for UVB dose were estimated $2.07\times10^{-6}$ by the exponential model and 2.49 by the power model. At a local area of Seoul (Shinchon-Dong), BAF value were estimated 1.90 and 2.51 by the exponential and power model, respectively. The estimated BAP value were increased statistical power than that of primary studies that using a meta-analysis method.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1049-1057
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• 2012

The study investigated the biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay of pig slurry supplemented with mixed methanogens and cellulolytic bacteria to improve anaerobic digestion for methane production. For the BMP assay, 7 different microbial supplementation groups consisted of the cultures of mixed methanogens (M), Fibrobacter succinogenes (FS), Ruminococcus flavefaciensn (RF), R. albus (RA), RA+FS, M+RA+FS, and control. The cultures were added in the batch reactors with the increasing dose levels of 1% (0.5 mL), 3% (1.5 mL) and 5% (2.5 mL). Incubation for the BMP assay was carried out for 60 days at $38^{\circ}C$ using anaerobic digestate obtained from an anaerobic digester with pig slurry as inoculum. In results, 5% RF and RA+FS increased total biogas up to 8.1 and 8.4%, respectively, compared with that of control (p<0.05). All 5% microbial culture supplements significantly increased methane production up to 12.1~17.9% compared with that of control (p<0.05). Total solid (TS) and volatile solid (VS) digestion efficiencies showed no relationship to the increased supplementation levels of microbial cultures. After incubation, pH values in all treatment groups ranged between 7.527 and 7.657 indicating that methanogensis was not inhibited during the incubation. In conclusion, the results indicated that both hydrolysis and methanogenesis stages for methane production in anaerobic batch reactors were influenced by the supplemented microorganisms due to the chemical characteristics of pig slurry, but only the 5% supplementation level of all microbial culture supplements used in the experiment affected methane production.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2017

This study aimed to determine the optimal harvesting time for covered barley to make grain silage, in Honam region of Korea. We harvested six varieties of barley every third day from 24 to 42 days after heading (DAH). The moisture content decreased from 62.4% at 24 DAH to 24% at 42 DAH. The moisture content at 36 DAH was 44.3%; however, moisture content at 39 and 42 DAH was lower than 40%. Yield of covered barley significantly increased from 24 to 42 DAH (p < 0.05). Yield at 36 DAH (557 kg/10a) was not significantly different from that at 39 and 42 DAH (p < 0.05). With respect to the feed value of barley grain silage, the amount of crude fiber and crude ash was different by harvesting time (p < 0.05). However, the amount of crude protein, crude fat, and total digestible nutrients (TDN) from 24 and 42 DAH was not significantly different. The pH of grain silage from 24 to 42 DAH was between 3.8 and 4.2 and it was stable until 36 DAH (p < 0.05). However, the pH of grain silage at 39 and 42 DAH was 5.2 and 5.8, respectively, which was higher than the pH of silage with good fermentation quality. The lactic acid content of barley grain silage from 24 to 42 DAH decreased from 5.5% to 0.5% (p < 0.05). The amount of lactic acid at 36 DAH was higher than that at 39 and 42 DAH (p < 0.05). With respect to moisture content, yield, feed value, and fermentation, the optimal harvesting time for grain silage of covered barley was 36 DAH. This could increase the use efficiency of harvesting machine for barley and reduce the harvesting time gap between whole barley silage and grain silage in Korea. Moreover, using barley grain silage for animal feed could reduce the import of corn.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.527-539
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• 2009

The Kumho River flows through volcanic and sedimentary rocks at upstream and downstream regions and also through industrial district including dyeing complex before it meets the Nakdong River, and as a result, many factors can influence the geochemistry of river water. The concentrations of dissolved ions generally increased as it flows downstream. The concentrations of cations are in the order of Ca>Na>Mg>K, and those of anions are $HCO_3$>$SO_4$>Cl>$NO_3$. These results show that the weathering of sandstone and shale containing carbonate including calcite caused the enrichment of Ca and $HCO_3$. At first 4 sampling sites, Si contents are relatively high mainly due to the weathering of silicate minerals of volcanic rocks. However, Na and $SO_4$ contents are higher at downstream sites due to the industrial and municipal sewage. Piper diagram also shows that the geochemical patterns changed from Ca-$HCO_3$ to Ca-Cl/Ca-$SO_4$ and Na-Cl/Na-$SO_4$ type. When comparing the samples collected in May and July, the concentrations of dissolved ions in July are generally lower than those in May, which indicates that dilution by precipitation played an important role. In July the relative concentration of Ca increased, indicating that Ca in soils probably from fertilizer were mixed into the river water by precipitation. The river waters are mainly from precipitation. The dissolved ions are mainly from weathering of carbonate minerals and pollutants from municipal sewage and discharged water from industrial complex. The composition of oxygen and deutrium isotope in July showed higher values, which is contrary to the amount effect, maybe due to Youngchon Dam. The nitrogen isotope showed lower values in July than those in May, which can be interpreted to indicate mixing of nitrate from soils and fertilizer in the cultivated land by the heavy rain. The isotope composition of nitrate increased downstream, indicating that the influence of sewage and animal manure also increased downstream.