• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was aimed at analyzing the serotypes of group B streptococcus (GBS) isolated from Korean infants with invasive disease and evaluating their association with disease manifestation. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from invasive GBS infections at Gachon University Gil Medical Center from January 2006 to June 2012 and at Samsung Medical Center from April 2010 to November 2012. Serotypes were determined by slide agglutination test. Results: A total of 37 cases were identified, which included 22 full-term infants and 15 preterm infants. Fifteen cases (40.5%) were early-onset, 19 (51.4%) was late-onset, and three (8.1%) was very late-onset. Early-onset diseases among preterm infants were higher than those among full-term infants (60.0% [9/15] vs. 27.3% [6/22], P=0.17). The most common manifestation was bacteremia (70.3%), followed by meningitis and septic arthritis. Among 24 isolates retrievable for serotyping, serotype III (41.7%) was most common, followed by V (16.7%), Ia, Ib, and II (12.5%, respectively), and non-typeable (4.2%). Serotype III was more common in isolates from full-term infants (10/22) than from preterm infants (0/15), whereas serotype V was more common in isolates from preterm infants (4/15) than from full-term infants (0/22) (P=0.002). No penicillin-resistant strain was detected, and resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin were both 64.9%. Conclusions: GBS is an important pathogen in both preterm and full-term infants, and serotype distribution of GBS causing invasive diseases can differ between preterm and full-term infants. It is necessary to monitor the nationwide epidemiology of GBS diseases, including in preterm infants, in order to prepare preventive measures without underestimating early-onset diseases.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.368-379
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• 1989

The relationship between mercury level of hair and mental retardation was investigated. The 297 subjects with mental retardation were drawn from two schools providing special educational services, one, consisted of children living in an orphan home, another, children with parents. The 117 centre] subjects were drawn from whom had got average or above average academic achivement in a regular elementary school. Hair sample were taken from the nape of the neck and the mercury analysis was carried out on an atomic absorption spectrophotometer(IL 551). There was no relationship between mercury contents and age, and there was a statistically significant difference in mercury contents between male and female in the mentally retarded children living with parents. Children in the retarded group had significantly higher mercury contents compared with control group except the female group with parents. Also, the mercury levels in the retarded group living in an orphan home were significantly higher than that of the retarded group with parents. The concomitant diseases were Down's syndrome, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and autism. There were statistically significant differences in hair mercury levels in the cases of accompanying Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy in male and Down's syndrome and autism in female compared with the control group of the same sex. The most accompanying handicap was speech disturbance(40.7%) and the others were crippled, emotional disturbance etc. The percentages of double handicap were 66.7% among 6 persons exceeding 6ppm of their hair mercury contents. 10.4% among $3{\sim}6$ ppm and 15.7% among the group of 3ppm or less. The findings of this study suggest that the more opportunities of exposure to mercury in mentally retarded children may have occurred, so it can not be excluded the possibility of mercury as a contributing factor to mental retardation. Therefore, the causal relationship between mercury levels and mental retardation should be established through the examinations about their living environments, dietary pattern, eating habit etc.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2002

Objective : The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HBsAg-positives in the late 1990's among Korean adults. In addition, we evaluated the association of age, a residential area, a vaccination rate, a family history of chronic liver diseases and a past history of acute liver disease with the seropositivity of HBsAg, and estimated the prevalence of chronic HBV infection by follow-up for 6 month or more. Methods : A total of 10 areas, six metropolitan and four small cities, were selected. In each cities, one health screening center was selected for recruitment of study subjects. The study subjects were enrolled from a general health examination program that is provided by medical insurance companies. Questionnaires on various risk factors were administered to the study subjects. Sera was drawn and tested for HBsAg by radioimmunoassay. HBeAg and ALT were also tested for those of HBsAg positive. The HBsAg positives was retest for HBsAg 6 months later Results : Among the study subjects (n= 1816), the seroprevalence of HBsAg was 5.5% (95% CI=4.5%-6.6%), 7.4% in men (95% CI=5.8-9.4) and 3.6% in women (95% CI=2.5-5.0). A past history of acute liver disease and a family history of chronic liver diseases was shown to be risk factors for HBsAg positivity. Among the 31 HBsAg-positives, negative seroconversion rate was estimated to be 3.2%, Thus, prevalence of chronic HBV infection was estimated to be 5.3% (95% CI=3.7-6.6). Conclusion : In this study, the HBsAg seroprevalence rate was lower than that of the other studies in 1980's, particularly in young adult and women. Considering the public health importance of liver cancer and chronic liver diseases, the further effort is needed to prevent and reduce the HBV infection.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.4 s.55
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• pp.733-746
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• 1996

To evaluate the follow-up management state and related factor of lead battery workers in periodic health examination as part of program of group occupational health service, author studied 293 workers with questionnaire on knowledge of results and follow-up management state and related factors, and compared the responses to their periodic health examination result charts. The results were as follows: 1. 252(86%) workers responsed that they had received the health examination result chart, but only 116(39.6%) workers responsed that they had been educated or explained about the results of health examination, and 11(57.9%) workers among 19 workers with non-occupational disease D, 101(44.3%) workers among 228 workers with non-occupational disease C, and 19(28.4%) workers among 67 workers with occupational disease C knew accurately their health examination results. 2. 78(24.8%) of the workers responsed that they had follow-up management, and contents of follow-up management were follow-up(36.6%), out-patient treatment (31%), change worksite(8.5%), temporary retirement(7.0%) and others(16.9%). 3. Most of the workers responsed that the health examination were necessary, but three-fourths of the workers responsed that the health examination had been superficial or that they didn't know. 4. In this study, follow-up management show significant association with only explanation or education about health examination result chart.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.398-406
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• 2012

This study aimed to examine whether the polygenic profile of ACE ID and ACTN3 R577X polymorphisms is associated with muscle power performance in Korean athletes. For this study, 106 top-class power athletes (top-class group), 158 elite power athletes (elite-class group), and 676 healthy adults (control) aged 18-39 yrs were recruited and their genotypes were analyzed. The top-class group showed higher frequencies of the II genotype and I allele in ACE, as well as higher frequencies of the RR genotype and R allele in ACTN3 (top-class vs. control: 41.4% vs. 32.1% for II genotype, 67.1% vs. 57.7% for I allele, p<0.05; 42.3% vs. 29.0% for RR genotype, 65.3% vs. 54.8% for I allele, p<0.05). In the polygenic profile, the top-class group had significantly higher frequencies of combined-II/ID+RR/RX genotype than the control group (top-class vs. control: 82.9% vs. 66.7% for II/ID+RR/RX, p<0.05), and there was even a sharp increase in total genotype score (TGS) in this group compared to the elite-class and control groups ($66{\pm}0.9$ vs. $58{\pm}1.9$ vs. $56{\pm}2.3$, p<0.05). The combined-II/ID+RR/RX genotype showed the possibility of succussion in the top-class muscle power performance with an odds ratio of 2.3 (CI:1.4-4.1, p<0.05). These results suggested that ACE and ACTN3 need to interact with each other to affect muscle-power performance in an additive form. Furthermore, the polygenic profile of ACE and ACTN3 can predict muscle performance with high success in a homogeneous dominant combined genotype (II/ID+RR/RX). A further study could identify and combine other genes into ACE and ACTN3 for muscle strength.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.115-127
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• 1998

Under the visual judgement of consumers, to reduce nitrate intake through vegetables, this experimentation analyzed the content of nitrate, in heading leaf vegetables such as chinese cabbage(Brassica campestris L. ssp. perkinensis (Lour.) Rupr), cabbage(Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) and lettuce(Lactuca sativa L.) by the leaf number. And the result is summarized as follows In the nitrate content change by the leaf number, the nitrate content is increased as it goes by from inner leaf to outer leaf and the nitrate content in leaf midrib is higher than that in leaf blade. In case of chinese cabbage, the nitrate content in the leaf midrib from the most inner leaf to the most outer leaf changed 40-3,177ppm and in the leaf blade it changed 40-2,887ppm. But the nitrate content in the leaf blade of cabbage from the most inner leaf to the most outer leaf changed 89~2,297ppm and in the leaf blade it changed 25~765ppm. In case of lettuce, the nitrate content change of the leaf midrib by the leaf position was 419~4,349ppm, and in the leaf blade it changed 260~2894ppm. It was conclude that the outer leaf of chinese cabbage, cabbage and lettuce should be removed to keep the lower nitrate intake by population before it is consumed.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.583-593
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of mixed-sowing of legume forage and applying of cattle manure on the productivity of organic rye to provide dairy farmers with safe organic feeds. Also the present study aimed to evaluate optimal applying level of cattle manure and carrying capacity of Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) per unit area. The amount of crude protein was significantly higher in the mixed-sowing of legume forage (average 760~786 kg/ha) than in the single-sowing of rye (average 353 kg/ha) (p<0.05). The mixed-sowing of forage peas and the single-sowing of rye tended to improve by increasing the level of nitrous fertilization rather than the fertilization treatment. The amount of crude protein on the rye according to the mixed-sowing of legume was significantly higher in the mixture (average 8.29~9.90%) than in the single (average 4.93%) (p<0.05). The comparison by the level of nitrogen fertilization indicated significantly high for the rye in 50 kg N/ha than in fertilization treatments (p<0.05). Total digestible nutrients (TDN) amount in the single-sowing of rye was average 46.86% and has lower than average 49.96~50.12% of the mixed-sowing of legume, and especially the mixed-sowing of forage pea was the highest with 54.55% in 150 kg N/ha for the level of nitrogen fertilization (p<0.05). The breeding ability of annual organic livestocks per unit area according to the feed value of rye presented significantly higher ability in the mixed-sowing of legume (3.72~4.12 heads) than the single-sowing of rye (average 2.26 heads) (p<0.05). By summarizing above results, the mixed-sowing of legume is required to improve the productivity and the feed value of rye for increasing organic livestock breeding ability in southern area of Gyeongbuk regions, and the study for identifying the appropriate fertilization level using livestock excretions is further necessary.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.549-565
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the growth characteristics and functional materials of baby vegetables as affected by different LEDs and luminous intensity at Anseongsi, Gyeonggi Province, in 2014. Test crops were beet, chicory, spinach, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard purchased from the seed company of Dongbu Hannong and Jinheung. Growth characteristics were measured and the content of functional materials was analyzed 40 days after seeding at plug plate. Treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity showed the highest number of leaves in five baby vegetables of beet, chicory, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard. The highest shoot length of chicory, spinach, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard was obtained from the treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Fresh weight and dry weight of all six baby vegetables were the highest in treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b of spinach, red leaf lettuce and red mustard showed the highest in Fluorescent lamp at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity whereas other crops did not show definite trend under different LEDs lights and luminous intensity. The highest total content of anthocyanins and polyphenol were obtained from the treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity in all six baby vegetables. Free radical scavenging activity was highest in all six vegetable crops at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity, but it was not different significantly between LEDs. As a result, the growth and the content of functional material of baby vegetables are generally to be increased in Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Mixed light of Red+Blue is thought to give good effect on the growth and the content of functional material in baby vegetable crops. Because there are many differences in regard of LED lights, crop varieties, cultivation and experimental methods in their impact on the growth and functional materials of baby vegetables among researchers, it is considered that a more precise studies are needed for the crop responses to LED light and luminous intensity.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.319-330
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• 2007

This study analyzed physical and chemical characteristics of peat soil to use peat soil as the materials fur pot media and investigated seedling quality of horticultural plants in order to use peat soil as the raw materials fur pot media. The summary of the results is as follows; The chemical characteristics of peat soil, which is main ingredient of pot media are as follows; pH was 4.9, EC was less than $2.0ds{\cdot}m^{-1}$, which interferes the growth of the plant and organic ingredient was 33%. When looking into the germination characteristics of plants according to the mixture of pot media, red pepper showed 54.2% speed of germination and 97% germination rate in peat soil single treatment. Therefore the peatsoil was appropriate for the pot media for red pepper. In case of cucumbers, in the 50 : 50 treatment of main ingredient (peat soil) and auxiliary ingredients (vermiculite, peat moss and perlite) they showed 100% speed of germination and 100% germination rate. Therefore 50 : 50 treatment was appropriate fur the pot media for cucumbers. In case of chinese cabbage, peat soil, perlite and peat moss mixture (50 : 25 : 25) treatment showed the highest speed of germination (77.5%), while the germination rate was a little lower (92.15%) than comparative soil. However, it was appropriate for the pot media for chinese cabbage. In case of watermelon, germination was bad because of the influence of EC when the teat soil ingredient is over 80%. However, in the mixture of peat soil and vermiculite (50:50) treatment, they showed 91.6% speed of germination and 100% germination rate. Therefore it was appropriate for the pot media for watermelon. When looking into the growth of the plants according to the mixture of ingredients, peat soil and perlite (50:50) mixture showed excellent seedling quality for cucumbers, peat soil and perlite (50:50) mixture showed excellent seedling quality and it was proven to be appropriate for the pot media for cucumbers. In case of watermelon, peat soil, peat moss and perlite (80 : 10 : 10) mixture showed excellent seedling quality and it was proven to be appropriate for the pot media for watermelon.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.373-384
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• 2011

This experiment was conducted to investigate the selection of regional double cropping system for production of organic forage in middle part of Korea and investigated their productivity, feed values and stock carrying capacity. The test results proved the Sorghum${\times}$Sudangrass hybrid was 10.9 $ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$, the one of Rye + Red clover and Rye + Hairy vetch were the highest one as 3.3 $ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ and the relative yield about a Rye is higher in the dry matter yield in the field soil. And as for the relative forage values (RFV), Corn is the most excellent ones as 96.6 but there were no the significant difference between the Sorghum${\times}$Sudangrass hybrid of 84.4 and it. The total digestible nutrient (TDN) content in Rye + Hairy vetch is higher than others as 59.7%. As for the relative feed value, Rye + Red clover is the highest one as 83.8 but there was no significant differences between them. As for the ability to raise livestock in the field soil, the average values of $K_{CP}$ and $K_{TDN}$ are shown as 4.27 head/ha/yr in Sorghum${\times}$Sudangrass hybrid. As for the same crops, the average values of $K_{CP}$ and $K_{TDN}$ showed the highest ones as 1.74 head/ha/yr, in Rye + Red clover but there were no the significant differences. As for the dry matter yield of the rice field soil, organic rice straw was 3.3 $ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ and Rye + Red clover significantly showed the highest values as 4.1 $ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$. In the rice filed soil, the crude protein content of organic rice straw was 3.1% and the TDN content of organic rice straw was 55%. The TDN content in Rye + Red clover was higher than others as 59.7%. As for the relative forage values, Rye + Red clover showed the highest one as 83.8 but there were no significant differences between them. As for the ability to raise livestock in the rice field, the average values of $K_{CP}$ and $K_{TDN}$ in the organic rice straw was 1.04 head/ha/yr and the average values of $K_{CP}$ and $K_{TDN}$ in Rye + Red clover is the highest one as 1.84 head/ha/yr, but there were no significant differences in all of them.