• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.10-17
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the perception regarding palliative care among Korean doctors and referral barriers toward palliative care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: Between May and June 2010, 477 specialists mainly caring cancer patients using a web-based, self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 128 doctors (26.8%) responded. All respondents (100%) deemed palliative care a necessary service for terminal cancer patients. More than 80% of the respondents agreed to each of the following statements: all cancer centers should provide palliative care service (80.5%); all terminal cancer patients should receive concurrent palliative care along with anti-cancer therapies (89.1%) and caring for terminal cancer patients requires interdisciplinary approach (96.9). While more than 58% of the respondents were satisfied with their performance of physical and psychological symptoms management and emotional support provided by patient's family members, 64% of the responded answered that their general management of the end-of-life care was less than satisfactory. Doctors without prior experience in referring their patients to palliative care specialists accounted for 26.6% of the respondents. The most common barrier to hospice referral, cited by 47.7% of the respondents, was "refusal of patient or family member", followed by "lack of available palliative care resources" (46.1%). Conclusion: Although most doctors do recognize the importance of palliative care for advanced cancer patients, comprehensive and sufficient palliative medicine, including interdisciplinary cooperation and end-of-life care, has not been put into practice. Thus, more active palliative consultation or referral is needed for effective care of terminal cancer patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 2008

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of DM (dry matter) content and split application of liquid swine manure (LSM) on productivity of rye and subsequent soil quality on the pasture of Livestock Policy Division, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The experiment was done between November, 2005 and June 2006, using split plot design. Treatments were 2 main plots (7.0 and 1.6% DM LSM) and 2 subplots (basal fertilizer 100% and basal fertilizer 50%+top dressing 50%). Application of 7.0% DM LSM resulted in significant increase in DM yield and plant length of rye compared with 1.6% DM LSM (p<0.05). Crude protein content of rye was significantly higher in split application(basal fertilizer 50%+ top dressing 50%) than in basal fertilizer 100% (p<0.05). No significant difference in macro and micro mineral contents of rye or in subsequent soil quality was found by application of LSM. Mean P content (0.16%) of rye appeared to be lower than proper P level $(0.2{\sim}0.4%)$ of grass crop. The pH (5.5), OM (13.3%), available $P_2O_5$ (47.6 mg/kg) and Ca (2.75cmole/kg) content of the pasture soil studied were lower, compared with those of cultivated soil. Results show that the application of a 7.5% DM liquid swine manure increases the productivity of rye compared with a 1.6% DM liquid swine manure, meanwhile the property of pasture soil was not influenced by application of LSM.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.68-74
• /
• 2016

Perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) is an emerging pollutant detected in surface water, soil, and groundwater. Previous studies provided experimental evidence of autotrophic ClO₄⁻ removal with elemental sulfur (S⁰) particles and activated sludge, which are inexpensive and easily available, respectively. In addition, ClO₄⁻ removal efficiency was shown to increase when an enrichment culture was used as an inoculum instead of activated sludge. PCR-DGGE was employed in the present study to investigate the microbial community in the enrichment culture that removed ClO₄⁻ autotrophically. Microorganisms in the enrichment culture showed 99.71% or more ClO₄⁻ removal efficiency after a 7-day incubation when the initial concentration was approximately 120 mg ClO₄⁻/l. Genomic DNA was isolated from the enriched culture and its inoculum (activated sludge), and used for PCR-DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Microbial compositions of the enrichment culture and the activated sludge were different, as determined by their different DGGE profiles. The difference in DGGE banding patterns suggests that environmental conditions of the enrichment culture caused a change in the microbial community composition of the inoculated activated sludge. Dominant DGGE bands in the enrichment culture sample were affiliated with the classes β-Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes. Further investigation is warranted to reveal the metabolic roles of the dominant populations in the ClO₄⁻ degradation process, along with their isolation.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.139-148
• /
• 2017

The inhibition of tyrosinase, a key enzyme in mammalian melanin synthesis, plays an important role in preventing skin pigmentation and melanoma. Therefore, tyrosinase inhibitors are very important in the fields of medicine and cosmetics. However, only a few tyrosinase inhibitors are currently available because of their toxic effects on skin or lack of selectivity and stability. Therefore, we synthesized a novel series of (E)-2-(substituted benzylidene)-2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]naphthalen-1-one derivatives and evaluated their inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase, with the aim of discovering a novel tyrosinase inhibitor. Among 19 derivatives, MHY3655 ($IC_{50}=0.1456{\mu}M$) showed the strongest inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity compared to kojic acid ($IC_{50}=17.2{\mu}M$), a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor. In addition, MHY3655 showed competitive inhibition on Lineweaver-Burk plots. We confirmed that MHY3655 strongly interacts with mushroom tyrosinase residues through the docking simulation. Substitutions with a hydroxy group at both R2 and R4 in the phenyl ring indicated that these groups play a major role in the high binding affinity to tyrosinase. Further, MHY3655 did not show cytotoxicity at the concentrations tested in B16F10 melanoma cells. In conclusion, the novel compound MHY3655 potentially shows tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and it could be used as an ingredient in whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1215-1224
• /
• 2017

Until now, various oncogenic pathways were idenfied. The accumulation of DNA mutation induces genomic instability in the cell, and it makes cancer. The development of bioinformatics and genomics, to find the precise and reliable biomarker is available. This biomarker could be applied the early-dignosis, prediction and convalescence of cancer. Recently, Transposable elements (TEs) have been attracted as the regulator of genes, because they occupy a half of human genome, and the cause of various diseases. TEs induce DNA mutation, as well as the regulation of gene expression, that makes to cancer development. So, we confirmed the relationship between TEs and colon cancer, and provided the clue for colon cancer biomarker. First, we confirmed long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1), Alu, and long terminal repeats (LTRs) and their relationship to colon cancer. Because these elements have large composition and enormous effect to the human genome. Interestingly, colon cancer specific patterns were detected, such as the hypomethylation of LINE-1, LINE-1 insertion in the APC gene, hypo- or hypermethylation of Alu, and isoform derived from LTR insertion. Moreover, hypomethylation of LINE-1 in proto-oncogene is used as the biomarker of colon cancer metastasis, and MLH1 mutation induced by Alu is detected in familial or hereditary colon cancer. The genes, effected by TEs, were analyzed their expression patterns by in silico analysis. Then, we provided tissue- and gender-specific expression patterns. This information can provide reliable cancer biomarker, and apply to prediction and diagnosis of colon cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.59 no.5
• /
• pp.504-509
• /
• 2005

Background : Endobronchial tumors cause life-threatening dyspnea and can lower the quality of life due to central airway obstruction. In those cases with an intraluminal tumor, various bronchoscopic techniques are available for tumor debulking. The therapeutic effect of bronchoscopic electrocautery for palliation in patients with a symptomatic tumor obstruction was studied. Method : Nineteen patients with bronchogenic carcinomas (n=15) and metastatic tumors affecting the bronchi (n=4), between March 2002 and March 2005, were enrolled in this study. Electrocautery was performed under local anesthesia using an electroprobe and diathermic snare. Using flexible bronchoscopy, a follow-up bronchoscopic examination was performed 3-4 days later. Symptom improvement was evaluated by $FEV_1$, FVC and dyspnea score (Modified Borg Category Scale (0~10)), both before and after the electrocautery. Results : The success rate of electrocautery on the follow up examination was 84%. Patients with endoluminal airway lesions had a mean overall decrease in the size of the obstruction to $47.8{\pm}15.7%$. The mean Improvement in the dyspnea score immediately after the endobronchial tumor debulking was $2.78{\pm}1.42$. The average improvements in the $FEV_1$ and FVC after electrocautery were $0.32{\pm}0.19L$ and $0.5{\pm}0.22L$, respectively. There were 2 cases of complications related with electrocautery (one each of pneumothorax and pneumonia). Conclusion : Electrocautery using an electroprobe and diathermic snare was an effective and safe palliative treatment for a symptomatic endoluminal airway obstruction in lung cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.349-356
• /
• 2015

Thanks to recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, diverse livestock species have been dissected at the genome-wide sequence level. As for cattle, there are currently four Korean indigenous breeds registered with the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations: Hanwoo, Chikso, Heugu, and Jeju Heugu. These native genetic resources were recently whole-genome resequenced using various NGS technologies, providing enormous single nucleotide polymorphism information across the genomes. The NGS application further provided biological such that Korean native cattle are genetically distant from some cattle breeds of European origins. In addition, the NGS technology was successfully applied to detect structural variations, particularly copy number variations that were usually difficult to identify at the genome-wide level with reasonable accuracy. Despite the success, those recent studies also showed an inherent limitation in sequencing only a representative individual of each breed. To elucidate the biological implications of the sequenced data, further confirmatory studies should be followed by sequencing or validating the population of each breed. Because NGS sequencing prices have consistently dropped, various population genomic theories can now be applied to the sequencing data obtained from the population of each breed of interest. There are still few such population studies available for the Korean native cattle breeds, but this situation will soon be improved with the recent initiative for NGS sequencing of diverse native livestock resources, including the Korean native cattle breeds.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.390-397
• /
• 2017

Iron (Fe) is an important micronutrient for the health and growth of plants. Iron is usually provided by fertilizers, and iron-chelate fertilizers are well absorbed by plants. This study presents the plant growth-promoting effects of a new functional iron fertilizer, Fe-chelating crab shell powder (FCSP), which is generated from the chelation of Fe ions with crab shell powder. Iron chelate was derived from spent pickling liquor, which is rich in reductive iron, iron(II) oxide. To analyze the effects of FCSP on plant growth, we treated lettuce with several concentrations of FCSP in both lab- and field-scale experiments. In the lab-scale test, the treatment of 50 ppm of FCSP highly promoted growth and resulted in increases in the size, weight, number and chlorophylls content of leaves of plants compared to the treatment of crab shell powder. Fifty ppm of FCSP also increased the size and weight of leaves up to 2 times compared to the application of chemical fertilizer and/or compost in field conditions. In addition, the FCSP treatment resulted in the highest ion uptake of Fe in lettuce leaves. Moreover, FCSP led to increases in the amounts of Fe, Ca, available phosphorus and organic matter in treated soil, indicating that soil quality was improved. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FCSP promotes lettuce growth via enhancement of Fe availability and improves soil quality. Therefore, FCSP can be utilized as a new functional iron fertilizer.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.198-209
• /
• 2004

In order to elucidate the behavior of the fungicide hexaconazole in soil and rice plants, rice plants were grown for 42 days in a microecosystem (pot) containing fresh and 28 day-aged soil residues of $[^{14}C]$hexaconazole. The amount of $^{14}CO_2$ evolved during 28 days of aging was 0.11 % of total $^{14}C$-radioactivity treated and the averaged weekly degradation rate was 0.03%. Mineralization rates for 42 days of rice cultivation on fresh and aged paddy soils were 0.67% of the total $^{14}C$ in case of non-rice planting on aged soil and 1.17% in case of rice planting on aged soil, whereas 1.25% in non-rice planting on fresh soil and 1.72% in case of rice planting on fresh soil, suggesting that the amounts of $^{14}CO_2$ were evolved higher from fresh soils than aged ones and from rice-planting soils than non-planting ones. The amounts of volatiles collected were very low as background levels. Most of $^{14}C$-Radioactivity was remained in soil after 42 days of rice cultivation and $^{14}C$ absorbed through rice roots was distributed more in shoots than roots and translocated into the edge of shoots of rice plants. Amounts of non-extractable $^{14}C$ in soils were higher in rice planted soil than in non-planting soil. The distribution of non-extractable $^{14}C$ was increased in the order of humin>fulvic acid>humic acid. The amounts of $^{14}C$ translocated into rotational crop Chinese cabbage were 2.36 and 3.69% of the total $^{14}C$ in case of rice planted soil containing fresh and aged residues, respectively, suggesting that small amounts of $[^{14}C]$hexaconazole and its metabolite(s) were absorbed and their bound residues were more available than their fresh ones to Chinese cabbage.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.860-875
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the seasonal variation in the mineral contents of fruits and vegetables available all the year -round. We analyzed Na, K, Mg, Ca, P, Fe Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, and Al concentrations by ICP-mass in 4 fruits and 17 vegetables items which are frequently consumed in Koreans. For Na content, fall apples showed the highest levels among 4 seasons, but fall tangerines contained the lowest amount of Na among the four seasons. Among the vegetables, the spinach, carrots, and lettuce contained relatively high amounts of Na. The K contents of cucumbers, cabbage, and zucchini were higher in the fall than in the other seasons. For Ca and Fe contents, spring strawberries, fall pears, and fall cabbage had the highest levels. The Cr contents of the apples were higher in the fall and winter than those were in the spring and summer. The strawberries contained their highest amounts of Cr, Mn, and Cu in the spring. The above results showed there are seasonal differences in the mineral contents of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the fruits and vegetables tended to contain more minerals in the season they were harvested. Therefore, it is recommended to consume those fruits and vegetables during their harvest season.