• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.623-627
• /
• 2014

Background: Esophagus cancer (EC) is among the five most common cancers in both sexes in Iran, with an incidence rate well above world average. Social rank (SR) of individuals and regions are well-known independent predictors of EC incidence. The aim of current study was to assess gender and social disparities in EC incidence across Iran's provinces through 2003-2009. Materials and Methods: Data on distribution of population at province level were obtained from the Statistical Centre of Iran. Age-standardized incidence rates of EC were gathered from the National Cancer Registry. The Human Development Index (HDI) was used to assess the province social rank. Rate ratios and Kunst and Mackenbach relative indices of inequality ($RII_{KM}$) were used to assess gender and social inequalities, respectively. Annual percentage change (APC) was calculated using joinpoint regression. Results: EC incidence rate increased 4.6% and 6.5% per year among females and males, respectively. There were no gender disparities in EC incidence over the study period. There were substantial social disparities in favor of better-off provinces in Iran. These social disparities were generally the same between males and females and were stable over the study period. Conclusions: The results showed an inverse association between the provinces' social rank and EC incidence rate in Iran. In addition, I found that, in contrast with international trends, women are at the same risk of EC as men in Iran. Further investigations are needed to explain these disparities in EC incidence across the provinces.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• 제30권8호
• /
• pp.960-975
• /
• 1997

This study was carried out to evaluate the iron nutrition status of 212 middle school students(106 males and 106 females) residing in Seoul(13-14 years old ) using eating patterns and a measurement of anthropometrical determination and hematological indices. Fasting blood samples were taken from all subjects, serum iron (SI) and total iron binding capacity(TIBC) concentrations were measured, and transferrin saturation(TS) levels were calculated. Iron and other nutrient intakes were estimated by a semi-quantitative frequency questionnaire. The level of TS(%) which was calculated with TIBC and SI in females(20.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl) was significantly lower(p<0.050 than that of males (27.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗). The prevalence of iron deficiency was found to be 36.7% when defined by TS(%) (<05%). Mean daily intake of total iron in the study subjects was 14mg and heme iron intake was 5.4mg(38.1%) . There was a significant negative correlation between the level of SI and the income level and a positive correlation with the level of TIBC and the income level. TIBC had a positive correlation with the anthropometric variables(Ht, Wt, BMI, RI and PIBW). SI and TS had a negative correlation with body fat percentage. There was a positive correlation between energy intake and TIBC only among females. The logistic regression analysis revealed that income level, body fat percentage , weight and energy intake were major determinants of low SI levels. Among the determinants of abnormal TIBC levels were weight , height, income level and energy intake. Finally , among those of low TS% were iron and energy intake and income level. These observations suggest that physical status, body fat percentage energy and iron intakes and income level are risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia among the middle school students in Seoul.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.739-749
• /
• 2013

The seasonal and spatial diversity of picocyanobacteria (Pcy) in lakes of the Great Mazurian Lakes (GLM) system was examined by DGGE analysis of molecular markers derived from the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal operon and the phycocyanin operon (cpcBA-IGS). The study of nine lakes, ranging from mesotrophy to hypereutrophy, demonstrated seasonal variance of Pcy. The richness and Shannon diversity index calculated on the basis of both markers were higher in spring and lower in early and late summer. No statistically significant relationships were found between the markers and trophic status of the studied lakes or Pcy abundance. There were, however, statistically significant relationships between the diversity indices and sampling time. The analysis pointed to a different distribution of the two markers. The ITS marker exhibited more unique sequences in time and space, whereas a greater role for common and ubiquitous sequences was indicated by the cpcBA-IGS data. Examination of the Pcy community structure demonstrated that communities were grouped in highly similar clusters according to sampling season/time rather than to the trophic status of the lake. Our results suggest that time is more important than trophic status in shaping the diversity and structure of Pcy communities. The seasonal changes in picocyanobacteria and differences in diversity and community structures are discussed in the context of well-established ecological hypotheses: the PEG model, intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH), and horizontal gene transfer (HGT).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• 제25권3호
• /
• pp.279-287
• /
• 2007

The purpose of the study was to introduce the fish fauna and distribution in the Shinpo district, North Korea. Sampling was carried out in October 1997, July 1998, May and October 2002, in sites located in the upstream, middle and down of the southern river of Bukcheong and three brackish lakes of Hommanpo, Daein and Hyunkum, respectively. A total of 29 species belonging to 11 families were found. Family Cyprinidae showed the prosperity in species number, comprising 28% among total species found. No natural monument fishes or rare fishes were captured. Ten commercial species, five anadromous ones and five brackish ones were identified. Feeding guilds was identified as 11 carnivores, 2 herbivores and 7 omnivores. Twenty species belonging to 7 families inhabited in the river, 18 species of 6 families in Lake Homanpo, 21 of 7 in Lake Hyunkum and 23 of 8 in Lake Daein, respectively. Ecological indices of richness, diversity and evenness were highest in Lake Daein and the dominace index was highest in Lake Hyunkum.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• 제32권4호
• /
• pp.329-339
• /
• 2016

The short-term effects of low-level contamination by heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, and Pb) on the soil health were examined by analyzing soil nematode community in soils planted with tomatoes. For this, the soils were irrigated with five metal concentrations ([1, 1/4, $1/4^2$, $1/4^3$, and 0] ${\times}$ maximum concentrations [MC] detected in irrigation waters near abandoned mine sites) for 18 weeks. Heavy metal concentrations were significantly increased in soils irrigated with MC of heavy metals, among which As and Cu exceeded the maximum heavy metal residue contents of soil approved in Korea. In no heavy metal treatment controls, nematode abundances for all trophic groups (except omnivorous-predatory nematodes [OP]) and colonizer-persister (cp) values (except cp-4-5) were significantly increased, and all maturity indices (except maturity index [MI] of plant-parasitic nematodes) and structure index (SI) were significantly decreased, suggesting the soil environments might have been disturbed during 18 weeks of tomato growth. There were no concentration-dependent significant decreases in richness, abundance, or MI for most heavy metals; however, their significant decreases occurred in abundance and richness of OP and cp-4, MI2-5 (excluding cp-1) and SI, indicating disturbed soil ecosystems, at the higher concentrations (MC and MC/4) of Pb that had the most significant negative correlation coefficients for heavy metal concentrations and nematode community among the heavy metals. Therefore, the short-term effects of low-level heavy metal contamination on soil health can be analyzed by nematode community structures before the appearance of plant damages caused by the abiotic agents, heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 2010

A comprehensive mapping project for agroclimatic zoning in South Korea will end by April 2010, which has required 4 years, a billion won (ca. 0.9 million US dollars) and 22 experts from 7 institutions to complete it. The map database from this project may be categorized into primary, secondary and analytical products. The primary products are called "high definition" digital climate maps (HD-DCMs) and available through the state of the art techniques in geospatial climatology. For example, daily minimum temperature surfaces were prepared by combining the climatic normals (1971-2000 and 1981-2008) of synoptic observations with the simulated thermodynamic nature of cold air by using the raster GIS and microwave temperature profiling which can quantify effects of cold air drainage on local temperature. The spatial resolution of the gridded climate data is 30m for temperature and solar irradiance, and 270m for precipitation. The secondary products are climatic indices produced by statistical analysis of the primary products and includes extremes, sums, and probabilities of climatic events relevant to farming activities at a given grid cell. The analytical products were prepared by driving agronomic models with the HD-DCMs and dates of full bloom, the risk of freezing damage, and the fruit quality are among the examples. Because the spatial resolution of local climate information for agronomic practices exceeds the current weather service scale, HD-DCMs and the value-added products are expected to supplement the insufficient spatial resolution of official climatology. In this lecture, state of the art techniques embedded in the products, how to combine the techniques with the existing geospatial information, and agroclimatic zoning for major crops and fruits in South Korea will be provided.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
• /
• 제30권2호
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 2012

High resolution satellite images have been used for building and road system analysis, landscape analysis, and ecological assessment for several years. However, in high resolution satellite images, shadows are necessarily cast by manmade objects such as buildings and over-pass bridges. This paper develops the shadow extraction procedures in urban area including various land-use classes, and the extracted shadow areas are evaluated by a manually digitized shadow map. For the shadow extraction, the Canny edge operator and the dilation filter are applied to make building edge buffer area. Also, the object-based segmentation was performed using Gram-Schmitt fusion image, and spectral and spatial parameters are calculated from the segmentation results. Finally, we proposed appropriate parameters and extraction rules for the shadow extraction. The accuracy of the shadow extraction results from the various assessment indices is 80% to 90%.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.266-271
• /
• 1991

Probably herbivorous fishes were visibility main body as aquatic substantial production in offshore and adjacent sea. It is a major problem to estimation of energy conversion rate by hervivores from primary production when to be measurement for potential productivity of herbivores as above meaning according to deductive method. This was deal with review of I index, with mean transfer efficiency from food in seawater to food in gut be eaten by a particular species. Yet $K_i$ was not settled with an established theory. In this review coefficients of food selection or electivity indices suggested by two Russian biologists, Ivlev and Sorygin, (r-p) /(r+p) and (r/p) were understand unsuitable to use with the transfer efficiency $K_i$. But CCOS that is one of community resemblance chord is suggested to be possible with someone a treatment, as (CCOS)$\times$(Filtering rate).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제53권2호
• /
• pp.98-105
• /
• 2020

Objectives: Obesity is regarded as one of the most prominent health threats worldwide and a serious risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes mellitus type 2, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer. Given the role that societal development-as reflected by the Human Development Index (HDI)-may play in the prevalence of obesity and overweight, this study aimed to investigate the degree to which the prevalence of obesity and overweight is affected by HDI and its components. Methods: In this ecological study, the required data on HDI and its components were gathered from the latest report of the United Nations Development Program, and data on obesity and overweight were acquired from the latest reports published on the World Health Organization website. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 24.0. Results: The prevalence of obesity was determined to be significantly higher among females than males, and the gross national index per capita was found to be significantly higher for males than females (p<0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between HDI and its components and sex, as well as indices of obesity and overweight. Conclusions: A significant positive correlation exists between HDI and obesity. As policy-makers attempt to improve the general welfare of the people, they should be aware of potential unwanted effects of development on the risk of obesity and overweight among the population.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• 제27권5호
• /
• pp.531-538
• /
• 2004

Ginsan, a polysaccharide isolated from Panax ginseng, has been shown to be a potent immunomodulator, producing a variety of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1$\beta$, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$ and GM-CSF, and stimulating lymphoid cells to proliferate. In the present study, we analyzed some immune functions 1$^{st}$-5$^{th}$ days after ginsan i.p. injection, including the level of non-protein thiols (NPSH) as antioxidants, heme oxygenase (HO) activity as a marker of oxidative stress, zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time and level of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) as indices of drug metabolism system, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and albumin level as indicators of hepatotoxicity. Ginsan in the dose of 100 mg/kg caused marked elevation (1.7-2 fold) of HO activity, decrease of total CYP450 level (by 20-34%), and prolongation of zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time (by 65-70%), and showed some differences between male and female mice. Ginsan treatment did not seem to cause hepatic injury, since serum AST, ALT, and ALP activities and levels of total bilirubin and albumin were not changed.d.