• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.326-329
• /
• 2015

Fusaric acid is a mycotoxin produced by species of the fungus Fusarium and can act synergistically with other Fusarium toxins. In order to develop a specific detection method for fusaric acid-producing fungus, PCR primers were designed to amplify FUB10, a transcription factor gene in fusaric acid biosynthetic gene cluster. When PCR with Fub10-f and Fub10-r was performed, a single band (~550 bp) was amplified from F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. verticillioides, F. anthophilum, F. bulbicola, F. circinatum, F. fujikuroi, F. redolens, F. sacchari, F. subglutinans, and F. thapsinum, all of which were known for fusaric acid production. Whereas the FUB10 specific band was not amplified from Fusarium species known to be trichothecene producer. Because production of fusaric acid can co-occur in species that also produce fumonisin mycotoxins, we developed a multiplex PCR assay using the FUB10 primers as well as primers for the fumonisin biosynthetic gene FUM1. The assay yielded amplicons from fumonisin producers such as F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides, allowing for the simultaneous detection of species with the genetic potential to produce both types of mycotoxins.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.303-313
• /
• 2021

Peanuts in storage were estimated for mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. Peanut samples collected from storages in Gochang were mainly contaminated with Fusarium (17.2±28.0%), Penicillium (12.4±28.0%), and Aspergillus (8.0±7.6%). Other genera, including Talaromyces, Rhizopus, Rhizoctonia, Trichocladium, Clonostachys, Mucor, Chaetomium, Trametes, Epicoccum, and Humicola, were also found. Although aflatoxins were not detected in the peanut samples, 29 strains of Aspergillus flavus were identified using molecular marker genes. Among them, 17 selected isolates produced aflatoxins in solid culture media ranging from 0.61-187.82 ㎍/kg. All of them could produce both aflatoxin B₁ and B₂ and some (n=5) produced additional G₁, G₂, or both. This study is the first report that A. flavus stains obtained from Korean stored peanut are aflatoxigenic.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.31
• /
• pp.1.1-1.13
• /
• 2016

Objectives To investigate the accuracy and scientific validity of the current very low risk factor for hereditary diseases in humans following exposures to ionizing radiation adopted by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The value is based on experiments on mice due to reportedly absent effects in the Japanese atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors. Methods To review the published evidence for heritable effects after ionising radiation exposures particularly, but not restricted to, populations exposed to contamination from the Chernobyl accident and from atmospheric nuclear test fallout. To make a compilation of findings about early deaths, congenital malformations, Down's syndrome, cancer and other genetic effects observed in humans after the exposure of the parents. To also examine more closely the evidence from the Japanese A-bomb epidemiology and discuss its scientific validity. Results Nearly all types of hereditary defects were found at doses as low as one to 10 mSv. We discuss the clash between the current risk model and these observations on the basis of biological mechanism and assumptions about linear relationships between dose and effect in neonatal and foetal epidemiology. The evidence supports a dose response relationship which is non-linear and is either biphasic or supralinear (hogs-back) and largely either saturates or falls above 10 mSv. Conclusions We conclude that the current risk model for heritable effects of radiation is unsafe. The dose response relationship is non-linear with the greatest effects at the lowest doses. Using Chernobyl data we derive an excess relative risk for all malformations of 1.0 per 10 mSv cumulative dose. The safety of the Japanese A-bomb epidemiology is argued to be both scientifically and philosophically questionable owing to errors in the choice of control groups, omission of internal exposure effects and assumptions about linear dose response.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.185-189
• /
• 2006

It is the actual state of the medical society in our country that many graduates of medical schools want to be clinicians, and accordingly Korea's medical situation is relatively too focused on curative medicine. However, this situation is changing due to several factors including a growing number of doctors, inappropriate regulations for medical fees, changes in social status of doctors themselves, and excessive competition between doctors. Furthermore, we expect more advances in medical field of Korea since Korean government started to attach great importance to sciences and produced policies to support sciences, and as a result, more and more interest and effort in the fields of basic research including preventive medicine is being attached especially by young doctors as compared against the past. However, decline of clinical medicine fields doesn't always mean bright future for the field of preventive medicine. True future is possible and meaningful only when we prepare for it by ourselves. In other words, as the promising future is closed to one who spares no effort, we shouldn't fear to oppose unknown challenges and simultaneously need to support colleagues who bear such a positive mind. It is the most important thing for our preventive medicine doctors to evaluate the past and the present of preventive medicine and to foster a prospective mind to prepare for the future of preventive medicine. I set forth my several views according to directions for the development of preventive medicine which we already discussed and publicized in the academic circle of preventive medicine. Those directions are recommendation of clinical preventive medicine, promotion of preventive medicine specialty, fostering the next generations, improving the quality of genetic epidemiologic study, participation in control of environmental pollution and food safety, contribution to chronic disease control, and preparation to role in medical services for unified Korea.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.423-432
• /
• 2017

This study used SSARR model to predict the flood hydrograph for the Miho stream in the Geum river basin. First, we performed the sensitivity analysis on the parameters of SSARR model to know the characteristics of the parameters and set the range. For the parameter calibration, optimization methods such as genetic algorithm, pattern search and SCE-UA were used. WSSR and SSR were applied as objective functions, and the results of optimization method and objective function were compared and analyzed. As a result of this study, flood prediction was most accurate when using pattern search as an optimization method and WSSR as an objective function. If the parameters are optimized based on the results of this study, it can be helpful for decision making such as flood prediction and flood warning.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.105-113
• /
• 2014

Objectives: It is necessary to apply quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) for the various chemicals with insufficient toxicity data that are used in the workplace, based on the precautionary principle. This study aims to find application plan of QSAR software tool for predicting health hazards such as genetic toxicity, and carcinogenicity for some chemicals used in the electronics industries. Methods: Toxicity prediction of 21 chemicals such as 5-aminotetrazole, ethyl lactate, digallium trioxide, etc. used in electronics industries was assessed by Toxicity Prediction by Komputer Assisted Technology (TOPKAT). In order to identify the suitability and reliability of carcinogenicity prediction, 25 chemicals such as 4-aminobiphenyl, ethylene oxide, etc. which are classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) were selected. Results: Among 21 chemicals, we obtained prediction results for 5 carcinogens, 8 non-carcinogens and 8 unpredictability chemicals. On the other hand, the carcinogenic potential of 5 carcinogens was found to be low by relevant research testing data and Oncologic TM tool. Seven of the 25 carcinogens (IARC Group 1) were wrongly predicted as non-carcinogens (false negative rate: 36.8%). We confirmed that the prediction error could be improved by combining genetic toxicity information such as mutagenicity. Conclusions: Some compounds, including inorganic chemicals and polymers, were still limited for applying toxicity prediction program. Carcinogenicity prediction may be further improved by conducting cross-validation of various toxicity prediction programs, or application of the theoretical molecular descriptors.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.501-507
• /
• 2009

By using topology and shape optimization, a theoretically optimum FRP deck was proposed. Firstly, a topologically optimal shape, truss-like structure without hinges, was found. A truss-shape frame is the most ideal structure when subjected to a concentrated force at the center of simply supported beam. An armature was found at the point joining horizontal chord and diagonal chord, which was used as a new design variable. Secondly, optimum value of each variable was decided through shape optimization using genetic algorithm. To compare it with existing commercial FRP decks, shape optimization was performed by fixing the height of FRP decks. To verify the performance of the FRP deck proposed in this study, a finite element analysis was performed. As a result, it satisfies serviceability and safety guide lines of FRP decks.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.85-94
• /
• 2004

In the companion paper, a constitutive model was proposed in order to represent brittleness and dilatancy for cohesionless soils. An optimized design methodology was proposed on the basis of real-coded genetic algorithm in order to determine parameters fir the proposed model systematically. The material parameters were then determined by that algorithm. In order to verify the proposed model, triaxial tests were peformed under $K_0$ conditions for weathered soils. In addition, the results of istropic compressed triaxial tests for granular materials verified the proposed model. For those results the brittle stress-strain relationship and the dilatancy could be modeled reasonably by the proposed model. As a result it was found that the proposed model can appropriately represent the behavior on weathered soil and granular soil.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.11
• /
• pp.1540-1549
• /
• 2017

Objective: Increasing food safety demands in the animal product market have created a need for a system to trace the food distribution process, from the manufacturer to the retailer, and genetic traceability is an effective method to trace the origin of animal products. In this study, we successfully achieved the farm tracing of 6,018 multi-breed pigs, using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers strictly selected through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) feature selection. Methods: We performed farm tracing of domesticated pig (Sus scrofa) from SNP markers and selected the most relevant features for accurate prediction. Considering multi-breed composition of our data, we performed feature selection using LASSO penalization on 4,002 SNPs that are shared between breeds, which also includes 179 SNPs with small between-breed difference. The 100 highest-scored features were extracted from iterative simulations and then evaluated using machine-leaning based classifiers. Results: We selected 1,341 SNPs from over 45,000 SNPs through iterative LASSO feature selection, to minimize between-breed differences. We subsequently selected 100 highest-scored SNPs from iterative scoring, and observed high statistical measures in classification of breeding farms by cross-validation only using these SNPs. Conclusion: The study represents a successful application of LASSO feature selection on multi-breed pig SNP data to trace the farm information, which provides a valuable method and possibility for further researches on genetic traceability.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.17-31
• /
• 1990

The purpose of this study is to make a comparative analysis of the educational bojective, organization, contents, teaching and evaluation of the biological curriculum in high school of Korea and the United States. The results are summarized as follows: 1. In case of the educational objectives, both Korea and the United States emphasize the importance of the process of inquiry, experimentation and observation. Particularily, great emphasis is placed upon the human centered curriculum by reinforcing the relationships between the nature and human being. 2. In regard to the educational organization, eleven credit units(Science I: 5 credits, Biology: 6 credits) is allocated in Korea, and ten credit unit, in the United States. Both of Korea and United Stats designate the biology as elective course. But the science I course is designated as required in Korea 3. This study have been analyzed the educational contents of the two countries within the framwork of the basic concepts and essential informations contained in the curriculum. Results of the analysis as follow: The educational contents have less quantity and lower level in Korea than in the United States. And interrelations among the other curricula are not well considered in the curriculum of Korea/ On the other hands, interrelations among the oter curricula are fully considered and the purpose for emphasizing the importance of the process of inquiry course is well considered in the United States. The themes are stressed on "Structure and Function" (34.5%), "Genetic continuty" (21.3%), "Diversity and Unit" (14.2%) and "Regulation and Homeostasis" (10.3%) in Korea, and in the United States "Structure and Function" (27.3%), "Diversity and Unity" (25.6%), "Genetic continuty" (17.9%) and "Organism and Environment" (9.3%). 4. Regarding the educational guidance, both of Korea and the United States emphasis the interrelation of the basic concepts and principles within the total framwork. Also observation and experimentation, safety education, interest of students, life dignity, pretection of nature, social biology are reguired being paid special attentions. 5. In case of evaluation, both of Korea and the United States are the same in all of methods of evaluation. But the United States is grest stressed on reading and writing.