• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.99 no.6
• /
• pp.908-913
• /
• 2010

This study analyzed the impact of climatic and topographic factors on tree radial growth of Pinus densiflora and Quercus spp. in central regions of Korea. To find the relationship between annual tree radial growth and climatic factors, we took the core samples from individual trees and measured the tree radial width. On the assumption that the tree radial growth is related to the tree age, we estimated the radial growth by the tree age as an independent variable. Also, we estimated the standard growth, defined as the radial growth of trees aged 30. As results, we found the spatial auto-correlation in the radial growth of the red pine. Moreover, we also found the relationships between climatic and topographic and the standard growth using the GAM (Generalized Additive Model). Increase of temperature has negative impacts on the radial growth of Pinus densiflora, while it has positive impacts on the radial growth of Quercus spp.. On the other hands, increase of precipitation has negative impacts on the radial growth of both species. Lastly, we predicted the spatial distribution changes of Pinus densiflora and Quercus spp. using the temperature increase scenario and the Geographic Information System (GIS) based forest type map. We could predict that Pinus densiflora is more vulnerable than Quercus spp. to climate change so that the habitats of Pinus densiflora will be gradually changed to the habitats of Quercus spp. in eastern coastal and southern regions of Korea after 60 years.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.572-586
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study examined the factors that may affect the growth status of preterm infants. Methods: This study included 91 preterm infants born at <37 weeks of gestation (22.9-36.9 weeks of gestation), including 48 (52.7%) males and 43 (47.3%) females. Diet-related data were collected through parental questionnaires, and growth-related data, such as height and weight, were collected through the hospital medical records. Results: No significant difference in weight and growth was observed between early and late preterm infants. On the other hand, smaller averages of all weight z-score (recent weight at 40 weeks of gestation) included lower birth weight, height, and head circumference. On the other hand, infants' birth weight, height, and head circumference in the weight z-score of <0 (<50% in the age-weight growth chart) was smaller than those in the weight z-score of ≥0. Furthermore, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization period and NICU discharge were shorter with growth cessation age in weight z-score of <0. The weight growth velocity was associated with gestational age, birth weight, and medical treatment in the NICU. Thus, parents of preterm infants with low growth rates prefer more community care services for their children. Conclusion: Birth weight, age of preterm infants, and medical treatment in the NICU were factors related to early birth weight growth. Following NICU discharge, poor intake and intake issues were associated with poor growth after 40 weeks of gestation. Therefore, monitoring the growth of preterm infants requires continuous active involvement and supports for growth-promoting factors after NICU discharge.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.47 no.8
• /
• pp.469-474
• /
• 2014

Cell therapies utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a great potential in many research and clinical settings. The mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSCs have been studied previously and the paracrine effects elicited by their production of various growth factors and cytokines were recognized as being crucial. However, the molecular controls that govern these paracrine effects remain poorly understood. To elucidate the molecular regulators of this process, we performed a global knockdown of microRNAs (miRNAs) in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) by inhibiting DGCR8, a key protein in miRNA biogenesis. Global disruption of miRNA biogenesis in hADSCs caused dramatic changes in the expression of subsets of growth factors and cytokines. By performing an extensive bioinformatic analysis, we were able to associate numerous putative miRNAs with these genes. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that miRNAs are essential for the production of growth factors and cytokines in hADSCs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.245-249
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on maturation of bovine follicular oocytes in vitro. Oocytes were recovered from the ovaries of slaughtered Hanwoos. The oocytes were matured in TCM 199 at 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air. Growth factors were added to maturation medium as follows: control (no serum), EGF (10ng/m1, 50ng/ml or 100ng/m1), IGF-1 (100ng/m1) and EGF (50ng/ml) + IGF-1 (100ng/m1). The oocytes were placed onto a slide and stained with aceto-orcein dye. Nuclear maturation was evaluated and classified as germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), metaphase-I (MI) or metaphase-ll(Mll). Maturation rates were 37.9% (control), 45.8% (EGF, 10ng/m1), 55.8% (EGF, 50ng/ml), 44.4% (EGF, 100ng/m1), 46.7% (IGF-1, 100ng/m1) and 67.0% (IGF-1+EGF). The highest group developed to Mll stage was IGF-1+EGF treatment group (p<0.05). Therefore, nuclear maturation of bovine oocytes were affected by both of growth factors, and it seems to have a mutual activity between them.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.20-27
• /
• 2015

Background Hypertrophic scars and keloids are associated with abnormal levels of growth factors. Silicone gel sheets are effective in treating and preventing hypertrophic scars and keloids. There has been no report on the change in growth factors in the scar tissue following the use of silicone gel sheeting for scar prevention. A prospective controlled trial was performed to evaluate whether growth factors are altered by the application of a silicone gel sheet on a fresh surgical scar. Methods Four of seven enrolled patients completed the study. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were investigated immunohistochemically in biopsies taken from five scars at 4 months following surgery. Results In both the epidermis and the dermis, the expression of TGF-${\beta}1$ (P=0.042 and P=0.042) and PDGF (P=0.043 and P=0.042) was significantly lower in the case of silicone gel sheet-treated scars than in the case of untreated scars. The expression of bFGF in the dermis was significantly higher in the case of silicone gel sheet-treated scars than in the case of untreated scars (P=0.042), but in the epidermis, the expression of bFGF showed no significant difference between the groups (P=0.655). Conclusions The levels of TGF-${\beta}1$, PDGF, and bFGF are altered by the silicone gel sheet treatment, which might be one of the mechanisms of action in scar prevention.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.518-528
• /
• 1995

The immunohistochemical study has been performed on the distribution of receptors for various growth factors in the newly forming granulation tissues following the guided tissue regeneration procedures. Two specimens from 2 different patients were collected from the newly forming granulation tissues at 2 weeks following GTR procedures using Gore-tex menbrane and rubber dam, respectively. For immunohistochemical localization of each recptor, anti-platelet-derived growth factor $receptor-{\alpha}$, anti-platelet-derived growth factor $receptor-{\beta}$. anti-insulin-like growth factor receptor, anti-basic fibroblast growth factor receptor, anti-transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$ receptor and anti-fibronectin receptor were incubated onto the specimens as primary antibodies. After the reaction, FITC-conjugated second antibodies have been applied. When the total numbers of immunoreactive cells and the true positive cells were counted, there were high variability among receptors tested in the present study. The mean number of immunoreactive cells were highest in the case for anti-IFG-1 receptor. However the number of true positive cells were highest in the case for $TGF-{\beta}$ receptor. The present investigation indicated that the receptor for $TGF-{\beta}$ were stongly expressed in the newly forming granulation tissues following the guided tissue regeneration therapy.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.265-274
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of psychological acceptance and social support on posttraumatic growth in stomach cancer patients. Methods: The questionnaires were administered from January 14 to February 11, 2015 to 123 subjects who had stomach cancer surgery six months prior. SPSS statistics 21.0 software was used to analyze the data for t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlations, Scheffé test and multiple regression analysis. Results: The results of this study are as follows: The major factors related to posttraumatic growth included gender (t=-2.72, p=.007), age (r=-.21, p=.016), having a religion (t=-3.40, p<.001), perceived importance of religion (r=.43, p<.001), seriousness of cancer diagnosis (r=.25, p=.005) and impact of cancer diagnosis (r=.32, p<.001). There were significant relationships between psychological acceptance (r=.18, p=.041) and social support (r=.32, p<.001) on posttraumatic growth. Significantly influential factors of posttraumatic growth were age (β=-.19, p=.021), perceived importance of religion (β=.41, p<.001) and family support (β=.29, p<.001), which together accounted for 36.5% of the variance in posttraumatic growth. Conclusion: The result of current study indicated that age, importance of religion, and family support influenced posttraumatic growth. Based on the findings of this study, developing nursing intervention programs focusing on increasing posttraumatic growth in stomach cancer patients is recommended.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2022

Purpose: There has been a consistent failure of businesses that are run by a single person. Most of these collapse at infancy prematurely and those that survive continue to operate at minimal capacity. The study thus sought to enhance growth of sole proprietors from being small entities to large corporates. Financial determinants of business growth were earmarked for research as they were amongst the grey areas of business growth research. Research design, data and methodology: The target population of the study was made up of groceries retail sole proprietors operating in Epworth, Zimbabwe. Questionnaires were used in a once-off cross-sectional survey using stratified random sampling. Through a deductive research approach, four financial determinants of business growth were established namely financial availability, financial management, financial evaluation and financial investment (AMEI). These constructs formulated the basis for the development of the model which linked financial factors to business growth. Results: The study found out that all four financial determinants were statistically significant (P < 0.05) in predicting business growth. Conclusions: The study concludes that the model tested was useful in explaining sole proprietor's business growth. Sole proprietors should have access to funding, manage received funds in an appropriate manner, invest into the business and evaluate their business processes.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.240-250
• /
• 2018

This study was undertaken to find the optimum soy-peptone, glucose, yeast extract, and magnesium sulfate amounts for the maximum growth of Lactobacillus plantarum JNU 2116 and to assess the effects of these medium factors through the use of response surface methodology. A central composite design was used as the experimental design for the allocation of treatment combinations. In the analysis of the experiment, due to a significant lack of fit of the second-order polynomial regression model that was used at first, cubic terms were added to the model, and then two-way interaction terms were deleted from the model since they were found to be all statistically insignificant. A relative comparison among the four factors showed that the growth of L. plantarum JNU 2116 was affected strongly by yeast extract, moderately by glucose and peptone, and slightly by magnesium sulfate. The estimated optimum amounts of the medium factors for the growth of L. plantarum JNU 2116 are as follows: soy-peptone 0.213%, glucose 1.232%, yeast extract 1.97%, and magnesium sulfate 0.08%. These results may contribute to the production of L. plantarum L67 as a starter culture that may have potential application in yogurt and fermented meat products.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.22 no.E1
• /
• pp.9-18
• /
• 2006

Aerosol hygroscopic properties were measured by a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) system during the Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE)-Asia campaign from 31 March to 1 May 2001. Two high flow differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) were used to maximize the count rate on board the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely Piloted Aircraft (CIRPAS) Twin Otter aircraft. Hygroscopic growth factor distributions of particles having initial dry nanoparticle diameters of 0.040, 0.059, 0.086, 0.126, 0.186, 0.273, 0.400, and $0.586{\mu}m$ were measured during 19 research flights. Data collected during 12 of those flights were used to investigate aerosol mixing state and the influence of aerosol source region on size-resolved hygroscopicity. The uniformity in size-resolved hygroscopicity was quantified to facilitate comparison between measurements made in different air masses. Hygroscopic growth factors are strongly dependent on source region and sizes. Mean hygroscopic growth factors were observed to be greatest when the air mass origin was from the south. The mean growth factors for continental sources decreased with initial size from 1.47 to 1.27 for $0.040{\mu}m\;and\;0.586{\mu}m$, but increased with initial size from 1.44 to 1.8 for $0.040{\mu}m\;and\;0.400{\mu}m$ dry diameters for marine sources.