• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.119-124
• /
• 2007

Introduction: In Oriental medicine, the status of tongue is the important indicator to diagnose one's health, because it represents physiological and clinicopathological changes of inner parts of the body. The method of tongue diagnosis is not only convenient but also non-invasive, so tongue diagnosis is most widely used in Oriental medicine. By the way, since tongue diagnosis is affected by examination circumstances a lot, its performance depends on a light source, degrees of an angle, a medical doctor's condition etc. Therefore, it is not easy to make an objective and standardized tongue diagnosis. In order to solve this problem, in this study, we tried to design a discriminant function for thick and thin coating with color vectors of preprocessed image. Method: 52 subjects, who were diagnosed as white-coated tongue, were involved. Among them, 45 subjects diagnosed as thin coating and 7 subjects diagnosed as thick coating by oriental medical doctors, and then their tongue images were obtained from a digital tongue diagnosis system. Using those acquired tongue images, we implemented two steps: Preprocessing and image analyzing. The preprocessing part of this method includes histogram equalization and histogram stretching at each color component, especially, intensity and saturation. It makes the difference between tongue substance and tongue coating was more visible, so that we can separate tongue coating easily. Next part, we analyzed the characteristic of color values and found the threshold to divide tongue area into coating area. Then, from tongue coating image, it is possible to extract the variables that were important to classify thick and thin coating. Result : By statistical analysis, two significant vectors, associated with G, were found, which were able to describe the difference between thick and thin coating very well. Using these two variables, we designed the discriminant function for coating classification and examined its performance. As a result, the overall accuracy of thick and thin coating classification was 92.3%. Discussion : From the result, we can expect that the discriminant function is applicable to other coatings in a similar way. Also, it can be used to make an objective and standardized diagnosis.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.109-117
• /
• 2008

Application of biomarkers for assessing marine environmental health risk is a relatively new field. According to the National Research Council and the World Health Organization, biomarkers can be divided into three classes: biomarkers of exposure, biomarkers of effect, and biomarkers of susceptibility. In order to assess exposure to or effect of the environmental pollutants on marine ecosystem, the following set of biomarkers can be examined: detoxification, oxidative stress, biotransformation products, stress responses, apoptosis, physiological metabolisms, neuromuscular responses, reproductions, steroid hormones, antioxidants, genetic modifications. Since early 1990s, several biomarker research groups have developed health indices of marine organisms to be used for assessing the state of the marine environment. Biomarker indices can be used to interpret data obtained from monitoring biological effects. In this review, we will summarize Health assessment Index, Biomarker Index, Bioeffect Assessment Index and Generalized Linear Model. Measurements of biomarker responses and development of biomarker index in marine organisms from contaminated sites offer great a lot of information, which can be used in environmental monitoring programs, designed for various aspects of ecosystem risk assessment.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.177-183
• /
• 2008

Sodium is known to reduce a plant growth and yields. However, the relationships between physiological response of seedling and salinity stress caused by growing media are not well understood yet. We conducted experiments to investigate change of some parameters including Na, EC, moisture content in media under different air temperature ($15^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$), and the response of fruit-vegetables such as cucumber, oriental melon on saline conditions originated from horticultural substrate. Volumetric moisture content of media at $15^{\circ}C$ was 70%, but at $25^{\circ}C$ was decreased by 45% within 22 hrs, showing below optimal matric potential, approximately. During reaction time, the increase of Na concentration was significantly greater in saline substrate than in control. The decrease rate of Na concentration according to supplying irrigation water was higher in saline substrate than in control. $CO_2$ assimilation rate and transpiration rate of Korea melon grown in low temperature were decreased with a Na/cation ratio in hydroponic solution. Water saturation deficit was also increased significantly at $15^{\circ}C$ as compare to $25^{\circ}C$. Saline stress during nursery stage induced a reduction of seedling quality, growth and cucumber yield. The results suggest that the relationship between uncontrolled Na uptake of seedling from saline substrate and meteological condition is responsible for saline stress.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.12-24
• /
• 2010

Plant metabolomics is a research field for identifying all of the metabolites found in a certain plant cell, tissue, organ, or whole plant in a given time and conditions and for studying changes in metabolic profiling as time goes or conditions change. Metabolomics is one of the most recently developed omics for holistic approach to biology and is a kind of systems biology. Metabolomics or metabolite fingerprinting techniques usually involves collecting spectra of crude solvent extracts without purification and separation of pure compounds or not in standardized conditions. Therefore, that requires a high degree of reproducibility, which can be achieved by using a standardized method for sample preparation and data acquisition and analysis. In plant biology, metabolomics is applied for various research fields including rapid discrimination between plant species, cultivar and GM plants, metabolic evaluation of commercial food stocks and medicinal herbs, understanding various physiological, stress responses, and determination of gene functions. Recently, plant metabolomics is applied for characterization of gene function often in combination with transcriptomics by analyzing tagged mutants of the model plants of Arabidopsis and rice. The use of plant metabolomics combined by transcriptomics in functional genomics will be the challenge for the coming year. This review paper attempted to introduce current status and prospects of plant metabolomics research.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.58 no.3
• /
• pp.232-238
• /
• 2013

An experiment was conducted to determine the content of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity and antioxidant enzyme status for the extracts from 5 and 7-day old sprouts (DOS) of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). Total phenolics [mg ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) $kg^{-1}$ DW] content was highest in cotyledon extracts (48.8 mg $kg^{-1}$), followed by roots (30.8 mg $kg^{-1}$) and hypocotyl (22.2 mg $kg^{-1}$) extracts (p < 0.05) from 5 DOS. The result of total flavonoid level [mg rutin equivalents $kg^{-1}$ DW] had same tendency to the results of total phenolics, showing lower amount ranges. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts from all the plant dose-dependently increased. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical) free radical scavenging activity was higher in cotyledon extracts (82.5%) than in root (52.6%) or hypocotyl parts (35.0%) from 5 DOS. Among antioxidant enzymes, APX and CAT activities were highest in cotyledon part and POX and SOD activities in root part of 5 and 7 DOS. The results showed that total phenolics content ($r^2$ = 0.1516~0.9911) were more highly correlated with antioxidant activity than total flavonoids level ($r^2$ = 0.0113~0.9442), and that the level and activity of physiological-active substances were different depending on plant part of the sprout.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.902-911
• /
• 2010

Oriental melon ($Cucumis$ $melo$ var. $makuwa$) is a popular and high-value market fruit cultivated in Korea. Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in oriental melon as a healthy diet over the past few years. However, the melons have relatively high quality loss because the fruit are mainly produced for a limited period of time in the summer season. Lack of the proper postharvest treatments and high temperature exposure at harvest or during distribution are the most critical environmental factors limiting postharvest life of fruit. This review focuses on the overview of current research studies for postharvest treatment and functional packaging technology of oriental melon in Korea. Major physiological problems of the harvest fruit include the ripening process in quality changes of the produce such as loss of weight, firmness, flavor, and decay during the storage periods. Low temperature at 7 to $10^{\circ}C$ with high relative humidity of 90 to 95% is the suitable environmental condition used to maintain the quality of fresh oriental melon. Controlled atmosphere (CA) storage or modified atmosphere (MA) packaging can be used as supplemental treatments to extend postharvest-life. For oriental melon, an optimum CA is currently recommended to be 2-3% oxygen and 5-10% carbon dioxide atmosphere. Precooling, pretreatments of ethylene action and functional packaging system can be applied to oriental melon after harvest in order to extend storage life. Major active packaging technologies are concerned with a selectively gas permeable film related to respiration of produce and the packaging applications of ethylene removal, antimicrobial, and antifogging substances to keep the effective freshness of fruit.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2010

Among the dogs boarding at an animal hospital, 10 dogs each were selected as a free boarding group and a kennel boarding group. Each group was further divided into 5 puppies and 5 mature dogs to examine the changes in their serum cortisol concentrations during boarding (5 days). We collected blood at day 8 and then analyzed the blood corpuscles, ran a biochemical serum test, and an additional urine test before boarding to check their health status. After collecting the dog's blood at 9:00 am, 3:00 pm, and 9:00 pm, we analyzed the cortisol concentration by the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. The daily serum cortisol concentration at 9:00 am, 3:00 pm, and 9:00 pm, had a circadian rhythm during both the free and kennel boarding periods in both puppies and adults. Furthermore, the average daily serum cortisol concentration was significantly increased during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day after free boarding in the puppy group (P < 0.01). In adults from the free boarding group, the serum cortisol concentration dramatically increased on the 1st day (P < 0.01), as well as on the 2nd and 3rd day (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the average daily serum cortisol concentration was significantly increased on the 1st day after kennel boarding as well as during the entire period of kennel boarding in the puppy group (P < 0.05). In the adult kennel boarding group, serum cortisol concentration was significantly increased during the whole kennel boarding period (P < 0.01). An interesting result was that circadian rhythmicity in the sum of the daily serum cortisol concentrations was present in the free boarding group, but not in the kennel boarding group in both puppies and adults. In summary, cortisol was released depending on the degree of stress in free and kennel boarded dogs. Taken together, these results suggest that cortisol, a stress hormone, should be maintained at physiological concentrations in a circadian rhythm when the animals are hospitalized.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.184-232
• /
• 2000

The trend of the concept for modern medicine is gradually forwarding to preventive medicine from therapeutic medical science. One of the most remarkable characteristics of oriental medicine is that it attaches greater importance to preventive medicine scientifically. The basic theory of oriental medicine principally takes roots in Huang Di Nei Jing and it is Si Qi Tian Shen Da Lun that is deep-rooted in the principle of "growing life" grounded in theory of unity of heaven and man of oriental medicine. Therefore having translated annotation of 〈Si Qi Tian Shen Da Lun·Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen〉 which is quoted frequently and using it for appendix and comparing each views of annotators, I would like to state the results of dissertation as below. 1. Si Qi Tian Shen of title of the paper means that it keeps our health and prevent diseases in advance to control our mind and rhythm of life to the change of Yin and Yang - that is, the grower Yin, the looser Yang - following four seasons of nature environment. 2. The summary of this dissertation is that spring means things newly sprout from old ones, things become profuse, beautiful and brilliant in the summer. Autumn stands for things is harvested and allocated evenly and finally things is closed and stored. That is, in the spring and summer. If one break this principle of growth, diseases are followed after this. Therefore an excellent physician should handle diseases before they are attacked not remedy them after outbreak of diseases. It is said that a sage governs the nation before it is put into confusion. 3. These four terms standing for each season describe definitely and realistically rural life in the agricultural environment, in other words, spouting in spring, growing in summer, harvesting in autumn, storing in winter. Going with the current of the times, they have developed to theoretical concept of getting, growth, harvest, store so that implied the principle of growth for four seasons. 4. It means in a concrete way "Yang would grow in the spring and summer and Yin would grow in autumn and winter" as follow. That is, when the day is long, things act energetically and emit the warmth of life and expand the vigor of growth. On the other hand, when the night is long, things lessen their activity to protect the warmth of life and to preserve the sprit of growth. In addition, we should be concerned about the work outward and try to concretely fulfill plan of business in spring and summer. It is in autumn and winter when we should grow Yin. It does not mean that we simply grow cold yin in our body to build Yin. But according to annotators, for example, Wang Bing stated that we need to make things be cool in spring and summer, and be warm in autumn and winter for improvement. Zhang Jie Bin noted that things should not be cold in spring and summer and not be too hot to improve in autumn and winter. Those principles theorized to unify physiological status into the principle of changing of Yang and Yin in the nature and enriched the contents. In these principles, no problems are not found logically somewhat.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.212-217
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to search for possible cultivation area of Rhodiola sachalinensis as well as to obtain the basic information of growth characteristics. One­year old nursery plants of Rhodiola sachalinensis were collected from Yonbyeon Hongkyungcheon development society in China This expriment was evaluted in three areas according to sea level such as plain region in Cheongwon(50m at sea level), mid­mountainous region in Jecheon(350m at sea level) mountainous region in Banyans(650m at sea level). The growth status Rhodiola sachalinensis showed wide range of variation in there areas. Plant height showed from 8.1cm to 15.8cm, number of branch showed from 3.1 eachs to 4.6 eachs and rate of withering showed from 76％ to 94％, respectively. It was increased rapidly at the early August caused by summer depression. Flowering period of Rhodiola sachalinensis was shown at around middle and late June, total duration of flowering showed from 12 to 13 days and flower colors were various as brown, dark purple, yellow green and brown red color.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.497-503
• /
• 2004

Numerical simulation of blood flow has been conducted based on real vessel geometries generated front DICOM medical images of abdominal and iliac bifurcated arteries of a healthy man. A program was developed to read cross sectional images of the three dimensional arteries and smoothly extract boundary coordinates of vessels. Commercial programs were employed for mesh generation and flow simulation. Pressures, velocities, and flow distributions were found to lie within normal physiological ranges. Peak velocity measured in the iliac artery by ultrasound was 20% smaller than that obtained by simulation. The trend of velocity variation in a cardiac cycle was fairly similar between the simulation and the ultrasonic measurements. Simulation based on real vessel geometry of individual patient provides information on pressure, velocity, and its distribution in the diseased arteries or arteries to be surgically treated. The results of simulation may help surgeons to better understand hemodynamic status and surgical need of the patient by revealing variation of the hemodynamic parameters. Futhermore, they may serve as basic data for surgical treatment of arteries. This research is expected to develop to a program in the future that early diagnose atherosclerosis by showing distribution of a hemodynamic index closely related to atherosclerosis in arteries.