• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.467-477
• /
• 2017

Objectives: Oxidative stress and DNA damage have been proposed as mechanisms linking pesticide exposure to health effects such as cancer and neurological diseases. We investigated whether protective measures could significantly reduce the levels of biomarkers for oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers. Methods: In the present study, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biomarkers related to oxidative stress and DNA damage, respectively, were analyzed in urine samples collected from agricultural workers in two provinces of Korea (n=60). The influence of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing protective behaviors on the levels of these two biomarkers was also evaluated. Results: The median urinary levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were 10.45 nmol/mg creatinine and 14.42 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region A, while they were 6.25 nmol/mg creatinine and 24.77 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region B, respectively. The levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were higher in male farmers. Farmers wearing greater numbers of PPE and performing more protective behaviors had significantly lower levels of MDA. Greater numbers of protective behaviors was significantly associated with lower levels of 8-OHdG. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that pesticide exposure could induce oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers, and that protective measures are important for mitigating pesticide exposure.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.145-153
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study is to help improvements of education and effective management of school organization by grasping interrelationship between middle school teachers' job satisfaction and their teaching profession consciousness based on the different levels of professional socialization. To accomplish the purpose stated above, two questions were selected. First, how different are the middle school teachers' teaching profession consciousness according to the different levels of professional socialization? Second, how different are the middle school teachers' job satisfactions according to the levels of professional socialization. To answer these questions, a theoretical investigation into previous studies was made, and survey method was adopted for the inquiry. 500 questionnaires were given to teachers of 14 middle schools in Busan Metropolitan City, 470 questionnaires were collected. The results of the analysis may be summarized as follows: First, the teaching profession consciousness of middle school teachers show high level. Especially, there are much difference of teaching profession consciousness between the period of adaptation and maturity. Second, job satisfaction of middle school teachers show low level, and the job satisfaction points of compensations, school administrations, changes of educational environments are lower than the points of human relations, extension of profession, stress of duties. Especially, there are much difference between the period of adaptation and growth, adaptation and maturity, growth and maturity, growth and mellowness.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.91-110
• /
• 2015

In upper elementary period school adjustment and the effect of parenting face a new set of dynamics. We assumed that parental supervision, affection, incoherence, over-expectation, over-interruption and logical explanation would have an effect on individual trajectories in the development of school adjustment. Additionally, we hypothesized that this model would be different among boys and girls. In this study we analyzed three waves of data collected from 2,378 children nationwide in South Korea. This data was gathered from the Panel Study of Korean Youth and Adolescents conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute(NYPI). Growth-curve longitudinal analysis was conducted and the results indicate that levels of school adjustment had decreased through the $4^{th}$ to $6^{th}$ grade. Parents' supervision, affection and logical explanation significantly predict children's initial school adjustment as well as their rate of decrease in their levels of school adjustment. Parents' supervision had a positive effect on girls' school adjustment. Parents' over-expectation had negative effect on boys' school adjustment levels. Policy implications and future directions for research were also discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2015.05a
• /
• pp.173-173
• /
• 2015

The flood water level in tidal river is determined by the joint effects of flood discharge and tidal water levels at downstream boundary. Due to the variable tidal boundary conditions, the evaluated design water levels associated with a certain flood event can be significantly different. To avoid determining of design water levels just by a certain tidal boundary condition and remove the influence of variability in boundary condition from the evaluation of design water levels, a probabilistic approach is considered in this study. This study focuses on the development of a method to evaluate the realistic design water levels in tidal river with taking into account the combined effects of river discharge and tidal level. The flood water levels are described by the joint probability of two driving forces, river discharge and tidal water levels. The developed method is applied to determine design water levels for the tidal reach of the Han River. An unsteady flow model is used to simulate the flow in the reach. To determine design water levels associated with a certain flood event, first, possible boundary conditions are obtained by sampling starting times of tidal level time series; then for each tidal boundary condition, corresponding peak water levels along the channel are computed; and finally, design water levels are determined by computing the expectations of the peak water levels. Two types of tides which are composed by different constituents are assumed (one is composed by $M_2$, and the other one is composed by $M_2$ and $M_2$) at downstream boundary, and two flood events with different maximum flood discharges are considered in this study. It is found that (a) the computed design water levels with two assumed tides have no significant difference for a certain flood event, though variability of peak water levels due to the tidal effect is considerably different; (b) tidal effect can reach to the Jamsil submerged weir and the effect is obvious in the downstream reach of the Singok submerged weir; (c) in the tidally affected reach, the variability of peak water levels due to the tidal effect is greater if the maximum flood discharge is smaller.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.357-364
• /
• 2011

Selenium is an antioxidant trace element linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although diet is a major source, relatively little else is known about independent determinants of selenium levels in free-living humans. In this study, we aimed to investigate the independent demographic. lifestyle, and dietary determinants of selenium levels in 1,997 men and 1,905 women in two large prospective U.S. cohorts. Toenail selenium levels were quantified using neutron activation analysis. Diet, geographic residence, demographic, and environmental factors were assessed by validated self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate generalized linear models were conducted to assess the independent relations of these factors with toenail selenium levels, correcting for measurement error in the diet. In multi variable-adjusted analyses, independent predictors of higher selenium were male gender (6.3% higher levels); living in West and Northern-Midwest U.S. regions (8.9% and 7.4% higher than Southern-Midwest regions, respectively); consumption of beef and bread products (between 0.7 - 2.5% higher per daily serving); and selenium supplement use (6.9% higher than non-users); whereas cigarette smoking (5-10% lower than never smokers), older age (0.6% lower per 5 years), and consumption of eggs, white rice, dairy products, coffee, and alcohol (between 0.1 to 2.0% lower per daily serving) were associated with lower selenium. Multiple dietary and non-dietary factors independently predicted selenium levels, suggesting that both consumption and non-dietary processes (e.g.. related to oxidant status) may affect levels. Significant geographic variation in selenium levels exists in the US.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
• /
• v.39C no.4
• /
• pp.326-333
• /
• 2014

Internet Services have security issues. To prepare proper security measures for these security issues, security level setting is positively necessary. Until now, we use a security level with CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) Security Levels. However, CIA Security Levels has problems with ambiguous measures for the middle level of security setting. Moreover, security level overlap occurs, in some cases, when user authentications are not done. Additionally, there exist some levels among CIA Security Levels which cannot be applied to Internet services. In this paper, new security level model, CIAA Security Levels with deletion of ambiguous middle level of security setting and addition of authentication to one of security level setting factors, is proposed. The CIAA Security Levels model can be applied to more concrete security measures than CIA Security Levels. The proposed Security Levels model is applicable to almost any on-line services and it can be applied to new online services.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.1617-1620
• /
• 2014

Background: Evidence shows direct link of HER2 to increased glycolysis and over production of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HER2 overexpression, high LDH and low glucose pleural levels are associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Here, their relationships were investigated. Materials and Methods: HER2 positivity was studied using immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancer. Glucose and LDH levels were measured using commercial colorimetric kits. Results: Of 42 patients (29 adenocarcinoma and 13 squamous cell carcinoma), 28 (66.7%) were HER2-negative, 14 (33.3%) were HER2- positive, including 9 (21.4%) weakly stained (1+) and 5 (11.9%) moderately stained (2+) samples. The relationship between HER2 and glucose and LDH levels were tested in 20 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients who had simultaneous pleural and serum samples. Pleural and serum LDH levels were increased, and pleural glucose levels were decreased with the scale of HER2 positivity, and that the difference in glucose levels between HER2-negative group and HER2-positive patients scored at 2+ reached statistical significance (p=0.02). This latter group all had pleural glucose levels below 40 mg/dl. Conclusions: For the first time, we showed a significant association between low pleural glucose level and overexpression of HER2 in lung cancer. Further investigations are warranted to disclose the association of HER2 with low pleural glucose levels in other populations, with a larger sample size, in malignant pleural effusions caused by other types of cancer, and finally to assess employment as a screening tool for finding HER2-positive cases of lung cancer.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.60 no.3
• /
• pp.355-361
• /
• 2017

Objective : The aim of this study to investigate the normal values of erythropoietin (EPO) and neuroprotective effects of quercetin and mannitol on EPO and hematocrit levels after acute severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rat model. Methods : A weight-drop impact acceleration model of TBI was used on 40 male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into sham (group I), TBI (group II), TBI+quercetin (50 mg/kg intravenously) (group III), and TBI+mannitol (1 mg/kg intravenously) (group IV) groups. The malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, EPO, and hematocrit levels were measured 1 and 4 hour after injury. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and Tukey's test were used for statistical analysis. Results : The malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly after administration of quercetin and mannitol compared with those in group II. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels increased significantly in groups III and IV. Serum EPO levels decreased significantly after mannitol but not after quercetin administration. Serum hematocrit levels did not change significantly after quercetin and mannitol administration 1 hour after trauma. However, mannitol administration decreased serum hematocrit levels significantly after 4 hour. Conclusion : This study suggests that quercetin may be a good alternative treatment for TBI, as it did not decrease the EPO levels.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.316-325
• /
• 2003

This study was carried out to compare the characteristics of the over weight elementary school students with those of desirable-weight children. Anthropometric parameters such as height, weight, BMI, body fat percentile, triceps skin fold thickness were measured. Dietary assessment and blood analysis were performed. The average ages of over weight children and desirable-weight children were 10.9$\pm$2.5 and 10.2$\pm$2.8 years, respectively. The means body fat percentile of over weight children and desirable-weight children were 27.5$\pm$3.7% and 20.2$\pm$3.8%. respectively. Plasma levels of TG, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol of over weight children and desirable-weight children were 179.3$\pm$30.0, 104.9$\pm$26.6, 52.3$\pm$6.7 and 178.3$\pm$84.1 mg/dl, and those of desirable-weight children were 86.1$\pm$43.5, 183.7$\pm$16.5, 101.0$\pm$2.1 and 67.7$\pm$20.0 mg/dl, respectively. Plasma TG levels of over weight children were significantly higher than those of desirable weight children. On the other hand, plasma HDL-cholesterol levels of over weight children were significantly lower than those of desirable-weight children. Plasma levels of GOT and GPT were in normal range in both group however, GPT level of over weight children was higher than that of desirable weight children. Plasma levels of albumin, globulin, and BUN were all in normal range and no differences were found in both groups. Hematologic data did not show any difference between two groups except WBC, RBC and Hgb levels which were significantly higher in over weight group than those of desirable-weight children. Daily nutrients intake of over weight children and desirable-weight children were very similar and they were around the Korean RDA levels for each nutrients. However the intake of calcium of both groups were little over 50% of RDA. The consumption of dietary fiber was very low and the cholesterol intake was very high showing that the habitual meals of Korean school children were not well balanced.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.194-199
• /
• 2009

The effects of the ginsenoside Rb2 (Rb2) on lipid metabolism were characterized in 3T3-L1 adipocytes to evaluate their utility for treating obesity. While the amounts of total cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TAG) were markedly increased in the adipocytes treated with high amounts of cholesterol and fetal bovine serum (FBS), the test groups treated with Rb2 showed levels that were close to normal. The effect of Rb2 on these cells was comparable to that of lovastatin. Rb2 enhanced the expression of the sterol regulated element binding protein (SREBP) mRNA whereas treatment with cholesterol and FBS led to a reduction in the abundance of this transcript. The activity of fatty acid synthetase (FAS) was lower in the cholesterol group compared to the Rb2 treatment group suggesting that the observed decrease in cholesterol levels and activated SREBP was mediated by Rb2. Treatment with Rb2 also resulted in a decrease in TAG levels in adipocytes cultured under high fatty acid conditions. This effect was mediated by stimulating the expression of SREBP and Leptin mRNA, suggesting that Rb2 might be a valuable component capable of lowering the levels of lipids.