• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2012

In order to improve storability of subtropical yam produced in South Korea, the major pathogens found during the storage were isolated and identified of the pathogenicity, and rot inhibition effect was studied based on the curing treatment condition. Penicillium sclerotigenum and Penicillium polonicum were identified as major pathogens causing rot in subtropical yam during storage, and P. sclerotigenum had stronger pathogenicity. Only the cut surface which has been made during a harvest and has been made smooth before curing generated a normal callus layer. The cut surface of tuberous root was cured in 95% of relativity humidity for three days at $23^{\circ}C$, and cured at $28^{\circ}C$ and $33^{\circ}C$. The observation of callus layer showed that the $23^{\circ}C$ treatment group had similar color saturation between tuberous root and pellicle, while the groups treated above $28^{\circ}C$ showed clear distinction. The generation rate of callus 0.5mm or bigger was 93 percent at $28^{\circ}C$ treatment, 96% at $33^{\circ}C$ treatment, but was 52% at $23^{\circ}C$ treatment. The conventional curing treatment group that used wind or sunlight at room temperature created little callus layer. The infection rate of pathogens according to the relative humidity inside the storage room was low at 40% and 60% of humidity, and the curing treatment period did not make a difference. When the humidity inside the storage room was 80%, all treatment groups rapidly increased the fungal pathogens. The rotten rate of each treatment was studied after 180 days during which the storage temperature was maintained at $16^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity 60%. While the rotten rate of tuberous root that has been cut in conventional curing treatment based on solar and wind was 43%, the one cured at over $28^{\circ}C$ and created the callus layer was less than 18%. While even a healthy tuberous root showed 25% of rotten rate in the traditional treatment group, the one cured at over $28^{\circ}C$ was less than 10%. The weight loss was 1-6% lower in the forced treatment group than in the conventional treatment group.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.339-343
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• 2012

This study was performed to examine the effect of the clay mineral illite on the improvement of soil and plant growth. Red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) was used as a test vegetable crop. The experiment was performed during six weeks in the plantation of the Chungbuk National University. Its seedlings were cultivated in the soil normally used for horticultural purpose. Among the seedlings germinated the healthy and regular size of seed were selected and cultivated in the plantation. They were treated with two forms of illite, particulate (PA) and powder (PW), at the following application rates: standard application[P1 (PA1, PW1), soil: illite = 1:20 (w/w)] and two times [P2 (PA2, PW2), 1:10 (w/w)] of standard application. Untreatment (P0) was used as a control soil. At six weeks of cultivation, their growth lengths were correspondingly increased as the application rate was increased ranging from P0, P1, and P2. Their growth length was a little greater with the application of powder illite (PW) than with the particulate illite (PA). Based on the plant analysis of root, leaf, and stem of red pepper, the uptake amounts of K, Ca, and Mg, were correspondingly increased, as the application rate was increased ranging from P0, P1, and P2 respectively. At the same application rate, their amounts taken up in the respective parts were higher with the application of PW illite than on the PA one. Especially the amounts of Ca and Mg were higher in the stem and leaf than root. Consequently, it appears that the illite treatment, especially, PW form of illite, enhance the growth of red pepper in the plantation during the six weeks of experiment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3 s.67
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• pp.187-200
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• 2006

Objectives: Acupuncture has been applied in Asia for thousands of years, especially to rehabilitation after stroke. It has been reported that acupuncture increased cerebral blood supply and stimulated the functional activity of brain nerve cells shown by using brain imaging techniques. This study was to evaluate the effect of GB 34-GB 39 electro-acupuncture (EA) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in stroke patients and normal volunteers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods: The study procedure was divided into two parts: patients and volunteers studies. For the patients study, ten ischemic stroke patients (3 males, 7 females, mean age $68.5{\pm}8.9$ years old) were selected. Baseline brain SPECT was done with triple head gamma camera (MultiSPECT3, Siemens, USA) after intravenous administration of 1,110 MBq of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$. Fifteen-minute EA at GB 34 and GB 39 were applied on the affected limb. The same dose of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ was injected during the EA, and the second set of SPECT images wasobtained. Using the computer software (ICON 7.1, Siemens, USA), 3 SPECT slices (upper, middle, lower) surrounding the brain lesion were selected and each slice was divided into 10-16 brain regions. Asymmetry indexes (AI) were analyzed in each brain region. We regarded over 10% changes of AI between before and after EA as significance. For the volunteers study, 10 healthy human volunteers (5 males, 5 females, mean age $28.1{\pm}6$ years old) were selected. In the resting state, $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ brain SPECT scans were performed. On the 7th day after the resting examination, 15 minute EA was applied at GB 34 and GB 39 on the right side of the subjects. Immediately after EA, the second SPECT images were obtained inthe same manner as the resting state. Significant increases and decreases of rCBF after EA were estimated by comparing their SPECT images with those of the resting state using paired t statistics at every voxel, which were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping with a threshold of p = 0.01, uncorrected (extent threshold: k=100 voxels). Results: In stroke patients, six of the eight (75%) had significantly increased perfusion in post-acupuncture scans compared to their baseline state. In normal volunteers, GB 34-GB GB EA increased rCBF in both hemispheres including right ventral posterior cingulate (Brodmann area (BA) 23), left superior temporal, anterior transverse temporal (BA 22, 41), left parastriate, peristriate (BA 18, 19), right occipitotemporal, angular (BA 37, 39), left rostral postcentral, caudal postcentral and preparietal (BA 2, 3, 5). However GB 34-GB 39 EA decreased rCBF in the right hemisphere including triangular and middle frontal lobes. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that OB 34-GB 39 EA increased cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke patients and increased rCBF grossly in temporal lobes of normal volunteers. It is also suggested that there may be a correlation between the GB meridian and the territory of the middle cerebral artery.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2000

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitrification on the implantation and the pregnancy of human blastocysts. Method: The transfer of the frozen-thawed blastocysts by the slow freezing or vitrification was performed between January 1998 and July 1999. The zygotes derives from IVF were cocultured with cumulus cells in YS medium containing 20% hFF for 5days. Two or three of the best balstocysts produced on day 5 were transferred into the uterus, and then supernumerary blastocysts were randomly divided into two groups. One was frozen by slow freezing and the other was frozen by vitrification method. The slow freezing procedure was performed in two steps (5% glycerol and 9% glycerol + 0.2 M sucrose for 10 min, respectively) using programmed freezer ($-2^{\circ}C$/min to $-7^{\circ}C$, manual seeding at $-7^{\circ}C$, $-0.3^{\circ}C$/min to $-38^{\circ}C$ and plunged into $LN_{2}$). The blastocysts frozen by slow freezing were thawed at $36^{\circ}C$ then removed glycerol in 7 steps. The vitrification procedure was performed in three steps (10% glycerol for 5 min, 10% glycerol + 20% ethylene glycol for 5 min, 25% glycerol + 25% ethylene glycol and directly $LN_{2}$ within 1 min). The blastocysts frozen by vitrification were thawed at $20^{\circ}C$ water then removed cryoprotectant in 3 steps. In each group, thawed blastocysts were cocultured with cumulus cells in YS medium containing 20% hFF for 18h and transferred into the uterus. The implantation rate was evaluated per transferred blastocysts and the pregnancy rate was evaluated per transfers. Results: The survival rate of vitrified group (74.5%) was higher than slow freezing group (68.0%), but not significant. When 98 thawed blastocysts of vitrification were transferred in 40 cycles, 19 pregnancies (clinical pregnancy rate; 47.5%) were established. One miscarriage occurred in the eighth week of pregnancy (ongoing pregnancy rate; 45.0%). 7 pregnancies were ongoing, 11 pregnancies went to term, and 16 healthy infants were born. The Implantation rate was 31.6%. These results were higher than those obtained by the slow freezing (clinical pregnancy rate; 40.3%, ongoing pregnancy rate; 32.5% and implantation rate; 25.3%), but not significant. Conclusion: Vitrification is a simple, quick and economical method when compared to slow freezing. It will be chosen as a good method of human embryo freezing in IVF-ET programs.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.187-196
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• 2010

Recently, people have been suffering from stress-related fatigue and psychological disorders. Most people depend on medicine for pain relief; many treat pain also through alternative medicine or replacement therapy. However, drug therapy has many side effects, including increased stress after the therapy. In comparison, alternative therapies such as massage and foot reflexology are less damaging to the body, and such therapies can be provided without physical or psychological discomfort. In this regard, the author had previously co-developed color foot reflexology, which combines the merits of color therapy and foot reflexology; color foot reflexology has been shown to have beneficial effects without undue pain. This study investigates the effects of color foot reflexology on the physiological response of the body by comparing the body’s response to the signal with that to the placebo. Healthy adult subjects were selected for the experiment, which was conducted under optimal experimental conditions and design. The results indicated that when stimulated, parasympathetic nerves increased in HRV and that blood pressure, pulse, body heat, peripheral blood flow were dramatically activated. However, the results for the placebo indicated minimal changes or irregular outcomes. The results provide strong evidence for the beneficial effects of the color foot reflexology instrument on the autonomic nervous system and on the physiological response of the body. Future research is warranted to verify the results of the current study by examining patients suffering from diseases and disorders arising from irregular physiological functions in the context of the foot.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.429-436
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• 2001

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of iohexol-ethanol mixture and barium-ethanol mixture on the induction of transcatheter renal artery embolization in healthy 18 dogs, which were divided into two groups of 9 dogs and the 9 dogs were divided into 3 subgroups of 3 dogs. The renal artery embolization was undertaken unilaterally with the dose of 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 ml/kg iohexol-ehtanol mixture and with the dose of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 ml/kg barium-ethanol mixture. And serum chemistry on 0, 1,3, 7, and 14 days, intravenous pyelography on 7days, angiography on 14 days, and histopathology on 14 days were evaluated. Serum BUN and creatinine concentration of two groups with iohexol-ethanol mixture and barium-ethanol mixture administration were mildly increased a t 1 day after injection of embolic materials and then returned to baseline. No significant changes in BUN and creatinine levels occurred in any of dogs. In all dogs with the dose of 1.5 ml/kg iohexol-ethanol mixture, the renal arteries were not embolized. All dogs with the dose of 3.0 ml/kg died. In all dogs with the dose of 2.10 ml/kg, the treated arteries were completely occluded. In barium-ethanol mixture administered group, the renal artery in one dog with the dose of 0.2 ml/kg was not embolized. In all dogs with the dose of 0.8 ml/kg, the renal arteries were completely embolized, but loac overembolization occured in two dogs. All animals with the dose of 0.4 ml/kg had effective embolization and no evidence of radiopaque barium opacity in systemic arteries distal to the renal-artery was found. All embolized kidneys were shrunk and decreased in size in gross examination and were shown diffuse necrosis in histopathologic examination. In the present study, renal arteries were embolized with the dose of 2.0 ml/kg iohexol-ethanol mixture or 0.4 ml/kg barium-ethanol mixture. And it is considered that the dose had a satisfactory embolic effect.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-78
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• 1998

This study was conducted to find out the factors which have an effect on the rural aged's natural history by disability in Activities of Daily Living(ADL) and ADL decline with 475 old people which were chosen except the dead 90 and unconfirmable 56 old people by performing follow-up survey for 4 years since 1993 on the basis of presurveyed data about 621 home old people over 60 years residing in 13 villages at Kangdong-myon, Kyongju-city, Kyongsangbuk-do Province, Korea. Such activities of daily living as bathing, dressing, going to toilet, transfer, feeding and continence were examined. 1. In the follow-up survey for 4 years, the ADL distribution of the dead was remarkably lower than the subject group. 2. It was also shown in the 4-year follow-up survey that 82.1% of high ADL group maintained high ADL while 77.8% of low ADL group died within 4 years. 3. The occurrence percentage of disabilities of each group by ADL item for 4 years appeared high in such an order as bathing, continence, dressing, going to toilet, transfer and feeding. 6.7%(8.1% for female and 4.6% for male) of the old people who were the high ADL group at the time of the first survey had disabilities that occurred after 4 years. 4. In the change of ADL according to general characteristics used to analyse the factors which have an effect on ADL decline, there was a significant difference in age and job, that is, the jobless old people had the higher degree of ADL decline. In the change of ADL according to behavioral pattern, for the male old people there was a significant difference in support of living expenses and subjective health condition. In this case, the degree of ADL decline was higher if they depended on their sons & daughters or spouses and felt that they were not healthy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 1986

To elucidate the effect of exercise on blood concentrations of ethanol, lactate and glucose in men who show facial flush after ethanol ingestion, 59 healthy male college students were studied. After 6 or more hours of fasting, the subjects were administered 3 ml of 25% ethanol solution(Soju) per liter of total body water. For control experiment Soju was replaced with the same dose of water. Exercise performed was vertical jumping on a rebounder for 3 min immediately after drinking. The subjects were classified into 6 groups: water ingestion(W), flushed (F) and non-flushed (N) groups after ethanol ingestion, water ingestion and exercise(WE), flushed(FE) and non-flushed (NE) groups after ethanol ingestion and exercise. Blood ethanol concentration in the exercise groups(NE, FE) was lower until 60 min after drinking than that in the non-exercise groups(N,F). Factor k representing the rate of ethanol absorption was markedly lower in the exercise groups than in the non-exercise groups. The flushed groups(F,FE) showed higher blood ethanol level than the non-flushed groups (N,NE) from 30 to 120 min after drinking. Blood lactate concentration in WE group was elevated immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min after exercise. Ethanol increased blood lactate level from 30 to 120 min after ethanol drinking, Exercise after ethanol ingestion produced a sharp increase and then drop in blood lactate level which was stilled significantly higher than the resting level all the way through 120 min. Blood glucose concentration was decreased at 15 min after exercise. Ethanol-administered groups except F group showed a steady decrease in blood glucose level from 30 through 120 min. Heart rate was elevated by ethanol only in the flushed groups. Heart rate in F group was significantly increased at 4 min after ethanol and was maintained at high level until 120 min. In WE and NE groups, heart rate was significantly increased immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min. The FE group, however, showed a consistently elevated heart rate throughout the 120-min experimental period. Taken together, the exercise alone produced a delayed ethanol absorption, a prompt increase in heart rate and blood lactate level and a decrease in blood glucose level early in the recovery period from exercise. After ethanol administration, blood lactate was elevated and blood glucose was lowered from 30 to 120 min. Flushed subjects showed rapid increase in heart rate after ethanol drinking and higher blood ethanol level than non-flushed ones from 30 to 120 min after drinking.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.277-289
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• 2009

Recently, functional MRI has been used to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture and the specificity of acupoint. The group data tend to be regarded as more important than the individual data in the most of previous studies. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the variability of individual data on the group results. A functional MRI (fMRI) of the whole brain was performed in fifteen healthy subjects during placebo and acupuncture stimulations at the ST36 acupoint. After remaining at rest for 30 seconds, the acupuncture was inserted and twisted at the rate of 2 Hz for 45 seconds and then the acupuncture was removed immediately. This process was repeated three times. Individual and group analyses were performed by voxel-based analyses using SPM2 software. Visual inspections of the activation and deactivation maps from individual sessions have shown the large variability across fifteen subjects. This means that the group data reflected the brain activation responses of only a few subjects. We suggest that the individual data should be presented to demonstrate the effect of acupuncture.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the types of lymphadenitis after BCG vaccination and the effect of local rifampicin instillation on the treatment of suppurative BCG lymphadenitis. Methods : A total of 32 otherwise healthy infants with suppurative BCG lymphadenitis, who visited the Department of Pediatrics of Chonbuk National University Hospital, from March 2002 through June 2004, were enrolled in this study. They were treated with needle aspiration and local rifampicin instillation. We investigated the time the lymphadenitis took to be suppurative, accompanying clinical manifestations, and the treatment effects. Results : Of the 32 infants, 19 were male and 13 were female. They were full term babies and one preterm baby with a gestational age of 30 weeks. They received intradermal administration, with the BCG vaccine of $Pasteur^{(R)}$(French) strain mostly on the left deltoid area(96.9 percent). Regional lymphadenitis occurred in 1 to 11 months after BCG vaccination, mostly 1-5 months after vaccination (78.1 percent). Among the infants, 87.5 percent had unilocular lesion but 12.5 percent had more than one enlarged lymph node cares. Most of the lymphadenitis presented in the left axillary area(77.8 percent), and the left supuraclavicular area(11.1 percent). After one to three times of needle aspiration with rifampin instillation, all infants recovered completely without surgical excision or severe complication. Conclusion : The regional lymphadenitis is the most common complication in infants who receive intradermal BCG vaccination. This study supports that in suppurative BCG lymphadenitis the needle aspiration and local rifampicin instillation is very effective and can be a more economical treatment modality.