• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.625-639
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• 2019

Microplastics are one of the substances threatening the marine ecosystem. Here, we summarize the status of research on the effect of microplastics on marine life and suggest future research directions. Microplastics are synthetic polymeric compounds smaller than 5 mm and these materials released into the environment are not only physically small but do not decompose over time. Thus, they accumulate extensively on land, from the coast to the sea, and from the surface to the deep sea. Microplastic can be ingested and accumulated in marine life. Furthermore, the elution of chemicals added to plastic represents another risk. Microplastics accumulated in the ocean affect the growth, development, behavior, reproduction, and death of marine life. However, the properties of microplastics vary widely in size, material, shape, and other aspects and toxicity tests conducted on several properties of microplastics cannot represent the hazards of all other microplastics. It is necessary to evaluate the risks according to the types of microplastic, but due to their variety and the lack of uniformity in research results, it is difficult to compare and analyze the results of previous studies. Therefore, it is necessary to derive a standard test method to estimate the biological risk from different types of microplastics. In addition, while most of the previous studies were conducted mostly on spheres for the convenience of the experiments, they do not properly reflect the reality that fibers and fragments are the main forms of microplastics in the marine environment and in fish and shellfish. Furthermore, studies have been conducted on additives and POPs (persistent organic pollutants) in plastics, but little is known about their toxic effects on the body. The effects of microplastics on the marine ecosystems and humans could be identified in more detail if standard testing methods are developed, microplastics in the form of fibers and fragments rather than spheres are tested, and additives and POPs are analyzed. These investigations will allow us to identify the impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems and humans in more detail.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2015

Citrullinemia type1 is an autosomal recessive disorder of the urea cycle characterized by neonatal or late onset of hyperammonemia caused by a deficiency of the enzyme argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS). An ASS1 deficiency demonstrates fatal clinical manifestations that are characterized by the neonatal metabolic coma and early death when untreated. It causes a broad spectrum of effects, ranging from a mild disorder to a severe mental retardation, epilepsy, neurologic deficits. An acute neonatal form is the most common. Infants are normal at birth followed by an acute illness characterized by vomiting, lethargy, seizures and coma. These medical problems are life-threatening in many cases. A later onset form is less frequent and may be milder than the neonatal form. This later-onset form is associated with severe headaches, visual dysfunction, motor dysfunction, and lack of energy. Citrullinemia type1 is caused by mutations in the ASS1 gene located on chromosome 9q34.1 that encodes argininosuccinate synthetase, the third enzyme of the urea cycle catalyzing the formation of argininosuccinic acid from citrulline and aspartic acid. The enzyme is distributed in tissues including liver and fibroblasts. This mutation leads to hyperammonemia, arginine deficiency and elevated citrulline level. In the urea cycle, argininosuccinate synthetase catalyses the conversion of citrulline and aspartate to argininosuccinate.. Here, we describe a female newborn patient with lethargy, rigidity and hyperammonemia who was diagnosed as citrullinemia type1 with a c.[421-2A>G], c.[1128-6_1188dup] mutation.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.145-155
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• 2019

Purpose: Amendment to the Act on Decisions on Life-sustaining Treatment was recently enacted to designate long-term care hospitals as providers of hospice and palliative care. Despite its benefit of providing improved accessibility to end-of-life care, the amendment has raised concerns about its effect on quality of service. This study aimed to use information obtained from an expert group interview and previous studies to compare how cancer patients, family caregivers, physicians, and the general Korean population perceive the potential benefits and risks of this amendment. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study from July to October 2016. The included participants answered a structured questionnaire regarding the extent to which they agree or disagree with the questionnaire items indicating the potential benefits and risks of the amendment. Chi-square tests and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Compared with the general population, physicians agreed more that long-term care hospitals are currently not adequately equipped to provide quality hospice and palliative care. Family caregivers found improved access to long-term care hospitals more favorable but were more likely to agree that these hospitals might prioritize profits, thereby threatening the philosophy of hospice care, and that families might cease to fulfill filial responsibilities. Compared with the general population, cancer patients were more concerned about the potentially decreased service quality in this setting. Conclusion: Although potential service beneficiaries and providers expected improved accessibility of hospice and palliative care services, they were also concerned whether the system can provide adequate quality of end-of-life care.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2006

Background : Recently, there have been several studies showing that irinotecan hydrochloride, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is effective against extensive disease(ED) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a 1st line therapy for both limited and extensive disease SCLC. Methods : The study was conducted between January 2002 and June 2004. Patients were treated with $60mg/m^2$ irinotecan on day 1, 8, 15 and $60mg/m^2$ cisplatin on day 1, every 4 weeks. During concurrent thoracic irradiation for limited disease (LD)-SCLC patients, dose of irinotecan was reduced to $40mg/m^2$. Prophylactic cranial irradiation was given to patients with complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. Results : Median ages of LD- and ED- SCLC were 64 years and performance status (PS) was 0-2. In patients with LD-SCLC, the response rate after concurrent chemoradiotherapy was 85% (CR, 6; Partial response [PR], 11). The median survival was 20 months (95% CIs, 15.6 to 24.4) with 1-and 2-year survival rates of 85% and 35%, respectively. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 12 months (95% CIs, 6.2 to 18.1) with 1- year PFS of 36%. In ED-SCLC, the response rate was 83.4% (CR, 1; PR, 14). The median survival was 14.5 months (95% CIs, 8.8 to 20.1) with 1-year survival rates of 75%. Median PFS was 6.3 months (95% CIs, 5.6 to 7.1) with 1- year PFS of 20%. The major toxicities (grade 3 or 4) of this regimen included leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea without life threatening complication. Conclusion : Our data shows that the combination of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a first line therapy is effective and tolerable in the treatment of both LD- and ED- SCLC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.504-509
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• 2005

Background : Endobronchial tumors cause life-threatening dyspnea and can lower the quality of life due to central airway obstruction. In those cases with an intraluminal tumor, various bronchoscopic techniques are available for tumor debulking. The therapeutic effect of bronchoscopic electrocautery for palliation in patients with a symptomatic tumor obstruction was studied. Method : Nineteen patients with bronchogenic carcinomas (n=15) and metastatic tumors affecting the bronchi (n=4), between March 2002 and March 2005, were enrolled in this study. Electrocautery was performed under local anesthesia using an electroprobe and diathermic snare. Using flexible bronchoscopy, a follow-up bronchoscopic examination was performed 3-4 days later. Symptom improvement was evaluated by $FEV_1$, FVC and dyspnea score (Modified Borg Category Scale (0~10)), both before and after the electrocautery. Results : The success rate of electrocautery on the follow up examination was 84%. Patients with endoluminal airway lesions had a mean overall decrease in the size of the obstruction to $47.8{\pm}15.7%$. The mean Improvement in the dyspnea score immediately after the endobronchial tumor debulking was $2.78{\pm}1.42$. The average improvements in the $FEV_1$ and FVC after electrocautery were $0.32{\pm}0.19L$ and $0.5{\pm}0.22L$, respectively. There were 2 cases of complications related with electrocautery (one each of pneumothorax and pneumonia). Conclusion : Electrocautery using an electroprobe and diathermic snare was an effective and safe palliative treatment for a symptomatic endoluminal airway obstruction in lung cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.173-205
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• 2008

Space debris have frequently caused damage to space objects like satellites in orbits and sometimes have fallen on the earth. Such increase in space debris will lead to the high possibility of threatening space activities of mankind. However, it is not so easy for the damage caused both by identified and by unidentified space debris to be recovered since in the regime of the current international law, there is no legislation of prescribing the damage done by space debris. For overcoming the limitation it seems desirable that either the Liability Convention should partly be amended or new international law regime should be established. For instance, 'space debris' should be included in the new definition of 'space object' and the range of launching should also be defined clearly by making the concept of 'launching' somewhat more specified. Moreover, the subject of international liability for damage caused by space debris should be divided into two classes: the subject before and after registration. While in case of before-registration launch states should be held liable for any damage jointly or individually, in case of after-registration 'the state of registry' or 'owner' of the space debris should be. In the event of damage being caused elsewhere than on the surface of the earth to a space object of other State, 'fault-based liability' is currently applied. But it needs to be changed into 'absolutely liability'. In this paper, 'Liability Pool', 'Insurance', 'Market-Share Liability' are presented as aid devices of the damages resulting from unidentified space debris. They should be defined through the amendment of the Liability Convention or another international treaty. Some day there comes a time when our country shall possess many of the astronomical price of satellites. It means that we can't be free from the damage by the increasing number of space debris. Provided that our satellites are damaged by such space debris, it will do the satellites damage and cause impaired functioning or troubles in operation. As a result, if we are not paid for the damage by space debris, we will be confronted with tremendous economic loss because it is necessarily connected with the excess burden of taxation. Thus, an international agreement regarding the measures of the compensation for space debris damage must be made very soon.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1619-1637
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• 2016

With wide distribution of smart phones and development of mobile network, social network service (SNS) is displaying remarkable growth rates. Users build new social relations by sharing their interests, which brings surging growth to the SNS based on the combination between the strength of expanding the place for communication and distribution of smart phones featured with easy portability. This study is designed to understand impact factors of SNS on users in Korea and to conduct empirical research on casual relationship between the factors above and the factors affecting personal information behavior through the privacy protection and self-efficacy. In order to accomplish the objective above, the study presented a research model applied with key variables of the Health Belief Model (HBM) predicting behaviors capable of recognizing and preventing individual diseases in the field of health communication. To perform empirical verification on the research model of this study, a survey was conducted upon college students at N university located in Chungcheongnam-do and K university in rural area, who have experiences using the SNS. Through this survey, a total of 186 samples were collected, and path analysis was performed in order to analyze the relationship between the factors. Based on the findings from the survey, first, variables Perceived probability, Perceived severity, Perceived impairment of the HBM, key factors of personal information protection behavior on the SNS, were found to exhibit negative relationship with self-efficacy, and Perceived probability, Perceived benefit, Perceived impairment were found to exhibit negative relationship with privacy protection. But the above, Perceived severity showed positive relationship with privacy protection, and Perceived benefit and self-efficacy also displayed positive relationship. Second, although self-efficacy, a parameter, showed positive relationship with privacy protection, it demonstrated negative relationship with personal information protection behavior. Lastly, privacy protection exhibited positive relationship with personal information protection behavior. By presenting theoretical model reflected with characteristics of prevention based on these findings above unlike previous studies on personal information protection using technologies threatening personal information, this study is to provide theoretical and operational foundation capable of offering explanations how to predict personal information protection behavior on the SNS in the future.

• Korea and Global Affairs
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.69-92
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• 2018

North Korea conducted a total of six nuclear tests from the 1st test of 2006 to September, 2017. North Korea developed an armed forces security strategy at the level of regime protection and defense to respond to U.S. hostile policy. However, it is certain that strategic goals of North Korea's nuclear test were to overcome a crisis in North Korea's regime through US-North Korea negotiation and complete nuclear armed forces for socialist unification on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea's continuous nuclear test is a direct factor in threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and an indirect factor in security dynamics of Northeast Asia. The U.N. Security Council has enforced sanctions against North Korea through six resolutions against North Korea's reckless nuclear test for the past 10 years. However, Kim Jong-Un's regime is in a position to stick to simultaneous pursuit of nuclear and economic development in spite of anti-North sanction of international society including U.N. and U.S.A. It is understood that North Korea was stimulated to conduct intense nuclear test as U.N. and U.S.A's anti-North sanction was not effective on North Korea. Full-scale and local wars are expected as military options, one of anti-North sanctions of the Trump administration. The Trump administration has attempted diplomatic pressure strategy as a secondary boycott unlike previous administrations. Nevertheless, North Korea has stood against U.N. and U.S.A's anti-North sanction with brinkmanship tactics, announcing full-scale military confrontation against U.S. It is judged that North Korea will pursue simultaneous nuclear weapons and economic development in terms of regime survival. North Korea will have less strategic choices in that its regime may collapse because of realistic national strategy between U.S.A. and China.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.751-761
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• 2014

This study was carried out to analyze the vegetation properties, soil characteristics and ordination of Rhododendron brachycarpum population in South Korea. Rhododendron brachycarpum were mainly distributed along the Ulleungdo and Baekdudaegan of the Korean penninsula and it's population was located at an elevation of 872m to 1466m. The Rhododendron brachycarpum population was classified into Taxus cuspidata var. latifolia dominant population, Magnolia sieboldii dominant population, Thuja koraiensis dominant population and Rhododendron brachycarpum typical population. The composition of soil properties in the same areas are as follows: organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, exchangeable $K^+$, exchangeable $Ca^{2+}$, exchangeable $Mg^{2+}$ contained, and soil pH. The capacities of these chemical properties of the soil ranged from 10.45~15.28%, 0.37~0.61%, $0.21{\sim}0.35cmol^+/kg$, $0.39{\sim}2.54cmol^+/kg$, $0.17{\sim}0.50cmol^+/kg$, $18.28{\sim}22.81cmol^+/kg$ and 4.66~5.23 respectively. The results of the correlation between communities and soil conditions of vegetation of Rhododendron brachycarpum by DCCA ordination method are as follows: Taxus cuspidata var. latifolia dominant population was found in the very steep sloped area that has low percentage of total organic matter and nitrogen than other populations. Magnolia sieboldii dominant population and Thuja koraiensis dominant population was found in the steep sloped area that has high percentage of total organic matter and nitrogen than other populations. Thuja koraiensis dominant population was found in the gentle sloped area that has high percentage of altitudinal and rock exposure. Current status of Rhododendron brachycarpum is very vulnerable with a collection of herbs constantly threatening the species' survival. Thus, concrete conservation plans to protect natural habitats should be set up as soon as possible.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.485-516
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• 2011

Republic of Korea is small nation that is comprised of 0.7% of the world population and occupying just 0.07% of the world territory. Despite this, Republic of Korea once again proved herself to be as the world's major economic powerhouse by becoming the world's 7th largest exporter in 2010. However, the reality is that Republic of Korea is still significantly concerned about the volatile economic nature and anxiety that is spread across the globe since the global depression that began at the end of 2008 and the financial crisis that has been threatening the Euro-Zone recently. This has resulted in the nation reaching the limitation in significant economic growth and limited creation of jobs within the nation and due to such circumstances, the nation is becoming more aware of the fact that she needs to pay more attention on the service sector and service exports if she was to see a more positive economic outlook in the upcoming future. This research is aimed to analyse the cost that is associated with the service export sector, by examining a number of enterprises in relation to the MICE(Meeting Incentives Convention Exhibition) industry which certainly has both direct and indirect influences on the service exports of the nation Further, the prime goal of the research is to encourage the SMEs of Korea, who have substandard experience associated to foreign exports, to intensify and increase service exports and also the goal extends to the degree to suggest appropriate assistance measures to aid these enterprises to achieve such goals. This research is fundamentally designed and based on the literature research associated with the MICE industry and also, this research is premeditated through the analysis of the case of exports to Vietnam. As the result of research, it has been found out that SMEs in the MICE industry and those of in service export sector are reluctant or even feel insecure to attempt any kind of export of their services mainly due to; the lack of foreign market information and also the lack of experience associated with service exports. Furthermore, it has also been revealed that the difficulty to estimate the validity and profitability of service the export is a significant factor withholding those enterprises from attempting any service export to the foreign markets. Henceforth, in order to aid and stimulate service export to the foreign markets by these SMEs (including those in association with the MICE industry), it is imperative to prepare an one-stop service export assistance program which would provide the information associated with marketing, law and legislation, taxation system and financial area in regard to the global markets.