Insect-resistant transgenic (Bt-9) rice was generated by inserting the mCry1Ac1 a modified gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into the genome of a conventional variety of rice (Ilmibyeo). With regard to the potential problems of safety, the non-target organism evaluation is required as an essential element for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops. For biosafety assessment, we studied the effects on survival of cantor Daphnia magna, a commonly used as a model organism in ecotoxicological studies. D. magna fed on Bt-transgenic rice (Bt-9) and its near non-GM counterparts (Ilmibyeo) grown in the same environment (100% ground rice suspension). The Bt-9 rice was comfirmed to have the insertion of T-DNA and protein expression by the PCR and ELISA analysis. Feeding study showed similar cumulative immobility and abnormal response of Daphnia magna between Bt-9 rice and Ilmibyeo. 48hr-EC50 values of Bt-9 and Ilmi rice showed 4,400 mg/L (95% confidence limits: 3861.01 ~ 5015.01 mg/L) and 5,564mg/L (95% confidence limits: 4780.03 ~ 6476.93 mg/L) respectively. The rice NOEC (No observed effect concentration) value for D. magna was suggested 1,620mg/L. We conclude that the tested Bt-9 and Ilmi similar cumulative immobility for D. magna the widely used model organism. We found out that there is strong possibility that the growth of Bt-9 didn’t affect to non-target insects.

We examine whether the solar eclipse effect is dependent on the geographic conditions under which the geomagnetic field variations are recorded. We concentrate our attention on the dependence of the solar eclipse effect on a number of factors, including, the magnitude of a solar eclipse (defined as the fraction of the angular diameter of the Sun being eclipsed), the magnetic latitude of the observatory, the duration of the observed solar eclipse at the given geomagnetic observatory, and the location of the geomagnetic observatory in the path of the Moon’s shadow. We analyze an average of the 207 geomagnetic field variation data sets observed by 100 INTERMAGNET geomagnetic nodes, during the period from 1991 to 2016. As a result, it is demonstrated that (1) the solar eclipse effect on the geomagnetic field, i.e., an increase in the Y component and decreases in the X, Z and F componenets, becomes more distinct as the magnitude of solar eclipse increases, (2) the solar eclipse effect is most conspicuous when the modulus of the magnetic latitude is between 30◦ and 50◦, (3) the more slowly Moon’s shadow passes the geomagnetic observatory, the more clear the solar eclipse effect, (4) the geomagnetic observatory located in the latter half of the path of Moon’s shadow with respect to the position of the greatest eclipse is likely to observe a more clear signal. Finally, we conclude by stressing the importance of our findings.

Nonthermal atmospheric plasma has been studied for its many biomedical effects, such as tooth bleaching, wound healing, and coagulation. In this study, the effects of dentinal tubules occlusion were investigated using fluoride-carboxymethyl cellulose (F-CMC) gel, nano-sized hydroxyapatite (n-HA), and nonthermal atmospheric plasma. Human dentin specimens were divided to 5 groups (group C, HA, HAF, HAP, and HAFP). Group HA was treated with n-HA, group HAF was treated with n-HA after a F-CMC gel application, group HAP was treated with n-HA after a plasma treatment and group HAFP was treated with n-HA after a plasma and F-CMC gel treatment. The occlusion of dentinal tubules was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), which shows Ca/P ratio. In the EDS results, a higher Ca/P ratio was shown in the groups including n-HA than in the control group. The specimens of group HAP and HAFP had a higher Ca/P ratio in retentivity. In the SEM results, there was not a significant difference in the amount of times applied. Therefore, this study suggests F-CMC gel and n-HA treatment using nonthermal atmospheric plasma will be a new treatment method for decreasing hypersensitivity.

본 연구의 목적은 식품 제조 중 표백 및 살균에 사용되는 과산화수소(H2O2)의 잔류 농도 검출에 활용 될 수 있는 유리탄소전극 기반의 바이오센서의 개발이다. 미국 FDA 및 국내 식품의학안전처 등 식품 용 과산화수소(food grade H2O2)는 국내외적으로 35% H2O2 수용액으로 규정한다. 연구에서 개발한 바이오센서는 감응 물질로 사용된 horseradish peroxidase를 graphene oxide와 aniline과 함께 biocomposite 를 형성시킨 후 중성 pH에서 본 연구에서 새롭게 개발된 전기화학적 증착법을 수행하여 개발되었다. 센서구조 및 특성 평가를 위하여 SEM, 순환 전압 전류법 등을 수행하 였으며 본 연구에서 개발된 바이오센서는 10-500 μM 농 도의 H2O2에 대하여 직선상의 농도 의존적인 반응을 나타내었으며 최저 검출 한계는 0.12 μM 으로 산출되었다. 본 연구에서 개발된 센서의 전략적 가치는 향후 오징어포,건어물 등 널리 유통되는 식품 중에 함유된 식품용 H2O2 미량을 현장에서 쉽게 분석 할 수 있어서 비용-효과적 측면에서 그 가치가 우수하다는 것을 제시한다.

Ohmic heating is one of advanced thermal processing techniques which utilize conversion of electrical energy into heat. In our study, a feasibility of ohmic heating was tested to cook instant rice cake to improve energy efficacy as an alternative heating methods of conventional electrical kettle. Ohmic heating was conducted using customized ohmic cell (7.5×4.5×9.5 cm) equipped with titanium electrodes. Instant rice cakes in soup were ohmically heated up to 100°C at different electric fields (9, 12, 15 & 18 V/cm) and temperature holding times (60, 80, 100 & 120 s). Thermocouple was placed into both soup and rice cake to evaluate the temperature profile and energy efficacy. Temperature, voltage and current across the sample were measured and recorded at every 3 s using data acquisition system (DAQ). Mathematical model was developed to calculate the internal energy generation rate (QR, W). Internal energy generation rate (QR, W) was integrated versus temperature come-up time (s) to compute the total internal energy dose (ET, J) using MATLBA software. For energy efficacy (Eff), it was calculated ratio of total internal energy dose (ET, J) to heat quantity (Qh, J). During ohmic heating, temperature come-up time was significantly reduced as a function of elevated electric field (P<0.05). For example, 9V/cm of electric field showed 6.2±0.4 min of temperature come-up time up to 100°C. Higher electric field at 18 V/cm reduced temperature come-up time to 1.9±0.1 min. The electric field of 15 V/cm showed the best energy efficacy as 0.78 which meant 78% of electrical energy was converted into thermal energy for heating. In the texture profile analysis, the most preferable harness was found as 6.191 N at 15 V/cm and 100 s holding time. Our study showed the potential of ohmic heating to cook instant rice cakes for home meal replacement (HMR) and outdoor foods.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lumbar stabilization and sling exercise on visual analogue scale (VAS), Korean Oswestry Disability Index (KODI), and stability index (ST) in patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP). This study included participants with a VAS scale of 6 or higher and a KOD of 20-40%. They were randomly divided into a mat group (n=15) to perform lumbar stabilization exercises and a sling group (n=15) to perform sling exercises, and then they underwent a four-week experiment. The experimental results of this study were as follows: the VAS and KODI showed a statistically significant difference (P<.05) and a larger effect size within each group after the intervention, it exhibited no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>.05). There were significant differences in ST before and after intervention in each group (P<.05), however there was no significant difference between the groups. The present study suggest that the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercise are similar.

A typical snowfall pattern occurs over the east coastal region of the Korean Peninsula, known as the Yeongdong region. The precipitation over the Yeongdong region is influenced by the cold and dry northeasterly wind which advects over warm and moist sea surface of the East Sea of Korea. This study reveals the influence of large-scale factors, affecting local to remote areas, on the mesoscale snowfall system over the Yeongdong region. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of Energy reanalysis dataset, Extended Reconstructed sea surface temperature, and observed snowfall data are analyzed to reveal the relationship between February snowfall and large-scale factors from 1981 to 2014. The Yeongdong snowfall is associated with the sea level pressure patterns over the Gaema Plateau and North Pacific near the Bering Sea, which is remotely associated to the sea surface temperature (SST) variability over the North Pacific. It is presented that the relationship between the Yeongdong snowfall and large-scale factors is strengthened after 1999 when the central north Pacific has warm anomalous SST. These enhanced relationships explain the atmospheric patterns of recent strong snowfall years (2010, 2011, and 2014). It is suggested that the newly defined index in this study based on related SST variability can be used for a seasonal predictor of the Yeongdong snowfall with 2-month leading.

The presence of blue stragglers pose challenges to standard stellar evolution theory, in the sense that explaining their presence demands a complex interplay between stellar evolution and cluster dynamics. In the meantime, mass transfer in binary systems and stellar collisions are widely studied as a blue straggler formation channel. We explore properties of the Galactic open clusters where blue stragglers are found, in attempting to estimate the relative importance of these two favored processes, by comparing them with those resulting from open clusters in which blue stragglers are absent as of now. Unlike previous studies which require a sophisticated process in understanding the implication of the results, this approach is straightforward and has resulted in a supplementary supporting evidence for the current view on the blue straggler formation mechanism. Our main findings are as follows: (1) Open clusters in which blue stragglers are present have a broader distribution with respect to the Z-axis pointing towards the North Galactic Pole than those in which blue stragglers are absent. The probability that two distributions with respect to the Z-axis are drawn from the same distribution is 0.2%. (2) Average values of log10(t) of the clusters with blue stragglers and those without blue stragglers are 8.58 ± 0.232 and 7.52 ± 0.285, respectively. (3) The clusters with blue stragglers tend to be relatively redder than the others, and are distributed broader in colors. (4) The clusters with blue stragglers are likely brighter than those without blue stragglers. (5) Finally, blue stragglers seem to form in condensed clusters rather than simply dense clusters. Hence, we conclude that mass transfer in binaries seems to be a relatively important physical mechanism of the generation of blue stragglers in open clusters, provided they are sufficiently old.

Metformin (1,1-dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride), derived from French lilac (Galega officinalis), is a first-line anti-diabetic drug prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the role of metformin in odontoblastic cell differentiation is still unclear. This study therefore undertook to examine the effect of metformin on regulating odontoblast differentiation in MDPC-23 mouse odontoblastic cells derived from mouse dental papilla cells. As compared to controls, metformin significantly accelerated the mineralization, significantly increased and accelerated the expressions of ALP and Col I mRNAs, and significantly increased the accelerated expressions of DSPP and DMP-1 mRNAs, during differentiation of MDPC-23 cells. There was no alteration in cell proliferation of MDPC-23 cells, on exposure to metformin. These results suggest that the effect of metformin on MDPC-23 mouse odontoblastic cells derived from mouse dental papilla cells, facilitates the odontoblast differentiation and mineralization, without altering the cell proliferation.

본 연구의 목적은 screen printed 탄소계 전극에 기반하여 기능성 식품중에 포함된 소량의 Sildenafil과 Vardenafil (SDF 및 VDF)을 쉽게 검출하기 위한 전류계 면역센서를 개발하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서 개발한 면역센서는 horseradish peroxidase로 labeling 시킨 후 비경쟁적 샌드위치 ELISA 측정법에 의한 원리를 이용하였다. 개발된 센서는 그래핀 산화물 및 키토산(ErGO-CS) 복합체를 단순한 전기화학적 증착에 의해 screen printed 탄소계 전극을 이용 하는 원리이며, 감지된 화학물질을 평가하고 센서특성을 최적화하기 위해 전기 화학적 임피던스분광법, 순환 전압 전류법 등을 포함한 일련의 전기화학적 실험방법에 기초 하여 완성되었다. 본 연구에서 개발된 센서는 100 pg/mL ~ 300 ng/mL 농도의 SDF 및 VDF에 대하여 직선상의 농도 -의존적인 반응을 나타내었다. 또한 최저 검출 한계는 55 pg/ mL이었으며, 센서의 민감도는 1.02 μAng/mL/cm2로 산출 되었다. 센서의 성능은 7.1%의 상대 표준편차로 매우 우수한 재현성을 나타내었다. 본 연구에서 개발된 센서의 전 략적 가치는 향후 건강기능식품중에 함유된 SDF 및 VDF 과 같은 의약품의 미량을 현장에서 쉽게 분석 할 수 있어 서 비용-효과적 측면에서 그 가치가 우수하다는 것을 제시 한다.

Even though we had a lot of obstacles to solve these issues, Jeju National University , Hokkaido University, Hawaii University, American Graduate School of the Paris, and University of Sydney have raised reparation topics through the Peace Island Forum, Peace Island Leadership School and Global Peace Bultuk Assemblies (Bultuk being a meeting place of Jeju woman divers surrounding stones at the sea side) since July of 2010. It was a cornerstone achievement that we presided over at "SOCIAL HEALING THROUGH JUSTICE: THE MASS KILLING OF KOREA JEJU ISLANDERS DURING U.S. PEACETIME OCCUPATION" with the University of Hawaii Law School and Hokkaido University together. Based on these gatherings we can start the Petition by Jeju people on Jeju Island Korea, which is calling for A JOINT SOUTH KOREA AND UNITED STATES JEJU 4.3 INCIDENT TASK FORCE TO FURTHER IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOSTER COMPREHENSIVE AND ENDURING SOCIAL HEALING THROUGH JUSTICE to advance the mutual interests of Jeju residents and the governments and people of South Korea and the United States ( March 27, 2014).

Early detection of Hanwoo cow’s estrus is an important issue in the management of group-housed livestock. In particular, failure to detect estrus in a timely and accurate way can become a limiting factor in achieving efficient reproductive performance. Although a rich variety of methods has been introduced for the detection of estrus, a more accurate and practical method is still required. The behavior of 50 estrus and 100 non estrus Hanwoo cows was video recorded and analysed in 2 Korean native cattle farm. All 50 estrus cattle (100%) showed the mounting or mounted behavior, but only 5 of 100 non estrus cattle (5%) showed the mounting or mounted behavior. One hundred and fifty Hanwoo cows with an age between 2 to 5 years that were expected to come into estrus within 3 days were randomly assigned to each compartment for the estrus group. The heated cows were video recorded for about 24 hours until after post estrus. The results showed that Hanwoo cows can be considered on estrus when it stand immobile during mounted by any other cow in more than or equal to 3.15 s and 3.22 s in chest-tail head mount and head-above back mount and that occurs consecutively at least three times within 876.4 s interval. The algorithm was also developed using the thresholds of the mount duration, mount interval and consecutive occurrence number. The Hanwoo cow’s estrus detection system using IR sensor (CEDSIRS) was composed of IR sensors, a controller, a CPU, a mobile, and so on. If total COUNT numbers per hour was above 1 and it was maintained more than 7 hours, we determined that a cow was in estrus and 16 h past the time from the first estrus detection was regarded as optimum AI time. The 55 of 57 estrus cows (96.5 %) were detected to estrus. Only 5 of 57 cows detected to estrus (8.8%) were decided to weak estrus and 2 of them were not detected. The total conception rate was 85.7%. The estimated price of CEDSIRS is 3,000,000 Won. Therefore, CEDSIRS will improve largely the average conception rate and economic benefits of Hanwoo cow farms.