Provinces In South Korea Research Articles

Association between 24-h urinary sodium excretion and obesity in Korean adults: A multicenter study.

The aim of this study was to explore the association between sodium intake, as assessed by 24-h urinary sodium excretion, and various obesity parameters among South Korean adults. The associations of 24-h urinary sodium excretion and sodium intake calculated from the dietary questionnaire with obesity parameters also were compared. This multicenter, cross-sectional study analyzed data of 640 healthy adults from eight provinces in South Korea. Obesity was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Mean 24-h urinary sodium excretion was calculated from repeatedly collected 24-h urine samples. Participants' dietary intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recall interview on the days before 24-h urine collection. In both sexes, the means of all anthropometric measurements tended to increase proportionally with 24-h urinary sodium excretion quartiles, regardless of adjustment. Men in the highest quartile (Q4) of 24-h urinary sodium excretion had increased odds of obesity (as assessed by BMI, WC, WHR, and WHtR) compared with men in the three lower quartiles (Q1-Q3) of 24-h urinary sodium excretion. Women in Q4 of 24-h urinary sodium excretion exhibited a higher chance of general obesity and abdominal obesity. Sodium intake calculated from the dietary questionnaire was not significantly associated with obesity in either sex. In Korean adults, there was a positive association between higher sodium intake as assessed by 24-h urinary sodium excretion and obesity independent of energy intake.

Estimation and validation of stem volume equations for Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, and Larix kaempferi in South Korea

ABSTRACTStem volume models using diameter at breast height (DBH) and height were developed for Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, and Larix kaempferi. The data were obtained from Gangwon, Gyeonggi, and North Gyeongsang provinces in South Korea, and the sample trees felled were used to provide the parameter estimates of volume equations. The combined-variable function, , was shown to be the best model through the validation of the equation. Also, the model using only DBH, was also evaluated to be applicable in the field. These models revealed higher accuracy when compared with previous studies. Both equations are considered to be easily used in the field.

Investigation of Genetic Diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae Using PCR-RFLP.

Fusarium wilts of strawberry, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, is a serious soil-borne disease. Fusarium wilt causes dramatic yield losses in commercial strawberry production and it is a very stubborn disease to control. Reliable chemical control of strawberry Fusarium wilt disease is not yet available. Moreover, other well-known F. oxysporum have different genetic information from F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae. This analysis investigates the genetic diversity of strawberry Fusairum wilt pathogen. In total, 110 pathogens were isolated from three major strawberry production regions, namely Sukok, Hadong, Sancheong in Gyeongnam province in South Korea. The isolates were confirmed using F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae species-specific primer sets. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses were executed using the internal transcribed spacer, intergenic spacer, translation elongation factor1-α, and β-tubulin genes of the pathogens and four restriction enzymes: AluI, HhaI, HinP1I and HpyCH4V. Regarding results, there were diverse patterns in the three gene regions except for the β-tubulin gene region. Correlation analysis of strawberry cultivation region, cultivation method, variety, and phenotype of isolated pathogen, confirmed that genetic diversity depended on the classification of the cultivated region.

Chemical Constituents of Smilax china L. Stems and Their Inhibitory Activities against Glycation, Aldose Reductase, α-Glucosidase, and Lipase.

The search for natural inhibitors with anti-diabetes properties has gained increasing attention. Among four selected Smilacaceae family plants, Smilax china L. stems (SCS) showed significant in vitro anti-glycation and rat lens aldose reductase inhibitory activities. Bioactivity-guided isolation was performed with SCS and four solvent fractions were obtained, which in turn yielded 10 compounds, including one phenolic acid, three chlorogenic acids, four flavonoids, one stilbene, and one phenylpropanoid glycoside; their structures were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. All solvent fractions, isolated compounds, and stem extracts from plants sourced from six different provinces of South Korea were next tested for their inhibitory effects against advanced glycation end products, as well as aldose reductase. α-Glucosidase, and lipase assays were also performed on the fractions and compounds. Since compounds 3, 4, 6, and 8 appeared to be the superior inhibitors among the tested compounds, a comparative study was performed via high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection using a self-developed analysis method to confirm the relationship between the quantity and bioactivity of the compounds in each extract. The findings of this study demonstrate the potent therapeutic efficacy of SCS and its potential use as a cost-effective natural alternative medicine against type 2 diabetes and its complications.

Economic Feasibility of Renewable Electricity Generation Systems for Local Government Office: Evaluation of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province in South Korea

While environmental and energy concerns have become global issues, the government of South Korea has made notable efforts and formulated plans for the diffusion of renewable energy generation facilities for the nation’s public and governmental institutions. Accordingly, Jeju Island has become one of the most promising locations for utilizing renewable energy resources. This study aims to propose potential configurations for renewable energy generation facilities (mainly solar and wind energy facilities) in response to the electricity demand of the main local governmental offices of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The study utilizes the hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources software to simulate two optimized configurations for generation at a cost of energy of $0.306 per kWh (independent) and $0.204 per kWh (grid-connected) with 100% renewable fraction for the island. The implications of the simulation results and limitations of the study are discussed.

Prevalence of Antibodies Against Coxiella burnetii in Korean Native Cattle, Dairy Cattle, and Dogs in South Korea.

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic agent and causes coxiellosis, which is a cause of reproductive failure in a range of animal species, including abortion and stillbirth and Q fever, which is most often characterized by an acute flu-like illness, mild pneumonia, and/or hepatitis in humans. While livestock are well recognized worldwide as a source of infection, the zoonotic risk of C. burnetii infection in companion animals such as dogs may be overlooked. For serological diagnosis, indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are generally considered good methods for prevalence surveys of coxiellosis. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey of the seroprevalence of previous exposure to C. burnetii in dogs, dairy cattle, and Korean native cattle (a primarily beef breed) in South Korea. Serum samples obtained from 3087 Korean native cattle, 1224 dairy cattle, and 1023 dogs were collected from eight provinces in South Korea, and IFA and ELISA were performed to test for seropositivity. The prevalence of C. burnetii was 1.7% in Korean native cattle, 10.5% in dairy cattle, and 2.9% in dogs. This is the first report identifying previous exposure to C. burnetii in South Korean dogs. Furthermore, the presence of C. burnetii antibodies in companion and feral dogs indicates that dogs can be a potential reservoir species for zoonotic risk of C. burnetii infection in South Korea. Therefore, more detailed studies aiming to clarify epidemiological factors should be performed in the future.

Review of Sarcoidosis in a Province of South Korea from 1996 to 2014

BackgroundSince the introduction of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)–guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes, the incidence of histopathologically-confirmed sarcoidosis has increased.MethodsThe electronic medical records of Chonnam National University (CNU) Hospital and CNU Hwasun Hospital (CNUHH) were searched for confirmed cases of sarcoidosis diagnosed between 1996 and 2014. Cases were selected using a combination of clinical, radiological, and pathological evidence. Of 115 cases with the relevant disease codes, 16 cases were excluded, as they had not been confirmed pathologically or had no definitive clinical features of sarcoidosis.ResultsAmong 99 cases of confirmed sarcoidosis, only nine patients were diagnosed with sarcoidosis before 2008; the rest were diagnosed from 2008 onward, after the introduction of EBUS-TBNA. EBUS-TBNA was used in 75.8% of patients, open surgical biopsy in 13.2%, and mediastinoscopic biopsy in 5.1%. At the time of diagnosis, 42.4% of sarcoidosis cases were at stage I, 55.6% at stage II, and 2% at stage III. Spontaneous remission of sarcoidosis was observed in 33.3% of cases, and stable disease in 37.4%; systemic steroid treatment was initiated in 23.2% of cases. Of the patients treated with systemic steroids, 69.6% showed improvement. The median duration of steroid treatment was 5 months.ConclusionFollowing the introduction of EBUS-TBNA, the number of newly diagnosed sarcoidosis patients has increased. Clinical features of sarcoidosis were similar to those previously reported. Spontaneous remission occurred in about one-third of patients, while one-fourth of patients required systemic steroid treatment.

The Relationship among Internal Marketing, Market Orientation, Corporate Image, and Organizational Performance

Although internal marketing and market orientation are critical requisites for business success, few studies have been done to examine the relationship between internal marketing and market orientation of small and medium manufacturers (SMMs).This paper aims to investigate the effects of internal marketing and market orientation on corporate image and organizational performance of organizational innovation of SMMs in South Korea. The measures of this study were developed and tested on 221 CEOs of Gyeongnam province in South Korea with a questionnaire survey. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis was used to assess the measurement model and hypotheses with AMOS 18.0. The study revealed that in small and medium manufacturers, internal marketing positively affects market orientation and indirectly affects corporate image and organizational performance. Market orientation positively affects corporate image and organizational performance. Therefore, CEOs should make efforts to satisfying and motivating their employees based on internal marketing in order to attain the high level of organizational performance.

An In-Depth Investigation into the Physicochemical, Thermal, Microstructural, and Rheological Properties of Petroleum and Natural Asphalts.

Over the last decade, unexpected and sudden pavement failures have occurred in several provinces in South Korea. Some of these failures remain unexplained, further illustrating the gaps in our knowledge about binder chemistry. To prevent premature pavement distress and enhance road performance, it is imperative to provide an adequate characterization of asphalt. For this purpose, the current research aims at inspecting the chemistry, microstructure, thermal, and physico-rheological properties of two types of asphalt, namely petroleum asphalt (PA) and natural asphalt (NA). The binders were extensively investigated by using elemental analysis, thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-fight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR), ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), penetration, softening point, ductility, and viscosity tests. The findings of this research have revealed the distinct variations between the chemical compositions, microstructures, and thermo-rheological properties of the two asphalts and provided valuable knowledge into the characteristics of the binders. Such insight has been effective in predicting the performance or distress of road pavement. This paper will, therefore, be of immediate interest to materials engineers in state highway agencies and asphalt industries.

Political Determinants of Gross Regional Domestic Products : Time-Series-Cross-Sectional Analysis of Metropolitan Cities and Provinces in South Korea (1995-2014)

Political Determinants of Gross Regional Domestic Products : Time-Series-Cross-Sectional Analysis of Metropolitan Cities and Provinces in South Korea (1995-2014)

MPS 02-05 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND BRACHIAL ANKLE PULSE WAVE VELOCITY IN A GENERAL POPULATION

Objective: Physical activity (PA) is recommended as a lifestyle therapy for patients with cardiovascular diseases including angina, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Improved vascular function is suggested one of the mechanism for the clinical benefit. As a representative marker for arterial stiffness, brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) could be influenced by physical activity. Design and Method: In the rural area, Yangpyung, Gyunggi Province in South Korea, for 1591 subjects, baPWV measurement using VP2000 (Colin, Japan), and questionnaire for physical activity were performed. Modified Stanford 7 day recall questionnaire to reflect the difference in the PA between field working seasons and the other seasons was applied to measure metabolic equivalent (METs) per day. In multiple regression model for baPWV included age, sex, BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), pulse, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, antihypertensive medication (AHM), log HOMA, height, and eGFR. Results: The age was 60.6 +/− 9.5 years (n = 1591) and female was 59.5% (n = 947). Subjects taking antihypertensive medication was 28.9% (n = 460). In multiple regression analysis, PA in daily METs was negatively associated with baPWV (b = −0.02474, p = 0.003976), which were independent of age (b = 11.3, p Conclusions: In our study, it was shown that physical activity as a comprehensive measure of total physical activity regardless of intensity is consistently associated with protective influence on baPWV. To improve vascular function, increased physical activity by any level of intensity might be recommended against vascular aging.

Correlations between Quality of Life and Job Stress among Occupational Therapists Working at Rehabilitation Hospitals

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationships between quality of life and job stress among occupational therapists who worked at rehabilitation hospitals in South Korea. Methods/Statistical Analysis: This study conducted a survey of 295 occupational therapists working at 21 rehabilitation hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. Findings: The results showed that the correlations between quality of life and job stress had statistically significant differences in all studied sub-domains. Furthermore, the higher the job stress domain scores, the lower the quality of life, which indicated a negative correlation. Application/Improvements: In the future, it is necessary to study interventions from individual and organizational dimensions to reduce job stress among occupational therapists and improve their quality of life.

Greenhouse gas emissions from cattle production sector in South Korea

<p class="abstrak2">South Korea has declared to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% compared to the current level by the year 2020. The greenhouse gas emissions from the cattle production sector in South Korea were evaluated in this study. The greenhouse gas emissions of dairy cattle, Non-Korean native cattle, and Korean native (Hanwoo) cattle production activities in 16 local administrative provinces of South Korea over a ten-year period (2005–2014) were estimated using the methodology specified by the Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventory of the IPCC (2006). The emissions studied herein included methane from enteric fermentation, methane from manure management, nitrous oxide from manure management and carbon dioxide from direct on-farm energy use. Over the last ten years, Hanwoo cattle production activities were the primary contributor of CH<sub>4</sub> from enteric fermentation, CH<sub>4</sub> from manure management, NO<sub>2</sub> from manure management and CO<sub>2</sub> from on-farm energy use in the cattle livestock sector of South Korea, which comprised to 83.52% of total emissions from cattle production sector.</p>

An improved tree crown delineation method based on live crown ratios from airborne LiDAR data

Individual tree crowns are one of the basic forest inventory data, which can be used in various forest-related studies such as biomass and carbon stock estimation. High-resolution remote-sensing data including airborne LiDAR-derived surfaces have been widely used for delineating tree crowns. This study proposes an improved tree crown delineation algorithm that can be effectively applied to a range of forests with a limited number of parameters considering its operational use with airborne LiDAR data. The proposed algorithm integrates morphological operators, Otsu’s method, marker-controlled watershed segmentation, and the concept of crown ratios. The proposed algorithm was compared with the region growing method, a widely used tree crown delineation algorithm. The two algorithms were evaluated over 10 plots in rugged terrain located in Kangwon Province in South Korea. Results show that the proposed approach produced much better performance (~87% matched on average) for 10 plots with a range of tree densities than the region growing method (~60% matched on average). The proposed algorithm worked better for sparse plots than dense ones. It also worked well for deciduous plots (plots 1 and 4). On the other hand, the region growing method produced relatively low accuracy with many merged crowns, which requires additional postprocessing such as a resplit step.

The Antecedent and Consequences of Brand Image in a Low-Priced Cosmetic Brand of South Korea: The Moderating Effect of Gender

We performed a study to investigate the influence that brand image has on customer loyalty of a low-priced cosmetic brand through perceived value and customer satisfaction, as well as to examine the moderating role of gender. Appropriate measures were developed based on previous studies and tested on 234 consumers of Gyeongnam province in South Korea with a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The results of the empirical analysis showed that perceived value positively affects brand image and customer satisfaction. Brand image positively influences customer loyalty but does not influence customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has a positive effect on customer loyalty. The moderating effects of gender between perceived value and brand image and customer satisfaction, brand image and customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are not significant at the level of 0.05. However, there are some differences of the perceptions for perceived value, brand image, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty between male and female. It is identified that the subtle differences can be used as a demographic segmentation. Thus, marketers should focus on brand image to enhance customer loyalty through perceived value and customer satisfaction based on gender differentiation.

Epidemiological Characteristics of Gallbladder Cancer in Jeju Island: A Single-Center, Clinically Based, Age-Sex-Matched, Case-Control Study

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare but highly invasive malignancy characterized by poor survival. In a national cancer survey, the age-standardized incidence rate of GBC was highest in Jeju Island among the 15 provinces in South Korea. The aim of this descriptive epidemiological study was to suggest the modifiable risk factors for this rare malignant disease in Jeju Island by performing an age-sex-matched case- control study. The case group included patients diagnosed with GBC at the Department of Internal Medicine of Cheju Halla General Hospital, Jeju, South Korea, within the 5-year study period. The control group consisted of age-sex-matched subjects selected from among the participants of the health promotion center at the same institute and in the same period. We compared 78 case-control pairs in terms of clinical variables such as histories of hypertension, diabetes, vascular occlusive disorders, alcohol and smoking consumption, obesity, and combined polypoid lesions of the gallbladder (PLG) or gallstone diseases (GSDs). Among the relevant risk factors, alcohol consumption, parity ≥ 2, PLG, and GSDs were significant risk factors in the univariate analysis. PLG (p < 0.01; OR, 51.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.98-875.3) and GSD (p < 0.01; OR, 54.9; 95% CI, 3.00-1001.8) were associated risk factors of GBC in the multivariate analysis with the conditional logistic regression model. However, we failed to find any correlation between obesity and GBC. We also found a negative correlation between alcohol consumption history and GBC in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.01; OR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01-0.31). These results suggest that combined PLG and GSDs are strongly associated with the GBC in Jeju Island and mild to moderate alcohol consumption may negatively correlate with GBC risk.

Improved Correction of Atmospheric Pressure Data Obtained by Smartphones through Machine Learning.

A correction method using machine learning aims to improve the conventional linear regression (LR) based method for correction of atmospheric pressure data obtained by smartphones. The method proposed in this study conducts clustering and regression analysis with time domain classification. Data obtained in Gyeonggi-do, one of the most populous provinces in South Korea surrounding Seoul with the size of 10,000 km2, from July 2014 through December 2014, using smartphones were classified with respect to time of day (daytime or nighttime) as well as day of the week (weekday or weekend) and the user's mobility, prior to the expectation-maximization (EM) clustering. Subsequently, the results were analyzed for comparison by applying machine learning methods such as multilayer perceptron (MLP) and support vector regression (SVR). The results showed a mean absolute error (MAE) 26% lower on average when regression analysis was performed through EM clustering compared to that obtained without EM clustering. For machine learning methods, the MAE for SVR was around 31% lower for LR and about 19% lower for MLP. It is concluded that pressure data from smartphones are as good as the ones from national automatic weather station (AWS) network.

데이터마이닝을 이용한 기상정보에 따른 화재 위험 평가

We propose a weather-related service for fire risk assessment in order to increase fire safety awareness in everyday life. The proposed service offers a fire risk assessment level according to weather forecasts and a degree of fire risk according to fire factors under certain weather conditions. In order to estimate the fire risk, we produced a risk matrix through data mining with a decision tree using investigation data and weather data. Through the proposed service, residents can calculate the degree of fire risk under certain weather conditions using the fire factors around them. In addition, they can choose from various solutions to reduce fire risk. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed services, we developed a system that offers the services. Whenever weather forecasting is carried out by the Korea Meteorological Administration, the system produces the fire risk assessment levels for seven major cities and nine provinces of South Korea in an online process, as well as the fire risk according to fire factors for the weather conditions in each region.

Effects of Organic Matter Concentration in Soil on Phytoavailability of Cadmium in Medicinal Plants

The safety of plant species used as a source for herbal medicines and dietary supplements has recently been questioned due to poisonings associated with the presence of cadmium (Cd) in these plants. These plants can derive Cd from their presence in the soil. Organic matter (OM) concentrations in soils could affect the availability of Cd for plants. To determine the effect of OM concentration in soil on the concentration of plant available Cd and uptake of this toxic element by medicinal plants, soil and plant samples were collected from 102 fields supporting for 5 species of medicinal plants in 6 province of South Korea. Concentrations of OM and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soils affected the phytoavailability of Cd. One M NH₄OAc extractable Cd concentration in soil increased with increasing OM concentrations. There were significantly positive relationships between 1 M NH₄OAc extractable Cd concentration and OM concentration in soil and between 1 M NH₄OAc extractable Cd concentration and DOC concentration. Likewise, OM and DOC concentrations significantly affected Cd concentration in medicinal plant soils. Cadmium concentration in medicinal plants increased with increasing OM concentration in soil [Cd concentration (mg kg -1) = 0.179 + 1.424 × 10 -3 OM concentrations, R 2 = 0.042 * ] and with DOC concentration [Cd concentration (mg kg -1 ) = 0.150 + 5.870 × 10 -4 DOC concentrations, R 2 = 0.124 *** ]. These results might result from Cd-DOC complex which is easily absorbed Cd form by plant root. Dissolved organic carbon concentration had more positive relationship with Cd concentration in medicinal plants and 1 M NH₄OAc extractable Cd concentration in soils than OM. Cadmium concentration in all 5 species of medicinal plant (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidzumi, Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis lanceolata, Platycodon grandiflorum, and Rehmannia glutinosa) significantly increased with increasing DOC concentration in soil. From the above results, formation of Cd-DOC complex caused by OM application might be mainly attributed to increase in Cd concentration in medicinal plants.

The Relationship among Self-Efficacy, Social Influence,Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, and Behavioral Intention in Mobile Learning Service

The purpose of this study is to examine the structural relationship among self-efficacy, social influence, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and behavioral intention of mobile learning, which is based on the extended technology acceptance model. We performed a study to determine the impacts that social influence, performance expectancy, and effort expectancy have on behavioral intention of mobile learning through self-efficacy. Appropriate measures were developed and tested on 226 university students of Gyeongnam province in South Korea with a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The path relationship of the research model was analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS 18.0. The results revealed that firstly, self-efficacy has positive effects on performance expectancy, social influence, and effort expectancy. Second, social influence has positive effects on performance expectancy, behavioral intention, and effort expectancy. Third, effort expectancy has positive effects on performance expectancy and behavioral intention. Fourth, performance expectancy has a positive effect on behavioral intention. Managers of mobile learning should focus on self-efficacy to enhance behavioral intention.