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In this study, we predict the habitat suitability of Thuja koraiensis, an endemic plant species on the Korean Peninsula, and establish management strategies for its conservation. To achieve this, field surveys were conducted on the Korean Peninsula and northeastern China to determine species occurrence points. An ensemble modeling approach was implemented, combining the Random Forest, Generalized Boosted Model, and Generalized Linear Model algorithms, to explore suitable habitats. Our results show that under current climate conditions, wide suitable habitats can be found in South Korea. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that elevation had the greatest impact on the availability of suitable habitats. On the basis of the shared socioeconomic pathway data presented in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report, changes in future habitat distribution were observed for the 2050s (2040-2060) and 2070s (2060-2080). The results indicated a significant decrease in the availability of suitable habitats in South Korea, while relatively wide suitable habitats were observed in North Korea. In particular, the elevation of suitable habitat areas gradually increased, suggesting that future suitable habitats may become isolated. These research findings substantiate the necessity for implementing appropriate measures to conserve and manage the climate-vulnerable species T. koraiensis to ensure its long-term preservation and sustainable management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The benefit of oral antiviral therapy in preventing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the general population is not well understood. We used a novel prediction method to estimate the risk of HCC in the Korean population based on various treatment guidelines. Methods: The 5-year risk of HCC following antiviral therapy was calculated using an HCC risk prediction model. A virtual cohort that represented Koreans (>40 years old) with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was established using the fifth National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The antiviral indications tested were the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) guidelines as well as a new extended indication (serum HBV DNA >2,000 IU/mL regardless of serum aminotransferase level). Results: A total of 993,872 subjects were infected with HBV in the general Korean population. Over a 5-year period, 2,725 HCC cases were predicted per 100,000 persons (0.55%/yr). When the cohort was treated based on the Korean NHI, the EASL, and the newly extended indications, HCC risks decreased to 2,531 (–7.1%), 2,089 (–23.3%), and 1,122 (–58.8%) cases per 100,000 persons, respectively (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Simulated risk prediction suggests that extending of oral antiviral indication may reduce the HCC risk in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: Underweight and severe obesity were associated with an increased prevalence of hearing loss in a Korean population. Objective: The relationship between weight and hearing loss is unclear. This study, therefore, analyzed the relationship between hearing loss and body mass index (BMI) in a Korean population. Methods: The prevalence and severity of hearing loss were assessed in 61 052 subjects who underwent health screening examinations, including hearing tests. Subjects were divided into five groups according to BMI (underweight, normal, overweight, obese, and severely obese). The relationships between the prevalence and severity of hearing loss and BMI were analyzed, after adjusting for the effects of age. Results: The rates of mild or greater hearing loss in the underweight, normal, overweight, obese, and severely obese groups were 24.9%, 20.4%, 21.8%, 21.2%, and 24.1%, respectively. Mild severity of hearing loss was the most common in all five groups, followed by moderate, moderately severe, and severe hearing loss, in that order. Multivariate analysis, showed that the odds ratios of hearing loss in the severely obese, and underweight groups, compared with the normal group, were 1.312 and 1.282, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry, the first and one of the largest registries of hereditary tumors in Korea, has registered about 500 families with hereditary cancer syndromes. This study evaluates the temporal changes in clinicopathologic features and surgical patterns of Lynch syndrome (LS) patients. Materials and Methods Data on 182 unrelated LS patients were collected retrospectively. The patients were divided into the period 1 group (registered in 1990-2004) and 2 (registered in 2005-2014). The clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared to identify changes over time. Results The period 1 group included 76 patients; the period 2 group, 106 patients. The mean ages at diagnosis were 45.1 years (range, 13 to 85 years) for group 1 and 49.7 years (range, 20 to 84 years) for group 2 (p=0.015). The TNM stage at diagnosis did not differ significantly-- period 1 group: stage 0-I (n=18, 23.7%), II (n=37, 48.7%), III (n=19, 25.0%), and IV (n=2, 2.6%); period 2 group: stage 0-I (n=30, 28.3%), II (n=35, 33.0%), III (n=37, 34.9%), and IV (n=4, 3.8%). Extended resection was more frequently performed (55/76, 72.4%) in the period 1 group than period 2 (49/106, 46.2%) (p=0.001). Conclusion Colorectal cancer in patients with LS registered at the Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry is still diagnosed at an advanced stage, more than two decades after registry's establishment. Segmental resection was more frequently performed in the past decade. A prompt nationwide effort to raise public awareness of hereditary colorectal cancer and to support hereditary cancer registries is required in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study estimates the socioeconomic cost and burden for breast cancer patients in Korea between 2007 and 2010. Materials and Methods This study used a prevalence-based approach to estimate the cost of breast cancer. Breast cancer patients were defined as those who were hospitalized or have visited an outpatient clinic during the period from 2007 to 2010. The socioeconomic costs of breast cancer were subdivided into two costs: direct and indirect. Results From 2007 to 2010, the prevalence of treated breast cancer increased from 7.9% to 20.4%. The total socioeconomic costs incurred by breast cancer increased by approximately 40.7% from US $668.49 million in 2007 to US $940.75 million in 2010. The direct medical care costs for 2010 were 1.4 times greater (US $399.22 million) than for 2007 (US $278.71 million). The direct non-medical costs rose from US $50.69 million in 2007 to US $75.83 million in 2010, a 49.6% increase. Regarding the economic burden of breast cancer, the total indirect costs were US $339.09 million in 2007 and increased by 37.3% to US $465.70 million in 2010. In the sensitivity analysis, with the annual discount rate for each year ranging from 0%-5%, the costs increased 1.1-1.2 times. Conclusion Due to the growing incidence of breast cancer, the annual prevalence and related costs are increasing. We must strive to reduce the socioeconomic burden of breast cancer through preventive measures and early screening.The processing and mechanical properties of potassium-based geopolymer (K20-Al203*4Si02-llH20) composites containing 1/2 inch long basalt chopped fiber reinforcement have been evaluated and compared to previous data for 1/4 inch long basalt fiber reinforcement. Geopolymer composite test samples were hand fabricated at ambient temperature and cured in a constant humidity, 50°C temperature/humidity chamber. The effects of varying weight percent of fiber reinforcement and heat treatment temperature for fixed fiber content were examined in this study. Reinforcement by ten weight percent basalt chopped fibers significantly improved the room temperature average bend strength over that of pure geopolymer from roughly 2 MPa to 27 MPa. The composite was able to preserve 75% bend strength after heat treatment to 200°C and 12% strength after heat treatment to 600°C, with only five weight percent of fiber reinforcement. Addition of 1/2 inch long fibers showed 20-50% strength increases over the use of 1/4 inch fibers. A Weibull statistical analysis was performed showing a significant increase in reliability with increasing amounts of chopped basalt fiber reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Although the benefits of early tracheostomy have been discussed in numerous studies, it is still unclear whether it is safe to perform early tracheostomy on unstable stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the influences of the timing of tracheostomy on the incidence of complications following surgical tracheostomy in stroke patients. METHODS: We retrospectively performed chart reviews of 95 stroke subjects who underwent tracheostomy. In terms of timing, procedures performed within 7 d of intubation were categorized as early tracheostomy, and those performed after 7 d were categorized as standard tracheostomy. The incidence of complications following tracheostomy was compared between the two groups. The risk factors for complication were also investigated. RESULTS: Among the 95 subjects, 59 (62.1%) received early tracheostomy and 36 (37.9%) received standard tracheostomy. The overall incidence of tracheostomy complications was 24.2%, and there was no significant difference in incidence between the two groups. A comparison of risk factors between the groups with and without complications revealed no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index, Glasgow coma scale score, stroke type, or history of underlying disease. However, activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly higher in the group with complication. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications in stroke subjects undergoing early versus standard tracheotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Childhood and adolescent overweight is a recognized public health concern as the prevalence is already high and continues to increase. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and overweight status by gender among Korean children and adolescents. Methods The data used in this study were taken from the 2009 Korean Survey on the Obesity of Youth and Children. Underweight individuals (n = 1,010) and children and adolescents whose age, height, or weight information was missing (n = 591) were excluded from the data set, resulting in a total of 8,555 subjects who were included in this analysis. Subjective SES, parental education level, parental occupational status, and family structure were used to measure parental SES. Chi-squared tests were used for univariable analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted for multivariable analysis. Results After adjusting for subject's characteristics including gender, age, parental interest in weight management of children, parental body shape, economic status variables that significantly influenced childhood overweight were identified. Low economic status increased the probability of childhood overweight (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.5). Conclusions There is an inverse association between parental SES variables and the overweight status of children and adolescents. Additionally, parental body shape is an important factor that influences childhood and adolescent overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study was conducted in order to demonstrate changing trends in colorectal cancer incidence according to sex, age group, and anatomical location in the Korean population. Materials and Methods Data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry between 1999 and 2009 were analyzed. Annual percent changes (APCs) of sex- and age-specific incidence rates for cancer of the proximal colon (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision [ICD-10] code C18.0-18.5), distal colon (C18.6-18.7), and rectum (C19-20), and male-to-female incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated. Results The age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of colorectal cancer was 27 (per 100,000) in 1999 and increased to 50.2 in 2009 among men (APC, 6.6%). The ASR for women was 17.2 in 1999 and 26.9 in 2009 (APC, 5.1%). The rectum was the most common site of cancer among both men and women during 1999 and 2009. However, the distal colon had the highest APC (10.8% among men and 8.4% among women), followed by the proximal colon (7.9% among men and 6.6% among women), and rectum (5.2% among men and 2.4% among women). The proportion of rectal cancer decreased from 51.5% in 1999 to 47.1% in 2009 among men, and from 50.5% to 42.8% among women. An increase in the male-to-female IRR was observed for distal colon cancer and rectal cancer, whereas the IRR for proximal colon cancer was stable. Conclusion The rapid increase in colorectal cancer incidence is mainly attributed to the increase in colon cancer, especially distal colon cancer, and may be explained by a transition of risk factors for subsites or by the effect of colorectal cancer screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer surivors have limited knowledge about second primary cancer (SPC) screening and suboptimal rates of completion of screening practices for SPC. Our objective was to test the efficacy of an educational material on the knowledge, attitudes, and screening practices for SPC among cancer survivors. Methods: Randomized, controlled trial among 326 cancer survivors from 6 oncology care outpatient clinics in Korea. Patients were randomized to an intervention or an attention control group. The intervention was a photo-novel, culturally tailored to increase knowledge about SPC screening. Knowledge and attitudes regarding SPC screening were assessed two weeks after the intervention, and screening practices were assessed after one year. Results: At two weeks post-intervention, the average knowledge score was significantly higher in the intervention compared to the control group (0.81 vs. 0.75, P<0.01), with no significant difference in their attitude scores (2.64 vs. 2.57, P = 0.18). After 1 year of follow-up, the completion rate of all appropriate cancer screening was 47.2% in both intervention and control groups. Conclusion: While the educatinal material was effective for increasing knowledge of SPC screening, it did not promote cancer screening practice among cancer survivors. More effective interventions are needed to increase SPC screening rates in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal diseases are becoming increasingly important due to population aging. However, studies on the economic burden of musculoskeletal disease in Korea are scarce. Therefore, we conducted a population-based study to measure the economic burden of musculoskeletal disease in Korea using nationally representative data. Methods: This study used a variety of data sources such as national health insurance statistics, the Korea Health Panel study and cause of death reports generated by the Korea National Statistical Office to estimate the economic burden of musculoskeletal disease. The total cost of musculoskeletal disease was estimated as the sum of direct medical care costs, direct non-medical care costs, and indirect costs. Direct medical care costs are composed of the costs paid by the insurer and patients, over the counter drugs costs, and other costs such as medical equipment costs. Direct non-medical costs are composed of transportation and caregiver costs. Indirect costs are the sum of the costs associated with premature death and the costs due to productivity loss. Age, sex, and disease specific costs were estimated. Results: Among the musculoskeletal diseases, the highest costs are associated with other dorsopathies, followed by disc disorder and arthrosis. The direct medical and direct non-medical costs of all musculoskeletal diseases were $4.18 billion and $338 million in 2008, respectively. Among the indirect costs, those due to productivity loss were $2.28 billion and costs due to premature death were $79 million. The proportions of the total costs incurred by male and female patients were 33.8% and 66.2%, respectively, and the cost due to the female adult aged 20-64 years old was highest. The total economic cost of musculoskeletal disease was $6.89 billion, which represents 0.7% of the Korean gross domestic product. Conclusions: The economic burden of musculoskeletal disease in Korea is substantial. As the Korean population continues to age, the economic burden of musculoskeletal disease will continue to increase. Policy measures aimed at controlling the cost of musculoskeletal disease are therefore required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, peoples are greatly concerned with global temperature change because global warming can be a potential serious effect on agriculture production such as yield reduction and poor grain quality. On the other hand, it can bring some beneficial effects through twice cultivation of rice in temperate region. In order to overcome this situation, we developed extremely early-maturing rice 'Milyang255' which heading date was similar with 'Jinbuolbyeo'. Based on agronomic characteristics of 'Milyang255', it has very short stature as 65 cm of culm length and slightly lower spikelets number per panicle compared with that of 'Jinbuolbyeo'. However, the grain appearance, palatability and other items were better than those of 'Jinbuolbyeo' in panel test of cooked rice. The milled rice yield of 'Milyang255' is 3.94 MT/ha at the early transplanting. Especially, its grain filling rate was higher and faster than Jinbuolbyeo and the head rice ratio in milled rice was also higher. Thus, 'Milyang255' can efficiently reduce the growth duration of rice cultivation and also be useful material for research on twice cultivation of rice in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information of the pesticide residues in herbal drug materials (HDMs) is not sufficient to support the scientific risk management so far. Therefore, 30 types of HDMs such as the herba of Artemisia montana were analyzed for 47 different pesticides. Among 292 samples, eight Chinese and one Korean HDMs were contaminated with five pesticides such as methoxychlor, DDT, γ-BHC, endosulfan, and procymidone (0.044–0.501 mg/kg). The detection rate of pesticides in the tested HDMs was determined as 3.1%. On critical observation of the detected amount of procymidone (0.501 mg/kg) and methoxychlor (0.382 and 0.312 mg/kg), further intensive monitoring of the pesticides might be necessary for HDMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidence and properties of Bacillus cereus strains naturally present in cereals were evaluated by phenotypic characterization, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Of 293 cereal samples tested, 73 (25%) contained B. cereus strains. Incidence of B. cereus isolates varied with respect to sample; they were found in 15 (37%) of 83 brown rice samples, 23 (37%) of 63 glutinous rice samples, 16 (21%) of 76 barley samples, and 19 (27%) of 71 Job's tears samples. All B. cereus isolates from cereals were positive for diarrheal toxin genes. The isolates were susceptible to most of the antibiotics tested, but they were highly resistant to ampicillin, cefepime, oxacillin, and penicillin. Of the genes assayed by the PCR technique, a high frequency of nheA (99%) and hblDC (84%) was found in the genomic DNA of cereal-associated isolates, whereas cytK was less common (55%). From the strains carrying the hblDC genes, 93% produced enterotoxin HBL. B. cereus isolates did not have significant genetic homology. The genetic diversity and toxic potential differ among the strains isolated from cereals. These results provide important information on toxin gene profiles of cereal-associated B. cereus for population studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the secular growth changes in children and adults from 1965 to 2005 in Korea. The study involved the recruitment of 68,790 boys and 62,557 girls across the nation in 2005. Their anthropometric data which include their weight and height were measured and data from previous growth studies were compared with the present study. Results showed a secular increase in the height growth of the children in 2005.

Deals with a study which determined the characteristics of mass transport mechanism in Kyuggi Bay around Han River Mouth in Korea using the Princeton Ocean Model. Description of the model; Model application; Distributions of salinity and temperature; Simulation results.

Bacterial blight (BB) disease is one of the most serious rice diseases in Korea. xa5 showing a wider spectrum resistance to Korean BB isolates is one of the most important bacterial blight resistance genes in rice breeding in Korea. A new rice cultivar 'Shinbaek' carrying xa5 gene was developed at the rice breeding team of the Department of Functional Crop, NICS, RDA in 2010. 'Shinbaek' was derived from the cross between 'Iksan469 and 'HR23966-22-1-2' carrying xa5 gene which was originated from indica rice 'IRBB5'. 'Shinbaek' is resistance to a major Korean BB isolate such as K1, K2, K3 and K3a, and it is also resistance tor ice stripe virus disease (RSV). Heading date of 'Shinbaek' is August 11 as mid maturing ecotype. The major agronomic characteristics of 'Shinbaek' is good plant type with short culm length, longer panicle length, higher number of spikelet per panicle as compared to those of 'Nampyeongbyeo', However, the number of tiller and grain filling ratio were lower compared to that of 'Nampyeongbyeo'. The grain appearance, amylose content, and protein content were similar with those of 'Nampyeongbyeo'. However the palatability of cooked rice and milling recovery were still lower than those of 'Nampyeongbyeo'. The milled rice yield of 'Shinbaek' is 5.75 MT per ha, 5.49 MT per ha and 4.68 MT per ha at the ordinary transplanting, double-crop system, and late transplanting of the local adaptability test, respectively. Thus, 'Shinbaek' would be a suitable cultivar to the mid and southern plain area, especially in BB disease prone area and it is a useful source to enhance the BB resistant breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]