• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.1039-1046
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• 1998

Background: Sleep-related breathing disorders(SRBD) and periodic leg movements disorder(PLMD) are both common, and are considered as separate sleep disorders. However, both disorders show high comorbidity. SRBD and PLMD can result in excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia due to frequent sleep fragmentation. So, it is very important to consider the presence of PLMD, when we are dealing with the diagnosis and management of SRBD. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of PLMD in patients with SRBD, and to describe any differences between patients with and without PLMD. Method: The authors reviewed the sleep recordings of 106 patients with a final diagnosis of SRBD(obstructive sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome), who underwent full nocturnal polysomnography, including the monitoring of the anterior tibialis electromyogram. All sleep records were recorded and scored using the standard criteria. The data was analyzed by the student t-test. Result: 106 patients(M=76, F=30) were included in the analysis. Data revealed a mean age of $49.5{\pm}13.6$ years, a respiratory disturbance index(RDI) of $22.3{\pm}25.4$/hour sleep, a lowest oxygen saturation of $84.9{\pm}11.3%$, a maximal esophageal pressure of $-41.0{\pm}19.1cmH_2O$, and PLM index(PLMI) of $13.1{\pm}22.4$movements/hour sleep. Forty four percent(47 of 106 patients) had a PLMI of greater than 5 on this study. The mean age of the patients with PLMD was significantly higher than that of the patients without PLMD(p<0.005). Female patients with SRBD accompanied more PLMD(p<0.05). The apnea index of the patients with PLMD was significantly lower than that of the patients without PLMD(p<0.01). The percentage of stage 1 sleep in the patients with PLMD was significantly lower than that of the patients without PLMD(p<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of PLMD in the patients with SRBD was high at 44.3%. The patients with PLMD were older and had more high RDI in comparison to the patients without PLMD, which was consistent with previous findings. The authors recommend that more careful consideration of PLMD is required when diagnosing and treating SRBD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.267-279
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• 2003

Background : The purpose of this study was to analyze the smoking habits in patients with lung cancer and identify any difference of prevalence according to histologic types of lung cancer. Methods : The data were calculated by total amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled during the whole lifetime according to variation of smoking habit. This study was to investigated any difference of prevalence in lung cancer according to smoking habits. The subjects comprised 150 lung cancer cases and 300 hospital control cases that were matched by age and sex. Smoking habits during the whole lifetime were surveyed by standardized questionnaire. Odds ratios were estimated by unconditional logistic regression analysis. Results : There were 104 male and 34 female lung cancer cases. By histologic type, there were 53 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 67 of adenocarcinoma and 30 of small cell lung carcinoma. The differences between lung cancer cases and controls according to smoking habits were total duration of smoking, total pack years of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years. The odds ratio were higher in Kreyberg I, but not in Kreyberg II, for the longer duration of smoking, the greater total pack years of cigarettes consumed, the more cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years, the longer duration on non-filter smoking, the earlier life cases who began to smoke, and the higher amounts of calculated total tar and nicotine inhaled over the whole lifetime. When we added grade of inhalation to calculation of amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled over the lifetime, the odds ratios of total inhalation amounts of tar and nicotine were as high as those the without them. Conclusions : This study reconfirmed that smoking habits were strongly associated with lung cancer and that there were different associations between smoking habits and histologic types of lung cancer. In particular, calculations of total tar and nicotine amounts inhaled over the whole lifetime were calculated for the first time in trials from lung cancer epidemiologic studies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2006

Background: Extubation failure was associated with poor prognosis and high hospital mortality. Cuff leak test (CLT) has been proposed as a relatively simple method for detecting laryngeal obstruction that predispose toward postextubation stridor (PES) and reintubation. We examined the risk factors of extubation failure and evaluated the usefulness and limitation of CLT for predicting PES and reintubation. Methods: Thirty-four consecutive patients intubated more than 24 hours were examined. The subjects were evaluated daily for extubation readiness, and CLT was performed prior to extubation. Several parameters in the extubation success and failure group were compared. The accuracy and limitation of CLT were evaluated after choosing the thresholds values of the cuff leak volume (CLV) and percentage (CLP). Results: Of the 34 patients studied, 6 (17.6%) developed extubation failure and 3 (8.8%) were accompanied by PES. The patients who had extubation failure were more likely to have a longer duration of intubation and more severe illness. The patients who developed PES had a smaller cuff leak than the others: according to the CLV ($22.5{\pm}23.8$ vs $233.3{\pm}147.1ml$, p=0.020) or CLP ($6.2{\pm}7.3$ vs $44.3{\pm}24.7%$, p=0.013). The best cut off values for the CLV and CLP were 50ml and 14.7%, respectively. The sensitivity, negative predictive value, and specificity of CLT were relatively high, but the positive predictive value was low. Conclusion: The likelihood of developing extubation failure increases with increasing severity of illness and duration of intubation. A low CLV or CLP (<50ml or 14.7%) is useful in identifying patients at risk of PES, but the CLT is not an absolute predictor and should not be used an indicator for delaying extubation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2010

Objective: This study was performed to clarify the role of HomeoboxA (HOXA) and its related signaling molecules in the decidualization of primary cultured endometrial cells. Methods: Human endometrial tissues were obtained by curettage of hysterectomy specimens from patients with conditions other than endometrial diseases. Tissues were minced and digested with Trypsin-EDTA for 20 min, $37^{\circ}C$. Cells were cultured with DMEM/F12 medium in $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator for 24 hrs. Cells were treated with HOXA10 siRNA and added transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$ (10 ng/mL) for 48 hrs to induces decidualization in vitro. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was accomplished to observe the expression of HOXA10, prolactin, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor (PPAR)-$\gamma$, and wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt). Results: HOXA10 expression was increased (1.8 fold vs. non-treated control) in TGF-${\beta}1$ treated cells. Decidualization marker, prolactin, was significantly increased in TGF-${\beta}1$ treated cells compared with HOXA10 siRNA treated cells. Endometrial cell differentiation marker, COX-2 was down-regulated by HOXA10 siRNA even if cells were treated with TGF-${\beta}1$. Wnt4 was down-regulated by treated with HOXA10 siRNA, this expression patters was not changed by TGF-${\beta}1$. Expression of PPAR-$\gamma$ was down regulated by TGF-${\beta}1$ in regardless of HOXA10 siRNA treatment. Conclusion: TGF-${\beta}1$ which is induced by progesterone in endometrial epithelial cells may induces stromal cell decidualization via HOXA10 and Wnt signaling cascade.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.217-229
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• 2010

Objective: Apoptosis plays an important role for the maintenance of the normal pregnancy. Expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is able to effectively prevent apoptosis and controls trophoblast cells death throughout placental development, but it is still unknown in the function of XIAP in trophoblast cells exposed to hypoxic condition, which is one of the factors causing preeclampsia. Therefore, we conducted to compare XIAP expression in normal and pre-eclamptic placenta tissues and analyzed the function of XIAP in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line exposed to hypoxic condition. Methods: The expression of XIAP was analyzed in placental tissues from the following groups of patients (none underwent labor): 1) term normal placenta (n=15); 2) term with pre-eclamptic placeneta (n=15); and 3) pre-term with pre-eclamptic placenta (n=11) using semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. In order to evaluate the function of XIAP in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells under hypoxic condition, HIF-$1{\alpha}$ plasmids, and hypoxic condtion were transfected and treated into HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells for 24 hours, respectively. Results: We observed that XIAP are expressed in the syncytiotrophoblasts and syncytial knot of placental villi. The expression of XIAP was significantly decreased in preeclamptic placenta tissues than in normal placenta tissues without labor (p<0.05). Furthermore, we confirmed the XIAP expression in HTR-8/SVneo trophbolast cells exposed to hypoxia was translocated from cytoplasm into nucleus and decreased XIAP by hypoxic condition induced apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells through up-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins. Conclusion: These results suggest that the expression of XIAP is involved in placental development as well as decreased expression of XIAP by hypoxia is associated with pre-eclampsia through inducing trophoblast cells apoptosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2004

Background : We hypothesized that there was a relationship between body weight change and bronchodilator response (BDR) in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on hemodialysis (HD). Several mechanisms such as pulmonary edema due to water retention or increased permeability of alveolar capillary may play a important role in pulmonary function impairment and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with CRF on HD. But, no studies have been published concerning BDR in patients with CRF on HD. This study was aimed to know the immediate effect of hemodialysis on pulmonary function and BDR in patients with CRF on HD. Methods : This study included 30 patients with CRF on HD. We collected data including age, sex, height, pretibial and pedal pitting edema, interdialysis weight gain, postdialysis weight loss, underlying diseases, duration of HD, $FEV_1$, FVC, $FEV_1/FVC$, and BDR before and after HD. Results : Interdialysis weight gain of the patients was $3.4{\pm}1.0kg$, and postdialysis weight loss was $3.2{\pm}0.7kg$. Before HD,$FEV_1$, FVC, and $FEV_1/FVC$ of the patients were $89{\pm}22%$, $86{\pm}19%$ of predicted, and $87{\pm}10%$. After bronchodilator inhalation, these parameters were changed to $95{\pm}22%$, $90{\pm}19%$ of predicted, and $88{\pm}9%$ respectively. BDR was positive in 15 patients. After HD, $FEV_1$, FVC, and $FEV_1/FVC$ of the patients were $100{\pm}23%$, $94{\pm}18%$ of predicted, and $88{\pm}11%$. After bronchodilator inhalation, these parameters were changed to $102{\pm}23%$, $96{\pm}18%$ of predicted, and $89{\pm}8%$ respectively. BDR was positive in 9 patients. Conclusion : First, HD increases $FEV_1$, FVC, and $FEV_1/FVC$ but little affects BDR. Second, there is no correlation between postdialysis weight loss and increases in $FEV_1$, FVC, and $FEV_1/FVC$ after HD. Third, there is also no correlation not only between interdialysis weight gain and BDR before HD but between postdialysis weight loss and BDR after HD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2004

Background : Pulmonary hypertension is a poor prognostic factor in patients with chronic respiratory disease. However, diagnosing pulmonary hypertension is a difficult procedure which often requires an invasive test. Thus new alternative biochemical markers would be useful in clinical field and are in search. We sought to assess the role of plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Method : We measured plasma NT-proBNP level in twenty nine patients suspected for pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as being right ventricular systolic pressure more than 35 mm Hg estimated by Doppler echocardiography. Plasma NT-proBNP level was measured by electrochemiluminescence sandwich immunoassay. Results : The log-transformed values for plasma NT-proBNP levels showed a linear correlation (correlation coefficiency: 0.783, p-value <0.001) with right ventricular systolic pressure. Plasma NT-proBNP levels closely correlated with right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, interventricular septal flattening and right ventricular dilatation. Conclusion : Our results suggest that the measurement of plasma NT-proBNP level is an useful marker of the presence of pulmonary hypertension.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2003

The leaf aqueous extracts from five gymnosperms plant were investigated for allelopathy with five Hibiscus syriacus varieties. The leaf aqueous extract of Pinus rigida had the highest total phenolic compound of 2.21mg/L, whereas the soil under Pinus koraiensis canopy had the highest total phenolic compound of 1.38mg/L. Fourteen phenolic compounds were isolated from five gymnosperm plants by HPLC. Among them, phenolic compounds were the highest in P. rigida (320.56 g/mg) with the primary compound 5-sulfosalicylic acid (312.55 g/mg). The correlation between leaf total phenolic compound and pH was not significant, while the total phenolic compound of the leaf extract changed soil pH. The relative seed germination of H. syriacus varieties showed 25% was threshold concentration. The germination rates of varieties were similar to the control group or showed slight stimulation to treatment of P. koraiensis extract. H. syriacus Cambanha was similar to the control group or showed stimulation in all treated groups. H. syriacus Seohohyang showed stimulation in both root and shoot growth compared to the control group. In other varieties except Seohohyang, shoot growth was similar to the control group, while root growth was stimulated in all treated groups. The extracts of tested gymnosperms showed significantly more stimulation to transplanted Seohohyang seedlings, whereas others were similar to control or inhibited in the greenhouse. The dry weight of Seohohyang was greater in all treated groups than the control group, while other varieties were inhibited. All gymnosperm extracts stimulated the chlorophyll contents of Seohohyang and H. syriacus Koyoro but other varieties were not significantly affected. Accordingly, it is suggested that Seohohyang seems the most desirable when planted within these five gymnosperms.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.259-267
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• 2010

The catalytic wet oxidations of the wastewater containing azo dye Reactive Black 5(RB5) with heterogeneous catalyst of CuO have been carried out to investigate the effects of temperature($190{\sim}230^{\circ}C$) and catalyst concentration(0.00~0.20 g/l) on the removals of colour and total organic carbon TOC. The wastewater colour was measured with spectrophotometer, and the oxidation rate was estimated with TOC. About 90% of colour was removed during 120 min in thermal degradation of the RB5 wastewater at $230^{\circ}C$, while TOC was not removed at all. As increasing reaction temperature and catalyst concentration, the removal rates of colour and TOC increased in the catalytic wet oxidations of RB5 wastewater. The effects of catalyst were already considerable even at 0.01 g CuO/l, while the removal rates of colour and TOC increased negligibly with increasing the catalyst concentration above 0.05 g CuO/l. The initial destruction rates of the wastewater colour have shown the first-order kinetics with respect to the wastewater colour. TOC changes during catalytic wet oxidations have been well described with the global model, in which the easily degradable TOC was distinguished from non-degradable TOC of the wastewater. The impacts of reaction temperature on the destruction rate of the wastewater colour and TOC could be described with Arrhenius relationship. Activation energies of the colour removal reaction in thermal degradation, wet oxidation, and catalytic wet oxidation(0.20 g CuO/l) of the RB5 wastewater were 108.4, 78.3 and 74.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The selectivity of wastewater TOC into the non-degradable intermediates relative to the end products in the catalytic wet oxidations of RB5 wastewater was higher compared to that in phenol wet oxidations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2009

Annex I parties continued its consideration of how to address, the definitions, modalities, rules and guidelines for the treatment of Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol by the year of 2009. In the AWG-KP conference held in Accra, Ghana in 2008, four alternatives (gross-net carbon accounting, net-net with base year or base period accounting, net-net with forward looking baseline accounting, and land-based accounting method) for negotiations were decided in order to revise gross-net accounting method applied during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, alternative scenarios are set in consideration with reporting system (voluntary or compulsory), discount factors and cap about these three alternatives except for the method of net-net with forward looking baseline accounting, and then estimates the Removal Unit (RMU) among the countries. In the case that article 3.4 activities under the Kyoto Protocol revises from voluntary reporting to mandatory reporting, it is estimated that the loss of RMU would be huge in Russia, Australia, New Zealand, as well as Canada potentially. Net-net with base year or base period carbon accounting and land-based carbon accounting method have big difference of RMU in accordance with the base year or the base period. So the more unfavorable the country with a lot of old-age forests was, the closer the base year or period comes to the commitment period in the context of RMU. If it is getting lowered for the current rate of 85% in discount factors, RMU is getting higher to the whole countries. Therefore in Korea with little potential for afforestation and reforestation, there was the most sensitive response to the change of discount factors. Post-2012 LULUCF hereafter, it is strongly expected for the succession of current carbon accounting system which is voluntary reporting of gross-net carbon accounting and the activity for article 3.4. Other carbon accounting method is hard to accept in aspect that there is big differentiated interests among the countries and it is required enormous cost and time to develop reliable method. Provide for Post-2012 mandatory greenhouse gas reduction, Korea needs to have a competitive negotiation strategies differentiated from Annex I countries. The most reliable alternative would be to lower the discounting factors about the activities for forest management.