• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.575-589
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• 2009

Groundwater has been extracted for irrigation in Sacheon-Hadong area, which is close to the South Sea. We analyzed chemical components of groundwater to examine the effects of seawater intrusion and agricultural activities in the study area. Most groundwater samples displayed the Na/Cl concentration ratios similar to that of seawater (0.55) with an increasing tendency of electrical conductivity ($227-7,910\;{\mu}S/cm$) towards the coast. In addition, statistical interpretation of the cumulative frequency curves of Cl and $HCO_3$ showed that 30.1% of the groundwater samples were highly affected by seawater intrusion. Groundwaters in the study area mostly belonged to the Ca-Cl and Na-Cl type, demonstrating that they were highly influenced by seawater intrusion and cation exchange. The result of oxygen-hydrogen isotope analysis demonstrated slightly higher $\delta^{18}O$ ((-8.53)-(-6.13)‰) and ${\delta}D$ ((-58.7)-(-43.7)‰) comparing to mean oxygen-hydrogen isotope ratios in Korea. As a result of nitrogen isotope analysis, the $\delta^{15}N-NO_3$ values ((-0.5)-(19.1)‰) indicate two major sources of nitrate pollution (organic nitrogen in soil and animal and human wastes) and mixed source of the two. However, denitrification may partly contribute as a source of nitrogen. According to factor analysis, four factors were identified among which factor 1 with an eigenvalue of 6.21 reflected the influence of seawater intrusion. Cluster analysis indicated the classification of groundwater into fresh, saline, and mixed ones.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.35-41
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• 2001

This paper describes Linear Discriminant Analysis and common vector extraction for speech recognition. Voice signal contains psychological and physiological properties of the speaker as well as dialect differences, acoustical environment effects, and phase differences. For these reasons, the same word spelled out by different speakers can be very different heard. This property of speech signal make it very difficult to extract common properties in the same speech class (word or phoneme). Linear algebra method like BT (Karhunen-Loeve Transformation) is generally used for common properties extraction In the speech signals, but common vector extraction which is suggested by M. Bilginer et at. is used in this paper. The method of M. Bilginer et al. extracts the optimized common vector from the speech signals used for training. And it has 100％ recognition accuracy in the trained data which is used for common vector extraction. In spite of these characteristics, the method has some drawback-we cannot use numbers of speech signal for training and the discriminant information among common vectors is not defined. This paper suggests advanced method which can reduce error rate by maximizing the discriminant information among common vectors. And novel method to normalize the size of common vector also added. The result shows improved performance of algorithm and better recognition accuracy of 2％ than conventional method.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1230-1234
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• 2003

Purpose : The aim of this study is to evaluate the value of lung biopsies for the management of children with lung disease. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 19 lung biopsies done at Asan Medical Center, Seoul between 1993 and 2001. Data gathered included demographic information, underlying conditions, diagnosis before biopsy, final diagnosis, change in therapy, morbidity and mortality. Results : Nineteen patients underwent lung biopsy. Among them, 13 patients were male and six patients were female; the median age was 3.6 years(0.8 to 8.6 years). Twelve patients underwent open lung biopsies and seven patients had thoracoscopic biopsies. The overall diagnosis rate was 95 %. The most common diagnosis was interstitial lung disease(12 patients, 64%) and infection was detected in four patients(21%). The biopsy-proven bronchiolitis obliterance was confirmed in two of seven patients suspected by CT findings. Specific treatment was changed after biopsy in 16 patients (85%). The morbidity & overall mortality rates of the patients were 5%(one patient) and 21%(four patients) respectively. Only one complication was seen : empyema. The causes of death were acute respiratory distress syndrome(one patient), respiratory failure(two patients), and septicemia(one patient). Conclusion : The lung biopsy is a safe procedure and it contributes to more accurate diagnosis and proper management of pediatric lung diseases. We recommend lung biopsies should be considered more positively in the diagnosis of pediatric lung diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.846-853
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• 2003

Purpose : Pneumoccocus is one of the most important causes of invasive infection through the childhood period and the prevelance of antibiotics resistance of pneumococcus is increasing worldwide. A 7-valent conjugate vaccine has been developed. It is important to know the prevalence of each serotype of pneumococci in the countries where the vaccine is used to estimate the coverage rate by the vaccine. Methods : One hundred and twenty seven strains of clinical isolates and 72 strains from healthy carriers recovered from Korean children during the period from 1997 to 2002 were subjected to determination of serotype by Quellung reaction and penicillin susceptibility with oxacillin disc diffusion test. Results : Forty-three per cent of clinical isolates were obtained from children under two years of age. Thirty strains(24%) were isolated from normally sterile body fluids. The frequent serotypes were 19F, 19A, 23F, 6A, 6B and 9V. Fifty-six per cent of the clinical isolates were represented in the current 7-valent protein conjugate pneumococccal vaccine, and 84% when the cross-reactive serotypes were included. Frequent serotypes of strains isolated from one to five year-old healthy children were 19F, 14, 11A, 23F, 18C, and 19A. Seventy-one per cent of the carrier strains were included in the 7-valent vaccine. Ninety-three per cent of the clinical isolates and 86% of carrier strains were not susceptible to penicilline. Conclusion : Fifty-six to 84% of pneumococci recovered from Korean children are covered by the current 7-valent protein conjugate pneumococcal vaccine and the prevalence of penicillin resistance was very high.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.486-495
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance evaluation index for a salt reduction project. Questionnaires were developed in order to investigate salt reduction programs nationwide. The evaluation index and programs were analyzed through the case study of a salt reduction program in public health centers. The validity of the salt reduction program's evaluation index was determined based on study of the Delphi survey and on discussion with nutrition and health care professionals. The Delphi survey showed that daily salt intake was the most valid nutritional evaluation index. Stroke mortality and stomach cancer mortality were good health care evaluation indexes. The method for measuring salt intake that had the greatest validity was a 24-hour urine collection. However, 24-hour urine collection had the lowest score for ease of performance. The combined scores of validity and ease of performance showed that the survey method for dietary attitude and dietary behavior, dietary frequency analysis (DFQ 15), and a salty taste assessment, in that order, were proper methods. The high reliability of the salty taste assessment indicated that the percentage of the population that exhibits proper salt intake (2,000 mg sodium or less daily) and the percentage of the population that consumes low-salt diets as nutritional evaluation indexes also will be helpful to evaluate performance of salt reduction programs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.381-386
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• 2010

Background: Sternal wound infection (SWI) is an important complication after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors affecting sternal wound infection and preventive factors including short term Vancomycin therapy in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Material and Method: A retrospective study was done using data collected from January 2001 through December 2007. This included 219 patients who had isolated CABG. The definition of SWI was documentation from a microbiological study and a requirement for simple closure or other surgical revision. Result: The overall incidence of SWI was 7.8% (n=17). The causative organisms were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, n=13), methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (n=2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=1), and Candida albicans (n=1). Ten cases had deep sternal wound infection with mediastinitis; 7 cases had a superficial wound infection. Infection-related mortality was low (1/17; 6%). Diabetes mellitus (p=0.006) and smoking history (p=0.020) were factors that predicted high risk. Short term use of vancomycin decreased the incidence of MRSA-associated SWI (p=0.009). For treatment, curettage and rewiring or flap were needed in most cases (88%, n=14). Conclusion: Patients who had diabetes mellitus and a smoking history need careful management. Short term use of vancomycin is effective for prevention of SWI with MRSA.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 1980

Industrial wastes from pulp and food plants were treated with microorganisms to clarify organic waste-water and to produce cells as animal feed, and results were summarized as follows. (1) Waste-water from pulp, beer, bread yeast, and ethanol distillation plants contained $1.4{\sim}1.5%$ of total sugar, $0.25{\sim}0.35%$ nitrogen, and biological oxygen demand (BOD) was $400{\sim}25,000$, chemical oxygen demand (COD), $500{\sim}28,000$, and pH, $3.8{\sim}7.0$. The BOD and COD were highest in waste-water from ethanol distillation plants among others. (2) Bacterial and yeast counts were $4{\times}10^4-1{\times}10^9,\;2{\times}10^2-7{\times}10^4/ml$ in waste-water. (3) Bacteria grew better in pulp waste and yeasts in beer, bread yeast, and ethanol distillation waste. (4) Saccharomyces cerevisiae SAFM 1008 and Candida curvata SAFM 70 were the most suitable microorganisms for clarification of ethanol distillation waste. (5) When liquid and solid waste from ethanol distillation were treated with microbial cellulase, xylanase, and pectinase, solid waste was reduced by 36%, soluble waste was increased, and recuding sugar content was increased by 1.3 times which provided better medium than untreated waste for cultivation of yeasts. (6) Optimum growth conditions of the two species of yeast in ethanol distillation waste were pH 5.0, $30^{\circ}C$, and addition of 0.2% of urea, 0.1% of $KH_2PO_4$ and 0.02% of $MgSO_4$. (7) Minimum number of yeast for proper propagation was $1.8{\times}10^5/ml$. (8) C. curvata70 was better than cerevisae for the production of yeast cells from ethanol distillation waste treated with microbial enzymes. (9) S. cerevisiae produced 16 g of dried cell per 1,000ml of ethanol distillation waste and reduced BOD by 46%. C. curvata produced 17.6g of dried cell and reduced BOD by 52% at the same condition. (10) Yeast cells produced from the ethanol distillation waste contained 46-52% protein indicating suitability as a protein source for animal feed.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.225-234
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• 2011

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor of systemic health and also impairs oral health, which is related to development of oral cancers, periodontitis, delayed wound healing, tooth loss, failure of implant, etc. Aside from smoking, many other risk factors can be related to oral health and long-term effects of smoking on salivary flow and taste threshold are still in controversy. Authors considered dental students to be an appropriate group with good oral hygiene for a long-term study to reveal effects of smoking on oral health. This study was performed to compare smoking patterns and current oral health conditions between smokers and nonsmokers in dental students prior to long-term evaluation. 192 volunteers (85.7%) of 224 male dental students in Dankook University were evaluated through questionnaires and clinical examination in 2010. Questionnaires included smoking pattern, alcohol use, nicotine dependence, preventive care, psychological profile and clinical examinations comprised assessment of teeth or periodontal status, nicotine pigmentation, salivary flow, electrical taste thresholds and halitosis. From the study, (current) smokers were older, and drank more frequently with more alcohol intake compared to former smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05). There was no significant difference among them in salivary flow rate, halitosis and electrical taste threshold. However, there was significant difference in DMFT rate, periodontal treatment need, nicotinic pigmentation between smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05), irrespective of their levels of preventive care. The smokers in this study, who are young dental students with relatively shorter duration of smoking, less use of cigarettes and low level of nicotine dependence, did not reveal significant impairment of oral health. However, their oral health was found to be relatively impaired compared to nonsmokers', which suggests negative effect of smoking on the oral health and a need of smoking cessation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1995

Background: Despite advances in chemotherapy, the treatment of inoperable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung remains poor. According to the recent reports, the response rates of mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin(MVP) chemotherapy are higher than those of other cisplatin based polychemotherapy and MVP chemotherapy can be used as neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic regimen. But the overall response rates of MVP chemotherapy range from 17 to 53 percent, so we studied the effect of MVP chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Method: We treated forty patients with stage III or IV non-small cell lung cancer with two courses of MVP chemotherapy($8mg/m^2$ of mitomycin on day 1, $6mg/m^2$ of vinblastine on day 2 & day 14, and $100mg/m^2$ of cisplastin on day 1) at 4 weeks interval. Then all patients were evaluated the response of chemotherapy 4 weeks later, and received further chemotherapy, palliative radiotherapy or supportive therapy according to the patient's condition. We also determined the median survival time and prognostic factors. Results: 1) Nine patients(23%) had a partial reponse, 23 patients(57%) had a stable disease, and disease progressed in 8 patients(20%). There were no patients with complete response. 2) The overall median survival time was 36 weeks(range, 9 to 119+ weeks). The median survival time of responder(partial response) and non-responder(stable and progressed) groups were 60 weeks(range, 36 to 82+ weeks) and 31 weeks(range, 9 to 119+ weeks) respectively(p=0.03). 3) The median survival time of the female group was 71 weeks and significantly prolonged in comparision with 35 weeks of the male group(p=0.01). But, the other prognostic factors didn't affect the survival time and response rate. 4) The median survival times of chemotherapy group and chemotherapy with palliative radiotherapy group were not significantly different. Conclusion: MVP combined chemotherapy is unsatisfactory in improving survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, further studies are needed to find more active new agents and to estabilish the efficacy of the combined treatment with radiotherapy and/or surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.1006-1015
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary calcium-salt, estrogen-treatment, and estrogen/calcium treatment on calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen metabolism. Female Sprague-Dawley rats with a body weight of 250~280g were underwent ovariectomy or sham-operation. The ovariectomized rats were divided into 9 different experimental groups including the saline-treated group, the estrogen-treated group, the high calcium salt-treated group, and the estrogen/calcium treated groups and fed for 6 weeks. Each group daily intake and excretion of calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen were measured and apparent digestibility and balance were also studied. The results were as follows: The excretion level of winn calcium was significantly higher the ovariectomized rats than the sham-operation group(p<0.01) and reduced with estrogen treatment but this difference was not statistically significant. Fecal loss of calcium was higher the ovariectomized rats than the sham-operation group(p<0.001). When the estrogen was treated, fecal loss was decreased and then apparent digestibility of calcium was increased. Calcium balance was significantly higher the high calcium treated groups than the control diet groups. The excretion level of urinary Phosphorus was higher the ovariectomized rats than sham-operation group, while these showed to be decreased in the calcium salt, the estrogen and the estrogen/calcium treated groups(p<0.01). Fecal loss of phosphrous was higher in the ovariectomized rats. When the estrogen was treated, the fecal loss was decreased in the avariectomized rat than that of other groups. The excretion level of urinary nitrogen was higher the ovariectomized rats than the sham-operation, while these showed to be decreased in the estrogen, the estrogen/calcium, and the estrogen gradually reduction/calcium intensification. Fecal loss of nitrogen was decreased in tile estrogen treated group. The results in this study showed that high calcium, estrogen/calcium and estrogen gradually reduction/calcium intensification in the ovariectomized rats enhanced calcium balance compared to the ovariectomized rats without calcium treatment, but little effects on the phosphorus and nitrogen balance.