• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제53권5호
• /
• pp.530-541
• /
• 2002

Background : Pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity can be helpful in a differntial diagnosis of an exudative pleural effusion because it is increased in a tuberculous pleural effusion. The ADA activity is determined mainly by the lymphocyte function. Age-associated immune decline is characterized by a decrease in T-lymphocyte function. For that reason, the pleural fluid ADA level would be lower in older patients with exudative pleural effusion. This study focused on the influence of age on the pleural fluid ADA activity in patients with exudative pleural effusion. Methods : A total of 81 patients with exudative pleural effusion were enrolled in this study. In all patients, the pleural fluid ADA activity was measured using an automated kinetic method. Results : The mean age of the patients was $52.7{\pm}21.2$ years. In all patients with exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between young patients (under 65 years of age) and old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.325, p<0.05). In the 60 patients with a tuberculous pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between the young and older patients : $103.5{\pm}36.9$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $72.2{\pm}31.6$ IU/L in old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.384, p<0.05). In the 21 patients with non-tuberculous exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity of the young patients and old patients was similar : $23.7{\pm}15.3$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $16.1{\pm}10.2$ IU/L in old patients (p>0.05), and did not show any correlation with age (r=-0.263, p>0.05). The diagnostic cutoff value of pleural fluid ADA activity for tuberculous pleural effusion was lower in the older patients (25.9 IU/L) than in the younger patients (49.1 IU/L) or all patients (38.4 IU/L) with exudative pleural effusion. Conclusion : Tuberculous pleural effusion is an important possibility to consider in older patients with a clinical suspicion of a tuberculous pleural effusion, although no marked increase in the pleural fluid ADA activity is usually detected. For a diagnosis of a tuberculous pleural effusion in old patients, the cutoff for the pleural fluid ADA activity should be set lower.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제44권1호
• /
• pp.124-135
• /
• 1997

Background : Diffuse panbronchiolitis(DPB) is a disease characterized clinically by chronic cough, expectoration and dyspnea; and histologically by chronic inflammation localized mainly in the region of the respiratory bronchiole. It is prevalent in Japanese, but is known to be rare in Americans and Europians. Only a few cases in Chinese, Italians, North Americans and Koreans have been reported. It is diagnosed by characteristic clinical, radiological and pathologic features. High-resolution CT(HRCT) is known to be valuable in the study of the disease process and response to therapy in DPB. To our knowledge, there has been no correlation of its appearance on HRCT with the severity of the disease process, and radioaerosol scan(RAS) of the lung has not previously been used for the diagnosis of DPB. Method : During recent two years we have found 12 cases of DPB in Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. We analysed the clinical characteristics, compared HRCT classifications with clinical stages of DPB, and determined characteristic RAS manifestations of DPB. Results : 1. The ages ranged from 31 to 83 years old(mean 54.5 years old), and male female ratio was 4:8. 75%(9/12) of patients had paranasal sinusitis, and only one patient was a smoker. 2. The patients were assigned to one of three clinical stages of DPB on the basis of clinical findings, sputum bacterology and arterial blood gas analysis. of 12 cases, 5 were in the first stage, 4 were in the second stage, and 3 were in the third stage. In most of the patients, pulmonary function tests showed marked obstructive and slight restrictive impairments. Sputum culture yielded P.aeruginosa in 3 cases of our 12 cases, K.pneumoniae in 2 cases, H.influenzae in 2 cases, and S.aureus in 2 cases. 3. Of 12 patients, none had stage I characteristics as classified on HRCT scans, 4 had slage II findings, 5 had stage III findings, and 3 had stage IV characteristics. 4. We peformed RAS in 7 of 12 patients With DPB. In 71.4% (5/7) of the patients, RAS showed mottled aerosol deposits characteristically in the transitional and intermediary airways with peripheral airspace defects, which contrasted sharply with central aerosol deposition of COPD. 5. There were significant correlations between HRCT stages and clinical stages(r= 0.614, P < 0.05), between HRCT types and Pa02(r= -0.614, P < 0.05), and between HRCT types and ESR(r= 0.618, P < 0.01). Conclusion : The HRCT classifications correspond well to the clinical stage. Therfore in the examination of patients with DPB, HRCT is useful in the evaluation of both the location and severity of the lesions. Also, RAS apears to be a convenient, noninvasive and useful diagnostic method of DPB.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• 제8권2호
• /
• pp.100-108
• /
• 2004

Purpose : Early degeneration of articular cartilage is accompanied by a loss of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and the consequent change of the integrity. The purpose of this study was to biochemically quantify the loss of GAG, and to evaluate the $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced, and T1, T2, rho relaxation map for detection of the early degeneration of cartilage. Materials and Methods : A cartilage-bone block in size of $8mm\;\times\;10mm$ was acquired from the patella in each of three pigs. Quantitative analysis of GAG of cartilage was performed at spectrophotometry by use of dimethylmethylene blue. Each of cartilage blocks was cultured in one of three different media: two different culture media (0.2 mg/ml trypsin solution, 1mM Gd $(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed trypsin solution) and the control media (phosphate buffered saline (PBS)). The cartilage blocks were cultured for 5 hrs, during which MR images of the blocks were obtained at one hour interval (0 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr, 3 hr, 4 hr, 5 hr). And then, additional culture was done for 24 hrs and 48 hrs. Both T1-weighted image (TR/TE, 450/22 ms), and mixed-echo sequence (TR/TE, 760/21-168ms; 8 echoes) were obtained at all times using field of view 50 mm, slice thickness 2 mm, and matrix $256\times512$. The MRI data were analyzed with pixel-by-pixel comparisons. The cultured cartilage-bone blocks were microscopically observed using hematoxylin & eosin, toluidine blue, alcian blue, and trichrome stains. Results : At quantitation analysis, GAG concentration in the culture solutions was proportional to the culture durations. The T1-signal of the cartilage-bone block cultured in the $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed solution was significantly higher ($42\%$ in average, p<0.05) than that of the cartilage-bone block cultured in the trypsin solution alone. The T1, T2, rho relaxation times of cultured tissue were not significantly correlated with culture duration (p>0.05). However the focal increase in T1 relaxation time at superficial and transitional layers of cartilage was seen in $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed culture. Toluidine blue and alcian blue stains revealed multiple defects in whole thickness of the cartilage cultured in trypsin media. Conclusion : The quantitative analysis showed gradual loss of GAG proportional to the culture duration. Microimagings of cartilage with $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhancement, relaxation maps were available by pixel size of $97.9\times195\;{\mu}m$. Loss of GAG over time better demonstrated with $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced images than with T1, T2, rho relaxation maps. Therefore $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced T1-weighted image is superior for detection of early degeneration of cartilage.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2007

Purpose: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has recently been clinically applied in the treatment of drug resistant depressed patients. There are mixed findings about the efficacy of rTMS on depression. Furthermore, the influence of rTMS on the physiology of the brain is not clear. We prospectively evaluated changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between pre- and post-rTMS treatment in patients with drug resistant depression. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with drug-resistant depression (7 male, 5 female; age range: $19{\sim}52$ years; mean age: $29.3{\pm}9.3$ years) were given rTMS on right prefrontal lobe with low frequency (1 Hz) and on left prefrontal lobe with high frequency (20 Hz), with 20-minute-duration each day for 3 weeks. Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT was obtained before and after rTMS treatment. The changes of cerebral perfusion were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM; t=3.14, uncorrected p<0.01, voxel=100). Results: Following areas showed significant increase in rCBF after 3 weeks rTMS treatment: the cingulate gyrus, fusiform gyrus of right temporal lobe, precuneus, and left lateral globus pallidus. Significant decrement was noted in: the precental and middle frontal gyrus of right frontal lobe, and fusiform gyrus of left occipital lobe. Conclusion: Low-frequency rTMS on the right prefrontal cortex and high-frequency rTMS on the left prefrontal cortex for 3 weeks as an add-on regimen have increased and decreased rCBF in the specific brain regions in drug-resistant depressed patients. Further analyses correlating clinical characteristics and treatment paradigm with functional imaging data may be helpful in clarifying the pathophysiology of drug-resistant depressed patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2003

Purpose: In order to develop the national guide-lines for the standardization of radiotherapy we are planning to establish a web-based, on-line data-base system for laryngeal cancer. As a first step this study was performed to accumulate the basic clinical information of laryngeal cancer and to determine the items needed for the data-base system. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the clinical data on patients who were treated under the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer from January 1998 through December 1999 In the South-west area of Korea. Eligiblity criteria of the patients are as follows: 18 years or older, currently diagnosed with primary epithelial carcinoma of larynx, and no history of previous treatments for another cancers and the other laryngeal diseases. The items were developed and filled out by radiation oncologlst who are members of forean Southwest Radiation Oncology Group. SPSS vl0.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Data of forty-five patients were collected. Age distribution of patients ranged from 28 to 88 years(median, 61). Laryngeal cancer occurred predominantly In males (10 : 1 sex ratio). Twenty-eight patients (62$\%$) had primary cancers in the glottis and 17 (38$\%$) in the supraglottis. Most of them were diagnosed pathologically as squamous cell carcinoma (44/45, 98$\%$). Twenty-four of 28 glottic cancer patients (86$\%$) had AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) stage I/II, but 50$\%$ (8/16) had In supraglottic cancer patients (p=0.02). Most patients(89$\%$) had the symptom of hoarseness. indirect laryngoscopy was done in all patients and direct laryngoscopy was peformed in 43 (98$\%$) patients. Twenty-one of 28 (75$\%$) glottic cancer cases and 6 of 17 (35$\%$) supraglottic cancer cases were treated with radiation alone, respectively. The combined treatment of surgery and radiation was used in 5 (18$\%$) glottic and 8 (47$\%$) supraglottic patients. Chemotherapy and radiation was used in 2 (7$\%$) glottic and 3 (18$\%$) supraglottic patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the use of combined modality treatments between glottic and supraglottic cancers (p=0.20). In all patients, 6 MV X-ray was used with conventional fractionation. The iraction size was 2 Gy In 80$\%$ of glottic cancer patients compared with 1.8 Gy in 59$\%$ of the patients with supraglottic cancers. The mean total dose delivered to primary lesions were 65.98 ey and 70.15 Gy in glottic and supraglottic patients treated, respectively, with radiation alone. Based on the collected data, 12 modules with 90 items were developed or the study of the patterns of care In laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: The study Items for laryngeal cancer were developed. In the near future, a web system will be established based on the Items Investigated, and then a nation-wide analysis on laryngeal cancer will be processed for the standardization and optimization of radlotherapy.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• 제50권4호
• /
• pp.672-677
• /
• 2012

Lipids in microalgal biomass were recovered by using pyrolysis method. The pyrolysis experiments of two Chlorella sp. KR-1 samples, which have triglyceride contents of 10.8% and 36.5%, respectively were carried out at $600^{\circ}C$ to investigate the effects of lipid contents in the cells on the reaction characteristics. The conversion and liquid yield of the lipid-rich sample were higher than those of the lipid-lean sample since its carbon to hydrogen ratio was low. There were low molecular weight organic acids, ketones, aldehydes and alcohols in the liquid products from both KR-1 samples, but the pyrolysis oil of the lipid-rich sample was abundant in free fatty acids, particularly palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid while the content of nitrogen containing organic compounds was low. The microalgal pyrolysis oil had two layers composed of the light hydrophobic fraction and the heavy hydrophilic fraction. The light fraction might be originated from triglycerides and the heavy fraction might be from carbohydrates and proteins. In the light fraction of the liquid products, there were considerable linear alkanes such as pentadecane and heptadecane as well as free fatty acids, implying that deoxygenation reaction including decarboxylation was occurred during the pyrolysis. The yield of the liquid products from the pyrolysis of the KR-1 sample having triglyceride content of 36.5% was 56.9% and the light fraction in the liquid products was 68.2%. Also more than 80% of the light fraction was free fatty acids and pure hydrocarbons, thus showing that most triglycerides could be extracted in the form of suitable raw materials for biofuels.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
• /
• 제19권2호
• /
• pp.217-224
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare and analyze the accommodative system (accommodative response and accommodative lag) according to the material and font size of near visual media that we often encounter in daily life. Methods: Forty adult men and women aged 20 to 30 who not had specific ocular diseases and refractive surgery experience were examined to measure and compare the accommodative response according to the material of near visual media (print paper, newspaper, magazine, the I-Phone, LCD monitor) and font size (6, 8, 10, 12) by using both eyes open-view auto-refractometer. Results: The accommodative stimulus was $2.28{\pm}0.11D$ and the accommodative response was $1.66{\pm}0.30D$. The accommodative lag namely the difference between accommodative stimulus and accommodative response was $0.62{\pm}0.28D$. The accommodative response according to material of visual media using LCD monitor was $1.35{\pm}0.26D$ (p=0.00) and using the I-Phone was $1.55{\pm}0.25D$ (p=0.04). Both of them were statistically significant lower. The accommodative lag using LCD monitor was $0.93{\pm}0.24D$ (p=0.00) and using the I-Phone was $0.73{\pm}0.25D$ (p=0.04) and they were statistically significant higher. The accommodative response and accommodative lag according to font size were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: During near working, the accommodative system was more affected by material than font size of visual media. Especially, visual media of non-luminous material (print paper, newspaper, magazine) are considered fewer burdens on eyes than luminous material (I-Phone, LCD monitor) in terms of accommodative system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 한국지반공학회 1991년도 추계학술발표회 논문집 지반공학에서의 컴퓨터 활용 COMPUTER UTILIZATION IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
• /
• pp.87-102
• /
• 1991

It has been reported that the failure of Carsington Dam in Eng1and occured due to the existence of a thin yellow clay layer which was not identified during the design work, and due to pre-existing shears of the clay layer. The slope stability analyses during the design work, which utilized traditional circular arc type failure method and neglected the existence of the clay layer, showed a safety factor of 1.4. However, the post-failure analyses which utilized translational failure mode considering the clay layer and the pre-existing shear deformation revealed the reduction of safety factor to unity. The post-failure analysis assumed 10。 inclination of the horizontal forces onto each slice based on the results of finite element analyses. In this paper, Bishop's simplified method, Janbu method, and Morgenstern-Price method were used for the comparison of both circular and translational failure analysis methods. The effects of the pre-existing shears and subsquent movement were also considered by varying the soil strength parameters and the pore pressure ratio according to the given soi1 parameters. The results showed factor of safefy 1.387 by Bishop's simplified method(STABL) which assumed circular arc failure surface and disregarding yellow clay layer and pre-failure material properties. Also the results showed factor of safety 1.093 by Janbu method(STABL) and 0.969 by Morgenstern-Price method(MALE) which assumed wedge failure surface and considerd yellow clay layer using post failure material properties. In addition, dam behavior was simulated by Cam-Clay model FEM program. The effects of pore pressure changes with loading and consolidation, and strength reduction near or at failure were also considered based on properly assumed stress-strain relationship and pore pressure characteristics. The results showed that the failure was initiated at the yellow clay layer and propagated through other zones by showing that stress and displacement were concentrated at the yel1ow clay layer.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• 제8권3호
• /
• pp.478-486
• /
• 1998

$CaTiO_3-x(La_{1/3}Nd_{1/3}TiO_3\;(0\le \textrm x\le0.8)$ system was prepared by reaction of $CaCO_3,\;LaO_3,\;Nd_2CO_3$ and ,TEX>$TiO_2$ mixture at 1673 K, which can be applied for microwave dielectric ceramic materials. The lattice parameters of(1-x))$CaTiO_3-x(La_{1/3}Nd_{1/3}TiO_3\;(0\le \textrm x\le0.8)$ system increased with the increase of x. Its structure was investigated by Rietveld profile-analysis of XRD in detail. Cations $ La^{3+}$ and Nd^{3+}$ were located at the $Ca^{2+}$ site in the range of $0\le \textrm x\le0.8$. crystal structure in $;(0\le \textrm x\le0.6)$ maintained space group Pnma with CaTiO_3 structure. The tiled and distorted $TiO_6$ was gradually released with the increase of x in $0\le \textrm x\le0.6$ .The structure was changed to a new space group of $Pmn2_1$ at the x value of 0.8. The relative dielectric constant $(\epsilon_r)$ of $(1-x)CaTiO_3-x(La_{1/3} Nd_{1/3})TiO_3$ ($(0\le \textrm x\le0.8)$) system was exponentially decreased by with the increased of x. The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency $(\tau_f)$ decreased with the increase of x in $0\le \textrm x\le0.6$ and then increased again at x=0.8 due to the change of crystal structure. The value of Q$\cdot f_o$ was 13800 (GHz) at x=0.2 and was very low under 2000 (GHz) in 0.4$\leq$x$\leq$0.8.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• 제43권3호
• /
• pp.149-157
• /
• 2015

We examined taxonomic characteristics and safety of eight Nuruk molds that are widely used for making soybean paste, soy sauce and alcoholic beverages in Korea. HK1 from Hakyeong Fermentation Co., SW101 from Suwon Fermentation Co., CF1001, CF1002, CF1003 from Chungmoo Fermaentation Co. and KACC 93210 are yellow-Nuruk molds, and SW201 from Suwon Fermentation Co. and CF1005 from Chungmoo Fermentation Co. are white-Nuruk molds. Six strains of yellow-Nuruk molds were identified as Aspergillus oryzae. HK1, SW101, CF1001 and CF1003 of yellow-Nuruk molds have middle length of stipes ($711{\sim}1,121{\mu}m$), and CF1003 (for sake) produced less conidia and more hyphae than HK1, SW101 and CF1001 (for soybean paste). CF 1002 used for soy sauce has shorter stipes ($543{\mu}m$) and is clustered into IBLB-group based on omtA gene analysis although the other yellow-Nuruk molds are clustered into ICAo group. KACC 93210 isolated from traditional Korean Meju has very short stipes (average $270{\mu}m$), and showed velvety colonies although the others showed floccose colonies. The strain has different DNA sequences of omtA gene from other strains in NCBI GenBank as well as strains used in Korea, suggesting that it is unique from other strains published. SW201 and CF1005 of white-Nuruk molds were identified as Aspergillus luchuensis or A. luchuensis mut. Kawachii that is known as safe, non-toxigenic fungus. The six strains of yellow-Nuruk molds did not produce mycotoxins including aflatoxin, cyclopiazonic acid, and sterigmatocystin. Therefore, eight strains of Nuruk molds used for making soy sauce, soybean paste and alcoholic beverages in Korea were proved to be safe in this study.