• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.56-78
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• 1998

Objective: Chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB) occurs in 6% to 10% of population in Korea. In ethinic communities where prevalence of chronic infection is high such as Korea, transmission of hepatitis B infection is either vertical (ie, by perinatal infection) or by close family contact (usually from mothers or siblings) during the first 5 years of life. The development of chronic hepatitis B infection is increasingly more common the earlier a person is exposed to the virus, particularly in fetal and neonatal life. And it progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in severe liver damage and perinatal infection. Histopathology of CHB is important when evaluating the final outcomes. A numerical scoring system which is a semiquantitatively assessed objective reproducible classification of chronic viral hepatitis, is a valuable tool for statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating antiviral and other therapies. In this study, a numerical scoring system (Ludwig system) was applied and compared with the conventional histological classification of De Groute. And the comparative analysis of cinical findings, family history, serology, and liver function test by histopathological findings in chronic hepatitis B of children was done. Methods: Ninety nine patients [mean age=9 years (range=17 months to 16 years)] with clinical, biochemical, serological and histological patterns of chronic HBV infection included in this study. Five of these children had hepatocelluar carcinoma. They were 83 male and 16 female children. They all underwent liver biopsies and histologic evaluation was performed by one pathologist. The biopsy specimens were classified, according to the standard criteria of De Groute as follows: normal, chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH), chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), mild to severe chronic active hepatitis (CAH), or active cirrhosis, inactive cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). And the biopsy specimens were also assessed and scored semiquantitatively by the numerical scoring Ludwig system. Serum HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc (IgG, IgM), and HDV were measured by radioimunoassays. Results: Male predominated in a proportion of 5.2:1 for all patients. Of 99 patients, 2 cases had normal, 2 cases had CLH, 22 cases had CPH, 40 cases had mild CAH, 19 cases had moderate CAH, 1 case had severe CAH, 7 cases had active cirrhosis, 1 case had inactive cirrhosis, and 5 cases had HCC. The mean age, sex distribution, symptoms, signs, and family history did not differ statistically among the different histologic groups. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification. The histological activity evaluated by both the conventional classification and the scoring system was more severe as the levels of serum aminotransferases were higher. In contrast, the levels of serum aminotransferases were not useful for predicting the degree of histologic activity because of its wide range overlapping. When the histological activity was more severe and especially the cirrhosis more progressing, the prothrombin time was more prolonged. The histological severity was inversely related with the duration of seroconversion of HBeAg. Conclusions: The histological activity could not be accurately predicted by clinical and biochemical findings, but by the proper histological classification of the numerical scoring system for the biopsy specimen. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification, and it seems to be a valuable tool for the statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating effects of antiviral and other therapies in chronic hepatitis B in children.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.459-468
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to establish comparison of ventulation efficiency in an enclosed and conventional growing-finishing pig house. The main results of the experiment are as follows : In the established temperature was sustained at the level of summer 24.8${\sim}$29.1$^{\circ}C$, winter 17.9${\sim}$23.1$^{\circ}C$ during the experimental period of enclosed growing-finishing pig house, and conventional growing-finishing pig house was at the lovel of summer 24.7${\sim}$32.3$^{\circ}C$, winter 14.5${\sim}$18.2$^{\circ}C$ during the experimental period respectively. As for the results of dertimental gas(ammonia) concentration ratio analysis, while the conventional pig house sustained of summer 9.3${\sim}$16.9 mg/$\ell$ level, enclosed growing-finishing pig house sustained of summer 7.9${\sim}$16.1 mg/$\ell$, and the latter one is lower than that of the conventional growing-finishing pig house. Air flow rate on the floor level which is the low part of pen and the active area of pigs in the enclosed growing and finishing pig house during winter was measured at 0 to 0.87 m/s at the 0.01 to 2.73 m/s at the maximum ventilation efficiency. As for breeding pigs in summer, the pigs from the conventional pig house weighed 100.2kg, on the other hand, the pigs from enclosed growing-finishing pig house weighed 107.3 kg ; the differnce between the two kinds was about 7 kg. This was because the most adequate environment, which was not influenced by the exterior atmosphere, was offered to the pigs from enclosed growing-finishing pig house, and all of this could reduce pigs stress effectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.389-398
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• 1984

The effect of N forms ($NO_3{^-}-N$, $NH_4{^+}-N$) and concentrations (4, 8, $16meq/{\ell}$) which were changed at head formation stage on the tip-burn incidence of chinese cabbage was studied under the three levels (0, 8, 16 meq/l) of Ca. All of the plants grown on $NH_4{^+}-N$ showed the symptoms of tip-burn and low yields regardless of Ca levels. Roots of plants grown on $NH_4{^+}-N$ were severely damaged. The pH of the leachate from $NH_4{^+}-N$ pot was decreased to below pH 5. Plants which had been grown on $NH_4{^+}-N$ before the head formation stage, but changed to $NO_3{^-}-N$ were recovered from abnormal growth. But, the reverse showed the tip-burn symptoms. $NH_4{^+}-N$ treatments increased the T-N contents, but lowered K and Ca contents of inner leafblades. Icreased applications of Ca did not affect the T-N and K contents of the inner leafblades. $NH_4{^+}-N$ suppressed Ca translocation into the inner leaves from outer leaves after the head formation stage, but $NO_3{^-}-N$ accelarated it. Ca contents were much lower in leaves showing tip-burn symptoms than in healthy leaves. Internal rot which is a tip-burn symptom occuring after head formation were noted in plants applied with high concentration of $NO_3{^-}-N$ both before and after the head formation stage. Ca contents correlated well with the rates of Ca application, but there was no correlation between ca conents and internal rot incidence. Chinese cabbage tip-burn is not caused by Ca deficiency, as is commonly believed, but rather by the water stress (95% water contents in $NO_3{^-}$-fed plants, 91% in $NH_4{^+}$-fed plants) resulting from root damage caused by ammonium toxicity. Internal rot is also caused by excess applications of nitrogen, and is unaffected by calcium levels.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제46권7호
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• pp.687-694
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• 2003

Purpose : Regeneration and repair after ischemic renal injury appears to be modulated by circulating or locally produced growth factors. This study examined the changes of serum insulin like growth factor(IGF-I) and renal expression of IGF-I and II, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$($TGF-{\beta}$), and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) during the active regeneration period after acute ischemic injury. Methods : Sera and kidney tissue samples(whole kidney, cortex, outer medullae and inner medullae) were obtained before and after one, three, five and seven days of 40 minutes bilateral renal pedicle clamping. Acute renal failure was assessed by measuring the concentration of serum creatinine. Serum IGF-I level was measured by radioimmunoassay. The mRNA expression in kidney was measured by RT-PCR. The distribution of IGF-I and CTGF was detected by immunohistochemistry. Resuts : Serum IGF-I concentration after one day following acute ischemic renal injury was significantly decreased compared to preischemic value. The mRNA levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and VEGF in whole kidney were temporally decreased on day one of ischemic injury. IGF-I and IGF-II expressions in outer medullae were significantly decreased on day one after ischemic injury. $TGF-{\beta}1$, CTGF and VEGF expressions were markedly decreased in medullae after one day of ischemic injury compared to other kidney sections. IGF-I was markedly decreased in cortical tubules on day one of uremic rat. CTGF was markedly increased on tubule within three days of ischemic injury. Conclusion : These findings suggest that IGFs, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and CTGF may involve in the pathogenesis or the recovery from acute ischemic renal injury.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.131-141
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• 1994

To investigate differences in Cd and Zn contents in paddy soils and rice plants polluted by aerial emissions from the Janghang smelter, soil samples in the different directions and at the surface (0-15cm) and subsurface (15-30cm) in 1982 and 1990, and rice plants at the corresponding sampling sites in 1990 were collected from the Janghang Smelter Area. Soil samples were extracted with $4M-HNO_3$ and plant samples were digested with a mixture of $HNO_3$ and $HClO_4$for analyzing by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The Cd and Zn contents in soils ranged from 0.09 to 4.42 and from 16.0 to 959.5mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively. The average contents of Cd and Zn in 1990 were higher than those in 1982. The Cd and Zn contents of soils near the center of the smelter were higher than those of soils farther from the center and also decreased in the order of east > north-north east > north east > north. The Cd and Zn levels in surface soils were higher than those in subsurface soils. The contaminated areas of Cd and Zn were within 4km in the east, and within 3km in the north-north east and the north east. Metal contents in brawn rice were the lowest in rice plants. The Cd content of brown rice was one sixth of that in leaf blade and in leaf sheath. The Cd content of leaf blade, stem and panicle axis were significantly correlated with the levels of Zn, Cu and Pb in soils, and Zn content of stem was significantly correlated with the levels of Cu and Pb. The Cd and Zn content in brown rice ranged from 0.05 to 0.25mg $kg^{-1}$ and from 10.5 to 30.9㎎ $kg^{-1}$ in the smelter area, respectively.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.381-389
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the relationships among serum ferritin, vitamin D, folate, iron, and vitamin B₁₂ as indicators of obesity. The results provide the basic data for the prevention and treatment of obese and severely obese people. Methods: This study selected 44 people from 18 years of age or older to 59 years. This study used the indicators of the body mass index (BMI) to analyze obesity as the obesity group (BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/㎡) and as the severe obesity group (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/㎡). Of the 44 subjects, 23 and 21 subjects were in the obesity and severe obesity groups, respectively. Their height, weight, body fat, skeletal muscle mass measured using bioimpedance analysis, and measured serum nutrients and biochemical parameters. Results: The obesity group showed a significantly lower age, body weight, BMI and body composition, body fat mass, and body fat percentage, and the height was significantly lower in the severe obesity group. The results of the biochemical parameters of the subjects showed that the levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were within the normal range, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. The levels of folate, vitamin B₁₂, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, iron, and ferritin were almost normal, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion: This study revealed an association with the serum nutrients and obesity, but there was no difference between the obesity group and severe obesity group. Observations of the nutrient levels in not only the blood in obesity and severe obesity but also in red blood cells and tissues will be necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.434-440
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• 2009

Background: Surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be considered when conservative medical treatment is ineffective or contraindicated. Low weight and earlier gestational age neonates who are treated with conservative medical therapy generally showed a higher failure rate. The morbidity of surgical PDA closure in such extremely low birth weight (ELBW) neonates is also high. Here we present the early results of a new technique for approaching the PDA through a dorsal minithoracotomy. Material and Method: From March 2006 to November 2008, 24 premature neonates underwent surgical PDA closure. The procedures were performed in the newborn intensive care unit via a 2 cm long dorsal minithoracotomy with the baby in the prone position with the left hemithorax elevated 30$^{\circ}$. Bimanual cotton swab blunt dissection completed the extrapleural accesstothe PDA and then two clips were applied. Tube thoracostomy was avoided if there was no meaningful pleural laceration. Result: The infants mean gestational age was 26.5$\pm$2.1 weeks (range: 23 to 30 weeks) and the average age at operation was 11$\pm$11 days. The mean body weight at operation was 933$\pm$271 grams (range: 570 to 1,700 grams). Eight patients expired, but there was no procedure-related death. Postoperative echocardiography revealed two cases of residual shunt but none of these shunts were detected on the follow up echocardiogram that was performed on the post operative 5 and 59 days. Conclusion: We concluded that the technique described here is an effective procedure in view of the satisfactory operative exposure and the low rate of complications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권1호
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• pp.75-80
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• 2009

Purpose : In adults, valproate (VPA) has been reported to be associated with thrombocytopenia. However, few studies have investigated this association in children, and the factors affecting platelet counts remain controversial. This study was undertaken to investigate changes in platelet counts following VPA therapy and related factors in children with epilepsy. Methods : Our subjects comprised 75 epileptic children who had received VPA monotherapy for at least 1 year between January 2000 and December 2005. We regularly examined platelet counts at intervals of 6 to 12 months after baseline platelet counts before VPA treatment. We analyzed changes in platelet counts according to several factors such as sex, seizure type, underlying causes of epilepsy, age at the start of medication as well as at the last follow up, duration of VPA administration, VPA dose, serum VPA level, and body weight at the last follow up. Results : Overall, the platelet counts decreased significantly after VPA therapy. The average baseline platelet count was $312.5{\pm}109.1{\times}10^6/mL$. At the last follow up, the average platelet count was $261.7{\pm}72.2{\times}10^6/mL$. We observed the relationship between platelet counts and serum levels of VPA; while children with serum VPA <$75{\mu}g/mL$ showed no change in platelet counts (P=0.102), children with serum VPA >$75{\mu}g/mL$ showed a significant decrease in platelet counts. Conclusion : VPA may cause a significantly decreased platelet count in children with epilepsy. High serum VPA levels were associated with development of thrombocytopenia.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.209-219
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• 1986

This study was designed to investigate the effects of various sources of dietary fats on the blood and liver cholesterol(CHOL) levels in young Single Comb White Leghorn male chicks, In experiment 1, corn oil, palm gil, tallow and fish oil were added individually at a level of 4% to semipurified type diets composed of isolated soyprotein and glucose as major components. The diets were fed ad libitum for a period of 15 days. In experiment 2, various fats such as corn oil, soybean oil, repeseed oil, palm oil, tallow, fish oil and hydrogenated fish oil(HFO) were added individually at a level of 11.4% to practical type diets primarily based on corn and soybean meal. Control diet contained 3% of corn oil. All these diets were formulated to contain equivalent amount of nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals on a basis of unit kcal of metabolizable energy. The third Experiment was to compare the effects of different levels of calorie/protein(C/P ratio) of diets on the performances and various biological parameters in the chicks. Control diet was the same as in experiment 2. Another diet was added with 11.14% corn oil(C/P ratio=146) and the other diet with 10% corn oil(C/P ratio=164), The diets in experiment 2 and 3 were fed ad libitum for 26 days. In the first experiment, the chicks fed the diet containing vegetable oils tended to grow faster and show better feed efficiency without significance than those fed diets added with animal fats. However, this tendency was not observed in the experiment 2. Birds consumed the diets added with fish oil appeared to have heavier liver weight and higher liver CHOL than the others(p〈0.05), No significant differences in the levels of blood CHOL and triacylglycerol(TG) were observed among the chicks of various dietary groups(Exp. 1). Weights of liver or heart were significantly heavier in the chicks consumed the diets added with HFO or fish oil, respectively(Exp. 2). However, chicks ingested diet containing fish oil appeared to have significantly lower plasma CHOL. No significant differences were observed in the levels of liver CHOL and plasma TG among the dietary groups. Birds consumed the diet with a wider C/P ratio resulted in higher liver TG levels in experiment 3(p〈0.05). Although no statistical differences were observed among the various dietary groups, chicks fed the diet with a wider C/P ratio tended to show higher levels of plasma CHOL, TG, liver CHOL and total liver lipids compared to those of the control group.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.34-43
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• 2010

Purpose : The aim of this study was to examine whether hypercapnia during the first seven days of life was associated with severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in preterm infants requiring mechanical ventilation. Methods : A matched pair analysis was performed for 19 preterm infants with severe IVH(grade$\geq$3) and 38 infants with no severe IVH (normal or grade 1), who required mechanical ventilation for more than seven days. The univariate and multivariate analysis of severe IVH with maximal and minimal $PaCO_2$, averag $PaCO_2$, SD of $PaCO_2$, and difference in the $PaCO_2$ were assessed. The major perinatal factors and maximal ventilator index (VI) were also compared. Results : Infants with severe IVH had a higher maximal $PaCO_2$ (86.1$\pm$18.4 mmHg vs. 60.1$\pm$ 11.6 mmHg, P <0.001) and mean $PaCO_2$ (47.5$\pm$5.6 mmHg vs. 41.2$\pm$6.3 mmHg, P=0.004) and a larger SD or difference in $PaCO_2$ (14.0$\pm$4.4 mmHg vs. 9.0$\pm$2.4 mmHg; 60.3$\pm$20.9 mmHg vs. 35.5$\pm$11.8 mmHg, P <0.001). However the minimal $PaCO_2$ values did not differ between the groups. Disseminated intravascular coagulation, pulmonary hemorrhage, and the air leak syndrome were more frequent in the IVH group than in the controls. The maximal VI on each day was higher in the IVH group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis after controlling for bleeding tendency showed that the air leak syndrome, maximal VI, and maximal $PaCO_2$ were independently associated with severe IVH [OR, 1.324 (95% CI, 1.011-1.733; P=0.041)]. Conclusion : Extreme hypercapnia was significantly associated with severe IVH in preterm infants, after adjustment for major perinatal risk factors. Frequent monitoring of the $PaCO_2$ may be important for early detection of inadvertent hypercapnia and prompt correction of high PaCOS levels.