• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.803-810
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• 2003

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the final adult height and total height gain in idiopathic and organic growth hormone deficient(GHD) children after growth hormone(GH) treatment. Methods : Thirteen patients with idiopathic GHD and 22 patients with organic GHD who had been treated with GH and attained adult final height were included in this study. Factors which could affect the final adult height(FAH) and total height gain, were evaluated. Results : Height SDS(standard deviation score) at initial GH treatment in idiopathic GHD was significantly shorter than that in organic GHD($-4.13{\pm}1.28$ vs $-1.66{\pm}1.06$, P<0.001). Growth velocity during the first year of GH treatment was $9.69{\pm}3.19cm$(idiopathic GHD) and $7.87{\pm}3.65cm$(organic GHD). Height(SDS) at puberty in organic GHD was significantly greater than in idiopathic GHD ($-0.55{\pm}1.25$ vs $-2.28{\pm}0.95$, P<0.001). Final adult height(SDS) was significantly greater in organic GHD than in idiopathic GHD($0.22{\pm}1.06$ vs $-1.44{\pm}0.84$, P<0.001). In idiopathic GHD, total height gain (SDS) was most significantly correlated with midparental height minus initial height(MPH-IH)(SDS) (r=0.886, P<0.001). Total height gain(SDS) was more significantly correlated with MPH-IH(SDS) and prepubertal height gain(SDS) in idiopathic GHD(r=0.640, P=0.01, r=0.801, P<0.001). Conclusion : Final adult height was greater in organic GHD than in idiopathic GHD patients. While total height gain(SDS) was more pronounced in children with lower initial height compared to MPH, absolute final adult height was influenced by height at puberty. To improve the final adult height in children with GHD, height at onset of puberty must be increased by early diagnosis and continuous treatment with optimal doses of GH. There results should be evaluated with more patients.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2012

We investigated the effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned coal mines on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the upper reaches of the Nakdong River from May to October in 2009. Qualitative and quantitative sampling (Surber sampler: $50{\times}50$ cm; mesh size, 0.2 mm) was conducted at 7 study sites and 3 control sites in the study area. We thus sampled 117 species belonging to 53 families, 15 orders, 6 classes, and 5 phyla; the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera group (EPT-group) represented the majority of the benthic macroinvertebrate community (71 species; 64.5%). In the quantitative sampling, a total of 11,575 individuals belonging to 58 species of benthic maroinvertebrates were sampled from the study sites (Sites 1-7), whereas 2,844 individuals belonging to 79 species were sampled from the control sites (Sites A-C). Tolerant species such as oligochaetes, $Epeorus$ $pellucidus$, $Baetis$ $fuscatus$, Hydropsychidae species, and Chironomidae species were predominant in the study sites. The community indices for the study sites, such as MacNaughton's dominance index (DI) (mean${\pm}$SD, $0.52{\pm}0.21$; range, 0.33-0.85) and the Shannon diversity index ($H^{\prime}$) ($2.06{\pm}0.60$; 1.06-2.57), were different from those for the control sites (DI: $0.29{\pm}0.07$, 0.22-0.35; $H^{\prime}$: $3.13{\pm}0.14$; 3.03-3.30). In the study sites, shredders and scrapers were scarce, whereas gathering-collectors (mainly Chironomidae species) were relatively abundant, as were clingers and burrowers. The detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and similarity analyses showed that benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the study sites were clearly separated from those of the control sites, with the greatest dissimilarity being noted at the uppermost study site (Site 1), which is located close to an abandoned coal mine. The Korean saprobic index (KSI) and the ecological score using benthic macroinvertebrates (ESB) showed that the uppermost study site (Site 1) was ${\alpha}$-mesosaprobic or heavily polluted, whereas other study sites were in a fair or relatively good condition.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2010

Purpose: It has been reported that children with hypopituitarism have features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and liver histology of pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hypopituitarism. Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of 11 children diagnosed with NAFLD among patients with hypopituitarism. Results: The mean age at the time of diagnosis of hypopituitarism was 10.4${\pm}$3.2 years, and the mean age at the time of diagnosis of NAFLD was 13.1${\pm}$2.7 years. A craniopharyngioma was the most common cause of pituitary dysfunction. At the time of diagnosis of NAFLD, 9 patients (82%) had a body mass index greater than the 85th percentile, 5 patients (45%) had elevated fasting blood glucose levels, and 9 patients (82%) had hypertriglyceridemia. The mean height SD score was significantly lower at the time of diagnosis of NAFLD than at the time of diagnosis of hypopituitarism. Of the six patients who were biopsied, one had cirrhosis, two had non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with bridging fibrosis, two had NASH with mild portal fibrosis, and one had simple steatosis. Conclusion: Children with hypopituitarism are at risk of short stature, obesity, dyslipidemia, and NAFLD. The early diagnosis of NAFLD is important in children with hypopituitarism because advanced fibrosis is common.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.47-61
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• 2000

Agroclimatic zoning was done for paddy rice culture in North Korea based on a simulation experiment. Daily weather data for the experiment were generated by 3 steps consisting of spatial interpolation based on topoclimatological relationships, zonal summarization of grid cell values, and conversion of monthly climate data to daily weather data. Regression models for monthly climatological temperature estimation were derived from a statistical procedure using monthly averages of 51 standard weather stations in South and North Korea (1981-1994) and their spatial variables such as latitude, altitude, distance from the coast, sloping angle, and aspect-dependent field of view (openness). Selected models (0.4 to 1.6$^{\circ}C$ RMSE) were applied to the generation of monthly temperature surface over the entire North Korean territory on 1 km$\times$l km grid spacing. Monthly precipitation data were prepared by a procedure described in Yun (2000). Solar radiation data for 27 North Korean stations were reproduced by applying a relationship found in South Korea ([Solar Radiation, MJ m$^{-2}$ day$^{-1}$ ] =0.344 + 0.4756 [Extraterrestrial Solar Irradiance) + 0.0299 [Openness toward south, 0 - 255) - 1.307 [Cloud amount, 0 - 10) - 0.01 [Relative humidity, %), $r^2$=0.92, RMSE = 0.95 ). Monthly solar irradiance data of 27 points calculated from the reproduced data set were converted to 1 km$\times$1 km grid data by inverse distance weighted interpolation. The grid cell values of monthly temperature, solar radiation, and precipitation were summed up to represent corresponding county, which will serve as a land unit for the growth simulation. Finally, we randomly generated daily maximum and minimum temperature, solar irradiance and precipitation data for 30 years from the monthly climatic data for each county based on a statistical method suggested by Pickering et a1. (1994). CERES-rice, a rice growth simulation model, was tuned to accommodate agronomic characteristics of major North Korean cultivars based on observed phenological and yield data at two sites in South Korea during 1995~1998. Daily weather data were fed into the model to simulate the crop status at 183 counties in North Korea for 30 years. Results were analyzed with respect to spatial and temporal variation in yield and maturity, and used to score the suitability of the county for paddy rice culture.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.25-43
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• 1997

Introduction : The outcome and incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) could be variable related to the varied definitions used for ARDS by researchers. The purpose of the national survey was to define the risk factors of ARDS and investigate the prognostic indicies related to mortality of ARDS in Korea according to the definition of ARDS determined by the American-European Concensus Conference on 1992 year. Methods : A Multicenter registry of 48 University or University-affliated hospital and 18 general hospital s equipped with more than 400 patient's beds conducted over 13 months of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome using the same registry protocol. Results : 1. In the 12 months of the registry, 167 patients were enrolled at the 24 hospitals. 2. The mean age was 56.5 years (${\pm}17.2$ years) and there was a 1.9:1 ratio of males to females. 3. Sepsis was the most common risk factors (78.1%), followed by aspiration (16.6%), trauma (11.6%), and shock (8.5%). 4 The overall mortality rate was 71.9%. The mean duration was 11 days (${\pm}13.1$ days) from the diagnosis of ARDS to the death. Respiratory insufficiency appeared to be a major cause in 43.7% of the deaths followed by sepsis (36.1%), heart failure (7.6%) and hepatic failure (6.7%). 5. There were no significant differences in mortality based on sex or age. No significant difference in mortality in infectious versus noninfectious causes of ARDS was found. 6. There were significant differences in the pulse rate, platelet numbers, serum albumin and glucose levels, the amounts of 24 hour urine, arterial pH, $Pa0_2$, $PaCO_2$, $Sa0_2$, alveolar-arterial oxygen differences, $PaO_2/FIO_2$, and PEEP/$FI0_2$ between the survivors and the deaths on study days 1 through 6 of the first week after enrollment. 7. The survivors had significantly less organ failure and lower APACHE III scores at the time of diagnosis of ARDS (P<0.05). 8. The numbers of organ failure (odd ratio 1.95, 95% confidence intervals:1.05-3.61, P=0.03) and the score of APACHE III (odd ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval:1.01-2.50, P=0.04) appeared to be independent risk factors of the mortality in the patients with ARDS. Conclusions : The mortality was 71.9% of total 167 patients in this investigation using the definition of American-European Consensus Conference on 1992 year, and the respiratory insufficiency was the leading cause of the death. In addition, the numbers of organ failure and the score of APACHE III at the time of diagnosis of ARDS appeared to be independent risk factors of the mortality in the patients with ARDS.