• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2018

Purpose: We aimed to study the pattern of liver-injury in children with dengue fever (DF) and validate serum aminotransferase ${\geq}1,000IU/L$ as a marker of severe DF. Methods: Children admitted with DF were included. DF was defined by presence of clinical criteria and positive serological or antigen tests in absence of other etiology. DF severity was graded as dengue without or with warning signs and severe dengue. Liver-injury was defined as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) more than twice the upper limit of normal (boys, 30 IU/L; girls, 21 IU/L). Results: Of 372 children with DF, 144 (38.7%) had liver-injury. Risk of liver-injury and aminotransferase levels increased with DF severity (p<0.001). Recommended ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) cut-off at ${\geq}1,000IU/L$ had sensitivity 4.8% (5/105), specificity 99.3% (265/267) for detection of severe DF. In children with ALT and AST <1,000 IU/L (n=365), the area under receiver operating curves for prediction for severe DF, were 0.651 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.588-0.714; p<0.001) for ALT and 0.647 (95% CI, 0.582-0.712; p<0.001) for AST. Serum ALT at 376 IU/L and AST at 635 IU/L had sensitivity and specificity comparable to ${\geq}1,000IU/L$ for defining severe DF. Conclusion: Liver-injury is common in DF. The ALT and AST levels increase with DF severity. ALT and AST levels of ${\geq}1,000IU/L$ could be lowered to 376 IU/L and 635 IU/L respectively for defining severe DF.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2010

We analyze the current density - voltage (J - V) curve of a Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS) thin-film solar cell measured at different irradiation power densities. For the solar-cell sample investigated in this study, the fill factor and power conversion efficiency decreased as the irradiation power density (IPD) increased in the range of 2 to 5 sun. Characteristic parameters of solar cell including the series resistance ($r_s$), the shunt resistance ($r_{sh}$), the photocurrent density ($J_L$), the saturation current density ($J_s$) of an ideal diode, and the coefficient ($C_s$) of the diode current due to electron-hole recombination via ionized traps at the p-n interface are determined from a theoretical fit to the experimental data of the J - V curve using a two-diode model. As IPD increased, both $r_s$ and $r_{sh}$ decreased, but $C_s$ increased.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.128-132
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• 2004

Ozone effects were studied by plant growth chamber to evaluate the impact of ozone ($O_3$) on the physiology of two hot pepper, Capsicum annuum L., cultivars, 'Dabotab' and 'Buchon'. Forty-day old plants with $5{\sim}7$ leaves were exposed to $O_3$ of <20 and 150 nL/L for 8h/d for 3 days. Net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were measured and foliar injury was described. Foliar damage due to the treated $O_3$ was different from the varieties. 'Dabotab' was most sensitive to $O_3$ and 'Buchon' was resistant. Symptom of ozone damage on the leaves was bifacial necrosis. Decreases of net photosynthesis by $O_3$ were 56% and 40% on 'Dabotab' and 'Buchon', respectively. Decreases of stomatal conductance by $O_3$ were 66% and 63% on each variety. $O_3$ damage on net photosynthesis was started at the low levels of light on the two hot peppers. In addition, assimilation-internal $CO_2$ concentration curves were not different from the two varieties. In conclusion, $O_3$ closed the stomata and decrease net photosynthesis on hot peppers regardless of the ozone sensitivity on leaf injury, but the difference of ecophysiological responses between the two varieties was not found clearly.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 1994

[$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters ( $K_{D}$ and $B_{max}$) to control rat ventricular strips and Langendorff preparations which were not previously exposed to ouabain were compared with those to both preparations that had been first exposed to a complete ouabain dose range of dose-response curve (10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{4}$M). In rat ventricular strips and Langendorff perfused heart preparations, cumulative dose-response curves of ouabain revealed biphasic positive inotropic effects, a "low-dose" effect and a "high-dose" effect with E $d_{50}$ values of 0.5 $\mu$M and 35 $\mu$M ouabain, respectively. The "low-dose" effect in ventricular strip disappeared or was diminished significantly when the ouabain dose-response curve was repeated after the washout of the effects of the first dose-response curve, whereas there were no significant differences in the maximal "high-dose"effect in both exposures to oubain. However, both of the control and ouabain-preexposed Langendorff perfused hearts revealed the same low-dose effects. The $K_{D}$ value for [$^3$H] ouabain binding and the ouabain binding site concentration ( $B_{max}$) estimated by [$^3$H]ouabain displacement assay in control preparations were 230 nM and 2 pmol/mg protein, respectively. [$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters were not changed by repeated exposure to high concentrations of ouabain. These results suggest that digitalis receptor desensitization in the rat ventricular strip may due to the change of post-receptor events induced by ouabain binding to a high affinity site ($\alpha$$_2$isoform).).).).).

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.109-119
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• 2019

While the reverberation mapping technique is the best available method for measuring black hole mass in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) beyond the local volume, this method has been mainly applied to relatively low-to-moderate luminosity AGNs at low redshift. We present the strategy of the Seoul National University AGN Monitoring Project, which aims at measuring the time delay of the $H{\beta}$ line emission with respect to AGN continuum, using a sample of relatively high luminosity AGNs out to redshift z ~ 0.5. We present simulated cross correlation results based on a number of mock light curves, in order to optimally determine monitoring duration and cadence. We describe our campaign strategy based on the simulation results and the availability of observing facilities. We present the sample selection, and the properties of the selected 100 AGNs, including the optical luminosity, expected time lag, black hole mass, and Eddington ratio.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.680-684
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• 2018

We investigate the effect of light intensity and wavelength of a solar cell device using photoconductive atomic force microscopy(PC-AFM). A $POCl_3$ diffusion doping process is used to produce a p-n junction solar cell device based on a polySi wafer, and the electrical properties of prepared solar cells are measured using a solar cell simulator system. The measured open circuit voltage($V_{oc}$) is 0.59 V and the short circuit current($I_{sc}$) is 48.5 mA. Moreover, the values of the fill factors and efficiencies of the devices are 0.7 and approximately 13.6 %, respectively. In addition, PC-AFM, a recent notable method for nano-scale characterization of photovoltaic elements, is used for direct measurements of photoelectric characteristics in limited areas instead of large areas. The effects of changes in the intensity and wavelength of light shining on the element on the photoelectric characteristics are observed. Results obtained through PC-AFM are compared with the electric/optical characteristics data obtained through a solar simulator. The voltage($V_{PC-AFM}$) at which the current is 0 A in the I-V characteristic curves increases sharply up to $18W/m^2$, peaking and slowly falling as light intensity increases. Here, $V_{PC-AFM}$ at $18W/m^2$ is 0.29 V, which corresponds to 59 % of the average $V_{oc}$ value, as measured with the solar simulator. Furthermore, while the light wavelength increases from 300 nm to 1,100 nm, the external quantum efficiency(EQE) and results from PC-AFM show similar trends at the macro scale but reveal different results in several sections, indicating the need for detailed analysis and improvement in the future.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.239-245
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• 1997

Trimetoquinol (TMQ) and its analogs are known to have thromboxane $A_2$ antagonistic action. We also reported that GS389, chemically similar to TMQ, has competitive antagonistic action in rat aorta and human platelets. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological characteristics of GS283 and GS 386, analogs of GS389, using vascular smooth muscle, human platelets and rat brain homogenates. In isolated pig coronary artery (PCA), both of GS283 and GS386 relaxed U46619-contracted rings in concentration dependent manner. Pretreatment with several concentrations of GS283 and GS386 shifted the dose-response curves to the right, and reduced of maximum contration dose-dependently. Furthermore, GS283 and GS386 strongly inhibited $Ca^{2+}$ -induced contraction in the PCA. In human platelets, U46619- and A23187-induced platelet aggregation was inhibited by GS283 and GS386, concentration-dependently. Anti-platelet aggregation was related to the compound\`s ability to inhibit ATP release at each stimulation. In rat brain homogenates, receptor-binding assay resulted that both GS283 and GS386 have a relative affinity to $\alpha$-adrenergic receptor. Taken together. we concluded that the mechamism of action of GS283 and GS86 is not related with in TXA$_2$ receptor but concerned with calcium antagonistic action and a-blocking action.n.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.739-751
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• 2023

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the accuracy of preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and tumor-to-nipple distance (TND) for diagnosing occult nipple-areolar complex (NAC) involvement in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles published until March 20, 2022, excluding studies of patients with clinically evident NAC involvement or those treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Two reviewers independently evaluated studies that reported the diagnostic performance of MRI imaging features such as continuity to the NAC, unilateral NAC enhancement, non-mass enhancement (NME) type, mass size (> 20 mm), and TND. Summary estimates of the sensitivity and specificity curves and the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve of the MRI features for NAC involvement were calculated using random-effects models. We also calculated the TND cutoffs required to achieve predetermined specificity values. Results: Fifteen studies (n = 4002 breast lesions) were analyzed. The pooled sensitivity and specificity (with 95% confidence intervals) for NAC involvement diagnosis were 71% (58-81) and 94% (91-96), respectively, for continuity to the NAC; 58% (45-70) and 97% (95-99), respectively, for unilateral NAC enhancement; 55% (46-64) and 83% (75-88), respectively, for NME type; and 88% (68-96) and 58% (40-75), respectively, for mass size (> 20 mm). TND had an area under the SROC curve of 0.799 for NAC involvement. A TND of 11.5 mm achieved a predetermined specificity of 85% with a sensitivity of 64%, and a TND of 12.3 mm yielded a predetermined specificity of 83% with a sensitivity of 65%. Conclusion: Continuity to the NAC and unilateral NAC enhancement may help predict occult NAC involvement in breast cancer. To achieve the desired diagnostic performance with TND, a suitable cutoff value should be considered.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.677-689
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: There is limited evidence regarding machine-learning prediction for the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after electrical cardioversion (ECV). This study aimed to predict the recurrence of AF after ECV using machine learning of clinical features and electrocardiograms (ECGs) in persistent AF patients. Methods: We analyzed patients who underwent successful ECV for persistent AF. Machine learning was designed to predict patients with 1-month recurrence. Individual 12-lead ECGs were collected before and after ECV. Various clinical features were collected and trained the extreme gradient boost (XGBoost)-based model. Ten-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of the model. The performance was compared to the C-statistics of the selected clinical features. Results: Among 718 patients (mean age 63.5±9.3 years, men 78.8%), AF recurred in 435 (60.6%) patients after 1 month. With the XGBoost-based model, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) were 0.57, 0.60, and 0.63 if the model was trained by clinical features, ECGs, and both (the final model), respectively. For the final model, the sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score were 84.7%, 28.2%, and 0.73, respectively. Although the AF duration showed the best predictive performance (AUROC, 0.58) among the clinical features, it was significantly lower than that of the final machine-learning model (p<0.001). Additional training of extended monitoring data of 15-minute single-lead ECG and photoplethysmography in available patients (n=261) did not significantly improve the model's performance. Conclusions: Machine learning showed modest performance in predicting AF recurrence after ECV in persistent AF patients, warranting further validation studies.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.171-178
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• 2024

Background: We developed a novel interlocking three-dimensional (3D) miniplate design with an adjustable configuration. As this device is new, surgeons must become familiar with its application. This study evaluated the usability and learning curves associated with the novel interlocking 3D miniplate for mandibular fracture fixation. Methods: The study participants, nine plastic surgeons, were asked to apply an interlocking 3D miniplate and a standard miniplate to polyurethane mandible models. The participants had completed the Basic Craniomaxillofacial Osteosynthesis course during residency and had operated on craniomaxillofacial fractures within the past 5 years. They were instructed to place the interlocking 3D miniplate three times and the standard miniplate once. We assessed the time required for implant placement, the comfort level of the surgeons, and the biomechanical stability of the plates. Biomechanical testing was conducted by subjecting the mandible to forces ranging from 10 to 90 N and the displacement was measured. Results: The results indicate increasing comfort with each attempt at placing the interlocking 3D miniplate, with a significant difference between the first and third attempts. Additionally, a reduction in application time was noted with repeated attempts, suggesting improved efficiency. Biomechanical tests showed comparable stability between the tested plates. Conclusion: Multiple attempts at applying the interlocking 3D miniplate resulted in increased comfort and reduced application time. These findings indicate that, despite its novelty, the interlocking 3D miniplate is relatively straightforward to apply and has a short learning curve. However, surgeons must have specific qualifications to ensure proper training and minimize errors during placement.