• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.5
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• pp.273-279
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• 2010

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is considered as a poor prognosis factor in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There has been reported brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) is related with increased right ventricular (RV) workloads. However, there are few studies that evaluate the relationship between BNP and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), RV function and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score in patients with COPD, and the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) on these parameters. Methods: Pulmonary function test, echocardiography, blood BNP, and SGRQ score were evaluated in stabilized moderate degree COPD patients ($FEV_1$/FVC< 70%, $50%{\leq}FEV_1$ < 80%) aged 45 years and over, without worsening of symptoms within recent 3 months. After treating with ramipril 10 mg for 3 months, the same evaluation was repeated. Results: Twenty-two patients were included in this study. BNP was significantly correlated with PAP (Pearson coefficient ${\rho}=0.51$, p=0.02), but not with RV ejection fraction (EF) and predicted $FEV_1%$. The values for predicted $FEV_1%$ showed significant correlation with SGRQ total score and activity score, but not with BNP or PAP. After ramipril treatment, PAP showed significant decrease ($42.8{\pm}8.1$ vs. $34.5{\pm}4.5mm$ Hg p=0.0003), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion significant increase ($21.5{\pm}3.3$ vs. $22.7{\pm}3.1mm$ p=0.009). BNP showed a tendency to decrease without statistical significance ($40.8{\pm}59.6$ vs. $18.0{\pm}9.1pg/mL$ p=0.55). SGRQ scores showed no significant change. Conclusion: BNP showed significant correlation with resting PAP, which means BNP could be used as markers for pulmonary hypertension. Treatment with ACEI didn't show significant change in the level of BNP, while pulmonary hypertension and RV function were improved.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2004

Background:The dopaminergic genes have been implicated with some personality traits. Many recent studies indicated that there is a correlation between D2 dopamine receptor gene(DRD2) polymorphisms and the personality traits. The purpose of this study is to investigate a possible association between DRD2 gene (TaqI A, TaqI B) polymorphism and personality traits. Methods:The subjects were consisted of 173 blood-unrelated young female Koreans with a mean age(${\pm}SD$) of 13.88(${\pm}0.29$) years. These volunteers were recruited from one of the junior high schools in Seoul and were tested by the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory(TCI). Genotyping of the DRD2 polymorphisms by PCR methods were carried out. Two DRD2 gene polymorphisms were classified and individually assessed as follows:TaqI A1+ vs A1-, TaqI B1+ vs B-. The associations between the TCI scores and TaqI A, TaqI B polymorphisms were assessed by Student's t-test. Results:In the 173 subjects, the allele frequencies of the DRD2 TaqI A1, TaqI B1 alleles ranged from 0.42 to 0.43, and these results are quite different from the ranges of 0.15-0.20 in the case of a Caucasian population. The genotype frequencies of DRD2(TaqI A1, TaqI B1) variants showed no significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. RD4(dependence vs. independence) of Cloninger's TCI, a sub-dimension of Reward Dependence, was significantly higher in the subjects having DRD2 less frequent alleles than those without these alleles. Conclusion:This study suggests that the female subjects carrying the less frequent DRD2 alleles exhibited higher reward-dependent personality trait compared to those without these alleles.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2001

Purpose： The purpose of this study was to identify cerebral cortices related with sexual arousal fro visual sexual stimulation in healthy males using BOLD-based functional MR imaging Method： Sixteen male volunteers with sexually potent(mean age：24) were examined for thi study. Functional MRI was performed on a 1.5T MR scanner(GE Signa Horizon) with birdcage-type head coil. In this study, blood oxygenation level dependent(BOLD) technique was utilized to create fMR image reflecting local brain activities. The BOLD-based fMRI d were obtained from 7 oblique planes using gradient-echo EPI with $90^{\circ}$flip angle, 50ms TE 6000ms TR, $26cm{\times}26$ cm FOV, $128{\times}128$ matrix, and 10mm slice thickness. The sexual stimulation paradigm consisted of two alternating periods of rest and activati and it began with a 1 minute rest, followed by a 2 minute stimulation by a documentary a erotic video film. Brain activation maps were generated by cross-correlation of imag acquired during rest and activation periods. The index of activation was used to compare t number of pixels activated by each task in each volunteer, where the significance of th differences was evaluated by using Students t-test.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.257-271
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to confirm that the pulse analyzer is useful for analyzing characteristics of variables of pulse waves in age categories, evaluating pulse waves of the metabolic syndrome group, compared with those of the non-metabolic syndrome group in Korean adults. Methods : The pulse wave variables were measured in Guan of all 1,056 subjects by the pulse analyzer, using a pen-type piezoresistive sensor. The physical measurement, blood test and survey were also performed by each subject. Results : In the age categories, height of pre-incisura (h2), height of tidal wave (h3), area of percussion wave (Aw), and width of percussion wave (w) increased in accordance with increase in age. While ratio of systolic period area (As) went up according to the increase of age, ratio of diastolic period area (Ad) went down. Radial augmentation index (R-AI), h2/h1, h3/h1, w/t and angle of percussion wave went up by aging, generally. Aw rate (Aw/At) also increased. Among the metabolic syndrome group, in the ages of 19 and 44, ratio of systolic period area (As) was higher and ratio of diastolic period area (Ad) was lower than in the non-metabolic group. w/t, Aw/At, and angle of percussion wave were higher than in the non-metabolic syndrome group. Among the metabolic syndrome group over the age of 60, height of pre-incisura (h2), height of tidal wave (h3), total area (At), area of percussion wave (Aw), radial augmentation index (R-AI), h2/h1 and h3/h1 were higher than in the non-metabolic syndrome group. Conclusions : The pulse analyzer is useful to analyze arterial stiffness in the age categories and in the metabolic syndrome group by some measures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.418-421
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• 2002

Fundamental study on quasi-monochromatic parallel radiography using a polycapillary plate and a plane-focus x-ray tube is described. The x-ray generator consists of a negative high-voltage power supply, a filament (hot cathode) power supply, and an x-ray tube. The negative high-voltage is applied to the cathode electrode, and the transmission type target (anode) is connected to the ground potential. The maximum voltage and current of the power supply were -100 kV (peak value) and 3.0 mA, respectively. In this experiment, the tube voltage was regulated from 20 to 25 kV, and the tube current was regulated by the filament temperature and ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 mA. The exposure time is controlled in order to obtain optimum film density, and the focal spot diameter was about 10 mm. The polycapillary plate is J5022-21 made by Hamamatsu Photonics Inc., and the outside and effective diameters are 87 and 77 mm, respectively. The thickness and the hole diameter of the polycapillary are 1.0 mm and 25 ${\mu}$m, respectively. The x-rays from the tube are formed into parallel beam by the polycapillary, and the radiogram is taken using an industrial x-ray film of Fuji IX 100 without using a screen. In the measurement of image resolution, we employed three brass spacers of 2, 30, and 60 mm in height. By the test chart, the resolution fell according to increases in the spacer height without using a polycapillary. In contrast, the resolution slightly fell with corresponding increases in the height by the polycapillary. In angiography, fine blood vessels of about 100 ${\mu}$m are clearly visible.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.403-415
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• 1974

The author has investigated epidemiological features of human cases of epidemic encephalitis (E. E.) in the Republic of Korea and the status of antibody requisition in pre-and post-epidemic time. And virological and serological studies with regarding the relationship of E. E. infection between human and piglet, and field survey against its vector by means of virus isolation from mosquitoes were carried out. Finally, vaccine field trial against human population has also been evaluated in order to confirm its effectiveness. The results of the studies are summarized as follows : 1. The annual incidence of reported cases during the past 25 years (1949-1973) in the Republic of Korea has shown two patterns, one was typical cyclic incidence and the other one was irregular. Annual average morbidity and mortality rate per 100,000 population were 5.7 and 2.1 and fatality rate was 34.6% in typical cyclic years. 2. With regard to the geographical distribution of E. E., the province of Jeolla-Bug-Do illustrated the highest incidence regardless of the epidemic size. 3. The main epidemic period was between mid-August and mid-September (above 90% of the total number of cases). The first case was reported in middle of July and the epidemic ceased in late of October. 4. An analysis of the age distribution of cases of E. E., has shown that above 90% of the total cases occurred in the age groups under 14 years and it was noted that about its 54% were occurred in the age groups between 5-9 years group. 5. Through the Haemagglutination Inhibition (H-I) test for the laboratory diagnosis of E. E., it was found that higher H-I antibody titer was usually detected in the convalescent phase, 15 days after onset. 6. The H-I antibody survey against 563 healthy population by age groups during the pre-epidemic season showed that 422(75%) were less than H-I titer, 1:20 and 122(21.7%) were positive H-I titer, 1:20. Among the 94 American in Seoul who had not been in E. E. endemic area previously only one person had appeared sero-conversion as a H-I titer of 1:80 after post-epidemic season. 7. The E. E. virus could be isolated from the mosquitos pools-C, tritaeniorhyncus which were caught between late July and middle August. 8. E.E. Virus was also isolated from piglet blood on early August and H-I antibody conversion was occurred mostly on middle of August. 9. H-I antibody sero-conversion rate reached to high level when vaccine purified by mouse brain tissue inoculated, showing 98.9%. Higher antibody titer was acquired when booster inoculation was performed, Four fold rise of H-I add N-T antibodies was confirmed with 93.2% and 82.1% respectively.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.23-34
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• 2020

Objective : Recently, the demand for wearable mobile devices for the monitoring and improvement of one's health and quality of life is increasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the need of potential users in order to develop mobile health based and lifestyle care application for the elderly. Methods : Participants who lived in their community and used a mobile phone were recruited. Finally, a total of 84 participants completed the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a t-test, which was carried out with SPSS version 25.0. Results : The application functions that users deemed important for a lifestyle care app were the number of daily steps, physical activity, blood pressure, sleep, nutrition and participation in activity. Interestingly, there was a significant difference in the importance given to the app function of participation in activities between age groups. Conclusion : This study investigated the need and preferences of potential users of health and lifestyle care application for the promotion of health among the elderly. The, findings obtained from this study could be a valuable resource for the development of lifestyle care application.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2004

Identification of animals has been made with an ear tag with dummy code, and blood typing has been used for paternity and individual identification in live animals. As various genetic markers are for different cattle breeds vary, the discrete genetic markers are necessary to identify Hanwoo. A total of 740 progeny testing Hanwoo were used to identify Hanwoo specific markers. To examine traceability of individuals by using breed specific genetic codes, four animal were randomly sampled, and traced from live animals to post-slaughter processing stages. The candidate genetic makers used in the study were 16 DNA microsatellites which were identified in romosomes 1 and 14. The number of alleles of those DNA microsatellites ranged from a minimum of 3 to maximum of 12. The heterozygote frequency ranged from 0.022 to 0.824. Effective number of alleles for each DNA microsatellites were 3 to 6. Six selected candidate genetic markers were able ti trace individual cattle with an 100% confidence level.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7351-7355
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• 2014

Background: Laryngeal carcinogenesis is a multifactorial process that has not been fully elucidated. Despite extensive research, reliable markers with diagnostic and prognostic value are still lacking. It was recently reported that an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may correlate with an increased risk of recurrence, tumor aggressiveness and poorer prognosis in various malignancies. The aim of this study was to examine whether NLR could be used as an inflammatory marker to differentiate laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients from benign laryngeal lesion (BLL) and precancerous laryngeal lesion (PLL) patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 209 patients admitted to a tertiary referral center with laryngeal lesions and undergoing biopsies to establish their histopathological diagnosis. We reviewed the patient files for their clinical, histopathological and laboratory data. The patients were divided into three groups according to their histopathological findings, as BLL, PLL and LSCC groups. The patients in the PLL group were also divided into three subgroups as mild, moderate and severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ (CIS) subgroups. The groups were compared for NLR and the other laboratory data. Results: The mean NLRs of the BLL, PLL and the LSCC groups were $2.12{\pm}0.86$, $2.32{\pm}0.68$ and $3.46{\pm}1.51$, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean NLRs of the patients with PLL and LSCC were significantly higher than the patients with BLL (p=0.031 and p=0.001, respectively). The mean NLRs were similar among mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia and severe dysplasia / CIS groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating NLR in BLL, PLL and LSCC. NLR is an inexpensive, reproducible and widely available blood test, and could be a useful inflammatory marker to differentiate LSCC from BLL and PLL.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7327-7331
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• 2014

Background: We had previously showed that the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are prognostic factors for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. In this study we developed a prognostic model based on these three indices. Materials and Methods: A total of 243 patients who were initially diagnosed as mCRC between 2005 and 2010 in the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were studied. The endpoint was overall survival (OS). Results: NLR>3, elevated GGT and elevated CEA were confirmed as independent risk factors which could predict poor prognosis. Patients could be divided into three groups according to the number of risk factors they had. Those with two or three were defined as the high risk group, individuals with one risk factor as the modest risk group and patients without risk factor as the low risk group. The OS values for these three groups were 16.2 months (2.80~68.8), 24.2 months (4.07~79.0), and 37.2 months (12.6~87.8), respectively (p<0.001). Conclusions: We developed a simple but useful model based on NLR, GGT and CEA to provide prognostic information to clinical practice in highly selected mCRC patients. Further prospective and multi-center studies are warranted to test our model.