• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.63-67
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• 2009

Objectives : Quality control for imported medicinal herbs is duty for regulation, however to the best of our knowledge there has been no report regarding quality control of imported ones. Therefore, this study investigated the data of imported ones for monitoring quality issue. Methods : These data are categorized according to item, the amount of import, country, inspection item, suitability, and incongruity reason based on the 248 results performed by KIOM. Results : China is the number one country for import with the value of 73%. Inspected medicinal herbs were 139 species, among them Poria is ranked as top for requested number and the amount of import. The amount of import is similar between high ranking 20 species and low ranking 119 ones, showing high ranking ones are major. The incongruity ratio was 7.7% from the total number of inspected items, the reason for incongruity was excess of tolerable amount of Cd residue. Conclusions : From the data, it is effective way to focus on high ranking herbs for evaluating imported herbs for quality control. The study of mechanism on Cd accumulation and its decrease is essential for environmental matter. And identification and storage for mixed used and easily decomposable herbs are remained for further study. Our study might be small step for showing guideline for proper quality control.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.216-222
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of environmental factors and heavy metals on the growth and phosphorus removal capacity of Alcaligenes sp., which was well known as one of PAOs(Phosphorus Accumulating Microorganisms). METHODS AND RESULTS: The environmental factors used in this study were temperature, pH and carbon sources, and the heavy metals included Cu, Cd, Zn, As, and Ni. The growth and P removal efficiency of Alcaligenes sp. was maximal as temperature, pH, and carbon source were $25^{\circ}C$, 7, and glucose+acetate, respectively. Also, the $IC_{50}$(median inhibitory Concentration) values of Alcaligenes sp. for the Cu, Cd, Zn, As, and Ni were 5.03, 0.08, 0.73, 282.20 and 4.74 mg/L, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): Based on the results obtained from this study, it appears that the growth and P removal efficiency of Alcaligenes sp. were affected by the environment factors and at the best optimum condition for its growth and P removal efficiency, as the concentrations of heavy metals were gradually increased, its growth was correspondingly decreased.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.917-927
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• 2018

Seven heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) were continuously analyzed for twenty rainfall events in 2017~2018 in an urban basin. The overall and dynamic correlations between runoff characteristics and heavy metal concentrations were examined. The peak metal concentration generally appeared in the initial runoff but found to be delayed when the rainfall intensity was low. The rainfall duration had no relationship with either heavy metal concentrations or their total mass. Dynamics of heavy metal mass (load), with the exception of Cu and Zn, showed strong correlation with the 30 minute rainfall intensity (0.60~0.88) and runoff volume (0.74~0.89). While event mean concentration (EMC) showed positive correlation (0.54~0.73) with antecedent dry days (ADD), no significant relationship was found between runoff volume and pollutant concentration. This implies that the pollutants built up on the surface during dry days are washed off even with low rainfall energy. The dynamics of heavy metal and TSS concentrations showed good correlation (0.68~0.87). This result shows that the metals are transported along with solid particles as adsorbate in surface runoff. Regular street sweeping will reduce significant amount of heavy metal loads in urban surface runoff.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.665-676
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• 2003

To investigate the chemical characteristics of PM$\_$2.5/ in Seoul, Korea, atmospheric particulate matters were collected using a PM$\_$10/ dichotomous sampler including PM$\_$10/ and PM$\_$2.5/ inlet during the period of October 2000 to September 2001. The Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectromety (ICP-MS), ion Chromatography (IC) methods were used to determine the concentration of both metal and ionic species. A statistical analysis was performed for the heavy metals data set using a principal component analysis (PCA) to derived important factors inherent in the interactions among the variables. The mean concentrations of ambient PM$\_$2.5/ and PM/sub10/ were 24.47 and 45.27 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, respectively. PM$\_$2.5/ masses also showed temporal variations both yearly and seasonally. The ratios of PM$\_$2.5/PM$\_$10/ was 0.54, which similar to the value of 0.60 in North America. Soil-related chemical components (such as Al, Ca, Fe, Si, and Mn) were abundant in PM$\_$10/, while anthropogenic components (such as As, Cd, Cr, V, Zn and Pb) were abundant in PM2s. Total water soluble ions constituted 30∼50 % of PM$\_$2.5/ mass, and sulfate, nitrate and ammonium were main components in water soluble ions. Reactive farms of NH$_4$$\^$+/were considered as NH$_4$NO$_3$ and (NH$_4$)$_2$SO$_4$ during the sampling periods. In the results of PCA for PM$\_$2.5/, we identified three principal components. Major contribution to PM$\_$2.5/ seemed to be soil, oil combustion, unidentified source. Further study, the detailed interpretation of these data will need efforts in order to identify emission sources.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.38-40
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was performed to find the current problems of PET/CT data from other hospitals. Materials and Methods: The subjects were acquired from 64 hospitals referred to our department for image interpretation. The formats and contents of PET/CT data were reviewed and the phone questionnaire survey about these were performed. Results: PET/CT data from 39 of 64 hospitals (61%) included all transaxial CT and PET images with DICOM (Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine) standard format which were required for authentic interpretation. PET/CT data from the others included only secondary capture images or fusion PET/CT images. Conclusion: The majority of hospitals provided limited PET/CT data which could be inadequate for accurate interpretation and clinical decision making. It is necessary to standardize the format of PET/CT data to transfer including all transaxial CT and PET images with DICOM standard format.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.489-497
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• 2002

Purpose : The objectives of this study were to investigate the causes of chronic cough and to establish the appropriate diagnostic approach to chronic cough in children. Methods : One hundred and thirty two cases of chronic cough were prospectively evaluated. They visitors to pediatric chronic cough clinics at Kang-nam saint Mary's Hospital of Catholic University from August 2000 to July 2001 for 12 months. Careful history taking by questionnaire, physical examination, radiologic studies of chest and sinus, hematologic and immunologic studies, allergic skin tests, and methacholine challenge tests were performed. Color doppler(CD) ultrasonography were performed and compared with simultaneous 24 Hr. esophageal pH monitoring to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). Results : Age distributions were demonstrated that nine in infants, 82 in early childhood, 38 in late childhood, and three in adolescence. Common causes of chronic cough were bronchial asthma in 40 cases, chronic sinusitis in 22 cases, GERD in seven cases, bronchial asthma combined with sinusitis in 28 cases, bronchial asthma combined with GERD in 14 cases, psychogenic cough in two. cases, foreign body in one case, chronic bronchitis in one case, and bronchiolitis in one case. Comparing with 24 Hr. pH monitoring, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values of CD ultrasonography were 88%, 69%, 85 %, and 73% respectively. Conclusion : The most common causes of chronic cough in children were bronchial asthma, sinusitis and GERD in order. We suggest that CD ultrasonography can be used as a good, convenient screening method for patients with suspected GERD in outpatient settings.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 1991

This study was performed to survey the pollution levels of Pinus Thunbergii forest soil surrounding. The Onsan industrial complexes of caused by the surrounding polluted air. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The forestry soil pH in the vicinity of the industrial complex showed severe acidity in the range of pH $4.2{\sim}4.8$. And also the available Al was higher in the acidified soils. 2. The available S was in the range of $21ppm{\sim}638ppm$, and was highest within 2km of the industrial complex and difference greatly depending on distance from the source. 3. Heavy metals soil, concentrations of Fe, Zn and Cu were $0.9ppm{\sim}73.7ppm$, $0.09ppm{\sim}6.68ppm$ and $0.10ppm{\sim}62.10ppm$, respectively and there were many site difference, especially high concentrations were observed in source nearest seaside. The sites and showed that soil pollution had been progressing in these sites. 4. The concentrations of Pb and Cd generally showed low contents as $0.06ppm{\sim}0.07ppm$ and $0.06ppm{\sim}0.24ppm$ respectively and Cd contents were also high in seaside sites near sources. 5. The results of correlation between soil factors were significant between soil pH and Al(r=0.588) at 1% and soil pH and S(r=0.469), Zn(r=0.491) and Cu(r=0.475) at 5% respectively. 6. In the correlations among the heavy metals, there were significant high correlations between Fe and Zn(r=0.833), Cu(r=0.846) and Pb(r=0.583), and Zn and Cu(r=0.773), Cu and Pb(r=0.746) at 1%, whereas correlations between Zn and Pb(r=0.529), and Zn and Cd(r=0.457) were relatively low at 5%.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.932-943
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• 2000

Background : Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) is most likely to be confused with usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). Unlike patients witþ UIP, the majority of patients with NSIP have a good prognosis, with most patients improving after treatment with corticosteroids. Therefore it is clinically important to differentiate NSIP from UIP. Up to now, the only means of differentiating these two diseases was by means of surgical lung biopsy. American Thoracic Society (ATS) proposed a clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP to provide assistance to clinicians in its diagnosis without surgical lung biopsy. This study is aimed to investigate whether there were clinical and radiological differences between NSIP and UIP, and the usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP in Korea. Methods : We studied 60 patients with UIP and NSIP confirmed by surgical lung biopsy. Clinical manifestations, pulmonary function test, arterial blood gas analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were evaluated and analyzed by Chi-square test or t-test. The clinical criteria for UIP proposed by ATS were applied to all patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Results : Forty-two patients with UIP and 18 with NSIP were pathologically identified. Among the 18 patients with NSIP (M : F=1 : 17), the mean age was 55.2$\pm$8.4 (44~73) yr. Among the 42 patients with UIP (M : F=33 : 9), the mean age was 59.5$\pm$7.1 (45~74) yr (p=0.046). Fever was more frequent in NSIP (39%) (p=0.034), but clubbing was frequently observed in UIP (33%) (p=0.023). BAL lymphocytosis was more frequent (23%) (p=0.0001) and CD4/CD8 ratio was lower in NSIP (p=0.045). On HRCT, UIP frequently showed honeycomb appearance (36 of 42 patients) though not in NSIP (p=0.0001). Six of 42 UIP patients (14.3%) met the ATS clinical criteria for IPF, and 3 of 16 NSIP patients (18.8%) met the diagnostic criteria. Conclusion : Being a relatively young female and having short duration of illness, fever, BAL lymphocytosis, low CD4/CD8 ratio with the absence of clubbing and honeycomb appearance in HRCT increase the likelihood of the illness being NSIP. The usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP may be low in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1348-1357
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• 2009

Purpose:The aims of this study were to identify the clinical characteristics and determine the changes in the expression of cytokines and apoptosis-related genes in children with infectious mononucleosis. Methods:Serological examinations of 15 pediatric patients diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis were performed prospectively. Peripheral blood from the patients was used to compare the composition of T cell subsets, cytokines, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes with those in 10 healthy children. Results:Mean age of the patient group was $5.7{\pm}3.4$ (range, 3-9) years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. Fever, sore throat, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, and cervical lymph node enlargement were the most common symptoms and signs. The proportions of CD3+ T cells, CD8+ suppressor cells, and CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells were higher in the patient group than in the control group (P<0.01). The IL-2, IL-6, and interferon $(INF)-{\gamma}$ levels were higher in the early symptomatic period (P<0.01). Mean amount of EBV DNA in the patients was $10^{2.38}copies/{\mu}g$, and the amount was the highest at the beginning of the symptomatic period and normalized during the convalescent phase. Bcl-2 expression increased during the initial phase, while Bax expression increased during the convalescent phase. Further, FasL expression increased 1 week after symptom presentation and decreased during the convalescent phase. There was no significant change in Fas expression. Conclusion:We analyzed the clinical characteristics and changes in the expression ofcytokines and apoptosis-related genes in the patients with infectious mononucleosis.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.43 no.12 s.354
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• pp.81-88
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• 2006

This paper describes a new linear operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). To improve the linearity of the OTA, we employ a mobility compensation circuit that combines the transistor paths operating at the triode and subthreshold regions. The common-mode control schemes consist of a common-mode feedback (CMFB) and common-mode feedforward (CMFF). The circuit enhances linearity of the transconductance (Gm) under the wide input voltage swing range. The proposed OTA shows ${\pm}1%$ Gm variation and the total harmonic distortion (THD) of below -73dB under the input voltage swing range of ${\pm}1.1V$. The OTA is implemented using a $0.35{\mu}m$ n-well CMOS process under 3.3V supply.