• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.310-320
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• 2008

Concentration of tropospheric ozone ($O_3$) was investigated for the South Korea. And then the critical ozone levels, expressed as AOT40 (Accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb) to vegetation have been used in this region within the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Convention on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). Hourly ozone concentration data from 1996 to 2001 at 26 air monitoring stations was used to estimate the exceedance of the critical levels. It was calculated for daylight hours for each station, and mapped using surface interpolation over the South Korea. The critical levels of ozone have shown the highly exceeded value in the Gyeonggi region, southern coastal region and central inland of the South Korea. It was some different from the typical ozone distribution which represented highly in the western inland and coastal regions. The area exceeding the critical level for crops was founded to be more than 40% of the whole South Korean territory. While that for trees was to be about 17% of the South Korea. The critical ozone critical level was based upon data from experiments on specific species, and thus may not be fully representative for all types of vegetation. Nevertheless, the critical level and its exceedance of the ozone concentration would be one of the useful tools for international agreements on abatement strategies to prevent ecosystem damage.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제78권3호
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• pp.232-238
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• 2015

Background: A relationship between low vitamin D levels and the development or outcomes of respiratory diseases has been identified. However, there is no data on the vitamin D status in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). We evaluated the vitamin D status in patients with AEP among South Korean military personnel. Methods: We prospectively compared the serum levels of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 among patients with AEP, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Results: In total, 65 patients with respiratory diseases, including AEP (n=24), PTB (n=19), and CAP (n=22), were identified. Of the 24 patients with AEP, 2 (8%) had deficient total 25(OH)D levels (<10 ng/mL), 17 (71%) had insufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}10$ to <30 ng/mL), and only 5 (21%) had sufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}30$ to <100 ng/mL). The difference in the total 25(OH)D levels among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP was not statistically significant (p=0.230). The median levels of total 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 were 22.84, 22.84, and 0.00 ng/mL, respectively, and no differences in the 25(OH)D level were present among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP with the exception of the total 25(OH)D level between patients with AEP and PTB (p=0.042). Conclusion: We have shown that low vitamin D levels are frequently found in patients with AEP and are comparable with those in patients with PTB and CAP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제81권4호
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• pp.305-310
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• 2018

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency leads to increased susceptibility to infection. We investigated whether serial changes in MBL levels are associated with the prognosis of patients diagnosed with septic shock, and correlated with cytokine levels. Methods: We enrolled 131 patients with septic shock in the study. We analyzed the serum samples for MBL and cytokine levels at baseline and 7 days later. Samples on day 7 were available in 73 patients. Results: We divided the patients with septic shock into four groups according to serum MBL levels (< $1.3{\mu}g/mL$ or ${\geq}1.3{\mu}g/mL$) on days 1 and 7. Patients with low MBL levels on day 1 and high MBL levels on day 7 showed a favorable prognosis for 28-day survival (odds ratio, 1.96, 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.87; p=0.087). The high MBL group on day 7 showed a significant decrease in monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-8, interferon-${\gamma}$, and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels compared with the low MBL group on day 7. Conclusion: The increase in MBL levels of patients with septic shock may suggest a favorable prognosis and attenuate pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.1-16
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• 2018

Ground-level ozone ($O_3$) can be a menace for vegetation, especially in Asia where $O_3$ levels have been dramatically increased over the past decades. To ensure food security and maintain forest ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and functional diversity of soil biota, in the over-populated Asia, environmental standards are needed. To set proper standards, dose-response relationships should be established from which critical levels are derived. The predictor of the response in the dose-response relationship is an $O_3$ metric that indicates the dose level to which the plant has been exposed. This study aimed to review the relevant scientific literature and summarize the $O_3$ metrics used worldwide to provide insights for Asia. A variety of $O_3$ metrics have been used, for which we discuss their strengths and weaknesses. The most widely used metrics are based only on $O_3$ levels. Such metrics have been adopted by several regulatory agencies in the global. However, they are biologically irrelevant because they ignore the plant physiological capacity. Adopting AOT40 ($O_3$ mixing ratios Accumulated Over the Threshold of $40nmol\;mol^{-1}$) as the default index for setting critical levels in Asia would be a poor policy with severe consequences at national and Pan-Asian level. Asian studies should focus on flux-based $O_3$ metrics to provide relevant bases for developing proper standards. However, given the technical requirements in calculating flux-based $O_3$ metrics, which can be an important limitation in developing countries, no-threshold cumulative exposure indices like AOT0 should always accompany flux-based indices.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.356-365
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• 2006

연구배경: 패혈증에서 혈중 스테로이드 농도는 유의한 예후인자로서 알려져 있다. 또한 최근에는 이러한 스테로이드의 절대적 및 상대적 결핍 현상이 알려지고 있으며, 이는 스테로이드 보충 치료의 지표로도 이용되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 패혈증 환자에서 혈중 스테로이드 농도, 24시간 뇨 스테로이드 양 및 상대적 부신결핍의 임상적 의의와 기타 패혈증의 혈중 지표와의 연관성에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법: 패혈증 환자 26예를 대상으로 초기 혈중 스테로이드와 ACTH, ADH, lactate 등의 농도를 측정하고 24시간 뇨 유리 코티졸 양을 측정하였으며, rapid ACTH stimulation test를 시행하였다. 결 과: 패혈증 환자들에서 사망군은 생존군에 비해 기저 무작위 혈청 코티졸 농도가 유의하게 증가되어 있었다. 중증패혈증 환자들에서 24시간 뇨 유리 코티졸은 경증패혈증 환자군에 비해 유의하게 증가되어 있었다. 혈청 코티졸 농도는 ADH, lactate농도와 유의한 상관관계를 나타내었고, 24시간 뇨 유리 코티졸은 혈청 코티졸, lactate 농도와 유의한 상관관계를 보였다. 상대적 부신결핍의 정도는 혈청 코티졸, ADH, lactate 농도와 상관성이 있었다. 결 론: 패혈증 환자들에서 혈청 코티졸 농도 및 24시간 뇨 유리 코티졸은 유의한 예후평가인자로서 나타났으며, 기타 예후 인자들과 유의한 상관성을 보였다. 상대적 부신 결핍의 정도도 유의한 중증도의 지표로 나타났다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.318-325
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• 2021

Background: The diagnosis and prediction of prognosis are important in patients with sepsis, and presepsin is helpful. In this study, we aimed to examine the usefulness of presepsin in predicting the prognosis of sepsis in Korea. Methods: Patients diagnosed with sepsis according to the sepsis-3 criteria were recruited into the study and classified into surviving and non-surviving groups based on in-hospital mortality. A total of 153 patients (32 and 121 patients with sepsis and septic shock, respectively) were included from July 2019 to August 2020. Results: Among the 153 patients with sepsis, 91 and 62 were in the survivor and non-survivor groups, respectively. Presepsin (p=0.004) and lactate (p=0.003) levels and the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score (p<0.001) were higher in the non-survivor group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed poor performances of presepsin and lactate in predicting the prognosis of sepsis (presepsin: area under the curve [AUC]=0.656, p=0.001; lactate: AUC=0.646, p=0.003). The SOFA score showed the best performance, with the highest AUC value (AUC=0.751, p<0.001). The prognostic cutoff point for presepsin was 1,176 pg/mL. Presepsin levels higher than 1,176 pg/mL (odds ratio [OR], 3.352; p<0.001), higher lactate levels (OR, 1.203; p=0.003), and higher SOFA score (OR, 1.249; p<0.001) were risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Presepsin levels were higher in non-survivors than in survivors. Thus, presepsin may be a valuable biomarker in predicting the prognosis of sepsis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제71권3호
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• pp.195-201
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• 2011

Background: Osteopontin (Opn) is recognized as an important adhesive bone matrix protein and a key cytokine involved in immune cell recruitment and tissue repair and remolding. However, serum levels of osteopontin have not been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the serum levels of osteopontin in patients experiencing COPD exacerbations and in patients with stable COPD. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 22 healthy control subjects, 18 stable COPD patients, and 15 COPD with exacerbation patients. Serum concentrations of osteopontin were measured by the ELISA method. Results: Serum levels of osteopontin were higher in patients with acute exacerbation than with stable COPD and in healthy control subjects ($62.4{\pm}51.9ng/mL$, $36.9{\pm}11.1ng/mL$, $30{\pm}11ng/mL$, test for trend p=0.003). In the patients with COPD exacerbation, the osteopontin levels when the patient was discharged from the hospital tended to decrease compared to those at admission ($45{\pm}52.1ng/mL$, $62.4{\pm}51.9ng/mL$, p=0.160). Osteopontin levels significantly increased according to patient factors, including never-smoker, ex-smoker and current smoker ($23{\pm}5.7ng/mL$, $35.5{\pm}17.6ng/mL$, $58.6{\pm}47.8ng/mL$, test for trend p=0.006). Also, osteopontin levels showed a significantly negative correlation with forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$%) predicted in healthy controls and stable COPD patients (r=-0.389; p=0.013). C-reactive protein (CRP) was positively correlated with osteopontin levels in patients with COPD exacerbation (r=0.775; p=0.002). Conclusion: The serum levels of osteopontin increased in patients with COPD exacerbation and tended to decrease after clinical improvement. These results suggest the possible role of osteopontin as a biomarker of acute exacerbation of COPD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제62권4호
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• pp.308-313
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• 2007

연구배경: 패혈증에서 Nitric oxide 스테로이드 호르몬은 혈역학적 변화와 염증반응에 관여하는데 이 두 인자는 서로 상관성이 있는 것으로 알려지고 있다. 하지만 실제 환자에서 서로의 상관성이나 임상적 의의는 연구가 부족한 실정이다. 방법: 패혈증 환자 26예와 대조군 14예를 대상으로 혈중 총 NO와 혈중 코티졸 농도를 측정하였고 이어서 제 3, 5, 7병일에도 연속적으로 측정을 하였다. 결과: 패혈증 환자군에서 초기 혈중 코티졸 및 총 NO 농도는 대조군에 비하여 유의하게 증가하였고 경증 패혈증에 비하여 중증 패혈증 환자군에서 유의하게 높았다. 초기 혈중 총 NO의 농도는 APACHE II 점수, 정맥혈 lactate 농도와 상관성이 있었다. 패혈증의 시간의 경과에 따라 혈중 NO 농도는 제 1병일, 제 5병일, 제 7병일에 혈중 코티졸의 농도와 유의한 상관성이 있었다. 결론: 패혈증 환자들에서 혈중 NO와 코티졸 농도는 증가되어 있었으며, 경과에 따라 서로 유의한 상관성이 지속되었다. 상호작용기전에 대하여는 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것이다.

• 중환자간호학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

Purpose: The study sought to determine the state of blood glucose control, and the consequent clinical effects and variation in blood glucose level, of adult patients admitted to intensive care units following cardiothoracic surgery by comparing the blood glucose levels before and after the application of a blood glucose control protocol. Methods: The protocol was developed by modifying and supplementing the Yale protocol, and was first used in 2012. The resulting blood glucose data of an experimental group (n = 314), to which the blood glucose control protocol had been applied, and a control group (n = 347), whose blood glucose levels had been controlled according to physicians'prescriptions without the protocol, were collected through the medical records. Results: The target blood glucose ratio increased significantly in the experimental group, and the low blood glucose ratio decreased significantly in the experimental group. The two groups exhibited a significant difference (p < .001) in the degree of variation in the blood glucose levels. The duration of the use of a ventilator was significantly reduced in the experimental group (p < .001). Conclusion: It is expected that the protocol can be used for the safe and effective control of critically ill cardiothoracic surgery patients' blood glucose levels.

• 한국지반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지반공학회 2008년도 춘계 학술발표회 초청강연 및 논문집
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• pp.211-219
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• 2008

The hazard warning levels are necessary for the rational design and safety construction of underground space, as mountain and urban tunnel. Sakurai provided the hazard warning levels for assessing the stability of tunnels using the critical strain of rock mass, which is defined as a ratio between uni-axial compressive strength and the Young's modulus. The concept of critical strain guidelines is introduced in this study for the assessment of tunnel safety during excavation. Moreover, in this paper, the critical strain properties of sedimentary rock in Korea has investigated and analysed in detail by Lab. test, as the uniaxial compression tests. Finally, critical strain properties of sedimentary rock is discussed the relationship of failure strain values, uniaxial compression strengths and Young's modulus.