• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.48-60
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• 1991

In a seroepidemiological study in several areas of Korea, the ELISA technique was performed to determine prevalence of some important helminthic diseases in our nation during March $15^{th}$ to June $30^{th}$. 1991. In this survey the serum antibody positive rates of anisakiasis, toxocariasis, clonorchiasis, paragonimiasis, cysticercosis, and sparganosis were measured. Among, 6,704 cases examined, 19.7% showed positive antibody titer at least one of the six items studied. Overall positive antibody rate was 8.1% in anisakiasis, 5.6% in toxocariasis, 3.6% in clonorchiasis, 1.7% in paragonimiasis, 4.5% in cysticercosis, and 2.6% in sparganosis respectively. In Pusan port southeastern part of Korea, antibody positive rate of anisakiasis was 2.9%, and clonorchiasis was 2.8% among 450 examine. In TaeJ$\check{o}$n city, central part of Korea. toxocariasis(6.7%) and anisakiasis(3.7%) showed high serologic positive rate. Of the 875 persons in Chunche$\check{o}$n gun(=province), northern central rural area of South Korea, anisakiasis was revealed as 3.4% seropositivity. In Tonghae port, eastern coast of South Korea. 9.9% of population examined showed positive antibody titer in anisakiasis. Of the 1,122 persons examined in Southern part of Cholla-Namdo(Southwestern coastal area of Korea), anisakiasis was 16.9%, cysticerocosis was 12.7% and the paragonimiasis was 3.3% respectively. In some localized area of Cholla-Pukdo, anisakiasis was 9.3% and cysticekosis was 4.3% among 702 cases examined. In some localized area of Kyungsang-Pukdo, anisakiasis was 10.6%. and toxocariasis was 16.1% among 900 cases examined. And finally, in Cheju-do, southern island of Korea, anisakiasis showed high positive rate(6.7%). Because cross reactions between related helminth group may disturb the analysis of these data, use of further developed techniques such as EITB(enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot) was considered as a essential tools for the study. We thought that probably most of the positive cases of cysticerosis were taeniasis cases. We can't rule out taeniasis even though EITB was employed as far as crude worm extract or cystic fluid of cysticercus was used as antigen. It was well Known that toxocariasis and anisakiasis also showed cross reactivity. However, the data presented here focus on seropositive rate of several helminthic diseases in Korea, not true prevalence rate of helminthiases, and to wait for more expensive purified antigen in sufficient amount for epidemiologic use is not necessary because increased immunologic sensitivity had little effect on epidemiologic sensitivity. We, here, suggest that ELISA should be applied as soon as possible to the evaluation of prevalence of tissue invading parasitic diseases, and a review of the antibody positive rate obtained in this study would be a basic data for controlling program of parasitic diseases in Korea.

• Annals of Clinical Microbiology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2015

Background: Tuberculosis is globally the most important cause of death from single pathogen. Rapid and accurate identification of mycobacteria is essential for the control of tuberculosis. We evaluated a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes for the differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in direct smears of sputum specimens. Methods: The cross-reactivity of MTB- and NTM-specific PNA probes was examined with reference strains of M. tuberculosis ATCC 13950, Mycobacterium kansasii ATCC 12479, Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841, several clinical isolates of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium gordonae and Mycobacterium chelonae), and 11 frequently isolated respiratory bacterial species other than mycobacteria. A series of 128 sputa (89 MTB culture positive, 29 NTM culture positive, and 10 under treatment culture negative) with grades of trace to 4+ were used to evaluate the performance of the method. Results: The MTB- and NTM-specific PNA probes showed specific reactions with the reference strains of MTB and M. kansasii and clinical isolates of mycobacteria except M. fortuitum ATCC 6841, and no cross-reactivity with other tested bacteria. The PNA probe-based FISH assay for detection of MTB had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the NTM-specific PNA probe was 100%. The smear grades of the PNA FISH test were same as with those of the fluorescence AFB stain in 2+ or higher grade. Conclusion: Detection and differentiation based on PNA FISH is sensitive and accurate for detecting mycobacteria and for differentiating MTB from NTM in clinical sputum smears.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.222-239
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on the psychomotor performance and subjective assessment in healthy Korean adults with acetaldehyde dehydrogenase I(ALDH-I) isozyme variance. A total of 20 male subjects, half with active ALDH-I and the other half with inactive ALDH-I, were selected through both a self-reporting questionnaire examining alcohol sensitivity and the Higuchi's ethanol patch test detecting ALDH-I deficiency. In a doule-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, each subject consumed four doses of alcohol(0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0g/kg) and placebo on five separate occasions at weekly intervals, Treatment order was fully balanced using a $5{\times}5$ Latin square, Psychomotor performance tests[coritical flicker fusion threshold(CFF) and choice reaction time(CRT)] and self-estimate questionnaires were conducted at baseline and at time points of 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 minutes after consuming the test drug for 20 minutes, Blood alcohol concentrations(BACs) using breath analyzer were measured at baseline and at time points of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 150, 180 minutes after drinking, The BACs and the mean changes in the psychomotor performances and subjective assessments from pre-alcohol baseline, were compared between the two groups. The findings were summarized as follows : 1) BACs were tended to be higher in the inactive group than the active in all of the four alcohol doses. However significant group differences were only after the 0.5g/kg dose of alcohol. 2) The inactive group showed significant impairment in CFFT at most time points alter 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 3) In CRT, total reaction time(TRT) significantly prolonged in the inactive group than the active group at 20 minutes after 0.25 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol and at 40, 60, 90 minutes alter 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. In the inactive group, recognition time component significantly increased at 20, 60, 90 minutes after 1.0g/kg dose of alcohol, while movement time component significantly increased at 40, 60 minutes after 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. 4) Subjective evaluation of the effect of alcohol revealed that physical and mental conditions as well as a self-estimate of the effects of alcohol on performance were significantly worse in the inactive group than the active at some time points alter all of the lour alcohol doses, wihch were more pronounced after 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 5) Most of the group differences mentioned above, still remained statistically significant after BAC was entered as a covariate, These findings demonstrated that the alcohol sensitivity is higher in individuals with inactive ALDH-I than those with active ALDH-I both on the subjective assessments and the objective psychomotor performances. Furthermore, these results suggest thai the alcohol sensitivity may be determined by acetaldehyde concentration rather than BAC per se. In future studies, after more accurate genotyping for ALDH-I, the relationships between BAC, acetaldehyde concentration and alcohol sensitivities should be clearly defined.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.241-250
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• 1997

Objective : Although the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis has decreased progressively after the national control program for tuberculosis began, nowadays the number of MDRTB is increasing seriously. MDRTB tends to be poor responsive to current antituberculosis regimens. It is mainly due to poor compliance, high rate of side reaction of secondary drugs, and limitation in number of available drugs. The purpose of present study is to evaluate the clinical features of pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted in one national tuberculosis hospital and to expose the problems pertaining to current remedies, to increase the treatment efficacy for pulmonary tuberculosis including MDRTB in the end. Method : Retrospective analysis of 336 pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted in National Masan Tuberculosis Hospital was done. Contents of analysis were patients profile, the first diagnosed time and medical institutes, family history, residence, previous treatment history, chief complaints at the time of admission, lesion site on chest X -ray film, combined deseases, side reaction to antibuberculosis drugs, used drugs before admission and the results of drug sensitivity test. Results : The ratio between male and female was 4 : 1. Age showed relatively even distribution from 3rd to 6 th decades. 64.6% of the patients was diagnosed at public health center. Weight loss was the most common complaint at admission. Bilateral lesions on chest X-ray films were 59.8%. 130patients had combined desease, of which DM was the most common(37.7%). 95patients had family history, of which parents were the most common(41.7%). According to the time of first diagnosis, 31 patients were diagnosed before 1980, and after then the number of patients was increased by degrees. Residence overwhelmed in pusan and gyung-nam province. 258 patients got previous treatment history, of which 112 patients(43.4%) had more than 3 times and only 133 patients(51.6%)got regular medication. 97 patients used more than other 3 drugs in addition to INH, EMB, RFP and PZA before admission. 154 patients were informed with the results of drug sensitivity test. of which 77 patients had resistance to more than 5 drugs. Gastrointestinal problem was the most common in side reaction to drugs. Conclusion : In the case of weight loss of unknown cause, tuberculosis should be suspected. In first treatment, sufficient and satisfactory explanation for tuberculosis is necessary and treatment period should not be stict to 6 month-short term therapy. In retreatment, new drugs should not be added to used drugs even though drug sensitivity results show sensitivity to some of them. Proper time for surgical intervention should not be delayed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7061-7069
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• 2015

Background: During the past decades, the incidence and mortality rate of stomach cancer has demonstrated a great decrease in the world, but it is still one of the most common and fatal cancers especially among men worldwide, including Iran. The MYC proto-oncogene, which is located at 8q24.1, regulates 15% of genes and is activated in 20% of all human tumors. MYC amplification and overexpression of its protein product has been reported in 15-30% of gastric neoplasias. The aim of this investigation was to find the relative efficacy of CISH (chromogenic in situ hybridization) or IHC (immunohistochemistry) in diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer, as well as the relationship of amplification and expression of C-MYC gene with patient survival. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 102 samples of gastric cancer were collected from patients who had undergone primary surgical resection at the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from July 2009 to March 2014. All samples were randomly selected from those who were diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinomas. CISH and IHC methods were performed on all of them. Results: Patients were classified into two groups. The first consisted of stage I and II cases, and the second of stage III and IV. Survival tests for both groups was carried out with referrnce to CISH test reults. Group II (stage III & IV) with CISH+ featured lower survival than those with CISH- (p=0.233), but group I (stage I & II) patients demonstrated no significant variation with CISH+ or CISH- (p=0.630). Kaplan-Meier for both groups was carried out with IHC test findings and showed similar results. This data revealed that both diffuse and intestinal types of gastric cancer occurred significantly more in men than women. Our data also showed that CISH+ patients (43%) were more frequent in comparison with IHC+ patients (14.7%). Conclusions: For planning treatment of gastric cancer patients, by focusing on expanding tumors, which is the greatest concern of the surgeons and patients, CISH is a better and more feasible test than IHC, in regard to sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, CISH can be used as a feasible test for tumor growth and prognosis in stage III and IV lesions. This study also indicated that C-MYC amplification in gastric cancer is correlated with survival in advanced stages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8063-8067
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• 2014

Background: Cervical cancer is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. Persistence of high risk human papillomavirus (HRHPV) influences the progression of the disease, with an important role in followup for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Objective: To establish application of high risk HPV DNA test in the follow-up of women after treatment of CIN. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional and hospital based study was carried out among 145 CIN treated women during the previous six months to three years at the colposcopy clinic of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, between January 2011 and June 2012. Pap smear and HPV samples were collected and colposcopy was performed to find out the persistence of the disease. Cervical samples obtained were tested for HPV DNA using the Hybrid Capture II (HC-II) test. A cervical biopsy was collected whenever necessary. The results were compared to assess the efficacy of different methods during follow up such as Pap smear, HPV test and colposcopy. Results: Mean age of the recruited women (n=145) was 33.6 (${\pm}7.6$), mean age of marriage was 16.8 (${\pm}2.9$) and mean age of 1st delivery was 18.8 (${\pm}3.5$) years. More than half had high grade CIN before treatment and 115 (79.3%) women were managed by LEEP and 20.7% were managed by cold coagulation. Among the 145 treated women, 139 were negative for HPV DNA and six of them (4.1%) were HPV positive. Sensitivity of Pap smear (40.0) and HPV DNA test (40.0) was poor, but specificity was quite satisfactory (>93.0) for all the tests. Conclusions: The high risk HPV DNA test can be an effective method of identifying residual disease. It can be added to colposcopy and this should be applied to all treated women attending for their first or second post-treatment follow-up visit at 6 months to one year, irrespective of the grade of treated CIN.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.1
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• pp.122-131
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• 2016

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of climatic variables on tree-ring growth of Larix leptolepis distributed in Korea by dendroclimatological method. For this, annual tree-ring growth data of Larix leptolepis collected by the $5^{th}$ National Forest Inventory were first organized to analyze yearly growth patterns of the species. To explain the relationship between tree-ring growth of Larix leptolepis and climatic variables, monthly temperature and precipitation data from 1950 to 2010 were compared with tree-ring growth data for each county. When tree-ring growth data were analyzed through cluster analysis based on similarity of climatic conditions, six clusters were identified. In addition, index chronology of Larix leptolepis for each cluster was produced through cross-dating and standardization procedures. The adequacy of index chronologies was tested using basic statistics such as mean sensitivity, auto correlation, signal to noise ratio, and expressed population signal of annual tree-ring growth. Response function analysis was finally conducted to reveal the relationship between tree-ring growth and climatic variables for each cluster. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable information necessary for estimating local growth characteristics of Larix leptolepis and for predicting changes in tree growth patterns caused by climate change.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 1995

Two hybridoma cell lines against Cwptosporinium possum oocysts nFRl-CN911 were produced. The isotype of these 2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was IgG2b (lE7.2) and and IgM (C6). Enzyme immuno-transfer blotting analysis showed that 157.2 reacted specifically to 36 kDa protein and C6 reacted to 67 and 70 kDa proteins. C. pcnlum was bound specifically to the surface region of oocysts by these mobs. No cross-reactivity was observed with tachyzoites of ToxopLosma gonnii and oocysts of Eimeria zuernii,5. bouis and E. canadensis of bovine origin. The indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) using mAb C6 was successful with counterstain. With the IIF using mob C6, oocysts appeared as 3 to $5{\mu}m$ spherical objects fluorescing bright apple green against a reddish dark background. The IIF using mAb C6 was agreed in specificity and sensitivity with those of a commercial diagnostic kit. These results demonstrated that the produced mAbs were specific to C. parvum and that the mAb C6 could be used for diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.565-573
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• 2010

Copoly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)(DAEMA)/butyl acrylate (BA) and copoly(methyl methacrylate)(MMA)/BA/2-(cinnamoyloxy)ethyl methacryate (CEMA), which were cross-linked with dibromoalkane and UV irradiation, respectively, were prepared for the precursors of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) humidity-sensitive films. 3-(Triethoxysilyl)propyl cinnamate (TESPC) was used as a surface-pretreating agent for the attachment of IPN-polyelectrolyte to the electrode surface by UV irradiation. Humidity sensitive polymeric thin films with an IPN structure were prepared by crosslinking reactions of copoly(DAEMA/BA) with 1,4-dibromobutane (DBB) and copoly(MMA/BA/CEMA) by UV-irradiation. The anchoring of an IPN-polyelectrolyte into the substrate was carried out via the photochemical $[2{\pi}+2{\pi}]$ cycloaddition. The resulting humidity sensors showed a high sensitivity in the range of 20~95%RH and a small hysteresis (<1.5%RH). The response time for adsorption and desorption process at 33~94%RH was 48 and 65 s, respectively, indicating a fast response. The effects of the concentration of copolymers, molar ratio of crosslinking agents and time of the precursor solution for dip-coating on their humidity sensitive properties including water durability were investigated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 1990

The PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) method is applied to the quantitative analysis of trace elements in tap water, red wine, urine and old black powder samples. Sample irradiations are performed with a 1.202 MeV proton beam from the SNU 1.5-MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator, and measurements of X-ray spectra are made by the Si(Li) spectrometer To increase the sensitivity of analysis tap water is preconcentrated by evaporation method. As an internal standard, Ni powder is mixed with black powder sample and yttrium solution is added to the other samples. The analyses of the PIXE spectra are carried out by using the AXIL (Analytical X-ray Analysis by Iterative Least-squares) computer code, in which the routine for least-squares method is based on the Marquardt algorithm. The elements such as Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Fe and Zn are analyzed at sub-ppm levels in the tap water sample. In the red wine sample prepared without preconcentration. the element Ti is detected in the amount of 3ppm. In conclusion, the PIXE method is proved to be appropriate for the analysis of liquid samples by relative measurements using the internal standard. and is expected to be improved by the use of evaluated X-ray production cross-sections and the development of sample preparation techniques.