• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.475-481
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• 2010

Background: We evaluated mid-term results of mitral annuloplasty using a flexible band and a completely rigid ring for mitral valve repair in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). Material and Method: From January 2004 to September 2008, 71 patients (M:F=36:35, $55{\pm}13$ years) underwent mitral valve repair with mitral annuloplasty for degenerative MR. Ring annuloplasty was done using a Cosgrove-Edwards flexible band (Group I, n=43) or a Carpentier-Edwards classic ring (Group II, n=28). There were no differences in preoperative characteristics of the participants. Average duration of follow-up was 36 months (range: 2~69 mos). Result: There was no in-hospital mortality. Postoperative morbidity, which included atrial fibrillation (n=7) and low cardiac output syndrome (n=5) in groups I and II were similar. There was one late death in group II. The proportion exhibiting freedom from recurrent mitral regurgitation ($\geq$moderate) at 4 years in Groups I and II were, respectively, 94.5 and 91.8%, (p=0.695). Left ventricular ejection fraction decreased in the early postoperative period ($7{\pm}2$ days) and recovered by last follow-up ($25{\pm}16$ mos; p=0.002). The pattern was similar in groups I and II (p=0.905). Re-operation was performed in 3 patients (1 in Group I and 2 in Group II, p=0.316). Four-year event-free survival (free of adverse valve-related events) was 95.2% for Group I and 92.6% for Group II; this difference was not significant, p=0.646). Conclusion: The type of technique used in mitral annuloplasty to repair the mitral valve repair after degenerative MR did not affect mid-term clinical and functional results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.454-464
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• 2001

Background: It has been recognized that systemic inflammatory reaction and oxygen free radical formed by activated leukocyte in the procedure of cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) frequently produce postoperative cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of leukocyte-depleting filters in the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit for patients undergoing open heart surgery(OHS). Material and method: The study involved 15 patients who underwent OHS with a Leukoguard-6 leukocyte filter placed in the arterial limbs of the bypass circuit(filter group, n=15) and 15 patients who did not have the filter(control group, n=15). We analyzed the differences between the groups in intraoperative changes of peripheral blood leukocyte and platelet counts, pre- and postbypass changes of malondialdehyde(MDA), troponin-T(TnT), 5'-nucleotidase(5'-NT) in coronary sinus blood, spontaneous recovery rate of heart beat after CPB, pre-and postoperative cardiac index(Cl) and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR), and the amounts of postoperative bleeding and sternal wound complication. Result: During CPB, total leukocyte count of the filter group(9,567$\pm$ 842/㎣) was significantly less than that of the control group(13,573+1,167/㎣) (p<0.01), but there was no significant difference in platelet count between the groups. Postoperative levels of MDA(3.78+0.32 $\mu$mol/L vs 5.86+0.65 $\mu$mo1/L, p<0.01), TnT(0.40$\pm$0.04 ng/mL vs 0.59$\pm$0.08 ng/mL, p<0.05) and 5'-NT(3.88$\pm$0.61 U/L vs 5.80$\pm$0.90 U/L, p<0.05) were all significantly lower in the filter group than the control group. Postoperative Cl was higher in the filter group than the control group(3.26$\pm$0.18 L/$m^2$min vs 2.75$\pm$0.17 L/$m^2$/min, p=0.05). PVR of the filter group was lower than that of the control group(65.87$\pm$7.59 dyne/sec/cm$^{5}$ vs 110.80+12.22 dyne/sec/cm$^{5}$ , p<0.01). Spontaneous recovery rate of heart beat in the filter group was higher than that in the control group(12 patients vs 8 patients, p<0.05). Postoperative wound infection occurred in one case in the filter group and 4 case in the control group(p<0.05). Postoperative 24 hour blood loss of the filter group was more than that of the control group (614$\pm$107 mL vs 380+71 mL, p=0.05).

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.99-108
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• 2016

The shuttle breeding of Korean winter wheat has been able to develop high-yielding and day-length-intensive varieties with a wide range of ecologic adoption. However, the phenology of winter wheat has been changed due to recent rises in the winter temperature of Toluca and increasing frequency of high temperatures. We defined two wheat groups (group II and III) with vernalization and evaluated the impact of cold exposure duration and heading ratio due to changes in sowing dates by measuring changes in cold exposure duration and corresponding heading states of each group. The wheat cultivars were sown on three dates in two years. The cold exposure requirement of wheat sown on 6 November 2013 was unfulfilled. The cold exposure requirement of wheat sown on 22 November and 6 December 2013 was fulfilled. However, in 2014, the cold exposure requirement of wheat sown on 5 and 20 November was fulfilled, but that of wheat sown on 5 December was unfulfilled. The differences for the two early November sowings were because winter temperature rises, which caused high temperatures in 2013, whereas early November 2014 saw normal temperatures for the area. The heading ratio of group II did not show a clear difference among the three sowing dates, while the heading ratio of group III was reduced by about half. This implies that the efficiency of shuttle breeding of group III will be high since it showed strong sensitivity to changes in sowing dates. We calculated future sowing dates of each group under near future climate scenarios; the future available sowing dates of group II were projected, but the dates of group III were never estimated in the temperature rise scenario in Toluca. Our findings suggest that change of sowing dates should be considered in the strategy for shuttle breeding of Korean winter wheat.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.5937-5942
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• 2012

This study used silicon that is similar to the density of the tissue of the human body to compensate for the uneven areas that are in contact with air in order to reduce susceptible artifacts. The subjects of the study were 16 normal people and the areas of the human body in which there are a lot of uneven areas with complicated structure and a lot of susceptible artifacts were formed since the surface area that comes into contact with the air is large were the areas that were chosen to be examined. A 3.0T superconducting magnetic resonance device was used as the test equipment and SPIR images that are sensitive to magnetic differences were obtained as sagittal planes on a line that extended the metatarsal and the phalanges, including the middle of the longitudinal arc and the 5 distal phalanxes. The method of analysis was to reduce the susceptibility between the tissue and the air to discover the reduction of susceptible artifacts by comparing the SNR and CNR before and after applying silicon. A statistical analysis was utilized for the sample matching T examination. The results of the study revealed that the susceptible artifacts were reduced in the images of the uneven areas that were compensated and applied with silicon. The SNR increased in significant amount in correlation from $3.91{\pm}1.33$ before application to $21.69{\pm}4.52$ after application and the CNR decreased in significant amount in correlation from $28.97{\pm}8.20$ before application to $4.88{\pm}2.14$. In conclusion, this study did not affect the voxel but it was an innovative method of improvement that compensated for the fundamental issue of the difference in susceptibility between the air and the body. The application is simple and the study has great significance in that it proposed a method to reduce susceptible artifacts in a low cost and highly efficient manner.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 1987

In order to examine the effect of dietary fish oil on lipid peroxide formation and antiperoxidative efficiency in liver and brain, a group of male and female rats weighing about 70 grams were fed for three months, diet containing mackerel oil(MO) at the level of 10% (w/w). Results were compared, according to sex and source of dietary fat, i.e., in addition to MO, perilla oil(PO), soybean oil(SO), rapeseed oil(RO) or beef tallow(BT). Liver lipid peroxide level was significantly higher and levels of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ and reduced glutathione(GSH) were lower in MO group than in other groups. This phenomenon was less clear in male than in female. Liver GSH level was lower in male, compared to female, but oxidized glutathione (GSSG) level did not vary, depending on either sex or dietary fat source. Brain lipid peroxide and ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ levels were not different among five experimental groups. Activities of liver and brain glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were not changed by dietary fat source, but glutathione peroxidase activity was higher in female than in male. The present study shows (a) that there is sex-related difference in antiperoxidatiye activity and (b) that fish oil containing $C_{20-22}({\omega}3)$ fatty acids, increases body lipid peroxide level and consumes more of cellular antioxidant, although it has lower total PUFA content than perilla or soybean oils.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2010

Objective of this research was to investigate the influence of $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ ratios in liquid feeding on the growth of snapdragon 'Potomac Red' and changes in medium chemical properties. The seeds were sown into 200 plug trays and fertigated once a week with nutrient solution containing various ratios of $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ such as 0 : 100, 27 : 73, 50 : 50, 73 : 27, and 100 : 0. The total N concentrations were adjusted to 50, 100 and $150\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in plug stages of 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Determination of seedling growth and analysis of plant tissue and root medum were conducted at 56 days after sowing. The treatment of 27 : 73 ($NH_4^+:NO_3^-$) had the greatest plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight. The N and P contents in 27 : 73 ($NH_4^+:NO_3^-$) treatment based on the above ground plant tissues were 2.39 and 0.39%, respectively, which were the greatest among treatments. The elevation of $NH_4^+$ ratio in fertigation solution decreased tissue Ca and Mg contents, but that did not influence tissue K content. The variations in $NH_4^+:NO_3^-$ ratios impacted the soil solution pH and the difference among treatments had been severe since three weeks after sowing. Elevation of $NH_4^+$ ratios in fertigation solution increased electrical conductivity and concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg in soil solution of root medum. The $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ concentrations in the soil solution were high in weeks 2, 3, and 4, then decreased gradually as the biomass of seedlings increased. Medium P concentration decreased gradually as seedlings grew, but statistical differences were not observed among treatments.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.561-577
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• 2015

The heavy metal accumulations of avian eggshells were studied in order to test a feral pigeon (Columba livia)'s eggshell as an indicator for the environmental monitoring of pollutants. The reviews on the eggs of the different 19 avian species showed that it is the eggshell rather than the egg content that can better reflect the heavy metals in the environment; in most cases the CVs (coefficients of variations) of the heavy metal concentrations in the eggshells were higher than those in the egg contents. This can indicate that the heavy metal accumulations are homeostatically controlled in the egg contents, but the accumulations in the eggshells are varied according to the environmental conditions. To test the reviews, the feral pigeon eggs from the two different sites, one representing urban and the other rural environment, were analyzed for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The result showed that the eggshells of the urban pigeons (Hangang) had the higher metal concentrations than those of the rural pigeons (Hampyeong). The same difference can also be found in the internal organs (liver, bone) and blood. However, the analyses of the egg contents between the two sites did not reveal the differences. In other words, the result suggests that the feral pigeons, like the other avian species, are able to control the heavy metals into the egg contents homeostatically. Therefore, it is more useful to use the feral pigeon eggshell rather than the egg content in case of monitoring heavy metals in different habitats.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.229-233
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• 2016

This study was conducted to compare three commercially available egg testing devices for measuring egg quality. The devices used were a Laser-type (automatic), a Ultrasonic-type (automatic), and a Probe-type (manual). Fresh eggs weighing 60~68 grams were obtained from a commercial hen farm. Three trials were conducted. In Trial 1, a total of 50 eggs were successively analyzed by the three egg testing devices. In Trial 2, fresh eggs were successively analyzed by a combination of two egg testing devices. In Trial 3, a total of 600 eggs (weighing 60~68 grams) laid by same flock were selected, further divided into three sub-groups with a total of 200 eggs, and analyzed by an egg testing device. In Trials 1 and 2, no apparent difference was observed in egg weight between egg testing devices. However, albumin height was scored highest in the Ultrasonic-type egg tester followed by the Probe-type and Laser-type (Trials 1 and 2). Consequently, the Haugh unit was similarly altered. Yolk color was highest in the Laser-type egg tester followed by the Ultrasonic-type and Probe-type (Trials 1 and 2). When fresh eggs laid by a single flock were independently analyzed by three devices, egg weight did not differ, but albumin height and Haugh unit were higher (p<0.05) in the Ultrasonic-type egg tester than in the Probe-type or Laser-type testers. However, Laser-type testers produced higher (p<0.05) yolk color values than the Ultrasonic-type or Probe-type egg testers. In conclusion, the commercially available egg testing devices exhibited performance differences in measuring egg qualities, which warrants further consideration as to whether the magnitude of bias and precision between the devices could be acceptable in the egg grading system, especially when assessing eggs stored for certain durations.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.583-591
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• 1997

The functional derangement of skeletal muscles which may be attributed to chronic hypoxia has been accepted as a possible mechanism of exercise impairment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The metabolic changes in skeletal muscle in patients with COPD are characterized by impaired oxidative phosphorylation, early activation of anaerobic glycolysis and excessive lactate and hydrogen ion production with exercise. But the cause of exercise limitation in patients with chronic lung disease without hypoxia has not been known. In order to evaluate the change in the skeletal muscle metabolism as a possible cause of the exercise limitation in chronic lung disease patients without hypoxia, we compared the muscular metabolic data of seven male patients which had been derived from noninvasive $^{31}P$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) with those of five age-matched normal male control persons. $^{31}P$ MRS was studied during the sustained isometric contraction of the dominant forearm flexor muscles up to the exhaustion state and the recovery period. Maximal voluntary contraction(MVC) force of the muscle was measured before the isometric exercise, and the 30% of MVC force was constantly loaded to each patient during the isometric exercise. There were no differences of intracellular pH (pHi) and inorganic phosphate/phosphocreatine(Pi/PCr) at baseline, exhaustion state and recovery period between two groups. But pHi during the exercise was lower in patients group than the control group (p < 0.05). Pi/PCr during the exercise did not show significant difference between two groups. These results suggest that the exercise limitation in chronic lung disease patients without hypoxia also could be attributed to the abnormalities in the skeletal muscle metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.119-135
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• 2007

Objectives: The efficacy, feasibility, and safety of bench-step aerobics (BSA) program in overweight or obese Korean adult women have been implied. However, there has been almost no evidence for its psychological benefits. As such, the purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological benefits of BSA program in overweight or obese (body mass index ${\geq}\;23\;kg/m^2$) Korean adult women. Method: Anger, exercise self-efficacy, exercise-related affect, and body image of overweight or obese women who participated in a 12-week BSA program (n=15) were compared with those of their counterparts in the control group (n=13). Subjects were selected among public health center visitors and those recruited by putting an advertisement in local newspapers and the public health center homepage. Data from the exercise and control groups were collected before and after the 12-week BSA program (from August to November in 2006) at the public health centers. The exercise program consisted of 45 to 60 min moderate-intensity (40/50 to 50/60% of their hear rate reserve) BSA performed for 3 days a week. Results: After the BSA program, body image of the subjects in the exercise group was significantly improved and there was a significant difference between the exercise and control groups. Anger, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise-related affect were improved after the BSA program but the changes did not reach the level of statistical significance and there were no significant differences between the exercise and control groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, BSA appears to significantly enhance body image in overweight or obese Korean adult women but its effects on anger, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise-related affect do not appear to be statistically significant. Further studies involving different subjects, particularly whose levels of anger are high or whose levels of exercise-related affect are low to exclude the influence of the ceiling or floor effect, are warranted in a randomized controlled design.