• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.485-494
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• 2004

Background : To assess the effects of mDOT implementation on sputum smear conversion for AFB (Acid fast bacilli) positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients, modified Directly Observed Treatment (mDOT) was started on October $8^{th}$ 2001 at a health center in Seoul. mDOT was defined through weekly interviewing and supervising of a patient by a supervisor (doctor, nurse, or lay health worker). The sputum smear conversion of a mDOT group was compared with that of a self-medication (self) group. Methods : This study included 52 AFB positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients registered at a health center in Seoul between October $8^{th}$ 2001 and April $23^{rd}$ 2002. 24 and 28 patients were enrolled in the mDOT and self medication groups, respectively. Paired (1:1) individual matching, by gender, extent of disease, relapse and age-matching variables, was performed between the two groups, resulting in 20 paired matches. This prospective study was planned as an unblinded, non-randomized quasiexperimental pilot project. Outcomes were identified from results of sputum smear examinations for AFB in both groups at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months. The paired matching data were analyzed using the SAS program version 8.1 by McNemar test. Results : At the end of 2 weeks of treatment, the sputum smear conversion of the mDOT group was somewhat higher than that of the self medication group (78.57 vs. 50%, p-value=0.289), and after 1 month of treatment no statistically significant difference was shown between the two groups (83.33 vs. 50, p-value=0.125). At the end of 2 months of treatment (initial intensive phase), the sputum smear conversions of the mDOT and self groups were 95 and 75%, respectively (p-value=0.219). Conclusions : The implementation of mDOT did not result in clinically significant increases in the sputum smear conversion at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months compared with that of the self medication group. However, the increases experienced might contribute to diminishing the infectious period of AFB positive patients, and this approach may act as a guide for a specific group of patients. In this study, mDOT was performed for one hundred percent of the intensive treatment phase. It can also be an effective treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and may be useful for some high risk tuberculosis patients.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.511-520
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• 2016

The most energy-demanding step of wastewater treatment is the aeration-dependent elimination of organic carbon. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer an alternative strategy in which carbon elimination is conducted by anaerobic microorganisms that transport respiratory electrons originating from carbon oxidation to an anode. Hence, chemical energy is directly transformed into electrical energy. In this study, the use and stability of barcode-containing exoelectrogenic model biofilms under non-axenic wastewater treatment conditions are described. Genomic barcodes were integrated in Shewanella oneidensis, Geobacter sulfurreducens, and G. metallireducens. These barcodes are unique for each strain and allow distinction between those cells and naturally occurring wild types as well as quantification of the amount of cells in a biofilm via multiplex qPCR. MFCs were pre-incubated with these three strains, and after 6 days the anodes were transferred into MFCs containing synthetic wastewater with 1% wastewater sludge. Over time, the system stabilized and the coulomb efficiency was constant. Overall, the initial synthetic biofilm community represented half of the anodic population at the end of the experimental timeline. The part of the community that contained a barcode was dominated by G. sulfurreducens cells (61.5%), while S. oneidensis and G. metallireducens cells comprised 10.5% and 17.9%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the stability of a synthetic exoelectrogenic consortium under non-axenic conditions. The observed stability offers new possibilities for the application of synthetic biofilms and synthetically engineered organisms fed with non-sterile waste streams.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.45 no.8 s.459
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• pp.483-490
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the mandibular antegonial notch and the mandibular morphology, and the curve of Spee in anteroposterior skeletal relationship. Pre-treatment lateral cephalograms were obtained from 80(male 34, female 46) adult orthodontic patients and the samples were classified into 3 categories by ANB angle($0^{\circ}$$\leq$ANB< $4^{\circ}$ Class I, $4^{\circ}$$\leq$ANB Class II, ANB< $0^{\circ}$ Class III). The curve of Spee was measured directly from the pre-treatment mandibular study cast of each patient included in this study. Pearson correlation coefficient test and multiple regression analysis in each group revealed the following results; 1. Antegonial notch depth was positively correlated with hoth lower anterior facial height(ANS-Me) in skeletal Class I, II and III groups and Id-Me height in skeletal Class I and II groups. 2. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the depth of the antegonial notch and the curve of Spee in the Class III group. 3. Significant relationship was not found between the antegonial notch depth and any of the other cephalometric variables such as mandibular body length(Go-Gn) and ramus height(Co-Go). As antegonial notch depth increased, more vertical growth of the mandible was observed. Antegonial notch can be used as a predictor of vertical mandibular growth in the diagnosis and treatment planning of malocclusion.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.356-358
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• 2015

When severely large corneal perforation occurs, penetrating keratoplasty is a treatment of choice alternative to enucleation. A twelve-year-old male Shih Tzu was referred with perforated corneal ulcer secondary to keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). Perforated cornea was directly sutured using 10-0 non-absorbable suture material, and rotational conjunctival flap was performed. However, re-perforation of cornea by wound dehiscence was observed at 1 month after operation. The yellowish lens escaped outside the orbit during corneal re-perforation, the diagnosis was re-perforated corneal ulcer, moderate corneal edema, moderate KCS (STT; 6 mm) and endophthalmitis caused by escaped lens outside orbit. Accordingly, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and evisceration through corneal recipient site and intrascleral silicone ball prosthesis were carried out as the planned treatment, and resulted in good cosmetic improvement compared to enucliation. However, exposure of silicone ball occurred at the 9 months after the surgery due to the irritation of implant, thus enucleation was performed. In perforated large corneal ulcer with severe intraocular damage, evisceration with silicone ball insertion with PK would be alternative treatment choice to improve the cosmetic appearance.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.319-328
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• 2023

Background: Demyelination has been observed in neurological disorders, motivating researchers to search for components for enhancing remyelination. Previously we found that Rb1, a major ginsenoside in Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), enhances myelin formation. However, it has not been studied whether Rb1 or KRG function in remyelination after demyelination in vivo. Methods: Mice were fed 0.2% cuprizone-containing chow for 5 weeks and returned to normal chow with daily oral injection of vehicle, KRG, or Rb1 for 3 weeks. Brain sections were stained with luxol fast blue (LFB) staining or immunohistochemistry. Primary oligodendrocyte or astrocyte cultures were subject to normal or stress condition with KRG or Rb1 treatment to measure gene expressions of myelin, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, antioxidants and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Results: Compared to the vehicle, KRG or Rb1 increased myelin levels at week 6.5 but not 8, when measured by the LFB⁺ or GST-pi⁺ area within the corpus callosum. The levels of oligodendrocyte precursor cells, astrocytes, and microglia were high at week 5, and reduced afterwards but not changed by KRG or Rb1. In primary oligodendrocyte cultures, KRG or Rb1 increased expression of myelin genes, ER stress markers, and antioxidants. Interestingly, under cuprizone treatment, elevated ER stress markers were counteracted by KRG or Rb1. Under rotenone treatment, reduced myelin gene expressions were recovered by Rb1. In primary astrocyte cultures, KRG or Rb1 decreased LIF expression. Conclusion: KRG and Rb1 may improve myelin regeneration during the remyelination phase in vivo, potentially by directly promoting myelin gene expression.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 1996

An efficient system of somatic embryogenesis was established for the red pepper plant (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Nokkwang) usign immature zygotic embryos. The size of the immature zygotic embryos and the concentrations of 2, 4-D and sucrose were found to be critical. Somatic embryos were induced via callus or directly from explants and regenerated into plantlets successfully. When zygotic embryos 1~2 mm long were cultured on the modified Murashige-Skoong (MS) medium supplemented with 2 mg/L 2, 4-D for 3 weeks in the dark, somatic embryos were induced directly from the apical region of zygotic embryos with the highest frequency being approximately 90%. To mature the somatic embryos, ABA and an ethylene inhibitor AgNO3 were used. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration (25% in each) resulted at 2$\mu$M ABA or 20$\mu$M AgNO3 treatment at rates 3.7 and 1.6 times control, respectively. Shoots developed mainly from the cotyledonary node on CoCl2-containing medium, and from the upper side of cotyledon on medium containing AgNO3 while the embryos on the control medium produced shoots from both the cotyledonary node and the upper region of cotyledons both at frequencies of 50%. Indirect somatic embryogenesis via callus was induced at an efficiency of approximately 10% with zygotic embryos 3~4 mm long cultured on MS medium containing 5~10 mg/L, 2, 4-D for 5~7 weeks under a continuous light condition. The plants regenerated from the somatic embryos were morphologically normal. Using scanning electron microscopy, the direct and indirect somatic embryogeneses were observed to follow the globular, heart and torpedo stages, similar to zygotic embryogenesis. Also, suspensors appeared in the early globular and ovoid-shaped late globular embryos during indirect somatic embryogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.224-228
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• 1998

Phase transition kinetics of nonstoichiometric amorphous titanium oxide thin films deposited by reactive sputtering was investigated after cooling down with various rate followed by l0min.-3hrs. annealing at $500^{\circ}C$~$600^{\circ}C$ After short duration and fast cooling. Magneli was the only crystalline phase because the oxidation rates of $TiO_{2-x}$, could be relatively slower than that of crystallization. When the films were cooled slowly between $500^{\circ}C$~$300{\circ}C$, Magneli was transformed into an anatase and stabilized, but directly into a rutile under fast cooling. Because the rutile also prevailed after cooling from $600^{\circ}C$, it was concluded that the rutile phase could be formed directly from Magneli as well as converted from the anatase. Changes in volume and surface morphology were observed related to crystallization and oxidation processduring heat treatment.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.611-617
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• 2013

Although tuberculosis can be recovered if patients take medicine consistently, Korea shows significantly high rate in terms of incident rate and death rate of the tuberculosis patients. Considering such a situation, this paper has developed a smart pillbox that facilitates for patients requiring a long-term administration to take medicine in a regular and consistent manner. The developed smart pillbox is equipped with a load cell that can measure the weight in unit of 0.1g so that it can determine whether or not the medicine is dispensed out of itself. In addition, a software has been developed to determine the status of patient's taking medicine based on the measurement result.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.267-271
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• 1995

A single large dose of ethanol as well as chronic ethanol consumption produces alcoholic fatty liver in human and experimental animals. We examined the effects of YH439, a potential hepatoprotective agent, on alcoholic fatty liver generation in adult female rats. In rats treated with YH439 (250 mg/kg, po) 4 hr prior to a single dose of ethanol (6 g/kg, po), a significant decrease in hepatic triglyceride accumulation was observed. YH439 also has an inhibitory effect on hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation induced by repeated ethanol treatments for one week. Because it has been known that induction of alcoholic fatty liver is associated with lipid peroxidation and/or hepatic glutathione depression, the effect of YH439 on these parameters was determined in the livers of rats treated with ethanol. Coadministration with YH439 inhibited MDA formation and gIutathione depression induced by acute or repeated ethanol administration. In order to determine the effect of YH439 on ethanol metabolism in vivo, disappearance of ethanol from blood was measured. In rats treated with a single dose of ethanol (6 g/kg, po), the ethanol concentration in blood reached a peak approximately 120 min following the treatment which declined linearly for 18 hrs. YH439 had no effect on the decline of blood ethanol concentration regardless of the dose of ethanol given to rats. These results in this study suggest that YH439 has an inhibitory effect on fatty liver generation induced by acute or repeated ethanol consumption through a mechanism not directly related to the rate of ethanol metabolism in vivo.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.2 s.233
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• pp.279-286
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• 2005

This study presents experimental results on the heat transfer coefficients in the film boiling region of spray cooling for actual metallurgical process. In this study, the heat flux distributions of a two dimensional dilute spray impinging on a hot plate were experimentally investigated. A stainless steel block was cooled down from intial temperature of about $800^{\circ}C$ by twin fluid (air-water) flat spray. It was found from the experimental results that the heat transfer area was classified into the stagnation region and wall-flow region. In the stagnation region, the experimental data of local heat transfer coefficient was closely correlated with the local droplet-flow-rate supplied from the spray nozzle directly. Thus, the local heat transfer coefficients are in good agreement with the predicted values from the correlations proposed by our previous study. In wall-flow region, however, remarkable differences are observed between experimental data and predicted values because the number of rebound droplets increase with increasing the distance from the stagnation point.