• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.597-607
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• 2002

Background : Even though it is well known that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves exercise capacity, and the quality of life, in patients with chronic lung diseases, not many patients can attend hospital based intensive PR in Korea. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for a home-based PR program, and study its effectiveness. Materials and Methods : Twenty patients with chronic lung diseases were randomly divided into two groups : a home PR group comprising of 10 male patients, with a mean age of 70 years, and a control group comprising of 10 male patients, with a mean age of 65 years. We developed exercise programs, depending on the exercise capacity of each patient, which were easy to do at home. The PR program consisted of a 12 week period of enforced aerobic (mostly walking) and muscle strengthening exercises, as prescribed by the exercise specialist, in accordance with the functional capacity of the patient. In addition to the education, nutritional and psychiatric consultation was undertaken, and respiratory muscle training arranged. Patients visited hospital every 2 weeks for evaluation and exercise prescription. Results : All patients finished the 12 week course of therapy. Following the home PR, the endurance times and work capacity of the upper and lower extremities were significantly increased in the treatment group in comparison to the controls. The six minute working (Eds note:should) 'working' read "walking"?) distance was increased from $465{\pm}60m$ to $508{\pm}37m$ and the maximal inspiratory pressure from $72.8{\pm}27.2cmH_2O$ to $91.4{\pm}30.9cmH_2O$. The quality of life, as assessed by St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), was also improved following PR. (Eds note:do you have figures for before and after, and a reference for the SGRQ?i.e. for the main paper.) Conclusion : The home PR program we developed seemed to be applicable, and effective, to most of the patients with chronic lung diseases in this study.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2005

Tidal flats have been regarded to carry out transformation and removal of land-derived organic matter, and this purifying capability of organic matter by tidal flats is one of very important reasons for their conservation. However, integral biogeochemical studies on production and decomposition of organic matter by benthic microbes in tidal flats have been absent in Korea, although the information is indispensable to quantification of the purifying capability. Our major goals in this multidisciplinary research were to understand major biogeochemical processes and rates mediated by diverse groups of microbes dominating material cycles in the tidal flats, and to assess the contribution of benthic microbes to removal of organic matter and nutrients in the tidal flats. Our study sites were Ganghwa and Incheon north-port tidal flats that had been regarded as naturally well reserved and organically polluted, respectively. Our research group measured over 3 years primary production, biomass and community structure of primary producers, abundance and production of bacteria, enzyme activities, distribution of protozoa and protozoan grazing rates, rates of denitrification and sulfate reduction, early sediment diagenesis, primary production and respiration based on oxygen microelectrode. We analyzed major features of each biogeochemical process and their interactions. The results are compiled in the following articles in this special issue: An (2005), Hwang and Cho (2005), Mok et at. (2005), Na and Lee (2005), Yang et at. (2005), and Yoo and Choi (2005).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2012

We investigated the effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned coal mines on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the upper reaches of the Nakdong River from May to October in 2009. Qualitative and quantitative sampling (Surber sampler: $50{\times}50$ cm; mesh size, 0.2 mm) was conducted at 7 study sites and 3 control sites in the study area. We thus sampled 117 species belonging to 53 families, 15 orders, 6 classes, and 5 phyla; the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera group (EPT-group) represented the majority of the benthic macroinvertebrate community (71 species; 64.5%). In the quantitative sampling, a total of 11,575 individuals belonging to 58 species of benthic maroinvertebrates were sampled from the study sites (Sites 1-7), whereas 2,844 individuals belonging to 79 species were sampled from the control sites (Sites A-C). Tolerant species such as oligochaetes, $Epeorus$ $pellucidus$, $Baetis$ $fuscatus$, Hydropsychidae species, and Chironomidae species were predominant in the study sites. The community indices for the study sites, such as MacNaughton's dominance index (DI) (mean${\pm}$SD, $0.52{\pm}0.21$; range, 0.33-0.85) and the Shannon diversity index ($H^{\prime}$) ($2.06{\pm}0.60$; 1.06-2.57), were different from those for the control sites (DI: $0.29{\pm}0.07$, 0.22-0.35; $H^{\prime}$: $3.13{\pm}0.14$; 3.03-3.30). In the study sites, shredders and scrapers were scarce, whereas gathering-collectors (mainly Chironomidae species) were relatively abundant, as were clingers and burrowers. The detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and similarity analyses showed that benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the study sites were clearly separated from those of the control sites, with the greatest dissimilarity being noted at the uppermost study site (Site 1), which is located close to an abandoned coal mine. The Korean saprobic index (KSI) and the ecological score using benthic macroinvertebrates (ESB) showed that the uppermost study site (Site 1) was ${\alpha}$-mesosaprobic or heavily polluted, whereas other study sites were in a fair or relatively good condition.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1265-1272
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• 2015

Barnyard millet Miryang 3 [Echinochloa esculenta (A. Braun)] grains have recently been acknowledged for beneficial health properties due to phenolic ingredients and dietary fiber. This study has been conducted on the anti-diabetic activity of barnyard millet Miryang 3 which shows the strongest anti-inflammatory activity among barnyard millet inhabiting in South Korea. When 80% ethanol (EtOH) extract of barnyard millet Miryang 3 grains were orally administered into db/db diabetic mice for 8 weeks (600 mg/kg/day), the glucose level in blood following fasting appeared to be improved compared to the control group. The results of glucose tolerance test and blood lipid profile assay were similar to those of the metformin-administered positive control group. In addition, the level of body weight increase (8.54±2.24) was lower than the level of metformin-administered group (10.36±3.15); however, there was no subtle difference with negative and positive control groups in terms of food efficiency rates. In addition, total cholesterol levels of the 80% EtOH extract-administered group (160.7±7.6) were significantly reduced compared to the diabetic control group (229.3±47.8) and metformin-administered group (176.0±25.6). Consequently, these results show that barnyard millet grains alleviates many of the diabetic symptoms in vivo non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and suggest that barnyard millet grains can be applicable in developing new functional food materials.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.241-247
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• 2014

Purpose: Serum vitamin C is one of the indicators for antioxidant levels in the body and it is lower in cancer patients compared with the healthy population. However, there have been few studies on the levels of serum vitamin C in terminally ill cancer patients and related factors. Methods: We followed 65 terminal cancer patients who were hospitalized in two palliative care units. We collected data of age, sex, cancer type, functional status, clinical symptoms, history of cancer therapy, and various laboratory findings including serum vitamin C level. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the quartile of serum vitamin C level (Q1-3 vs. Q4), which were compared each other. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors related to serum vitamin C levels. Results: The mean serum vitamin C level was $0.44{\mu}g/mL$, and all patients fell into the category of vitamin C deficiency. Univariate analysis showed that The serum vitamin C level was lower in non-lung cancer patients (P=0.041) and febrile patients (P=0.034). Multivariate analysis adjusted for potential confounders such as lung cancer, fever, dysphagia, dyspnea, C reactive protein, and history of chemotherapy demonstrated that odds for low serum vitamin C level was 3.7 for patients receiving chemotherapy (P=0.046) and 7.22 for febrile patients (P=0.02). Conclusion: Vitamin C deficiency was very severe in terminally ill cancer patients, and it was associated with history of chemotherapy and fever.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 2012

This study aimed to develop a new type of functional citrus beverage (Citurs-F) containing flavonoids extracted from the young fruits of satsuma mandarin ($Citrus$ $unshiu$) and matured fruits of Jeju native dangyooja ($C.$ $grandis$). We made beverages that contained 30% of satsuma mandarin extract with different percentages of concentrated dangyooja-derived flavonoid extracts. In sensory evalution, the highest response indices of color, taste and aroma were from the beverages based on the 30% young fruit extracts plus 15% (Citrus-F-15) and 20% (Citrus-F-20) flavonoids extract from the dangyooja using the KILO prep. In the changes of body weight after oral administration of the Citrus-F, the rat group with HF diet plus the Citrus-F decreased the body weight compared to the rat group fed only HF diet. This effect was to be continued for 9 weeks until the end of experiment. In the lipid content in blood, the rat group with oral administration of citrus extractions merely tended to resolve it in serum test. However, all the 0.1% Citrus-F-15 and Citrus-F-20 treated rat groups from the beginning or after 5 weeks appeared the lowest lipid contents in the blood. In the cholesterol contents, the rat group feeding the KILO-prep's extraction from the beginning weren't significantly recognized them in the group but the rat group feeding 0.1% Citrus-F-15 acted to reduce in the cholesterol contents from 5 weeks. The results indicated that the Citrus-F-15 with rich flavonoids might be main source alleviating the vascular diseases and obesity in human diet.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Purpose : Gated myocardial perfusion SPECT provides not only myocardial perfusion status, but various functional parameters of left ventricle (LV). The purpose of this study was to analyze ejection fraction (EF) for correlation and difference between $^{201}Tl$ gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and echocardiography depending on extent of perfusion defect, gender and LV volumes. Materials and Methods : From April 2011 to May 2012, we analyzed 291 patients (male:female =165:126; mean: $64.6{\pm}10.8$ years) who were examined both $^{201}Tl$ gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and echocardiography at less than 7 days apart in our hospital. 101 patients showed perfusion defect and the rest of the people without any defect. We applied automatic analysis (Quantitative gated SPECT, QGS), and calculated EF, End-diastolic volume (EDV) and End-systolic volume (ESV) from Stress (G-Stress) and Rest (G-Rest) studies. And we analyzed the correlation and difference for EF between $^{201}Tl$ gated SPECT and echocardiography. Results : The correlation of LVEF among G-Stress, G-Rest and echocardiography was quite a good (G-Stress vs. G-Rest: r=0.909, G-Stress vs. echocardiography: r=0.833, G-Rest vs. echocardiography: r=0.825). And there were significant differences in EDV, ESV and EF in total patients (p<0.01). The normal group showed significant difference in EF (p<0.01) and the group with perfusion defect also demonstrated significant difference (a group with reversible defect: p<0.01, fixed defect: p<0.01) depending on extent of perfusion defect. We analyzed difference in normal group by gender. In normal group, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in EF from men. However, there was a significant difference (p<0.01) from women. When we classified two groups by average size of EDV in Korean women, there was no significant difference in a group of above average size of EDV (p>0.05). Conclusion : When compared among Stress and Rest of $^{201}Tl$ gated SPECT and echocardiography, we confirmed that there was a good correlation for LVEF. But there were significant differences among three studies. And extent of perfusion defect, gender and LV volumes are independent determinants of the accuracy of LVEF. So, it is hard to compare and interchange quantitative indices among modalities. We should take additional researches to prove results of our study.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2009

Purpose: Diagnostic and functional imaging softwares in Nuclear Medicine have been developed significantly. But, there are some limitations which like take a lot of time. In this article, we introduced that the basic concept of macro to help understanding macro and its application to Brain SPECT processing. We adopted macro software to SPM processing and PACS verify processing of Brain SPECT processing. Materials and Methods: In Brain SPECT, we choose SPM processing and two PACS works which have large portion of a work. SPM is the software package to analyze neuroimaging data. And purpose of SPM is quantitative analysis between groups. Results are made by complicated process such as realignment, normalization, smoothing and mapping. We made this process to be more simple by using macro program. After sending image to PACS, we directly input coordinates of mouse using simple macro program for processes of color mapping, adjustment of gray scale, copy, cut and match. So we compared time for making result by hand with making result by macro program. Finally, we got results by applying times to number of studies in 2007. Results: In 2007, the number of SPM studies were 115 and the number of PACS studies were 834 according to Diamox study. It was taken 10 to 15 minutes for SPM work by hand according to expertness and 5 minutes and a half was uniformly needed using Macro. After applying needed time to the number of studies, we calculated an average time per a year. When using SPM work by hand according to expertness, 1150 to 1725 minutes (19 to 29 hours) were needed and 632 seconds (11 hours) were needed for using Macro. When using PACS work by hand, 2 to 3 minutes were needed and for using Macro, 45 seconds were needed. After applying theses time to the number of studies, when working by hand, 1668 to 2502 minutes (28 to 42 hours) were needed and for using Macro, 625 minutes (10 hours) were needed. Following by these results, it was shown that 1043 to 1877 (17 to 31 hours were saved. Therefore, we could save 45 to 63% for SPM, 62 to 75% for PACS work and 55 to 70% for total brain SPECT processing in 2007. Conclusions: On the basis of the number of studies, there was significant time saved when we applied Macro to brain SPECT processing and also it was shown that even though work is taken a little time, there is a possibility to save lots of time according to the number of studies. It gives time on technologist's side which makes radiological technologist more concentrate for patients and reduce probability of mistake. Appling Macro to brain SPECT processing helps for both of radiological technologists and patients and contribute to improve quality of hospital service.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.643-649
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• 1998

Background: For the patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring long-term oxygen therapy, oxygen concentrator machines are already widely available for use in home. In this study, we used mongrel dogs as test subjects to compare the functional efficiency and safety of the oxygen concentrator developed by our own research team with those of the imported FORLIFE(TM) machine made by AIRSEP Corp. Method and method: To test mechanical reliability, the concentrations of oxygen delivered were measured after 4 hours of continuous operation. Sixteen mongrel dogs were divided into two equal groups. Mongrel dogs in group A were given oxygen using the imported oxygen concentrator, and those in group B using the machine developed. 5 l/min of oxygen were given, after which vital signs were analyzed, arterial blood gases measured, and blood chemistry tests carried out. Results: After 4 hours of continuous operation, the imported model performed better, giving 98${\pm}$3% oxygen, compared to our model, which gave 91${\pm}$1%. In the animal experiments, oxygen concentrations were measured at the inlet of face mask 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after continuous administration, and there was no statistically significant difference(repeated measures of analysis of variance p=0.70) between the values of 70.6${\pm}$2.5%, 67.1${\pm}$2.9%, 68.2${\pm}$2.6%, and 64.9${\pm}$3.9% that were measured from group A, and the values of 65.1${\pm}$4.8%, 65.2${\pm}$3.6%, 68.7${\pm}$4.3%, and 66.0${\pm}$5.0% measured from group B. Before oxygen administration, and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after oxygen administration, arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen 87.2${\pm}$2.5 mmHg, 347.4${\pm}$29.3 mmHg, 353.4${\pm}$21.2 mmHg, 343.0${\pm}$28.8 mmHg, and 321.6${\pm}$24.4 mmHg, respectively, were read from group A, which were not statistically different (p=0.24) to the values of 102.5${\pm}$9.6 mmHg, 300.3${\pm}$17.1 mmHg, 321.6${\pm}$23.7 mmHg, 303.4${\pm}$27.4 mmHg, and 273.5${\pm}$25.9 mmHg read from group B. Nonetheless, the arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen values appear to be somewhat higher in dogs that were given oxygen using the imported oxygen concentrator. Conclusions: From these results the prototype oxygen concentrator developed appears to function relatively satisfactorily compared to the imported, established model, but may be criticized for the excessive noise generated and poor long-term endurance or consistency, which need improvement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.333-340
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to develop functional lotus root bugak with plasma lipid reduction capacity by controlling the color of batter used for bugak preparation. Lotus root, nearly colorless, was selected to observe color effects. Gardeniae fructus (GF), Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten (OF), and green tea (GT), which are colored yellow, red, and green, respectively, were used as coloring agents. Fermented glutinous rice was prepared naturally during winter season by placing glutinous rice and water (1:2, w/w) together in a crock pot for 7 days. Coloring materials (10%, w/w) were blended with glue made from fermented glutinous rice flour to prepare the batter. Cooked lotus root was then mixed with a 1.1-fold amount of batter (w/w) and dried at room temperature. Lotus root bugak (LRB) is pan-fried with un-roasted sesame oil, which is traditionally used as frying oil in Korea. Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout ($LDLr^{-/-}$) mice (n=36) were fed an atherogenic diet (AD) containing various types of LRB (10 g%) for 10 weeks. Plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-C concentrations decreased significantly in mice fed LRB prepared with OF batter (OFB) and GT batter (GTB) (P<0.05). Protein expression levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) in the OFB and GTB groups were suppressed compared with the LRB group (P<0.05). In accordance with the results on FAS and HMGCR expression, sterol regulatory element binding protein-I and II (SREBP-I and II), which are responsible for the regulation of FAS and HMGCR gene expression, respectively, were down-regulated compared to the LRB group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the plasma lipid reduction activities of OFB and GTB could be mediated through down-regulation of FAS and HMGCR mRNA expression via suppression of regulatory molecules, SREBP-I and II, in $LDLr^{-/-}$ mice.