• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2006

Background : The objective of this study was to understand sleep-related problems, and to determine whether the sleep questionnaires is a clinically useful method in patients who need polysomnography. Methods : Subjects were patients who performed polysomnography and who asked to answer a sleep questionnaires at the Sleep Disorders Clinic of St. Paul's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea. Baseline characteristics, past medical illness, behaviors during sleep-wake cycle, snoring, sleep-disordered breathing and symptoms of daytime sleepiness were analyzed to compare with data of polysomnography. Results : The study population included 1081 patients(849 men, 232 female), and their mean age was $44.2{\pm}12.8years$. Among these patients, 38.9% had an apnea-hypopnea index(AHI)<5, 27.9% had $5{\leq}AHI<20$, 13.2% had $20{\leq}AHI<40$, and 20.0% had $40{\leq}AHI$. The main problems for visiting our clinic were snoring(91.7%), sleep apnea(74.5%), excessive daytime sleepiness(8.0%), insomnia(4.3%), bruxism(1.1%) and attention deficit(0.5%). The mean value of frequency of interruptions of sleep was 1.6 and the most common reason was urination(46.3%). Epworth Sleepiness Scale(ESS) had a weak correlation with AHI(r=0.209, p<0.01). When we performed analysis of sleep questionnaires, there were significant differences in the mean values of AHI according to the severity of symptoms including snoring, daytime sleepiness, taking a nap and arousal state after wake(p<0.05). Conclusion : On the basis of statistical analysis of sleep questionnaires, the severity of subjective symptoms such as ESS, snoring, daytime sleepiness and arousal state after wake correlated with the AHI significantly. Therefore the sleep questionnaires can be useful instruments for prediction of the severity of sleep disorder, especially sleep-disordered breathing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2003

Background : Sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli(AFB) examined microscopically is the most important diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the AFB observed on the smear may represent either M. tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). This study examined the recovery rate of NTM from the AFB smear-positive sputum specimens in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Materials and Methods : This study analyzed the results for the 1,889 AFB smear-positive and culture-positive sputum specimens collected from 844 patients from July, 1997 to December, 2001. Results : The 1,889 sputum specimens collected from 844 patients tested positive on both microscopy and culture during the 4.5 years. The NTM were recovered from 10.3% (195/1,889) of the smear-positive sputum specimens and 11.0% (93/844) of patients with smear-positive sputum. The NTM were isolated more than two times in 44.1% (41/93) of the patients from whom the NTM was recovered. Trends of the recovery rate of the NTM from the AFB smear-positive sputum specimens were increasing from 6.5%(17/262) in the latter half of 1997 to 17.8%(36/202) in the latter half of 2001 (p<0.001, test for trend). Conclusions : These results suggest that some patients with AFB smear-positive sputum have NTM pulmonary disease rather than pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.3
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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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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.292-300
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• 2008

Background: Respiratory failure is a common condition that requires intensive care, and has a high mortality rate despite the recent improvements in respiratory care. Previous reports of patients with respiratory failure focused on the specific disease or included a large proportion of surgical patients. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics, outcomes and prognostic factors of adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation in a medical intensive care unit. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed on 479 adult patients, who received mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours in the medical ICU of one tertiary referral hospital. Results: The mean age of the patients was $60.3{\pm}15.6$ years and 34.0% were female. The initial mean APACHE III score was $72.3{\pm}25$. The cause of MV included acute respiratory failure (71.8%), acute exacerbation of chronic pulmonary disease (20.9%), coma (5.6%), and neuromuscular disorders (1.7%). Pressure controlled ventilation was used as the initial ventilator mode in 67.8% of patients, and pressure support ventilation was used as the initial weaning mode in 83.6% of the patients. The overall mortality rate in the ICU and hospital was 49.3% and 55.4%, respectively. The main cause of death in hospital was septic shock (32.5%), respiratory failure (11.7%), and multiorgan failure (10.2%). Males, an APACHE III score >70, the cause of respiratory failure (interstitial lung disease, coma, aspiration, pneumonia, sepsis and hemoptysis), the total ventilation time, and length of stay in hospital were independently associated with mortality. Conclusion: The cause of respiratory failure, severity of the patients, and gender appears to be significantly associated with the outcome of mechanical ventilatory support in patients with respiratory failure.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.769-777
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• 2002

Using four components - nonionic surfactants, water, hydrocarbon oil and an alcohol as cosurfactant, 12 types of cleaning agents were prepared, and their physical properties such as surface tension, viscosity, electroconductivity and phase stability were measured. As the formulated cleaning agents have low surface tensions(30.5-31.1 dyne/cm) and low viscosities (1.6-7.2 c.p.), they are satisfied with the general physical properties of water-in-oil(W/O) microemulsions for their industrial use. They showed a tendency that their temperature range for stable one-phase microemulsion decreased in accordance with the increase of alcohol/surfactant(A/S) ratio in the formulations. However, the temperature range of one-phase microemulsion was much more affected by hydrophilic lipophillic balance(HLB) value of the nonionic surfactant which increased its temperature range and it increased in accordance with the higher HLB value in the formulations. And the maximum content of water which can keep stable one-phase W/O microemulsion was measured at each sample. In addition, their temperature range for stable one-phase microemulsion was also measured. It was confirmed that the selection of surfactant type was very important for formulating a cleaning agent, since the W/O microemulsion system with the nonionic surfactant of the lower HLB value showed better cleaning efficacy that of the higher HLB value for abietic acid as a soil, which was used for preparing a rosin-type flux. In the formulated cleaning agents with the increase of A/S ratio in the formulations, however, there was no significant difference in cleaning efficacy. It was investigated that the differences of their cleaning efficacy was affected by the change of the condition of temperature and sonicating frequency as important factors in the industrial cleaning. That is, the higher, their cleaning temperature and the lower, their sonicating frequency, the more increased, their cleaning efficacy. Furthermore, using optical instruments like UV/Visable Spectrophotometer and FT-IR Spectrometer, their cleaning efficacy for abietic acid was measured. The removal of soil from the contaminated rinse water was measured by gravity separation method in the rinse bath. As a result, the cleaning agent system having the nonionic surfactant of HLB value 6.4 showed over 85% water-oil separation efficacy at over $25^{\circ}C$. Therefore, it was demonstrated in this work that the formulating cleaning agents were very effective for cleaning and economical in the possible introduction of water recycling system.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.323-338
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• 1993

The primary objective of this study was to examine the toxic effects of PCP on activated sludge and to analyze its metabolic responses while treating wastewater containing pentachlorophenol (PCP) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system operating under different control strategies. This study was conducted in two phases 1 and 2 (8-hr and 12-hr cycles). Each phase was operated with two control strategies I and II. Strategy I (reactor 1) involved rapid addition (5 minutes to complete) of substrate to the reactor with continuous mixing but no aeration for 2 hours. Strategy II (reactor 2) involved adding the feed continuously during the first 2 hours of the cycle when the system was mixed but not aerated. During both phases each reactor was operated at a sludge age of 15 days. The synthetic wastewater was used as a feed. The COD of the feed solution was about 380 mg/L. After the reference response for both reactors was established, the steady state response of each system was established for PCP feed concentrations of 0.1 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, and 5.0 mg/L in SBR systems operating on both 8-hr and 12-hr cycles. Soluble COD removal was not inhibited at any feed PCP concentrations used. At 5.0 mg/L feed PCP concentration and in SBR systems operating on phase 2, the concentrations or ML VSS were decreased; selective pressure on the mixed biomass might be increased, narrowing the range of possible ecological responses; the settleability of activated sludge was poor; the SOURs were increased, showing that the systems were shocked. Nitrification was made to some extent at all concentrations of feed PCP in SBR systems operating on phase 2 whereas in SBR systems operating on phase 1 little nitrification was observed. Then, nitrification will be delayed as much as soluble COD removal is retarded due to PCP inhibition effects. Enhanced biological phosphorus removal occurring in the system operating with control strategy I during phase 1 of this work and in the presence of low concentrations of PCP was unreliable and might cease at anytime, whereas enhanced biological phosphorus removal occurring in the system operating with either control strategy I or II during phase 2 of this work and in the presence of feed PCP concentrations up to 1.0 mg/L was reliable. When, however, such processes were exposed to 5.0 mg/L PCP dose, enhanced phosphorus removal ceased and never returned.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.235-253
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• 1993

The freshwater crab, Eriocheir japonicus inhabits from sub-tropical to temperate zone in Asia. This species belongs to a large size group among freshwater crabs. Common size of this crab is 5-6cm in carapace length and occasionally 7cm in carapace length. This species of crab used to inhabit in estuaries, rivers and inland waters in Korea. However, natural population recently has been rapidly decreased because of pollution and lost their habitats by suburban development. Therefore, development of proper methods of seedling production to increase natural stock became necessity. As parts of achieving this goal, duration from mating to spawning, egg incubation period, and egg development of this species were studied. The influence of temperatures and salinities on the egg incubation and hatching was also investigated. It took 2-8 hours from mating to egg spawning and the spawning lasted 3-9 hours from the first spawning. Egg numbers per female (6cm in carapace length) were 380,000­410,000. Optimum temperature for egg incubation was $17\~23^{\circ}C$ and optimum salinity, $14.0\~31.5\%o$. Incubation period of the eggs at $14^{\circ}C,\;17^{\circ}C,\;20^{\circ}C,\;26^{\circ}C,\;and\;28^{\circ}C$ was 42, 28, 21, 15, and 14 days. respectively. Relation between temperature (X) and incubation days (Y) was LogY = Log 2764.267 - 1.608 LogX. A female can spawn 4-6 times per year by manipulation of environmental conditions. Under the conditions of $18^{\circ}C\;and\;24.5\%o$, it took 6 days up to embryo formation, 18 days up to compound eye formation, 22 days up to abdominal movement, and 25 days up to hatch out as zoea larvae.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.147-156
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• 2007

The dorsal lingual papillae of Myotis macrodactylus were investigated morphologically using scanning electron microscopy. Three types of lingual papillae from Myotis macrodactylus were recognized. The filiform(Fi) papillae were distributed over the entire dorsal surface of the tongue, and they could be classified into 5 types of papillae by the shape, size and number of the protrusion. Type I was distributed on dorsal surface of the apex in the anterior region of the tongue, has a crow-like shape with ten to fifteen formed projections. Type II was located in the medial portion of the anterior region of the tongue, has an eight to ten spin-like protrusion. Type III was distributed on the medial portion of the tongue, has a scale-like papille with five to seven protrusion. Type IV was distributed on the both lateral portion of the posterior region of the tongue, has a small conical papillae, does not have needle projection. Type V have not needle projection, a large of conical papillae, on the both lateral portion of the posterior region of the tongue. Most Fu(Fungiform) papillae were distributed the both lateral region or medial portion of the posterior region of the tongue, has a round or oval shape with $40{\sim}45$ papillae. The small $(65{\mu}m)$, meddle $(75{\mu}m)$ and large $(120{\mu}m)$ fungiform papillae were distributed on dorsal surface of the apex in the anterior, the both lateral portions and medial portion of the posterior region of the tongue, respectively. Two large oval vallate (V) papillae are located in the medial portion of the posterior region of the tongue. In conclusion, the morphology of lingual papillae is useful to determine species relationship among Myotis species. It suggests that the difference of types and number of lingual papillae caused by the difference of food habit.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2004

Purpose : To evaluate whether positron omission tomography (PET) with 2-[F-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-giucose(FDG) can be used to predict of early response to definitive aim radlotherapy (RT) in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck using response rate and locoreglonal control as study endpoints. Materials and Methods : Twenty-two patients with head and neck cancer underwent a FDG-PET study before RT, after a flrst dose of 45 Gy, and after a second dose on more 4han 70 Gy. Standard uptake value (SUV) was calculated for primary tumor (n=22) and neck lymph node (n:10). Attenuation corrected PET scans acquired 60 min after tracer injection were used for evaluation of FDG uptake In tumors. A quantitative FDG uptake index was expressed as Suvlean (corrected for iean body mass). The follow-up time was at least 5 months (range S-1 S months). Results : A total of 22 primary tumors and 10 metastatic lymph nodes were analyzed In FDG-PET. In the first PET study the mean SUVlean the primary tumors and nodes were 5.4 (SD, 2.5) and 4.6 (SD, 2.3), respectively. In the second PET, study peformed after 46 Gy RT the mean SUV in primary tumor and node decreased to 2.9 (SD, 1.9, p<0.001) and 1.7 (SD, 1.3) respectively. in the third PET study peformed at the full dose (more than 70 Gy), RT the mean SUV In the primary tumors and nodes decreased to 2.3 (SD, 1.5, p<0.001) and 1.5 (SD, 1 .1) respectively. Conclusions: FDG uptake In tumors showed a significant decrease after the 45 Gy and more than 70 Gy of RT for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Reduction of metabolic activity after 46 Gy of radiotherapy Is closely correlated with radiation response.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.228-232
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• 2007

Slow-release fertilizers (SRF) have been used to reduce nutrient loss through increasing fertilizer efficiency and to save labor. Several SRFs were developed for rice plant in Korea, but there is few for horticultural crop plants. Two slow-release complex fertilizers, 100T and 150T, which made for controlling nitrogen release time up to 100 and 150 days, respectively, were selected for the incubation test cto evaluate nitrogen (N) release rate in soil. The N of urea selected as the control was completely released within a week after application. Sixty three and 53% of total N were released from 110T and 150T of slow release fertilizers within 8th weeks after application, respectively. For pepper cultivation CF110 and CF150, new slow-release complex fertilizer, were made of mixing 40% of conventional fertilizer and 60% of 110T and 150T, respectively, based on the amount of recommended fertilizer for pepper cultivation $(N-P_2O_5-K_2O=190-112-149\;kg\;ha^{-1})$, and were totally applied before pepper transplanting in the field as the basal fertilizer. Inorganic N $(NH_4^+-N+NO_3^--N)$ concentration in soil was higher in the CF110 treatment than in the control (NPK) at all period of pepper cultivation. In the CF150 treatment concentration of inorganic N in soil was low compared to control up to 8th weeks after transplanting. However, there was no difference in plant height and nutrient content of pepper leave between CF110 treatment and the control. In comparison, plant height was significantly lower in CF150 than the control and CF110 treatments. Around 4% of fresh pepper yield was increased in CF110 compared to the control, but it was decreased to about 2% by CF150 treatment. Conclusively, CF110 form could be recommended as a slow release fertilizer for pepper cultivation.