• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2009

Purpose: Osteocalcin is also known as the bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) protein (BGP), is noncollagenous bone protein synthesized by osteoblasts. Serum concentrations of Osteocalcin have been used as a biochemical marker of bone turnover. The reference intervals of Osteocalcin is categorized by kit corporation according to the age. However, each laboratory should establish its own reference intervals. In this study, the variation in the serum Osteocalcin level were used to find actual standard age-specific Osteocalcin reference intervals. Materials and Methods: We have selected 864 healthy females aged 20~80 years who visited a health promotion center between Aug. 2007 and Sep. 2008. The Osteocalcin IRMA Kit (OSTEO-RIACT, CIS Bio international, Gif-sur-Yvette, France) was used for the quantification. Each results were analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 statistical software. Results: The analyzed reference intervals of Osteocalcin by using Hoffmann method are from 8.8~39.4 ng/mL to 6.3~28.8 ng/mL for the case of the age from 20 to 30, from 7.7~31.9 ng/mL to 5.9~17.4 ng/mL for the case of the age from 31 to 40, and from 8.0~36.0 ng/mL to 5.5~20.1 ng/mL for the case of the age from 41 to 50, and from 8.0~50.5 ng/mL to 6.7~27.0 ng/mL for the case of the age from 51 to 60, and from 12.9~55.9 ng/mL to 7.5~27.5 ng/mL for the case of the age from 61 to 80. Reference intervals of Osteocalcin were not in agreement with those recommended by the manufacturers. Conclusions: Osteocalcin is used as an indication of metabolic bone diseases. So in our study we wanted to provide reference intervals of Osteocalcin that can be useful to a clinical decisions. Also, previous reference intervals should not be re-used and new intervals should be set by continuous analyzing.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.301-311
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• 1987

The purpose of this study is to analyze degree of geographic maldistribution of physicians and changes in the distributional pattern in Korea over the years 1980-1985. In assessing the degree of disparity in physician distribution and in identifying changes in the distributional pattern, the Gini index of concentration was used. The geographical units selected for computation of the Gini index in this analysis are districts (Gu), cities (Si), and counties (Gun). Locational data for 1980 and 1985 were obtained from the population census data in the Economic Planning Board and regular reports of physicians in the Korean Medical Association. The rates of physicians located counties to whole physicaians were 10.4% in 1980 and 9.6% in 1985. In term of the ratio of physicians per 100,000 population, rural area had 9.18 physicians in 1980 and 12.95 in 1985, 7.13 general practitioner in 1980 and 7.29 in 1955, and 2.05 specialists in 1980 and 5.66 in 1985. Only specialists of genral surgery and preventive medicine were distributed over 10% in county and distribution of every specialists except chest surgery in county increased in 1955, comparing with that rates of 1980. The Gini index computed to measure inequality of physician distribution in 1985 indicate as follows; physicians 0.3466, general practitioners 0.5479, and specialists 0.5092. But the Gini index for physicians and specialists fell -15.40% and -10.42% from 1980 to 1985, indication more even distribution. The changes in the Gini index over the period for specialists from 0.3639 to 0.4542 for districts, from 0.2510 to 0.1949 for cities, and 0.5303 to 0.5868 for counties indicate distributional change of 24.81%, -22.35%, and 10.65% respectively. The Gini indices for specialists of neuro-surgery, chest surgery, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, tuberculosis, preventive medicine, and anatomical pathology in 1985 were higher than Gini indices in 1980.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2006

Objective of this research was to remove the accumulated salts in the plastic film house soils by installing the perforated PVC (${\phi}10cm$) underdrainage pipes at 50 cm depth of soils with cultivating vegetables. Efficiency of the underdrainage pipes was assessed based on the changes of soil chemical properties such as pH, EC, and cations, and growth and yield parameters of the vegetables between the two treatments; the control and the underdrainage pipe treatments. The EC of the underdrainage pipes installed soils after two growing seasons were in the ranges of $1.42-2.88dS\;m^{-1}$ but those of the control were in the ranges of $3.86-4.53dS\;m^{-1}$, indication the underdrainage pipes effectively removed the accumulated salts in soils. The pHs of the control soils and the underdrainage pipe installed soil were in the ranges of 7.2-7.5 and 6.9-7.3, respectively. There was a significant correlation between pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soils ($CEC=17.107{\times}pH-106.2$, $r^2=0.759$, P < 0.05). The ECs of the soils at different depths were compared between the two treatments after cultivating vegetables with lettuce-lettuce-garland chrysanthemum rotation systems. The ECs of the control soils at depths of 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, and 40-50 cm were 3.45, 3.47, 3.03, 2.03, and $2.28dS\;m^{-1}$, respectively, with decreasing with soil depths. On the other hand, the respective ECs of the underdrainage pipes installed soils were 2.43, 2.52, 2.28, 4.00, and $4.23dS\;m^{-1}$ with increasing with soil depths. This might be derived from the salts moved downward with the draining water into the subsoil. The order of cations moved downward was Mg > Ca > K, based on the ratios of cations at specific depth over those at the surface soil. The survival rates of lettuce after 15 days of transplanting in the underdrainage pipe installed soils were 98.2% as compared to 86.6% of the control. The underdrainage pipe treatment also increased the diameter of the lettuce stalk from 12.9mm of the control to 13.7mm. Overall results demonstrated that the installment of the underdrainage pipes in the subsoils of the salt accumulated plastic film house soil effectively removed the salts by leaching downward,resulting in lowering soil EC and enhancing the growth and yield of vegetables.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.517-522
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• 2002

Background: Congenital heart surgery may lead to myocardial swelling and hemodynamic instability. Delayed sternal closure may be beneficial in this setting. The purpose of this study was to assess mortality and mediastinal infection rate associated with delayed sternal closure after congenital heart surgery and to evaluate the risk factors which affect mortality and mediastinal infection rate. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed 40 patients who underwent delayed sternal closure after repair of congenital heart disease at Yonsei Cardiovascular Hospital, from January 1994 to May 2001. In these patients, we assessed the mortality and mediastinal infection rate, and evaluated their risk factors including operation time, bypass time, aortic cross clamp time, duration to sternal closure and postoperative artificial ventilation time. Mediastinal infection was defined to have positive culture in mediastinum. Result: Hemodynamic instability was the most common indication for delayed sternal closure(n=36) and other indications included postoperative bleeding(n=2) and conduit compression(n=2). The median age at operation was $14.4{\pm}33.4$months old(range, 2days-12years). The patients with postoperative bleeding and conduit compression were much older than the others. The sternum was left open for $4.5{\pm}3.4$ days(range, 1-20days). Overall mortality was 25%(10/40) and mediastinal infection occured in 24.3%(9/37) (3 patients were excluded in mediastinal infection for early death). In risk factor analyses, only aortic cross clamp time had statistical significance for mortality in univariate analyses. However, multivariate analyses revealed that there were no significant predictors for risk of mortality and mediastinal infection. Conclusion: Delayed sternal closure after repair of congenital cardiac disease had relatively high mortality and mediastinal infection rate. But, in patients with hemodynamic instability, postoperative bleeding and conduit compression after repair of congenital cardiac disease, delayed sternal closure may be an effective life saving method.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.7 s.264
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• pp.544-548
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• 2006

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity of a combined high saphenous vein division and sclerotherapy without sacrificing saphenous vein for varicose vein. Material and Method: Between August 2004 and October 2005, 70 limbs in 50 patients were treated by a combined high saphenous vein division and sclero-therapy. The operative indication is valvular incompetence of femoral-saphenous or popliteal-saphenous junction. Patients received local anesthesia and were treated by a combined high saphenous vein division, ligation of incompetent perforating vein and $1{\sim}3%$ sclerosant. Patients received 1 day hospitalization and applied in com-pression stocking for 6 weeks. Patients followed after 1 week, 1 and 3 months. Result: Mean age of patients was $50{\pm}11$. The female was more common. 8 patients was no symptom, another 42 patients complained of pain, heaviness and fatigue of limbs. The symptoms of varicose vein disappeared 1 month after the procedure in all symptomatic patients. 8 patients needed a adjuvant sclerotherapy for residual varicose vein on 1 week after the procedure. There were only minor complications such as hematoma (1), wound infection (1), thrombophlebitis (20), skin blister (10), hyper-pigmentation (1), and skin ulcer (1). Conclusion: We concluded that a combined high saphenous vein division and sclerotherapy without sacrificing saphenous vein for varicose vein is simple, less invasive, economical, and effective treatment for primary varicose vein, and it has a special advantage that saphenous vein can be used as a bypass conduit later. The method was selective in old aged patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5299-5302
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• 2012

Purpose: To investigate the diet of patients with cervical cancer and precancerosis in the Wufeng area, a high-incidence region in China. Methods: In the case group, 104 patients diagnosed with cervical cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINII/III) were recruited from the Wufeng area. Nine hundred thirty-six healthy women were selected from the same area as the matched controls. A questionnaire, which included questions about general lifestyle conditions, smoking and alcohol status, source of drinking water, green tea intake, and diet in the past year, was presented to all participants. Results: Green tea intake (P=0.022, OR=0.551, 95% CI=0.330-0.919) and vegetable intake (P=0.035, OR=0.896, 95% CI=0.809-0.993) were identified as protective factors against cervical cancer or CINII/III. There was no indication of any associations of other lifestyle factors (smoking status, alcohol status, source of drinking water) or diet (intake of fruit, meat/egg/milk, soybean food, onion/garlic, staple food and pickled food) with cervical cancer. Conclusions: The results suggest that eating more fresh vegetables and drinking more green tea may help to reduce the risk of cervical cancer or CINII/III in people of the Wufeng area.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the results of subtalar arthroscopy and to define the indications for the procedure. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients were followed up for more than 1 year after subtalar arthroscopy. The mean age was 40 years, and the mean follow-up period was 18 months. Preoperative diagnoses included sinus tarsi syndrome in 19 cases, degenerative arthritis in 13 cases, calcaneal fracture in 10 cases, arthrofibrosis in 5 cases, os trigonum syndrome in 3 cases, talar fracture in 3 cases, talocalcaneal coalition in 3 cases and calcaneal tumor in 1 case. Clinically AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale and satisfaction of the patients were evaluated. Results: There were 23 synovectomies, 13 subtalar fusions, 11 diagnostic arthroscopies, 5 adhesiolyses, 4 loose body removals, 3 excisions of os trigonum and 1 arthroscopic reduction of fracture. Twenty-five ankle arthroscopies and 11 modified Brostrom's operations were performed for the accompaning 17 ankle impingment syndromes, 11 chronic ankle instabilities and 7 osteochondral lesions of talus. AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale was increased from 33 points preoperatively to 77 points postoperatively in subtalar fusion group, and was increased from 69 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively in other-than-fusion group. Ninety one percent of patients were satisfied with the procedures. There were no serious complications related to the subtalar arthroscopy. Conclusion: Subtalar arthroscopy appears to be safe and highly accurate procedure for subtalar pathology, although it requires technical expertise.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.224-230
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• 2006

Microbial contamination levels and legal preservative appropriation in child foods sampled from the neighborhood of elementary schools were investigated. Contamination levels of total aerobic bacteria in seasoned dried fish slices, bread and snacks, sausages, sugar products and dumplings were $1.70\~6.91,\;1.40\~6.66$, 4.50, $3.48\~5.88$, and $4.79\~4.82\;log_{10}$ CFU/g, respectively. Coliforms in four kinds of foods except for dumplings were $2.30\~6.60,\;4.22\~~5.98$, 2.00, and $2.78\;log_{10}$ CFU/g, respectively. Yeasts and molds in those foods were $0.10\~4.23,\;1.66\~4.91,\;1.46\~1.91,\;1.56\~4.26$, and $1.12\~1.84\;log_{10}$ CFU/g, respectively. S. aureus was isolated in $18\%$ of seasoned dried fish slices ($1.00\~2.84\;log_{10}$ CFU/g), $33\%$ of bread and snacks ($1.70\~1.79\;log_{10}$ CFU/g), $50\%$ of sausages ($3.28\;log_{10}$ CFU/g), $22\%$ of sugar products ($2.16\~2.88\;log_{10}$ CFU/g), and $100\%$ of dumplings $(1.18\~3.31\;log_{10}\;CFU/g)$ B. cereus was isolated in $21\%$ of seasoned dried fish slices $(0.70\~2.48\;log_{10}\;CFU/g)$, $50\%$ of bread and snacks $(0.70\;log_{10}\;CFU/g)$, and $11\%$ of sugar products $(0.30\;log_{10}\;CFU/g)$. Both E. coli and Salmonella spp. were not isolated in all samples. Preservative was only labeled on four products among 15 products but preservative on 13 products including 4 products haying an indication of preservative were not detected. Moreover, $0.30\%$ of sorbic acid was detected in one of Squid products . The results of this study indicated that the hygienic level of child foods in Gyeonggi and Incheon was very poor and need to be improved.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.32-37
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• 2005

The soil properties of the royal tombs (managed by cultural properties administration) located in Seoul and suburban Gyonggi area were investigated to see the influence of the change in soil environment on the royal tomb s이I. To compare the soil chemical properties of four royal tombs soil of Changdeokgung, Jongmyo, Seooneung, and Dongguneung, pH, organic content, available phosphate, extractable calcium, extractable potassium, extractable magnesium, cation exchange capacity, degree of base saturation, and total nitrogen content were measured. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Cu measured as the degree of heavy metal contamination can be an indication of atmospheric pollution in the soil environment. To estimate the degree of soil compaction, soil hardness, pore space, porosity, bulk density, and soil atmosphere were analyzed. Through these studies, following conclusions were made: 1. The soil hardness and pore space which can be used as indexes of soil compaction, were worse in the soil of Seooneung than in those of Changdeokgung and Dongguneury. These phenomena seem to be the result of increase in visitors in Seooneung and Dongguneung better and soil management in Changdeokgung and Dongguneung. When three different regions of forest area, prohibited area, and soil compaction area in Seooneung soil were compared, the degree of compaction in the forest area was less than compaction area, indicating the need for the employment of soil resting period in the compaction area. 2. The pH measurements of all four royal tombs soil were higher in top soil than sub soil. The higher soil pH values in Jongmyo and Seooneung seem to result from the application of soil conditioner. In the case of Seooneung, the values for soil pH and organic content were higher in the forest area than those in compaction area. It is thought that active soil management was employed in the forest area through application of organic matters and soil conditioners. 3. The heavy metal contents from soil of Changdeokgung and Jongmyo were higher than that from soil of Dongguneung. Since Changdeokgung and Jongmyo are located inside Seoul, it is thought that the high level of heavy metal concentrations in these royal tomb soil is the result of accumulation of pollutants from the city.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 1997

Purpose : The kidney is one of the most common sites of cyst formation. Cystic diseases of the kidney are a diverse group of clinicopathologic entities and variable prognosis. They span a wide range of both age of presentation and severity of the renal disease. And many of them are systemic disorders, sharing similar process of cyst formation in other organs. Recently, development of imaging studies has been contributing widely to the diagnosis of the diseases. Treatment, however, is not established satisfactorily. We performed this study to evaluate the occurrence and treatment of cystic diseases of the kidney. Methods : We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 44 patients with cystic diseases of the kidney in the Department of Pediatrics, during last 11 years. Results : In the 44 patients with cystic diseases of the kidney, 31 patients(71%) had multicystic dysplastic kidney and 11(35%) of them received nephrectomy due to differentiation from neoplasms or severe abdominal distension. Seven patients(16%) had polycystic kidney disease, and all of them were infantile type. Five patients(11%) were diagnosed as having a simple renal cysts. Progression to renal failure was noted in none of the cases. In 14(32%) out of total 44 patients, the diagnosis was made in neonatal or infantile pelted. Conclusion : The incidence of cystic diseases of the kidney appeared very low, but further investigation on their pathogenesis, classification, and indication of treatment is needed.