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The Validation of a Commercial Testosterone RIA Test Kits (Testosterone RIA 검사 kit 별 유효성 비교평가)

  • Ryu, Hwa-jin;Shin, Seon-yeong;Cho, Seong-uk
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.38-41
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    • 2022
  • Purpose Testosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized by the Leydig cells of the testes in men, and by the adrenal cortex and ovaries in women. Testosterone production is regulated by luteinzing hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. In this experiment, the effectiveness of testosterone radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits produced by three companies was evaluated and compared in case the production of testosterone kits was stopped or supply problems occurred. Materials and Methods In October 2021, samples were collected from the patients (n=49) who requested the testosterone RIA test. The experiment was conducted by dividing the patient's sample into low concentration (1.0 ng/mL or less), medium concentration (2.0-4.0 ng/mL) and high concentration (6.0 ng/mL or more). The Testosterone RIA test compared and evaluated the validity of Company A kits used in this hospital and those of Company B and C used in other hospitals. The precision, sensitivity, recovery, linearity and correlation were evaluated for each kit. The testosterone RIA test was carried out in accordance with the insert kit manual for each manufacturer. Results As a result of measuring the precision of the intra assay, the Coefficient of Variation (CV) value of the company A kit was high at 11.4% only in the low concentration sample, and in the case of the company B and C kits, the CV value was less than 10% at low, medium, and high concentrations. In the inter-assay precision measurement, the CV value was less than 15% in both A and C kits, but in the case of the B kit, the CV value exceeded 15% at low and medium concentrations. Sensitivity was 0.13 ng/mL for company A, 0.01 ng/mL for company B, and 0.01 ng/mL for company C, and the linearity of all three kits showed excellent linearity. In the case of recovery rate, all of the A, B, and C company kits showed results that were out of 90-110%. In the case of correlation test, when compared with the company A kit currently use in here, the correlation coefficient (R2) value for the company B kit was 0.9508, and for the company C kit was 0.9352 Conclusion As a result, there was a slight difference in precision at the low concentration sample. The correlation test showed an excellent correlation coefficient. However, it was difficult to secure samples of various concentrations because there were not many tests of testosterone requested at this hospital. So, additional experiments should be carried out by acquiring samples of various concentrations on each laboratory later.

Exploration of Contents Composition of High School Earth Science for the 2022 Revised Curriculum: Focus on the Area of Astronomy (2022 개정 교육과정 고등학교 지구과학 내용 구성 방안 탐색 -천문 영역을 중심으로-)

  • Kim, Hyunjong
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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    • v.41 no.6
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    • pp.441-454
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    • 2021
  • In this study, we propose the composition of contents on the area of astronomy for high school Earth Science elective courses for the 2022 revised curriculum based on high school students' perceptions of changes in Earth Science core concepts over the curriculum revisions, and analysis of learning elements in the area of astronomy for domestic and foreign Earth Science curriculum. Four Earth Science education experts compared and analyzed the astronomy contents presented in Korea, the US, British Columbia (BC) in Canada, Japan, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) curriculum. According to the survey results, high school students who answered that they were most interested in the core concepts of astronomy expressed a lot of regret that the contents related to astronomical observation were eliminated from the 2015 revised curriculum. As a result of comparing domestic and foreign curriculum, Korea and IBDP curriculum dealt with the largest amount of learning elements in astronomy. In the case of BC in Canada and IBDP, astronomy was offered as an independent subject, and the curriculums of Japan and Korea dealt with astronomy in the Earth Science subject. According to the results, it is necessary to develop general elective courses in Earth Science with astronomy-related contents with high discriminating power in order to strengthen astronomy education. Since astronomy requires background knowledge from various disciplines and inter-disciplinary learning was required, it is necessary to organize the career-related elective courses in Earth Science so that astronomy can be dealt with according to the knowledge structure of general Astronomy. Based on the research results, ways to organize astronomy contents for Earth Science elective courses were suggested.

Changes in North Korea's Financial System During the Kim Jong-un Era - Based on North Korean Literature (김정은 시대 북한의 금융제도 변화 - 북한 문헌 분석을 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, Minjung;Mun, Sung Min
    • Economic Analysis
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.70-119
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    • 2021
  • This paper analyzes the changes in financial reform during the Kim Jong-un era based on North Korean literature. We find that North Korea has systematically and functionally separated the central bank from commercial banks since the Kim Jong-un era began. In addition, enterprises have been allowed to withdraw cash from bank accounts and make inter-enterprise cash payments. In other words, nowadays non-cash currencies with passive money can partially serve as active money with purchasing power. With the systematic and functional separation of the central bank and the commercial bank, the issuance of the central bank changed to a money supply method through the commercial bank, and changes in the currency distribution structure have allowed commercial bank's credit creation function to be implemented. This means that the banking system and the monetary·payment system of the socialist planned economy are changing in the way of the market economy. Reforms in the financial sector are believed to have been necessary to support changes in the economic system and to restore the function of the public financial sector. These changes have progressed in terms of the level of reform, but they are still considered similar to the period of the former Soviet Union's Perestroika or to the early period of China's reform and opening. Although North Korea's financial reform is superior in terms of enacting the banking law, it is insufficient in terms of realizing the functions of commercial banks. In addition, it is assessed that institutional constraints such as maintaining a planned economy, and the lack of confidence in public finances limit the effectiveness and development of the financial system. It should be noted that these results are based on literature published in North Korea. In other words, there is a limit in the fact that such recent changes have been carried out on a trial basis in some areas, or have been carried out in a full-scale manner with a blueprint, since Kim Jong-un's inauguration.

Reliable Radiologic Parameters to Predict Surgical Management for Clubfoot Treated with the Ponseti Method (Ponseti 방법으로 치료를 시작한 선천성 만곡족 환자에서 수술적 치료 여부를 예측할 수 있는 방사선적 지표)

  • Song, Kwang Soon;Yon, Chang Jin;Lee, Si Wook;Lee, Yong Ho;Um, Sang Hyun;Kwon, Hyuk Jun
    • Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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    • v.54 no.1
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    • pp.59-66
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    • 2019
  • Purpose: Several radiologic reference lines have been used to evaluate individuals with a clubfoot but there is no consensus as to which is most reliable. The aim of this study was to identify which radiologic parameters have relevance to the predictability of additional surgery after Ponseti casting on clubfoot and the effect of clubfoot treatments that contain Ponseti casting and additional surgery. Materials and Methods: A total of 102 clubfeet (65 patients, 37 bilateral) were reviewed from 2005 to 2013. The patients were divided into two groups (Group A, those for whom the result of the Ponseti method was successful and did not require additional surgery; and Group B, those for whom the result of the Ponseti method was unsuccessful and required additional surgery), and the following parameters were measured on the plain radiographs: i) talo-calcaneal angle on the anteroposterior and lateral view, ii) talo-1st metatarsal angle on the anteroposterior view, and iii) Tibio-calcaneal angle on the lateral view with the ankle full-dorsiflexion state. Each radiograph was reviewed on two separate occasions by one orthopedic doctor to characterize the intra-observer reliability, and the averages were analyzed. Next, 20 cases were chosen using a random number table, and two orthopedic doctors measured the angle separately to characterize the interobserver reliability. Results: Groups A and B included 73 clubfeet (71.6%) and 29 clubfeet (28.4%), respectively. The initial talo-calcaneal angle and tibiocalcaneal angle in the lateral view were significantly different among the groups. In addition, inter- and intra-observer biases were not detected. The talo-1st metatarsal angle on the anteroposterior view and tibio-calcaneal angle on the lateral view were significantly different after treatment in both groups. Conclusion: Congenital clubfeet treated with the Ponseti method showed successful results in more than 70% of patients. The initial talocalcaneal angle and tibio-calcaneal angle on the lateral view were the radiologic parameters that could predict the need for additional surgical treatments. The talo-1st metatarsal angle on the anteroposterior view and tibio-calcaneal angle on the lateral view could effectively evaluate the changes in clubfoot after treatment.

Comparison of Dissolved Ammonium Analytical Method in Seawater: Spetrophotometry and Fluorometry (해수 중 용존 암모늄 분석방법 비교: 분광광도법과 형광법)

  • SON, PURENA;PARK, JOONSEONG;RHO, TAEKEUN
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.81-96
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    • 2020
  • Berthlot's reaction spectrophotometric method is generally used for the analysis of dissolved ammonium in seawater, but in recent years, a fluorescence method using an orthophthaldialdehyde-sulfite (OPA) fluorescent reagent is actively used internationally. In this study, we investigated the effects of the detection limit between the analysis methods, the reagent refractive index inherent in the spectrophotometric method, and the use of different calibration curves to understand the cause of the difference in dissolved ammonium concentration (about 0.31 𝜇M) observed in the seawater samples and a nutrient reference material between two institutions (KIOST (spectrophotometric method, one-order linear regression gradient only), Australia CSIRO (fluorescence method, quadratic formula)) conducted onboard the Australian R/V Investigator in 2017. The method detection limit (0.063 𝜇M) and the reagent refractive index background value (0.054 𝜇M) of the spectrophotometric method measured in this study could explain the difference in dissolved ammonium concentration values of the two institutes about 20% and 17%, respectively. However, when the concentration of the calibration curve of the spectrophotometric method was calculated using the same quadratic as the fluorescence method or the slope and intercept of linear regression, the difference in the dissolved ammonium concentration between the two institutions was reduced to less than the detection limit of the spectrophotometric method. Therefore, the difference in the concentration of dissolved ammonium between the two institutions, found in the nutrient reference materials and the seawater field sample during the international onboard nutrient inter-comparison experiment, may be attributed to be the effect of the different calibration curves used in the two methods rather than the effect of the difference in two analytical methods. When comparing the dissolved ammonium data from seawater samples in the future, it is recommended to pay attention to the information on the baseline, number of standard solutions, and calibration curve used in the analysis.

Stress, Social Support and Coping of Adults According to Level of Self-Efficacy (성인의 스트레스, 사회적 지원과 대처: 자기효능감 수준별 분석)

  • Young-Shin Park;Ju-Yeon Son;Ok-Ran Song
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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    • v.23 no.2
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    • pp.295-332
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    • 2017
  • The main purpose of this research is to analyze stress, social support and coping behavior of adults based on their level of self-efficacy. A total of 899 adults (399 male; 500 female), each with a child attending either elementary and secondary school, participated in the study. The inter-rater reliability for the open-ended questionnaire utilized in the study was 93.4%, with a Kappa coefficient of .92. The range of Cronbach α for the variables measured through a quantitative method was .87~.92. The results were as follows: First, the representative responses to the question about their most painful stress experiences were, financial difficulties, child rearing and duties of workplace. The Lower Efficacy group, compared to the Upper Efficacy group, responded much more with financial difficulties related responses. There were significant differences in the level of stress symptoms according to level of self-efficacy. The Lower Efficacy group expressed stronger levels of stress symptoms when compared to the Upper Efficacy group. Second, in terms of social support, the participants responded that they received the most help from their family members, followed by none(self), and friends. When comparing the two efficacy groups, the Upper Efficacy group responded most frequently that they received social support from their family members, whereas the Lower Efficacy group indicated none. There were significant differences in the level of relational conflicts according to the level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group showed much less conflict in parent-child relations, spousal relations and relations with their boss, compared to the Lower Efficacy group. Third, for the type of social support participants received, the most frequent response was emotional support, followed by none, and advice. Relatively, when comparing the two groups with each other, the Lower Efficacy group responded more frequently with none, whereas for the Upper Efficacy group responded more frequently with advice. There were significant differences in the amount of emotional support received according to level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group received much more emotional support from their spouses and their bosses compared to the Lower Efficacy group. Fourth, the most frequently adopted coping style to stress was self-regulation, followed by direct problem solving, and nothing(none). The most frequent response for the Upper Efficacy group was direct problem solving, whereas for the Lower Efficacy group was nothing(none). There was a significant difference in coping efficiency to stress according to level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group coped more efficiently with stress than the Lower Efficacy group.

Growth Characteristics on the Water Temperature, Salinity and Irradiance of the harmful Algae Chattonella ovata Y. Hara et Chihara(Raphidophyceae) Isolated from South Sea, Korea (한국 남해에서 분리한 유해 침편모조류 Chattonella ovata Y. Hara et Chihara의 수온, 염분 및 광량에 대한 성장특성)

  • Noh, Il-Hyeon;Yoon, Yang-Ho;Kim, Dae-Il;Oh, Seok-Jin;Kim, Jong-Deok
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.140-147
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    • 2010
  • We investigated the effects of water temperature, salinity and irradiance on the growth of the harmful algae Chattonella ovata isolated from South Sea, Korea. C. ovata grew under all combinations of water temperatures and salinity, except for all the salinity conditions at the water temperature of $10^{\circ}C$, with the salinity of 7.5 psu and 10 psu at $15^{\circ}C$, and 7.5 psu at $20^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. The maximum specific growth rate was $0.62\;day^{-1}$ at the combination of $30^{\circ}C$ and 30 psu. The results of two-way ANOVA indicated that growth rate depended greatly on the water temperatures while not being affected by interactions with the salinity. This indicates that C. ovata is a stenothermal and euryhaline organism, preferring high water temperatures. C. ovata did not grow at irradiance ${\leq}30\;{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$. Photoinhibition did not occur at $800\;{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$, which was the maximum irradiance used in this study. The irradiance-growth curve was described as $\mu$ = 0.74(I-16.0)/(I+43.9) at $30^{\circ}C$ and 30 psu. The half-saturation light intensity ($K_s$) was $75.9\;{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ and compensation photon flux density ($I_c$) was $16.0\;{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$, especially this value was comparatively lower than those of Skeletonema costatum and other flagellates previously reported. Therefore, our results indicate that C. ovata has advantageous physiological characteristics for interspecific competition at the embayment and coastal areas of Korea in summer.

Determining Spatial and Temporal Variations of Surface Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) using in situ Measurements and Remote Sensing Data in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico during El $Ni\tilde{n}o$ and La $Ni\tilde{n}a$ (현장관측 및 원격탐사 자료를 이용한 북동 멕시코 만에서 El $Ni\tilde{n}o$와 La $Ni\tilde{n}a$ 기간 동안 표층 입자성 유기탄소의 시/공간적 변화 연구)

  • Son, Young-Baek;Gardner, Wilford D.
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.51-61
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    • 2010
  • Surface particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration was measured in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico on 9 cruises from November 1997 to August 2000 to investigate the seasonal and spatial variability related to synchronous remote sensing data (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), and sea surface wind (SSW)) and recorded river discharge data. Surface POC concentrations have higher values (>100 $mg/m^3$) on the inner shelf and near the Mississippi Delta, and decrease across the shelf and slope. The inter-annual variations of surface POC concentrations are relatively higher during 1997 and 1998 (El Nino) than during 1999 and 2000 (La Nina) in the study area. This phenomenon is directly related to the output of Mississippi River and other major rivers, which associated with global climate change such as ENSO events. Although highest river runoff into the northern Gulf of Mexico Coast occurs in early spring and lowest flow in late summer and fall, wide-range POC plumes are observed during the summer cruises and lower concentrations and narrow dispersion of POC during the spring and fall cruises. During the summer seasons, the river discharge remarkably decreases compared to the spring, but increasing temperature causes strong stratification of the water column and increasing buoyancy in near-surface waters. Low-density plumes containing higher POC concentrations extend out over the shelf and slope with spatial patterns and controlled by the Loop Current and eddies, which dominate offshore circulation. Although river discharge is normal or abnormal during the spring and fall seasons, increasing wind stress and decreasing temperature cause vertical mixing, with higher surface POC concentrations confined to the inner shelf.

Diagnostic Performance of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis with the Two-Dimensional Synthesized Mammogram for Suspicious Breast Microcalcifications Compared to Full-Field Digital Mammography in Stereotactic Breast Biopsy (정위적 유방 조직검사 시 미세석회화 의심 병변에서의 디지털 유방단층영상합성법과 전역 디지털 유방촬영술의 진단능 비교)

  • Jiwon Shin;Ok Hee Woo;Hye Seon Shin;Sung Eun Song;Kyu Ran Cho;Bo Kyoung Seo
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.83 no.5
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    • pp.1090-1103
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    • 2022
  • Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic performance of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) with the two-dimensional synthesized mammogram (2DSM), compared to full-field digital mammography (FFDM), for suspicious microcalcifications in the breast ahead of stereotactic biopsy and to assess the diagnostic image visibility of the images. Materials and Methods This retrospective study involved 189 patients with microcalcifications, which were histopathologically verified by stereotactic breast biopsy, who underwent DBT with 2DSM and FFDM between January 8, 2015, and January 20, 2020. Two radiologists assessed all cases of microcalcifications based on Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) independently. They were blinded to the histopathologic outcome and additionally evaluated lesion visibility using a fivepoint scoring scale. Results Overall, the inter-observer agreement was excellent (0.9559). Under the setting of category 4A as negative due to the low possibility of malignancy and to avoid the dilution of malignancy criteria in our study, McNemar tests confirmed no significant difference between the performances of the two modalities in detecting microcalcifications with a high potential for malignancy (4B, 4C, or 5; p = 0.1573); however, the tests showed a significant difference between their performances in detecting microcalcifications with a high potential for benignancy (4A; p = 0.0009). DBT with 2DSM demonstrated superior visibility and diagnostic performance than FFDM in dense breasts. Conclusion DBT with 2DSM is superior to FFDM in terms of total diagnostic accuracy and lesion visibility for benign microcalcifications in dense breasts. This study suggests a promising role for DBT with 2DSM as an accommodating tool for stereotactic biopsy in female with dense breasts and suspicious breast microcalcifications.

Quantification of the Elastic Property of Normal Thigh Muscles Using MR Elastography: Our Initial Experience (자기 공명 탄성 검사를 이용한 대퇴 근육의 탄성도의 정량화: 초기 경험)

  • Junghoon Kim;Jeong Ah Ryu;Juhan Lee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.82 no.6
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    • pp.1556-1564
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    • 2021
  • Purpose This study aimed to apply MR elastography (MRE) to achieve in vivo evaluation of the elastic properties of thigh muscles and validate the feasibility of quantifying the elasticity of normal thigh muscles using MRE. Materials and Methods This prospective study included 10 volunteer subjects [mean age, 32.5 years, (range, 23-45 years)] who reported normal activities of daily living and underwent both T2-weighted axial images and MRE of thigh muscles on the same day. A sequence with a motion-encoding gradient was used in the MRE to map the propagating shear waves in the muscle. Elastic properties were quantified as the shear modulus of the following four thigh muscles at rest; the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, and biceps femoris. Results The mean shear modulus was 0.98 ± 0.32 kPa and 1.00 ± 0.33 kPa for the vastus medialis, 1.10 ± 0.46 kPa and 1.07 ± 0.43 kPa for the vastus lateralis, 0.91 ± 0.41 kPa and 0.93 ± 0.47 kPa for the adductor magnus, and 0.99 ± 0.37 kPa and 0.94 ± 0.32 kPa for the biceps femoris, with reader 1 and 2, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the shear modulus based on sex (p < 0.05). Aging consistently showed a statistically significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) with the shear modulus of the thigh muscles, except for the vastus medialis (p = 0.194 for reader 1 and p = 0.355 for reader 2). Conclusion MRE is a quantitative technique used to measure the elastic properties of individual muscles with excellent inter-observer agreement. Age was consistently significantly negatively correlated with the shear stiffness of muscles, except for the vastus medialis.