• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.178-190
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• 2003

Background : The committee of tuberculosis(TB) survey planning for the year 2000 decided to construct the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System (KTBS), based on a doctor's routine reporting method. The successful keys of the KTBS rely on the precision of the recorded TB notification forms. The purpose of this study was to determine that the accuracy of the TB notification form written at a private general hospital given to the corresponding health center and to improve the comprehensiveness of these reporting systems. Materials and Methods : 291 adult TB patients who had been diagnosed from August 2000 to January 2001, were enrolled in this study. The lists of TB notification forms were compared with the medical records and the various laboratory results; case characteristics, history of previous treatment, examinations for diagnosis, site of the TB by the international classification of the disease, and treatment. Results : In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 222 pulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'sputum smear exam' was 76% but that of the 'sputum culture exam' was only 23%. Among the 198 cases of the sputum culture exam labeled 'not examined', 43(21.7%) cases proved to be true 'not examined', 70 cases(35.4%) were proven to be 'culture positive', and 85(43.0%) cases were proven to be 'culture negative'. In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 69 extrapulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'smear exam other than sputum' was 54%. In the list of treatments, the overall concordance rate of the 'type of registration' in the TB notification form was 85%. Among the 246 'new' cases on the TB notification form, 217(88%) cases were true 'new' cases and 13 were proven to be 'relapse', 2 were proven to be 'treatment after failure', one was proven to be 'treatment after default', 12 were proven to be 'transferred-in' and one was proven to be 'chronic'. Among the 204 HREZ prescribed regimen, 172(84.3%) patients were taking the HREZ regimen, and the others were prescribed other drug regimens. Conclusion : Correct recording of the TB notification form at the private sectors is necessary for supporting the effective TB surveillance system in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1079-1087
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• 2013

Speed germination success and robust vegetative growth of citrus rootstock through improved sowing methods and fertilizer inputs offer the usage of root system for the citrus. The current study evaluated the influence of seed coat removal and different fertilizer concentrations on plant germination and plant growth of spontaneous rootstock siblings. Decoated and coated seeds of diploid and tetraploid plants were sown in tubes. Commercial fertilizer concentrations of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and $10g{\cdot}l^{-1}$ were added. The experimental layout followed a randomized block $2{\times}6$ factorial design (seed coat removal ${\times}$ fertilizer concentration) for each rootstock. Fertilizer concentrations were 0, 10, 20 and $30g{\cdot}l^{-1}$ of the fertilizer for the resistance of the strength on the salt level. The germination rate of seeds without testa sown in vitro was improved (67-80%) compared to that of nontreated seeds. The eventual tree height of the seeds without testa in the diploid group was increased due to higher fertilization compared to that in the nontreated group. The removal of seed testa promoted the seed germination of both diploid and tetraploid trifoliate orange and resulted in greater height. Their vegetative development was also increased due to the increased fertilization of the rootstock. The Fv/Fm value for the diploid plants was 0.4 and 0.8 for the tetraploid ones under salt stress after 11 days of treatment. The removal of seed testa may improve the seed germination of trifoliate orange. Tetraploid trifoliate orange appears to possess resistance to salt stress compared to the diploid variety.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.975-991
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• 1997

Background : Many patients with isoniazid and rifampin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis have organisms that are also resistant to other first-line drugs. Despite of aggressive retreatment chemotherapy, the results are often unsuccessful, with a failure rate approaching 40%. Recently, there has been a revival of resectional surgery for the treatment of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods : A retrospective analyses of the case records and radiographic findings were done. Between January 1991 and December 1995, 14 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative patients with multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis were selected for resection to supplement chemotherapy. All patients had organisms resistant to many of the first-line drugs, including both isoniazid and rifampin. Results : Despite of aggressive therapy for median duration of 9.5 months, 12 of the 14 patients (86%) were still sputum smear and/or culture positive at the time of surgery. The disease was generally extensive. Although main lesions of the disease including thick-walled cavities were localized in one lung, lesser amounts of contralateral disease were demonstrated in 10 of 14 (71%). Types of surgery performed were pneumonectomy including extrapleural pneumonectomy in six patients, lobectomy or lobectomy plus in six patients, and segmentectomy in two patients. The resected lung appeared to have poor function ; preoperative perfusion lung scan showed only 4.8% of the total perfusion to the resected portion of the lung. There were no operative deaths. Two patients had major postoperative complications including empyema with bronchopleural fistula and prolonged air leak, respectively. Of the 14 patients, 13 (93%) remained sputum-culture-negative for M. tuberculosis for a median duration of 23 months and one remained continuously sputum smear and culture positive for M. tuberculosis. Conclusion : On the basis of comparison with historical controls, adjunctive resectional surgery appears to play a significant beneficial role in the management of patients with multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis if the disease is localized and there are adequate reserve in pulmonary function.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 1990

Sixty-six patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx were treated with radiation therapy and retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the treatment result in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital between January 1980 and December 1986. There were 42 patients with carcinoma of the tonsil including the fossa and pillar, 9 patients with carcinoma of the base of tongue,12 patients with carcinoma of the soft palate, and 3 patients with carcinoma of the posterior and lateral pharyngeal walls. Considering all oropharyngeal sites of involvement together, response rates for T1, T2, T3, and T4 were 80%, 77%, and 40%, respectively, with a overall response rate of 70%. The response rate for N1, N2, and N3 were 69%, 63%, and 40%, respectively, with the overall regional response rate of 70%. In lower T status, undifferentiated carcinoma and primary tumor arising from the soft palate, higher response rates were obtained. The S year overall and disease-free survival rate were 56%, 55%, respectively. A better prognosis was obtained in early T stage (T1+T2) (p<0.01) and in patients without tumor extension into adjacent structures in carcinomas arising from tonsillar area (p<0.01). Through this study we suggest that, in terms of anatomical and functional preservation, radiation therapy seems to be an effective method for the primary treatment of patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.221-240
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• 1999

1. Purpose of study In the medical science of 'Sasang', a constitutional examination(diagnosis) and a medical treatment are important however a dietary cure is considered as very important at the medical prevention and treatment. But there has been a confusion due to the different view concerning the constitutional foods in between scholars. There it is necessary for us to bring up the theoretical basis of the 'Sasang' constitutional - dietary cure by means of the bibliographical study in relation to a historic, characteristics, efficiency of the major foods. A mellow as called "Baekchejiju" has been used as a source of adding food materials when we make a boiling soup, which is only in Korea but not other countries case. We also studied a hollyhock, a 'Darkpull', a sunflower together with a mellow, because these plants contains a similar characteristics and same chinese word of 'Gue' at their name. At this study we would like to bring up the basis correcting the evil of the misinterpretation to be translated 'Gue' into 'Sunflower', which would be helpful to the current academic circles studied very rarely for the introduction process of sunflower. 2. Method of study We did a comparative study based on not only 'Bonchoseo - original plants book' but also agricultural books, boos of the same kinds and private books. 3. Result of study 1) A mellow has been changed its inscribed name from 'Abushil' to 'A-uk', to 'A-ok', to 'A-uk'. And a winter mellow is called as 'Dol-a-uk' which means the thing is changed a year. 2) The heliotropism of mellow has been used as the symbol of the loyalty and the intelligence. Its meaning has been interpreted expansively engaging with the heliotropism of a hollyhock, a Darkpull, and a sunflower. 3) Once 'Darkpull' had been recognized as 'one day flower'. But after sunflower come, people have confused and misread 'Darkpull' by 'Sunflower'. 4) The first record of sunflower among the existing bibliographical documents is "Chung-jang-gam-chun-seo" (1795). And It is presumed thal the sunflower had introduced in Korea at the early to mid of the eighteen century. 5) The interpretation for mellow has been made s confusion by a several documentary and dictionary record, but should be corrected to be right.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.644-650
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• 2005

Background : Bilateral pulmonary thromboendarterectomy(PTE) is recognized as the definitive treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We investigated the symptomatic, hemodynamic and prognostic effects of PTE in comparison with medical treatment. Methods : Twenty-four patients diagnosed with CTEPH from 1995 to 2003 at the Asan Medical Center were divided into two groups: patients treated with PTE(PTE group, n=12) and those not treated with PTE(Med group, n=12). The serial changes in dyspnea, the tricuspid regurgitation maximal velocity (TRVmax) and survival of the PTE and Med groups were compared retrospectively. Results : In PTE group, during a follow-up period of 1 year, the New York Heart Association(NYHA) functional class significantly improved, while there was no significant improvement in the Med group. PTE significantly lowered the TRVmax from $4.23{\pm}0.54m/sec$ to $3.22{\pm}0.70m/sec$ over a follow up period of 2 years. (p=0.028) However, the TRVmax in the medically treated group did not show any significant improvement, changing from $3.98{\pm}0.68m/sec$ to $4.27{\pm}0.95m/sec$ during 1 year. The 5-year survival of the PTE group was 77.9% compared with 64.3% in the medically treated group. Conclusion : PTE provides substantial long-term improvement in dyspnea and the echocardiographic changes compared with medically treated patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2002

Background : Murine typhus is a flea-borne, worldwide Rickettsial disease caused by Rickettsia typhi. Its symptoms are typically mild but sometimes can be fatal. The major clinical features include fever, rash, and headache. Recently, we experienced 6 cases of ARDS associated with a Rickettsia typhi infection. This study was aimed to analyze the attributing factors for fatal murine typhus and to review the characteristics of the patients who showed acute respiratory distress syndrome as the initial presentation. Methods : The medical records of 15 patients diagnosed as murine typhus were reviewed. The diagnosis was made by single titers of 1:512 or higher, or a 4-fold rise with compatible clinical features. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) was defined according to the American-European Consensus Conference. The Characteristics between the ARDS group and the non-ARDS group of murine typhus were compared. Results : Six patients developed ARDS as their initial presentation. Two of them were women and three of them had lived urban area. None of Them a showed skin rash. One of them expired during treatment. The time lapse until the commencement of the specific treatment, the lower serum albumin level, the higher serum total bilirubin level, the higher APACHE III score and the higher MOD score were significantly associated with the ARDS group compared to the non-ARDS group. Conclusion : Murine typhus should be considered as one of the etiologies for the ARDS of unknown cause, particularly in an endemic regions. ARDS caused by Murine typhus generally has a good prognosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2005

Background : Fluoroquinolone drugs are an important anti-tuberculous agent for the treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. However, many drugs belonging to the fluoroquinolones have different cross resistance to each other. Methods : Sixty-three ofloxacin (OFX) resistant and 10 pan-susceptible M. tuberculosis isolates were selected, and compared for their cross resistance using a proportion method on Lowenstein-Jensen media, containing ofloxacin (OFX), ciprofloxacin (CIP), levofloxacin (LVX), moxifloxacin (MXF), gatifloxacin (GAT) and sparfloxacin (SPX), at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to $3{\mu}g/ml$. DNA extracted from the isolates was directly sequenced after amplifying from the gyrA and gyrB genes. Results : The 63 OFX resistant M. tuberculosis isolates showed complete cross resistance to CIP, but only 90.5, 44.4, 36.5 and 46.0% to LVX, MXF, GAT, and to SPX, respectively. Fifty-one of the isolates (81.0%) had point mutations in codons 88, 90, 91 and 94 in gyrA, which are known to be correlated with OFX resistance. The Gly88Ala, Ala90Valand Asp94Ala mutations in gyrA showed a tendency to be susceptible to MXF, GAT and SPX. Only 4 isolates had mutations in the gyrB gene, which did not affect the OFX resistance. Conclusion : About 60% of the OFX resistant M. tuberculosis isolates were susceptible to GAT, SPX and MXF. These fluoroquinolones may be useful in the treatment of TB patients showing OFX resistance.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2006

Many soil amendments have been used nowadays to improve physical and chmical condition of turf soil, which might ultimately optimize turfgrass growth in golf courses. This study was carried out to Investigate the effects of new organic soil amendment containing pig excreta 50% and sawdust 50% on growth of zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica L.) and kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) in greenhouse. Three applicable treatments with soil mixtures of 10, 20, and 30% (v/v) animal organic soil amendment (AOSA) with sand, were tested for chemical property, physical property, visual quality and root length of zoysiagrass and Kentucky bluegrass. As results, application of $10{\sim}30%$ AOSA mixtures were proper to grow turfgrass in soil nutrition. Especially, the treatment with 20% AOSA mixtures showed 0.7% in organic matter, which meets to green standard of USGA. Also, 30% AOSA mixtures was 1.1% in organic matter, which might be desirable for zoysiagrass-planted golf courses in Korea. It was turned out that addition of AOSA decreased the hydraulic conductivity in soil physical property Because the sand possess high hydraulic conductivity, it is recommended to combine $10{\sim}30%$ AOSA with sand in order to sustain soil balance. The treatment with $10{\sim}30%$ AOSA noticeably increased visual quality of both zoysiagras and Kentucky bluegrass during 90 days. However, treatments with either 20% or 30% AOSA were effective to develop root length of zoysiagrass but treatments with 20% AOSA were more effective than that of 30% AOSA mixtures to promote root length of Kentucky bluegrass at 60 days. In conclusion, considering all vital factors such as visible quality, root growth, organic matter content, and economical efficiency, was taken, it is recommended that a $20{\sim}30%$ mixture of AOSA with sand is good for the growth of zoysiagrass and 20% mixture for Kentucky bluegrass.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.363-368
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• 2007

Purpose : It has been reported that deep neck abscesses are recently increasing again. We analyzed pediatric cases with deep neck abscesses during the last several years to contribute to the treatment of the disease. Methods : The clinical data of 30 children under 16 years of age with deep neck abscess from February 2001 to July 2006 were analysed retrospectively. Results : The mean age was 9 years (2-16 years), and the male/female ratio was 19/11. Abscesses in the peritonsillar space were most common (57%), followed by the retropharyngeal (30%) and parapharyngeal (13%) spaces. Upper respiratory infection in 10 cases (33%), dental infection in four case (14%), cervical lymphadenitis in three case (10%) and sinusitis in two case (6%) contributed to the development of deep neck infections. The frequent symptoms were fever in 16 case (53%), sore throat in 15 case (50%), poor oral intake in 10 (33%), odynophagia in eight (27%), and neck pain in eight (27%). Unilateral tonsillar hypertrophy and displacement in 15 case (50%) were most common. Neck mass in 13 patients (43%), neck stiffness in three (10%) and trismus in three (10%) were also found. Bacteria were isolated in 8 among 10 pus cultures; Streptococcus species 7 and Micrococcus luteus 1. All of those bacteria except Micrococcus luteus were sensitive to penicillin G. Surgical intervention was applied to 12 cases (40%), and the remaining 18 patients (60%) were treated with antibiotics only. There were no differences between the two groups in the duration of admission and antibiotic treatment. No complicated cases were observed. Conclusion : Peritonsillar abscesses were most frequent. Upper respiratory infection was the most common predisposing factor, followed by dental infection and sinusitis. Symptoms of respiratory tract obstruction were not found. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus species. Deep neck abscesses in children, if diagnosed at the early stage, possibly can be treated by antibiotics only, without surgical intervention.