• Title/Summary/Keyword: Mean-Value-Function

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Application of The Semi-Distributed Hydrological Model(TOPMODEL) for Prediction of Discharge at the Deciduous and Coniferous Forest Catchments in Gwangneung, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea (경기도(京畿道) 광릉(光陵)의 활엽수림(闊葉樹林)과 침엽수림(針葉樹林) 유역(流域)의 유출량(流出量) 산정(算定)을 위한 준분포형(準分布型) 수문모형(水文模型)(TOPMODEL)의 적용(適用))

  • Kim, Kyongha;Jeong, Yongho;Park, Jaehyeon
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.90 no.2
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    • pp.197-209
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    • 2001
  • TOPMODEL, semi-distributed hydrological model, is frequently applied to predict the amount of discharge, main flow pathways and water quality in a forested catchment, especially in a spatial dimension. TOPMODEL is a kind of conceptual model, not physical one. The main concept of TOPMODEL is constituted by the topographic index and soil transmissivity. Two components can be used for predicting the surface and subsurface contributing area. This study is conducted for the validation of applicability of TOPMODEL at small forested catchments in Korea. The experimental area is located at Gwangneung forest operated by Korea Forest Research Institute, Gyeonggi-do near Seoul metropolitan. Two study catchments in this area have been working since 1979 ; one is the natural mature deciduous forest(22.0 ha) about 80 years old and the other is the planted young coniferous forest(13.6 ha) about 22 years old. The data collected during the two events in July 1995 and June 2000 at the mature deciduous forest and the three events in July 1995 and 1999, August 2000 at the young coniferous forest were used as the observed data set, respectively. The topographic index was calculated using $10m{\times}10m$ resolution raster digital elevation map(DEM). The distribution of the topographic index ranged from 2.6 to 11.1 at the deciduous and 2.7 to 16.0 at the coniferous catchment. The result of the optimization using the forecasting efficiency as the objective function showed that the model parameter, m and the mean catchment value of surface saturated transmissivity, $lnT_0$ had a high sensitivity. The values of the optimized parameters for m and InT_0 were 0.034 and 0.038; 8.672 and 9.475 at the deciduous and 0.031, 0.032 and 0.033; 5.969, 7.129 and 7.575 at the coniferous catchment, respectively. The forecasting efficiencies resulted from the simulation using the optimized parameter were comparatively high ; 0.958 and 0.909 at the deciduous and 0.825, 0.922 and 0.961 at the coniferous catchment. The observed and simulated hyeto-hydrograph shoed that the time of lag to peak coincided well. Though the total runoff and peakflow of some events showed a discrepancy between the observed and simulated output, TOPMODEL could overall predict a hydrologic output at the estimation error less than 10 %. Therefore, TOPMODEL is useful tool for the prediction of runoff at an ungaged forested catchment in Korea.

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The Ross Procedure in Pediatric Patients: 10 Years Experience at the Asan Medical Center (소아 환자에서 Ross 수술 성적 보고: 아산병원 10년 경험)

  • Kim, Hee-Jung;Seo, Dong-Man;Yun, Tae-Jin;Park, Jeong-Jun;Park, In-Sook;Kim, Young-Hwue;Ko, Jae-Kon
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.42 no.3
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    • pp.305-310
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    • 2009
  • Background: The Ross procedure is known as a good surgical option for a young age group with aortic valve problems, but few reports on the Ross procedure are available in the Korean literature. This study is a review of our midterm results of 10 year experience with the pediatric Ross operation in Asan Medical Center. Material and Method: From March 1997 to October 2008, eighteen patients who were aged less than 16 years underwent the Ross procedure. There were 11 males and 7 females. The patients median age was 8.5 years (range: $0.5\sim14.0$). The aortic valve pathophysiology was 6 patients with aortic insufficiency, 4 patients with aortic stenosis, 7 patients with mixed aortic stenoinsufficiencey and 1 patient with infective endocarditis. The valve morphology was bicuspid in 11 and tricuspid in 7. All the patients were operated on with the root replacement technique. All the pumonic valves were replaced with an allograft except for one pericardial monocusp valve. The mean follow up duration was 52.8 months (range: 5.8$\sim$138.2 months). We reviewed the echocardiographic data with focusing on the, auto-graft dysfunction and reoperation. Result: There was no hospital mortality and late mortality. According to the last echocardiographic data, 2 autografts showed aortic regurgitation grade 2, 4 autografts showed aortic regurgitation grade 1 and the others were less than trivial. Reoperation of the pulmonic position conduit was performed 4 times in three patients. The rate of freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 72.2%. On the serial follow up, the Z-values of the aortic annulus/aortic sinus were changed from $1.6{\pm}1.7/0.9{\pm}1.7$ at preoperation to $1.8{\pm}1.6$(p=0.64)/$2.2{\pm}0.9$ (p=0.01) at the last follow-up. There was no significant relation between the growth of the neoaortic root and neoaortic insufficiency. Conclusion: Our midterm results of the Ross procedure in pediatric patients showed good autograft function and growth potential. Vet reoperation due to allograft dysfunction was a major concern.

Influence of bearing surface angle of abutment screw on mechanical stability of joint in the conical seal design implant system (내부 원추형 연결형태 임플란트에서 지대주 나사머리의 좌면각도가 연결부 기계적 안정성에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Joo-Hyeun;Huh, Jung-Bo;Yun, Mi-Jung;Kang, Eun-Sook;Heo, Jae-Chan;Jeong, Chang-Mo
    • Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.206-214
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    • 2014
  • This study is to evaluate how different bearing surface angles of abutment screw affect the mechanical stability of the joint in the conical seal design implant system. Materials and Methods: Internal connection type regular implants, two-piece cemented type abutments and tungsten carbide/carbon-coated titanium alloy abutment screws were selected. Titanium alloy screws with conical ($45^{\circ}$) and flat ($90^{\circ}$) head designs which fit on to abutment were fabricated. The abutments were tightened to implants with 30 Ncm by digital torque gauge. The loading was applied once to the central axis of abutment. The mean axial displacement was measured using micrometer before and after the tightening and loading (n = 5). The abutment was tightened to implants with 30 Ncm and T-shape stainless steel crown was cemented. Then the change in the amount of reverse-torque was measured after the repeated loading to the central axis, and the place 5 mm away from the central axis. Compressive bending and fatigue strength were measured at the place 5 mm away from the central axis (n = 5). Results: Both groups showed the largest axial displacement when abutment screw tightening and total displacement was greater in the flat head group compared to conical head group (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in reverse torque value, compressive bending and fatigue strength (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the abutment screw head design had no effect on two groups regarding the joint stability, however the conical head design affected the settlement of abutment resulting in the reduced total displacement.

Some General Characteristics of the Abstracting Journals Published in Korea (한국초록집의 특성)

  • 최성진
    • Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.5-22
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    • 1994
  • This paper attempts to define some general characteristics of the Abstracting Journals published in Korea as evidenced in those published during last ten years. This purpose is achieved by comparing the results of the two studies conducted by the author in 1984 and in 1994. Both studies were conducted to present the state of the art in the abstracting services in Korea. The major conclusions made in this paper are summarised as follows: (1) Researchers and professionals working in a small number of subject fields are benefited by the abstracting journals, which provide current-awareness services of recent achievements in research and development in Korea. Those in most of the fields have no abstracting journals of their own, and naturally they have no substantial abstract-ing services. Even many researchers and professionals in the fields that have some abstracting journals are not informed of research results in their fields because the abstracting journals are scattered in many narrow subjects and in many cases, the abstracting journals only cover publications in some specific forms and kinds. (2) Abstracting journals that cover more than two subject fields, which are supposed to be of more or less help to the researchers and professionals in the subject fields that have no abstracting journals published in their fields, have rapidly increased in number in the past ten years. Most of suh abstracting journals carry thesis and dissertation abstracts, and the rest, those of research papers published in specific places, in specific forms, by specific institutions, and of reports of research projects sponsored by specific foundations. These abstracting journals are not of the kind that comprehensively provide researchers in related fields with current awareness of publications of research results in Korea. (3) Most of the abstracting Journals existing in Korea are Published by institutions of higher education and research institutes, and the rest, by commercial publishers, industrial firms, libraries, information centres, government agencies, research foundations, learned societies, etc. Those which publish many titles are small in number and those publish one or two titles are large in number. The former is largely made up of institutions of higher education and research institutes. (4) The abstracting journals published in Korea are classified by type into those of dissertations, research papers, journal articles, patent specifications in that descending order. The fact that Master; and doctoral dissertation abstracts ate dominating in Korea is due to the irrational practice of publishing those abstracts at many different institutions. (5) Most of the abstracting journals existing in Korea are published by national or government-supported research institutes in order to publicise their own research outputs. Their coverage of literature is normally narrow, and naturally their value to users is limited. (6) Korean is the desirable language for the abstracting journals intended to be distributed within Korea. About half of the abstracting jornals published in Korea is printed in Korean and the other half, in foreign languages, and in Korean and in foreign languages together. All the abstracting journals in foreign languages are printed in English except one, which is printed in Japanese. (7) Some twenty per cent of the abstracting journals in Korea is published monthly, bimonthly, and quarterly. The others are published annually, biannually and irregularly. The latter may not function properly as a current-awareness tool due to long intervals between their issues. It is particularly undesirable that about half of the abstracting journals in Korea is published irregularly. Most of the abstracting journals published in Korea are distributed freely to individuals and institutions selected by the publishers. (8) The abstracting journals published by the use of computers increased drastically in the past ten years. The abstracting journals produced by the conventional type-setting method will possibly disappear in Korea in another ten years to come. Automation of the production of abstracting journals does not simply mean technical, economic improvement in publishing processes but availability of machine-readable databases that can be used for many other pur-poses, including generation of other bibliographical publications and provision of machine literature searching capabilities. Necessary steps should be taken for this important development immediately.

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A Study on the Positive Emotional Effects on Heart Rate Variability - Focused on Effects of '2002 FIFA World Cup' Sports Event on Emotion and General Health of Korean People - (긍정적 감성경험에 의한 심박변이도의 변화에 대한 연구 - 2002 한일 월드컵 행사가 한국의 국민 정서와 건강에 미친 영향을 중심으로 -)

  • Jeong Kee-Sam;Lee Byung-Chae;Choi Whan-Seok;Kim Bom-Taeck;Woo Jong-Min;Lee Kwae-Hi;Kim Min
    • Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.111-118
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of the positive menial stress, eustress, on autonomic nervous system(ANS) and human health. For this, we analyzed heart rate variability(HRV) parameters, the most promising markers of ANS function to assess the changes of emotional and physiological states of human body. We measured HRV Signal of World Cup group(281 male subjects: $29.8{\pm}5.6yr$., 187 female subjects: $29.0{\pm}5.4yr$.) in two stadiums at least an hour before the game during '2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan' event. We also measured control group's(331 male subjects: $30.9{\pm}4.7 yr$., 344 female subjects: $30.2{\pm}5.2 yr$.) in the health promotion centers in two university hospitals at least a month before and after the world cup event period. Considering physiological differences between males and females, the data analysis was applied to 'male group' and 'female group' separately. As a result, some tendency was observed that is different from what we have known as the stress reaction. In general, all parameter values except that of mean heart rate tend to decrease under stressed condition. However, under eustressed condition, both heart rate and standard deviation of the Normal to Normal intervals(SDNN) were higher then those of normal condition(p<0.05). Especially, in case of female group, contrary to distressed condition, every frequency-domain powers showed tile higher value(p<0.05, p<0.001). Considering that decrease of HRV indicates the loss of one's health, the increase of SDNN and frequency parameters means that homeostasis control mechanism of ANS is functioning positively. Accordingly, induction of eustress from international sports event may affect positively to the people's health.

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Abstracting Services in Korea (한국의 초록서비스에 대하여)

  • Choi Sung-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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    • v.24
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    • pp.9-51
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    • 1993
  • The purpose of this study is twofold: to investigate into general characteristics of the abstracting services in Korea and to discuss general directions of development of the abstracting services in the country. This study is designed to achieve the purpose by gathering and analysing data related to the abstracting journals published in the past ten years and by comparing the results with similar data gathered by the investigator in 1984. The major conclusions made in this study is summarised as follows. (1) Researchers and professionals working in limited numbers of subject fields are benefited by abstracting services of recent achievements in research and development in Korea. Those in most of the fields have essentially no abstracting services of such achievements. Even many researchers and professionals in the limited numbers of the fields that have some elementary abstracting services are not informed of research results in their fields because the abstracting journals are scattered in many narrow subjects and in many cases, the abstracting journals only cover publications in some specific forms and kinds. (2) Abstracting journals of general subjects, which are supposed to be of more or less help to the researchers in the subject fields that have no abstracting journals of their own, have rapidly increased in number in the past ten years. Most of such abstracting journals carry thesis and dissertation abstracts, and the rest those of research papers published in specific places, in specific forms, by specific institutes, and of reports of research projects sponsored by specific foundations. These abstracting journals are not of the kind that comprehensively provide general readers with current awareness of publications of research results in Korea. (3) Most of the abstracting journals existing in Korea are published by institutions of higher education and research institutes, and the rest by commercial publishers, industrial firms, libraries, information centers, government agencies, research foundations, learned societies, etc. Those which publish many titles are small in number and those publish one or two titles are large in number. The former is largely made up of institutions of higher education and research institutes. (4) Ten years ago, there was not a single publishing house that produced abstracting journals. Three commercial publishing houses now produce abstracting journals. As this change occurs, centers of excellence are founded and competitive elements are introduced in abstracting services. This change, in turn, is expected to improve quality of the other abstracting journals in Korea. (5) The abstracting journals published in Korea are classified by type into those of dissertations, research papers, journal articles, patent specifications in that descending order. The fact that Master's and doctoral dissertation abstracts are dominating in Korea is due to the irrational practice of publishing those abstracts at many institutions. (6) Most of the abstracting journals existing in Korea are published by national or government-supported research institutes in order to publicise their own research outputs. Their coverage of literature is normally narrow, and naturally their value to users is limited. (7) The abstracting journals published in Korea increased in number at the rate of $77.8-100\%$ every five years in the past twenty-five years. Most of the abstracting journals that ceased to be published during the period survived for two years. (8) Korean is the desirable language for the abstracting journals designed to be distributed within Korea. About half of the abstracting journals published in Korea is printed in Korean and the other half in foreign languages, and in Korean with foreign languages. All the abstracting journals in foreign languages are printed in English xcept one, which is printed in Japanese. (9) Some twenty percent of the abstracting journals in Korea is published monthly, bimonthly, and quarterly. Others are published annually, biannually, and irregularly. The latter may not function properly as a current-awareness tool due to long intervals between their issues. It is particularly undesirable that about half of the abstracting journals in Korea is published irregularly. Most of the abstracting journals published in Korea are distributed freely to individuals and institutions selected by the publishers. (10) The abstracting journals published by the use of computers increased drastically in the past ten years. The abstracting journals produced by the conventional type-setting method will probably disappear In Korea in another ten years to come. Automation of the production of abstracting journals does not simply mean technical, economic improvement of publishing processes but availability of machine-readable databases that can be used for other purposes, including the generation of other publications and the provision of machine literature searching capabilities. Necessary steps should be taken for this important development that is occurring in the abstracting services in Korea.

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An Evaluation of the Accuracy of Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter (mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter에 의한 PEFR 측정의 정확도)

  • Koh, Young-Il;Choi, In-Seon;Na, Hyun-Ju;Park, Seok-Chae;Jang, An-Soo
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.2
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    • pp.298-308
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    • 1997
  • Background : Portable devices for measuring peak expiratory flow(PEF) are now of proved value in the diagnosis and management of asthma and many lightweight PEF meters have become available. However, it is necessary to determine whether peak expiratory flow rate(PEFR) measurements measured with peak flowmeters is accurate and reproducible for clinical application. The aim of the present study is to define accuracy, agreement, and precision of mini-Wright peak flow meter(MPFM) against standard pneumotachygraph. Methods : The lung function tests by standard pneumotachygraph and PEFR measurement by MPFM were performed in a random order for 2 hours in 22 normal and 17 asthmatic subjects and also were performed for 3 successive days in 22 normals. Results : The PEFR measured with MPFM was significantly related to the PEFR and $FEV_1$ measured with standard pneumotachygraph in normal and asthmatics(for PEFR, r = 0.92 ; p < 0.001 ; for $FEV_1$, r = 0.78 ; p < 0.001). The accuracy of MPFM was within 100(limits of accuracy recommeded by NAEP) in all the subjects or 22 normal, mean difference from standard pneumotachygraph being 16.5L/min(percentage of difference being 2.90%) or 10.6L/min(percentage of difference being 1.75%), respectively. According to the method proposed by Bland and Altman, the 95% limits of the distribution of differences between MPFM and standard pneumotachygraph after correction of PEFR using our regression equation were +38.2 and -71.5L/min in all the subjects or 20.49~+9.49L/min in 22 normal and was similar to the intraindividual agreements for 3 successive days in normal. There was no statistically significant difference of PEFR measured with MPFM and standard pneumotachygraph among three days(p > 0.05) and the coefficient of variation($2.4{\pm}1.2%$) of PEFR measured with MPFM was significantly lower than that($5.2{\pm}3.5%$) with standard pneumotachygraph in normal (p < 0.05). Conclusion : This results suggest that the MPFM was as accurate and reproducible as standard pneumotachygraph for monitoring of PEFR in the asthmatic subjects.

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A Study on the Influence of Finishing and Polishing Methods on the Gap between Denture Base Resin and Soft Liner (의치의 마무리와 연마법이 의치상 레진과 연성 이장재 간의 공극에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Jung, Seung-Hwan;Lee, Joon-Seok
    • Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.325-335
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    • 2008
  • The junction between resilient denture liner and the denture base is difficult to finish and polish due to difference of the physical property of the materials. Gaps tend to be formed during finishing and polishing procedures. The purpose of this study was measuring the width of junctional gap between $Molloplast-B^{(R)}$ and denture base material after finishing and polishing procedure, and evaluating the effect of method and direction on gap width. $Molloplast-B^{(R)}$ was processed (according to the manufacturer's instruction) against Lucitone $199^{(R)}$ acrylic resin. 50 specimens were fabricated with a raised center section. All of specimens were examined and photographed with a stereoscopic microscope(x120), and the largest gap along the junction of $Molloplast-B^{(R)}$ and acrylic resin on each specimen was measured. One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) and independent t-test at 95% confidence level were used to analyze the data and to compare groups. The results of this study were as follows. In comparison with finishing tools, the gap width was the largest in $Molloplast^{(R)}$-Cutter and the smallest in FSQ-cross cut bur. There was statistically significant difference between FSQ-cross cut bur and $Molloplast^{(R)}$-Cutter(p<0.05). There was no significant difference in gap width between the direction of polishing. The mean value of gap width was the smallest in case of no polishing, and the largest in case of polishing with pumice & tin oxide. There was statistically significant difference between pumice and pumice & tin oxide. From the results, it is concluded that the use of $Molloplast^{(R)}$-Cutter in clinic need serious consideration even though it has good cutting ability. Further careful study is needed for finishing and polishing methods for decreasing gap width in junction of two materials.

Lung Uptake of $^{99m}Tc-sestamibi$ during Routine Gated Exercise SPECT Imaging : Comparison with Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Severity of Perfusion Defect (일상적인 운동 부하 게이트 심근 관류 SPECT에서 $^{99m}Tc-sestamibi$ 폐섭취 : 좌심실 구혈률과 관류 결손 정도와의 비교)

  • Jeong, Shin-Young;Lee, Jae-Tae;Bae, Jin-Ho;Ahn, Byeong-Cheol;Lee, Kyu-Bo
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.83-93
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    • 2003
  • Background: Lung-to-heart uptake ratio (LHR) in $^{201}Tl-chloride$ myocardial perfusion scan is believed to be a reliable marker for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, but the clinical value of LHR is controversial for $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ imaging. Furthermore, most of results suggesting lung uptake of $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ as a potential marker for LV dysfunction used immediate post-stress images, instead of routine images acquired 1 hour after tracer injection. The goal of our study was to investigate whether LHR evaluated with routine gated $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ imaging can reflect the degree of perfusion defect or left ventricular performance. Subjects and Methods: 241 patients underwent exercise $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ myocardial SPECT were classified into normal myocardial perfusion (NP, n=135) and abnormal myocardial perfusion (AP, n=106) group according to the presence of perfusion defect. LHR was calculated from anterior projection image taken at 1-hour after injection. Two legions of interest (ROIs) were placed on left lung above LV and on myocardium showing the highest radioactivity. Subjects were classified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as Gr-I: >50%, Gr-II: 36-50%, Gr-III: <36% and by summed stress score (SSS), as Gr-A: <4, Gr-B: 4-8, Gr-C: 9-13, Gr-D: >13, LHR was compared among these groups. Results: In NP group(n=135), LHR, were higher in men than women ($men:\;0.311{\pm}0.03,\;women:\;0.296{\pm}0.03,\;p<0.05$). Significant difference, in LHR were found between NP and AP groups both for men and women ($men:\;0.311{\pm}0.03\;vs\;.\;0.331{\pm}0.06,\;women:\;0.296{\pm}0.03\;vs.\;0.321{\pm}0.07.\;p<0.05$). There were weak negative correlation between LHR and LVEF (r=-0.342, p<0.05) and weak positive correlation between LHR and SSS (r=0.478, p<0.05) in men, but not in women (LVEF: r=-0.279, p=0.100, SSS: r=0.276, p=0.103). Increased LHR was defined when for more than mean + 2SD value ($men{\geq}0.38,\;women{\geq}0.37$) of the LHR of the subject with normal perfusion. Increased LHR were observed more frequently in subjects with lower LVEF (Gr-I: 11.1%, Gr-II: 27.0%, Gr-III: 35.4%, p<0.05) and higher SSS(Gr-A: 14.0%, Gr-B: 5.7%, Gr-C: 18.2%, Gr-D: 40.7%, p<0.05). Conclusions: LHRs obtained from routine $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ gated SPECT images were weakly correlated with LVEF and perfusion defect. Although significant overlaps were observed between normal and abnormal perfusion group, LHRs could be used as an indirect marker of severe perfusion defect or reduced left ventricular function.

The Effect of Glucocorticoid on the Change of Nitric Oxide and Cytokine Levels in Induced Sputum from Patients with Bronchial Asthma (기관지 천식 환자에서 부신피질 스테로이드 투여 전후 유도객담내 Nitric Oxide 및 Cytokine의 변화)

  • Kim, Tae-Yon;Yoon, Hyeong-Kyu;Choi, Young-Mee;Lee, Sook-Young;Kwon, Soon-Seog;Kim, Young-Kyoon;Kim, Kwan-Hyoung;Moon, Hwa-Sik;Park, Sung-Hak;Song, Jeong-Sup
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.48 no.6
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    • pp.922-931
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    • 2000
  • Background : It has been well known that bronchia1 asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disorder. Recently, sputum induced with hypertonic saline was introduced as a simple and useful nonivasive medium to investigate airway inflammation and symptom severity in patients with asthma. We examined the eosinophil, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), interleukin(IL)-3, IL-5, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating facta (GM-CSF), and nitric oxide (NO) derivatives in induced sputum from patients with bronchia1 asthma in order to determine the role of NO and various inflammatory cytokines as a useful markers of airway inflammation or changes in pulmonary function tests and symptoms. Methods : A total 30 patients with bronchia1 asthma received oral prednisolone 30 mg daily for 2 weeks. Forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$), total blood eosinophil count and induced sputum eosinophil count, ECP, IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF, and NO derivatives were determined before and after the administration of prednisolone. Results : Of the 30 patients, 13 (43.3%) were male and 17 (56.7%) were female. The mean age of patients was 41.8 years (range 19-64 years). Two patients could not produce sputum at the second study and 3 could not be followed up after their first visit. Two weeks after the prednisolone administration, there was a significant increase in $FEV_1$ (% of predicted value) from 78.1$\pm$20.6 % to 90.3$\pm$ 18.3 % (P<0.001). The eosinophil percentages in induced sputum were significantly decreased after treatment with prednisolone, with values of 56.1$\pm$27.2 % versus 29.6$\pm$21.3 % (P<0.001), and ECP were $134.5\pm68.1\;{\mu}g/L$ versus $41.5\pm42.4\;{\mu}g/L$ (P<0.001) respectively. After the prednisolone treatments, the eotaxin concentration also showed a decreasing tendency from 26.7$\pm$12.8 pg/ml to 21.7$\pm$8.7 pg/ml. There was a decreasing tendency but no significant differences in total blood eosinophil count (425.7$\pm$265.9 vs 287.7$\pm$294.7) and in the concentration of NO derivatives ($70.4\pm44.6{\mu}mol/L$ vs $91.5\pm48.3\;{\mu}mol/L$) after the prednisolone treatments. IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF were undetectable in the sputum of most subjects either before the prednisolone treatments or after the treatments. Before the prednisolone treatments, a significant inverse correlation was observed between FEV1 and sputum ECP (r=-D.364, P<0.05) and there was a significant correlation between sputum eosinophils and eotaxin (r=0.369, P<0.05) Conclusion : The eotaxin and ECP concentration in induced sputum may be used as markers of airway inflammation after treatments in bronchia1 asthma. In addition, the measurement of sputum eosinophil percent ages is believed to be a simple method displaying the degree of airway inflammation and airway obstruction before and after the prednisolone treatment in bronchia1 asthma. However, unlike exhaled NO, the examination of NO derivatives with Griess reaction in induced sputum is considered an ineffective marker of changing airway inflammation and obstructing symptoms.

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