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Development of Nutritional Counseling Internet Program for Weight Reduction Using Expert System (전문가 시스템을 이용한 인터넷 체중 감량 상담 프로그램 개발)

  • 박선민;박수진;최선숙
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.30 no.5
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    • pp.993-999
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    • 2001
  • The purpose of the study was to develop a nutritional counseling program using expert system to assist obese people to lose weight through behavior modification in the internet. The counseling internet program for weight loss was developed by the accumulation of knowledge for dealing with eating habits and exercising behaviors into expert system tool, Knowledge Engineering Agent (KEA) by a dietitian without any help of computer expert. KEA was built based on the theory of Multiple Classification Ripple Down Rules. To accumulate knowledge into KEA, survey was performed in 150 obese people, the dietitian reviewed and consulted each survey case, and the consulted contents were learned and accumulated into KEA. Survey questionnaires were the same as those of the internet consulting program, and they included general characteristics, dietary habits, lifestyle, and exercise patterns related to obesity. KEA was used for nutritional counseling of obese people after KEA had enough knowledge for weight loss based on behavior modification by the dietitian. To accumulate knowledge to KEA, the dietitian selected proper factors inferred from the survey questionnaire of each case, and added the conclusions for them. Conclusions were made for helping clients to correct bad eating behaviors and accumulate good behaviors for losing weight. When clients answered survey questionnaires in a counseling internet program, KEA gave the recommendation how to eat, to exercise and the deal with stress in a real time for each case. If KEA did not have enough knowledge for a specific case, the conclusion window wrote no conclusion and the dietitian needed to add conclusions for the case. The conclusions for the new case added to the KEA knowledge base. In conclusions, a counseling internet program for weight reduction can be used for give advices how to deal with obesity in a man-to-man way in a real time using KEA where nutritional knowledge based on behavior modification for weight loss was accumulated.

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INFLUENCES OF DRY METHODS OF RETROCAVITY ON THE APICAL SEAL (치근단 역충전와동의 건조방법이 폐쇄성에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Jung-Tae;Kim, Sung-Kyo
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.166-179
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    • 1999
  • Apical sealing is essential for the success of surgical endodontic treatment. Root-end cavity is apt to be contaminated with moisture or blood, and is not always easy to be dried completely. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of dry methods of retrocavity on the apical seal in endodontic surgery. Apical seal was investigated through the evaluation of apical leakage and adaptation of filling material over the cavity wall. To investigate the influence of various dry methods on the apical leakage, 125 palatal roots of extracted human maxillary molar teeth were used. The clinical crown of each tooth was removed at 10 mm from the root apex using a slow-speed diamond saw and water spray. Root canals of the all the specimens were prepared with step-back technique and filled with gutta-percha by lateral condensation method. After removing of the coronal 2 mm of filling material, the access cavities were closed with Cavit$^{(R)}$. Two coats of nail polish were applied to the external surface of each root. Apical three millimeters of each root was resected perpendicular to the long axis of the root with a diamond saw. Class I retrograde cavities were prepared with ultrasonic instruments. Retrocavities were washed with physiologic saline solution and dried with various methods or contaminated with human blood. Retrocavities were filled either with IRM, Super EBA or composite resin. All the specimens were immersed in 2% methylene blue solution for 7 days in an incubator at $37^{\circ}C$. The teeth were dissolved in 14 ml of 35% nitric acid solution and the dye present within the root canal system was returned to solution. The leakage of dye was quantitatively measured via spectrophotometric method. The obtained data were analysed statistically using one-way ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test. To evaluate the influence of various dry methods on the adaptation of filling material over the cavity wall, 12 palatal roots of extracted human maxillary molar teeth were used. After all the roots were prepared and filled, and retrograde cavities were made and filled as above, roots were sectioned longitudinally. Filling-dentin interface of cut surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscope. The results were as follows: 1. Cavities dried with paper point or compressed air showed less leakage than those dried with cotton pellet in Super EBA filled cavity (p<0.05). However, there was no difference between paper point- and compressed air-dried cavities. 2. When cavities were dried with compressed air, dentin-bonded composite resin-filled cavities showed less apical leakage than IRM- or Super EBA-filled ones (p<0.05). 3. Regardless of the filling material, cavities contaminated with human blood showed significantly more apical leakage than those dried with compressed air after saline irrigation (p<0.05). 4. Outer half of the cavity showed larger dentin-filling interface gap than inner half did when cavities were filled with IRM or Super EBA. 5. In all the filling material groups, cavities contaminated with blood or dried with cotton pellets only showed larger defects at the base of the cavity than ones dried with paper points or compressed air.

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Epidemiologic Investigation for the Etiology of an Epidemic Ocurred among Animals and Humans in an Isolated Island, Korea(I) (신안군(新安郡) 낙도(落島)에서 발생(發生)한 괴질(怪疾)의 원인(原因)에 관한 역학적(疫學的) 조사(調査)(I))

  • Kim, J.S.;Heo, Y.;Yoon, H.Y.;Lee, W.Y.
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.22 no.2 s.26
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    • pp.290-301
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    • 1989
  • This is preliminary report on anthrax epidemic occurred in an island with about 100 residents. Since 1982 there had been sudden deaths among all kinds of domestic animals including cattle, dogs, ducks, chicken and goat but only a few among cats in an isolated island about three hours distance away by ferry boat from Mokpo city. From 1986 through 1988 nine human deaths and four patients occurred, which made the government intervene for investigation on June 25 1988. The epidemiological investigation consisted of interview survey and medical examination, medical record analysis, laboratory work to isolate the pathogens under the direction of hypothesis derived from the study and further confirmation of the pathogens by international institute. The summarized results are as followings: 1. According to the interview survey there were many deaths among domestic animals usually in cold and dry season such as January through March and September through November; 36 heads of cattle leaving one head, more than 40 hogs(all), hundreds of chicken leaving few alive, goats that had taken home from mountain and two or three cats out of around 40 had sudden deaths from 1982 till 1985, when the residents stopped to purchase and take them into the island anymore. Also there were eleven persons who had experienced the similar syndrome complex to those of admitted and expired patients and four of them revealed typical chest X-ray findings; from one of these four patients(Rho) B. anthracis is isolated. 2. Medical record on patients who had been admitted, showed common characteristics of the disease course. On admission they had either gastrointestinal or upper respiratory infection symptoms which invariably progressed to septicemic nature with pulmonary interstitial infiltration and mediastinal widening/bulging, and then to deadly acute respiratory distress syndrome. At the end stage chest X-ray revealed multiple bullous emphysema. One of another characteristics was oral ulceration with bleeding occurred in about 50% of the patients. Laboratory test results in common were leukocytosis with left shift and abnormal liver and kidney functions, particularly at the later stage of the illness. 3. Epidemiological characteristics was striking in that both mortality and incidence rates were high: the mortality rate was 8.7% average, male being three times higher than females but there was no distictive clustering by age group. The incidence rate for both sexes was 28.2% and there was no sex difference although a tendency of higher incidence among older ages was noticed. The highest mortality and incidence were observed in Won village where the first death of animal occurred and with the highest frequency among three villages of the island. 4. Among twelve bacilli species isolated from various specimens, two strains, one from patient and the other from soil where the recently died cow is hurried, were confirmed as B. anthracis by Pasteur Institute and CDC of USA(strain from soil). CDC reported that the strain did not produce capsule in bicarbonate media but reacted with the bacteriophage and one of five sera taken from the patients. Mode of transmission as well as incubation period of the agent has not been established yet, which needs further investigation in relation to the antigenic structure of the variant when it is confirmed.

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Anti-oxidative and Cytoprotective Effect of Ursodeoxycholic Acid, an Active Compound from the Bear's Gall, in Mouse Microglia (생쥐 뇌소교세포주에서 웅담추출활성성분(우르소데옥시콜린산)의 항산화 및 세포보호효과)

  • Joo, Seong-Soo;Kim, Seong-Kun;Yoo, Yeong-Min;Ryu, In-Wang;Kim, Kyung-Hoon;Lee, Do-Ik
    • Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.452-455
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    • 2006
  • The in vitro cytoprotective and anti-oxidative effects of ursodeoxycholic acid, a major active compound from bear's gall were investigated in mouse brain microglia. In the present study, we wished to scrutinize the potential role of UDCA as an anti-neurodegenerative agent in neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease. This concept was supported by the multiple preliminary studies in which UDCA has an anti-inflammatory effect in microglial cells. In the study, we found that $7.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ UDCA was effective in the protection of cells from $H_2O_2$ damage, a reactive oxygen, and the resuIt was coincided with the anti-apoptotic effect in DAPI staining. Moreover, the metal-catalyzed oxidation study showed that UDCA has antioxidant effect as much as ascorbic acid at $50{\sim}100\;{\mu}g/mL$. In conclusion, these study results suggested that neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease probably caused by over-expressed beta amyloid peptide in elderly people can be controled by UDCA through an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effect. The evidences showed in the study may be references for more in-depth in vivo and clinical studies for a candidate of anti-neurodegenerative therapy in the near future.

Induction of Apoptosis by Ethanol Extract of Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino in Human Leukemia U937 Cells (인체백혈병 U937 세포에서 부처꽃 에탄올추출물에 의한 apoptosis 유도)

  • Jeong, Jin-Woo;Kim, Chul Hwan;Lee, Young-Kyung;Hwang, Yong;Lee, Ki Won;Choi, Kyung-Min;Kim, Jung Il
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.33 no.4
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    • pp.279-286
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    • 2020
  • Purple loosestrife-Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Lythraceae family. It has been used for centuries in Korea and other Asian traditional medicine. It has been showed pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant and anti-microbial effects. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti-cancer effect are not yet understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis signaling pathways by ethanol extract of Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino (ELM) in human leukemia U937 cells. Treatment with ELM significantly inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs), DNA fragmentation and increased populations of sub-G1 ratio. Induction of apoptosis by ELM was connected with up-regulation of death receptor (DR) 4 and DR5, pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family proteins, depending on dosage. This induction was associated with Bid truncation, mitochondrial dysfunction, proteolytic activation of caspases (-3, -8 and -9) and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. Therefore, our data indicate that ELM suppresses U937 cell growth by activating the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways, and thus may have applications as a potential source for an anti-leukemic chemotherapeutic agent.

A Study on Teaching-Learning and Evaluation Methods of Environmental Studies in the Middle School (중학교 "환경" 교과의 교수.학습 및 평가 방법 연구)

  • 남상준
    • Hwankyungkyoyuk
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.1-17
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    • 1994
  • This study was performed to determine appropriate teaching-learning and evaluation methods for Environmental Studies. To promote the relevance of our study to the needs of the schools and concerned educational communities of environmental education, we reviewed related literature, conducted questionnaire surveys, interviewed related teachers and administrator, held meetings with experts, and field-tested our findings. For selecting and developing teaching-learning methods of Environmental Studies, findings of educational research in general are considered. moreover, principles of environmental education, general aim of environmental education, orientations of environmental education, and developmental stages of middle school students in educational psychology were attended. In addition, relevance to the purpose of the Environmental Studies curriculum, appropriateness for value inquiry as well as knowledge inquiry, small group centered class organization, social interaction centered teaching-learning process, regional environmental situation, significance of personal environment, evaluation methods of Environmental Studies, multi- and inter-disciplinary contents of the Environmental Studies textbook, suitability to the evaluation methods of Environmental Studies, and emphasis on the social interaction in teaching-learning process were regarded. It was learned the Environmental Studies can be taught most effectively in via of holding discussion sessions, conducting actual investigation, doing experiment-practice, doing games and plate, role-playing and carrying out simulation activities, and doing inquiry. These teaching-learning methods were field-tested and proved appropriate methods for the subject. For selecting and developing evaluation method of Environmental Studies, such principles and characteristics of Environmental Studies as objective domains stated in the Environmental Studies curriculum, diversity of teaching-learning organization, were appreciated. We categorized nine evaluation methods: the teacher may conduct questionnaire surveys, testings, interviews, non-participatory observations; they may evaluate student's experiment-practice performances, reports preparation ability, ability to establish a research project, the teacher may ask the students to conduct a self-evaluation, or reciprocal evaluation. To maximize the effect of these methods, we further developed an application system. It considered three variables, that is, evaluates, evaluation objectives domains, and evaluation agent, and showed how to choose the most appropriate methods and, when necessary, how to combine uses of different methods depending on these variables. A sample evaluation instrument made on the basis of this application system was developed and tested in the classes. The system proved effective. Pilot applications of the teaching-learning methods and evaluation method were made simultaneously; and the results and their implications are as follows. Discussion program was applied in a lesson dealing with the problems of waste disposal, in which students showed active participation and creative thinking. The evaluation method used in this lesson was a multiple-choice written test for knowledge and skills. It was shown that this evaluation method and device are effective in helping students' revision of the lesson and in stimulating their creative interpretations and responces. Pupils showed great interests in the actual investigation program, and this programme was proved to be effective in enhancing students' participation. However, it was also turned out that there must be pre-arranged plans for the objects, contents and procedures of survey if this program is to effective. In this lesson, non-participatory observation methods were used with a focus on the attitudes of students. A scaled reported in general description rather than in grade. Experiment-practice programme was adopted in a lesson for purifying contaminated water and in this lesson, instruction objectives were properly established, the teaching-learning process was clearly specified and students were highly motivated. On the other hand, however, it was difficult to control the class when some groups of students require more times to complete their experiment, and sometimes different results. As regards to evaluation, performance observation test were used for assessing skills and attitudes. If teachers use well-prepared Likert scale, evaluation of all groups within a reasonablely short period of time will be possible. The most effective and successful programme in therms of students' participation and enjoyment, was the 'ah-nah-bah-dah-market' program, which is kind of game of the flea market. For better organized program of this kind, however, are essential, In this program, students appraise their own attitudes and behavior by responding to a written questionnaire. In addition, students were asked to record any anecdotes relating to self-appraisal of changes on one's own attitudes and behaviours. Even after the lesson, students keep recording those changes on letters to herself. Role-playing and simulation game programme was applied to a case of 'NIMBY', in which students should decide where to located a refuse dumping ground. For this kind of programme to e successful, concepts and words used in the script should be appropriate for students' intellectual levels, and students should by adequately introduced into the objective and the procedures of the lessons. Written questionnaire was used to assess individual students' attitudes after the lesson, but in order to acquire information on the changes of students' attitudes and skills, pre-test may have to be made. Doing inquiry programme, in which advantages in which students actually investigated the environmental influence of the areas where school os located, had advantages in developing students' ability to study the environmental problems and to present the results of their studies. For this programme to be more efficient, areas of investigation should be clearly divided and alloted to each group so that repetition or overlap in areas of study and presentation be avoided, and complementary wok between groups bee enhanced. In this programme, teacher assessed students' knowledge and attitudes on the basis of reports prepared by each group. However, there were found some difficults in assessing students' attitudes and behaviours solely on the grounds of written report. Perhaps, using a scaled checklist assessing students' attitudes while their presentation could help to relieve the difficulties.

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Licochalcone C Induces Autophagy in Gefitinib-sensitive or-resistant Human Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells (Gefitinib-민감성 또는 내성 비소세포폐암 세포에서 Licochalcone C에 의한 자가포식 유도)

  • Oh, Ha-Na;Yoon, Goo;Chae, Jung-Il;Shim, Jung-Hyun
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.29 no.12
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    • pp.1305-1313
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    • 2019
  • Licochalcone (LC), isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata has multiple pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. To date, Licochalcone C (LCC) has induced apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation in oral and bladder cancer cells, but lung cancer has not yet been studied. In addition, no study reported LCC-induced autophagy in cancer until now. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of LCC on gefitinib-sensitive and -resistant lung cancer cells and elucidate the mechanism of its action. The 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay data showed that LCC significantly inhibited cell viability in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) HCC827 (gefitinib-sensitive) and HCC827GR (gefitinib-resistant) cell lines. Interestingly, Annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D double staining and cell cycle analysis showed an apoptosis rate within about 20% at the highest concentration of LCC. LCC induced G2/M arrest by reducing the expression of the cell cycle G2/M related proteins cyclin B1 and cdc2 in NSCLC cell lines. Treatment of LCC also induced autophagy by increasing the expression of the autophagy marker protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and the protein autophagy-related gene 5 involved in the autophagy process. In addition, LCC increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the cell viability was partially restored by treatment with the ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine. In western blotting analysis, the expression of cdc2 was increased and LC3 was decreased by the simultaneous treatment of NAC and LCC. These results indicate that LCC may contribute to anti-tumor effects by inducing ROS-dependent G2/M arrest and autophagy in NSCLC. In conclusion, LCC treatment may be useful as a potential therapeutic agent against NSCLC.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy Following Radical Hysterectomy and Bilateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for the Uterine Cervical Cancer : Prognostic Factors and Failure Patterns (근칙적 절제술과 술후 방사선치료를 시행한 자궁경부암 환자의 치료성적, 예루인자와 실패양상)

  • Choi, Doo-Ho
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.15 no.4
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    • pp.357-367
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    • 1997
  • Purpose : To identify variable prognostic factors and analyse failure patterns in the uterine cervix cancer after radical operation and adjuvant radio-therapy, a retrospective analysis was undertaken. Materals and Methods : I analysed one hundred and twenty four patients with uterine cervix cancer, FIGO stage IB, IIA and IIB, treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant radio-therapy between May 1985 and May 1994. Minimum follow up period was 24 months. All of them were treated with full dose external radiotherapy with linear accelerator and/or high dese rate intracavitary radiation. Results : Overall 5 year survival rate and relapse free survival rate were $75.4\%,\;73.5\%$, respectively. Significant prognostic factors by relapse free survival were wall involvement thickness, lymph node location and number, parametrium involvement, tumor size, stage, uterine body involvement, vaginal resection margin involvement. By multivariate analysis, lymph node matastasis. tumor size and vaginal resection margin involvement were significant prognostic factos. Treatment related failure were 33 cases. Locoregional failure were more likely in the stage IIB, lymph node positive or vaginal resection margin positive patients whereas distant failures were relatively more frequent in stage IB, IIA and lymph node, vaginal resection negative patients. In stage IIB, 5 year relapse free survival rate was only $56\%$ and nine of twenty two patients recurred. Conculsion : Postoperative radiotherapy results are good for patients with relatively low risk factor. But the results are poor for patients with multiple, high risk factors or stage IIB. To control recurrence for patients with high risk factors, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is not sufficient treatment method. To raise control rate adding other methods such as radiosensitizing agent or chemotherapy is necessary and prospectively randomized study is needed for evaluation of postoperative radiotherapy efficacy and /or other methods. And it is reasonable to treat primary radical radiotherapy for patients with stage IIB cervical cancer instead of radical operation and adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy regimen.

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BONDING OF RESIN INLAY TO GLASS-IONOMER BASE WITH VARIOUS TREATMENTS ON INLAY SURFACE (내표면 처리에 따른 레진 인레이와 글래스아이오노머 베이스간의 접착)

  • Jang, Byung-Sung;Kim, Sung-Kyo
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.399-406
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    • 2000
  • The effect of inlay surface treatment on bonding was investigated when resin inlay was bonded to resin-modified glass-ionomer base with resin cement. For the preparation of glass-ionomer base, resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (Fuji II LC, GC Co., Japan) was filled in class I cavities of 7mm in diameter and 2mm in depth made in plastic molds. Eighty eight resin inlay specimens were made with Charisma$^{(R)}$ (Kulzer, Germany) and then randomly assigned to the four different surface treatment conditions: Group I, $50{\mu}m$ aluminium oxide sandblasting and silane treatment ; Group II, silane treatment alone ; Group III, sandblasting alone, and Group IV (control), no surface treatment. After a dentin bonding agent with primer (One-Step$^{TM}$, Bisco Inc., IL., U.S.A.) was applied to bonding surface of resin inlay and base, resin inlay were cemented to glass-ionomer base with a resin cement (Choice$^{TM}$, Bisco Inc., IL., U.S.A.). Shear bond strengths of each specimens were measured using Instron universal testing machine (4202 Instron, lnstron Co., U.S.A.) and fractured surfaces were examined under the stereoscope. Statistical analysis was done with one-way ANOVA and Dunkan's multiple range test. The results were as follows: 1. Sandblasting and silane treatment provided the greatest bond strength(10.56${\pm}$1.95 MPa), and showed a significantly greater bond strength than sandblasting alone or no treatment (p<0.05). 2. Silane treatment provided a significantly greater bond strength(9.77${\pm}$2.04 MPa) than sandblasting alone or no treatment (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in bond strength between sandblasting treatment and silane one (p>0.05). 3. Sandblasting alone provided no significant difference in bond strength from no treatment (p>0.05). 4. Stereoscopic examination of fractured surface showed that sandblasting and silane treatment or silane treatment alone had more cohesive failure mode than adhesive failure mode. 5. In relationship between shear bond strength and failure mode, cohesive failure occurred more frequently as bond strength increased.

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Application of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis (Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)을 이용한 결핵의 진단에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Ho-Joong;Kim, Young-Whan;Han, Sung-Koo;Shim, Young-Soo;Kim, Keun-Youl;Han, Yong-Chol
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.39 no.6
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    • pp.517-525
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    • 1992
  • Background: Since its development by Saiki et al, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been very useful in various fields of molecular biology. PCR can be used for the detection of a very small amount of microbial agent, and is especially useful in those patients who are difficult to diagnose microbiologically or serologically. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a very slowly growing organism and AFB staining frequently shows false negative results, and therefore PCR would be a very rapid, easy, and sensitive diagnostic method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Method: To compare PCR with conventional methods in diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum, we used sputa of patients who visited or were admitted to Seoul National University Hospital. The amplification targets were 383 base pair DNA, a part of 2520 base pair DNA encoding 65 kD Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific protein (the primers are TB-1, -2), and 123 base pair DNA, a part of IS6110 fragment, which multiple copies are known to exsist PCR one genome (the primers are Sal I-1, -2). We also requested AFB staing and culture to the lab of Seoul National University Hospital with the same sample and compared the results. Results: 1) Using TB-1, -2 primers, PCR was positive in 73.1% (19/26) of culture positive sputa, in 12.5% (1/8) of culture negative. but clinically diagnosed tuberculous sputa, and was negative in all sputa of patients who were clinically diagnosed as non-tuberculous etiology. 2) Using Sal I-I, -2 primers, PCR was positive in 94.1% (32/34) of culture positive sputa, in 23.1% (6/26) of culture negative, but clinically diagnosed tuberculous sputa, and was negative in 87.5% (14/16) of sputa from patients who were clinically diagnosed as non-tuberculous etiology. Conclusion: PCR could be a very rapid, sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputa, and further studies should be followed for the development of easier method.

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