• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2009

Urinary bladder cancer is diagnosed through urine cytology and cytoscopy with biopsy. An atypical urothelial cast is often found by voided urine cytology in a papillary urothelial cell carcinoma. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the significance of the evaluation of urinary nuclear matrix protein (NMP22) level and Sure Path Liquid-based cytology (SP-LBC) as compared to the examination of atypical urothelial cast in voided urine sediment for monitoring bladder cancer. From October 2007 to January 2008, we observed 3240 patients who visited the emergency laboratory of urology of Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan Hospital. Both NMP22 measurement and SP-LBC were performed in 31 patients who were positive in an atypical urothelial cast test. In particular, 26 men and 5 women were found to be atypical urothelial cast-positive persons. The average age for both men and women is 61.8. NMP22 test is positive in 23 of 31 cases (74.2%) from patients with atypical urothelial cast, while the test is negative in 8 of 31 cases (25.8%). The percentages of negativity, atypicality, suspicious malignancy, and malignancy in SP-LBC are 25.8% (8/31), 58.1% (18/31), 9.7% (3/31), and 6.5% (2/31), respectively. The relation of NMP22 positivity with the malignant degree in LBC is significant (P<0.01). Two malignant patients resulting from SP-LBC show the same results in histological examination. Overall, the study suggests the usefulness of NMP22 measurement and LBC as well as the examination of atypical urothelial cast for the diagnosis of early bladder cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6283-6286
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• 2014

In patients with microscopic hematuria there is a need for better identification of those who are at greater risk of harbouring bladder tumors. The RisikoCheck(C) questionnaire has a strong correlation with the presence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder and in combination with other available tests may help identify patients who require detailed clinical investigations due to increased risk of presence of bladder tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of RisikoCheck(C) questionnaire together with NMP-22(R) (BladderChek(R)) as a point-of-care urine test in predicting the presence of bladder tumors in patients presenting with microscopic hematuria as the sole finding. In this multi-institutional prospective evaluation of 303 consecutive patients without a history of urothelial carcinoma (UC), RisikoCheck(C) risk group assessment, urinary tract imaging and cystourethroscopy as well as urine cytology and Nuclear Matrix Protein-22 (NMP-22 BladderChek) testing were performed where available. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive values (PPV) for the risk adapted approach were calculated. All patients underwent cystoscopy, and tumors were detected in 18 (5.9%). Urine cytology and NMP-22 was positive for malignancy in 9 (3.2%) and 12 (7.5%) of patients, respectively. A total of 43 (14%) patients were in the high risk group according to the RisikoCheck(C) questionnaire. The sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaire in detecting a bladder tumor was 61.5 % and 84.0 % in the high risk group. In patients with either a positive NMP-22 test or high risk category RisikoCheck(C), 23.6% had bladder tumors with a corresponding sensitivity of 54.2% and specificity of 88.6%. If both tests were negative only 3.3% of the patients had bladder tumors. The results of our study suggest that the efficacy of diagnostic evaluation of patients with microscopic hematuria may be further enhanced by combining RisikoCheck(C) questionnaire with NMP-22.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.22-33
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• 2005

Asymmetric PVDF membranes were prepared by the phase inversion from casting solutions containing PVDF, NMP as solvent and 1,4-dioxane, DGDE, acetone, or GBL as additives by immersing them in water. The effects of various additives on the casting solution properties, permeation properties, and membrane structures were investigated. Low miscibility of 1,4-dioxane, DGDE and acetone with the coagulant (water) compared with NMP resulted in reducing the membrane pore size. When DGDE is used as an additive, the pore size was reduced because of its incipient sharp interface formation in the water. GBL increased membrane pore size because of its polarity compared to that of NMP. The PVDF membranes with various pore sizes could be obtained by controlling the amount of additive. The effect of mixed solvent (aqueous and non-aqueous solution) on permeation through membrane was investigated. Not only solution viscosity but surface tension affected solvent permeation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.178-190
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• 2012

Flat sheet membranes were prepared with polysulfone (PSF) by an immersion precipitation phase inversion method. Membranes were prepared with PSF/N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/phosphoric acid casting solution and water coagulant. By using the successive process of the vapor-induced phase inversion (VIPS) followed by the nonsolvent-induced phase inversion (NIPS), the effect of phosphoric acid addition to casting solution on morphology and permeability of membrane was studied. The mean pore size, the porosity, and the water flux of membranes were increased by the addition of small amount of phosphoric acid. Furthermore, the morphology of the prepared membranes were changed from a dense sponge-like structure to highly enhanced asymmetric structure. PSF/NMP/PVP/phosphoric acid/2-butoxyethanol (BE) casting solution were prepared and cast the successive VIPS-NIPS process with same experimental condition. Due to the addition of BE to casting solution, the mean pore size and almost 0.1 ${\mu}m$ and the water flux increased about 10 to 12 $L/cm^2{\cdot}min{\cdot}bar$.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.22-27
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• 2003

Chemical modification of carbon nanotube (CNT) was carried out using $HNO_3$ and $H_2SO_4$ and characterized by analyzing the CNT before and after the modification using FT-IR and titration. Aggregation behaviors were investigated using a real-time video microscope after the chemically modified CNT(mCNT) had been dispersed in organic solvents such as toluene, dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) by ultrasonication. The mCNT showed better dispersion in polar sovents of DMF and NMP than the rCNT. CNT/ poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films were prepared from solution DMF/PMMA solutions. The films containing mCNT also revealed the improved dispersion.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.18-22
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• 2022

Dispersion is one of the most important factors in the manufacture of composite materials. In the manufacture of composite materials, solvents are used to better disperse the reinforcement, nano-filler in the matrix. Since dispersion is affected with solvents, it is necessary to study which solvent is adopted to get good dispersion. In this study, the dispersion behavior and solubility of graphene oxide(GO) were examined under various solvents (DMF, NMP, ethylene glycol, Acetone, DI water) to identify dispersion. As a result of UV-Vis spectroscopy absorbance measurement, it was found that DMF and ethylene glycol had the best dispersibility, whereas DI water showed the lowest dispersibility. In addition, as a result of visually observing the dispersion according to the surface tension and time, it was found that the dispersibility was excellent in the order of DI water, ethylene glycol, NMP, DMF, and acetone, which was consistent with the Hansen solubility parameter value.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2017

This study investigates methyl orange (MO) degradation by an ultrasonically dispersed nano-metallic particle (NMP) assisted advanced Fenton process. The NMPs were synthesized from the leachate of automobile-shredder residue. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were performed for the prepared NMPs. Various parameters, such as the effects of the NMP dosage, the pH value of the solution, the initial concentration of MO, and the amount of $H_2O_2$ on the degradation efficiency of MO were studied. The MO degradation efficiency could be increased by approximately 100% by increasing the dosages of the NMPs and $H_2O_2$ to certain limits, after which in both cases the degradation efficiency was reduced when an excess amount was added. The MO degradation efficiency was found to be 100% at pH 2.0 and 2.5 with the 10 mg/L of initial concentration of the MO. The degradation of MO by ultrasonically dispersed NMPs was appropriate with the pseudo-first-order kinetics.

• Carbon letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2009

In this work, the hydrogen storage behaviors of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/metal-organic frameworks-5 (MOF-5) hybrid composites (CNTs/MOF-5) were studied. Hydrothermal synthesis of MOF-5 was conducted by conventional convection heating using 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent. Morphological characteristics and average size of the CNTs/MOF-5 were also obtained using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pore structure and specific surface area of the CNTs/MOF-5 were analyzed by N2/77 K adsorption isotherms. The capacity of hydrogen storage of the CNTs/MOF-5 was investigated at 298 K/100 bar. As a result, the CNTs/MOF-5 had crystalline structures which were formed by hybrid synthesis process. It was noted that the CNTs/MOF-5 can be potentially encouraging materials for hydrogen adsorption and storage applications at room temperature.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.22-24
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• 1998

1. INTRODUCTION : The phase inversion method is widely used to prepare a variety of polymeric membranes ranging from micro-filtration to gas separation. The final morphology obtained by immersion precipitation strongly reflects the thermodynamics and kinetics of the system involved. The equilibrium thermodynamics of the ternary system of polymer/solvent/ nonsolvent is still very important to understand and predict membrane structure. Polysulfone (PSf) and polyethersulfone (PES) are important polymers as membrane materials due to the chemical resistance, mechanical strength, thermal stability and transport properies. There are several reports on the experimental phase diagrams in ternary mixtures of PSf/solvent/nonsolvent, and PES/solvent/nonsolvent. It would be interesting to investigate the solution thermodynamics containing these two polymers since PES is slightly less hyclrophobic than PSf.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.73-96
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• 2004

Along with a development of medical technology, a variety of tests, such as laboratory tests, x-ray and endoscopies are being used in health screening tests. As the tests determine the quality of health screening, test items and methods should be carefully selected. This study was to get hold of the test items of major health screening programs in Korea Most of the health screening programmes focused upon detection of risk factors and diagnosis of life - style related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, overweight, drinking, smoking, cerebrovascular diseases, osteoporosis) ,cancers (stomach, cervix, lung, breast, liver, colon, prostate, ovary, pancreas, thyroid, esophagus) , infectious diseases (hepatitis, tuberculosis, sexually-transmitted diseases, parasites) , chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, chronic renal diseases (bacteriuria hematuria, proteinuria) , anemia, glaucoma, hearing loss, Alzheimer disease, stress, early psychiatric diseases. The health screening tests were basic physical examination, basic laboratory tests (CBC, urinalysis, liver function tests, lipid tests, glucose, HbAlc, uric acid, electrolytes, serological tests (HBsAg, HBs-Ab, HCV-Ab, HIV-Ab, VDRL) EKG, x-ray (chest PA, CT) , endoscopy (gastroscopy, colonoscopy) , sonography(abdomen, thyroid, pelvis, breast) ,cytology (cervix) , bone density, tumor markets (NMP22, alpha-FP, CEA, CA-19-9, CA12S, PSA) and eye tests. Advanced technologies, like CT, PET, MRI, MRT/Angio, molecular testings) were widely used in hospital health screening programmes .In summary, a variety of tests were utilized in health screening in Korea. Those tests were utilized by stages or according to sex and age in most of health screening programmes, however a few program used tests to excess disregarding health screening subjects.