• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.264-270
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of bone single-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) of the hip in predicting the later occurrence of avascular necrosis (AVN) after slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) or femoral neck fracture in pediatric patients. The quantitative parameters of SPECT/CT useful in predicting AVN were identified. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one (male:female, 10:11) consecutive patients aged < 18 years (mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 11.0 ± 2.7 years) who underwent surgery for SCFE or femoral neck fracture and postoperative bone SPECT/CT were included. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV), mean SUV, and minimum SUV of the femoral head were measured. The ratios of the maximum SUV, mean SUV, and minimum SUV of the affected femoral head to the contralateral side were determined. Patients were followed up for > 1 year after the surgery. The SPECT/CT parameters were compared between patients who developed AVN and those who did not. The accuracy of SPECT/CT parameters for predicting AVN was assessed. Results: Six patients developed AVN. There was a significant difference in the ratio of the mean SUV among patients who developed AVN (mean ± SD, 0.8 ± 0.3) and those who did not (1.1 ± 0.2, p = 0.018). However, there were no significant differences in the ratios of the maximum and minimum SUV between the groups (all p = 0.205). For the maximum, mean, and minimum SUVs, no significant differences were observed between the groups (p = 0.519, 0.733, and 0.470, respectively). The cutoff mean SUV ratio of 0.87 yielded a 66.7% sensitivity and 93.2% specificity for predicting AVN. Conclusion: Quantitative bone SPECT/CT is useful for evaluating femoral head viability in pediatric patients with SCFE or femoral neck fractures. Clinicians should consider the high possibility of later AVN development in patients with a decreased mean SUV ratio.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.16-37
• /
• 2018

In this study, difference in chemical composition of $PM_{2.5}$ observed between the year 2013 and 2015 at six air quality intensive monitoring stations (Bangryenogdo (BR), Seoul (SL), Daejeon (DJ), Gwangju (GJ), Ulsan (US), and Jeju (JJ)) was investigated and the possible factors causing their difference were also discussed. $PM_{2.5}$, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble ionic species concentrations were observed on a hourly basis in the six stations. The difference in chemical composition by regions was examined based on emissions of gaseous criteria pollutants (CO, $SO_2$, and $NO_2$), meteorological parameters (wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity), and origins and transport pathways of air masses. For the years 2013 and 2014, annual average $PM_{2.5}$ was in the order of SL ($${\sim_=}DJ$$)>GJ>BR>US>JJ, but the highest concentration in 2015 was found at DJ, following by GJ ($${\sim_=}SJ$$)>BR>US>JJ. Similar patterns were found in $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$. Lower $PM_{2.5}$ at SL than at DJ and GJ was resulted from low concentrations of secondary ionic species. Annual average concentrations of OC and EC by regions had no big difference among the years, but their patterns were distinct from the $PM_{2.5}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$ concentrations by regions. 4-day air mass backward trajectory calculations indicated that in the event of daily average $PM_{2.5}$ exceeding the monthly average values, >70% of the air masses reaching the all stations were coming from northeastern Chinese polluted regions, indicating the long-range transportation (LTP) was an important contributor to $PM_{2.5}$ and its chemical composition at the stations. Lower concentrations of secondary ionic species and $PM_{2.5}$ at SL in 2015 than those at DJ and GJ sites were due to the decrease in impact by LTP from polluted Chinese regions, rather than the difference in local emissions of criteria gas pollutants ($SO_2$, $NO_2$, and $NH_3$) among the SL, DJ, and GJ sites. The difference in annual average $SO{_4}^{2-}$ by regions was resulted from combination of the difference in local $SO_2$ emissions and chemical conversion of $SO_2$ to $SO{_4}^{2-}$, and LTP from China. However, the $SO{_4}^{2-}$ at the sites were more influenced by LTP than the formation by chemical transformation of locally emitted $SO_2$. The $NO_3{^-}$ increase was closely associated with the increase in local emissions of nitrogen oxides at four urban sites except for the BR and JJ, as well as the LTP with a small contribution. Among the meterological parameters (wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity), the ambient temperature was most important factor to control the variation of $PM_{2.5}$ and its major chemical components concentrations. In other words, as the average temperature increases, the $PM_{2.5}$, OC, EC, and $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations showed a decreasing tendency, especially with a prominent feature in $NO_3{^-}$. Results from a case study that examined the $PM_{2.5}$ and its major chemical data observed between February 19 and March 2, 2014 at the all stations suggest that ambient $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations are not necessarily proportional to the concentrations of their precursor emissions because the rates at which they form and their gas/particle partitioning may be controlled by factors (e.g., long range transportation) other than the concentration of the precursor gases.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.459-465
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to obtain investigated characteristic factors which has an influence on nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) emissions related to the environment change of nitrogen application level, rainfall and temperature. It was done by the carrot cultivation at black volcanic ashes soil in the experimental field of Jeju Special Self-governing Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services from 2010 to 2011. During the carrot cultivation period, the more amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, the more amount of $N_2O$ emissions were released. Generally $N_2O$ emissions were so deeply released to climate as that in the first and middle of cultivation with heavy rainfall released amount is high, otherwise it was released very low at the end of cultivation and drought season. $N_2O$ emissions type was considered to relate with the rainfall pattern and soil water content. We obtained the result correlated with $N_2O$ emissions, in 2010, as the soil water and soil temperature were significant to $0.5718^{**}$ ($r$) and $0.4908^{**}$ ($r$) respectively, but soil EC was not significant to 0.2704 ($r$). In 2011, soil water was significant to $0.3394^*$ ($r$), but soil temperature and soil EC were not significant to 0.2138 ($r$) and 0.2462 ($r$) respectively. Also, $NO_3$-N and soil nitrogen ($NO_3-N+NH_4-N$) were not significant to 0.0575 ($r$) and 0.0787 ($r$) respectively. During the carrot cultivation period, the average emissions factor released by the nitrogen fertilizer application for 2 years was presumed to be 0.0025 $N_2O$-N kg / N kg. This factor was 4 times than the IPCC (0.0100 $N_2O$-N kg / N kg) factor.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.665-676
• /
• 2003

To investigate the chemical characteristics of PM$\_$2.5/ in Seoul, Korea, atmospheric particulate matters were collected using a PM$\_$10/ dichotomous sampler including PM$\_$10/ and PM$\_$2.5/ inlet during the period of October 2000 to September 2001. The Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectromety (ICP-MS), ion Chromatography (IC) methods were used to determine the concentration of both metal and ionic species. A statistical analysis was performed for the heavy metals data set using a principal component analysis (PCA) to derived important factors inherent in the interactions among the variables. The mean concentrations of ambient PM$\_$2.5/ and PM/sub10/ were 24.47 and 45.27 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, respectively. PM$\_$2.5/ masses also showed temporal variations both yearly and seasonally. The ratios of PM$\_$2.5/PM$\_$10/ was 0.54, which similar to the value of 0.60 in North America. Soil-related chemical components (such as Al, Ca, Fe, Si, and Mn) were abundant in PM$\_$10/, while anthropogenic components (such as As, Cd, Cr, V, Zn and Pb) were abundant in PM2s. Total water soluble ions constituted 30∼50 % of PM$\_$2.5/ mass, and sulfate, nitrate and ammonium were main components in water soluble ions. Reactive farms of NH$_4$$\^$+/were considered as NH$_4$NO$_3$ and (NH$_4$)$_2$SO$_4$ during the sampling periods. In the results of PCA for PM$\_$2.5/, we identified three principal components. Major contribution to PM$\_$2.5/ seemed to be soil, oil combustion, unidentified source. Further study, the detailed interpretation of these data will need efforts in order to identify emission sources.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.544-550
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristic factors which have been influenced on nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) emissions related to the environment change of nitrogen application level, rainfall and temperature during the potato cultivation at black volcanic ash soil from 2010 to 2011. During the potato cultivation, the more amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, $N_2O$ emissions amounts were released much. $N_2O$ emissions with the cultivation time were released much at the first and middle of cultivation with heavy rainfall, but it was released very low until the end of cultivation and drought season. $N_2O$ emissions mainly were influenced by the rainfall and soil water content. The correlation (r) with $N_2O$ emissions, soil wate, soil temperature in 2010 were very significant at $0.6251^{**}$ and $0.6082^{**}$ respectively, but soil EC was not significant to 0.10824. In 2011, soil temperature was very significant at $0.4879^{**}$, but soil water and soil EC were not significant at 0.0468 and 0.0400 respectively. Also, $NH_4$-N was very significant at $0.7476^{**}$, but $NO_3$-N and soil nitrogen ($NO_3-N+NH_4-N$) were not significant at 0.0843 and 0.1797, respectively. During the potato cultivation period, the average emissions factor of 2 years released by the nitrogen fertilizer application was presumed to be 0.0040 ($N_2O-N\;kg\;N^{-1}\;kg^{-1}$). This factor was lower about 2.5 times than the IPCC guideline default value (0.0100 $N_2O-N\;kg\;N^{-1}\;kg^{-1}$).

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.199-206
• /
• 2000

Purpose: Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is a useful technique to diagnose and to predict prognosis in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the prognostic value of normal exercise $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and to analyze results with regard to those of exercise electrocardiography or coronary angiography. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 301 patients (mean age $52{\pm}10$ years, 166 males and 135 females) with normal exercise $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT performed for suspected coronary artery disease. Subject were evaluated for cardiac events and followed for 8-55 months (mean $19{\pm}10$ months) after imaging. Results: During the follow-up period, there was no cardiac death but only one non-fatal myocardial infarction (event rate 0.21% per year). In addition, only one patient underwent coronary revascularization. There was no significant difference in cardiac event rate between patients with positive (n=27) and negative (n=235) exercise electrocardiography (p:NS). There was no cardiac event in 17 patients who underwent coronary angiography (4 patients with >50% luminal narrowing, 2 patients with vasospasm and 11 patients with no significant lesion). Conclusion: Patients with normal exercise $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT has a very low risk for cardiac events regardless of exercise electrocardiographic and coronary angiographic findings.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.17-28
• /
• 2003

A feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding Lactobacillus reuteri culture(LRC) on the performance, nutrients digestibility, intestinal microflora, serum metabolites, ammonia generation and litter dampness in broiler chicks. Four hundred eighty, one day old male chicks were fed into none, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% of LRC supplementation fer seven weeks. Basal diets excluded antibiotics contained ME 3,100, 3,100 kcal/kg, and CP 22.0, 20.0% for starter and grower, respectively. Weight gain of chicks fed LRC was significantly higher than no supplemental group in overall period(P<0.05). Feed intake was the highest in the 0.1% LRC, but not statistically different from other treatments. Feed conversion showed no significance among treatments. Viable Lactobacillus spp. number of chicks fed 0.2 and 0.4% LRC was significantly higher in cecum at seven weeks of age compared to the none(P<0.05). The tendency of anaerobes number was similar to Lactobacillus spp in ileum and cecum. Total number of E. coli and Salmonella were no difference in all treatments. In serum metabolites, feeding LRC increased triglyceride, and inorganic phosphorus, but no different total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, glucose, blood urea nitrogen and Ca. Nutrients digestibility improved significantly in 0.4% LRC compared to that of none(P<0.05). Fecal NH$_3$, gas generation was greatly decreased in the LRC supplemental groups(P<0.05). Moisture contents of bedding was also significantly decreased in LRC feeding group. It was concluded from the present study that feeding Lactobacillus reuteri culture improved the growth performance and nutrients digestibility of broiler chicks and minimize the fecal noxious gas emission.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.157-164
• /
• 2000

Objectives : This study was peformed to determine the reference values of blood lead, manganese, aluminium, and silicon in healthy adults. Methods : The subjects were 132 (67 male and 65 female), and classified to three age groups $(\leq39,\;40\sim49,\;and\;50\leq)$. Blood lead, manganese and aluminium were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and blood silicon was analyzed by direct current plasma optical emission spectrometer. Results : Blood lead levels(geometric mean, S.D) were (3.49, 1.70) ${\mu}g/dL$ in male and (3.04, 1.65) ${\mu}g/dL$ in female, but the difference is not significant, and there was no significant difference between age groups. Mean blood manganese level was $0.99{\pm}0.41{\mu}g/dL$, and there was no significant difference between sex or age groups. Mean blood aluminium level was $0.59{\pm}0.35{\mu}g/dL$, and there was no significant difference between sex or age groups. Mean blood silicon level was $54.41{\pm}27.64{\mu}g/dL$ in male and $43.34{\pm}23.51{\mu}g/dL$ in female, and the level in male was significantly higher than that in female (p<0.05). There was significant difference between age groups, and the oldest showed the highest level in male (p<0.05), but no significant difference between age groups in female. Conclusions : Authors hope that this study would provide basic data for determining reference values and evaluating health effects.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.746-751
• /
• 2002

Fluidized bed combustion is a coal combustion technology that can reduce both SOx and NOx emission; SOx is removed by limestone that is fed into the combustion chamber and the NOx is reduced by low temperature combustion in a fluidized bed combustor and air stepping, but $N_2O$ generation is quite high. $N_2O$ is not only a greenhouse gas but also an agent of ozone destruction in the stratosphere. The calcium oxide(CaO) is known to be a catalyst of $N_2O$ decomposition. This study of $N_2O$ decomposition reaction in fixed bed reactor packed over CaO bed has been conducted. Effects of parameters such as concentration of inlet $N_2O$ gas, reaction temperature, CaO bed height and effect of $CO_2$, NO, $O_2$ gas on the decomposition reaction have been investigated. As a result of the experiment, it has been shown that $N_2O$ decomposition reaction increased with the increasing fixed bed temperature. While conversion of the reaction was decreased with increasing $CO_2$ concentration. Also, under the present of NO, the conversion of $N_2O$ decomposition is decreased. From the result of kinetic study gained the heterogeneous reaction rate on $N_2O$ decomposition. In the case of $N_2O$ decomposition over CaO, heterogeneous reaction rate is. $\frac{d[N_2O]}{dt}=\frac{3.86{\times}10^9{\exp}(-15841/R)K_{N_2O}[N_2O]}{(1+K_{N_2O}[N_2O]+K_{CO_2}[CO_2])}$. In this study, it is found that the calcium oxide is a good catalyst of $N_2O$ decomposition.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2008

To investigate the effect of tillage methods on the silage barely growth and the soil environment in paddy field, liquid pig manure(LPM) was applied after harvesting rice at Jisan series soil for 2 years. Five plots, a LPM applied rate as N%; 0, 100, 150, 200(basal dressing) and 100(basal dressing)+50(additional fertilizer) were divided by tillage methods; non-tillage, non-tillage+rice straw and rotary tillage method. Emission amounts of $NH_3$ gas highly decreased in the rotary tillage and the non-tillage+rice straw plot compared to non-tillage plot. The contents of soil organic matter and exchangeable cation were increased in the applied LPM plot. $NH_4-N$ and $NO_3-N$ contents in soil were the highest in the non-tillage+rice straw plot and followed by the rotary tillage and highly decreased along with the growth of plant. Run-off rate of mineral components were higher in order of the rotary tillage plot£æthe non-tillage plot£æthe non-tillage+rice straw plot and then leached to $SO_4$, $NO_3-N$, K plentifully. The yield of silage barley in dry weight was higher in order of the non-tillage+rice straw plot>the rotary tillage plot>the non-tillage plot. To estimate the feed value of silage barley, crude protein, acid detergent fiber(ADF) and neutral detergent fiber(NDF) contents were analyzed. Crude protein and ADF contents were the highest at rotary tillage N150% plot as 9.7 and 29.4%, respectively. NDF contents was the highest at non-tillage+rice straw N150% plot as 56.7%. In conclusion, we recommend not to incinerate rice straw and to apply LPM at non-tillage status in cultivating the silage barley. This may prevent water pollution and increase barley yields.