• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.232-238
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• 2015

Background: A relationship between low vitamin D levels and the development or outcomes of respiratory diseases has been identified. However, there is no data on the vitamin D status in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). We evaluated the vitamin D status in patients with AEP among South Korean military personnel. Methods: We prospectively compared the serum levels of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 among patients with AEP, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Results: In total, 65 patients with respiratory diseases, including AEP (n=24), PTB (n=19), and CAP (n=22), were identified. Of the 24 patients with AEP, 2 (8%) had deficient total 25(OH)D levels (<10 ng/mL), 17 (71%) had insufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}10$ to <30 ng/mL), and only 5 (21%) had sufficient total 25(OH)D levels (${\geq}30$ to <100 ng/mL). The difference in the total 25(OH)D levels among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP was not statistically significant (p=0.230). The median levels of total 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 were 22.84, 22.84, and 0.00 ng/mL, respectively, and no differences in the 25(OH)D level were present among patients with AEP, PTB, and CAP with the exception of the total 25(OH)D level between patients with AEP and PTB (p=0.042). Conclusion: We have shown that low vitamin D levels are frequently found in patients with AEP and are comparable with those in patients with PTB and CAP.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.43-50
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• 2002

This paper describes a simplified numerical procedure for analyzing the response of bridge pier foundations due to riverbed scouring. A computationally efficient algorithm to analyze the behavior of a pile group is proposed by considering soil-pile, pile-cap, and pile-fluid interactions. The complex phenomenon of the pile-soil interaction is modeled by discrete nonlinear soil springs (p-y, t-z and q-z curves). The pile-cap interaction is considered by geometric configuration of the piles in a group and connectivity conditions between piles and the cap. The pile-fluid interaction is incorporated into the procedure by reducing the stiffness of the soil-pile reactions as a result of nonlinearity and degradation of the soil stiffness with river bridge scouring. Through the numerical study, it is shown that the maximum bending moment increases with increasing scour depth. Thus it is desirable to check the stability elf pile groups based on soil-pile and pile-cap interactions by considering scouring depth in the riverbed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.430-435
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• 2009

Background: Thus far, research studies on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have focused on its clinical severity. Recently, it has been determined that procalcitonin (PCT) level is correlated with severity of CAP. A retrospective study conducted at our hospital used risk predictability and PCT to determine whether or no PCT is useful in assessing the severity of CAP. Methods: This study covered 92 CAP cases that were admitted to the respiratory department at Changwon Fatima Hospital between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. All enrolled subjects were measured for infection markers and risk predictability. Results: Based on hospital admission data, enrolled subjects had Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) scores serving as risk predictors showed that both PCT and white blood cell (WBC) were statistically significant as infection markers (p=0.001, 0.037). Thus, this study used ROC curves in PSI for data analysis. As a result, it was determined that the area under curve (AUC) of PCT and WBC was 0.694 and 0.593 respectively, indicating that PCT has a higher test value for WBC, when PCT was higher than 0.745 ng/mL. In addition, it was found that PCT levels higher than 0.745 ng/mL had higher PSI scores than the group with PCT lower than 0.745 ng/mL (p=0.032). Conclusion: In order to predict risk of pneumonia cases admitted due to symptoms of CAP, it is important to consider PCT as well as PSI, and follow-up monitoring of PCT cases.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2007

In this study, we have investigated waste incinerators which are one of the major HAPs emission sources. In order to obtain more reliable HAPs emission data from waste incinerators, direct sampling for the possible pollutants from the stack was carried out and the analysis was performed. The purpose of study was to understand the emission status from waste incinerators and recognize the problems and finally to set up a strategy to reduce the HAPs emissions from waste incinerators. The emission concentrations of 8 species of heavy metals and 16 species of PAHs have been analyzed for the first time in Korea. Not only the emission characteristics of HAPs from waste incinerators were identified, but also the analysis of reduction efficiencies for control devices such as BF and wet scrubbing systems was carried out.

• Bulletin of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1323-1330
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• 2017

For a nondegenerate projective irreducible variety $X{\subset}{\mathbb{P}}^r$, it is a natural problem to find an upper bound for the value of $${\ell}_{\beta}(X)=max\{length(X{\cap}L){\mid}L={\mathbb{P}}^{\beta}{\subset}{\mathbb{P}}^r,\;{\dim}(X{\cap}L)=0\}$$ for each $1{\leq}{\beta}{\leq}e$. When X is locally Cohen-Macaulay, A. Noma in [10] proves that ${\ell}_{\beta}(X)$ is at most $d-e+{\beta}$ where d and e are respectively the degree and the codimension of X. In this paper, we construct some surfaces $S{\subset}{\mathbb{P}}^5$ of degree $d{\in}\{7,{\ldots},12\}$ which satisfies the inequality $${\ell}_2(S){\geq}d-3+{\lfloor}{\frac{d}{2}}{\rfloor}$$. This shows that Noma's bound is no more valid for locally non-Cohen-Macaulay varieties.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.35-41
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• 2018

Dynamic interaction of the ground-foundation-structure must be considered for safety of earthquake resistant design for piles supported structures. The p-y curve, which is proposed in the static load and cyclic load cases, is used for the earthquake resistant design of piles. The p-y curve does not consider dynamic interaction of the ground-foundation-structure on dynamic load cases such as earthquake. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the p-y curve to earthquake resistant design. The dynamic p-y curve by considering dynamic interaction of the ground-foundation-structure has been studied, and researches had same conditions that pile caps were on the ground surface and superstructures were added on pile caps for the simple weight. However, group piles are normally embedded into the ground except for marine structures, so it seems that the embedding the pile cap influences on the dynamic p-y curve of group piles. In this study, the shaking table model test was conducted to confirm dynamic behavior of group piles by the embedded pile cap in the ground. The result showed that dynamic behavior was different between two cases by embedding the pile cap or not.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.5
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• pp.207-214
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• 2013

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly. Several studies have reported the clinical usefulness of serum procalcitonin, a biomarker of bacterial infection. However, the association between the levels of procalcitonin and the severity in the elderly with CAP has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of procalcitonin as a predictor of severity and mortality in the elderly with CAP. Methods: This study covers 155 CAP cases admitted to Pusan National University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2010. Patients were divided into two groups (${\geq}65$ years, n=99; <65 years, n=56) and were measured for procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell, confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure, 65 years or older (CURB-65) and pneumonia severity of index (PSI). Results: The levels of procalcitonin were significantly correlated with the CURB-65, PSI in totals. Especially stronger correlation was observed between the levels of procalcitonin and CURB-65 in the elderly (procalcitonin and CURB-65, ${\rho}$=0.408 with p<0.001; procalcitonin and PSI, ${\rho}$=0.293 with p=0.003; procalcitonin and mortality, ${\rho}$=0.229 with p=0.023). The correlation between the levels of CRP or WBC and CAP severity was low. The existing cut-off value of procalcitonin was correlated with mortality rate, however, it was not correlated with mortality within the elderly. Conclusion: The levels of procalcitonin are more useful than the levels of CRP or WBC to predict the severity of CAP. However, there was no association between the levels of procalcitonin and mortality in the elderly.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2015

In this paper proposes a stable marriage algorithm. The proposed algorithm firstly constructs an $n{\times}n$ matrix of men's and women's sum preference over opposite sex $p_{ij}$. It then repeatedly deletes row or column corresponding to the then maximum dispreference sum $_{max}p_{ij}$ until ${\forall}(|r_i|=1{\cap}|c_j|=1)$. If $|r_i|=1$ or $|c_j|=1$ then we select the $p_{ij}$ of $|r_i|=1$ or $|c_j|=1$ then the row or column values are deleted repeatedly until ${\forall}(|r_i|=1{\cap}|c_j|=1)$. When tested on 7 stable marriage problems, the proposed algorithm has proved to improve on the existing solutions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2010

Background: Data comparing the clinical characteristics and outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP-COPD) and acute exacerbation (AECOPD) are very limited. Methods: Eighty episodes of hospitalization in 65 CAP-COPD patients, and 111 episodes of hospitalization in 82 AE-COPD patients were included in this study. The baseline characteristics, clinical presentations, potential bacterial pathogens and clinical outcomes in these patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared. Results: No significant differences were found between the two groups in parameters related to COPD and co-morbidities, except a higher rate of male among CAP-COPD patients. Clinical presentations by symptoms and laboratory findings on admission were significantly more severe in CAP-COPD patients, who showed higher rates of fever and crepitation, but less wheezing than AE-COPD patients. S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosae were the most common bacterial pathogens in both groups. With no difference in the overall hospital mortality between both groups, the mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the CAP-COPD patients than in AE-COPD patients (15.3 vs. 9.8 days, respectively, p<0.01). Additional analysis on CAP-COPD patients showed that systemic steroid use did not influence the length of hospital stay. Conclusion: Although there was no significant difference in bacterial pathogens and overall hospital mortality between the two groups, CAP-COPD patients had more severe clinical symptoms and laboratory findings at presentation, and longer hospital stay than AE-COPD patients.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.22
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• pp.201-226
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• 2004

P & I Clubs are mutual and non-profit making insurers which offer shipowners cover for the contractual and third-party liabilities. Whereas most shipowners obtain P & I insurance to cover for their legal liabilities, they also obtain hull insurance to cover against damages to the hull of their vessels from commercial hull insurers. P & I insurance was distinguished from hull insurance in respect that it offered non-limited cover to shipowner member, but there was a serious debate between P & I Clubs in respect of the non-limited cover. A compromise by International Group of P & I Clubs eventually emerged under which, with effect from 20 February 1997, a financial cap was placed on the obligation of each shipowner to pay catasrophe calls to his club(20% of each ship's property limitation fund under 1976 Limitation Convention). Nevertheless many shipowners felt that this new cap on their potential catastrophe call had been set still too high, while others resisted any reduction in the figure established by the compromise. In the Meantime, the European Commission issued a Statement of Objections in June 1997, in which it indicated its objections with a compulsory single limit common th all the Group clubs as high as the 1997 compromise. Eventually the board of all the Group clubs decided that the figure of 20% of the Limitation Convention per ship property funds should be dropped down to 2.5% from 20 February 1999.