• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.2997-3003
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• 2009

The pharmacological profile of KR-31081, a nonpeptide $AT_1$ selective angiotensin receptor antagonist, was investigated by receptor binding studies, functional in vitro assays with rabbit aorta. KR-31081 inhibited the specific binding of $[^{125}I]\;[Sar^1,\;Ile^8]$-angiotensin II to human recombinant $AT_1$ receptor with an 8.6-fold greater potency than losartan ($IC_{50}$: 1.43 and 12.3 nM, respectively), but it did not inhibit the binding of [$^{125}I$] CGP 42112A to human recombinant $AT_2$ receptor ($IC_{50}$: higher than $10{\mu}M$ for both). The Hill coefficient for the competition curve of KR-31081 against $AT_1$ receptor was not significantly different from unity (0.99). Scatchard analysis showed that KR-31081 interacted with human recombinant $AT_1$ receptor in a competitive manner, as with losartan. In functional studies with rabbit aorta, KR-31081 competitively inhibited the contractile response to angiotensin II ($pK_B$ values: 8.66) with 20-70% decrease in the maximum contractile responses, unlike losartan that showed competitive antagonism without any change in the maximum contractile responses to angiotensin II ($pA_2$ values: 7.59). These results suggest that KR-31081 is a highly potent $AT_1$ selective angiotensin II receptor antagonist with a mode of insurmountable antagonism to be developed as the exploratory potential of this compound.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.923-932
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine parameters of surface cover materials and evaluation the effects on runoff and sediment reductions with rice straw mat with PAM at watershed scale using the SWAT model. In this study, 1) regression equation of CN for rice straw mat + PAM using SCS curve number method was developed, 2) the USLE P factor, being able to reflect simulation of rice straw mat + PAM in the agricultural field, was estimated for various slope scenarios with VFSMOD-w. Then regression equation for CN and USLE P factor were used as input data in the SWAT model. Assuming rice straw mat + PAM is applied to radish and potato fields, occupying 24% of agricultural fields at the study watershed. Result of direct runoff without rice straw mat + PAM was $65,964,368\;m^3,$ with rice straw mat + PAM, direct runoff was $65,637,336\;m^3$, $327,031.8\;m^3$ reductions compared without it. Also, result of sediment without rice straw mat + PAM was 163,531 ton, with rice straw mat + PAM, sediment was 84,779 ton, 78,752 ton reduction compared without it. This analysis showed that about 48% sediment reductions would be expected with rice straw mat + PAM. As shown in this study, rice straw mat + PAM would be used as an efficient site-specific BMPs to reduce runoff and sediment discharge from field.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.697-703
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• 2006

Endocrine disruptors were measured with GC/MS in effluents discharged from sewage treatment processes in pilot scale for the purpose of water reuse. From that analysis, we compared the removal rate of them by treatment processes. Nonylphenol was mainly detected in effluents and high concentration from 0.36 to 0.94 ${\mu}g/L$. $17{\beta}$-estradiol(E2) and $17{\alpha}$-ethynylestradiol(EE2) were detected as below the limit of detection in effluent. Endocrine disruptors were removed effectively in the range from 50 to 100% by treatment process. EC50 value($9.0{\times}10^{-3}$ M) of $17{\beta}$-estradiol(E2) by dose response curve of E-screen assay has higher than that of bisphenol A($2.736{\times}10^{-5}M$) and p-octylphenol($9.760{\times}10^{-6}$ M). These results showed that alkylphenols have lower relative estrogen potency than other estrogens such as $17{\beta}$-estradiol(E2). Calculated estrogenic activity(ng-EEQ/L) was 2 times higher than measured total estrogenic activity which estimated by E-screen assay. Moreover estrogenic activity of effluent by treatment process showed very low as below 1 ng-EEQ/L.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2005

This study was conducted to compare the validity of obese index among body mass index(BMI), waist to hip ratio(WHR), and waist circumference(WC) and to determine which is the best in relation to cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Korean(40-64yr).Data from the 1998 Korean Health and Nutrition Survey were used(N=3380). Anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors were measured. Chi-square test, analysis of variance following duncan's multiple range test, partial correlation analysis, and Receiver Operator characteristic(ROC) curves were used in the analysis. There was a significant increasing trend in WHR, systolic blood pressure(SBP), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL), and fasting blood sugar(FBS) with age categories of male and in BMI, WC, WHR, diastolic blood pressure(DBP), SBP, total cholesterol(TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL), triglycerol(TG), and FBS with those of female. Specially female had the characteristics of upper body fat and systolic blood pressure risk(p<0.05). Proportions of subjects with lifestyle factors related to cardiovascular risk in overweight or upper body fat group were higher than that of normal group. Higher proportions of subjects were practiced exercise in upper body fat group of male than in other groups. Among 7 cardiovascular risk factors in partial correlation analysis, BMI had the highest correlation coefficient in 6 risk factors in male, whereas WC in 4 risk factors in female. Mean of each obese index according to cardiovascular risk groups except smoker was higher than that of normal(p<0.05). These trends were shown in upper body fat group and female. In ROC analysis of 12 risk factors and health conditions, the largest area under curve among obese indices for risk factors were BMI in male and WHR in female. The optimal cutoff values of each index(BMI: WHR: WC) for one or more cardiovascular risk factors were 23.13: 0.89: 85.35 in male and 23.57: 0.84: 78.35 in female. The results showed that cardiovascular risk factors were prevalent in middle aged Koreans within normal limits of obese indices like another Asians. For the identification of cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Koreans, BMI for men and WHR for women are appropriate indices. But it is recommended that BMI, WHR, and WC, all three indices should be considered, when using these indices.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2012

Rainfall is widely recognized as a major landslide-triggering factor. Most of the latest landslides that occurred in South Korea were caused by short-duration heavy rainfall. However, the relationship between rainfall characteristics and landslide occurrence is poorly understood. To examine the effect of rainfall on landslide occurrence, cumulative rainfall(mm) and rainfall intensity(mm/hr) of serial rain and antecedent rainfall(mm) were analyzed for 18 landslide events that occurred in the southern and central regions of South Korea in June and July 2011. It was found that all of these landslides occurred by heavy rainfall for one or three days, with the rainfall intensity exceeding 30 mm/hr or with a cumulative rainfall of 200 mm. These plotted data are beyond the landslide warning criteria of Korea Forest Service and the critical line of landslide occurrence for Gyeongnam Province. It was also found that the time to landslide occurrence after rainfall start(T) was shortened with the increasing average rainfall intensity(ARI), showing an exponential-decay curve, and this relation can be expressed as "T = $94.569{\cdot}exp$($-0.068{\cdot}ARI$)($R^2$=0.64, p<0.001)". The findings in this study may provide important evidences for the landslide forecasting guidance service of Korea Forest Service as well as essential data for the establishment of non-structural measures such as a warning and evacuation system in the face of sediment disasters.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.72-82
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• 2021

Purpose: A high anion gap (AG) is known to be a significant risk factor for serious acid-base imbalances and death in acute poisoning cases. The strong ion difference (SID), or strong ion gap (SIG), has recently been used to predict in-hospital mortality or acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This study presents a comprehensive acid-base analysis in order to identify the predictive value of the SIG for disease severity in severe poisoning. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on acute poisoning patients treated in the emergency intensive care unit (ICU) between December 2015 and November 2020. Initial serum electrolytes, base deficit (BD), AG, SIG, and laboratory parameters were concurrently measured upon hospital arrival and were subsequently used along with Stewart's approach to acid-base analysis to predict AKI development and in-hospital death. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tests. Results: Overall, 343 patients who were treated in the intensive care unit were enrolled. The initial levels of lactate, AG, and BD were significantly higher in the AKI group (n=62). Both effective SID [SIDe] (20.3 vs. 26.4 mEq/L, p<0.001) and SIG (20.2 vs. 16.5 mEq/L, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the AKI group; however, the AUC of serum SIDe was 0.842 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.799-0.879). Serum SIDe had a higher predictive capacity for AKI than initial creatinine (AUC=0.796, 95% CI=0.749-0.837), BD (AUC=0.761, 95% CI=0.712-0.805), and AG (AUC=0.660, 95% CI=0.607-0.711). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that diabetes, lactic acidosis, high SIG, and low SIDe were significant risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Initial SIDe and SIG were identified as useful predictors of AKI and in-hospital mortality in intoxicated patients who were critically ill. Further research is necessary to evaluate the physiological nature of the toxicant or unmeasured anions in such patients.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the level of pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) in whole and skim milk samples, and its suitability for early pregnancy diagnosis in goats. Methods: A two-step sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for estimation of milk PAG was developed and validated, which employed caprine-PAG specific polyclonal antisera. Whole and skim milk samples (n = 210 each) from fifteen multiparous goats were collected on alternate days from d 10 to d 30, and thereafter weekly till d 51 post-mating. PAG levels in milk samples were estimated by ELISA and the pregnancies were confirmed at d40 post-mating by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). Results: The level of PAG in whole and skim milk samples of both pregnant and nonpregnant goats remained below the threshold values until d 24 after mating. Thereafter, PAG concentration in whole and skim milk increased steadily in pregnant goats, whereas it continued below the threshold in non-pregnant does. The PAG profiles in whole and skim milk of pregnant goats were almost similar and exhibited strong positive relationship (r = 0.891; p<0.001). Day 26 post-mating was identified as the first time-point for significantly (p<0.05) higher milk PAG concentration in pregnant goats than to non-pregnant goats. When compared to TRUS examination for pregnancy diagnosis, the accuracy and specificity of PAG ELISA using whole and skim milk samples were 94.5% and 95.4%; and 95.3% and 100%, respectively. The high values of area-under-curve (0.904 [whole milk] and 0.922 [skim milk]), demonstrate outstanding discrimination ability of the milk assays. Among the sampling dates chosen, d 37 post-mating was identified as the best suitable time point for collection of milk samples to detect pregnancy in goats. Conclusion: The PAG concentration in whole and skim milk of goats collected between days 26 and 51 post-breeding can be used for the accurate prediction of pregnancy and may be useful for assisting management decisions in goat flocks.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2017

Analysis method was presented for the simultaneous determination of nine bisphenol A related compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA), phenol, p-tert-butylphenol, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), $BADGE{\cdot}2H_2O$, $BADGE{\cdot}2HCl$, bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE), $BFDGE{\cdot}2H_2O$ and $BFDGE{\cdot}2HCl$ migrated from inner coatings of metal food cans by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The method was validated by examining the linearity of calibration curve, the limit of detection (LOD), the limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery and uncertainty. The migration tests of nine BPA related compounds were carried out with four food simulants; deionized water (DW), 4% acetic acid, 50% ethanol and n-heptane. There was not any compound detected in DW, 4% acetic acid and 50% ethanol at $60^{\circ}C$ for 30 min and n-heptane at $25^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. BPA and phenol were migrated into 4% acetic acid and 50% ethanol at $95^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. The concentrations were ranged from 0 to $10.77{\mu}g/L$ of BPA and from 0 to $2.35{\mu}g/L$ of phenol. Canned foodstuffs mostly have long-term shelf life. We investigated migration of nine BPA related compounds according to the variation in storage periods (0~90 days) and temperatures (4, 25 and $60^{\circ}C$). All compounds were not founded during 90 days at $4^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. However BPA and $BADGE{\cdot}2H_2O$ were founded in DW and 4% acetic acid at $60^{\circ}C$. The migration levels of BPA and $BADGE{\cdot}2H_2O$ were close to the value of LOQ, respectively and did not change significantly as storage period. It was founded from results that the migration of BPA related compounds from metal food cans was controlled to a safe level.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.699-711
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: We investigated whether extra-pulmonary vein (PV) ablation targeting a high maximal slope of the action potential duration restitution curve (Smax) improves the rhythm outcome of persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) ablation. Methods: In this open-label, multi-center, randomized, and controlled trial, 178 PeAF patients were randomized with 1:1 ratio to computational modeling-guided virtual Smax ablation (V-Smax) or empirical ablation (E-ABL) groups. Smax maps were generated by computational modeling based on atrial substrate maps acquired during clinical procedures in sinus rhythm. Smax maps were generated during the clinical PV isolation (PVI). The V-Smax group underwent an additional extra-PV ablation after PVI targeting the virtual high Smax sites. Results: After a mean follow-up period of 12.3±5.2 months, the clinical recurrence rates (25.6% vs. 23.9% in the V-Smax and the E-ABL group, p=0.880) or recurrence appearing as atrial tachycardia (11.1% vs. 5.7%, p=0.169) did not differ between the 2 groups. The post-ablation cardioversion rate was higher in the V-Smax group than E-ABL group (14.4% vs. 5.7%, p=0.027). Among antiarrhythmic drug-free patients (n=129), the AF freedom rate was 78.7% in the V-Smax group and 80.9% in the E-ABL group (p=0.776). The total procedure time was longer in the V-Smax group (p=0.008), but no significant difference was found in the major complication rates (p=0.497) between the groups. Conclusions: Unlike a dominant frequency ablation, the computational modeling-guided V-Smax ablation did not improve the rhythm outcome of the PeAF ablation and had a longer procedure time.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.212-228
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• 2001

This is a cross-sectional descriptive correlation study that aimed to understand the relationship between the level of sexual contacts during the dates and psycho-social factors in teenage girls who have or had boyfriends. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between sexual contacts and self-esteem and self- assertiveness. The subjects of the study were 6,130 teenage girls who have or had boyfriends. They were selected convienently 12,733 teenage girls from 254 secondary schools located in 7 large cities and 9 provinces in Korea. A structured questionaire was used it included items one general characteristics, the levels of sexual contacts, self-esteem and self-assertiveness. Seven levels of sexual contacts were rated they were holding a hand, putting arms around each other's shoulders, kiss, french kiss, touching breast, petting genitalia, and sexual intercourse during the dates. Self-esteem and self-assertiveness were measured by the "Self-esteem scale" of Rogenberg (1971) and the questionaires developed by S. B. Chang et al(2000), respectively. The self-reported questionaires were collected from October 2, to October 28, 2000 and analyzed by using SPSS 10.0 Program. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, reliability, One-way ANOVA with Duncan method & Scheffe method. The results of the analysis were as follows. 1.An average Percentage of the respondents who have (46.1%) or had (53.9%) boyfriends was 48.1% (n=6,130) and the most common sexual contact during the dates was french kiss (26.7%, n=1,634). While 7.5%(458) of respondents had a sexual intercourse, 13.7%(842) of respondents didn't have any sexual contact during the dates. 2. Distribution of starting point of the first sexual contact demonstrates that 1,950 respondents (31.8%) held partner's hand at the first date and 1,367 respondents (22.3%) put arms around each other's shoulders at the 2nd or 3rd date. Sexual contacts such as kiss, french kiss, touching breast, petting genitalia, or sexual intercourse were experienced mostly at the later than the 10th date. However, surprisingly large number(1.7%) of respondents had genital contact and sexual intercourses at the first date. 3. The means of self-esteem and self-assertiveness socres of the respondents who have or had boyfriends are 27.43$({\pm}4.03)$ and 17.96$({\pm}2.55)$, respectively. The range of scores for self esteem was 10-40, 40 with most self esteem. The range of scores for self assertiveness was 7-21, 21 with most self assertiveness. 4. As sexual contacts proceeded, the means of self-esteem and self-assertiveness values decreased. In detail, the respondents having no or light sexual contacts (kiss, putting arms around each other's shoulder, holding a hand) had similar self-esteem values($p{\leq}0.05$). However, ones having relatively intensive sexual contacts (french kiss, touching breast) showed significantly lower self-esteem values($p{\leq}0.05$). Same trend has been obtained for self-assertiveness value. 5. The higher values of self-esteem and self-assertiveness values the respondents had, the later they started the moderate sexual contact (kiss, french kiss) during the dates. Interestingly, among the respondents having intensive sexual contacts (petting genitalia, sexual intercourse) during the dates, those who experienced the such contacts at the first date or later than 10th date have higher self-esteem and self-assertiveness values than one experienced the such contacts during the 2nd$\sim$9th dates, giving U-shape curve. 6. There was a significant relationship between self-esteem and self-assertiveness in girls who have or had boyfriends($P{\leq}.001$). In conclusion, the research shows that self-esteem and self-assertiveness values are significantly related with the sexual contacts of the teenage girls who have or had boyfriends. These results strongly suggest that proper sex education program for teenage girls should contain the program on improving the self-esteem and self-assertiveness. We believe that sex education program is the one of the best ways to prevent the unwanted sexual contacts and pregnancy of teenage girls.