• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1289-1299
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• 2021

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of arterial subtraction images for predicting the viability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after locoregional therapy (LRT) using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System treatment response (LR-TR) algorithm. Materials and Methods: This study included 90 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 57 ± 9 years) who underwent liver transplantation or resection after LRT and had 73 viable and 32 nonviable HCCs. All patients underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI before surgery. Two radiologists assessed the presence of LR-TR features, including arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) and LR-TR categories (viable, nonviable, or equivocal), using ordinary arterial-phase and arterial subtraction images. The reference standard for tumor viability was surgical pathology. The sensitivity of APHE for diagnosing viable HCC was compared between ordinary arterial-phase and arterial subtraction images. The sensitivity and specificity of the LR-TR algorithm for diagnosing viable HCC was compared between the use of ordinary arterial-phase and the use of arterial subtraction images. Subgroup analysis was performed on lesions treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) only. Results: The sensitivity of APHE for viable HCCs was higher for arterial subtraction images than ordinary arterial-phase images (71.2% vs. 47.9%; p < 0.001). LR-TR viable category with the use of arterial subtraction images compared with ordinary arterial-phase images showed a significant increase in sensitivity (76.7% [56/73] vs. 63.0% [46/73]; p = 0.002) without significant decrease in specificity (90.6% [29/32] vs. 93.8% [30/32]; p > 0.999). In a subgroup of 63 lesions treated with TACE only, the use of arterial subtraction images showed a significant increase in sensitivity (81.4% [35/43] vs. 67.4% [29/43]; p = 0.031) without significant decrease in specificity (85.0% [17/20] vs. 90.0% [18/20]; p > 0.999). Conclusion: Use of arterial subtraction images compared with ordinary arterial-phase images improved the sensitivity while maintaining specificity for diagnosing viable HCC after LRT using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and the LR-TR algorithm.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-124
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• 2007

Freshwater-adapted maturing chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) involuntarily captured by stationary nets in Yang-yang seashore areas were transferred to freshwater in an outdoor raceway tank at Yeongdong Inland Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI, Yang-yang, Gangwon, Korea and kept over 1 day until the start of the experiments. The freshwater-adapted females were single-injected intraperitoneally with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue, (GnRH-a: $70\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight, BW) alone or combined with a dopamine receptor antagonist, pimozide($700\;{\mu}g/kg$ BW). Although gonadosomatic indices [GSI, (gonad weight/BW)${\times}100$] did not show significant changes in both 2004 and 2005, GSI of GnRH-a-injected fish during the 2005 trial slightly increased on the 5th and 7th days post-injection compared to those of vehicle treated fish. Hepatosomatic indices [HSI, (liver weight/BW)${\times}100$] of fish injected with GnRH-a alone and combined with pimozide decreased significantly on the 7th day post-injection in 2004(P<0.05). In 2005 trials, HSI was significantly reduced in GnRH-a treated fish on the 7th day post-injection (P<0.05). Pimozide-injected fish showed a pattern with increase of GSI and decrease of HSI, without significant differences. Taken together, these results suggest that at least in part hypothalamic hormones and dopamine receptor antagonist may induce sexual maturation in freshwater-adapted maturing chum salmon. It remains to evaluate these preliminary results by further researches.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2008

Purpose : Asthma is characterized by reversible airway obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness result from airway inflammation. Fraction of nitric oxide in expired air (FeNO) has recently been investigated as a noninvasive measure of airway inflammation. FeNO has been reported to correlate with induced sputum eosinophilia and methacholine challenge test that it is represent severity of asthma. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of FeNO with pulmonary function tests in patients with intermittent asthma. Methods : Eighty children included in this study were diagnosed as asthma from April through August, 2005 in Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Kyunghee University. They aged from 4 to 15 years who were able to conduct spirometry and FeNO monitoring. They did not have upper respiratory tract infection and did not use an asthma controller which contain corticosteroids within 4 weeks. Pulmonary function test was done and FeNO was measured with online tidal breathing method using a chemiluminescence NO analyzer (CLD 88 sp, Eco Medics, Duernten, Switzerland). The correlations between pulmonary function test and FeNO were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficient method. Results : The mean of FeNO of subject was 16.88 parts per billion (ppb). The mean of forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$) was $0.890{\pm}0.455L$ and forced vital capacity (FVC) was $1.071{\pm}0.630L$. The mean of predicted $FEV_1%$ ($FEV_1%pred$) was $98.39{\pm}34.27%$ and $FEV_1/FVC$ was $88.53{\pm}19.49$. FeNO was significantly correlate with $FEV_1$ (r=0.345, P<0.01) and FVC (r=0.244, P<0.05). FeNO did not correlate with $FEV_1%pred$ or $FEV_1/FVC$. Conclusion : The measurement of FeNO could be a useful marker in the management of childhood asthma and it is evolving to provide a complementary role alongside existing pulmonary function test. We propose that measuring technique and establishment of normal reference range are important area for future research.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.433-449
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• 2006

Temporal and spatial variations of precipitation in South Korea are investigated using 60 observation data of the recent 30-years from 1976 to 2005. The area averaged annual precipitation amount is about 1310 mm and shows a strong spatial variation, maximum at the southern and Kyoungki province (>1300 mm) and minimum at the Kyungpook province(<1100 mm). The precipitation days show a strong spatial variation with maximum at the Sobaik mountain region(>100 days) and minimum at the Kyungpook province (<90 days). The interannual variations (IAV) of precipitation amount and days are more significant at the southern and eastern part of Sobaik and Taebaik mountain, and along the Sobaik mountain, respectively. So, the difference of annual precipitation amount reaches to about 800mm between wet and dry years at the southern part of Korean peninsula. Whereas, the IAV of precipitation intensity is strong at the southern and middle part of South Korea with a minimum between two maxima. Also, seasonal variations are closely linked with the geographic environments (elevation, distance from ocean, location relative to the Taebaik mountain). Therefore, maximum and minimum of seasonal variations of precipitation are occurred at the northern inland region (ratio of summer to the annual precipitation (RSAP) is greater than 60%), eastern and southern coastal regions (RSAP is less than 53%),respectively. And the RSAP is slightly increased from 50% to 55% comparing the Ho and Kang (1988). The consistent and strong positive relation between the heavy rainfalls, the ratio of heavy rainfalls to annual precipitation and the annual precipitation indicates that heavy rainfall is more frequent and strong at the maximum annual precipitation region.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.146-150
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• 2005

Purpose: We made a radiological comparison between $60^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy with short armed two parts and $40^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy with long armed one part performing operation in cases of hallux valgus angle of less than $40^{\circ}$, intermetatarsal angle of less than $15^{\circ}$. Materials and Methods: 12 cases with $60^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy and 12 cases with $40^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy were selected from October 2000 to March 2005. We have analysed the hallux valgus angle, 1-2 intermetatarsal angle, metatarsal length, distal metartarsal articular angle and angulation at osteotomy site on lateral view in each radiological films taken at preoperative, postoperative and 3 months after operation presuming bone union. All cases were women, both sides were 9 cases and average age was 52.3 years old. Results: Data taken at preoperative, postoperative and 3 months follow up films in $60^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy were as follows; the hallux valgus angles were $32.1^{\circ}$, $10.9^{\circ}$, $13.8^{\circ}$, the 1-2 intermetatarsal angles were $13.6^{\circ}$, $8.5^{\circ}$, $8.4^{\circ}$, the metatarsal length were 60.6 mm, 58.8 mm, 58 mm, the distal metartarsal articular angles were $13^{\circ}$, $6^{\circ}$, $6.6^{\circ}$ and 3 cases were over $3^{\circ}$ angulation at lateral view. In $40^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy, the hallux valgus angles were $34.5^{\circ}$, $11.6^{\circ}$, $15.3^{\circ}$, the 1-2 intermetatarsal angles were $12.7^{\circ}$, $8.2^{\circ}$, $7.8^{\circ}$, the metatarsal length were 59.2 mm, 56.9 mm, 55.9 mm, the distal metartarsal articular angles were $12^{\circ}$, $7.3^{\circ}$, $7.3^{\circ}$ and there were no case with angulation over $3^{\circ}$ at lateral view. Conclusion: In comparison between $60^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy and $40^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy measuring at postoperative and follow up, most of all data were similar, but 3 cases over $3^{\circ}$ angulation at lateral view happened in $60^{\circ}$ Chevron osteotomy. This result showed that $40^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy fixing with screws through long armed one part may have benefit than $60^{\circ}$ distal Chevron osteotomy fixing with K-wires through short armed two parts in making rigid fixation, even though there is a personal difference of technigue.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2014

Purpose: There has been little research regarding the effectiveness of oseltamivir for influenza B infections. We sought to identify the different clinical manifestations between patients treated with and without oseltamivir. Methods: We retrospectively studied the medical records of 72 inpatients or outpatients from two medical centers diagnosed with influenza B infections by either a rapid antigen test or multiplex reverse transcriptase PCR between January 2012 and July 2012. We compared gender, age, past medical history, admission period, total fever duration, fever duration after hospitalization, post-oseltamivir medication peak temperature, laboratory test, chest X-ray, antibiotic medication, and the presence of concomitant viral or bacterial infections. Results: The number of subjects in our study was 72 who were diagnosed with influenza B pneumonia, acute bronchitis, acute bronchiolitis, croup, and mean age was $3.6{\pm}2.8$ year old. The demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations of oseltamivir and the non-oseltamivir groups, including hospitalization period ($4.18{\pm}2.10$ vs $4.79{\pm}1.49$ days, P=.17) and total fever duration ($5.32{\pm}2.07$ vs $6.41{\pm}3.25$ days, P =.09), demonstrated no significant differences. Notably, the oseltamivir group did have significantly reduced usage of antibiotic treatment than the non-oseltamivir group (P=.04). When we limited our patient group to patients under the age of three, similar results were seen. The group prescribed oseltamivir within 48 hours of fever onset had less antibiotic usage, in addition to a shorter fever duration. Conclusion: Oseltamivir appeared to have no benefit in improving the clinical course. However, if it is prescribed within the first 48 hours of symptoms, it may be more effective.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.51-61
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• 2011

The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was first introduced sixty years ago in the academic field. However, the phrase CSR was not explicitly stated before the 1990s in Korean business and academic researches. Recently CSR is more considered a corporate strategy than a philanthropic donation. CSR comprises contributions to local communities as well as using environmentally beneficial and humane practices. Sponsoring is one available marketing tactic used in order to communicate with the market. This study of sponsorship has concentrated on developing brand asset by accessing potential values of sporting events or star-players. However, sponsorship includes providing funds or goods to non-profit institutions as well as sports or entertainment organizations. Accordingly corporate community-specific sponsorship is defined as firms offering to provide money, goods and/or services to individuals and/or institutions within a particular community, thus establishing an interdependent relationship between the partners aspiring to gain social and economic assets. National sponsorship is typically targeted toward commonly recognized individuals and/or organizations with the intent to maximize exposure of a sponsor's brand, and is known to positively affect brand equity(community-specific sponsorship is committed to a limited local area) that a firm could benefit from by gaining a specific asset. POSCO sponsors the Jukdo Market, locate dinthe city of Pohang, tohelp revive their traditional market. Inreturn, the Jukdo Market merchant suni on display sflags with the POSCO embleminfrontof stores with in the market intending to make shopper sand merchant saware of POSCO's sponsorship. POSCO has succeeded in acquiring public support from the citizens of Pohang. However, the economic effects resulting from the cooperative relationship between POSCO and the Jukdo Market have yet to be measured by any empirical research. The purpose of this study is to assess the economic effects created by the community-specific sponsorship from the groups of merchants and shoppers, measuring its influence on the corporate image and subsequent brand loyalty, as parts of brand equity. The result of the study shows that the community-specific sponsorship of POSCO of the Jukdo Market had different influences on its corporate image and the brand loyalty of shoppers and merchants. First, the merchant group who was more frequently exposed to POSCO's flag recognized the sponsorship of POSCO more than the shopper group, and, therefore, had a better image of the company. Second, the recognition of POSCO's sponsorship had a positive influence on its corporate image, and that positive corporate image had a positive effect on brand loyalty development. However, the recognition of the sponsorship did not have a direct influence on brand loyalty. The friendly corporate image developed by the recognition of the sponsorship consequently could have had an effect on brand loyalty. Therefore, companies should not relinquish investments to corporate image development if they require more brand loyalty. Third, the influence of corporate image on brand loyalty shows stronger results in the shopper group rather than in the merchant group. Psycho-graphic factors of shoppers and merchants might give rise to the difference between the two groups.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 1993

Pituitary LH release has been known to be regulated by the hypothalamic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and the gonadal steroid hormones. In addition, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides are actively involved in the control of LH secretion. The alteration in LH release might reflect changes in biosynthesis and/or posttranslational processing of LH. However, little is known about the mechanism by which biosynthesis of LH subunits is regulated, especially at the level of transcription. In order to investigate if ovarian steroid hormones regulate the LH subunit gene expression, ${\alpha}\;and\;LH{\beta}$ steady state mRNA levels were determined in anterior pituitaries of ovariectomized rats. Serum LH concentrations and pituitary LH concentrations were increased markedly with time after ovariectomy. ${\alpha}\;and\;LH{\beta}$ subunit mRNA levels after ovariectomy were increased in a parallel manner with serum LH concentrations and pituitary LH contents, the rise in $LH{\beta}$ subunit mRNA levels being more prominent than the rise in ${\alpha}\;subunit$ mRNA. ${\alpha}\;and\;LH{\beta}$ subunit mRNA levels in ovariectomized rats were negatively regulated by the continuous treatment of ovarian steriod hormones for $1{\sim}4\;days$ and $LH{\beta}\;subunit$ mRNA seemed to be more sensitive to negative feedback of estradiol than progesterone. Treatment of estrogen antagonist, LY117018 or progesterone antagonist, RU486 significantly restroed LH subunit mRNA levels as well as LH release which were suppressed by estradiol or progesterone treatment. These results suggest that ovarian steroids negatively regulate the LH synthesis at the pretranslational level by modulating the steady state levels of ${\alpha}\;and\;LH{\beta}\;subunit$ mRNA and $LH{\beta}\;subunit$ mRNA seemed to be more sensitive to negative feedback action of estradiol than progesterone.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.4 s.48
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• pp.439-444
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• 2004

UV irradiation produces free radicals and related reactive oxygen species (ROS), and these are injury to all most of organisms of skin cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, free radicals and ROS stimulate the overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that can degrade most components of ECM such as collagen. Since collagen constitutes almost of skin connective tissue, their disarrangement causes wrinkle formation and droop of skin. Therefore, scavenging activity on free radicals, ROS and suppression of MMP-1 is expected to prevent skin photoaging. In this study, to investigate the relationship between photoaging and Draconis sanguis, we examined the effects of antioxidant, in vitro MMP inhibition and expression of UVA-induced MMP-1 in human dermal fibroblasts. Draconis sanguis was found to show scavenging activities of radicals and ROS with the $IC_{50}$ values of $183{\;}{\mu}g/mL$ against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and $30{\;}{\mu}g/mL$ against superoxide radicals in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system, respectively. Draconis sunguis inhibited the activities of MMP-1 in a does-dependent manner and the $IC_{50}$ value calculated from semi-log plots was $200{\;}{\mu}g/mL$. Also, UVA induced MMP expression was reduced $74\%$ by treatment with Draconis sanguis, and MMP-1 mRNA expression was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore Draconis sanguis was able to significantly inhibit MMP expression in protein and mRNA level. All these results suggested that Draconis sanguis may act as an anti-photoaging agent by antioxidation and reducing UVA-induced MMP-1 production.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.732-743
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• 2005

The characteristics of precipitation over South Korea from 1973 to 2002 were investigated. The synoptic patterns inducing precipitation are classified by 10 categories, according to the associated surface map analysis. The annual mean frequency of the total precipitation, its duration time and amount for 30 years are 179 times, 2.9 hours, and 7.1 mm, respectively. About $59\%$ of the total precipitation events were associated with a synoptic low. The dominant patterns are identified with respect to seasons: A synoptic mobile low pressure pattern is frequent in spring, fall, and winter, whereas low pressure embedded within the Changma and orography induced precipitation are dominant in summer and in winter. For the amount of precipitation, precipitation originated from tropical air associated with typhoon, tropical convergence, and Changma is more significant than that with other pressure patterns. The statistical elapse time reaching to 80 mm, which is the threshold amount of heavy rainfall watch at KMA, takes 12.9 hours after the onset of precipitation. The probability distribution function of the precipitation shows that the maximum probability for heavy rainfall is located at the south-coastal region of the Korean peninsula. It is also shown that the geographical distribution of the Korean peninsula plays an important role in occurrence of heavy rainfall. For example, heavy precipitation is frequently occurred at Youngdong area, when typhoon passes along the coastal region of the back borne mountains in the peninsula. The climatological classification of synoptic patterns associated with heavy rainfall over South Korea can be used to provide a guidance to operational forecast of heavy rainfall in KMA.