• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.243-251
• /
• 2005

Objective: Low-dose aspirin have been proposed to improving endometrial receptivity and pregnancy rate in COH-IVF by increasing endometrial perfusion. However, the effect of low-dose aspirin in COH-IVF could be negligible because there have been large quantity of other important factors responsible for changing endometrial perfusion accompanied by COH procedure. In contrast, in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles which were not accompanied by COH procedure, the effects of low-dose aspirin in endometrial blood flow seems to be more certain than in COH-IVF cycles. In this study, we analyzed the effect of low-dose aspirin treatment on implantation and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer Methods: From January 2003 to December 2003, total 264 cycles from 264 patients who attended infertility clinic at Samsung Cheil Hospital were enrolled in this study. All cases included in this study, embryos were frozen and thawed at the pronuclear stage and three days after incubation, at least 2 or more good quality embryos were transferred into uterus. In study group, low dose aspirin (100 mg/day) was administrated from the first or second date of menstrual day to 9 days after embryo transfer. On the other hand, control group did not take any medicine except estradiol valerate for endometrial priming. Several variables including implantation and pregnancy rates were compared in both groups. After then, each groups were stratified by endometrial thickness checked at embryo transfer (ET) day such as (28 mm versus <8 mm) and same variables above described were compared between study and control groups. Results: The mean age, infertility duration, endometrial thickness at embryo transfer day and mean number of transferred embryo were not significantly different in both groups. Also, implantation rates (study group: 15.8%, control group: 20.5%) and pregnancy rate (study group: 45.1%, control group: 43.5%) were not significantly different between two groups. (p>0.05) After we analyzed same variables stratified by endometrial thickness checked at embryo transfer day, we could not found any significant difference between study and control groups. Conclusions: Low-dose aspirin treatment seems to have no advantage of improving implantation and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
• /
• 2011.04a
• /
• pp.1-2
• /
• 2011

Hybrid rockets have lately attracted attention as a strong candidate of small, low cost, safe and reliable launch vehicles. A significant topic is that the first commercially sponsored space ship, SpaceShipOne vehicle chose a hybrid rocket. The main factors for the choice were safety of operation, system cost, quick turnaround, and thrust termination. In Japan, five universities including Hokkaido University and three private companies organized "Hybrid Rocket Research Group" from 1998 to 2002. Their main purpose was to downsize the cost and scale of rocket experiments. In 2002, UNISEC (University Space Engineering Consortium) and HASTIC (Hokkaido Aerospace Science and Technology Incubation Center) took over the educational and R&D rocket activities respectively and the research group dissolved. In 2008, JAXA/ISAS and eleven universities formed "Hybrid Rocket Research Working Group" as a subcommittee of the Steering Committee for Space Engineering in ISAS. Their goal is to demonstrate technical feasibility of lowcost and high frequency launches of nano/micro satellites into sun-synchronous orbits. Hybrid rockets use a combination of solid and liquid propellants. Usually the fuel is in a solid phase. A serious problem of hybrid rockets is the low regression rate of the solid fuel. In single port hybrids the low regression rate below 1 mm/s causes large L/D exceeding a hundred and small fuel loading ratio falling below 0.3. Multi-port hybrids are a typical solution to solve this problem. However, this solution is not the mainstream in Japan. Another approach is to use high regression rate fuels. For example, a fuel regression rate of 4 mm/s decreases L/D to around 10 and increases the loading ratio to around 0.75. Liquefying fuels such as paraffins are strong candidates for high regression fuels and subject of active research in Japan too. Nakagawa et al. in Tokai University employed EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) to modify viscosity of paraffin based fuels and investigated the effect of viscosity on regression rates. Wada et al. in Akita University employed LTP (Low melting ThermoPlastic) as another candidate of liquefying fuels and demonstrated high regression rates comparable to paraffin fuels. Hori et al. in JAXA/ISAS employed glycidylazide-poly(ethylene glycol) (GAP-PEG) copolymers as high regression rate fuels and modified the combustion characteristics by changing the PEG mixing ratio. Regression rate improvement by changing internal ballistics is another stream of research. The author proposed a new fuel configuration named "CAMUI" in 1998. CAMUI comes from an abbreviation of "cascaded multistage impinging-jet" meaning the distinctive flow field. A CAMUI type fuel grain consists of several cylindrical fuel blocks with two ports in axial direction. The port alignment shifts 90 degrees with each other to make jets out of ports impinge on the upstream end face of the downstream fuel block, resulting in intense heat transfer to the fuel. Yuasa et al. in Tokyo Metropolitan University employed swirling injection method and improved regression rates more than three times higher. However, regression rate distribution along the axis is not uniform due to the decay of the swirl strength. Aso et al. in Kyushu University employed multi-swirl injection to solve this problem. Combinations of swirling injection and paraffin based fuel have been tried and some results show very high regression rates exceeding ten times of conventional one. High fuel regression rates by new fuel, new internal ballistics, or combination of them require faster fuel-oxidizer mixing to maintain combustion efficiency. Nakagawa et al. succeeded to improve combustion efficiency of a paraffin-based fuel from 77% to 96% by a baffle plate. Another effective approach some researchers are trying is to use an aft-chamber to increase residence time. Better understanding of the new flow fields is necessary to reveal basic mechanisms of regression enhancement. Yuasa et al. visualized the combustion field in a swirling injection type motor. Nakagawa et al. observed boundary layer combustion of wax-based fuels. To understand detailed flow structures in swirling flow type hybrids, Sawada et al. (Tohoku Univ.), Teramoto et al. (Univ. of Tokyo), Shimada et al. (ISAS), and Tsuboi et al. (Kyushu Inst. Tech.) are trying to simulate the flow field numerically. Main challenges are turbulent reaction, stiffness due to low Mach number flow, fuel regression model, and other non-steady phenomena. Oshima et al. in Hokkaido University simulated CAMUI type flow fields and discussed correspondence relation between regression distribution of a burning surface and the vortex structure over the surface.

• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.33-53
• /
• 1988

This study aimed at developing a desirable family planning policy and strategy by examining the current status of family planning practice in rural Korea and by indentifying the crucial factors which affect fertility control behavior. For this purpose, an analytical study was conducted, using the survey data collected in July 1985, on an interview basis, on 1, 440 married women living in the Soyi, Wonnam and Maingdong townships of Eumseong County(in North Chungcheong Province). This study population has the typical characteristics of rural areas, and the results of the analysis can be summarized as follows: 1. In regard to the demographic characteristics of the study population : their average age at marriage was 23.7, they had an average of 2.6 children( 1.3 boys, 1.3 girls) :10% experienced the death of their child (ren) :14% had spontaneous abortion(s) :4% weathered stillbirth(s) :35% went through induced abortion (s) : and 5.5% were currently pregnant. The average of their ideal numbers of children was 2.2, while 44% felt that they must have a son. 2. Looking at the contact rate with medical & health institutions, over the past 1 year, the visit rate to health subcenters was 43.7%, while 26.9% visited the (county) health center :59.6% had been to private clinics : and 41.5% went to the Soonchunhyang - Eumsung hospital : thus showing a relatively high rate of accessibility. 3. The utilization rate of family planning services was 76.5%, with tubectomy being the most prominent method at 52.3%, while the informants were health workers in 54.2% of the acceptors. Of the 8.4% who discontinued the use of contraceptive methods, only 26% did so due to want for pregnancy, natural infertility (meno - pause), or other reasons, while the remaining 74% stopped usage on account of side effects, failure in the methods themselves, and inconvenience of use, thus pointing to a situation where the proper choice of family planning methods have not yet been made. It can be noted that there is a strong motivation for early birth stopping as 35.3% practice family planning even with only one child, of which 38.3% have had sterilization operations. According to results of a multiple regression analysis, among the variables affecting contraception usage the most significant variable was the number of sons. 4. 34.8% experienced induced abortions. It was shown as a result of multiple regression analysis that the number of children and attitudes toward induced abortions extensively affected their frequency of abortions conducted. 5. In the regard to the relation between family planning and induced abortions, 33.7% of the women used both, while 52.0% of them used only the former(family planning), with only 1.4 % utilizing solely the latter(abortion), and 12.9% totally abstaining from fertility regulation : again, the discriminant analysis indicated that the choice of family planning and/or induced abortion was determined by the number of children and attitudes toward induced abortion. In view of the above mentioned results, the following are some comments and suggestions concerning problems related to the current family planning policies, in Korea : 1. It is difficult to expect a further quantitative expansion in family planning program operations, as there has been an excessive supply of target-oriented sterilization operations on women. From a maternal and child health care point of view, it will be desirable to have a diversification of service points in the future where family planning methods may be properly chosen, so that choices of methods which suit the mothers' characteristics and tastes may be made by the individuals themselves by strengthening their quality of family planning information services. 2. Along with the strengthening of the qualitative improvement of family planning services policies must be implemented to effectively promote the moral (ethical) deterrents to induced abortions and to preference for sons. From a maternal care standpoint, the social permissive norm toward induced abortion must be modified, and the bias towards son must be analyzed as the women with more daughters have a lower rate of family planning acceptance. Such changes in attitudes, however, can not be hoped to be accomplished with ad hoc policies, but will only be possible when an enhancement of the women's status(within the society) is brought about in a long - term perspective.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.26-31
• /
• 1978

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of nicotine-contaminated mulberry-leaf, which was grown in the vicinity of tobacco drying plant (TDP), on cocoon crop. Mulberry-leaf harvested from the field at Sericultural Experiment Station (SES), Suweon, Korea, was used as control, supposedly nicotine-free leaf. Leaf harvested from the field in the distances of 30-50m, 300-400m and 700-800m from TDP was fed during the whole larval stage of the silkworm at. SES. The effect of leaf in each treatment level on the quantitative characters of the silkworm was summarized as follows; 1. Larval duration from 4th instar on was significantly longer in the TDP-leaf treatments than for the control. 2. Duration of matured silkworm appearance became longer as the distance of the mulberry-field from TDP got shorter, because the larval duration and growth of the silkworm were not uniform in the TDP-leaf treatments. 3. Mortality rates during the late larval, cocoon spinning, and pupal stages were highest for the 30-50m leaf, especially mortality rates during the late larval and pupal stage were serious. 4. Pupation rate was lowest for the 30-50m leaf and those for the 300-400m and the 700-800m leaf were not significantly different from that of the control. 5. Nicotine damage to cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight was significant in each TDP-leaf level. Cocoon shell ratio was reduced at the same extent in each level, compared with the control. 6. The ratio among cocoon-classes was significantly different between treatments, compared with best-cocoon ratio of 87.1% for the control. Cocoons were not uniform for the 30-50m leaf, and those for the 300-400m and the 700-800m leaf were as almost uniform as those for the control. 7. Loss of fresh cocoon yield became greater as the distance of the mulberry-field from the TDP-got shorter. In conclusion, the critical distance of mulberry-field, which influences larval health, cocoon quality and yield, appeared to be 800m from the TDP. Such other factors as wind direction and topographic location may be involved in the critical distance. 8. From the present experiment, we could obtain only the effect of nicotine on the silkworm through digestive system, since the silkworm was raised at SES in Suweon. If the silkworm.. were raised in the vicinity of the TDP, poison effect of nicotine on the silkworm could beo expected through exoskeleton and tracheal system as well as through digestive system.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.227-235
• /
• 2016

Objectives : The aims of this study were to know the frequency of cognitive dysfunction among patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, and to reveal influencing factors on it, especially to clarify association with autoimmune thyroid antibodies. Methods : From sixty-five female patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, demographic data were obtained by structured interview. Their cognitive funtions were measured using the MMSE-K and the MoCA-K tests. Depression was evaluated by the K-HDRS. Results : 1) Among patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, 7.69% of them were below 24 on the MMSE-K, while 10.77% were below 22 on the MoCA-K. The frequency of cognitive deficit was not significantly different according to having positivity to antimicrosomal antibodies or not. 2) The antimicrosomal antibody-positive patients had significantly higher antithyroglobulin antibody titers, antimicrosomal antibody titers, and TSH concentration, while had significantly lower free T4 levels(p<0.05, respectively). 3) The total scores of the MMSE-K and the MoCA-K had significant correlation with age, marital status, antithyroglobulin antibody titers and K-HDRS(p<0.05, respectively). 4) The regression analysis revealed that variables such as age, education, autoimmune thyroid antibodies, thyroid function and depression did not influence on cognitive function of patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders. Conclusions : Our results could not support that cognitive function of patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders had correlation with autoimmune thyroid antibodies.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 2015

Objectives:Within the normal reproductive cycles of women, dramatic fluctuations of sexual hormones occur in the premenstrual and menopausal periods. In both periods, women are vulnerable to mood disturbances and show several somatic complaints. Based on these common clinical profiles and physiological changes, a relationship between vasomotor symptoms and the premenstrual syndrome has been suggested. However, attempts to establish such a link have yielded inconclusive results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between histories of premenstrual syndrome and menopausal vasomotor symptoms within different menopausal stages. Methods:This cross-sectional study recruited Korean women aged 45-64 years who were perimenopausal and postmenopausal from 16 branch offices of the Korean Association of Health Promotion. All subjects completed self-report questionnaires that asked about a history of premenstrual syndromes, vasomotor symptoms, and several other variables. Results:A total of 1054 participants(361 perimenopausal women and 693 postmenopausal women) completed the study. Severity of premenstrual symptoms significantly correlated with postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, only in late perimenopausal(r=0.213, p=0.010) and early postmenopausal women(r=0.246, p<0.001). After adjusting for several factors related to vasomotor symptoms, a history of premenstrual syndrome was a significant predictor of moderate to very severe vasomotor symptoms in late perimenopausal(OR=5.197, p=0.005) and early postmenopausal women(OR=3.017, p=0.010). Conclusions:This study suggests that a history of premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder is differentially associated with vasomotor symptoms in the menopausal stage. Prospective studies with larger population are needed to confirm these findings

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.110 no.4
• /
• pp.678-688
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to provide growth characteristics and stand information in preparation for natural regeneration method and silvicultural treatment of seed tree method in Korean red pine stands by using the field inventoried data 18 years after the seed tree regeneration method in 2001 and analyzing the stand and sapling characteristics. The study area was located in the Research Forest of Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do. In November 2018, we collected tree measurement factors, such as diameter at breast height (DBH), height, crown class, stem quality, tree age, and annual height increment on the established plots. We calculated the basal area, volume, height-diameter ratio (HD ratio), and additional stand density variables such as the relative density and %stocking to analyze the managed stands. The number of mother trees was 58 trees/ha, with a 17.7% stocking level, whereas the number of saplings was 2,330 trees/ha, with a 79.0% stocking level. In germination, the age distribution of saplings ranged from 2001 to 2007, with most belonging to 15-16 years. The development condition of saplings was 10 cm in DBH and 8 m in height. DBH and height were higher as the crown class is more dominant, and this difference was statistically significant in the analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple comparison test (p<0.0001). HD ratio ranged mostly between 80% and 90%, and more than 95% of sapling stems were of high quality, with a straight, unbroken top, non-sweep, and non-diseased stem. On average, the annual height increment of saplings was 21.9 cm at 1 year, 43.3 cm at 5 years, 54.3 cm at 10 years, and 64.3 cm at 15 years. The overall height growth with age increased smoothly. According to the analysis of covariance, the annual height growth by crown class differed significantly. The regression analysis parameters revealed that annual height growth increased with age and dominant crown class.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.232-245
• /
• 2021

The present study is about a brand development strategy that utilizes Korean traditional patterns. The global culturenomics phenomenon confirms the value of the cultural aspects of design when a national brand is established. People succeed with their unique aesthetic sense and reinterpret it in a modern view, and this design acts as today's national brands. In this way, people used traditional patterns and original designs, along with regional characteristics and formative style, in developing their designs. However, due to recent changes in the global environment, modern people live in an "untact" world, and consumption culture shifted toward online marketing. In this environment, where one is isolated from social activities, there needs to be a strong image that can dramatically change the mood of one's home. I would like to re-examine the Dan-Chung pattern, whose painting depends on the aesthetic characteristics of architecture to protect the wooden members of the framework in traditional architecture. The pattern and color of Dan-Chung, coated in traditional architecture, differs by the type of construction used, which includes a palace, a Buddhist temple, and a Confucianism Dan Chung. The Geummoon pattern contains aesthetic factors to add solemnity to the Main Buddhist Halls, which contain Buddha. This is a new medium that continues the current traditions instead of remaining in the past. Among different Dan Chung patterns, Geummoon has magnificent decoration consisting of the highest grade materials and unique composition; therefore, it is suitable to be reinterpreted in modern terms. The same pattern can be interpreted in different ways with different colors, so there is a great aesthetic impression in the Geummoon pattern. The value of preservation for exploration and theoretical study of the traditional pattern is important, but recreating the pattern into modern formative art can present a new angle of view and national brand, bearing pride in our cultural assets. The study used multidimensional molding methods for realistic presentation after going through the two-dimensional design process. The significant value of Korean molding beauty which hangs onto the past will play a crucial role in establishing our national brand.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.54 no.10
• /
• pp.835-848
• /
• 2021

In Jeju Island which has peculiarity for its geological features and hydrology system, hydrological factor analysis for the effective water management is necessary. Because in-situ hydro-meteorological data is affected by surrounding environment, the in-situ dataset could not be the spatially representative for the study area. For this reason, remote sensing data may be used to overcome the limit of the in-situ data. In this study, applicability assessment of MOD16 evapotranspiration data, Globas Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) based evapotranspiration/soil moisture data, and Advanced SCATterometer (ASCAT) soil moisture product which were evaluated their applicability on other study areas was conducted. In the case of evapotranspiration, comparison with total precipitation and flux-tower based evapotranspiration were conducted. And for soil moisture, 6 in-situ data and ASCAT soil moisture product were compared on each site. As a result, 57% of annual precipitation was calculated as evapotranspiration, and the correlation coefficient between MOD16 evapotranspiration and GLDAS evapotranspiration was 0.759, which was a robust value. The correlation coefficient was 0.434, indicating a relatively low fit. In the case of soil moisture, in the case of the GLDAS data, the RMSE value was less than 0.05 at all sites compared to the in-situ data, and a statistically significant result was obtained as a result of the significance test of the correlation coefficient. However, for satellite data, RMSE over than 0.05 were found at Wolgak and there was no correlation at Sehwa and Handong points. It is judged that the above results are due to insufficient quality control and spatial representation of the evapotranspiration and soil moisture sensors installed in Jeju Island. It is estimated as the error that appears when adjacent to the coast. Through this study, the necessity of improving the existing ground observation data of hydrometeorological factors is emphasized.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.64 no.6
• /
• pp.983-994
• /
• 2021

Objective : The effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) in the treatment of brain metastases is well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of maximizing the radiation dose in GKR and the factors influencing tumor control in cases of small and medium-sized brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods : We analyzed 230 metastatic brain tumors less than 5 mL in volume in 146 patients with NSCLC who underwent GKR. The patients had no previous radiation therapy for brain metastases. The pathologies of the tumors were adenocarcinoma (n=207), squamous cell carcinoma (n=18), and others (n=5). The radiation doses were classified as 18, 20, 22, and 24 Gy, and based on the tumor volume, the tumors were categorized as follows : small-sized (less than 1 mL) and medium-sized (1-3 and 3-5 mL). The progression-free survival (PFS) of the individual 230 tumors and 146 brain metastases was evaluated after GKR depending on the pathology, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score (PS), tumor volume, radiation dose, and anti-cancer regimens. The radiotoxicity after GKR was also evaluated. Results : After GKR, the restricted mean PFS of individual 230 tumors at 24 months was 15.6 months (14.0-17.1). In small-sized tumors, as the dose of radiation increased, the tumor control rates tended to increase (p=0.072). In medium-sized tumors, there was no statistically difference in PFS with an increase of radiation dose (p=0.783). On univariate analyses, a statistically significant increase in PFS was associated with adenocarcinomas (p=0.001), tumors with ECOG PS 0 (p=0.005), small-sized tumors (p=0.003), radiation dose of 24 Gy (p=0.014), synchronous lesions (p=0.002), and targeted therapy (p=0.004). On multivariate analyses, an improved PFS was seen with targeted therapy (hazard ratio, 0.356; 95% confidence interval, 0.150-0.842; p=0.019). After GKR, the restricted mean PFS of brain at 24 months was 9.8 months (8.5-11.1) in 146 patients, and the pattern of recurrence was mostly distant within the brain (66.4%). The small and medium-sized tumors treated with GKR showed radiotoxicitiy in five out of 230 tumors (2.2%), which were controlled with medical treatment. Conclusion : The small-sized tumors were effectively controlled without symptomatic radiation necrosis as the radiation dose was increased up to 24 Gy. The medium-sized tumors showed potential for symptomatic radiation necrosis without signifcant tumor control rate, when greater than 18 Gy. GKR combined targeted therapy improved the tumor control of GKR-treated tumors.