• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.256-261
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• 2022

Sarcoidosis often involves the liver. However, primary hepatic sarcoidosis confined to the liver without evidence of systemic involvement is rare. We report the case of a 37-year-old man with hepatic sarcoidosis who initially presented with elevated liver enzymes and suspicious cirrhotic nodules on computed tomography. The patient had cirrhosis but did not have portal hypertension. Based on the initial histopathologic finding of chronic granulomatous inflammation and the common clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis, he was initially diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis, and his daily dosage of ursodeoxycholic acid was increased to 900 mg. After 14 months of treatment, his total serum bilirubin concentration was 10.9 mg/dL (upper normal limit, 1.2 mg/dL). Additionally, a transjugular liver biopsy revealed multiple noncaseating granulomas. He was diagnosed with primary hepatic sarcoidosis involving the lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, and skin. Treatment with methylprednisolone was initiated. Two weeks later, he was started on azathioprine, and the dose of steroid was simultaneously reduced. These findings indicate the importance of including hepatic sarcoidosis as a possible diagnosis in patients with elevated liver enzymes or cryptogenic cirrhosis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.24-32
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• 1977

It was attempted in this study to assess the vitamin $B_{1},\;B_{2}$, and $B_6$ status in tissue by determination of erythrocyte transketolase (TK), glutathione reductase (GR), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, and their activation by their respective coenzymes, thiamine pyrophosphate, flavin-adenine dinucleotide, and pyridoxal-5-phosphate. The activities of erythrocyte enzymes were stable for more than 30 days when erythrocyte had been stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ and affirmed that the enzyme activities were more stable in the case of deep frozen sotrage of erythrocytes rather than hemolysates. The assay procedures involving ultraviolet kinetic analysis with continuous monitoring for each of enzymes have good within-batch and between-batch precisions and will be avalable in the routine laboratories for the nutritional and clinical surveys. Activity coefficient of TK, GR, and AST was studied in healthy medical students (fifteen men and twelve women, between 21 and 30 years old) on an unrestricted diet. The mean activity coefficient of TK, GR, and AST were 1.18, 1.35, and 2.01 for men, and 1.14, 1.33, and 1.83 for women, respectively. And the upper limit of normal (mean+2SD) were 1.52, 1.69, and 2.61 for men, and 1.50, 1.61, and 2.37 for women, respectively.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.58.2-58.2
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• 2018

Theoretically, the magnetic helicity transport flux through the solar surface into the upper atmosphere can be estimated indefinitely precisely by magnetic field footpoint tracking if the observational resolution is infinitely fine, even with magnetic flux emergence or submergence. In reality, the temporal and spatial resolutions of observations are limited. When magnetic flux emerging or submerging, the footpoint velocity goes to infinity and the normal magnetic field vanishes at the polarity inversion line. A finite observational resolution thus generates a blackout area in helicity flux estimation near the polarity inversion line. It is questioned how much magnetic helicity is underestimated with a footpoint tracking method due to the absence of information in the blackout area. We adopt the analytical models of Gold-Hoyle and Lundquist force-free flux ropes and let them emerging from below the solar surface. The observation and the helicity integration can start at different emerging stages of the flux rope, i.e., the photospheric plane initially cuts the flux rope at different levels. We calculate the magnetic helicity of the flux rope below the photospheric level, which is eventually to emerge, except the helicity hidden in the region to be swept by the blackout area with different widths. Our calculation suggests that the error in the integrated helicity flux estimate is about half of the real value or even larger when small scale magnetic structures emerge into the solar atmosphere.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.738-742
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• 2012

Here, we develop a new nanofilter device for the rapid and efficient separation of nanoparticles and biomolecules, exploiting the use of AAO mebrane with ordered nanopores in the range from 20 nm to 200 nm. Briefly, the chip comprises of a series of the upper and lower PDMS channels containing embedded inlet and outlet ports, and $50{\mu}m$ width microfluidic channel, and AAO membrane to be made the filtering zone. After assembling these components, the acrylate plastic plates were used to fix the device on the top and bottom side. When introducing the samples into the inlet ports of the upper PDMS channel, we were able to separate and concentrate the nanoparticles and target molecules at the filtering zone, and to elute the solutions containing the unwanted materials toward the lower PDMS channels normal to the direction of AAO membrane. To demonstrate the usefulness of the device we apply it to the SERS detection of nucleic acid sequences associated with Dengue virus serotype 2. We report a limit of detection for Dengue sequences of 300 nM and show excellent enhancement of Raman signals from the filter zone of the nanofilter device.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1416-1421
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• 1992

There are many objective indices of operative outcome of funnel chest, but there has been only a few report about the postoperative change of these indices and which is best correlated with subjective outcome. From January 1989 to December 1991, 74 patients with funnel chest underwent Ravitch operation and radiologic evaluation was performed on the twenty patients whose operative outcome were satisfactory by Humphreys` criteria and postoperative chest X-ray were available. Variable radiologic chest idices such as deformity grade [DG], lower vertebral index [LVI], upper vertebral index [UVI] and configuration index [CI] were measured preoperatively and 1, 6, 12 and 18 months pos-toperatively. The mean value of preoperative DG, LVI, UVI and CI were 5.32, 0.3, 0.26 and 1.01 respectively, and postoperative chages were as follows; DG; 3.13, 3.66, 3, 72, 4.0, LVI: 0.22, 0, 24, 0.25, 0.25 UVI; 0.27, 0.27, 0.27, 0.27 CI; 0.69, 0.77, 0.76, 0.79. The increments of CI were within the 90 percent confidence limit of normogram in most cases, but it was not true for LVI and UVI. And the differences between the observed and expected values of CI did not change significantly through the postoperative periods, which was not the case in LVI. We concluded from these results that 1] DG, LVI and CI were increased slowly during the postoperative follow up periods but the increments of CI were usually within the normal limits and so 2] CI can be used as a objective index of satisfactory outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 1987

To evaluate the values of the thyroid autoantibody measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and compare it with hemagglutination method (HA) in the normal and the thyroid disease, data were obtained from total 618 persons; 236 healthy persons, 217 patients with Graves' disease (including 113 patients with undertreated Graves' disease), 100 Hashimoto's disease, 31 thyroid nodule, and 34 simple goiter. RSR kit made in England was used and could be detected to at least 3 U/ml. The positive rates of normal group were antimicrosomal antibody (AMA) 31.8%, antithyroglobulin antibody (ATA) 44.5% by RIA and there was no considerable change in sex and age distribution. In Graves' disease, the positive rates of AMA and ATA were 90.4, 76.9% by RIA, 85, 39% by HA. In Hashimoto's disease, 94,91 % by RIA, and 87,48% by HA, respectively. The autoantibody titer by RIA in thyroid autoimmune disease as well as in normal group was more senisitive than that by HA, especially in ATA. There were linear relationships between the titer of RIA and that of HA in AMA of Graves' disease and AMA and ATA of Hashimoto's disease. There was no relationship among thyroid autoantibody, free $T_4$ index, TBII, and TSH. The titers of AMA and ATA were found to decrease in patients with Graves' disease during the course of antithyroid drug therapy. Of the 236 normal subjects, thirty-seven (15.7%) had concentrations of above 7.5 U/ml in AMA, forty. four (18.6%) above 9 U/ml in ATA. These values were considered as the upper limit for the normal range. In Graves' disease, 82.7, 53.8% were above 7.5, 9 U/ml, respectively; In Hashimoto's disease, 82, 79% were positive. We conclude that RIA was more sensitve than HA in measuring the thyoird autoantibody, but we will study further more for determining the normal range and its interpretation.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.213-218
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• 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the causal relationship between use of levocetrizine or cetrizine, and liver injury, by comparing frequency and pattern of hepatotoxicity in levocetrizine or cetrizine prescribed patients. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study, using data retrieved from electronic medical record system. Among 1164 patients prescribed levocetrizine or cetrizine during study period (Jul, 2009 - Jun, 2010) at Seoul National University Hospital, 543 patients with more than 4- time liver function test (LFT) results were included in final analysis. Liver injury was defined as greater than 3 times elevated level of alanine aminotransferase or 2 times elevated level of alkaline phosphatase or total bilirubin, compared to upper limit of normal, in patient with normal liver function at baseline. The frequency and pattern of liver injury were assessed. Results: Incidence of liver injury in patients prescribed with levotcetrizine or cetrizine were 1.48% and 2.94%, respectively. With few exceptions, most injuries were shown to be hepatocellular type. Rapid recovery was observed after drug cessation and long term use tends to be associated with incidence of liver injury. In patient with digestive system disorder, rate of liver injury was significantly higher (p=0.011). Conclusion: The result of this study implies potential need of liver toxicity monitoring, especially in patients taking long term levecetrizine or cetrizine or in patient with digestive system disorder. However, prospective large scale observational study is needed to confirm liver injury associated with the use of levocetirizine or cetirizine.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.266-272
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• 2007

A rapid analytical method was developed to quantify very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs, C22:0, C24:0, C26:0) in human plasma with good sensitivity and specificity using tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) derivatization and stable isotope GC-MS selective ion monitoring (GC-MS/SIM). Two-hundred and fifty ${\mu}L$ of plasma was fortified with deuterated stable isotope internal standards (d3-C22:0, d3-C24:0, d3-C26:0) and standard mixtures of chloroform and methanol, and then extracted with hexane and acetonitrile. To upper layer of liquid-liquid-extraction, N-(t-Butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide was added and then heated to $60^{\circ}C$ for 30 min to produce the TBDMS derivatives. Derivatives of VLCFAs were analyzed by GC-MS/SIM. Calibration curves showed a linear relationship for the target compounds in the concentration range of $10^{-4}{\sim}2{\times}10^3\;{\mu}g/mL$ with the correlation coefficient ranging from 0.996 to 0.999. The limit of quantification for the plasma was $10^{-4}{\sim}2{\times}10^{-4}\;{\mu}g/mL$ (S/N=3). When applied to the plasma specimens of patients with peroxisomal disorder, X-linked adrenoleucodystropy (ALD, Mckusick 202370), the method clearly differentiated normal subjects from ALD patients. The C24:0/C22:0 and C26:0/C22:0 ratios were significantly elevated in the plasma of patients with X-linked ALD compared to normal subjects. The new developed method might be useful for a rapid and sensitive diagnosis of X-linked ALD and other peroxisomal disorders.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2000

In order to investigate the extent and degree of arsenic and heavy metal contamination and the bioavailability of toxic elements around the abandoned mine in Korea, an environmental geochemical survey was undertaken in the Daduk mine. After appropriate preparation, tailings, soil, stream sediment, crop plant and fingernail samples were analysed for As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. Elevated levels of 8,782 mg/kg As, 8.3 mg/kg Cd, 489 mg/kg Cu, 3,638 mg/kg Pb and 919 mg/kg Zn were found in tailings from the Daduk mine. These significant concentrations can impact on soils and sediments around the tailing ponds. Mean concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in soils are significantly higher than those in world average soil, especially for As and Pb. Element concentrations in sediments decrease with distance from the tailing ponds due to a dilution effect by the mixing of uncontaminated sediments. Arsenic and Cd are elevated in rice grains and stalks, and Cu and Zn concentrations in chinese cabbage, sesame and bean leaves are higher than the upper limit values for normal plant. Arsenic concentration in fingernails of farmers are higher than the normal level with a maximum value of 1.5 mg/kg. The post-ingestion bioavailability of toxic heavy metals in some paddy and farmland soils has been also investigated using the SBET (simple bioavailability extract test) method. The method utilises synthetic leaching fluids closelyanalogous to those of the human stomach. The quantities of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn extracted from paddy soils after 1 hour indicated 15.9, 65.4, 46.2, 39.4 and 29.4% bioavailability, respectively and for farmland soils, 12.4, 26.0, 31.2, 29.3 and 19.4% bioavailability, respectively. The results of the SBET indicate that regular ingestion of soils by the local population could pose a potential health threat due to long-term toxic element exposure.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.111-118
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• 2010

This paper attempts to establish a scoring system for the originality in evaluation of mathematical creativity. The scoring system is composed of three categories; fluency, flexibility and originality. In this paper, we proposed an evaluation method for originality as following based on relative frequency and standard normal distribution. (1) Fluency: It is judged on the basis of the number of correct answers a student made. If several correct answers are given for a single category, then its maximum score is set to 5 points. (2) Flexibility: We examined how many categories the students' responses can be classified into. If at most 15 answers are allowed for each question, the maximum score of flexibility is 15 points. (3) Originality: Originality score is given if a student made some original response that other students did not show. That is, it reflects relative rarity. The originality is measured according to the following steps: Step 1: Analyze the frequency of how many students made an answer to the response type categorized at low level, and calculate the relative frequency p of each category. Step 2: Find the originality point os for each response, that is, os = max{0,z} where z satisfies P(Z > z) = p with standard normal distributed random variable Z. For example, - p is greater than 0.5: 0 point - p is 0.1587: 1 point - p is 0.0228: 2 points - p is 0.0013: 3 points Step 3: Assign the one's originality score to the sum of originality point for each response. Remark. There is no upper limit of originality score.