• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.4 s.118
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• pp.450-461
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• 2006

In this study, sorption kinetics of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) onto coastal sediments were investigated at pH 5.5 using laboratory batch adsorbers. Four different models: one-site mass transfer model (OSMTM), pseudo-first-order kinetic model (PFOKM) ,pseudo-second-order kinetic model (PSOKM) and two compartment first-order kinetic model (TCFOKM) were used to analyze the sorption kinetics. As expected from the number of model parameters involved, the three-parameter TCFOKM was better than the two-parameter OSMTM, PFOKM and PSOKM in describing sorption kinetics of Pb and Cd onto sediments. Most sorption of Pb and Cd was rapidly completed within the first three hours, followed by slow sorption in the subsequent period of sorption. All models predicted that the sorbed amount at the apparent sorption ($q_{e,s}$) equilibria increased as the CEC and surface area of the sediments increased, regardless of initial spiking concentration ($C_0$) and heavy metal and the sediment type. The sorption rate constant ($k_s,\;hr^{-1}$) in OSMTM also increased as the CEC and BET surface area increased. The rate constant of pseudo-first-order sorption ($k_{p1,s},\;hr^{-1}$) in PFOKM were not correlated with sediment characteristics. The results of PSOKM analysis showed that the rate constant of pseudo-second-order sorption ($k_{p2,s},\;g\;mmol^{-1}\;hr^{-1}$) and the initial sorption rate ($v_{o,s},\;mg\;g^{-1}\;hr^{-1}$) were not correlated with sediment characteristics. The fast sorption fraction ($f_{1,s}$) in TCFOKM increased as CEC and BET surface increased regardless of initial aqueous phase concentrations. The sorption rate constant of fast fraction ($k_{1,s}=10^{0.1}-10^{1.0}\;hr^{-1}$) was much greater than that of slow sorption fraction ($k_{2,s}=10^{-2}-10^{-4}\;hr^{-1}$) respectively.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2013

Objecives : The purpose of the study was to evaluate treatment outcome of mandibular advancement device(MAD) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients using full night polysomnography and cephalometry. Methods : Twenty-seven OSA patients were confirmed by full night, lab-attended polysomnography. Cephalometric examinations were conducted to obtain SNA, ANB, $AH{\bot}MP$, AH-C3, SPT, PNS-U, NAS, SOAS, MOAS, and HAS. Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) were fabricated and delivered for all subjects. After acclimation period of MAD, the second polysomnographic examinations were conducted in the same manner. Polysomnographic variables were compared between before and after MAD placement. Also, correlation coefficients were calculated between apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and each item of cephalometric parameters. Results : There were significant improvements in total AHI, lowest $SpO_2$, and total arousal index after MAD therapy. Also, there were significant improvements in NREM $SpO_2$ and NREM AHI, but not in REM $SpO_2$ and REM AHI with MAD. Stratifying the sleep stage, there were significant decrease in stage I and significant increases in stage II and REM, but change in stage III was not significant. SNA and SOAS were significantly correlated with total AHI and NAS was significantly correlated with supine AHI. ANB was significantly associate with the effect of MAD. Conclusions : MAD is an effective treatment in OSA patients comparing polysomnographic variables before and after treatment. Cephalometric examination can be useful to evaluate OSA patients and predict treatment outcome of MAD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.774-780
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• 2007

Purpose : The anthracyclines (AC) are widely used chemotherapeutic agents for pediatric cancers. However, the therapeutic use of these agents is limited by their cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels as a marker for AC-induced cardiotoxicity compared to echocardiography in Korean children with cancer. Methods : Fifty-five pediatric cancer patients who had received chemotherapy including AC were enrolled. The cumulative AC doses, clinical symptoms, and two echocardiography parameters, left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), were studied and compared with plasma BNP levels. Results : In 55 patients, plasma BNP levels were measured 115 times and echocardiographies were performed 64 times. The median cumulative dose of AC was $325mg/m^2$ (range 120-600; mean 345) and the median plasma BNP level was 10 pg/mL (range 5-950; mean 31). The cumulative AC doses correlated significantly with the plasma BNP levels (P=0.002). The plasma BNP levels correlated significantly with LVFS (P=0.018) and LVEF (P=0.025). Dilated cardiomyopathies were identified in three patients. LVFS and LVEF decreased and plasma BNP levels increased in a patient with acute dilated cardiomyopathy and in that with symptomatic chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. However, LVFS, LVEF and plasma BNP levels were normal in a patient with asymptomatic chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusion : The results of this study demonstrated that plasma BNP levels could be used as a marker for AC-induced cardiotoxicity; they showed good correlation with echocardiography findings in pediatric cancer patients. Plasma BNP levels may be used for the detection and management of AC-induced cardiotoxicity in Korean children with cancer.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.555-566
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• 2008

Hydrogeochemical study in Samseung area (Boeun, Chungbuk) and waterrock interaction experiment using rock samples from the area were performed to elucidate the fluoride source in groundwater and explaining geochemical behavior of fluoride ion. Fluoride concentration of public water supply mostly using groundwater in Boeun area was significantly higher in South Korea. The maximum fluoride concentration of the study area was 3.9 mg/L, and 23% of samples exceeded the Korean Drinking Water Standard of fluoride (1.5 mg/L). The average concentration of fluoride was 1.0 mg/L and median was 0.5 mg/L. Because of high skewness (1.3), median value is more appropriate to represent fluoride level of this area. The relationships between fluoride ion and geochemical parameters ($Na^+$, $HCO_3$, pH, etc.) indicated that the degree of waterrock interaction was not significant. However, high fluoride samples were observed in $NaHCO_3$ type on Piper's diagram. The negative relationship between fluoride and $NO_3$ ion which might originate from surface contaminants was obvious. These results indicate that fluoride ion in groundwater is geogenic origin. The source of fluoride was proved by waterrock interaction batch test. Fluoride concentration increased up to 1.2 mg/L after 96 hours of reaction between water and biotite granite. However, the relationship between well depth and fluoride ion, and groundwater age and fluoride ion was not clear. This indicates that fluoride ion is not correlated with degree of waterrock interaction in this area but local heterogeneity of fluoriderich minerals in granite terrain. High fluoride concentration in Boeun area seems to be correlated with distribution of permeable structures in hard rocks such as lineaments and faults of this area. This entails that the deep bedrock groundwater discharges through the permeable structures and mixed with shallow groundwater.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.398-404
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• 1999

Purpose: Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end stage renal disease and the incidence is progressively increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA renal uptake among diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria and overt proteinuria, and then to determine the clinical usefulness of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA in predicting early diabetic nephropathy Materials and Methods: $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA scan was performed and a total renal uptake of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA was measured in 145 diabetic patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the amount of 24 hour urinary albumin excretion as Group I (normoalbuminuria, 74 cases), Group II (microalbuminuria, 39 cases), and Group III (overt proteinuria, 32 cases). The differences of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA renal uptake among the 3 groups and the correlation between the renal uptake of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA and other clinical parameters were analyzed. Results: The total renal uptake of $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA of Group II ($40.8{\pm}11.0%$) was significantly lower than that of Group I ($54.4{\pm}6.3%$, p<0.001). The uptake of Group III ($27.7{\pm}12.0%$) was significantly lower than those of both Group I and Group II (p<0.001). $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA total renal uptakes correlated negatively with serum creatinine level (r=-0.629, p<0.001) and positively correlated with creatinine clearance rate (r=0.102, p<0.001). Conclusion: $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA total renal uptake of diabetic patients with microalbuminuria was significantly decreased compared with that of patients of normoalbuminuria. Therefore, $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA scan can be used as a diagnostic study for early detection of the diabetic nephropathy.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.185-205
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the clinical activity of patients with atopic dermatitis(AD) correlate with their serum cytokine levels. 86 patients with AD were treated with KHS, YMH and GHT. On each visit to the clinic, their skin status was evaluated using the SCORAD index and serum IL-4, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-12, IL-13, IL-2 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. After oral administration of herbal medicine, patients' skin status and subjective parameters such as pruritus and sleeplessness were significantly improved according to regression analysis. In particular, patients aged 0-9 showed stronger responses to treatment, which implies that the younger patients aged, the easier the treatment by herbal formula became. In analysis of the type of chosen herbal medicines, YMH treated group showed a stronger response in reduction of affected lesion, intensity of a lesion and subjective symptoms, while KHS treated group showed the least reduction. The levels of serum IL-4, $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-2 correlated with disease activity. Moreover, in patients under 0-9, the IL-4 level had a corrleation with disease activity; patients under 10-19 showed a correlation between the levels of IL-4 and IL-2 and disease activity; patients under 20-29 showed a correlation between the levels of IL-2, IL-12 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ and disease activity. In comparison with chosen herbal medicines, the groups treated with YMH or GHT treated group showed a correlation between the levels of IL-4, IL-12 and IL-2 and disease activity while KHS treated group did not. Our data suggest that serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 are good indicators of clinical improvement in treating AD.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.23-33
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• 2012

Dynamic response measurements from natural excitation were carried out for three 18-story office buildings to determine their inherent properties. The beam-column frame system was adopted as a typical structural form, but a core wall was added to resist the lateral force more effectively, resulting in a mixed configuration. To extract modal parameters such as natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios from a series of vibration records at each floor, the most advanced operational system identification methods based on frequency- and time-domain like FDD, pLSCF and SSI were applied. Extracted frequencies and mode shapes from the different identification methods showed a greater consistency for three buildings, however the three lower frequencies extracted were 1.2 to 1.7 times as stiff as those obtained using the initial FE models. Comparing the extracted fundamental periods with those estimated from the code equations and FE analysis, the FE analysis results showed the most flexible behavior, and the most simple equation that considers the building height as the only parameter correlated fairly well with test results. It is recognized that such a discrepancy arises from the fact that the present tests exclude the stiffness decreasing factors like concrete cracking, while the FE models ignore the stiffness increasing factors, such as the contribution of non-structural elements and the actual material properties used.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.917-924
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• 2015

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Orostachys malacophyllus (OM) and fermented O. malacophyllus (FOM) in Sprague-Dawley rats who had been intoxicated with 1% (w/w) orotic acid (OA) for 10 days. The activities of several hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cholinesterase, were increased when OA was given, but these parameters were significantly decreased by FOM treatment. In addition, OA treatment resulted in an increased lipid peroxidative index (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS). A worsened antioxidant status (reduced glutathione) in the liver and serum was also observed. FOM treatment improved the antioxidant status of OA-induced fatty-liver rats, which was evaluated by decreased levels of the lipid peroxidative index and improved antioxidant status in the liver and serum. The contents of liver non-heme iron were increased with OA treatment and significantly decreased with FOM treatment, which suggested that the lipid peroxidation contents were inversely correlated with liver non-heme iron content. Based on these results, FOM is considered a material with significant potential for development into a functional health food that can improve fatty-liver conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8069-8073
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• 2014

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide, with a high mortality. Most patients present with late stage disease, when the treatment options are limited to systemic chemotherapy. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the significance of p53 and EGFR expression in HCC, and to determine whether these two markers correlate with conventional parameters of prognosis. Materials and Methods: Our study included a total of 45 patients, diagnosed histopathologically with HCC. Clinicopathological data including sex, age, tumor necrosis, tumor size, histologic grading, tumor stage, the presence of cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, were recorded from the Institute database. Three independent microscopic fields were selected for each sample and all the tumor cells within each microscopic field were counted, and then the positive percent of p53 cells were calculated. Three staining patterns were recognized: diffuse, heterogenous and focal. The intensity of EGFR staining was scored on a scale of 0-3+: 0 no staining; 1+ when a weak membrane staining was observed; 2+ when membrane staining is more intense than in 1+, but less than 3+, and 3+ when intense dark brown staining delineated the membrane. To determine the relationship between EGFR expression and p53, we performed double staining in the same HCC specimens. Results: By immunohistochemical staining, p53 protein was detected in tumor cell nuclei in 20 HCCs (44%). We found a significant correlation between the intensity of p53 expression and the histological grade (p=0.008). EGFR expression was detected in 17 (38%) cases, linked to histological grade (p=0.039). Moreover, the intensity of p53 expression was significantly correlated with EGFR intensity (p=0.014). Conclusions: Our results suggest that overexpression of p53 and EGFR plays an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis and contributes to more advanced disease. These markers are not only valuable predictors of prognosis in HCC, but they are also rational targets for new anti-tumor strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3521-3526
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• 2013

Objective: The current study explored the expression of KAI1/CD82 and MRP1/CD9 and its significance in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods: The expression levels of KAI1/CD82 and MRP1/CD9 in 100 LSCC tissue specimens, as well as in 30 para-LSCC non-carcinomatous tissue specimens randomly taken from the patients, were assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) and immunohistochemistry and correlations with pathological parameters of LSCC and their influence on survival function were analyzed. Results: KAI1/CD82 and MRP1/CD9 showed basically consistent changes in both mRNA and protein expression. Their expression in the 30 LSCC specimens was significantly lower compared with that in the corresponding non-carcinous tissues (P < 0.01 or 0.05), notably correlating with TNM stage, differentiation degree, clinical stage, and lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.01 or 0.05), but not gender, age, and LSCC growth sites (P > 0.05). The median survival of patients with positive KAI1/CD82 and MRP1/CD9 protein expression was longer than that of patients with negative protein expression (P < 0.01 or 0.05). KAI1/CD82 protein expression negatively correlated with MRP1/CD9 protein expression in LSCC (${\chi}^2$= 31.25, P < 0.01). Conclusion: KAI1/CD82 and MRP1/CD9 may jointly participate in the development of LSCC. They may serve as the markers for judging the infiltration, metastasis, and prognosis of LSCC.