• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.349-353
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• 1996

Background: Although the paramedian approach for epidural blockade is useful in some clinical situation, the parameters which are correlated with the distance from skin to the epidural space has not been established. Methods: We studied in 143 patients having elective continuous epidural blocks for relief of postoperative pain. All blocks were performed using paramedian approach with Tuohy needle in the lumbar (group 1, n=100) and thoracic (group 2, n=45) area. We measured the distance from skin to the epidural space, body weight, height, and the angle between the shaft of the needle and the skin. Data were analyzed by linear regression. The relationships between parameters identified by the F-test with a P value of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The mean distance from skin to the lumbar epidural space was $4.4{\pm}0.7$ cm. significant correlation between the body weight and the depth of lumbar epidural space ($\gamma$ value : 0.492) was noted with regression equation of depth(cm)=2.293+0.034${\times}$body weight (kg). Also the significant correlation between the ponderal index (PI) and the depth of lumbar epidural space ($\gamma$ value : 0.539) was noted with regression equation of depth(cm)=1.703+0.07${\times}$PI, The mean distance from skin to the thoracic epidural space was $5.2{\pm}0.7cm$ which did not correlated with other anatomic measurements. Conclusion: We found that PI and body weight are the suitable predictors of the depth of the lumbar epidural space, but not the thoracic epidural space.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2018

Purpose: The prevalence of obesity has significantly increased among children and adolescents worldwide and is becoming an important health care problem in parallel with the increased prevalence of obesity pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Betatrophin is a newly define hormone that is commonly secreted by liver and plays role in glucose tolerance. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum betatrophin levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children. Methods: The study included 40 obese children with a body mass index (BMI) above 95th centile, and 35 non-obese subjects with a BMI 3-85th centile, whose age and gender were similar to those of the patient group. For the evaluation of metabolic parameters fasting serum glucose, insulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lipid profile and serum betatrophin levels were measured. Total cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios were calculated as "atherogenic indices." Results: Serum betatrophin levels of the obese subjects were similar to that of non-obese subjects (p=0.90). Betatrophin levels were not correlated with the metabolic parameters. Conclusion: In the present study, levels of betatrophin are not different between obese and insulin resistant children and non-obese subjects, and they are not correlated with atherogenic indices. To elucidate the exact role of betatrophin in obesity, further studies are required to identify the betatrophin receptor and/or other possible cofactors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2003

Genetic parameters of live weight at slaughter (LWT), quantity index (QIX), yield grade (YGD), quality grade (QGD), pH of meat, and boiled meat tenderness in terms of mastication (BMAS), shear force (BSFR) and penetration (BPEN) in Hanwoo steers were estimated. Effects of sire, location and their interaction on these traits were also evaluated. Sire effects were found to be significant on all the traits studied except for pH and BSFR. The LWT, QIX and QGD were also significantly affected both by location and by interaction effect between sire${\times}$location. The BSFR and BPEN were significantly (p<0.01) affected by location but not significantly by sire${\times}$location interaction. The boiled meat tenderness and pH were negatively correlated ($r_g$ and $r_p$) with LWT, QIX and QGD. All the other traits were positively correlated with each other. Positive and high genetic correlation (+0.56) between LWT and QGD was obtained indicating that selection for LWT would improve QGD. The $h^2$ estimates were 0.43, 0.37, 0.37, 0.35 and 0.32 for QGD, LWT, pH, BSFR and BPEN, respectively.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.180-187
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• 2016

Purpose: The aims of this study were to evaluate the differences of clinical and polysomnographic features between rapid eye movement (REM)-related obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and not-REM-related OSA, and to suggest the pathogenesis according to the REM dependency of OSA. Methods: One hundred ninety consecutive patients diagnosed with OSA were evaluated clinical features and performed full night polysomnography. The patients were divided into REM-related (REM apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] at least two times higher than their non-REM AHI) and not-REM-related (a REM AHI less than two times higher than their non-REM AHI) OSA groups and evaluated the differences in age, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, Ep-worth Sleepiness Scale score, and parameters of polysomnography. Results: REM-related patients were younger and showed higher sleep efficacy, low percentage of light sleep stage (stage 1 sleep), and low rate of positional OSA. Age was significantly associated with REM dependency of OSA and REM AHI were significant correlated with BMI, neck circumference, percentage of sleep in supine position, and percentage time of snoring. Conclusions: Our results showed that REM-related OSA patients showed less severe polysomnographic parameters than not-REM-related patients. However, significant risk factors were differed depending on the REM dependency and OSA severity, and the clinical features correlated with REM AHI and non-REM AHI were also showed differently. We suggest that the occurrence of OSA according to the REM dependency can be based on different mechanisms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6375-6379
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate inflammation parameters and assess the utility of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a simple and readily available predictor for clinical disease activity in patients with nenign prostate hyperplasia BPH. We also aimed to investigate the relationship between inflammatory parameters with ${\alpha}$-blocker therapy response, and evaluate the potential association between NLR and the progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: We examined 320 consecutive patients (July 2013-December 2013) admitted to our outpatient clinic with symptoms of the lower urinary tract at Bozok University. The mean age was 60 (range, 51-75) years. Complete blood count (CBC), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. Correlations between PSA, CRP, ESR, prostate volume, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPPS), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and NLR were assessed statistically. Patients were divided into two groups: high and low risk of progression. Results: NLR was positively correlated with IPSS (p=0.001, r=0.265), PSA (p=0.001, r=0.194), and negatively correlated with Qmax (p<0.001, r=-0.236). High-risk patients a had a higher NLR compared with low-risk patients, based on IPSS (p<0.001), PSA (p=0.013), and Qmax (p<0.001); however, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age (p>0.05), and prostate volume (p>0.05). Conclusions: NLR can predict BPH progression. We propose that increased inflammation is negatively associated with clinical status in BPH patients and suggest that NLR can give information along with LUTS severity which may be used as a readikly accessible marker for patient follow-up.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.503-524
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• 1996

A series of 31 patients with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who were treated at Chonbuk National University Hospital during the years 1991-1995, were evaluated by dual parameter analysis in flow cytometric DNA measurement, Bryne's malignancy grading system, and the TNM classification. The aims of the present study were to discover that previously undetected aneuploid clones could be detected by dual parameter analysis and to determine the prognostic value of the above parameters. 1. Using dual parameter analysis of cytokeratin and DNA on disintegrated paraffin-embedded samples, aneuploid clones which were undetected by regular single parameter DNA analysis could be found among the cytokeratin-selected cells. DNA aneuploidy from paraffin-embedded samples were 15 cases compared with 10 cases using conventional DNA analysis. 2. The portion of aneuploid tumors showed slightly higher clinical stage and tumor size than the portion of diploid tumors, but the difference was not significant. The portion of DNA aneuploid tumors showed significantly higher mean mitosis and total malignancy scores than the portion of DNA diploid tumors. 3. The majority of the patients presented with clinical stage III and IV lesions showed significantly higher mean total malignancy score as compared to those with clinical stage I and II. 4. Histopathologic mean total malignancy score of the 31 cases was 12.7. Among the histologic parameters, mean mitosis score was correlated to the status of DNA ploidy and total malignancy score were correlated to the DNA ploidy and clinical staging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.710-721
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the hematological characteristics and risk factors of hypercholesterolemia(HC) in Korean. 344 adult men who took the annual health check ups at D or J hospitals were participated in this cross sectional study. The subjects were grouped by plasma total cholesterol level into three groups: normal cholesterolemic(n=139), borderline hypercholesterolemic (n=93) and hypercholesterolemic(n=112) groups. The data of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), hemoglobin, plasma glucose, albumin and cholesterol levels were collected from medical records. The levels of plasma triglyceride(TG), HDL C, phospholipid, insulin, apo A and apo B were measured. The levels of plasma LDL C, VLDL C and atherogenic index(AI) were calculated. The subjects with HC had significantly higher SBP and DBP, albumin, TG, phospholipid, HDL C, LDL C, VLDL C and apo B level than those of the normal subjects. The relative and attributable risks on HC were 1.59 and 0.18 for hypertension(SBP/DBP$\geq$160/95), 2.08 and 0.35 for hypertriglyceridemia (TG $\geq$400mg/dl). Plasma total cholesterol level was positively correlated with several hematologic parameters: age(r=0.1242, p<0.05), DBP(r=0.1194, p<0.05), albumin(r=0.2029, p<0.001), plasma TG(r= 0.3829, p<0.001), phospholipid(r=0.6036, p<0.001), LDL C(r=0.8572, p<0.001), HDL C(r=0.2399, p< 0.001), AI(r=0.3116, p<0.001), apo B(r=0.2602, p<0.05) and Lp(a)(r=0.1372, p<0.05). However, plasma total cholesterol level was negatively correlated with the levels of Apo A1(r= 0.2922, p<0.001), and ABR(r= 0.3598, p<0.001).

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.336-340
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• 1991

Correlations among instrumental. sensory parameters and overall preference of jelly texture were studied. Instrumental rheological characteristics of the jelly were measured with a rheometer, and sensory and overall score were measured by sensory evaluation. Instrumental maximum force was correlated to sensory hardness and shortness, and sensory springiness and stickiness were correlated to instrumental springiness and adhesiveness force respectively. Also the most significant instrumental parameters with respect to overall preference were cohesiveness and adhesiveness force with their values being 0.93 and 0.89 repectively. Multiple linear regression resulted in a following equation: overall score = 2.70 + 6.25(cohesiveness) - 0.095(adhesiveness force) with a correlation coefficient of 0.94.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.127-141
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• 2015

Silver-based systems activated by low intensity direct current continue to be investigated as an alternative antimicrobial for infection prophylaxis and treatment. However there has been limited research on the quantitative characterization of the antimicrobial efficacy of such systems. The objective of this study was to develop a semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model providing the quantitative relationship between the critical system parameters and the degree of antimicrobial efficacy. First, time-kill curves were experimentally established for a strain of Staphylococcus aureus in a nutrientrich fluid environment over 48 hours. Based on these curves, a modified PK/PD model was developed with two components: a growing silver-susceptible bacterial population and a depreciating bactericidal process. The test of goodness-of-fit showed that the model was robust and had good predictability ($R^2>0.7$). The model demonstrated that the current intensity was positively correlated to the initial killing rate and the bactericidal fatigue rate of the system while the anode surface area was negatively correlated to the fatigue rate. The model also allowed the determination of the effective range of these two parameters within which the system has significant antimicrobial efficacy. In conclusion, the modified PK/PD model successfully described bacterial growth and killing kinetics when the bacteria were exposed to the electrically activated silver-titanium implant system. This modeling approach as well as the model itself can also potentially contribute to the development of optimal design strategies for other similar antimicrobial systems.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2021

This study aimed to determine the effects if ambient temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), and temperature-humidity index (THI) on milk production parameters such as milk yield, fat, protein, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), and lactose. A total of fifty (50) mid-lactating Korean Holstein cows (144 - 150 days postpartum) were randomly assigned to two groups in equal numbers (n = 25) according to the type of diet received: conventional feed, a mixture of 56: 44 ratio of roughage and concentrate mix, and organic feed containing 100% organic roughage. Temperature, RH, and THI were recorded daily and averaged monthly. Conventional group showed higher dry matter intake throughout the experiment and thus, showed higher total milk yield and milk composition such as milk fat, protein, and lactose content than organic milk. Milk of the conventional group showed higher polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration. Highest milk yield was observed in September (21.7℃, 82.4%RH) in conventional group (27.69 kg·day^-1) and in June (21.4℃, 72.9%RH) in organic group (14.31 kg·day^-1). In conventional group, milk yield was positively correlated with Ta and THI, and milk protein was negatively correlated with Ta, RH, and THI. In organic feeding, only the MUN among milk composition parameters showed a significant correlation where it showed a negative correlation with Ta, RH, and THI. Conventional feeding showed significantly higher milk yield, fat, protein, and lactose than organic feeding throughout the experiment, although, organic feeding showed to be less likely affected by Ta, RH, and THI than the conventional feeding.