• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.201-212
• /
• 2006

Purpose : Vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) is the major risk factor of urinary tract infection(UTI) in children and may result in serious complications such as renal scarring and chronic renal failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between VUR and renal scar formation, the usefulness and correlation of various imaging studies in reflux nephropathy, and the spontaneous resolution of VUR. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 106 patients with VUR with no accompanying urogenital anomalies in the Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Hospital during the period from Jan. 1996 to Mar. 2005. Ultrasonography and $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan were performed in the acute period of UTI. Voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) was performed 1 to 3 weeks after treatment with UTI. Follow-up DMSA scan was performed 4 to 6 months after treatment and a follow-up VCUG was performed every 12 months. Results : The mean age at detection of VUR was $13.8{\pm}22.2$ months and the male to female ratio was 2:1. The incidence of renal scarring showed a tendency of direct correlation between severity of VUR(P<0.001) and abnormal findings of renal ultrasonography(P<0.01). 63.2%(24 of 38 renal units) of renal parenchymal defects present in the first DMSA scan disappeared on follow-up DMSA scans. Follow-up DMSA scans detected renal scars in 7(14%) of 50 renal units with ultrasonographically normal kidneys. Meanwhile, ultrasonography did not show parenchymal defects in 7(36.8%) of 19 renal units where renal scarring was demonstrated on a follow-up DMSA scan. The spontaneous resolution rate of VUR was higher(75%) in cases with low grade(I to III) VUR(P<0.01). Conclusions : The presence and severity of VUR and abnormal findings of renal ultrasonography significantly correlated with renal scar formation. DMSA scan was useful in the diagnosis of renal defects. Meanwhile renal ultrasonography was an inadequate method for evaluating renal parenchymal damage. Therefore, follow-up DMSA scans should be performed to detect renal scars even in children with low-grade VUR and normal renal ultrasonography.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.507-516
• /
• 2004

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a geriatric dementia that is widespread in old age. In the near future AD will be the commom disease in public health service. Although a variety of oriental presciptions in study POD(Polygala tenuifolia extracted from dichlorometan) have been traditionally utilized for the treatment of AD, their pharmacological effects and action mechanisms have not yet fully elucidated. It has been widely believed that AP peptide divided from APP causes apoptotic neurotoxicity in AD brain. However, recent evidence suggests that CT105, carboxy terminal 105 aminoacids peptide fragment of APP, may be an important factor causing neurotoxicity in AD. SK-N-SH cells expressed with CT105 exhibited remarkable apoptotic cell damage. Based on morphological observations by phase contrast microscope and NO formation in the culture media, the CT105-induced cell death was significantly inhibited by POD. In addition, AD is one of brain degeneration disease. So We studied on herbal medicine that have a relation of brain degeneration. From old times, In Oriental Medicine, PO water extract has been used for disease in relation to brain degeneration. We were examined by ROS formation, neurite outgrowth assay and DPPH scravage assay. Additionally, we investigated the association between the CT105 and neurite degeneration caused by CT105-induced apoptotic response in neurone cells. We studied on the regeneratory and inhibitory effects of anti-Alzheimer disease in pCT105-induced neuroblastoma cell lines by POD. Findings from our experiments have shown that POD inhibits the synthesis or activities of CT105, which has neurotoxityies and apoptotic activities in cell line. In addition, treatment of POD(>50 ㎍/㎖ for 12 hours) partially prevented CT(105)-induced cytotoxicity in SK-N-SH cell lines, and were inhibited by the treatment with its. POD(>50 ㎍/㎖ for 12 hours) repaired CT105-induced neurite outgrowth when SK-N-SH cell lines was transfected with CT105. As the result of this study, In POD group, the apoptosis in the nervous system is inhibited, the repair against the degerneration of Neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression is promoted. Decrease of memory induced by injection of scopolamin into rat was also attenuted by POD, based on passive avoidance test. Taken together, POD exhibited inhibition of CT105-induced apoptotic cell death. POD was found to reduce the activity of AchE and induced about the CA1 in rat hippocampus. Base on these findings, POD may be beneficial for the treatment of AD.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.585-592
• /
• 2017

Most sewer lines buried in the city are likely to be collapsed due to serious aging. Also, due to the high concentration of development and high population density and traffic, the collapse of the sewer will cause enormous social and economic damage. Therefore, proactive maintenance is required to prevent accidents caused by deteriorated sewer pipe. In order to utilize limited budget effectively, risk-based prioritization methods should be proposed that simultaneously consider the consequence of failure and the probability of failure. In this study, the method of risk-based prioritization of sewer was examined by reviewing various cases of overseas studies and applied to the urban sub-catchment. First, the impact factors that can be secured through the sewer GIS DB in Seoul were derived, and the weight, sub-criteria, and impact score of each impact factor were determined and the consequence of failure was calculated by weight sum method. In addition, the probability of failure was calculated by dividing the service life by the estimated useful life, and the consequence of failure and the probability of failure were classified into five grades by the Jenks natural breaks classification method. The prioritization method was applied to sub-catchment in the Seoul to derive a risk matrix and a risk grade. As a result, 26% of all subjects were selected as the inspection priority subjects with 4-5 risk grade. Therefore, using the risk-based CCTV prioritization methodology, it will be possible to systematically determine the objects that need investigation first.

• Journal of Conservation Science
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.395-402
• /
• 2016

The impact of a large water control project on surrounding environment(temperature and relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, present weather and visibility) was monitored. The survey have targeted on Silleuksa temple which is located in the waterside. The number of foggy days emerged as an environmental factor that can cause damage to cultural heritage. Under construction of weir since 2011, monthly relative humidity of Yeoju and Icheon was dropped to 9.6%. It depends on decrease in the number of raining days and precipitation of each year. Silleuksa temple is contiguous to Namhan River and only 100 m away from the waterside. Average wind speed is 0.5 m/s. Silleuksa has a site environmental factors which is often foggy. The number of foggy days of Silleuksa temple declined to 53 days soon after weir's completion. In case of fog, relative humidity of outside was higher than that of outside and inside of Josadang Shrine. Relative humidity difference of outside and inside of Josadang Shrine was 5.4% on average. Relative humidity of the number of foggy days is 6.3% higher on average than that of fine days. The width and dimensions of Namhan River increased by 1.45 times after weir's construction. It can change the number of foggy days. A long-term monitoring is positively necessary on fog occurrence and relative humidity.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.83-97
• /
• 2018

Tunnels are widely used for special purposes including roads, railways and culvert for power transmission, etc. Its cross-section shape is determined by uses, ground condition, environmental or economic factor. Many papers with respect to behaviours of adjacent ground and existing structure tunnelling-induced have been published by many researchers, but tunnel cross-section have rarely been considered. A collapse of tunnel causes vaster human and property damage than structures on the ground. Thus, it is very important to understand and analyse the relationship between behavoiurs of ground and cross-section type of tunnel. In this study, the behaviour of ground due to tunnel excavation for underground station below the grouped pile supported existing structure was analysed through laboratory model test using a trap-door device. Not only two cross-section types, 2-arch and box, as station for tunnel, but also, offset between tunnel and grouped pile centre (0.1B, 0.25B, 0.4B) are considered as variable of this study. In order to measure underground deformation tunnelling-induced, Close Range Photogrammetry technique was applied with laboratory model test, and results are compared to numerical analysis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.619-627
• /
• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colitis is a serious health problem, and chronic obesity is associated with the progression of colitis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of natural raw meal (NRM) on high-fat diet (HFD, 45%) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS, 2% w/v)-induced colitis in C57BL/6J mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Body weight, colon length, and colon weight-to-length ratio, were measured directly. Serum levels of obesity-related biomarkers, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were determined using commercial kits. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 were detected using a commercial ELISA kit. Histological study was performed using a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining assay. Colonic mRNA expressions of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were determined by RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: Body weight and obesity-related biomarkers (TG, TC, LDL, HDL, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin) were regulated and obesity was prevented in NRM treated mice. NRM significantly suppressed colon shortening and reduced colon weight-to-length ratio in HFD+DSS induced colitis in C57BL/6J mice (P < 0.05). Histological observations suggested that NRM reduced edema, mucosal damage, and the loss of crypts induced by HFD and DSS. In addition, NRM decreased the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 and inhibited the mRNA expressions of these cytokines, and iNOS and COX-2 in colon mucosa (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that NRM has an anti-inflammatory effect against HFD and DSS-induced colitis in mice, and that these effects are due to the amelioration of HFD and/or DSS-induced inflammatory reactions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.2 no.5
• /
• pp.617-628
• /
• 1998

In order to understand the pathogenetic mechanism of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in association with oxidative stress was investigated in rats. $Interleukin-1{\alpha}\;(IL-1,\;50\;{\mu}g/rat)$ was used to induce acute lung injury by neutrophilic respiratory burst. Five hours after IL-1 insufflation into trachea, microvascular integrity was disrupted, and protein leakage into the alveolar lumen was followed. An infiltration of neutrophils was clearly observed after IL-1 treatment. It was the origin of the generation of oxygen radicals causing oxidative stress in the lung. IL-1 increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, but mepacrine, a PLA2 inhibitor, did not change the levels of these cytokines. Although IL-1 increased PLA2 activity time-dependently, mepacrine inhibited the activity almost completely. Activation of PLA2 elevated leukotriene C4 and B4 (LTC4 and LTB4), and 6-keto-prostaglandin $F2{\alpha}\;(6-keto-PGF2{\alpha})$ was consumed completely by respiratory burst induced by IL-1. Mepacrine did not alter these changes in the contents of lipid mediators. To estimate the functional changes of alveolar barrier during the oxidative stress, quantitative changes of pulmonary surfactant, activity of gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), and ultrastructural changes were examined. IL-1 increased the level of phospholipid in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, which seemed to be caused by abnormal, pathological release of lamellar bodies into the alveolar lumen. Mepacrine recovered the amount of surfactant up to control level. IL-1 decreased GGT activity, while mepacrine restored it. In ultrastructural study, when treated with IL-1, marked necroses of endothelial cells and type II pneumocytes were observed, while mepacrine inhibited these pathological changes. In histochemical electron microscopy, increased generation of oxidants was identified around neutrophils and in the cytoplasm of type II pneumocytes. Mepacrine reduced the generation of oxidants in the tissue produced by neutrophilic respiratory burst. In immunoelectron microscopic study, PLA2 was identified in the cytoplasm of the type II pneumocytes after IL-1 treatment, but mepacrine diminished PLA2 particles in the cytoplasm of the type II pneumocyte. Based on these experimental results, it is suggested that PLA2 plays a pivotal role in inducing acute lung injury mediated by IL-1 through the oxidative stress by neutrophils. By causing endothelial damage, functional changes of pulmonary surfactant and alveolar type I pneumocyte, oxidative stress disrupts microvascular integrity and alveolar barrier.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.600-608
• /
• 2017

The presence of piping in a levee body allows water seepage to occur by producing a large cavity or water tunnel within it, ultimately resulting in the failure of the river levee and differential settlement. In order to properly cope with river levee failure due to piping and establish a proper remediation method for this problem, it is necessary to analyze the failure mechanism of the river levee due to piping. Therefore, this study analyzed the shape and mechanism of river levee failure due to piping through small-scale and large-scale models and evaluated the seepage pressure distribution characteristics in the hydraulic well, which has been suggested as a remediation method for piping. According to the results of this study, as the safety factor for the piping in the river levee decreased, the river levee failure shape was more clearly shown through the small-scale model test. In the large-scale model test, the type of local damage to the levee due to the piping was identified and the evaluation showed that the hydraulic well had the largest effect on the inhibition of piping below the center of the well. A follow-up study is needed to confirm the reliability of the results. However, it is thought that this study can be utilized as the baseline data for research into the piping-induced river levee failure mechanism and for the preparation of a remediation method.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.584-594
• /
• 2016

This research empirically analyzes, from an ecological perspective, whether socio-economic factors of the regions in which the elderly live have any actual influence on thoughts of suicide on the part of the elderly. Microscopic data either included outliers in part of the variables, including income and other variables of that type, from among source data from investigations into actual conditions of the elderly in 2014. Regarding macroscopic data, the indices that represent social and economic situations in each region, which were provided by KOSIS, were selected. Regarding the method of analysis, hierarchical or multi-level analysis models were applied by considering special hierarchical characteristics and heterogeneity at the personal and regional levels. The analyses showed that the following had statistically significant influences: 1. the cost-of-living index and the national basic supply and demand rate of the region; 2. the extent of natural disaster damage; and 3. the number of leisure and welfare facilities for the elderly, compared to the elderly population. Based on the results, proposals are made for systematic and practical endeavors in the community.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.553-558
• /
• 2004

Avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CAB G) has been known to reduce early mortality and morbidity. Diabetes Mellitus is a significant risk factor for adverse early and late outcomes after CABG. We compared the clinical results of off-pump CABG versus on-pump CABG in diabetes patients. Material and Method: 682 patients (424 off-pump CABG and 258 on-pump CABG) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between January 2001 and June 2003. Data were collected 242 patient who had diabetes. Among them, 154 patients underwent off-pump CABG and 90 patients underwent on-pump CABG. We analyzed the preoperative risk factors and postoperative results between 2 groups. Result: Two groups did not show statistical differences in age, sex, coronary and operative risk factors. Operative time was significantly shorter in off-pump CABG, however, number of grafts was fewer in off-pump CABG. Postoperative inotropic usage was lower in off-pump CABG. Postoperative CK-MB level was lower in off-pump CABG, and ICU stay and ventilation time was significantly shorter in off-pump CABG. However, there was no statistical difference between 2 groups in operative mortality, reoperation rate, perioperative myocardial infarction, wound infection, renal failure, neurological complications and hospital stay. Conclusion: Off-pump CABG group showed less myocardial damage and early recovery. We concluded that off-pump CABG is the more reasonable technique in diabetes patients although two techniques showed good results. The long-term follow up and prospective study may be warranted.