• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.8-15
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• 2005

It is well known that intaking alcohol chronically and heavily causes many formsof physical systemic distress including serious chronic alcoholic liver disease such as alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and hepatoma. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is known as a specific marker in detecting and monitoring alcohol associated disease. Weanalyzed various alcohol-associated parameters to evaluate the clinical usefulness of CDT. The first patient group consisted of fifty patients, who had been diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease from January 2003 to June 2004 at Chungnam National University Hospital. The second group consisted of 12 patients with non-alcoholic liver disease. The third group consisted of 19 teetotalerswho had visited the hospital for the purpose of routine healthcare checks. Various hepatic parameters such as CDT, $\small{\Gamma}$-GT (gamma-glutamyl transferase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) were compared in the three groups. CDT and AST increased in direct proportion to the amount and duration of alcohol consumption with high significance, but $\small{\Gamma}$-GT and ALT showed arbitrary patterns with no statistical significance. The sensitivities of CDT, $\small{\Gamma}$-GT, AST and ALT were 74 %, 96 %, 68 % and 58 %, respectively and the specificities were 95 %, 74 %, 68 % and 79 % in order respectively. The correlation study of CDT with $\small{\Gamma}$-GT, AST and ALT showed a very low value of correlation coefficients, implying that CDT could be taken as an independent parameter in evaluating alcohol liver disease compared to $\small{\Gamma}$-GT, AST and ALT. This present study suggested that CDT coud be one of the most useful parameters in reflecting the amount and duration of alcohol consumption as well as being another independent parameter in assessing and following up patients with alcoholic liver disease. Moreover we recommend it is the best method of measuring both CDT and $\small{\Gamma}$-GT in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.168-174
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• 2015

Purpose: Recent studies have suggested that decreased serum potassium level may contribute to various metabolic disorders in adult patients including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to study the correlation between serum potassium levels and the histologic severity of NAFLD in children. Methods: Pediatric patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether potassium levels are associated with the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or fibrosis after adjusting for possible confounders. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 125 biopsies, 49.6% (62) had evidence of NASH while 66.4% (83) had some degree of fibrosis (stage 1-3). Mean serum potassium was significantly lower in NASH group as compared to non-NASH group ($4.4{\pm}0.42mmoL/L$ vs. $4.8{\pm}0.21$, p<0.001). Higher potassium level had negative correlation with presence of steatosis, ballooning, lobular inflammation, fibrosis and NAFLD activity score (p<0.05). On multivariable analysis and after adjusting for the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, higher potassium level was significantly associated with lower likelihood of having a histological diagnosis of NASH on biopsy (odds ratio [OR], 0.12; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.05-0.28; p<0.001). Similarly, the likelihood of having fibrosis decreases by 76% for every 0.5 mmoL/L increase in potassium (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.54; p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study shows an inverse relationship between serum potassium levels and the presence of aggressive disease (NASH and fibrosis) in children with NAFLD.

• 식물병연구
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.49-60
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• 2021

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is an important cash crop in Tanzania as a source of income to cashew growers and provides foreign exchange for the country. Despite its significance, the crop is threatened by fast spreading disease known as cashew Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Field assessment and laboratory tests were conducted to determine incidences of the disease, severity, ecological factors that influence them and explored the pathogen host specificity in six cashew growing districts. The results revealed significant (P<0.001) variation of disease incidences and severity among the studied districts. The results further revealed that there is both positive and negative correlation between the incidence and severity of the disease versus the evaluated ecological factors. The soil pH, soil temperature, air temperature, and relative humidity depicted positive correlation of disease incidence and severity versus ecological factors at ρ=0.50 and ρ=0.60, ρ=0.20 and ρ=0.94, ρ=0.11 and ρ=0.812, ρ=0.05 and ρ=0.771 respectively while nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon depicted negative correlations at ρ=-0.22 and ρ=-0.58, ρ=-0.15 and ρ=-0.94, ρ=-0.19 and ρ=-0.12 respectively. In terms of host range, none of the weed species was found to be a carrier of Fusarium pathogen implying that it is host specific or semi selective. The results revealed that the tested ecological parameters favor the growth and development of Fusarium pathogen. Thus, management of the disease requires nutrients replenishment and soil shading as essential components in developing appropriate strategies for the control and prevention of further spread of the disease.

• 의료ㆍ복지 건축 : 한국의료복지건축학회 논문집
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.41-50
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to suggest an analysis model finding the relationship between building scale characteristics of Public-use facilities and infectious disease outbreaks around senior leisure welfare facilities and the features and their scopes where quarantine resources are to be concentrated. Methods: Reviewing previous studies found the user characteristics of senior leisure welfare facilities and scale characteristics of urban architectures. The data preprocessing was performed after collecting building data and infectious disease outbreak data in the analysis area. This study derived data for attributes of building size and frequency of infectious disease outbreaks in Public-use facilities around senior leisure welfare facilities. A computing algorithm was implemented to analyze the correlation between the building size characteristics and the infectious disease outbreak frequency as per the change of the spatial scope. Results: The results of this study are as follows: First, the suggested model was to analyze the correlation between the infection frequency and the number of senior leisure welfare facilities, the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, site area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio varied as per the change of spatial scope. Second, correlation results varied between the infection frequency and the number of senior leisure welfare facilities, the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, site area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio. Third, a negative correlation appeared in the analysis between the number of senior leisure welfare facilities and infection frequency. And positive correlations appeared noticeably in the study between the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio. Implications: This study can be used as primary data on the utilization of limited quarantine resources by analyzing the relationship between the Public-use facilities around the senior leisure welfare facilities and the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, it suggests that infectious disease prevention measures are necessary considering the spatial scope of the analysis area and the size of buildings.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.191-198
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• 2013

결관절 초음파 검사를 이용하여 회전근개 질환에 의한 통증의 원인을 확인하고, 초음파 소견의 분류에 따른 통증의 상관관계와 초음파검사에서 관찰되는 소견의 결과를 예측하여 보고, 견관절 통증에 따른 스트레스와의 상관성을 확인하고자 하였다. 2012년 1월부터 10월까지 서울 S병원에서 견관절 동통 및 운동 장애를 주소로 하여 회전근개 파열과 유착성관절낭염과 견관절 충돌증후군으로 임상적 진단이 되는 환자 184명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 연구 대상자 중 어깨를 많이 사용하는 직업군과 50~60세 여성에서 144명(78.3%)으로 가장 많은 회전근개 질환이 유발되었으며, 회전근개 질환과 통증과의 상관관계와 초음파 진단 소견과 통증과의 상관관계는 서로 유의한 상관관계가 있음을 확인하였다(p<.05). 또한 회전근개 질환으로 인한 통증과 스트레스와의 상관성을 BEPSI-K로 조사한 결과 견관절 통증과 일상생활에서 받는 스트레스에는 서로 유의성이 있음을 확인하였다(p<.05).

• 사상체질의학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.143-154
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• 2007

1. Objectives The purpose of this study was to prove the correlation between risk factor of cardiovascular disease and Sasang Constitution and to investigate the effect of oxygen free radical on this correlation. 2. Methods We analyzed 129 patients who visited Cheonan oriental medical hospital from Apr 1, 2007 until May 31, 2007, for medical examination, which Includes Sasang Constitution examination, blood chemistry test and physical examination. And we classified their results into 4 groups based on with blood lipoprotein level and body mass index. 3. Results and Conclusions Mean of lipoprotein in blood was not significantly different among constitutions but with body mass index, was significantly higher in Taeumin than others. And count of dyslipoproteinemia was significantly higher in Taeumin group than soeumin. Therefore, according to our results, risk of cardiovascular disease was higher in Taeumin than other constitutions. Oxygen free radical did not have much effect on correlation between risk factor of cardiovascular disease and Sasang Constitution. However, there was some evidence in soeumin group, that oxygen free radical may have effect on origination of hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.1.1-1.12
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• 2021

Background: Goslings in several Taiwanese farms experienced gosling feather loss disease (GFL) at 21-35 days and goose broke feather disease (GBF) at 42-60 days. The prevalence ranges from a few birds to 500 cases per field. It is estimated that about 12,000 geese have been infected, the morbidity is 70-80% and the mortality is 20-30%. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the pathogens that cause GFL and GBF. Focus on the study of the correlation between goose circovirus (GoCV) and goose parvovirus (GPV) with the goose feather loss in southern Taiwan. Furthermore, a phylogenetic tree was established to align the differences between southern and northern Taiwan and compare with virus strains from China and Europe. Methods: Samples were collected from animal hospitals. Molecular and microscopy diagnostics were used to examine 92 geese. Specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) assays are performed to evaluate GPV and GoCV viral loads and simultaneously evaluated the feather loss conditions in geese with the scoring method. Results: High prevalence of GoCV and GPV infection in geese showing signs of GFL and GBF. Inclusion body was detected in the feather follicles and Lieberkuhn crypt epithelial cells. The Q-PCR showed the high correlation between feather loss and viruses during 3rd-5th week. However, the infection was not detected using the same test in 60 healthy geese. Conclusions: Thus, GFL and GBF appear to be significantly closely related to GoCV and GPV. The geese feathers showed increasing recovery after being quarantined and disinfected.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.102-105
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• 2019

Nitrotyrosine was found to be dependent on the severity of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). However, a correlation of serum nitrotyrosine concentration in dogs with MMVD and the progression of the disease has not been investigated. This study compared changes in serum nitrotyrosine concentration with the progression of MMVD. Nine client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Dogs were classified by measuring the amount of regurgitation using echocardiography into mild, moderate, or severe MMVD groups. Serum nitrotyrosine concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Serum nitrotyrosine concentration was significantly higher at 180 days than at 0 day (P < 0.05). However, serum nitrotyrosine concentration at 360 days was lower than that at 180 days (P < 0.05). Serum nitrotyrosine concentration at 540 days was lower than at 180 days (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between serum nitrotyrosine and left atrial to aortic root diameter ratio (LA/Ao ratio) (n = 33, $R^2=0.003$, P = 0.759). Also, there was no correlation between serum nitrotyrosine and vertebral heart score (VHS) (n = 33, $R^2=0.026$, P = 0.368) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, normalized for body weight by the formula (LVEDDN) (n = 33, $R^2=0.053$, P = 0.196). The results of the study suggest that the progression of MMVD is correlated with changes in serum nitrotyrosine concentration, which shows potential for use as a cardiac biomarker which can be used to analyze the progression of disease in MMVD.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.295-305
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• 2021

Purpose: Hepcidin levels have previously been reported to be correlated with liver damage. However, the association between hepcidin levels and liver fibrosis in children with fatty liver disease remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to investigate the pathophysiology of fibrosis in children with fatty liver disease and its association with hepcidin levels. Methods: This retrospective case series included 12 boys aged 6-17 years who were diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital. Sixteen liver biopsy samples from 12 subjects were analyzed. Serum hepcidin levels were assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunostaining for hepcidin was performed, and the samples were stratified by staining intensity. Results: Serum hepcidin levels were higher in pediatric NAFLD/NASH patients than in controls. Conversely, a significant inverse correlation was observed between hepcidin immunostaining and Brunt grade scores and between hepcidin scores and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, hyaluronic acid, and leukocyte levels. We observed inverse correlations with a high correlation coefficient of >0.4 between hepcidin immunostaining and aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bile acid, and platelet count. Conclusion: There was a significant inverse correlation between hepcidin immunoreactivity and fibrosis in pediatric NAFLD patients; however, serum hepcidin levels were significantly higher, suggesting that these patients experienced a reduction in the hepcidin-producing ability of the liver in response to iron levels, leading to subsequent fibrosis. Therefore, hepcidin levels can be used as markers to identify the progression of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제87권1호
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• pp.80-90
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• 2024

Background: There are many methods of evaluating diaphragmatic function, including trans-diaphragmatic pressure measurements, which are considered the key rule of diagnosis. We studied the clinical usefulness of chest ultrasonography in evaluating stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and those in exacerbation, focusing on diaphragmatic measurements and their correlation with spirometry and other clinical parameters. Methods: In a prospective case-control study, we enrolled 100 COPD patients divided into 40 stable COPD patients and 60 patients with exacerbation. The analysis included 20 age-matched controls. In addition to the clinical assessment of the study population, radiological evaluation included chest radiographs and chest computed tomography. Transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS) was performed for all included subjects. Results: Multiple A lines (more than 3) were more frequent in COPD exacerbation than in stable patients, as was the case for B-lines. TUS significantly showed high specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy in detecting pleural effusion, consolidation, pneumothorax, and lung mass. Diaphragmatic measurements were significantly lower among stable COPD subjects than healthy controls. Diaphragmatic thickness and excursion displayed a significant negative correlation with body mass index and the dyspnea scale, and a positive correlation with spirometry measures. Patients in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) group D showed lower diaphragmatic measurements (thickness and excursion). Conclusion: The TUS of COPD patients both in stable and exacerbated conditions and the assessment of diaphragm excursion and thickness by TUS in COPD patients and their correlations to disease-related factors proved informative and paved the way for the better management of COPD patients.