• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.234-241
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• 2020

Background: The fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) test is useful in asthma patients. However, a few studies on its usefulness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have been reported. We analyzed the FENO level distribution and clinical characteristics according to the FENO level in COPD patients. Methods: From December 2014 to June 2019, COPD patients who underwent pulmonary function and FENO tests at Chonnam National University Hospital were retrospectively evaluated for FENO, comorbidities, asthma history, blood eosinophil, and pulmonary function test. The high FENO group was defined as those with FENO level>25 parts per billion (ppb). Results: A total of 849 COPD patients (mean age, 70.3±9.4 years) were included. The mean forced expiratory volume at 1 second was 66.5±21.7% and the mean FENO level was 24.3±20.5 ppb. Patients with FENO ≤25 ppb were 572 (67.4%) and those with FENO >25 ppb were 277 (32.6%). Blood eosinophil percentage was significantly higher (4.2±4.8 vs. 2.7±2.5, p<0.001) in patients with the high FENO group than the low FENO group. The high FENO group revealed a significantly higher frequency of patients with blood eosinophil percentage >3% (46.9% vs. 34.8%, p=0.001) and asthma history (25.6% vs. 8.6%, p<0.001) than the lower FENO group. Asthma history, blood eosinophil percentage >3%, and positive bronchodilator response (BDR) were independent risk factors for the high FENO level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.85; p<0.001; aOR, 1.46; p=0.017; and aOR, 1.57, p=0.034, respectively) in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: The FENO level distribution varied in COPD patients and the mean FENO value was slightly elevated. Asthma history, eosinophil percent, and positive BDR were independent risk factors for the high FENO level.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.384-393
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• 2016

In this study, two kinds of industrial filter bags were tested for their filtration performance to apply the existing bag filter systems. Experimental variables were examined for pressure drop, cleaning interval, residual pressure drop, cleaning efficiency, fractional grade efficiency, total collection efficiency according to the filter bag structure. According to these results, the filter bags tested in this study demonstrated good performance in dust collection. This was also true for the double surface filter bag. The lifetime was longer than the round type filter bag because the filtration area was more than 1.6 times wider and the filter quality factor was much higher. Therefore, double surface filter bags are suggested to be used in order to increase filtration performance of the bag filter systems.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.317-328
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• 2011

We analyzed errors committed by Korean prospective elementary teachers in finding and interpreting quotient and remainder within measurement division of fractions. 65 prospective elementary teachers were participated in this study. They solved a word problem about measurement division of fractions. We analyzed solutions of all participants, and interviewed 5 participants of them. The results reveal many of these prospective teachers could not tell what fractional part of division result means. Thses results suggest that teacher preparation program should emphasize interpreting calculation results within given situations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.56-63
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• 2003

Fractional composition and mobility of sediments some heavy metals in Okdong stream are investigated. The fractional scheme for sediment heavy metal was made for five chemically defined heavy metal forms as adsorbed fraction, carbonate fraction, reducible fraction, organic fraction, and residual fraction (Tessier et at., 1979). The most abundant fraction of the sediment heavy metal is reducible and secondly abundant organic fraction. Adsorbed fraction is minor part of the total heavy metals. Mobilization of sediment heavy metals in stream Okdong is occur 19.8∼56.7% of total cadmium concentrate. The most abundant fraction of the sediment metal is organic fraction in Cu, Pb metals investigated. Labile fraction of sediment metals are 0.5%∼48.5% of total Zn, 2.6%∼48.1% of total Pb, 0.2∼36.9% of total Cu respectively, Most of labile fraction consists of reducible fraction for Cd, Zn, adsorbed fraction for Pb, reducible fraction for Cu, adsorbed fraction for Ni. The Mobilization of Zn and Cu is most likely to occur when oxygen depletes and that of Pb and Ni occurs when physical impact, oxygen depletion and pH reduction.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.471-479
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• 2015

Traditional designs of cognitive radio (CR) focus on maximizing system throughput. In this paper, we study the joint overlay and underlay power allocation problem for orthogonal frequency-division multiple access-based CR. Instead of maximizing system throughput, we aim to maximize system energy efficiency (EE), measured by a "bit per Joule" metric, while maintaining the minimal rate requirement of a given CR system, under the total power constraint of a secondary user and interference constraints of primary users. The formulated energy-efficient power allocation (EEPA) problem is nonconvex; to make it solvable, we first transform the original problem into a convex optimization problem via fractional programming, and then the Lagrange dual decomposition method is used to solve the equivalent convex optimization problem. Finally, an optimal EEPA allocation scheme is proposed. Numerical results show that the proposed method can achieve better EE performance.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2013

Background: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) can be measured easily, rapidly, and noninvasively for the assessment of airway inflammation, particularly mediated by eosinophil, such as asthma. In bronchiectasis (BE), the pathogenesis has been known as chronic airway inflammation and infection with abnormal airway dilatation; however, there are little studies to evaluate the role of FeNO in BE. Methods: From March 2010 to February 2012, 47 patients with BE, diagnosed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), performed FeNO, compared with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All patients carried out a complete blood count including eosinophil count, chemistry, sputum examination, and spirometry, if indicated. A retrospective analysis was performed to elucidate the clinical role of FeNO in BE patients. Results: The mean FeNO levels in patients with BE was $18.8{\pm}1.5$ part per billion (ppb), compared to $48.0{\pm}6.4$ and $31.0{\pm}4.3$ in those with asthma and COPD, respectively (p<0.001). The FeNO levels tended to increase along with the disease severity scores by HRCT; however, it was statistically not significant. FeNO in BE with a co-infection of nontuberculous mycobacteria was the lowest at $17.0{\pm}3.5$ ppb among the study population. Conclusion: FeNO in BE was lower than other chronic inflammatory airway diseases, particularly compared with asthma. For clinical application of FeNO in BE, more large-scaled, prospective studies should be considered.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.784-789
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• 2016

We evaluated the synergistic antibacterial effect in combination with the chitosan-ferulic acid conjugate (CFA) and β-lactam antibiotics, such as ampicillin, penicillin, and oxacillin, against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices. CFA clearly reversed the antibacterial activity of ampicillin, penicillin, and oxacillin against MRSA in the combination mode. Among these antibiotics, the combination of oxacillin-CFA resulted in a ΣFIC_min range of 0.250 and ΣFIC_max of 0.563, suggesting that the oxacillin-CFA combination resulted in an antibacterial synergy effect against MRSA. In addition, we determined that CFA inhibited the mRNA expression of gene mecA and the production of PBP2a, which is a key determinant for β-lactam antibiotic resistance, in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, the results obtained in this study supported the idea on the antibacterial action mechanism that oxacillin will restore the antibacterial activity against MRSA through the suppression of PBP2a production by CFA.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2017

The performance of a modeling system consisting of WRF model v3.3 and CMAQ model v4.7.1 for forecasting $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were evaluated during the period May 2012 through December 2014. Twenty-four hour averages of $PM_{2.5}$ and its major components obtained through filter sampling at the Bulgwang intensive measurement station were used for comparison. The mean predicted $PM_{2.5}$ concentration over the entire period was 68% of the mean measured value. Predicted concentrations for major components were underestimated except for $NO_3{^-}$. The model performance for $PM_{2.5}$ generally tended to degrade with increasing the concentration level. However, the mean fractional bias (MFB) for high concentration above the $80^{th}$ percentile fell within the criteria, the level of accuracy acceptable for standard model applications. Among three bias correction methods, the ratio adjustment was generally most effective in improving the performance. Albeit for limited test conditions, this analysis demonstrated that the effects of bias correction were larger when using the data with a larger bias of predicted values from measurement values.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2023

Acne vulgaris is often associated with acne-related bacteria such as Cutibacterium acnes. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial effects of the methanol extract of the algae Ecklonia cava and its solvent-soluble extract against C. acnes. Among five solvent fractions, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity against C. acnes. Furthermore, the EtOAc-soluble extract exhibited the highest total phenolic contents among the five solvent fractions tested. The EtOAc subfraction 07 (Fr. 07) extract showed the highest antibacterial effect against C. acnes and isolated C. acnes along with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 32 to 64 ㎍/mL. Additionally, MICs of antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant C. acnes strains were substantially reduced when antibiotics were combined with Fr. 07, suggesting that Fr. 07 restore the antibacterial activity of the antibiotics. The fractional inhibitory concentration indices clearly revealed an additive synergistic effect of Fr. 07 with antibiotics. The results of the present study suggest a potential role for E. cava in the control of infections related to acne vulgaris.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.769-772
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• 2022

Femoral nerve injuries are devastating injuries that lead to paralysis of the quadriceps muscles, weakening knee extension to prohibit ambulation. We report a devastating case of electrical injury-induced femoral neuropathy, where no apparent site of nerve disruption can be identified, thus inhibiting the traditional choices of nerve reconstruction such as nerve repair, grafting, or transfer. Concomitant spinal cord injury resulted in spastic myopathy of the antagonist muscles that further restricted knee extension. Our strategy was to perform (1) supercharge end-to-side technique (SETS) to augment the function of target muscles and (2) fractional tendon lengthening to release the spastic muscles. Dramatic postoperative improvement in passive and active range of motion highlights the effectiveness of this strategy to manage partial femoral nerve injuries.