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Evaluation of Puretone Threshold Using Periodic Health Examination Data on Noise-exposed Workers in Korea (소음 특수건강진단 자료를 이용한 순음청력검사 평가)

  • Kim, Yang-Ho;Choi, Jung-Keun;Park, Jung-Sun;Moon, Young-Han;Kim, Kyoo-Sang
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.30-39
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    • 1999
  • Objectives. This study was carried out to evaluate hearing impairment judgement and to investigate the differences in various diagnostic criteria for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers who required for close observation (C). Methods. Out of 731,029 workers who had taken the specific periodic health examination in 1994, we used the audiometric data on 37,999 workers (C) eliminating the employees who had previous otologic problems. Many investigators have being using different criteria for the evaluation of hearing impairment. In this study, we used the criteria of early (1989-1994), current, compensation for NIHL in Korea, 2-, 3-, 4-divided classification and hearing loss at 4,000 Hz and compared the evaluation results. Results. The prevalences of C and workers who had occupational disease $(D_1)$ diagnosed for NIHL were 11.1 % and 0.44 %. There were significant difference in the prevalences of C and $D_1$, depending on different province of Korea. Pure tone averages (PTAs) were not appropriately applied in their evaluation 97% of workers whom we studied on were below the level of mild hearing loss judged by ISO standard. However, there were wide variations in the prevalence rate of mild hearing loss by diagnostic criteria. Thus, there were different judgements in determining the degree of NIHL depending on which diagnostic criteria were utilized. PTAs were found 20.54 (Rt) and 20.74 (Lt) when the method of 3-divided classification was applied for audiometric data. The degree of hearing impairment of the left ear was more severe than that of right ear. The prevalence of normal hearing threshold below 20 dB was 75.4% and the range of difference in both ear was below 10 dB. Right sided hearing threshold levels were 21.08 dB (500 Hz), 18.44 dB (1,000 Hz), 22.09 (2,000 Hz) and 52.36 dB (4,000 Hz). There was typical high frequency loss (C5-dip at 4,000 Hz) above 30 - 40 dB in normal hearing level. The increasing trend in hearing threshold level was gradually decreased by the increase of PTAs. The difference between PTAs and threshold at 4,000 Hz was about 10 dB. Conclusions. We could found that PTAs in the previous examination were not appropriately evaluated. This study revealed that they did not use unique criteria for managing the workers of NIHL. For the prevention of NIHL, it was found that the quality control on diagnosis and comprehensive management program were required, especially for those of hearing loss (C).

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EFFECT OF OCTANOL, THE GAP JUNCTION BLOCKER, ON THE REGULATION OF FLUID SECRETION AND INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM CONCENTRATION IN SALIVARY ACINAR CELLS (흰쥐 악하선 세포에서 gap junction 봉쇄제인 octanol이 타액분비 및 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도 조절에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Ju-Seok;Seo, Jeong-Taeg;Lee, Syng-Il;Lee, Jong-Gap;Sohn, Heung-Kyu
    • Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.399-415
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    • 1999
  • From bacteria to mammalian cells, one of the most important mediators of intracellular signal transduction mechanisms which regulate a variety of intracellular processes is free calcium. In salivary acinar cells, elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) is essential for the salivary secretion induced by parasympathetic stimulation. However, in addition to $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, gap junctions which couple individual cells electrically and chemically have also been reported to regulate enzyme secretion in pancreatic acinar cells. Since the plasma membrane of salivary acinar cells has a high density of gap junctions, and these cells are electrically and chemically coupled with each other, gap junctions may modulate the secretory function of salivary glands. In this respect, I planned to investigate the role of gap junctions in the modulation of salivary secretion and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, using mandibular salivary glands of rats. In order to measure the salivary flow rate, fluid was collected from the cannulated duct of the isolated perfused rat mandibular glands at 2 min intervals. $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, was measured from the cells loaded with fura-2 by spectrofluorometry. The results obtained were as follows: 1. CCh-induced salivary secretion was reversibly inhibited by 1 mM octanol, a gap junction blocker. 2. CCh-induced increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, was also reversed by the application of 1 mM octanol. 3. Octanol did not block the initial increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ caused by CCh, which suggested that the reduction of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, caused by gap junction blockade was not resulted from the inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ release from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores. 4. Addition of octanol during stimulation with $1{\mu}M$ thapsigargin, a potent microsomal ATPase inhibitor, reduced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, to the basal level. This suggested that inhibition of gap junction permeability closed plasma membrane $Ca^{2+}$ channels. 5. 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone (TBQ) generated $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillations resulting from periodic influx of $Ca^{2+}$ via plasma membrane. The TBQ-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillations were stopped by the application of 1mM octanol which implicated that gap junctions modulate the permeability of plasma membrane $Ca^{2+}$ channels. 6. Glycyrrhetinic acid, another well known gap junction blocker, also inhibited CCh-induced salivary secretion from rat mandibular glands. These results suggested that gap junctions play an important role in the modulation of fluid secretion from the rat mandibular glands and this was probably due to the inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ influx through the plasma membrane $Ca^{2+}$ channels.

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An Analysis of the Imported Consumer Goods Distribution Sector of Korea: From a Vertical Structure Viewpoint (수입소비재(輸入消費財) 유통구조(流通構造)의 효율화(效率化) 방안(方案))

  • Nam, Il-chong
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.3-33
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    • 1991
  • Since the early 1980's, the Korean government has gradually been widening the Korean market to foreign consumer goods. This, combined with the increased purchasing power of the Korean consumers resulting from the continued economic growth of the country, has sparked a spectacular influx of foreign consumer goods into Korea, ranging from BMW's to chopsticks. Import of foreign consumer goods amounted to more than 6 billion dollars in 1989 and is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. The increased import of foreign consumer goods doubtlessly improved the overall welfare of the Korean consumers by providing them with a wider range of options to choose from, by lowering the prices of some of the consumer goods domestically produced, and also by forcing the producers of some Korean goods to face competition with better foreign goods, thus giving them an incentive to raise the quality of their products. However, it is agreed by most economists that this increase in general welfare has been much smaller than what they had expected at the outset. Consumer prices of most imported consumer goods are easily double the import price, and in some cases, more than treble the import prices. Further, there has not been a noticeable drop in the prices of domestically produced consumer goods. Much of the blame has been attributed to the distribution sector of Korea. The objective of this paper is to analyze the imported consumer goods distribution sector of Korea, focusing on the possible sources of the poor performance of that sector, and to make policy suggestions that could potentially increase the welfare. This paper differs from all the previous research by others on this subject in that it analyzes the imported consumer goods distribution sector of Korea as a vertical structure. The distribution sector of an imported consumer good is a vertical structure since it consists of an international market, an import stage, and domestic wholesale and retail markets, in that order vertically. Our study naturally includes the analysis of the vertical restraints as well as the analysis of the industrial organization of each horizontal stage in the vertical structure. Each horizontal component of the imported consumer goods distribution sector is basically a monopolistically competitive market differentiated by characteristics of goods and by the locations and the services of firms. Further, restrictive dealership and resale price maintenance are found to be widely in use. Our main findings are the follwing; First, most consumer goods are imported monopolistically or oligopolistically through restrictive dealership contracts between foreign producers and domestic importers. Such restrictive dealership gives importers market power in the domestic market and explains many of the large discrepancies betwen the consumer prices and the import prices of many goods. Korean anti - trust law does not cover the issues arising from the market power of an importer resulting from a restrictive dealership contract. Second, some major producers of Korean goods are also importers of foreign goods that are substitutes of their products. The import of substitutes by major domestic producers is anti - competitive because it tends to raise the prices of both domestic goods and foreign goods, and also because it reduces the incentive of the domestic producers to raise the quality of their products. Third, wholesalers and retailers widely use resale price maintenance as a price fixing mechanism, and while this is against the anti- trust law, it seldom gets noticed. Fourth, the high level of rents of real estate for commercial use works as an entry barrier to the distribution sector and results in reduced competition by the firms in that sector. Finally, there are information problems. Consumers have inferior information to firms about the quality of a foreign consumer good that they have not tried before. Such information asymmetry often enables firms to raise prices. In addition, information asymmetry between importers frequently delays the import of cheaper substitutes. In order to alleviate the problems indentified above, we suggest the following policy changes. The government should strengthen the anti - trust law and its enforcement to regulate restrictive import contracts, import of competing goods by major domestic producers, and RPM by wholesalers and retailers that is aimed at price fixing. In addition, the government should loosen its tight real estate policy to encourage investment in the distribution sector. Finally, we suggest that the import price revelation policy that has been in use for some items since 1990 be expanded to most imported consumer goods that are introduced for the first time to give consumer better information and be used only for the period of time needed to inform sufficient number of consumers.

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A Study to Decrease Exposure Dose for the Radiotechnologist in PET/CT (PET/CT 검사에서 방사선 종사자 피폭선량 저감에 대한 방안 연구)

  • Cho, Seok-Won;Park, Hoon-Hee;Kim, Jung-Yul;Ban, Yung-Kak;Lim, Han-Sang;Oh, Ki-Beak;Kim, Jae-Sam;Lee, Chang-Ho
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.159-165
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    • 2010
  • Purpose: Positron emission tomography scan has been growing diagnostic equipment in the development of medical imaging system. Compare to $^{99m}Tc$ emitting 140 keV, Positron emission radionuclide emits 511 keV gamma rays. Because of this high energy, it needs to reduce radioactive emitting from patients for radiotechnologist. We searched the external dose rates by changing distance from patients and measure the external dose rates when we used shielder investigate change external dose rates. In this study, the external dose distribution were analyzed in order to help managing radiation protection of radiotechnologists. Materials and Methods: Ten patients were searched (mean age: $47.7{\pm}6.6$, mean height: $165.5{\pm}3.8$ cm and mean weight: $65.9{\pm}1.4$ kg). Radiation were measured on the location of head, chest, abdomen, knees and toes at the distance of 10, 50, 100, 150 and 200 cm. Then, all the procedure was given with a portable radiation shielding on the location of head, chest and abdomen at the distance of 100, 150 and 200 cm and transmittance was calculated. Results: In 10 cm, head (105.40 ${\mu}Sv/h$) was the highest and foot (15.85 ${\mu}Sv/h$) was the lowest. In 200 cm, head, chest and abdomen showed similar. On head, the measured dose rates were 9.56 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 5.23 ${\mu}Sv/h$, and 3.40 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200 cm respectively. When using shielder, it shows 2.24 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 1.67 ${\mu}Sv/h$, and 1.27 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200 cm on head. On chest, the measured dose rates were 8.54 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 4.90 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 3.44 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200 cm, respectively. When using shielder, it shows 2.27 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 1.34 ${\mu}Sv/h$, and 1.13 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200 cm on chest. On abdomen, the measured dose rates were 9.83 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 5.15 ${\mu}Sv/h$ and 3.18 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200cm respectively. When using shielder, it shows 2.60 ${\mu}Sv/h$, 1.75 ${\mu}Sv/h$ and 1.23 ${\mu}Sv/h$ in 100, 150 and 200 cm on abdomen. Transmittance was increased as the distance was expanded. Conclusion: As the distance was further, the radiation dose were reduced. When using shielder, the dose were reduced as one-forth of without shielder. The Radio technologists are exposed of radioactivity and there were limitations on reducing the distance with Therefore, the proper shielding will be able to decrease radiation dose to the radiotechnologists.

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Studies on Persistence of Pesticides in Soils and Crops under Polyethylene Film Mulching Culture II. Effect of Polyethylene Film mulching on Weed Emergence, Growth and Yield of Red pepper, Peanut and Sesame (폴리에틸렌 멀칭재배(栽培) 시(時) 농약(農藥)의 토양(土壤) 및 작물체중(作物体中) 잔류(殘留)에 관한 연구(硏究) 제(第) 2 보(報) 폴리에틸렌 멀칭이 잡초발생(雜草發生), 고추, 땅콩, 참깨의 생육(生育) 및 수량(收量)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Ryang, H.S.;Moon, Y.H.;Kim, N.E.;Lee, J.H.
    • Korean Journal of Weed Science
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    • v.7 no.3
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    • pp.306-315
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    • 1987
  • In the red pepper field under polythylene film mulching(P.E.-mulching) culture, the weed emergence was completely inhibited by black P.E.-mulching. The emergence in clear P.E.-mulching decreased 90% compared to that in non-mulching. Weeding effect was high in the order of pendimethalin, diphenamid, alachlor and napropamide. The effect of herbicides was higher in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Plant height and number of branches increased in the order of clear P.E.-, black P.E.-mulching, while the yield between black P.E.- and clear P.E.-mulching was not different. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the peanut field, weed emergence was 80% lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect was excellent in the plot applied with alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid. The total number of branches, main stem height and shoot weight were 2.0, 1.7 and 2.4 times greater in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching, respectively. Peanut yield was about 38% higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the sesame field, rate of weed emergence was 10 times lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect of alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid was higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. Germination percentage of sesame greatly decreased in non-mulching compared with in clear P.E.-mulching. The germination was inhibited by the treatment of herbicides. The inhibition effect was increased in the order of alachlor, napropamide, and diphenamid. The initial crop injury in treatment of herbicides was greater in non-mulching than in clear P.E.-mulching. The crop recovered from the injury and exhibited regrowth in clear P.E.-mulching except the alachlor treatment, but there was no recovery in non-mulching. There was no significant difference yield between herbicide treatment and hand weeding in non-mulching. Also, no significant difference was obseorbed between napropamide and diphenamid treatment and hand weeding in clear P.E.-mulching.

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Risk Factor Analysis and Surgical Indications for Pulmonary Artery Banding (폐동맥 밴딩의 위험인자 분석과 수술적응중)

  • Lee Jeong Ryul;Choi Chang Hyu;Min Sun Kyung;Kim Woong Han;Kim Yong Jin;Rho Joon Ryang;Bae Eun Jung;Noh Chung I1;Yun Yong Soo
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.38 no.8 s.253
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    • pp.538-544
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    • 2005
  • Background: Pulmonary artery banding (PAB) is an initial palliative procedure for a diverse group of patients with congenital cardiac anomalies and unrestricted pulmonary blood flow. We proved the usefulness of PAB through retrospective investigation of the surgical indication and risk analysis retrospectively. Material and Method: One hundred and fifty four consecutive patients (99 males and 55 females) who underwent PAB between January 1986 and December 2003 were included. We analysed the risk factors for early mortality and actuarial survival rate. Mean age was $2.5\pm12.8\;(0.2\sim92.7)$ months and mean weight was $4.5\pm2.7\;(0.9\sim18.0)\;kg$. Preoperative diagnosis included functional single ventricle $(88,\;57.1\%)$, double outlet right ventricle $(22,\;14.2\%)$, transposition of the great arteries $(26,\;16.8\%)$, and atrioventricular septal defect $(11,\;7.1\%)$. Coarctation of the aorta or interrupted aortic arch $(32,\;20.7\%)$, subaortic stenosis $(13,\;8.4\%)$ and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection $(13,\;8.4\%)$ were associated. Result: The overall early mortality was $22.1\%\;(34\;of\;154)$, The recent series from 1996 include patients with lower age $(3.8\pm15.9\;vs.\;1.5\pm12.7,\;p=0.04)$ and lower body weight $(4.8\pm3.1\;vs.\;4.0\pm2.7,\;p=0.02)$. The early mortality was lower in the recent group $(17.5\%;\;16/75)$ than the earlier group $(28.5\%;\;18/45)$. Aortic arch anomaly (p=0.004), subaortic stenosis (p=0.004), operation for subaortic stenosis (p=0.007), and cardiopulmonary bypass (p=0.007) were proven to be risk factors for early death in univariate analysis, while time of surgery (<1996) (p=0.026) was the only significant risk factor in multivariate analysis. The mean time interval from PAB to the second-stage operation was $12.8\pm10.9$ months. Among 96 patients who survived PAB, 40 patients completed Fontan operation, 21 patients underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt, and 35 patients underwent biventricular repair including 25 arterial switch operations. Median follow-up was $40.1\pm48.9$ months. Overall survival rates at 1 year, 5 years and 10 years were $81.2\%\;65.0\%,\;and\;63.5\%$ respectively. Conclusion: Although it improved in recent series, early mortality was still high despite the advances in perioperative management. As for conventional indications, early primary repair may be more beneficial. However, PA banding still has a role in the initial palliative step in selective groups.

Studies on the Hemodynamic Changes in Cirrhosis of the Liver (간경변증(肝硬變症)에서의 혈역학적(血力學的) 변화(變化)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, Jung-Il;Lee, Jung-Sang;Koh, Chang-Soon
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.11-27
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    • 1970
  • Cardiac output, plasma volume and renal plasma flow were determined to evaluate hemodynamic changes in 29 patients with cirrhosis of the liver. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The mean plasma volume was 3793+895ml and it was significantly higher than the normal controls. The mean blood volume ($5266{\pm}1222ml$) and blood volume per kg body weight ($95.7{\pm}23.41ml$) were also increased significantly. The mean plasma volume per kg body weight ($69.1{\pm}19.1ml$) showed increased tendency and the mean difference between blood volume and plasma volume per kg body weight ($26.4{\pm}7.05ml$) was in lower limit of normal range. 2. The mean cardiac output was $7708{\pm}2652ml/min$ and it was significantly increased. The mean cardiac index ($4924{\pm}1998ml/min/M^2$), stroke volume ($96.2{\pm}34.2ml/beat$), stroke index ($62.3{\pm}27.34ml/M^2$) and fractional cardiac index ($1.54{\pm}0.577$) were also increased significantly. The mean total -peripheral resistance was $1664{\pm}753.8\;dynes\;sec\;cm^{-5}M^2$ and it was significantly lower than the normal controls. 3. The mean renal plasma flow was $537{\pm}146.8ml/min/1.73M^2$ and it was normal to decreased tendency. The mean endogenous creatinine clearance ($66.7{\pm}23.0ml/min/1.73M^2$) was significantly decreased. Filtration fraction was variable, but it was slightly lower than normal in most cases. The mean renal fraction of cardiac output ($11.4{\pm}6.27%$) was relatively decreased. 4. Although renal plasma flow was normal or decreased in general, it was definitely diminished in patients with creatinine clearance less than $60ml/min/1.73M^2$, resistant ascites, and signs of azotemia (elevated BUN and serum creatinine). 5. Diminished glomrular filtration rate with low filtration fraction and decreased renal fraction of cardiac output observed strongly supported increased renal afferent arteriolar resistance. 6. Renal circulatory impairment preceded azotemia or oroliguria in cirrhosis. 7. Clinical findigns and liver function were not correlated with hemodynamic changes, except for esophageal varices associated with high cardiac output obsedved. 8. No definite correlation of renal hemodynamics with plasma volume or cardiac output was found.

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Clinical Analysis of Repeated Heart Valve Replacement (심장판막치환술 후 재치환술에 관한 임상연구)

  • Kim, Hyuck;Nam, Seung-Hyuk;Kang, Jeong-Ho;Kim, Young-Hak;Lee, Chul-Burm;Chon, Soon-Ho;Shinn, Sung-Ho;Chung, Won-Sang
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.40 no.12
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    • pp.817-824
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    • 2007
  • Background: There are two choices for heart valve replacement-the use of a tissue valve and the use of a mechanical valve. Using a tissue valve, additional surgery will be problematic due to valve degeneration. If the risk of additional surgery could be reduced, the tissue valve could be more widely used. Therefore, we analyzed the risk factors and mortality of patients undergoing repeated heart valve replacement and primary replacement. Material and Method: We analyzed 25 consecutive patients who underwent repeated heart valve replacement and 158 patients who underwent primary heart valve replacement among 239 patients that underwent heart vale replacement in out hospital from January 1995 to December 2004. Result: There were no differences in age, sex, and preoperative ejection fraction between the repeated valve replacement group of patients and the primary valve replacement group of patients. In the repeated valve replacement group, the previously used artificial valves were 3 mechanical valves and 23 tissue valves. One of these cases had simultaneous replacement of the tricuspid and aortic valve with tissue valves. The mean duration after a previous operation was 92 months for the use of a mechanical valve and 160 months for the use of a tissue valve. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamp time were 152 minutes and 108 minutes, respectively, for the repeated valve replacement group of patients and 130 minutes and 89 minutes, respectively, for the primary valve replacement group of patients. These results were statistically significant. The use of an intra aortic balloon pump (IABP) was required for 2 cases (8%) in the repeated valve replacement group of patients and 6 cases (3.8%) in the primary valve replacement group of patients. An operative death occurred in one case (4%) in the repeated valve replacement group of patients and occurred in nine cases (5.1%) in the primary valve replacement group of patients. Among postoperative complications, the need for mechanical ventilation over 48 hours was different between the two groups. The mean follow up period after surgery was $6.5{\pm}3.2$ years. The 5-year survival of patients in the repeated valve replacement group was 74% and the 5-year survival of patients in the primary valve replacement group was 95%. Conclusion: The risk was slightly increased, but there was little difference in mortality between the repeated and primary heart valve replacement group of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the issue of avoiding the use of a tissue valve due to the risk of additional surgery, and it is encouraged to use the tissue valve selectively, which has several advantages over the use of a mechanical valve. In the case of a repeated replacement, however, the mortality rate was high for a patient whose preoperative status was not poor. A proper as sessment of cardiac function and patient status is required after the primary valve replacement. Subsequently, a secondary replacement could then be considered.

The Effects of Intravenous Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy by Mendoza Protocol in Primary and Secondary Nephrotic Syndrome (일차성 및 이차성 신증후군에서 Mendoza Protocol에 의한 Intravenous Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy의 효과)

  • Lee Kyoung-Jae;Han Jae-Hyuk;Lee Young-Mock;Kim Ji-Hong;Kim Pyung-Kil
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.117-124
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    • 2001
  • Purpose : Since Mendoza(1990)'s report that long term methylprednisolone pulse therapy by Mendoza protocol (MP therapy) is a good treatment option in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS), there have been reports of the effects of this therapy in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. However, no studies have been performed on the effects of MP therapy in steroid- dependent nephrotic syndrome and secondary nephrotic syndrome. In this study, we investigated the effects of long term MP therapy in primary and secondary nephrotic syndrome in which previous treatment options were not effective. Methods : We chose 10 children who were diagnosed with steroid-dependent minimal change nephrotic syndrome(SD-MCNS), who had shown frequent relapse during the immunocompromised or cytotoxic therapy Period, and 6 children with FSGS and 5 children with secondary nephrotic syndrome children, who had shown no response during the previous therapy period. We treated these patients according to Mendoza protocol involving infusions of high doses of methylprednisolone, often in combination with oral cyclophosphamide for 82 weeks. Results : In all the 10 children with SD-MCNS, complete remission was visible on average of $18{\pm}9$ days after MP therapy was started. However, all these children relapsed during or after MP therapy. In these children, the mean relapse rate prior to MP therapy was $2.1{\pm}1.0$ relpases/year, which was reduced to $1.4{\pm}0.9$ relapses/year during MP therapy(P>0.05) and rose to $2.7{\pm}1.0$ relapse/year after MP therapy. Of the 6 children with FSGS, 4 children($67\%$) showed complete remission, of whom 3 children($50\%$) remained in the remission status during the follow up period, $1.2{\pm}0.7$ years, after the end of MP therapy. 2 children($33\%$) showed no response. All of the 5 children with secondary nephrotic syndrome showed remission and remained in the remissiom status during the follow up period, $1.7{\pm}0.6$ years The only side effect of MP therapy was transient hypertension in 10 children of ail subjects during the intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone. Conclusion : We conclude that although long term MP therapy is not effective in the treatment of SD-MCNS, it is an effective therapy against intractable FSGS and secondary nephrotic syndrome. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2001 ; 5 : 117-24)

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Discovering Promising Convergence Technologies Using Network Analysis of Maturity and Dependency of Technology (기술 성숙도 및 의존도의 네트워크 분석을 통한 유망 융합 기술 발굴 방법론)

  • Choi, Hochang;Kwahk, Kee-Young;Kim, Namgyu
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.101-124
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    • 2018
  • Recently, most of the technologies have been developed in various forms through the advancement of single technology or interaction with other technologies. Particularly, these technologies have the characteristic of the convergence caused by the interaction between two or more techniques. In addition, efforts in responding to technological changes by advance are continuously increasing through forecasting promising convergence technologies that will emerge in the near future. According to this phenomenon, many researchers are attempting to perform various analyses about forecasting promising convergence technologies. A convergence technology has characteristics of various technologies according to the principle of generation. Therefore, forecasting promising convergence technologies is much more difficult than forecasting general technologies with high growth potential. Nevertheless, some achievements have been confirmed in an attempt to forecasting promising technologies using big data analysis and social network analysis. Studies of convergence technology through data analysis are actively conducted with the theme of discovering new convergence technologies and analyzing their trends. According that, information about new convergence technologies is being provided more abundantly than in the past. However, existing methods in analyzing convergence technology have some limitations. Firstly, most studies deal with convergence technology analyze data through predefined technology classifications. The technologies appearing recently tend to have characteristics of convergence and thus consist of technologies from various fields. In other words, the new convergence technologies may not belong to the defined classification. Therefore, the existing method does not properly reflect the dynamic change of the convergence phenomenon. Secondly, in order to forecast the promising convergence technologies, most of the existing analysis method use the general purpose indicators in process. This method does not fully utilize the specificity of convergence phenomenon. The new convergence technology is highly dependent on the existing technology, which is the origin of that technology. Based on that, it can grow into the independent field or disappear rapidly, according to the change of the dependent technology. In the existing analysis, the potential growth of convergence technology is judged through the traditional indicators designed from the general purpose. However, these indicators do not reflect the principle of convergence. In other words, these indicators do not reflect the characteristics of convergence technology, which brings the meaning of new technologies emerge through two or more mature technologies and grown technologies affect the creation of another technology. Thirdly, previous studies do not provide objective methods for evaluating the accuracy of models in forecasting promising convergence technologies. In the studies of convergence technology, the subject of forecasting promising technologies was relatively insufficient due to the complexity of the field. Therefore, it is difficult to find a method to evaluate the accuracy of the model that forecasting promising convergence technologies. In order to activate the field of forecasting promising convergence technology, it is important to establish a method for objectively verifying and evaluating the accuracy of the model proposed by each study. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new method for analysis of convergence technologies. First of all, through topic modeling, we derive a new technology classification in terms of text content. It reflects the dynamic change of the actual technology market, not the existing fixed classification standard. In addition, we identify the influence relationships between technologies through the topic correspondence weights of each document, and structuralize them into a network. In addition, we devise a centrality indicator (PGC, potential growth centrality) to forecast the future growth of technology by utilizing the centrality information of each technology. It reflects the convergence characteristics of each technology, according to technology maturity and interdependence between technologies. Along with this, we propose a method to evaluate the accuracy of forecasting model by measuring the growth rate of promising technology. It is based on the variation of potential growth centrality by period. In this paper, we conduct experiments with 13,477 patent documents dealing with technical contents to evaluate the performance and practical applicability of the proposed method. As a result, it is confirmed that the forecast model based on a centrality indicator of the proposed method has a maximum forecast accuracy of about 2.88 times higher than the accuracy of the forecast model based on the currently used network indicators.