• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.199-205
• /
• 2002

The role of peripheral vestibular receptors in acute hypotension was investigated in anesthetized rats. Acute hypotension was induced by either intravenous infusion of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or by experimental hemorrhage, and electrical activity and expression of cFos-like immunoreactive (cFL) protein were measured in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN). Blood pressure decreased proportionately to the does of intravenous SNP and to the volume of the hemorrhage. Blood pressure decreased 10, 30, 50% for the 5, 10, $15{\mu}g/kg$ SNP injection, respectively, and also decreased 30 and 50% after 1- and 2-ml blood loss, respectively, due to hemorrhage. In animals with intact labyrinths, acute hypotension induced by either intravenous infusion of SNP or hemorrhage produced different electrical activities with three different patterns in type I and II neurons of MVN. The responses of type I neurons showed excitatory in 2/3 of recorded neurons and inhibitory or no change in 1/3 of neurons, while the responses of type II neurons showed inhibitory in 2/3 of recorded neurons and excitatory or no change in 1/3 of neurons. In unilateral labyrinthectomized animals, 2/3 of type I neurons ipsilateral to the lesion showed an inhibitory response, and 2/3 of contralateral type I neurons showed an excitatory response after the induction of acute hypotension. The response patterns of type II neurons were opposite from those of the type I neurons. After 30% decrease in blood pressure, cFL protein expressed in the bilateral vestibular nuclei of control animals with intact labyrinths. Expression of cFL protein increased significantly proportionately to the reduction of blood pressure. The unilateral labyrinthectomized animals with acute hypotension produced expression of cFL neurons in contralateral vestibular nuclei to the lesion side, but not in ipsilateral vestibular nuclei. However, cFL protein was not expressed in bilateral vestibular nuclei after acute hypotension in bilateral labyrinthectomized animals. These results suggest that the peripheral vestibular receptors might play a significant role in controlling blood pressure following acute hypotension via activation of type I neurons and inhibition of type II neurons in the vestibular nuclei.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.10-21
• /
• 2001

Background : The Clostridium difficile is the most important identifiable cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea and colitis, which lengthens hospital stay. Recently incidence of C. difficile has been increasing in an university hospital, and an intervention for prevention and control of C. difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) was in prompt need. Methods : Subjects were the patients in the neurosurgical intensive care unit(NCU) where C. difficile was most frequently isolated. To increase participation of various departments, we used the CQI method, because management of CDAD requires a wholistic approach including control of antibiotics, barrier precaution and environmental cleaning and disinfection. Duration of the CQI activities was 9 months from April to December 1999. Results : The identified problems were misuse and overuse of antibiotics, lack of consciousness of medical personnels and the possibility of transmission from the contaminated environment and tube feeding. Education for proper use of antibiotics and management of C. difficile infection, use of precaution stickers, supplement of handwashing equipments, emphasis on environmental disinfection, and the change of the process of tube feeding were done. The CDAD rate in NCU was significantly decreased after the CQI program (8.6 case per 1,000 patient days from January to April 1999 vs 4.8 from May to December 1999). The distribution of neurosurgical wards including NCU among the total number of isolated C. difficile from the clinical specimens dropped from 49.4% in January to April to 33,7% in May to December. The average hospital stay of the neurosurgical department changed from 19.6 days to 15.2 days. Also, the effect of the CQI activities for C. difficile may have affected the incidence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE). Duration and dosage of certain antibiotics used in the NS department were decreased. The distribution of neurosurgical department in the number of VRE isolated patients declined from 18.4% to 11.1%. Conclusion : Infection control of resistant organisms such as C. difficile is likely to be successful when management of environmental contamination an collaborative efforts of decreasing the patients' risk factors such as antibiotics management and decreasing the length of hospital stay come simultaneously. For this work, related departments need to actively participate in the entire process under a common target through discussions for identifying problems and bringing up solutions. In this respect, making use of a CQI team is an efficient method of infection control for gathering participation and cooperation of related departments.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.8
• /
• pp.512-520
• /
• 2020

This study analyzed the relative operational efficiency and impact factors of regional public hospitals to present benchmarking points for enhancing the efficiency of inefficient regional public hospitals. The survey targets collected and utilized the internal resources and management performance data from 34 regional public hospitals in Korea over the past five years, from 2014 to 2018. The final 33 regional public hospitals were surveyed, excluding Jinan Regional Public Hospital, which opened in 2015, the middle of the survey period. The general characteristics and input/output variables were analyzed by frequency analysis and technical statistics analysis, and Data Envelopment Analysis was performed to measure the operational efficiency index and relative comparison. According to the study, there were 11 efficient hospitals (33.3%) and 22 inefficient hospitals (66.7%). Of the 22 inefficient hospitals, 13 (IRS: Increasing Returns to Scale) required scale expansion, and nine (DRS: Decreasing Returns to Scale) required scale reduction or rebalancing. The significance of this study was that an analysis of the relative efficiency and influencing factors presented specific alternatives or directions that could help enhance the efficiency of the growth of regional public hospitals, sustainable management, and expansion of publicness.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2000

This study was carried out for treatment and reuse of inorganic sludge from Fenton process at B dyeing wastewater treatment plant. The parameters for pilot-scale treatment system were derived from the results of this study. It was found that $COD_{cl}$ of the treated effluent became lower than 100 mg/l approximately on the optimal reaction condition. 2nd sludge which was generated after redissolving sludge was analyzed, and it showed that reduction ratio of ash in 2nd sludge and total dry sludge weight in comparison with current sludge were 85% and 65%. Also Fe salt in sludge was redissolved about 90~95% of initial Fe by weight. It was estimated almost ￦350,000,000 for sludge reuse process. It was estimated saving of about ￦1,300,000 per day (￦420,000,000 per year) in operating cost based on 30,000 $m^3$/d treatment, which these were about ￦430,000 per day in chemical, ￦1,100,000 per day in sludge transportation and ￦200,000 per day in equipment maintenance. Payback period with interest charge for investment cost was estimated about 10.5 months. Also, net present value (NPV) was ￦792,000,000 and internal rat of return (IRR) was about 110%.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.43 no.10
• /
• pp.911-920
• /
• 2010

The closed water bodies, such as reservoirs and lakes, could be contaminated by an inflow of pollutants in the upstream as well as a stratification caused by seasonal natural phenomena. The vertical circulation particularly plays an important role in reduction of environmental pollutants. The factors of the vertical circulation are the temperature, wind, thermal diffusivity and sunlight. The wind is probably the most significant factor among them. Thus, it is necessary to describe the validation and application of a three-dimensional numerical model of wind-induced circulation in a thermally stratified flow. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model for the thermally stratified flows is presented. The model is conducted in three steps to calculate the velocity components from the momentum equations in x- and y- axis directions, the elevations from the free surface equation and the temperature from the scalar transport equation. Numerical predictions are compared with available analytical solutions for the sloshing free surface movement in a rectangular basin. The numerical results generally show a reasonable agreement with analytical solutions. And the model is applied to the circulation for the wind induced flow in a thermally stratification. Consequently, the developed model is validated by two verifications and phenomena of the internal flow.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2015

Recently, attempts of replacing some of natural aggregate with mix of low quality aggregate are carried out for stable supply of aggregate. However, low quality aggregate such as recycled aggregate produced during the disposal process of construction wastes and by-product aggregate produced by industrial activities has problem of failing to comply to KS Standards. Therefore, we have compared fundamental properties of concrete by using granite crushed aggregate, recycled aggregate, blast furnace and electric arc furnace slag aggregate for effective utilization of lacking aggregate resources. As the result, slump in case of mixed use of aggregate was increased 0~10% compared to single use. Therefore, it is judged to be economically advantageous as it can expect effects in unit quantity or reduction of SP agent. Compressive strength in case of mixed use of aggregate was increased 0~10% compared to single use as it filled internal crevice of concrete with continuous particle size distribution. Accordingly, if we utilize by satisfying standard particle scope through mix of aggregate with different cause of formation in proper ratio, it was possible to confirm utility of mixed aggregate with demonstration of effects of increases of fluidity and compressive strength of concrete.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.481-487
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to develop the hybrid sound-absorbing materials that is made from organic polyurethane sponge impregnated with inorganic binder solutions. The inorganic slurry which is made from ${\alpha}$-hemihydrate gypsum mixed with 60% water, and various additives including plasticizer are used as binder. The test specimens are prepared and tested for sound absorption performance by the impedance tube methods. From the test results, noise reduction coefficient(NRC) of development materials specimen bound by the inorganic binder slurry is 0.41. They are 2 times or more higher than commercial products specimens bound by organic materials only which have NRC values in the range of 0.14 to 0.28. The polyurethane sponge specimens impregnated with inorganic gypsum slurry binder have a good balance between performance and cost, and have proper properties in density, thermal conductivity, non-combustible, and absence of harmful substances as sound-absorbing internal boards for noise barrier wall. It is apparent that the good sound absorption materials can be produced according to the optimum mix design that is recommended from this study.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.251-260
• /
• 2017

Platelet activation is essential at the sites of vascular injury, which leads to hemostasis through adhesion, aggregation, and secretion process. However, potent and continuous platelet activation may be an important reason of circulatory disorders. Therefore, proper regulation of platelet activation may be an effective treatment for vascular diseases. In this research, inhibitory effects of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on platelet activation were determined. As the results, cordycepin increased cAMP and cGMP, which are intracellular $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists. In addition, cordycepin reduced collagen-elevated $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization, which was increased by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cAMPS), but not a cGMP-protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cGMPS). Furthermore, cordycepin increased $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation, indicating inhibition of $IP_3$-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal store via the $IP_3RI$, which was strongly inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not so much inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the reduction of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation. In addition, cordycepin increased the phosphorylation of VASP ($Ser^{157}$) known as PKA substrate, but not VASP ($Ser^{239}$) known as PKG substrate. Cordycepin-induced VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation was inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS, and cordycepin inhibited collagen-induced fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$, which was increased by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the inhibition of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that inhibitory effects of cordycepin on platelet activation were due to inhibition of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization through cAMP-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation and suppression of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation through cAMP-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. These results strongly indicated that cordycepin might have therapeutic or preventive potential for platelet activation-mediated disorders including thrombosis, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.22 no.3 s.93
• /
• pp.379-385
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of immersion period after tumbling on the physicochemical properties of boiled pork loin with soy sauce. After the samples were tumbled for 30 min with soy sauce (1.5% salt concentration), they were immersed for 1, 5 or 10 days. Boiled pork loin was cooked at an internal temperature to $75^{\circ}C$. Cooking yields of boiled pork loin were significantly increased with increasing immersion period. The reduction in diameter and thickness for pork loin were significantly decreased with increasing immersion period, but moisture content and water holding capacity were increased. Shear force in the immersed samples after tumbling was significantly lower than in the control. In sensory evaluation color, flavor, texture, and juiciness of boiled pork loin immersed after tumbling should higher ratings than those of control.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.1209-1214
• /
• 2016

Background: Cigarette smoking constitutes a major threat to the health and wellbeing of teenagers. While smoking has been on decline in the developed countries, the reverse is the case in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the age of initiation, determinants and prevalence of cigarette smoking among teenagers in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos state, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among 475 teenagers selected by multistage sampling. A pre-tested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The study was carried out in November, 2014. Results: Response rate was 84.6%. Mean age of the respondents was $16.4{\pm}1.65years$. Range and mean age of initiation of cigarette smoking were 7 to 17 years and $12.0{\pm}3.32years$ respectively. Teenagers who were above 15 years (OR:5.13, 95%CI: 0.87-30.26), males (OR:5.19, 95%CI: 1.57-17.18), married (OR:8.41, 95%CI: 1.04-63.35), had ${\leq}$primary school education(OR:4.31, 95%CI: 1.07-17.33), influenced by friends(OR:308.84, 95%CI:84.87-1123.81), and influenced by advertisements (OR:27.83, 95%CI: 3.92-197.64) were more likely to have initiated cigarette smoking. Furthermore, teenagers who were males (OR:12.77, 95%CI: 2.90-56.28), married (OR:19.24, 95%CI: 2.05-180.45), had ${\leq}$primary school education(OR:7.85, 95%CI: 2.37-26.01), influenced by friends(OR:28.56, 95%CI: 10.86-75.07), and influenced by advertisements (OR:5.95, 95%CI: 1.72-20.61) were more likely to be current cigarette smokers. In addition, 24.9% had initiated cigarette smoking while 14.7% were current smokers of cigarette. Conclusions: Mean age of initiation of cigarette smoking was $12.0{\pm}3.32years$. Determinants of cigarette smoking were age, gender, marital status, educational background, friends and advertisements. Life time prevalence of cigarette smoking was higher than prevalence of current cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoking reduction programs should take these factors into consideration.