• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first three days in very low birth weight infants. Methods: The medical records of 1,124 very low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center between November 1994 and December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors, and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first 3 days of life in very low birth weight infants were evaluated. Results: Early onset sepsis, as confirmed by positive blood cultures, was present in 17 of 1,124 infants (1.5%). Sixty-four percent of the isolated pathogens were gram-positive bacteria and 35% of the isolated pathogens were gram-negative bacteria. The dominant pathogens of early onset sepsis included Staphylococcus aureus (23.5%), Esherichia coli (23.5%), and Enterococcus (17.6%). Vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-10.3; P=0.01) was associated with early onset sepsis. The overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4-6.5; adjusted P=0.0039) and mortality within 72 hours of life (adjusted hazard ratio, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.2-18.9; adjusted P=0.0005) of infants with early onset sepsis were higher than that of uninfected infants. Conclusion: Early onset sepsis remains an uncommon, but potentially lethal problem among very low birth weight infants. Knowledge of the likely causative organisms and risk factors for early onset sepsis can aid in instituting prompt and appropriate therapy, in order to minimize mortality.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.61-71
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• 2009

Most deciduous trees in temperate zone are dormant during the winter to overcome cold and dry environment. Dormancy of deciduous fruit trees is usually separated into a period of rest by physiological conditions and a period of quiescence by unfavorable environmental conditions. Inconsistent and fewer budburst in pear orchards has been reported recently in South Korea and Japan and the insufficient chilling due to warmer winters is suspected to play a role. An accurate prediction of the flowering time under the climate change scenarios may be critical to the planning of adaptation strategy for the pear industry in the future. However, existing methods for the prediction of budburst depend on the spring temperature, neglecting potential effects of warmer winters on the rest release and subsequent budburst. We adapted a dormancy clock model which uses daily temperature data to calculate the thermal time for simulating winter phenology of deciduous trees and tested the feasibility of this model in predicting budburst and flowering of Niitaka pear, one of the favorite cultivars in Korea. In order to derive the model parameter values suitable for Niitaka, the mean time for the rest release was estimated by observing budburst of field collected twigs in a controlled environment. The thermal time (in chill-days) was calculated and accumulated by a predefined temperature range from fall harvest until the chilling requirement (maximum accumulated chill-days in a negative number) is met. The chilling requirement is then offset by anti-chill days (in positive numbers) until the accumulated chill-days become null, which is assumed to be the budburst date. Calculations were repeated with arbitrary threshold temperatures from $4^{\circ}C$ to $10^{\circ}C$ (at an interval of 0.1), and a set of threshold temperature and chilling requirement was selected when the estimated budburst date coincides with the field observation. A heating requirement (in accumulation of anti-chill days since budburst) for flowering was also determined from an experiment based on historical observations. The dormancy clock model optimized with the selected parameter values was used to predict flowering of Niitaka pear grown in Suwon for the recent 9 years. The predicted dates for full bloom were within the range of the observed dates with 1.9 days of root mean square error.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2008

The gravity anomalies that observed by ground and shipborne survey and calculated from GRACE satellite are combined by using spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA). In this study, ground gravity data from Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resource(KIGAM) and shipborne gravity data from National Ocean Research Institute(NORI) and Korea Ocean Research and Development institute(KORDI) were used. L-2 level GRACE Gravity Model (GGM02C) was also used for satellite gravity anomaly. The ground and shipborne surveyed data were combined and gridded using Krigging method with 0.05 degree interval and GRACE data were also gridded using the same method with 0.05 degree to harmonize with the resolution of SCHA that has coefficient up to 80. Generalized Minimal Residual(GMRES) inversion method was implemented for calculating the coefficients of SCHA using the gridded ground and satellite gravity anomalies that had 0 km and 50 km altitude, respectively. The results of inversion method showed good correlation of 0.950 and 0.995 with original ground and satellite data. The gravity anomaly using SCHA satisfies Laplace's equation, therefore, using these SCHA coefficients, gravity anomaly can be calculated at any altitude. In this study, gravity anomaly was calculated from 10 km to 60 km altitude and each altitude, very stable results were shown. The ground and shipborne gravity data that have higher resolution and satellite data in long wavelength are harmonized well with SCHA coefficients and successfully applied in South Korea area. If more continuous survey and muti-altitude surveyed data like airborne data available, more precise gravity anomaly can be acquired using SCHA method.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.487-498
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• 1992

To study the effects of different nursing methods and transplanting on the growth of rice plant (Oriza sativa L.) in southern region of Korea, Kumo-byeo, Palgong-byeo and Dongjinbyeo were transplanted from April 20 to July 20 at an interval of 15 days with 8 days old seedling (infant seedling) and 25 days old box-seedling for machine transplanting, and 45 days old conventional seedling. Threshold transplanting date in southern region of Korea were June 26 for 8 days old seedling, July 1 for 25 days old seedling and] July 11 for 45 days old seedling for Kumo-byeo, and June 21, June 30, July 10 for Palgong-byeo, June 10, June 24, July 5 for Dongjin-byeo, respectively. Yield has no uniform tendency according to the transplanting date. However, yield were greater in the order of 8 days old seedling >25 days old seedling> 45 days old seedling in Kuma-byeo and 25 days old seedling (equation omitted)8 days old seedling (equation omitted)45 days old seedling in Palgong-byeo, 45 days old seedling(equation omitted)25 days old seedling(equation omitted) 8 days old seedling in Dongjin-byeo. The optimum accumulated air temperature during yield productive stage around heading (40 days from 10 days before heading to 30 days after heading) for high yield were 1,003$^{\circ}C$ for 8 days old seedling, 1,014$^{\circ}C$ for 25 days old seedling and 1,027$^{\circ}C$ for 45 days old seedling in Kumo-byeo. And they were 1,018$^{\circ}C$, 1,015$^{\circ}C$, 1,086$^{\circ}C$ in Palgong-byeo and 998$^{\circ}C$, 984$^{\circ}C$, 949$^{\circ}C$ in Dongjin-byeo, respectively. Earlier transplanting with 8 days old seedling showed higher ratio of broken rice and green kerneled rice in Kuma-byeo, and late transplanting after July 5 showed significant high rate of green kerneled rice. Palgong-byeo and Dongjin-byeo also showed high rate of green kerneled rice at transplanting after July 5.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2004

This study was designed to establish working range for reoportable range in own laboratory in order to cover the upper and lower limits of the range in test method. We experimented ten times during 10 days for setting of reportable range with between run for method evaluation. It is generally assumed that the analytical method produces a linear response and that the test results between those upper and lower limits are then reportable. CLIA recommends that laboratories verify the reportable range of all moderate and high complexity tests. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments(CLIA) and Laboratory Accreditation Program of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine states reportable range is only required for "modified" moderately complex tests. Linearity requirements have been eliminated from the CLIA regulations and from others accreditation agencies, many inspectors continue to feel that linearity studies are a part of good lab practice and should be encouraged. It is important to assess the useful reportable range of a laboratory method, i.e., the lowest and highest test results that are reliable and can be reported. Manufacturers make claims for the reportable range of their methods by stating the upper and lower limits of the range. Instrument manufacturers state an operating range and a reportable range. The commercial linearity material can be used to verify this range, if it adequately covers the stated linear interval. CLIA requirements for quality control, must demonstrate that, prior to reporting patient test results, it can obtain the performance specifications for accuracy, precision, and reportable range of patient test results, comparable to those established by the manufacturer. If applicable, the laboratory must also verify the reportable range of patient test results. The reportable range of patient test results is the range of test result values over which the laboratory can establish or verify the accuracy of the instrument, kit or test system measurement response. We need to define the usable reportable range of the method so that the experiments can be properly planned and valid data can be collected. The reportable range is usually defined as the range where the analytical response of the method is linear with respect to the concentration of the analyte being measured. In conclusion, experimental results on reportable range using concentrated control sample and zero calibrators covering from highest to lowest range were salicylate $8.8{\mu}g/dL$, phenytoin $0.67{\mu}g/dL$, phenobarbital $1.53{\mu}g/dL$, primidone $0.16{\mu}g/dL$, theophylline $0.2{\mu}g/dL$, vancomycine $1.3{\mu}g/dL$, valproic acid $3.2{\mu}g/dL$, digitoxin 0.17ng/dL, carbamazepine $0.36{\mu}g/dL$ and acetaminophen $0.7{\mu}g/dL$ at minimum level and salicylate $969.9{\mu}g/dL$, phenytoin $38.1{\mu}g/dL$, phenobarbital $60.4{\mu}g/dL$, primidone $24.57{\mu}g/dL$, theophylline $39.2{\mu}g/dL$, vancomycine $83.65{\mu}g/dL$, valproic acid $147.96{\mu}g/dL$, digitoxin 5.04ng/dL, carbamazepine $19.76{\mu}g/dL$, acetaminophen $300.92{\mu}g/dL$ at maximum level.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.414-421
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• 2008

Background: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. Methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a ${\chi}^2$-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. Results: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1977

In order to determine ecological variations of flowering date and yields under the different seasonal cultures, and to select the higher yielding varieties which were adaptable to Korean climate, 100 mungbean cultivars were sown at the interval of 15 days from April 22 to July 21 in 1976. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. The number of days required to flowering from seeding were decreased by delaying the seeding date. 2. When accumulated temperature at first flowering from seeding were reached $945-1,126^{\circ}C$, the mungbean cultivars started to flower regardless of seeding dates. Especially, when mungbean was planted around standard planting date, the plants flowered for very short duration. 3. There were highly significant correlations between the number of days from seeding to flowering at each seeding date and standard planting date. 4. Yields per plant were tend to decrease with the delay of seeding date but there were no significant difference between seeding dates. Therefore, it appears that mungbean can be planted for longer period of time compared to other crops such as rice and soybean. 5. Highly significant correlations were found between the number of days of first flowering and yields per plant at most seeding dates. 6. It may be feasible to grow high yielding mungbean cultivars such as CES 140, LM 2100, LM 690, L 576 and LM 689 after harvesting of spring vegetables in May and before planting of fall vegetables.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2009

The effect of water temperature (T) and body weight (W) on oxygen consumption of fasted starry flounder Platichthys stellatus was investigated in order to assess the metabolic response of this species at given conditions. The oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was measured under six different water temperatures (4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and $19^{\circ}C$) and at two different body weights (mean weight of fry group : 1.5 g; fingerling group : 37.4 g) at an interval of 5 minutes for 24 hours using a continuous flow-through respirometer. In each treatment three replicates were set up and a total 540 fish in fry groups and 90 fish in fingerling groups were used. The OCRs increased with increase of water temperature in both groups (p<0.001). Mean OCRs at 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and $19^{\circ}C$ were 1386.0, 1601.7, 1741.0, 1799.2, 2239.1 and $2520.3mg\;O_2\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ in fry groups, and 83.8, 111.4, 126.3, 147.1, 187.7 and $221.3mg\;O_2\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ in fingerling groups, respectively. The OCRs decreased with increasing body weights at six different water temperatures (p<0.001). The relationship between water temperature and body weight is described by the following equation : OCR=1520.91+40.85T-49.22W ($r^2=0.95$, p<0.001). The energy loss by metabolic response increased with an increase in water temperature and a decrease in body weight (p<0.001). Mean energy loss rates by oxygen consumption at 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and $19^{\circ}C$ were 907.9, 1046.5, 1141.6, 1177.0, 1467.3 and $1650.1kJ\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;d^{-1}$ in fry groups and 54.8, 73.0, 82.9, 96.2, 122.9 and $144.6kJ\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;d^{-1}$ in fingerling groups, respectively. The $Q_{10}$ values of fingerling groups were higher than those of fry groups at given temperature ranges. The $Q_{10}$ values at $4{\sim}7^{\circ}C$, $7{\sim}10^{\circ}C$, $10{\sim}13^{\circ}C$, $13{\sim}16^{\circ}C$ and $16{\sim}19^{\circ}C$ were 1.62, 1.32, 1.12, 2.07 and 1.48 in fry groups, and 2.59, 1.52, 1.67, 2.25 and 1.73 in fingerling groups, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

Considerable attention has been focused on the cryopreservation of semen and estrus induction in dog, as consequence of poor productivity caused by long anestrus period, in order to enhance the productivity of youngs and to preserve the breeds. The objectives of this study were to improve reproductive efficiency of artificial insemination with fresh- and frozen-semen following estrus induction in dog. Fifty infertilie dogs (age 2~3 years) were selected fur the study and divided into three different estrus induction treatment groups. Group 1 : dogs (n=15) were given clomifene (0.1 mg/kg) orally f3r five days at 12 hr intervals. Croup 2: dogs (n=15) were given bromocriptine (50 $\mu$g/kg) orally for five days at 12 hr intervals, followed by single injection intravenously of 500 IU GnRH (Croup 3, n=20) when pro-estrus occurred. After being treated, the dogs were evaluated fur the rates of estrus induction and time interval lapses from treatment to beginning of the pro-estrus. The rates of pregnancy in estrus inducted dogs mated naturally compared to those inseminated artificially with ejaculated fresh semen and frozen-thawed semen. Estrus detection was performed using the method of vaginal smear and confirmed by the plasma progesterone assay. Pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasonograpy on day 25, 35 and 55 post insemination. The ejaculated semen was exposed to a mixture of Tris extender with cryoprotectant (Trisma, 81 mM; TES, 209 mM; citric acid, 6 mM; glucose, 5 mM; glycerol, 8%) and cryopreserved gradually by slow-cooling at 17 co above the surface of liquid nitrogen (L$N_2$) for 23 min. The use of fresh semen, the pregnancy rates were observed 66.6, 66.6, 75.0 and 83.3% in natural estrus, clomifene induced, bromocriptine induced and a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine, respectively. The use of frozen-thawed semen, the pregnancy rates were observed 66.6, 33.3, 50.0 and 60.0% in natural estrus, clomifene induced, bromocriptine induced and a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine, respectively. No difference was observed in the number of offspring produced among natural estrus and treated groups inseminated with fresh or frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, there was no significant differences in the pregnancy rate of dogs between group treated with a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine and group treated clomifene or bromocriptine only. However, frozen-thawed semen can be used successfully fur artificial insemination in dog.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.163-192
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• 1983

In order to facilitate the Korean government's efforts in integrating family planning and maternal & child health at the primary health care level (or township level), the Soon Chun Hyang College of Medicine, with the financial and technical assistance of WHO, has under-taken a service research project. The project has employed a quasi-experimental study design introducing interventions tat provide crucial factors lacking in the ongoing government programs such as midwives and qualified referral physicians. The study is being conducted in three locations, one control area and two study areas. Before introducing trained Nurse/Midewives into the study areas, a baseline prevalence survey was undertaken from 15 July 1981 to 10 August 1981 in selelcted townships of Seosan County. In this sample survey of bath the study and control areas, 2,484 eligible women (97% reponse rate) were interviewed to obtain benchmark data on basic evaluation indicators related to family planning and maternal and child health. The salients results were summarized as follows.: 1. CONTACT RATES WITH HEALTH WORKERS; During the year preceding the survey, 12% of women were visited by government health workers. The primary reason for such visits by health workers was family planning (45% of the visits). About 34% of the women visited the health centers during the year. The primary reason for visiting health centers was immunizations for their children (45% of the visits). 3. FAMILY PLANNING USE RATE; The baseline data showed little difference between women in the study area and the control area on contraceptive use. Approximately 59% were currently using some methods. However, among those current users, almost half were practicing less effective methods of birth control such as rhythm or withdrawal. Among other methods, the tubectomy was the most popular (16%), while use of the IUD, oral pill and condom together reached only 14%. 3. PRENATAL CARE RATE; About 75% of the women reported no prenatal care for their last births (the youngest child of each women), Additionally, among women received prenatal care, over half had only one visit. 4. ATTENDANCE AT DELIVERY; Most of the women surveyed (over 80%) were attended by a non-medical person during their last delivery. These figures are somewhat comparable to the national figure of 84% for remote areas. 5. POSTNATAL CARE; The proportion of women reporting postnatal care was only 4.5%, and postnatal care was not received by the majority of women surveyed. 6. CHILD HEALTH CARE: In contrast to the low rate of maternity care for women themselves, most women reported obtaining immunization care for their children. About 75% of the women obtained Polio and/or DPT, 58% BCG, and 44% Measles vaccine for their children. However, in terms of illness care, while 35% of the women stated that their youngest child had been sick during the month preceding the survey, only 28% of these women took their child to the clinic for treatment. 7. COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY AND ABNORMALITIES IN THE NEWBORN; Among all last deliveries, 18% of the women had pregnancy complications and 9% of the women had complications during delivery About 5% of the women reported abnormality in their most recent newborn. 8. REPRODUCTION EFFICIENCY; PERINATAL MORTALITY AND INFANT MORTALITY Based on data from the pregnancy history in this survey, reproduction efficiency was estimated. Out of the 11,154 pregnancies reported by all women surveyed, foetal loss was 21% (almost 16% were induced abortions) and infant deaths before reaching one year old were 3.1%. The reproduction efficiency was, therefore, reduced to 76%. In terms of perinatal and infant mortality rates, the former was 40.2 per 1,000 total births and the latter was 39.3 per 1,000 live births. Both rates described J shaped relationships with age of mothers and parity, and they were also correlated with birth interval and mother's education. In summary, this baseline survey data indicated a need for (1) improving contraceptive practices with more effective methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies and (2) providing better services for maternal and child care to protect wanted pregancies. In the Korean rural setting. the author believes that the latter is more important as the value of each child has increased as a result of the family planning campaign for the past two decades. This calls for more effective integration of Family Planning and MCH programmes to meet the needs of the family in each stage of the child bearing and rearing period with deploying more qualified personnel than the current government program personnel.