• 상하수도학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.285-291
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• 2016

There has been an accelerating increase in water reuse due to growing world population, rapid urbanization, and increasing scarcity of water resources. However, it is well recognized that water reuse practice is associated with many human health and ecological risks due to numerous chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms. Especially, the potential transmission of infectious disease by hundreds of pathogenic viruses in wastewater is one of the most serious human health risks associated with water reuse. In this study, we determined the response of different bacteriophages representing various bacteriophage groups to chlorination in real wastewater in order to identify a more reliable bacteriophage indicator system for chlorination in wastewater. Different bacteriophages were spiked into secondary effluents from wastewater plants from three different geographic areas, and then subjected to various doses of free chlorine and contact time at $5^{\circ}C$ in a bench-scale batch disinfection system. The inactivation of ${\phi}X174$ was relatively rapid and reached ~4 log10 with a CT value of 5 mg/L*min. On the other hand, the inactivation of bacteriophage PRD1 and MS2 were much slower than the one for ${\phi}X174$ and only ~1 log10 inactivation was achieved by a CT value of 10 mg/L*min. Overall, the results of this study suggest that bacteriophage both MS2 and PRD1 could be a reliable indicator for human pathogenic viruses for chlorination in wastewater treatment processes and water reuse practice.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.495-502
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• 2018

Background: Molecular genetic abnormalities are observed in over 90% of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) cases. Recently, several studies have demonstrated the negative prognostic impact of ASXL1 mutations in CMML patients. We evaluated the prognostic impact of ASXL1 mutations and compared five CMML prognostic models in Korean patients with CMML. Methods: We analyzed data from 36 of 57 patients diagnosed as having CMML from January 2000 to March 2016. ASXL1 mutation analysis was performed by direct sequencing, and the clinical and laboratory features of patients were compared according to ASXL1 mutation status. Results: ASXL1 mutations were detected in 18 patients (50%). There were no significant differences between the clinical and laboratory characteristics of ASXL1-mutated ($ASXL1^+$) CMML and ASXL1-nonmutated ($ASXL1^-$) CMML patients (all P >0.05). During the median follow-up of 14 months (range, 0-111 months), the overall survival (OS) of $ASXL1^+$ CMML patients was significantly inferior to that of $ASXL1^-$ CMML patients with a median survival of 11 months and 19 months, respectively (log-rank P =0.049). An evaluation of OS according to the prognostic models demonstrated inferior survival in patients with a higher risk category according to the Mayo molecular model (log-rank P =0.001); the other scoring systems did not demonstrate a significant association with survival. Conclusions: We demonstrated that ASXL1 mutations, occurring in half of the Korean CMML patients examined, were associated with inferior survival. ASXL1 mutation status needs to be determined for risk stratification in CMML.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.789-802
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Habitual coffee consumption was inversely associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hyperglycemia in observational studies, but the causality of the association remains uncertain. This study tested a causal association of genetically predicted coffee consumption with T2D using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We used five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs) associated with habitual coffee consumption in a previous genome-wide association study among Koreans. We analyzed the associations between IVs and T2D, fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2h-postprandial glucose (2h-PG), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. The MR results were further evaluated by standard sensitivity tests for possible pleiotropism. RESULTS: MR analysis revealed that increased genetically predicted coffee consumption was associated with a reduced prevalence of T2D; ORs per one-unit increment of log-transformed cup per day of coffee consumption ranged from 0.75 (0.62-0.90) for the weighted mode-based method to 0.79 (0.62-0.99) for Wald ratio estimator. We also used the inverse-variance-weighted method, weighted median-based method, MR-Egger method, and MR-PRESSO method. Similarly, genetically predicted coffee consumption was inversely associated with FBG and 2h-PG levels but not with HbA1c. Sensitivity measures gave similar results without evidence of pleiotropy. CONCLUSIONS: A genetic predisposition to habitual coffee consumption was inversely associated with T2D prevalence and lower levels of FBG and 2h-PG profiles. Our study warrants further exploration.

• 농업생명과학연구
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

본 연구는 딸기 GAP 모델을 개발하기 위한 기초자료를 제공할 목적으로 서부경남에 소재한 딸기 농장 세 곳을 선정하여 딸기의 재배단계에서의 생물학적(위생지표세균, 병원성 미생물, 곰팡이), 화학적(중금속) 및 물리적(이물) 위해요소를 조사하였다. 먼저 작물, 재배환경, 개인위생을 대상으로 생물학적 위해요소를 분석한 결과, 위생지표세균인 일반세균과 대장균군의 경우 재배환경에서 최대 7.3 및 5.6 log CFU/g, 개인위생에서 6.3 및 5.4 log CFU/hand or $100cm^2$, 잎에서 5.3 및 4.7 log CFU/leaf으로 검출되었다. 병원성 미생물의 경우 Bacillus cereus가 토양에서 최대 6.1 log CFU/g, Staphylococuus aureus가 작업자 손에서 5.4 log CFU/hand로 검출되어 이들 병원균에 의한 식중독 발생 가능성 또한 있는 것으로 나타났으며, 공중낙하균의 경우는 안전한 수준으로 나타났다. 화학적 위해요소인 중금속(Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn, Ni, Hg 및 As)은 모두 국내 허용기준치 이하로 검출되었고, 물리적 위해요소는 유리조각, 캔 등의 일반쓰레기나 경작지 폐기물 등으로 확인되었다.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.108-114
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• 2014

오이와 고추의 안전성에 영향을 미치는 위해요소 분석의 기초자료로 활용하기 위해 오이와 고추 재배지에서 총 72점의 시료를 채취하여 미생물학적(위생지표세균, 병원성미생물, 곰팡이) 위해요소와 화학적(중금속, 잔류농약) 위해요소를 조사하였다. 미생물학적 위해요소 중 위생지표세균과 곰팡이는 오이 재배지에서 ND-7.2와 ND-4.8 log CFU/g (g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$) 범위로 검출되었고, 고추 재배지에서는 ND-6.8와 0.4-5.3 log CFU/g (g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$) 범위로 검출되었다. 특히 대장균군은 고추재배지의 토양에서 최대 5.6 log CFU/g까지 검출되었다. 병원성 미생물은 S. aureus는 오이 농장의 장갑에서만 1.4 log CFU/$100cm^2$으로 검출되었고, B. cereus는 대부분의 시료에서 ND-4.8 log CFU/g (g, mL, hand, or $100cm^2$) 범위로 검출되었다. L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 및 Salmonella spp.는 검출되지 않았다. 화학적 위해요소에 해당하는 중금속은 Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb 및 Hg이 국내 허용기준치 이하로 검출되었고, 잔류농약의 경우 오이에서는 모든 성분이 불검출 되었으나 고추에서 hexaconazole 성분이 0.016 mg/kg (기준치: 0.3 mg/kg)으로 검출되었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3243-3248
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• 2016

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in the world. In Iran, this type of cancer has high rates of incidence and mortality. This study aimed to assess the survival rate of patients with stomach cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan, a province with one of the highest incidence rates of stomach cancer in the country. Materials and Methods: We studied a total of 202 patients with stomach cancer who were admitted to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj from 2009 to 2013. Using Kaplan-Meier nonparametric methods the survival rate of patients was calculated in terms of different levels of age at diagnosis, gender, education, residential area, occupation, underweight, and clinical variables including tumor histology, site of tumor, disease stage, and type of treatment. In addition, we compared the survival rates using the log-rank test. Finally, Cox proportional hazards regression was applied using Stata 12 and R 3.1.0 software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was $64.7{\pm}12.0$ years. The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer was 43.9% and 7% at the first and the fifth year after diagnosis, respectively. The results of log-rank test showed significant relationships between survival and age at diagnosis, education, disease stage, type of treatment, and degree of being underweight (P<0.05). Moreover, according to the results of Cox proportional hazards regression model, the variables of education, disease stage, and type of treatment were associated with patient survival (P<0.05). Conclusions: The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is low and the prognosis is very poor. Given the poor prognosis of the patients, it is critical to find ways for early diagnosis and facilitating timely access to effective treatment methods.

• 한국지능시스템학회논문지
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• 제11권7호
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• pp.675-679
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• 2001

In this paper, we present a new competitive learning algorithm called Dynamic Competitive Learning (DCL). DCL is a supervised learning method that dynamically generates output neurons and initializes automatically the weight vectors from training patterns. It introduces a new parameter called LOG (Limit of Grade) to decide whether an output neuron is created or not. If the class of at least one among the LOG number of nearest output neurons is the same as the class of the present training pattern, then DCL adjusts the weight vector associated with the output neuron to learn the pattern. If the classes of all the nearest output neurons are different from the class of the training pattern, a new output neuron is created and the given training pattern is used to initialize the weight vector of the created neuron. The proposed method is significantly different from the previous competitive learning algorithms in the point that the selected neuron for learning is not limited only to the winner and the output neurons are dynamically generated during the learning process. In addition, the proposed algorithm has a small number of parameters, which are easy to be determined and applied to real-world problems. Experimental results for pattern recognition of remote sensing data and handwritten numeral data indicate the superiority of DCL in comparison to the conventional competitive learning methods.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.22.1-22.15
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• 2023

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) is caused by chronic alcohol overconsumption and might be linked to dysregulated immune responses in the gut-liver axis. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on levels and functions of innate lymphocytes including mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, NKT cells, and NK (NK) cells in ALC patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the levels and function of these cells, evaluate their clinical relevance, and explore their immunologic roles in the pathogenesis of ALC. Peripheral blood samples from ALC patients (n = 31) and healthy controls (HCs, n = 31) were collected. MAIT cells, NKT cells, NK cells, cytokines, CD69, PD-1, and lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) levels were measured by flow cytometry. Percentages and numbers of circulating MAIT cells, NKT cells, and NK cells were significantly reduced in ALC patients than in HCs. MAIT cell exhibited increased production of IL-17 and expression levels of CD69, PD-1, and LAG-3. NKT cells displayed decreased production of IFN-γ and IL-4. NK cells showed elevated CD69 expression. Absolute MAIT cell levels were positively correlated with lymphocyte count but negatively correlated with C-reactive protein. In addition, NKT cell levels were negatively correlated with hemoglobin levels. Furthermore, log-transformed absolute MAIT cell levels were negatively correlated with the Age, Bilirubin, INR, and Creatinine score. This study demonstrates that circulating MAIT cells, NKT cells, and NK cells are numerically deficient in ALC patients, and the degree of cytokine production and activation status also changed. Besides, some of their deficiencies are related to several clinical parameters. These findings provide important information about immune responses of ALC patients.

• 대한구강악안면임플란트학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.196-209
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the cumulative survival rate of dental implants installed with guided bone regeneration (GBR), and also elucidate the factors related with the survival of dental implants. Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 148 dental implants installed in 76 patients by one specialist (Y.K.) at the Department of Periodontology and Implant Center, Seoul National University Dental Hospital from 2001 to 2010. The cumulative survival rates were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method. The correlations between various factors and dental implant survival were analyzed by using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Among 148 dental implants installed in 76 patients, 8 implants in 7 patients were lost and the cumulative survival rates up to 5-years and 10-years were 97% and 89%, respectively. Gender, smoking status and location of implant were significantly associated with the cumulative survival rate of implants (p < 0.05). Age, history of hypertension and diabetes were not significantly associated with the cumulative survival rate of implants (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The dental implants installed with guided bone regeneration is predictable technique according to the results of cumulative survival rate over 10 years.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권17호
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• pp.7923-7927
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• 2015

Background: The Cox PH model is one of the most significant statistical models in studying survival of patients. But, in the case of patients with long-term survival, it may not be the most appropriate. In such cases, a cure rate model seems more suitable. The purpose of this study was to determine clinical factors associated with cure rate of patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In order to find factors affecting cure rate (response), a non-mixed cure rate model with negative binomial distribution for latent variable was used. Variables selected were recurrence cancer, status for HER2, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), size of tumor, grade of cancer, stage of cancer, type of surgery, age at the diagnosis time and number of removed positive lymph nodes. All analyses were performed using PROC MCMC processes in the SAS 9.2 program. Results: The mean (SD) age of patients was equal to 48.9 (11.1) months. For these patients, 1, 5 and 10-year survival rates were 95, 79 and 50 percent respectively. All of the mentioned variables were effective in cure fraction. Kaplan-Meier curve showed cure model's use competence. Conclusions: Unlike other variables, existence of ER and PR positivity will increase probability of cure in patients. In the present study, Weibull distribution was used for the purpose of analysing survival times. Model fitness with other distributions such as log-N and log-logistic and other distributions for latent variable is recommended.