• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2003

Background : Mycobacterium abscessus is the most common respiratory pathogen in rapidly growing mycobacteria and is resistant to all of the first-line antituberculosis drugs. This report describes the clinical and radiographic characteristics in patients with pulmonary disease caused by M. abscessus. Materials and Methods : Twelve patients with pulmonary disease caused by M. abscessus who fulfilled the 1997 American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for a nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infection were observed over a five-and-a-half year period. The clinical characteristics and chest radiographic findings were analyzed, retrospectively. Results : The patients were predominantly female(11/12, 92%) and nonsmokers(12/12, 100%). Coughing (10/12, 83%), sputum(10/12, 83%) and hemoptysis(10/12, 83%) were the common symptoms and they had prolonged periods from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis of their disease(median 6.5 years). Eleven (92%) patients had a previous history of being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. The sputum specimens were acid-fast bacilli smear-positive in all patients. All patients were administered antituberculosis drugs. Six (50%) patients were treated with second-line antituberculosis drugs on account of persistent smear-positive sputum specimens. The chest radiographs showed that reticulonodular opacities(11/12, 92%) were the most common pattern of abnormality, followed by cavitary lesions(5/12, 42%). The computed tomography findings suggested bronchiolitis from the centrilobular nodules with a tree-in-bud appearances(9/10, 90%) and bronchiectasis (9/10, 90%) were the most common, followed by well-defined nodules smaller than 10-mm in diameter(7/10, 70%). Conclusions : M. abscessus pulmonary disease should be recognized as a cause of chronic mycobacterial lung disease, and respiratory isolates should be assessed carefully.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.277-284
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• 2008

Background: In principle, cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTBL) is a medical disease that may require surgical treatment, particularly in young women who complain of psychosocial and cosmetic problems. We encountered 13 cases of aggravated CTBL treated surgically despite the appropriate course of antituberculous chemotherapy. We report the clinical characteristis of these cases. Methods: The clinical data of 13 patients with aggravated CTBL requiring surgical treatment from January 2000 to December 2006 at the Department of Chest Medicine, Internal Medicine and Plastic Surgery, National Medical Center was reviewed retrospectively. Results: Twelve of the 13 cases (92%) were female. The most common age was 21~30 years (69%). Multiple nodes were palpated in 11 cases (85%). The supraclavicular lymph nodes were sites the most commonly involved (54%). The other involved sites in the order of decreasing frequency were the jugular chain, posterior cervical, submandibular and infraauricular lymph nodes. A palpable mass was the most commonsymptom. Neck pain was reported in 3 cases (23%). General symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, anorexia and night sweats were noted in 5 cases (38%). Respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, hemoptysis, dyspnea and chest pain were observed in 4 cases (31%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was noted in 11 cases (85%). Other extrapulmonary tuberculosis coexisted in 4 cases (31%). This suggests that surgical CTBLs may be manifestations of a systemic disease and might be difficult to treat. Most cases (92%) were stages 2 and 3 at the initial diagnostic period but all cases fell into stage 4 and 5 when reassesed before surgery. The average duration of anti-TB chemotherapy before and after surgery was 10.2 and 15.2 months, respectively. The 13 patients were followed up until June. 2008. Among them, 2 cases had newly developed CTBL and the other 11cases showed no recurrence. Conclusion: In principle, CTBL is the medical disease. However, despite the appropriate course of anti-TB chemotherapy, CTBL can progress to a more advanced stages and grow rapidly to a large-sized or fistulous mass with a persistent abscess. Surgical treatment may be inevitable for patients with psychosocial and cosmetic problems caused by these masses, particularly in young women.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2008

We have found the clusters of tiny spiny puffball-like mushrooms growing gregariously in fairy ring (arcs) rimmed by a zone of darker green grass in the golf courses. Macroscopic as well as microscopic characters were examined for the morphology of fruiting body. Exoperidium is thin and densely spiny with minute fibrillae at early stage. The connivent spines were soft and quite persistent. In age, the fibrillae scrumble away with a powdery coating, which leaves white endoperidium becoming pale brown. It's interior was white and fleshy at first, but turns into an olive-colored dust as the gleba, the spore-producing tissue, develops to maturity and loaded with olive-brown spore mass. Then, distinct apical pore developed on the endoperidium. Rudimentary subgleba(sterile base) was narrow, chambered, delineated from the gleba by a membrane in young material. These characters suggested this fungus is a Vascellum, a member of the family Lycoperdaceae. The shapes of the spores were globose, echinulate, $3{\sim}3.5{\mu}m$ in diameter, thick-walled, and olive brown. Capillitial threads were $8-9{\mu}m$ wide, mostly colorless in KOH solution and thin-walled, which designated as "paracapillitium". This is an another character that distinguishes this mushroom from Lycoperdon spp. The spines developed on exoperidium were characteristically connivent; their apices joined together in a point, leaving a space below, which gives the appearance of vault to each group of usually 5 to 6 fibrillae. Based on the above characters, this fungus is identified as Vascellum curtisii (Berkeley). The characters distinguishable this from Lycoperdon pulcherrimum, and Vascellum pretense are discussed in detail. Control trial was also attempted. Strong vertical raking(SVR) followed by applying 500x detergent solution (Spark, Aekyung Co. Seoul) resulted in excellent control over any other treatments. In this plot, fruiting body was not developed throughout the end of mushroom growing season.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data such as distribution status, growth characteristics, and the structural characteristics of forest stands for the systematic conservation and management of relict forest trees (stem girth of 300cm or larger) established naturally in Gangwon Province, Korea. The survey showed that 434 individuals of 19 species (conifers: 228 individuals of 4 species, broad-leaved trees: 206 individuals of 15 species) were distributed in Gangwon Province, and Taxus cuspidata was the most abundant among them with 203 individuals or about 46.7 % of the total. The stem girth was average of 404cm (conifers: 373cm, broad-leaves: 421cm), and Tilia amurensis with multi-stemmed growing on Sorak mountain range had the largest stem girth at 1,113cm. The average height and the crown width of relict forest trees were 15.4m and 10.0m, respectively. Although the environments of relict forest trees showed a slight difference by species, the relative appearance frequencies of most trees were high in the environments where the altitude was higher than 1,000 m, slope degree was greater than $25^{\circ}$, the slope faced north, and microtopography was at the upper of slopes. Regarding the stand characteristics of relict forest trees per unit area ($/100m^2$), the average total coverage was 294% (max. 475%), the total average number of species was 36 species (max. 60 species), the average species diversity index (H') was 2.560 (max. 3.593), the average canopy closure was 84.8% (max. 94.6%), and the average basal area (/ha) was $52.7m^2$ (max. $116.4m^2$, relict trees $30.0m^2$, and other trees $22.7m^2$). The analysis of the dynamics of the forest stands where relict forest trees were growing showed four types of the maintenance mechanisms of relict forest trees depending on the supply pattern of succeeding trees: "Low-density but persistent type (Quercus mongolica, Abies holophylla, Tilia amurensis, and Pyrus ussuriensis)," "Long ago stopped type (Pinus densiflora)," "Recently stopped type (Abies nephrolepis, Quercus variabilis, and Betula schmidtii)," and "Periodically repeated types of supply and stop (Salix caprea and Quercus serrata).".

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the palliative effect of endobronchial brachytherapy (EBB) for patients with lung cancer that previously received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Materials and Methods: From July 1992 to May 2003, 29 patients with a recurrent or persistent lung cancer were treated with palliative EBB at our institute. EBB consisted of three fractions (once a week) of a dose of 5 Gy using the high dose-rate remote afterloader. Symptomatic improvement was assessed subjectively, and patients were divided into two groups according to whether symptoms were improved or not. Factors such as age, performance status, duration from EBRT to EBB and the location of the tumor were compared between the improved and unimproved groups of patients. Results: Overall symptomatic improvement was found in 27 out of 52 symptoms (52%). Improvement as to the type of symptoms was seen in 41 %, 50%, 82% and 33% of patients with cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, and obstructive pneumonia respectively. The rate of improvement of hemoptysis was more than that of cough (p<0.05). The median time to symptom relapse was 5 months. The improved patient group (n=17, 59%) had a better performance status and longer duration from EBRT to EBB than the unimproved patient group (p<0.05). Lesions located in the distal trachea and/or main bronchus were found more frequently in the improved group of patients than in the unimproved group of patients, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.06). Fatal complications developed in two patients (7%), which were a hemoptysis and bronchopleural fistula respectively. Conclusion: Symptom improvement was found in 60% of patients after EBB and improvement was maintained for 5 months. Palliative EBB, even when EBRT was given previously, can be effective for a patient that has an endobronchial symptom, such as hemoptysis, and for a patient with good performance and a long duration from previous EBRT to EBB.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.259-264
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• 1998

Purpose : This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative radiotherapy in maxillary sinus cancer. Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis was done for 42 patients with maxillary sinus cancer who were treated with radiation with or without surgery from April 1986 to September 1996. There were 27 male and 15 female patients. Patients' age ranged from 24 to 75 years (median 56 years). Stage distribution showed 2 in T2, 19 in T3, and 21 in T4 lesions The histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma in 38, undifferentiated carcinoma in 1, transitional cell carcinoma in 1, and adenoid cystic carcinoma in 2 patients. All patients were treated with radiation initially with a dosage range of 50.4-70.2 Gy (median 70.2 Gy) before further evaluation of remnant disease. Eleven patients were given induction chemotherapy (2cycles of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin) concurrently with radiotherapy. Six to eight weeks after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy computerized tomography (CT) of paranasal sinus was taken to evaluate remnant disease. If the CT finding showed remnant disease, a Caldwell-Luc procedure was done to get the specimen of suspicious lesions. A radical maxillectomy was done if the specimen was proven to contain malignancy. In contrast periodic follow-up examination was done without any radical surgery if the tissue showed only granulation tissue. Follow-up period ranged from 3 to 92 months with a median 16 months. Results : Nine (21.4$\%$) patients showed complete response (CR) and 33 patients (78.6$\%$) showed persistent disease (PER) to initial radiotherapy. Among the 9 CR patients, 7 patients had no evidence of disease (NED), 1 patient had local failure, and 1 patient had regional failure. Among 33 PER patients, salvage total maxillectomy was done in 10 patients, and the surgery was not feasible or refused in 23 patients. Following the salvage radical surgery, 2 patients were NED and 8 patients were PER status. Overall and disease- free survival rate at 5 years was 23.1$\%$ and 16.7$\%$, respectively. The only factors associated with the overall survival rate was the response to radiotherapy (P<0.01). Conclusion : The only factors associated with the overall survival rate was the response to radiotherapy. We could omit a radical mutilating surgery by preoperative irradiation in 7 of 42 patients (21.4$\%$) so as to preserve their facial integrity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.349-357
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• 2010

Purpose : Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is usually benign and improves within 72 hours. However, it can also progress to prolonged tachypnea over 72 hours, profound hypoxemia, respiratory failure, and even death. The aim of this study is to find predictable risk factors and describe the clinical courses and outcomes of prolonged TTN (PTTN). Methods : The medical records of 107 newborns, >$35^{+0}$ weeks of gestational age with TTN, who were admitted to the NICU at Seoul Asan Medical Center from January 2001 to September 2007 were reviewed. They were divided into 2 groups based on duration of tachypnea. PTTN was defined as tachypnea ${\geq}72$ hours of age, and simple TTN (STTN) as tachypnea <72 hours of age. We randomly selected 126 healthy-term newborns as controls. We evaluated neonatal and maternal demographic findings, and various clinical factors. Results : Fifty-five infants (51%) with total TTN were PTTN. PTTN infants had grunting, tachypnea >90/min, $FiO_2$ >0.4, and required ventilator care more frequently than STTN infants. PTTN had lower level of serum total protein and albumin than STTN. The independent predictable risk factors for PTTN were grunting, maximal respiration rate >90/min, and $FiO_2$ >0.4 within 6 hours of life. Conclusion : When a newborn has grunting, respiration rate >90/min, and oxygen requirement >0.4 of $FiO_2$ within 6 hours of life, the infant is at high risk of having persistent tachypnea ${\geq}72$ hours. We need further study to find the way to reduce PTTN.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.744-758
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• 2009

The characteristics of brightness temperature (BT) of infrared and water vapor channels from MTSAT-1R have been investigated using 12 persistent and frequent lightning cases selected from the summer lightnings of 2006-2008. The infrared (IR1, 10.3-11.3 ${\mu}M$) and water vapor (WV, 6.5-7.0 ${\mu}M$) channels from the MTSAT-1R and the lightning observation data from Korea Meteorological Administration are used. When there is no lightning, the BTs of the IR1 and WV channels show the largest frequency at around 290-295K and 245K, respectively. On the other hand, the BTs of two channels show the largest frequency at 215K caused by strong convection when there is lightning. As a result, the WV-IR1 difference (BTDWI) sharply increases from -50K to 0K. Although it depends on the evolution stage of thunderstorms, the lightning mainly occurs at the core of circular convection in the mesoscale convective complex (MCC), whereas the lightning occurs by concentrated line-shape in the squall line. A strong positive correlation exists between the lightning frequency and the BT in the MCC regardless of the BT, but only at the very cold BT in the squall line. In general, the characteristics of BT are well defined for the lightning occurring in the concentrated line, but they are not well defined in the MCC, especially during the decaying stage of MCC. When they are defined well, the lightning occurs when the BTs of IR1 and WV are lower than 215K, BTDWI is near -3 to 1K, and local standard deviation of IR1 decreases to around 1K.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.374-382
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• 1999

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate etiologic factor, treatment, prognosis of spontaneous pneumothorax (SP). Material and Methods: The medical records of 225 cases of SP experienced at Kyungpook University Hospital from Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The patients were 128 primary SP and 97 secondary SP. The mean age was $30{\pm}15.5$ years in primary SP and $51{\pm}7.4$ years in secondary SP. The ratio of male to female was 8:1 in primary SP and 5.5:1 in secondary SP. Smoker was more common in seconday SP (71.1 %) than primary SP (34.4%). About 70% of patients with primary and secondary SP was underweighted. The previous history of SP was present in 28.9% and 25.8% of primary and secondary SP, respectively. The main underlying lung diseases in secondary SP were inactive tuberculosis (68%), active tuberculosis (12.4%) and COPD (11.3%). Tube thoracostomy was performed in 96.8% and 97.9% of primary and secondary SP, respectively. The duration of chest tube insertion was longer in seconday SP ($18.2{\pm}19.59$ days) than primary SP ($7.5{\pm}6.57$ days). The open thoracotomy were performed in 22.7% and 10.3% of primary and secondary SP, respectively. The most com- mon indication of open thoracotomy was recurrence in primary SP and persistent air leak in secondary SP. During following-up of $17{\pm}7.8$ months, the recurrence rate in patients with conservative treatment was 16.5% and 11.8% of primary and secondary SP, respectively. The recurrence was most common within 1 month after discharge. Conclusion: Greater attention and research about SP are necessary for more efficient patient care.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 2003

Objectives: To investigate the state of medical care around health sub-centers, public health doctors' participation and opinion in the process of district public health programs. Methods: The study included 1,036 public health doctors who worked at health sub-center all over the country. The data were collected for Feb, 2002 using self-administered questionnaire by mail. Results: One or two doctors were working at health sub-center and 33.5% of health sub-centers was located in the region of the separation of prescription and dispensing. There were another medical facilities in 45.9% of the administrative district(eup or myon) where health sub-centers were located. The count of medical utilization went down to 14.8${\pm}$14.8 per a day in Nov, 2001 from 18.0${\pm}$15.6 in May, 2000, and the decline was much more in the region of the separation of prescription and dispensing. Among public health programs in health sub-centers, public health doctors participated mostly in preliminary medical examination for vaccination and least in health education. They participated in implementation rather than planning or evaluation of health program. Over a half of public health doctors were found to be positive that health programs implemented in their health sub-centers would promote the level of health in community people and they were willing to participate in district public health program if community people were in need. Conclusions: Recently health sub-centers are required to turn into health promotion facilities rather than medical practice facilities. Health program in health sub-centers will be advanced in both quality and quantity by turning the role of public health doctors who have provided medical services mainly into managing health program. Persistent education about managing health program and the policy to motivate participation in health program should be provided for public health doctors.