• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.913-922
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• 1995

Background: When we define the pressure of pulmonary vasculature in which a recruitment of blood flow occurs as $P_I$ and the proportion of change in pulmonary artery to that in cardiac output as IR and then we compare PI and IR with pulmonary vascular resistance, we would find some problems in pulmonary vascular resistance. In other words, it is the theory that, IR should be increased mainly in pulmonary embolism in which decreases the cross sectional area of pulmonary vasculature. But there are many contradictory reports resulted from various researches and the fact is known widely that any difference exists between PVR and PI, IR. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to observe how PI and IR change at the time of the outbreak and during treatment of the pulmonary embolism, and to find out the meaning of these new indicators and the difference from the pulmonary vascular resistance used generally when we subdivide the pulmonary vascular resistance into PI and IR. Method: After making AV fistula in experimental dog, we controlled cardiac output at the intervals of 15 minute in case of three kinds(all AV fistula are obstructed, only one of fistula is open and all of fistula is open), and after evoking massive pulmonary embolism with radioactive autologous blood clots, we measured the mean pulmonary artery pressure, and calculated PI and IR. We observed the pattern of change in PI and IR, without giving the control group any specific treatment and with injecting intravenously rtPA in the Group 1 and Group 2 at the dose of 1mg per kg, for 15 minutes fot the former and 3 hours for the latter. Result: 1) Pulmonary vascular resistance showed a change similar to that of pulmonary artery pressure and in all three group, PVR increased significantly, but group 1 and group 2 showed tendency that PVR keeps on decreasing after treatment, and the rate of decrease in group 1 is more rapid than group 2 significantly. 2) Both intersection(PI) and degree(IR) are proved statistically significant, in view of the straight line relationship between cardiac output and pulmonary artery pressure, calculated by minimal regression method. 3) PI changed similarly to pulmonary vascular resistance, while in the IR which is theoretically more similar to PVR, there was no significant difference or change after rtPA infusion. Conclusion: In the pulmonary embolism, Both change in IR which means real resistance of pulmonary vasculature and PI which was developed due to secondary vasoconstriction by pulmonary embolism are reflected same time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.3-6
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• 2000

Antimicrobial resistance has been a well-recognized problem ever since the introduction of penicillin into clinical use. History of antimicrobial development can be categorized based on the major antibiotics that had been developed against emerging resistant $pathogens^1$. In the first period from 1940 to 1960, penicillin was a dominating antibiotic called as a "magic bullet", although S.aureus armed with penicillinase led antimicrobial era to the second period in 1960s and 1970s. The second stage was characterized by broad-spectrum penicillins and early generation cephalosporins. During this period, nosocomial infections due to gram-negative bacilli became more prevalent, while those caused by S.aureus declined. A variety of new antimicrobial agents with distinct mechanism of action including new generation cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, ${\beta}$-lactamase inhibitors, and quinolones characterized the third period from 1980s to 1990s. However, extensive use of wide variety of antibiotics in the community and hospitals has fueled the crisis in emerging antimicrobial resistance. Newly appeared drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase-producing Klebsiella, and VRSA have posed a serious threat in many parts of the world. Given the recent epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and its clinical impact, there is no greater challenge related to emerging infections than the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Problems of antimicrobial resistance can be amplified by the fact that resistant clones or genes can spread within or between the species as well as to geographically distant areas which leads to a global concern$^2$. Antimicrobial resistance is primarily generated and promoted by increased use of antimicrobial agents. Unfortunately, as many as 50 % of prescriptions for antibiotics are reported to be inappropriate$^3$. Injudicious use of antibiotics even for viral upper respiratory infections is a universal phenomenon in every part of the world. The use of large quantities of antibiotics in the animal health industry and farming is another major factor contributing to selection of antibiotic resistance. In addition to these background factors, the tremendous increase in the immunocompromised hosts, popular use of invasive medical interventions, and increase in travel and mixing of human populations are contributing to the resurgence and spread of antimicrobial resistance$^4$. Antimicrobial resistance has critical impact on modem medicine both in clinical and economic aspect. Patients with previously treatable infections may have fatal outcome due to therapeutic failure that is unusual event no more. The potential economic impact of antimicrobial resistance is actually uncountable. With the increase in the problems of resistant organisms in the 21st century, however, additional health care costs for this problem must be enormously increasing.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate whether asian yellow sand dust (AS) has promoting effects of allergen-related airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness, because the number of patient with allergic asthma and atopy, and with chronic bronchial inflammation and pneumonia have increased steadily in the cities of Korea. The appearance of AS collected was all round and flat, and the diameter was mostly below about 5 ${\mu}m$. When mice were treated with AS suspension by intratracheal instillation combined with ovalalbumin(OVA) sensitization chronically, the level of serum L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), IgE and histamine, and respiratory resistance was increased. Intratracheal instillation of AS and OVA also enhanced infiltration of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), IgE and eotaxin expression, and T helper type 2 cell derived cytokines of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and IL-5 as major contributors to allergy and asthma. These results indicate that AS elevates allergen-related airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in mice and may play an important role in the aggravation of respiratory diseases in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2005

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic progressive disease, characterized by irreversible airflow limitation, with a partially reversible component. The pathological abnormalities of COPD are associated with lung inflammation, imbalances of proteinase and antiproteinase, and oxidative stress, which are induced by noxious particles and gases in susceptible individuals. The physiological changes of COPD are mucus hypersecretion, ciliary dysfunction, airflow limitation, pulmonary hyperinflation, gas exchange abnormalities, pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale and systemic effects. The airflow limitation principally results from an increase in the resistance of the small conducting airways and a decrease in pulmonary elastic recoil due to emphysematous lung destruction. This article provides a general overview of the pathophysiology of COPD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2014

We report the first Korean case of lung diseases caused by Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii in a previously healthy male, except for a previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchiectasis. All serial isolates are identified as M. abscessus subsp. bolletii by multi-locus sequence analysis based on the hsp65, rpoB, and 16S rRNA fragments. At the genetic level, the isolate has the erm(41) gene with a T28 sequevar, associated with clarithromycin resistance, and no rrl mutation. The isolate is resistant to clarithromycin. Although the symptoms and radiographic findings have improved after combination of antibiotics, the follow-up sputum cultures are persistently positive.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.113-130
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• 2002

Measurements were made of pressure rise time (PoRT), voice cessation time, flattened peak intraoral air pressure (Po), pressure static time (PoST), pressure-fall time and the duration of oral closure as four English speakers uttered isolated nonsense $V_{1}CV_{2}$ words containing /b/ and /p/ ($V_{1}=V_{2}$ and the V was /$\alpha$/), with stress on either $V_{1}orV_{2}$ alternately. The hypothesis tested was: The tense stop consonant. will be characterized either by a higher Po or a longer PoST, and/or by both against lax. Findings: (1) PoRT was significantly greater in /b/ than /p/, (2) the voiceless stop /p/ produced generally greater mean Po, averaged across five tokens, than its voiced counterpart /b/, but statistically insignificant, and (3) altogether, across stress, tokens and subjects, the difference in the calculated pressure static time (PoSTc), i.e., PoST + PoRT, between /p/ and /b/ was highly significant (p $\leq$ 0.003). Although further investigations remain to be taken, the results strongly supported the linguistic hypothesis of tense-lax distinction, with /b/ being lax and /p/ tense. Airflow resistance at the glottis and supraglottal air volume are assumed to be responsible for much of difference in PoRT between /p/ and /b/. The PoSTc reflecting, although indirectly, the respiratory efforts during the oral closure of a stop, was a convincing phonetic parameter of the consonantal tenseness based on respiratory efforts. The effects of stress on Po and PoSTc were inconsistent, and the shorter PoRT than consonantal constriction interval was always accompanied by Po and PoST.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the most important disease screened for upon patient history review during preimmigration medical examinations as performed in South Korea in prospective immigrants to certain Western countries. In 2007, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the TB screening protocol from a smear-based test to the complete Culture and Directly Observed Therapy Tuberculosis Technical Instructions (CDOT TB TI) for reducing the incidence of TB in foreign-born immigrants. Methods: This study evaluated the effect of the revised (as compared with the old) protocol in South Korea. Results: Of the 40,558 visa applicants, 365 exhibited chest radiographic results suggestive of active or inactive TB, and 351 underwent sputum tests (acid-fast bacilli smear and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture). To this end, using the CDOT TB TI, 36 subjects (88.8 per $10^5$ of the population) were found to have TB, compared with only seven using the older U.S. CDC technical instruction (TI) (p<0.001). In addition, there were six drug-resistant cases which were identified (16.7 per $10^5$ of the population), two of whom had multidrug-resistance (5.6 per $10^5$ of the population). Conclusion: The culture-based 2007 TI identified a great deal of TB cases current to the individuals tested, as compared to older U.S. CDC TI.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2023

Lung cancer ranks first in cancer mortality in Korea and cancer incidence in Korean men. More than half of Korean lung cancer patients undergo chemotherapy, including adjuvant therapy. Cytotoxic agents, targeted therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors are used in chemotherapy according to the biopsy and genetic test results. Among chemotherapy, the one that has developed rapidly is targeted therapy. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines have been updated recently for targeted therapy of multiple gene mutations, and targeted therapy is used not only for chemotherapy but also for adjuvant therapy. While previously targeted therapies have been developed for common genetic mutations, recently targeted therapies have been developed to overcome uncommon mutations or drug resistance that have occurred since previous targeted therapy. Therefore, this study describes recent, rapidly developing targeted therapies.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2015

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is recognized by the innate immune system through Toll like receptors (TLRs) and retinoic acid inducible gene I. These pathways lead to the activation of type I interferons and resistance to infection. In contrast to TLRs, very few studies have examined the role of NOD-like receptors in viral recognition and induction of adaptive immune responses to RSV. Caspase-1 plays an essential role in the immune response via the maturation of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-18. However, the role of caspase-1 in RSV infection in vivo is unknown. We demonstrate that RSV infection induces IL-$1{\beta}$ secretion and that caspase-1 deficiency in bone marrow derived dendritic cells leads to defective IL-$1{\beta}$ production, while normal RSV viral clearance and T cell responses are observed in caspase-1 deficient mice following respiratory infection with RSV. The frequencies of IFN-${\gamma}$ producing or RSV specific T cells in lungs from caspase-1 deficient mice are not impaired. In addition, we demonstrate that caspase-1 deficient neonatal or young mice also exhibit normal immune responses. Furthermore, we find that IL-1R deficient mice infected with RSV exhibit normal Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) immune responses. Collectively, these results demonstrate that in contrast to TLR pathways, caspase-1 might not play a central role in the induction of Th1 and CTL immune responses to RSV.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2007

Conductive rubber material was molded in a belt shape to measure respiration. Its resistivity was approximately $0.03{\;}{\Omega}m$ and the resistance-displacement relationship showed a negative exponent. The temperature coefficient was approximately $0.006{\;}k{\Omega}/^{\circ}C$ negligible when practically applied on the abdomen. The conductive rubber belt was applied on a normal male's abdomen with the dimensional change measured during resting breathing. The abdominal signal was differentiated ($F_{m}$) and compared with the accurate standard air flow rate signal ($F_{s}$) obtained by pneumotachometry. $F_{m}$ and $F_{s}$ differed in waveform, but the start and end timings of each breaths were clearly synchronized, demonstrating that the respiratory frequency could be accurately estimated before further processing of $F_{m}$. $F_{m}-F_{s}$ loop showed a nonlinear hysteresis within each breath period, thus 6 piecewise linear approximation was performed, leading to a mean relative error of 14 %. This error level was relatively large for clinical application, though customized calibration seemed feasible for monitoring general variation of ventilation. The present technique would be of convenient and practical application as a new wearable respiratory transducer.