• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The estimation of fluid deficit is crucial to the proper management of dehydrated children. Without well-documented serial weights on the same scale, the estimation of any given child's fluid deficit is imprecise and dependent largely on subjective clinical criteria. Despite the abundance of literature on clinical and laboratory evaluation of dehydration, few studies have focused on serum uric acid. So, we examined the usefulness of scrum uric acid in gastroenteritis patients with dehydration. Methods: Medical records of 90 gastroenteritis patients were retrospectively reviewed. By the body weight loss, we classified patients with mild, moderate, and severe dehydration groups. We studied the relevance of laboratory data (BUN, creatinine, serum bicarbonate, glucose, urine specific gravity, and uric acid) with dehydration. Results: 54 children (60%) were dehydrated mildly, 24 (26%) dehydrated and moderately, and 12 (14%) dehydrated severely. Statistically significant differences in BUN, creatinine, serum bicarbonate, glucose, and urine specific gravity could not be observed. But there was significant relationship between uric acid and the degree of dehydration. Data analysis suggested that the level of 7.0 mg/dL is the best cut-off value for predicting the development of moderate or severe dehydration. At this cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity were 66.6% and 87.1%. Conclusion: Our study supports that the measurement of serum uric acid with traditional scale is useful for predicting the development of dehydration. But, in order 10 be used as the indicator for proper treatment at an earlier stage, further validation about serum uric acid is necessary.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.110-116
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The $^{99m}Tc$-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan is used primarily for the diagnosis of renal scarring and acute pyelonephritis in children with urinary tract infections (UTI). This study aimed to evaluate clinical differences based on the positive or negative results of DMSA scans and kidney ultrasonography (US) in pediatric UTI. Method: We retrospectively reviewed 142 pediatric patients with UTI who were admitted to Myongji Hospital from January 2004 to December 2012. We performed a comparative analysis of clinical parameters such as age, sex, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level, creatinine (Cr) level, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and durations of hospitalization and fever, grouped by the results of the DMSA scans and kidney US. Results: The mean age of the patients was $33.8{\pm}48.3$ months, and 78 (55%) were male. Fifty-two patients had abnormal DMSA findings, and 71 patients had abormal kidney US findings (test positive groups). In the DMSA scan positive group, there were significant differences in age, WBC counts, neutrophil counts, CRP level, BUN level, Cr level, hospitalization duration, number of abnormal findings on kidney US, and incidence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) compared with the scan negative group. The kidney US positive group had significant differences in age, neutrophil count, CRP level, BUN level, Cr level, hospitalization duration, number of abnormal findings on the DMSA scans, and more frequent VUR compared with the US negative group. Conclusion: Our data suggest that there were no major differences in clinical parameters based on the results of the DMSA scans compared with kidney US in pediatric UTI. However, as kidney US and DMSA scan were performed to predict VUR, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was increased.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.522-529
• /
• 2008

High-temperature requirement A2(HtrA2) has been known as a human homologue of bacterial HtrA that has a molecular chaperone function. HtrA2 is mitochondrial serine protease that plays a significant role in regulating the apoptosis; however, the physiological function of HtrA2 still remains elusive. To establish experimental system for the investigation of new insights into the function of HtrA2 in mammalian cells, we first obtained $HtrA2^{+/+}$ and $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells lines and identified those cells based on the expression pattern and subcellular localization of HtrA2, using immunoblot and biochemical assays. Additionally, we observed that the morphological characteristics of $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells are different form those of $HtrA2^{+/+}$ MEF cells, showing a rounded shape instead of a typical fibroblast-like shape. Growth rate of $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells was also 1.4-fold higher than that of $HtrA2^{+/+}$ MEF cells at 36 hours. Furthermore, we verified both MEF cell lines induced caspsase-dependent cell death in response to apoptotic stimuli such as heat shock, staurosporine, and rotenone. The relationship between HtrA2 and heat shock-induced cell death is the first demonstration of the research field of HtrA2. Our study suggests that those MEF cell lines are suitable reagents to further investigate the molecular mechanism by which HtrA2 regulates the balance between cell death and survival.

• Laboratory Medicine Online
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.25-30
• /
• 2016

Background: The cell cycle-dependent enzyme thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is known to increase during cancer cell proliferation and has been reported as a prognostic marker for various hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. This study aimed to determine the reference interval in Korean healthy controls and to evaluate the usefulness of TK1 as a biomarker for aggressive clinical behavior in B-cell lymphoma patients. Methods: We enrolled 72 previously untreated patients with B-cell lymphoma and 143 healthy controls. Serum TK1 levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay ($Liaison^{(R)}$, DiaSorin, USA). We established the reference intervals in healthy controls. The diagnostic performance of serum TK1 was studied using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and the correlation between the cutoff level for serum TK1 and clinical characteristics of B-cell lymphoma was evaluated. Results: The reference range (95th percentile) of serum TK1 in healthy controls was 5.4-21.8 U/L. There was a clear difference in TK1 levels between patients with B-cell lymphoma and healthy controls ($40.6{\pm}68.5$ vs. $11.8{\pm}4.4U/L$, P <0.001). The area under the curve of serum TK1 for the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma was 0.73 (cutoff, 15.2 U/L; sensitivity, 59.7%; specificity, 83.2%). An increased TK1 level (${\geq}15.2U/L$) correlated with the advanced clinical stage (P <0.001), bone marrow involvement (P =0.013), international prognostic index score (P =0.001), lactate dehydrogenase level (P =0.001), low Hb level (<12 g/dL) (P =0.028), and lymphocyte count (P =0.023). Conclusions: The serum TK1 level could serve as a useful biomarker for aggressive clinical behavior in B-cell lymphoma patients.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.1-22
• /
• 2012

The classification scheme of estuaries can be divided into two categories: qualitative classification based on geomorphic characteristics and quantitative classification based upon the physical properties of water body. While simple and intuitive scheme of the former is difficult to quantify, the latter is not easy to apply due to the lack of data. A classification scheme based on morphological convergence is very promising because it only requires easily accessible data such as width and depth of channels, as well as it can characterize estuaries in terms of tidal propagation. Thus, this paper examines the classification scheme based on estuarine morphological convergence using depth and width data obtained from 19 major Korean estuaries. Morphological convergence for each estuary was estimated with the estuarine length, width and depth data to get the convergence parameters, which includes the degree of funneling ${\nu}$ and the dimensionless estuarine length $y_0$. The transfer function ${\xi}({\nu},ky)$ is then deduced analytically from 1D depth-integrated hydrodynamic momentum equation and continuity equation for estuarine shapes. Tidal response of each estuary is finally calculated using ${\nu}$, $y_0$ and ${\xi}({\nu},ky)$ for comparison and classification. The 19 Korean estuaries were classified into three groups: tidal amplitude-dominated estuaries with standing wave-like tidal response (group 1), current-dominated estuaries with progressive wave-like tidal response (group 2), and the intermediate group (group 3) between groups 1 and 2. The sensitivity analysis revealed that uncertainties in determining the estuarine length can have a critical effect upon the results of classification, which indicates that the reasonable determination of the estuarine length is of critical importance. Once the estuarine length is feasibly determined, depth-convergence can be neglected without any negative effect on the classification scheme, which has an important ramification on the wide applicability of the classification scheme.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.31-47
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the moderating effect of technology development activities in the relationship between independent variables such as entrepreneurial orientation and technology innovation capabilities and dependent variables. As a result of analyzing the causal relationship between research variables, it was found that the higher the innovation and initiative among the sub-factors of entrepreneurial orientation, the more positive the technical commercialization performance and product completion. Among the sub-factors of entrepreneurial orientation, risk-taking was found to have a significant effect only on product completion. It was found that the higher the technology commercialization capability and technology convergence capability, the higher the technology commercialization performance, the technology commercialization performance. As a result of analyzing the moderating effect of technology development activities, it was found that technology development management ability, a sub-factor of technology development activities, controls the influence relationship between innovation and risk sensitivity and technology performance. In addition, it was found that the involvement in technology development planning controls the influence relationship between technology convergence capability and technology performance among sub-factors of technology innovation capability. Based on the above analysis results, this study made three suggestions as follows. First, the achievements of technology commercialization to achieve the superiority of corporate competition depend on progressive innovation and risk-taking based on entrepreneurial orientation. It is necessary to find a way to build entrepreneurial orientation from within the organization. Second, due to the nature of the ICT industry, which has a fast pace of technological development and changes in market acceptance, technology commercialization performance will be positive when the capabilities, technology, knowledge, and resources that can quickly lead to product production can be organically linked. Finally, corporate CEOs need to further promote innovation and risk-taking through phased and continuous research activities for technology development. In addition, it is necessary to establish a corporate culture that tolerates various strategies and failures so that understanding of technology convergence can lead to technological performance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.158-169
• /
• 2019

A probabilistic model that can predict the residual useful lifetime of structure is formulated by using the gamma process which is one of the stochastic processes. The formulated stochastic model can take into account both the sampling uncertainty associated with damages measured up to now and the temporal uncertainty of cumulative damage over time. A method estimating several parameters of stochastic model is additionally proposed by introducing of the least square method and the method of moments, so that the age of a structure, the operational environment, and the evolution of damage with time can be considered. Some features related to the residual useful lifetime are firstly investigated into through the sensitivity analysis on parameters under a simple setting of single damage data measured at the current age. The stochastic model are then applied to the rubble-mound breakwater straightforwardly. The parameters of gamma process can be estimated for several experimental data on the damage processes of armor rocks of rubble-mound breakwater. The expected damage levels over time, which are numerically simulated with the estimated parameters, are in very good agreement with those from the flume testing. It has been found from various numerical calculations that the probabilities exceeding the failure limit are converged to the constraint that the model must be satisfied after lasting for a long time from now. Meanwhile, the expected residual useful lifetimes evaluated from the failure probabilities are seen to be different with respect to the behavior of damage history. As the coefficient of variation of cumulative damage is becoming large, in particular, it has been shown that the expected residual useful lifetimes have significant discrepancies from those of the deterministic regression model. This is mainly due to the effect of sampling and temporal uncertainties associated with damage, by which the first time to failure tends to be widely distributed. Therefore, the stochastic model presented in this paper for predicting the residual useful lifetime of structure can properly implement the probabilistic assessment on current damage state of structure as well as take account of the temporal uncertainty of future cumulative damage.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.384-397
• /
• 2018

The aim of this study is to screen the strains of Bacillus spp. possessing safety, probiotic activity, and so on, which can be utilized as probiotic resource for using the feed and supplement food of companion animal. About 300 isolates were isolated from traditional Korean sauces, four isolates that did not have or produce the six kinds of B. cereus type vomiting and diarrhea toxin genes, ${\beta}$-hemolytic, and three kinds of carcinogenic enzymes were selected. Antibiotic gene retention, cell surface hydrophobicity, antibiotic sensitivity, and glucose utilization were analyzed for four isolates, and finally SRCM 100731 was selected. SRCM 100731 was named as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SRCM 100731 16S rRNA sequencing analysis, and carried out optimization of cell growth for industrial applications such as pet food and feed. The effects of 14 different components on cell growth were investigated and three significant positive factors, molasses, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride were selected as the main factors based on a Plackett-Burman design. In order to find out optimal concentration on each constituent, we carried out central composite design. The predicted optimized concentrations were 7% molasses, 1.1% sodium chloride, 0.5% potassium chloride. Finally, an overall about 7-fold increase in dry cell weight yield ($12.6625{\pm}0.0658g/L$) was achieved using the optimized medium compared with the non-optimized medium ($1.8273{\pm}0.0214g/L$). This research is expected to be highly utilized in the growing pet industry by establishing optimal cultivation conditions for industrial application as well as screening Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SRCM 100731 as probiotic resource for companion animal.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.457-468
• /
• 2020

Problems arising during pile design works for plant construction, civil and architecture work are mostly come from uncertainty of geotechnical characteristics. In particular, obtaining the N-value measured through the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is the most important data. However, it is difficult to obtain N-value by drilling investigation throughout the all target area. There are many constraints such as licensing, time, cost, equipment access and residential complaints etc. it is impossible to obtain geotechnical characteristics through drilling investigation within a short bidding period in overseas. The geotechnical characteristics at non-drilling investigation points are usually determined by the engineer's empirical judgment, which can leads to errors in pile design and quantity calculation causing construction delay and cost increase. It would be possible to overcome this problem if N-value could be predicted at the non-drilling investigation points using limited minimum drilling investigation data. This study was conducted to predicted the N-value using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) which one of the Artificial intelligence (AI) method. An Artificial Neural Network treats a limited amount of geotechnical characteristics as a biological logic process, providing more reliable results for input variables. The purpose of this study is to predict N-value at the non-drilling investigation points through patterns which is studied by multi-layer perceptron and error back-propagation algorithms using the minimum geotechnical data. It has been reviewed the reliability of the values that predicted by AI method compared to the measured values, and we were able to confirm the high reliability as a result. To solving geotechnical uncertainty, we will perform sensitivity analysis of input variables to increase learning effect in next steps and it may need some technical update of program. We hope that our study will be helpful to design works in the future.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.79-93
• /
• 2022

In this study, an electronics industrial wastewater activated sludge model (e-ASM) to be used as a Water Digital Twin was calibrated based on real high-tech electronics industrial wastewater treatment measurements from lab-scale and pilot-scale reactors, and examined for its treatment performance, effluent quality prediction, and optimal process selection. For specialized modeling of a high-tech electronics industrial wastewater treatment system, the kinetic parameters of the e-ASM were identified by a sensitivity analysis and calibrated by the multiple response surface method (MRS). The calibrated e-ASM showed a high compatibility of more than 90% with the experimental data from the lab-scale and pilot-scale processes. Four electronics industrial wastewater treatment processes-MLE, A2/O, 4-stage MLE-MBR, and Bardenpo-MBR-were implemented with the proposed Water Digital Twin to compare their removal efficiencies according to various electronics industrial wastewater characteristics. Bardenpo-MBR stably removed more than 90% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and showed the highest nitrogen removal efficiency. Furthermore, a high concentration of 1,800 mg L^-1 T MAH influent could be 98% removed when the HRT of the Bardenpho-MBR process was more than 3 days. Hence, it is expected that the e-ASM in this study can be used as a Water Digital Twin platform with high compatibility in a variety of situations, including plant optimization, Water AI, and the selection of best available technology (BAT) for a sustainable high-tech electronics industry.