• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2007

Autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) is the neuromuscular junction disorder mostly caused by antibody against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR antibody) at the muscle endplate. The goal of treatment is to induce and maintain remission, i.e., absence of symptoms, with the least cost-to-benefit ratio. Although corticosteroids are effective in inducing remission in most patients, they have numerous potentially serious adverse effects with their long-term use. In addition, some patients do not respond or are intolerant to the conventional treatment. In this article, we discuss the difficulties encountered in long-term immunosuppressive treatment of MG, and review useful tips for the use of corticosteroids. Long-term immunosuppressive agents that can be used in steroid-refractory or -dependent patients will be reviewed with their safety profiles and efficacy in MG.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.3
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• pp.292-301
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• 2024

Stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibits significant diversity, making it challenging to define an optimal treatment. A collaborative multidisciplinary approach is essential in crafting individualized treatments. Previously, targeted therapies and immunotherapies were commonly used to treat patients with advanced and metastatic lung cancer. Such treatments are now being extended to individuals considered surgery, as well as patients once considered unsuitable for surgery. These changes have increased surgical success and substantially reduced postoperative recurrence. However, the possibility of severe adverse effects from immunotherapy can deter some patients from performing surgery. It is essential to carefully explore the clinical traits and biomarkers of patients who may benefit the most from immunotherapy, and patients for whom immunotherapy should not be prescribed. In summary, it's crucial to effectively integrate the latest immunotherapy in treating stage 3 NSCLC patients, thereby increasing their opportunities for surgical intervention, and ensuring they receive the best possible care.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.309-325
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• 2024

The consumption of meat has been increasing, leading to a dynamic meat and meat processing industry. To maintain the quality and safety of meat products, various technologies have been explored, including intense pulsed light (IPL) technology. Several factors affect the inactivation of microorganisms by IPL treatment, including light intensity (fluence), treatment duration, pulse frequency, and the distance between the lamp and the samples. Meat products have been studied for IPL treatment, resulting in microbial reductions of approximately 0.4-2.4 Log. There are also impacts on color, sensory attributes, and physico-chemical quality, depending on treatment conditions. Processed meat products like sausages and ham have shown microbial reductions of around 0.1-4 Log with IPL treatment. IPL treatment has minimal impact on color and lipid oxidation in these products. Egg products and dairy items can also benefit from IPL treatment, achieving microbial reductions of around 1-7.8 Log. The effect on product quality varies depending on the treatment conditions. IPL technology has shown promise in enhancing the safety and quality of various food products, including meat, processed meat, egg products, and dairy items. However, the research results on animal-based food are not diverse and fragmentary, this study discusses the future research direction and industrial application through a review of these researches.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.343-353
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• 2009

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the water quality improvement by water discharge through dams and to provide a benefit estimation methodology, taking domestic situation into consideration, by the replacement cost approach analyzed with a sewage treatment plant instead of an alternative dam. To this end, facility that alternates a dam must have same functions of the discharged water from the dam and the two facilities must be able to be compared objectively. To estimate the benefit, estimation methodology of alternative facility's cost is established and criteria of cost.benefit analysis that are duration period and ratio of large scale repairing expense was presented. As a case study, the water quality improvement benefit of Song-Li-Won dam was evaluated, which is planned to be built on Nae-Sung stream in Nak-Dong River system. The results of applying this methodology to Song-Li-Won dam are 644,006 million won of the annual average discharge and 1,351,526 million won of maximum discharge. The usage of the framework in this study is expected for estimation of water quality improvement benefit in case water quality improvement project is performed.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.141-151
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• 2016

Recently, technology for energy recovery from waste has been increasing interest globally including the Korea. In Korea, we have interested in using biogas generated from the sewage treatment process. As one alternative, there are operating biogas combined heat and power plant. The generation amount of the Sewage Sludge are expected to grow in the future. For this reason, total processing cost of Sewage Sludge will increase. To solve this problem, it seems will be invested with the expansion of facilities that use biogas as energy. Therefore, quantitative information on such facilities is required. Thus, this study attempts to economic feasibility analysis for Seonam Biogas Combined Heat and Power Plant. Meanwhile, as the benefit items for economic feasibility analysis consider electricity supply benefit except for heat supply benefit. The average prices of electricity use were residence 123.69, commercial 130.46, and industry 102.59 won per kWh for the year 2015, In addition, the economic benefit are calculated to be residence 310.21, commercial 378.49, and industry 222.87 won per kWh. The results of economic feasibility analysis is NPV 72.18 billion won, B/C 1.90, IRR 37%, shows that economic validity of Seonam Biogas Combined Heat and Power Plant.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2000

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the therapeutic compliance and its related factors in the rural hypertensives. Method : A questionnaire survey and blood pressure measurement were performed to 3,876 residents of a rural area, and 660 hypertensives were selected as subjects of study. The study employed a hypothetical model which was composed of constructs from the health belief model and KAP model. The analysis techniques employed included contingency table analysis and structural equation modeling. Result : The proportion of those who were compliant to the treatment of hypertension was 44.2% of subjects. As the result of structural equation modeling, when patients had more favorable attitude toward treatment, higher perceived benefit, or lower perceived barriers to treatment, the therapeutic compliance was significantly higher(T>2.0). When patients had more knowledge about hypertension, or higher perceived severity of hypertension, the attitude toward the treatment of hypertension was more favorable significantly(T>2.0). And when patients had the support for treatment from family or neighbor, the attitude toward treatment was more favorable(T>2.0). When patients had experience of health education, they had more knowledge, higher perceived susceptibility of complication, perceived severity for hypertension, and perceived benefit of treatment, compare to patients without health education(T>2.0). Conclusion : In consideration of above findings, in order to improve the therapeutic compliance in the rural hypertensives, it would be necessary to change attitude, perception, knowledge about hypertension and its treatment, by various methods such as effective health education and programs for maintaining the supportive environment for hypertension treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 1997

This study examined the feasbility of upgrading D waste water treatment plant which treats incoming wastewater by primary sedimentation only. By adding 20-40 ppm of Hi-PAX into the outlet of the aerated grit chamber, BOD and SS removal efficiences were improved from 29% and 36% to 53 % and 73%,respectively. However, chemically enhanced primary treatment failed to meet the upcoming wastewater quality standard(BOD and SS <20 mg/l) consistently. This was suspected to result from the deteriorated plant return stream. The wastewater treatment by chemical treatment should have increased the amount of the sludge to be removed as the sludge production was increased. Chemically enhanced primary treatment is anticipated to consistently produce effluent of the 1996 standards quality by adjusting the amount of the sludge to be removed. Besides BOD and SS removal, chemically enhanced primary treatment resulted in the improved T-P removal from 30% to 64-74%. However, such benefit was not observed in T-N removal. Improved T-P removal will be expected to help control water pollution in Masan bay.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2010

The objectives of this study are to analyze the energy independence plan and to propose a suitable sewage treatment plant in Korea. The total amount of electricity consumption for public sewage treatment plant was estimated as 1,812 GWh in 2007. It was estimated that total 16 sewage treatment plants with renewable energy systems produced electricity of 15 GWh per year, which could replace 0.8% of total electricity used for sewage treatment. It was found that domestic sewage treatment plants with power generation plants by digestion gas were installed in 7 places and produced electricity of 13 GWh per year. It was also found that the power generation plants by digestion gas were the most cost-effective for sewage treatment plant out of the renewable energy systems based on the benefit-cost analysis.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.77-80
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• 2015

Acute Achilles tendon rupture is a frequent injury during sports and recreational activities. Treatments for Achilles tendon rupture have been controversial in recent decades. Traditionally the surgical treatment had benefit over nonsurgical treatment in terms of low rerupture rate and early functional restoration. Recently, nonsurgical treatment was found to show no statistically significant inferiority in re-rupture rate, functional outcome, and calf strength. Whereas, surgical treatment had some complications including adhesion, nerve injury, and infection. Nonsurgical treatment has been increasing due to functional rehabilitation with early weight bearing and restricted early motion. It focuses more attention on the course of caring for patients with deep discussion. There are open repair and minimally invasive repair in terms of surgical treatment. There are various techniques for minimally invasive repair of Achilles tendon, which has some advantages over the open repair. However, the optimal technique for minimally invasive repair has not been established. The number of suture strands is important regardless of suture technique.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.173-181
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• 2021

Objectives: The aim of this review was to appraise Korean studies published between 2010 and 2021 which examined the role of acupuncture in the treatment of obesity. Methods: We performed a search of the NDSL, KISS, RISS, OASIS, PubMed, EMBASE electronic databases for relevant animal researches, case reports, and clinical trials, using the following search terms: 'obesity', 'acupuncture', 'electroacupuncture', and 'pharmacopuncture'. We excluded previous reviews and meta-analyses, studies not related to obesity or acupuncture treatment, as well as studies conducted in countries other than Korea. We also excluded studies where relevant information on acupuncture treatment in obesity could not be obtained. Results: Most studies were conducted in animals, followed by case reports and clinical trials. In animal researches and case reports, pharmacopuncture was the most used intervention. In case studies, electroacupuncture, thread-embedding therapy, manual acupuncture, acupotomy, and auricular acupuncture were also used. In animal researches, pharmacopuncture treatment was associated with improvement in obesity indices. In the case of local obesity, specific acupuncture techniques such as thread-embedding therapy and pharmacopuncture were associated with significant improvements in local obesity, even when diet and exercise were not controlled for. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment showed significant benefit in the treatment of obesity, with a local effect evident for certain approaches, such thread-embedding therapy and acupotomy.