• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2008

Due to the development and expansion of industries and medical standards, the number of workers who handle organic solvents within hospitals is increasing. The authors in this study intended to investigate the actual conditions of the handling of the solvents and to encourage the recognition that the exposure to such solvents may be possible because of insensitivity to safety. In order to investigate the actual conditions of exposure of workers within hospitals, the experimental group included the three sections (Pathology department, Central Supply Room, and Operating Room), which handle organic solvents most frequently. Meanwhile, university interns were selected to be the control group. This study was conducted between May 1 to May 30, 2007, and urine was taken as samples. Hippuric acid, mandelic acid, methylhippuric acid, and phenylglyoxylic acid were analyzed through gas chromatography, and a total of 52 subjects of the experimental and the control groups were performed of the analysis. As for the results of the analysis of the experimental group, the exposure to benzene was $42.27{\pm}3.70mg/g$ creatinine, that of xylene was $1.30{\pm}0.18g/g$ creatinine, and that of toluene was $2.36{\pm}0.24g/g$ creatinine. Meanwhile, the results of the analysis of the control group showed that the exposure to benzene was $15.54{\pm}2.85mg/g$ creatinine, that of xylene was $0.52{\pm}0.02g/g$ creatinine, and that of toluene was $0.85{\pm}0.20g/g$ creatinine. The amount of exposure to benzene, xylene, and toluene was shown to be under the maximum permitted level, but as for Pathology department, it was required to educate on working conditions, to educate workers on prevention management about their health, and to install fume hood and exhaust system to improve the environments.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2012

Purpose: Most of diagnosis in the pediatric hydronephrosis patients have been performed $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA renal scan. Then the region of interest (ROI) is set for comparative analysis of uptake ratio in left-right kidney after acquiring the image. But if the equipment set an automatic ROI, the ROI could include expanded renal pelvis due to hydronephrosis and the uptake ratio of left-right kidney will be incorrect result. Therefore this study compared both ROIs including expanded renal pelvis and excluding renal pelvis through experiment using normal kidney phantom and expanded renal pelvis phantom and suggested setting method of improved ROI. In addition, this study have been helped by readout doctor for investigate distinction radiopharmaceutical uptake between renal cortex and remained urine by expanded renal pelvis. Materials and Methods: The both of renal phantoms were filled with water and shacked with $^{99m}TcO_4$ 111 MBq. In order to describe the expanded renal pelvis, the five latex balloon were all filled with 10 mL water and each of balloon was mixed with $^{99m}TcO_4$ 18.5, 37, 55.5, 74, 92.5 MBq. And we made phantom with fixed $^{99m}TcO_4$activity of 37 MBq and mixed water 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 mL in each balloon. The left kidney was fixed its shape and the right kidney was modified like as hydronephrosis kidney by attached the latex balloons. And the acquiring counts were 2 million. After acquisition, we compared the image of ROI with Expanded renal pelvis and the image of ROI without renal pelvis for analyzing difference in the uptake ratio of left-right kidney and for reproducibility, set the ROI 5 times in the same images. Patients were injected $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA 1.5~1.9 MBq/kg and scanned 3 to 4 hours after injection. The each of 3 skillful radio technologists performed the comparing estimation by setting ROI. To determine statistical significance between two data, SPSS (ver. 17) Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used. Results: As a result of renal phantom's experiment, we compared with average of counts Background (BKG) ratios in the setting of ROI including expanded renal pelvis and setting of excluding expanded renal pelvis. Therefore, they can obtain changed counts and changed ratios. Patient also can obtain same results. In addition, the radiopharmaceutical uptake in expanded renal pelvis was come out the remained urine that couldn't descend to ureter by the help of readout doctor. Conclusion: As above results, the case of setting ROI including expanded renal pelvis was more abnormally increasing uptake ratio than the case of setting ROI excluding expanded renal pelvis in analysis the uptake ratio in left-right kidney of hydronephrosis. Because of the work convenience and prompted analysis, the automatic ROI is generally used. But in case of the hydronephrosis study, we should set the manual ROI without expanded renal pelvis for an accurate observation of the uptake ratio of left-right kidney since the radiopharmaceutical uptake in expanded renal pelvis is the remained urine.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 1992

The $^{14}C$-warfarin used as rodenticids was identified from various organs of sprague dawley with scintillation counter. And the cytochrome p-450 which was induced by coumarin derivatives was identified with electrophoresis. The distributions of $^{14}C$-warfarin after $14.8{\mu}Ci/kg$ oral application at each organ was as follows; urine-7.5%, blood-0.44%, feces-0.9%, liver-0.66%, lung-0.86%, kidney-0.8%, heart-0.43% and spreen-0.33% after 24hrs. The cytochrome p-450 was purified by Octyl Sepharose CL-4B hydrophobic chromatography and isozymes were 50.8 Kd in control group, 53.3 Kd and 55.2 Kd in coumarin pretreated group and 50.8 Kd, 54.6 Kd and 57.7 Kd in warfarin pretreated group.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.240-246
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• 2002

Purpose : It is not clear that the development of glomerular injury and aggravation by tumor necrosis factor alpha($TNF-{\alpha}$) is related to intrarenal or serum concentration of $TNF-{\alpha}$. So, we studied the relationship between the concentration of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and aggravation of glomerular damage in the Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ nephritis(HSN) and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome(INS). Methods : We collected the sera and urines of 21 patients with Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura(HSP) and 22 patients with INS visited Chungbuk National University hospital from March 1998 to March 2001. The concentration of $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the sera and urines were measured by sandwich ELISA. Results : Serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels in the HSP patients with renal involvement were significantly higher than those without renal involvement(P=0.009). But urine $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels have no correlation with renal involvement(P=0.088). In the HSN patients, proteinuria have a significant correlation with serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels(P=0.004) but less correlation with urine $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels(P=0.053). Otherwise, proteinuria have no correlation with serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels(P=0.763) but have a significant correlation with urine $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels(P=0.007) in INS. Conclusion : These result suggest that the serum concentration of $TNF-{\alpha}$ would be important to glomerular involvement in HSP. And, it is interesting that proteinuria shows a significant relation with serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels in the HSN, but with urine $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels in the INS. This means the major production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ may be originated by extrarenal inflammation in the HSN and by intrarenal tubulo-interstitial damage due to proteinuria in the INS.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.23.1-23.14
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• 2023

Background: Exposure to heavy metals is a public health concern worldwide. Previous studies on the association between heavy metal exposure and neurobehavioral functions in children have focused on single exposures and clinical manifestations. However, the present study evaluated the effects of heavy metal complex exposure on subclinical neurobehavioral function using a Korean Computerized Neurobehavior Test (KCNT). Methods: Urinary mercury, lead, cadmium analyses as well as symbol digit substitution (SDS) and choice reaction time (CRT) tests of the KCNT were conducted in children aged between 10 and 12 years. Reaction time and urinary heavy metal levels were analyzed using partial correlation, linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), the weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and quantile G-computation analysis. Results: Participants of 203 SDS tests and 198 CRT tests were analyzed, excluding poor cooperation and inappropriate urine sample. Partial correlation analysis revealed no association between neurobehavioral function and exposure to individual heavy metals. The result of multiple linear regression shows significant positive association between urinary lead, mercury, and CRT. BMKR, WQS regression and quantile G-computation analysis showed a statistically significant positive association between complex urinary heavy metal concentrations, especially lead and mercury, and reaction time. Conclusions: Assuming complex exposures, urinary heavy metal concentrations showed a statistically significant positive association with CRT. These results suggest that heavy metal complex exposure during childhood should be evaluated and managed strictly.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2010

A rapid and sensitive reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of N-(-4-Chlorophenyl)-6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-chromanecarboxamide (KAL-1120), a novel anti-inflammation agent, in the rat plasma. The method was applied to analyze the compound in the biological fluids such as bile, urine and tissue homogenates. After liquid-liquid extraction, the compound was analyzed on an HPLC system with ultraviolet detection at 275 nm. HPLC was carried out using reversed-phase isocratic elution with a $C_{18}$ column, a mobile phase of a mixture of acetonitril (40 v/v%) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The chromatograms showed good resolution and sensitivity and no interference of plasma. The calibration curve for the drug in plasma was linear over the concentration range of 0.05-50 ${\mu}g$/mL. The intra- and inter-day assay accuracies of this method ranged from 0.06% to 9.33% of normal values and the precision did not exceed 6.28% of relative standard deviation. The plasma concentration of KAL-1120 decreased to below the quantifiable limit at 1.5 hr after the i.v. bolus administration of 2-10 mg/kg to rats ($t_{1/2,({\alpha})}$ and $t_{1/2,({\beta})$ of 2.15 and 26.7 min at a dose of 2 mg/kg, 3.91 and 33.0 min at a dose of 10 mg/kg, respectively). The steady-state volume of distribution ($V_{dss}$) and the total body clearance ($CL_t$) were not significantly altered in rats given doses from 2 to 10 mg/kg. Of the various tissues tested, KAL-1120 was mainly distributed in the lung and heart after i.v. bolus administration. KAL-1120 was detected in the bile by 30 min after its i.v. bolus administration. However, the concentration in the urine after i.v. bolus administration became too low to measure, suggesting that KAL-1120 is mostly excreted in the bile. In conclusion, this analytical method was suitable for the preclinical pharmacokinetic studies of KAL-1120 in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2010

A total of 167,955 microorganisms were isolated from 366,661 clinical specimens. Among them, 6,517 strains of the Candida spp. were isolated from the department of laboratory medicine in "C" hospital from Jan. 1, 2005 to Dec. 31, 2009. All clinical specimens were reviewed by the medical records of patients with Candida by the method of retrospectiveness. From this, we got the some isolated pure cultured yeasts. We identified these yeast by the identification kit system of VITEKII and VITEKII-ID-YST card. The isolation frequencies of Candida spp. were as follows. 56.4%,of C. albicans, 17.7% C tropicalis, 10.7% C glabrata and 9.5% C parapsilosis. The isolated frequency of Candida spp. in 2009 was 1.9 times higher than that in 2005. The clinical materials showing over 10.0% isolation rate were in sputum (30.1%), random urine (25.0%), 15.8% blood (15.8%) and catheterized urine (13.5%) in Candida spp.. The clinical department of showing over 7.0% isolation rate were in pulmonary medicine (20.5%), renal medicine (11.0%), infection disease medicine (10.4%), critical care medicine (10.0%), hematooncology (9.6%), general surgery (7.5%) and gastrointestinal medicine (7.4%) in Candida spp.. In monthly analysis, Candida spp. were most friquency isolated in July (10.6%), but lowest one in February (6.1%). Candida spp. were most frequently isolated in patient of over 50 years old (16.7-40.1%) than those isolated from the patients under the age of 0-49 (1.3-7.5%).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1438-1442
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• 2003

A method for the determination of nitrogen in ruminant feedstuffs, products and excreta (e.g. milk and urine) using a spectrophotometer is developed, where samples processed for P determination are also used to determine N. Samples are digested with sulphuric acid and subsequently with hydrogen peroxide in Kjeldahl tubes. Digested solutions along with phenol and buffered alkaline hypochlorite reagents are incubated in a water bath at $37^{\circ}C$ for 30 min and presented in the spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer set at 625 nm measures the concentration of N of each sample. Nitrogen in 261 of the samples was also determined by the classical Kjeldahl method in order to develop a relationship between N determined by the Kjeldahl method (Y) and the colorimetric method (X). The mean value of Y was as high as that of X (0.92 vs. 0.96; p>0.05). The colorimetric method predicted Kjeldahl N highly significantly (Y=0.985X-0.024, $R^2=0.993$, p<0.001; or more simply Y=0.974X, $R^2=0.993$, p<0.001). An analysis of regression found no difference (p>0.05; both t-test and F-test) between colorimetric (0.96% N) and adjusted (0.96% N) N. In comparison with the Kjeldahl method, the analytical capacity of N by colorimetric method increases greatly, where 200-300 determinations of N are possible in a working day. In addition, the system provides an opportunity to use not only the same digested solution for both N and P determination of a particular sample, but also uses the same spectrophotometer to assay both N and P. Therefore, the system may be attractive in situations where both elements of a sample are to be determined. In conclusion, the speed of N determination, low cost, efficient use of labour, time and reagents, fewer items of equipment, and the reduction of environmental pollution by reducing effluent and toxic elements are the advantages of this method of N determination.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9927-9931
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• 2014

The objectives of this study were to examine serum periplakin expression in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder and in normal controls, and to examine relationships with clinicopathological findings. Detection of serum periplakin was performed in 50 patients and 30 normal controls with anti-periplakin antibodies using the automatic dot blot system, and a micro-dot blot array with a 256 solid-pin system. Levels in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder were significantly lower than those in normal controls (0.31 and 5.68, respectively; p<0.0001). The area under the receiver-operator curve level for urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder was 0.845. The sensitivity and specificity, using a cut-off point of 4.045, were 83.7% and 73.3%, respectively. In addition, serum periplakin levels were significantly higher in patients with muscle-invasive cancer than in those with nonmuscle-invasive cancer (P = 0.03). In multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, none of the clinicopathological factors was associated with an increased risk for progression and cancer-specific survival. Examination of the serum periplakin level may play a role as a non-invasive diagnostic modality to aid urine cytology and cystoscopy.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.31 no.10C
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• pp.964-972
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• 2006

The kidney keeps with close relationship in the internal organs, that the kidney function filtering eliminate the wastes to the urine on the processing to replace the old with the new blood. In case of these problem in the kidney, there is no way to catch out with self-awakening symptom except for serious illness. This problem can solve with keeping the systematic diagnosis method in the kidney trouble shooting. Under the circumstances, the importance of the diagnosis for the kidney disease is growing day after day. In this paper, among the great four diagnosises, using the way of ocular inspection & auscultation, we would like to propose rouble shooting in the way of the kidney. To do this, through the assistance of the input image, extract the value of the color with appropriate output, analysing the color of the face with related to the kidney, using the results we would like to get the accurate symptoms on the kidney's problems. Also, through analysing and comparing with the relationship the kidney and the signal of voice, we would like to realize the proof system of human health. Finally, we'd like to make proof of the usefulness for proposed method from this study.