• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.63 no.6
• /
• pp.486-490
• /
• 2007

Background: This study examined the effect of corticosteroids as a short-term treatment for patients with hemoptysis that requires conservative treatment including bed rest, antitussives and antibiotics. Methods: From February 2005 to August 2006, 78 consecutive patients who visited the emergency room because of hemoptysis were enrolled in the study. Patients with hemoptysis due to lung cancer, active pulmonary tuberculosis, and pneumonia were excluded. The 78 patients were divided randomly into a corticosteroid medication group (n=37) and a control group (n=41). The mean control time of hemoptysis, mean in-hospital days, and complications of treatment were investigated prospectively. Results: For the etiology of hemoptysis, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis alone or its associated complications (bronchiectasis and/or aspergilloma) were the most common causes (51%); bronchiectasis alone and bronchitis were the next most common causative diseases (15%, respectively). The patients' characteristics and symptoms in the corticosteroid medication and control groups were similar. The steroid medication group showed a significantly lower mean control time of hemoptysis than the control group ($4.0{\pm}2.7$ days, $6.1{\pm}4.8$ days, respectively) (p=0.022) and had a lower mean number of in-hospital days ($5.8{\pm}3.4$ days, $7.9{\pm}4.8$ days, respectively) (p=0.036). There were no significant complications, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia or gastrointestinal bleeding, related to the use of corticosteroids. Conclusion: The use of corticosteroids as a conservative treatment for hemoptysis due to bronchitis, bronchiectasis, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and its related complications safely reduces the control time of hemoptysis as well as the number of in-hospital days.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.64 no.6
• /
• pp.445-450
• /
• 2008

Background: As the number of older-aged people increases, the number of elderly patients who receive critical care services is expected to increase substantially. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients who receive mechanical ventilation for more than 30 days in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a university hospital. Methods: We retrospectively examined forty-one elderly patients (${\geq}65$ years old) who were receiving mechanical ventilation, from April 2004 to March 2007, for periods exceeding 30 days at the MICU at Eulji University Hospital. Results: The MICU and hospitalmortality rate were 60.9% and 65.9%, respectively. The mean length of the ICU stay was 57.5 days and the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 49.3 days. The most common reason for MICU admission was acute respiratory failure (73.2%), followed by sepsis (12.2%), neurological problems (9.8%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (4.9%). The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were higher for the nonsurvivors than for the survivors (28.0 vs. 25.0, respectively, p=0.03). The nonsurvivors received more red blood cell (RBC) transfusions during their ICU stay than did the survivors (84.0% vs. 43.8%, respectively p=0.007). The factors associated with hospital death were the APACHE II score and if the patient had received a RBC transfusion. Conclusion: The APACHE II score and a RBC transfusion were predictors of increased hospital mortality for the elderly patients who were on prolonged mechanical ventilation. These predictors may assist physicians to make clinical decisions for this patient population.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2007

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have often been reported to suffer from depression and anxiety possibly due to the exacerbation, hospitalization and mortality of COPD. However,scarce data are available in Korea. This study assessed degree of depression and anxiety, and evaluated the factors associated with depressive symptoms in COPD. Methods: The cross-sectional data on the lung function measurements, smoking behavior, body mass index (BMI), age, gender, depressive symptoms using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were evaluated in 72 outpatients with COPD and 50 controls without underling lung diseases from September, 2005 to October, 2006 in the Ewha medical center. Results: 1) The age, body mass index (BMI) and serum albumin levels were similar in the patients and controls. The BDI scores (16(0-37) vs. 12(1-30), p=0.001) and the prevalence of depression (36% vs. 6%, p<0.0001) were higher in the COPD patients than in the controls. In the COPD group, the prevalence of depression increased with increasing GOLD stage (p=0.008). The prevalence was 18%(4/22), in mild cases, 30%(6/20) in moderate cases, 52%(13/25) in severe cases and 60%(3/5) in very severe cases. 2) The SAI and TAI scores were higher in the COPD patients (44(20-67) and 47(20-66)) than in the healthy controls (39(26-65) and 44(33-90)). There were a significant correlation between the depression and anxiety scores (p<0.001). 3) A lower BMI, lower postbronchodilator $FEV_1$, current smoking behavior and severity of COPD were univariately associated with the depressive group in COPD, 4) while multivariate logistic analysis revealed only the severe-to-very severe group (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 12.9) to be independently associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: COPD is strongly associated with depression and anxiety. Therfore, screening for psychological problems in COPD patients is essential, particularly in patients with severe-to-very severe COPD.

• Journal of Plant Biology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 1995

The present study performed the isolation of cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (APX) isozymes and analyzed the pattern of their activity development and also investigated the change in some other enzyme activities related to the ascorbate-glutathione pathway from the senescing wheat leaves. The aim of this work is to examine the possibility that in the cytoplasm of wheat leaves the ascorbate-glutathione pathway p!ays a significant role in relation to leaf senescence involving an $H_2O_2$ accumulation and then to show the effect of benzyladenine (BA) on that pathway. During the leaf senescence characterized by increases in ChI breakdown and H202 accumulation under the 4-day dark incubation of matured leaf segments; i) no significant increase of total cytosolic APX was observed, ii) a dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activity was decreased rapidly, iii) a slight increase of glutathione reductase (GR) activity occurred. In the BA-treated leaves; however, i) the total activity of APX increased conspicuously, ii) the decrease of DHAR activity was relatively inhibited, iii) the GR activity increase was more enhanced, and iv) the decrease of ascorbate content and the increase of H202 content were retarded as compared with those of control leaves. Three isozymes of cytosolic APX were found by using a native-electrophoretic gel in senescing wheat leaves and two of them occurred with major activity. In the developmental patterns of cytosolic APX isozymes, only two isozyme bands ("a" and "b") appeared with almost constant activity through 4 days of incubation in the control leaves, while one additional weak isozyme band ("c") and a little increase of "b" isozyme activity were detected in the BA-treated leaves. EspeciaUy, the development of "a" isozyme activity increased remarkably compared with that of control leaves. The increased capacity for peroxide scavenging due to the enhanced activity of all 3 enzymes (APX, DHAR, GR) participating in the ascorbate-glutathione pathway in BA-treated leaves suggested that this pathway might playa significant role in the processes related to the wheat leaf senescence.scence.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.471-479
• /
• 2013

This study is trying to grasp the stress of the male high school students and the correlation between the stress according to the academic and economic level and oral parafunctional habits, emphasizing the need for the education of oral parafunctional habits, providing the basic data in order to accomplish correctly until the oral health of the oral maxillofacial region. From May 2013 till July 2013, a self administered survey was conducted by the selected by convenience sampling from subjects of 1, 2 grade of two high school located in Chungnam, Korea. The study results were as follow: 1) Among five areas of stress, the stress of school life was the highest as 2.11 points and the stress of home problem was the lowest as 1.51 points; 2) the stress by class showed that grade 2 was higher than grade 1 in all areas. The stress of the school life (2.21) (p<0.01), interpersonal relationship (p<0.01), and own problem (p<0.05) showed the significant difference; 3) The significance analysis results between the five areas of stress according to the stress of latent variable and the oral parafunctional habits all showed the significant difference (p<0.001). The correlation between the stress and the oral parafunctional habits showed a weak negative correlation as -0.30, and the stress of the school life, own problem, environment problem, and interpersonal relationship showed very strong correlations more than 0.7; 4) Fit measures test result of stress, academic level, and family economic level model all showed more than 0.9 in good of fit index, adjusted goodness of fit index, normed fit index and root mean square residual and root mean square error of approximation values is all estimated less than 0.1, so it showed good model. From this study, it can be concluded that there is the correlation between stress and oral parafunctional habits.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.485-498
• /
• 2015

The need for forest therapy programs has been increasing. For more effective forest healing, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of participants and develop and operate more targeted and differentiated forest therapy programs accordingly. In this study, the relationships between MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality types and the relationship between the temperaments of MBTI and the preference for the forest therapy programs were analyzed respectively in pursuit of the basic data required for the effective development and operation of forest healing on the basis of individual characteristics. The survey on the forest therapy program and MBTI personality tests were conducted for 245 normal adults. Using the SPSS 21.0 program analysis, data were analyzed by Analysis of variance (ANOVA) to obtain the difference of preference on the forest therapy program according to the personality type. The Extraversion(E)-Introversion(I) types showed differences in technique-based breathing exercises, walking in the forest(wearing shoes), laughter therapy in the forest, viewing the forest, forest bathing, wind bathing and sun bathing. And the Sensing(S)-iNtuition (N) types had marked differences in listening to the sound of water flowing, drinking herbal tea and sleeping in the forest. The Thinking (T) -Feeling (F) types marked differences in soaking hands and feet in water and sleeping in the forest. The Judging (J)-Perceiving (P) types had differences in vision quest and viewing the forest, respectively, in statistics. Depending on the temperament of the character, there were statistically significant differences in preferences such as drinking herbal tea, eating natural food, sleeping in the forest, viewing the forest and listening to the forest commentary. The results of this study are expected to be used as a basis for forest healing program development and operation.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.358-364
• /
• 2011

To examine the possibility of natural regeneration of six Acer species in broadleaved mixed forest in Korean peninsula, samples of six Acer species' samaras were collected at several seed sources from September to October 2009 and 2010, and seed morphological characteristics and viability were studied using cutting method. Inflorescense type of Acer mandshuricum(AM), A. pseudosieboldianum(APS) and A. palmatum(AP) is corymb, that of A. pictum subsp. mono(APSM) and A. okamotoanum(AO) is flat-topped panicle, and that of A. ukurunduense(AU) is raceme. Number of seed-set per inflorescense proves the highest value 38.5 sets in AU and the lowest value 2.4 sets in APS. Diameter of the seeds proves highest value 13.5mm in AO, and the lowest value 4.7mm in APS. Angles between the wings proves the highest values $130.05^{\circ}$ in APS, and the lowest value $48.60^{\circ}$ in AU. Air dry weight of 20 seed-sets proves highest value 3,900mg, in AO, and the lowest value 404mg in AU. Viable seed ratio of AP proves 50%, and that of AU does 43.2%. Those of other four species ranges 8.6~22.2%. Considering postdispersal seed predators and disturbance of litter, viable seeds of APSM, AO, AM, and APS supplied in the natural forest in Korea might be insufficient for seedling establishment. This study showed that sound viable seed supply might be key factors of natural regeneration of major Acer species in Korea. The openings made by insect pests were observed on the seed-coat of APSM, AM, AU, and APS samara, and Bradybatus sharpi were observed in the samaras of APSM and AO. Further study on the seed insect fauna, pre- and post-dispersal seed viability, and annual variation on these factor should be needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.348-355
• /
• 2003

Background: The prognostic significance of lymph node micrometastasis in non-small cell lung cancer remains controversial. We therefore investigated the clinicopathologic factors related to lymph node micrometastsis and evaluated the clinical relevance of micrometastasis with regard to recurrence. Material and Method: Five hundred six lymph nodes were obtained from 41 patients with stage 1 non-small ceil lung cancer who underwent curative resection between 1994 and 1998. Immunohistochemical staining using anti-cytokeratin Ab was used to detect micrometastasis in these lymph nodes. Result: Micrometastatic tumor cells were identified in pN0 lymph nodes in 14 (34.1%) of 41 patients. The presence of lymph node micrometastasis was not related to any clinicopathoiogic factor (p) 0.05). The recurrence rate was higher in patients with micrometastasis (57.1%) than in those without (37.0%), but the difference was not significant (p=0.22). Patients with micrometastasis had a lower 5-year recurrence-free survival rate (48.2%) than those without micrometastasis (64.1%), with a borderline significance (p=0.11), The S-year recurrence-free survival rate (25.0%) in the patients with 2 or more micrometastatic lymph nodes was significantly lower than that in the patients with no or single micrometastasis (p=0.02). In multivariate analysis, multiple lymph node micromestasis us was a significant independent predictor of recurrence (p=0.028, Risk ratio=3.568). Conclusion: Immunehistochemical anti-cytokeratin staining was a rapid, sensitive, and easy way of detecting lymph node micrometastasis. The presence of lymph node micrometastasis was not significantly associated with the recurrence, but had a tendency toward a poor prognosis in stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer. Especially, the presence of multiple micrometastatic lymph nodes was a significant and independent predictor of recurrence.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.325-334
• /
• 1995

The early senescence mutant induced from Gihobyeo by $\gamma-ray$ irradiation was determined. The mutated gene expression was identified with comparing the characteristic of original cultivar. The mutant had so similar the morphological characteristics to original cultivar that it couldn't be distinguished until senescence occurred at about 20 days after heading. Suddenly yellow leaves were observed within a few days due to great decreases in total chlorophyll and various carotenoid contents. Transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of starch granules, distortion of fine structure of leaf cell organelles, especially grana structures, and the decrease in grain filled after senescence occurred. But banding patterns of total proteins and isozymes have not show any differences, The early senescence mutant will be very useful for study material not only on physiological and biochemical properties of plant senescence but also on gene expression regulating senescence which gives great influence on yield potential and its stability.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.232-239
• /
• 2012

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the content of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity from methanol extracts of different plant parts of $T.$ $officinale$ F. H. Wigg. Total phenolics [mg chlorogenic acid equivalents (FAE) $kg^{-1}$ DW] was highest in flower extracts (72.0 mg $kg^{-1}$), followed by leaf, root, and stalk extracts of $T.$ $officinale$ ($p$ < 0.05). The result of total flavonoid level [mg naringin equivalents $kg^{-1}$ DW] had same tendency to differential total phenolics contents among plant parts, but showed lower ranges of amount. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts from all the plant parts dose-dependently increased. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical) free radical scavenging activity was highest in flower extracts ($IC_{50}$ value = 624.3 mg $kg^{-1}$ ), and followed by leaf, root, and stalk extracts of $T.$ $officinale$ ($p$ < 0.05). By means of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, cell viability of Calu-6 for human pulmonary carcinoma and SNU-601 for human gastric carcinoma showed the lowest $IC_{50}$ value in the flower extracts ($IC_{50}$ value = 85.7 and 311.4 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively), indicating the highest cytotoxicity. The results suggested that total phenolics content and total flavonoids level in different plant parts of $T.$ $officinale$ were highly correlated with antioxidative ($r^2$=0.7280 to 0.9971) or with cytotoxic activities ($r^2$=0.5795 to 0.9515).