• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 2006

Background : Severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can develop into respiratory failure that requires mechanical ventilation (MV), which is associated with a higher rate of mortality. It was recently reported that a hydrocortisone infusion in severe CAP patients was associated with a significant reduction in the length of the hospital stay and mortality. This study evaluated efficacy of a hydrocortisone infusion for patients with severe CAP requiring MV. Methods : From February 2005 to July 2005, 13 patients (M : F = 10 : 3, mean age: $68.6{\pm}14.1years$), who were diagnosed with severe CAP and required MV, were enrolled in this study. Hydrocortisone was administered as an intravenous 200mg loading bolus, which was followed by an infusion at a rate of 10mg/hour for 7 days. The control group was comprised of patients with severe CAP requiring MV but in whom corticosteroid was not used before study period. The clinical and physiologic parameters on or by day 8 and the outcome in the hydrocortisone infusion group were compared with those in the control group. Results : 1) There was no significant difference in age, gender ratio, SAPS II, SOFA score, temperature, leukocyte count, PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio, the number of patients with P/F ratio < 200, chest radiograph score, lung injury score and catecholamine-dependent septic shock between the hydrocortisone infusion group and control group at day 1. 2) At day 8, the proportion of patients with an improvement in the P/F ratio ${\geq}100$ and the chest radiograph score was significantly higher in the hydrocortisone infusion group than in the control group (61.5% vs. 15.4%, 76.9% vs. 23.1%, p< 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the other clinical and physiologic parameters. 3). There was no significant difference in the duration of the MV, ICU stay, hospital stay and 10th and 30th day mortality between the two groups. Conclusion : Hydrocortisone infusion for patients with severe CAP requiring invasive mechanical ventilation may be effective in improving the level of oxygenation and the chest radiograph score.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.275-287
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• 2008

Depression and coronary artery disease are both highly prevalent diseases. Many previous studies suggest that depression is a common comorbid condition in patients with coronary artery disease and has a significant negative impact on the onset, course, and prognosis of coronary artery disease. However, the exact mechanisms that underlie the association between these two diseases remain unclear. Pathophysiologic mechanisms that may explain the effect of depression on coronary artery disease include hypercoagulability, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system dysregulation, altered inflammatory response. On the contrary, pathophysiologic mechanisms in coronary artery disease that affect depression are less well known. It is also suggested that both diseases may share a common genetic vulnerability. The authors reviewed the literature on the pathophysiologic relationships of depression and coronary heart disease.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 2009

Purpose : Many gene polymorphisms are associated with coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease. Catechol-O- methyltransferase (COMT) plays an important role in the metabolism of catecholamines, catechol estrogen, and catechol drugs. Polymorphisms of the COMT gene are reported to be associated with myocardial infarction and coronary artery abnormalities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between COMT gene polymorphisms and coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease patients. Methods : One hundred and one Korean children with Kawasaki disease and 306 healthy Korean control subjects were enrolled in this study. The polymorphisms of the COMT gene were analyzed by direct sequencing. Results : There were no differences in the genotype and allelic frequency of the rs4680 and rs769224 polymorphic sites between Kawasaki disease and control subjects. Further, no significant difference was found in the rs4680 polymorphism between patients with coronary artery abnormalities and patients without coronary artery abnormalities (codominant P=0.32, dominant P=0.74, recessive P=0.13). However, the distribution of the rs769224 polymorphism was significantly different between patients with coronary artery abnormalities and patients without coronary artery abnormalities (codominant P= 0.0077, dominant P=0.0021, recessive P=0.16). Conclusion : Our results indicate that the polymorphisms of the rs769224 gene might be related to the development of coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2014

Purpose: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with impairments in frontal inhibitory function and the catecholaminergic system. ADHD is diagnosed in 3-5% of children. Children with ADHD seem develop various forms of urinary problems such as nocturnal enuresis, dysfunctional voiding, and diurnal incontinence. However, no data exist to confirm the presence of these problems in Korean children with ADHD. We investigated the clinical findings of voiding dysfunction in children with ADHD. Methods: Between October 2009 and March 2011, a total of 63 children (33 with ADHD, 30 with an upper respiratory infection, as a control group) were enrolled. ADHD was diagnosed using the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)-IV criteria. A comprehensive survey of voiding and defecation was administered. Results: The patient group included 28 boys and 5 girls; the control group comprised 20 boys and 10 girls. The mean age was $9.09{\pm}2.8$ years in the ADHD group and $8.58{\pm}3.1$ years in the control group. Children with ADHD had a statistically significantly higher incidence of urgency (P =0.017), urge incontinence (P =0.033), and constipation (P =0.045). There was no significant difference in the incidence of straining, intermittency, holding maneuvers, or nocturnal enuresis. Conclusion: Children with ADHD in Korea have significantly higher rates of urgency, urge incontinence, and constipation than those without ADHD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1996

Amrinone is a non-glycosidic, non-adrenergic positive inotropic agent with peripheral and coronary vasodilator effect. It inhibits phosphodiesterase F-III, the cardiac cyclic-AMP specific phosphodiesterase, selectively and potently. In this study, the effects of IV administered amrinone and dopamine were compared in 40 patients who had open heart surgery. Amrinone was administered as a bolus of 1 5~2mglkg for several minutes, followed by continuous infusion at 5~1 Oug/kg/min. The hemodynamic measurements including heart rate, systolic and diastolic pressure, cardiac index, pulmonary wedge pressure, and systemic vascular resistance were recorded immediately for 12~24 hours awl 7th day following operation. In amrinone group, cardiac index increased from 3.73$\pm$1.39 L/min/m2 to 5.44$\pm$2.65 L/min/m2 at the time of posterative 48 hours (n=20, p< 0.05). The decrease in systemic vascular resistance from 1237.5 $\pm$ 637.7 dyne/sec/cm2 to 1000.8 $\pm$ 608.5 dyne/sec/cm2(p<0.05). In Dopamine group, the heart rate increased from 92.1 $\pm$ 13.0/min to 101.0 $\pm$ 13.1/min and the cardiac index decreased from 3.40 $\pm$ 0.50 L/min/m2 to 2.53 $\pm$ 1.15 L/min/m2 at the time of postoperative 12 hours(p<0.05). Systemic vascular resistance increased from 1058.5 $\pm$ 234.6 dyne/sec/cm2 to 1979.7 $\pm$ 759.2 dynelsec/cm2 The comparison of the hemodynamic effects of amrinone and dopamine, both drugs improved cardiac performance. But the administration of amrinone results in a higher cardiac index, diastolic blood pressure and lower systemic vascular resistance than those achieved with dopamine (p<0.05). The uniqueness of the action of amrinone on the heart and its sustained hemodynamic effect suggest it has clinical promise, pos operative care of cardiac surgery

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.209-217
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• 2002

There have been many studies on the application of the reciprocal advantages of multimodality image to define accurate target volume in the Process of radiation treatment planning. For the proper use of the multimodality images, the registration works between different modality images should be performed in advance. In this study, we selected chamfer matching method and mutual information method as most popular methods in recent image registration studies considering the registration accuracy and clinical practicality. And the two registration methods were analyzed to deduce the optimal registration method according to the characteristics of images. Lung phantom of which multimodality images could be acquired was fabricated and CT, MRI and SPECT images of the phantom were used in this study. We developed the registration program which can perform the two registration methods properly and analyzed the registration results which were produced by the developed program in many different images' conditions. Although the overall accuracy of the registration in both chamfer matching method and mutual information method was acceptable, the registration errors in SPECT images which had lower resolution and in degraded images of which data were removed in some part were increased when chamfer matching method was applied. Especially in the case of degraded reference image, chamfer matching methods produce relatively large errors compared with mutual information method. Mutual information method can be estimated as more robust registration method than chamfer matching method in this study because it did not need the prerequisite works, the extraction of accurate contour points, and it produced more accurate registration results consistently regardless of the images' characteristics. The analysis of the registration methods in this study can be expected to provide useful information to the utilization of multimodality images in delineating target volume for radiation treatment planning and in many other clinical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1182-1187
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• 2005

This study was designed to investigate the supplementary effects of Lentinus edodes which were harvested at different time period and part on acetylcholine content and its related enzyme activities in the brain of diabetic mouse model (KK mouse). We fed mice with standard diet (Control diet; CON) or 4 different kinds of experimental diets (DGC: on time harvested, cap of Dong Go; DGS: on time harvested, stipe of Dong Go; HSC: late harvested, cap of Hyang Sin: HSS: late harvested, stipe of Hyang Sin) to KK mouse for 8 weeks. Neurotransmitter such as acetylcholine contents, acetylcholinesterase activities, monoamine oxidase-B ac-tivities and lipid peroxide contents in the brain were measured. The results showed that acetylcholine content was significantly higher in DGC and HSC groups than CON group. The activities of acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase-B enzyme were significantly inhibited in the brain of DGC and HSC groups compared with CON group. Lipid peroxide content was lower in DGC group than CON group. These results suggested that the cap of Lentinus edodes which were harvested on time and late time contain increased acetylcholine content and decreased acetylcholinesterase activities, monoamine oxidase-B activities and lipid peroxide contents. Thus the cap of Lentinus edodes which were harvested at different time periods may play an effective role in enhancing cognitive function.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.158-171
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• 2023

Pottery filled with organic materials was excavated from the G-2 building site of Yongjangseong Fortress, Jingo, a relic of the Goryeo Dynasty. In this study, the characteristics of organic material were confirmed by a scientific analysis of organic material in pottery found at the palace in Yongjangseong, Jindo. In addition, it was intended to review the analysis method to identify the natural resin and to secure characteristic components(biomarkers) for each natural resin and use them as basic data in the future. The organic materials in the pottery were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The infrared spectral characteristics were estimated to be natural resin, and biomarkers of organic materials were identified as sesquiterpene-based compounds(C₁₅H₂₄, MW 204) and derivatives. The lacquer(T.vemicifluum) is composed mainly of alkenes, alkanes, and catechol. Pine resin(P.densiflora), on the other hand, is primarily composed of diterpenoid(abietic acid, pimaric acid) and Whangchil(yellow lacquer) is identified to have sesquiterpenes(such as selinene, muurolene, calamenene) as its main components. So, the organic material in the pottery can be identified as Whangchil by comparing their compounds with modern resin materials from Dendropanax. morbifera that correspond with the results. Whangchil, which is exuded from the Dendropanax. morbifera, has been used as a natural coating materials since ancient times, and it has been confirmed that the characteristic components are well preserved even 700 years later. It can be assumed that the interior Whangchil was stored not for use as a coating, but rather for ritual purposes when the building was constructed, because the pottery was found near the cornerstone. Furthermore, based on simplified sample preparation using pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry(Py-GC-MS), the thermal decomposition products were found to be similar to the characteristic components, suggesting that this method can be applied to the identification of natural resins used in historic artifacts.