• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.182-187
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been shown to generally decrease levels of innate immune markers and inflammatory cytokines, but the specific associations between blood levels of PUFAs and those of innate immune markers have not been investigated. Thus, the present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that innate immune markers as well as cytokines are negatively associated with n-3 PUFAs but positively associated with n-6 PUFAs in healthy adults. MATERIALS/METHODS: One hundred sixty-five healthy Korean adults aged 25-70 years old were included in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Serum levels of n-3 PUFAs, such as 18:3n3, 20:5n3, 22:5n3, and 22:6n3 were negatively correlated with eosinophil and basophil counts and $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-4, and IL-10 levels. Multivariate analysis also showed that serum levels of n-3 PUFAs were negatively associated with monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil counts and $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-4, and IL-12 levels. Additionally, the ratio of 20:4n6 to 20:5n3 was positively correlated with eosinophil counts and associated with $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, and IL-4 levels. However, NK cell activity was not associated with serum fatty acid composition. CONCLUSIONS: Innate immune markers such as eosinophil, monocyte, and basophil counts were inversely associated with serum levels of n-3 PUFAs, but were positively associated with the 20:4n6/20:5n3 ratio in this population.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2693-2697
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• 2014

Background: Isoflavones, which are included in soybeans, have been suggested to protect against prostate cancer. Equol, one of isoflavones, is an intestinally derived bacterial metabolite of daidzein. A newly identified equol-producing bacterium, Slackia sp. strain NATTS, with a high equol-producing activity was isolated from human feces in Japanese adults. Counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in intestinal flora have not been assessed with regard to prostate cancer risk. In this study, we investigated the association of serum isoflavones and counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS with prostate cancer risk in a case-control study. Materials and Methods: Concentrations of isoflavones and counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in feces were measured from 44 patients with prostate cancer and 28 hospital controls. The risk of prostate cancer was evaluated in terms of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by the logistic regression analysis. Results: The detection proportions of Slackia sp. strain NATTS in cases and controls were 34.1% and 25.0%, respectively. Counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS were significantly correlated with serum concentrations of equol both in cases and controls (Spearman correlation coefficients, $r_s$=0.639 and $r_s$=0.572, p<0.01, respectively). Serum concentrations of genistein, daidzein, glycitein, and equol were not significantly associated with risk of prostate cancer. Conclusions: This study found that counts of Slackia sp. strain NATTS correlated with serum concentrations of equol both in prostate cancer cases and controls, but serum isoflavone concentrations were not associated with risk of prostate cancer in our patients.

• 디지털산업정보학회논문지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.17-22
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• 2013

In this paper, we propose a concrete crack detection method using shape properties. It is based on morphology algorithm and crack features. We assume that an input image is contaminated by various noises. Thus, we use a morphology operator and extract patterns of crack. It segments cracks and background using opening and closing operations. Morphology based segmentation is better than existing integration methods using subtraction in detecting a crack it has small width. Also, it is robust to noisy environment. The proposed algorithm classifies the segmented image into crack and background using shape properties of crack. This method calculates values of properties such as the number of pixels and the maximum length of the segmented region. Also, pixel counts of clusters are considered. We decide whether the segmented region belongs to cracks according to those data. Experimental results show that our proposed crack detection method has better results than those by existing detection methods.

• 대한기계학회논문집
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.547-554
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• 1992

본 연구에서는 Climet사의 백색광원 OPC인 CI226와 PMS사의 laser 광원 OPC인 LAS-X 및 HS-LAS의 응답특성을 측정하여 제작사가 제시한 응답특성과 비교하여 그 정 확성을 논하였으며 아울러 고유량(high flow rate) Clean Room용 OPC인 Climet CI- 7300, Met One 200, Hiac/Royco5120 등 3가지 장치에 관한 오계수의 원인을 박히고자 하였다.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.99-103
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple detection method, possibly at the species-level, that allows for large-scale screening of bifidobacteria. Human fecal samples were plated on MRS-raffinose agar containing cysteine and neomycin sulfate, serving as selective pressure for bifidobacteria, and 0.003%(w/v) bromocresol green. All of the test strains grew well on this medium at $37{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, forming white colonies surrounded by yellow halos, which presented a sharp contrast against the green background. In this disc assay, the required incubation time to develop a yellowish zone varied with the species of Bifidobacterium that was tested, allowing for differential counts and easy identification at the species-level: 10-14 hr for B. bifidum, 20-22 hr for B. catenulatum and B. infantis. and 24-25 hr for B. longum and B. breve. No apparent color was observed for B. angulatum and B. adolescentis 28 hr after inoculation. To evaluate the results of pH indicator-based identification, individual isolates were subjected to a colony-PCR experiment with genus-specific primers. The amplified products from the isolates were in good accordance with those from the reference strains at a level of 95% agreement. These results suggest that the present method could be conveniently applied to cell counts, as well as to the preliminary identification of bifidobacteria from a variety of sample types including human feces, dairy products, and commercial probiotic supplements.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.67-71
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• 2015

Purpose At recently, we enter into the aging society and a age-related disease is increasing. Among that, prevalence of degenerative brain disease like Parkin's disease will be increased. So, many radiopharmaceuticals is developed to diagnosis early and to evaluate the performance of therapeutic drugs. Especially $^{18}F-DOPA$ which involved at dopamine synthesis and function of storage is widely used to the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease as well as brain tumors. in the study, we will evaluate the distribution pattern of $^{18}F-DOPA$ at the striatum by using dynamic study. Materials and Methods We used Biograph Truepoint(Siemens, Germany) as PET/CT scanner, injected a $^{18}F-DOPA$ ($600{\pm}30MBq$) to patient (4men, 6women. $67{\pm}11age$) who visited our hospital from June to September, started 95min dynamic study at same time. after finishing acquisition, we reconstructed PET data with 19 frame every 5 minutes, analysed a average counts at ROI's where set at both striatums, anterior putamen, posterior putamen Results Counts in the cerebellum as the background formed a plateau after 90 minutes from the highest out rapidly reduced to 15 minutes. Counts of anterior putamen and posterior gradually increased but formed a plateau after 60min. A count ratio of Striatum to cerebellum was continuously increased up to more than 95 minutes, A count ratios of an anterior putamen to posterior one formed a plateau after 85 minutes. Conclusion The dynamic acquisition can be possible to evaluate a distribution of the $^{18}F-DOPA$ in the striatum and the VOI analysis through a dynamic acquisition and a variety of patterns. Futhermore, to make a uniformed distribution and count ratio of striatum to cerebellum, a static acquisition will have to start 90minutes later after injection.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제85권1호
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• pp.18-24
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• 2022

Background: Neutrophilic asthma (NeuA) is usually resistant to corticosteroids. Tiotropium bromide (TIO) is a bronchodilator that is used as an add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting β2 agonist in asthma treatment. However, the role of TIO in NeuA is not fully known. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TIO on NeuA compared to that of corticosteroids. Methods: C57BL/6 female mice were sensitized with ovalbumin and lipopolysaccharide to induce neutrophilic inflammation. Dexamethasone (DEX) was administered on days 14, 17, 20, and 23. TIO was inhaled on days 21, 21, and 23. On day 24, mice were sacrificed. Airway hyper-responsiveness, levels of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung homogenates, and lung tissue histopathology were compared between the two groups. Results: Neutrophil counts, T helper 2 cells (T_H2)/T_H17 cytokines, and pro-inflammatory cytokine in BAL fluids were elevated in the NeuA group. TIO group showed lower total cells, neutrophil counts, and eosinophil counts in BAL fluids than the DEX group (p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.001, respectively). Airway resistance was attenuated in the TIO group but elevated in the NeuA group (p<0.001). Total protein, interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-17A levels in BAL fluids were lower in the TIO group than in the NeuA group (all p<0.05). Conclusion: TIO showed more potent effects than DEX in improving airway inflammation and attenuating airway resistance in NeuA.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.39-45
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• 2022

Background: The current guidelines for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis (APN) recommend that APN be diagnosed based on the clinical features and the presence of pyuria. However, we observed that some of the patients who are diagnosed with APN do not have characteristic clinical features or pyuria at the initial examination. We performed this study to investigate the characteristics of APN without pyuria. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 391 patients diagnosed with APN based on clinical and radiologic findings, between 2015 and 2019. The clinical features, laboratory results, and computed tomography (CT) findings were compared between patients with normal white blood cell (WBC) counts and those with abnormal WBC counts (WBC of 0-5/high power field [HPF] vs. >5/HPF) in urine. Results: More than 50% of patients with APN had no typical urinary tract symptoms and one-third of them had no costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness. Eighty-eight patients (22.5%) had normal WBC counts (0-5/HPF) on urine microscopy. There was a negative correlation between pyuria (WBC of >5/HPF) and previous antibiotic use (odds ratio, 0.249; 95% confidence interval, 0.140-0.441; p<0.001), and the probability of pyuria was reduced by 75.1% in patients who took antibiotics before visiting the emergency room. Conclusion: The diagnosis of APN should not be overlooked even if there are no typical clinical features, or urine microscopic examination is normal. If a patient has already taken antibiotics at the time of diagnosis, imaging studies such as CT should be performed more actively, regardless of the urinalysis results.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.70.1-70.14
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• 2023

Background: Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes a chronic and progressive granulomatous enteritis and economic losses in dairy cattle in subclinical stages. Subclinical infection in cattle can be detected using serum MAP antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fecal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Objectives: To investigate the differences in blood parameters, according to the detection of MAP using serum antibody ELISA and fecal PCR tests. Methods: We divided 33 subclinically infected adult cattle into three groups: seronegative and fecal-positive (SNFP, n = 5), seropositive and fecal-negative (SPFN, n = 10), and seropositive and fecal-positive (SPFP, n = 18). Hematological and serum biochemical analyses were performed. Results: Although the cows were clinically healthy without any manifestations, the SNFP and SPFP groups had higher platelet counts, mean platelet volumes, plateletcrit, lactate dehydrogenase levels, lactate levels, and calcium levels but lower mean corpuscular volume concentration than the SPFN group (p < 0.017). The red blood cell count, hematocrit, monocyte count, glucose level, and calprotectin level were different according to the detection method (p < 0.05). The SNFP and SPFP groups had higher red blood cell counts, hematocrit and calprotectin levels, but lower monocyte counts and glucose levels than the SPFN group, although there were no significant differences (p > 0.017). Conclusions: The cows with fecal-positive MAP status had different blood parameters from those with fecal-negative MAP status, although they were subclinically infected. These findings provide new insights into understanding the mechanism of MAP infection in subclinically infected cattle.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.34-37
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• 2012

$^{18}F$-FDG 검사 시 한 bed 당 적정 스캔 시간을 정량 평가하기 위하여 Philips사 TF 64 PET/CT를 사용하였다. Phantom 실험과 환자를 대상으로 다양한 스캔 시간을 적용하며 평가를 하여 최적의 스캔 시간을 알고자 하였다. 20초 간격으로 총 5회의 서로 다른 bed 당 스캔 시간을 NEMA IEC body phantom과 환자들에게 적용하여 $^{18}F$-FDG 영상을 획득하였다. Phantom 실험의 경우 관심영역과 background의 방사능비를 8:1로 했다. 관심영역과 background 영역의 표준섭취계수(SUV)와 대조회복계수(CRC)가 계산되었다. 환자를 대상으로 한 연구에서는 평균$444{\pm}74$ MBq의 $^{18}F$-FDG가 환자에게 주사되었고 20명의 환자, 38개의 병소부위에서 표준섭취계수가 측정되었다. Background noise는 background 부분의 표준편차를 평균으로 나누어 계산되었다. Phantom 실험에서 두 그룹 (LT-60 [<60 sec]과 GT-60 [${\geq}60$ sec])을 비교한 결과 LT-60 그룹의 표준섭취계수(SUV)와 대조회복계수(CRC)가 (H1: 14.2 and 7.3, H2: 11.4 and 7.8, H3: 4.9 and 3.2), GT-60 그룹(H1: 8.9 and 2.8, H2: 8.2 and 5.0, H3: 2.0 and 1.6)에서 보다 높은 변이율을 보였다. 이는 한 bed 당 스캔시간이 60 sec 이상일 때 안정적인 표준섭취계수와 대조회복계수를 나타내는 것을 의미한다. 환자를 대상으로 한 연구에서 역시 표준섭취계수(SUV)와 대조회복계수(CRC)가 LT-60 그룹에서 높은 변이율을 보였다. PET/CT 영상에서 background noise는 bed 당 스캔시간이 증가함에 따라 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 60 sec 이하 그룹에서는 높은 background noise로 인하여 높은 SUV와 CRC 변이율을 보였다. 따라서 PET/CT 영상의 질을 고려할 때 1 bed 당 스캔시간은 최소 60 sec 이상이어야 한다.