• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2017

ELISA has been used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, but it is being gradually replaced by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). We compared and analyzed ELISA and RDT results using the sera collected during 4 consecutive years from residents of Gyodong-do (Island), Incheon-city, Korea. Sera from 921, 993, 940, and 838 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis (2010-2013). ELISA was performed by using a crude extract of T. gondii RH strain antigen and IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), GST-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. Comparison between groups was analyzed by the Student's t-test. The positive seroprevalence surged from 14.7% (135/921, 2010), 23.1% (231/993, 2011), 23.6% (222/940, 2012), and 32.1% (269/838, 2013) by ELISA. In contrast, RDT showed a more moderate increasing trend from 21.7% (200/921, 2010), 25.5% (253/993, 2011), 28.9% (272/940, 2012) and 33.1% (277/838, 2013). Discrepancies between ELISA and RDT were noted near the cut-off value. At the OD 0.15-0.24 range, RDT could detect 16.1% (169/1051) more positives, which suggests an early or acute toxoplasmosis, but at the OD 0.25-0.34 range, ELISA could detect 35.9% (92/256) more positives of possible chronic infections. Over the OD > 0.35 ELISA and RDT agreed in the majority of the cases. This surge in seroprevalence may be caused by the organic agriculture in addition to eating behavior or increase in pets among Koreans. These facts may be applied on a full-scale national survey using RDT to supplement ELISA to define the characteristics of the infection.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.613-619
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• 2018

In this study, various influent sludge pre-treatment methods and the internal recirculation of thickened sludge from effluents using a liquid/solid separation unit were adopted to investigate their effects on the sludge digestion and methane production in a combined mesophilic anaerobic and thermophilic aerobic sludge digestion process. A lab-scale combined sludge digestion process was operated during 5 phases using different feed sludge pre-treatment strategies. In phase 1, the feed sludge was pre-treated with a thermal-alkaline method. In contrast, in phases 2, 3 and 4, the internal recirculation of thickened sludge from the effluent and thermal-alkaline, thermal, and alkaline pre-treatment (7 days) were applied to the combined process. In phase 5, the raw sludge without any pre-treatment was used to the combined process. With the feed sludge pre-treatment and internal recirculation, the experimental results indicated that the volatile suspended solid (VSS) removal was drastically increased from phases 1 to 4. Also, the methane production rate with the thermal-alkaline pre-treatment and internal recirculation was significantly improved, showing an increment to 285 mL/L/day in phase 2. Meanwhile, the VSS removal and methane production in phase 5 were greatly decreased when the raw sludge without any pre-treatment was applied to the combined process. Considering all together, it was concluded that the combined process with the thickened sludge recirculation and thermal-alkaline pre-treatment can be successfully employed for the highly efficient sewage sludge reduction and methane gas production.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2017.01a
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• pp.235-238
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• 2017

This study was to develop a portable digital radiography (PDR) system with a function measuring the X-ray source-with-detector angle (SDA) and to evaluate the imaging performance for the diagnosis of chest imaging. The SDA device consisted of an Arduino, an accelerometer and gyro sensor, and a Bluetooth module. According to different angle degrees, five anatomical landmarks on chest images were assessed using a 5-point scale. Mean signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio were 182.47 and 141.43. Spatial resolution (10% MTF) and entrance surface dose were 3.17 lp/mm ($157{\mu}m$) and 0.266mGy. The angle values of SDA device were not significant difference as compared to those of the digital angle meter. In chest imaging, SNR and CNR values were not significantly different according to different angle degrees (repeated-measures ANOVA, p>0.05). The visibility scores of the border of heart, 5th rib and scapula showed significant differences according to different angles (rmANOVA, p<0.05), whereas the scores of the clavicle and 1st rib were not significant. It is noticeable that the increase in SDA degree was consistent with the increase of visibility score. Our PDR with SDA device would be useful to be applicable to clinical radiography setting according to the standard radiography guideline at various fields.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2008

A compact soft x-ray microscope operated in the 'water window' wavelength region ($2.3{\sim}4.4nm$) was used for observing cells with nano-scale spatial resolution. To obtain cellular imaging captured with colloidal gold nanoparticles using a compact soft x-ray microscope. The colloidal gold nanoparticles showed higher contrast and lower transmission more than 7 times than that of cellular protein on the soft x-ray wavelength region. The structure and thickness of the cell membrane of the Coscinodiscus oculoides (diatome) and red blood cells were seen clearly. The gold nanoparticles within the HT1080 and MDA-MB 231 cells were seen clearly on the soft x-ray microscopy. The gold nanoparticles were aggregated within vesicles by endocytosis.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2010

To predict changes in the marine environment of the Beolgyo Stream Estuary in Jeonnam Province, South Korea, where cohesive tidal flats cover a broad area and a large bridge is under construction, this study conducted numerical simulations involving tidal flow and cohesive sediment transport. A wetting and drying (WAD) technique for tidal flats from the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was applied to a large-scale-grid hydrodynamic module capable of evaluating the flow resistance of structures. Derivation of the eddy viscosity coefficient for wakes created by structures was accomplished through the explicit use of shear velocity and Chezy's average velocity. Furthermore, various field observations, including of tide, tidal flow, suspended sediment concentrations, bottom sediments, and water depth, were performed to verify the model and obtain input data for it. In particular, geologic parameters related to the evaluation of settling velocity and critical shear stresses for erosion and deposition were observed, and numerical tests for the representation of suspended sediment concentrations were performed to determine proper values for the empirical coefficients in the sediment transport module. According to the simulation results, the velocity variation was particularly prominent around the piers in the tidal channel. Erosion occurred mainly along the tidal channels near the piers, where bridge structures reduced the flow cross section, creating strong flow. In contrast, in the rear area of the structure, where the flow was relatively weak due to the formation of eddies, deposition and moderated erosion were predicted. In estuaries and coastal waters, changes in the flow environment caused by artificial structures can produce changes in the sedimentary environment, which in turn can affect the local marine ecosystem. The numerical model proposed in this study will enable systematic prediction of changes to flow and sedimentary environments caused by the construction of artificial structures.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.243-247
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• 1998

The authors tried to confirm the significant changes of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) concentration after insulin administration in comparison with those of usual diurnal variation in the same subjects. Male patients with schizophrenia taking neuroleptics were participated in a study of diurnal variation and insulin induced dopaminergic perturbation, with multiple samplings at baseline, 30minutes, 60minutes and 90minutes after insulin administration(n=18). Ten patients were sampled at baseline and 60minutes after insulin administration. There was a diurnal variation of plasma HVA concentrations, which decreased gradually from 8 am to 9:30 am. We confirmed that regular insulin(0.1 unit/kg) blocked the normal diurnal variations and increased plasma HVA concentrations. This pattern was not correlated with clinical variables, such as age, onset age, duration of illness and presence of family history. Schizophrenic patients were grouped by the positive and negative syndrome scale. In contrast to our previous study, the concentrations of positive and negative groups were similar at baseline. The HVA concentrations of negative group after insulin administration were higher than those of positive group without statistical significance. We have a plan to modify the current insulin-HVA method. In the near future, we will try to confirm whether the modified insulin-HVA method can be used as a biological indicator for the elucidation of complex clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.85-106
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• 2017

The Lago Sofia conglomerate in southern Chile is a deep-marine gravelly deposit, which is hundreds of meters thick and kilometers wide and extends laterally for more than 100 km, filling the foredeep trough of the Cretaceous Magallanes Basin. For understanding the depositional processes and environments of this gigantic deep-sea conglomerate, detailed analyses on sedimentary facies, architecture and paleoflow patterns were carried out, highlighting the differences between the northern (Lago Pehoe and Lago Goic areas) and southern (Lago Sofia area) parts of the study area. The conglomerate bodies in the northern part occur as relatively thin (< 100 m thick), multiple units intervened by thick mudstone-dominated sequences. They show paleoflows toward ENE and S to SW, displaying a converging drainage pattern. In the southern part, the conglomerate bodies are vertically interconnected and form a thick (> 400 m thick) conglomerate sequence with rare intervening fine-grained deposits. Paleoflows are toward SW. The north-to-south variations are also distinct in sedimentary facies. The conglomerate bodies in the southern part are mainly composed of clast-supported conglomerate with sandy matrix, which is interpreted to be deposited from highly concentrated bedload layers under turbidity currents. Those in the northern part are dominated by matrix- to clast-supported conglomerate with muddy matrix, which is interpreted as the products of composite mass flows comprising a turbidity current, a gravelly hyperconcentrated flow and a mud-rich debris flow. All these characteristics suggest that the Lago Sofia conglomerate was formed in centripetally converging submarine channels, not in centrifugally diverging channels of submarine fans. The tributaries in the north were dominated by mass flows, probably affected by channel-bank failures or basin-marginal slope instability processes. In contrast, the trunk channel in the south was mostly filled by tractive processes, which resulted in the vertical and lateral accretion of gravel bars, deposition of gravel dunes and filling of scours and channels, similar to deposits of terrestrial gravel-bed rivers. The trunk channel developed along the axis of foredeep trough and its confinement within the trough is probably responsible for the thick, interconnected channel fills. The large-scale architecture of the trunk-channel fills shows an eastward offset stacking pattern, suggesting that the channel migrated eastwards most likely due to the uplift of the Andean Cordillera.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.49
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• pp.589-610
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• 2017

This study aimed at examining the music world of the composer Muczynski, who played an important and meaningful role in the various experimental trends of music which began to appear in the early $20^{th}$ century, and his works, thereby understanding his relationship with the development of music of various genres today. In the study, his pieces of piano music among his works, which formed the basis for his music, were analyzed. The study examined stylistic characteristics, that is techniques of various types including form, melody, harmony, tonality, rhythm and structure, and introduced the composer's growth in terms of music and philosophical background. Muczynski, the composer who showed the characteristics of neoclassicism, neoromanticism and neobaroque in contrast to the various forms of the $20^{th}$ music, namely music of free styles including atonal music, twelve-tone technique, avant-garde music and electronic music, used traditional forms. However, the characteristics of his works are very free. In addition, in the 1960s, he participated in the production of documentary movie music, creating very creative and sensational music. Muczynski's music has the features of tonality and shows neoclassic and neoromantic features including economical idea, lyrical melody, bitonality and nine-note scale. His music, therefore, is being evaluated as very creative and valuable and is largely significant in that it has provided a good basis for the development of modern movie music and jazz music today.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.193-198
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• 2009

Purpose: This study evaluated the characteristics and the prognosis of multiple intraabdominal solid organ injuries, including those to the liver, spleen, and kidney, after blunt trauma. Methods: From January 2001 to March 2009, 39 patients with multiple intraabdominal solid organ injuries, which had been confirmed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography after blunt trauma, were included in this retrospective study. The injury severity score (ISS), abbreviated injury scale (AIS), revised trauma score (RTS), American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) injury grade of solid organs, initial hemodynamic status, blood gas analysis, blood transfusion, and the mortality were the main outcome measurements. Results: Injured groups were classified into liver/kidney (n=17), liver/spleen (n=4), spleen/kidney (n=13), and liver/kidney/spleen (n=5) groups. Patients were older in the liver/kidney group than in the liver/kidney/spleen group (43 vs 18 years, p=0.023). The initial systolic blood pressures tended to be lower in the liver/kidney group than in the other groups (84 vs 105, 112, and 114 mmHg, p=0.087). The amounts of 24-hour packed RBC transfusion were 32 units in the liver/kidney group and 4 units in the liver/kidney/spleen group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Differences were found in neither the RTS, ISS, and AIS for head, chest, abdominal, and pelvic injuries nor the AAST injury grade for solid organ, but injuries to the chest were more severe in the liver/spleen group than in the spleen/kidney group (AIS 4.0 vs 2.8, p=0.028). Conservative treatment was the most frequent applied treatment in all groups. There were 6 mortalities : 3 due to hypovolemia, 2 to sepsis, and 1 to brain injury. Mortalities occurred only in the liver/kidney group. Conclusion: Patients who had intraabdominal solid organ injuries of the liver and the kidney simultaneously, tended to be transfused more at an early time after trauma, to have lower initial systolic blood pressures, and to have a higher mortality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.310-320
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• 2014

Backgrounds: Endotoxin, which found in the outer membrane of the gram-negative bacteria cell wall, makes up almost all of the lipopolysaccharide(LPS). When people are exposed to endotoxin,it can result in diverse health effects such as an airway irritation and inflammation, fever, malaise, bronchitis, allergic asthma, toxic pneumonitis, hypersensitivity lung disease. Cases among the elderly, children or pregnant can occur more frequently than a healthy adult if they are repeatedly exposed to the existing endotoxin. Therefore, we investigated and assessed the environmental characteristics associated with the airborne endotoxin concentration level in six hospital lobbies. Method: Endotoxin from indoor air in six hospital lobbies was measured by an area sampling method and analyzed according to American Society for Testing and Materials International(ASTM international) E2144-01. Total suspended particulate(TSP), carbon dioxide($CO_2$), temperature and humidity were also measured by using direct reading measurements or airborne sampling equipment at the same time. Environmental characteristics were appropriately divided into two or three groups for a statistics analysis. One-way analysis variable(one-way ANOVA) was used to examine a difference of the endotoxin concentration, depending on the environmental characteristics. In addition, only variables with p-value(p<0.25) were eventually designed to the best model by using multiple regression analysis. Results: The correlation analysis result indicated that TSP(p=0.003) and $CO_2$(p<0.0001) levels were significantly associated with endotoxin concentration levels. In contrast, temperature(p<0.068) and humidity(p<0.365) were not associated with endotoxin concentration. Levels of endotoxin concentration were statistically different among the environmental characteristics of Service time(p=0.01), Establishment of hospital(p<0.001), Scale of hospital(p=0.01), Day average people using hospital(p=0.03), Cleaning time of lobby(p=0.05), Season(p<0.001), and Cleaning of ventilation system(p<0.001) according to ANOVA. Finally, the best model(Adjusted R-square=72%) that we designed through a multiple regression test included environmental characteristics related to Service time, Area of lobby, Season, Cleaning of ventilation system, and Temperature. Conclusions: According to this study, our result showed a normal level of endotoxin concentration in the hospital lobbies and found environmental management methods to reduce the level of endotoxin concentration to a minimum. Consequently, this study recognized to be requirement for the management of ventilation systems and an indoor temperature in order to reduce the level of endotoxin concentration in the hospital lobbies.