• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2019

Mycobacteria grow slowly. Therefore, a solid medium should be used for eight weeks and a liquid medium for six weeks. The purpose of this study was to find the growth factors that can grow Mycobacterium rapidly and to help develop a solid medium for rapid identification. Three types of Mycobacterium growth factors were evaluated with 10 Mycobacteria by adding activated charcoal, defibrinated sheep blood, and L-ascorbic acid to $Difco^{TM}$ Mycobacteria 7H11 agar (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Sparks, MD, USA). The time to detection and the distinguishability of a colony were compared with that of the current method. In the rapidly growing Mycobacterium, the difference in detection time between the new media and conventional media confirmed that the new media was faster. M. kansasii and M. intracelluare grew faster in 7H11 C than in 7H11 medium. MTB grew faster than the other media in 7H11 C. This study confirmed that the two growth factors affect fast-growing Mycobacteria and slow-growing Mycobacteria. 7H11 C showed better distinguishability than the conventional media in all 10 Mycobacterium due to the color contrast. In particular, when the MTB was grown, the size of the colonies was larger than with other media, so visualization was easy.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.459-466
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• 2019

When a laser pulse is irradiated on a CNT (Carbon Nanotube) and PDMS (Poly dimethylsiloxane) composite coated on a transparent PMMA (Poly methyl methacrylate) substrate, a strong ultrasonic wave is generated due to the thermoelastic effect. In this paper, the thermoacoustic theory related to the wave generation by the CNT/PDMS composite was established. The waveforms of ultrasonic waves when a laser pulse having a Gaussian waveform is irradiated on the composite with a thickness of $20{\mu}m$ were numerically simulated. From the results, it was confirmed that ultrasonic shock waves can be generated from the CNT/PDMS composite and the waveforms are changed little even if the physical properties of the composite are changed by ${\pm}20%$. It was found that the peak positive and negative pressures increase as the thermal expansion coefficient increases, or as density, heat capacity and sound speed decreased. However, those changes were not so sensitive with thermal conductivity. In addition, the physical properties of the CNT/PDMS composite fabricated in this study were estimated from the comparison of the measurement and simulation results.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2019

Background: Understanding the burden of disease is important to establish cost-effective treatment strategies and to allocate healthcare resources appropriately. However, little reliable information is available regarding the overall economic burden imposed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Korea. Methods: This study is a multicenter observational research on the COPD burden in Korea. Total COPD costs were comprised of three categories: direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs. For direct medical costs, institutional investigation was performed at 13 medical facilities mainly based on the claims data. For direct non-medical and indirect costs, site-based surveys were administered to the COPD patients during routine visits. Total costs were estimated using the COPD population defined in the recent report. Results: The estimated total costs were approximately 1,245 million US dollar (1,408 billion Korean won). Direct medical costs comprised approximately 20% of the total estimated costs. Of these, formal medical costs held more than 80%. As direct non-medical costs, nursing costs made up the largest percentage (39%) of the total estimated costs. Costs for COPD-related loss of productivity formed four fifths of indirect costs, and accounted for up to 33% of the total costs. Conclusion: This study shows for the first time the direct and indirect costs of COPD in Korea. The total costs were enormous, and the costs of nursing and lost productivity comprised approximately 70% of total costs. The results provide insight for an effective allocation of healthcare resources and to inform establishment of strategies to reduce national burden of COPD.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.739-748
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• 2019

Cheonggukjang and chaga mushrooms have numerous health benefits, and have been used in alternative medicine. Therefore, a powder mixture of 98: Cheonggukjang and 2: Chaga extracts was fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus KCTC3925 (FCC) and its anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice were determined. Five-week-old male ICR mice were fed a normal diet or HFD in the presence or absence of 3% and 5% FCC by weight (n = 10 per group). After 12 weeks, the mice were sacrificed, and the serum and tissue samples were collected for analysis. Body weight and epididymal fat pad weight were significantly lowered in the 3% and 5% FCC groups compared with those in the HFD control group (p < 0.01). FCC supplementation suppressed serum triglyceride and increased serum HDL-C levels (p < 0.01). Serum GOT, GPT, and leptin levels, hepatic COX-2 mRNA expression, and splenic COX-2 and IL-4 mRNA expression were significantly higher in the HFD groups than in the control group (p > 0.05); however, except for splenic IL-4 levels, the increases were significantly attenuated by FCC supplementation. Expression of ICAM-1, an aortic inflammatory marker, was significantly increased in the HFD group; this effect was suppressed in the 3% FCC group (p < 0.01) but not in the 5% FCC group. FCC suppressed the body weight and epididymal fat pad weight gain, as well as inflammatory responses in the liver and spleen of HFD-fed mice. Thus, FCC supplementation will be beneficial for the treatment of obesity-related effects.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2018

Background: To evaluate mid-term oncological and functional outcomes in patients with prostate cancer treated by robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) at our institution. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 128 patients with prostate cancer who underwent RALP at our institution between February 2008 and April 2010. All patients enrolled in this study were followed up for at least 5 years. We analyzed biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis and predictive factors for BCR using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Continence recovery rate, defined as no use of urinary pads, was also evaluated. Results: Based on the D'Amico risk classification, there were 30 low-risk patients (23.4%), 47 intermediaterisk patients (38.8%), and 51 high-risk patients (39.8%), preoperatively. Based on pathological findings, 50.0% of patients (64/128) showed non-organ confined disease (${\geq}T3a$) and 26.6% (34/128) had high grade disease (Gleason score ${\geq}8$). During a median follow-up period of 71 months (range, 66-78 months), the frequency of BCR was 33.6% (43/128) and the median BCR-free survival was 65.9 (0.4-88.0) months. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high grade disease (Gleason score ${\geq}8$) was an independent predictor for BCR (hazard ratio=4.180, 95% confidence interval=1.02-17.12, p=0.047). In addition, a majority of patients remained continent following the RALP procedure, without the need for additional intervention for post-prostatectomy incontinence. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated acceptable outcomes following an initial RALP procedure, despite 50% of the patients investigated demonstrating high-risk features associated with non-organ confined disease.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.385-391
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• 2018

In this study, carbon fibers were fabricated via carbonization of oxidized polyacrylonitrile (oxi-PAN) under different carbonization conditions. Carbonization of oxi-PAN fiber was performed under four different temperature (1300, 1400, 1500, $1600^{\circ}C$) with four different fiber tensions (14, 25, 35, 45 MPa). Effect of carbonization process on the structural development and mechanical properties of carbon fiber were characterized by single filament fiber tensile test and Raman spectroscopy. A clear correlation exists between the Raman spectrum and the tensile modulus of carbon fiber and effect of carbonization temperature on the tensile modulus showed increased tendency only at higher fiber tension (${\geq}25MPa$) while tensile strength showed decreased or random tendency. Therefore, it may be concluded that the optimization of carbonization temperature of oxi-PAN fiber also requires optimization of fiber tension.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.833-841
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• 2021

This study was an entertainer who was in charge of female music in the Joseon Dynasty, but the existence of gisaengs, who were recognized as'sexual partners' of the four grandfathers, and the Joseon Dynasty, when their existence was possible. I tried to reveal the social characteristics of Therefore, the research is meaningful in that it attempted to reveal the relationship between the grandfather and the gisaeng from various perspectives, and that it is possible to confirm the various social roles of the gisaeng. In the Confucian society, female musicians were not allowed to participate in Naeyeon and Chinjamrye, where women were the main pillars, so not only could the girl's music survive until the end of the Joseon Dynasty, but it was enough to reveal the existence of a professional artist. The existence of gisaengs is not irrelevant to the social background of the Joseon Dynasty, and therefore, it is impossible to define the Joseon Dynasty with the holy morality of modern society. It is believed that 『catching green onions is expected to enhance the aspect of a gisaeng as a celebrity, based on the interpretation that it is viewed from the perspective of an entertainer possessing an extraordinary and noble spirit rather than portraying the gisaeng in an erotic standard.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.510-531
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to review the status of numeric rating scale (NRS) usage and suggest the potential for use in multicenter retrospective studies of various diseases. Methods: Articles published from 2011 to 2021 that used the keywords "NRS", "Multi-center", and "RCT" were identified in foreign databases, including EMBASE, PubMed, CENTRAL. The articles were analyzed according to their use of "NRS" by symptoms and by disease group using the major classifications of the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases (KCD-7). Results: Classification by symptom in a total of 288 articles illustrates that the NRS was not only commonly used in pain evaluation but also for non-pain symptoms. In usage with non-pain symptoms, chief complaint of patients was the most common at 79%, and other factors included treatment satisfaction, evaluation of daily life, and sleep quality. In disease classification according to the KCD-7, the NRS was commonly used in connection with musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases but was also utilized in various other disease groups. Conclusions: This study confirms usage of the NRS in multi-center RCTs, as the NRS was widely used in all types of diseases and symptoms. Considering the result and the advantages of the NRS, it is recommended for use as a daily evaluation tool for the collection of common data in multicenter retrospective studies.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.412-419
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• 2021

This study presents the case of a 73-year-old Korean male with dysphagia caused by achalasia and aimed to assess the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment. The outpatient was treated with acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine (Bunsimgieum-gami, Gyejigayonggolmolyeo-tang, Bangpungtongsung-san) for about 6 months. We evaluated the patient's symptoms whenever he visited the clinic. The patient improved significantly after Korean medical treatment. In particular, dysphagia disappeared after herbal medicine treatment. This case report suggests that Korean medical treatment could be effective in treating achalasia. Further studies are needed.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.25-32
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• 2020

The seed, the most basic component, is an important factor in increasing production and efficiency in agriculture. Seeds with superior genes can be expected to improve agricultural productivity, crop survival, and reproduction. Currently, however, screening of superior seeds depends mostly on manual work, which requires a lot of time and manpower. In this paper, we propose a system that can extract the characteristics of seed phenotypes by using computer image processing technology, so that even a small number of people and a short period of time are needed to extract the characteristics of seeds. The proposed system detects individual seeds from images containing large quantities of seeds, and extracts and stores various characteristics such as representative colors, area, perimeter and roundness for each individual seed. Due to the regularity of input images, the accuracy of individual seed extraction in the proposed system is 99.12% for soybean seeds and 99.76% for rice seeds. The extracted data will be used as basic data for various data analyses that reflect the opinions of experts in the future, and will be used as basic data to determine the expressive nature of each seed.