• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 1981

The objective of this study is to induce the primary characteristics of phenylketonuria in infant rats during the first 2 weeks after birth. The critical biochemical parameter in the development of phenylketonuria is the elevation of plasma phenylalanine while tyrosine is maintained at a relatively low level. A PKU-like condition was induced in infant rats during the first 2 weeks after birth using a modification of our previously published procedure for the development of a temporary (1 to 3 days) PKU-like condition. Phenylalanine was administered by stomach intubation every 6 hours (starting at 6:00 a.m.) at a dose level of 400mg per kg body weight (after birth-day 2 thru 5) and 500mg per kg body weight (day 6 thru 14). Amethopterin was given at 0.00625 or 0.0125mg per kg body weight (day 3 thru 14) and p-chlorophenylalanine at 50 mg per kg body weight (day 5 thru 14) at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. At the times measured (6,10 and 14 days) plasma phenylalanine/tyrosine (P/T) ratios were elevated from a normal value of the or less to values ranging from 6 to 15. During the second week after birth a staggering gait, abnormal stance and decreased social behavior were also observed. None of these PKU-like characteristics were apparent in the three control groups receiving (a) no phenylalanine or inhibitors, (b) phenylalanine alone, or (c) inhibitors alone. The establishment of these primary biochemical characteristics of phenylketonuria by stomach intubation of phenylalanine and a combination of low dose levels of enzyme inhibitors to infant rats provides an experimental system which should he valuable for extensive biochemical, histological and behavioral studies in phenylketonuria.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.30.1-30.10
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• 2017

Small-scale fish farmers in developing countries are faced with challenges owing to their limited information on aquaculture management. Nile tilapia farmers in Teso North Sub-County recorded lower yields than expected in 2009 despite having been provided with required inputs. Water quality was suspected to be the key factor responsible for the low yields. This study sought to assess the effects of earthen pond water physico-chemical parameters on the growth of Nile tilapia in six earthen fish ponds under semi-intensive culture system in Teso North Sub-County. The study was longitudinal in nature with pond water and fish being the units of analysis. Systematic sampling was used to select five ponds while a control pond was purposively selected based on its previously high harvest. Four ponds were fed by surface flow and two by underground water. Each pond was fertilized and stocked with 900 fry of averagely 1.4 g and 4.4 cm. Physico-chemical parameters were measured in-situ using a multi-parameter probe. Sixty fish samples were randomly obtained from each pond fortnightly for four months using a 10 mm mesh size and measured, weighed and returned into the pond. Mean range of physico-chemical parameters were: dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.86-10.53 mg/l, temperature $24-26^{\circ}C$, pH 6.1-8.3, conductivity $35-87{\mu}S/cm$ and ammonia 0.01-0.3 mg/l. Temperature (p = 0.012) and conductivity (p = 0.0001) levels varied significantly between ponds. Overall Specific Growth Rate ranged between 1.8% (0.1692 g/day) and 3.8% (1.9 g/day). Ammonia, DO and pH in the ponds were within the optimal levels for growth of tilapia, while temperature and conductivity were below optimal levels. As temperature and DO increased, growth rate of tilapia increased. However, increase in conductivity, pH and ammonia decreased fish growth rate. Temperature and DO ranging between 27 and $30^{\circ}C$ and 5-23 mg/l, respectively, and SGR of 3.8%/day and above are recommended for higher productivity.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2009

The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early structural marker of the atherosclerotic process and is the only non-invasive test that is currently recommended by the American Heart Association for evaluation of the risk. However, use of this parameter has a limitation because it assumes uniform thickness throughout the blood vessel, whereas atherosclerosis is a focal phenomenon that is confined to intima. In fact, plaque can be found along the atherosclerotic blood vessels even though its value is unknown. The aim of this study is to analyze the carotid plaque and IMT in the stroke patients. We investigated the patients with ischemic stroke, who were admitted to the department of neurology at the Stroke Special Hospital from January to March 2008. After the carotid IMT and plaque were assessed by B-mode ultrasonography, IMT and carotid plaque to risk variables (age, sex) were analyzed. The distribution of CCA IMT was significantly different in terms of age (p = 0.004). Likewise, the distribution of carotid plaque was also significantly different in terms of age (p = 0.006). Carotid plaque was 69 and 92% in normal and abnormal CCA IMTs respectively. The results showed that the CCA IMT was closely associated with carotid plaque.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2012

Purpose: To investigate the safety of high dose hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of liver volumetric changes and clinical liver function. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients with small HCC who were treated with high dose hypofractionated RT between 2006 and 2009. The serial changes of the liver volumetric parameter were analyzed from pre-RT and follow-up (FU) computed tomography (CT) scans. We estimated linear time trends of whole liver volume using a linear mixed model. The serial changes of the Child-Pugh (CP) scores were also analyzed in relation to the volumetric changes. Results: Mean pre-RT volume of entire liver was 1,192.2 mL (range, 502.6 to 1,310.2 mL) and mean clinical target volume was 14.7 mL (range, 1.56 to 70.07 mL). Fourteen (87.5%) patients had 4 FU CT sets and 2 (12.5%) patients had 3 FU CT sets. Mean interval between FU CT acquisition was 2.5 months. After considering age, gender and the irradiated liver volume as a fixed effects, the mixed model analysis confirmed that the change in liver volume is not significant throughout the time course of FU periods. Majority of patients had a CP score change less than 2 except in 1 patient who had CP score change more than 3. Conclusion: The high dose hypofractionated RT for small HCC is relatively safe and feasible in terms of liver volumetric changes and clinical liver function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2889-2894
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• 2015

Background: To investigate the impact of the breast size, shape, maximum heart depth (MDH), and chest wall hypotenuse (the distance connecting middle point of the sternum and the length of lung draw on the selected transverse CT slice) on the volumetric dose to heart with whole breast irradiation (WBI) of left-sided breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Fifty-three patients with left-sided breast cancer undergoing adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were enrolled in the study. The primary breast size and shape, MHD and DCWH (chest wall hypotenuse) were contoured on radiotherapy (RT) planning CT slices. The dose data of hearts were obtained from the dose-volume histograms (DVHs). Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student's t-test and linear regression analysis. Results: Breast size was independent of heart dose, whereas breast shape, MHD and DCWH were correlated with heart dose. The shapes of breasts were divided into four types, as the flap type, hemisphere type, cone type and pendulous type with heart mean dose being $491.8{\pm}234.6cGy$, $752.7{\pm}219.0cGy$, $620.2{\pm}275.7cGy$, and $666.1{\pm}238.0cGy$, respectively. The flap type of breasts shows a strong statistically reduction in heart dose, compared to others (p=0.008 for V30 of heart). DCWH and MHD were found to be the most important parameters correlating with heart dose in WBI. Conclusions: More attention should be paid to the heart dose of non-flap type patients. The MHD was found to be the most important parameter to correlate with heart dose in tangential WBI, closely followed by the DCWH, which could help radiation oncologists and physicsts evaluate heart dose and design RT plan in advance.

• Journal of Korean Port Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.215-230
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• 1997

A number of ocean outfalls are located around coastal area over the United States and discharge primary treated effluent into deep water for efficient wastewater treatment. Two of them, the Sand Island and Honouliuli municipal wastewater outfalls, are located on the south coast of Oahu. There have been growing interests about the plume dynamics around the ocean outfalls since plume discharged from the multiport diffuser may have significant impacts on coastal communities and immediate consequence on public health. Among the studies of plume dynamics performed in the vicinity of both outfalls, Project MB-4 in the Mamala Bay Study recently made with the funding in the $ 9 million amount statistically dealt with the near-field behavior of the plumes at the Sand Island and Honouliuli outfalls. However, Project MB-4 predicted much higher surfacing frequency than the realistic value obtained by model studies by Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.. It is suggested that improvements should be made in the application of the plume model to more simulate the actual discharge characteristics and ocean conditions. In this study, it has been recommended that input parameters in plume models reflect realistic density profile over the entire water column since. in the previous Mamala Bay Study, the density profiles were measured at 5m depth increments extending from 13 to 63 m depth (the density profile on the upper portion of water column was not included, Roberts 1995). It is proved that the density stratification is the important parameter for the submergence of the plume. In this study, as one of the important parameters, plume rise and initial dilution reflecting the density profile over the entire water column have been taken into account for more reliable plume behavior description.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.787-794
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• 2005

The aim of this study was 1) to confirm the practical efficiency of a routine milk P4 monitoring system for postpartum reproductive management of a dairy herd, and 2) to evaluate the relationship between the blood metabolic profiles, milk quality and body weight of individual cows in the farm records, which may reflect the postpartum nutritional condition, and the time of postpartum resumption of ovarian activity of dairy cows. A total of 116 Holstein cows was used in the present study. First, during the period of Experiment 1, postpartum reproductive management based on weekly measured milk P4 concentration from individual cows was conducted. Compared with the reproductive records of the past two years without P4 monitoring, although the day from calving to first AI did not change, both the number of AI until pregnant (with P4; 1.9 times vs. without P4; 2.9 times) and the days open (with P4; 95.1 days vs. without P4; 135.8 days and 133.8 days) were significantly decreased. In Experiment 2, the measurement of blood constituents such as albumin, blood urea nitrogen, packed cell volume, ammonia, glucose, total cholesterol, non-esterified, AST and $\gamma$-GTP was performed on the blood samples taken once approximately 14 days postpartum, to monitor both health and nutritional conditions. The milk constituent parameters, such as milk protein (MP), milk fat (MF), SNF and lactose, collected from the monthly progeny test of individual cows, were used to monitor the postpartum nutritional status. Furthermore, the data obtained from the routine measurements of body weight were used to calculate the rate of peripartum body weight loss. The resumption day of the postpartum estrous cycle was assumed from the milk P4 profiles of individual cows. There was no clear relationship between each parameter from blood examination and those from resumption time. However, the cows had low values of MP, and SNF, which significantly affected the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle. Similarly, a higher rate of body weight loss indicated a significant delay (more than 1 month) in the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle, compared with the groups that had a medium or lower rate of body weight loss. The results of the present study demonstrated that the implementation of routine milk P4 monitoring-based postpartum reproductive management, together with milk quality parameters and routine BW data available in field conditions may be utilized as a practical approach for increasing the postpartum reproductive efficiency of a high yielding dairy herd.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.3-25
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• 2011

Recently, a number of local governments as well as private organizations have spearheaded the release of animals into the natural ecosystem in Korea. In 2002, most of these animals released were mammals and birds, but the parameter was gradually expanded to include fish, amphibians, and invertebrates in addition to mammals and birds in 2007, with an increased overall number of animals released. Such increase has not only posed ecological, economic, and public health risks, but also yielded an increase in damages incurred by releasing animals historically or ecologically alien to a given region without thorough risk assessment. The most significant cause of such risks was a critical lack of risk management and regulatory schemes addressing the release of animals into the natural ecosystem. In stark contrast, developed countries long before established the requisite risk management and regulatory schemes either by complying with the IUCN/SSC's Guidelines for Re-Introductions or devising them independently. In this context, the current study has examined the release of animals into the natural ecosystem in Korea and, based on the investigation, asserted a strong need for proper risk management. Moreover, the study has presented systematic risk management and regulatory schemes suitable for the Korean milieu based on a comparative analysis of those employed in developed countries.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.519-526
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• 2015

Purpose: To evaluate the changes of OSI value according to tear-film instability measured serially by OQAS(Optical Quality Analysis System, Visiometrics, Spain) every seconds. The presented study analyzed the relationship of the OQAS parameter with the results of the tear-film break-up time, Schirmer test, and the McMonies score. Methods: 147 eyes of 82 subjects were randomly selected from university students (age: $21.51{\pm}3.97$, male 45, female 37). Subjects were measured tear-film break-up time, Schirmer test, McMonies score and once every second for 15 seconds after blinking by continuous measurements from OQAS system. Results: The normal eye groups presented OSI values of $2.13{\pm}1.16$ while the dry eye groups had OSI values of $3.76{\pm}1.42$. Therefore, a significant difference between the normal eye group and dry eye group was discovered (p<0.05). In addition, the OSI value of all subjects increased over time. The OSI value, which was measured every second after blinking occurred, significantly increased between 6 seconds and 7 seconds after the start of the measurement (p<0.05). OSI cut off of 30% (sec.) showed a greater correlation; TBUT (r = 0.855, p = 0.000), McMonies test (r = -0.351, p = 0.003), Schirmer (r = 0.316, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Continuous measurement of OQAS showed a high correlation with the value of the existing dry eye tests. Therefore, Analysis of OSI values by utilization of OQAS could be useful in objectively evaluation of tear film in patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.239-240
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• 2012

With advancements in semiconductor device technologies, manufacturing processes are getting more complex and it became more difficult to maintain tighter process control. As the number of processing step increased for fabricating complex chip structure, potential fault inducing factors are prevail and their allowable margins are continuously reduced. Therefore, one of the key to success in semiconductor manufacturing is highly accurate and fast fault detection and classification at each stage to reduce any undesired variation and identify the cause of the fault. Sensors in the equipment are used to monitor the state of the process. The idea is that whenever there is a fault in the process, it appears as some variation in the output from any of the sensors monitoring the process. These sensors may refer to information about pressure, RF power or gas flow and etc. in the equipment. By relating the data from these sensors to the process condition, any abnormality in the process can be identified, but it still holds some degree of certainty. Our hypothesis in this research is to capture the features of equipment condition data from healthy process library. We can use the health data as a reference for upcoming processes and this is made possible by mathematically modeling of the acquired data. In this work we demonstrate the use of recurrent neural network (RNN) has been used. RNN is a dynamic neural network that makes the output as a function of previous inputs. In our case we have etch equipment tool set data, consisting of 22 parameters and 9 runs. This data was first synchronized using the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm. The synchronized data from the sensors in the form of time series is then provided to RNN which trains and restructures itself according to the input and then predicts a value, one step ahead in time, which depends on the past values of data. Eight runs of process data were used to train the network, while in order to check the performance of the network, one run was used as a test input. Next, a mean squared error based probability generating function was used to assign probability of fault in each parameter by comparing the predicted and actual values of the data. In the future we will make use of the Bayesian Networks to classify the detected faults. Bayesian Networks use directed acyclic graphs that relate different parameters through their conditional dependencies in order to find inference among them. The relationships between parameters from the data will be used to generate the structure of Bayesian Network and then posterior probability of different faults will be calculated using inference algorithms.