• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2013

Unlike general microwave, QRD (Quadratic Residue Diffusor) Microwave used in this study is known as a new technology that enhances the sterilization effect with low power because it is possible to induce the average sterilization by changing wavelength phase difference. Therefore, basic research was conducted on the function that could sterilize culture media for plant factory by using environmentally friendly and low energy consuming QRD Microwave. The results are as follows: It was confirmed that there was no external deformation in the polyurethane foam and rock wool medium when changing the microwave level between 2 and 8 kW in different water content of culture media. However, PDA solid media at 2 kW were not dissolved in 60 and 180 seconds. All of the media were dissolved in other processing. There was little difference in the microwave irradiation level and surface temperature of the strain according to the processing time between Bacillus sp. and Burkholderia sp. In the sterility test according to the microwave irradiation level and processing time, it was confirmed that both Bacillus sp. and Burkholderia sp. grew in the microwave level 2 kW regardless of time. In the microwave level 6 kW, all experimental groups except the processing of Burkholderia sp. for 60 seconds were sterilized, and all of Bacillus sp. was killed in the all experimental groups. In the microwave level 8 kW, it was confirmed that both Bacillus sp. and Burkholderia sp. were sterilized regardless of time. The temperature in microwave-processed media after contaminating strains to each medium was maintained at more than 100 in polyurethane foam and rock wool medium after 60 seconds. In general, it was shown that it was possible to sterilize after 60 seconds. Therefore, it is considered that Bacillus sp. and Burkholderia sp. which are the biggest problems in the plant factory can be adequately sterilized by QRD Microwave used in this study.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.330-338
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• 2009

Purpose : The causes of acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) are mostly attributable to viral infection, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), influenza virus A/B (IFV A/B), or adenovirus (ADV). Several Korean studies reported human metapneumovirus (hMPV) as a common pathogen of ALRTI. However, studies on seasonal distribution and clinical differences relative to other viruses are insufficient, prompting us to perform this study. Methods : From November 2006 to October 2007, we tested nasopharyngeal aspiration specimens in children hospitalized with ALRTI with the multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to identify 6 kinds of common pathogen (hMPV, RSV, PIV, IFV A/B, and ADV). We analyzed positive rates and clinical features by respiratory chart review. Results : We detected 38 (8.4%) hMPV-positive cases out of 193 (41.8%) virus-positive specimens among 462 patients. HMPV infection prevailed from March to June with incidence peaking in April. HMPV-positive patients were aged 15 years (76.3%), and the ratio of boys to girls was 1.2:1. The median age was 27 months. HMPV primarily caused pneumonia (76.3 %) (P=0.018). Average hospitalization of HMPV-associated ALRTI patients was 5.8 days. In addition, they showed parahilar peribronchial infiltration (100%) on chest X-ray, normal white blood cell count (73.7%), and negative C-reactive protein (86.8 %) (P>0.05). All hMPV-positive patients recovered without complication. Conclusion : HMPV is a common pathogen of ALRTI in Korean children, especially in 1-5 year olds, from March to May. Immunocompetent children diagnosed with hMPV-associated ALRTI may have a good prognosis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.113-119
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• 2010

This study examined figurative characters of rice terraces, and is intended to seek figurative possibility of a natural scene by selecting Gyeongnam Area Namhae Gacheon rice terraces, Sancheong Imcheon rice terraces and Hamyang Macheon rice terraces through an analysis of the target land. As a theoretical background, studies of a natural scene and figuration-related literature were looked into, and for figuring a natural scene on the basis of the results, the character of the topography of rice terraces was divided into 9 items as follows by generalizing the inspiration obtained from the natural scenic character and spatial character of rice terraces represented from the topography: (1) Inclination showing the degree of the slope of rice terraces, (2) The bending showed by unevenness of the edge line of rice terraces, (3) The degree of parallelism of the up-and-down edge line, (4) The size of the width of the section of each rice terrace, (5) The area of the total rice terraces, (6) Step gap that indicates the difference of high and low of the up-and-down small rice terraces, (7) Figuration as an image represented by the external form of the total rice terraces, (8) Naturalness and artificiality kept by the total scene, (9) Softness of cornerstones or soil that forms small rice terraces, an atmosphere produced by the total scenes, etc. The results of analysis made through GIS, with rice terraces of Gyeongnam Namhae, Sancheong and Hamyang Area as the target land, are as follows. First, the steeper the inclination is, the higher the step difference of cornerstones becomes, and the steeper the inclination, the narrower the area and width become, so that it could be known that, in rice terraces, inclination is proportional to step difference and the area is inversely proportional to the width. Second, it is considered that line showed in rice terraces, area elements and reiteration, repeated changes, and changes in the scene affected by the surrounding environment including those according to season can be converted into a variety of images according to an individual disposition. Third, it was decided that it is possible to figure repetitive composition and directivity, motility, order and change, etc. into a common type drawn from each target land. This paper, as a study of basic materials for expressing figuration in an environment field, investigated and analyzed the surrounding environment of the target land, and is significant in that it attempted the possibility of being able to generalize the environmental beauty of the target land as one figurative element. More precise studies are expected to be made later.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2013

Trace metal concentration in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa were determined to study the vertical profiles of metal concentrations and to evaluate the levels of metal contamination. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out using enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The mean concentration of metals were 58.8 mg/kg for Cr, 10.3 mg/kg for Co, 22.8 mg/kg for Ni, 18.1 mg/kg for Cu, 74.0 mg/kg for Zn, 6.75 mg/kg for As, 0.14 mg/kg for Cd, 27.4 mg/kg for Pb and 0.026 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. The mean EF values for Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Hg were greater than 1.5 in sediment cores, indicating that these metals in sediments are slightly enriched by anthropogenic activities. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) suggested unpolluted status for metals of sediments collected from outer see of Lake Shihwa. Igeo values for Cu and Hg nearby LNG station (site C, D, E) ranged from 1 to 2, indicating moderately to unpolluted pollution status for those metals. Even if the higher concentrations of trace metals nearby LNG station were observed, there is significantly positive relationship between Al and trace metals. Thus, the sediment grain size plays an important roles in influencing the distribution of trace metals in sediment cores from the outer sea of Lake Shihwa. Based on the comparison with sediment quality guidelines such as threshold effect level and probable effect level in Korea, the concentration of metals in sediments from outer sea of Lake Shihwa are likely to result in no harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2012

The determination and confirmation of dutasteride in human serum was performed by a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MS). Beclomethasone as an internal standard (I.S.) was added to the serum and the mixed sample was pretreated by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). The mass transitions of dutasteride and I.S. monitored in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) were m/z 529.6${\rightarrow}$461.5 and m/z 409.3${\rightarrow}$391.2, respectively, and the retention times were 6.45 and 5.46 min, respectively. The calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 0.5~30.0 ng/mL ($R^2$= 0.9999) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was found to be 0.5 ng/mL. The recovery of dutasteride was shown to be 66~72%. The intra-day assay precision and accuracy were in the range 3.5~5.5% and 85.7~89.9%, respectively, and the interday assay precision and accuracy were in the range 4.2~5.8% and 90.8~95.8%, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.995-1004
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• 2007

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis, leading cause of pediatric acquired heart disease. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has functions as vascular permeability factor, plays an important role in coronary artery lesion (CAL). We studied the clinical significance of serum VEGF in Kawasaki disease. Methods : Kawasaki group was 49 patients, and control group was 15 patients. Diagnosis followed AHA (American Heart Association) diagnostic criteria, with blood sampling in acute, subacute, and convalescent phase. Echocardiographic abnormalities were defined and the definition of intravenous gamma globulin (IVGG)-responsive and IVGG-resistant was determined. Results : Serum VEGF of Kawasaki group was significantly higher than of control group. Comparison of serum VEGF between CAL and non-CAL group, between carditis group and non-carditis group showed no significant differences. Subacute serum VEGF was statistically higher in IVGG-resistant group than in IVGG-responsive group, and serum VEGF of IVGG-resistant group in subacute phase was statistically higher than in the other phases. Serum VEGF of convalescent CAL and non-CAL group in acute and subacute phase had meaningful differences. Total fever duration and subacute serum VEGF had positive correlation. Acute serum VEGF had positive correlation with ESR and CRP, all phases serum VEGF had also positive correlation with WBC. Acute and subacute serum VEGF had negative correlations with hemoglobin and albumin. Conclusion : Serum VEGF can help to determine the severity of Kawasaki disease, especially subacute serum VEGF seems to be used as a prognostic factor of coronary complication. Afterward, further studies needed with more strict diagnostic criteria and more study groups.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 1985

The renal function is under regulatory influence of the central nervous system, mainly through activation of sympathetic nerve to the kidney, and it was recently reported that clonidine, an agonist to ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors, induces diuresis and natriuresis when injected directly into a lateral ventricle of the rabbit brain (i.c.v.). This study was undertaken, therefore, to obtain further information as to the role of the central ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors in regulating renal function, by observing the effects of i.c.v. yohimbine, a specific antagonist of adrenoceptors of ${\alpha}_2$-type, on the rabbit renal function, and to elucidate the mechanism involved in it. With 10 ${\mu}g/kg$ i.c.v. of yohimbine sodium excretion transiently increased along with increasing tendency of urine flow, renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate. These responses decreased with increasing doses. With 100 and 300 ${\mu}g/kg$ i.c.v. marked antidiuresis and antinatriuresis as well as profound decreases of renal perfusion and glomerular filtration were noted. Systemic blood pressure transiently increased. In reserpinized rabbits, 100 ${\mu}g/kg$ yohimbine i.c.v. did not produce any significant changes in urine flow, sodium excretion as well as in renal hemodynamics. The pressor response was also abolished. In preparations in which one kidney was denervated and the other left intact as control, i.c.v. yohimbine elicited typical antidiuretic antinatriuretic response in the innervated control kidney, whereas the denervated experimental kidney responded with marked diuresis and increases in excretory rates of sodium and potassium and in osmolar clearance in spite of absence of increased filtration and perfusion . Systemic blood pressure responded as in the normal rabbits. These observations indicate that i.c.v. yohimbine affects renal function in dual ways in opposite directions, the first being the antidiuretic antinatriuretic effects which results from decreased renal perfusion and glomerular filtration due to sympathetic activation and which is predominantly expressed in the normal rabbits, and the second less apparent effect being the diuretic and natriuretic action which is not mediated by nerve pathway but brought about by some humoral mechanism and which is effected by decreased sodium reabsorption in the tubules, possibly of the proximal portion.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.217-221
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluate residual characteristics of tolclofos-methyl in ginseng and elucidate the reason for its high detection rate from fresh ginseng selling at markets. Seeds of ginseng were sowed after seed dressing with tolclofos-methyl and after a year of growth, the young seedlings were transplanted to field. They were then harvested annually until three-years of growth and the pesticide residue was analyzed in them. LOD and LOQ of the pesticide were 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg, respectively. Recovery test was carried out to validate the analytical method for tolclofos-methyl in ginseng. The ginseng seedlings were fortified with the test pesticide at the level of LOQ, ten times of LOQ and maximum residue concentration of tolclofos-methyl. Its recovery ranged from 77.37 to 100.16%. Residual concentration of tolclofos-methyl in ginseng seedlings just before transplanting and two-year-old ginseng were from 7.58 to 8.05 and from 6.46 to 6.79 mg/kg, respectively. In case of three-year-old ginseng, it was found to be from 4.18 to 4.35 mg/kg. As a result of annual pesticide residue analysis, concentration of the pesticide was found to decrease time-coursely in ginseng. This may be due to decomposition and increasing of fresh weight of the ginseng during the cultivation periods of three years.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2000

Background :The authors have developed a Digital image chart(DIC) and digital Radiotherapy Record System (DRRS). We have evaluated the DIC and DRRS for reliability, usefulness, ease of use, and efficiency. Materials and Methods :The basic design of the DIC and DRRS was to build an digital image database of radiation therapy Patient records for a more efficient and timely flow of critical image information throughout the department. This system is a submit of comprehensive radiation oncology management system (C-ROMS) and composed of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a radiotherapy information database, and a radiotherapy imaging database. The DIC and DRRS were programmed using Delphi under a Windows 95 environment and is capable of displaying the digital images of patients identification photos, simulation films, radiotherapy setup, diagnostic radiology images, gross lesion Photos, and radiotherapy Planning isodose charts with beam arrangements. Twenty-three clients in the department are connected by Ethernet (10 Mbps) to the central image server (Sun Ultra-sparc 1 workstation). Results :From the introduction of this system in February 1998 through December 1999, we have accumulated a total of 15,732 individual images for 2,556 patients. We can organize radiation therapy in a 'paperless' environment in 120 patients with breast cancer. Using this system, we have succeeded in the prompt, accurate, and simultaneous access to patient care information from multiple locations throughout the department. This coordination has resulted in improved operational efficiency within the department. Conclusion :The authors believe that the DIC and DRRS has contributed to the improvement of radiation oncology department efficacy as well as to time and resource savings by providing necessary visual information throughout the department conveniently and simultaneously. As a result, we can also achieve the 'paperless' and 'filmless' practice of radiation oncology with this system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2000

We investigated the phytoplankton community from June to September 1997 in the waters off Kohung, Korea where red tides dominated by harmful dinoflagellates had occurred from August to September or October since 1995. We took water samples five times from 5 depths at 6 or less stations in this study period. The most dominant harmful dinoflagellate during the red tide which had outbroken on August 24, 1997 was Gyrodinium impudicum, not Cochlodinium polykrikoides. On August 21 just before the harmful red tide occurred the abundance of G. impudicum at the inner bay station, 90cells $ml^{-1}$, was higher than that at the outer bay station. However, on August 27 just after the red tide had outbroken, the abundance of G. impudicum at the inner bay station did not increase, whereas that at the outer bay increased rapidly and reached to the maximum of 30,000 cells $ml^{-1}$. Instead, diatoms such as Skeleltonema costatum, Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus, Pseudonitzschia pungens rapidly increased at the inner bay station where fresh water from lands has reached. The high abundance of diatoms might have inhibited the growth of red tide dinoflagellates at this station. The transport of already formed red tide patches from offshore areas, aggregation of scattered cells driven by physical forces, and/or competition between diatom and dinoflagellates might be responsible for this appearance of dense red tide patches at the outer bay station.