• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

Purpose: The pelvic phantom was fabricated in the following purposes: (1) Dose verification of IMRT plan using Eclipse planning computer, (2) to study the interface effect at the interface between rectal wall and air. The TLD can be inserted in the pelvic phantom to confirm the dose distribution as well as uncertainty at the interface. Materials and Methods: A pelvic phantom with the dimension of 30 cm diameter, 20 cm height and 20 cm thickness was fabricated to investigate the dose at the rectal wall. The phantom was filled with water and has many features like bladder, rectum, and prostate and seminal vesicle (SV). The rectum is made of 3 cm-dimater plastic pipe, and it cab be blocked by using a plug, and film can be inserted around the rectal wall. The phantom was scanned with Philips Brillance scanner and various organs such as prostate, SV, and rectal wall, and bladder wall were delineated. The treatment parameters used in this study are the same as those used in the protocols in the SNUH. TLD chips are inserted to the phantom to evaluate the dose distribution to the rectal wall (to simulate high dose gradient region), bladder wall and SV (to simulate the high dose region) and 2 spots in anterior surface (to simulate the low dose region). The TLD readings are compared with those of the planning computer (ECLIPSE, Varian, USA). Results: The target TLD doses represented as the prostate and SV show excellent agreements with the doses from the RTP within +/-3%. The rectal wall doses measured at the rectal wall are different from the those of the RTP by -11%. This is in literatures called as an interface effect. The underdosages at the rectal wall is independent of 3 heterogeneity correction algorithm in the Eclipse RTP. Also the low dose regions s represented as surface in this study were within +/-1%. Conclusion: The RTP estimate the dosage very accurately withihn +/-3% in the high dose (SV, or prostate) and low dose region (surface). However, the dosage at the rectal wall differed by as much as 11% (In literatures, the underdosage of 9$\sim$15% were reported). This range of errors occurs at the interface, for example, at the interface between lung and chest wall, or vocal cord. This interface effect is very important in clinical situations, for example, to estimate the NTCP (normal tissue complication probability) and to estimate the limitations of the current RTP system. Monte-carlo-based RTP will handle this issue correctly.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.177-186
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• 2015

Until Mandelbrot introduced the concept of fractal geometry and fractal dimension in early 1970s, it has been generally considered that the geometry of nature should be too complex and irregular to describe analytically or mathematically. Here fractal dimension indicates a non-integer number such as 0.5, 1.5, or 2.5 instead of only integers used in the traditional Euclidean geometry, i.e., 0 for point, 1 for line, 2 for area, and 3 for volume. Since his pioneering work on fractal geometry, the geometry of nature has been found fractal. Mandelbrot introduced the concept of fractal geometry. For example, fractal geometry has been found in mountains, coastlines, clouds, lightning, earthquakes, turbulence, trees and plants. Even human organs are found to be fractal. This suggests that the fractal geometry should be the law for Nature rather than the exception. Fractal geometry has a hierarchical structure consisting of the elements having the same shape, but the different sizes from the largest to the smallest. Thus, fractal geometry can be characterized by the similarity and hierarchical structure. A process requires driving energy to proceed. Otherwise, the process would stop. A hierarchical structure is considered ideal to generate such driving force. This explains why natural process or phenomena such as lightning, thunderstorm, earth quakes, and turbulence has fractal geometry. It would not be surprising to find that even the human organs such as the brain, the lung, and the circulatory system have fractal geometry. Until now, a normal frequency distribution (or Gaussian frequency distribution) has been commonly used to describe frequencies of an object. However, a log-normal frequency distribution has been most frequently found in natural phenomena and chemical processes such as corrosion and coagulation. It can be mathematically shown that if an object has a log-normal frequency distribution, it has fractal geometry. In other words, these two go hand in hand. Lastly, applying fractal principles is discussed, focusing on pulp and paper industry. The principles should be applicable to characterizing surface roughness, particle size distributions, and formation. They should be also applicable to wet-end chemistry for ideal mixing, felt and fabric design for papermaking process, dewatering, drying, creping, and post-converting such as laminating, embossing, and printing.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.387-391
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• 2007

An oxygenator is a very important artificial organ and widely used for patients with lung failure or during open heart surgery. Although an oxygenator has been widely studied worldwide to enhance its efficiency, studies on oxygenators, in particular when using a pulsatile blood flow, are domestically limited. Therefore, a new oxygenator was developed in the lab and animal experimental results are described in the paper. The oxygenator is composed of polycarbonate housing and polypropylene hollow fibers. It has a total length of 400 mm and a surface area of $1.7 m^2$. The animal experiment lasted for 4 hours. The blood flow rate was set to 2 L/min and a pulsatile blood pump, T-PLS (Twin-Pulse Life Support), was used. Samples were drawn at the oxygenator's inlet and outlet. The total hemoglobin (Hb), saturation oxygen ($sO_2$), and partial oxygen pressure ($pO_2$), partial $CO_2$ pressure ($pCO_2$), and plasma bicarbonate ion concentration ($HCO_3^-$) were measured. The oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer rates were also calculated based on the experimental data in order to estimate the oxygenator's gas transfer efficiency. The oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer rates were $16.4{\pm}1.58$ and $165.7{\pm}10.96 mL/min$, respectively. The results showed a higher carbon dioxide transfer rate was achieved with the oxygenator. Also, the mean inlet and outlet blood pressures were 162.79 and 137.92 mmHg, respectively. The oxygenator has a low pressure drop between its inlet and outlet. The aim of own preliminary study was to make a new oxygenator and review its performance when applying a pulsatile blood pump thus, confirming the possibility of a new oxygenator suitable for pulsatile flow.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.9
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• pp.862-867
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• 2007

Purpose : The impulse oscillometry (IOS) is applicable to young children because it requires minimal cooperation and a non-invasive method to measure the mechanics of respiratory system. This study aimed to develop the reference values in school-aged children in Korea, using IOS which is a modification of forced oscillation technique (FOT). Methods : Measurements were performed in 92 previously untrained healthy children, aged 7 to 12 years old, using IOS. We analyzed the relationships between the data about their age, height, weight, body surface area (BSA), body mass index (BMI) and the result of IOS using the linear regression test. Results : The success rate of IOS was 92.4%. Stepwise multiple regression of resistance of respiratory system (Rrs) and reactance of respiratory system (Xrs) in natural form for age, height, weight, BSA, BMI showed that height was the most significant predictor and altogether of 5 variables explained the Rrs and Xrs most. Our regression equations at multiple frequencys were comparable to published reference values, especially about the Rrs obtained at 5 Hz. Conclusion : IOS is a feasible method to measure the respiratory resistance in untrained children. We got the reference values using IOS and it seems to be useful to diagnose a variety of respiratory diseases.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.288-298
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• 2016

Resveratrol acts as a free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant in the inhibition of numerous reactive oxygen species (ROS). The function of resveratrol and resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles in protecting human lung cancer cells (A549) against hydrogen peroxide was investigated in this study. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay was performed to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Resveratrol had substantially high antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value) compared to trolox and vitamin E since the concentration of resveratrol was more than $50{\mu}M$. Nanoparticles prepared from ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin (${\beta}$-lg) were successfully developed. The ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticle showed 60 to 146 nm diameter in size with negatively charged surface. Non-cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells treated with ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles. Fluorescein isothiocynate-conjugated ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles were identified into the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells, indicating that nanoparticles can be used as a delivery system. Hydrogen peroxide caused accumulation of ROS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles restored $H_2O_2$-induced ROS levels by induction of cellular uptake of resveratrol in A549 cells. Furthermore, resveratrol activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-Kelch ECH associating protein 1 (Nrf2-Keap1) signaling in A549 cells, thereby accumulation of Nrf2 abundance, as demonstrated by western blotting approach. Overall, these results may have implications for improvement of oxidative stress in treatment with nanoparticles as a biodegradable and non-toxic delivery carrier of bioactive compounds.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.455-459
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• 2006

The major pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory process that results from a diversity of injuries to the body. Due to the various cytokines and vasoactive peptides released from the endothelium, the vascular permeability is increased; the migration of inflammatory cells and the leakage of plasma proteins then occur and edema develops in the alveolus. There is a hypothesis that the impairment of alveolar recruitment in ARDS is caused by a defect of the surfactant system and the resultant increase of alveolar surface tension. This has been studied in pediatric patients in ARDS; after the administration of surfactant, hypoxia, respiratory symptoms and survival chances were improved. To alleviate the major pathogenic mechanism in this disease, that is to say, inflammation of the lung, steroids have been used and studied as another treatment modality for ARDS, and it has been concluded that the administration of low dose methylprednisolone may improve patients' symptoms and survival rates. We report here on a case of a young infant admitted with ARDS, who, after the intratracheal administration of 120 mg/kg surfactant, on $PaO_2/FiO_2$ was elevated. Subsequent low doses of methylprednisolone were given, and the symptoms did not recur, and no fibrotic change was shown during the follow-up period of 2 months.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.154-164
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• 1991

Albendazole is a broad spectrum anthelmintics with high activity against intestinal nematodes as well as tremtodes and cestodes infections. But so far wormicidal effect of albendazole against Paragonimus westermani is uncertain. The present study undertaken to observe the morphological changes of Paragonimus westermani which was obtained from experimentally infected with metacercariae isolated from Cambaroides similis and 9 of them were given albendazole 2 doses of 25mg/kg daily for the 2 days and 4 days from the day of 20 weeks after infection. The Paragonimus werms were collected from the lung of the cats which were autopsied at 24 hours after treatment. The fine structures of the collected worms were studied by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The findings of the observations were compared with those of untreated worms. The results are as follows : 1) In the scanning electron microscopic(SEM) observations, the worms obtained from 2 days treated group showed many blebs which were formed on the surface of damaged tegument in between two suckers. Protrusion of oral sucker typically observed and surrounding tegumental ridges were damaged. 2) The worms obtained from 4 days treated group showed marked contraction revealing half size of normal worms. 3) The transmission electronmicroscopic(TEM) observations indicated that large blebs of irregular shapes were formed by the destruction of tegumental ridge of tegumental syncytium and also showed degeneration of mitochondriae. 4) Destruction of tegumental syncytium formation of blebs were usually observed in the ventral side of the worms. 5) Differentiation of tegumental layer and basement layer muscular layer and parenchymal layer around two suckers of worms obtained at 4 days treated group was difficult. 6) Many host cells invaded and destroyed the degenerated tegument by the occurrence of blebs or the exposed muscular layer of the worm after exfoliation of the tegument.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.225-236
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• 2016

Objectives: Nanomaterials have been used in various fields. As use of nanoproducts is increasing, workers dealing with nanomaterials are also gradually increasing. Exposure assessments for nanomaterials have been carried out for protection of worker's health in workplace. Exposure studies were mainly focused on manufacturing processes, but these studies on after-treatment processes such as refinement, weighing, and packing were insufficient. So, we investigated exposure characteristics of particles during after-treatment processes of $Al_2O_3$ fibers and Ni powders. Methods: Mass-production of Ni powder process was carried out in enclosed capture-type canopy hood. In a developing stage, $Al_2O_3$ was handled with a local ventilation unit. Exposure characteristics of particles were investigated for $Al_2O_3$ fiber and Ni powder processes during the periods of 10:00 to 16:00, 20 May 2014 and 13:00 to 16:00, 21 May 2014, respectively. Three real-time aerosol instruments were utilized in exposure assessment. A scanning mobility particle sizer(SMPS, nanoscan, model 3910, TSI) and an optical particle counter(OPC, portable aerosol spectrometer, model 1.109, Grimm) were used to determine the particle size distribution in the size range of 10-420 nm and $0.25-32{\mu}m$, respectively. In addition, a nanoparticle aerosol monitor(NAM, model 9000, TSI) was used to measure lung-deposited nanoparticle surface area. Membrane filters(isopore membrane filter, pore size of 100 nm) were also used for air sampling for the FE-SEM(model S-5000H, Hitachi) analysis using a personal sampling pump(model GilAir Plus by 2.5 L/min, Gilian). Conclusions: For Ni powder after-treatment process, only 27% increase in particle concentration was found during the process. However, for $Al_2O_3$ fiber after-treatment process, significant exposure(1.56-3.34 times) was observed during the process.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 1993

Background: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) is a 90 kD surface glycoprotein, associated with ${\alpha}_L{\beta}_2$ and ${\alpha}_M{\beta}_2$ subunit of integrins, that serve as cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion molecules and help regulate cellular morphology, differentiation, and proliferation. The adhesion molecules likely play important roles in maintaining the normal structure and function of the lung. ICAM-1 system among many cell adhesion molecules is importantly issuing in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Methods : By using $IgG_1$ monoclonal antibody for ICAM-1, we investigated immunohistochemically the expression of ICAM-1 in the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the 3 normal cases and 6 pieces of tissues taken 3 cases with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Results : In the 3 normal cases, the expressions of ICAM-1 were not discernible. Up-regulation of the ICAM-1 expression was showed in the interstitial fibroblast cells of alveolar septa in 5 pieces and proliferated alveolar pneumocytes in 1 piece among 6 pieces of tissues taken 3 cases with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusion : It was concluded from these findings that up-regulation of the ICAM-1 expression may be related to pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2014

Chest radiography has been typically performed at SID of 180 cm. Image quality and patient dose were investigated between 180 cm and 340 cm by 20 cm intervals at 120 kVp and 320 mAs with the AEC. VGA was performed for qualitative assessment and SNR was analysed for quantitative assessment on the image of the chest phantom. Patients dose was measured by ESAK and PCXMC was used for effective dose. As a result, when using the standard of SID of 180 cm which is typically used in the clinical practice, in the case of ESAK, 240 cm, 280 cm, and 320 cm were 8.7%, 11.47%, and 13.56% respectively therefore significant reduction was confirmed. In the case of effective dose, 2.89%, 4.67%, and 6.41% in the body and 5.08%, 6.09%, and 9.6% in lung were reduced. In the case of SNR, 9.04%, 8.24%, and 11.46% were respectively decreased especially, by 8.03% between SID of 260 cm and 300 cm, but SNR was 5.24 up to 340 cm. There were no significant differences in VGA thus the image is valuable in diagnosis. It is predicted that increasing SID up to 300 cm in digital chest radiography can reduce patient dose without decreasing image quality.