• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.625-630
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• 2006

Background: Pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients is the result of a direct effect of tobacco smoke on the intrapulmonary vessels with the abnormal production of the mediators that control vasoconstriction, vasodilatation, and vascular cell proliferation, which ultimately lead to aberrant vascular remodeling and physiology. COPD patients are prone to the developmint of an acute and chronic thromboembolism with an elevation of the plasma procoagulant and fibrinolytic markers However, the roles of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system on the right ventricular dysfunction in COPD patients are not well defined. We examined the alteration of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in COPD patients according to the right ventricular function measured using cardiac multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Methods: The right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was measured using cardiac MDCT in 26 patients who were diagnosed with COPD according to the definition of the GOLD guideline. The plasma level of thrombin antithrombin (TAT) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 were measured using an enzyme linked immunoassay. Results: The plasma TAT was markedly elevated in COPD patients ($10.5{\pm}19.8{\mu}g/L$) compared with those of the control ($3.4{\pm}2.5{\mu}g/L$) (p<0.01). However, the plasma PAI-1 in COPD patients ($29.6{\pm}20.7ng/mL$) was similar to that in the controls. The plasma TAT showed a significant inverse relationship with the RVEF measured by the cardiac MDCT in COPD patients (r=-0.645, p<0.01). However, the plasma PAI-1 did not show a relationship with the RVEF (r=0.022, p=0.92). Conclusion: These results suggest that the coagulation system in COPD patients is markedly activated, and that the plasma level of TAT might be a marker of a right ventricular dysfunction in COPD patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1329-1336
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• 1996

From January, 1994 to January. 1996, mitral valve replacement was performed in 27 patients. Among these, 17 patients underwent mitral valve replacement(MVR) with preservation of the annulo-papillary continuity(PAPCMVR) (-Group I), and 10 patients underwent conventional methods of excision of all the chordae(Group II). The operative technique for PAPCM VR consists of the division of the anterior leaflet into anterior and posterior segments, shifting and reattachment of the divided segments to the mitral ring of the respective commissural areas. This retrospective study has been designed to evalute the postoperative left ventricular function in the two groups. In the group 1, LVEF(Left Vnetricular Ejection Fraction : %) was 52 $\pm$ 3 preoperatively And 50$\pm$3 postoperatively, LVESI Vent icular End Systolic Volume Index/mL/m2) wIns 59 :6 and 51 $\pm$ 7, LVEDI Ventricular End Diastolic Volume Index/mL/m2) was 124$\pm$ 11 and 91 :8. In the group II, LVEF was 56$\pm$1 and 47:), LVESVI 62$\pm$12 and 61$\pm$15, LVEDVI 133$\pm$27 and 104$\pm$17. : the variation of the LVEF in these two group was statistically different(p(0.05). A comparison of left ventricular function data between Group I(n: 17) and Group II(n: 10) revealed better results in echocardiographic LVEF(p<0.05), LVEDVI(p<0.01) in the former group. The mean functional class(UYHA) was 2.6 preoperative and improved to 1.0 postoperatively In group 1, and 2.8 and to 1.0 in group II. We conclude that maintenance of continuity between the mitral annulus and papillary muscles is expected to have a beneficial effect on postoperative left ventricular performance.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.6 s.275
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• pp.407-413
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• 2007

Background: The brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level has been reported in some studies to be associated with the occurrence of atrial fbrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential usefulness of the BNP level as a predictor of the occurrence of postoperative (postop) AF and to assess the relationship of the BNP level with the onset of AF and the restoration of sinus rhythm. Material and Method: From January 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006, 82 patients without a history of atrial arrhythmia that had undergone cardiac surgery were enrolled in the study. Blood samples for plasma BNP were drawn daily for all these patients from the preoperative (preop) day to the 7th postop day. The patient records were reviewed and postop EKGs were checked daily for AF until the time of discharge. Result: Patients were divided into two groups based on development of postop AF. Postoperative AF developed in 26 patients (31.7%). There was no significant statistical difference in age, sex distribution, preop left ventricle ejection fraction, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, or the use of beta blockers between the non-postop AF and postop AF group. More patients in the AF group had undergone valve surgery (39.3% versus 76.9%, p=0.002). The preop left atrium size was significantly larger in the AF patients ($43.8{\pm}10.3 mm$ versus $49.8{\pm}11.5 mm$, p=0.029). The preop plasma BNP levels were higher in the postop AF patients ($144.1{\pm}20.8 pg/mL$ versus $267.5{\pm}68 pg/mL$, p=0.034). In the postop AF group, the plasma BNP level was the highest on the 3rd postop day. Postop AF developed in most patients by the 3rd postop day; restored sinus rhythm developed by the 7th postop day. Conclusion: Elevated plasma BNP levels may lead to the occurrence of postop AF in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Patients who have a high risk of postop AF should be considered for aggressive prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.287-301
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• 2014

In order to understand environment condition and phytoplankton community before and after coastal upwelling, the influences of upwelling events on phytoplankton community were studied at 18 stations located the Southern part of East Sea, Korea from May to August 2013. The surface water masses showed low temperature and high salinity due to upwelling events at coastal stations (A1, B1, C1). Correlation between temperature and nutrients (DIP, r=-0.218, p<0.01; DIN, r=-0.306, p<0.01; silicate, r=-0.274, p<0.01) was significantly negative. This result could be explained that nutrients were supplied to surface water by the upwelling of bottom water. Phytoplankton communities were composed of 186 species. Phytoplankton abundance were relatively high in May (C1, $726{\times}10^3cells\;L^{-1}$) and July (A1, $539{\times}10^3cells\;L^{-1}$). Total chlorophyll a and micro-size fraction ($&gt;20{\mu}m$) increased at coastal stations in July and August, while phytoplankton abundance and total chl. a was much low in June. Dominant species in June was Pseudo-nitzschia spp. of which the cell size was $309{\mu}m^3$. Cell size of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. was smaller than dominant species in other period. Therefore, the increase in total chloro-phyll a and the size of phytoplankton was resulted in the sufficient supply of nutrients. In contrast, these tendencies were not observed at outside stations. These results suggested that coastal upwelling was an important influencing factor to determine the species composition and standing stock of phytoplankton community in the coastal waters of the Southern part of East Sea, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 1989

Barley, garlic, and soybean were cultivated in the silt loam, sandy loam, and loam, respectively, and the absorbing patterns of N, P, and K during growing of the crops were determined. While, the leaching of N, P, and K applied in the above soils in four levels of topsoil depths and in four leachate levels of excess precipitation was measured through the column. The depths of the soil were devised to 20, 35, 50, and 65cm, and the levels of excess water were classified to each leachate of 20, 40, 60, and 80mm precipitation, and nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in each fraction of the leachate were analyzed. By the analyses of the chemical components during growth of the crops, their absorbing patterns of N, P, and K were investigated. The order of N-leachings in the soils was sandy loam > loam > silt loam, and the leaching of $K_2O$ was very similar to N. The leaching of $P_2O_5$ was slight in all kinds of the soils. By the combination of the absorbing patterns of the crops in three kinds of soils and the leaching of the nitrogen in four levels of soil depth and four levels of excess precipitation, the method to replace the nitrogen lost by leaching was presented.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.226-236
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to explore the myelin volume change in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) using a multidynamic multiecho (MDME) sequence and automatic whole-brain segmentation. Materials and Methods: Forty-one consecutive mTBI patients with PCS and 29 controls, who had undergone MRI including the MDME sequence between October 2016 and April 2018, were included. Myelin volume fraction (MVF) maps were derived from the MDME sequence. After three dimensional T1-based brain segmentation, the average MVF was analyzed at the bilateral cerebral white matter (WM), bilateral cerebral gray matter (GM), corpus callosum, and brainstem. The Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to compare MVF and myelin volume between patients with mTBI and controls. Myelin volume was correlated with neuropsychological test scores using the Spearman rank correlation test. Results: The average MVF at the bilateral cerebral WM was lower in mTBI patients with PCS (median [interquartile range], 25.2% [22.6%-26.4%]) than that in controls (26.8% [25.6%-27.8%]) (p = 0.004). The region-of-interest myelin volume was lower in mTBI patients with PCS than that in controls at the corpus callosum (1.87 cm³ [1.70-2.05 cm³] vs. 2.21 cm³ [1.86-3.46 cm³]; p = 0.003) and brainstem (9.98 cm³ [9.45-11.00 cm³] vs. 11.05 cm³ [10.10-11.53 cm³]; p = 0.015). The total myelin volume was lower in mTBI patients with PCS than that in controls at the corpus callosum (0.45 cm³ [0.39-0.48 cm³] vs. 0.48 cm³ [0.45-0.54 cm³]; p = 0.004) and brainstem (1.45 cm³ [1.28-1.59 cm³] vs. 1.54 cm³ [1.42-1.67 cm³]; p = 0.042). No significant correlation was observed between myelin volume parameters and neuropsychological test scores, except for the total myelin volume at the bilateral cerebral WM and verbal learning test (delayed recall) (r = 0.425; p = 0.048). Conclusion: MVF quantified from the MDME sequence was decreased at the bilateral cerebral WM in mTBI patients with PCS. The total myelin volumes at the corpus callosum and brainstem were decreased in mTBI patients with PCS due to atrophic changes.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2004

Purpose: An analysis was to compare the results of radiation alone with those of radiation with dally low dose cisplatin as a radiation sensitizer in locally advanced cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 59 patients diagnosed with locally advanced uterine cervix cancer between December 1996 and March 2001 was peformed. Thirty one patients received radiation alone and 28 patients received dally low dose cisplatin, as a radiation sensitizer, and radiation therapy. The median follow-up period was 34 months, ranging from 2.5 to 73 months. The radiation therapy consisted of 4500 cGy external beam irradiation to the whole pelvis (midline block after 3060 cGy), a 900$\~$l,000 cGy boost to the involved parametrium and high dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy (a total dose of 3,000$\~$3,500 cGy/500 cGy per fraction to point A, twice per week). In the chemoradiation group, 10 mg of daily intravenous cisplatin was given daily from the 1st day of radiation therapy to the 20th day of radiation therapy. According to the FIGO classification, the patients were subdivided into 51 (86.4$\%$) and 8 (13.6$\%$) stages IIB and stage IIIB, respectively. Results: The overall 5 year survival rate was 65.65$\%$ and according to treatment modality were 56.75$\%$ and 73.42$\%$ in the radiation alone and chemoradiation groups, respectively (p=0.180). The 5 year disease-free survival rates were 49.39$\%$ and 63.34$\%$ in the radiation alone and chemoradiatoin groups, respectively (p=0.053), The 5 year locoregional control rates were 52.34$\%$ and 73.58$\%$ in the radiation alone and chemoradiation groups, respectively (p=0.013). The 5 year distant disease-free survival rates were 59.29$\%$ and 81.46$\%$ in the radiation alone and chemoradiation groups, respectively (p=0.477), Treatment related hematologic toxicity were prominent in the chemoradiation group. Leukopenia $\geq$grade) occurred in 3.2$\%$and 28.5$\%$ of the radiation alone and chemoradiation groups, respectively (p=0.02). There were no statistical differences in the incidences of vesical, rectal and small bowel complications between two groups. Conclusion: Radiation therapy with low dose cisplatin did not improve the rates of survival and response rates, but did improve the rate of disease free survival and locoregional control rates In locally advanced cervical cancer. The incidence of bone marrow suppression was higher in the chemoradiation group.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.259-265
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• 2011

Several compounds and extracts isolated from a brown alga, Ishige (I.) okamurae, exhibit anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study investigated whether the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of I. okamurae (EFIO) could ameliorate carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_{4}$)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered with EFIO at 10 or 50 mg/kg per day for 2 consecutive days before $CCl_{4}$ injection (3.3 mL/kg, i.p.). Twenty four hours later, the rats were anesthesized with diethyl ether and dissected. Pretreatment with EFIO significantly reduced the increased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in $CCl_{4}$-treated rats. Pretreatment with EFIO also significantly inhibited the reduced activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the $CCl_{4}$-injured liver. Histopathological evaluations showed that hemorrhage, hepatocyte necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and fatty degeneration induced by $CCl_{4}$ treatment were ameliorated by the administration of EFIO. Additionally, liver immunohistochemical analyses revealed the marked reduction in ED1-positive monocyte-like macrophages in EFIO-pretreated rats given $CCl_{4}$. These results suggest that EFIO ameliorates $CCl_{4}$-induced liver injury, possibly through the inhibition of oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 1985

The water soluble organic fractions (WSOF) from an agricultural soil (W), a soil treated with sludge for 6 years ($WS_6$), a sludge-soil mixture incubated for one week ($WS_1$), and sewage sludge (SS) were extracted, purified, and characterized by elemental analysis, functional group determinations, infrared, UV-visible, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrosocpy. The SS was characterized by higher organic H, N, and P contents, a higher H/C ratio, and a lower C/N ratio than W. Total acidity carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl group contents were generally highest in SS, intermediate in $WS_6$ and $WS_1$, and lowest in W. Overall aromatic character and aromatic carboxyl group contents were highest in W, and lowest in SS. Aliphatic proton, aliphatic carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl group contents were highest in SS, and lowest in W. Protein decomposition products were the pronounced components in SS, and decreased in concentration as the sludge component in the mixtures decreased. The $^1H$-NMR spectra suggested that the SS-protons were bound to a wider range of functional groups than W-protons. Structural complexities around the aromatic protons followed the following order: SS>$WS_1$>$WS_6$>W.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 2014

The roots of Pueraria mirifica were extracted with 70% aqueous ethyl alcohol and partitioned into ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butyl alcohol (BuOH), and $H_2O$ fractions, successively. From the EtOAc fraction, four norsesquiterpenes were isolated through the repeated silica gel, octadecyl silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. On the basis of physicochemical and spectroscopic data including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy, the chemical structures were identified as megastigm-5-en-3,9-diol (1), linarionoside B (2), 3,5,6,9-tetrahydroxymegastigm-7-ene (3) and 3,4,9-trihydroxymegastigma-5,7-diene (4). Especially, the configuration of the anomer hydroxyl group was determined as a from the coupling constants of the anomer proton (J =8.0 Hz) in the $^1H$-NMR spectrum. These compounds were isolated for the first time from the roots of P. mirifica in this study.