• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.939-944
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• 2016

Background: Cell-free DNA circulating in blood is a candidate biomarker for malignant tumors. Unlike uniformly truncated DNA released from apoptotic non diseased cells, DNA released from necrotic cancer cells varies in size. Objectives: To measure the DNA integrity index in serum and the absolute DNA concentration to assess their clinical utility as potential serum biomarkers for colorectal carcinoma (CRC) compared to CEA and CA19-9. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with CRC, 10 with benign colonic polyps and 20 healthy sex and age matched volunteers, were investigated by real time PCR of ALU repeats (ALU q-PCR) using two sets of primers (115 and 247 bp) amplifying different lengths of DNA fragments. The DNA integrity index was calculated as the ratio of q-PCR results of ALU 247/ALU 115bp. Results: Serum DNA integrity was statistically significantly higher in CRC patients compared to the benign and control groups (p<0.001). ROC curves for differentiating CRC patients from normal controls and benign groups had areas under curves of 0.90 and 0.85 respectively. Conclusions: The DNA integrity index is superior to the absolute DNA concentration as a potential serum biomarker for screening and diagnosis of CRC. It may also serve as an indicator for monitoring the progression of CRC patients. Combining CEA and CA19-9 with either of the genetic markers studied is better than either of them alone.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2006

We present the results of new multi-color CCD photometry for the contact binary XZ Leo, together with reasonable explanations for the period and light variations. Six new times of minimum light have been determined. A period study with all available timings confirms Qian's (2001) finding that the O-C residuals have varied secularly according to $dP/dt\;=\;+8.20{\times}10^{-8}\;d\;yr^{-l}$. This trend could be interpreted as a conservative mass transfer from the less massive cool secondary to the more massive hot primary in the system with a mass flow rate of about $5.37{\times}10^{-8}\;M_{\odot}\;yr^{-l}$. By simultaneous analysis of our light curves and the previously published radial-velocity data, a consistent set of light and velocity parameters for XZ Leo is obtained. The small differences between the observed and theoretical light curves are modelled by a blue third light and by a hot spot near the neck of the primary component. Our period study does not support the tertiary light but the hot region which may be formed by gas streams from the cool secondary. The solution indicates that XZ Leo is a deep contact binary with the values of q=0.343, $i=78^{\circ}.8$, ${\Delta}(T_1-T_2)=126\;K$, and f=33.6 %, differing much from those of Niarchos et al. (1994). Absolute parameters of XZ Leo are determined as follows: $M_1=1.84\;M_{\odot},\;M_2=0.63\;M_{\odot},\;R_1=1.75\;R_{\odot},\;R_2=1.10\;R_{\odot},\;L_1=7.19\;L_{\odot},\;and\;L_2=2.66\;L_{\odot}$.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.146-150
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• 2009

Background: A skin temperature difference is one of the variables used in the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome. However, there have been no reports as to whether the real (${\Delta}T$) or absolute value ($|{\Delta}T|$) of skin temperature differences should be used in the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome. This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic validity of ${\Delta}T$ with $|{\Delta}T|$ for complex regional pain syndrome using receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). Methods: Infrared thermographic images were obtained from the 144 patients who were suspected to have CRPS in a unilateral limb. After ${\Delta}T$ and $|{\Delta}T|$ calculation from the thermographic image, ROCs of ${\Delta}T$ and $|{\Delta}T|$ were developed, and the areas under the curve (AUC) for the ROC curves were compared. Results: AUCs of ${\Delta}T$ and $|{\Delta}T|$ were 0.520 and 0.746 respectively, this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Absolute skin temperature difference shows greater validity in the diagnosis of CRPS than ${\Delta}T$. Therefore, $|{\Delta}T|$ is more useful when comparing the skin temperature of CRPS patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2015

Purpose: Before expanding our indications for laparoscopic gastrectomy to advanced gastric cancer and adopting reduced port laparoscopic gastrectomy, we analyzed and audited the outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for adenocarcinoma; this was done during the adoptive period at our institution through the comparative analysis of short-term surgical outcomes and learning curves (LCs) of two surgeons with different careers. Materials and Methods: A detailed comparative analysis of the LCs and surgical outcomes was done for the respective first 95 and 111 LADGs performed by two surgeons between July, 2006 and June, 2011. The LCs were fitted by using the non-linear ordinary least squares estimation method. Results: The postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 14.6% and 0.0%, respectively, and there was no significant difference in the morbidity rates (12.6% vs. 16.2%, P=0.467). More than 25 lymph nodes were retrieved by each surgeon during LADG procedures. The LCs of both surgeons were distinct. In this study, a stable plateau of the LC was not achieved by both surgeons even after performing 90 LADGs. Conclusions: Regardless of the experience with gastrectomy or laparoscopic surgery for other organs, or the age of surgeon, the outcome was quite acceptable; the learning process differ according to the surgeon's experience and individual characteristics.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.661-666
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• 1998

Liquid phase adsorption equilibria of amines in an aqueous solution onto high silica zeolite pellets (HSZ), macroreticular resin particles (MR) and granular activated carbon (GAC) were determined using a batch bottle technique at 298K. The isotherm curves of HSZ-amines and GAC-amines indicate the nonlinear relationship of unfavorable adsorption type of HSZ-amines and favourable one of GAC-amines. However the curves of MR-amines represent the linear pattern of an adsorption isotherm. Among various equilibrium isotherms, the three parameters of the Redlich-Peterson equation and the two parameters of the Freundlich equation are found to be the most satisfactory within the range of this study. The two parameters of the Langmuir isotherm were not applicable to the present adsorption systems. The amines were adsorbed on the HSZ, MR and GAC in the following sequence of adsorptivity; aromatic amines > primary amines > secondary amines. The product of the Freundlich constants, k and n, proportionally increased with the boiling point, molar volume and dissociation constants of amines adsorbed on HSZ, MR and GAC.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 1991

The results of relationships between colloidal stability and soil pH on three Hawaii's volcanic ash soils developed under the three different rainfall conditions can be summarized as follows: 1. The Hilo soil only revealed the increase of colloidal stability by becoming for from Z.P.C point to either side of pH. 2. Hilo and Kawaihae soils, however, showed the increase of colloidal stability only in the higher pH range than their Z.P.C. 3. $P_2O_5$ drying procers decreased colloidal stability kof these soils because of so called irreversible drying characteristics of amorphous materials and the decrement was in order of: Akaka>Hilo>Kawaihae expressing positive correlation with content of amorphous materials in them. 4. The difference of colloidal stability curves among three soils can easily be interpreted by DLVO theory considering 0.1N-HCl amount added to decrease their soil pH, respectively. The addition of large amount of 0.1N-HCl into Akaka and Kawaihae soils did not effectively develop the positive charge but resulted in the shrink of diffuse double layer thickness inducing large attraction forces among soil particles.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 1998

1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-Naphthol (PAN) has been widely used as a spectrophotometric reagent and metallochromic indicator for many metal ions. In this work, the chelate reagent of PAN was used as mobile phase additive for the separation of metal ions by reversed phase chromatography. Metal ions could be detected by monitoring the effluent at 570 nm with spectrophotometric detector. In order to investigate retention behaviors of the metal ions, the chromatograms and capacity factors were obtained as the variation of pH, ionic strength and composition of organic modifier in mobile phase. Under the obtained optimum conditions, the mixtures of Fe(III), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) could be separated successfully and the calibration curves under the recommended conditions showed an excellent linearity. The detection limits(S/N) were feasible at the nanogram level.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.365-371
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• 2010

The multiconfiguration molecular mechanics (MCMM) algorithm was used to generate potential and vibrationally adiabatic energy surfaces for excited-state tautomerization in the 1:1 7-azaindole:$H_2O$ complex. Electronic structures and energies for reactant, product, transition state were computed at the CIS/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The potential and vibrationally adiabatic energies along the reaction coordinate were generated step by step by using 16 high-level Shepard points, which were computed at the CIS/6-31G(d,p) level. This study shows that the MCMM method was applied successfully to make quite reasonable potential and adiabatic energy curves for the excited-state double proton transfer reaction. No stable intermediates are present in the potential energy curve along the reaction coordinate of the excited-state double proton transfer in the 1:1 7-azaindole:$H_2O$ complex, indicating that these two protons are transferred concertedly. The change in the bond distances along the reaction coordinate shows that two protons move very asynchronously to make an $H_3O^+$-like moiety at the transition state.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.101-107
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• 2003

Since stainless steel sheets have good mechanical properties, weldability, appearance and corrosion resistance, they are commonly used as one of the structural materials of the railroad cars or the commercial vehicles which are manufactured by the spat welding. Among the many kinds of spot welded lap joints, it can be found that multi-lap joints are employed in their body structure. But, fatigue strength of these joints is lower than that of base metal due to high stress concentration at the nugget edge of spot weld and is considerably influenced by welding conditions as well as the mechanical and geometrical factors. Thus, it is necessary to establish a reasonable and systematic design criterion for the long life design of the spot-welded body structures. In this paper, the stress distribution and deformation around the spot-welded multi-lap joints subjected to tensile shear load was numerically analyzed. Also, the $\Delta$P-Nf curve was obtained by fatigue tests. Using these results, $\Delta$P-Nf curves were rearranged in to the ${\Delta}{\sigma}$-Nf relation with the maximum stress at nugget edge of spot weld.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.155-158
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• 2003

The effects of Mn, V addition on the behavior of structure and the effects of cooling rate of S20C steel for use of Tn housing and valve for automotive parts have been investigated. Transformation start temperature measured from inflection point of cooling curves has been found out to decrease with increasing cooling rate and to be more sensitive to Mn contents when cooling rate is fast. It was therefore shown that the grain was refined. If there is a big compacting pressure, it is indicated that hardness becomes much greater at surface than inside.