• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2003

Background : There are many risk factors for osteoporosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). These include smoking, a low body mass index, insufficient exercise, and the use of glucocortcoids. However, there is lack of data on the incidence of osteoporosis according to the different glucocorticoid administration methods in patients with COPD. This study compared the incidence of osteoporosis according to the different administration methods of glucocorticoid. Methods : A matched case-controlled study (gender, age, cumulative steroid dose and pack-years of smoking) was conducted. Forty-five patients with documented COPD for at least a 3 year duration and a cumulative glucocorticoid dose above 1,000 mg were enrolled in study. The patients were classified into the following three groups. First, fifteen patients received continuous inhaled glucocorticoid with intermittent oral steroids but had no admission history due to an acute exacerbation(Group I). Secondly, fifteen patients received a multiple course of oral steroids with additional inhaled glucocorticoid but had no admission history due to their acute exacerbation(Group II). Lastly, fifteen patients received intermittent oral or inhaled glucocorticoids and had an admission history due to the acute exacerbation with intravenous steroid treatment for at least 2 weeks per year(Group III). The enrolled patients had apulmonary function test and bone densitometry performed at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Results : The patients from Group III had significantly high incidence of osteoporosis in the lumbar and femoral neck compared to Group I and Group II (p<0.01). Conclusion : The incidence of osteoporosis in patients with COPD appears to be strongly affected by the method of steroid administration. This result suggests that intravenous steroid administration is strongly associated with the risk of osteoporosis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.128-134
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• 1975

For development of long-term storage method of sweet-persimmons using polyethylene film bags, basic experiment was conducted with 30 boxes of sweet-persimmons in 1973 and the same experiment was extended for industrial application with 2,500 boxes of the persimmons in the cold storage of Jinyoung Sweet-persimmon Association in 1974. Investigation was made on change of the quality by storage period. At the same time, persimmons put in the cold storage test were shipped to market at different time in order to monitor consumer response and commercial feasibility. The followings are conclusion obtained from the result of this experiment. 1. Storage of sweet-persimmon, Buyu, produced in Jinyoung, Kimhae was possible for 1 month at $2^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ cold storage. This storage period was extended to 4 months until the end of February in case that the fruits were hermetically sealed in P.E. film bags of 0.08 to 0.1 mm thickness. 2. During the storage period of sweet-persimmons packed in the film bags, the loss of weight due to evaporation was effectively prevented with use of the film of bag thicker than 0.04 mm. 3. The storage ability of 3-5 persimmons per small bag was somewhat superior to that of many persimmons packed in the large box of 15kg capacity. 4. The thicker the film of bags, the more $CO_2$ gas was accumulated inside, however, from 1 month after beginning of the storage the rate of $CO_2$ accumulation became very low maintaining the stabilized level of 5-6% at the plot of 0.06-0.08mm thick bags. 5. While the persimmons were in storage, decreased was the content of total sugars, total acids, and vitamin C, of which the phenomenon was remarkable especially with the fruits of non-packed plot. 6. The sweet-persimmons in the film bags subjected to cold storage when shipped to market in their intact condition were more beneficial than when they were shipped out in unpacked condition. The intact fruits packed in the P.E. film bags were able to keep their commercial value for 10days in the outdoor situation. 7. The sweet-persimmons that were packed in the film bags and put in the cold storage had maintained promissing marketability and the economic feasibility was acknowledged when the experimental practice was applied to industrial scale.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 2012

Purpose : Vitamin $B_{12}$ and Folate are for anemia work-up which is well known for its sensitivity of light; the screening manual also specifies to be careful with light conditions. According to this, our laboratory minimized the exposure of light when inspecting the Vitamin $B_{12}$ and Folate, but the exposure cannot be wholly blocked due to other various factors such as when conducting specimen segregation. Thus, this inspection is to identify to what extent light can influence and whether the exclusion of light is mandatory during the Vitamin $B_{12}$/Folate test. Materials and Methods : We have conducted two experiments of identifying the extent of light's influence when conducting the Vitamin $B_{12}$/Folate test and also when specimens are under preservation. These experiments were progressed with various concentrations of patients' specimens which were requested to our hospital in March 2012. The first experiment is to verify the results on Vitamin $B_{12}$/Folate dependent on light exposure during the experiment. In the process, we have compared the results of light exposure/exclusion during the incubation process after the reagent division. The second experiment is about the impact of light exposure on the results on Vitamin $B_{12}$/Folate during the preservation. For 1, 2, 7 days the light on the specimen were wholly blocked and were preserved under $-15^{\circ}C$ temperature refrigeration. Then, we compared the results of light-excluded specimen and the exposed one. Results : When conducting first experiment, there were no noticeable changes in the Standard and specimen's cpm, but for Vitamin $B_{12}$, the average result of specimen exposed to light increased 7.8% compare to that of excluded one's. Furthermore, in the significant level 0.05, the significance probability or the p-value was 0.251 which means it has no impact. For Folate, the result being exposed to light decreased 5.4%, the significance probability was 0.033 which means it has little impact. For the second preservation, the result was dependent on the light exposure. The first day of preservation of Vitamin $B_{12}$, the clinical material exposed to light was 11.6%, second day clinical material exposed to light was 10.8%, seventh day clinical material exposed to light increased 3.8%, the significance probability of the $1^{st}$, $2^{nd}$, $7^{th}$ day is 0.372, 0.033, 0.144 respectively, and which indicates that the $1^{st}$ and $7^{th}$ day seems to have no impact. For Folate's case, the clinical material exposed to light has increased 1.4% but hardly had impact, $2^{nd}$ day clinical material being exposed to light was 6.1%, $7^{Th}$ day clinical material being exposed to light decreased 5.2%. The significance probability of Folate on the $1^{st}$, $2^{nd}$, $7^{th}$ day is 0.378, 0.037, 0.217 respectively, and the $1^{st}$ day and the $7^{th}$ day seems to have no impact. Conclusion : After scrutinizing the impact of light exposure/exclusion, Vitamin $B_{12}$ has no impact, while Folate seems to have no noticeable influence but light exclusion is recommended due to its significance probability of 0.033 when conducting experiment. During the preservation, the $2^{nd}$ day result depend on the light exclusion seems to have impact or influence. However, to consider the complication of the experimental process, the experiment including technical errors is predictable. Hence, it is likely to have no impact of light. Nevertheless, it is recommendable to exclude the light during the long preservation as per the significance probability (p-value) of $1^{st}$ and $7^{th}$ day has been diminished.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.1012-1021
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• 1998

Background : It is known that airway inflammation is present in most patients with asthma, but the relationship between symptoms and the severity and nature of airway inflammation has not been established. Cough variant asthma is defined as an asthma in which the dominant symptom is cough, and the condition can be successfully treated with inhaled steroids. This study was performed to evaluate the time course of bronchial responsiveness according to an inhaled anti-inflammatory therapy and the factors which affect the resolution of bronchial responsiveness, and an efficacy of nedocromil to cough asthma. Method: A prospective study for the investigation of bronchial responsiveness according to an inhaled anti-inflammatory treatment in sixty-one cough asthmatics was performed. Twenty-three entered budesonide ($400{\mu}g{\times}2/day$), twenty-two entered nedocromil ($4mg{\times}2/day$) and sixteen patients entered combined group. The bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) was estimated by methacholine challenge test using counted breath method. The symptom was estimated by 'symptom score'. Reevaluation of BHR and symptom was performed at 2 month after treatment, and if BHR was not resoluted at this time, regarded as a non-responder, and then follow-up of BHR and symptom was performed at 4- and/or 6 month after treatment. Results: The improvement of BHR and symptom was significant in 2 month (p<0.05), but there was no change of them during follow-up period of 4- and/or 6 month in non-responders. In comparison of allergic markers such as serum total IgE, peripheral eosinophil count and skin test reactivity between responders and non-responders, there was no difference in each other. However, in comparison of other factors such as cumulative pack-years, symptom duration, age, gender, and the initial degree of PC20, there was a significant difference in each other(p<0.05). The percent of patients with the resolution of BHR in 2 month was not different in each group(p=0.95). There was no significant difference in the degree of improvement of BHR and symptom in each group. Conclusion: Bronchial responsiveness and symptom was not significantly improved in non-responders during follow-up period of 4- and/or 6 month. The effect of inhaled nedocromil was equivalent to that of inhaled steroid in cough asthmatics, and the response to combined treatment is not superior to that achieved by either of these agents used alone.