• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify the influence of a massive hydrofluoric acid spill on community health through patients who claimed to have been exposed. Methods: We analyzed 2459 patients who visited our emergency department with the claim of exposure to hydrofluoric acid, and retrospective analyses were performed. We analyzed changes in numbers of visitors per day from the day of the accidental hydrofluoric acid spill, symptoms presented by the 1924 patients, and general characteristics. Comparisons of symptoms and hematologic characteristics were made between the initially set evacuation zone(1.3 km radius parameters from the spill) and the outer zone. Results: A total of 2,459 patients who claimed exposure visited our ED from 27 September 2012 to 23 October 2012, and there was a significant increase in the number of visiting patients from day 8 of the hydrofluoric acid spill. The most common complaints were a sore throat, 729(37.9%) and no specific symptom with health concern, 547 (28.4%). Statistically significant findings were pulmonary symptoms (p=0.001), nasal symptoms (p=0.001), diarrhea (p=0.023), and skin symptoms (p=0.007). In hematologic study, a statistically significant difference was observed in white blood cell count (p=0.018), creatine phosphokinase (p<0.001), erythrocyte sediment rate (p=0.013), and phosphorus (p<0.001). Conclusion: A significant increase in the number of patients was observed one week after the accidental spill of hydrofluoric acid. The most frequent symptoms were sore throat, headache, cough, and sputum. Statistically significant increase in creatine phosphokinase level and decrease in phosphorus level were noted in patients within the evacuation zone.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2018

Purpose: Methamphetamine is an ongoing illegal drug problem worldwide, and its use in South Korea has spread over the last few years. In this study, a clinical review of patients who visited emergency medical centers with positive methamphetamine tests was conducted. Methods: Patients underwent methamphetamine screening based on physician suspicion over a period of 13 years. Their patient characteristics, clinical features, and drug administration properties were described. Results: A total of 297 patients were included, with 19 positive methamphetamine results. Patient age ranged from 21 to 84, with a mean of 37.52. Additionally, 13 were male and 6 were female. The mean BP, PR, RR were 131/82 mmHg, 94/min, 20/min. Saturation levels were all over 95%. Five patients had a psychiatric history. Patient showed varied symptoms ranging from mental changes to chest discomfort. In addition, seven showed abnormal electrocardiography findings and one showed elevated cardiac enzyme levels. Other laboratory results revealed no significantly abnormal results. Six patients also suffered from related trauma. The majority of patients consumed the methamphetamine orally, with unknown motivation at unknown locations. Most were transported by 119 and six patients co-ingested other drugs. Conclusion: Patients who showed positive results to a methamphetamine screening test in Korea visited the emergency medical center mostly by 119 and were unaware of or reluctant to reveal the fact that they had ingested methamphetamine. Emergency physicians should be more aware of the possibility that a patient may have consumed methamphetamine.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.508-515
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• 2004

In this study, salting conditions and dehydration methods were investigated. Salting time, concentration and temperature could be considered to variables in salting conditions. The diffused salt amounts to beef jerky depending on time are sharply increased in two hours. This result is caused by the difference decrease of concentration gradient between bulk solution and beef jerky. The increase of salting concentration and temperature resulted also in the increase of a diffused salt. The deeper bulk concentration made diffusion to beef easily with the bigger driving force and the movement of molecules is more active according to temperature increase. Dehydration is conducted with various methods such as natural drying, cold air drying and hot air drying. Comparing with color and texture among the drying methods, cold air drying showed superior quality in color and texture. Beef jerky by cold air drying colored more reddish than other drying methods and good cutting shear stress and tensile strength. In case of hardness and chewiness, hot air drying method showed the highest value, which means the worst texture.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2016

In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibition was determined from 92 species of oriental herbal medicine extracted with water and ethanol solvents because of their non-toxicity in the human body. The water extracts of Evodia officinalis (86.8%), Thuja orientalis (80.8%), Carthami semen (66.5%), Melia azedarach (74.7%), Siegesbeckia pubescens (61.3%), Saururus chinensis (49.15%) showed a relatively greater anti-inflammatory activity. The ethanol extracts of Ailanthus altissima and Saururus chinensis demonstrated the highest anti-inflammatory effect at above 90%. Saururus chinensis was selected for its high anti-inflammatory effect in both water and ethanol extract. Ethanol was more effective than water and optimal extraction conditions for phenolic compounds was determined to be extraction with 50% ethanol for 12 hours. The extracts from Saururus chinensis in optimal condition showed 70~80% anti-inflammatory effect when $100{\sim}250{\mu}g/mL$ phenolic concentration was treated. Concentration of above $500{\mu}g/mL$ decreased the inhibitory effect. The anti-inflammatory effect and extraction yield were increased by ultra-fine grind technology, indicating that this method can be used to increase the extraction yield of phenolic compounds from medicinal plants.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2015

Objectives : Sparganii Rhizoma is frequently used in traditional herbal medicine for treatment of blood stasis, amenorrhea and functional dyspepsia and has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-proliferation and anti-angiogenesis peoperties. In this study, we investigated the cytoprotective effect and underlying mechanism of Sparganii Rhizoma water extract (SRE) against oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in hepatocyte. Methods : To determine the effects of SRE on oxidative stress, we induced synergistic cytotoxicity by co-treatment of arachidonic acid (AA) and iron in the HepG2 cell, a human derived hepatocyte cell line. Results : Treatment of SRE increased relative cell viability and altered the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and procaspase-3. And SRE also inhibited the mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive reactive oxygen species production induced by AA+iron. In addition, SRE activated of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a potential target for cytoprotection, by increasing the phosphorylation of AMPKα at Thr-172. Morever, SRE increased phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a direct downstream target of AMPK. Conclusion : These results indicated that SRE has the ability to protect against oxidative stress-induced hepatocyte damage, which may be mediated with AMPK pathway.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.359-370
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of excessive occlusal loading on stress distribution on four type of cervical lesion, using a three dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA). The extracted maxillary second premolar was scanned serially with Micro-CT. The 3D images were processed by 3D-DOCTOR. ANSYS was used to mesh and analyze 3D FE model. Four different lesion configurations representative of the various types observed clinically for teeth were studied. A static point load of 500N was applied to the buccal and lingual cusp (Load A and B). The principal stresses in lesion apex, and vertical sectioned margin of cervical wall were analyzed. The results were as follows 1. The patterns of stress distribution were similar but the magnitude was different in four types of lesion 2. The peak stress was observed at mesial corner and also stresses concentrated at lesion apex. 3. The compressive stress under load A and the tensile stress under load B were dominant stress. 4. Under the load, lesion can be increased and harmful to tooth structure unless restored.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2002

Tracing the history of study, problems of seawater intrusion are commonly investigated with electrical techniques because seawater saturated zone is indicative of the low resistivity anomaly. There we, however, silt and mud layers in the western and southern coastal areas of Korea, so we may make a mistake in case we determine seawater intrusion only with resistivity survey. Hence, reference IP survey was carried out in Kimje, Jeollabuk-Do and Youngkwang, Jeollanam-Do in order to decide whether or not the area is under the influence of seawater intrusion. With the use of a electric field cable to minimize EM coupling, we obtained more accurate results by appling reference If technique measuring simultaneously wavelet of current as well as potential. With the aid of reference IP technique, it is possible that we can exactly evaluate seawater intrusion by discriminating seawater saturated area (no IP effect) from very highly conductive layer composed of clay mineral (high IP effect).

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.217-227
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• 2015

Objectives : This study is an evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments combined with Korean medical methods, such as relaxative Chuna and Gangchuk herbal medicines, for patients with failed back surgery syndrome. Methods : In this study, medical records of ten patients who experienced failed back surgery syndrome and participated in intensive Korean medical treatment were reviewed. All patients received relaxative Chuna and acupuncture along with Gangchuk herbal medicines during hospitalization. Numeric rating scale(NRS) in the degree of 0 to 10, pain-free walking distance(PFWD) and oswestry disability index(ODI) were measured before and after treatments. Results : The patients were hospitalized for an average of 22 days. The average NRS of lumbar pain in all patients decreased from $7.7{\pm}1.6$ to $3.2{\pm}2.2$ and the average NRS decline of leg pain was from $7.7{\pm}1.7$ to $3.2{\pm}2.2$, both of which indicate statistical significance(p < 0.05). PFWD in all patients increased from 113.3 m to 798.1 m on average. The average ODI in all patients significantly improved from $63.9{\pm}7.0$ to $43.9{\pm}6.9$(p < 0.05). Conclusions : The treatments combined with Korean medical methods for failed back surgery syndrome patients are clinically effective and viable.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 1990

$^{88}SrCl_2$ was injected to the tail vein of Wistar rats and investigated its distribution and clearance in the tissues and blood. We also measured the changes in Sr binding to the blood plasma protein by administrating chelating agents and organic acids. For the blood, 60% of the Sr occurred in the plasma and 40% on the cell membrane. Fifty percent of Sr in the blood plasma was bound to plasma protein. Sr on the cell membrane seemed to be bound loosely. The binding in the lymphocyte was higher than in the erythrocyte .and granulocyte. Within one hour Sr was quickly disappeared from the blood stream, to be accumulated in the bone. Twenty four hours after the injection, Sr decreased rapidly in the organs of soft tissue, but slowly in the bone. The binding of Sr to plasma protien decreased from 57% of the control to 27-33% in the group treated with chelating agents, EDTA, EGTA and DTPA and to 19% and 40% in the groups treated with organic acids, citrate and oxalate, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2013

Crystalline silicon solar cells with $SiN_x/SiN_x$ and $SiN_x/SiO_x$ double layer anti-reflection coatings(ARC) were studied in this paper. Optimizing passivation effect and optical properties of $SiN_x$ and $SiO_x$ layer deposited by PECVD was performed prior to double layer application. When the refractive index (n) of silicon nitride was varied in range of 1.9~2.3, silicon wafer deposited with silicon nitride layer of 80 nm thickness and n= 2.2 showed the effective lifetime of $1,370{\mu}m$. Silicon nitride with n= 1.9 had the smallest extinction coefficient among these conditions. Silicon oxide layer with 110 nm thickness and n= 1.46 showed the extinction coefficient spectrum near to zero in the 300~1,100 nm region, similar to silicon nitride with n= 1.9. Thus silicon nitride with n= 1.9 and silicon oxide with n= 1.46 would be proper as the upper ARC layer with low extinction coefficient, and silicon nitride with n=2.2 as the lower layer with good passivation effect. As a result, the double layer AR coated silicon wafer showed lower surface reflection and so more light absorption, compared with $SiN_x$ single layer. With the completed solar cell with $SiN_x/SiN_x$ of n= 2.2/1.9 and $SiN_x/SiO_x$ of n= 2.2/1.46, the electrical characteristics was improved as ${\Delta}V_{oc}$= 3.7 mV, ${\Delta}_{sc}=0.11mA/cm^2$ and ${\Delta}V_{oc}$=5.2 mV, ${\Delta}J_{sc}=0.23mA/cm^2$, respectively. It led to the efficiency improvement as 0.1% and 0.23%.