• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.349-357
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• 2001

Purpose : Meningeal hemangiopericytoma(M-HPC), characterized by a high local recurrency and metastatic potential, is a rare neoplasm arising from perivascular pericytes. A retrospective study was performed to identify the recurrence and extraneural metastasis in M-HPC. Materials and Methods : We reviewed the records of 31 M-HPC patients treated from 1982 through 1999 at our institution. The time to recurrence and the various parameters affecting recurrence were determined. Extreneural metastasis was also analyzed. Results : The rate of local recurrency was 38.7%(12/31). The overall average recurrence-free period(RFP) before the first recurrence was 104 months, with overall recurrence-free rates(RFRs) at 5 and 10 years after first surgery of 59.2% and 33.6%, respectively. Of the 12 patients who experienced local recurrence, 4 had recurrences 5 years later after the first surgery. Complete excision at the first operation significantly extended the average time before first recurrence from 43 to 111 months. The 5-year RFRs for the groups of complete excision and incomplete excision were 72.7% and 20.8%, respectively(p=0.0060). Although there was no statistical significance, complete excision followed by adjuvant radiotherapy of more than 50Gy extended the RFP. The 5-year RFRs for the groups of complete excision and complete excision with adjuvant radiotherapy were 70.3% and 100%, respectively(p=0.3359). Four patients(12.9%) presented one or more extraneural metastases that were developed at an average of 107 months after the first operation with the 5- and 10-year metastasis rates of 4.4% and 24.9%, respectively. Conclusions : M-HPC has a propensity to recur either locally or at distant sites after surgical resection. Complete excision is the most important factor to reduce recurrence. However, even with complete excision, adjuvant radiotherapy of more than 50Gy significantly reduces the risk of recurrence. Local and distant recurrences may occur after a prolonged disease-free interval, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2003

Indoor air quality(IAQ) in workplace and residential environments has been concern of people. Recently, Ministry of Environment in Korea has recognized the potential risk on the healthy effect related to indoor air pollution at home. Therefore, the purpose of this study was performed to measure the indoor air pollutants of IAQ at different homes and investigate to compare the perception of IAQ recognition at home from questionnaire survey in Seoul. We estimated the IAQ of selected 6 homes based on site region and housing type. The indoor air pollutants and parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, respirable suspended particulate matter($PM_{10}$), formaldehyde(HCHO), total bacteria counts, carbon monooxide(CO) and carbon dioxide($CO_2$) were monitored for summer and winter. In monitoring results, the respirable suspended particulate matter(($PM_{10}$) and indoor airborne bacteria level of home 5 and 6 were higher than the standard of the public $150{\;}{\mu}g/m^3$ and $500{\;}{\mu}g/m^3$, the level formaldehyde(HCHO) was exceed 0.1 ppm of the standard of Korea at all monitored homes. In statistics analysis, we could find a correlation between the building age and the concentration of CO, TBC were significant at 0.01 level and Relative Humidity was significant at 0.05 level for summer. Finally, the important air pollutants of IAQ in home were HCHO and total bacteria counts(TBC). And we performed a questionnaire survey of 500 people about their awareness for the importance of IAQ in our home during same period. In results, all most response of occupant has recognized the importance of IAQ at home. Therefore, it can be concluded that the IAQ of selected 6 home studied was perceived as acceptable, it is recommended that the government related IAQ was suggested the guideline and control of IAQ problems, and the occupants need to be effort to reduce the exposure of sources to undesirable pollutants.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.276-282
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• 2003

Purpose: Although high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy (HDR ICR) has been used in the treatment of cervical cancer, the potential for increased risk of late complication, most commonly in the rectum, is a major concern. We have previously reported on 136 patients treated with HDR brachytherapy between 1995 and 1999. The purpose of this study is to upgrade the previous data and confirm the correlation between late rectal complication and rectal dose in cervix cancer patients treated with HDR ICR. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was peformed for 222 patients with cevix cancer who were treated for curative intent with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and HDR ICR from July 1995 to December 2001. The median dose of EBRT was 50.4 (30.6$\~$56.4) Gy with a daily fraction size 1.8 Gy. A total of six fractions of HDR ICR were given twice weekly with fraction size of 4 (3$\~$5.5) Gy to A point by Iridium-192 source. The rectal dose was calculated at the rectal reference point using the barium contrast criteria. in vivo measurement of the rectal dose was peformed with thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) during HDR ICR. The median follow-up period was 39 months, ranging from 6 to 90 months. Results: Twenty-one patients (9.5$\%$) experienced late rectal bleeding, from 3 to 44 months (median, 13 months) after the completion of RT. The calculated rectal doses were not different between the patients with rectal bleeding and those without, but the measured rectal doses were higher in the complicated patients. The differences of the measured ICR rectal fractional dose, ICR total rectal dose, and total rectal biologically equivalent dose (BED) were statistically significant. When the measured ICR total rectal dose was beyond 16 Gy, when the ratio of the measured rectal dose to A point dose was beyond 70$\%$, or when the measured rectal BED was over 110 Gy$_{3}$, a high possibility of late rectal complication was found. Conclusion: Late rectal complication was closely correlated with measured rectal dose by in vivo dosimetry using TLD during HDR ICR. If data from in vivo dosimetry shows any possibility of rectal bleeding, efforts should be made to reduce the rectal dose.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2020

This study analyzed past drought characteristics based on the observed rainfall data and performed a long-term outlook for future extreme droughts using Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP 8.5) climate change scenarios. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) used duration of 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, a meteorological drought index, was applied for quantitative drought analysis. A single long-term time series was constructed by combining daily rainfall observation data and RCP scenario. The constructed data was used as SPI input factors for each different duration. For the analysis of meteorological drought observed relatively long-term since 1954 in Korea, 12 rainfall stations were selected and applied 10 general circulation models (GCM) at the same point. In order to analyze drought characteristics according to climate change, trend analysis and clustering were performed. For non-stationary frequency analysis using sampling technique, we adopted the technique DEMC that combines Bayesian-based differential evolution ("DE") and Markov chain Monte Carlo ("MCMC"). A non-stationary drought frequency analysis was used to derive Severity-Duration-Frequency (SDF) curves for the 12 locations. A quantitative outlook for future droughts was carried out by deriving SDF curves with long-term hydrologic data assuming non-stationarity, and by quantitatively identifying potential drought risks. As a result of performing cluster analysis to identify the spatial characteristics, it was analyzed that there is a high risk of drought in the future in Jeonju, Gwangju, Yeosun, Mokpo, and Chupyeongryeong except Jeju corresponding to Zone 1-2, 2, and 3-2. They could be efficiently utilized in future drought management policies.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.1 s.112
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• pp.106-120
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• 2006

Natural or man-made disaster has been expected to be one of the potential themes that can integrate human geography and physical geography. Typhoons like Rusa and Maemi caused great loss to insurance companies as well as public sectors. We have implemented a natural disaster management system for a private insurance company to produce better estimation of hazards from high wind as well as calculate vulnerability of damage. Climatic gauge sites and addresses of contract's objects were geo-coded and the pressure values along all the typhoon tracks were vectorized into line objects. National GIS topog raphic maps with scale of 1: 5,000 were updated into base maps and digital elevation model with 30 meter space and land cover maps were used for reflecting roughness of land to wind velocity. All the data are converted to grid coverage with $1km{\times}1km$. Vulnerability curve of Munich Re was ad opted, and preprocessor and postprocessor of wind velocity model was implemented. Overlapping the location of contracts on the grid value coverage can show the relative risk, with given scenario. The wind velocities calculated by the model were compared with observed value (average $R^2=0.68$). The calibration of wind speed models was done by dropping two climatic gauge data, which enhanced $R^2$ values. The comparison of calculated loss with actual historical loss of the insurance company showed both underestimation and overestimation. This system enables the company to have quantitative data for optimizing the re-insurance ratio, to have a plan to allocate enterprise resources and to upgrade the international creditability of the company. A flood model, storm surge model and flash flood model are being added, at last, combined disaster vulnerability will be calculated for a total disaster management system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.24-25
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• 2003

Lead is ubiquitous in the human environment as a result of industrialization. China's rapid industrialization and traffic growth have increased the potential for lead emissions. Lead poisoning in children is one of the most common public health problems today, and it is entirely preventable. Children are more vulnerable to lead pollution and lead in their bodies can affect their nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems. Children are exposed to lead from different sources (such as paint, gasoline, and solder) and through different pathways (such as air, food, water, dust, and soil). Although all children are exposed to some lead from food, air, dust, and soil, some children are exposed to high dose sources of lead. Significant sources of lead for China's children include industrial emissions (often close to housing and schools), leaded gasoline, and occupational exposure that occurs when parents wear lead-contaminated clothing home from work, burning of coal for home heat and cooking, contaminated food, and some traditional medicines. To assess the blood lead level in children in China, a large-scale study was conducted in 19 cities among 9 provinces during 1997 to 2000. There were 6502 children, aged 3-5 years, were recruited in the study The result indicates that the mean blood lead level was 8.83ug/dl 3-5 year old living in city area. The mean blood lead level of boys was higher than that of girls (9.1l ug/dl vs 8.73ug/dl). Almost 30 percent childrens blood lead level exceeded 10ug/dl. The average blood lead level was higher than that of in 1985 (8.83ug/dl vs 8.lug/dl). An epidemiological study was carried on the children living around the cottage industries recycling the lead from battery. Nine hundreds fifty nine children, aged 5-12 years, living in lead polluted villages where the lead smelters located near the residential area and 207 control children live in unpolluted area were recruited in the study. The lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. The blood lead and ZnPP level were tested for all subjects. The results show that the local environment was polluted. The lead levels both in the air and crops were much higher than that of in control area. In the polluted area, the average blood level was 49.6ug/dl (rang 19.5-89.3ug/dl). Whereas, in the unpolluted area, the average blood level was 12.4ug/dl (rang 4.6-24.8ug/dl). This study indicates that in some countryside area, some cottage industries induce seriously lead pollution and cause children health problem. For the introducing of unleaded gasoline in some large cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, the blood lead level showed a declined trend since 1997. By 2000, the use of leaded gasoline in motor vehicles has been prohibited in China. The most recent data available show that levels of lead in blood among children in Shanghai decreased from 8.3ug/dl in 1997 to 7.6ug/dl in 1999. The prevalence rate of children lead poisoning (blood lead >10ug/dl) was also decreased from 37.8% to 24.8%. In children living in downtown area, the blood lead level reduced dramatically. To explore the relationship between gene polymorphisms and individual susceptibility of lead poisoning, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted among children living in lead polluted environment. The result showed that the subjects with ALAD2 allele has higher ZPP level, and the subjects with VDR B allele has larger head circumference than only with b allele. In the present study, we demonstrated that ALAD genotypes modify lead effects on heme metabolism and VDR gene variants influence the skull development in highly exposed children. The polymorphism of ALAD and VDR genes might be the molecular inherited factor modifying the susceptibility of lead poisoning. Recently, Chinese government pays more attention to lead pollution and lead poisoning in children problem. The leaded gasoline was prohibited used in motor vehicles since 2000. The government has decided to have a clampdown on the high-polluted lead smelters for recycling the lead from battery in countryside. It is hopeful that the risk of lead poisoning in children will be decreased in the further

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 2003

Background : Unexplained weight loss, which commonly occurs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), is important because weight loss is an independent risk factor of mortality and morbidity in these patients. Leptin is known to play an important role in regulating body weight. In addition, the tumor necrosis factor($TNF-{\alpha}$) might also play a potential role in the weight loss experienced in chronic wasting disease. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of plasma leptin and the circulating $TNF-{\alpha}$ system to the difference in the body compositions in patients with COPD. Methods : Spirometry, body composition analysis and the plasma concentrations of leptin, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and a soluble TNF receptor (STNF-R55, -R75) were measured in 31 patients with chronic bronchitis and 10 patients with emphysema. The COPD subtype was classified by the transfer coefficient of carbon monoxide, DLco/VA. Results : The circulating levels of leptin were significantly lower in those patients with emphysema($108.5{\pm}39.37pg/ml$) than those with chronic bronchitis($180.9{\pm}57.7pg/ml$). The circulating levels of sTNF-R55 were significantly higher in the emphysema patients($920.4{\pm}116.4pg/ml$) than in those with chronic bronchitis($803.2{\pm}80.8pg/ml$). There was no relationship between the circulating leptin levels and the activated TNF system in patients with chronic bronchitis and emphysema. However, the circulating leptin levels correlated well with the BMI and fat mass in both patient groups. Conclusion : These results suggest that the weight loss noted in emphysema patients may be associated with the activation of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ system rather than the plasma leptin level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.10
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• pp.1484-1490
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• 2014

In the present study, we examined the effects of a mixture of three strains, Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, 7528, and 7529 (L. plantarum mixture), on body weight and lipid metabolism in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet. Rats were fed a high-fat diet and subjected to oral gavage with vehicle or the L. plantarum mixture ($0.6{\times}10^9$, $1.2{\times}10^9$, $2.4{\times}10^9$ colony-forming units (CFU)/day/rat, respectively) for 8 weeks. In rats fed a high-fat diet, oral administration of $2.4{\times}10^9CFU/day$ of the L. plantarum mixture significantly reduced body weight gain as well as weights of liver and epididymal fat. Leptin levels in sera were significantly reduced by oral administration of $2.4{\times}10^9CFU/day$ of the L. plantarum mixture. The L. plantarum mixture ($1.2{\times}10^9$ or $2.4{\times}10^9CFU/day$) also reduced the concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in sera when it administered orally. Further, the L. plantarum mixture significantly reduced the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor. In addition, oral administration of $2.4{\times}10^9CFU/day$ of the L. plantarum mixture markedly reduced levels of total lipids, triglycerides, and total cholesterol in the liver. The results of this study indicate that the L. plantarum mixture may exhibit anti-obesity and cholesterol-lowering effects, which suggest that the L. plantarum mixture has the potential to be a probiotic in the management of obesity and hypercholesterolemia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.537-545
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• 1994

Background: In 1987, the British Thoracic Society (BTS) subjected an extensive list of patient variables to statistical analysis in a prospective study of prognosis in 453 adults with community-acquired pneumonia and, subsequently published guidelines for management of severe community acquired pneumonia. It was hoped that those at risk of dying from community acquired pneumonia could be easily identified and treated appropriately, thereby reducing mortality. To date, severe community acquired pneumonia has not been well studied in Korea. Therefore, we studied retrospectively 10 patients dying of severe community acquired pneumonia in Dongsan Hospital to see clinical manifestations of dying of severe community-acquired pneumonia. Methods: Between July 1987 and july 1993, 498 patients were admitted to Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital with community acquired pneumonia, and 77 of them received intensive care. Of the 77 patients, 10 patients died. We reviewed medical records of these patients. Results: 1) The mean age of the patients was 56.2 years(range, 25 to 75 years). There were 7 men and 3 women. Seven patients(70%) were older than 60years of age. 2) The clinical features on admission were as follows: tachypnca, hypoxemia, mental change, cyanosis, leukopenia, leukocytosis, azotemia, hypotension, hypoalbuminemia in order of frequency. Three patients had one abnormal physical finding, 3 patients had 2, 2 patients had 3, and 2 patients had none of these abnormal physical findings. All patients had at least one of the abnormal laboratory findings. 3) A potential bacterial pathogen was isolated in sputum culture from 2 patients. One was E.coli, the other Enterobacter species. Sputum stain were positive in eight cases (G(+)cocci in six, G(+) cocci and G(-)bacilli in two). 4) Features of respiratory failure were the main reasons for ICU transfer, but two patients were transferred only following a cardiac or respiratory arrest in the general ward. 5) The mean of 2.7 different antibiotics were given to the patients. The aminoglycoside and first generation cephalosporin were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics, followed by the third generation cephalosporin and vancomycin. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics combination was a 1st generation cephalosporin plus an aminoglycoside. 6) Seven patients death(70%) occured after admission within the first five days, and a mean duration of hospitaliztion was 11.2 days. Conclusion: As the results show most death occured within the first five days after admission and aged patients; consequently, an aggressive intensive treatment should be provided early to the patients with severe community acquired pneumonia, and we should pay more attention to the aged patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.444-450
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• 2009

Background: Biomarkers for cancer have several potential clinical uses, including the following: early cancer detection, monitoring for recurrence prognostication, and risk stratification. However, no biomarker has been shown to have adequate sensitivity and specificity. Many investigators have tried to validate biomarkers for the early detection and recurrence of lung cancer. To evaluate plasma G-CSF as such a biomarker, protein levels were measured and were found to correlate with the clinicopathological features of primary lung tumors. Methods: Between December 2006 and May 2008, 100 patients with histologically-validated primary lung cancer were enrolled into this study. To serve as controls, 127 healthy volunteers were enrolled into this study. Plasma G-CSF levels were measured in lung cancer patients using the sandwich ELISA system (R & D inc.) prior to treatment. Results: The mean plasma G-CSF levels were 12.2$\pm$0.3 pg/mL and 46.0$\pm$3.8 pg/mL (mean$\pm$SE) in the normal and in the cancer groups, respectively. In addition, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with early lung cancer than in healthy volunteers (p<.001). Plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients who were under 65 years old or smokers. Within the cancer group, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with non small cell lung cancer than in patients with small cell lung cancer (p<.05). Overall, plasma G-CSF levels were shown to increase dependent upon the type of lung cancer diagnsosed. In the order from highest to lowest, the levels of plasma G-CSF tended to decrease in the following order: large cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Plasma G-CSF levels tended to be higher in patients with advanced TNM stage than in localized TNM stage (I, II