• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.858-866
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• 1998

Soldering is the usual method used to correct an unstable fixed partial denture framework at patient's try-in; However, presoldering base metal alloys is technique-sensitve and results are unstable because it is difficult to maintain uniform heat distribution and to prevent oxidation of an alloy. A cast-joining technique has been developed by Weiss and Munyon for repair, correction and addition to base metal framework. This joining technique eliminates the problem with presoldering of non-precious frameworks. The object of this study was to 1) compare the relative flexure strength and the joining effectiveness of Ni-Cr-Be cast in two pieces and 'pre-soldered' versus in two pieces and 'cast-joined'. 2) determine the effect of increasing the number of retentive grooves on the face of the cast and 3) determine the effect of the relative matched position of groove patterns on flexure strength. The joining effectiveness can be expressed by the ratio of the mean flexure stress of soldered or cast-joined specimens to that of one-piece cast. Resin rods 3mm in diameter were used as pattern of specimens for one-piece casted, presoldered, and cast-joined groups. Cast-joined specimens had two different patterns of retentive grooves on the joined faces. Type A had cross-shaped grooves 1mm in depth. 0.6mm in width. Type B was the same except for the addition of one more retentive groove. In the experiment connecting cast-joined specimens, half of specimens with type A pattern had their patterns on the faces of paired casts matched with each other as mirror image. With the rest pairs, it was proceeded that one of paired casts turned 45 degrees so that the patterns crossed. Half of specimens with type B pattern also had the patterns matched as mirror image; However, here, one of paired casts turned 90 degrees with the other pairs. Retentive groove in this study lacked the intentional undercuts, in contrast with the suggestion of Weiss and Munyon. The specimens were subjected to four-point flexural loading in an Instron testing machine. The midspan flexural stress was calculated at the point of initial plastic strain as determined from a strip-chart recorder or at the point of failure if this occured at a lower stress level. Within the scope of this study, the following results were obtained. 1. The presoldered group showed flexural strength at least 2 times higher than the cast-joined groups. Its joining effectiveness was 82%. 2. In cast-joined groups, the flexural strength of joints with type B patterns exhibited 1.5 times that of joints with type A patterns. Joining effectivenesses were 38% for type B patterns, 25-26% for type A patterns. 3. The relative matched position of groove patterns did not have any significant effect on flexural strength of the cast-joined specimens with either type A patterns or type B patterns(p>.05).

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2006

Objectives: Obesity is one of risk factors for psychological and social adjustment problems (depression, low self esteem, low school function etc). Quality of life(QOL) is comprehensive and multidimensional construct including physical, emotional, social and school functioning. Some authors reported that child and adolescent obesity is associated with impaired QOL. This study was to examine the association between QOL and body mass index (BMI) in middle school students. Methods : Cross sectional analysis of 471 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 14 years ($mean{\pm}SD,\;13.4{\pm}0.6$), who attended one of middle schools in Seoul, Korea. Participants' QOL were scored by using Korean version of pediatric QOL inventory generic score scale ($PedsQL^{TM}$ 4.0). Participants had a $mean{\pm}SD\;BMI\;of\;21.3{\pm}4.0$. Self reports and parent proxy reports using $PedsQL^{TM}$ 4.0 were administered to measure participant's QOL. Participants were divided into four groups by BMI (Male: obesity group >26.5, at risk group 23.2-26.5, normal weight group 15.8-23.1, underweight group <15.8, Female : obesity group >25.2, at risk group 22.9-25.2, normal weight group 16.0-22.8, underweight group <16.0). Results : Compared with other groups, obese adolescents reported significantly(p<0.01) love. QOL in all domains. Obese adolescents were more likely to have impaired QOL than normal weight adolescents (Odds Ratio, 8.3, 95% confidence interval, 4.0-16.7). Conclusion : Obese adolescents have lower QOL than normal weight adolescents. Psychiatrist, parents, and teachers need to be informed of the risk fur impaired QOL in obese adolescents to target interventions that could enhance health outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2015

Portland cement production is under critical review due to high amount of $CO_2$ gas released to the atmosphere. Attempts to increase the utilization of a by-products such as fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag to partially replace the cement in concrete are gathering momentum. Many researchs on alkali-activated concrete that does not need the presence of cement as a binder have been carried out recently. Instead, the sources of material such as fly ash, that are rich in Silicon(Si) and Aluminium(Al), are activated by alkaline liquids to produce the binder. Hence concrete with no cement is effect reduction of $CO_2$ gas. In this study, we investigated the influence of the fluidity, air content and compressive strength of mortar on alkaline activator in order to develop cementless fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag based alkali-activated mortar with superplasticizer. In view of the results, we found out that Pn of fluidity and compressive strength is the best in four type of superplasticizer, and PNS of powder type of fluidity is better than that of liquid type in the case of AA.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2013

Background: This study was carried out for the purpose of comprehensively evaluating the mercury exposure level of residents in several areas and the correlation between hair mercury concentration and blood mercury concentration. Method: One thousand one hundred ninety seven subjects were sampled from 30 sites using random assignment sampling. We performed a questionnaire survey and measured the level of total mercury in hair and blood samples from all subjects. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury in all subjects were 1.27 mg/kg [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-1.32 mg/kg] and 5.24 ${\mu}g/L$ [95% CI: 5.07-5.41 ${\mu}g/L$], respectively. Male (1.56 mg/kg in hair, 6.00 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood) was significantly higher than that of female (1.03 mg/kg in hair, 4.56 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood), and the concentrations were elevated as age increased up to the 50s. Education, smoking, alcohol drinking, and using of pesticides were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in hair and blood. The ratio of hair/ blood mercury concentration was 261.3. The total mercury concentration in hair was identified to be significantly related with total mercury concentration in blood (r=0.814, p<0.001). Conclusion: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury were higher than the levels provided in international recommendations. The total mercury concentration in hair was positively correlated with the concentration in blood. The results of this study suggest that hair mercury be considered as a useful tool for the evaluation of mercury exposure.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-137
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• 2015

Studies on carbon flux in the oceans have been highlighted in recent years due to increasing awareness about climate change, but the coastal ecosystem remains one of the unexplored fields in this regard. In this study, the dynamics of carbon flux in a vegetative coastal ecosystem were examined by an evaluation of net and gross ecosystem production (NEP and GEP) and $CO_2$ exchange rates (net ecosystem exchange, NEE). To estimate NEP and GEP, community production and respiration were measured along different habitat types (eelgrass and macroalgal beds, shallow and deep sedimentary, and deep rocky shore) at Gwangyang Bay, Korea from 20 June to 20 July 2007. Vegetative areas showed significantly higher ecosystem production than the other habitat types. Specifically, eelgrass beds had the highest daily GEP ($6.97{\pm}0.02g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$), with a large amount of biomass and high productivity of eelgrass, whereas the outer macroalgal vegetation had the lowest GEP ($0.97{\pm}0.04g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). In addition, macroalgal vegetation showed the highest daily NEP ($3.31{\pm}0.45g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) due to its highest P : R ratio (2.33). Furthermore, the eelgrass beds acted as a $CO_2$ sink through the air-seawater interface according to NEE data, with a carbon sink rate of $0.63mg\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Overall, ecosystem production was found to be extremely high in the vegetated systems (eelgrass and macroalgal beds), which occupy a relatively small area compared to the unvegetated systems according to our conceptual diagram of a carbon-flux box model. These results indicate that the vegetative ecosystems showed significantly high capturing efficiency of inorganic carbon through coastal primary production.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.460-465
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• 2006

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with probiotics as a feed additive for Juvenile olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Three experimental diets supplemented with Bacillus polyfermenticus (BP), Bacillus licheniformis (BL), or Bacillus polyfermenticus plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, (BP+SC) at $1.0{\times}10^7CFU/kg$ diet on a dry-matter basis were prepared. The basal diet was used as a control. After the 8-week feeding trial, the respiratory burst activity (NBT assay) of fish fed the BP + SC diet was significantly higher than that of fish fed the control diet. Fish fed the BP, BL and BP + SC diets had significantly lower cumulative mortality than did fish fed the control diet after the third day of the challenge test (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences among fish fed the experimental diets in weight gain, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, hematosomatic index, condition factor, survival rate, or Iysozyme activity. Results could suggest that dietary B. polyfermenticus, B. licheniformis, and B. polyfermenticus +S. cerevisiae enhance nonspecific immunity and disease resistance in juvenile olive flounder.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.87-101
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influences of Autonomic Nervous System and EEG by conducting Reinforcement-Reduction(補瀉) acupuncture stimulation to compare the changes in acupoints on the body before and after treatment of acupuncture at Xingjian(LR2) being referred as Fire-point(火穴) and Ququan(LR8) being referred as Water-point(水穴) of Yin Liver Meridian(足厥陰肝經). Methods : This study was carried out on 30 healthy female volunteers in their 20's. There were four tests conducted throughout and the period for each test was between 2 to 5days. HRV and EEG were measured for 5 minutes before acupuncture stimulation was conducted on LR2-Reinforcement, LR2-Reduction, LR8-Reinforcement and LR8-Reduction at random. During the 20 minutes of acupuncture treatment, same subjects were measured simultaneously to observe any significant changes in acupoints. Again, the same subjects were measured for 5 minutes after removing the acupuncture in order to perform a comparative analysis. Results : The measurement of HRV showed that LF, LFnorm and LF/HF ratio increased significantly(p<0.05) while HF, HF norm decreased significantly in case of LR2-Reinforcement & LR8-Reduction. Both LR2-Reduction and LR8-Reinforcement induced a significant increase in HFnorm. EEG measurement indicated low $\alpha$ wave decreased and high $\beta$ wave increased significantly at LR2-Reinforcement during post-acupuncture period compared with acupuncture stimulation period. Both LR2-Reduction and LR8-Reinforcement developed significantly low $\alpha$ wave and high $\alpha$ wave. High $\beta$ wave increased significantly at LR8-Reduction during the acupuncture stimulation in comparison with pre-acupuncture period. Conclusions : The manipulation of acupuncture stimulation at LR2-Reinforcement and LR8-Reduction enhanced the activity of sympathetic nerves and the state of arousal while that of para sympathetic nerves declined. On the other hand, LR2-Reduction and LR8-Reinforcement developed the levels of para sympathetic nerves and relaxation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2007

The mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells was investigated. Acacetin caused 50% growth inhibition ($IC_{50}$) of MCF-7 cells at $26.4{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$ over 24 h in the MTT assay. Apoptosis was characterized by DNA fragmentation and an increase of sub-G1 cells and involved activation of caspase-7 and PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase). Maximum caspase 7 activity was observed with $100{\mu}M$ acacetin for 24 h. Caspase 8 and 9 activation cascades mediated the activation of caspase 7. Acacetin caused a reduction of Bcl-2 expression leading to an increase of the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. It also caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential that induced release of cytochrome c and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) into the cytoplasm, enhancing ROS generation and subsequently resulting in apoptosis. Pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduced ROS generation and cell growth inhibition, and pretreatment with NAC or a caspase 8 inhibitor (Z-IETD-FMK) inhibited the acacetin-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c and AIF. Stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun $NH_4$-terminal kinase 1/2 (SAPK/JNK1/2) and c-Jun were activated by acacetin but extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) nor p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were not. Our results show that acacetin-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells is mediated by caspase activation cascades, ROS generation, mitochondria-mediated cell death signaling and the SAPK/JNK1/2-c-Jun signaling pathway, activated by acacetin-induced ROS generation.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.188-194
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of recurrent Kawasaki disease (KD). Methods : From January 2004 to December 2007, the medical records of 20 children with recurrent KD in Severance Children's Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatment and complications of these patients were compared between the initial episode and the second episode. Results : At the initial episode of the recurrent KD group, the gender ratio was 1.2:1 (male:female) and the mean age was $37.2{\pm}19.9$ months. The interval between the two episodes in the recurrent KD group was 3.3 months. The febrile period before admission was shorter for the second episode (P=0.034). The skin rash was less developed in the second episode. But there were no differences in the laboratory results and complications between the initial episode and the second episode. Three patients (15%) among those with a second episode failed to respond to the initial intravenous immunoglubulin treatment. On comparison between the initial episodes of the recurrent group and the nonrecurrent group, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was higher in the first episode of the recurrent KD group. Conclusions : For recurrent KD, it tends to present more atypical features than the KD that occurs for the first time. Physicians should consider these characteristics when making the diagnosis and treating recurrent KD.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.240-249
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• 2015

Objectives: Farmers are known to be exposed to a variety of allergens related to the work environment. This study was conducted to determine the sensitization rates as well as South Korea that they are sensitized to certain allergens farmers through the skin prick test. Methods: By targeting a total of 1143 people living in the rural town of Gyeonggi Province, it was conducted a questionnaire containing demographic and occupational risk factors and underwent skin prick tests with 15 types of allergens(including positive and negative controls). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between occupational risk factors and skin prick test positivity. Results: Except for the 30 people whose result is invalid, positive rate of the skin prick test was 18.6% in 1,113 people. The species of house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae was the highest at 8.7% and 8.6%. After adjusted by age, gender, smoking and education level, odds ratio of flower plant farmers is 4.467(95% CI: 2.094-9.527) and fruit farmer is 2.275(95% CI: 1.096-4.721). In addition, the rate of sensitization to grass pollen mixture of the flower plant farmers is significantly higher(15.9%, p<0.001) than other allergens. Conclusions: Even farmers, the rate of sensitization to allergens related to the general environment, such as house dust mite is relatively dominant. However, given the presence of potential cross-reactivity between the allergens or distribution showed that the unique aspects of allergen sensitization in the flower growers, occupational cause is not be completely ruled out.