• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.376-384
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• 2002

Background : The mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) in the late stage, which is characterized by progressive pulmonary fibroproliferation, is ${\geq}80%$. Although previous prospective trials failed to show a survival benefit of steroid therapy in early ARDS, recently, a few of reports have described the survival benefit of the long-term use of steroid in patients with late ARDS. In this study, we analyzed the effect of steroid therapy on patients with late ARDS retrospectively in a single. Medral intensive care unit (MICU). Methods : Over a 3-year period, the medical records of 48 ARDS patients who had been on mechanical ventilation more than 8 days were reviewed. 14 patients were treated by the long-term use of methylprednisolone and another 34 patients served as a control. Both groups were comparable regarding clinical and physiologic data lung injury score(LIS), multiple organ failure score, APACHE III and SAPS II score. Because steroid was instituted after 8 days of advanced mechanical ventilatory support in average, we arbitrarily defined the $8^{th}$ day of ARDS as first day of the study. Results : Initially, the groups had similar PF($PaO_2/FiO_2$) ratio, LIS, APACHE III and SAPS II score. By 7th day after the start of steroid therapy, there were significant improvements in PF ratio, LIS, APACHE III and SAPS II score. The mortality in the steroid treated group was significantly lower(42.9% vs 73.5%, p<0.05). Conclusion : Although the data of this study was retrospective and was not randomized, in order to improve the patient's outcomes, steroid therapy should be considered in late ARDS patients. However, prospective trials are needed to define the indication and the effect of steroid therapy in late ARDS.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2010

To establish the optimum artificial light illumination method for baby leaf lettuce in closed plant factory system, the effects of red/blue light quality and short-term light quality conversion on growth and anthocyanin content were investigated. The growth of 'Hongha' lettuce was most favorable under red single wavelength LED light after 23 days of treatment, sequentially followed by the growth under red/blue mixed light, blue light, and fluorescent light. Total anthocyanin content in the mixed red/blue light (R57-B43) was 4.1-fold and 6.9-fold increased compared to the red LED and fluorescent light, respectively. With increasing the blue light ratio to 43%, the growth of lettuce was significantly decreased, while the relative chlorophyll content and Hunter's $a^*$ value was increased, indicating that the red/blue light ratio inversely affects on growth and anthocyanin pigment development. By changing light quality from red to red/blue mixed light source (R57-B43) for 9 days before harvest, the growth rate decreased compared to the continuous red light illumination, while the anthocyanin content dramatically increased compared to either red LED or fluorescent light. Whereas, when the light source was changed to red light, the growth rate was increased but anthocyanin content was reversely decreased. The result demonstrated that both growth and anthocyanin expression could be effectively regulated by shifting of light quality between red and red/blue mixed light source at a specific growth stage of lettuce in a plant factory.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2016

This study was conducted to elucidate the cultural and pathogenic characteristics of Cladosporium cucumerinum PT1 and resistance of 81 commercial cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). Cucumber leaves and fruits appeared as scab were collected from a plastic film house located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-province, Korea in late March, 2015. A casual fungus was isolated from the diseased fruits on potato dextrose agar and it was identified as C. cucumerinum PT1 based on the morphological characteristics. To find out the effect of wounding and fruit size on the development of cucumber scab, small (<10 cm long), medium (10 to 20 cm long), and large (>20 cm long, commercially mature fruit) size cucumber fruits were harvested, C. cucumerinum PT1 pathogens were inoculated with a single droplet of suspension ($1{\times}10^5$ spores/ml) on wounded or unwounded cucumber fruits. Small fruits were completely damaged with showing severe water-soaking symptoms and fast pathogen growth regardless of wounded or unwounded. Meanwhile slight water-soaking symptoms on medium and large size fruits occurred and disease development into plant tissues was observed only on wounded fruits. Disease resistance of 81 commercial cucumber cultivars was evaluated on third-stage seedlings and small fruits by inoculating suspension ($1{\times}10^5$ spores/ml) of C. cucumerinum PT1. As a result, mini and pickling cultivar groups were resistant, 'Cheoeumcheoreom' cultivar was symptomless and the other cultivars were resistant to medium resistant. On the other hand, most of cucumber cultivars belonging to the other groups were susceptible. Disease resistance of cucumber against cucumber scab was significantly different among cultivars and a few cucumber cultivars showed different disease resistant responses to two bioassay methods using seedlings and small fruits. Therefore, to screen scab resistance in cucumber, a test using both fruits and seedlings is advisable. We think that the selected resistant cultivars can be used to control cucumber scab effectively under the farmhouse condition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6273-6276
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• 2012

Background/Aim: Six prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility loci were identified in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in populations of European decent. However, the associations of these 6 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with PCa has remained tobe clarified in men in Northern China. This study aimed to explore the loci associated with PCa risk in a Northern Chinese population. Methods: Blood samples and clinical information of 289 PCa patients and 288 controls from Beijing and Tianjin were collected. All risk SNPs were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-high resolution melting curve technology and gene sequencing. Associations between PCa and clinical covariates (age at diagnosis, prostate-specific antigen [PSA], Gleason score, tumor stage, and level of aggressiveness) and frequencies of alleles and genotypes of these SNPs were analyzed using genetic statistics. Results: Among the candidate SNPs, 11p15 (rs7127900, A) was associated with PCa risk (P = 0.02, odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-2.46). Genotypes showed differences between cases and controls on 11p15 (rs7127900, A), 11q13 (rs7931342, T), and HNF1B (rs4430796, A) (P = 0.03, P = 0.01, and P = 0.04, respectively). The genotype TG on 11q13 (rs7931342, T) was positively associated with an increased Gleason score (P = 0.04, OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.02-4.55). Patients carrying TG on 17q24 (rs1859962, G) were negatively associated with an increased body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.03, OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.21-0.92) while those with AG on HNF1B (rs4430796, A) were more likely to have PSA increase (P = 0.002). Conclusion: Our study suggests that 11p15 (rs7127900, A) could be a susceptibility locus associated with PCa in Northern Chinese. Genotype TG on 11q13 (rs7931342, T) could be related to an increased Gleason score, AG on HNF1B (rs4430796, A) could be associated with PSA increase, and TG on 17q24 (rs1859962, G) could be negatively associated with an increased BMI in Chinese men with PCa.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 1988

This experiment was carried out to obtain the thermophilic fungus producing amylase and to investigate properties of the amylase. The selected strain, L-11 was obtained from soil in the vicinity of a hot spring and identified as Mocor sp.. And then the conditions for enzyme production in wheat bran cultures and properties of the crude enzyme were investigated. Furthermore, the enzyme was purified and the characteristics of purified enzyme were studied. The results obtained were as follows: 1. On the wheat bran medium added 80-100% water, amylase was effectively produced by the selected strain, L-11 for 48 hrs incubation at $50^{\circ}C$. 2. When the crude enzyme solution of the strain L-11 was passed through DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, two peaks having amylase activity were obtained, and one peak was that of the main enzyme (enzyme of B peak). 3. The purified enzyme (enzyme of B peak) was recognized as single protein band on polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. 4. In the hydrolysis reaction of soluble starch by the enzyme of main amylase, oligosaccharides produced at early stage were maltose and maltotriose mainly and procedure of the reaction maltose amount of maltose and glucose was increased. 5. The strain L-11 was recognized as a special strain producing ${\alpha}-amylase$ mainly and scarcely glucoamylase. 6. The optimum pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and temperature stability of ${\alpha}-amylase$ were pH 4.0, $60-65^{\circ}C$, pH 4.0-9.0, and below$70^{\circ}C$.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2014

Purpose: To compare the clinical characteristics and laboratory finding between adenoviral and group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was performed in the patients with adenovirus infection among those who were admitted for febrile respiratory disease from January 2011 to July 2013 and GAS pharyngitis among those who visited for symptoms of scarlet fever from August 2006 to July 2013. Results: 179 patients (AV1 group) were diagnosed with adenoviral pharyngitis and 37 (AV2 group) of these patients had adenovirus single infection. 26 patients (GAS group) were diagnosed with scarlet fever. Adenoviral infection (AV2 group) developed in younger patients compared to GAS group ($2.8{\pm}2.1$ years vs. $5.4{\pm}1.8$ years, P =0.000). Total durations of fever and admission were longer in AV2 ($6.3{\pm}2.6$ days vs. $3.3{\pm}1.9$ days, P =0.000; $4.1{\pm}1.2$ days vs. $1.9{\pm}1.8$ days, P =0.000, respectively). WBC counts were higher in AV2 ($11,449{\pm}5,680$ cells/$mm^2$ vs. $6,722{\pm}6,941$ cells/$mm^2$, P =0.000). CRP was not significantly different between AV2 and GAS group ($3.8{\pm}3.2$ mg/dL vs. $5.2{\pm}5.1$ mg/dL, P =0.368). No difference was found between two groups in the percentage of antibiotics use (91.9% vs. 100%, P =0.261). Conclusion: Clinical characteristics and measures of inflammation in the laboratory findings were similar between adenoviral and GAS pharyngitis group. It is necessary to conduct the test for respiratory virus and bacteria in early stage to differentiate in the pharyngitis patients with leukocytosis and elevation of CRP level.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.63-73
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• 2015

This work proposes a 2-channel time-interleaved (T-I) 10b 120MS/s pipeline SAR ADC minimizing offset mismatch between channels without any calibration scheme. The proposed ADC employs a 2-channel SAR and T-I topology based on a 2-step pipeline ADC with 4b and 7b in the first and second stage for high conversion rate and low power consumption. Analog circuits such as comparator and residue amplifier are shared between channels to minimize power consumption, chip area, and offset mismatch which limits the ADC linearity in the conventional T-I architecture, without any calibration scheme. The TSPC D flip-flop with a short propagation delay and a small number of transistors is used in the SAR logic instead of the conventional static D flip-flop to achieve high-speed SAR operation as well as low power consumption and chip area. Three separate reference voltage drivers for 4b SAR, 7b SAR circuits and a single residue amplifier prevent undesirable disturbance among the reference voltages due to each different switching operation and minimize gain mismatch between channels. High-frequency clocks with a controllable duty cycle are generated on chip to eliminate the need of external complicated high-frequency clocks for SAR operation. The prototype ADC in a 45nm CMOS technology demonstrates a measured DNL and INL within 0.69LSB and 0.77LSB, with a maximum SNDR and SFDR of 50.9dB and 59.7dB at 120MS/s, respectively. The proposed ADC occupies an active die area of 0.36mm2 and consumes 8.8mW at a 1.1V supply voltage.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 2010

Purpose : Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is produced by activated CD4+T cells and exhibits pleiotropic biological activity on various cell types. IL-17 was reported to be involved in the immunoregulatory response in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Our aim was to investigate the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) gene and childhood IgAN. Methods : We analyzed the SNPs in the IL-17RA in 156 children with biopsy-proven IgAN and 245 healthy controls. We divided the IgAN patients into 2 groups and compared them with respect to proteinuria (${\leq}4$ and >$4mg/m^2/h$, ${\leq}40$ and >$40mg/m^2/h$, respectively) and the presence of pathological levels of biomarkers of diseases such as interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, or global sclerosis. Results : No difference was observed between the SNP genotypes rs2895332, rs1468488, and rs4819553 between IgAN patients and control subjects. In addition, no significant difference was observed between allele frequency of SNPs rs2895 332, rs1468488, and rs4819553 between patients in the early and advanced stage of the disease. However, significant difference was observed between the genotype of SNP rs2895332 between patients with proteinuria (>$4mg/m^2/h$) and those without proteinuria (codominant model OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-.66, P <0.001; dominant model OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-.69 P =0.002; recessive model OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.01-.06 P =0.025). Conclusion : Our results indicate that the SNP in IL-17RA (rs2895332) may be related to the development of proteinuria in IgAN patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.1510-1516
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the quality and sensory characteristics of sweet persimmon mashes and spirits fermented by three different yeasts [Saccharomyces species, labeled as LB (Lalvin BM $4{\times}4$), LD (Lalvin DV10), and UC (Uvaferm CM)]. In the production of sweet persimmon wines, UC had the highest alcohol content of 10.20% (v/v) after 9 days of fermentation (P<0.05). The range of pH after fermentation was 3.63~3.75. The total aerobic bacteria and yeast contents increased until day 3 and then continuously decreased to approximately 8.60 log CFU/mL and 8.20 log CFU/mL, respectively. Reducing sugar contents were 3.37% in UC, 3.91% in LD, and 4.05% in LB after fermentation. Total sugar contents were 4.89% in UC, 6.24% in LD, and 5.47% in LB after fermentation. Two-stage single-pot distillation was conducted to produce sweet persimmon spirits. While conducting second distillation, spirits were collected every 100 mL fraction. The alcohol contents gradually decreased as more fractions were collected. The amounts of acetaldehyde were 226 mg/L for LD, 225 mg/L for LB, and 310 mg/L for UC in the first fraction. LD produced the highest volume (677.8 mL) of alcohol in its body part in comparison with LB (408.0 mL) and UC (445.4 mL). In the descriptive analysis, UC had stronger intensities of sweet aroma, sour aroma and taste, and persimmon flavor (P<0.05). Persimmon characteristics seemed to be well characterized by UC. In conclusion, LD was the most efficient in terms of production cost, whereas UC would be used to produce a more flavorful sweet persimmon spirit.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 1996

Purpose : Chest irradiation leads to a significant cardiac injury in a number of patients. To prevent, or to reduce the risk of radiation-induced cardiac injury, pentoxifylline(PTX), a haemorrheologic agent that improves the blood flow through small blood capillaries has been employed. Materials and Methods : One hundred and eighty ICR mice were divided into three study groups: control, radiation alone, and radiation-pentoxifylline. Each group was subdivided into 12 subgroups: 1 3, 6 and 10 days and 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks by observation Period after irradiation. The total 15Gy of radiation was delivered in a single fraction through anterior mediastinal port. Pentoxifylline was injected subcutaneously daily 50mg/kg to the back of the mice from the first day of irradiation throughout the observation period. The mice of each group after a certain observation period were sacrificed and sectioned for histopathologic examination of the heart. Result : The findings of acute radiation-induced carditis i.e., heterophilic infiltration and vacuolization and ballooning of endothelial cells were observed upto 6 weeks and reduced sharply afterwards. The late radiation effects including pericarditis with mononuclear cell infiltration, pericardial fibrosis, endothelial cell changes, myocardial degeneration and fibrosis present from 4 weeks onwards after irradiation but with various degree of severity. The overall process of pathologic changes of radiation-pentoxifylline group was similar to those of radiation alone group but the duration of acute stage was relatively short and the severity of late cardiac toxicity was much lesser compared with those of radiation alone group. Conclusion : Pentoxifylline can effectively reduce the late radiation-induced cardiac injury and reslve the acute effects relatively rapidly.