• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.355-360
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• 2013

Diesel-burning air heater (air heater) and infrared heating lamp (infrared heater) were installed as auxiliary heaters in two single water-curtained plastic greenhouses with a set night temperature of $6^{\circ}C$ for cultivation of strawberry 'Seolhyang'. The average night air temperature was $6.6^{\circ}C$ in the infrared heater treatment and $7.1^{\circ}C$ in the air heater treatment. However, when the minimum outside temperature fell below $-10^{\circ}C$, the air heater had less internal temperature fluctuations. In contrast, the infrared heater had some cases of falling below the set temperature. The relative humidity was higher than 98% by the side-effect of water-curtain system regardless of the heating system. There was about $5^{\circ}C$ difference in leaf temperature between the turned-on and -off state of the infrared heater, and the efficacy of the infrared heater on leaf temperature was only limited to about 4 meters from the system. Peduncle length and plant height in the infrared heater tended to be greater than those in the air heater. There was, however, no statistically difference in leaf size and numbers of leaves, flowers on first cluster and branches. There was no difference in soluble solids content, fruit firmness, average fruit weight of the harvested fruits, and the yield. Comparing the heating costs, the air heater system took 622,662 won based on 543 L tax-free diesel, while the infrared heater system took 235,284 won by consuming 5,685 kWh of electricity, and 62.2% heating costs saving was achieved.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Although glucocorticoids are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents, they have limited effect on cysteinyl leukotriene biosynthesis. In addition, the response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and inhaled long-acting ${\beta}_2-agonists$ (LABA) combination therapy in moderate to severe persistent asthmatics varies. Additional therapy with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) in patients with moderate to severe asthma suboptimally controlled with ICS and LABA combination therapy would be complementary to asthma control. Methods: One hundred and ninety eight asthmatics entered a 2 month, open-label descriptive study. Patients suffering from persistent asthma and suboptimally controlled on a combination therapy of fluticasone/salmeterol or budesonide/formoterol were given montelukast 10 mg daily as an add-on therapy. The level of asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) including $FEV_1%$ predicted at the baseline and after a 2-month treatment with montelukast. A global evaluation of the treatment was also made by the patients and physicians. Results: The mean ACQ score decreased significantly on montelukast ($11.5{\pm}5.4$ at baseline vs. $6.7{\pm}5.0$), with a significant improvement in all individual symptom scores (p<0.01). The $FEV_1%$ predicted values did not show any significant change. 59.9% of patients and 59.4% of physicians reported global improvement in their asthma (${\kappa}=0.85$). Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of montelukast in patients with persistent asthma that is suboptimally contolled by combination therapy of ICS and LABA might confer complementary effects on asthma control.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2020

Background: Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting more than 8 weeks and socio-economic burden of chronic cough is enormous. The characteristics of chronic cough in Korea are not well understood. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (KATRD) published guidelines on cough management in 2014. The current study evaluated the clinical characteristics of chronic cough in Korea and the efficacy of the KATRD guidelines. Methods: This was a multi-center, retrospective observational study conducted in Korea. The participants were over 18 years of age. They had coughs lasting more than 8 weeks. Subjects with current pulmonary diseases, smokers, exsmokers with more than 10 pack-years or who quit within the past 1 year, pregnant women, and users of cough-inducing medications were excluded. Evaluation and management of cough followed the KATRD cough-management guidelines. Results: Participants with chronic cough in Korea showed age in the late forties and cough duration of more than 1 year. Upper airway cough syndrome was the most common cause of cough, followed by cough-variant asthma (CVA). Gastro-esophageal reflux diseases and eosinophilic bronchitis were less frequently observed. Following the KATRD cough-management guidelines, 91.2% of the subjects improved after 4 weeks of treatment. Responders were younger, had a longer duration of cough, and an initial impression of CVA. In univariate and multivariate analyses, an initial impression of CVA was the only factor related to better treatment response. Conclusion: The causes of chronic cough in Korea differed from those reported in other countries. The current Korean guidelines proved efficient for treating Korean patients with chronic cough.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2012

This study was conducted to find the effective management of main weeds including herbicide-resistant Echinochloa oryzicola, Scirpus juncoides and Monochoria vaginalis in direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface. The dominant dominances in direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface were increased for three years between 2009-2011. In weed distribution in 2011, the occurrence density of S. juncoides decreased greatly, but it of E. oryzicola increased especially as compared with it of 2009. Benzobicyclon, mesotrione and pyrimisulfan were effective to sulfonylurea(SU)-resistant S. juncoides and M. vaginalis at 5 and 12 days after seeding, however, the efficacy of bromobutide to sulfonylurea-resistant M. vaginalis was decreased slightly at 12 days after seeding. And carfentrazon and pyrazolate were ineffective to S. juncoides. In direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface which ACCase and ALS inhibitor-resistant E. oryzicola was not occurred, benzobicyclon+penoxsulam+pyrazosulfuron-ethyl ET, bromobutide+imazosulfuron+metamifop GR, and flucetosulfuron+mesotrione+pretilachlor GR showed the control effect over 94% to main weeds included sulfonylurea-resistant S. juncoides and M. vaginalis. The E. oryzicola dominating in direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface were not any affected to the survival by treatment with recommended doses of cyhalofop-butyl and penoxsulam tested. The ACCase and ALS inhibitor-resistant E. oryzicola was effectively controlled by mefenacet and fentrazamide up to the 2nd leaf stage. In direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface domiating coincidentally by herbicide-resistant E. oryzicola, S. juncoides and M. vaginalis, "one-shot herbicide" included with mefenacet, fentrazamide, penoxsulam and metamifop could't be used because of low control effect or rice injury. The sequential treatment of benzobicyclon+thiobencarb SE and bensulfuron+mefenacet+thiobencarb GR controlled effectively the herbicide-resistant E. oryzicola, S. juncoides and M. vaginalis in direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface. The days required by the 3rd leaf stage of herbicide-resistant E. oryzicola, S. juncoides and M. vaginalis in direct seeded rice on puddled paddy surface seeded in May 20 shortened by 4 days as compared with it of June 10.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.4 s.249
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• pp.263-270
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• 2005

In recent years, a combination of two demographic phenomena, an increased number of older people in the population and an increase in the incidence of lung cancer with age, has made it mandatory to develop therapeutic modalities with less toxicity for the treatment of inoperable elderly patients with lung cancer. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between COX-2 expression and cytotoxicity of Nimesulide, a specific COX-2 inhibitor. Material and Method: Immunohistochemical staining of COX-2 was performed. After exposure of Nimesulide, XTT analysis, FACS analysis and Hoechst staining were carried out. Result: COX-2 protein was expressed in non-treated A549 cells strongly, but not in H1299. Cytotoxicity of Nimesulide against A549 cell and H1299 cell were similar and $IC_{50}$ of Nimesulide in both cell lines were $70.9{\mu}M$ in A549 cell line and $56.5{\mu}M$ in H1299 cell line respectively. FACS analysis showed $G_0/G_1$ arrest in both cell lines and the S phase cell fraction was decreased. Morphologic assessment of apoptosis by Hoechst 33258 staining, many apoptotic cells were detected in both cell lines. Conclusion: Selective COX-2 inhibitor, Nimesulide, can inhibit the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines in vitro. Inhibitory effect of Nimesulide are induction of apoptosis and $G_0/G_1$ arrest. There is no correlation between COX-2 expression and cytotoxicity of Nimesulide, a specific COX-2 inhibitor. Therefore, highly selective COX-2 inhibitors such as Nimesulide can be expected to lead to even greater efficacy of their use as adjuncts to various anticancer angents and radiation therapy for the treatment of high-risk patients.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2011

This study was conducted to test the efficacy of plum (Prunus mume) and red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A Meyer) marc as stress inhibitors under heat stress and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in broilers by investigating their effects on blood biochemical parameters, immunoglobulin concentration and splenic cytokine mRNA expressions. A total of one hundred ninety-two 1-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided into 2 stress conditions (heat and LPS) experiments. Each experiment was divided into 4 treatment groups with 8 replicates of 3 birds in each group. NC (negative control, no immune substances), PC (positive control, 25 ppm ${\beta}$-glucan), PM (1% plum marc) and RGM (3% red ginseng marc) treatments were administered with respective substance through water supplementation. During heat stress, The Ca/Mg ratio in PM and RGM was significantly decreased in comparison with that of NC (P<0.05). The immunoglobulin M was significantly lower in PM than in NC (P<0.05). Expression patterns of splenic cytokine mRNAs (IL-1, IL-2 and IL-6) were similar over the treatment. Expression rates of IL-1 and IL-2 in PM were significantly decreased in comparison with NC. Also, expression rates of IL-1, IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly lower in RGM than in NC (P<0.05). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of plum and red ginseng marc improved coping ability to heat stress by preventing Ca/Mg ratio increment and by inhibiting inflammatory response in broiler chicks. However, it is necessary to determine optimal dietary level of red ginseng marc for improving growth performances in broiler chickens. These results suggest the possibility that plum and red ginseng marc could be used as the stress inhibitor under heat stress and inflammatory response in broiler chicks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1070-1075
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• 1998

Background: With the advent of thoracoscopy, there has been increasing interest in less invasive surgical bullectomy and pleurodesis. The recurrence rate, however, has been reported higher in surgery with thoracoscopy than with open thoracotomy and it is thought to be caused by inappropriate mechanical pleurodesis during thoracoscopic surgery. Materials and methods: We compared the short-term recurrence rates according to the intensities of pleural abrasion in 62 patients who underwent VATS for treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax from April 1996 to August 1997. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A(n=32) included patients who received relatively weak pleural abrasion using Endo-forcep instrument for grasping the gauze, and group B(n=30) received strong pleural abrasion using conventional instrument wrapped tightly with gauze. Each intensity of pleural abrasion allowed petechia on the parietal pleura in group A, and some tearing and bleeding in group B. Results: Indications for operation, sex distribution, and age were comparable in both groups. There were no differences in chest tube indwelling time(3.78±3.35 vs 3.80±2.49 days), hospital stay(4.72±1.87 vs 4.67±2.20 days), and the amount and duration of analgesics required postoperatively. Persistent air-leak more than 7 days after surgery occurred in 4/32(12.5%) and 2/30(6.7%) in group A and B, respectively. No bleeding-related complication occured. Pneumothorax recurred 12.5%(4/32) and 0%(0/30) of patients at a mean follow-up of 9.7 and 9.6 months in group A and B, respectively, and it was statistically significant(p<0.05). Conclusions: Proper intensity of pleural abrasion is very important factor to reduce recurrence after VATS for spontaneous pneumothorax. During short-term follow-upafter surgery, we could achieve excellent result in reducing recurrence rate with VATS and strong pleural abrasion which is comparable to thoracotomy.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2001

Purpose : To confirm the efficacy of arthroscopic synovectomy fur the pigmented villonodular synovitis in the knee. Materials and Methods : Between October 1996 and February 2000, the arthroscopic synovectomy had been performed in six patients(six knee joints), whose diagnoses were confirmed by pathologist. All patients complained of painful swelling in involved knee and four of the six patients had trauma history. There were three male and three female patients. Average age was 35.8 years ranging from 16 to 67 years. Follow up period was average 22.7 months(range, $13\~53$ months). Results : According to arthroscopic findings, there were three localized forms and three diffuse forms. At their last follow-up examinations, all patients had improvement in pain, swelling and range of motion and there was no evidence of recurrence. Conclusion : Complete arthroscopic excision is the definitive treatment for localized pigmented villonodular synovitis and meticulous arthroscopic excision through all portals including posterior portal can be considered as a valid alternative to traditional open synovectomy for the patients with diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2005

Purpose : S. pneumoniae is one of major pathogens of community-acquired respiratory infections. The rate of antibiotic resistance to this organism has increased, and resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents in a single strain of S. pneumoniae may compromise the efficacy of empiric antimicrobial treatment commonly used for respiratory infections. We did this study to find out the penicillin resistant distributions and oral antibiotics susceptibility patterns against S. pneumoniae, isolated from pediatric patients with community-acquired respiratory infections in Korea. Methods : One hundred fifty six pneumococcal isolates obtained from pediatric patients with community-acquired respiratory infections such as acute otitis media(AOM), sinusitis and pneumonia between May 2000 to June 2003. And MICs of penicillin and oral antibiotics(amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefaclor) were performed by broth microdilution methods according to the NCCLS(2003a). Results : Seventy eight percent of the isolates were resistant to penicillin. The isolates, collected from AOM patients showed the highest penicillin resistance(92.7%). The resistant rates of amoxicillin (16.7%) and amoxicillin-clavulanate(9.6%), based on susceptibility breakpoints established by the NCCLS, were markedly lower than these of penicillin. But, the resistant rate of cefaclor was very high, above 95%. Conclusion : We concluded that pneumococci isolated from study cases may be one of the world's highest penicillin resistant rates. But, amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate can be used as a first-line antibiotics. Finally, we hope that a continuous surveillance study to monitor resistant patterns of pneumococcal respiratory infections will be needed for the standard guidelines of empiric antibiotic treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.238-243
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• 2009

Background: Radiofrequency obliteration and endovenous laser therapy of the greater saphenous vein have recently been introduced as alternative, minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of saphenous vein incompetence. The 7 Fr. VNUS $ClosureFAST^{(R)}$ radiofrequency obliteration system was introduced in Gwang-Ju Veterans hospital. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and complications of radiofrequency obliteration using the 7 Fr. VNUS $ClosureFAST^{(R)}$ system. Material and Method: Between May 2, 2007 and May 31, 2008, we performed radiofrequency obliteration on 90 patients. The number of males was 67 and their mean age was $57.9{\pm}11.0$ (range: $23{\sim}78$) years old. The patients underwent follow up exams at 3 weeks after the procedures and then every 3 months. The effects of treatment and the complications were reviewed. Result: The postoperative complications were ecchymosis (94.4%), pain (27.8%), paresthesia (25.6%), bullous formation (8.9%), edema (6.7%) and phlebitis (2.2%). One patient showed good blood flow after 3 weeks and one patient showed good blood flow after 3 months. The one-year success rate of radiofrequency obliteration in varicose veins was 97.6%. Conclusion: Our data showed acceptable operative results and short-term clinical results for treating varicose veins with radio frequency obliteration. Long-term follow-up and comparison of radio frequency obliteration with high ligation and stripping, previous radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser therapy are needed in the future.