• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.94-102
• /
• 1997

Purpose: There have been some efforts to diagnose intracranial aneurysm through a non-invasive method using MRA, although the process may be difficult when the lesion is less than 3mm. The present study prospectively compares the results of high resolution, fast speed slice interpolation MRA and DSA thereby examing the potentiality of primary non-invasive screening test. Materials and Methods: A total of 26 cerebral aneurysm lesions from 14 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured aneurysm (RA) and 5 patients with unruptured aneurysm(UA). In all subjects, MRA was taken to confirm the vessel of origin, definition of aneurysm neck and the relationship of the aneurysm to nearby small vessels, and the results were compared with the results of DSA. The images were obtained with 1.5T superconductive machine (Vision, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) on 4 slabs of MRA using slice interpolation. The settings include TR/TE/FA=30/6.4/25, matrix $160{\times}512$, FOV $150{\times}200$, 7minutes 42 seconds of scan time, effective thickness of 0.7 mm and an entire thickness of 102. 2mm. The images included structures from foramen magnum to A3 portion of anterior cerebral artery. MIP was used for the image analysis, and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) technique was used in cases of intracranial aneurysm. Results: A total of 26 intracranial aneurysm lesions from 19 patients with 2 patients having 3 lesion, 3 patients having 2 lesions and the rest of 14 patients having 1 lesion each were examined. Among those, 14 were RA and 12 were UA. Eight lesions were less than 2mm in size, 9 lesions were 3-5mm, 7 were 6-9mm and 2 were larger than IOmm. On initial exams, 25 out of 26 aneurysm lesions were detected in either MRA or DSA showing 96% sensitivity. Specificity cannot be estimated since there was no true negative of false positive findings. When MRA and MPR were used concurrently for the confirmation of size and shape, the results were equivalent to those of DSA, while in the confirmation of aneurysm neck and parent vessels, the concurrent use of MRA and MPR was far superior to the sole use of either MRA or DSA. Conclusion: High resolution MRA using slice interpolation technique showed equal results as those of DSA for the detection of intracranial aneurysm, and may be used as a primary non-invasive screening test in the future.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.106-112
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The long-term administration of antibiotics interferes with bacterial culture in the middle ear fluids (MEFs) of young children with otitis media with effusion (OME). The purpose of this study is to determine whether molecular diagnostics can be used for rapid and direct detection of the bacterial pathogen in culture-negative MEFs. Methods: The specificity and sensitivity of both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to the lytA gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae were comparatively tested and then applied for pneumococcal detection in the clinical MEFs. Results: The detection limit of the PCR assay was approximately $10^4$ colony forming units (CFU), whereas that of LAMP was less than 10 CFU for the detection of S. pneumoniae. Both PCR and LAMP did not amplify nucleic acid at over $10^6$ CFU of H. influenzae or M. catarrhalis, both of which were irrelevant bacterial species. Of 22 culture-negative MEFs from children with OME, LAMP positivity was found in twelve MEFs (54.5%, 12/22), only three of which were PCR-positive (25%, 3/12). Our results showed that the ability of LAMP to detect pneumococcal DNA is over four times higher than that of PCR (P<0.01). Conclusions: As a high-resolution tool able to detect nucleic acid levels equivalent to <10 CFU of S. pneumoniae in MEFs without any cross-reaction with other pathogens, lytA -specific LAMP may be applied for diagnosing pneumococcus infection in OME as well as evaluating the impact of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against OME.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2008

In accompany with the transfer of US army bases, recent surveys reported serious contamination of soils by the release of petroleum from storage facilities and heavy metals accumulated in rifle-ranges. These problems have made an increased concerns of cleanup technology for contaminated soils. In this study, a full-scale soil washing process improved by multistage continuous desorption and agitational desorption techniques was examined for petroleum-contaminated soils obtained from three different remedial sites that contained 29.3, 16.6, and 7.8% of silt and clay, respectively. The initial concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) were 5,183, 2,560, and 4,860 mg/kg for each soil. Pure water was applied to operate washing process, in which water used for washing process was recycled 100% for over 6 months. The results of full-scale washing tests showed that the TPH concentrations for soils (> 3.0 mm) were 50${\sim}$356 mg/kg (85.2${\sim}$98.2% removal rates), regardless of the contents of silt and clay from in A, B and C soil, when the soils were washed at 3.0 kg/$cm^2$ of injection pressure with the method of wet particle separation. Based on the initial TPH concentration, the TPH removal rates for each site were 85.2, 98.2 and 89.9%. For soils in the range of 3.0${\sim}$0.075 mm, the application of first-stage desorption technique as a physical method resulted 834, 1,110, and 1,460 mg/kg of TPH concentrations for each soil, also additional multi-stage continuous desorption reduced the TPH concentration to 330, 385, and 245 mg/kg that were equivalent to 92.4, 90.6, and 90.1% removal rates, respectively. The result of multi-stage continuous desorption for fine soil (0.075${\sim}$0.053 mm) were 791, 885, and 1,560 mg/kg, and additional agitation desorption showed 428, 440, and, 358 mg/kg of TPH concentrations. Compared with initial concentration, the removal rates were 92.0, 93.9 and 92.9%, respectively. These results implied we could apply strategic process of soil washing for varies types of contaminated soils to meet the regulatory limit of TPH.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.173-179
• /
• 1989

Characterization and classification of the potential acid sulfate soils found on flood-plains in Yeongnam area were summarized as follows: 1. The "Potential acid sulfate soil" layer(s) were appeared in the around 2-4m substrata of soil profiles and characterized by the fine texture, high reduction and physical unripened soft mud deposits or having higher contents of organic matter with dark color. 2. The contents of total sulfur (T-S) in those soils were ranged around 0.45-0.9% and the materials exhibited a strong acidity upon the oxidation with $H_2O_2$. Although the T-S contents was low as much as 0.15%, the sulfidic materials were also acidified strongly by the oxidation with $H_2O_2$ in the condition of lower content of carbonates. As defined in Soil Taxonomy of USDA, most of the sulfidic materials contained less than 3 times carbonate ($CaCO_3$ equivalent wt. %), but there were some which abundant in shell fragments, contained more than 3 times carbonate by weight percentage and that not much acidified by the oxidation with $H_2O_2$. 3. The contents of T-S correlated negatively with the pH oxidized by $H_2O_2$ and with the fizzing time (minutes) due to addition of $H_2O_2$. 4. The potential acid sulfate soils could be defined as soil materials that had sulfidic layer(s) more than 20cm thick within 4m of the soil profile and contained more than 0.15% of T-S with less than 3 times carbonate ($CaCO_3$ equiv. %). A tentative interpretative soil classification system was proposed, i.e., "Weak potential acid sulfate (T-S, 0.15-0.5%)", "Moderate potential acid sulfate (T-S, 0.5-0.75%)", and "Strong potential acid sulfate (T-S, more than 0.75%)". Finally, it was proposed that the "Detailed soil survey with high intensity" should be carried out in the areas of agricultural engineering works such as arableland readjustment works, in advance.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 1972

The effects of limestone and wollastonite on an acid sulfate soil were studied. In addition, the effect of wollastonite was analyzed in terms of those due to calcium and to silica in the paddy field and in the laboratory with equivalent amounts of lime and wollastonite on a calcium basis. 1. Lime and wollastonite as liming materials were equally effective in neutralizing the soil acidity. 2. Lime, however was more reactive, raising the pH up to neutralization point in three days under waterlogged conditions at $25^{\circ}C$, in the lab study, and introduced alkali damage to transplanted rice seedlings showing marked restrictions of tillering in the field even though lime was applied two weeks before transplanting. On the other hand, wollastonite reacted very slowly, taking one week to two weeks to reach neutralization even when thoroughly mixed, and did not restrict the tillering. 3. Both lime and wollastonite effectively reduced the toxic aluminium in soil as well as in the soil solution but not always in the case of ferrous iron. However the reduction effect of the toxic substances in the experimental field was not so great as expected, because typical toxic symptoms were mild only. 4. Lime considerably increased the availability of silica in soil resulting in an increase of silica content in straw. Wollastonite released extra available silica itself resulting in a greater uptake of silica. 5. Increase of silica uptake by these materials was effective in reducing rate of infection of neck blast and resulted in higher rate of ripening, and in turn increased the paddy yield. 6. Application of either one significantly diminished the effect of the other. 7. Wollastonite markedly increased tillering in the early growing stage, but decreased the rate of effective tillers finally, resulting in about the same number of ears per hill at harvesting. 8. These liming materials appear to increase the number of grains per panicle slightly.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.179-188
• /
• 1994

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of potassium fractions and to establish the soil chemical indices for assessing potassium availability in upland soil. Soil samples were collected from 66 vegetable crop fields of Chungbuk Jungweon, Jeonbuk Imsil and Kyengbuk Euiseong and these samples were analyzed water soluble(W. S. -K), exchangeable(Exch. -K) and nonexchangeable potassium(Nonex. -K). The distribution of potassium fractions was examined for soils having different physico-chemical properties and compared with the soil parameters related to the potassium availability. 1. The distribution ranges of W.S.-K, Exch.-K and Nonex.-K were 0.07~1.42, 0.27~2.30, and 0.84~4.74me/100g, and average contents of relevent fractions were 0.40, 1.03 and 2.37me/100g respectively. 2. Contents of W.S.-K and Exch.-K were decreased with increasing soil pH, CEC, Exch. Ca and Exch. Mg contents but Nonex. -K showed a low correlationship with these factors. 3. Exch.-K content slightly inereased with increasing clay content, while W.S.-K and Nonex. -K contents were grandually decreased with clay contents. 4. The relationship between W.S.-K and Exch.-K was significant and W.S.-K was released from soil at 0.23me/100g content of Exch.-K 5. Contents of W.S-K and Exch.-K showed high correlationship with soil chemical parameters such as ratio of exchangeable cations(K/Ca+Mg), ratio of exchangeable cation equivalent[$K/{\sqrt{Ca+Mg}}:(me/100g)^{1/2}$], potassium exchangeable free energy(${\Delta}F=RT$ 1n $K/{\sqrt{Ca+Mg}}$ : calories/mole) and saturation percentage of potassium($Exch.K/CEC{\times}100$), and these factors were considered to be good parameters for assessing soil potassium availability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.23 no.7 s.85
• /
• pp.165-179
• /
• 2005

The object of this study is a development of a stochastic user equilibrium transit assignment algorithm for multiple user classes considering stochastic characteristics and heterogeneous attributes of passengers. The existing transit assignment algorithms have limits to attain realistic results because they assume a characteristic of passengers to be equal. Although one group with transit information and the other group without it have different trip patterns, the past studies could not explain the differences. For overcoming the problems, we use following methods. First, we apply a stochastic transit assignment model to obtain the difference of the perceived travel cost between passengers and apply a multiple user class assignment model to obtain the heterogeneous qualify of groups to get realistic results. Second, we assume that person trips have influence on the travel cost function in the development of model. Third, we use a C-logit model for solving IIA(independence of irrelevant alternatives) problems. According to repetition assigned trips and equivalent path cost have difference by each group and each path. The result comes close to stochastic user equilibrium and converging speed is very fast. The algorithm of this study is expected to make good use of evaluation tools in the transit policies by applying heterogeneous attributes and OD data.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.27
• /
• pp.99-125
• /
• 2012

Shojo manga, one of Japan's comic genres, is well-known around the world. There is an equivalent manga genre in Korea and it is called Sunjeong Manhwa. What distinguishes shojo manga from other comic genres is its unique visual representation of the inner world of comic characters. In this study, shojo manga depicted in various shojo magazines in the early 1960s are analyzed. The magazines reviewed include Shojo, Shojo Club and Shojo Book. Among the visual representations, flower expression, panel composition and title page design are selected for analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, the basic elements of shojo manga are portrayed well in manga published in the early 1960s, during which several female cartoonists actively led the creation of the said genre. These findings confirm that the representations adopted in shojo manga for the purpose of expressing the inner world and psychological aspects of the main characters were already evident in the early 1960s. According to earlier studies, shojo manga reached its golden age in the 1970s, when the genre's format and representation method were developed to its full extent. Therefore, studies investigating shojo manga often focused on this golden era, during which a variety of comics emerged and stories and presentation skills further improved. An increasing number of readers began reading shojo manga. Popular cartoonists also emerged, further accelerating the genre's burgeoning popularity. However, there has been no investigation on the unique representations found in shojo manga. This means that the shojo manga published between the late 1950s and the early 1960s were underestimated compared with those published in the 1970s. The aim of this study, therefore, is to reassess the comic works and cartoonists that led to the establishment of shojo manga by analyzing visual representations of shojo manga published from 1958 to 1963. This study proposes new ideas on when the unique representations of shojo manga first emerged and how those representations were described.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.67-73
• /
• 1994

Na-Ca exchange transports calcium ion either into (reverse mode Na-Ca exchange) or out of the cell (forward mode Na-Ca exchange) according to the direction of driving force produced by the changes in ratio of intra- and extra-cellular Na concentrations. Thus, Na-Ca exchange is regarded as the regulator of myocardial contraction. However, the existence of reverse mode Na-Ca exchange and its role in myocardial contraction is still questioned. Present study was performed to identify the presence of reverse mode Na-Ca exchange and its possible involvement in the regulation of myocardial contraction in rat heart. Using the left atria of rat, contraction was induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS, 0.5 msec duration and supramaximal voltage). Changing of the stimulation frequencies from resting 4 Hz to 0.4, 1 or 8 Hz caused typical negative staircase effect in twitch tension, but $^{45}Ca$ uptake showed bimodal increase. When the stimulation frequency was abruptly changed from 4 Hz to 0.4 Hz the atrial twitch tension showed three phased-enhancement, that is, the initial rapid increase (the first phase) followed by rapid decrease (the second phase) and stabilization (the third phase). $^{45}Ca$ uptake was equivalent to tension, i.e. initial significant increase in first 30 second and then decrease. Benzamil treatment abolished the first phase of increase in a dose dependent manner from $10^{-5}\;to\;3{\times}10^{-4}M.$ Bay k 8644 $(3{\times}10^{-5}M)$ treatment enhanced the inotropy induced by frequency reduction and abolished the second and third phase decreases. Benzamil treatment also suppressed the contraction stimulated by Bay K 8644. Although the contraction at 4 Hz stimulation was completely abolished by verapamil $3{\times}10^{-5}\;M$ pretreatment, the contraction reappeared as soon as the stimulation frequency was changed into 0.4 or 1 Hz and interstingly,$^{45}Ca$ uptake were significantly higher than no treatment. From these results, it is concluded that reduction of stimulation frequency causes calcium influx by the reverse mode Na-Ca exchange, resulting in initial rapid increase of twitch tension. then it turns into forward mode exchange to efflux the calcium, resulting in decrease of the twitch tension in left atria of rat.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.189-196
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The sufficiency of skin dose and the reemergence of patient set-up position to the success of skin cancer radiation treatment is a very important element. But the conventional methods to increase the skin dose were used to vacuum cushion, bolus and water tank have several weak points. For this reason, we producted Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion and evaluated the efficiency of the Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion in skin cancer Radiation treatment. Materials and Methods: We measured absolute dose for 3 materials (Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion, bolus and solid water phantom) and compared each dose distribution. We irradiated 6 MV 100 MU photon radiation to every material of 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm thickness at three times. We measured absolute dose and compared dose distribution. Finally we inspected the CT simulation and radiation therapy planing using the Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion. Results: Absolute dose of Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion was similar to absolute dose of bolus and solid water phantom's result in each thickness. it Showed only the difference of 0.1~0.2% between each material. Also the same result in dose distribution comparison. About 97% of the dose distribution was within the margin of error in the prescribed ranges ($100{\pm}3%$), and achieved the enough skin dose (Gross Tumor Volume dose : $100{\pm}5%$) in radiation therapy planing. Conclusion: We evaluated important fact that Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion is no shortage of time to replace the soft tissue equivalent material and normal vacuum cushion at the low energy radiation transmittance. Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion can simultaneously achieve the enough skin dose in radiation therapy planing with maintaining normal vacuum cushion' function. Therefore as above We think that Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion is very useful in skin cancer radiation treatment.