• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.1021-1028
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• 2009

Purpose:Medical therapy is the initial treatment for children with Graves disease to avoid complications of other treatments. However, optimal treatment for childhood Graves disease is controversial because most patients require relatively long periods of medical therapy and relapse is common after medication discontinuation. Therefore, this study aimed to search clinical or biochemical characteristics that could be used as remission predictors in Graves disease. Methods:We retrospectively studied children diagnosed with Graves disease, treated with anti-thyroid agents, and observed for at least 3 years. Patients were categorized into remission and non-remission groups, and the groups were compared to determine the variables that were predictive of achieving remission. Results:Sixty-four patients were enrolled, of which 37 (57.8%) achieved remission and 27 (42.2%) could not achieve remission until the last visit. Normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) after treatment was faster in the remission group than in the non-remission group (remission group, $15.5{\pm}12.07$ vs. non-remission group, $41.69{\pm}35.70$ months). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation tests were performed in 28 patients. Only 2 (8.3%) of 26 patients who showed normal or hyper-response in TRH stimulation test relapsed. Binary logistic regression analysis identified rapid achievement of TBII normalization after treatment as a significant predictor of remission. Six percent of patients achieved remission within 3 years and 55.8% achieved it within 6 years. Conclusion:Rapid achievement of TBII normalization can be a predictor of remission in childhood Graves disease. The TRH stimulation test can be a predictor of maintenance of remission.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.848-856
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• 2004

Black Bengal goat is primarily reared for meat, skin comes here as a by-product. The present trial describes the effect of age on different carcass characteristics of Black Bengal goats of either sex. A total of 61 Black Bengal goats of different age and sex groups were slaughtered. They were reared under semi-intensive management on milk alone or with concentrates (of 10.14 MJ ME and 10.48 g M/kg DM) and freshly cut Napier grass (2 MJ ME and 25 g CP/kg of fresh matter) that provides the estimated NRC (1981) requirement. The four age groups were: pre-weaned kids (0-90 day), post-weaned kids (91-180 days), growing (181-365 days) and adult (>365 days). Goats were slaughtered according to 'Halal' method by severing the major vessels of the throat by a transverse cut. Different slaughter parameters of Black Bengal goat can be best predicted from the equations as follows: live weight (kg)=0.801 (shoulder height (cm))-24.32, ($r^{2}$=0.94); carcass weight (kg)=0.364 (height at hind legs (cm))-11.54, ($r^{2}$=0.91); edible weight (kg)=0.623 (shoulder height (cm))-19.94, ($r^{2}$=0.91) and saleable weight (kg)=0.701 (shoulder height (cm))-21.99, ($r^{2}$=0.92). Live weight, carcass weight, edible weight and saleable weight of castrated goat at one-year onward ranges from 20-22, 9.4-10.5, 14-16 and 16.6-18.8 kg, respectively, which are about 80% higher than most of the reported observations on Black Bengal goat of same age and sex. Slaughter weight, warm carcass weight, edible weight and saleable weight increased curvilinearly with age of slaughter but not affected (p>0.05) by sex. However, linearity of the response curve of affect of age on mentioned parameters ends at around 9 months. Visceral fat as per cent of live weight increased curvilinearly with age and attain its maximum (about 6%) at about 500 days. However, linear part of the quadratic model ends at about 300 days when visceral fat content is about 4.8% of body weight. Blood and skin yield for one-year old male goat was 797 g and 1.61 kg, respectively. Absolute yield of blood and skin increased curvilinealry and attained maximum level at about 400 days (13.3 months). Average proportion of different carcass cut were - round 27%, rump 7%, loin 10%, ribs (6-12th) 14%, shoulder 21%, Neck 7%, chest 14%. Thigh and shoulder constituted about 48.3% of the cold carcass weight. Overall crude protein content of meat samples of different carcass cuts progressively decreased with age starting from 57 at 0-90 days to 58, 47 and 33 per cent, respectively at 91-180, 181-365 and >365 days, respectively. Overall meat fat content increased almost linearly from 11.1% during 91-180 days to 22.9 and 39.5% during 181-365 and >365days, respectively. Results from this trial suggest that both carcass yield and carcass composition changes with age; and sex have little or no effect on carcass yield and carcass composition. However, caution should be made in using second conclusion as there were few female animals slaughtered relative to the male. Optimum slaughter age for Black Bengal goat reared under semi-intensive management with adequate feeding and management would be about 9 months when their live weight, warm carcass weight, edible and saleable weight of carcass can be about 16.74, 7.28, 12.05 and 13.81 kg, respectively.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2013

Three slime-forming lactic acid bacteria were isolated from traditional Korean fermented soy sauce and soybean paste and shown to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in sucrose media. By isolating the strains, examining their morphological characteristics and determining their 16S rDNA sequences, N58-5 and K6-7 were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and N45- 10 as Leuconostoc citreum. The acid and bile tolerances of these three strains were investigated. Amongst the three lactic acid bacteria, Leuc. citreum N45-10 exhibited the highest viability ($10^5-10^6$ CFU/ml) in 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 0.3) for 2 h, in artificial gastric juice for 2 h and in 0.3%, 0.5% oxgall for 24h. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7, N58-5 and Leuc. citreum N45- 10 were grown in sucrose liquid medium and 8.16 g/L, 3.65 g/L, 16.17 g/L of EPS was collected, respectively. The hydrolyzed EPS was analyzed by HPLC in order to determine the sugar composition of EPS. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7 and N58-5 showed two peaks indicating glucose and fructose, thus they were determined to be hetero-type polysaccharides. Leuc. citreum N45-10 showed only the glucose polymer, indicating it to be a homo-type polysaccharide. In addition, all three lactic acid bacterial hemolysis did not demonstrate a clear zone in blood agar in the area surrounding a lactic acid bacteria colony.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.3
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• pp.129-150
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• 1985

The present investigation was conducted to provide a systematic approach necessary to establish an integrated insect pest management program of barley in Korea. Some ecological surveys on insect pests of barley have been undertaken at the field of Experimental Station, Ky$\check{o}$ngbuk Provincial Office of Rural Development as a fixed point survey area, and at 23 localities for round survey throughout southern and central Korea from 1983 to 1984. Previously known insects injurious to barley in Korea were revised and the population dynamics of 10 dominant harmful species were analyzed according to either 24 localities or 25 cultivars respectively by using several sampling methods of net sweeping, black light traps, yellow water pan traps and visual counting. As the results, a total of 94 species belonging to 77 genera under 32 families are known to be injurious to barley, among them 20 species are newly added here. In the population density level, the dominant species were disclosed as Laodelphax striatellus (43.1 %), Macrosiphum avenae(27.0 %), Rhopalosiphum padi(6.5 %), R. maidis(5.4 %), Psammolettix strialus(2.7 %), Chlorops oryzae(2.2 %), Agromyza albipennis(2.1 %) Phyllotreta nemorum(1.4 %), Chaetoenema cylindrica(1.0 %), Dolycoris baccarum(1.0 %) in order. For the general abundance of major insect pests, it was highest in the cultivar P'aldal whereas lowest in Milyang #22. There were tendencies that Psammotettix striatus, Dolycoris baccarum, Phyllotreta nemorum and Chaetocnema cylindrica represented a maximum increase in the beginning of June, while Chlorops oryzae and Agromyza albipennis showed in the middle of May but aphids were in the end of May. In the dominance of natural enemies, Nabis stenoferus occupied 21.4 % and Propylaea japonica 9.6 %.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.17
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• pp.21-29
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• 1999

This study was carried out to determine the promising method for the production of mother bulbs using garlic bulbs at the experimental field of Ange high school, Eusung in Korea from 1996 to 1998. The bulbs and bulbils were taken from a local cultivar 'Eusung' garlic. The growth of bulbil and yield potential were compared with different harvesting times and cultivation methods of bulbil. The harvesting time of bulbils which were capable of producing the mother bulbs was ranged from 15 days to 30 days after the emergence of flower stalks. The best results based on the yield and number of bulbs were obtained from the bulbils sampled at the just before garlic harvesting, 30 days after flower-stalk emergence. The mulching with transparent polyethylene(PE) film in bulbil cultivation was more effective for the plant growth and bulb formation than that with black PE film. The PE mulching from 30 days after seeding of bulbils to 30 days (late-April) before bulb harvesting was the moot effective for the increase of bulb yield. In the cultivation of garlic bulbils, application of lime (150 kg/10a) and compost (3,000 kg/10a) without any chemical fertilizers produced more bulbs in comparison with the standard level of fertilizer (N - $P_2O_5$ - $K_2O$ - compost - lime = 24.8 - 8.0 - 19.2 - 3,000 - 150 kg/10a). It was determined that the involucre seeding and assemble seeding of bulbils was effective and labour-saving methods for the production of mother bulbs from garlic bulbils. Input of labour force for the involucre seeding was decreased up to 61% as compared with the conventional drill seeding of bulbils. Mean yield from the cultivation of bulbil-derived single cloves was remarkably increased up to 95% in comparison with that of the common cloves. The larger size of single clove produced more yields, and the optimum planting density of single clove was $20{\times}10cm$. The cloves differentiated directly from bulbil showed to have higher yield potential than that from common cloves.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1309-1315
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• 2000

Objectives : We performed an in vivo experiment to investigate the effect of $^{166}Holmium$ and $^{166}Holmium$-chitosan complex($^{166}Ho$-CHICO) on the normal brain of rats and to determine the sublethal dose of $^{166}Ho$-CHICO. Materials and Methods : $^{166}Ho$ is a beta and gamma ray emitter. $^{166}Ho$-CHICO is a novel radio-pharmaceutical complex with chitosan to facilitate the transport of $^{166}Ho$ obtained from Korea Atomic Energy Research Center(Taejon, Korea). It is in acidic form and becomes gel state at alkaline pH. One hundred and seventy consecutive rats were divided into four groups : $^{166}Ho$ treated(n＝50), $^{166}Ho$-CHICO treated(n＝57), saline treated(n＝5) and chitosan treated(n＝5) groups. $^{166}Ho$ and $^{166}Ho$-CHICO were injected into the rat brain stereotactically with various doses of 0.1mCi/$20{\mu}l$, 0.2mCi/$20{\mu}l$, 0.3mCi/$20{\mu}l$, and 0.4mCi/$20{\mu}l$ using an automated microinjector. Nuclear imaging, histopathological and hematological studies were performed in 10 rats in each group at 1 day, 3days, 7 days, 1 month and 3 months after the injections. Results : An infiltration of inflammatory cells and necrotic changes were noted in $^{166}Ho$ treated group at 1 week after the injection. A wedge-shaped tissue defect due to necrosis, lined with infiltrated glial cells in $^{166}Ho$ treated group and a cystic defect lined with reactive astroglial cells in $^{166}Holmium$-CHICO treated group at 3 months after the injection were observed. $^{166}Ho$ alone without chitosan leaked out and caused necrotic lesion on the cerebral surface but $^{166}Holmium$-CHICO treated group did not show this feature. As the dose of $^{166}Ho$ increased, the mortality rates were also increased. The mortality rate of the $^{166}Holmium$-CHICO group was higher than the $^{166}Ho$ treated group at a dose of 0.4mCi/$20{\mu}l$/300g. There was no detectable radioactivity due to the leakage or extravasation from the injected site of the brain on the scintigraphy performed at 1 hour, 24 hours and 48 hours after the injection. There was also no detectable activity of $^{166}Holmium$-CHICO in other organs including spleen, liver and kidney. Conclusions : $^{166}Ho$-CHICO did not leak out to the critical cortical surface of the brain from the injection site and induced radiation changes of the parenchyma around the injection site without cortical damage. The sublethal dose of $^{166}Ho$-CHICO for the normal brain in rats was determined to be 0.2mCi/$20{\mu}l$/300g.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.179-189
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• 1993

It has recently become possible to record electrical activity originating from abnormally conducting myocardium from the body surface with high - gain amplification and averaging technique. These signals, which result from delayed ventricular activation(late potentials), have been recorded in patients with documented ventricular tachyarrythmia. Several electrode lead system for detecting ventricular late potential were introduced. Pyramidal electrode lead system(PLS) is useful. Also interpretation of SAECG in the young could be of value in detecting those at risk for episodic ventricular tachycardia, but suffer from a lack of data in normal young people. Selection of subjects : For this study, normal healthy young adult volunteers (age: mean 24 years) were recruited from the medical students at Yeungnam University Hospital, Internal Medicine. Twenty fourths male and seventeenths female subjects were selected. All subjects had normal resting ECGs as judged from both the standard 12 channel lead and echocardiography, and none had a history of cardiovascular disease. All subjects were considered to be in good general physical condition. Signal-averaged electrocardiography : In order to obtain low noise recordings with a small number of averaging cycles, all subject ware asked to relax completely in the supine position. Silver/silver chloride electrodes were attached after the skin was cleaned with alcohol, to constitute classic flank lead system(FLS) and pyramidal lead system(PLS). Signals were recorded and processed using a commercially available microprocessor-augmented ECG cart(Marquette Electronics, USA) suitable for portable bedside recording. There was no difference between normal values, determined by FLS and PLS at high pass filtering of 25 Hz and 80 Hz, but significant, difference was found in HFLAD and RMS-40 of 40 Hz(p<0.05). These results will provide a basis for interpretations of SAECG, determined by FLS and PLS in healthy young adults with normal QRS duration.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.211-214
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• 1991

SJ-200 is an oral liquid preparation of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Dl-methyleph edrine HCl, caffeine, chlorpheniramine maleate, guaifenesin and dextromethorphan HBr, which is indicated when there is a need to improve various cold symptoms such as headache, sore throat, fever, or cough etc. Thirty patients was enroled for this study fro June to July, 1991. They were given one bottle (30 ml) of SJ-200 t.i.d dy P.O for an average of one to seven days. 1) Twenty-eight patients (84.8%) were relieved from the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. 2) Side effects with this preparation occured in 8 patients924.2%) but in four patients, they were mild, which wee transienty by the discontinuation f the medication.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.305-322
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• 2005

Watermarking is a widely employed method tn protecting copyright of a digital image, the owner's unique image is embedded into the original image. Strengthened level of watermark insertion would help enhance its resilience in the process of extraction even from various distortions of transformation on the image size or resolution. However, its level, at the same time, should be moderated enough not to reach human visibility. Finding a balance between these two is crucial in watermarking. For the algorithm for watermarking, the predefined strength of a watermark, computed from the physical difference between the original and embedded images, is applied to all images uniformal. The mean brightness or contrast of the surrounding images, other than the absolute brightness of an object, could affect human sensitivity for object detection. In the present study, we examined whether the detectability for watermark noise might be attired by image statistics: mean brightness and contrast of the image. As the first step to examine their effect, we made rune fundamental images with varied brightness and control of the original image. For each fundamental image, detectability for watermark noise was measured. The results showed that the strength ot watermark node for detection increased as tile brightness and contrast of the fundamental image were increased. We have fitted the data to a regression line which can be used to estimate the strength of watermark of a given image with a certain brightness and contrast. Although we need to take other required factors into consideration in directly applying this formula to actual watermarking algorithm, an adaptive watermarking algorithm could be built on this formula with image statistics, such as brightness and contrast.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to clarify the effect of killing methods on the morphological and histological changes of plaice, Paralichthys olivaceus muscle at early stage after killing. Killed samples by the three different methods were stored at $5^{\circ}$, and the changes in breaking strength of muscle, morphological observation of myofibrils and histological observation of extracellular spaces through storage were monitored. Samples killed by electrifying in sea water showed the maximum value of breakin strength immediately after killing and then it dropped significantly(p<0.05) until 2.5hrs passed. Breaking strength of samples killed by spiking at the head instantly and dipping in sea water including anesthetic rose steadily over 10hrs and 15hrs after killing, respectively. In myofibrills prepared from dorsal muscles immediately after spiking at the head instantly, A-band, H-band, I-band, and Z-line in sarcomere were clearly distinguishable each other. Due to muscle contraction by electrical stimulation, it was impossible to distinguish H-band from I-band observed in sarcomere immediately after killing for samples killed by electrifying. But, in the cases of samples killed by spiking and dipping, H-band could be observed dimly until 10hrs and 15hrs storage. No extracellular space was observed among muscle cells immediately after spiking at the head instantly. Samples killed by spiking at the head instantly and dipping in sea water including anesthetic showed extracellular spaces among all muscle cells after 15hrs and 25hrs storage, respectively. The other hand, samples killed by electrifying in sea water (110V, 30sec.) showed a few extracellular spaces immediately after killing and then it showed extracellular spaces among all muscle cells after 2.5hrs storage.