Analysis of Initial Baseline Clinical Parameters and Treatment Strategy Associated with Medication Failure in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Korea

Purpose To analyze the baseline clinical factors and medication treatment strategy used in cases with medication treatment failure of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods From January 2006 to December 2009, 677 BPH patients with at least 3 months of treatment with medication were enrolled. We analyzed clinical factors by medication failure (n=161) versus maintenance (n=516), by prostate size (less than 30 g, n=231; 30 to 50 g, n=244; greater than 50 g, n=202), and by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (less than 1.4 ng/mL, n=324; more than 1.4 ng/mL, n=353). Results Age, combination medication rate, PSA, and prostate volume were statistically different between the medication treatment failure and maintenance groups. By prostate size, the PSA and medication failure rates were relatively higher and the medication period was shorter in patients with a prostate size of more than 30 g. The combination medication rate was higher in patients with a prostate size of more than 50 g. The medication failure rate and prostate volume were higher in patients with a PSA level of more than 1.4 ng/mL. However, the combination treatment rate was not significantly different in patients with a PSA level lower than 1.4 ng/mL. Suggestive cutoffs for combination medication are a prostate volume of 34 g and PSA level of 1.9 ng/mL. Conclusions The clinical factors associated with medication failure were age, treatment type, and prostate volume. Combination therapy should be considered more in Korea in patients with a PSA level higher than 1.4 ng/mL and a prostate volume of between 30 and 50 g to prevent medication failure

Establishment, Regeneration, and Succession of Korean Red Pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) Forest in Korea

Seed production of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.) was ranging from 25 to 27 seeds/m2 with a viability averaging between 42 and 44%. Seed dispersal reaches about 80 m. Germination rate of seed varied from 19 to 90%, and survival rate of seedling varied from 0 to 30% depending on moisture condition in field experiment. Survivorship curve of the pine population showed type III. Species composition of the pine forest was characterized by possessing plants with resistant capacity to water deficit such as Rhododendron micranthum, Vaccinium hirtum var. koreanum, Spodiopogon sibiricus, and Lespedeza cyrtobotrya. Ecological longevity of the pine was about 140 years based on mean age of gap makers. Natural maintenance of the pine forest depended on disturbance regime, which is dominated by endogenous factor. Natural regeneration of the pine forest is possible only in a very restricted site such as ridgetop with thin and infertile soil condition. Therefore, active and systematic management is required for artificial regeneration of the forest as is known in silivicultural method. Pine gall midge damage accelerated succession of the pine forest to the deciduous broadleaved forest dominated by oak except on the ridgetop where the forest can be maintained naturally

Impact of Cigarette Smoking and Exercise on Arterial Stiffness: A Narrative Literature Review

PURPOSE Smoking often causes acute and chronic cardiovascular disorders. Cigarette smoking increases oxidative stress, reduces nitric oxide bioavailability, and changes the extracellular matrix, impairing arterial stiffness. However, regular physical activity and smoking cessation significantly and rapidly reverse the detrimental effects. This narrative review summarizes the relevant research that describes the impacts of cigarette smoking on the cardiovascular system and demonstrates the therapeutic or preventative roles of exercise and smoking cessation in smoking-associated arterial stiffness. METHODS We used scientific search engines, including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Wiley Online Library, to identify previous studies exploring the effects of smoking, exercise, and smoking cessation on arterial stiffness. RESULTS We discussed the most important therapeutic and/or preventive roles of exercise and smoking cessation in decreasing arterial stiffness. Most studies have demonstrated that acute and chronic smoking increase arterial stiffness. Smoking and physical activity were negatively associated. However, this relationship was often attenuated or reversed during adult exercise interventions. In addition, smoking cessation reversed the effects of smoking on arterial stiffness. CONCLUSIONS Smoking increases the risk of acute and chronic cardiovascular disease. Cigarette smoking deteriorates arterial stiffness by altering the vascular walls. However, regular exercise and smoking cessation can improve or prevent impaired arterial stiffness

Advanced Technologies for Large-Sized OLED Display

Five years have passed, since the first 55″ full high-definition (FHD) OLED TV fabricated on Gen 8.5 glass was successfully launched into the TV market. For the time being, the size of OLED TV became diverse from 55″ to 77″, and the resolution was doubled into ultrahigh definition (UHD). The brightness and color gamut were enhanced, while the lower power consumption was realized. Utmost picture quality and slim form factor of OLED TV as well as the improved performance have made OLED TV recognized as the best premium TV. In this chapter, we describe the recent progress in three key technologies, which enable such an enhancement of performance in OLED TV, i.e., oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) and white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED), compensation circuit, and method to compensate the nonuniformity of oxide TFTs, OLED devices, and luminance

Forest Decline Under Progress in the Urban Forest of Seoul, Central Korea

Vegetation in the urban area showed not only a difference in species composition but also lower diversity compared with that of the natural area. Successional trend was normal in natural area, but that in urban areas showed a retrogressive pattern. Korean mountain ash (Sorbus alnifolia (Siebold & Zucc.) K.Koch), a shade intolerant species, dominated such a retrogressive succession. The vegetation decline is due to changes of mesoclimate and soil properties that imbalanced distribution of green space induced as the result of urbanization. In recent years, new environmental stress due to climate change is imposed additively to this forest decline. Drought is the very environmental stress. Drought-induced plant damage started from withering of leaves of plants introduced for landscaping in the urban area. Over time, branches died and death of the whole plant body followed. In particular, damage of Korean mountain ash, the product of retrogressive succession, was remarkable. As retrogressive succession has already progressed much, thus such phenomenon could be recognized as crisis of urban forest

Tracing the historical origin of Joseon mummies considering the structural similarities between the burial systems of Korean and Chinese dynasties

Joseon mummies have proved to be excellent subjects for scientific research on the health and disease statuses of pre-modern Korean peoples. Despite its academic significance, the origins of the Hoegwakmyo tomb in which the Joseon mummy was discovered have not yet been entirely revealed. Meanwhile, over the past several decades, there have been some reports on mummies and cultural artifacts preserved very well in the tombs of several Chinese dynasties (especially Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing). Although the Chinese tombs were very diverse in structure, we note that some graves among them were structurally very similar to Joseon Hoegwakmyo tombs. Before the Hoegwakmyo tomb in Korea, there were already similar tombs in China, inside which dead persons were mummified like the Joseon mummies. Considering that the Hoegwakmyo tomb of the Joseon Dynasty was established by the influence of the Confucian ideology, the Korean and Chinese mummies might share common cultural origins in history

CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMOMECHANICAL PULP MADE FROM PINE TREES INFECTED WITH NEMATODES

Pine wilt is a lethal disease caused by the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. It causes tree death by blocking water and nutrient uptake in pine trees. Pine trees infected by these nematodes are used as fertilizer or fuel for thermal power plants, but their utilization is still only about 37%. To increase the utilization of the infected trees, this study investigated whether the shredded wood chips prepared from them could be used as raw materials for manufacturing thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP). TMP and CTMP prepared from the infected pine chips showed fewer pitch contents and better strength properties than those made from domestic pine. In conclusion, if the nematode-infected pine was used as raw materials for manufacturing TMP and CTMP, it is expected that it would contribute to the diversification of raw materials along with a high-temperature insecticidal effect. Keywords: Pine wilt, nematode disease, thermomechanical pulp, chemithermomechanical pulp, pulp strength, insecticidal effect &nbsp

Floristic study of Cheondeungsan Mountain in Korea

AbstractThe distribution of native plants of Cheondeungsan Mountain (807 m, N 37°05'00“–37°05'30”, E 128°00'0“–128°02'0”) in Chungcheongbuk-do was determined and the major flora were identified. During field investigations carried out from May 2011 to October 2011, 87 families, 254 genera, and 369 taxonomic groups (327 species, 4 subspecies, 33 varieties, and 5 forms) were confirmed, and the distribution of 219 taxonomic groups was discovered for the first time. The distribution of four endemic plants of Korea, including Ajuga spectabilis Nakai and Salvia chanryoenica Nakai, and that of Penthorum chinense Pursh, a Grade V specific plant species, was found. There were 20 taxa of naturalized plants at Cheondeungsan; the growth and development of plants that are harmful to the ecosystem, such as Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ambrosia trifida L., Eupatorium rugosum Houtt., and Aster pilosus Willd., was observed around the forest paths and lowlands