• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.216-224
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• 2014

Decrease in dissolved oxygen concentrations associated with temperature fluctuation is an important criteria to evaluate the mortality rate of the species. Based on this parameter, we investigated the survival rate, physiological response and histological change of warty sea squirt. It was found that the survival rate of the warty sea squirt species was 63.3% at $23^{\circ}C$ and 56.6% at $26^{\circ}C$ respectively. However, exposure of six days at $29^{\circ}C$ caused deaths among species, which indicated the 6day-$LT^{50}$ of the tested species to be $24.58^{\circ}C$ ($19.48{\sim}35.48^{\circ}C$). Further, after 11 day of exposure, the dissolved oxygen concentration has been found to decrease, with the survival rate of 20% at $4.0mg\;L^{-1}$ and deaths at $2.0mg\;L^{-1}$, thus 11day-$LC^{50}$ calculated to be $3.88mg\;L^{-1}$ ($3.29{\sim}4.57mg\;L^{-1}$). In addition, decrease in rate of oxygen consumption and excretion of ammonia was also noted at this critical water temperature and dissolve doxygen concentration. Moreover, there has been common histopathological changes were observed in warty sea squirt's gill pouch, digestive tract, and tunic as follows such as: proliferation of epithelial cells, condensation and necrosis, permeation of phagocyte and blood cell, loss of cilium and muscular fiber degeneration. Based on our study results, we suggest that these parameters can also be useful to evaluate the survival rate and physiological response in other species.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.540-549
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• 2001

Background : Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is a progressive fibrous lung disease with occasional fatal outcomes. However, the extent and rate of progression varies markedly from one patient to another. As a result, it is difficult to determine the time of the initial treatment and assess the disease activity and course. Fibroblast foci (FF) is well known to synthesize collagen actively by their myofibroblasts component. However, the prognostic value of the FF have not been evaluated in patients with VIP. Therefore this study was undertaken to determine how the number of fibroblastic foci can reflect the disease activity and progression. Methods: Twenty patients with UIP(M : F=13 : 7), who were diagnosed by a surgical lung biopsy. The number of fibroblastic foci was analyzed in terms of its correlation with the clinical manifostations, pulmonary function test, arterial blood gas analysis, and a bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL). Results : The number of fibroblastic foci did not correlate with the various lung function tests and the other clinical parameters. Interestingly, the percentage of neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid did correlate with the quantity of the normalized Vv of FF(r=0.60, p<0.05). The patients were divided into 2 groups, group I and II, arbitrarily, according to the value of the normalized Vv. The clinical parameters and the PIT results were not different between the two groups. In particular, the survival rate between the two groups according to the Kaplan-Meier analysis were not different. Conclusion : A large number of FF does not imply a bad prognosis in patients with UIP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.898-908
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• 2000

Background : Eotaxin a CC chemokine specific for eosinophils, is implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma by recruiting eosinophils into the airways. Theophylline has been used for the treatment of asthma and recently was proposed to have an anti-inflammatory action. The aim of this study is to examine whether theophylline may inhibit the eosinophilic airway inflammation by reducing the expression of eotaxin. Methods : The expression of eotaxin mRNA was assessed by Northern analysis in A549 cells 4 h after stimulation with TNF-$\alpha$ or IL-1$\beta$. And then, theophylline was added to A549 cells stimulated with 0.1 ng/mL IL-1$\beta$. Results : Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.1, 1, 10 ng/mL TNF-$\alpha$ as compared with $\beta$-actin, were 7%, 22%. 28%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ng/mL IL-1$\beta$, as compared with $\beta$-actin, were 10%, 42%, 63%, 72%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 ${\mu}M$ dexamethasone induced by 10 ng/mL TNF-$\alpha$ as compared with $\beta$-actin, were 27%, 18%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rate after the addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 ${\mu}M$ dexamethasone induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1$\beta$ as compared with $\beta$-actin, were 43%, 47%, 12%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 mM theophylline induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1$\beta$, as compared with $\beta$-actin, were 48%, 40%, 33%, 22%, 16%, 14%, respectively. Conclusion : These results suggest that theophylline may reduce eosinophil infiltration of the airway at least in part by reducing the expression of eotaxin under the conditions of these experiments.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 2008

Background: Tumor angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor growth, maintenance and metastatic potential. Tumor tissue produces many types of angiogenic growth factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) have both been implicated to have roles in tumor angiogenesis. In this study, the expression of tissue VEGF and bFGF from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were analyzed. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 35 patients with a histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, where the primary curative approach was surgery. An ELISA was employed to determine the expression of VEGF and bFGF in extracts prepared from 35 frozen tissue samples taken from the cancer patients. Results: VEGF and bFGF concentrations were significantly increased in lung cancer tissue as compared with control (non-cancerous) tissue. The VEGF concentration was significantly increased in T2 and T3 cancers as compared with T1 cancer. Expression of VEGF was increased in node-positive lung cancer tissue as compared with node-negative lung cancer tissue (p=0.06). VEGF and bFGF expression were not directly related to the stage of lung cancer and patient survival. Conclusion: Expression of VEGF and bFGF were increased in lung cancer tissue, and the expression of VEGF concentration in lung cancer tissue was more likely related with tumor size and the presence of a lymph node metastasis than the expression of bFGF. However, in this study, expression of both VEGF and bFGF in tissue were not associated with patient prognosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.267-279
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• 2003

Background : The purpose of this study was to analyze the smoking habits in patients with lung cancer and identify any difference of prevalence according to histologic types of lung cancer. Methods : The data were calculated by total amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled during the whole lifetime according to variation of smoking habit. This study was to investigated any difference of prevalence in lung cancer according to smoking habits. The subjects comprised 150 lung cancer cases and 300 hospital control cases that were matched by age and sex. Smoking habits during the whole lifetime were surveyed by standardized questionnaire. Odds ratios were estimated by unconditional logistic regression analysis. Results : There were 104 male and 34 female lung cancer cases. By histologic type, there were 53 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 67 of adenocarcinoma and 30 of small cell lung carcinoma. The differences between lung cancer cases and controls according to smoking habits were total duration of smoking, total pack years of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years. The odds ratio were higher in Kreyberg I, but not in Kreyberg II, for the longer duration of smoking, the greater total pack years of cigarettes consumed, the more cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years, the longer duration on non-filter smoking, the earlier life cases who began to smoke, and the higher amounts of calculated total tar and nicotine inhaled over the whole lifetime. When we added grade of inhalation to calculation of amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled over the lifetime, the odds ratios of total inhalation amounts of tar and nicotine were as high as those the without them. Conclusions : This study reconfirmed that smoking habits were strongly associated with lung cancer and that there were different associations between smoking habits and histologic types of lung cancer. In particular, calculations of total tar and nicotine amounts inhaled over the whole lifetime were calculated for the first time in trials from lung cancer epidemiologic studies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2006

Purpose: We wanted to determine the clinical characteristics and prognosis according to the VEGF expression in stage II cervical carcinoma patients treated with definitive radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 31 patients who were diagnosed with cervical cancer from 1995 to 2003 at Samsung Medical Center and their paraffin block tissue samples were available for study. The median age of the patients was 65 years. The mean tumor size was 4.1 cm $(range:\;1.2{\sim}8.2cm)$. Seven patients (22.6%) were suspected of having pelvic lymph node metastasis. An external beam irradiation dose of 45-56.4 Gy was administered to the whole pelvis with a 15 MV linear accelerator, and an additional 24 Gy was given to point A by HDR intracavitary brachytherapy. VEGF staining was defined as positive when more than 10% of the tumor cells were stained. The median follow-up duration was 58 months. Results: A positive VEGF expression was observed in 21 patients (67.7%), There was no significant correlation between the VEGF expression and pelvic lymph node metastasis, tumor size and the response of radiotherapy. During follow-up, 7 patients had recurrence. The complete response rate was not significant between the VEGF(-) and VEGF(+) tumors. However, the VEGF(+) tumors showed a significantly higher recurrence rate in comparison with the VEGF(-) tumors (p=0.040), The three year disease-free survival rates were 100% and 66.7%, respectively, for patients with VEGF(-) or VEGF(+) tumor (p=0.047), Conclusion: The VEGF expression was a significant factor for recurrence and disease-free survival. However, the significance of the VEGF expression is still controversial because of the various definitions of VEGF expression and the mismatches of the clinical data in the previous studies.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2002

Purpose: It is known that lactoferrin serves as a source of iron for H. pylori in gastric mucosa. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between lactoferrin and H. pylori infection coexistent with iron-deficiency anemia by determining the lactoferrin levels in gastric biopsy specimens, and by locating the major sites of lactoferrin expression, according to the presence or absence of iron-deficiency anemia. Methods: Fifty-five adolescents that underwent gastroduodenoscopy were divided into three groups: NL (n=19) for normal controls, HP (n=15) for patients with H. pylori, and IDA (n=21) for patients with H. pylori gastritis and coexisting iron-deficiency anemia. Histopathologic features were graded from to marked on the basis of the Updated Sydney System. The gastric mucosal levels of lactoferrin were measured by immunoassay. Immunohistochemical technique was used to allow identification of the location and quantification of the lactoferrin expression. Results: Lactoferrin levels in the antrum increased significantly, in proportion to, H. pylori density, polymorphonuclear cell infiltration, and chronic inflammation in the histologic specimens. Patients in the HP and IDA groups showed significantly increased mucosal levels of lactoferrin compared with that observed in the normal group (p=0.0001). The lactoferrin level in IDA group tended to be higher than that in the HP group (p=0.2614). The major sites of lactoferrin expression by immunohistochemistry were in glands and neutrophils within epithelium. Lactoferrin was stained weakly in NL, and strongly in HP and IDA. Conclusion: The lactoferrin sequestration in the gastric mucosa of IDA was remarkable, and this finding seems to give a clue that leads to the clarification of the mechanism by which H. pylori infection contributes to iron-deficiency anemia.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.251-259
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• 2008

The plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP) is one of the most well known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) because of its strong anti-androgenic effects on the reproductive and developmental process in male rodents and human. The present study was performed to examine whether prepubertal exposure to DEHP can make any alteration during the maturation of accessory sex organs in male rats. As a result, there was no significant change in body weights, serum T levels and tissue weights except of seminal vesicle and ventral prostate in DEHP-treated animals compared to vehicle-treated ones. The seminal vesicle weights in high-dose group (200 mg/kg) were significantly lower than those from the control group (p<0.05), and ventral prostate weights were significantly lower than those from the control group (p<0.05) in both low-dose (20 mg/kg) and high-dose group. Histological studies revealed that the seminal vesicles from DEHP-treated groups showed reduced areas of mucosal folds. Pseudostratified columnar epithelia were observed in the ventral prostates of DEHP-treated samples while cuboidal epithelia were found in the control group. The transcriptional activities of ER-$\alpha$ in seminal vesicle from high-dose group (p<0.05) were significantly higher than those from the control group, and ER-$\beta$ expression was significantly decreased in low-dose group (p<0.05) compared to the control. In ventral prostate, ER-$\beta$ mRNA levels from low-dose group (p<0.05) were significantly lower than those from the control group, and significantly increased in high-dose group (p<0.01). AR expressions, however, were not significantly different in all experimental groups of both seminal vesicle and ventral prostate. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that (i) adverse effect (s) of DEHP on sexual maturation during prepubertal period could be limited, (ii) seminal vesicle and prostate gland were sensitive targets to DEHP in prepubertal rats and (iii) the deleterious effects of DEHP might be mediated through ER-associated mechanism.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 1995

Lung cancer study group at Asan Medical Center has conducted the second prospective study to determine the efficacy and feasibility of MVP chemotherapy with concurrent hyperfractionated radiotherapy for Patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). All eligible Patients with stage III unresectable NSCLC were treated with hyperfractionated radiotherapy(120 cGy/fx BID. 6480 cGy/54fx) and concurrent 2 cycles of MVP(Mitomycin C $6mg/m^2,$ d2 & d29.Vinblastine $6mg/m^2,$ d2 & d29, Cisplatin $60mg/m^2,$ dl & d28) chemotherapy. Between Aug. 1993 and Nov. 1994, 62 patients entered this study; $6(10\%)$ had advanced stage IIIa and $56(90\%)$ had IIIb disease including 11 with pleural effusion and 10 with supraclavicular metastases. Among 62 patients, $48(77\%)$ completed planned therapy. Fourteen patients refused further treatment during chemoradiotherapy. Of 46 patients evaluable for response, $34(74\%)$ showed major response including $10(22\%)$ with complete and $24(52\%)$ with partial responses. Of 48 patients evaluable for toxicity, $13(27\%)$ showed grade IV hematologic toxicity but treatment delay did not exceed 5 days Two patients died of sepsis during chemoradiotherapy. Severe weight loss(more than $10\%)$ occurred in 9 patients$(19\%)$ during treatment. Nine patients$(19\%)$ developed radiation pneumonitis Six of these patients had grade 1 (mild) Pneumonitis with radiographic changes within the treatment fields Three other patients had grade 11 Pneumonitis, but none of these patients had continuous symptoms after steroid treatment. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with advanced NSCLC was well tolerated with acceptable toxicity and achieved higher response rates than the first study, but rather low compliance $rate(77\%)$ in this study is worrisome. We need to improve nutritional support during treatment and to use G-CSF to improve leukopenia and if necessary. supportive care will be given as in patients, Longer follow-up and larger sample size is needed to observe survival advantage.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.2 s.247
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• pp.157-163
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• 2005

Background: Clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer have not been satisfactory in spite of the development of surgical skills and protocols of adjuvant therapy. We analyzed the results of corrective surgical patients for esophageal cancer from January 1992 to July 2002. Material and Method: Among 129 patients with esophageal cancer, this study was performed in 68 patients who received corrective surgery. The ratio of sex was 59 : 9 (male : female) and mean age was $61.07\pm7.36$ years old. Chief complaints of this patients were dysphagia, epigastric pain and weight loss, etc. The locations of esophageal cancer were 4 in upper esophagus, 36 in middle, 20 in lower, 8 in esophagogastric junction. 60 patients had squamous cell cancer and 7 had adenocarcinoma, and 1 had malignant melanoma. Five patients had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Result: The postoperative stage I, IIA, IIB, III, IV patients were 7, 25, 12, 17 and 7, respectively. The conduit for replacement of esophagus were stomach (62 patients) and colon (6 patients). The neck anastomosis was performed in 28 patients and intrathoracic anastomosis in 40 patients. The technique of anastomosis were hand sewing method (44 patients) and stapling method (24 patients). One of the early complications was anastomosis leakage (3 patients) which had only radiologic leakage that recovered spontaneously. The anastomosis technique had no correlation with postoperative leakage, which stapling method (2 patients) and hand sewing method (1 patient). There were 3 respiratory failures, 6 pneumonia, 1 fulminant hepatitis, 1 bleeding and 1 sepsis. The 2 early postoperative deaths were fulminant hepatitis and sepsis. Among 68 patients, 23 patients had postoperative adjuvant therapy and 55 paitents were followed up. The follow up period was $23.73\pm22.18$ months ($1\~76$ month). There were 5 patients in stage I, 21 in stage 2A, 9 in stage IIB, 15 in stage III and 5 in stage IV. The 1, 3, 5 year survival rates of the patients who could be followed up completely was $58.43\pm6.5\%,\;35.48\pm7.5\%\;and\;18.81\pm7.7\%$, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that long-term survival difference was associated with a stage, T stage, and N stage (p<0.05) but not associated with histology, sex, anastomosis location, tumor location, and pre and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Conclusion: The early diagnosis, aggressive operative resection, and adequate postoperative treatment may have contributed to the observed increase in survival for esophageal cancer patients.