• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.126-132
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the prognostic factors for the pathologic N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who were treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 112 pN2 NSCLC patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) From January 1999 to February 2008. Seventy-five (67%) patients received segmentectomy or lobectomy and 37 (33%) patients received pneumonectomy. The resection margin was negative in 94 patients, and it was positive or close in 18 patients. Chemotherapy was administered to 103 (92%) patients. Nine (8%) patients received PORT alone. The median radiation dose was 54 Gy (range, 45 to 66), and the fraction size was 1.8~2 Gy. Results: The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 60.2% and the disease free survival (DFS) rate was 44.7% for all the patients. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with multiple-station N2 disease had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p=0.047, p=0.007) and the patients with an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p<0.001, p=0.025). A large tumor size ($\geq$5 cm) and positive lymphovascular invasion reduced the OS (p=0.035, 0.034). Using multivariate analysis, we found that multiple-station N2 disease and an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) significantly reduced the OS and DFS. Seventy one patients (63.4%) had recurrence of disease. The patterns of failure were loco-regional in 23 (20.5%) patients, distant failure in 62 (55.4%) and combined loco-regional and distant failure in 14 (12.5%) patients. Conclusion: Multiple involvement of mediastinal nodal stations for the pN2 NSCLC patients with PORT was a poor prognostic factor in this study. A prospective study is necessary to evaluate the N2 subclassification and to optimize the adjuvant treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.242-248
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• 2007

Purpose: To study the effect of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) on oral mucositis induced by cisplatin and radiotherapy in a mouse model. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four ICR mice were divided into three groups-the normal control group, the no rhEGF group (treatment with cisplatin and radiation) and the rhEGF group (treatment with cisplatin, radiation and rhEGF). A model of mucositis induced by cisplatin and radiotherapy was established by injecting mice with cisplatin (10 mg/kg) on day 1 and with radiation exposure (5 Gy/day) to the head and neck on days $1{\sim}5$. rhEGF was administered subcutaneously on days -1 to 0 (1 mg/kg/day) and on days 3 to 5 (1 mg/kg/day). Evaluation included body weight, oral intake, and histology. Results: For the comparison of the change of body weight between the rhEGF group and the no rhEGF group, a statistically significant difference was observed in the rhEGF group for the 5 days after day 3 of. the experiment. The rhEGF group and no rhEGF group had reduced food intake until day 5 of the experiment, and then the mice demonstrated increased food intake after day 13 of the of experiment. When the histological examination was conducted on day 7 after treatment with cisplatin and radiation, the rhEGF group showed a focal cellular reaction in the epidermal layer of the mucosa, while the no rhEGF group did not show inflammation of the oral mucosa. Conclusion: These findings suggest that rhEGF has a potential to reduce the oral mucositis burden in mice after treatment with cisplatin and radiation. The optimal dose, number and timing of the administration of rhEGF require further investigation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.268-277
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• 2007

Purpose: Respiratory motion is a considerable inhibiting factor for precise treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery using the CyberKnife (CK). In this study, we developed a moving phantom to simulate three-dimensional breathing movement and investigated the distortion of dose profiles between the use of a moving phantom and a static phantom. Materials and Methods: The phantom consisted of four pieces of polyethylene; two sheets of Gafchromic film were inserted for dosimetry. Treatment was planned to deliver 30 Gy to virtual tumors of 20, 30, 40, and 50 mm diameters using 104 beams and a single center mode. A specially designed robot produced three-dimensional motion in the right-left, anterior-posterior, and craniocaudal directions of 5, 10 and 20 mm, respectively. Using the optical density of the films as a function of dose, the dose profiles of both static and moving phantoms were measured. Results: The prescribed isodose to cover the virtual tumors on the static phantom were 80% for 20 mm, 84% for 30 mm, 83% for 40 mm and 80% for 50 mm tumors. However, to compensate for the respiratory motion, the minimum isodose levels to cover the moving target were 70% for the $30{\sim}50$ mm diameter tumors and 60% for a 20 mm tumor. For the 20 mm tumor, the gaps between the isodose curves for the static and moving phantoms were 3.2, 3.3, 3.5 and 1.1 mm for the cranial, caudal, right, and left direction, respectively. In the case of the 30 mm tumor, the gaps were 3.9, 4.2, 2.8, 0 mm, respectively. In the case of the 40 mm tumor, the gaps were 4.0, 4.8, 1.1, and 0 mm, respectively. In the case of the 50 mm diameter tumor, the gaps were 3.9, 3.9, 0 and 0 mm, respectively. Conclusion: For a tumor of a 20 mm diameter, the 80% isodose curve can be planned to cover the tumor; a 60% isodose curve will have to be chosen due to the tumor motion. The gap between these 80% and 60% curves is 5 mm. In tumors with diameters of 30, 40 and 50 mm, the whole tumor will be covered if an isodose curve of about 70% is selected, equivalent of placing a respiratory margin of below 5 mm. It was confirmed that during CK treatment for a moving tumor, the range of distortion produced by motion was less than the range of motion itself.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2000

Purpose : This retrospective study has been undertaken to find out the clinical outcome of children with HS nephntis and its relationship with initial clinical presentation and/or renal pathologic finding. Patients and methods : Study population consisted of 59 children with HS nephritis who have been admitted to the Pediatric department of Kyungpook University Hospital from 1987 to 1999, and biopsy was done with indications of heavy proteinuria (> 1 g/m2/day) lasting over 1 month, nephrotic syndrome, and persistent hematuria and/or proteinuria over 1 year. Patients were divided clinically into 3 groups ; isolated hematuria, hematuria with proteinuria and heavy proteinuria (including nephrotic syndrome). Biopsy findings ore graded from I-V according to International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC). Results : Mean age of presentation was $8.1{\pm}3.0$ years and slight male preponderance m noted (33 boys md 26 girls). Histopathologic grading showed Grade I ; 2, Grade II ; 44, and Grade III ; 13 cases. Clinical outcome at the follow-up period of 1-2 year (49 cases) and 3-4 years (30 cases) shooed normal urinalysis in 75 (30.6$\%$) and 18 cases (60.0$\%$), persistent isolated hematuria in 20 (40.8$\%$) and 2 cases (6.7$\%$), hematuria with proteinuria in 11 (22.5$\%$) and 8 cases (26.6$\%$), and persistent heavy proteinuria in 3 (6.1$\%$) and 2 cases (6.7$\%$) respectively. Clinical outcome according to histopathologic grading showed the frequency of normalization of urinalysis being lower in Grade III compared to grade I or II. Clinical outcome according to initial clinical presentation showed no relationship to the normalization or urinalysis at follow-up periods. However, 15-20$\%$ of children with initial heavy proteinuria showed persistent heavy proteinuria (3 out of 20 cases at 1-2 years, and 2 out of 10 case at 3-4 years of follow-up periods). Conclusion : The majority of children with HS nephritis (histopathologic grade I, II, III) improved within 3-4 years and persistent heavy proteinuria was seen only in a kw of children with initial clinical presentation of heavy proteinuria.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.739-748
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• 2006

Background: The purpose of this study is to ascertain the neuroprotective effect of cyclosporin A on the 25-min surgical ischemia model in the spinal cords of rabbits with neuropathological correlation and histoimmunochemical analyses, Material and Method: Thirty-two New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: Rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: the control 12 group (n=8), the control 17 group (n=8), the cyclosporin Cs2 group (n=8), and the cyclosporin Cs7 group (n=8). The 12 group underwent a 25-min aortic cross- clamp without intervention and were sacrificed on the 2nd day postoperatively, while the 17 group underwent a 25- min of aortic cross-clamp without intervention and were sacrificed on the 7th day postoperatively. The Cs2 group received cyclosporin A (25 mg/kg) intravenously 15 min after the 25-min cross-clamp and were sacrificed on the End day postoperatively, while the Cs7 group received cyclosporin A (25 mg/kg) intravenously 15 min after the 25-min cross-clamp and were sacrificed on the 7th day postoperatively. The rabbits underwent 25-min surgical aortic cross-clamp. Neurologic functions were evaluated on the 2nd day and 7th postoperative day using Tarlov scoring system. After scoring neurologic function, all rabbits were sacrificed for histopathologic observation. Result: All rabbits survived the experimental procedure. The values of Tarlov score did not show any differences between the control and cyclosporin groups on the 2nd day. The scores of group Cs7 ($2.75{\pm}0.89$) were significantly higher than those of group 17 ($1.25{\pm}1.39$) on the 7th day (p<0,05). On the histologic exanminations, specimens of the spinal cord showed necrosis and apoptosis. The pathologic scores of group Cs7 ($1,0{\pm}0.53$) was less than those of group 17 ($2.13{\pm}1.36$, p<0.05). TUNEL staing showed apoptosis of the specimen in group 12 and Cs2 but there was no stastically significant difference between groups on the score. There were more overexpression of HSP70 and nNOS in cyclosporine group than in control group. Conclusion: We think that cyclosporin A may decrease neuronal cell death with induced upregulation of HSP70 against 25-min ischemia of the spiral cord in the rabbit.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.7 s.252
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• pp.483-488
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• 2005

Aortic valve-sparing procedures could reduce valve-related morbidity, but may increase operative risks; therefore, these procedures could not be performed routinely. We attempted to find out the early results while focusing on the operative risks associated with these procedures in our hospital. Material and Method: From May 1996 to July 2003, 26 patients underwent these procedures including 15 patients with Marfan syndrome and 1 patient with Behcet disease. There were 17 men and 9 women with mean age of $37.9\pm19.2$ years (range: 6 months-74 years). Ten patients had ascending aortic dissection, 18 patients had more than moderate degree of aortic valve insufficiency (AI). Two types of valve-sparing procedures were performed: valve reimplantation in 14 and root remodeling in 12 patients. Associated procedures were performed as follows: aortic valve plasty in 6, mitral valve plasty in 5, hemi-arch replacement in 4, total arch replacement in 2, coronary artery bypass surgery in 1 and Maze procedure in 1 patient(s). Result: In four patients, valve-sparing procedures were converted to Bentall procedures during operation. Including these patients, there was no operative deaths, 3 patients underwent re-operation due to bleeding, 1 patient had permanent pacemaker. The median duration of ICU stay was 45.5 hours, the median duration of hospital stay was 10.5 days. In 22 patients excluding 4 converted patients, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed less than mild degree of AI in all except one who had not received intra-operative TEE in the beginning and showed moderate degree of AI at discharge. The mean duration of follow-up was $21.2\pm27.4$ months. All patients were alive except one who died during other departmental surgery. In 3 patients, more than moderate degree of AI was recurred, but there were no reoperation. Conclusion: Aortic valve-sparing procedures could be performed relatively safely in selected patients who had annuloaortic ectasia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.7 s.252
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• pp.496-500
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• 2005

There was no difference between the bileaflet mechanical valves on the midterm and longterm clinical outcome. We reviewed the hemodynamic comparison between recently available mechanical valves by Doppler Echocardiography. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed 396 postoperative hemodynamic datas (EOA, MDPG, and MSPG) by doppler echocardiography in 345 patients. Mechanical valves from 5 venders (Sorin Bicarbon, SJM, ATS, On-X, and Edward MIRA) were compared. There were 232 valves in mitral position, 162 in aortic, and 2 in tricuspid. Result: There were 178 men (mean age; $50.6\pm13.9$ years old) and 167 women $(52.6\pm,4.6)$. MDPG/EOA of 27 mm in mitral position was Sorin; $4.2\pm1.5 mmHg/3.0\pm0.9cm^2,\;SJM;\;2.3\pm1.2/3.5\pm0.6$. In 29mm, Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed $3.4\pm1.2/3.1\pm0.6,\;3.3\pm1.1/2.7\pm0.4,\;3.8\pm0.8/3.2\pm0.6,\;4.0\pm3.0/3.1\pm0.9,\;2.9\pm0.9/3.0\pm0.8$ In 31mm, Sorin, SJM, ATS, MIRA revealed $3.9\pm1.9/2.9\pm0.6,\;3.5\pm1.2/3.0\pm0.6,\;3.4\pm0.8/2.8\pm0.2,\;3.7\pm1.5/2.7\pm0.7$. In 33mm, Sorin, SJM, MIRA revealed $4.4\pm0.9/2.5\pm0.4,\;3.4\pm1.5/3.3\pm0.5,\;4.7\pm2.4\3.0\pm0.3$. MSPG/EOA of 19mm aortic position was Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA $18.0 mmHg/1.2cm^2,\;25.6\pm8.7/1.1\pm0.3,\;25.9\pm12.6/1.2\pm0.3,\;23.0/1.3,\;27.9\pm7.1/1.2\pm0.1$ in that order. In 21mm, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed $18.3\pm6.7/1.5\pm0.5,\;13.7\pm2.1/1.7\pm0.3,\;17.0/1.4,\;17.1\pm5.5/1.8\pm0.5$. In 23mm Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed $14.0\pm4.6/1.7\pm0.6,\;12.8\pm3.2/2.0\pm0.2,\;16.8\pm12.2/2.1\pm0.9,\;14.0/1.5,\;15.0\pm5.5/1,8\pm0.5$. In 25mm, SJM and MIRA revealed $14.0\pm5.1/1.8\pm1.0,\;11.0/2.3$. There was no statistically significant difference in these values between the venders given the same position and size. 2 redo valve replacements were performed, 1 due to severe hemolysis in ATS and 1 due to leaflet immobilization in SJM. Conclusion: Postoperative hemodynamic comparison by doppler echocardiography shows no statistically significant difference between recently available mechanical valves in this country.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2004

Background: Infective endocarditis shows higher operative morbidity and mortality rates than other cardiac diseases. The vast majority of studies on infective endocarditis have been made on aortic endocarditis, with little attention having been paid to infective endocarditis on the mitral valve. This study attempts to investigate the clinical aspects and operative results of infective endocarditis on the mitral valve. Meterial and Method: The subjects of this study consist of 23 patients who underwent operations for infective endocariditis on the mitral valve from June 1995 to May 2003. Among them, 2 patients suffered from prosthetic valvular endocarditis and the other 21 from native valvular endocarditis. The subjects were evenly distributed age-wise with an average age of 44.8$\pm$15.7 (11∼66) years. Emergency operations were performed on seventeen patients (73.9%) due to large vegetation or instable hemodynamic status. In preoperative examinations, twelve patients exhibited congestive heart failure, four patients renal failure, two patients spleen and renal infarction, and two patients temporary neurological defects, while one patient had a brain abscess. Based on the NYHA functional classification, seven patients were determined to be at Grade II, 9 patients at Grade III, and 6 patients at Grade IV. Vegetations were detected in 20 patients while mitral regurgitation was dominant in 19 patients with 4 patients showing up as mitral stenosis dominant on the preoperative echocardiogram. Blood cultures for causative organisms were performed on all patients, and positive results were obtained from ten patients, with five cases of Streptococcus viridance, two cases of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and one case each of Corynebacteriurn, Haemophillis, and Gernella. Operations were decided according to the AA/AHA guidelines (1988). The mean follow-up period was 27.6 $\pm$23.3 (1 ∼ 97) months. Result: Mitral valve replacements were performed on 43 patients, with mechanical valves being used on 9 patients and tissue valves on the other 4. Several kinds of mitral valve repair or mitral valvuloplasty were carried out on the remaining 10 patients. Associated procedures included six aortic valve replacements, two tricuspid annuloplasty, one modified Maze operation, and one direct closure of a ventricular septal defect. Postoperative complications included two cases of bleeding and one case each of mediastinitis, low cardiac output syndrome, and pneumonia. There were no cases of early deaths, or death within 30 days following the operation. No patient died in the hospital or experienced valve related complications. One patient, however, underwent mitral valvuloplasty 3 months after the operation. Another patient died from intra-cranial hemorrhage in the 31st month after the operation. Therefore, the valve-related death rate was 4.3%, and the valve-related complication rate 8.6% on mid-term follow-up. 1, 3-, and 5-year valve- related event free rates were 90.8%, 79.5%, and 79.5%, respectively, while 1, follow-up. 1, 3-, and 5-year valve- related event free rates were 90.8%, 79.5%, and 79.5%, respectively, while 1, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 100%, 88.8%, and 88.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a complete removal of infected tissues is essential in the operative treatment of infectious endocarditis of the mitral valve. It is also suggested that when infected tissues are completely removed, neither type of material nor method of operation has a significant effect on the operation result. The postoperative results also suggest the need for a close follow-up observation of the patients suspected of having brain damage, which is caused by preoperative blood contamination or emboli from vegetation, for a possible cerebral vascular injury such as mycotic aneurysm.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.264-281
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• 1996

As a consequence of wide use of herbicides, Eleocharis kuroguwai Ohwi became a dorminant problem weed for rice cultivation in Korea. To understand the establishment of the weed, experiments on physio-ecological characteristics were carried out sprouting and occurrence, the results could be summarized as follows: Sprouting percentage remained 68 to 73% until the time of field emergence, indicating many of the them are still dormant. The proportion of the dormant tubers were greater for the smaller than the bigger tubers. Apical dominance was apparent in sprouting, with 84% of tuber sprouted from only one of the apical buds. Tubers sprouted from 2 or 3 buds were less than 20%, and were mostly from the bigger tubers. When the shoot growth was compared, by controlling the others, ones from apical and the next 3 buds showed similar vigorous growth, but the later ones showed poorer growth. For the longevity of tubers, deep soil storage appeared to be better than storage in temperature controlled room to 2~$3^{\circ}C$. Emergence of E. kuroguwai was better in clay soil than in sand, and the possible depth for emergence in clay soil appeared to be up to 21cm, but was 15cm in sand. When tubers were exposed to salt solutions before emergence tests, E. kuroguwai appeared to be much sensitive to salts than S.planiculmis. Among the tubers formed in previous year, 12.7% remained still viable until the end of next crop season, but with relatively strong dormancy. The first emergence was about 10 days after planting at ordinary cropping seasons, and the days to the maximum shoot number stage were 60~90 from planting. The duration was extended at early transplanting, and shoot number, leaves per shoot, and tubers developed per plant were also greater at early plantings. The 6th order offshoots were developing when E. kuroguwai was planted at early season. When planted at later seasons, generation and the number of offshoots was reduced planted at early season. When planted at later seasons, generation and the number of offshoots was reduced and the number of tubers, runner and rhizome lengths was also reduced.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.323-327
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• 2002

Purpose : To evaluate the outcome of early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who were treated with radiation therapy alone and define the optimal radiotherapeutic regimen for these patients. Materials and Methods : A retrospective review was peformed on patients with sage I or II non-small cell carcinoma of the lung that were treated at our institution between June, 1987 and May, 2000. A total of 21 patients treated definitively with radiation therapy alone were included in this study. The age of the patients ranged from 53 to 81 years with a median of 66 years. All the patients were male. The medical reasons for inoperability were lack of pulmonary reserve, cardiovascular disease, poor performance status, old age, and patient refusal in the decreasing order. Pathological evidence was not adequate to characterize the non-small cell subtype in two patients. Of the remaining 19 patients, 16 had squamous cell carcinoma and 3 had adenocarcinoma. Treatment was given with conventional fractionation, once a day, five times a week. The doses to the primary site ranged from 56 Gy to 59 Gy. No patients were lost to follow-up. Results : The overall survival rates for the entire group at 2, 3 and 5 years were 41, 30 and $21\%$, respectively. The cause specific survivals at 2, 3 and 5 years were 55, 36 and $25\%$, respectively. An intercurrent disease was the cause of death in two patients. The cumulative local failure rate at 5 years was $43\%$. Nine of the 21 patients had treatment failures after the curative radiotherapy was attempted. Local recurrences as the first site of failure were documented in 7 patients. Therefore, local failure alone represented $78\%$ of the total failures. Those patients whose tumor sizes were less than 4 cm had a significantly better 5 year disease free survival than those with tumors greater than 4 cm $(0\%\;vs\;36\%)$. Those patients with a Karnofsky performance status less than 70 did not differ significantly with respect to actuarial survival when compared to those with a status greater than 70 $(25\%\;vs\;26\%,\;p>0.05)$. Conclusion : Radiation therapy 리one is an effective and safe treatment for early stage non-small ceil lung cancer patients who are medically inoperable or refuse surgery. Also we believe that a higher radiation dose to the primary site could improve the local control rate, and ultimately the overall survival rate.