• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1159-1166
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• 1997

For Improvement of lung preservation, many tripes of preservation solution were developed and tested. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the most frequently used extracellular type pieservation solution (Low Potassium Dextran, LPD) with a newly developed trehalose containing extracellular type preservation solution(ET-Kyoto, ETK) on postischemic lung function. Twelve New-Zealand white rabbit lungs were harvested and studied on an isolated, blood-perfused model of lung function after 4 hours of cold ischemia at $10^{\circ}C$ In group I (n=6), lungs were preserved with 100 mL/kg of LPD solution; in group II(n=6), lungs were preserved with 100 mL/kg of ETK solution. A few minutes before flushing with preservation solutions, 20$\mu\textrm{g}$ of PGEI were injected into main pulmonary artery. Functions of the preserved lung were compared with PO2, PA pressure, t acheal air pressure, and drylwet ratio. The pulmonary efferent blood oxygen tension at the end of the 60-minute reperfusion period was higher in group II compacted with group I(486.5 $\pm$ 80.3 mmHg versus $432.5\pm82.9$ mmHg at FiO2 1.0, p-value = NS). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was similar in both $groups.(33.7\pm2.2$ mmHg versus $35.5\pm2.0$ mmHg, p-value : NS). The peak inspiratory airway pressure was significantly lower in group 11(8.010.6 mmHg versus 11.8 $\pm$ 1.4 mmHg, p-value=0.02) The water content of the lung was lower in group II $(70.2\pm6.9%$ versus 78.5 $\pm6.1%),$ but not significant. These data demonstrate that a newly-developed trehalose-containing ET-Kyoto solution yield equal or slightly superior lung function after reperfusion compared with LPD solution.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.672-683
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• 2004

Background: The treatment results of the advanced lung carcinoma is not satisfactory with the present therapeutic modalities: surgical resection, anti-cancer chemotherapy, and radiotherapy or combination therapy. To predict the prognosis of the non-small-cell lung carcinoma, TNM classification has been was as the basic categorization; however, it has been not satisfactory. It is necessary to consider the causes and the prognosis of the lung carcinoma from another points of view rather the conventional methods. We intended to find out the relationship between the major apoptotic factor, p53 gene and the prognosis of the patient with lung carcinoma. Material and Method: Three hundreds and fifty-nine patients with lung carcinoma who underwent surgery were analysed. We observed p53 protein accumulated in the cellular nuclei. The p53 protein was detected by immuno-histo-chemical method. We collected information of the patient retrospectively. Result: p53 protein densities were observed in 40% in average as a whole. The protein density was 44 percent in man, 25 percent in woman, 49 percent in the squamous cell carcinoma, and 38 percent in the adenocarcinoma. There were significant correlations between the p53 protein density and the mortality in the squamous cell carcinoma (p=0.025), follow-up duration in TNM stage I group (p=0.010), and follow-up duration in the lobectomy patient group (p=0.043), and tumor cell differentiation (p=0.009). p53 protein densities were significantly different between the lobectomy and the pneumonectomy group (p=0.044). Conclusion: The authors found that p53 protein had some correlations with the prognosis of the lung cancer partially in some factors. We suggest the p53 protein density could be used as a marker of prognosis in the non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

Background: The use of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to perform major pulmonary resection with systematic node dissection (SND) for lung cancer by is commonly used in clinics. However, the feasibility of SND by VATS remains controversial. Video-assisted mediastinal lymphadenectomy (VAMLA) increases the quality of mediastinal lymph node staging in lung cancer. The video-mediastinoscope allows systematic lymphadenectomy by bimanual preparation. This study was conducted to assess safety and usefulness and clinical feasibility of VAMLA expanding Linder-Dahan mediastinoscope with VATS lobectomy for left sided lung cancer. Material and Method: Between February 2004 to April 2008, a total 50 patients who underwent VATS lobectomy for left sided lung cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty patients (group A) underwent VAMLA followed by VATS lymphadenectomy and 20 patients (group B) underwent VATS lymphadenectomy for SND. Result: There were no statistical differences in operation times, chest tube indwelling times, or hospital days between the 2 groups. The number of dissected total nodes (p=0.001) and N2 nodes (p=0.013) were higher in group A than in group B, but there was no difference in N1 nodes. Postoperative complications included 2 prolonged air leakages (${\geq}$10 days) in each group, one pneumonia in group A, and one vocal cord palsy in group B. There were no early operative mortalities. Conclusion: Mediastinal staging of resectable lung cancer is performed by VAMLA. This new technique is the basis for VATS lobectomy particularly for left-sided lung cancer, because a higher percentage of mediastinal lymph nodes undergo complete resection using VAMLA.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.497-507
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• 2000

Purpose: We have examined the utility of $^{99m}Tc$-MAG3 perfusion indices for assessing renal graft function in early post-transplantation period. Materials and Methods: Our study included 80 renal transplant recipients (48 men and 32 women, mean age: 40.3 years). Diagnosis was based on biopsy, laboratory data and clinical course. Renal scintigraphy (RS) was obtained using 100 MBq of $^{99m}Tc$-MAG3 from 11 days to 23 days of kidney transplantation. We measured 5 indices in whole-kidney (WK) and cortical (C) renograms; Hilson's perfusion index (PI), transplant perfusion index (TP) and transplant function index (TF) as perfusion parameter, and the time to peak activity (Tmax) and the ratio of renal counts at 20 min to that at 3 min (K20/3) as functional parameter. Results: The diagnoses at the day of RS were normal graft (NG) in 44, acute rejection (AR) in 14, acute tubular necrosis (ATN) in 10, and Cyclosporine A nephrotoxicity (CsA) in 12. TP and TF were significantly decreased in AR, ATN and CsA, compared to those in NG. K20/3 of AR and ATN wore significantly greater than that of NG. WK-Tmax of AR was significantly longer than that of NG. K20/3 of AR and C-K20/3 of ATN were significantly prolonged relative to those of CsA. There were no statistically significant perfusion indices among complication groups. Conclusion: TP and TF reflecting microperfusion and initial tubular extraction are reliable in assessing graft function. However, it is required to correlate perfusion indices with functional indices and clinical course in differentiating from one another among complication groups.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.572-576
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• 2009

Purpose: Helicobacter (H) pylori infection has been considered the most important cause of gastritis, dyspepsia, and gastroduodenal ulcer. Radioiodine can be accumulated in the remaining thyroid tissue, salivary gland, and stomach. We investigated if the high radiation induced by radioiodine in the stomach after high dose radioiodine therapy (HD-RIT) is effective in the eradication of H. pylori infection. Materials and Methods: One hundred ninety nine patients (M:F=33:166, age $46.7{\pm}12.3$ years) who had HD-RIT (dose $159.1{\pm}25.9\;mCi$, range 120-250 mCi) after thyroidectomy due to well differentiated thyroid cancer were enrolled. To detect H. pylori infection, the urea breath tests (UBT) were performed at 1 hour before HD-RIT and at 4 weeks after HD-RIT. The results of UBT were classified as positive (${\geq}50\;dpm$) or negative (<50 dpm), and analyzed its values. Results: Of 199 patients, 103 (51.8%) patients had positive UBT before HD-RIT. Of these, 80 patients had follow-up UBT after HD-RIT. Among them, 76 (95.0%) patients had persistent positive UBT and only 4 (5.0%) patients were changed negative UBT. Among 76 patients with persistent positive UBT, 26 (34.2%) patients had increased the values of follow-up UBT, 49 (64.5%) had decreased them, and 1 (1.3%) had shown the same value. The different values of UBT between before and after HD-RIT were $62{\pm}66.1\;dpm$ in increased one of follow-up UBT, and $153.3{\pm}157.1\;dpm$ in decreased one of follow-up UBT. Conclusion: We conclude that the radiation induced by HD-RIT is ineffective in the eradication of H. pylori infection. However, it could be influential the degree or distribution of H. pylori infection.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.526-534
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• 2009

Purpose: We retrospectively investigated the diagnostic performance of $^{18}F$-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT for cancer detection in asymptomatic health-check examinees. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 5091 PET or PET/CT conducted as part of annual health examination at one hospital from March 1998 to February 2008. To find the incidence of cancers, medical records of the subjects were thoroughly reviewed for a follow-up period of one year. The patterns of formal readings of PET and PET/CT were analyzed to assess the sensitivity and specificity for cancer detection. The histopathology and stage of the cancers were evaluated in relation to the results of PET. Results: Eighty-six cancers (1.7%) were diagnosed within one year after PET or PET/CT. When PET and PET/CT results were combined, the sensitivity was 48.8% and specificity was 81.1% for cancer detection. PET only had a sensitivity of 46.2% and a specificity of 81.4%, and PET/CT only had a sensitivity of 75.0% and a specificity of 78.5% respectively. There were no significant differences in cancer site, stage and histopathology between PET positive and PET negative cancers. In 19.3% of formal readings of PET and PET/CT, further evaluation to exclude malignancy or significant disease was recommended. Head and neck area and upper gastrointestinal tract were commonly recommended sites for further evaluation. Conclusions: PET and PET/CT showed moderate performance for detecting cancers in asymptomatic adults in this study. More experience and further investigation are needed to overcome limitations of PET and PET/CT for cancer screening.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to confirm the epidemiologic change of the causative organisms of neonatal and pediatric bacterial meningitis in Korea. And we tried to evaluate the risk factors correlated with prognosis which was available on the day of admission. Methods : Retrospectively, we reviewed the medical records of 57 patients admitted for bacterial meningitis at six hospitals affiliated with Catholic Medical Center for 6 years(Jan. 2000~Dec. 2005). Results : 22 cases(38.6%) of them were neonates under 28 days and 35 cases were infants and children ; 16 cases(28.1%), under 1 year ; 6 cases(10.5%), under 5 years ; 13 cases (22.8%), under 15 years. In neonates, 16 cases(72.7%) were caused by group B streptococcus (GBS). In infants and children, S. pneumoniae(25.7%), H. influenzae type b(Hib)(22.8%) and N. meningitidis(22.8%) were common cause of bacterial meningitis in order. In the informations available on the day of admission, weight deficit for age under 3 percentile, increased CRP level and decreased glucose level of CSF were related to poor prognosis(P<0.05). Conclusion : GBS became a leading cause of neonatal bacterial meningitis. Though, pneumoccocal, Hib and meningococcal meningitis were confirmed as major causes of bacterial meningitis. The routine immunization of pneumococcal and Hib vaccines will be considered, and it is necessary to introduce meningococcal vaccines to our country in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2003

Objectives : Impaired hearing is a prevalent occupational hazard, not only in industry, but also in the armed forces. In military life, noise has unusual characteristics, and constitutes a serious hazard to hearing. The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing threshold data in order to compare the hearing loss among shipyard workers, representing different workers, and a military service background. Methods : A cross-sectional audiological survey, combined with a questionnaire study, was conducted on a stratified random sample of 440 shipyard workers, with long-term exposure to noise. The employees were divided into four groups, according to their working and military service backgrounds, in relation to their exposure to noise. Results : As expected, the working and military noise exposure group (Group I) had significantly poorer hearing than the other groups. The high frequencies (2-8 kHz) showed the greatest difference in terms of poorer fearing in both ears. The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was highest in Group I. A logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the dependence of the NIHL in relation to age, smoking, drinking, working duration, ear protection, past history of ear diseases, and working and military sonics backgrounds, on the noise exposure The important factors found to be related to the NIHL, in relation to noise exposure were: age, work duration, and working and military service backgrounds. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for NIML in the right ear were 4.5 times greater (95% CI 1.7-11.6) for the military noise exposed group, and 7.9 times greater (95% CI 2.0-31.3) for the working noise exposed group than in the controls. The hearing thresholds at the pure-tone average and 4 kHz were significantly increased with age and work duration with both the working and military service backgrounds. Conclusions : From these results, specific preventive programs were planned, which should be assessed by epidemiological surveillance of the military noise exposed population.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2010

Purpose : Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known as one of the common causes of secondary enuresis in children. However, enuresis in diabetic children is overlooked only as a symptom of polyuria due to hyperglycemia. We evaluated the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in children with diabetes mellitus in this paper. Methods : Among children with diabetes in three hospitals in Daegu area, 117 agreed to 'Tele research by means of a questionnaire'. Results : Diabetic patients were divided into two groups: Nocturnal enuresis and nonnocturnal enuresis group. thirty-two of 117 (27.0%) patients were in enuresis group, with more daytime urination than non-nocturnal enuresis group ($4.2{\pm}1.6/3.6{\pm}1.2$ times, P=0.016). HbA1c at diagnosis was $12.0{\pm}2.3%/12.0{\pm}2.5%$, and at follow-up $9.3{\pm}2.3%/8.3{\pm}2.3%$ (P =0.042). Insulin was administered at $1.1{\pm}0.5/1.1{\pm}0.4$ units/kg/day. Ten children of enuresis (31.2%) group were monosymptomatic (MNE) and 22 (68.8%) children were non-monosymptomatic enuresis (non-MNE). Fourteen (43.8%) of enuresis group had persistent symptoms, with 5 MNE and 9 non-MNE each. HbA1c at diagnosis was $11.1{\pm}2.5$, $12.4{\pm}2.1$, higher in non-MNE (P=0.144). Average arousal during sleep was step $3.3{\pm}1.2$, $2.5{\pm}1.0$, higher in improved enuresis group (P=0.059). Conclusion : Nocturnal enuresis among DM patients is underestimated. However, considering psychological and social effects of enuresis in children, extensive and long-term studies are needed in the future to clarify relationship between prevalence and DM control.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2008

Purpose : The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the incidence of relapse or nephritis might be influenced by the duration of corticosteroid therapy in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP). Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 186 children with a diagnosis of HSP in two major hospitals in Ilsan, Korea from the years 2000 to 2003. To evaluate whether renal involvement or relapse might be influenced by the duration of corticosteroid therapy in children with HSP, one pediatric nephrologist from hospital A, maintained corticosteroid therapy for at least 2 weeks(Group A, n=94). The other from hospital B used only during the symptomatic period(Group B, n=92). Results : There were no significant differences in age, sex, body weight, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, serum protein and albumin levels between the two groups. The incidence of abdominal pain or arthralgia also did not differ between two groups. However, the duration of steroid therapy was significantly longer in Group A than in Group B and the cumulative dose of prednisolone was also higher in Group A than in Group B. The development of nephritis was more frequent in Group A. Conclusion : The longer duration of steroid use was not associated with the decreased rate of nephritis. Therefore, corticosteroids should be used carefully in a selected group of HSP children, and be tapered rapidly after control of the acute symptoms.