• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.581-594
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• 2011

The traditional method of 3+3 standard design and model-based Bayesian continual reassessment method (CRM) are commonly used in Phase I clinical trials to identify the maximal tolerated dose(MTD) of a new drug. In this paper we review clinical examples of Phase I trials that were carried out in patients with refractory or relapsed leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. The recently proposed 3+1+1 design and rolling-6 design can shorten the trial duration, when a very slow accrual of patients with a simple 3+3 standard design may result in the untimely termination of trials. Too conservative approaches in determining the dose levels in Phase I clinical trials can leave clinical investigators unable to accurately determine the MTD. When determining future patient doses, the designs that use a time-to-event CRM can cooperate late toxicities by accounting for the proportion of the observation period of each enrolled patient. With the CRM design, simulations under different scenarios during the trial are important in detecting the under- or over-estimation of the initial estimate of the dose-limiting toxicity rate for each dose level. We present the advantages and drawbacks of the designs used in Phase I clinical trials for leukemia patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.109-112
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• 2003

Stromal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, especially of the esophagus, are rare. We had a case of malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) of the esophagus. A 46 years old woman was admitted for abnormal mass shadow in the chest radiograph. The mass was originated from the lower thoracic esophagus, and compressed the right lower pulmonary vein and the inferior vena cava. We removed the tumor externally without injuring of the esophageal mucosa via right posterolateral thoracotomy. The tumor was positive for CD 34 and CD 117, and diagnosed malignant CIST of the esophagus.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2003

Bulla is an air-filled space within the lung parenchyma resulting from deterioration of the alveolar tissue. Molecular mechanism of the formation of the bulla is not well described. Fibroblast growth factor(FGF)-7, bone morphogenetic protein(BMP) receptor, and transforming growth factor(TGF)-$\beta$ receptor are known to have a stimulatory or inhibitory role in the lung formation. We investigated to see if these growth factor or cytokine receptors are involved in the bulla formation by immunohistochemical staining of bullous lung tissues from patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Material and Method: Bullous lung tissues were obtained from 31 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, including 30 males and 1 female from 15 to 39 years old. The bullous tissues were obtained by video-thoracoscopic surgery and/or mini-thoracotomy and fixed in formalin. Blocks of the specimens were embedded with paraffin and cut into 5-6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thick slices. The sections were deparaffinized and hydrated and then incubated with primary antibodies against FGF-7, BMP-RII, or TGF-RII. Result: Of the 31 patients, 24 were TGF-RII positive including 18 strong and 6 weak positives. Observation with high magnification showed that strong immunostaining was detected in the boundary region between bullous and normal lung tissues. In contrast, all of the sections were negative with FGF-7 or BMP-RII antibodies. Conclusion: These results suggest that overexpression of TGF- P RII may be involved in the formation of bulla, although further molecular studies are needed to find out more detailed molecular mechanisms.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2012

Purpose: Recently, many evidence-based guidelines for the management of urinary tract infection (UTI) have been developed because of the importance of proper management. However, there is a lack of data regarding how pediatricians manage UTIs in Korea. Therefore, we surveyed pediatricians to determine whether they manage UTIs in an appropriate manner. Methods: A postal questionnaire survey of 78 pediatricians practicing in Daegu city was performed. Subjects were asked about diagnosis, imaging studies, treatment, and prevention of UTIs. Results: Most of the respondents (94.8%) performed urinalysis to diagnose UTI in febrile children with an unknown fever focus. However, many preferred inaccurate collection methods, such as bagged urine collection, and did not obtain urine cultures. The most frequently performed imaging modality was renal-bladder ultrasonogram. Orally administered antibiotics were preferred unless admission was needed. After diagnosis of UTI, the pediatricians usually provided information to caregivers about the disease itself and supplementary treatment. Of the respondents, only 28.6% had their own guidelines for management of vesicoureteral reflux. Conclusion: Most pediatricians suspected UTI in febrile children with an unknown focus appropriately. Nevertheless, the fact that many pediatricians preferred inaccurate urine collection methods and did not perform sufficient imaging studies to detect associated abnormalities likely resulted in overtreatment due to false-positive diagnosis of UTI and a low probability of ruling out genitourinary anatomical problems. To improve the quality of management of UTI, pediatricians should follow scientific and evidence-based guidelines.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1987

From March, 1983 to March, 1987, 16 patients with esophageal steno-obstruction due to nonesophageal tumors were treated in the Division of Therapeutic Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. The patient characteristics, effect of radiotherapy (XRT) on esophageal steno-obstruction and survival were evaluated. The most common primary tumor was lung cancer (14/16) and the middle third of the esophagus was most frequently involved (14/16). Improved clinical response was observed in $80\%$ of the patients who finished the planned courses of XRT. The mean radiation dose evoking the improvement of dysphagia was 2,993 cGy given over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival at 15 and 30 weeks of follow-up were $60\%$ and $46\%$, respectively. In the completed group who finished the whole planned courses of XRT, survival rates were $77\%\;and\;51\%$, respectively. Four patients were alive over 90 weeks with normal passage of food.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 1998

Background: To avoid the major mobidity associated with bilateral radical neck dissection, modified radical neck dissection has become established as an effective adjunctive procedure in the management of head and neck cancer. But several studies reported early postoperative internal jugular vein(IJV) occlusion in patients who underwent modified radical neck dissection. Objectives: To determine internal jugular vein patency following modified radical neck dessection performed in various head and neck cancer and to identify factors associated with venous occlusion. Materials and Methods: From Aug. 1996 to Oct. 1997, twenty three patients underwent either unilateral or bilateral modified radical neck dissection; 19 males and 4 females, ranging in age from 28 to 75 were retrospectively examined. All patients had a preoperative doppler imaging or CT or both for their initial evaluation. A follow-up examination was obtained(after a minimum postoperative period of 2 months and a maximum one of 4 months). Results: Thirty-four IJVs were examined. All but six IJVs examined were found patent postoperatively. The preservation rate of patency of the IJV in modified radical neck dissection was found to be high(28 of 34 IJVs or 82%). Conclusion: The preservation rate of patency of the IJV in modified radical neck dissection was found to be high. These results favor the use of modified radical neck dissection for IJV preservation, particularly in bilateral neck dissection. A retrospective chart review revealed that trauma of the vessel and extrinsic compression of the vein by the musculocutaneous flap or recurrent carcinoma in the neck may be the cause of the vein occlusion.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2011

Recent advances in techniques and strategies use to detect cancer in its early stages and to treat it effectively has the survival rate of cancer patients and the number of long-term cancer survivors continually increasing. Unfortunately, many cancer survivors are at risk for various late and long-term effects of cancer treatments including the radiotherapy. Long-term cancer survivors can be also seen for a hospice and palliative care because of cancer recurrence and they are at risk of delayed reactions to radiotherapy. So, the understanding and knowledge of radiation reactions is required for the proper medical diagnosis, management, and coordination of the potential reactions that may occur in these care setting. In effort to increase the survival rate in cancer patients and to decrease the adverse effects of cancer treatment, many clinical studies have been and continue to be conducted. The efforts of these studies have thus resulted in the advancement of cancer treatments. Regrettably, the overall interest in how to manage adverse effects of cancer treatment such as radiotherapy appears seemingly low in clinical practice and its advanced studies as a whole are delayed and deficient. It is imperative that the medical community show an enthusiastic interest in the aftercare of cancer patients and cancer survivors in order to create a complementary integrative approach that will eliminate radiotherapy related pain/discomfort or illness in hospice and palliative care settings.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.834-839
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• 2017

Propolis is a natural product collected from plants by honey bees product used extensively in traditional medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-cancer effects. Propolis exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities because it is a complex mixture of natural substances. Ovarian cancer is the second most common newly diagnosed cancer from all cancers among women in Korea and the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. While most ovarian cancer patients initially respond to surgical debulking and chemotherapy, patients later succumb to the disease. Thus, there is an urgent need to test novel therapeutic agents to counteract the high mortality rate associated with ovarian cancer. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer properties and the active mechanism of Australian propolis in human epithelial ovarian cancer A2780 cells. Our data revealed that propolis showed a cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis using propidium iodide staning and annexin V-FITC indicated that propolis could induce cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner on human epithelial ovarian cancer cells. These results suggest that the Australian propolis is potential alternative agent on ovarian cancer prevention and treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.440-448
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• 2003

Background : Development of rapid drug susceptibility testing provides the opportunity for rapid identification of individuals with drug resistant tubercle bacilli, allowing selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens. Methods : A total of 502 drug resistant isolates were subjected to reverse blot hybridization assay to detect mutations within genes (rpoB, katG, inhA, and ahpC) associated with rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH) resistance. Results : Among the 264 RMP resistant strains ($RMP^R$) tested, the most prevalent mutation was the Ser531Leu seen in 121 strains (46%). The second common mutation occurred in 84 strains (32%) at codon 526. And 27 strains (10%) showed the mutation at codon 516. Among all 469 INH resistant strains ($INH^R$), the katG mutation was responsible for INH. The inhA mutation was present in 88 strains (19%). In 11 isolates (2%), coexisting of the katG and inhA mutations were identified. Reverse hybridization assay successfully detected over 80% of $INH^R$ and over 92% of $RMP^R$ among Korean isolates. CONCLUSION: Reverse hybridization was useful for rapid detection of $INH^R$ and $RMP^R$.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.261-265
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• 2001

소아의 소화성궤양은 소아 소화계질환 중에서 발병율이 점차 늘어나고 있는 추세에 있다. 최근 소아과에서 내시경의 활용이 활발해지면서 장기적으로 반복하여 위완통(胃脘痛), 변혈 (便血)및 구혈(嘔血)이 나타나는 경우 궤양성질환의 가능성이 높은 것으로 밝혀지고 있다. 본원에서는 유명한 중의사 왕붕비(王鵬飛) 교수의 비완통(脾脘痛) 치험방을 토대로 많은 임상을 거쳐 위평충제(胃平沖劑)를 개발하여 1992년6월부터 1997년12월까지 위내시경 검사를 통하여 위궤양으로 진단된 98명의 소아환자에게 투여하여 관찰한 바 만족스러운 효과가 나타나 이를 보고한다. 위평충제(胃平衝劑)의 처방구성은 자초(紫草), 청대(靑黛), 곽향(藿香), 유향(乳香), 회향(茴香), 정향(丁香), 황련(黃連), 적석지(赤石脂), 황정(黃精) 등이다. 한의학적 이론에 따르면 불규칙하고 자극성이 강한 음식섭취 습관은 비위(脾胃)를 손상시켜 중주(中州)를 옹체(壅滯)시키므로 기(氣)의 원활한 소통이 이루어지지 않으면 부통즉통(不通卽痛)의 기전으로 발전한다. 또한 근래 소아들이 각종 정신적인 압박으로 스트레스가 쌓이면서 간기울결(肝氣鬱結)을 초래하여 울화(鬱火)로 인하여 혈락(血絡)이 손상되면서 출혈증상이 나타난다. 왕교수의 견해에 따르면 체내에 어혈이 제거되지 않으면 기혈(氣血)의 순환이 더욱 악화되어 어적(瘀積)이나 궤양 또는 경새(梗塞) 등을 일으키게 된다고 하였다. 따라서 위평충제(胃平沖劑)는 활혈화어(活血化瘀), 청열해독(淸熱解毒)과 더불어 익기양위(益氣養胃), 거어지통(祛瘀止痛)의 효능이 있는 약물들로 구성되었다. 동물실험에서 위평충제(胃平衝劑)는 궤양표면을 보호하고 치유하며 재발을 방지하는 효과가 있는 것으로 확인되었고, 위액의 분비, 위단백질효소의 활성에 대한 억제 및 진통효과도 있는 것으로 입증되었다.행하여 사용하는 것이 바람직하며, 단순한 중약 투여는 일부 양약에 의한 소아성장에 미치는 영향을 피할 수 있어 더 많은 임상연구가 이어져야 한다.(當歸) 목단피(牧丹皮) 울김(鬱金) 정력자(?歷子) 세신(細辛) 오미자(五味子) 구기자(枸杞子) 산수황육(山茱黃肉) 황기(黃?) 감초(甘草) 등을 기본적으로 사용한다. 비신양허형(脾腎陽虛型)은 온보비신(溫補脾腎) 화어척담(化瘀滌痰)을 원칙으로 하며, 처방에는 구마황( 灸麻黃) 세신(細辛) 오미자(五味子) 당귀(當歸) 단삼(丹蔘) 울김(鬱金) 정력자(?歷子) 반하(半夏) 보골지(補骨脂) 선령비(仙靈脾) 태자삼(太子蔘) 황기(黃?) 감초(甘草) 등을 기본적으로 사용한다. 치험(治驗): (1) 천식의 실증(實證)은 치료를 한 뒤 완화단계에 접어들면서 허증(虛證)으로 전화되는데, 허천(虛喘)도 역시 천식이니 만큼 단순히 보법(補法)만 사용하여서는 안된다. 시종일관 천식치료에는 척담화어(滌痰化瘀)의 원칙을 지켜야 한다. 폐내(肺內)의 담어(痰瘀)가 철저하게 제거되어야 폐(肺)의 순환기능을 개선시켜 기도(氣道)의 염증을 신속히 흡수하고 치유할 수 있다. 이와 같은 치료과정은 약 3-6개월이 필요하다. 완화단계의 기간이 길어질수록 완치될 확률도 높아진다. (2) 급성기 천식은 폐(肺)를 다스려야 한다. 폐(肺)를 다스리는 방법에는 선폐(宣肺), 청폐(淸肺), 온폐(溫肺), 윤폐(潤肺) 및 척담거어(滌痰祛瘀) 등이 있다. (3) 증상이 완화되면 신(腎)을 다스린다. 천식은 신허(腎虛)가 근본적인 원인이므로 완화단계에서 심지어 발작기에도 보신제(補腎劑)를 추가하여 사용하면 배의 효과를 얻을 수 있다. (4) 비(脾)의 기능을 강화하여 근본을 채우는 부비배본(扶脾培本)도 중요하다. 후천의 수곡정미(水穀精微)로 선천을 충족시키고 자양하는 것은 질병에 대한 저항력을