• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2017

The effects of Korean solar salt on an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colon cancer C57BL/6 mouse model were studied. Korean solar salt samples (SS-S, solar salt from S salt field; SS-Yb, solar salt from Yb salt field), nine-time-baked bamboo salt (BS-9x, made from SS-Yb), purified salt (PS), and SS-G (solar salt from $Gu\acute{e}rande$, France) were orally administered at a concentration of 1% during AOM/DSS colon cancer induction, and compared for their protective effects during colon carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice. SS-S and SS-Yb suppressed colon length shortening and tumor counts in mouse colons. Histological evaluation by hematoxylin and eosin staining also revealed suppression of tumorigenesis by SS-S. Conversely, PS and SS-G did not show a similar suppressive efficacy as Korean solar salt. SS-S and SS-Yb promoted colon mRNA expression of an apoptosis-related factor and cell-cycle-related gene and suppressed pro-inflammatory factor. SS-Yb baked into BS-9x further promoted these anti-carcinogenic efficacies. Taken together, the results indicate that Korean solar salt, especially SS-S and SS-Yb, exhibited anti-cancer activity by modulating apoptosis- and inflammation-related gene expression during colon carcinogenesis in mice, and bamboo salt baked from SS-Yb showed enhanced anti-cancer functionality.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2010

Objective : This study compares Video laryngoscope and Direct laryngoscope in tracheal Intubation on rapidity and accuracy by paramedic and aims to improve efficiency of airway management and survival rate in pre-hospital treatment for the patients with severe trauma, cardiac arrest or dyspnea caused by acute diseases. Methods : 60 paramedics were recruited from 13 fire stations located in C province. With the consent of the paramedics, likelihood ratio test was carried out and they were divided into two different groups; DL group (30) and GVL group (30). Regarding intubation conditions, difficult airway grade I, grade II and grade III as well as sniffing position and neutral position were examined. This study also compared between ambulance in motion and in stand still. Frequency, average and standard deviation were analyzed with statistics program, SPSS WIN 17.0 and repeated measure design was introduced to examine inter-relations between position, grade and groups. Results : Intubation was performed more rapidly in neutral position and GVL than in sniffing position and DL(F = 15.260, p = .000). Rapidity value was better with grade I and grade II than grade III and better with GVL than DL(F = 32.629, p = .000). Accuracy value was higher with neutral position and GVL than sniffing position and DL(F = 5.008, p = .011). grade III was less accurate than grade I, grade II and GVL was more accurate than DL(F = 10.966, p = .000). Ambulance motion status did not show any statistically significant differences in accuracy and rapidity. Conclusion : Given this study results, neutral position is better for the patient with severe trauma. For a better survival, GVL intubation can be considered since GVL can enhance accuracy as well as rapidity regarding difficult airway. Since there is no significant differences in ambulance motion factors, intubation can be recommended even in moving ambulance for shortening traveling time to a hospital.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.340-344
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• 2011

Purpose: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been considered a biochemical marker for myocarditis in Kawasaki disease. We performed this study to determine its quantitative significance. Methods: We attempted to correlate log-transformed BNP concentrations (log-BNP) and clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic variables in 81 children with Kawasaki disease. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the variables independently associated with log-BNP concentration. Results: Serum C-reactive protein level (P<0.0001), serum alanine aminotransferase concentration (P =0.0032), white blood cell count (P=0.0030), and left ventricular mass index (P=0.0024) were positively related with log-BNP, and hemoglobin level (P<0.0001), serum albumin level (P<0.0001), $Na^+$ concentrations (P<0.0001), left ventricular fractional shortening (P=0.0080), and peak early diastolic tissue velocity of the left ventricular basal lateral segment (P=0.0045) were negatively related to the log-BNP concentration. Multiple regression analysis showed that serum albumin concentration ($R_2$=0.31, P=0.0098) and left ventricular mass index ($R_2$=0.09, P=0.0004) were significantly associated with the log-BNP concentration. Conclusion: Elevated BNP levels during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease may be attributable to cardiac dysfunction associated with the increase in left ventricular mass, and log-BNP concentration may be a quantitative biochemical marker of myocarditis in Kawasaki disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.224-235
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• 2022

Objective : Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, neurointerventionists have been increasingly concerned regarding the prevention of infection and time delay in performing emergency thrombectomy procedures in patients with acute stroke. This study aimed to analyze the effects of changes in mechanical thrombectomy protocol before and after the COVID-19 pandemic on procedure time and patient outcomes and to identify factors that significantly impact procedure time. Methods : The last-normal-to-door, first-abnormal-to-door, door-to-imaging, door-to-puncture, and puncture-to-recanalization times of 88 patients (45 treated with conventional pre-COVID-19 protocol and 43 with COVID-19 protection protocol) were retrospectively analyzed. The recanalization time, success rate of mechanical thrombectomy, and modified Rankin score of patients at discharge were assessed. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify variables that significantly influenced the time delay in the door-to-puncture time and total procedure time. Results : The door-to-imaging time significantly increased under the COVID-19 protection protocol (p=0.0257) compared to that with the conventional pre-COVID-19 protocol. This increase was even more pronounced in patients who were suspected to be COVID-19-positive than in those who were negative. The door-to-puncture time showed no statistical difference between the conventional and COVID-19 protocol groups (p=0.5042). However, in the multivariate analysis, the last-normal-to-door time and door-to-imaging time were shown to affect the door-to-puncture time (p=0.0068 and 0.0097). The total procedure time was affected by the occlusion site, last-normal-to-door time, door-to-imaging time, and type of anesthesia (p=0.0001, 0.0231, 0.0103, and 0.0207, respectively). Conclusion : The COVID-19 protection protocol significantly impacted the door-to-imaging time. Shortening the door-to-imaging time and performing the procedure under local anesthesia, if possible, may be required to reduce the door-to-puncture and door-to-recanalization times. The effect of various aspects of the protection protocol on emergency thrombectomy should be further studied.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.123-130
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• 2003

Background: In order to develop the acute heart failure model for the animal experiment of the pneumatic ventricular assist device, we decided to use young pig whose coronary artery distribution is almost the same as humans and also very cheap in price. The purpose of this study is to develop stable, reproducible acute ischemic heart failure model in swine using coronary artery ligation method. Material and Method: Five young pigs whose weights are the same as adult humans are under experiment. Each pig was under endotracheal intubation and connected to a mechanical ventilator. Through left lateral thoracotomy, we exposed the heart and induced ischemic heart failure by coronary artery ligation. The ligation began at the distal part of the left anterior descending coronary artery. After 5 minutes of initial ligation we reperfused the artery and then re-ligated. Before and after each ligation-reperfusion procedure we assessed the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, arterial pressure, and cardiac index. We also measured left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, end-systolic dimension, fractional shortening, ejection fraction using intraoperative epicardial echocardiography. After appropriate heart failure was established with sequential (from distal part of LAD to proximal location) ligation-reperfusion-ligation procedure, we inserted the ventricular assist device and operated. Result: We established stable acute ischemic heart failure in 3 of 5 young pigs with this sequential ligation-reperfusion-ligation procedure, and could maintained 50% less ejection fraction before the procedure according to intraoperative epicardial echocardiography. We also observed no ventricular arrhythmia usually associated with simple coronary artery ligation in large animals and no cardiac arrest associated with ventricular arrhythmia or myocardial stunning. In pathologic specimen, we observed scattered ischemic myocardium in all around the ischemic field induced by coronary artery ligation. Conclusion: Under the concept of ischemic preconditioning, we developed safe and reproducible acute ischemic heart failure model in swine using sequential coronary artery ligation-reperfusion-ligation method.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.663-670
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• 2018

Objective: Radio-contrast abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (APCT) is considered the gold standard diagnostic tool for an acute abdomen in the emergency department. On the other hand, APCT has a risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. Emergency physicians evaluate the creatinine (Cr) level prior to taking a APCT for the above reason but it takes time to evaluation the serum Cr level. This study hypothesized that Cr measured by a point-of-care test (POCT) can shorten the time to making clinically important decisions for patients with an acute abdomen. Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted between March 2017 and October 2017. The subjects were divided into two groups (Cr measured by laboratory vs. Cr measured by POCT). To analyze the clinical acceptability for creatinine, agreement was demonstrated graphically by Bland-Altman plots. This study compared the time to make a clinically important decision by physicians and the length of stay at the emergency department in both groups. Results: A total of 76 patients were eligible for the study, 38 patients were assigned to each group. There was no statistically significant difference in the time to the first medical examination (P=0.222) and emergency department stay time (P=0.802). On the other hand, the time to recognition of the Cr level (P<0.001), time to performing APCT (P<0.001), time to decision making (P<0.001), and time to initiation of treatment (P<0.001) were shortened significantly in the point-of-care creatinine group. Conclusion: In this study, the POCT for creatinine can allow rapid decision making by shortening the time to performing the radio-contrast APCT than the laboratory for patients with an acute abdomen.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.774-780
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• 2007

Purpose : The anthracyclines (AC) are widely used chemotherapeutic agents for pediatric cancers. However, the therapeutic use of these agents is limited by their cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels as a marker for AC-induced cardiotoxicity compared to echocardiography in Korean children with cancer. Methods : Fifty-five pediatric cancer patients who had received chemotherapy including AC were enrolled. The cumulative AC doses, clinical symptoms, and two echocardiography parameters, left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), were studied and compared with plasma BNP levels. Results : In 55 patients, plasma BNP levels were measured 115 times and echocardiographies were performed 64 times. The median cumulative dose of AC was $325mg/m^2$ (range 120-600; mean 345) and the median plasma BNP level was 10 pg/mL (range 5-950; mean 31). The cumulative AC doses correlated significantly with the plasma BNP levels (P=0.002). The plasma BNP levels correlated significantly with LVFS (P=0.018) and LVEF (P=0.025). Dilated cardiomyopathies were identified in three patients. LVFS and LVEF decreased and plasma BNP levels increased in a patient with acute dilated cardiomyopathy and in that with symptomatic chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. However, LVFS, LVEF and plasma BNP levels were normal in a patient with asymptomatic chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusion : The results of this study demonstrated that plasma BNP levels could be used as a marker for AC-induced cardiotoxicity; they showed good correlation with echocardiography findings in pediatric cancer patients. Plasma BNP levels may be used for the detection and management of AC-induced cardiotoxicity in Korean children with cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1987

Total 390 mice were irradiated with $2{\times}3cm$ abdominal field and $200{\times}5/wk$ regimen with orthovoltage x-ray machine. All animals were divided into 2 large groups, damage and recovery, and histopathologic changes were analyzed at various total dose level (1,000 cCy-5,000 cCy) and intervals (1 week-15 weeks). Almost acute changes such as decreased mitotic activity, villi shortening and focal erosion of mucosa recovered within 1-2 weeks in 1,000-3,000 cGy irradiated group but mild changes persisted in 4,000 and 5,000 cCy irradiated groups. Chronic delayed changes such as thickening of vessel wall with focal thrombosis, submucosal fibrosis, mucosal atrophy and chronic ulcer were observed from 2-3 week specimens in 4,000 and 5,000 cGy groups, These late changes recovered slightly, as increasing time intervals after irradiation but mild, persistant changes were observed throught all follow up period. These data suggest hat even 4,000 cCy is not completely safe for possible permanent damage and judicious modificiation of total dose, dose rate, fraction size, and field size should be considered for better results.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

We have synthesized $^{99m}$Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3)-biocytin as a new imaging agent for hepatobiliary scintigraphy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin scintigraphy in differentiating carbon tetrachloride ( $CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity from $\alpha$-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestasis in mice, which reflecting the differential diagnosis of neonatal jaundice caused by neonatal hepatitis from congenital biliary atresia in humans. Methods: Balb/c mice (female, 20 g, n=4-6) were pretreated with $CCl_4$(0.5 or $1.0m\ell$/kg) and ANIT ($150 or 300 m\ell$/kg) 18 h before scintigraphy. Biochemical and histopathological examinations showed a pattern of typical acute hepatitis (increase of transaminases and hepatocellular necnsis) in $CCl_4$-treated mice and cholestasis (increase of alkaline phosphatase and ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase, and biliary hyperplasia) in ANIT-treated mice, respectively, Mice were fasted at least 4 hr prior to the intravenous injection of $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin (18.5 MBq/20$\mu\textrm{g}$) in 2% human serum albumin in saline. Scintigraphy was performed with a ${\gamma}$-camera equipped with a 1-mm diameter pin-hole collimator for 30 min and images were acquired every 15 s. We compared the values of physical parameters, such as peak liver/heart ratio ($${\gamma}$_{max}$) and peak ratio time ($t_{max}$) far $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin scintigraphy. Results: Scintigraphic parameters of the $CCl_4$-pretreated (0.5 $m\ell$/kg) group showed a 81.9% decrease of r$_{max}$, and 42.2% decrease of $t_{max}$, whereas the ANIT-pretreated ( $150m\ell$/kg) group showed a 53% decrease of $r_{max}$, and 2.36-fold increase of $t_{max}$, (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that the decrease of $r_{max}$ and the shortening of $t_{max}$ are characteristic features for hepatotoxicity, in contrast to the increase of $t_{max}$ and decrease of $r_{max}$ for biliary hyperplasia. Conclusion: $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin hepatobiliary scintigraphy can distinguish hepatitis from cholestasis in mice model and may be similarly useful in humans which differentiating the cause of neonatal jaundice in clinical study.cal study.cal study.cal study.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2007

Purpose : The early diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is difficult sometimes, especially in atypical or incomplete cases presenting 4 or less principal clinical features without coronary arterial lesions (coronary arterial ectasia or aneurysm). The authors investigated the incidence of echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with KD to discover whether abnormal echocardiographic findings might be helpful in the early diagnosis of KD. Methods : Echocardiography was done in the acute stage of 103 patients with KD (Kawasaki group) and 40 patients with other acute febrile illnesses (control group). Abnormal echocardiographic findings were classified into 4 categories and defined as follows; 1) significant pericardial effusion, 2) significant valvular dysfunctions, 3) left ventricular systolic dysfunction, 4) coronary arterial ectasia or aneurysm. Results : In the Kawasaki group, significant pericardial effusion was present in 24 patients (23.3 percent), significant valvular dysfunctions in 30 patients (29.1 percent), left ventricular systolic dysfunction in 10 patients (9.7 percent), and coronary arterial lesions in 27 patients (26.2 percent). In the control group, significant pericardial effusion was present in only one patient (2.5 percent). The number of patients with any one of echocardiographic abnormalities was 57 (55.3 percent) in Kawasaki group and one (2.5 percent) in control group. The sensitivity of echocardiography in the diagnosis of KD was 55.3 percent, the specificity 97.5 percent, the positive predictive value 98.3 percent, and the negative predictive value 45.9 percent. Conclusion : If abnormal echocardiographic findings, even if other than coronary arterial lesions, are confirmed in patients in whom KD is suspected, it seems desirable to inifiate specific treatment for KD.