• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.302-313
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• 1995

Background: Tumor necrosis factor(TNF) showed antitumor cytolytic effects on sensitive tumor cells in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies. But it could not be administered systemically to human because of severe systemic adverse effects at effective concentrations against tumor cells. Many studies showed that a high concentrations of TNF in the local milieu may evoke in vivo TNF-responsive mechanisms sufficient to suppress tumor growth. Recently developed technique of TNF gene transfer to tumor cells using retrovirus vector could be a good candidate for local TNF administration. TNF is also known to synergistically enhance in vitro cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs targeted to DNA topoisomerase II against TNF-sensitive tumor cell lines. In this study the in vitro chemosensitivity against DNA topoisomerase II targeted chemotherapeutic drugs was evaluated using some respiratory cancer cell lines to which TNF gene had been transferred. Method: NCI-H2058, a human mesothelioma cell line, A549, a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line and WEHI 164 cell line, a murine fibrosarcoma cell line were treated with etoposide and doxorubicin, which are typical topoisomerase II - targeted chemotherapeutic agents, at different concentration. The resultant cytotoxicity was measured by MIT assay. Then the cytotoxicity of the same chemotherapeutic agents was measured after TNF-$\alpha$ gene-transfer and the two results were compared. Results: The cytotoxicity was not increased significantly in WEHI164 cell line and A549 cell line but statistically significant increase was observed in H2058 cell line when TNF-$\alpha$ gene was transferred(p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings show that TNF-$\alpha$ gene transfer to respiratory cancer cell lines results in variable effects on chemosensitivity against topoisomerase II inhibitor among different cell lines in vitro and can be additively cytotoxic in certain selective tumor cell lines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.1324-1330
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• 2009

Lindera obtusiloba Blume (LO), which is widely distributed in Korea, Japan and China, has traditionally been used as a popular folk medicine for the treatment of fever, abdominal pain, bruise and extravation. The purpose of this study was to examine the toxicities of the single and 14-day repeated doses in Sprague-Dawley rats orally administrated with LO at doses of 0, 500, 1000, 2000 (14-day repeated toxicity test) and 5000 (single toxicity test) mg (dry weight)/kg of body weight/day. The results showed that there was no difference in body weight change, food intake, water consumption, or organ weight among different dose groups. Also we observed no death and abnormal clinical signs during the experimental period. Between the groups orally administered LO and the control group, there was no statistical significance in hematological test or serum biochemical values. There were no evidences of histopathological alteration as well as abnormal gross finding mediated by single and 14 days treatments with LO. These results suggest that no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the oral application of LO was considered to be more than 2000 mg/kg in rats under the conditions employed in this study.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2018

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with fruiting body of Agaricus brasiliensis (AB) mushroom on the lipid profiles of serum and histological patterns of liver of high cholesterol-fed rats. Five-week-old, female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each, including a normal control-diet (NC) group, a high-cholesterol diet (HC) group, and a group fed high-cholesterol diet supplemented with 5 % powder of Agaricus brasiliensis fruiting bodies (HC+AB). Total serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in the HC+AB group were significantly reduced when compared with those in the HC group. Body weight in the HC+AB group was significantly lower than that in the HC group, whereas no adverse effects were observed on the levels of plasma albumin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, glucose, and total protein. In the HC+AB group, liver enzyme activities related to liver function, such as GOT and GPT, presented values lower than those in the HC group and were very similar to the ones in the NC group. Excretion of total lipid and cholesterol in feces in the HC+AB group was significantly higher than that in the NC and HC groups, indicating that mushroom feeding inhibits the absorption of lipid cholesterol in the intestine. Liver histopathological analyses revealed that rats fed with HC diet developed fat liver disease, whereas only small amounts of fat were deposited in the livers of the HC+AB group. In conclusion, the results suggest that fruiting body powder of A. brasiliensis provides health benefits to high-cholesterol-fed rats by lowering body weight and the risk of atherogenic lipid profile.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.298-305
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: The utilization of green manures as alternatives to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers is considered a good agricultural practice. Effect of incorporation of green manure to soil on change of inorganic nitrogen (N) is well literatured. However, there have been few studies on examining entire dynamic of N including inorganic N and N gases in soil incorporated with green manure. The objective of this study was to examine the changes of inorganic N and N gases with single and mixture applications of hairy vetch and barley in the soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hairy vetch(H) and barley (B) were applied at the mixture ratio of B:H=0:0, B:H=100:0, B:H=0:100, and B:H=50:50 in soil. The soil-green manure mixtures were incubated in the dark at $25^{\circ}C$ for 17 weeks under aerobic conditions. Cumulative emission of $NH_3$ and $N_2O$ from soils amended with mixture of barley and hairy vetch(B:H=50:50) were less than those from amended with mono hairy vetch(B:H=0:100). Incorporation of single hairy vetch or mixture of barley and hair vetch application could significantly increased concentration of plant available N ($NH_4{^+}$) in early stage of plant growth and plant available N ($NO_3{^-}$) in later stage. However, high concentration of $NO_3{^-}$ in soil could cause adverse environmental impact through $NO_3{^-}$ leaching from soil. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, it might be a good soil management practice to incorporate mixture of barely and hairy vetch in the view point of increase in plant available N concentration and decrease in N losses through volatilization, denitrification, and leaching.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 1994

Despite optimal local therapy such as surgery and/or radiotherapy, the long term outcome is poor for patients with advanced squamous cell carcinomma of head and neck, due to frequent loco-regional recurrence and distant metastases. We studied to determine whether the combination chemotherapy, especially as an adjuvant chemotherapy, would improve the survival of these patients. Between January, 1986 and December, 1992, 57 patients with previously untreated, locally advanced squamous cell arcinoma of head and neck were assigned to receive 2-3 cycles of induction chemotherapy consisting of 5-fluorouracil(F) and cisplatin(P) every 3 weeks and standard local therapy such as surgery and/or radiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with the same FP regimens. Of the 57 enroled patients, 45 patients were evaluable. The obtained results were as following: 1) Among 45 evaluable patients, 18 patients finished all treatment protocol including adjuvant chemotherapy and 27 patients had no adjuvant chemotherapy. The difference of age, sex, performance status, disease stage, and tumor differentiation was not significant statistically between adjuvant chemotherapy group and no-adjuvant chemotherapy group. 2) After induction chemotherapy, 7/45(15.4%), 30/45(67%) achieved complete remission and partial remission respectively with 82.4% overall response rates in entire patients. 3) The 4year progression free survival was 43.3% in adjuvant chemotherapy group and 24.1% in no-adjuvant chemotherapy group(p>0.05). The 4year overall survival was 56.9% and 25.5% respectively(p>0.05). There was no significant different in the patterns of local recurrence and distant metastasis between the two groups. 4) Adverse reactions from combination chemotherapy included nausea, vomiting, mucositis, diarrhea and hematologic bone marrow depression. These were mild and tolerated by patients, and these was no episode of any life threatening toxicities. In conclusion, adjuvant chemotherapy after induction chemotherapy and local therapy did not show statistically significant survival improvement, but there was trend of prolongation of survival when compared to no adjuvant chemotherapy. Thus, large scale phase III randomized controlled studies are strongly recommended.

• Journal of Science of Art and Design
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• v.11
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• pp.5-35
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• 2007

When it comes to art, the two conflicting themes of 'scientific progress' and the 'nature' have often motivated the advent of the new mode of arts. By the late 20th century, uniform and simplified mode of arts, inspired by scientific and technological progress of that time, was gradually disillusioned by the contemporaries due to the adverse effect of science on human life. In this context, naturalism pursuing for harmony of human and the nature came up as an alternative to those living in the 21st century. The pendulum has swung from minimalism to naturalism. Though the quantitative improvement of human life cannot be denied, the uprise of such problems as environmental pollution and exhaustion of natural resources degraded the quality of human life, which, eventually, shifted the attention to the theme - 'revival of naturality.' Therefore, this thesis intends to represent the modem interpretation of the 'revival of naturality' by applying the major expressions of Art Nouveau that also emphasized naturalism. Art Nouveau found its motifs from organic figures of natural beings and put them to designs of decorative arts. This carries a historical significance in that Art Nouveau boldly revolutionized historicism, which only repeated adoption and modification of the existing modes of arts, and opened it to the modem design with new attempts to practical applications of the arts. Art Nouveau, which means 'new art', prospered from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, and even after one century, it is highly appreciated, reviving as novel and vivid forms in this contemporary art. Art Nouveau based on naturalism has revisited our contemporary period when naturalism and feminized romanticism came into fashion and its common motifs revive in different jenre of arts such as fashion, furniture, glass works, and jewelry works. This study illustrates and analyzes the works of four major artists who gave a specific attention to botanical motifs of Art Nouveau and applies decorative beauty of highly sophisticated and organic curved lines and the expressional forms of botanical figures to design. Art Nouveau proved this; the nature herself is as beautiful as she can be. Within Art Nouveau, the true humanism can be revitalized with the 'revival of naturality'. This study rediscovered the boundless potential of modern interpretation and application of Art Nouveau in decorative art and design.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.837-842
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• 2007

Background: Closure of the ductus arteriosus is often delayed in premature infants, which creates a hemodynamically significant left to right shunt that exerts an adverse effect on the normal development and growth of these babies. We reviewed out experience on surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus via axillary minithoracotomy in premature infants. Material and Method: From April 2002 to October 2006, 20 premature infants whose gestation was under 37 weeks underwent surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus as a result of complications or contra-indications for the use of indomethacin. Their mean gestational age was 28.8+3.4 weeks, ranging from 25+3 to 34+6 weeks, and the average age at operation was $15.6{\pm}6.3$ days. The mean body weight at operation was $1,174{\pm}416\;g$, ranging from 680 to 2,100g; 16 infants were under 1,500 and 9 infants were under 1,000 g. The procedures were performed in the newborn intensive care unit via $2{\sim}3\;cm$ long axillary minithoracotomy with the infant in the lateral position with left arm abduction. The mean size of the patent ductus arteriosus was $3.8{\pm}0.3\;mm$. For the most part, the ductus was closed with clips; 2 infants in whom the ductus was ruptured while dissection was being performed underwent ductal division. Result: Ten of twelve infants who had been ventilator dependent preoperatively could be successfully weaned from the ventilator at a mean duration of 9.7 days after the operation. There was no procedure-related complication or death. Two infants eventually died of the conditions not related to the operation; one from sepsis at postoperative 131 days and the other from pneumonia at postoperative 41 days, respectively. Conclusion: Surgical closure of the patent ductus arteriosus improved the hemodynamic instability and so promoted the successful growth and normal development of premature infants. Considering the low surgical risk along with the reduced invasiveness, early and aggressive surgical intervention is highly recommended.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 1995

Chemical assessment of soil pollution with heavy metals was made by analyzing the changes in pH, ionic strength, cationic concentration and chemical species in the soil solution. Saturated pastes of the unpolluted soils were made by adding solutions containing Cu or Cd and the final Cu or Cd concentrations were in the range of 0 to 400 mg/kg. After equilibrating for 24 hours at $25^{\circ}C$, the soil solution was extracted from the saturated pastes by the vacuum extraction method and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, Cu, Cd, cations and inorganic ligands. Chemical species in soil solution were calculated by the GEOCHEM-PC program employing the input variables of pH, ionic strength(${\mu}$), molar concentrations of cations and ligands. Increasing Cu or Cd additions lowered pH of the soil solution but increased concentrations of Ca, Mg and K resulting in increases of ${\mu}$ of the soil solution. Effects of Cu on lowering pH and increasing ${\mu}$ were greater than those of Cd. Concentrations of Cu or Cd in soil solution were relatively very low as compared to those of additions, but increased linearly with increasing additions representing that concentrations of Cu were higher than those of Cd. At 400 mg/kg additions, concentrations of Cu were in the range of 0.51 to 11.70 mg/L but those of Cd were 34.4 to 88.5 mg/L. Major species of Ca, Mg and K were free ions and these species were equivalent to greater than 95 molar % of the existing respective molar concentrations. These cationic species were not changed by Cu or Cd additions. Major species of Cu in lower pH soils such as SiCL and SL were free $Cu^{2+}$ (>95 molar %), but those in LS having a higher pH were free $Cu^{2-}$ and Cu-hydroxide complex. At 100 mg Cu/kg treatment, $Cu^{2+}$ and Cu-hydroxide complex were equivalent to 73 and 22.4 molar %, respectively. These respective percentages were decreased and increased correspondingly with increasing Cu treatments. Major species of Cd in soil solution were free $Cd^{2+}$ and Cd-chloride complex, representing 79 to 85 molar % for $Cd^{2+}$ and 13 to 20% for Cd-chloride complex at 10 mg Cd/kg treatment. With increasing Cd additions to 400 mg/kg, $Cd^{2+}$ species decreased to $40{\sim}47%$ but Cd-chloride complexes increased to $53{\sim}60$ molar %. These results demonstrated that soil contamination with heavy metals caused an adverse effect on the plant nutritional aspects of soil solution by lowering pH, increasing cations temporarily, and increasing free metal concentrations and species enough to be phytotoxic.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1187-1192
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• 2005

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobuin (IVIG) administration in fullterm neonates having clinically suspected neonatal sepsis. Methods : Forty full-term neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with clinically suspected neonatal sepsis, who had at least two positive diagnostic criteria were enrolled. Twenty neonates were enrolled into the IVIG arm and 20 in the placebo arm. Neonates with a gestational age of less than 36 weeks and those with any major congenital malformation were excluded. The neonates were randomized to receive 1 g/kg of IVIG or equivalent amount of normal saline. The treatments including antibiotics and supportive care were administered. Results : The neonates in the therapy and placebo groups were comparable in terms of birth weight, gestational age, sex distribution, duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, elevation of serum IgG level, mortality rate, change of CBC, and serum level of acute phase reactants etc. Conclusion : Serum IgG values increased significantly 5 days after administration of IVIG in the IVIG-treated group and decreased significantly 5 days after administration of normal saline in the placebo group. However, there was no significant difference in the duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, or of mortality between the IVIG-treated and placebo groups. No adverse reactions to the IVIG infusions were noted during the study. Our preliminary observations suggest that the administration of 1 g/kg IVIG to neonates had some effect on augmentation of humural immune status in neonates with clinically suspected sepsis. But further study is needed to verify the benefit of IVIG infusion to neonatal sepsis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1212-1216
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• 2007

Purpose : To determine optimal maintenance dose and to evaluation the efficacy and safety of polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG4000) in children with chronic functional constipation. Methods : This study enrolled 41 children with chronic functional constipation at the Konkuk university hospital August 2005, then June, 2007. Effective maintenance dose was designed as initial amount of PEG4000 that improved frequency, bowel movement, stool consistency for 2 months. Clinical outcome was analysed on the basis of defecation diary. Adverse effect was monitored clinically and biochemically. Results : As a whole group effective maintenance dose of PEG4000 was $0.55{\pm}0.16g/kg/day$ (0.25-0.86). With respect to age, 3-5 years ($0.60{\pm}0.15$), 6-8 years ($0.57{\pm}0.16$), 9-13 years ($0.44{\pm}0.14$) (P=0.024). With respect to body weight, <30 kg ($0.62{\pm}0.14$), ${\geq}30kg$ ($0.41{\pm}0.10$) (P=0.001). One child comlained apigastric soreness on medication. Conclusion : PEG4000 is effective and safe in children with chronic constipation. Initial maintenance dose of PEG4000 was 0.55 g/kg/day.