• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2021

Background Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a potential target for anti-obesity treatments. Previous studies have shown that BAT activation causes an acute metabolic boost and reduces adiposity. Furthermore, BAT and BAT-derived cell transplantation reportedly help treat obesity by regulating glucose and fatty acid metabolism. However, since BAT transplantation leads to whole-body weight loss, we speculated that earlier approaches cause a generalized and unnecessary fat tissue loss, including in breast and hip tissues. Methods We transplanted white adipose tissue-derived or BAT-derived preadipocytes prepared from C57BL/6 mice into one side of the inguinal fat pads of an obese mouse model (db/db mice) to examine whether it would cause fat loss at the peri-transplant site (n=5 each). The same volume of phosphate-buffered saline was injected as a control on the other side. Six weeks after transplantation, the inguinal fat pad was excised and weighed. We also measured the concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, fatty acids, and total cholesterol in the peripheral blood. Results BAT-derived preadipocytes showed abundant mitochondria and high levels of mitochondrial membrane uncoupling protein 1 expression, both in vivo and in vitro, with a remarkable reduction in weight of the inguinal fat pad after transplantation (0.17±0.12 g, P=0.043). Only free fatty acid levels tended to decrease in the BAT-transplanted group, but the difference was not significant (P=0.11). Conclusions Our results suggest that brown adipocytes drive fat degradation around the transplantation site. Thus, local transplantation of BAT-derived preadipocytes may be useful for treating obesity, as well as in cosmetic treatments.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.230-243
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• 2023

Objective: High temperatures can trigger cellular oxidative stress and disrupt spermatogenesis, potentially leading to male infertility. We investigated the effects of retinoic acid (RA), chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs), and retinoic acid loaded with chitosan nanoparticles (RACHNPs) on spermatogenesis in mice induced by scrotal hyperthermia (Hyp). Methods: Thirty mice (weighing 25 to 30 g) were divided into five experimental groups of six mice each. The groups were as follows: control, Hyp induced by a water bath (43 ℃C for 30 minutes/day for 5 weeks), Hyp+RA (2 mg/kg/day), Hyp+CHNPs (2 mg/kg/72 hours), and Hyp+RACHNPs (4 mg/kg/72 hours). The mice were treated for 35 days. After the experimental treatments, the animals were euthanized. Sperm samples were collected for analysis of sperm parameters, and blood serum was isolated for testosterone measurement. Testis samples were also collected for histopathology assessment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) evaluation, and RNA extraction, which was done to compare the expression levels of the bax, bcl2, p53, Fas, and FasL genes among groups. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining was performed. Results: Treatment with RACHNPs significantly increased stereological parameters such as testicular volume, seminiferous tubule length, and testicular cell count. Additionally, it increased testosterone concentration and improved sperm parameters. We observed significant decreases in ROS production and caspase-3 immunostaining in the RACHNP group. Moreover, the expression levels of bax, p53, Fas, and FasL significantly decreased in the groups treated with RACHNPs and RA. Conclusion: RACHNPs can be considered a potent antioxidative and antiapoptotic agent for therapeutic strategies in reproductive and regenerative medicine.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2013

Purpose : To determine the quantitative parameters of breast MRI that predict tumor invasion in biopsy-proven DCIS. Materials and Methods: From January 2009 to March 2010, 42 MRI examinations of 41 patients with biopsy-proven DCIS were included. The quantitative parameters, which include the initial percentage enhancement ($E_1$), peak percentage enhancement ($E_{peak}$), time to peak enhancement (TTP), signal enhancement ratio (SER), arterial enhancement fraction (AEF), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, long diameter and the volume of the lesion, were calculated as parameters that might predict invasion. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the parameters associated with invasion. Results: Out of 42 lesions, 23 lesions were confirmed to be invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and 19 lesions were confirmed to be pure DCIS. Tumor size (p = 0.003; $6.5{\pm}3.2$ cm vs. $3.6{\pm}2.6$ cm, respectively) and SER (p = 0.036; $1.1{\pm}0.3$ vs. $0.9{\pm}0.3$, respectively) showed statistically significant high in IDC. In contrast, E1, Epeak, TTP, ADC, AEF and volume of the lesion were not statistically significant. Tumor size and SER had statistically significant associations with invasion, with an odds ratio of 1.04 and 22.93, respectively. Conclusion: Of quantitative parameters analyzed, SER and the long diameter of the lesion could be specific parameter for predicting invasion in the biopsy-proven DCIS.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2018

Purpose : An aim of this study was to compare the effect of multi leaf collimator(MLC) types for high dimension radiotherapy in treatment sites used clinically. Material and Method : 70 patients with lung cancer, spine cancer, prostate cancer, whole pelvis, head and neck, breast cancer were included in this study. High definition(HD) MLC of TrueBeam STx (Varian Medical system, Palo Alto, CA) and millenium(M) MLC of VitalBeam (Varian Medical system, Palo Alto, CA) were used. Radiotherapy plans were performed for each patient under same treatment goals with Eclipse (Version 13.7, Varian Palo Alto USA, CA). To compare the indicators of the radiotherapy plans, planning target volume(PTV) coverage, conformity index(CI), homogeneity index(HI), and clinical indicators for each treatment sites in normal tissues were evaluated. To evaluate low dose distribution, $V_{30%}$ values were compared according to MLC types. Additionally, length and volume of targets for each treatment sites were investigated. Result : In stereotatictic body radiotherapy(SBRT) plan for lung, the average value of PTV coverage was reduced by 0.52 % with HD MLC. With SBRT plan using HD MLC for spine, the average value of PTV coverage decreased by 0.63 % and maximum dose decreased by 1.13 %. In the test of CI and HI, the values in SBRT plan with HD MLC for spine were 1.144, 1.079 and the values using M MLC were 1.160, 1.092 in SBRT plan for lung, The dose evaluation of critical organ was reduced by 1.48 % in the ipsilateral lung mean dose with HD MLC. In prostate cancer volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT) with HD MLC, the mean dose and the $V_{30}$ of bladder and the mean dose and the $V_{25}$ of rectum were reduced by 0.53 %, 1.42 %, 0.97 %, and 0.69 %, respectively (p<0.05). The average value of heart mean dose was reduced by 0.83 % in breast cancer VMAT with M MLC. Other assessment indices for treatment sites showed no significant difference between treatment plans with two types of MLC. Conclusion : Using HD MLC had a positive impact on the PTV coverage and normal tissue sparing in usually short or small targets such as lung and spine SBRT and prostate VMAT. But, there was no significant difference in targets with long and large such as lung, head and neck, and whole pelvis for VMAT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.236-242
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• 2005

Purpose: To evaluate the role of surgical clips and scars in determining electron boost field for early stage breast cancer undergoing conserving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy and to provide an optimal method in drawing the boost field. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients who had $4{\sim}7$ surgical clips in the excision cavity were selected for this study. The depth informations were obtained to determine electron energy by measuring the distance from the skin to chest wall (SCD) and to the clip implanted in the most posterior area of tumor bed. Three different electron fields were outlined on a simulation film. The radiological tumor bed was determined by connecting all the clips implanted during surgery Clinical field (CF) was drawn by adding 3 cm margin around surgical scar. Surgical field (SF) was drawn by adding 2 cm margin around surgical clips and an Ideal field (IF) was outlined by adding 2 cm margin around both scar and clips. These fields were digitized into our planning system to measure the area of each separate field. The areas of the three different electron boost fields were compared. Finally, surgical clips were contoured on axial CT images and dose volume histogram was plotted to investigate 3-dimensional coverage of the clips. Results : The average depth difference between SCD and the maximal clip location was $0.7{\pm}0.55cm$. Greater difference of 5 mm or more was seen in 12 patients. The average shift between the borders of scar and clips were 1.7 1.2, 1.2, and 0.9 cm in superior, inferior, medial, and lateral directions, respectively. The area of the CF was larger than SF and IF in 6y20 patients. In 15/20 patients, the area difference between SF and if was less than 5%. One to three clips were seen outside the CF in 15/20 patients. In addition, dosimetrically inadequate coverage of clips (less than 80% of prescribed dose) were observed in 17/20 patients when CF was used as the boost field. Conclusion: The electron field determined from clinical scar underestimates the tumor bed in superior-inferior direction significantly and thereby underdosing the tissue at risk. The electron field obtained from surgical clips alone dose not cover the entire scar properly As a consequence, our technique, which combines the surgical clips and clinical scars in determining electron boost field, was proved to be effective in minimizing the geographical miss as well as normal tissue complications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2014

Purpose: In addition to improving the quality of the PET image, through much research, the development of various programs are performed. Astonish TF reconstruction techniques by Philips can confirm the improved contrast of the lesion. Also, It's image reconstruction of 2 mm is possible with rapid reconstruction rate than conventional. In this study, we compared and evaluated Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) in accordance with the 2 mm reconstruction techniques and traditional 4 mm from the $^{18}F-FDG$ PET whole body image. Materials and Methods: In the phantom experiment, NEMA IEC body phantom (sphere: 10, 13, 17, 22, 28, 37 mm) was used to obtain images by using GEMINI TF 64 PET/CT (Philips, Cleveland, USA). Also, In the clinical images, we performed $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT examination to 30 women (age: $55.1{\pm}11.3$, BMI: $24.1{\pm}2.9$) with a diagnosis of breast cancer. After that, we reconstructed images in 2 mm and 4 mm respectively. The region of interest was drawn to acquired images. Since then, we measured SUV and statistically analyzed with SPSS ver.18 by using EBW (Extended Brilliance Workstation) NM ver.1.0. Results: After analyzing the result of the phantom study, there was a tendency that the bigger hot sphere size, the higher SUV. If you compared the 2 mm reconstruction techniques to 4 mm, it increased 95.78% in 10 mm, 50.60% in 13 mm, 25.00% in 17 mm, 30.04% in 22 mm, 31.81% in 28 mm, and 27.84% in 37 mm. Through the result of the analysis of the 2 mm reconstruction techniques and 4 mm in clinical images, it appeared that SUV of 2 mm was higher than that of 4 mm. Also the smaller the volume was, the more the change rate increased. Conclusion: After analyzing the result of the clinical picture and phantom experiments applied by Astonish TF reconstruction techniques, as the size of the volume was small, the change rate of the SUV increased. Therefore, it was necessary to further research about the SUV correction for accurate and active utilization of 2 mm reconstruction techniques which had excellent lesion discrimination ability and contrast in clinic.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.101-142
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• 1998

1. Objects The base of classification of Sasang Constitution was the different congenital formation of organs such as lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys, and it was expanded from the viscera region of lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys to the body shape of trunk. The researched about body shape of Sasang Constitution have had points of issues which derived by measurement with hands. But this study was measured the characteristics of body shape putting in importance of anatomical position with the computerized 3-Dimension scanner, which minimized the errors of measurement, and it was abled the cubic measurement such as volume, area of cross section as well as round length. 2. Materials & Method The examinee was healthy male 40 persons and female 20 persons from 20's to 40's, who was diagnosed by the specialist of Sasang Constitutional Medicine. The body shape was measured round length, area of cross section, and volume of 31 anatomical points and the 25 hypothesis with the Rapid 3D Color Scanner Model 3030 RGB/PS. And the characteristics of each constitution's body shape was derived. 3. Results & Concousion In female, Taeumin had the largest trunk and Soeumin had the smallest trunk compared to other constitution, but Soyangin had only the smallest neck. Soeumin has the smallest round length of nipple and the $CV_{12}$, and Soyangin has the smallest breadth of ASIS. Soyangin had the smallest volume from thyroid bone to the highest points of armpits and from sternum to nipple. Taeumin had the largest volume from sternum to the $CV_{12}$ and from sternum to xiphoid process. In male, Taeumin had the largest trunk and Soeumin had the smallest trunk from the level of thyroid bone to ASIS. Soyangin has the longest distance and Soeumin has the shortest distance from nipple to the lowest of breast. Taeumin had the largest volume of trunk and Soeumin had the smallest volume of trunk. In the ration of four-Cho, Taeumin had the longest distance from the highest points of armpits to nipple and Soyangin had the shortest distance of that. Soyangin had the smallest ratio of the height of upper middle cho. Soeumin had the smallest ratio from the $CV_{12}$ to navel among trunk. In the correlation among the four Cho, Taeumin had the negative correlation between the Upper-Cho and the Lower-Middle-Cho significantly.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2008

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of 3 ' -[F-18]fluoro-3 ' -deoxythymidine positron emission tomography(FLT-PET) for the detection of locally advanced breast cancer and to compare the degree of FLT and 2' -deoxy-2 ' -[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose(FDG) uptake in primary tumor, lymph nodes and other normal organs. Material & Methods: The study subjects consisted of 22 female patients (mean age; $42{\pm}6$ years) with biopsy-confirmed infiltrating ductal carcinoma between Aug 2005 and Nov 2006. We performed conventional imaging workup, FDG-PET and FLT PET/CT. Average tumor size measured by MRI was $7.2{\pm}3.4$ cm. With visual analysis, Tumor and Lymph node uptakes of FLT and FDG were determined by calculation of standardized uptake value (SUV) and tumor to background (TB) ratio. We compared FLT tumor uptake with FDG tumor uptake. We also investigated the correlation between FLT tumor uptake and FDG tumor uptake and the concordant rate with lymph node uptakes of FLT and FDG. FLT and FDG uptakes of bone marrow and liver were measured to compare the biodistribution of each other. Results: All tumor lesions were visually detected in both FLT-PET and FDG-PET. There was no significant correlation between maximal tumor size by MRI and SUVmax of FLT-PET or FDG-PET (p>0.05). SUVmax and $$SUV_{75} (average SUV within volume of interest using 75% isocontour) of FLT-PET were significantly lower than those of FDG-PET in primary tumor (SUVmax; $6.3{\pm}5.2\;vs\;8.3{\pm}4.9$, p=0.02 /$SUV_{75};\;5.3{\pm}4.3\;vs\;6.9{\pm}4.2$, p=0.02). There is significant moderate correlation between uptake of FLT and FDG in primary tumor (SUVmax; rho=0.450, p=0.04 / SUV75; rho=0.472, p=0.03). But, TB ratio of FLT-PET was higher than that of FDG-PET($11.7{\pm}7.7\;vs\;6.3{\pm}3.8$, p=0.001). The concordant rate between FLT and FDG uptake of lymph node was reasonably good (33/34). The FLT SUVs of liver and bone marrow were $4.2{\pm}1.2\;and\;8.3{\pm}4.9$. The FDG SUVs of liver and bone marrow were $1.8{\pm}0.4\;and\;1.6{\pm}0.4$. Conclusion: The uptakes of FLT were lower than those of FDG, but all patients of this study revealed good FLT uptakes of tumor and lymph node. Because FLT-PET revealed high TB ratio and concordant rate with lymph node uptakes of FDG-PET, FLT-PET could be a useful diagnostic tool in locally advanced breast cancer. But, physiological uptake and individual variation of FLT in bone marrow and liver will limit the diagnosis of bone and liver metastases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 1980

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of physico-chemical properties of soil on the growth of Chamaecyparis obtusa and to apply the results to such rational forest management as yield forecast and selection of suitable species for a given forest stand. The soil properties observed in this experiment were soil pH, exchangeable pH organic matter, total nitrogen, available $P_2O_5$, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable $H^+$, total base and base saturation. Diameter at breast height (DBH), height and volume growth of C. obtusa were observed at 78 sampling sites. Data were processed into the following series for the analysis of multivariates : inner correlation matrix, multiple correlation coefficients, regression coefficients and partial correlation coefficients. The results are summerized as follows : 1. Multiple correlation coefficients between soil properties and DBH of C. obtusa were .364 for 20-year trees, resulting less efficient for estimating the growth of C. obtusa. However, total base, soil pH and base saturation were considerable characters for better estimation. 2. More efficient multiple correlation coefficients were observed between soil properties and height growth than those between soil properties and DBH, showing .443 for 20-year trees and factors affecting the height growth were similar to those of DBH. 3. Extremely low values of multiple correlation coefficients were estimated between physico-chemical properties of soil and volume growth of C. obtusa resulting low efficient estimation. However, total base contributed highly to volume growth of C. obtusa. Accordingly the most contributable factor for estimating the growth of C. obtusa were total base, soil pH and base saturation. Consequently, these results can be effective for selecting of the reforesting site, and less effective for estimating the growth of C. obtusa.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2009

Purpose: Lymphedemas are tissue fluid swellings, usually on the arms or legs, and occur as a result of impaired lymphatic drainage. Presently, the most effective treatment available is complete decongestive physiotherapy (CDP). However, this therapy is ineffective in some patients and surgery may be indicated. Herein, we examined the efficacy of minimally invasive needle aspiration of the most enlarged areas in hypodermic adipose tissues, of patients who had failed CDP. Methods: We included 21 patients who were diagnosed with lymphedema stage II-III in the upper or lower extremities and visited the lymphedema clinic at a university hospital from September 1, 2003 to February 28, 2004. All patients had been treated with CDP at least once, but had failed to respond to the therapy for more than one year. Nine patients had breast cancer and 12 had cervical cancer. We identified the area with the most severe edema by using MRI and performed a 16-gauge angio-needle aspiration on the area. The patients were followed up for 3 months. Effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by comparing the volume of edema before and after the treatment using Wilcoxon signed rank-test. Results: The mean reduction ratio of the volume of edema comparison normal volume was 41.1${\pm}$35.3% (P=0.001). There were no major or minor operative complications except localized hemorrhage. Conclusion: We conclude that a needle aspiration prior to other surgical treatments is relatively safe and effective for those patients who are unresponsive to CDP.