• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 1999

Background: Recovery of the left atrial contractile function after the Cox-Maze procedure is related to the size of the left atrium. We have postulated that if too wide area of the atrium were isolated electrically, then the atrial contractile function would be impaired postoperatively. We have modified the Cox-Maze procedure to dissect each pair of the pulmonary veins separately instead of the conventional pulmonary vein encircling incision, and compared the atrial contractile function after each procedure. Material and Method: From February 1995 to October 1997, 55 cases of the Cox-Maze procedure were performed in mitral valvular heart disease. We excluded the cases that did not covert to sinus rhythm. The patient groups were divided according to the interpulmonary vein distance(IPVD) and the procedure performed. Group I was IPVD under 6.5 cm(n=30), group II was IPVD over 6.5cm and the conventional Cox-Maze III procedure was performed(n=16), and group III was IPVD over 6.5cm and the modified Cox-Maze procedure was performed(n=9). Result: Atrial contractile function was evaluated by the echocardiography follow-up between 6 months to 12 months. The right atrial contractile function recovered gradually, the recovery rate after long-term follow-up was 90% in group I, 81% in group II, and 100% in group III(p>0/05). In the left atrium the recovery rate was 63% in group I, 31% in group II(p=0.03), and 66% in group III(p>0.05). Conclusion: The modified Cox-Maze procedure may have beneficial effects on the recovery of the left atrial contractile function, however, there are no statistically significant values. Therefore, further evaluation of this procedure is necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.407-419
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• 2002

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall characterized by progressive accumulation of lipids, cells, and extracellular matrix. Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases(TIMPS) contribute to vascular matrix remodeling in atherosclerosis, and some cytokines may play role in the synthesis or activation of MMPs or TIMPs. Material and Method： We produced experimental atherosclerotic plaques in 9 rabbits by atherogenic hypercholesterol diet for 12 weeks, and 10 other rabbits were used as control group with standard laboratory chow, At that time, 19 rabbits were sacrificed and aorta, coronary arteries and blood specimens were prepared. The expressions of MMP-9, TIMP-2 and interleukin(IL)-18, and the bioactivity of IL-6 were investigated with H&E stain, immunohistochemical stain, immunoblotting(Western blot analysis), and bioassay. Result： Serum cholesterol in the experimental group increased up to 1258$\pm$262 mg/dL(control group： 41$\pm$7 mg/dL). All experimental group showed well-developed atherosclerotic plaques in aorta and coronary artery. The expression of MMP-9 in aorta and coronary artery of the experimental group showed significant increase than that of the control group by immunohistochemistry. Among the experimental group, complicated lesions with intimal rupture or complete luminal occlusion, demonstrated stronger expression of MMP-9. Interestingly, there was no difference in expression of TIMP-2 between the experimental and the control group. These findings were confirmed by Western blot analysis. The bioassay revealed significant up-regulation of serum bioactivity of IL-6 in the experimental group(4819.60$\pm$2021.25 IU/$m\ell$) compared to that of IL-6 in the control group(27.20 $\pm$ 12.19 IU/$m\ell$). IL-18 was expressed in all atherosclerotic plaques, whereas little or no expression was detected in the control group. Conclusion： The increased MMP-9 expression along with the unchanged TIMP-2 expression seem to be contributory factors in extracellular matrix degradation in atherosclerosis. Focal overexpression of MMP-9 may promote plaque destabilization and cause complications of atherosclerotic plaques such as thrombosis with/without acute coronary syndrome. Elevation of IL-6 and IL-18 may be more than just markers of atherosclerosis but actual participants in lesion development. Identification of critical regulatory pathway is important to improve the understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of atherosclerosis and may open the way for novel therapeutic strategies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.1 s.270
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• pp.8-16
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• 2007

Background: We performed a prospective clinical study to evaluate the ultrastructural integrity of the myocardium after using Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate (HTK) solution in comparison with blood cardioplegic solution during congenital heart surgery. Material and Method: Twenty two patients with acyanotic heart disease, who were scheduled for elective open heart surgery, were randomized into two groups. The HTK Group (n=11) received HTK cardioplegic solution; the blood group (n=11) received conventional blood cardioplegic solution during surgery. The preoperative diagnoses included ventricular septal defect (n=9) and atrial septal defect (n=2) in each group. A small biopsy specimen was taken from the right ventricle's myocardium, and this was processed for ultrastructural examination at the end of 30 minutes of reperfusion. Semiquantitative electron microscopy was carried out 'blindly' in 4 areas per specimen and in 5 test fields per area by 'random systematic sampling' and 'point and intersection counting'. The morphology of the mitochondrial membrane and cristae were then scored. The interstitial edema of the myocardium was also graded. Result: The semiquantitative score of the mitochondrial morphology was $19.65{\pm}4.75$ in the blood group and $25.25{\pm}5.85$ in the HTK group (p=0.03). 6 patients (54.5%) in the blood group and 3 patients (27.3%) in the HTK group were grade 3 or more for the interstitial edema of the myocardium. Conclusion: The ultrastructural integrity was preserved even better with HTK solution than with conventional blood cardioplegic solution.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2000

Purpose: Thallous-201 chloride produced at Korea Cancer Center Hospital(KCCH) is used in detecting cardiovascular disease and cancer. Thallium impurity can cause emesis, catharsis and nausea, so the presence of thallium and other metal impurities should be determined. According to USP and KP, their amounts must be less than 2 ppm in thallium and 5 ppm in total. In this study, the detection method of trace amounts of metal impurities in $[^{201}Tl]$TICI injection with polarography was optimized without environmental contamination. Materials and Methods: For the detection of metal impurities, Osteryoung Square Wave Stripping Voltammetry method was used in Bio-Analytical System (BAS) 50W polarograph. The voltammetry was composed of Dropping Mercury Electrode (DME) as a working electrode, Ag/AgCl as a reference electrode and Pt wire as a counter electrode. Square wave stripping method, which makes use of formation and deformation of amalgam, was adopted to determine the metal impurities, and pH 7 phosphate buffer was used as supporting electrolyte. Results: Tl, Cu and Pb in thallous-201 chloride solution were detected by scanning from 300 mV to -800 mV Calibration curves were made by using $TINO_3,\;CuSO_4\;and\;Pb(NO_3){_2}$ as standard solutions. Tl was confirmed at -450 mV peak potential and Cu at -50 mV Less than 2 ppm of Tl and Cu was detected and Pb was not detected in KCCH-produced thallous-201 chloride injection. Conclusion: Detection limit of thallium and copper is approximately 50 ppb with this method. As a result of this experiment, thallium and other metal impurities in thallous-201 chloride injection, produced at Korea Cancer Center Hospital, are in the regulation of USP and KP Polarograph could be applied for the determination of metal impurities in the quality control of radiopharmaceuticals conveniently without environmental contamination.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2020

Purpose Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone health, controling cell proliferation or differentiation, strengthening immune function by controlling calcium metabolism in the body. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to increase the risk of rickets, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Especially, South Korea is one of the highest population proportion of vitamin D deficiency. Accurate determination of levels of 25-OH-VitD or 25-OH-VitD3 in blood serum is required for the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. In this study, radioimmunoassay of 25-OH-VitD and 25-OH-VitD3 was performed and compared to evaluate the effectiveness of Vitamin D radioimmunoassay. Materials and Methods Serum 25-OH-VitD and 25-OH-VitD3 levels were measured using radioimmunoassay. The interrelationship, reproducibility and population distribution rate were evaluated. In addition, the internal quality control was performed at Asan Medical Center from April 2017 to June 2019 and the result of external quality control (Interagency proficiency evaluation) of first and second half of 2018 hosted by the Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine Technology (KSNMT). Both tests were measured by same manufacturer's reagent. Results 25-OH-VitD showed a strong positive correlation on 97 samples, as 25-OH-VitD3 x 0.9 + 0.3 (R>0.9). In repeated measurement, the average Diff(%) value of the reproducibility evaluation of 25-OH-VitD and 25-OH-VitD3 were 7.7% and 7.4%, respectively. Population distribution results showed no statistically significant differences(p>0.05). The resultant value of internal quality control, which measured from April, 2017 to June 2019 in Blood test room of Nuclear Medicine at Asan Medical Center, showed average (CV%) 6.2% and 6.8%, respectively. As a result of the external quality control (interagency proficiency evaluation) Z value obtained under 2.0, as shown below; Conclusion The interrelationship, reproducibility, population distribution rate, internal quality control and external quality control between 25-OH-VitD and 25-OH-VitD3 radioimmunoassay shows superior outcome. Radioimmunoassay, which can be alone measured in the blood as 25-OH-VitD or 25-OH-VitD3, is considered suitable screening tests for the diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

The chest wall, an organ directly affected by environmental particles through respiration, consists of ribs, a pleural layer and intercostal muscles. To diagnose early and treat disease in this body part, it is important to visualize the details of the chest wall, but the structure of the pleural layer cannot be seen by chest computed tomography or ultrasound. On the other hand, optical coherence tomography (OCT), with a high spatial resolution, is suited to observe pleural-layer response to talc, one of the fine materials. However, intensity-based OCT is weak in providing information to distinguish the detailed structure of the chest wall, and cannot distinguish the reaction of the pleural layer from the change in the muscle by the talc. Polarization-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) takes advantage of the fact that specific tissues like muscle, which have optical birefringence, change the backscattered light's polarization state. Moreover, the birefringence of muscle associated with the arrangement of myofilaments indicates the muscle's condition, by measuring retardation change. The PS-OCT image is interpreted from three major perspectives for talc-exposure chest-wall imaging: a thickened pleural layer, a separation between pleural layer and muscle, and a phase-retardation measurement around lesions. In this paper, a rabbit chest wall after talc pleurodesis is investigated by PS-OCT. The PS-OCT images visualize the pleural layer and muscle, respectively, and this system shows different birefringence of normal and damaged lesions. Also, an analyisis based on phase-retardation slope supports results from the PS-OCT image and histology.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.760-768
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• 2008

The present study investigated the effect of Leuconostoc kimchii GJ2 (Leu. kimchii GJ2), an exopolysaccharide-producing lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi, on serum and liver lipid metabolism in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: a normal diet group (ND), a high-cholesterol diet group (HCD), a high-cholesterol diet and 200 mg/kg Leu. kimchii GJ2-administered group (HCD-LKL), and a high-cholesterol diet and 400 mg/kg Leu. kimchii GJ2-administered group (HCD-LKH). No between-group differences were found in body weight gain, food intake, or food efficiency ratio. The serum GOT and ALP activities that were elevated by the high-cholesterol diet were significantly decreased after Leu. kimchii GJ2 administration. Serum HDL-cholesterol level was markedly increased in the Leu. kimchii GJ2-administered groups, whereas the serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were lower in the Leu. kimchii GJ2-administered animals. Liver levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride were also markedly lower in the Leu. kimchii GJ2-administered groups. In addition, increased activities of HR-LPL and TE-LPL in adipose tissue, caused by the high-cholesterol diet, fell to normal after administration of Leu. kimchii GJ2, in a dose-dependant manner. These results suggest that Leu. kimchii GJ2 isolated from kimchi exerts an antiatherosclerotic effect by reducing serum and liver cholesterol levels.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2021

Soybean extract is known to play an important role in preventing and treating diseases associated with aging, cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. A recent has revealed that soybean extract has a potent effect on hair growth in in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. Recently, it has been reported that their fermented extracts exhibit numerous and high efficacy, as compared to general extracts. However, the underlying mechanisms that induce hair growth after using fermented soybean extract are not well understood. The present study aimed to determine the effects of fermented Jeju soybean (FJS) extract on hair growth, with a focus on the underlying mechanisms similar to those of minoxidil. We conducted in vitro and ex vivo investigations and clinical studies. FJS extract enhanced dermal papilla cell proliferation, VEGF levels, and potassium channel opening. Moreover, it promoted human hair follicle elongation. These effects were comprehensively demonstrated in the clinical results, in which FJS extract-containing shampoo improved hair density after 24 weeks of utilization. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate that FJS extract promotes hair growth and inhibits hair loss through a mechanism similar to that of minoxidil in hair follicles.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.6-16
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• 2019

Purpose: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Pine needles (Pinus densiflora seib et Zucc) are a traditional medicine used to treat dyslipidemia in clinical settings. This study examined the potential effects of sulgidduk, a Korean traditional rice cake containing pine needle juice to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/sugidduk diet in a rat model. Methods: Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control (NC), Sulgidduk diet (SD), Sulgidduk diet containing pine needle juice (PSD). The blood lipid levels, production of lipid peroxide in the plasma and liver, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver and feces, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocytes were measured to assess the effects of PSD on dyslipidemia. Results: A high-fat/Sulgidduk diet induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. The food intake was similar in the three groups, but weight gain and food efficiency ratio (FER) were reduced significantly in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TBARS in the plasma showed tendencies to decrease in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The levels of high-fat/Sulgidduk diet-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) gene expression were reduced significantly in the PSD group. The supplementation of PSD reduced the hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels significantly, and enhanced the fecal excretion of triglyceride and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the SD group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of 0.4% pine needle juice to Sulgidduk may be an alternative snack to control dyslipidemia.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2021

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate datas related to panic attack and treatment in emergency room of panic disorder patients who visited emergency room for panic attack. Methods : A retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted on 92 patients with panic disorder who visited Chungju Konkuk university hospital emergency department due to panic attack and had bodily symptoms from 1st January 2010 to 31th December 2019. In addition to demographic characteristics and comorbid disorders, triggering stressors and alcohol consumption were corrected as pre-panic attack datas, bodily symptoms at the time of panic attack were corrected as datas during attack, electrocardiogram trial, consultation with psychiatrist, admission and information of used psychotropic drugs were corrected as post-attack data. Depending on size of data, Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used. Collected data was analyzed using R 4.03. Results : Cardiovascular disease was accompanied by 5.4% and depressive disorder was the most common coexisting mental disorder. Among triggering stressors, economic problem/work-related stress was significantly higher in men than women (𝛘²=4.322, p<0.005). The most common physical symptom during attack was circulatory (65.2%), followed by respiratory (57.6%), numbness-paralysis (33.7%), dizziness (19.6%), gastro-intestinal (14.1%) and autonomic symptom (12.0%). Electrocardiogram was taken at higher rate when patients complained circulatory symptom (𝛘²=8.46, p<0.005). The psychotropic drug most commonly used in emergency room was lorazepam, used in 92.1%. Conclusions : The most common bodily symptom during panic attack was circulatory symptom and the most common triggering stressor in men was economic problem/work-related stress. The most commonly used psychotropic for panic attack was lorazepam.