• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2014

This study was carried out to study the survival rate of thawed Hanwoo embryos frozen by the slow-rate freezing or the cryotop vitrification method. Hanwoo cumulus-oocyte complexes were recovered from ovaries at a slaughter house, matured for 20~22 hours, fertilized with Hanwoo semen for 5~6 hours, and cultured for 7~9 days in $38.5^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator. For freezing, Day 7~9 blastocysts were collected. Embryos for the slow-rate freezing were equilibrated in 1.8 M ethylene glycol (EG) with Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (D-PBS). Programmable cell freezer was precooled down to $-7^{\circ}C$, and the straw was seeded during 8 minutes-holding time, and was cooled to $-35^{\circ}C$ at the cooling rate of $0.3^{\circ}C/min$, and then was plunged and stored in liquid nitrogen. Embryos for the cryotop vitrification were treated in TCM199 with 0.5 M sucrose, 16% EG, 16% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Embryos were then loaded individually onto cryotop and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen. The survival rates of embryos frozen by these two freezing methods were evaluated at 12 to 24h post-thawing. The survival rates of frozen/thawed Hanwoo embryos by the cryotop vitrification method ($56.86{\pm}26.53%$) were slightly higher than those by the slow-rate freezing method ($55.07{\pm}26.43%$) with no significant difference. Using the cryotop vitrification and the slow-rate freezing of Hanwoo blastocysts on Day 7 following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, the survival rates of frozen/thawed Hanwoo embryos were $72.65{\pm}18.3%$ and $79.06{\pm}17.8%$, respectively. The survival rates by the cryotop vitrification were higher than those by the slow-rate freezing on both Day 8 and 9 with significantly higher survival rate on Day 9 (p<0.05). Using the cryotop vitrification and the slow-rate freezing of Hanwoo embryos to compare between three different blastocyst stages, the survival rates of the blastocyst stage embryos were $66.22{\pm}18.8%$ and $45.76{\pm}12.8%$, respectively with higher survival rate by the vitrification method (p<0.05). And the survival rate of expanded blastocysts was higher than those of early blastocysts and blastocysts in two freezing methods with significantly higher survival rate by the slow-rate freezing method (p<0.05).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4045-4050
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• 2012

Objective: The impact of ablative oral cancer surgery was studied, with particular reference to recurrence and nodal metastasis, to assess survival probability and prognostic indicators and to elucidate if ethnicity influences the survival of patients. Methods: Patients who underwent major ablative surgery of the head and neck region with neck dissection were identified and clinical records were assessed. Inclusion criteria were stage I-IV oral and oropharyngeal malignancies necessitating resection with or without radiotherapy from 2004 to 2009. All individuals had a pre-operative assessment prior to the surgery. The post operative assessment period ranged from 1 year to 5 years. Survival distributions were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: 87 patients (males:38%; females:62%) were included in this study, with an age range of 21-85 years. Some 78% underwent neck dissections while 63% had surgery and radiotherapy. Nodal recurrence was detected in 5.7% while 20.5% had primary site recurrence within the study period. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the median survival time was 57 months. One year overall survival (OS) rate was 72.7% and three year overall survival rate dropped to 61.5%. On OS analysis, the log-rank test showed a significant difference of survival between Malay and Chinese patients (Bonferroni correction p=0.033). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis revealed that 25% of the patients have reached the event of recurrence at 46 months. One year RFS rate was 85.2% and the three year survival rate was 76.1%. In the RFS analysis, the log-rank test showed a significant difference in the event of recurrence and nodal metastasis (p<0.001). Conclusion: Conservative neck is effective, in conjunction with postoperative radiotherapy, for control of neck metastases. Ethnicity appears to influence the survival of the patients, but a prospective trial is required to validate this.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 1999

Optimal lyophilization process was developed for manufacturing the dried product of Lactobacillus acidophilus with high cell viability. Three major factors, freezing rate, specific surface area of samples, and stabilizer type and their synergy were shown to play a crucial role in the development of an effective lyophilization process. Finally we found an optimal combination among three process parameters mentioned above; an exceptionally high cell survival percentage of 90% was achieved using the 8.28 cm-1 specific surface area of samples, slow freezing rate, and a stabilizer composition of 4% skim milk +1% glycerol +0.1% calcium chloride.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 1994

Lung cancer is one of the most disastrous of all the current cancers in Korea. In 1990 it was projected that there would be 5, 500 new lung cancer patients in Korea and that 5, 000 would die of their disease. This is a mortality rate of 91 percent. We reviewed the surgically treated 153 bronchogenic cancer patients from January 1987 to December 1991 in St. Mary`s Hospital of Catholic University Medical College. There were 121 men and 32 women ranging in age from 18 to 83 years, with a mean of 56 years. Of the 153 patients, resection was possible in 138 patients and the resectability was 90.1 percent. Squamous cell carcinoma was present in 48 percent of patients, adenocarcinoma in 29 percent, adenosquamous carcinoma in 7 percent, large cell carcinoma in 6 percent, salivary gland tumor in 5 percent, and small cell carcinoma and carcinoid in 3 percent respectively. Postoperative cancer staging was grouped stage I 33 percent, stage II 21 percent, stage IIIa 35 percent, and stage IIIb 10 percent. Lobectomy was performed in 70 percent, pneumonectomy in 17 percent, and segmentectomy in 14 percent. Three and 5-year postoperative survival in resectable 138 patients were 47 and 29 percent respectively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1013-1024
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• 1989

One hundred and seventy two patients of primary lung cancer, confirmed by tissue diagnosis at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Korea University Hospital between June 1973 and August 1988, were evaluated and restaged with New International TNM classification, and the actuarial survival rate was obtained using Kaplan-Meier equation. The results of analysis were as follows. 1. Male to female ratio was 3.8:1, and prevalent age groups were sixth and seventh decades [76.4 %]. 2. The most common subjective symptom was cough [55.2 %], and 67.4 % of all patients were visited to hospital less than 6 months of symptoms. 3. Positive rates for tissue diagnosis were 100% in open chest or metastatic lymph node biopsy, 80 % in mediastinoscopic biopsy, 60 % in pleural biopsy, 59 % in pleural fluid cytology, 36% in bronchoscopic biopsy, and 22 % in sputum cytology. 4. The order of frequency of cell type was squamous cell carcinoma [53.0%], adenocarcinoma [22.0 %], small cell carcinoma [14.5 %], and so on. 5. Operability and resectability were 44% and 62% respectively, but they were improved recently. 6. Open and closure was done in 44 % of operated patients, uni or bilobectomy in 38 % and pneumonectomy in 24 %. 7. Overall operative mortality rate was 2.6 %. 8. The order of frequency of stage level was S3b [42.0 %], S3a [25.1 %], S1 [15.6%], and so on. 9. Distant metastasis, i.e. stage 4, was noted in 9.5 % of cases, and the sites of frequency were bone, brain, skin, and so on. 10. Actuarial survival rate was 1 year 48.2%, 2 year 36.9%, 3 year 31.2%, and 5 year 20.8%. According to above listed factors, 5 year survival rate was highest in squamous cell carcinoma, lobectomized cases, stage 1, NO in TNM system, and resectable cases. But T factor in TNM system and radiation therapy in nonresectable cases did not show statistical significance in life expectancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.110-115
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• 2018

Objective: To compare our in-house method of embryo freezing with Cryotop vitrification in terms of immediate survival, subsequent cleavage and blastocyst formation, and cell numbers in blastocysts. Methods: Two-cell mouse embryos were randomly allocated into three groups: a non-frozen control group (group 1, n = 300), a group that underwent Cryotop vitrification (group 2, n = 300), and a group that underwent our in-house freezing method (group 3, n = 300). Results: There were no significant differences between groups 2 and 3 in the immediate survival rate (96.3% vs. 98.6%, respectively; p= 0.085), the further cleavage rate (91.7% vs. 95.0%, respectively; p= 0.099), or the blastocyst formation rate (80.7% vs. 78.6%, respectively; p= 0.437). The cell numbers in the blastocysts from groups 1, 2, and 3 were comparable ($88.99{\pm}10.44$, $88.29{\pm}14.79$, and $86.42{\pm}15.23$, respectively; p= 0.228). However, the percentage of good-quality blastocysts in the Cryotop vitrification group was significantly higher than in the group in which our in-house method was performed, but was lower than in the control group (58.0%, 37.0%, and 82.7%, respectively; p< 0.001). Conclusion: At present, our method is inferior to the commercial Cryotop vitrification system. However, with further improvements, it has the potential to be useful in routine practice, as it is easier to perform than the current vitrification system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2009

This study was carried out to establish an appropriate condition for the efficient cryopreservation of the mouse pronuclear embryo. In vitro cryopreservation of pronuclear embryos was carried out by slow freezing or vitrification methods and development rate of 2-cell, blastocyst and hatched blastocyst was measured as well as survival rate of the thawed pronuclear embryo. After slow freezing, vitrification and thawing of mouse pronuclear embryos, the survival rate and blastocyst development rate for the vitrification group was 97.3 and 53.4%, respectively, which was significantly higher as compared to the slow freezing group with 88.6 and 23.9%, respectively (p<0.05). Blastocyst developmental rate in each experimental group was significantly higher for 21 h in the post-hCG group at 40.5-57.0% than the 24 h post-hCG group at 40.5% (p<0.05). ICM (Inner cell mass) cell numbers of blastocyst-stage embryos during the different stages of mouse pronuclear embryos, slow freezing and vitrification period in the control and vitrification groups were 22.1${\pm}$2.7 and 17.0${\pm}$3.1-22.0${\pm}$3.2, respectively; hence, the slow freezing group (10.2${\pm}$2.0) had significantly higher cell numbers than those of the other two groups (p<0.05). Trophoblast (TE) cell number in the control group, 65.8${\pm}$12.6, was significantly higher than in the slow freezing group, 41.6${\pm}$11.1 (p<0.05). The total cell numbers in the control group and 21 h post hCG group were 87.9${\pm}$13.6 and 81.8${\pm}$14.1, respectively, and were significantly higher than for the slow freezing group (51.8${\pm}$12.6; p<0.05).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.213-225
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• 1989

An analysis has been made of two hundred seven patients who were treated at the department of Radiation Oncology of Korea University Hospital for lung cancer from January 1981 through December 1986. There were 137 patients of nonsmall cell carcinoma (137/207, 66%), 26 patients of small cell carcinoma (26/207, 12.5%) and 44 patients of unproven histology. By aims of treatment, there were 104 patients (104/207, 50%) treated for cure, 89 patients (89/207, 42.9%) for palliation and 14 patients treated postoperatively. In 22 out of 207 patients, chemotherapy was done with radiotherapy, 12 of which were patients with small cell carcinoma. Stage II patients were 49 (49/207, 23.6%), stage III patients were 157 (157/207, 75.8%) and one patient had an occult cancer The tumor was initial Iy measured by CAT scan and chest X-rays in the 165 (165/207, 79.7%) patients, among which 117 patients had tumor diameter more than 5cm and 48 patients less than 5cm. Radiation therapy was given with Cobalt 60 teletherapy unit and the treatment volume encompassed primary tumor and the mediastinum. For curative aim, daily tumor dose of 180 cGy was given up to the range of 5,400~6,120cGy/30~34F/6~7 week period and for palliative aim, daily tumor dose of 300 cGy was given up to the range of 3,600~4,500 cGy/12~15F/2~3 week period. Postoperatively, mediastinum was treated for total dose of 5,040 cGy/28F/5.5 week period. 123 patients (123/207, 59%) were followed up after completion of radiotherapy for 14 months to 7 years. Local tumor response to the irradiation was measured by chest X-ray taken at one month follow up and was evaluated for response rate, if they were regressed more than 50% or less than 50% of the initial tumor size. The treatment results were as follows; 1. The median survival time was 8.5 months and survival rates for 1 year, 2 year and 5 year was 25%, 3.5% and 1% of nonsmall cell lung ca of 74 evaluable patients. 2. More than 50% of local tumor response rate was obtained in about half of overall cases; 90.5% for small cell ca, 50% for squamous cell ca, 25% for adenoca and 57% for large cell ca. 3. Response rate more than 50% was seen in the 50% of the patient group with tumor diameter more than 5cm and in the 55% of those with tumor diameter less than 5cm. 4. By total raidation dose given, patient group which was given 5,400~6,120 cGy equivalent dose or higher showed tumor response rate more than 50% in 53% of the patients, whereas the group with dose less than 5,400cGy equivalent, in 25% of the patients. 5. Survival rate for 6 month, 1 year and 2 year was compared between the group of local tumor response rate more than 50% vs. group with response rate less than 50%; 74% vs. 43%, 33% vs, 23%, 10% vs. 1%, respectively. 6. Local failure was seen in 21%(44/207) of the patients, which occured mostly within 15 months after completion of radiation therapy. Distant metastases were seen in 49.7%(103/207) of the patients, of which 43 cases were found before initiation of radiotherapy. The most common metastatic sites were bone and brain. In this sutdy, 1 year,2 year and S year survival rates were somewhat poor compared to the other studies. It mainly seems to be due to the poor general status of the patients and the far-advanced stage of the disease. In nonsmall cell cancer patients who had limited local disease and had small primary tumor size, we observed better local response. In addition, dose higher than 6,000 cGy group showed better tumor control than lower dose group. Survival rate was better for the local control group. For imporvement of local control of the lung cancer and hence, the survival of the patients with lung cancer, proper radical radiotherapy with high dose for localized disease is needed. New modality of treatment such as high LET beam in radiation therapy or drugs for the advanced disease as well as early diagnosis is also needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.463-469
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• 1993

From May 1986 to May 1992, 72 patients were diagnosed and operated for primary lung cancer, among them 65 patients were clinically evaluated at the department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Masan Koryo General Hospital. 1. There were 52 males 13 females[M:F=4:1], and 5th, 6th decade of life[72%] was peak incidence. 2. The preoperative diagnosis and its positive rate were sputum cytology 35%, bronchoscopy 47%, pleural effusion cytology 80%, and pleural biopsy 50%. 3. The classification histologic types were squamous cell cancer 71%, adenocarcinoma 17%, undifferentiated cell carcinoma 4.6%, and staging classification were Stage I 31%, Stage II 22%, Stage IIIa 26%, and Stage IIIb 20%. 4. The operative methods were lobectomy 52%, pneumonectomy 36%, and open biopsy 12%, and operability was 89%, resectability was 88%. 5. The postoperative complications developed 13 patients[22%], and operative mortality was 5%. 6. The overall actuarial survival rate was 1year 70%, 2year 42%, 3year 32%, 4year 26%, and 5year 22%, according to Stage 5year survival rate was Stage I 37%, Stage II 22%, Stage IIIa 3year 12%, Stage IIIb 2year 23%. And according to operative method lobectomy 23%, pneumonectomy 19%.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of slow freezing with that of vitrification method for the cryopreservation of human embryos. Human embryos were derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the mixed solution of propanedial (1.5, 1.0, 0.5M PROH) and sucrose (0.1M), ethylene glycol (7.5, 15%), dimethyl sulfoxide (7.5, 15% DMSO), sucrose (0.5, 1.0M) and SPS (Serum Protein Substitute) was used for a cryoprotectant for slow freezing and vitrification solution, respectively. Rates of recovery after thawing, morphological normality, post-thaw viability, arrest, morphological abnormality and preimplantation development were compared between two protocols. After freezing-thawing, recovery and survial rate of slow freezing was (88.6% and 73.4%), whereas vitrification was (99.2% and 96.2%) (p<0.05). The arrest rate of slow freezing was significantly lower compared with those of vitrification(8.7% vs 29.9%) (p<0.05). Preimplantation development to the 2-cell (83.8% vs 67.7%), 4-cell (69.0% vs 47.2%) and 8-cell (62.4% vs 37.8%) stages 24, 48 and 72 h after thawing, respectively, were higher in the slow freezing than the vitrification. After slow freezing and vitrification of human embryo at 2-8cell stage, the rate of recovery rate, survival rate and partial damage rate were 92.0% vs 100%, 80.4% vs 96.2% and 52.2% vs 19.0%, respectively. And partial damage rate was significantly lower than those of slow freezing method (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that a slow freezing using PROH is more efficient than a vitrification for cryopreserving the human zygotes, although the vitrification yielded better recovery, survival and partial damage of frozen-thawed 2-8 cell stage embryos than slow freezing method.