• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3161-3166
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• 2016

Background: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) status as poor prognosis improved with the introduction of tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, especially sunitinib. There is sparse data reporting from our region on use of sunitinib in metastatic RCC. Thus the present study explores sunitinib usage at our institute. Materials and Methods: An unselected population of patients with metastatic RCC receiving sunitinib was analyzed with respect to patient characteristics, response, toxicity, and outcomes. Results: Fourty-nine patients with a median age of 50.5 years (range 21-71 years) were included. Most were male (61.2%). Twenty‑one (42.9%) had metastatic disease at presentation. Sunitinib was first line therapy in 45. Conventional clear cell carcinoma was the most common pathology present (39 patients; 79.59 %). The most common site of metastasis was the lung (75.5%). Most patients (30) were started at a dose of 50 mg once a day for 4 weeks and then 2 weeks rest. Clinical benefit rate was 73.5% (n= 36), and 22.5% (n= 11) demonstrated progressive disease at first imaging evaluation within the first 3-6 months. The following objective response performed for patients was 48.9% (n=24) and progression at 24.5 % (n=12). The median follow‑up was 16 months (range, 4-34 months), the overall estimated median PFS was 9 months and the estimated median OS was 15 months. Conclusions: This study demonstrated sunitinib is tolerable and effective in advanced/metastatic RCC Egyptian patients and indicates we should further seek second and third lines to increase survival equivalence as reported in the worldwide literature.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.140-150
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• 2002

Objectives: The water extract of Omija-tang (OMIT) has traditionally been used for treatment of ischemic heart and brain damage in oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of OMJT rescues cells from these damages. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the protective mechanisms of OMJT on oxidative stress-induced toxicity in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. Methods: Treatments of $H_2O_2$, or $ZnC_{12}$ markedly induced death of H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells in a dose-dependent manner. The characteristics of oxidative stress-induced death of H9c2 showed apparent apoptotic features such as DNA fragmentation. OMJT significantly reduced both ${H_2O_2}-induced$ cell death and chromatin fragmentation. The decrease of B치-XL expression by $H_2O_2$ were inhibited by OMJT. In addition, the increase of Bcl-XS expression was also inhibited by OMJT. In particular, Fas expression, which is generally recognized as cell death-inducing signal by Fas/FasL interaction, was markedly increased by H2O2 in a time-dependent manner. Also, the expression profile of proteins in Chang cells were screened by using two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. Among 300 spots resolved in 2-D gels; the comparison of control versus apoptotis cells revealed that signal intensity of 6 spots decreased and 11 spots increased. Results and Conclusions: Taken together, this study suggests that the protective effects of the water extract of OMJT against oxidative damages may be mediated by the modulation of Bcl-XL/S Fas expression.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.625-631
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• 2003

While phytoplankton diversity and productivity in the Southern Ocean has been widely studied in recent years, most attention has been given to elucidating environmental factors that affect the dynamics of micro-plankton (mainly diatoms) and nano-plankton (mainly Phaeocystis antarctica). Only limited effects have been given to studying the occurrence and the potential risks associated with the blooming of dinoflagellates in the relevant waters. This study focused on the appearance and toxicological characteristics of a toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense, identified and isolated from the Drake Passage in a research cruise from November to December 2001 The appearance of A. tamarense in the Southern Ocean indicates the risk of a paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) outbreak there and is therefore of scientific concern. Results showed that while the overall quantity of A. tamarense in water samples from 30meters below the sea surface often comprised less than 0.1% of the total population of phytoplankton, the highest concentration of A. tamarense (20 cells $L^{-1}$) was recorded in the portion of the Southern Ocean between the southern end of South America and the Falkland Islands. Waters near the Polar Front contained the second highest concentrations of 10-15 cells $L^{-1}$. A. tamarense was however rarely found in waters near the southern side of the Polar Front, indicating that cold sea temperatures near the Antarctic ice does not favor the growth of this dinoflagellate. One strain of A. tamarense from this cruise was isolated and cultured for further study in the laboratory. Experiments showed that this strain of A. tamarense has a high tolerance to temperature variations and could survive at temperatures ranging from $5-26^{\circ}C$. This shows the cosmopolitan nature off. tamarense. With regard to the algal toxins produced, this strain of A. tamarense produced mainly C-2 toxins but very little saxitoxin and gonyailtoxin. The toxicological property of this A. tamarense strain coincided with a massive death of penguins in the Falkland Islands in December 2002 to January 2003.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.796-804
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• 2006

The objective of this research was to develop ecological multi-metric models using natural fish assemblages for a diagnosis of current stream health condition, and apply the model to nationwide lotic ecosystems of the Geum River, the Youngsan River, and the Sumjin River. The ecological stream health model was based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), which was originally developed in North American streams by Karr (1981), and the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol (RBP), which was scientifically established by the US EPA (1999). The metric numbers and metric attributes were partially changed for the regional applications, so the scoring criteria was modified for the assessment. Overall, metric values, based on the IBI calculations, reflected conventional water quality characteristics, based on nutrient regime, and agreed with results of staticeco-toxicity tests. Some stations impaired in terms of stream health were identified by the IBI approach, and also major key stressors affecting the stream health were identified by additional evaluations of physical habitats. Our preliminary results suggested that biological integrity in stream ecosystems was largely disturbed by habitat degradation as well as chemical pollutions. This new approach would be used as a key tool for ecological restorations and species conservations in the degraded aquatic ecosystems in Korea and applied for elucidating major causes of ecological disturbances. Ultimately, this approach provides us an effective management strategy of stream ecosystems through establishments of ecological networks in various watersheds.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.625-629
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• 2007

Recently, there is a growing interest about unsaturated lecithin having excellent characteristics of skin affinity and absorbency. Accordingly, this study intended to develop a natural sulfuration material in order to enhance the stability of oxidation of unsaturated lecithin and substitute existing sulfuration materials which indicate variability and toxicity. As sulfuration components, plenol acid family, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and flavanone were analyzed. Total polyphenol content was higher in the root extracts (133.85 mg/g) than in the fruit extracts (53.5 mg/g). Above 100 ppm polyphenol content, the free radical removal efficiency and lipid oxidation prevention of the root extracts were 20.1 and 19.2% superior compared with BHT respectively. Also, the extracts indicated high survival rate of more than 95% below 1250 ppm, showing the stability. For the stability of liposome made from an unsaturated lecithin, the root extracts were superior to the fruit extracts. Especially, 15.1 and 13.9% of sulfuration effect and zeta potential were improved with 9.3% reduced particle size compared with BHT as the control group, respectively.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.146-155
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• 2011

In the study, test was carried out to compare the flame retardant performance for the specimen of MDF wood to which field flame retardant treatment (post processing flame retardant) is applied, which is coated with flame retardant film of 5 companies, locally distributed, and MDF wood (nontreated, flame retardant film non-coated) to which aqueous or oil-based fire-retardant paint is applied. As a result of combustion test of MDF wood which was coated with flame retardant film of 5 companies, 2 products showed suitable values in 4 criteria, but other 3 products showed 10~40 % disqualification rate. In regard of characteristics of fire-retardant paint, oil-based fire-retardant paint is better than aqueous fire-retardant paint in flame retardant performance criteria, but MDF wood to which oilbase fire-retardant paint was applied was shown to have higher toxicity index grade than MDF wood to which aqueous fire-retardant paint was applied relatively.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.128-136
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• 2009

Objective: To investigate a clinical worth of combination therapy of Oriental and conventional cancer treatment focusing on reduction of chemotherapy-induced side effects. Methods: 110 patients treated by Oriental treatment after intravenous or oral chemotherapy were reviewed, from January, 2005 to April, 2008 at the East-West Cancer Center of Dunsan Oriental hospital. Symptoms were investigated by National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) Version 2.0. Results: 80% patients of 110 patients had at least one symptom among eight main side effects (neutropenia, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomatitis, constipation, headache). The presence of those was as follows: nausea 63%, anorexia 61 %, neutropenia 45%, vomiting 28%, constipation 21 %, headache 19%, diarrhea 11 %, and stomatitis 10%. Except neutropenia, above symptoms has ameliorated by Oriental treatment in seven treat days. Conclusions: This study first presented the general characteristics of cancer patients treated by Oriental and conventional therapy, and showed a clinical potential of combinational therapy aiming to chemotherapy-induced side effects.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2009

Nanotechnology, one of the technologies that forms the core of the recent scientific innovation, is used much in our real lives. Especially products that use nano silver are being sold, with its positive characteristics resulting from the antibacterial effects of both nano materials and silver. But critiques have pointed out that nano silver diffused into everyday life too quickly as we do not have done any comprehensive research about the material, and worry that nano silver will affect the ecology adversely. Therefore, this research focuses on investigating the toxicity of silver nanoparticles first. To compare the effects of exposure to silver nanoparticles at pre-somite stage and somite stage(10 hours after fertilization), we exposed zebrafish embryos to silver nanoparticles(15, 30 ppt) during embryogenesis, and then checked the details of catalase enzyme activity. The hatch rate decreased in the silver nanoparticles exposed groups(15 and 30 ppt); furthermore, the hatched fishes had an abnormal notochord, damaged eyes and curved tail. The catalase activities of the 15 ppt exposed group at somite stage increased relative to those in the control group. Therefore, the silver nanoparticles could seriously damage the development of zebrafish embryos. Especially, exposure to silver nanoparticles at somite stage did severer damage than exposure since pre-somite stage did.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.273-281
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• 2007

Zinc compounds have been used in various fields - cosmetics, medicine, and dentistry -because of its effective functions to human tissues or organs. Especially, it is well known that zinc has many biologic effects in oral cavity. Zinc ion can affect various oral microorganisms, resulting in reduction of oral bacteria, dental plaque, and dental caries. Also, zinc ion has an ability to reduce amounts of oral anaerobic bacteria and oral VSC and can reduce oral malodor. The author summarized the characteristics and toxicity of zinc, several forms of zinc compounds applied in human tissues, and reviewed biologic effects of Zinc in oral cavity (anti-bacterial effects, anti-plaque effects, anti-caries effects, and anti-VSC effects of zinc). Because of many advantages of zinc in oral cavity, it can be concluded that application of zinc compound to various oral diseases will be extended and activated, and promising.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 1989

Preventive effect of azalea pollen extracts against aniline-induced hepatic toxicity in mice was investigated in this experiment. When the biochemical and histological changes were measured, preventive effect was more striking by treatment with water extract. After treatment with azalea pollen extracts, hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity increased as compared to control. Whereas, aniline level in serum and liver significantly decreased. The Vmax value without affecting Km value increased by the water extract treatment, the results obtained suggest that the characteristics of increase in the aniline hydroxylase activity may include induction of enzyme proteins. These data indicate that the observed preventive effects of azalea pollen extracts against hepatotoxicity is due to the induction of aniline metabolizing enzyme.