• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2018

Background: We evaluated the feasibility and outcomes of pulmonary resection and mediastinal node dissection (MND) by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) following neoadjuvant therapy for stage IIIA N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: From November 2009 to December 2013, a total of 35 consecutive patients with pathologically or radiologically confirmed stage IIIA N2 lung cancer underwent pulmonary resection and MND, performed by a single surgeon, following neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Preoperative patient characteristics, surgical outcomes, postoperative drainage, postoperative complications, and mortality were retrospectively analyzed. Results: VATS was completed in 17 patients. Thoracotomy was performed in 18 patients, with 13 planned thoracotomies and 5 conversions from the VATS approach. The median age was $62.7{\pm}7.9years$ in the VATS group and $60{\pm}8.7years$ in the thoracotomy group. The patients in the VATS group tended to have a lower diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (p=0.077). There were no differences between the 2 groups in the method of diagnosing the N stage, tumor response and size after induction, tumor location, or histologic type. Complete resection was achieved in all patients. More total and mediastinal nodes were dissected in the VATS group than in the thoracotomy group (p<0.05). The median chest tube duration was 5.3 days (range, 1 to 33 days) for the VATS group and 7.2 days (range, 2 to 28 days) for the thoracotomy group. The median follow-up duration was 36.3 months. The 5-year survival rates were 76% in the VATS group and 57.8% in the thoracotomy group (p=0.39). The 5-year disease-free survival rates were 40.3% and 38.9% in the VATS and thoracotomy groups, respectively (p=0.8). Conclusion: The VATS approach following neoadjuvant treatment was safe and feasible in selected patients for the treatment of stage IIIA N2 NSCLC, with no compromise of oncologic efficacy.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.188-193
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• 2007

We simulated the magnetization reversal behavior of submicron-thickness magnetic films by applying pulses of sub-ns-long durations and amplitudes along the easy axis. The films were rectangular and elliptical $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$, and their thickness was 2 nm and 4 nm. We observed different behaviors depending upon the shape and thickness of the films and found a normal non-switching in regions in which we expected complete switching after relaxation. In the elliptical film, the non-switching regions were found to be random and to be widely distributed throughout the switching map. The strong demagnetization field along the z-axis, the film thickness direction, is likely responsible for this abnormal behavior. In the rectangular film, the abnormal non-switching regions were less distributed than they were in the elliptical film due to edge domains resulting from the small $M_z$ or demagnetization field during the switching. Our simulation confirms that large demagnetization is detrimental to the ultra-fast magnetization reversal of magnetic ultra-thin films.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.266-270
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• 2011

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is effective in managing small superficial early lung cancer patients who were deemed nonsurgical candidates. However, we do not have any previous report on the usefulness of PDT in early lung cancer in South Korea. Thus we report here our experience of PDT in early lung cancer patients. Methods: 10 patients who underwent PDT for managing early lung cancer between June 2006 and July 2010 were analyzed. PDT was carried out 48 hours after photosensitizer injection. Re-bronchoscopy was carried out 48 hours after PDT in order to remove a necrotic tissue from the PDT site. For evaluation of PDT response, bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography (CT) were performed after 3 months. Results: The median age of patients was 69 (49~77) and all patients were male. The smoking history of patients was 48 (20~75) pack-year and the median follow up of patients was 25 (11~52) months. Complete remission was observed in 10 patients and the recurrence of lung cancer was observed in 3 patients. Out of 10 patients, 3 patients died (one case of lung cancer progression and two cases of pneumonia). Conclusion: The PDT is a safe and effective treatment in early lung cancer patients who are not suitable for surgical resection. The PDT in clinical practice is an attractive option in the treatment of early lung cancer.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.43 no.3 s.309
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• pp.76-83
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• 2006

A main objective of audio equalizer is for user to tailor acoustic frequency response to increase sound comfort and example applications of audio equalizer includes large-scale audio system to portable audio such as mobile MP3 player. Up to now, all the audio equalizer requires manual setting to equalize frequency bands to create suitable sound quality for each genre of music. In this paper, we propose an intelligent audio graphic equalizer system that automatically classifies the music genre using music content analysis and then the music sound is boosted with the given frequency gains according to the classified musical genre when playback. In order to reproduce comfort sound, the musical genre is determined based on two-step hierarchical algorithm - coarse-level and fine-level classification. It can prevent annoying sound reproduction due to the sudden change of the equalizer gains at the beginning of the music playback. Each stage of the music classification experiments shows at least 80% of success with complete genre classification and equalizer operation within 2 sec. Simple S/W graphical user interface of 3-band automatic equalizer is implemented using visual C on personal computer.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2014

We investigated the role of central P2X receptors in inflammatory pain transmission in the orofacial area in rats. Experiments were carried out using male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 230-280g. Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, $40{\mu}L$) was applied subcutaneously to the vibrissa pad to produce inflammatory pain. The intracisternal administration of iso-PPADS tetrasodium salt, a non-selective P2X receptor antagonist, A317491 sodium salt hydrate, a $P2X_{2/3}$ receptor antagonist, 5-BDBD, a $P2X_4$ receptor antagonist, or A438079 hydrochloride, a $P2X_7$ receptor antagonist, was performed 5 days after CFA injection. Subcutaneous injections of CFA produced increases in thermal hypersensitivity. Intracisternal injections of iso-PPADS ($25{\mu}g$) or A438079 (25 or $50{\mu}g$) produced significant anti-hyperalgesic effects against thermal stimuli compared to the vehicle group. A317491 or 5-BDBD did not affect the head withdrawal latency times in rats showing an inflammatory response. Subcutaneous injections of CFA resulted in the up-regulation of OX-42, a microglia marker, and GFAP, an astrocyte marker, in the medullary dorsal horn. The intracisternal administration of A438079 reduced the numbers of activated microglia and astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn. These results suggest that a blockade of the central $P2X_7$ receptor produces antinociceptive effects, mediated by inhibition of glial cell function in the medullary dorsal horn. These data also indicate that central $P2X_7$ receptors are potential targets for future therapeutic approaches to inflammatory pain in the orofacial area.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.200-213
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• 2003

This study is one of the successive studies for investigating students' processes of generating and evaluating scientific hypothesis. In this study, I analyzed the characteristics of students' experimental design to test whether the given hypotheses were correct or not. As results, it was found that (1) 3 components (experimental method, prediction of the result of experiment, evaluation of hypothesis) were needed to complete description of the experimental design, (2) students tried to test hypothesis considered as being correct as well as hypothesis considered as being false by students, (3) student tried to confirm hypothesis, which was considered as being correct, based on theoretical approach rather than experimental approach, (4) students' experimental design could be classified as two types, that is, direct experimental testing and comparative experimental design, and the latter could be classified as two subtypes; positive comparative one and negative comparative one, (5) students showed tendency to design positive comparative experiment when they considered hypothesis as being correct, and vise versa, (6) students preferred the prediction which could confirm the hypothesis when they considered the hypothesis as being correct, and vise versa, (7) many students rejected contradicting prediction even though they did not actually conduct experiment yet.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.4 s.20
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• pp.252-259
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• 2005

To clarify the clinicopathologic features of small-cell carcinomas (SCC) of the stomach, we reviewed three cases of surgically treated SCC. The first case was a pure SCC, with severe pancreatic invasion and peritoneal seeding. A gastro-jejunostomy was performed. Postoperative chemotherapy was performed with CDDP and VP-16 (8 cycles) but showed disease progression (PD); a consecutive chemotherapy with CDDP and irinotencan (2 cycles) also showed PD. A third line with CDDP, VP16, ifosfamide, and mesna was followed by a 4th line (CDDP and Taxol). The male patient died with liver metastasis and peritoneal seeding 14 months after the operation. The second case was a SCC mixed with a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Profound lymphadenopathy and liver metastasis were found. Two cycles of preoperative chemotherapy with TS-1 and CDDP were performed, which showed nearly complete remission for lymphadenopathy and partial response for the primary tumor site and liver metastatic lesion. A total gastrectomy and extended lymphadenectomy was performed. There were no viable cancer cells in 35 retrieved lymph nodes. Postoperative chemotherapy using the same regimen was performed for 4 cycles. Enlarged liver metastasis was found at the follow-up CT scan, so a posterior segmentectomy of liver was performed. After liver surgery, the chemotherapy regimen was changed to irinotecan and cisplatin. This male patient has been in good health for the f4 months since gastric surgery. The third case was a pure SCC, and a subtotal gastrectomy was performed curatively. That male patient received 5 cycles of TS-1 and is still in good health 14 months after operation.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 1997

Complete denervation after severe brachial plexus injury make significant muscle atrophy with loss of proper function. It is much helpful to reconstruct the essential function of the elbow flexion movement in patient with total loss of elbow flexion motion after brachial plexus lesion which was not recovered with nerve surgery or long term conservative treatment from onset. In whole arm type brachial plexus injury, if there were no response to neurotization or neglected from injury, the volume of the denervated muscle is significantely reduced month by month. About 18 months most of the muscle fibers change to fibrous tissues and markedly atrophied irreversibly, further waiting is no more meaningful from that period. Authors performed 14 cases of functioning gracilis muscle transfer from 1981 to 1995 with microneurovascular technique, neuromusculocutaneous free flaps were performed for reconstruction of lost elbow flexion function. Average follow-up period was 5 years and 6 months. We used couple of intercostal nerves as a recipient nerve which were anastomosed to muscular nerve from obturator nerve in all cases. Recipient vessels were three deep brachial artery and eleven brachial artery which were anastomosed to medial femoral circumflex artery with end to end or end to side fashion. Average resting length of the transplanted gracilis were 24 cm. We can get average 54 degree flexion range of elbow with fair muscle power from flail elbow. There were one case of muscle necrosis with lately developed thrombosis of microvascular anastomosed site which comes from insufficient recipient arterial condition, 3 cases of partial marginal necrosis of distal skin of the transplanted part which were not significant problem with spontaneously solved with time goes by gracilis muscle has constant neurovascular pattern with relatively easy harvesting donor with minimal donor morbidity. Especially it has similar length and shape with biceps brachii muscle of upper arm and longer nerve pedicle which can neurorrhaphy with intercostal nerve without nerve graft if sufficient mobilization of the nerves from both sides of gracilis and intercostal region. Authors can propose gracilis muscle transplantation with intercostal nerves neurotization is helpful method with minimal donor morbidity for neglected brachial plexus palsy patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6129-6132
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• 2012

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of simultaneous accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) and concurrent weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Forty-one patients with pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated by SMART with concurrent weekly paclitaxel. Daily fraction doses of 2.5 Gy and 2.0 Gy were prescribed to the gross tumor volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) to a total dose of 70 Gy and 56 Gy, respectively. Paclitaxel of $45mg/m^2$ was administered concurrently with radiation therapy every week. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given four weeks after the completion of the radiotherapy (RT) if the tumor demonstrated only a partial response (PR). Results: All patients completed the radiotherapy (RT) course. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 12 patients due to PR. The CR (complete remission) rate was 82.9% three months after RT. Thirty-nine (95.1%) patients completed the concurrent weekly chemotherapy with paclitaxel, and two patients skipped their sixth course. Seven patients had a 15% dosage reduction at the fifth and sixth course due to grade 3 mucositis. The median follow-up was 30 (range, 14-42) months. The three-year overall survival (OS), metastases-free survival (MFS), and local control rates were 77.0%, 64.4%, and 97.6%, respectively. No correlation between survival rate and T or N stage was observed. Grade 3 acute mucositis and xerostomia were present in 17.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Conclusion: SMART with concurrent weekly paclitaxel is a potentially effective and toxicity tolerable approach in the treatment of locally advanced NPC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2002

Objective: To determine the effectiveness and toxicity of chemoradiation therapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by comparing with radiation therapy alone. Materials and Methods: Between October 1989 and July 2000, One hundred eleven patients with newly diagnosed and histologically proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-five patients were treated with radiation therapy alone (Group I) and 66 patients were treated with radiation therapy and concurrent cisplatin (Group II). Cisplatin was administered once a week, on the first day of each successive week of treatment, starting on day 1 of radiation therapy and given as a intravenous bolus at a dose of $20mg/m^2$ of body-surface area. Radiation therapy was given in doses of 1.8Gy, once a day, 5 days per week with 4MV or 6 MV photons. Initial field was received a total of 60Gy and a primary tumor and enlarged lymph nodes were boosted with an high dose intracavitory brachytherapy and 3D conformal therapy. Results: The complete response rate was 86.7% in Group I, and was 90.9% in Group II. The 5 year overall survival rate for Group I was 60% and for Group II was 45% (p=0.2520). The 5 year disease free survival rate was 52% versus 45%, respectively (p=0.7507). The median follow up was 44 months versus 34 months, respectively. Conclusion: Analysis of the III patients showed no significant difference in disease free survival and overall survival in two treatment group. This retrospective analysis did not demonstrate benefit with concurrent chemoradiation using cisplatin at a dose of $20mg/m^2$ of body-surface area in treatment result than radiation alone.