• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.664-676
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• 2006

Objective : Although chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is a common disease, it is very difficult to treat effectively. Lygodium japonicum has been traditionally used in treatment of urinary tract inflammation and voiding disturbance. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and action mechanism of Lygodium japonicum in the rat model of non-bacterial prostatitis induced by castration and testosterone treatment. Methods : Five-month-old rats were treated with 17$\beta$-estradiol after castration for induction of experimental non-bacterial prostatitis, which is similar to human chronic prostatitis in histopathological profiles. Lygodium japonicum and testosterone were administered as an experimental specimen and a positive control. respectively. The prostates were evaluated by histopathological parameters including the epithelial score and epithelio-stromal ratio for glandular damage. PCNA labeling index for cyto-proliferation and a TUNEL(deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin nick end-labeling) assay for cell apoptosis. Results : While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation, the rats treated with Lygodium japonicum showed a diminished range of tissue damage. Epithelial score was improved in the Lygodium japonicum group over that of the control (P<0.05). The epithelio-stromal ratio was lower in the Lygodiutn japonicum group when compared to that of the control (P<0.05). Although there was no difference in PCNA and TUNEL positive cells of the glandular epithelia. we found an decreased number of PCNA positive cell and concurrent increase of TUNEL positive cells in the stroma of Lygodium japonicum treated rats (P<0.01). Conclusions : These findings suggest that Lygodium japonicum may protect the glandular epithelial cells and also inhibit stromal proliferation in association with suppression of cyto-proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis. We concluded that Lygodium japonicum could be a useful remedy agents for treating chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.

• The Korean Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.121-129
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• 2017

Coffee (Coffea spp.) is one of the most important agricultural commodities, being widely consumed in the world. Various beneficial health effects of coffee have been extensively investigated, but data on habitual coffee consumption and its bio-physiological effect have not been clearly explained as well as it is not proved the cause and effect between drinking coffee and its bio-physiological reactions. We made the dialyzed coffee extract (DCE), which is absorbable through gastrointestinal tract, in order to elucidate the cellular effect of whole small coffee molecules. RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage lineage, were directly treated with DCE, i.e., DCE-2.5 (equivalent to 2.5 cups of coffee a day), DCE-5, and DCE-10, for 12 hours, and their protein extracts were examined by immunoprecipitation high performance liquid chromatography (IP-HPLC). RAW 264.7 cells differently expressed the inflammation-related proteins depending on the doses of DCE. RAW 264.7 cells treated with DCE showed marked increase of cathepsin C, cathepsin G, CD20, CD28, CD31, CD68, indicating the activation of innate immunity. Particularly, the macrophage biomarkers, cathepsin G, cathepsin C, CD31, and CD68 were markedly increased after DCE-5 and DCE-10 treatments, and the lymphocyte biomarkers, CD20 and CD28 were consistently increased and became marked after DCE-10 treatment. On the other hand, RAW 264.7 cells treated with DCE showed consistent increase of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory factor, but gradual decreases of different pro-inflammatory proteins including $TNF{\alpha}$, COX-2, lysozyme, MMP-2, and MMP-3. In particular, the cellular signaling of inflammation was gradually mitigated by the reduction of $TNF{\alpha}$, COX-2, IL-12, and M-CSF, and also the matrix inflammatory reaction was reduced by marked deceases of MMP-2, MMP-3, and lysozyme. These anti-inflammatory expressions were consistently found until DCE-10 treatment. Therefore, it is presumed that DCE may have dynamic effects of innate immunity activation and pro-inflammation suppression on RAW264.7 cells simultaneously. These effects were consistently found in the highest dose of coffee, DCE-10 (equivalent to 10 cups of coffee a day in man), that might imply the small coffee molecules were accumulated in RAW 264.7 cells after DCE-10 treatment and produce synergistic cytokine effects for innate immunity activation and anti-inflammatory reaction concurrently.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2022

Background: Denosumab (Prolia®) is administered every 6 months for osteoporosis treatment. Co-administration of calcium and vitamin D is required to minimize hypocalcemia risk. We evaluated clinical outcomes based on the administration interval of denosumab and co-prescription with calcium-vitamin D combination products. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical records from 668 patients who started denosumab therapy between January 1 and December 31, 2018, at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Clinical outcomes, as measured by changes in T-score, were evaluated by the intervals and concurrent prescriptions with calcium-vitamin D combination products. Results: Of the 668 patients, 333 patients met the eligibility criteria. These patients were divided into two groups based on appropriateness of the administration interval: "Appropriate" (304 patients, 91.3%) and "Inappropriate" (29 patients, 8.3%). T-score changes were significantly higher in the "Appropriate" than in the "Inappropriate" group (0.30±0.44 vs. 0.13±0.37, p=0.048). At the beginning of the treatment, 221 patients (66.4%) were prescribed calcium-vitamin D combination products, but the changes in T-scores were not significantly different by the prescription status of the product (0.29±0.46 vs. 0.28±0.38, p=0.919). Conclusion: T-scores were significantly improved in patients with appropriate administration intervals. No significant changes in T-scores were observed by the prescription status with calcium-vitamin D combination products. For optimal treatment outcomes, prescribers should encourage adherence to the approved prescription information on dosage and administration, and pharmacists should provide medication counseling for patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2024

Background: This retrospective study aimed to determine the treatment patterns and the surgical and oncologic outcomes after completion lobectomy (CL) in patients with locoregionally recurrent stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who previously underwent sublobar resection. Methods: Data from 36 patients who initially underwent sublobar resection for clinical, pathological stage IA NSCLC and experienced locoregional recurrence between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed. Results: Thirty-six (3.6%) of 1,003 patients who underwent sublobar resection for NSCLC experienced locoregional recurrence. The patients' median age was 66.5 (range, 44-77) years at the initial operation, and 28 (77.8%) patients were men. Six (16.7%) patients underwent segmentectomy and 30 (83.3%) underwent wedge resection as the initial operation. The median follow-up from the initial operation was 56 (range, 9-150) months. Ten (27.8%) patients underwent CL, 22 (61.1%) underwent non-surgical treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, concurrent chemoradiation therapy), and 4 (11.1%) did not receive treatment or were lost to follow-up after recurrence. Patients who underwent CL experienced no significant complications or deaths. The median follow-up time after CL was 64.5 (range, 19-93) months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and post-recurrence survival (PRS) were higher in the surgical group than in the non-surgical (p<0.001) and no-treatment groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: CL is a technically demanding but safe procedure for locoregionally recurrent stage I NSCLC after sublobar resection. Patients who underwent CL had better OS and PRS than patients who underwent non-surgical treatments or no treatments; however, a larger cohort study and long-term surveillance are necessary.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2003

Purpose: To report the early results of preopeartive concurrent radio-chemotherapy (CRCT) for treating rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: From June 1999 to April 2002, 40 rectal cancer patients who either had lesions with a questionable resectability or were candidates for sphincter-sacrificing surgery received preoperative CRCT. Thirty-seven patients completed the planned CRCT course. 45 Gy by 1.8 Gy daily fraction over 5 weeks was delivered to the whole pelvis in the prone position. The chemotherapy regimens were oral UFT plus oral leucovorin (LV) in 12 patients, intravenous bolus 5-FU plus LV in 10 patients, and intravenous 5-FU alone in 15 patients (bolus infusion in 10, continuous infusion in 5). Surgery was planned in 4$\~$6 weeks of the completion of the preoperative CRCT course, and surgery was attempted in 35 patients. Results: The compliance to the current preoperative CRCT protocol was excellent, where 92.5$\%$ (37/40) completed the planned treatment. Among 35 patients, in whom surgery was attempted after excluding two patients with new metastatic lesions in the liver and the lung, sphincter-preservation was achieved in 22 patients (62.9$\%$), while resection was abandoned during laparotomy in two patients (5.7$\%$). Gross complete resection was peformed in 30 patients, gross incomplete resection was peformed in one patient, and no detailed information on the extent of surgery was available in two patients. Based on the surgical and pathological findings, the down-staging rate was 45.5$\%$ (15/33), and the complete resection rate with the negative resection margin 78.8$\%$ (26/33). During the CRCT course, grade 3 $\~$4 neutropenia developed in four patients (10.8$\%$). Local recurrence after surgical resection developed in 12.1$\%$ (4/33), and distant metastases after the preoperative CRCT start developed in 21.6$\%$ (8/37). The overall 3-years survival rate was 87$\%$. Conclusion: Preoperative CRCT in locally advanced rectal cancer is well tolerated and can lead to high resection rate, down-staging rate, sphincter preservation rate, however, longer term follow-up will be necessary to confirm these results.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.1025-1029
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• 2003

The effect studied was that of the feeding of shrimp by-product meal, as a source of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid, on growth performance and fatty acid composition of adipose tissue in growing pigs kept on small holdings in Central Vietnam. Shrimp by-product meal was exchanged with ruminant meal so that the diets contained either 0, 10 or 20% shrimp byproduct meal in the dry matter. The diets were fed on 6 different small-holder farms. The farmers fed a base diet according to their personal choice, but were instructed as to the use of shrimp by-product and ruminant meal. The diets were fed to the pigs from 70 to 126 days of age. There were three animals per treatment group per farm. The diets without and with 20% shrimp by-product meal on average contained 0.01 and 0.14 g docosahexaenoic acid/MJ of metabolisable energy (ME). Due to the higher contents of ash and crude fiber, the shrimp by-product meal containing diets had lower energy densities than the control diets. Eicosapentaenoic acid was not detectable in adipose tissue; the content of docosahexaenoic acid was generally increased after consumption of shrimp by-product meal. In spite of the concurrent high intakes of ash and crude fiber, the feeding of shrimp by-product meal had a general stimulatory effect on growth performance of the growing pigs. The intake of docosahexaenoic acid or its content in adipose tissue was not related with average daily gain. It is suggested that shrimp by-product meal may contain an unknown growth enhancing factor.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of distal femoral osteotomy for distal femoral varus and medial patellar luxation (MPL) grade 4 in small-breed dogs. Radiographs and medical records were reviewed to collect data and plan the surgery in small-breed dogs with MPL grade 4. Computed tomography (CT) imaging was also performed in cases of severe bone deformities. Signalment, weight, medial patellar luxation and lameness grade, radiographic bone union, complications, pre- and postoperative femoral varus angle, passive range of motion, static weight bearing distribution and visual analogue scale scores were recorded. Thirteen corrective distal femoral osteotomies were performed with ancillary and additional procedures in 9 dogs; 4 dogs had staged bilateral procedures; and four stifles were suspected to have partial or complete rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. One stifle underwent patellar groove replacement. The mean ± SD pre- and postoperative femoral varus angles were 109.15°± 3.71° and 96.30°± 2.97°, respectively. Significant improvements in passive range of motion, thigh circumference and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were observed. There was no reluxation of the patella. This study suggests that distal femoral osteotomy with traditional and additional procedures provided satisfactory outcomes in patient healing and functional recovery in small-breed dogs with excessive femoral varus angles.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.216-218
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• 2002

A 38-year-old man, who was diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stage T4N2Mx) had rapidly growing lower neck mass (at level IV area) with local inflammation sign during concurrent chemoradiotherapy. After we performed Color Doppler sonography and fine needle aspiration biopsy of the neck mass, we differentiated neck soft tissue infection from tumor extension. Size of the mass decreased after antibiotics therapy. It was difficult to differentiate neck infection from tumor progression during treatment in naspharyngeal carcinoma.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2008

Recognizing the importance of the multi-purpose management of natural deciduous forest, this study was carried out to implement the partial cutting for stand regulation to examine agroforestry practice as well as other concurrent forest resource production, and to investigate the changes in stand characteristics and understory vegetation in a silvopasture practiced natural deciduous stand in the Research Forest of Kangwon National University, Korea. Three different partial cutting intensities (68.1%, 48.6%, and control) were performed in the unmanaged natural deciduous stand in order to improve the growing condition, especially light condition, for introducing some commercial herbaceous plants on the forest floor to establish agroforestry and/or silvopastoral system. Dominated by Quercus varibilis Blume (50.5%) and Quercus dentata Thum. ex Murray (42.6%), eight tree species were composed of the study forest, including poles of Pinus desiflora Siebold & Zucc and sapling of Pinus Koraiensis Siebold & Zucc. The total of 87 (13 tree species, 12 shrub species, 58 herbaceous species, and 4 woody climbers) vascular plant species were observed in study site after partial cutting treatments, while that of before partial cutting was 53 species (14 tree species, 8 shrubs species, 30 herbaceous species, and 1 woody climbers). The proportion of life form spectra in plot B was Mi (28.4%)-Na (23.0%)-Ge (17.5%)-Ch (10.8%)-He (9.5%)-MM (6.7%)-Th (4.1%). No statistically significant differences were observed in changes of life form spectra from before to after partial cutting treatment and among partial cutting gradients in this study. Partial cutting and scratching for forage sowing made plants invade easily on the forest floor, and light partial cutting (LPC) plot (500 stems/ha) had much higher number of undersory species than those of heavy partial cutting (HPC) plot (310 stems/ha) and control plot (1,270 stems/ha).

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.399-403
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• 2011

Brain abscesses in neonates are extremely rare and usually occur in patients with certain risk factors. A 1-month-old boy presented at the hospital with fever and irritability. As a result of preterm delivery and low birth weight, he had a history of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Neuroimaging revealed a large, space-occupying lesion in both frontal lobes, which was suspected to be an abscess with the midline shifting to the right. With a single aspiration and abscess drainage along with concurrent prolonged parenteral antibiotic therapy, the patient showed an excellent treatment outcome with normal development. The focus will be placed on minimally invasive surgical management as well as positive outcomes.