• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2015

Background: The adverse effects of the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast, appear to be more frequent in clinical practice than what was observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinical trials. Thus, we designed this study to determine whether adverse effects could be reduced by starting roflumilast at half the dose, and then increasing a few weeks later to $500{\mu}g$ daily. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 85 patients with COPD who had taken either $500{\mu}g$ roflumilast, or a starting dose of $250{\mu}g$ and then increased to $500{\mu}g$. We analyzed all adverse events and assessed differences between patients who continued taking the drug after dose escalation and those who had stopped. Results: Adverse events were reported by 22 of the 85 patients (25.9%). The most common adverse event was diarrhea (10.6%). Of the 52 patients who had increased from a starting dose of $250{\mu}g$ roflumilast to $500{\mu}g$, 43 (82.7%) successfully maintained the $500{\mu}g$ roflumilast dose. No difference in factors likely to affect the risk of adverse effects, was detected between the dose-escalated and the discontinued groups. Of the 26 patients who started with the $500{\mu}g$ roflumilast regimen, seven (26.9%) discontinued because of adverse effects. There was no statistically significant difference in discontinuation rate between the dose-escalated and the control groups (p=0.22). Conclusion: Escalating the roflumilast dose may reduce treatment-related adverse effects and improve tolerance to the full dose. This study suggests that the dose-escalated regimen reduced the rate of discontinuation. However, longer-term and larger-scale studies are needed to support the full benefit of a dose escalation strategy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.285-289
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• 1995

Purpose : We compared the calcualted percent depth dose curves of 6 MeV electron beam to that of measured to evaluate the usefulness of Monte-carlo simulation method in radiation physics. Materials and Methods : The radiation dose values of 6 MeV electron beam using EGS4 code with one million histories in water were compared values that were measured from the depth dose curve of electron beam irradiated by medical accelerator ML6M. The central axis dose values were calculated according to the changing field size. such as $5{\times}5,\;10{\times}10,\;15{\times}15,\;20{\times}20cm^2$. Results : The value calculated showed a very similar shape to depth dose curve. The calculated and measured value of $D_max$ at $10{\times}10cm^2$ cone is 15mm and 14mm respectively. The calculated value of the surface radiation dose rate is $65.52\%$ and measured one is $76.94\%$. The surface radiation dose rate has varied from $64.43\%$ to $66.99\%$. The calculated values of $D_max$ are in the range between 15mm and 18mm. The calculated value was fitted well with measured value around the $D_max$ area, excluding build up range and below the $90\%$ depth dose area. Conclusion : This result suggested that the calculation of dose value can be replace the direct measurement of the dose for radiation therapy. Also, EGS4 may be a very convenient program to assess the effect of radiation dose using by personal computers.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.344-348
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• 1999

To investigate hormetic effect of low dose ${\gamma}$-ray on the uptake of mineral nutrients in Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris var. Hekjinju var. Surim and) and radish (Raphanus sativas var. Chung-un), seeds of these plants were irradiated with the dose of 1 to 10 Gy. Germination rate and dry weight were examined at pot experiment in greenhouse. Samples for analysis of mineral nutrient were harvested at 17 days and at 59 days after seedling and were analyzed by ICP. Brassica campestris varieties showed higher germination rate and dry weight production with increasing ${\gamma}$ ray dose. Dry weight of Hekjinju Surim and were 143% and 138% at 10Gy dose. respectively. There was no tendency in germination rate and dry weight production for Raphanus sativas var. Chung-un with ${\gamma}$-ray irradiation. The pattern of mineral nutrient content of these plants showed ${\gamma}$ or ${\delta}$ type of dose-reaction curve with no siginificant. This investigation suggests that the more results can be required to understand the hormetic effect of low dose ${\gamma}$ ray on the uptake of mineral nutrient for these plants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.373-379
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate quantitative data on the difference in breast entrance surface dose with changes in focus-film distance, patient posture (anteroposterior-posteroanterior), thoracic wall thickness, rib bone thickness, lung tissue thickness, tube voltage, and high-voltage rectification method in Whole Spine Scanography, which is necessary for the treatment of scoliosis patients. Given a tube voltage of 90 kVp, kerma of 0.1 mGy, focus-film distance of 260 cm, tube voltage ripple rate of 0, filter thickness of 3.5 mm, and thickness of patient's thoracic wall of 120 mm as an X-ray exposure condition, from the simulation results using the Simulation of X-ray Spectra program to confirm the reduction effect of breast entrance surface dose according to the patient's posture (AP and PA), there was a dose reduction effect in aluminum filter thickness of 2.6 times at 3.5 mm, 25.7 times the thoracic wall thickness at 120 mm, 1.43 times higher tube voltage, and 0 to 1.14 times the tube voltage ripple rate. The total dose reduction effect was about 109 times. In order to confirm the dose reduction effect of RANDO phantom posture (AP and PA), from the results of the measurements taken under the conditions that the focus-film distance was 260 cm, the tube voltage was 90 kVp, the tube current was 270 mA, the exposure time was 0.31 sec, and the tube voltage ripple rate of X-ray generators was 0, the entrance surface dose reduction effect of the breast in the PA position was found to be 20.56 times lower than that of the AP position.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.653-659
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• 2016

The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation between the amount of antimicrobial agent (Defined Daily Dose, DDD) and antimicrobial resistance rate (%). The treatment of infectious diseases is becoming increasingly difficult, due to the increase in the number of multi-drug resistant bacteria, making it a clinically significant problem. Among the various factors, antimicrobial abuse is a major cause of antimicrobial resistance. The study was conducted on inpatients in a secondary university hospital in the central region utilizing the hospital's computerized statistical data and microbiological program of laboratory medicine from January 2010 to December 2014 pertaining to the dose of antimicrobial drugs for Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli strains isolated from blood culture. We analyzed the antimicrobial resistance rate per dose with the Pearson correlation coefficient. A significant (positive?) correlation was detected between the cefepime dose and the resistance of E. coli (P<0.033; r=0.907), while a significant negative correlation was found between the tobramycin dose and the resistance of E.coli. (P<0.028; r=-0.917). The aminoglycoside resistance of A. baumannii showed a significant negative correlation (P<0.048; r=-0.881), and the aminoglycoside resistance of E. coli showed a significant negative correlation as well (P<0.001; r=-0.992). In conclusion, the amount of antimicrobial agent (Defined Daily Dose, DDD) (is partly related to) the bacterial strain and its antimicrobial resistance rate (%).

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2005

pH-sensitive hydrogels were studied as a drug carrier for the protection of insulin from the acidic environment of the stomach before releasing it in the small intestine. In this study, hydrogels based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) networks grafted with methacrylic acid (MAA) or acrylic acid (AAc) were prepared via a two-step process. PEO hydrogels were prepared by ${\gamma}-ray $ irradiation (radiation dose: 50 kGy, dose rate: 7.66 kGy/h), grafted by either MAA or AAc monomers onto the PEO hydrogels and finally underwent irradiation (radiation dose: 520 kGy, dose rate: 2.15 kGy/h). These grafted hydrogels showed a pH-sensitive swelling behavior. The grafted hydrogels were used as a carrier for the drug delivery systems for the controlled release of insulin. Drug-loaded hydrogels were placed in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) for 2 hr and then in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8). The in vitro drug release behaviors of these hydrogels were examined by quantification analysis with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.95-114
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• 2023

During the decades after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident, ambient dose rates have markedly decreased when compared to those at the early state of the accident. Government projects have been continuously conducted by surveying the ambient dose rate and radiocesium distributions. Airborne surveys using crewed helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are the best methods for obtaining an overall picture of the distribution. However, ground-based surveys are required for accurate measurements near the population. The differences between these methods include the knowledge of the post depositional behavior of radionuclides in land use. The survey results form the basis for policy decisions such as lifting evacuation zones, decontamination, and other countermeasures. These surveys contain crucial findings regarding post-accident responses. This paper reviews the survey methods of government projects and current situation around the FDNPS. The visualization methods and databases of ambient dose rates are also reviewed to provide information to the population.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1838-1854
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• 2023

This paper presents a hybrid algorithm to solve the multi-objective path planning (MOPP) problem for mobile robots in a static nuclear accident environment. The proposed algorithm mimics a real nuclear accident site by modeling the environment with a two-layer cost grid map based on geometric modeling and Monte Carlo calculations. The proposed algorithm consists of two steps. The first step optimizes a path by the hybridization of improved ant colony optimization algorithm-modified A^* (IACO-A^*) that minimizes path length, cumulative radiation dose and energy consumption. The second module is the high radiation dose rate avoidance strategy integrated with the IACO-A^* algorithm, which will work when the mobile robots sense the lethal radiation dose rate, avoiding radioactive sources with high dose levels. Simulations have been performed under environments of different complexity to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, and the results show that IACO-A^* has better path quality than ACO and IACO. In addition, a study comparing the proposed IACO-A^* algorithm and recent path planning (PP) methods in three scenarios has been performed. The simulation results show that the proposed IACO-A^* IACO-A^* algorithm is obviously superior in terms of stability and minimization the total cost of MOPP.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.290-296
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• 2016

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) is considered a mainstay of treatment in parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma (PM-RMS). We aim to determine the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors for PM-RMS patients who treated with RT. In addition, we tried to evaluate the adequate dose and timing of RT. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients with PM-RMS from 1995 to 2013 were evaluated. Seven patients had intracranial extension (ICE) and 17 patients had skull base bony erosion (SBBE). Five patients showed distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. All patients underwent chemotherapy and RT. The median radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 40.0 to 56.0 Gy). Results: The median follow-up was 28.7 months. Twelve patients (54.5%) experienced failure after treatment; 4 local, 2 regional, and 6 distant failures. The 5-year local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) were 77.7% and 38.5%, respectively. The 5-year OS rate was 50.8% for patients without distant metastases and 0% for patients with metastases (p < 0.001). Radiation dose (<50 Gy vs. ${\geq}50Gy$) did not compromise the LC (p = 0.645). However, LC was affected by ICE (p = 0.031). Delayed administration (>22 weeks) of RT was related to a higher rate of local failure (40.0%). Conclusion: RT resulted in a higher rate of local control in PM-RMS. However, it was not extended to survival outcome. A more effective treatment for PM-RMS is warranted.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.347-354
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• 2011

Repeated oral administration of loxoprofen can induce many side effects such as gastric disturbances and acidosis. Therefore, we considered alternative routes of administration for loxoprofen to avoid such adverse effects. The aim of this study was to develop an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) matrix system containing a permeation enhancer for enhanced transdermal delivery of loxoprofen. The EVA matrix containing loxoprofen was fabricated and the effects of drug concentration, temperature, enhancer and plasticizer on drug release were studied from the loxoprofen-EVA matrix. The solubility of loxoprofen was highest at 40% (v/v) PEG 400. The release rate of drug from drug-EVA matrix increased with increased loading dose and temperature. The release rate was proportional to the square root of loading dose. The activation energy (Ea), which was measured from the slope of log P versus 1000/T, was 5.67 kcal/mol for a 2.0% loaded drug dose from the EVA matrix. Among the plasticizer used, diethyl phthalate showed the highest release rate of loxoprofen. Among the enhancers used, polyoxyethylene 2-oleyl ether showed the greatest enhancing effect. In conclusion, for the enhanced controlled transdermal delivery of loxoprofen, the application of the EVA matrix containing plasticizer and penetration enhancer could be useful in the development of a controlled drug delivery system.