• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2002

Nowadays a huge variety of products that aim to assist to quit smoking or reduce addictive symptoms are developed and manufactured with safety evaluation, but the safety of the most recent products of interest which do not contain tobacco and nicotine, and shape cigarettes is not evaluated and guaranteed relatively. This study was carried out to evaluate the single and repeated dose inhalation toxicity and genotoxicity of H menthol (Nicotine free-tobacco free) herbal cigarettes provided by Cigastop Ltd. in ICR mice. In this study, doses which we determined to expose to mice were 40 cigarettes for 6 hours a day to mice in single dose and 20 (high dose), 10 (middle dose) and 5 cigarettes (low dose) a day for 28 days in repeated dose inhalation toxicity, in vivo chromosome aberration test and micronucleus test. The particulate substances from H menthol herbal cigarettes also were gathered and used in the Salmonella typhimurium/microsome assay (Salmonella test; Ames test). We could find neither significant changes between control and treatment groups nor dose-response effects of test material at all except serum Ca level of female middle dose treatment group in repeated dose inhalation toxicity test. In conclusion, H menthol herbal cigarettes, when applied clinically intended dose we used, might not show any toxic and/or mutagenic effect.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Minimizing contrast dose and radiation exposure while maintaining image quality during computed tomography angiography (CTA) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is desirable, but not well established. This systematic review compares image quality for low contrast and low kV CTA versus conventional CTA in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review to identify clinical studies comparing imaging strategies for patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. The primary outcomes of image quality as assessed by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were reported as random effects mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: We included 6 studies reporting on 353 patients. There was no difference in cardiac SNR (mean difference, -1.42; 95% CI, -5.71 to 2.88; p = 0.52), cardiac CNR (mean difference, -3.83; 95% CI, -9.98 to 2.32; p = 0.22), aortic SNR (mean difference, -0.23; 95% CI, -7.83 to 7.37; p = 0.95), aortic CNR (mean difference, -3.95; 95% CI, -12.03 to 4.13; p = 0.34), and ileofemoral SNR (mean difference, -6.09; 95% CI, -13.80 to 1.62; p = 0.12) between the low dose and conventional protocols. There was a difference in ileofemoral CNR between the low dose and conventional protocols with a mean difference of -9.26 (95% CI, -15.06 to -3.46; p = 0.002). Overall, subjective image quality was similar between the 2 protocols. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggests that low contrast and low kV CTA for TAVR planning provides similar image quality to conventional CTA.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2009

Purpose : This study aimed to determine the influence of low-dose oxygen ($FiO_2$ <25%) therapy through nasal cannulae on the progress and prognosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) as well as methods of preventing ROP. Methods : Our subjects comprised premature infants (gestation period <37 weeks; birth weight <1,750 g) born in Daegu Fatima Hospital between February 1, 2001 and January 31, 2006. We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the medical records of 273 patients who were available for eye examination and follow up over 6 months. Results : The factors maximally influencing the occurrence of ROP were low gestation age and low birth weight. We observed that the incidence of ROP increased with the increasing duration of low-dose oxygen therapy. ROP onset was delayed during ongoing oxygen therapy; however, rapid progression of ROP occurred after the discontinuation of oxygen therapy among premature infants up to the prethreshold stage. Conclusion : To prevent of occurrence of severe ROP and its rapid progression, the period of low-dose oxygen therapy needs to be shortened. Moreover, frequent eye examinations should be performed after the discontinuation of oxygen therapy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.242-242
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• 2010

Si(100) 표면에 이온을 일정한 에너지로 dose량을 동일하게 유지하고, dose rate만을 변화시켜가며 주입한 후에 depth profile과 damage, 그리고 sheet resistance를 조사하였다. 일정한 에너지로 이온을 주입하여도 dose rate의 변화에 따라서 depth profile에 변화를 보이는 것을 확인할 수 있었고 sheet resistance역시 dose rate변화에 비례하여 변화하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 Crystal-TRIM program으로 computer simulation 하여 damage profile의 결과를 통해 dose rate가 클수록 시료 표면 근처에 잔류 damage의 양이 높게 나타나는 것을 알 수 있었고 그 잔류 damage의 표면근방 분포가 sheet resistance에 직접적인 영향을 미친다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.254-260
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• 2023

Skeletal metastases are common in patients suffering from various primary cancers. Radiopharmaceuticals are an effective option for bone pain palliation. In this work, the radiation absorbed dose of ¹⁷⁷Lu-EDTMP radiopharmaceutical was estimated for adult man based on biodistribution data in Wistar rats. The MIRD dose calculation method and the Sparks and Aydogan methodology were applied. The results shows that about 46% of injected activity is cumulated on the surface of the trabecular and cortical bones. Radiation absorbed doses of red bone marrow and osteogenic cells were estimated to about 1.1 and 6.2 mGy/MBq, respectively. The maximum administrated activity was obtained 27 MBq/kg of body weight with an effective dose of 0.23 mSv/MBq. The results were compared with other available data from literature. This study indicated that ¹⁷⁷Lu-EDTMP provides therapeutic efficacy for achieving bone pain palliation with low undesired dose to other normal organs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.346-351
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• 1998

To investigate the hormetic effects of the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation on the germination rate, Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L. cv. Eunchun and cv. Sukchangwoidae) seeds were irradiated at the dose of $0.5\;{\sim}24.0$ Gy with the ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation (Co-60). The germination rate of 'Eunchun' cultivar increased about 10% in the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ irradiation group compared with that of the control. In the 'Sukchangwoidae' cultivar, the germination rate of the 4 Gy irradiation group increased 40% more than that of the control. Broadly, it seemed that the hormetic effects of the low-dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation were taken more promisingly in the uncultivated soil than in the fertile soil. The germination rate from the paper towel and filter paper based cultivation increased 10% and 16% more, respectively, in the 1 Gy irradiation group than that in the control group. And the electric conductivities of the above groups supposed to be taken hormetic effects of the ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation were lower than those of the control group. From the above results, it is suggested that the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation ranged from 1 Gy to 10 Gy could have the hormetic effects on the germination rate related characters in Welsh onion seeds.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.409-415
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• 2001

To observe the stimulating effects of low dose gamma radiation on the germination and physiological activity of germinating seeds of old red pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv Jokwang and cv. Hongkwang), seeds were irradiated at the dose of $2{\sim}50 Gy$. The germination rate of irradiation group was higher than that of the control. Especially it was highest at the early stage of induction. The germination rate at 7 days after sowing in Jokwang and Hongkwang cultivar was high as 74% and 11% at 4 Gy and 8 Gy irradiation group, respectively. The seedling height of Jokwang cultivar was noticeably high at 4 Gy irradiation group and that of Hongkwang cultivar at 8 Gy irradiation group. The protein contents of seedlings from seeds irradiated with low dose gamma radiation of Jokwang cultivar increased at the late stage of induction and that of Hongkwang cultivar at the early stage of induction. Catalase and peroxidase activities of seedlings from seeds irradiated with low dose gamma radiation of Jokwang cultivar increased at 4 Gy irradiation group and that of Hongkwang cultivar at 8 Gy irradiation group.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2007

Korean red ginseng has broad efficacious effects against hypertension, diabetes, nociception, and cancer, and it counteracts weakness. It has been reported that Korean red ginseng is able to normalize blood pressure, improve cholesterol and lower blood glucose levels. We have recently reported that Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) significantly prevented rat carotid arterial thrombosis in vivo, and inhibited platelet aggregation ex vivo and in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of KRGE on blood circulation in human by measuring ex vivo platelet aggregation, plasma coagulation and serum lipid profiles in healthy volunteers. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups (placebo-group, KRGE-low dose group, KRGE-high dose group). Administration of KRGE to subjects significantly inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregations both in KRGE-low dose group from $72.79{\pm}20.53$ to $62.00{\pm}23.06%$ (p=0.0009), and in KRGE-high dose group from $75.14{\pm}21.86$ to $64.52{\pm}24.72%$ (p=0.0039), respectively. Administration of KRGE to subjects also significantly inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregations both in KRGE-low dose group from $85.52{\pm}12.57$ to $79.62{\pm}20.47%$ (p=0.0916), and in KRGE-high dose group from $80.24{\pm}18.11$ to $70.31{\pm}25.93%$ (p=0.0565), respectively. Whereas, KRGE has no significant effects on coagulation system, such as prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and serum lipid profiles, such as total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride. KRGE also has no significant effects on hematological and serum biochemical profiles. These results suggest that KRGE has a potential to improve blood circulation through antiplatelet activity in human, and KRGE intake may be beneficial for the individuals with high risks of thrombotic and cardiovascular diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.270-276
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• 2013

Background: Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, might play a role in postoperative analgesia, but its effect on postoperative pain after caesarean section varies with study design. We investigated whether the preemptive administration of low-dose intravenous ketamine decreases postoperative opioid requirement and postoperative pain in parturients receiving intravenous fentanyl with patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) following caesarean section. Methods: Spinal anesthesia was performed in 40 parturients scheduled for elective caesarean section. Patients in the ketamine group received a 0.5 mg/kg ketamine bolus intravenously followed by 0.25 mg/kg/h continuous infusion during the operation. The control group received the same volume of normal saline. Immediately after surgery, the patients were connected to a PCA device set to deliver 25-${\mu}g$ fentanyl as an intravenous bolus with a 15-min lockout interval and no continuous dose. Postoperative pain was assessed using the cumulative dose of fentanyl and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 2, 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Results: Significantly less fentanyl was used in the ketamine group 2 h after surgery (P = 0.033), but the difference was not significant at 6, 12, and 24 h postoperatively. No significant differences were observed between the VAS scores of the two groups at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h postoperatively. Conclusions: Intraoperative low-dose ketamine did not have a preemptive analgesic effect and was not effective as an adjuvant to decrease opioid requirement or postoperative pain score in parturients receiving intravenous PCA with fentanyl after caesarean section.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2017

Background: Current therapy for the treatment of neuropathic pain is often unsatisfactory. Considerable variation in treatment pattern still exists in spite of availability of sufficient literature from various guidelines. Recent Indian market data suggested that the utilization (sale) of drugs such as amitriptyline, pregabalin, and gabapentin was more for low-dose unit packs than that of the high-dose unit packs, raising the belief that these drugs are prescribed at a lower dose than is actually recommended in the guidelines. To test this hypothesis, a survey was conducted across speciality throughout the country to observe the prescription pattern of these drugs amongst the health care providers in India. Methods: Three hundred fifty survey forms were distributed of which 281 forms were included for analysis. Results: It was observed that the commonly used initiation and maintenance dose for amitriptyline, pregabalin, and gabapentin was 5-10 mg/day, 50-75 mg/day, and 100-300 mg/day, respectively. The reason to select the lower dosages was to have a balancing effect to achieve good efficacy with minimum side effects. Care-givers reported no side effects/not many side effects as a reason in 22.2%, 16.88%, and 23.86% patients with amitriptyline, pregabalin, and gabapentin, respectively. Sedation and giddiness were commonly reported with all three drugs. Conclusions: Commonly prescribed drugs for management of neuropathic pain, such as amitriptyline, pregabalin, and gabapentin are preferred at lower doses in Indian clinical settings. Acceptable efficacy and low tolerance to the standard dosage is believed to be the reason behind the prescribed dose.