• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2004

Purpose : Children with nephrotic syndrome(NS) are under high risk for metabolic bone disease(MBD) as a complication of long-term glucocorticoid therapy. We prospectively evaluated the effect of oral bisphosphonate(alendronate) therapy in children with NS, which has proven efficacy in adult patients with glucocorticoid induced MBD. Methods : Among 58 children with NS, aged 5 to 8 years and haying a disease duration of more than 2 years, 30(51.7%) were enrolled to meet the selection criteria, less than -1.0 Z-scores of lumbar spine bone mineral density(BMD) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). These 30 children were divided into three groups and each were assigned to receive alendronate, calcitriol, and no-medication, respectively for one year. Lumbar spine BMD was followed up every 6 months and the biochemical indexes were measured before and 1 year after the treatment. There were no significant difference among groups with respect to the average age, the initial BMD, and the cumulative steroid doses. Analysis of the treatment efficacy was done by the % change of BMD and by the changes in Z-scores of lumbar spine BMD. Results : Mean age and disease duration of patients at the initial lumbar spine BMD evaluation was $7.4{\pm}1.7$ years and $2.2{\pm}1.2$ years, respectively. Twenty-three of 30 children(76%) had osteopenia, and seven(23%) had osteoporosis. There was no difference in the biochemical values among the groups, before and 1 year after the treatment(P<0.05). Twenty two children(73.3%) with frequent relapsing or steroid dependant NS had more frequent MBD, compared to the 8 children(26.6%) with infrequent relapsing NS. The one year % changes of BMD were 8.56 in alendronate group, 5.79 in calcitriol group, and 1.9 in no-medication group. The changes in Z-score of lumbar spine BMD increased in the alendronate group and the calcitriol group, but not in the no-medication group. One year % changes of BMD were different among groups(P=0.0002). Significant differences were found between the alendronate and the no-medication group, and between the calcitriol and the no-medication group(P<0.05). There was no difference between the alendronate and the calcitriol group. No serious adverse effect was observed in the alendronate group. Conclusion : Children with NS receiving high dose steroids are under the high risk of BMD and should undergo regular BMD evaluation. Z-score of lumbar spine BMD was a useful parameter in diagnosing low bone mass in children. Alendronate weekly oral therapy was effective and relatively safe in increasing the lumbar spine BMD in children with NS having steroid induced MBD.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2019

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of Jaw-tracking(JT) technique in Intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) and Volumetric-modulated arc therapy(VMAT) for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer by analyzing volume dose of perimetrical normal organs along with the low-dose volume regions. Materials and Method: A total of 27 patients were selected who received radiation therapy for esophageal cancer with using $VitalBeam^{TM}$(Varian Medical System, U.S.A) in our hospital. Using Eclipse system(Ver. 13.6 Varian, U.S.A), radiation treatment planning was set up with Jaw-tracking technique(JT) and Non-Jaw-tracking technique(NJT), and was conducted for the patients with T-shaped Planning target volume(PTV), including Supraclavicular lymph nodes(SCL). PTV was classified into whether celiac area was included or not to identify the influence on the radiation field. To compare the treatment plans, Organ at risk(OAR) was defined to bilateral lung, heart, and spinal cord and evaluated for Conformity index(CI) and Homogeneity index(HI). Portal dosimetry was performed to verify a clinical application using Electronic portal imaging device(EPID) and Gamma analysis was performed with establishing thresholds of radiation field as a parameter, with various range of 0 %, 5 %, and 10 %. Results: All treatment plans were established on gamma pass rates of 95 % with 3 mm/3 % criteria. For a threshold of 10 %, both JT and NJT passed with rate of more than 95 % and both gamma passing rate decreased more than 1 % in IMRT as the low dose threshold decreased to 5 % and 0 %. For the case of JT in IMRT on PTV without celiac area, $V_5$ and $V_{10}$ of both lung showed a decrease by respectively 8.5 % and 5.3 % in average and up to 14.7 %. A $D_{mean}$ decreased by $72.3{\pm}51cGy$, while there was an increase in radiation dose reduction in PTV including celiac area. A $D_{mean}$ of heart decreased by $68.9{\pm}38.5cGy$ and that of spinal cord decreased by $39.7{\pm}30cGy$. For the case of JT in VMAT, $V_5$ decreased by 2.5 % in average in lungs, and also a little amount in heart and spinal cord. Radiation dose reduction of JT showed an increase when PTV includes celiac area in VMAT. Conclusion: In the radiation treatment planning for esophageal cancer, IMRT showed a significant decrease in $V_5$, and $V_{10}$ of both lungs when applying JT, and dose reduction was greater when the irradiated area in low-dose field is larger. Therefore, IMRT is more advantageous in applying JT than VMAT for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer and can protect the normal organs from MLC leakage and transmitted doses in low-dose field.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2013

Environment-friendly agro-materials tend to be preferred to chemical insecticides recently. For this reason, many studies are conducted to develop environment-friendly insecticides containing natural materials. The purpose of this study was to assess ecotoxicity for pepper extract and cassia oil (11.5+46%, A), pepper extract and cassia oil (23+34%, B), and pepper extract and lavender oil (40+10%, C). They are expected to prevent from pests especially diamondback moth, and can be used for agro-materials. Their formulation was emusifiable concentration (EC). Target species used to assess acute toxicity were aquatic invertebrate (Daphina magna), fish (Cyprinus carpio), honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and earthworm (Eisenia fetida). The $EC_{50}$ value of A, B, and C to aquatic invertebrate were 0.46, 1.9, 0.25 mg $L^{-1}$ respectively and these values were moderately toxic according to standard of USEPA. In case of acute toxicity test to fish, the $LC_{50}$ of A, B, and C were 1.9, 2.9, 3.8 mg $L^{-1}$ respectively. A was category II in acute toxicity of fish and not acceptable to evaluation criteria of environment-friendly agro-materials. B and C were category III and acceptable. Acute contact and oral toxicity test to honeybee were conducted and the $LD_{50}$ of A, B, and C were > 100 ${\mu}g$ a.i. $bee^{-1}$ in both of tests. It indicated they were low toxic to honeybee. In case of acute toxicity test to earthworm, $LC_{50}$ of A, B, and C were 695, 988, and 564 mg $kg^{-1}$. In conclusion, pepper extract+cassia oil 57% EC and pepper extract+lavender oil 50% EC were expected to be used for environment-friendly insecticide materials with low risk against ecosystem and contribute to developing environment-friendly agro-materials.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2006

Purpose : The hematologic change during the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) is critical as a prognostic determinant and a variable to determine the dose of chemotherapeutic agents. It is known that the dose of vincristine used in the maintenance phase of ALL is small enough to increase the count of platelet. To investigate the change of platelet count according to the vincristine administration in maintenance phase of ALL chemotherapy, we performed this study. Methods : Eleven patients eligible under the criteria of Children's Cancer Study Group(CCG)-1882 and who had completed chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. The count of platelets before vincristine administration was compared with those of vincristine administration 1, 2 and 3 weeks after the early and last periods of maintenance phases. The platelet count before vincristine administration was defined as 100 percent and that after vincristine were compared. In addition, we tentatively defined an enhancing effect of vincristine as positive when the relative count was more than 120 percent. Results : Platelet count did not differ according to the early and last periods of maintenance phase. Platelet count at first week after vincristine administration increased more significantly than that before vincristine in early and last periods. There was an enhancing effect in 10(90.9 percent) of 11 patients after 1 week vincristine administration both in the early and last periods of the maintenance phase. Conclusion : Vincristine, used in ALL maintenance phases as a low dose, increased platelet count 1 week after administration. The increased platelet count resumed to the previous level 2-3 weeks later. However, the thrombocytosis observed in the maintenance phase by vincristine was not high enough to induce thrombosis. In addition, vincristine is known to reduce the activity of platelets. Therefore, the risk of thrombosis in the maintenance phase of ALL chemotherapy would be low.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.1041-1048
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• 2016

Biofilm cells and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state may play a role in the survival of Campylobacter jejuni under unfavorable environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavior of C. jejuni biofilm cells and VBNC cells on smoked duck. The transfer of C. jejuni biofilm cells to smoked duck and its ability to resuscitate from biofilm and VBNC cells on smoked duck was investigated. Transfer experiments were conducted from C. jejuni biofilm cells to smoked duck after 5 min, 1 h, 3 h, and 24 h contact at room temperature, and the efficiency of transfer (EOT) was calculated. In addition, smoked duck was inoculated with C. jejuni biofilm and VBNC cells and then stored at 10, 24, 36, and $42^{\circ}C$ to examine the cells' ability to resuscitate on smoked ducks. The 5 min contact time between C. jejuni biofilm cells and smoked duck showed a higher EOT (0.92) than the 24 h contact time (EOT=0.08), and the EOT decreased as contact time increased. Furthermore, C. jejuni biofilm cells on smoked duck were not recovered at 10, 24, and $36^{\circ}C$, and C. jejuni VBNC cells were not resuscitated at $42^{\circ}C$. Although the resuscitation of C. jejuni biofilm and VBNC cells was not observed on smoked duck, microbial criteria of C. jejuni is needed in poultry and processed poultry products due to risk of its survival and low infectious dose.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.996-1002
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• 2003

Purpose : In Rett syndrome patients, the incidence of sudden death is greater than that of the general population, and cardiac electrical instability including fatal cardiac arrhythmia is a main suspected cause. In this study, we are going to find out the possible cause of the higher risk of sudden death in Rett patients by the evaluation of heart rate variability, a marker of cardiac autonomic activity and corrected QT intervals. Methods : Diagnosis of Rett syndrome was made by molecular genetic study of Rett syndrome (MECP2 gene) or clinical diagnostic criteria of Rett syndrome. Heart rate variability and corrected QT intervals were measured by 24 h-Holter study in 12 Rett patients, and in 30 age-matched healthy children with chief complaints of chest pain or suspected heart murmurs. The were compared with the normal age-matched control. Results : Patients with total Rett syndrome, classic Rett syndrome, and Rett variants had significantly lower heart rate variability(especially rMSSD)(P<0.05) and longer corrected QT intervals than age-matched healthy children(P<0.05). Sympathovagal balance expressed by the ratio of high to low frequency(LF/HF ratio) also showed statistically significant differences between the three groups considered(P<0.05). Conclusion : A significant reduction of heart rate variability, a marker of autonomic disarray, suggests a possible explanation of cardiac dysfunction in sudden death associated with Rett syndrome.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.376-382
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• 2012

Environment-friendly agro-materials are are likely to be preferred to chemical insecticides recently. For this reason, many studies are conducted to develop environment-friendly insecticides containing natural materials. This study was also conducted so as to assess ecotoxicity for Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) containing 30% of garlic extract or two plant essential oils (Zanthoxylum, Lemongrass) expected to prevent from pests and be used for agro-materials. Target species used to assess acute toxicity were invertebrate (Daphina magna), fish (Oryzias latipes), honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and earthworm (Eisenia fetida). The $EC_{50}$ values for of garlic extract 30% EC, Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC to Daphina magna were 3.3, 10, and $10mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The category of garlic extract 30% EC was moderately toxic, while those of Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC were slightly toxic according to standard of USEPA. $EC_{50}$ for both of Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC were more than $10mg\;L^{-1}$ then they were considered as slightly toxicity. In case of acute toxicity test to fish, $LC_{50}$ of garlic extract 30% EC was $3.3mg\;L^{-1}$. Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC indicated $LC_{50}$ > $10mg\;L^{-1}$. Classification of acute toxicity to all test substances was in Korea criteria. Acute contact and oral toxicity test to Honeybee were conducted. As a result, $LD_{50}$ of all test substances were more than 100 a.i. ${\mu}g\;bee^{-1}$ in the acute contact test while $LD_{50}$ of garlic extract 30% EC was 4.4 a.i. ${\mu}g\;bee^{-1}$ and $LD_{50}$ of Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC were more than 100 a.i. ${\mu}g\;bee^{-1}$. In case of acute toxicity test to earthworm, $LC_{50}$ of garlic extract 30% EC, Zanthoxylum oil 30% EC and lemongrass oil 30% EC were 267, 592, and $430mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. In conclusion, if the safety for earthworm is confirmed, these substances are expected to be use for environment-friendly insecticide materials with low risk against ecosystem and contribute to developing environment-friendly agro-materials.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.6099-6111
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• 2015

This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effects of aquatic exercise and land-based exercise in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. 7 studies (n=449) met selection and exclusion criteria out of 287 potential studies obtained from the literature search via Ovid-Medline, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, CINAHL, RISS and KISS. The overall risk of bias of selected studies using SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) checklist for randomized controlled trials (RCT) was regarded as low. As a result of meta analysis, Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) for pain was -0.26(95% CI -0.49, -0.03, p=0.03, $I^2=14%$), which implies that aquatic exercise groups had significant less pain than land-based exercise groups. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between aquatic exercise groups and land based exercise groups for flexion Range of Motion (ROM) (-0.12, 95% CI -0.51, 0.27, p=0.53, $I^2=0%$), extension ROM (-0.04, 95% CI -0.55, 0.48, p=0.89, $I^2=43%$), physical function (-0.12, 95% CI -0.44, 0.19, p=0.44, $I^2=0%$), Quality of Life (QOL) (-0.15, 95% CI -0.54, 0.24, p=0.46, $I^2=0%$). This study has some limitations due to few RCTs comparing aquatic exercise groups and land-based exercise groups in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Therefore, further RCTs should be conducted along with long-term outcomes.