• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.137-141
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• 2008

Samul-tang(Siwu-tang) has been traditionally prescribed as a restorative. The present study was undertaken to determine the possible toxic effects of Samul-tang on SD rats. In this study, we investigated the subacute toxicity of water-extracted Samul-tang(Siwu-tang) on SD rats. Twenty rats were orally adiministered Samul-tang for 28 days at a dose of 0 mg/kg(control group) or 1500 mg/kg(treated group), respectively. All of subjects was survived. No significant difference in abnormal clinical signs, related to hematological values, serum biochemical values, water and feed intake, coagulation time, autopsy analysis, organ weight, tissue microscopically, funduscopy, urine intake and urinalysis, was detected. Compared with the control group, we could not find any subacute toxic alteration in treated group (1500 mg/kg) for 28 days. This result suggests that Samul-tang(Siwu-tang), a herbal medicine prescription, is a safe prescription to body.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2020

In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a well-known opportunistic infection and its management has been established. However, PCP is an emerging threat to immunocompromised patients without HIV infection, such as those receiving novel immunosuppressive therapeutics for malignancy, organ transplantation, or connective tissue diseases. Clinical manifestations of PCP are quite different between patients with and without HIV infections. In patients without HIV infection, PCP rapidly progresses, is difficult to diagnose correctly, and causes severe respiratory failure with a poor prognosis. High-resolution computed tomography findings are different between PCP patients with HIV infection and those without. These differences in clinical and radiological features are due to severe or dysregulated inflammatory responses that are evoked by a relatively small number of Pneumocystis organisms in patients without HIV infection. In recent years, the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction and serum β-D-glucan assay for rapid and non-invasive diagnosis of PCP has been revealed. Although corticosteroid adjunctive to anti-Pneumocystis agents has been shown to be beneficial in some populations, the optimal dose and duration remain to be determined. Recent investigations revealed that Pneumocystis colonization is prevalent and that asymptomatic carriers are at risk for developing PCP and can serve as the reservoir for the spread of Pneumocystis by airborne transmission. These findings suggest the need for chemoprophylaxis in immunocompromised patients as well as infection control measures, although the indications remain controversial. Because a variety of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics have been emerging in medical practice, further innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of PCP are needed.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.117-130
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• 2015

Objective : This study was designed to investigate the effects of non fermented Zizyphus. jujuba mixture (mixed fruit and leaf : ZM) and fermented Z. jujuba mixture(FZM) on fed high-fat diet induced hyperlipidemic rats for development medicinal food. Method : The extracts prepared for Zizyphus. jujuba mixture(ZM) and fermented Z. jujuba mixture(FZM) with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Experimental group was divided into normal control group(NC group) and high fat diet groups. The high fat diet groups fed high fat diet 2 weeks after was sub-divided into high fat diet control group(HC group), high fat diet positive control group(HPC group), non fermented Z. jujuba mixture extract group(ZM group) and fermented Z. jujuba mixture extract group(FZM group). NC and HC group was orally administerd of 0.9% saline, HPC group administerd lovastatin diluted in 0.9% saline at a dose of 10 mg/kg BW, ZM and FZM groups was administerd each extracts diluted in 0.9% saline at a dose of 300 mg/kg BW once a day on a fixed time for 4 weeks. In the present study we measured organ weight, epididymal fat tissue weight, concentration of serum lipids, hepatic lipids, MDA contents in liver tissue and metabolic variables in serum. Results : ZM and FZM suppressed testis weight loss and FZM decreased epididymal fat tissue weight to level of NC group in high-fat diets. ZM and FZM did not influence on serum cholesterol level, but prominently decreased serum triglyceride concentration compared with HC group, and FZM diminished hepatic triglyceride same as serum. ZM and FZM did not impair liver and kidney function and influence positive effects through by suppression of elevation lipid level. Conclusion : These results suggested that Z. jujuba mixture(ZM, FZM) should be useful developing medicinal food for prevention and improvement of hyperlipidemia and FZM is more suitable agent than ZM.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2012

Purpose: It is essential to minimize the respiratory-induced motion of involved organs in the Tomotherapy for tumor located in the chest and abdominal region. However, the application of breathing control system to Tomotherapy is limited. This study was aimed to investigate the possible application of the ABCHES system and its efficacy as a means of breathing control in the tomotherapy treatment. Materials and Methods: Five subjects who were treated with a Hi-Art Tomotherapy system for lung, liver, gallbladder and pancreatic tumors. All patients undertook trained on two breathing methodes using an ABCHES, free breathing methode and shallow breathing methode. When the patients could carry out the breathing control, 4D-CT scan was a total of 10 4D tomographic images were acquired. A radiologist resident manually drew the tumor region, including surrounding nomal organs, on each of CT images at the inhalation phase, the exhalation phase and the 40% phase (mid-inhalation) and average CT image. Those CT images were then exported to the Tomotherapy planning station. Data exported from the Tomotherapy planning station was analyzed to quantify characteristics of dose-volume histograms and motion of tumors. Organ motions under free breathing and shallow breathing were examined six directions, respectively. Radiation exposure to the surrounding organs were also measured and compared. Results: Organ motion is in the six directions with more than a 5 mm displacement. A total of 12 Organ motions occurred during free breathing while organ motions decreased to 2 times during shallow breathing under the use of Abches. Based on the quantitative analysis of the dose-volume histograms shallow breathing showed lower resulting values, compared to free breathing, in every measure. That is, treatment volume, the dose of radiation to the tumor and two surrounding normal organs (mean doses), the volume of healthy tissue exposed to radiation were lower at the shallow breathing state. Conclusion: This study proposes that the use of ABCHES is effective for the Tomotherapy treatment as it makes shortness of breathing easy for patients. Respiratory-induced tumor motion is minimized, and radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues is also reduced as a result.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.231-238
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• 2012

$Dioscorea$ $batatas$ Decne is a type of yam that eaten raw and used as a traditional oriental medicine in Asian countries. In this study, we evaluated the functional effects of yam water extracts on body weight levels and serum lipid concentrations in mice fed high fat diet. Mice were divided into four groups: normal diet control (ND), high fat diet control (HFD), HFD+yam extract 100 mg/kg (HFD-Y100), and HFD+yam extract 200 mg/kg (HFD-Y200). Yam extract was administrated orally to mice fed a high fat diet for 5 weeks. Treatment with yam extract significantly reduced body weight levels and energy efficiency in a dose-dependent manner in HFD-fed mice. Yam extract also attenuated serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol, as well as organ weights of liver and abdominal adipose tissue in mice fed a high fat diet. Moreover, blood levels of glucose, insulin, and leptin significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner upon administration of yam extract. Blood activities of GPT, GOT, and LDH were lower in the yam extract-treated groups compared to the HFD group. These results indicate that yam water extract may reduce elevated body weight and serum lipid concentrations in mice fed a high fat diet, suggesting its usefulness as a functional food for reducing body fat and hyperlipidemia.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.143-149
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• 2018

To verify the correlations between the clinical outcomes and physical factors of short-course chemoradiotherapy (SCRT) and long-course chemoradiotherapy (LCRT) with delayed surgery in patients with rectal cancer. Seventy-two patients with rectal cancer were enrolled in this study. Nineteen patients were treated with SCRT (25 Gy, 5 fractions) by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and 53 patients were treated with LCRT (50.4 Gy, 28 fractions) by three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT). Various physical factors for the target and organs at risk (OARs) were calculated to compare the clinical outcomes. The organ equivalent dose (OED) and lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of bowels and bladders were similar between the SCRT and LCRT groups, whereas the values of femurs were higher in the LCRT group. The equivalent uniform dose and normal tissue complication probability were higher in the LCRT than the SCRT group for most organs. Treatment complications, including anastomotic leakage, bowel adhesion, and hematologic toxicity, were not significantly different between SCRT and LCRT groups. CIs were $0.84{\pm}0.2$ and $0.61{\pm}0.1$ for SCRT and LCRT, respectively. The CVIs were $1.07{\pm}0.0$ and $1.10{\pm}0.1$, and the HIs were $0.09{\pm}0.0$ and $0.11{\pm}0.1$ for SCRT and LCRT, respectively. The sphincter-saving rates were 89.5% and 94.3% for SCRT and LCRT, respectively. The complete pathologic remission rates were 21.1% and 13.2%, and the down-staging rates were 47.4% and 26.4% for SCRT and LCRT, respectively. SCRT with IMRT is comparable to conventional LCRT in both physical indexes and clinical outcome. The preoperative SCRT, compensated by IMRT, is an effective and safe modality.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The records of 23 patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas, who underwent postoperative radiotherapy between 1985 and 2003, were analyzed. The median follow-up period was 77 months (range, $8{\sim}240$ months). A total of 21 patients presented with primary disease, and two patients presented with recurrent disease. Liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas represented 78% of the diagnosed tumor cases. Moreover, 17 cases were of high grade (grade 2 or 3). The median tumor size was 13 cm (range, $3{\sim}50\;cm$). Complete excision was achieved in 65% of patients. The median radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 45.0 to 59.4 Gy), with conventional fractionation. Results: The 5-year overall, local recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 68%, 58%, and 71%, respectively. Eleven patients experienced local recurrence, while 9 patients experienced distant metastasis. The most common site for distant metastasis was the liver. A univariate analysis revealed that adjacent organ invasion and age (>60 years) as the significant risk factors contributing to the prediction of poor overall survival. Moreover, multivariate analyses indicated that adjacent organ invasion remained significantly associated with a higher risk of death. In addition, patient age (>60 years) was the other identified risk factor for local recurrence by univariate and multivariate analyses. Except for one case of grade 3 diarrhea, no patient suffered grade 3 or higher complications. Conclusion: Our results were comparable to previous reports in that adjacent organ invasion and patient age (>60 years) were significant predictors of poor survival and tumor recurrence, respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.340-350
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• 1988

This study was carried out to clarify the effect of dietary calcium, casein, and suet on the accumulation of cadmium in mice. It was performed for 30 days, from April 11 to May 10 1988.90 mice were divided into 4 experimental groups and control group with 6 mice each dietary group, and measured survival rate, body weight, and weight ratio of organ to body. The contents of cadmium in liver, kidney, spleen, muscle and skin with hair, and feces were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer after sacrifice by anesthesia. After 30 days, the survival rate of control group was loot,, but 66.7% in group IV(basal diet+Cd+Ca) with single dose of $100{\mu}g$ cadmium and with free-intake of water containing 50ppm cadmium, and group V(basal diet+Cd+suet) with free-intake of water containing 50ppm cadmium. The rate of weight gain in the case of single dose of $100{\mu}g$ cadmium was highest in group IV as 42.3% and lowest in group V as 26.0%, whereas in the cases of free intake group W was highest as 24.0% and group II(basal diet+Cd) was lowest as 11.6%. The body weight, in the case of single dose of $100{\mu}g$ cadmium showed no increase until 5th day after acute poisoning. But in the case of free intake group, it showed very slight increase through all the breeding period. The weight ratio of organ to body were lowest in the liver of group II in both occasions. The most of cadmium adminstered. were excreted through feces within 2 days after single dose of $100{\mu}g$ cadmium. The contents of cadmium in each group were significantly higher than those of control group. In the liver, kidney, spleen and muscle, group II showed the highest level in both occasions of $100{\mu}g$ single dose and free intake of water containing 50ppm cadmium. In the skin with hair, group ll of the occasion with single dose of $100{\mu}g$ and group V with free intake showed the highest level. And the contents of cadmium in tissue were markedly higher in the occasion of free intake of water containing 50ppm cadmium. From the above results I would conclude that the addition of casein and calcium are effective in the inhibition of intesitnal absorption of cadmium esp. by calcium.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2014

Purpose: The goal of this study is to determine whether the magnitude of overlap between planning target volume (PTV) and rectum ($Rectum_{overlap}$) or PTV and bladder ($Bladder_{overlap}$) in prostate cancer volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is predictive of the dose-volume relationships achieved after optimization, and to identify predictive equations and cutoff values using these overlap volumes beyond which the Quantitative Analyses of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) dose-volume constraints are unlikely to be met. Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven patients with prostate cancer underwent VMAT planning using identical optimization conditions and normalization. The PTV (for the 50.4 Gy primary plan and 30.6 Gy boost plan) included 5 to 10 mm margins around the prostate and seminal vesicles. Pearson correlations, linear regression analyses, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to correlate the percentage overlap with dose-volume parameters. Results: The percentage $Rectum_{overlap}$ and $Bladder_{overlap}$ correlated with sparing of that organ but minimally impacted other dose-volume parameters, predicted the primary plan rectum $V_{45}$ and bladder $V_{50}$ with $R^2$ = 0.78 and $R^2$ = 0.83, respectively, and predicted the boost plan rectum $V_{30}$ and bladder $V_{30}$ with $R^2$ = 0.53 and $R^2$ = 0.81, respectively. The optimal cutoff value of boost $Rectum_{overlap}$ to predict rectum $V_{75}$ >15% was 3.5% (sensitivity 100%, specificity 94%, p < 0.01), and the optimal cutoff value of boost $Bladder_{overlap}$ to predict bladder $V_{80}$ >10% was 5.0% (sensitivity 83%, specificity 100%, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The degree of overlap between PTV and bladder or rectum can be used to accurately guide physicians on the use of interventions to limit the extent of the overlap region prior to optimization.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.19-40
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• 1971

Since the iron balance is maintained by regulated intestinal absorption rather than regulated excretion, there have been many reports concerning the factors which may influence the intestinal iron absorption. As the liver is the largest iron storage organ of the body, any hepatocellular damage may result in disturbances in iron metabolism, e,g., frequent co-existence of hemochromatosis and liver cirrhosis, or elevated serum iron level and increased iron absorption rate in patients with infectious hepatitis or cirrhosis. In one effort to demonstrate the influence of hepatocellular damage on intestinal iron absortion, the iron absorption rate was measured in the rabbits whose livers were injured by a single subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride (doses ranging from 0.15 to 0.5cc per kg of body weight) or by a single irradiation of 2,000 to 16,000 rads with $^{60}Co$ on the liver locally. A single oral dose of $1{\mu}Ci\;of\;^{59}Fe$-citrate with 0.5mg of ferrous citrate was fed in the fasting state, 24 hours after hepatic damage had been induced, without any reducing or chelating agents, and stool was collected for one week thereafter. Serum iron levels, together with conventional liver function tests, were measured at 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 hours after liver damage had been induced. All animals were sacrificed upon the completing of the one week's test period and tissue specimens were prepared for H-E and Gomori's iron stain. Following are the results. 1. Normal iron absorption rate of the rabbit was $41.72{\pm}3.61%$ when 0.5mg of iron was given in the fasting state, as measured by subtracting the amount recovered in stool collected for 7 days from the amount given. The test period of 7 days is adequate, for only 1% of the iron given was excreted thereafter. 2. The intestinal iron absorption rate and serum iron level were significantly increased when the animal was poisoned by a single subcutaneous injection of 0.15cc. per kg. of body weight of carbon tetrachloride or more, or the liver was irradiated with a single dose of 12,000 rads or more. The results of liver function tests which were done simultaneously remained within normal limit except SGOT and SGPT which were somewhat increased. 3. In each case, there has been good correlation between the extent of liver cell damage and degree of increased iron absorption rate or serum iron level. 4. The method of liver damage appeared to make no obvious difference in the pattern of iron deposit in liver. This may be partly due to the fact that tissue specimens were obtained too late, for by this time the elevated serum iron level had returned within normal range and the pathological changes were almost healed. 5. The possible factors and relationship between intestinal iron absorption and hepatic parenchymal cell damage has been discussed.