• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2010

Purpose: Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) is gaining wider acceptance as a minimally invasive treatment for early gastric cancer, but the safety, efficacy and clinical benefits of this type of surgery are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to compare laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LADG) and conventional open distal gastrectomy (CODG) for early gastric cancer (EGC) according to the changes of the postoperative nutritional status and acute inflammatory reaction. Materials and Methods: Eighty seven patients with EGC and who underwent a LADG between March 2006 and May 2009 at Daegu Catholic University Hospital, was enrolled. Over the same period, we enrolled 30 patients who underwent CODG and they were confirmed to have EGC from their pathology. The clinico-pathological features and serologic parameters were evaluated from the medical records and then retrospectively analyzed. Results: There were no differences in the preoperative white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, albumin level, the T4/T8 ratio and the other clinical data between the two groups. The total WBC counts gradually increased and they were significant lower at the $1^{st}$ and $3^{rd}$ postoperative days in the LADG group than that in the CODG group (P=0.001 and 0.008, respectively). The postoperative CRP levels were significantly lower at postoperative $5^{th}$ day in the LADG group (P<0.001). The postoperative albumin and T4/T8 ratio gradually decreased, and the T4/T8 ratio was significantly higher at the $3^{rd}$ postoperative day in the LADG group compared to that in the CODG group (P=0.003). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the LADG has less of an influence on an acute inflammatory reaction than does CODG. Therefore, it is one of the safe and feasible procedures for the treatment of early gastric cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2008

Purpose: The early detection of gastric cancer and accuracy of preoperative staging has currently been on the increase due to the development of endoscopy and imaging techniques, but there are still many cases of advanced gastric cancer detected at the first diagnosis and there are also many cases of stage IV gastric cancer diagnosed after a postoperative pathological examination. Although the prognosis of stage IV gastric cancer is very poor, this study was performed to determine the value of the use of aggressive treatment determined after a clinical analysis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 150 patients that were diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer among 1376 patients who underwent a laparotomy for gastric cancer from January 1994 to December 2006. Results: Of the 150 patients with stage IV gastric cancer who underwent a laparotomy, there were 104 men and 46 women. The mean patient age was 57.8 years (age range, 28~93 years). A subtotal gastrectomy or total gastrectomy was performed in 119 patients and 31 patients underwent an explorative laparotomy. The mean survival time of patients that underwent a gastrectomy and patients that did not undergo a gastrectomy was 722 days (range, 14~4,559 days) and 173 days (range, 16~374 days), respectively this result was statistically significant. When patients that underwent a gastrectomy were classified according to the TNM stage, the mean survival time of 33 patients with stage T4 disease was 534 days (range, 17~3,378 days) and the mean survival time of 63 patients with stage N3 disease was 521 days (range, 14~4,190 days), but there was no statistical significance. Chemotherapy was administered to 98 patients and 52 patients did not receive chemotherapy. The mean survival time of patients that received chemotherapy was 792 days (range, 36~4,559 days) and the mean survival time of patients that did not receive chemotherapy was 243 days (range, 14~2,413 days), with statistical significance. Conclusion: If there is no evidence of distant metastasis in stage IV gastric cancer, one can expect improvement of the survival rate by the use of aggressive treatment, including curative gastric resection with radical lymph node dissection and chemotherapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.136-140
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• 2008

Purpose: Stage IV early gastric carcinoma (EGC) is a rare disease. We report here on 10 cases of EGC that showed metastasis in more than 15 lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: A total of 8354 cases of gastric carcinoma in patients who underwent surgical procedures between January 2001 and January 2007 at Samsung Medical Center were studied, and 10 cases were classified as stage IV EGC. We investigated their clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: There were 5 males and 5 females. Their ages at operation ranged from 46 to 76 years with a mean age of 61. All of the 10 patients had undergone curative resection for gastric cancer. The pathological diagnosis confirmed that all of the patients had tumor confined to the submucosa. The median size of the tumors was 5.3cm and the mean number of dissected nodes was 45.5 with a mean number of 22.2 involved nodes. Six cases were classified as the diffuse type and 4 were classified as the intestinal type by Lauren's classification. Histologically, 3 cases were signet ring cell carcinoma, 3 were poorly differentiated, 2 were moderately differentiated and 2 were well differentiated adenocarcinoma. Endolymphatic invasion was found in 9 cases. The median follow-up was 31 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy was done in 9 patients, and the patient who did not receive chemotherapy died by cerebrovascular accident. 2 patient had recurrence of gastric cancer and 7 survived without recurrence. Conclusion: More cases should be collected and further studies on the molecular and cellular tumor characteristics are required to characterize these tumors that show aggressive lymphatic spread.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.61-74
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• 2004

Objectives：This study was performed to introduce a psychoeducational family therapy model for the families of schizophrenic patient and to investigate the effect of this model on the changes in coping style and depressive symptoms of the family members, and in perception of emotional support by families and depressive symptoms of patients. Methods：Nine preschool children, 3-5 years old, experiencing physical injuries caused by attack from a psychotic patient at kindergarten, were evaluated for psychological assessments；Intelligence test, MSSB(MacArthur Story-Stem Battery), H-T-P test(House-Tree-Person test). And their parents completed rating scale, KPI-C(Korean Personality Inventory for Children about children’s psychological conditions). Results：With respects to the contents and emotional reactions of MSSB, 9 preschool children showed generally high levels of anxiety, depression, avoidance, aggression, probably related to the traumatic experiences. Even though children couldn't verbally report directly about their traumatic experiences, in both MSSB, structured play narrative assessment tool, and HPT, free drawing and association test, they demonstrated psychiatric problems through reenactment plays, regardless of clinical diagnoses. Conclusion：Present study allowed us the chance to see beyond the outer pathological behaviors of PTSD in preschool children, through deeper evaluations of their mental representation. These preliminary data suggest deep understanding of internal representation would be of help for thorough evaluations and treatment plan for preschool children, experiencing severe trauma.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1691-1698
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidative and antiallergic effects of persimmon leaf extract. Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of the crude persimmon leaf extract (PLE) and the partially purified persimmon leaf extract (PPLE) were determined in in vitro assays by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide anion radicals, and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and cyclooxygenase (COX). Total phenols and total flavonoid levels of PLE and PPLE were $230.0{\pm}19.6$ mg/g and $475.5{\pm}38.7$ mg/g, and $34.8{\pm}6.5$ mg/g and $78.8{\pm}3.6$ mg/g, respectively. DPPH and superoxide radical-scavenging activities ($SC_{50}$) of the PLE and PPLE were $23.8{\pm}3.2$ ppm and $10.0{\pm}1.3$ ppm, and $47.6{\pm}3.4$ ppm and $22.4{\pm}3.3$ ppm, respectively. Inhibitory activities ($IC_{50}$) of PLE and PPLE against 5-LO, COX-1 and COX-2 were $77.1{\pm}11.7$, $38.6{\pm}7.0$ ppm, $47.4{\pm}7.7$, $25.3{\pm}6.3$ ppm, and $129.5{\pm}5.5$, $84.5{\pm}2.3$ ppm, respectively. Moreover, two extracts inhibited dose-dependently NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and also effectively inhibited the cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction activated by anti-dinitrophenyl IgE antibody in mice. These results suggest that PLE and PPLE may be useful for phytochemical materials for prevention and treatment of radical-mediated pathological and allergy diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.330-337
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• 2002

Background : A pulmonary tuberculoma is one of the most common causes of a solitary pulmonary lesion. Treating a tuberculoma is still controversial and there are few reports on antituberculosis chemotherapy. In this study, the clinical findings and changes in the size of tuberculomas on a radiograph after completing antituberculosis chemotherapy was investigated. Methods : The medical records, an chest radiographs of 18 pulmonary tuberculoma patients who were admitted to the Gachon medical school, Ghil medical center between April 1998 and August 2001, were reviewed. The symptomatic changes were recorded and the size of the tuberculomas following treatment were compared. To compare the size, the long distance of each tuberculoma on the chest radiographs were measured and the additional radiological findings of calcification, satellite nodules and cavities were investigated. Results : Fifteen patients were men and 3 were women. The median age was 46 (24-74). Among these 18 patients, 14 patients had clinical symptoms. The other 4 patients were diagnosed incidentally as during a routine chest radiograph. The mean size of the tuberculomas on the initial plain chest film was $4.3{\pm}2.3cm$(range : 1.7-10 cm) and after 6 months treatment, it had decreased to $1.68{\pm}2.00cm$(range : 1.5-6.5 cm) (P<0.05). At least 6 months of antituberculosis chemotherapy resulted in the findings of a tuberculoma with a disappearance in 9, a decreased size in 4, and no change in 5 on the chest radiograph. Calcifications were found in 3 patients on the initial chest film and the chest CT and all calcified tuberculomas had disappeared after treatment. Conclusion : Although a pulmonary tuberculoma can remain as an inactive lesion for a long time, if it is confirmed by pathological or bacteriological methods, antituberculosis chemotherapy will be beneficial despite the presence of calcification.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.265-272
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• 2004

Background : RASSF1A, which is one of tumor suppressor genes, is frequently inactivated by hypermethylation of the promoter region in a variety of human cancers, including lung cancer. This study was performed to investigate the association between RASSF1A methylation and the clinicopathological factors in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Methods : Eighty-one samples from the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of lung were examined. The promoter methyation of RASSF1A was analyzed by methylation specific PCR and sequencing. Statistical analysis was made to examine the association between RASSF1A methylation and the clinicopathological parameters. Results : RASSF1A methylation was observed in 37.0 % (30 of 81) of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. RASSF1A methylation was found to be associated with cellular differentiation(p=0.0097) and the overall survival(p=0.0635). However, there was no association between RASSF1A methylation and the other clinicopathological parameters, such as the pathological TNM stage, the recurrence rate, lymph node invasion and the amount of cigarettes smoked. Conclusion : RASSF1A methylation might be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with squamous carcinoma of the lung. A larger scale study is needed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2001

Pathologic changes and distribution of viral antigen as determined by immunohistochemistry were compared among 4-wk-old specific-pathogen free (SPF) chickens inoculated intratracheally with velogenic vis-cerotropic Newcastle disease virus isolated in Korea. Although the pattern of organ involvement and severity of lesion was different among chickens infected with different velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease (VVND) viruses, the pathological types of lesion was similar among the chickens. Severe lymphocytic necrosis and depletion were main histologic lesions in the immune related organs such as thymus, Fabricius bursa and spleen. The frequency of IP positive staining was variable depends on the types of tissues but not types of the kinds of VVND viruses infected. Brain, Fabricius bursa, thymus, cecal tonsil and trachea were IP positive with fairly high frequency and spleen, lung, proventriculus, intestine, pancreas, liver, kidney, heart and Harderian gland were with relatively low frequency. These results suggest that histologic evaluation and viral antigen specific immunohistochemical staining methods to determine virus distribution will be useful for pathogenic study of velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease virus infection in chicken.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.85-99
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• 2008

Avian reovirus (ARV) is a causative agent of viral arthritis/tenosynovitis, and malabsorption syndrome in broiler. The characteristics of malabsorption syndrome caused by ARV are diarrhea, poor feed conversion and stunting. Therefore, ARV infection has been recognized as one of the most important disease in the poultry industry because of economical losses. However, few study of ARV infection in broiler industry has been conducted in Korea. To evaluate the presence of ARV infection in broiler farms, epidemiological survey such as serological test and virus isolation has been conducted. For the serological survey using ELISA method, we selected five broiler farms which were located at different area and had a history of growth retardation, lameness, diarrhea and poor feathering. From these farms serum samples were collected at 1 day, 14 days and market age. All these farms had no history of vaccination against ARV. In addition to serological survey, we tried to isolate ARV from birds of designated farms at market age and collected feces and tissue samples such as cecal tonsil, intestine and liver. We were identified ARV by RT-PCR and transmissible electron microscopy. The samples were inoculated into 9-day-old embryonated eggs via the chorioallantoic membrane to observe the pock formation. For the pathogenicity test of ARV isolates, we inoculated with the isolates to the right footpad of 3-week-old SPF chicks and observed clinical signs and pathological changes for 14 days after challenge. Most broilers sampled for serological survey have maternal antibodies which were widely distributed at 1 day and decreased by 14 days. However, at the market age several broiler farms showed fairly high antibody titer against ARV. This increase of antibody titer at market age means the possible infection of ARV during the grow-out period. Among total 15 samples for the isolation of ARV. 2 samples were positive by RT-PCR and finally identified as a ARV. We inoculated these isolates in the SPF birds and observed that the antibody titer was increased from 7 days after challenge. However, we did not find any clinical signs both control and challenge groups. Based on the above results, it is clear that the ARV infection has been circulated in the broiler industry and caused significant economic losses. Further study is needed to evaluate the virulence of the isolates in the digestive system of broiler and the molecular characteristics of isolates.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2008

Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) has been known to regulate many physiological and pathological processes, especially the glandular secretion and blood flow. However, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) responsible for NO synthesis has not been well studied ultrastructurally in rat salivary gland. The present study was performed to investigate the distribution of nitric Oxide synthase isoforms (endothelial. neuronal, and inducible NOS). Immunoelectron microscopic study, using monoclonal mouse anti-endothelial NOS, anti-neuronal NOS, and anti-inducible NOS, was performed in the salivary gland of rat. Endothelial NOS (eNOS)-positive immunoreactivities were most prominent in the secretory granules of serous cells of the salivary gland of the rat. Immunoreactivities were well concentrated on serous secretory granules in the serous cells. However, weak eNOS-positive immunoreactivity was observed in the mucous secretory granules of the mucous cells. Positive endothelial NOS (eNOS) immunoreactivities were most prominent in the secretory granules of intralobular ducts. Ductal secretory granules and acinar serous secretory granules have a similar pattern of labeling as eNOS suggestings. Neural NOS (nNOS)-positive immunoreactivity was not detected in duct systems or in acinar cells. Inducible NOS (iNOS)-positive immunoreactivity was not seen in acinar and ductal cells. These results reveal the presence of eNOS in the salivary gland of the rat, which may be related with regulation of the glandular secretion and blood flow through the gland.