• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.155-166
• /
• 2010

Studies on the production of cell-wall bound innerpolysaccharides (IPS) (soluble ${\beta}$-D-glucan) have been performed by use of suspended myelial cultures of Inonotus obliquus. This product has promising potentials as an effective antidiabetic as well as an immunostimulating agents. As a first step to enhanced production of IPS, Intensive strain improvement programs were carried out by obtaining a large amounts of protoplasts for the isolation of single cell colonies. Rapid and large screening of high-yielding producers was possible because about fivefold higher amount of protoplasts ($2.3{\times}10^6$ protoplasts/mL) could be recovered with relatively high regeneration rates of $10^{-2}{\sim}10^{-3}$ by applying a modified filtration method, as compared to the previously used trapping method. A basic protocol necessary for UV-mutation of the protoplasts was also developed, resulting in several overproducing variants with good fermentation properties. Since the amount of IPS extracted from the mycelial cell walls of I. obliquus turned out to be almost constant per g DCW, increase in cell mass was considered the most important factor for the enhancement in IPS production. Therefore, attempts were made to screen mutant cells showing rapid mycelial growth rate in the final suspended cultures. Notably, the mutant strains showing an active cellgrowth in the preceding solid growth cultures were observed to produce higher amount of IPS in the suspended fermentations as well. A striking mutant, OBLQ756-15-5 strain, obtained from the survivors of a harsh UV-treated condition (97% death rate) was found to stably produce as high cell mass as 22 g DCW/L in the final fermentations. Currently, this strain is being tested for development of a scaled-up fermentation process for mass production of IPS.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.7 s.264
• /
• pp.527-533
• /
• 2006

Background: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the results of St. Jude Medical mitral valve replacement at the Chonbuk National University Hospital since the initial implant in May 1984. Material and Method: Between May of 1984 and December of 1996, 95 patients underwent MVR with the St. Jude Medical mechanical valve prosthesis at Department of Medical Science of Chonbuk National University Hospital and follow-up ended in May of 2004. Result: Age ranged from 19 to 69 years. Follow-up (mean${\pm}$standard deviation) averaged $10.6{\pm}4.2\;year$. Thirty-day operative mortality was 4.2% (4/95). Nine late deaths have occurred and actuarial survival was $90.5{\pm}3.0%,\;87.9{\pm}3.4%\;and\;83.2{\pm}4.6%$ at 5, 10 and 20 years, respectively. Probability of freedom from valve-rotated death was $95.5{\pm}2.1%,\;94.3{\pm}2.4%\;and\;91.0{\pm}3.9%$ at 5, 10 and 20 years, respectively. Seven patients have sustained thromboembolic events (1,05%/patient-year). Fifteen patients had anticoagulation related hemorrhage (3.56%/patient-year). There was no structural valve deterioration. Probability of freedom from all complications was $82.0{\pm}3.9%,\;71.3{\pm}4.8%\;and\;42.4{\pm}10.5%$ at 5, 10 and 20 years, respectively. Conclusion: We confirm the effective and excellent durability of the St. Jude Medical prosthesis in the mitral position with a low event rate at long-term follow-up. It also demonstrates the commonly encountered practical difficulty of adjusting the anti-coagulation protocol in patients with prosthetic mitral valves.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.90-98
• /
• 2003

Purpose : A new virtual simulation technique for craniospinal irradiation (CSI) that uses a CT-simulator was developed to improve the accuracy of field and shielding placement as well as patient positioning. Materials and Methods : A CT simulator (CT-SIM) and a 3-D conformal radiation treatment planning system (3D-CRT) were used to develop CSI. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask while the rest of the body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetric image was then obtained with the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and body. Virtual fluoroscopy was performed with the removal of visual obstacles, such as the treatment table or immobilization devices. After virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and on the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment fields was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR) and digitally composited radiography (DCR) images from virtual simulation. Port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for geometric verification. Results : We successfully performed virtual simulations on 11 CSI patients by CT-SIM. It took less than 20 minutes to affix the immobilization devices and to obtain the volumetric images of the entire body. In the absence of the patient, virtual simulation of all fields took 20 min. The DRRs were in agreement with simulation films to within 5 mm. This not only reducee inconveniences to the patients, but also eliminated position-shift variables attendant during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyes and the spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. Differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 m in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : Our analysis showed that CT simulation of craniospinal fields was accurate. In addition, CT simulation reduced the duration of the patient's immobility. During the planning process. This technique can improve accuracy in field placement and shielding by using three-dimensional CT-aided localization of critical and target structures. Overall, it has improved staff efficiency and resource utilization by standard protocol for craniospinal irradiation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.309-317
• /
• 2008

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) as a predictive marker for ovarian response and cycle outcome in IVF cycles. Methods: From Jan., to Aug., 2007, 111 patients undergoing IVF/ICSI stimulated by short or antagonist protocol were selected. On cycle day 3, basal serum AMH level and FSH level were measured. The correlation between basal serum AMH or FSH, and COH outcome was analyzed and IVF outcome was compared according to the AMH levels. To determine the threshold value of AMH for poor- and hyper-response, ROC curve was analyzed. Results: Serum AMH showed higher correlation coefficient (r=0.792, p<0.001) with the number of retrieved mature oocyte than serum FSH (r=-0.477, p<0.001). According to ovarian response, FSH and AMH leves showed significant differences among poor, normal, and hyperresponder. For predicting poor (${\leq}2$ oocytes) and hyperresponse (${\geq}17$ oocyets), AMH cut-off values were 0.5 ng/ml (the sensitivity 88.9% and the specificity 89.5%) and 2.5 ng/ml (sensitivity 85.7%, specificity 87.0%), respectively. According to the AMH level, patients were divided into 3 groups: low (${\leq}0.60\;ng/ml$), normal ($0.60{\sim}2.60\;ng/ml$), and high AMH (${\geq}2.60\;ng/ml$). The number of retrieved mature oocytes was significantly higher ($2.7{\pm}2.2$, $8.1{\pm}4.8$, $16.5{\pm}5.7$) and total gonadotropin dose was lower ($3530.5{\pm}1251.0$, $2957.1{\pm}1057.6$, and $2219.2{\pm}751.9\;IU$) in high AMH group (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in fertilization rates and pregnancy rates (23.8%, 34.0%, 37.5%) among the groups. Conclusions: Basal serum AMH level correlated better with the number of retrieved mature oocytes than FSH level, suggesting its usefulness for predicting ovarian response. However, IVF outcome was not significantly different according to the AMH levels. Serum AMH level presented good cut-off value for poor- or hyper-responders, therefore it could be useful in prediction of cycle cancellation, gonadotropin dose, and OHSS risk in IVF cycles.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.318-324
• /
• 2004

Purpose: Philips GEMINI is a newly introduced whole-body GSO PET/CT scanner. In this study, performance of the scanner including spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, noise equivalent count ratio (NECR) was measured utilizing NEMA NU2-2001 standard protocol and compared with performance of LSO, BGO crystal scanner. Methods: GEMINI is composed of the Philips ALLEGRO PET and MX8000 D multi-slice CT scanners. The PET scanner has 28 detector segments which have an array of 29 by 22 GSO crystals ($4{\times}6{\times}20$ mm), covering axial FOV of 18 cm. PET data to measure spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, and NECR were acquired in 3D mode according to the NEMA NU2 protocols (coincidence window: 8 ns, energy window: $409[\sim}664$ keV). For the measurement of spatial resolution, images were reconstructed with FBP using ramp filter and an iterative reconstruction algorithm, 3D RAMLA. Data for sensitivity measurement were acquired using NEMA sensitivity phantom filled with F-18 solution and surrounded by $1{\sim}5$ aluminum sleeves after we confirmed that dead time loss did not exceed 1%. To measure NECR and scatter fraction, 1110 MBq of F-18 solution was injected into a NEMA scatter phantom with a length of 70 cm and dynamic scan with 20-min frame duration was acquired for 7 half-lives. Oblique sinograms were collapsed into transaxial slices using single slice rebinning method, and true to background (scatter+random) ratio for each slice and frame was estimated. Scatter fraction was determined by averaging the true to background ratio of last 3 frames in which the dead time loss was below 1%. Results: Transverse and axial resolutions at 1cm radius were (1) 5.3 and 6.5 mm (FBP), (2) 5.1 and 5.9 mm (3D RAMLA). Transverse radial, transverse tangential, and axial resolution at 10 cm were (1) 5.7, 5.7, and 7.0 mm (FBP), (2) 5.4, 5.4, and 6.4 mm (3D RAMLA). Attenuation free values of sensitivity were 3,620 counts/sec/MBq at the center of transaxial FOV and 4,324 counts/sec/MBq at 10 cm offset from the center. Scatter fraction was 40.6%, and peak true count rate and NECR were 88.9 kcps @ 12.9 kBq/mL and 34.3 kcps @ 8.84 kBq/mL. These characteristics are better than that of ECAT EXACT PET scanner with BGO crystal. Conclusion: The results of this field test demonstrate high resolution, sensitivity and count rate performance of the 3D PET/CT scanner with GSO crystal. The data provided here will be useful for the comparative study with other 3D PET/CT scanners using BGO or LSO crystals.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.189-196
• /
• 2007

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of age and basal serum FSH in predicting the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with poor-ovarian response. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2004, 85 second IVF cycles of 85 poor-ovarian response patients under the age of 42 with a back-ground of the first IVF cycles at our infertility center and 5 or less oocytes were retrieved and their basal serum FSH levels of 15$\sim$25 mIU/ml were enrolled in this study. Exclusion criteria were patients with a male factor for the etiology of infertility and undergoing genetic diagnosis of embryo such as PGD. Flare-up protocol was used for ovarian stimulation in all cases. Results: When we stratified the study groups by patient's age, the younger age group (age<35, n=35) showed significantly higher implantation rate (19.0% versus 4.0%, p<0.05) and higher ongoing pregnancy rate (100% versus 14.3%, p<0.05) than the older age group (age$\geq$35, n=50). And then, when we stratified the study populations by basal serum FSH level, the lower FSH group (basal serum FSH<20 mIU/ml, n=58) showed significantly higher number of retrieved oocytes (4.6$\pm$0.7 versus 2.2$\pm$0.5, p<0.05) and lower cancellation rate (19.0% versus 55.6%, p<0.05) than higher FSH group (basal serum FSH$\geq$20 mIU/ml, n=27). Conclusions: In conclusion, it was suggested that the patient's age could predict the IVF outcomes in respect to its potency of pregnancy and ongoing pregnancy. Serum basal FSH levels could predict more accurately the ovarian response of cycle, but not clinical outcomes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.283-291
• /
• 2009

Background: Tracheal reconstruction after extended tracheal resection still remains as a major surgical challenge because good clinical outcomes are usually correlated with limited tracheal resection. Recent investigations with a using cryopreserved trachea for the reconstruction of a trachea have been carried out to overcome this problem. In this study, we analyzed viability of tracheas, which is an important determining factor for the success of transplanting a cryopreserved trachea and the development of post-transplantation tracheal stenosis, according to three different experimental factors: 1) the warm-ischemic time, 2) the cryopreservation solution and 3) the preserving temperature, to determine a better cryopreservation protocol and a better composition of the cryopreservation solution. Material and Method: Rats tracheas were harvested for different warm-ischemic times (0 hr, 12 hrs, 24 hrs). The tracheas were treated with recombinant insulin growth factor-1 (IGF) and they were stored at three different temperatures $(4^{\circ}C,\;-80^{\circ}C,\;-196^{\circ}C)$ for two weeks. After two weeks, we thawed the stored trachea and isolated the cells of the tracheas with using type II collagenase. We cultured the cells for seven days and then we compared the cellular viability by the MTT reduction assay. Result: Though cryopreservation is required to preserve a trachea for a longer time period, the viability of the tracheas stored at $-80^{\circ}C$ and $-196^{\circ}C$ was significantly reduced compared to that of the tracheas stored at $4^{\circ}C$. The viability of the tracheas with warm-ischemic times of 12 hrs and 24 hrs was also reduced in comparison to the tracheas with a warm-ischemic time of 0 hrs. Our data showed that the warm ischemic time and the parameters of crypreservation negatively affect on trachea viability. However, a cryopresrvation solution containing IGF-1 improved the cellular viability better than the existing cryopreservation solution. For the warm ischemic time group of a 0 hr, the addition of IGF-1 improved the viability of trachea at all the preserving temperatures. Conclusion: These experiments demonstrate that the viability of cryopreserved trachea can improved by modifying the components of the crypreservation solution with the addition of IGF-1 and reducing the warm-ischemic time.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.132-136
• /
• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical results of the arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction used by Bone-Patella tendon-Bone autograft and Achilles tendon allograft. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the results of patients who had been managed with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using different graft such as Bone-Patella tendon-Bone autograft and Achilles les tendon allograft. 60patients (average age, 33.5 years)were retrospectively evaluated. The one group(average age, 33.4 years) was 32 patient who had been managed with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using Bone-Patella tendon-Bone autograft. The other group(average age, 32.1 years) was 28 patient who had been managed with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using Achilles tendon allograft. 2 groups were evaluated subjectively by Lysholm knee scoring scale and objectively by KT-2000 arthrometer. The follow-up period was more than a year(average, 18 month). An early rehabilitation protocol was instituted. Results: On Lysholm knee scoring scale, the final evaluation was nearly normal in all patients. We could not find statistical difference among the two groups by KT-2000TM arthrometer. Conclusion: The use of allografts may be an acceptable choice for ACL reconstruction.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.119-122
• /
• 2013

Pollens have been known to possess various biological properties. Therefore, pollens have been extensively used in functional food, folk medicine, and beverage industry to improve human health. This study was conducted to establish the optimized protocol for cytoplasm isolation of bee pollen. Data of biochemical parameters and fatty acid profiles were obtained from pollens of Acorn and Darae(Actinidia arguta). Contents of crude protein and crude fat were 24.1% and 11.8% in Acorn pollen, and those of Darae pollen showed 35.8% and 8.7% in crude protein and crude fat respectively. Also after lyophilizing of Acorn pollen, content of crude protein was increased to 26.5%. Main fatty acids were palmitic acid(C16 : 0), oleic acid(C18 : 1), linoleic acid(C18 : 2) and linolenic acid(C18 : 3) in bee pollen. Linoleic acid(37.3%) was dominant fatty acid in Acorn pollen that is one of essential fatty acids. Linolenic acid(48.3%) was dominant fatty acid in Darae pollen that is a polyunsaturated fatty acid. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids to total acid content was 73.2% in Acorn and 63.2% in Darae pollen, and especially that of polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher than 55%.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.50-57
• /
• 2010

To develop a new functional kimchi with antioxidative properties, salted baechu was soaked in black rice water extract for 6 h at room temperature. The antioxidative property of the water extract was $78.75{\pm}1.18%$ that of the control (0.1% [w/v] alpha-tocopherol). The black rice gel was added to the baechu kimchi preparation. The color of baechu kimchi treated with black rice water extract changed to dark violet and/or black. Control kimchi and black rice water-treated kimchi were stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 30 days. No significant differences were detected between the control and the black rice water-treated group in the early stages of fermentation. As fermentation time increased, pH decreased and titratable acidity increased rapidly in control kimchi. However, such marked changes were not evident in test kimchi. The hardness value of black rice water-treated kimchi was higher than that of control kimchi after the midpoint of the fermentation period. The storage life of baechu kimchi treated with black rice water extract was prolonged by up to 5 days compared with control samples, owing to a decline in lactic acid bacteria and yeast levels during the final fermentation period in black rice water-treated kimchi. The total phenolic levels and the antioxidative capacity of black rice water-treated kimchi (83%) were approximately 1.5-fold higher than in control kimchi (57%). In sensory evaluation, black rice water-treated kimchi scored higher than did control kimchi using a blind test protocol.