• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.297-303
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study is reproducibility evaluation of deep inspiration breath-hold(DIBH) technique by respiration data and heart position analysis in radiation therapy for Left Breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods : Free breathing(FB) Computed Tomography(CT) images and DIBH CT images of three left breast cancer patients were used to evaluate the heart volume and dose during treatment planing system( Eclipse version 10.0, Varian, USA ). The signal of RPM (Real-time Position Management) Respiratory Gating System (version 1.7.5, Varian, USA) was used to evaluate respiration stability of DIBH during breast radiation therapy. The images for measurement of heart position were acquired by the Electronic portal imaging device(EPID) cine acquisition mode. The distance of heart at the three measuring points(A, B, C) on each image was measured by Offline Review (ARIA 10, Varian, USA). Results : Significant differences were found between the FB and DIBH plans for mean heart dose (6.82 vs. 1.91 Gy), heart $V_{30}$ (68.57 vs. $8.26cm^3$), $V_{20}$ (76.43 vs. $11.34cm^3$). The standard deviation of DIBH signal of each patient was ${\pm}0.07cm$, ${\pm}0.04cm$, ${\pm}0.13cm$, respectively. The Maximum and Minimum heart distance on EPID images were measured as 0.32 cm and 0.00 cm. Conclusion : Consequently, using the DIBH technique with radiation therapy for left breast cancer patients is very useful to establish the treatment plan and to reduce the heart dose. In addition, it is beneficial to using the Cine acquisition mode of EPID for the reproducibility evaluation of DIBH.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.575-580
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• 2017

This study analyzed the effects of RGG box of hnRNP A1 on its subcellular localization and stabilization of hnRNP A1 over a three year period from October 2014. First, a 6R/K mutation in RGG box was generated, and pcDNA1-HA-hnRNP A1(6R/K) was constructed. The subcellular localization of hnRNP A1(6R/K) from the HeLa cells transfected with this plasmid DNA was analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy. HA-hnRNP A1(6R/K) was found to exhibit nuclear and cytoplasmic fluorescence. The stability of hnRNP A1(6R/K) was checked by Western blot analysis using the expressed protein from the HeLa cells transfected with the pcDNA1-HA-hnRNP A1(6R/K). The results show that HA-hnRNP A1(6R/K) has a smaller size. These confirm that HA-hnRNP A1(6R/K) is localized both in the nuclear and cytoplasm, not because 6R/K mutation affects the nuclear localization of hnRNP A1, but because 6R/K mutation causes hnRNP A1(6R/K) to cleave at the mutation or near the mutation site. The cleaved protein fragment, which lacks the M9 domain (i.e. nuclear localization signal of hnRNP A1), did not exhibit nuclear fluorescence. This suggests that the arginines of RGG box in hnRNP A1 play an important role in stabilizing hnRNP A1. An analysis of the RNA-binding ability of hnRNP A1(6R/K) expressed and purified from bacteria will be a subsequent research project.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2013

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of in vivo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for tracking intravenously injected superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-labeled human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in an acute renal failure (ARF) rat model. Materials and Methods: HUVECs were labeled with SPIO and poly-L-lysine (PLL) complex. Relaxation rates at 1.5-T MR, cell viability, and labeling stability were assessed. HUVECs were injected into the tail vein of ARF rats (labeled cells in 10 rats, unlabeled cells in 2 rats). Follow-up serial $T2^*$-weighted gradient-echo MR imaging was performed at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after injection, and the MR findings were compared with histologic findings. Results: There was an average of $98.4{\pm}2.4%$ Prussian blue stain-positive cells after labeling with SPIOPLL complex. Relaxation rates ($R2^*$) of all cultured HUVECs at day 3 and 5 were not markedly decreased compared with that at day 1. The stability of SPIO in HUVECs was maintained during the proliferation of HUVECs in culture media. In the presence of left unilateral renal artery ischemia, $T2^*$-weighted MR imaging performed 1 day after the intravenous injection of labeled HUVECs revealed a significant signal intensity (SI) loss exclusively in the left renal outer medulla regions, but not in the right kidney. The MR imaging findings at days 3, 5 and 7 after intravenous injection of HUVECs showed a SI loss in the outer medulla regions of the ischemically injured kidney, but the SI progressively recovered with time and the right kidney did not have a significant change in SI in the same period. Upon histologic analysis, the SI loss on MR images was correspondent to the presence of Prussian blue stained cells, primarily in the renal outer medulla. Conclusion: MR imaging appears to be useful for in vivo monitoring of intravenously injected SPIO-labeled HUVECs in an ischemically injured rat kidney.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.54-59
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• 2017

Purpose The present study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the respiratory gating method used in the flow mode and additional localized respiratory-gated imaging, which differs from the step and go method. Materials and Methods Respiratory gated imaging was performed in the flow mode to twenty patients with lung cancer (10 patients with stable signals and 10 patients with unstable signals), who underwent PET/CT scanning of the torso using Biograph mCT Flow PET/CT at Bundang Seoul University Hospital from June 2016 to September 2016. Additional images of the lungs were obtained by using the respiratory gating method. SUVmax, SUVmean, and Tumor Volume ($cm^3$) of non-gating images, gating images, and additional lung gating images were found with Syngo,bia (Siemens, Germany). A paired t-test was performed with GraphPad Prism6, and changes in the width of the amplitude range were compared between the two types of gating images. Results The following results were obtained from all patients when the respiratory gating method was applied: $SUV_{max}=9.43{\pm}3.93$, $SUV_{mean}=1.77{\pm}0.89$, and $Tumor\;Volume=4.17{\pm}2.41$ for the non-gating images, $SUV_{max}=10.08{\pm}4.07$, $SUV_{mean}=1.75{\pm}0.81$, and $Tumor\;Volume=3.56{\pm}2.11$ for the gating images, and $SUV_{max}=10.86{\pm}4.36$, $SUV_{mean}=1.77{\pm}0.85$, $Tumor\;Volume=3.36{\pm}1.98$ for the additional lung gating images. No statistically significant difference in the values of $SUV_{mean}$ was found between the non-gating and gating images, and between the gating and lung gating images (P>0.05). A significant difference in the values of $SUV_{max}$ and Tumor Volume were found between the aforementioned groups (P<0.05). The width of the amplitude range was smaller for lung gating images than gating images for 12 from 20 patients (3 patients with stable signals, 9 patients with unstable signals). Conclusion In PET/CT scanning using the respiratory gating method in the flow mode, any lesion movements caused by respiration were adjusted; therefore, more accurate measurements of $SUV_{max}$, and Tumor Volume could be obtained from the gating images than the non-gating images in this study. In addition, the width of the amplitude range decreased according to the stability of respiration to a more significant degree in the additional lung gating images than the gating images. We found that gating images provide information that is more useful for diagnosis than the one provided by non-gating images. For patients with irregular signals, it may be helpful to perform localized scanning additionally if time allows.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2015

$^3He$ gas has been used for neutron monitors as the neutron converter owing to its advantages such as high sensitivity, good ${\gamma}$-discrimination capability, and long-term stability. However, $^3He$ is becoming more difficult to obtain in last few years due to a global shortage of $^3He$ gas. Accordingly, the cost of a neutron monitor using $^3He$ gas as a neutron converter is becoming more expensive. Demand on a neutron monitor using an alternative neutron conversion material is widely increased. $^{10}B$ has many advantages among various $^3He$ alternative materials, as a neutron converter. In order to develop a neutron converter using $^{10}B$ (actually $B_4C$), we calculated the optimal thickness of a neutron converter with a Monte Carlo simulation using MCNP6. In addition, a neutron converter was fabricated by the Ar sputtering method and the neutron signal detection efficiencies were measured with respect to various thicknesses of fabricated a neutron converter. Also, we developed a 2-dimensional multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC) for neutron beam profile monitoring using the fabricated a neutron converter, and performed experiments for neutron response of the neutron monitor at the 30 MW research reactor HANARO at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The 2-dimensional MWPC with boron ($B_4C$) neutron converter was proved to be useful for neutron beam monitoring, and can be applied to other types of neutron imaging.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.403-409
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• 2009

H2AX, a crucial component of chromatin, is implicated in DNA repair, cell cycle check point and tumor suppression. The aim of this study was to identify direct binding partners of H2AX to regulate cellular responses to above mechanisms. Literature reviews and bioinformatical tools were attempted intensively to find binding partners of H2AX, which resulted in identifying two potential proteins, breast cancer-1 (BRCA1) and BRCA1-associated RING domain 1 (BARD1). Although it has been reported in vivo that BRCA1 co-localizes with H2AX at the site of DNA damage, their biochemical mechanism for H2AX were however only known that the complex monoubiquitinates histone monomers, including unphosphorylated H2AX in vitro. Therefore, it is important to know whether the complex directly interacts with H2AX, and also which regions of these are specifically mediated for the interaction. Using in vitro GST pull-down assay, we present here that BRCA1 and BARD1 directly bind to H2AX. Moreover, through combinational approaches of domain analysis, fragment clonings and in vitro binding assay, we revealed molecular details of the BRCA1-H2AX and BARD1-H2AX complex. These data provide the potential evidence that each of the BRCA1 nuclear localization signal (NLS) and BARD1 BRCA1 C-terminal (BRCT) repeat domain is the novel mediator of H2AX recognition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.781-788
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• 2021

Due to the high sensitivity to radiation, excessive exposure needs to be prevented by accurately measuring the dose irradiated to the skin during radiation therapy. Although clinical trials use dosimeters such as film, OSLD, TLD, glass dosimeter, etc. to measure skin dose, these dosimeters have difficulty in accurate dosimetry on skin curves. In this study, to solve these problems, we developed a skin dosimeter that can be attached according to human flexion and evaluated its response characteristics. For the manufacture of the dosimeter, lead oxide (PbO) with high atomic number (Z_Pb: 82, Z_O: 8) and density (9.53 g/cm³) and silicon binders that can bend according to human flexion were used. In the case of a dosimeter made of PbO material, the performance degradation has been prevented by using parylene and others due to the presence of degradation due to oxidation, but the previously used parylene is affected by bending, so a new form of passive layer was produced and applied to the skin dosimeter. The characteristic evaluation of the skin dosimeter was evaluated by analyzing SEM, reproducibility, and linearity. Through SEM analysis, bending was evaluated, reproducibility and linearity at 6 MeV energy were evaluated, and applicability was assessed with a skin dosimeter. As a result of observing the dosimeter surface through SEM analysis, the parylene passive layer PbO dosimeter with the positive layer raised to the parylene produced cracks on the surface when bent. On the other hand, no crack was observed in the silicon passive layer PbO dosimeter, which was raised to silicon passive layer. In the reproducibility measurement results, the RSD of the silicon passive layer PbO dosimeter was 1.47% which satisfied the evaluation criteria RSD 1.5% and the linearity evaluation results showed the R² value of 0.9990, which satisfied the evaluation criteria R² 9990. The silicon passive layer PbO dosimeter was evaluated to be applicable to skin dosimeters by demonstrating high signal stability, precision, and accuracy in reproducibility and linearity, without cracking due to bending.