• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.187-199
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• 2002

This descriptive study was undertaken to measure quality of life score and investigate the correlation between the demographic characteristics, the diagnostic related characteristics, physical symptom and quality of life of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy as on attempt to provide basic data to help them attain better qualify of life. The subjects for this study were 74 out-patients undergoing radiation therapy at C University hospital in Gwangju, from June, 1998 to July, 2000. The data were obtained using a convenient sampling technique. The tool of this study was the quality of life scale developed by Ro Yoo Ja. The data were analyzed using the SAS program for percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, GLM. The results were as follows: 1. The total average score for quality of life of the subjects was 137.22 and the range was from 38 to 227, item mean score(range 1-5) was 3.15. For each factor in qualify of life of life score, the mean scores(range 1-5) were as follows; family relationship 3.69, relationship with neighbors factor 3.40, self esteem 3.10, physical state and function 2.95, economic life 2.91, emotional fate 2.88. 2. The incidence of physical symptoms was seen fatigue($82.4\%$), skin change($43.2\%$), alopecia($41.9\%$), pain($41.9\%$), anorexia($39.2\%$), anemia($39.2\%$), and headache($31.1\%$) in that order. 3. The result of the analysis of the relationships between the quality of life scores and demogaphic characteristics were as follows : there were significant differences, between age(F=3.44, p=0.013), educational level(F=3.84, p=0.007), duration of marriage((F=5.06, p=0.003) and monthly income(F=4.72, p=0.005). 4. The result of the analysis of the relationships between quality of life scores and diagnostic related characteristics was as follows: there was a significant difference between incidence durations(F=5.02, p=0.003). 5. The correlation of emotional state, economic life, self esteem, physical sate & function, relationship with neighbors, relationship with family in quality of life of cancer patients revealed a positive correlation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.549-553
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• 2007

Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic syndrome of an unknown etiology, and it is characterized by the formation of multiple noncaseating granulomas that disrupt the architecture and function of the tissues in which they reside. The most commonly affected organs are lung, skin and lymph nodes. Overt clinical involvement of the nervous system is uncommon and this occurs in about 5% of all patients during the course of their disease. The most common manifestations are granulomatous leptomeningitis, cranial nerve palsy, electrolyte or other endocrinologic abnormalities, but isolated memory impairment is a rare manifestation. This is a case of 59 years-old male with recent memory impairment, and he was previously diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis by transbronchial lung biopsy. The brain MRI imaging revealed the leptomeningeal and parenchymal involvement of sarcoidosis. He was treated with high dose corticosteroid and his memory function was improved to nearly a normal level. We report here on a case of successful treatment of pulmonary sarcoidosis combined with neurosarcoidosis with using high dose corticosteroid, and the patient presented with recent memory impairment.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2006

Central venous catheter (CVC) for long-term venous access is indispensable for various reasons including hyperalimentation, frequent blood sampling, frequent IV drug use in pediatric patients. We report clinical experience of surgical neonates in whom CVC was inserted primarily via great saphenous vein into suprarenal inferior vena cava. From March 2004 to March 2006, we performed CVC insertion via saphenous vein - contralateral side to main wound - into suprarenal inferior vena cava in surgeries of neonates. 2.7Fr or 4.2Fr, single lumen, tunneled Broviac catheters (Bard Access system, Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah) were used. Skin exit site of tunneled catheter was located in ipsilateral flank area just below edge lower rib. At the end of the procedure, location of the catheter tip was confirmed by plain radiography of abdomen. We retrospectively reviewed the admission records of the patients including nursing staff charts. Nine (50.0 %) patients were male and nine (50.0%) were female. Median gestational age was 38 weeks (range, 29-42 weeks) and median birth weight was 3,105 gm (range, 1,040-3,720 gm). Median age at catheter insertion was 38.5 days (range, 1-236 days). The purpose of CVC insertion was short-and long-term hyperalimentation in nine (50.0 %) patients. CVC insertion was performed in operation room under general anesthesia in sixteen (88.9 %) patients (in these cases, CVC insertion was performed just prior to concurrent operation) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) under local anesthesia with adequate sedation in two (11.2%). During the admission period (total catheter-indwelling time: 553 days), CVC functioned well without any significant side effects. Transient swelling of the ipsilateral leg (n=1, 5.6 %) and transient migration of catheter tip (n=1, 5.6 %) were noted, which did not affect function of the indwelled CVC. Mean catheter-indwelling time was 30.7days (range, 3-72 days). All catheters were removed electively except two mortality case. Complications, such as thrombosis, infection, kinking or extravasation of drugs, were not observed in our study period. Tunneled trans-great saphenous vein inferior vena cava catheters are not only comparable to cervical CVCs in terms of function and complication rates, but also very beneficial in selected patients, especially those in whom cervical approach is technically impossible or contraindicated.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the optimal conditions of collagen extraction from scales of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) using surface response methodology. Four independent variables of NaOH concentration and pretreatment fime in alkali pretreatment and enzyme concentration and treatment time in enzyme hydrolysis were used to predict a model equation for the collagen yield. The determinant coefficient ($R^2$) for the equation was 0.906. The values of the independent variables for the maximum yield were 0.32 N NaOH, 16.38 h alkali pretreatment time, 0.18% enzyme concentration, and 31.02 h enzyme treatment time. In the physicochemical properties of tuna scale collagen, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of tuna scale collagen showed the same migration distances as that of calf skin collagen. The amide A, I, II, and III regions of tuna scale collagen in Fourier transform infrared measurements were shown in the peaks of 3,414 $cm^{-1}$, 1,645 $cm^{-1}$, 1,553 $cm^{-1}$, and 1,247 $cm^{-1}$, respectively. The amount of imino acids in tuna scale collagen was 18.97% and the collagen denaturation temperature was $33^{\circ}C$. The collagen solubility as a function of NaCl concentration decreased to 4% NaCl (w/v) and the collagen solubility as a function of pH was high at pH 2-4 and sharply decreased from pH 4 to pH 7. Viscosity of the collagen solution decreased continuously until $30^{\circ}C$ and this decreasing rate slowed in the temperature range of $35-50^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1777-1786
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• 2009

Thymosin ${\beta}4$, a small protein containing 43 amino acids, has multi-functional roles in cell physiology. It was first identified as a thymic maturation factor and recently has been shown to accelerate wound healing, hair growth, angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis. It was also reported to play a key role in developing organs, including the nervous system and heart. Thymosin ${\beta}4$ induces the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), laminin-5, and other important biologically active genes. Using tissue microarray analysis, we investigated the expression patterns of thymosin ${\beta}4$ and VEGF in various normal human adult tissues. Thymosin ${\beta}4$ was highly expressed in the liver, pancreas, ductal epithelium of the salivary gland, and heart, and moderately expressed in the skin, lung, spleen, lymph node, thymus, ureter, and blood endothelial cells in both the lung and adrenal gland. The expression of VEGF generally co-localized with thymosin ${\beta}4$ and VEGF was highly expressed in the pancreas, ureter, mammary gland, liver, esophagus, and blood endothelial cells in both the lung and adrenal gland. These results suggest that thymosin ${\beta}4$ plays an important role in the function of various organs and since the expression pattern of thymosin ${\beta}4$ co-localized with VEGF, part of that function may be to induce or maintain angiogenesis.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Objectives: Exercise with partially restricted blood flow is a low-load, low-intensity resistance training regimen which may have the potential to increase muscle strength in the obese, elderly and frail who are unable to do high-load training. Restricted blood flow exercise has also been shown to affect blood vessel function variably and can, therefore, contribute to blood vessel dysfunction. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that unilateral resistance training of the leg extensors with partially restricted blood flow increases muscle strength and decreases vascular autoregulation. Methods: The subjects were nine normotensive, overweight, young adult African-Americans with low cardiorespiratory fitness who underwent unilateral training of the quadriceps' femoris muscles with partially restricted blood flow at 30% of the 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) load for 3 weeks. The 1-RM load and post-occlusion blood flow to the lower leg (calf) were measured during reactive hyperemia. Results: The 1-RM load increased in the trained legs from $77{\pm}3$ to $84{\pm}4 kg$ (P < 0.05) in the absence of a significant effect on the 1-RM load in the contralateral untrained legs (P > 0.1). Post-occlusion blood flow decreased significantly in the trained legs from $19{\pm}2$ to $13{\pm}2mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P < 0.05) and marginally in the contralateral untrained legs from $18{\pm}2$ to $16{\pm}1mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P = 0.09). Changes in post-occlusion blood flow to the skin overlying the trained and the contralateral untrained muscles were not significant. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that restricted blood flow exercise, which results in significant gains in muscle strength, may produce decrements in endothelial dysfunction and vascular autoregulation. Future studies should determine whether pharmacopuncture plays a role in treatments for such blood vessel dysfunction.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.119-133
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• 1998

Attentional processes facilitate cognitive and behavioral performance in several ways. Attention serves to reduce the amount of information to receive. Attention enables humans to direct themselves to appropriate aspects of external environmental events and internal operations. Attention facilitates the selection of salient information and the allocation of cognitive processing appropriate to that information. Attention is not a unitary process that can be localized to a single neuroanatomical region. Before the cortical registration of sensory information, activation of important subcortical structures occurs, which is called as an orienting response. Once sensory information reaches the sensory cortex, a large number of perceptual processes occur, which provide various levels of perceptual resolution of the critical features of the stimuli. After this preattentional processing, information is integrated within higher cortical(heteromodal) systems in inferior parietal and temporal lobes. At this stage, the processing characteristics can be modified, and the biases of the system have a direct impact on attentional selection. Information flow has been traced through sensory analysis to a processing stage that enables the new information to be focused and modified in relation to preexisting biases. The limbic and paralimbic system play significant roles in modulating attentional response. It is labeled with affective salience and is integrated according to ongoing pressures from the motivational drive system of the hypothalamus. The salience of information greatly influences the allocation of attention. The frontal lobe operate response selection system with a reciprocal interaction with both the attention system of the parietal lobe and the limbic system. In this attentional process, the search with the spatial field is organized and a sequence of attentional responses is generated. Affective, motivational and appectitive impulses from limbic system and hypothalamus trigger response intention, preparation, planning, initiation and control of frontal lobe on this process. The reticular system, which produces ascending activation, catalyzes the overall system and increases attentional capacity. Also additional energetic pressures are created by the hypothalamus. As psychophysiological measurement, skin conductance, pupil diameter, muscle tension, heart rate, alpha wave of EEG can be used. Event related potentials also provide physiological evidence of attention during information process. NI component appears to be an electrophysiological index of selective attention. P3 response is developed during the attention related to stimulus discrimination, evaluation and response.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.5-17
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• 2022

A pile is a type of medium for constructing superstructures in weak geotechnical conditions. A pretensioned spun high-strength concrete (PHC) pile is composed of high-strength concrete with a specified strength greater than 80 MPa. Therefore, it has advantages in resistance to axial and bending moments and quality control and management since it is manufactured in a factory. However, the skin friction of a pile, which accounts for a large portion of the pile bearing capacity, is only approximated using empirical equations or standard penetration test (SPT) N-values. Particularly, there are some poor research results on the pile-soil interface under the seismic loads in Korea. Additionally, some studies do not consider geoenvironmental elements, such as groundwater pH values. This study performs sets of cyclic simple shear tests using submerged concrete specimens for 1 month to consider pH values of groundwater and clay specimens composed of kaolinite to generate a pile-soil interface. 0.2 and 0.4 MPa of normal stress conditions are considered in the case of pH values. The disturbed state concept is employed to express the dynamic behavior of the interface, and the disturbed function parameters are newly suggested. Consequently, the largest disturbance increase under basic conditions is observed, and an early approach to the failure under low normal stress conditions is presented. The disturbance function parameters are also suggested to express this disposition quantitatively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2022

This study compared DLP values along with phantom entrance surface doses and the image quality of chest CT scans made using a Care Dose 4D+Care kV System, scans that are made using only the Care Dose 4D function, and scans that are made with changes made by applying 80 kVp, 100 kVp, 120 kVp, and 140 kVp to the Care Dose 4D and tube voltage to search for methods to maintain the highest image quality with minimal patient doses. It was shown that DLP values decreased 6.727% when scans were taken with Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV semi 100 and 6.481% when scans were taken with Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV. With Chest Non as a standard, skin surface doses decreased 16.519% when scans were taken with Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV semi 100 and 15.705% when scans were taken with Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV. With comparisons of image quality, when comparisons were made with Chest Non, comparisons made of SNR values and CNR values in all scanning conditions including Care Dose 4D + Care kV showed that there were no significant differences at P>0.05. Imaging using Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV in chest CT showed that exposure doses decreased similarly to result values gained from the best conditions through manual adjustments of kV and mAS, and there were no significant differences in image SNR and CNR. If the Chest Care Dose 4D + Care kV function is used, image quality is maintained and patient exposure to radiation can be reduced.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.337-346
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• 2023

Background: Ginsenoside Rb2, a major active component of Panax ginseng, has various physiological activities, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the rejuvenation effect of Rb2 in human skin cells have not been elucidated. Methods: We performed a senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining assay to confirm cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The regulatory effects of Rb2 on autophagy were evaluated by analyzing the expression of autophagy marker proteins, such as microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain (LC) 3 and p62, using immunoblotting. Autophagosome and autolysosome formation was monitored using transmission electron microscopy. Autophagic flux was analyzed using tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, and lysosomal function was assessed with Lysotracker. We performed RNA sequencing to identify potential target genes related to HDF rejuvenation mediated by Rb2. To verify the functions of the target genes, we silenced them using shRNAs. Results: Rb2 decreased β-galactosidase activity and altered the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins in senescent HDFs. Rb2 markedly induced the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and LC3 puncta. Moreover, Rb2 increased lysosomal function and red puncta in tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, which indicate that Rb2 promoted autophagic flux. RNA sequencing data showed that the expression of DNA damage-regulated autophagy modulator 2 (DRAM2) was induced by Rb2. In autophagy signaling, Rb2 activated the AMPK-ULK1 pathway and inactivated mTOR. DRAM2 knockdown inhibited autophagy and Rb2-restored cellular senescence. Conclusion: Rb2 reverses cellular senescence by activating autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway and induction of DRAM2, suggesting that Rb2 might have potential value as an antiaging agent.