• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2012

In medical ultrasound imaging, elasticity imaging helps to diagnose tumors such as cancer. This paper is concerned with the application of acoustic radiation force to soft tissue of interest to implement elasticity imaging. In order to reduce the data acquisition time, instead of relying on transmit focusing, a plane wave of burst type is transmitted to apply the acoustic radiation force simultaneously to an entire imaging region to be observed. A homogeneous phantom experiment confirms that increasing the transmit excitation duration instead of employing transmit focusing generates a high enough acoustic radiation force to obtain elasticity images. It is found, however, that a different displacement versus time characteristic is observed unlike the case of using a conventional focused acoustic radiation force. Experimental results obtained through the use of an ultrasound phantom and a bovine liver show that lesions can be correctly differentiated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2015

To report problems found in a patient who has implemented stent implantation and then conducted a perfusion MRI using ASL(Arterial Spin Labeling), in order to suggest a solution to them. The perfusion MRI was conducted, using pCASL among ASL methods. Data from pCASL(Pseudo Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling) was acquired together with the structural image simply by changing position(labeling gap 15 mm, 170 mm) of the labeling pulse to avoid stent. Data was processed through the ASLtbx. When perfusion MRI was acquired using pCASL, it showed that the position of the conventional labeling pulse (labeling gap 24 mm) was overlapped with that of stent, which made signal intensity in right brain tissue appear as if it were void. When the labeling pulse was positioned (labeling gap 15 mm) to avoid stent, high signal intensity images were acquired. In labeling pulse (labeling gap 170 mm), the signal intensity was more reduced due to relaxation before labeled blood arrived at the imaging slice. pCASL can be stably repeated measurements because it does not use a contrast agent. And it should be selected with the appropriate image acquisition parameters for the high quality image.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.339-343
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• 2000

When plants are exposed to subfreezing temperatures ice crystals are forming within extracelluar space in leaves. The growth of ice crystal is closely related to the degree of freezing injury. It was shown that an antifreeze protein binds to an ice nucleator through hydrogen bonds to prevent growth of ice crystal and also reduces freezing damage. The antifreeze proteins in plants are similar to PR proteins but only the PR proteins induced upon cold acclimation were shown to have dual functions in antifreezing as well as antifungal activities. Three of the genes encoded for CLP, GLP, and TLP were isolated from barley and Kentucky bluegrass based on amino acid sequence revealed after purification and low temperature-inducibility as shown in analysis of the protein. The deduced amino acid of the genes cloned showed a signal for secretion into extracellular space where the antifreezing activity sup-posed to work. The western analysis using the antisera raised against the antifreeze proteins showed a positive correlation between the amount of the protein and the level of freeze tolerance among different cultivars of barely. Besides it was revealed that TLP is responsible for a freeze tolerance induced by a treatment of trinexapac ethyl in Kentucky bluegrass. Analysis of an overwintering wild rice, Oryza rufipogon also showed that an acquisition of freeze tolerance relied on accumulation of the protein similar to CLP. The more direct evidence for the role of CLP in freeze tolerance was made with the analysis of the transgenic tobacco showing extracellular accumulation of CLP and enhanced freeze tolerance measured by amount of ion leakage and rate of photosynthetic electron transport upon freezing. These antifreeze proteins genes will be good candidates for transformation into crops such as lettuce and strawberry to develop into the new crops capable of freeze-storage and such as rose and grape to enhance a freeze tolerance for a safe survival during winter.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1227-1233
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• 2008

The effect of freeze drying and fixatives in post-treating freeze drying on the morphological properties of the rose (Rosa hybrida L.) petal were investigated for the production of high quality of freeze dried rose. The morphology including form and color of the dried flowers of cut rose were depended on the drying methods. The drying time was extended due to their density and water content, and was shorter in the freeze drying than that in the natural and hot air drying. Freeze dried process for dried flowers took 2 days in a freeze dryer and did not cause shrinkage or toughening of rose petal being dried, preserving its natural shape and color. The diameter of freeze dried flowers showed little reduction compared to fresh flowers. In Hunter color values of petals of freeze dried flowers, L and a values were high and showed little variations in comparison to fresh petals. Freeze drying led to a noticeable increase in anthocyanin contents in petals, suggesting that anthocyanin contents play an important role in the acquisition of freezing tolerance. Exposure of flowers to freeze drying was accompanied by an increase in the carotenoid content. In the post-treating freeze drying, epoxy resin, a fixative, applied alone or in combination to petals of freeze dried flowers showed efficient coating for the protection from humidity and sunlight. Combined application of epoxy and acetone to freeze dried petals permitted maintenance of natural color and excellent tissue morphology, showing color stability and shiny texture in surface of petals. These findings suggest that application of fixatives to freeze dried rose petals improves the floral preservation and epoxy coating provides good quality in the freeze dried flower product.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2013

Methcillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as an important cause of community-acquired infections, which has been recently designated as community-associated (CA) MRSA. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-negative multilocus sequence type 72 (ST72)-staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV has been reported as the predominat CA-MRSA strain in Korea and is commonly associated with skin and soft tissue infections in addition to healthcare-associated pneumonia. However, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) for this strain has not yet been reported. We hereby report two cases of CAP caused by PVL-negative ST72-SCCmec type IV strain in patients who had no risk factors for MRSA acquisition. While CA-MRSA infections are not yet prevalent in Korea, our cases suggest that CA-MRSA should be considered in cases of severe CAP, especially for cases associated with necrotizing pneumonia.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2003

Purpose: The p53 tumor suppressor gene is believed to play a pivotal role in preventing the uncontrolled cellular growth characteristic of cancer. Mutation of the p53 gene represent one of the most common genetic alterations in human cancers, and the acquisition of such defects is strongly associated with tumor progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between p53 immunoreactivity and the mutation of p53 gene in gastric adenocarcinoma obtained by laser capture microscope. Materials and Methods: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens were obtained from 20 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer. According to UICC TNM system, 3 of the cases were Ia, 2 cases II, 4 cases IIIa, 5 cases IIIb, and 6 cases IV. Results: Immunohistochemical staining revealed eight cases as negative (less than $10\%$), twelve cases as postive (more than $10\%$). The locations of mutations were as follows; 7 cases had point mutation at exon 4, and 3 cases point mutation at exon 8. There was no mutation at exon 5, 6, 7 and 9. The mutation was observed in 1 case out of 8 p53 oncoprotein negative cases, and 7 cases out of 12 p53 positive cases. The mutation was more common in p53 positive cases (P<0.05), However, there was no significant correlation between p53 mutation observed by DNA sequencing after laser capture microdissection and expression of p53 oncoprotein. Conclusion: These result suggest that he expression of p53 oncoprotein not to be related to the mutation of p53 gene at exons 4 through 9 in gastric cancer.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.231-242
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• 1994

Pnragonimus westermnni, the lung fluke, is known to migrate to the pulmonary tissue of mammalian hosts and causes pathological changes in the lungs. An acidic thiol-dependent proteinase with a molecular weight of approximately 20,000 daltons was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. On SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of the enzyme was 17,500 daltons. Isoelectric point was 6.45. The enzyme was similar to the acidic cysteine proteinase of vertebrates in the properties of pH optimum, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. Enzymatic activity was stable at pH 5.5 for at least two days when stored at 4℃. The cysteine proteinase was capable of degrading collagen and hemoglobin. Sera of patients with paragonimiasis and mice infected with R westermani reacted in immunoblots with the partially purified proteinase. This result suggested that the cysteine proteinase of P. westermnni may play a role in migration in tissues, and in acquisition of nutrients by parasites from the host. It is also potentially an antigen for the serodiagnosis of paragonimiasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.589-595
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• 2017

This study evaluated the effect of gadolinium contrast agents on the spectrum of metabolites during $^1H-MRS$ of brain and to investigate whether the contrast agents injected before MR spectroscopy significantly affect the estimated peaks of MRS. From January to May 2017, brain MR spectroscopy was performed on 30 patients to compare the spectrum before and after contrast injection of the brain white matter tissue. As a result, the spectrum of metabolites decreased after the paramagnetic contrast agents injected. However, it was not statistically significant which indicated that the use of contrast agent did not meaningfully affect the spectrum of metabolites. In conclusion, the use of the paramagnetic contrast before the acquisition of the spectroscopy may aid voxel positioning especially when it is difficult to determine the exact location of the lesion or the contrast is low.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3519-3524
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• 2014

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common cancer with poor prognosis. It has been hypothesized that Oct4 positive radioresistant stem cells may be responsible for tumor recurrence. Hence, we evaluated Oct4 expression in ESCC in pre-treatment, post neo-adjuvant residual and post-surgical recurrent tumours. Materials and Methods: Endoscopic mucosal biopsies were used to study Oct4 expression and the observations were correlated with histological tumor grades, patient data and clinical background. Results: All patients presented with dysphagia with male predominance and a wide age range. Majority of the patients had intake of mixed diet, history of alcohol and tobacco intake was documented in less than half of the patients. Oct 4 expression was significantly higher in poorly differentiated (PDSCC) and basaloid (BSCC) subtypes than the other better differentiated tumor morphology. Oct4 was also expressed by adjoining esophageal mucosa showing low grade dysplasia and basal cell hyperplasia (BCH). Biopsies in PDSCC and BSCC groups were more likely to show a positive band for Oct4 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dysplasia and BCH mucosa also showed Oct4 positivity by PCR. All mucosal biopsies with normal morphology were negative for Oct4. Number of tissue samples showing Oct4 positivity by PCR was higher than that by the conventional immunohistochemistry (p>0.05). Oct4 expression pattern correlated only with tumor grading, not with other parameters including the clinical background or patient data. Conclusions: Our observations highlighted a possible role of Oct4 in identifying putative cancer stem cells in ESCC pathobiology and response to treatment. The implications are either in vivo existence of Oct4 positive putative cancer stem cells in ESCC or acquisition of cancer stem cell properties by tumor cells as a response to treatment given, resulting ultimately an uncontrolled cell proliferation and treatment failure.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.419-426
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• 2013

This study investigates the usefulness of body fix in 4DRT on Liver cancer trying to find tumor tissue's volume and located variations, absorbed dose on tumor and normal tissues. Test subjects 23 patients were agreed these test. These patient's have a 4 dimensional CT scan. We make an acquisition on patients CT image by two types -put on the body fix or not-. Average tumor volume reduced by 0.17% on GTV and 3.2% on CTV and PTV. Tumor's variation reduces 29.8%(anterior and posterior, AP) and 5.31% (upper and lower, UL). The absorbed tumor doses under put on the body fix was a little higher(1.3%) than other. Normal tissues'(normal liver, stomach, Rt. kidney, spinal cord) absorbed dose could be reduced approximately 5%. Therefore, using body fix on 4DRT for liver cancer patient is considered effectively.