• Medical Lasers
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.161-169
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives Fractional microneedle radiofrequency systems are popular options to increase elasticity in aging skin. Laser-assisted drug delivery is a promising method for the epidermal injection of topically applied drugs and cosmetic ingredients. This study assesses the safety and efficacy of topical delivery of L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid after fractional microneedle radiofrequency treatment for reducing photodamage. Materials and Methods In this prospective, single-center, split-face, controlled pilot study, six women (mean age, 48.0 years; range, 35-57 years; Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV) exhibiting mild to moderate photodamage, underwent a single session of fractional microneedle radiofrequency treatment. The patients were instructed to apply the antioxidant formulation to only one side of the face. Patients were evaluated 3 days, 7 days, and 4 weeks thereafter, using three-dimensional imaging and ultrasound. Ex vivo, the full-thickness human skin was used for molecular and histological evaluation. Statistical analysis was achieved by applying t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and one-way analyses of variance. Results Compared to the untreated side, the antioxidant-treated side exhibited a significant increase in dermal thickness (10.32% vs. 17.54%, p < 0.05), but not in skin elasticity (4.76% vs. 4.69%, p > 0.05). The difference in erythema between the sides was statistically not significant (p > 0.05). In the ex vivo model, expression of FGF2 in the skin was significantly increased after application of the antioxidant formulation, as compared to results obtained subsequent to fractional microneedle radiofrequency treatment only (p < 0.01). Conclusion This study demonstrates that for the treatment of photodamaged skin, laser-assisted delivery of the antioxidant formulation is a safe and effective adjuvant modality following fractional microneedle radiofrequency.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.95-108
• /
• 2004

This nationwide survey was conducted to evaluate the current status of clinical practice for gastric cancer patients in Korea. The Information Committee of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) sent questionnaires containing 45 items about the preoperative diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment, and postoperative follow-up for gastric cancer patients to all 298 KGCA members in 108 institutes. Response rates were $32.6\%$ (97/298) for individuals and $59.3\%$ (64/108) for institutes. Most university hospitals responded (response rate of university hospitals: $71.6\%$, 48/67). The preoperative staging work up was performed primarily by abdominal CT, followed by bone scans, abdominal ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound, and so on. Gastric cancer patients with stages II, III, and IV usually received adjuvant chemotherapy after a curative operation. About half of the surgeons regarded 2 cm as a safe resection margin in early gastric cancer and 5 cm in advanced gastric cancer. More than half of surgeons usually performed a D2 lymph node dissection in early gastric cancer and D2+$\alpha$ lymph node dissection in advanced gastric cancer. About $20\%$ of surgeons performed less invasive surgery and/or function-preserving surgery, such as a pylorus-preserving gastrectomy, a laparoscopic wedge resection, or a laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.5023-5029
• /
• 2013

Background: To evaluate knowledge about screening tests and tests without proven screening value in a Greek Breast Unit population undergoing benign vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB). Materials and Methods: This study included 81 patients. Three knowledge-oriented items (recommended or not, screening frequency, age of onset) were assessed. Regarding screening tests two levels of knowledge were evaluated: i). crude knowledge (CK), i.e. knowledge that the test is recommended and ii). advanced knowledge (AK), i.e. correct response to all three knowledge-oriented items. Solely CK was evaluated for tests without proven screening value. Risk factors for lack of knowledge were assessed with multivariate logistic regression. A second questionnaire was administered 18 months after VABB to assess its impact on the performance of tests. Results: Concerning screening tests considerable lack of AK was noted (mammogram, 60.5%; Pap smear, 59.3%; fecal occult blood testing, 93.8%; sigmoidoscopy, 95.1%). Similarly lack of CK was documented regarding tests without proven screening value (breast self-examination, 92.6%; breast MRI, 60.5%; abdominal ultrasound, 71.6%; barium meal, 48.1%; urine analysis, 90.1%; chest X-Ray, 69.1%; electrocardiogram, 74.1%; cardiac ultrasound, 75.3%). Risk factors for lack of AK were: place of residence (mammogram), age (Pap smear), personal income (sigmoidoscopy); risk factors for lack of CK included number of offspring (breast MRI, chest X-Ray), BMI (abdominal ultrasound), marital status (urine analysis), current smoking status (electrocardiogram). VABB's only effect was improvement in mammogram rates. Conclusions: A considerable lack of knowledge concerning screening tests and misperceptions regarding those without proven value was documented.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.122-131
• /
• 2023

Persimmon peels are mostly discared as a by-product of dried persimmon manufacturing, but effective use is required as it contains various functional constituents. This study covers the preparation of carotenoid-enriched oil by ultrasound treatment of persimmon peel in soybean oil solvent, and the investigation of its physicochemical characteristics. Using the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology, the optimal extraction conditions (temperature, 62℃; time, 32 min; and persimmon peel to oil ratio, 1:3.1) were determined based on the carotenoid concentration of the extract. The physicochemical characteristics of the extract obtained under optimal conditions and the untreated soybean oil (control) were compared. The total carotenoid content of the extract increased. The carotenoid-enriched soybean oils had a lighter color than the controls, but with high redness and yellowness values. The effect of sonication and a component of the persimmon peel on the oxidation and heating stability of soybean oil was weak. The viscosity and activation energy of carotenoid-enriched soybean oil were slightly higher than those of the control. Thus, it was possible to prepare yellow-red carotenoid-enriched soybean oil by applying ultrasonic-soybean oil solvent extraction to persimmon peel. The oil is expected to be useful as an additive as well as a substitute for general edible oils.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.25
• /
• pp.50-54
• /
• 2018

Large-size graphene samples are successfully prepared by combining ultrosonic assisted liquid phase exfoliation process with oxidation-deoxidation method. Different from previous works, we used an ultrasound-treated expanded graphite as the raw material and prepared the graphene via a facile oxidation-reduction reaction. Results of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirm the crystal structure of the as-prepared graphene. Scanning electron microscopy images show that this kind of graphene has a large size (with a diameter over $100{\mu}m$), larger than the graphene from graphite powder and flake graphite prepared through single oxidation-deoxidation method. Transmission electron microscopy results also reveal the thin layers of the prepared graphene (number of layers ${\leq}3$). Furthermore, the importance of preprocessing the raw materials is also proven. Therefore, this method is an attractive way for preparing graphene with large size.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.77 no.4
• /
• pp.188-192
• /
• 2014

We present a case of an unusual infectious complication of a ruptured mediastinal abscess after endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), which led to malignant pleural effusion in a patient with stage IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer. EBUS-TBNA was performed in a 48-year-old previously healthy male, and a mediastinal abscess developed at 4 days post-procedure. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed for debridement and drainage, and the intraoperative findings revealed a large volume pleural effusion that was not detected on the initial radiographic evaluation. Malignant cells were unexpectedly detected in the aspirated pleural fluid, which was possibly due to increased pleural permeability and transport of malignant cells originating in a ruptured subcarinal lymph node from the mediastinum to the pleural space. Hence, the patient was confirmed to have squamous cell lung carcinoma with malignant pleural effusion and his TNM staging was changed from stage IIIA to IV.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.11
• /
• pp.1612-1619
• /
• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to optimize ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis conditions, including enzyme-to-substrate (E/S) ratio, pH, and temperature, for producing porcine liver hydrolysates (PLHs) with the highest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity by using response surface methodology (RSM). Methods: The study used RSM to determine the combination of hydrolysis parameters that maximized the antioxidant activity of our PLHs. Temperature ($40^{\circ}C$, $54^{\circ}C$, and $68^{\circ}C$), pH (8.5, 9.5, and 10.5), and E/S ratio (0.1%, 2.1%, and 4.1%) were selected as the independent variables and analyzed according to the preliminary experiment results, whereas DPPH free radical scavenging activity was selected as the dependent variable. Results: Analysis of variance showed that E/S ratio, pH, and temperature significantly affected the hydrolysis process (p<0.01). The optimal conditions for producing PLHs with the highest scavenging activity were as follows: E/S ratio, 1.4% (v/w); temperature, $55.5^{\circ}C$; and initial pH, 10.15. Under these conditions, the degree of hydrolysis, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ferrous ion chelating ability, and reducing power of PLHs were 24.12%, 79%, 98.18%, and 0.601 absorbance unit, respectively. The molecular weight of most PLHs produced under these optimal conditions was less than 5,400 Da and contained 45.7% hydrophobic amino acids. Conclusion: Ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis can be applied to obtain favorable antioxidant hydrolysates from porcine liver with potential applications in food products for preventing lipid oxidation.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report the preliminarily result of the radiologic disappearance of the calcific material, regardless of the size, type or location, on one-time ultrasonographic (US) assisted needling for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Materials and Methods: From March to August 2011, 46 patients (47 shoulders) with symptomatic calcific tendinitis were treated by one-time US assisted needling. Initially, a diagnostic US was performed with patient to determine the locations, numbers and sizes of calcific deposits. After 1% lidocaine local anesthesia, the calcific material was punctured with an 18-gauge needle under US monitoring. If no calcific material was aspirated after 2 or 3 additional attempts, the deposits was performed multiple puncture to achieve decompression. And then all patients were performed subacromial corticosteroid injection. All patients were followed up 4 weeks after procedure. To assess the radiologic disappearance after one-time US assisted needling, simple radiographs of the treated shoulder were performed and size, dense, and morphology of the calcific deposits were compared with those in baseline radiographs. For clinical evaluations, visual analogue scale for pain and function (PVAS and FVAS), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score were assessed. Results: There were 11 male and 35 female patients with the mean age of 53.8 years (28-71). The morphology of the calcific deposits were 31 type A and 16 type B by French Arthroscopic Society classification and mean size was $2.9{\pm}6.7$ mm before the procedure. At 4 weeks after the index procedure, the radiographic unchanged group was included in 10 cases and changed group was 37 cases. No intergroup difference for the clinical results after the procedure was evident, but group FAS classification before the procedure was significantly different (p=0.011). Conclusion: At 4 weeks after one-time US assisted needling for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder, the radiographic size- or dense-changed cases were showed in 79%, regardless of the size, type or location of the calcific material. But the radiographic nearly or complete disappearance were showed in only 21%.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2008

This investigation was performed to study the antioxidant activities and the antimicrobial effect of plum (Santarosa, Oishiwase) extracts. Plums were extracted by ultrasound-assisted method and boiling method. All extracts of plums showed concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on the DPPH free radical scavenging activity. In the superoxide anion radical scavenging method, all the plum extracts showed lower activity than BHT. But in case of sonicate extract of Oishwase exhibited the highest activity in plum extracts. The antimicrobial effect of plums used for human skin- or oral cavity-presented strains; Bacillus cereus (KCTC 1012) and Staphylococcus aureus (KCTC 1927). Addition of plum extracts was used by autoclaved and filtrated. Each extract solution was added into culture media with several concentration and then the bacteria cell growth was investigated for 72 hours. The effect of antimicrobial activities showed in a higher Staphylococcus aureus than Bacillus cereus. Results indicate that the autoclaved sample showed a higher antimicrobial activity than did the filtrated sample.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.33-35
• /
• 2014

Mondor's disease is an uncommon condition characterized by a palpable, cord-shaped structure, which causes pain when pressed. Its known pathophysiology is thrombophlebitis of the superficial venous system. Although reported repeatedly, its definite cause is unknown and various possible causes have been identified, including surgery, irradiation, infection, malignancy, and trauma. We diagnosed this case to be Mondor's disease of the antecubital venous system, probably due to thermal injury of the proximal tributaries of the basilic or cephalic vein. Risk of thermal injury to the skin flap or the portal site remains a common complication, and as thermal injury to the blood vessel might also be considered, attention must be given when suctioning the area near a large superficial vessel.