• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1053-1062
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• 2007

In the present work, we show that tamoxifen(Tam)-induced cytotoxicity is due to the mitochondrial-dependent pathway triggered by the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Tam induced the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase. According to the experimental results with $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers, Tam-induced $Ca^{2+}$ uptake seemed to depend on the voltage-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ channel at the early stage, but at later stages the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increases are more likely due partly to the release of stored $Ca^{2+}$ and partly to the capacitative $Ca^{2+}$ or other entry pathways. Tam-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase led to the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol and the change of mitochondrial membrane potential. In MCF-7 cells, caspase-7 plays a key role in the downstream of apoptosis because caspase-3 is absent. In the cells treated with Tam, caspase-7 cleavage was increased almost two-fold. There was no marked alteration in the level of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein; however, the cells showed increased expression of pro-apoptotic Bax protein more than two-fold in response to Tam. These results imply that the apoptotic signaling pathway activated by Tam is likely to be mediated via the mitochondrial-dependent pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1127-1133
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• 2011

Exercise has been shown to positively influence quality of life for elderly men with a wide variety of medical illnesses. Tai chi exercise, a slow and graceful form of exercise and meditation, has especially been offered as the ideal exercise for elderly men with diverse conditions, such as people suffering from chronic heart failure or breast cancer survivors. In one recent study, Tai Chi was found to improve exercise capacity, sleep stability, and quality of life in heart failure patients including elderly men. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (3 times/week, 60 min/trial, 40-50% HRR) on physical and physiological changes. Sixty four healthy volunteers without any particular disease between the ages of 65 and 79 years participated in the study. The results were as follows; Significant changes of cardiac endurance, strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and balance were observed following 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (p<0.05). In addition, significant changes of diastolic blood pressure, body fat and fat-free mass were observed following 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (p<0.05). These findings suggest that a brief period of Tai Chi exercise is beneficial, particularly to elderly men. It is especially beneficial for body composition, and physical fitness factors such as cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle endurance, flexibility, and balance. Further study is needed in this area for specific disease patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.755-762
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• 2020

This study is desinged to examine the effects of Taheebo(Tabebuia avellanedae) extract on the prostate of male rats as a natural radiation protection agent. Taheebo extract is well known to inhibit cell growth for the cell lines of breast and prostate cancer. In this study, the X-ray 7 Gy was irradiated in the prostate of male rat to identify radiation protection effects by Taheebo Extracts, 1, 7, and 21 Days later, hematological changes, external toxicity assessments(LDH), antioxidant enzyme(SOD) activity changes and tissue change were observed. IR+TH group showed greater lymphocyte levels than the irradiation group, which is believed to affect the hematopoietic immune system's resilience. As a results of the external toxicity assessment, Taheebo extract's toxicity is maximum 18.128±5.16%, minimum 13.6945±4.43%. Taheebo is considered to be of little toxicity. The composition of prostate cell nuclei and cytoplasm in Control and TH group was honogeneous, whereas the cell nucleus cohesion in the prostate in irradiation group and inflammatory reactions in cytoplasm were shown. IR+TH group showed less inflammatory reactions of cytoplasm in the prostate than in the radiation irradiation group, but showed a cohesive phenomenon of cell nuclei. It is judged that Taheebo extract has radiation protection against prostate cells.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.160-165
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• 2004

Successful treatment of multi-loculated pleural effusion or thoracic empyema requires effective drainage and definitive diagnosis of causative organism. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the management of thoracic empyema or multi-loculated pleural effusion after chest tube drainage treatment had failed. Material and Method: Between April 2000 and July 2002, 20 patients with thoracic empyema or multi-loculated pleural effusion that failed to chest tube drainage or other procedures who underwent an operation. All patients were assessed by chest-computed tomogram and underwent video assisted thoracoscopic drainage, debridement, biopsy and irrigation of pleural cavity. Result: In 18 cases (90%), underwent successful video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. In 2 cases, decortications by mini-thoracotomy were necessary. The ratio of sex was 4 : 1 (16 male: 4 female), mean age was 48.9 years old (range, 17∼72 years), mean duration of postoperative chest tube placement was 8.2 days (range, 4∼22 days), mean postoperative hospital stay was 15.2 days (range, 7∼33 days). Causative disease was tuberculosis, pneumonia, trauma and metastatic breast cancer, There were no major postoperative complications. Symptoms improved in all patients and were discharged with OPD follow up. Conclusion: In an early organizing phase of empyema or multi loculated pleural effusion, video-assisted thoracoscopic drainage and debridement are safe and suitable treatment.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.101-106
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• 2000

Menopausal women experience urogenitory and vasomotor symptoms with increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, which can be reduced by hormone replacement therapy. However unopposed estrogen therapy has been associated with an increased risk of endometrial hypeiplasia or cancer. The objectives of this study were to compare effects of continuous vs. sequential hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on lipid profile, bone mineral density and menopausal symptoms of postmenopausal women and to assess how they perceive the menopause and HRT culturally. In this retrospective study, women in menopause longer than 6 months, normal in the mam-mogram and Papanicolaou smear, cholesterol level lower than 190 mg/dL or triglyceride level lower 4han 500 mg/dL were treated with Srogen (conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg tablet) and Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg tablet) for continuous treatment(CT) or Cycloprogynova (Estradiol valerate 2 mg and Norgestrel 0.5 mg complex tablet) for sequential treatment(ST). They were evaluated for lipid profile, bone mineral density, menopausal symptoms, side effects and their perception of menopause and HRT. As results, total sixty-seven patients out of ninety-four enrollees were included in final analysis (33 in continuous therapy, 34 in sequential therapy). There were significant decrease in total cholesterol ($15.04\pm3.17$, p=0.0001), LDL ($19.72\pm3.27$, p=0.0001), and increase in HDL ($5.89\pm1.63$, p=0.0001). Bone minora) density increased significantly with HRT ($0.02\pm0.11$, p=0.0001). But, there were no significant differences in change of lipid profile between continuous and sequential therapy: Total cholesterol, $13.12\pm4.7\;vs.\;16.91\pm4.3;\;LDL\;20.53\pm4.1\;vs.\;18.93\pm5.12:HDL\;7.15\pm2.3\;vs.\;4.67\pm2.2,\;p>0.05$. Incidences of flush reduced from $75\%\;(CT)\;to\;3.13\%\;and\;71.88\%\;(ST)\;to\;9.35\%$. The change of endometrium and breast were found 3 (CT) and 5 (ST) women, respectively. Most of women recognized that HRT is necessary $(70\%)$ for postmenopausal period but did not understand well the cardiovascular protective effect. In conclusion, hormone replacement therapy was effective in improving lipid profile, bone mineral density and menopausal symptoms in both continuous and sequential treatments with similar efficacy.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.561-567
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• 2012

Objectives: Parabens are widely used as antimicrobial agents in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well as by the food industry. Parabens have been reported to show weak estrogenic activity and be related to health effects such as allergic reactions and skin and breast cancer. We evaluated an online solid phase extraction (SPE) method coupled with LC-MS/MS technique using free and conjugated parent parabens in human urine for assessing human exposure to parabens. Methods: We employed LC/MS/MS through online solid phase extraction and column-switching techniques and analyzed free and conjugated parabens as biomarkers of human exposure. Four major parabens, methyl-paraben (MP), ethyl-paraben (EP), propyl-paraben (PP) and butyl-paraben (BP), were analyzed. Method validation was performed by sensitivity, accuracy, precision and comparison of the results of online SPE with offline SPE. Results: The limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.2-2 ng/mL, and actual limits of quantification (LOQ) were in the range of 0.7-6 ng/mL urine, depending upon the compound. Accuracy was in the range of 98.3-106.4%, and precision was in the range of 1.3-8.7% (CV) depending upon the compound. We found a good correlation between the results of analysis by online SPE method and that by off-line SPE method. Conclusions: The online SPE method showed proper LOD and validated accuracy, precision and good correlation with the offline method for analyzing parabens in urine.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2002

A fusion protein, consisting of a human epidermal growth factor as the recognition domain and human angiogenin as the toxin domain, can be used as a targeted therapeutic against breast cancer cells among others. The fusion protein was expressed as an inclusion body in recombinant E. coli, yet when the conventional solution-phase refolding process was used the refolding yield was very low due to severe aggregation, probably because of the opposite surface charge resulting from the vastly different pl values of each domain. Accordingly the solid-phase refolding process, which exploits the ionic interactions between a solid matrix and the protein, was tried, however the ionic binding yield was also very low regardless of the resins and pH conditions used. Therefore, to provide a higher affinity toward the solid matrix, six Iysine residues were tagged to the N-terminus of the hEGF domain. When cation exchange resins, such as heparin- or CM-Sepharose, were used as the matrix, the adsorption capacity increased 2.5~3-fold and the subsequent refolding yield increased nearly 15-fold compared to the conventional process. A similat result was also obtained when an Ni-NTA metal affinity resin was used.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 1997

Taxol, an anticancer drug that has diterpenoid conformation, has been used as an effective chemotherapeutical agent in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancers. Because of its toxicity like other anticancer drugs, monitoring the taxol level in serum is important procedure during cancer therapy. The various monitoring methods using HPLC, ELISA, and RIA have been adopted, and RIA technique is known to be superior than other methods in trems of sensitivity and convenience. In this study, in order to develope taxol RIA system using $^{125}$I labelled antigen, first of all we synthesized taxol derivatives. 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol was obtained with about 80％ yield by esterification of taxol at C-2' hydroxyl group on C-13 carbon with succinic anhydride. [$^{125}$I]iodotyramine was prepared with 58％ labelling yield by radioiodination of tyramine and purified by gel chromatography. 2'-[$^{125}$I]iodotyramine-hemisuninyltaxol, $^{125}$I labelled antigen for taxol RIA, was synthesized with 96% yield from conjugation of 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol and [$^{125}$I]iodotyramine. Anti-taxol serum was produced from the rabbit immunized with 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol-BSA synthesized by 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol and BSA. The antiserum titer was determined by RIA using 2'-[$^{125}$I]iodotyramine-hemisuccinyltaxol. The titer of 1:20 was obtained with about 40% of B/T. The results suggest that taxol RIA using $^{125}$I labelled antigen can be applied to monitor the taxol level in serum.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2017

Objectives: The effects of Gamiondam-tang (GMODT) co-administration within 5min on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of tamoxifen were observed as a process of the comprehensive and integrative medicine, combination therapy of tamoxifen with GMODT to achieve synergic pharmacodynamics and reduce toxicity on the breast cancer. Methods: After 50mg/kg of tamoxifen treatment, GMODT 100mg/kg was administered within 5min. The plasma were collected at 30 min before administration, 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 24 hrs after end of GMODT treatment, and plasma concentrations of tamoxifen were analyzed using LC-MS/MS methods. PK parameters of tamoxifen (Tmax, Cmax, AUC, $t_{1/2}$ and $MRT_{inf}$) were analysis as compared with tamoxifen single administered rats using noncompartmental pharmacokinetics data analyzer programs. Results: Co-administration with GMODT induced increased trends of plasma tamoxifen concentrations to 1hr after end of administration, and then showed decreased trends of plasma tamoxifen concentrations, and especially significant (p<0.05) increases of plasma tamoxifen concentrations were demonstrated at 0.5hr after end of co-administration with GMODT and also related significant (p<0.05) decreases of $AUC_{0-inf}$ and $MRT_{inf}$ as compared with tamoxifen single formula treated rats, at dosage levels of tamoxifen 10 mg/kg and GMODT 100 mg/kg within 5 min, in this experiment. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it is considered that single co-administration GMODT within 5min significantly inhibited the oral bioavailability of tamoxifen through variable influences on the absorption and excretion of tamoxifen, can be influenced on the toxicity or pharmacodynamic of tamoxifen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1043-1047
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• 2002

It is well known that soy isoflavones play beneficial roles in the prevention of chronic diseases such as breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. However current data are not sufficient for estimating the level of isoflavone intake. To use the urinary isoflavone excretion as a maker of isoflavone intake,26 participants consumed the isoflavone extract capsule (90 mg soy isoplavones/capsule) daily for 3 months. The study compared effects of pre- and post-isoflavone supplement in the following parameters; physical examination, dietary recalls, and urinary isoflavon excretion. The average age, height and weight were 65.7 years, 149.4 cm, and 57.3 kg. Subjects maintained regular diet pattern, and average daily nutrient intakes between pre- and post- supplementation were not significantly different except vitamin A, carotene and vitamin C. There was no significant difference between pre- and post- supplementation in terms of daily isoflavone intake. The basal urinary isoflavone excretion was 8.37 mg/day (daidzein 6.23 mu genistein 2.14 mg), and average daily excretion rate was IS.8%. Urinary isoflavone excretion was significantly increased, after isoflavone supplementation for 3 months as compared the basal level (p<0.01). Our data suggest that urinary isoflavone level, especially daidzein and genistein, may be a useful maker to estimate isoflavone intake.