• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2001

Purpose : The aim of this study is to analyze the treatment failure patterns and the risk factors for locoregional or distant failure of uterine cervical carcinoma treated with radiation therapy. Materials and methods . A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 154 patients treated with curative radiation therapy in Gyeongsang National University Hospital from April 1989 through December 1997. According to FIGO classification, 12 patients were stage IB, 24 were IIA, 98 were IIB, 1 were IIIA, 17 were IIIB, 2 were IVA. Results : Overall treatment failure rate was $42.1\%$ (65/154), and that of complete responder was $31.5\%$ (41/130). Among 65 failures, 25 failed locoregionally, another 25 failed distantly, and 15 failed locoregionally and distantly. Multivariate analysis confirmed tumor size (>4 cm) as risk factor for locoregional failure, and tumor size (>4 cm), pelvic lymph node involvement as risk factors for distant failure. Conclusion : On the basis of results of our study and recent published data of prospective randomized study for locally advanced uterine cervical carcinoma, we concluded that uterine cervical carcinoma with size more than 4 cm or pelvic lymph node involvement should be treated with concurrent chemoradiation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.469-475
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• 1998

Purpose : To determine the role of Pelvic irradiation in stage I or IIA cervical carcinoma with pelvic nodal metastasis after hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. Materials and Methods : This is a retrospective study of 68 cervical carcinoma patients who were found to have pelvic nodal metastasis at hysterectomy and received pelvic irradiation from 1983 to 1996 at Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital. External beam radiation therapy to pelvis was delivered using 4 MeV Linac and intracavitary irradiation was given via vaginal ovoids or cylinders. Five-year survival and disease-free survival were estimated by Kaplan-Meier Method and prognostic factors related to survival were analysed by log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results : Median length of follow-up was 52months. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) were 81.8$\%$ and 81.7$\%$ respectively. Patients with endometrial invasion had a 57.1$\%$ 5-year DFS compared to 87.5$\%$ for those without endometrial invasion (p=0.0074). Multivariate analysis revealed endometrial invasion as an only statistically significant prognostic factor for 5-year DFS. Among total 15 (22$\%$) recurrences. pelvic recurrences occurred in 4 cases and distant metastases occurred in 13 cases. Conclusion : We have been able to confirm previous results demonstrating marked decrease in local recurrence after pelvic irradiation. In view of the high proportion of distant metastasis found in this study, a trial of aggressive adjuvant systemic therapy and irradiation in early stage cervical carcinoma patients with pelvic nodal metastasis, especially with endometrial invasion, appears to be warranted.

• Journal of The Korean Ophthalmological Society
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• v.59 no.12
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• pp.1166-1172
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• 2018

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy, and identify predictors of success of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients after adjusting for intraocular pressure (IOP) changes in the untreated fellow eye. Methods: This retrospective chart review included 52 eyes of 52 OAG patients who underwent SLT in one eye and were followed-up for at least 1 year after the procedure. The IOP was measured before the treatment, at 1, 2, and 3 months posttreatment, and every 3 months thereafter. To account for the possible influence of IOP fluctuations on laser outcomes, post-laser IOP values of the treated eye of each patient were also analyzed, after adjusting for IOP changes in the untreated fellow eye. Success was defined as an IOP decrease ${\geq}20%$ of the pretreatment IOP. The success rate was determined based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and factors predictive of success were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The mean pretreatment IOP was $23.17{\pm}6.96mmHg$. The mean IOP reduction was $5.59{\pm}4.78mmHg$ (29.7%) and the success rate was 65.4% at 1 year. The adjusted mean IOP reduction was $4.70{\pm}4.67mmHg$ (23.9%) and the adjusted success rate was 53.9%. Pretreatment IOP was associated with SLT success; the higher the pretreatment IOP, the greater the post-laser IOP reduction (p = 0.025). Age and mean deviation index did not show a significant association with SLT success (p = 0.066 and p = 0.464, respectively). Conclusions: SLT is a safe and effective alternative method of IOP reduction in OAG patients. Herein, pretreatment IOP was the only factor significantly associated with SLT success. IOP fluctuations of the untreated eye should be considered for a better understanding of the impact of treatment.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2022

Regulation of the hair follicle cycle in association with dermal papilla cells is one of the most interesting targets for promoting hair regrowth. In this study, we examined whether steam-dried Betula platyphylla extracts (BPE) promote hair growth by upregulating in vitro and in vivo responses of dermal papilla cells. The data showed that BPE3 contained high amounts of phenolic compounds with higher antioxidant effects and increased hair growth-related genes, including fibroblast growth factor7 and Wnt7b, in dermal papilla cells. Notably, BPE3 effectively enhanced the formation of hair follicles by increasing FGF7, Wnt7b, and vascular endothelial growth factor in C57BL/6N dorsal skins. Additionally, BPE3 significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory repertoires, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6, and cyclooxygenase 2. Several small molecules, such as betulin and unsaturated fatty acids, support the pharmacological activity of BPE3. In conclusion, BPE3 effectively promoted hair growth by activating dermal papilla cells and enhancing hair follicle cycles by attenuating the inflammatory environment in the scalp.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2024

Purpose: Mitochondria play a crucial role in preserving skeletal muscle mass, and damage to mitochondria leads to muscle mass loss. This study investigated the effects of oxypeucedanin hydrate, a furanocoumarin isolated from Angelica dahurica radix, on myogenesis and mitochondrial function in vitro and in zebrafish models. Methods: C2C12 myotubes cultured in media containing 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 ng/mL oxypeucedanin hydrate were immunostained with myosin heavy chain (MHC), and then multinucleated MHC-positive cells were counted. The expressions of markers related to muscle differentiation, muscle protein degradation, and mitochondrial function were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. To investigate the effects of oxypeucedanin hydrate on mitochondrial dysfunction, Tg(Xla.Eef1a1:mito-EGFP) zebrafish embryos were treated with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) with or without oxypeucedanin hydrate and analyzed for mito-EGFP intensity and mitochondrial length. Results: Oxypeucedanin hydrate significantly increased MHC-positive multinucleated myotubes (≥ 3 nuclei) and increased the expression of the myogenic marker myosin heavy chain 4. However, it decreased the expressions of muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 and muscle atrophy f-box (markers of muscle protein degradation). Furthermore, oxypeucedanin hydrate enhanced the expressions of markers of mitochondrial biogenesis (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1 alpha, transcription factor a mitochondrial, succinate dehydrogenase complex flavoprotein subunit A, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1) and mitochondrial fusion (optic atrophy 1). However, it reduced the expression of dynamin-related protein 1 (a mitochondrial fission regulator). Consistently, oxypeucedanin hydrate reduced FOLFIRI-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the skeletal muscles of zebrafish embryos. Conclusion: The study indicates that oxypeucedanin hydrate promotes myogenesis by improving mitochondrial function, and thus, suggests oxypeucedanin hydrate has potential use as a nutritional supplement that improves muscle mass and function.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.40-48
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• 2024

Understanding the effectiveness of statin treatment is essential for developing tailored stroke prevention strategies. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of statin treatment in preventing recurrent stroke among patients with various ischemic stroke subtypes. Using data from the Clinical Research Collaboration for Stroke-Korea-National Institute for Health (CRCS-K-NIH) registry, we included patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted between January 2011 and July 2020. To evaluate the differential effects of statin treatment based on the ischemic stroke subtype, we analyzed patients with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), cardio-embolism (CE), and small vessel occlusion (SVO). The primary outcomes were recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent stroke events. The hazard ratio for outcomes between statin users and nonusers was compared using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for covariates. A total of 46,630 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Statins were prescribed to 92%, 93%, and 78% of patients with LAA, SVO, and CE subtypes, respectively. The hazards of recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent stroke in statin users were reduced to 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.99) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.62-0.95) in the LAA subtype and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.52-0.76) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.53-0.75) in CE subtype compared to nonusers. However, the hazards of these outcomes did not significantly decrease in the SVO subtype. The effectiveness of statin treatment in reducing the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with LAA and CE subtypes has been suggested. Nonetheless, no significant effect was observed in the SVO subtype, suggesting a differential effect of statins on different stroke subtypes.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.237-246
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• 2004

Purpose: To investigate the effects of radiation dose-escalation on the treatment outcome, complications and the other prognostic variables for glioblastoma patients treated with 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). Materials and Methods: Between Jan 1997 and July 2002, a total of 75 patients with histologically proven diagnosis of glioblastoma were analyzed. The patients who had a Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of 60 or higher, and received at least 50 Gy of radiation to the tumor bed were eligible. All the patients were divided into two arms; Arm 1, the high-dose group was enrolled prospectively, and Arm 2, the low-dose group served as a retrospective control. Arm 1 patients received $63\~70$ Gy (Median 66 Gy, fraction size $1.8\~2$ Gy) with 3D-conformal radiotherapy, and Arm 2 received 59.4 Gy or less (Median 59.4 Gy, fraction size 1.8 Gy) with 2D-conventional radiotherapy. The Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) was defined by the surgical margin and the residual gross tumor on a contrast enhanced MRI. Surrounding edema was not included in the Clinical Target Volume (CTV) in Arm 1, so as to reduce the risk of late radiation associated complications; whereas as in Arm 2 it was included. The overall survival and progression free survival times were calculated from the date of surgery using the Kaplan-Meier method. The time to progression was measured with serial neurologic examinations and MRI or CT scans after RT completion. Acute and late toxicities were evaluated using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group neurotoxicity scores. Results: During the relatively short follow up period of 14 months, the median overall survival and progression free survival times were $15{\pm}1.65$ and $11{\pm}0.95$ months, respectively. The was a significantly longer survival time for the Arm 1 patients compared to those in Arm 2 (p=0.028). For Arm 1 patients, the median survival and progression free survival times were $21{\pm}5.03$ and $12{\pm}1.59$ months, respectively, while for Arm 2 patients they were $14{\pm}0.94$ and $10{\pm}1.63$ months, respectively. Especially in terms of the 2-year survival rate, the high-dose group showed a much better survival time than the low-dose group; $44.7\%$ versus $19.2\%$. Upon univariate analyses, age, performance status, location of tumor, extent of surgery, tumor volume and radiation dose group were significant factors for survival. Multivariate analyses confirmed that the impact of radiation dose on survival was independent of age, performance status, extent of surgery and target volume. During the follow-up period, complications related directly with radiation, such as radionecrosis, has not been identified. Conclusion: Using 3D-conformal radiotherapy, which is able to reduce the radiation dose to normal tissues compared to 2D-conventional treatment, up to 70 Gy of radiation could be delivered to the GTV without significant toxicity. As an approach to intensify local treatment, the radiation dose escalation through 3D-CRT can be expected to increase the overall and progression free survival times for patients with glioblastomas.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 1997

.Itrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias requiring treatment. About 60% of patients with mitral valvular disease have atrial fibrillation and one third of patients with atrial fibrillation may have the past history of thromboembolic events. Between April 1994 and June 1995, 20 patients with organic heart diseases combined with atrial fibrillation underwent open heart surgery including Cox-maze 111 procedure. There were 6 men and 14 women with an average age of 48 years (range, 31 to 66 years). Nineteen patients had valvular heart diseases and 1 ventricular septal defEct (VSD). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 36 months (:42 months) (range, 1 to 132 months). T e past medical history of thromboembolic events was positive in 7 patients (35%) and left atrial thrombus was detected in 9 patients (45%). The concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 5 patients, MVR in 4, MVd and tricuspid annuloplasty(TAP) in 4, mitral valvuloplasty(Mln) in 3, Mln and Tln in 1, MIW and coronary artery bypass surgery in 1, AVR in 1, and patch closure of VSD in 1. Mean aortic cross-clamping time was 175 minutes (range, 116 to 270 minutes). Atrial fibrillation recurred in 16 patients (80%) during the early postoperative period, but, recurrent atrial fibrillation was converted to regular rhythm at postoperative forty-first day in average. There was no early or late death in this series of 20 patients and postoperative complications were inappropriate tachycardia in 5 patients (25%), low cardiac output syndrome in 3 (15%), aggravated hemiplegic in 1, and acute renal failure in 1. Mean follow-up interval of patient was 16.5 months (range, 10.5 to 24 months) and all patients are currently in regular rhythm. Seventeen patients (85%) are in sinus rhythm and 3 (15%) in junctional rhythm. Right atrial contraction was detected in 95% of patients and left atrial contraction in 63% on postoperative transthoracic echocardiogram. The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation concomitant with open heart surgery is warranted in the recent clinical setting of improved myocardial protection technique, considering the untoward side-effects of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1249-1256
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• 2016

Black ginseng (BG) obtained by a 9-fold steaming process of Panax ginseng has been reported to have anti-oxidative, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetes effects. The current study evaluated the protective effect of BG by steaming time in an HCl/ethanol-induced acute gastritis model. BG was divided into four samples according to steaming-drying processing (Gin1, Gin3, Gin6, and BG). High performance liquid chromatography analysis, free radical scavenging activity, and total phenol and flavonoid contents were examined in ginseng and four BG samples. Compared with ginseng, BG showed a stronger radical scavenging effect and higher contents of total phenol and flavonoids. To evaluate the anti-gastritic effect of BG, mice were distributed into five groups: normal mice (N), acute gastritic mice with distilled water (CON), acute gastritic mice with 100 mg/kg of ginseng (Gin0), acute gastritic mice with 100 mg/kg of BG (BG), and acute gastritic mice with 10 mg/kg of sucralfate (SC). After 1 hour of pre-treatment with water, extracts (Gin0 and BG), or drug (SC), experimental groups except for N were orally administered 0.5 mL of 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol (v/v) mixture. Blood was collected 1 hour later from the heart, and gastric tissue was harvested. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured in serum, and related protein expression was examined by Western blot assay. In HCl/ethanol-induced acute gastritic mice, treatment with ginseng or BG improved mucosal damage in the histological evaluation. The serum ROS level significantly decreased in the BG-treated group compared with the CON group. Furthermore, expression of inflammatory cytokines significantly decreased in the BG-treated group compared with the CON group. Based on these results, antioxidant and anti-gastritic activities of ginseng were enhanced by streaming-drying processing, in part due to an increase in biological active compounds.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3403-3408
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• 2012

The molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) are still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationships between expression of RALYL and clinical characteristics. In 41 paired samples of ccRCCs and adjacent normal tissues, we used real-time qPCR to evaluate the expression of RALYL mRNA. RALYL protein levels were determined in 146 samples of ccRCC and 37 adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was used to explore the relationships between expression of RALYL and the clinical characteristics (gender, age, tumor size, T stage, N stage, M stage, survival times and survival outcome) in ccRCC. In addition, these patients were follow-up period 64 months (range: 4~116months) to investigate the influence on prognosis. We found significantly differences between ccRCC tissues and normal tissues (p<0.001, paired-sample t test) in mRNA levels of RALYL. Immunohistochemistry analyses in 146 ccRCC samples and 37 adjacent normal tissues showed significantly lower RALYL protein levels in ccRCC samples (${\chi}^2$-test, p<0.001), inversely correlating with tumour size (p=0.024), T stage (0.005), N stage (p<0.001) as well as M stage (p=0.019), but not age (p=0.357) and gender (p=0.348). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that people with lower level of RALYL expression had a poorer survival rate than those with a higher level of RALYL expression, significantly different by the log-rank test (p=0.011). Cox regression analysis indicated that RALYL expression (p=0.039), N stage (p=0.008) and distant metastasis (p<0.001) were independent prognosis factors for the overall survival of ccRCC patients. We demonstrated that the expression of RALYL was significantly low in ccRCC and correlated with a poor prognosis in a large number of clinical samples. Our findings showed that RALYL may be a potential therapeutic target as well as a poor prognostic factor.