• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

Background: Hydrogels are a class of polymers that can absorb water or biological fluids and swell to several times their dry volume, dependent on changes in the external environment. In recent years, hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites have found a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery and cancer treatment. The incorporation of nanoparticulates into a hydrogel matrix can result in unique material characteristics such as enhanced mechanical properties, swelling response, and capability of remote controlled actuation. Materials and Methods: In this work, synthesis of hydrogel nanocomposites containing magnetic nanoparticles are studied. At first, magnetic nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$) with an average size 10 nm were prepared. At second approach, thermo and pH-sensitive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide -co-methacrylic acid-co-vinyl pyrrolidone) (NIPAAm-MAA-VP) were prepared. Swelling behavior of co-polymer was studied in buffer solutions with different pH values (pH=5.8, pH=7.4) at $37^{\circ}C$. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$) and doxorubicin were incorporated into copolymer and drug loading was studied. The release of drug, carried out at different pH and temperatures. Finally, chemical composition, magnetic properties and morphology of doxorubicin-loaded magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites were analyzed by FT- IR, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The results indicated that drug loading efficiency was increased by increasing the drug ratio to polymer. Doxorubicin was released more at $40^{\circ}C$ and in acidic pH compared to that $37^{\circ}C$ and basic pH. Conclusions: This study suggested that the poly (NIPAAm-MAA-VP) magnetic hydrogel nanocomposite could be an effective carrier for targeting drug delivery systems of anti-cancer drugs due to its temperature sensitive properties.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 1968

Recently, in this department, pressure-displacement curve and breaking tension of dog and human tympanic membrane were studied using intact, fresh or dried tympanic membrane attached to external auditory meatus. However, physical property, proper elasticity-Young Modulus, of the tympanic membrane has not been clarified yet. Present study is attempted to further clarify proper Young Modulus of tympanic membrane, and to distinguish possible difference between layer of stratum radiatum and layer of stratum circulare of tympanic membrane in breaking tension and in Young Modulus. Tympanic membrane was excised from sacrificed dog, and preparation was made into the size of approximately 1 mm in width and 3 mm in length. In fresh or dried tympanic membrane, which was dried at $80^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs., some preparations were made along the long axis parallel to the fibers of radial direction, and others were made along the long axis perpendicular to the radial fibers-circular direction. Breaking tension and displacement according to loading, were measured and Young Modulus was calculated in tympanic membrane preparations under the different experimental conditions. Results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. Young Modulus of fresh tympanic membrane in radial direction was $6.57{\times}10^8\;dyne/cm^2$, and that of fresh preparation in circular direction was $1.68{\times}10^8\;dyne/cm^2$. The Young Modulus of fresh tympanic membrane in radial direction resembles to that of silk and whale moustache. In dried tympanic membrane, Young Modulus of preparation of radial direction was $30.2{\times}10^8\;dyne/cm^2$ and that of preparation in circular direction was $25.0{\times}10^8\;dyne/cm^2$. 2. Breaking tension of fresh tympanic membrane was 44.9 gm/mm in radial preparation, and 7.9 gm/mm in circular preparation. In dried tympanic membrane, breaking tension was 46.7 gm/mm in preparation of radial direction, and 17.2 gm/mm in preparation of circular direction. 3. Much smaller breaking tension of the circular preparation-one fifth to the radial preparation-seemed to be responsible for the higher incidence of circular fiber breaking in tympanic membrane performation caused by trauma or sudden change in atmospheric pressure. 4. The correlation seemed to be very close between breaking tension and Young Modulus in tympanic membrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Cognitive Science Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.211-215
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• 2002

본 실험은 종합적 인지과정을 추론할 수 있는 결합 문제(binding problem)를 언어적인지 과정을 통해 알아 본 실험으로, 총 10 명(남:61여:4, 평균나이:24.40 $\pm$ 1.35)의 정상군을 대상으로, 4개의 음소로 이루어진 단음절 명사를 목표 자극(target stimulus)으로 하고, 4개 음소의 임의적인 조합으로서 글자를 이루지 못하는 비목표 자극(non-target stimulus)을, 각각 200 회와 800 회씩 시각적으로 0.5초씩 무작위로 제시하여 128 채널 고밀도 사건관련전위(ERP)를 측정하였다. 이번 실험 결과의 주요 특징은 글자가 아닌 비목표 자극보다 글자인 목표 자극에서 두드러지게 나타난 두정엽 부근의 P500 과 N900 이라고 할 수 있다. 자극 제시 비율의 차이에서 오는 oddball 효과로 인한 기존 P300 의 인지적 의미를 이번 결과의 P500 이 함축한다고 볼 수 있으며, 단음절 단어를 인지할 때, 글자임을 인식하는 순간은 의미적인지 과정이 진행되었다기보다 그 글자의 형태만으로 낯익은 글자인지를 분간하는 것으로 보인다 따라서, 이 경우 기존 언어 실험에 자주 등장하던 의미론적 peak 인 N400 은 보이지 않고, 곧바로 형태적이고, 통사적(syntactic)인 인지 처리 과정인 P500이 나타났다고 해석할 수 있다. 하지만, 이번 실험에서는 N400 대신에 N900 이 나타났다. 이 결과는 이번 ERP 실험과 병행된 프로토콜 분석을 통해, 피험자가 자극 제시 후, 약 900ms 정도에, 이미 제시되고 사라진 글자 자극을 다시 한번 떠올리는 인지 과정이 일어난다는 점과 관련 지어 해석하면, 기존에 의미적(semantic) 인지 과정으로만 해석했던 negative-peak 를 생각(thinking)과 같은 내재적인지 과정(internal cognitive process)으로 확장하여 일반화하는 추론도 생각해 볼 수 있다. 요컨대, 언어인지를 통한 이번 실험을 통해, 뇌파에서 검출되는 negative-peak 은 internal cognitive process로 추측되고, positive-peak 는 external cognitive process 라고 생각된다. 덧붙여, 유의해서 볼 점은 각 peak-topology 에서 Cz 의 진폭이 Fz 보다 크게 나온 점과, 일반적으로 언어 기능을 담당한다는 좌측 측두엽(T7)이 우측(T8)보다 통계적으로 더 유의미한 차이를 보였다는 점등이다.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.498-510
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• 2001

Distraction osteogenesis refers to the biological process responsible for new bone formation between bone segments by gradual distraction after osteotomy. For the past several years, various inconveniences including a protracted consolidation period that requires patients to wear a distractor frame longer, as well as higher medical costs, have not been remedied by improvements in osteotomy, distraction rate and monitoring system. Furthermore, side effects such as pin tract infections and soft tissue swelling may arise due to the long treatment period. These drawbacks form the rationale of this study which purports to seek a method by which the consolidation period can be reduced. This paper examines how platelet-rich plasma(PRP), known to facilitate osteogenesis, influences bone formation when applied in distracted area. Ten mongrel dogs, which were made to wear external distractor frames after osteotomy in both sides of the mandible, were used as subjects. After a 7day period of latency, distraction was carried out at a rate of 1mm/day for 14 consecutive days. After the onset of distraction, 2ml of PRP and a mixture of calcium gluconate and thrombine were injected into the center of the distracted callus on the left side of the mandible. The left was injected with PRP while the right side was set as the control site without PRP treatment. Execution at the onset of distraction and in 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the consolidation period, clinical and radiographic tests, bone mineral density examination, histological examination and histomorphometric analysis were conducted to compare both sides. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Based on the clinical examination at two weeks, more remarkable cortical bone formation was found on the buccal and lingual side of the distracted area in the PRP treatment site than in the control site. No visual difference was found between the PRP treatment site and the control site at four eight weeks. 2. Based on the radiological examination, a distinct increase in the radiopaque appearance of the PRP treatment site was revealed at two weeks, but this increase appeared to slow down at four and eight weeks. 3. Examination of bone mineral density revealed a significant difference at two weeks with the PRP treatment site yielding density two times higher than the control site. This difference lessened after four weeks, and disappeared at eight weeks. 4. The histomorphometric examination revealed that about 20% more bony trabeculae area(20%, higher) was formed in the PRP treatment site than in the control site. In conclusion, it can be said that PRPs effect on stimulating bone formation in the PRP treatment site manifest as early as two weeks. Trabeculae formation likewise increased throughout the whole period. If this result can be applied to humans, the consolidation period can be reduced by injecting PRP into the distracted area.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4699-4704
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• 2015

Medical diagnostic X-ray workers are one occupational group that expose to the long-term low-dose external radiation over their working lifetime, and they may under risk of different cancers. This study aims to determine the relationship between the occupational X-ray radiation exposure and cancer risk among these workers in Jiangsu, China. We conducted Nested case-control study to investigate the occupational X-ray radiation exposure and cancer risk. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire, which includes but not limits to demographic data, personal behaviors and family history of cancer. Retrospective dose reconstruction was conducted to estimate the cumulative doses of the x-ray workers. Inferential statistics, t-test and 2 tests were used to compare the differences between each group. We used the logistic regression model to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of cancer by adjusting the age, gender. All 34 breast cancer cases and 45 esophageal cancer cases that detected in a cohort conducted among health workers between 1950~2011 were included in this presented study, and 158 cancer-free controls were selected by frequency-matched (1:2). Our study found that the occupational radiation exposure was associated with a significantly increased cancer risk compared with the control, especially in breast cancer and esophageal cancer (adjusted OR=2.90, 95% CI: 1.19-7.04 for breast cancer; OR=4.19, 95% CI: 1.87-9.38 for esophageal cancer, and OR=3.43, 95% CI: 1.92-6.12 for total cancer, respectively). The occupational X-ray radiation exposure was associated with increasing cancer risk, which indicates that proper intervention and prevention strategies may be needed in order to bring down the occupational cancer risk.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4147-4152
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• 2014

Standard therapy for advanced head and neck cancer consists of a combination of surgery and radiation. However, survival of this patient population has not improved during the past 20 years. Many different multimodality treatment schedules have been proposed, and chemotherapy is often used with the intent of organ preservation. The present study was intended to establish the efficacy of concomitant chemoradiation with a single agent carboplatin in advanced head and neck cancers.The objectives were to investigate the feasibility of concomitant administration of carboplatin, monitor acute toxicity during radiotherapy, and determine subacute side effects, such as wound healing following surgery after chemoradiotherapy. A prospective study was conducted wherein a total of 40 patients with stage III and IV squamous cell carcinomas of oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx were enrolled. All patients were treated with external beam radiotherapy and weekly carboplatin area under curve (AUC of 5). Radiotherapy was given in single daily fractions of 1.8-2 grays (Gy) to a total dose of 66-72 Gy. Salvage surgery was performed for any residual or recurrent locoregional disease. Neck dissection was recommended for all patients with neck disease showing less than a complete response after chemoradiation. A total of 40 patients were enrolled of whom 32 were males and 8 were females. Highest incidence of cancer was seen in the 5th-6th decades of life with a median age of 47.7 years. Oropharyngeal tumours constituted a maximum of 21 patients followed by hypopharynx in 10, larynx in 7 and oral cavity in 2. 80% of the patients had a neck node on presentation of which 40% had N2-N3 nodal status. TNM staging revealed that 58% of patients were in stage III and 43% in stage IV. Evaluation of acute toxicity revealed that 50% had grade II mucositis, 25% grade III mucositis, 2.5% grade IV mucositis. 50% of patients had grade I skin reactions, 65% of patients had grade I thrombocytopenia, and 24% of patients had grade I anaemia. After completion of treatment 65% of patients had complete response at the primary and regional sites, and 35% of patients had a partial response of whom 23% underwent neck dissection and 5% of them underwent salvage surgery at the primary site. At the end of one year there were six deaths and four recurrences and 70% were free of disease. Concurrent chemoradiation with carboplatin provided good locoregional control for locally advanced head and neck cancers. This regimen, although toxic, is tolerable with appropriate supportive intervention. Primary site conservation is possible in many patients. Chemoradiotherapy appears to have an emerging role in the primary management of head and neck cancers.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2008

Bio-implantable devices such as heart pacers, gastric pacers and drug-delivery systems require power for carrying out their intended functions. These devices are usually powered through a battery implanted with the system or are wired to an external power source. This paper describes an inductive power transmission link, which was developed for an implantable stimulator for direct stimulation of denervated muscles. The carrier frequency is around 1MHz, the transmitter coil has a diameter of 46mm, and the implant coil is 46mm. Data transmission to the implant with amplitude shift keying (ASK) and back to the transmitter with passive telemetry can be added without major design changes. We chose the range of coil spacing (2 to 30mm) to care for lateral misalignment, as it occurs in practical use. If the transmitter coil has a well defined and reliable position in respect to the implant, a smaller working range might be sufficient. Under these conditions the link can be operated in fixed frequency mode, and reaches even higher efficiencies of up to 37%. The link transmits a current of 50 mA over a distance range of 2-15 mm with an efficiency of more than 20% in tracking frequency. The efficiency of the link was optimized with different approaches. A class E transmitter was used to minimize losses of the power stage. The geometry and material of the transmitter coil was optimized for maximum coupling. Phase lock techniques were used to achieve frequency tracking, keeping the transmitter optimally tuned at different coupling conditions caused by coil distance variations.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.505-510
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• 2013

In this paper, a method of estimating hand and elbow movements using electrocorticogram (ECoG) signals is proposed. Using multiple channels, surface electromyogram (EMG) signals and ECoG signals were obtained from patients simultaneously. The estimated movements were those to close and then open the hand and those to bend the elbow inward. The patients were encouraged to perform the movements in accordance with their free will instead of after being induced by external stimuli. Surface EMG signals were used to find movement time points, and ECoG signals were used to estimate the movements. To extract the characteristics of the individual movements, the ECoG signals were divided into a total of six bands (the entire band and the ${\delta}$, ${\Theta}$, ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$, and ${\gamma}$ bands) to obtain the information entropy, and the maximum likelihood estimation method was used to estimate the movements. The results of the experiment showed the performance averaged 74% when the ECoG of the gamma band was used, which was higher than that when other bands were used, and higher estimation success rates were shown in the gamma band than in other bands. The time of the movements was divided into three time sections based on movement time points, and the "before" section, which included the readiness potential, was compared with the "onset" section. In the "before" section and the "onset" section, estimation success rates were 66% and 65%, respectively, and thus it was determined that the readiness potential could be used.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1484-1488
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• 2009

Familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) is an autosomal dominant muscle disorder characterized by episodic attacks of muscle weakness with concomitant hypokalemia. Mutations in either a calcium channel gene (CACNA1S) or a sodium channel gene (SCN4A) have been shown to be responsible for this disease. The combination of sarcolemmal depolarization and hypokalemia has been attributed to abnormalities of the potassium conductance governing the resting membrane potential. To understand the pathophysiology of this disorder, we examined both mRNA and protein levels of delayed rectifier potassium channel genes, KCNQ3 and KCNQ5, in skeletal muscle fibers biopsied from patients with HOKOur results showed an increase in the cytoplasmic level of KCNQ3 protein in patients' cells exposed to 50 mM external concentration of potassium. However, mRNA levels of both channel genes did not show significant change in the same condition. Our results suggest that long term exposure of skeletal muscle cells in HOKPP patients to high extracellular potassium alters the KCNQ3 localization, which could possibly hinder the normal function of this channel protein. These findings may provide an important clue to understanding the molecular mechanism of familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 1997

A total of 32 human diphyllobothriasis cases have been reported so far in Korea, exclud- ing 21 egg-positive cases from stool examinations. Authors experienced five more human cases of DiphHllobothrium latum infection, especially infected due to eating raw flesh of redlip mullet, Lizc hoematocheiln. Five cases were neighbors residing in the Puchon area, Kyonggi-do, who ate raw mullets (L. hQematocheila) in a party in February 1996. The mul- lets were purchased at the Noryangjin fisheries market in Seoul. All of cases (2 males and 3 females) were 35 to 43 years old and healthy with the body weight range of 56-62 kg. They complained about gastrointestinal trouble and abdominal discomfort, but were in normal ranges of their hematology and urinalysis data. None revealed any sign of anemia The patients experienced natural discharge of a chain of segments before, and showed diphyllobothriid eggs in their stool specimens when they visited our laboratory. They were administered with praziquantel (15 mg/kg of body weight) and 30 g of magnesium sulfate as a purgative. Two whole worms with the scolices (310-340 cm in length; 8-13 mm in width) were expelled each from two out of five cases after anthelmintic treatment, and the others expelled the parts of strobilae without scolex. The worms were identified as D. Ictum, based on the following biological characters. external morphologies, coiling of uterus, the number of uterine loops, position of genital opening, morphologies of cirrus, cirrus sac and seminal vesicle on the histological sections, position of vagina and uterine pore , and microscopical and SEM morphologies of the eggs.