• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.308-317
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• 2015

This study attempted to identify the possibility of natural herbal extracts as an alternative, preventive agent of caries by comparing antimicrobial activities between natural herbal extracts and mouth rinsing solutions against Streptococcus mutans. Natural herbal plants were extracted with distilled water and ethanol, respectively, to measure the minimum growth inhibitory concentration of S. mutans depending on concentration, and among which, solvents showing high antimicrobial activity were selected to compare their antibiotic effects with those of mouth rinsing solutions. Also, to determine the concentration of natural medicinal herbs that can be used safely in the oral cavity, the extracts were treated to the normal gingival fibroblast cells depending on concentration in order to determine its cytotoxicity using MTT. In terms of the minimum growth inhibition concentration, the growth inhibition of S. mutans was more excellent in the ethanol extract than in the distilled water. When the minimum growth inhibition concentration was compared, Psoralea corylifolia of natural herbal ethanol extracts, and Hexamedine (Bukwang Pharm., Korea) of mouth rinsing solutions inhibited growth of S. mutans at the lowest concentration. When the minimum bactericidal concentration was compared, P. corylifolia of natural herbal extracts, and Hexamedine and Garglin (Dong-A Pharm., Korea) of mouth rinsing solutions eliminated S. mutans at a low concentration. The human gingival fibroblast was treated with natural herbal ethanol extracts at the minimum growth inhibition concentration of 10, 39, and $78{\mu}g/ml$. As the result, no cytotoxicity was found. When this was treated at different minimum bactericidal concentrations, natural herbal ethanol extracts showed cytotoxicity except P. corylifolia.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.393-399
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• 1994

Spinal cord compression, an oncologic emergency, is a rare complication of hematologic malignancy Our experience was obtained with a series 32 Patients following retrospective analysis for assessing the role of radiation therapy and identifying the prognostic factors affecting on treatment outcome. Diagnosis was usually made by means of radiologic study such as myelography or computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurologic examination. Five cases were diagnosed by subjective symptom only with high index of suspicion. In 31 cases, the treatment consisted in radiation therapy alone and the remained one patient had laminectomy before radiation therapy because of diagnostic doubts. Total treatment doses ranged from 800 cGy to 4000 cGy with median of 2000 cGy. Initially large fraction size more than 250 cGy were used in 13 patients with rapidly progressed neurologic deficit. The clinical parameters considered in evaluating the response to treatment were backache, motor-sensory performance and sphincter function. Half of all patients showed good response. Partial response and no response were noted in $37.5\%$ and $12.5\%$, respectively. Our results showed higher response rate than those of other solid tumor series. The degree of neurologic deficit at that time of diagnosis was the most important predictor of treatment outcome. The elapsed time from development of symptoms to start of treatment was significantly affected on the outcome. But histology of primary tumor total dose and use of initial large fraction size were not significantly affect on the outcome. These results confirmed the value of early diagnosis and treatment especially in radiosensitive hematologic malignancy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.257-262
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• 2008

Purpose: Oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy to the head and neck area, is a common acute complication and is considered as the most severe symptom for cancer patients in the early stages of treatment. This study was proposed to establish the oral mucositis mouse model induced by a single dose of radiation for the facility of testing therapeutic candidates which can be used for the oral mucositis treatments. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control, 16 Gy, 18 Gy, and 20 Gy. Oral mucositis was induced by a single dose of radiation to the head and neck using 6 MV x-Ray from linear accelerator. After irradiation, body weight and physical abnormalities were checked daily. Tongue tissues from all groups were taken on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 14, respectively and H&E staining was conducted to examine morphological changes. Results: Body weight dramatically decreased after day 5 in all irradiated mice. In the 16 Gy treatment group, body weight was recovered on day 14. The histology data showed that the thickness of the epithelial cell layer was decreased by the accumulated time after radiation treatment, up to day 9. Severe ulceration was revealed on day 9. Conclusion: A single dose of 16 Gy is sufficient dose to induce oral mucositis in Balb/C mice. Significant changes were observed in the Balb/C mice on days 7 and 9 after radiation. It is suggested that this mouse model might be a useful standard tool for studying oral mucositis induced by radiation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.546-552
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• 2010

Previous studies could not offer available guideline to decide size of balloon and grade of injury before induction of spinal cord injury (SCI) because grade of SCI was assessed after inserting a catheter and each experimental animal were different in body size and weight as well as in species. This study was performed to provide guideline for standardized SCI model. Eight healthy adult beagle dogs that had 8 mm of spinal canal height were assigned to four groups according to the diameter of balloon and compression time: 4 mm/3hrs, 4 mm/6hrs, 4 mm/12hrs and 6 mm/3hrs group. Radiography was performed to standardize between experimental animal and balloon before selecting balloon diameter to induce SCI. Behaviors outcomes, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological examination were evaluated. Behaviors outcomes and SEPs were not available to assess grade of SCI and those only indicate SCI. The damaged area was revealed clear hyperintensity on STIR image and T2WI after induction of SCI. The hyperintense area on MRI was cranially and caudally expanded with increasing of the diameter of balloon or the compression time. Well corresponded to expanding of hyperintense area on MRI, the damaged region and the numbers of caspase-3 and PARP immunoreactive cells were increased on histopathological findings. Therefore, these results will be considered fundamental data to induce standardized SCI model in experimental animal that has various weight and size.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.211-219
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• 1996

Purpose : Hysterectomy without lymph node dissection was considered an inadequate treatment method for invasive uterine cervix cancer. Usually the procedure was performed inadvertently on patients who were thought to have benign or premalignant conditions preoperatively. We analysed radiotherapy results of such patients to evaluate survival rates, failure patterns and prognostic factors according to various conditions. Materials and Methods : Sixty one patients undergoing hysterectomy in the presence of invasive cervical carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative diagnosis were carcinoma in situ (38 cases), severe dysplasia (2), myoma (6), uterine bleeding (4), uterine prolapse (2). and early invasive cervix cancer (10) (One patient had myoma and carcinoma in situ coincidently). Patients received postoperative megavoltage radiotherapy from August 1985 to December 1993, and minimum follow-up period was 24 months. Eight patients received ICR only, 6 patients ICR and external radiation, and 47 patients received external radiation therapy only. Results : Overall 5-year survival rate and relapse-free survival rate werer $83.8\%$, $86.9\%$ respectively. For patients with retrospective stage IA, IB, IIB (gross residual after surgery), and vaginal cuff recurrence were $90.9\%$, $88.8\%$, $38.4\%$, and $100\%$ respectively There were 8 cases of treatment failure, most of them (5/8) were in patients with gross residual disease, other patients were full thickness involvement of cervix wall (2/8) except one. Patients with early vaginal cuff recurrence and microinvasive cervical cancer (stage IA) had no treatment related failure Prognostic factors affecting survival by univariate analysis were status of residual disease, tumor histology and retrospective stage. Conclusion : Adjuvant radiotherapy appeared to be effective treatment method for patients with presumed stage IA, IB and early local recurrent disease after inadvertent hysterectomy Survivals for patients with gross disease remained after inappropriate hysterectomy was poor, So, early cancer detection and Proper management with precise pretreatment s1aging is necessary to avoid inadherent hysterectomy especially in the cases of gross residual disease.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.63-76
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• 2014

Objectives : This study investigated the improvement effects of Pakistani (DF-a) and Chinese Ephedra herba-containing Gangjihwan (DF-b) on obesity in a high fat diet-fed obese mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into four groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and DF-a and DF-b groups given a high fat diet with DF-a (80 mg/kg), and DF-b (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, blood lipid markers, fat weight and histology were examined. Results : 1. Body weight gain and fat mass were significantly decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF-a group. 2. Feeding efficiency ratio and circulating leptin concentration were significantly decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control, whereas circulating adiponectin concentration was increased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. 3. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain and fat mass, circulating concentrations of triglyceride, glucose and insulin were decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. 4. The size of adipocytes were decreased by DF-a and DF-b compared with control, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased by them, suggesting that DF-a and DF-b decreased the number of large adipocytes. 5. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain, liver fibrosis was reduced in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. Conclusions : In conclusion, these results suggest that DF-a and DF-b not only decrease feeding efficiency ratio, plasma leptin concentration, and blood anti-obesity biomarkers, but also reduce fat mass, contributing to the improvement of obesity. DF-a and DF-b also inhibit liver fibrosis. In addition, these effects were similar between Pakistani Ephedra herba and Chinese Ephedra herba-containing Gangjihwan.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.105-120
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was investigated the improvement effects of Gangjihwan (DF) and combination of Gangjihwan and Gamisochehwan (GSH) on obesity in a high fat diet-fed obese mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into four groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and DF and DF+GSH groups given a high fat diet with DF (40 mg/kg), and DF+GSH (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, blood lipid markers, fat weight and histology were examined. Results : 1. Body weight gain and fat mass were significantly decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF+GSH group. 2. Feeding efficiency ratio and circulating concentration of leptin were decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. These decreases were significant in DF+GSH group. 3. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain and fat mass, circulating concentrations of triglyceride, glucose and insulin were decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. 4. The size of adipocytes was decreased by DF and DF+GSH compared with control, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased by them, suggesting that DF and DF+GSH decreased the number of large adipocytes. 5. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain, liver fibrosis was also improved in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. Conclusions : In conclusion, these results suggest that DF and DF+GSH groups decrease feeding efficiency ratio, plasma leptin concentration, blood anti-obesity biomarkers and fat mass, improves body weight gain contributing to the inhibition of liver fibrosis. In addition, these effects were more effective in DF+GSH combination group than in DF-only group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.256-262
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• 2003

In order to design and develop a product that can treat the fatty liver, natural complex food with all natural ingredients was developed and supplemented to rats with high fat diet to induce fatty liver. As a result, when the amount of natural complex food was increased in diet of subjects, the activities of the blood serum AST, ALT, ALP, 3-GT and LDH were decreased. The total protein concentration levels of the 30% and the 50% natural complex food groups did not show changes in respect to the control group, but the 100% natural complex food groups showed significant decrease (p<0.05). Likewise, the amount of blood serum albumin in the 30% and the 50% natural complex food groups did not show improvement, but the 100% natural complex food did showed significant changes (p<0.05). The amount of blood serum triglyceride decreased as the amount of natural complex food was increased. In order to investigate the appearances of the accumulated fat in the liver, the animals were dissected. Livers of the control group (no natural complex food) were appeared as a white color, which means serious fat accumulation. However, all the natural complex food groups (30,50 and 100% natural complex food) showed noticeable decrease of fat content. Even the histology showed that livers of the control group had expansion of the fat, but a11 the natural complex food groups had e decreased as the contents and continued to show destroyed fatty cells. By observing the biological numeric data, the physical appearance and the history of the fatty liver, it is highly expected that natural complex food is very effective in treating the liver damaged -by the to fat and the cholesterol.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2005

Purpose: Bone metastasis is not a common event in patients with gastric cancer. Therefore, most studies of bone metastasis in such patients have been in the form of case reports, so the clinical features of the bone metastasis are not well understood. To clarify metastatic patterns, the efficacy of radiation or chemotherapy, and the prognosis, we analyzed 29 cases of patients with bone metastases after curative surgery for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine (29) gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis who underwent curative resection from January 1989 to December 2002 at the Departments of Surgery, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital and Our Lady of Mercy's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, were analyzed. Results: Nineteen (19) patients were males and, 10 patients were females. The mean age of the patients was $53\pm12$ years. There were more Borrmann type-3 and type-4 cancers and more undifferentiated histologic types. Most of the original cancers were stage III or IV. The most frequently involved bone was the spine. Treatment after recurrence was done in 16 patients ($55.2\%$). The median survival time after recurrence of the patients who received treatment was seven (7) months ($0\∼75$ months in range), which was significantly longer than that of the patients who did not received treatment (P=0.019). However, there was no difference according to the treatment modality (P=0.388). Conclusion: Bone metastasis after a curative resection of gastric cancer tends to occur in Borrmann type-3 and type-4 cancers, cancers with undifferentiated histology and, in stage III/IV disease. The prognosis of bone metastasis is dismal, and aggressive treatment is the only way to prolong survival.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 2006

NFI-C null mice demonstrated aberrant odontoblast differentiation and thus abnormal dentin formation while other tissues/organs in the body, including ameloblasts, appear to be unaffected and normal. However little is known about the mechanism of NFI-C function in odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation. Odontoblasts are tall, highly polarized cells that are responsible for formation and maintenance of the predentin and dentin. An indication of their polarity is the acquisition of specialized intercellular junctions. As preodontoblasts differentiate into odontoblasts, they are Joined and attached at the apical end by well developed terminal webs of cytoskeletal actins, and associated tight as well as adherent njunctions. In this study, in order to investigate if disruption of the NFI-C gene interferes with formation of a specific or other structural proteins of the intercellular junctions, we examined morphological characteristic of the aberrant odontoblast in NFI-C null mice using light and electron microscope. In addition, we determined the expression of major structural proteins of intercellular junctions, ZO-1 and occludin, during the differentiation of odontoblasts using immunohitochemistry. The results were as follows : 1. In light microscopy, abnormal odontoblasts of incisors of the NFI-C null mice were round in shape, lost their polarity, and trapped in osteodentin-like mineralized tissue. Mutant molars have relatively normal crowns, but short and abnormal differentiating adontoblasts in root formation area. 2. Electron microscopy of abnormal odontoblasts revealed the dissociation of the round osteoblast-like cells, the loss of their cellular polarity, and the absence of an intercellular junctional complex known as the tight junctions. 3. A mutant incisor showed labeling for ZO-1 at the proximal and distal ends of secreting ameloblasts, while staining for ZO-1 was not observed in the abnormal odontoblasts. 4. A normal incisor showed immunoreactivity for occludin in the differentiating odontoblasts. However, staining for occludin was not observed in the abnormal odontoblasts of mutant incisor. These results suggest that NFI-C gene causes dissociation of odontoblast and thus abberant odontoblast differentiation and abnormal dentin formation by interfering with the formation of intercellular junctions.