• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.160-168
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• 2024

Background: Data on perioperative outcomes of emergent versus elective resection in esophageal cancer patients requiring esophagectomy are lacking. We investigated whether emergent resection was associated with increased risks of morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data on patients with esophageal malignancy who underwent esophagectomy from 2005 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Thirty-day complication and mortality rates were compared between emergent esophagectomy (EE) and non-emergent esophagectomy. Logistic regression assessed factors associated with complications and mortality. Results: Of 10,067 patients with malignancy who underwent esophagectomy, 181 (1.8%) had EE, 64% had preoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, or septic shock, and 44% had bleeding requiring transfusion. The EE group had higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class and functional dependency. More transhiatal esophagectomies and diversions were performed in the EE group. After EE, the rates of 30-day mortality (6.1% vs. 2.8%), overall complications (65.2% vs. 44.2%), bleeding, pneumonia, prolonged intubation, and positive margin (17.7% vs. 7.4%) were higher, while that of anastomotic leak was similar. On adjusted logistic regression, older age, lower albumin, higher ASA class, and fragility were associated with increased complications and mortality. McKeown esophagectomy and esophageal diversion were associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications. EE was associated with 30-day postoperative complications (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.66-3.43; p<0.0001). Conclusion: EE was associated with a more than 2-fold increase in complications compared to elective procedures, but no independent increase in short-term mortality. These findings may help guide data-driven critical decision-making for surgery in select cases of complicated esophageal malignancy.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.736-745
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• 2020

Objective: To identify the initial chest computed tomography (CT) findings and clinical characteristics associated with the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Materials and Methods: Baseline CT scans and clinical and laboratory data of 72 patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia (39 men, 46.2 ± 15.9 years) were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline CT findings including lobar distribution, presence of ground glass opacities, consolidation, linear opacities, and lung severity score were evaluated. The outcome event was recovery with hospital discharge. The time from symptom onset to discharge or the end of follow-up (for those remained hospitalized) was recorded. Data were censored in events such as death or discharge without recovery. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to explore the association between initial CT, clinical or laboratory findings, and discharge with recovery, whereby hazard ratio (HR) values < 1 indicated a lower rate of discharge at four weeks and longer time until discharge. Results: Thirty-two patients recovered and were discharged during the study period with a median length of admission of 16 days (range, 9 to 25 days), while the rest remained hospitalized at the end of this study (median, 17.5 days; range, 4 to 27 days). None died during the study period. After controlling for age, onset time, lesion characteristics, number of lung lobes affected, and bilateral involvement, the lung severity score on baseline CT (> 4 vs. ≤ 4 [reference]: adjusted HR = 0.41 [95% confidence interval, CI = 0.18-0.92], p = 0.031) and initial lymphocyte count (reduced vs. normal or elevated [reference]: adjusted HR = 0.14 [95% CI = 0.03-0.60], p = 0.008) were two significant independent factors that influenced recovery and discharge. Conclusion: Lung severity score > 4 and reduced lymphocyte count at initial evaluation were independently associated with a significantly lower rate of recovery and discharge and extended hospitalization in patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.267-279
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• 2024

Purpose: The optimal treatment for gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJA) remains controversial. We evaluated the treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with locally advanced GEJA according to the histological type. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-institution retrospective cohort study of patients with locally advanced GEJA who underwent curative-intent surgical resection between 2010 and 2020. Perioperative therapies as well as clinicopathologic, surgical, and survival data were collected. The results of endoscopy and histopathological examinations were assessed for Siewert and Lauren classifications. Results: Among the 58 patients included in this study, 44 (76%) were clinical stage III, and all received neoadjuvant therapy (72% chemoradiation, 41% chemotherapy, 14% both chemoradiation and chemotherapy). Tumor locations were evenly distributed by Siewert Classification (33% Siewert-I, 40% Siewert-II, and 28% Siewert-III). Esophagogastrectomy (EG) was performed for 47 (81%) patients and total gastrectomy (TG) for 11 (19%) patients. All TG patients received D2 lymphadenectomy compared to 10 (21%) EG patients. Histopathological examination showed the presence of 64% intestinal-type and 36% diffuse-type histology. The frequencies of diffuse-type histology were similar among Siewert groups (37% Siewert-I, 36% Siewert-II, and 33% Siewert-III). Regardless of Siewert type and compared to intestinal-type, diffuse histology was associated with increased intraabdominal recurrence rates (P=0.03) and decreased overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.33; P=0.02). With a median follow-up of 31.2 months, 29 (50%) patients had a recurrence, and the median overall survival was 50.5 months. Conclusions: Present in equal proportions among Siewert types of esophageal and gastric cancer, a diffuse-type histology was associated with high intraabdominal recurrence rates and poor survival. Histopathological evaluation should be considered in addition to anatomic location in the determination of multimodal GEJA treatment strategies.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.565-576
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• 2024

Background and Objectives: The K-ELUVIA study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Eluvia^TM, a polymer-coated, paclitaxel-eluting stent, for femoropopliteal artery disease using data from a prospective Korean multicenter registry. Methods: A total of 105 patients with femoropopliteal artery disease who received endovascular treatment (EVT) with Eluvia^TM stents at 7 Korean sites were enrolled in a prospective cohort and followed for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the 2-year clinical patency. The secondary endpoint was 2-year freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results: Mean patient age was 68.2±10.4 years, and most patients (82.7%) were male. Mean lesion length was 168.3±117.6 mm. Chronic total occlusion was found in 57.7% of patients. Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus for the Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (TASC II) type C or D lesions were present in 46.1% of patients. Procedural success was achieved in 99.0% of patients. The clinical patency rate was 84.4% at 1 year after EVT and 76.3% at 2 years post-EVT. The freedom from TLR rate was 89.1% at 1 year after EVT and 79.1% at 2 years post-EVT. Chronic total occlusion (hazard ratio [HR], 3.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-11.67; p=0.039) and smaller mean stent diameter (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.16-0.98; p=0.044) were identified as independent predictors of loss of clinical patency at 2 years. Conclusions: The K-ELUVIA study demonstrated favorable 2-year clinical effectiveness and safety outcomes of Eluvia stent for femoropopliteal artery lesions in real-world practice.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: For the first time, a nationwide survey in the Republic of Korea was conducted to determine the basic parameters for the treatment of esophageal cancer and to offer a solid cooperative system for the Korean Pattern of Care Study database. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: During $1998{\sim}1999$, biopsy-confirmed 246 esophageal cancer patients that received radiotherapy were enrolled from 23 different institutions in South Korea. Random sampling was based on power allocation method. Patient parameters and specific information regarding tumor characteristics and treatment methods were collected and registered through the web based PCS system. The data was analyzed by the use of the Chi-squared test. $\underline{Results}$: The median age of the collected patients was 62 years. The male to female ratio was about 91 to 9 with an absolute male predominance. The performance status ranged from ECOG 0 to 1 in 82.5% of the patients. Diagnostic procedures included an esophagogram (228 patients, 92.7%), endoscopy (226 patients, 91.9%), and a chest CT scan (238 patients, 96.7%). Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 96.3% of the patients; mid-thoracic esophageal cancer was most prevalent (110 patients, 44.7%) and 135 patients presented with clinical stage III disease. Fifty seven patients received radiotherapy alone and 37 patients received surgery with adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. Half of the patients (123 patients) received chemotherapy together with RT and 70 patients (56.9%) received it as concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The most frequently used chemotherapeutic agent was a combination of cisplatin and 5-FU. Most patients received radiotherapy either with 6 MV (116 patients, 47.2%) or with 10 MV photons (87 patients, 35.4%). Radiotherapy was delivered through a conventional AP-PA field for 206 patients (83.7%) without using a CT plan and the median delivered dose was 3,600 cGy. The median total dose of postoperative radiotherapy was 5,040 cGy while for the non-operative patients the median total dose was 5,970 cGy. Thirty-four patients received intraluminal brachytherapy with high dose rate Iridium-192. Brachytherapy was delivered with a median dose of 300 cGy in each fraction and was typically delivered $3{\sim}4\;times$. The most frequently encountered complication during the radiotherapy treatment was esophagitis in 155 patients (63.0%). $\underline{Conclusion}$: For the evaluation and treatment of esophageal cancer patients at radiation facilities in Korea, this study will provide guidelines and benchmark data for the solid cooperative systems of the Korean PCS. Although some differences were noted between institutions, there was no major difference in the treatment modalities and RT techniques.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.214-223
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• 2017

A total of 15 different corn hybrids, Kwangpyeongok, Gangdaok, Yanganok, Singwangok, Jangdaok, Cheonganok, Cheongdaok, Andaok, Dapyeongok, Pyeongkangok, Pyeonganok, Daanok, Sunwon 184, Gangilok, and P3394 was used to investigate the growth and yield depending on the sowing date. The sowing dates were April 5, June 25, and July 5 and each experiments was performed in triplicste. The growth of Gangdaok was the highest. However, although the growth of Kwangpyeongok, was lower thanthar of Gangdaok, its stem height to ear height ratio was lower than that of Gangdaok, thus, Kwangpyeongok may be more suitable for stable cultivation. Both growth and yield of Daanok were low, regardless of planting date, but yield and ear shape of Pyeongkangok and Dapyeongok were for fresh corn. Growth and yield of the 15 different corn hybrids varied depending on the planting date, However, the growth degree days (GDD) was the most important factor governing the maturity of corn. More than $1500^{\circ}C$ of GDD was sufficient to harvest mature corn hybrids in the central region of Korea. Besides yield and growth, other characteristics, such as sweetness and taste of the hybrids, should be investigated further the selection of the best corn hybrid.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.682-689
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• 2013

This study determined the effects of cabbage juice and cabbage-mixed juices on the growth of AGS human gastric cancer cells and their anti-gastritic effects on HCl-ethanol induced gastritis in SD rats. Cabbage juice showed the highest growth inhibition on AGS gastric cancer cells in vitro (42%), compared with chlorella (20%) and kale juice (21%). However, cabbage-chlorella and cabbage-kale juice mixtures (at a 7:3 ratio) showed synergistic effects (57% and 65% inhibitory effects, respectively) on the gastric cancer cells. Inflammatory genes (iNOS, COX-2, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$) were significantly down-regulated in the mixed juices. Tests of DPPH radical scavenging activity and acid-neutralizing capacity with the mixed juices also showed this trend, as cabbage-chlorella and cabbage-kale mixed juices showed synergistic effects compared to cabbage juice alone. The inhibition rate of acute gastritis induced by HCl-ethanol in rats was 46% with high amounts of cabbage (CH; 800 mg/kg), 71% with high amounts of cabbage and chlorella (CChH; 800 mg/kg), 74% with high amounts of cabbage and kale (CKH; 800 mg/kg), and 75% with cimetidine (positive control) compared with the control. In addition, rates with CChH and CKH showed decreasing gastric secretions with increasing pH. These results show that cabbage juice and cabbage-mixed juices, especially with chlorella or kale, exhibit remarkable anti-gastritic effects and can be administered for a long period for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer and gastritis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2019

Coarse woody debris (CWD), which is a component of the forest ecosystem, plays a major role in forest energy flow and nutrient cycling. In particular, CWD isolates carbon for a long time and is important in terms of slowing the rate of carbon released from the forest to the atmosphere. Therefore, this study measured the physiochemical characteristics and respiration rate ($R_{CWD}$) of CWD for Larix kaempferi and Pinus rigida in temperate forests in central Korea. In summer 2018, CWD samples from decay class (DC) I to IV were collected in the 14 forest stands. $R_{CWD}$ and physiochemical characteristics were measured using a closed chamber with a portable carbon dioxide sensor in the laboratory. In both species, as CWD decomposition progressed, the density ($D_{CWD}$) of the CWD decreased while the water content ($WC_{CWD}$) increased. Furthermore, the carbon concentrations did not significantly differ by DC, whereas the nitrogen concentration significantly increased and the C/N ratio decreased. The respiration rate of L. kaempferi CWD increased significantly up to DC IV, but for P. rigida it increased to DC II and then unchanged for DC II-IV. Accordingly, except for carbon concentration, all the measured characteristics showed a significant correlation with $R_{CWD}$. Multiple linear regression showed that $WC_{CWD}$ was the most influential factor on $R_{CWD}$. $WC_{CWD}$ affects $R_{CWD}$ by increasing microbial activity and is closely related to complex environmental factors such as temperature and light conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to study their correlation and estimate the time-series pattern of CWD moisture.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.3-30
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• 1979

Larch ($\underline{Larix}$ $\underline{leptolepis}$ GORDON), one of the major afforestation species in Korea in view of its growing stock and rate of growth, is not favored as a raw material for pulp due to its low yield of pulp and difficulties with bleaching arising from the high content of extractives in wood, and the high heartwood ratio and the active phenolics, respectively. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of firstly pulping with various additives of cellulose protector for the yield of pulp, and secondly bleaching with oxygen for chlotination-alkali extraction of five stage-sequence to reduce chlorine compounds in bleaching effluents. The kraft cooking liquor for five age groups of larchwood was 18 percent active alkali with 25 percent sulfidity and 5 : 1 liquor-to-wood ratio, and each soda liquor for sap-and heart-wood of the 15-year-old larchwood was 18 percent alkali having one of the following cellulose protectors as the additive; magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$, 2.5%), zinc sulfate ($ZnSO_4$, 2.5%), aluminium sulfate ($Al_2(SO_4)_3$, 2.5%), potasium iodide (KI, 2.5%), hydroquinone (HQ, 2.5%), anthraquinone (AQ, 0.1%) and ethylene diamine (EDA, 2.5%). Then each anthraquinone-soda liquor for the determination of suitable cooking condition was the active alkali level of 15, 17 and 19 percent with 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1 percent anthraquinone, respectively. The cooking procedure for the pulps was scheduled to heat to 170$^{\circ}C$ in 90 minutes and to cook 90 minutes at the maximum temperature. The anthraquinone-soda pulps from both heartwood and sapwood of 15-year-old larchwood prepared with 0.5 percent anthraquinone and 18 percent active alkali were bleached in a four-stage sequency of OCED. (O: oxygen bleaching, D: chlorine dioxide bleaching and E: alkali extraction). In the first stage oxygen in atmospheric pressure was applied to a 30 percent consistency of pulp with 0.1 percent magnesium oxide (MgO) and 3, 6, and 9 percent sodium hydroxide on oven dry base, and the bleached results were compared pulps bleached under the conventional CEDED (C: chlorination). The results in the study were summarized as follows: 1. The screened yield of larch kraft pulp did not differ from particular ages to age group, but heartwood ratio, basic density, fiber length and water-extractives contents of wood and the tear factor of the pulp increased with increasing the tree age. The total yield of the pulp decreased. 2. The yield of soda pulp with various chemicals for cellulose protection of the 15-year-old larchwood increased slightly more than that of pure soda pulp and was slightly lower than that of kraft pulp. The influence of cellulose protectors was similar to the yield of pulps from both sapwood and heartwood. The effective protectors among seven additives were KI, $MgSO_4$ and AQ, for which the yields of screened pulp was as high as that of kraft pulp. Considering the additive level of protector, the AQ was the most effective in improving the yield and the quality of pulp. 3. When the amount of AQ increased in soda cooking, the yield and the quality of the pulp increased but rejects in total yield increased with decreasing the amount of active alkali from 19 to 15 percent. The best proportion of the AQ seemed to be 0.5 percent at 17 percent active alkali in anthraquinone-soda pulping. 4. On the bleaching of the AQ-soda pulp at 30 percent consistency with oxygen of atomospheric pressure in the first stage of the ODED sequence, the more caustic soda added, the brighter bleached pulp was obtained, but more lignin-selective bleaching reagent in proportion to the oxygen was necessary to maintain the increased yield with the addition of anthraquinone. 5. In conclusion, the suitable pulping condition for larchwood to improve the yield and quality of the chemical pulp to the level for kraft pulp from conventional process seemed to be. A) the selection of young larchwood to prevent decreasing in yield and quality due to the accumulation extractives in old wood, B) the application of 0.5 percent anthraquinone to the conventional soda cooking of 18 percent active alkali, and followed, C) the bleaching of oxygen in atmospheric pressure on high consistency (30%) with 0.1 percent magnesium oxide in the first stage of the ODED sequence to reduce the content of chlorine compounds in effluent.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to characterize the hydrogeochemical characteristics of hot spring waters and to interpret the source of noble gases and the geochemical environment of the hot spring waters distributed along the eastern area of the Korean peninsula. For this purpose, We carried out the chemical, stable isotopic and noble gas isotopic analyses for eleven hot spring water and fourteen hot spring gas samples collected from six hot spring sites. The hot spring waters except the Osaek hot spring water show the pH range of 7.0 to 9.1. However, the Osaek $CO_2$-rich hot spring water shows a weak acid of pH 5.7. The temperature of hot spring waters in the study area ranges from $25.7^{\circ}C$ to $68.3^{\circ}C$. Electrical conductivity of hot spring waters varies widely from 202 to $7,130{\mu}S/cm$. High electrical conductivity (av., $3,890{\mu}S/sm$) by high Na and Cl contents of the Haeundae and the Dongrae hot spring waters indicates that the hot spring waters were mixed with seawater in the subsurface thermal system. The type of hot springs in the viewpoint of dissolved components can be grouped into three types: (1) alkaline Na-$HCO_3$ type including sulfur gas of the Osaek, Baekam, Dukgu and Chuksan hot springs, and (2) saline Na-Cl type of the Haeundae and Dongrae hot springs, and (3) weak acid $CO_2$-rich Na-$HCO_3$ type of Osaek hot spring. Tritium ratios of the Haeundae and the Dongrae hot springs indicate different residence time in their aquifers of older water of $0.0{\sim}0.3$ TU and younger water of $5.9{\sim}8.8$ TU. The ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}D$ values of hot spring waters indicate that they originate from the meteoric water, and that the values also reflect a latitude effect according to their locations. $^3He/^4He$ ratios of the hot spring waters except Osaek $CO_2$-rich hot spring water range from $0.1{\times}10^{-6}$ to $1.1{\times}10^{-6}$ which are plotted above the mixing line between air and crustal components. It means that the He gas in hot spring waters was originated mainly from atmosphere and crust sources, and partly from mantle sources. The Osaek $CO_2$-rich hot spring water shows $3.3{\times}10^{-6}$ in $^3He/^4He$ ratio that is 2.4 times higher than those of atmosphere. It provides clearly a helium source from the deep mantle. $^{40}Ar/^{36}Ar$ ratios of hot spring water are in the range of an atmosphere source.