• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.500-508
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• 2024

Recently, there has been increasing interest in enhancing the indoor air quality, particularly in response to the growing utilization of public facilities. The focus of this study was on assessing the efficacy and safety of an air sterilizer equipped with electrolytic salt catalysts. To that end, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the vapor spraying from the air sterilizer and its cytotoxicity in condensed form on human cell lines (HaCaT, BEAS-2B, and THP-1). Against the test organisms, which comprised five bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium) and one fungal strain (Candida albicans), the air sterilizer exhibited relatively high antimicrobial activities ranging from 10.89 to 73.98% following 1 and 3 hr of vapor spraying, which were notably time-dependent. Importantly, cytotoxicity assessments on human cells indicated no significant harmful effect even at a 1.0% concentration. Comprehensive safety evaluations included morphological observations, gene expression (Bcl-2, Bax) tests, and FACS analysis of intracellular ROS levels. Consistent with previous cytotoxicity findings, these estimates demonstrated no significant changes, highlighting the air sterilizer's safety and antimicrobial activities. In a simulated 20-hr operation within an indoor environment, the air sterilizer not only showed an 89.4% removal of total bacteria but also a 100.0% removal of Escherichia sp. and fungi. This research outlines the potential of the developed electrolytic salt catalyst air sterilizer to effectively remove indoor microbial pollutants without compromising human safety, underscoring the solution that it offers for improving indoor air quality.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-69
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• 2024

This study aims to present a case of implementing educational programs that integrate theory and experience, leading to practical environmental conservation practices within households, and to analyze and evaluate their effectiveness. To achieve these goals, various hands-on environmental education programs related to family life, including carbon-neutral practices, clothing, food, housing, and design, were implemented for early adulthood. Pre- and post-surveys provided by the Korea Environmental Preservation Association were utilized to assess awareness and willingness to engage in environmental conservation among participants, and consultation with an expert was conducted to understand the effectiveness of the educational programs. As a result, the findings confirmed a notable enhancement in participants' environmental consciousness and commitment to action following the program compared to pre-program levels. The results of open-ended questions showed that the content participants wanted to learn and what they actually learned in the classes were similar, validating the effectiveness of the program. The consultation results indicated that presenting various practical methods related to household life would be effective; however, there was a suggestion for the need to consider aspects such as post-practical food management and the unique characteristics of multicultural household members when developing educational programs. This educational initiative holds promise for instigating perceptible shifts in the awareness and proactive engagement of young adults across the spectrum of household dynamics, thereby contributing significantly to the establishment of sustainable living paradigms.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.180-190
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• 2000

Background: Genomic instability, which is manifested by the replication error(RER) phenotype, has been proposed for the promotion of genetic alterations necessary for carcinogenesis. Merlo et al. reported frequent microsatellite instability in primary small cell lung cancers. However, Kim et al. found that instability occurred in only 1% of the loci tested and did not resemble the replication error-positive phenotype. The significance of microsatellite instability in the tumorigenesis of small cell lung cancer as well as the relationship between microsatellite instability and its clinical prognosis was investigated in our study. Methods: Fifteen primary small cell lung cancers were chosen for this study. The DNAs extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue blocks with primary tumor and corresponding control tissue were investigated. Forty microsatellite markers on chromosome 1p, 2p, 3p, 5q, 6p, 6q, 9p, 9q, 13q, and 17p were used in the microsatellite analysis. Results: Thirteen(86.7%) of 15 tumors exhibited LOH in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Three of 13 tumors exhibiting LOH lost a larger area in chromosome 9p. LOH was shown in 72.7% on chromosome 2p, 40% on 3p, 50% on 5q, 46.7% on 9p, 69.2% on 13q, and 66.7% on 17p(Table 1). Nine(60%) of 15 tumors exhibited shifted bands in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Nine cases exhibiting shifted bands showed altered loci ranging 2.5~52.5%(mean $9.4%\pm16.19$)(Table 2). Shifted bands occurred in 5.7% (34 of 600) of the loci tested(Table 2). Nine cases with shifted bands exhibited LOH ranging between 0~83.3%, and the median survival duration of those cases was 35 weeks. Six cases without shifted bands exhibited LOH ranging between 0~83.3%, and the median survival duration of those cases was 73 weeks. There was no significant difference between median survival durations of the two groups(p=0.4712). Conclusion: Microsatellite instability as well as the inactivation of several tumor suppressor genes may play important roles in the development and progression process of tumors. However, the relationship between microsatellite instability and its clinical prognosis in primary small cell lung cancer could not be established.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2003

Background: Although ramicotomy (division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia) is a selective and physiological surgical method for essential hyperhidrosis, it has some problems such as higher recurrence rates and the different surgical results among the patients and between left and right sides in the same individual. As one of the factors that are related to the differences in surgical result and recurrences, we investigated the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes. The purpose of this study is to help develop new surgical methods to decrease surgical differences among the patients or between the left and right sides of the same individual and recurrence rates in the clinical application of ramicotomy. Material and Method: We dissected 118 thoracic sympathetic chains in 59 adult Korean cadavers (male: 33, female: 26) to examine the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes from the second to the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglia that have major components innervating to the hands. After the dissection of bilateral thoracic sympathetic chains, we compared the anatomy of left and right sides and examined the anatomical variations of rami communicantes. Result: The number and variation of communicating rami connecting the spinal nerves and the second sympathetic thoracic ganglion were much larger than lower levels. There was considerably less variability in the anatomy of the rami communicantes at successive levels. Among the 59 cadavers dissected, only 14.3% (9/59) had similar anatomy of thoracic sympathetic chains at both sides. As the components related to the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the first intercostal nerve or brachial plexus were observed in 55.9% (66/118). The incidence of descending rami communicates from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve and from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the fourth intercostal nerve were 49.2% (58/118) and 28.0% (33/118). And the incidence of ascending rami communicates from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the second intercostal nerve and from the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve were 6.8% (8/118) and 3.4% (4/118), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the various anatomical evidences of the rami communicantes from this study, only the ramicotomy at the third sympathetic ganglion level is insufficient for the treatment of the essential palmar hyperhidrosis to decrease the difference of surgical results and recurrences. When one is planning to perform the ramicotomy for the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, it is advantageous to divide the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz on the second rib and the descending or ascending rami communicantes on the third and the fourth ribs as well as all the communicating rami from the third sympathetic ganglion.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2003

Purpose: In order to develop the national guide-lines for the standardization of radiotherapy we are planning to establish a web-based, on-line data-base system for laryngeal cancer. As a first step this study was performed to accumulate the basic clinical information of laryngeal cancer and to determine the items needed for the data-base system. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the clinical data on patients who were treated under the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer from January 1998 through December 1999 In the South-west area of Korea. Eligiblity criteria of the patients are as follows: 18 years or older, currently diagnosed with primary epithelial carcinoma of larynx, and no history of previous treatments for another cancers and the other laryngeal diseases. The items were developed and filled out by radiation oncologlst who are members of forean Southwest Radiation Oncology Group. SPSS vl0.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Data of forty-five patients were collected. Age distribution of patients ranged from 28 to 88 years(median, 61). Laryngeal cancer occurred predominantly In males (10 : 1 sex ratio). Twenty-eight patients (62$\%$) had primary cancers in the glottis and 17 (38$\%$) in the supraglottis. Most of them were diagnosed pathologically as squamous cell carcinoma (44/45, 98$\%$). Twenty-four of 28 glottic cancer patients (86$\%$) had AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) stage I/II, but 50$\%$ (8/16) had In supraglottic cancer patients (p=0.02). Most patients(89$\%$) had the symptom of hoarseness. indirect laryngoscopy was done in all patients and direct laryngoscopy was peformed in 43 (98$\%$) patients. Twenty-one of 28 (75$\%$) glottic cancer cases and 6 of 17 (35$\%$) supraglottic cancer cases were treated with radiation alone, respectively. The combined treatment of surgery and radiation was used in 5 (18$\%$) glottic and 8 (47$\%$) supraglottic patients. Chemotherapy and radiation was used in 2 (7$\%$) glottic and 3 (18$\%$) supraglottic patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the use of combined modality treatments between glottic and supraglottic cancers (p=0.20). In all patients, 6 MV X-ray was used with conventional fractionation. The iraction size was 2 Gy In 80$\%$ of glottic cancer patients compared with 1.8 Gy in 59$\%$ of the patients with supraglottic cancers. The mean total dose delivered to primary lesions were 65.98 ey and 70.15 Gy in glottic and supraglottic patients treated, respectively, with radiation alone. Based on the collected data, 12 modules with 90 items were developed or the study of the patterns of care In laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: The study Items for laryngeal cancer were developed. In the near future, a web system will be established based on the Items Investigated, and then a nation-wide analysis on laryngeal cancer will be processed for the standardization and optimization of radlotherapy.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.70-83
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• 1999

The birth of a premature infant is distressing for its parents. The parents of a premature infant experience stress according to the infant's physical appearance and behavior, the environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) , and the alteration in the parental role. Especially, a mother of a premature infant feels distressed even after the discharge of the infant : therefore, she has difficulties in maternal role performance. The main purpose of this study is to identify the effects of the planned infant care information program in order to lower the stress level for mothers of premature infants caused by the birth and hospitalization in NICU of premature infants, to reduce the maternal role strain, and to promote the maternal role performance after the infants' discharge. This study employed two methods of research at the same time : quasi -experimental non-equivalent pre and post test to compare : non-equivalent post test to compare. The total number of subjects was 19 who were assigned to the research program : 12 mothers of premature infants at the NICU at the Ch university hospital and 7 at the NICU at the Y general hospital located in Chounju city. The data were collected for 79 days from August 18 to November 5, 1998. The questionnaire method was applied for the data collection, and the measures used in this study were Parental Stressor Scale : NICU(Miles, 1993), the Maternal Role Strain Measures ( Hobbs, 1968 ; Steffensmeier, 1982) , and Self Confidence Scale (Pharis, 1978). Research procedure is as follows : after preliminary examination, the experimental subjects, the mothers of premature infants at the Nl CU at Ch university hospital were provided with slide films and information developed by the researcher based on existing documents and data. It took two 60-minute sessions a week for two weeks, and the mothers' stress level was measured using the same instrument twice one week and two week after the infants' hospitalization. The stress level of the contrast subjects, the mothers at Y general hospital was measured during the same period. The experimental subjects were provided with booklets on matters that require attention after the infants' discharge and on developmental project, and they were educated to play the maternal role in person for 2-3 hours a week : breast-feeding, burping a baby, and changing diapers. One week after the infants' discharge, the maternal role strain and the maternal role performance were examined in two groups of the subjects. The analysis of collected data was done using descriptive statistics including real numbers, percentages, averages, and standard deviations. Mann-Whitney test ; x² test ; Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance ; ANCOVA Spearman's rho correlation coefficients. The results on this study were as follows. (1) The examination of the same quality showed that there were no differences in the general and obstetrical characters between the two groups. However, in terms of the characters of premature infants. just right after their birth, the infants at the contrast group weighed more than those at the experimental group(U=16.5, p=.02), and the former was in mother's womb longer than the latter(U=15.5, p=.02). (2) The stress level of the mothers provided with the plannned nursing intervention program became lower as time passed compared to the others'(F=16.61, p=.00) Even when the influence of weight at birth and the length of gestation was removed among the premature infants' characters, the mothers' stress levels made a statistical difference 2 weeks after the infants' hospitalization depending on treatment (F=8.00, p=.01) (3) The maternal role strain of the mothers provided with the planned nursing intervention program was lower than the others'(U=2.0, p=.00). Even when the influence of weight at birth and the length of gestation was removed among the premature infants' characters, the maternal role strain levels made a statistical difference 2 weeks after the infants' hospitalization, depending on treatment(F=14.72, p=.00). (4) The maternal role performance level of the mothers provided with the planned nursing program was higher than the others'(U=.0, p=.00). Even when the influence of weight at birth and the length of gestation was removed among the premature infants' characters, the mothers' stress levels made a statistical difference 2 weeks after the infants' hospitalization, depending on treatment(F=8.00, p=.01). (5) The correlation between a mother's stress level 2 weeks after her infant's hospitalization, the maternal role strain and the maternal role performance were compared : the stress and the maternal role strain were statistically irrelevant to each other(r=.33, p=.12) : the stress was found to be in inverse proportion to the maternal role performance(r=-.53, p=.02). The maternal role strain was in inverse proportion to the maternal role performance as well(r=-.50, p=.00). In conclusion, for the mothers provided with the planned nursing intervention program, their stress level was getting lower as time passed during the infants' hospitalization, their maternal role strain reduced when they took care of their infants after their discharge, and their maternal role performance level was high compared to the other mothers. Besides, the lower the stress level of mothers of premature infants was during the infants' hospitalization, the higher the maternal role performance after their discharge was. The lower maternal role strain was, the higher the maternal role performance was as well. These results of the study suggested that the nursing intervention program for the mothers of premature infants developed by the researcher would be effectively applied to nursing practice, and it would be a foundation for the development of this kind of program.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.126-132
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the prognostic factors for the pathologic N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who were treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 112 pN2 NSCLC patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) From January 1999 to February 2008. Seventy-five (67%) patients received segmentectomy or lobectomy and 37 (33%) patients received pneumonectomy. The resection margin was negative in 94 patients, and it was positive or close in 18 patients. Chemotherapy was administered to 103 (92%) patients. Nine (8%) patients received PORT alone. The median radiation dose was 54 Gy (range, 45 to 66), and the fraction size was 1.8~2 Gy. Results: The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 60.2% and the disease free survival (DFS) rate was 44.7% for all the patients. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with multiple-station N2 disease had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p=0.047, p=0.007) and the patients with an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p<0.001, p=0.025). A large tumor size ($\geq$5 cm) and positive lymphovascular invasion reduced the OS (p=0.035, 0.034). Using multivariate analysis, we found that multiple-station N2 disease and an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) significantly reduced the OS and DFS. Seventy one patients (63.4%) had recurrence of disease. The patterns of failure were loco-regional in 23 (20.5%) patients, distant failure in 62 (55.4%) and combined loco-regional and distant failure in 14 (12.5%) patients. Conclusion: Multiple involvement of mediastinal nodal stations for the pN2 NSCLC patients with PORT was a poor prognostic factor in this study. A prospective study is necessary to evaluate the N2 subclassification and to optimize the adjuvant treatment.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.279-287
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate resumption of ovarian cyclicity and effect of BCS on estrous response by treatment of $PGF_2a+PGF_2a+CIDR$ program on day 40 postpartum in lactating dairy cow. First $PGF_2a$ was given on day 40 postpartum, second $PGF_2a$ was given 14 days apart to cows not-responded to 1st $PGF_2a$ and then CIDR was inserted for 7 days after 5 days in cows not-responded to 2nd $PGF_2a$. The $42.9\%$ of the cows showed more than 1 ng/mL milk progesterone concentration within 10 to 30 days postpartum. About $19\%$ of the cows exhibited more than 1 ng/mL milk pro-gesterone concentration between 31 to 50 days postpartum. However $38.1\%$ of the cows have not shown more than 1 ng/mL milk progesterone up to 50 days postpartum. Estrous response to the treatment of 1 st $PGF_2a$ and 2nd $PGF_2a$ was $47.5\%$ and $52.4\%$, respectively. Combination of 1 st $PGF_2a$ and 2nd $PGF_2a$ was $75\%$ and combination of 1st $PGF_2a$+2nd $PGF_2a$+CIDR was $87.5\%$. Estrous response to the treatment of $PGF_2a+PGF_2a$ program was $61.5\%$ in cows with less than 2.50 BCS and $81.5\%$ in cows with 2.75${\~}$3.50 BCS. Estrous response to the treatment of CIDR was $40\%$ in cows with less than 2.50 BCS and $80\%$ in cows with 2.75${\~}$3.50 BCS. Estrous response to the treatment of PPC on day 40 postpartum was $76.9\%$ in cows with less than 2.50 BCS and $96.3\%$ in cows with 2.75${\~}$3.50 BCS.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2002

Objective : A retrospective study was peformed to evaluate whether postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy can improve survival and decrease recurrence as compared with surgery alone in resected esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods : From Jan. 1985 to Dec. 1993, among 94 esophageal cancer Patients treated with surgery, fifty-one patients were included in this study. Transthoracic esophagectomy was peformed in 35 patients and transhiatal esophagectomy in 16. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was peformed 4 weeks after surgery in 26 among 38 patients in stage II and III. A total dose of $30\~60\;Gy$ in 1.8 Gy daily fraction, median 54 Gy over 6 weeks, was delivered in the mediastinum+both supraclavicular lymph nodes or celiac lymph nodes according to the tumor location. Forty-seven patients$(92\%)$ had squamous histology. The median follow-up period was 38 months. Results : The overall 2-year and 5-year survival and median survival were $56.4\%,\;36.8\%$ and 45 months. Two-year and 5-year survival and median survival by stage were $92\%,\;60.3\%$ for stage I, $63\%,\;42\%$ and 51 months for stage II and $34\%,\;23\%$ and 19 months for stage III (p=0.04). For stage II and III patients, 5-year survival and median survival were $22.8\%$, 45 months for the surgery alone group and $37.8\%$, 22 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.89). For stage III patients, 2-year survival and median survival were $0\%$, 11 months for the surgery alone group and $36.5\%$, 20 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.14). Local and distant failure rates for stage II and III were $50\%,\;16\%$ for the surgery alone and $39\%,\;31\%$ for the postoperative RT group. For N1 patients, local failure rate was $71\%$ for the surgery alone group and $37\%$ for the postoperative RT group (p=0.19). Among 10 local failures in the postoperative RT group, in-field failures were 2, marginal failures 1, out-field 5 and anastomotic site failures 2. Conclusion : There were no statistically significant differences in either the overall survival or the patterns of failure between the surgery alone group and the postoperative RT group for resected stage II and III esophageal cancer. But this study showed a tendency of survival improvement and decrease in local failure when postoperative RT was peformed for stage III or N1 though statistically not significant. To decrease local failure, a more generous radiation field encompassing the supraclavicular, mediastinal, and celiac lymph nodes and anastomotic site in postoperative adjuvant treatment should be considered.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.165-176
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• 2004

Purpose: Firstly, to analyze facto in terms of radiation treatment that might potentially cause subfrontal relapse in two patients who had been treated by craniospinal irradiation (CSI) for medulloblastoma, Secondly, to explore an effective salvage treatment for these relapses. Materials and Methods: Two patients who had high-risk disease (T3bMl, T3bM3) were treated with combined chemoradiotherapy CT-simulation based radiation-treatment planning (RTP) was peformed. One patient who experienced relapse at 16 months after CSI was treated with salvage surgery followed by a 30.6 Gy IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy). The other patient whose tumor relapsed at 12 months after CSI was treated by surgery alone for the recurrence. To investigate factors that might potentially cause subfrontal relapse, we evaluated thoroughly the charts and treatment planning process including portal films, and tried to find out a method to give help for placing blocks appropriately between subfrotal-cribrifrom plate region and both eyes. To salvage subfrontal relapse in a patient, re-irradiation was planned after subtotal tumor removal. We have decided to treat this patient with IMRT because of the proximity of critical normal tissues and large burden of re-irradiation. With seven beam directions, the prescribed mean dose to PTV was 30.6 Gy (1.8 Gy fraction) and the doses to the optic nerves and eyes were limited to 25 Gy and 10 Gy, respectively. Results: Review of radiotherapy Portals clearly indicated that the subfrontal-cribriform plate region was excluded from the therapy beam by eye blocks in both cases, resulting in cold spot within the target volume, When the whole brain was rendered in 3-D after organ drawing in each slice, it was easier to judge appropriateness of the blocks in port film. IMRT planning showed excellent dose distributions (Mean doses to PTV, right and left optic nerves, right and left eyes: 31.1 Gy, 14.7 Gy, 13.9 Gy, 6.9 Gy, and 5.5 Gy, respectively. Maximum dose to PTV: 36 Gy). The patient who received IMRT is still alive with no evidence of recurrence and any neurologic complications for 1 year. Conclusion: To prevent recurrence of medulloblastoma in subfrontal-cribriform plate region, we need to pay close attention to the placement of eye blocks during the treatment. Once subfrontal recurrence has happened, IMRT may be a good choice for re-irradiation as a salvage treatment to maximize the differences of dose distributions between the normal tissues and target volume.