• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.2 s.271
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• pp.97-102
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• 2007

Background: Endovenous laser treatment has recently been introduced as a less invasive technique, with many good results reported, A 980-nm diode laser was used on the great saphenous vein (GSV) occlusions in patients with varicose veins, due to GSV reflux, and the therapeutic effects analyzed. Material and Method: Between September 2003 and February 2006, 238 patients (332 cases) with GSV reflux underwent endovenous laser treatment with a 980-nm diode laser. Operative procedures were simultaneous endovenous laser treatment and ambulatory phlebectomy. The preoperative clinical findings, postoperative complications and postoperative duplex US follow up results at 1 and 3 months were reviewed. Result: Postoperative complications were ecchymosis in almost cases, paresthesia 68 cases (20.5%) and skin burn in 3 cases (0.9%). Follow up duplex US revealed 26 and 10 cases at 1 and 3 months of GSV reflux or partial recanalization, with therapeutic success rates of 91.3 and 87.9%, respectively. Conclusion: The treatment of GSV occlusion with an endovenous laser is less invasive than traditional GSV stripping, but relatively high recanalization was experienced, possibly due to inadequate laser power, laser fiber pullback speed or an extremely dilated GSV. However, continuous attempts will be required to reduce the recanalization after the procedure, with accurate follow up using duplex US.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.719-724
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• 2009

Background: As the patients who undergo heart transplantation have achieved better survival in recent years, growing number of recipients are at a risk for experiencing surgical complications in addition to rejection and infection. In this paper, we report on our experience with the surgical complications that occurred in heart transplant recipients. Material and Method: From April 1994 to September 2003, 37 heart transplantations were performed at our center by a single surgeon. The indications for transplantation were dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy, valvular cardiomyopathy and familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Result: Twenty postoperative complications required surgeries in 15 patients (41%). The types of operations required were; redo-sternotomy for bleeding (5), pericardiostomy for effusion (4), implantation of a permanent pacemaker (1), right lower lobe lobectomy for aspergilloma (1), removal of urinary stone (1), cholecystectomy for gall bladder stone (1), drainage of a perianal abscess (1), paranasal sinus drainage (1), total hip replacement (1), partial gingivectomy due to gingival hypertrophy (1), urethrostomy (1), herniated intervertebral disc operation (1) and total hysterectomy for myoma uteri (1). The locations of the complications were mediastinal in 10 (27%) cases and extramediastihalin 10 (27%) cases. Conclusion: The relatively high incidence of extrathoracic complications associated with heart transplantation emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the improve long-term survival when managing those complex patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.544-547
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• 2015

An 11-year-old, intact male Pekingese was brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Kangwon National University with a 10-day history of seizures. Fifteen days before coming to Kangwon National University, the dog had visited a local animal hospital for lameness, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were prescribed to treat this symptom. However, 10 days before coming to our hospital, the dog experienced generalized seizures. Two days before his arrival, generalized ataxia and mental dullness also occurred. Our examinations revealed no remarkable findings on a routine blood test or X-ray. However, the neurological examinations confirmed mental dullness, generalized ataxia, and a lack of menace response and pupillary light reflexes. Nine hours later, dyspnea occurred, and 12 hours after that, the patient was euthanized per the client's request. A necropsy of transverse sections confirmed the presence of a prominent midline shift due to extended tumor growth. On histopathological analyses, pseudopalisading necrosis of the glial cells and microvascular proliferation were observed. In immunohistochemical analysis, glial fibrillary acidic protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigens, and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 immunoreactive cells were observed in the tumor area. Based on the results, the tumor was confirmed to be a glioblastoma. Primary intracranial tumors are rare in the veterinary field. This case report describes the clinical and histopathological findings of glioblastoma in a Pekingese.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2019

The discovery of nitric oxide (NO) as a major signaling molecule in a number of pathophysiological processes - vasodilation, immune response, platelet aggregation, wound repair, and cancer biology - has led to the development of various exogeneous NO delivery systems. However, the development of ideal delivery system for human body application is still left as a challenge due to its high reactivity and short half-life in physiological condition. In this article, an overview of several nano-structures as potential NO delivery system will be presented, along with their recent research results and biomedical applications. Nano-size delivery system has immense advantages compared to others due to its high surface-to-volume ratio and capability for surface modification; thus, it has been proven to be effective in delivering nitric oxide with enhanced performance. Through this novel nano-structure delivery system, we are expecting to achieve sustained release of nitric oxide within adequate range of concentration, which ensures desired drug effects at the target site. Among different nano-structures, in particular, nanoparticle, microemulsion and nanofilm will be reviewed and compared to each other in respect of nitric oxide release profile. The proposed nano-structures for exogeneous NO delivery have a biological significance in that it can be further utilized in diverse biomedical fields as a highly promising therapeutic method.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.152-160
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• 2023

After the recent COVID-19 outbreak, more and more people are paying attention to health care. Many people feel uncomfortable in life due to muscle pain after sports or exercise as a hobby and often take a break from exercise. After exercising for a long time or exercising excessively, pain appears throughout the body within 24 to 48 hours after exercise. This pain is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). In this study, the effectiveness of the pain relief of delayed onset myalgia was verified by using a high-frequency pain therapy device that generates deep heat. EMG was measured before and after pain treatment at ordinary times, RMS values were obtained through analysis, statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS program, and it was judged to be statistically significant. In addition, statistical analysis of the RMS value between normal and after pain treatment was conducted to confirm that there was no significance, and to confirm how much it returned to normal after pain treatment. In addition, since the standards for pain are different for each person even if the size of the same pain is the same, the NRS questionnaire for the size of pain was conducted, and the size of pain felt by the subjects was analyzed using the SPSS program and statistical significance was obtained. Therefore, as a result of this study, the high-frequency pain therapy device generated deep heat in the pain area to raise the temperature, and expanded the arteries and capillaries to increase blood flow, thereby increasing blood circulation and metabolism, and alleviating the pain of delayed onset muscle pain.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.523-529
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• 2023

Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that is involved in the quality control of proteins and responsible for modulating a variety of cellular physiological processes. Protein ubiquitination and deubiquitination are reversible processes that regulate the stability of target substrates. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) helps regulate tumor-promoting processes, such as DNA repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, metastasis, and angiogenesis. The UPS comprises a combination of ubiquitin, ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2), and ubiquitin-ligase enzymes (E3), which complete the degradation of target proteins. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (UBE2s) play an inter-mediate role in the UPS process by moving activated ubiquitin to target proteins through E3 ligases. UBE2s consist of 40 members and are classified according to conserved catalytic ubiquitin-conjugating (UBC) domain-flanking extensions in humans. Since UBE2s have specificity to substrates like E3 ligase, the significance of UBE2 has been accentuated in tumorigenesis. The dysregulation of multiple E2 enzymes and their critical roles in modulating oncogenic signaling pathways have been reported in several types of cancer. The elevation of UBE2 expression is correlated with a worse prognosis in cancer patients. In this review, we summarize the basic functions and regulatory mechanisms of UBE2s and suggest the possibility of their use as therapeutic targets for cancer.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.166-173
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• 2024

Steroids have a temporary skin improvement and whitening effect by controlling vasodilation, but they also cause side effects when used for a long time. Therefore, steroids were designated and managed as raw materials that cannot be used in cosmetics in Korea. However, steroids are continuously being detected in cosmetics, causing social issues. In this study, we developed a certified reference material (CRM) for the determination of steroids such as hydrocortisone in cosmetics. A cream-type cosmetic CRM was manufactured and subsequently certified following the guidelines outlined in ISO Guide 35. Homogeneity, short-term stability, and long-term stability were evaluated using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS). The certified values were determined by using NIST's primary reference material to ensure traceability. From now on, we intend to supply the certified reference material as a cosmetic CRM to national and international companies, as well as research institutes after certification as certified reference material from KOLAS and registering on COMAR.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

Brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac hormone that exerts cardiovascular and renal effects and regulates metabolic processes. In the current study, to determine the hepatic effects of BNP, we investigated whether it improves high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic IR and characterized its possible mechanism. No significant differences in body weight, fat mass, or lean mass were observed between the saline- and BNP-treated groups of normal diet-and HFD-fed mice. During the clamp test, the BNP infusion into HFD-fed mice led to lower blood glucose levels and increased glucose infusion rates versus that into saline-treated HFD-fed mice. The BNP infusion also inhibited hepatic glucose production and decreased hepatic triglyceride levels concomitant with decreased expression of gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis-related genes, resulting in reduced levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. BNP increased the phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-acti- vated protein kinase (AMPK) in the livers of HFD-fed mice compared to saline-fed HFD mice. The incubation of AML12 murine hepatocytes with BNP increased the basal levels of phosphorylated Akt and AMPK and recovered the phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated AMPK levels reduced by palmitate treatment. Furthermore, BNP incubation prevented palmitate-induced increases in lipo- genesis gene expressions. Taken together, the current study's findings indicated that BNP ameliorates hepatic IR, resulting in reduced hepatic glucose production and hepatic steatosis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 1998

Purpose : Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been involved in several forms of immune-related glomerulopathy but the pathogenic role of HBV infection is not clear. To evaluate the clinicopathological features of HBV-associated glomerulopathy, a clinicopathological analysis and immunohistochemical stain for HBs Ag and HBe Ag were done. Methods : Clinicopathological features of HBV-associated glomerulopathy were analyzed with renal biopsies in 28 HBsAg seropositive patients from April 1990 to February 1997 at Pusan Paik Hospital, and immunohistochemical evaluation for HBsAg and HBeAg was done in renal tissues. Light microscopic, immunofluorescent and electron microscopic examination and immunohistochemical staining for HBsAg (DAKO) and HBeAg (BIONIKE) of renal tissue were performed. Result ; 1. The age distribution was 6 to 73 years old, and eight were children and 20 were adults. Male : female ratio was 3:1. Nineteen (67.9%) and 21 (75.0%) of 28 cases showed hematuria and proteinuria, respectively at the time of biopsy. Sixteen (57.2%) of them had nephrotic syndrome. 2. Liver function test was performed in 11 patients and seven (63.6%) of them showed increased AST and ALT levels. Liver biopsy was done in three patients and revealed findings of chronic active hepatitis. 3. HBV-associated glomerulopathy was membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) in 10 (35.7%), mesangiopathy in 8 (28.6%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in 7 (25.0%) and minimal change disease in 3 (10.7%) out of 28 cases. 4. Ultrastructurally HBV-associated MGN showed conspicuous subepithelial deposits with intramembranous, mesangial and subendothelial deposits and proliferation of mesangial cells and matrix, which were suggestive of MPGN. In HBV-associated MPGN, intramembranous and subepithelial deposits were scattered. 5. Immunohistochemical staining revealed no expression for HBsAg, but positive reaction for HBeAg along capillary wall in 8 cases (28.6%), of which 3 cases were checked for serum HBeAg, all showed positivity. Conclusion : HBV-associated glomerulopathy showed a wide morphologic spectrum and overlapping ultrastructural features in MGN and MPGN, and the activity of hepatitis B virus may be related to the development of HBV-associated glomerulopathy but further studies are recommended to confirm this relationship.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.385-398
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• 2002

The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether stromal cells supporting specific microenvironment for hematopoiesis of bone marrow are affected by toxicants and therapeutic drugs such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs and whether laminin-1 is associated with such effects. SD rats were intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide which is widely used to treat infant's solid tumor, leukemia and myeloma and sacrificed after 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks or 5 weeks of injection. The bone marrow extracted and paraffin-sectioned was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. A part of tissues was subjected to electron microscopy following reaction with rabbit anti-laminin antibody, biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG conjugated with 12 nm gold particles, and staining with uranyl acetate. 1. The bone marrow tissue at day 3 post injection with cyclophosphamide displayed dilated venous sinus, partial necrotic death, and decreased number of hematopoietic cells. Laminin-1 was intensively stained in the reticular and adipose tissues. 2. Up to 5 weeks post injection, laminin-1 was stained at a low level in the stromal tissue of bone marrow and the number of hematopoietic cell was increased. 3. Deposition of the gold particle which represents laminin-1 expression was observed at the highest level in the stromal cells of bone marrow obtained 3 days after injection, and decreased after 1 to 5 weeks. These results suggest that stromal cells which play a role in supporting microenvironment for bone marrow hematopoiesis augment induction of laminin-1 expression and activation upon administration of cyclophosphamide.