• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2006

During cancer therapy, gamma-ray irradiation and treatment of anti-cancer chemicals destroy the normal cells as well as cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of epigallocathechin-gallate(EGCG) extracted from green tea, which is known to have anti-cancer and anti-oxident activities, in order to find out the feasible method to protect the normal cells and to kill the cancer cells efficiently. We investigated the effect of EGCG on the leukemia cell growth and cell necrosis, especially when treated along with gamma radiation. The EGCG inhibited the leukemia cell, HL-60, growth at the appropriate concentration while it exhibited no influence on the normal cell growth. More significantly, it enhanced leukemia cell necrosis when its treatment was combined with gamma irradiation. Simultaneous treatment of EGCG and gamma radiation increased leukemia cell necrosis up to 35% compared with separate treatments. These results suggest that drinking of green tea or co-treatment of EGCG during gamma irradiation therapy may result in better prognosis through enhancement of the tumor cell necrosis and protection of the normal cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2023

In order to use Cudrania tricuspidata extract for the development of health-functional food, biological changes in normal rodents, such as changes in blood constituent cells, blood lipids, and anti-inflammatory activity, were measured after the rodents had been drinking the substance for 2 weeks. A 30 mg daily dose of the extract taken for 2 weeks produced no change in body weight or renal function, and no toxicity was observed. Increased red blood cell levels and white blood cell levels were confirmed, and platelet counts tended to increase; thus, the extract seems to cause an overall increase in blood cells. In the case of blood lipids, it was confirmed that the extract-treated group exhibited an effect of improved blood-lipid levels, demonstrated through an increase in HDL-C of 21%, with a decrease in triglyceride of 27% compared to the control group. In addition, the decreases in both GOT and GPT led to improved liver function through use of the extract. Therefore, this study suggests that drinking Cudrania tricuspidata extract can have various effects, such as promoting blood cell production, improving blood lipids profile, improving liver function, and improving inflammatory action. The extract would be useful in the future in developing high-value industrial products such as functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.547-557
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• 1996

Background : An excessive accumulation of neutrophils in lung tissue has been known to play an important role in mediating the tissue injury among the adult respiratory distress syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis by releasing toxic oxygen radicals and proteolytic enzymes. Therefore, it is important to understand a possible mechanism of neutrophil accumulation in lung tissue. In many species, exposure to hyperoxic stimuli can cause changes of lung tissues very similar to human adult respiratory distress syndrome and neutrophils are also functioning as the main effector cells in hyperoxic lung injury. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether neutrophils function as a key effector cell and to study the nature of possible neutrophil chemotactic factors found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the hyperoxia exposed rats. Methods : We exposed the rats to the more than 95% oxygen for 24, 48, 60 arid 72 hours and bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL) was performed. Neutrophil chemotactic activity was measured from the BAT- fluid of each experimental groups. We also evaluated the molecular weight of neutrophil chemotactic tractors using fast performance liquid chromatography and characterized the substances by dialyzer membrane and heat treatment. Results : 1) The neutrophil proportions in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid began to rise from 48 hours after oxygen exposure, and continued to be significantly increased with exposure times. 2) chemotactic index for neutrophils in lung lavages from rats exposed to hyperoxia was significantly higher in 48 hours group than in control group, and was significantly increased with exposure time. 3) No deaths occured until after 48 hours of exposure. However, mortality rates were increased to 33.3 % in 60 hours group and 81.3 % in 72 fours group. 4) Gel filtration using fast performance liquid chromatography disclosed two peaks of neutrophil chemotactic activity in molecular weight of 104,000 and 12,000 daltons. 5) Chemotactic indices of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly deceased when bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was treated with heat ($56^{\circ}C$ for 30 min or $100^{\circ}C$ for 10 min) or dialyzed (dialyzer membrane molecular weight cut off : 12,000 daltons). Conclusion : These results suggested that the generation of neutrophil chemotactic factor and subsequent neutrophil influx into the lungs are playing an important roles in hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury. Neutrophil chemotactic factor in the lung lavage fluids consisted of several distinct components having different molecular weight and different physical characteristics.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2009

Purpose : We compared body growth, blood cell counts, and chemistry among infants receiving soy-based formula (SF), breast milk (BM), and casein-based formula (CF). Methods : Full-term neonates delivered at our hospital from June 2001 to August 2003 were recruited and divided into 3 feeding groups (BM=20, SF=19, CF=12 ) according to the parents wishes. Breast feeding or artificial formulae were given during the initial 3 months of age; thereafter, weaning foods were added freely. Height, weight, head circumference, skin-fold thickness, and mid-arm circumference were measured at birth and 1, 2, 4, 5, 12, and 36 months of age. Cell counts and blood chemistry were analyzed at 5, 12, and 36 months of age. Result : At 5 months of age, body weight was the lowest in the SF group; the height was similar among all groups. Thereafter, there were no differences in height or weight among the groups until 36 months of age. Hemoglobin was the lowest in the BM group at 5 and 12 months of age (P< 0.05 ). At 5 months of age, serum cholesterol, BUN, phosphates, and K+ were significantly lower in the SF group; thereafter, all chemical parameters were similar until 36 months of age. Conclusion : Infants fed with SF showed normal growth during the first 3 years of life as compared to infants fed with BM and CF. Low values of serum phosphates and K+ at 5 months of age in the SF group, despite the high mineral content, suggest that further investigation is needed for effective mineral absorption.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2011

Purpose: The object evaluation method about medical institutes of these days increases credibility of consumers about medical services by conducting a certification system about medical institutes. In addition, as nuclear medicine test rooms and diagnosis test medicine room adopt many kinds of international certification systems, the matters regarding safety management of test rooms are being regarded as important. Since the blood test rooms of nuclear medicine are exposed to many harmful factors such as infection from clinical specimen and radioactive isotope reagent, there is a need to pay lots of attention to the safety management of staff and patients. Therefore, this study discusses safety management activities of staff and patients, which are conducted in the blood test rooms of the nuclear medicine department in Asan Medical Center. Materials and Methods: In the blood test rooms of the nuclear medicine department in Asan Medical Center, the matters regarding comprehensive safety management by the person in charge of safety management are offered and all staff members of the test rooms apply them into work. Safety management education is regularly conducted according to established regulations, and infection is prevented through implementation of wearing personal protectors and hand sanitation during test work. In addition, technical safety guides and accident guides for interruption of electric power are provided against emergencies. Through infection management guides, infection prevention and preparation methods for infection are learned and radioactive isotope management, safety management about reagent use and safety guides about harmful chemical substances are being applied to work. Results: The blood test rooms of the nuclear medicine department apply safety management regulations to work. Under the situation where hand sanitation should be conducted, hands are washed to prevent infection between staff and patients, and for preventing infection from clinical specimen, personal protectors are worn. The reagent, which is classified as harmful substance, is separately stored to be easily recognized, radioactive wastes and general medical wastes are also safely managed. Through these lots of safety management activities, safety management awareness of staff members is enhanced, and patients are protected from many dangers. Conclusion: Staff members of the blood test rooms of the nuclear medicine department should be fully aware of safety management regulations and apply them to work. When better safety management suggestions are made, they need to be examined and applied for increasing quality of safety management for staff and patients.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.36-48
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• 2010

Purpose : In children on anticancer chemotherapy, bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We investigated febrile episodes and bloodstream infections in pediatric cancer patients to guide proper selection of empiric antibiotics for febrile pediatric hemato-oncologic patients. Methods : All febrile episodes treated in the division of hematology-oncology, the department of pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, between July 2005 and June 2008 were reviewed. Episodes with and without bloodstream infections were compared. Results : Forty cases (18.9%, 25 patients) of BSI occurred in 212 febrile episodes (63 patients). Thirty-seven cases (23.6%, 22 patients) of BSI occurred in 157 febrile episodes with neutropenia (54 patients). Microorganisms identified in BSI corresponded to 23 gram-positive bacteria (51.2%), 20 gram-negative bacteria (44.5%), and 2 fungi (4.4%). Rates of BSI between those who had received umbilical cord blood transplantation and those who had received transplantation from other source were significantly different (55.0% vs. 7.7%, P =0.001). No differences in mortality rate were observed among organisms in BSI patients. For febrile episodes the rate of BSI was higher among those with Chemoport than those with Hickman catheter (P =0.029) and gram-positive pathogens were more likely to be associated with Chemoport (P =0.001). Conclusion : The study showed the rate of BSI, distribution of pathogens with regard to neutropenia, transplantation, central venous catheters, and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens in order to help guide in the choice of optimal empiric antibiotics in pediatric febrile neutropenic hemato-oncologic patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.823-830
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• 1995

Background: It has been found that Helper T cells in the peripheral blood are decreased in the cell mediated immunity in the pulmonary tuberculosis. But it has not been confirmed yet that only decrease in number of cells which has phenotype in the peripheral blood is defined to decrease in cell mediated immunity. The immunocytochemical study was performed to observe the change of the percentage of T-lymphocytes with their subsets and activated T cells in the peripheral blood of pulmonary tuberculosis and to know how many T cells would be activated, relative to resting cells in the peripheral blood. Methods: The peripheral blood obtained from twenty two patients and ten healthy controls were smeared on the gelatin coated slide glass prepared for of mononuclear cells. The double bridge technique of alkaline phosphatase-antialkaline phosphatase(APAAP) method was used. As the primary antibodies, $T_1$(anti-human T cell), $T_4$(anti-human helper/inducer T cells) and $T_8$(anti-human supressor/cytotoxic T cell) antibodies and interleukin-2 receptor (for early activated T cell), very late activation antigen (for activated cytotoxic T cell), T cell lineage specific activation antigen monoclonal actibodies were used. Results: 1) There were significantly decrease in the absolute number of $T_4$(+) cells but significantly increase of $T_8$(+) cells in the peripheral blood of pulmonary tuberculosis (p<0.05). 2) The percentage of $T_4$(+) cells showed significantly decrease in pulmonary tuberculosis but $T_8$(+)cells significantly increase(p<0.05). $T_4(+)/T_8(+)$ ratio showed significantly decrease in the peripheral blood of the pulmonary tuberculosis(p<0.05). 3) There were significantly increase in the absolute number of variable stages of activated T cells in the peripheral blood of the pulmonary tuberculosis(p<0.05). 4) The percentage of IL-2R, VLA-1, TLiSA were 6.45+1.56%, $7.64+1.34^*$, 10.45+1.16% in order which showed significantly increase in the peripheral blood of the pulmonary tuberculosis(p<0.05). Conclusion: We speculate that only a few percentage of T lymphocyte is activated in cell mediated immunity in pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.645-651
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• 2018

Lung cancer has the highest death rate of any cancer diseases in Koreans. However, patients often feel difficult to recognize their disease before facing the terminal diagnosis due to the absence of any significant symptoms. Furthermore, the clear detection of an early cancer stage is usually obscure with existing diagnostic methods. For this reason, extensive research efforts have been made on introducing a wide range of biochemical diagnostic tools for the molecular level analysis of biological fluids for lung cancer diagnoses. A chip-based biosensor, one type of the analytical devices, can be a great potential for the diagnosis, which can be used without any further expensive analytical equipments nor skilled analysts. In this mini review, we highlight recent research trends on searching biomarker candidates and bio-chip sensors for lung cancer diagnosis in addition to discussing their future aspects.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.800-805
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• 1993

An analytical method has been developed to determine trace elements in biological samples. The biological samples are added to a laboratory-bulit Teflon bomb together with nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture and enriched stable isotopes. The samples are decomposed in a microwave oven. The decomposed sample solutions are analyzed by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The analytical results of the biological samples agree well with the reference values.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.188-195
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• 1993

Polyelectrolyte complexes and graft copolymers as biomaterials were synthesized from the water soluble cellulose derivatives. Polyelectrolyte complexes have been prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin. Graft copolymers(Mc-g-AA) were synthesized by grafting acrylic acid (AA) onto methyl cellulose(MC). (Mc-g-AA) and gelatin polyelectrolyte complexes were also prepared. The optimum conditions of each sample were investigated after chemical crosslinking or heat treatment. The preliminary results show that these materials might be interesting for biomedical applications.