• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.121-132
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• 2009

Purpose : To investigate the effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and quercetin (QCT) on gene expression of bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteocalcin (OC) during the differentiation in irradiated MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. Materials and Methods : When MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells had reached 70-80% confluence, cultures were transferred to a differentiating medium supplemented with 5 mM 2-DG or $10{\mu}M$ QCT, and then irradiated with 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy. At various times after irradiation, the cells were analyzed for the synthesis of type I collagen, and expression of BSP and OC. Results : The synthesis of type I collagen in cells exposed to 2 Gy of radiation in the presence of 2-DG or QCT showed no significant difference compared with the control group within 15 days post-irradiation. When the cells were irradiated with 8 Gy, 2-DG facilitated the irradiation mediated decrease of type I collagen synthesis, whereas such decrease was inhibited by treating with QCT. During MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell differentiation, the mRNA expression of BSP and OC showed the peak value at 14 days and 21 days, respectively. 2-DG or QCT treatment alone decreased the level of BSP mRNA, but increased the OC mRNA level only at early time of differentiation (day 7). In the cells irradiated with 2, 4, 8 Gy, the mRNA expression of BSP and OC decreased at 7 days after the irradiation. The cells were treated with various dose of radiation in the presence of 2-DG or QCT, the mRNA level of both BSP and OC increased although this increase was observed at low dose of radiation (2 Gy) and at the early stage of differentiation. However, when the cells were exposed to 4, 6, or 8 Gy, the increase of BSP and OC mRNAs was detected only in cells co-incubated with QCT. Conclusion : This study demonstrates that 2-DG and QCT affect differently the expression of bone formation related factors, type I collagen, BSP, and OC in the irradiated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasic cells, according to the dose of radiation and the times of differentiation. Overall, the present findings suggest that 2-DG and QCT could have the regulatory roles as radiation-sensitizer and -protector, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup1
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• pp.85-90
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• 2001

Objective : DREZotomy is effective for the treatment of deafferentation pain as a consequence of root avulsion, postparaplegic pain, posttraumatic syrinx, postherpetic neuralgia, spinal cord injury, and peripheral nerve injury. We performed microsurgical DREZotomy to the patients with deafferentation pain and relieved pain without any serious complication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the microsurgical DREZotomy for deafferentation pain. Methods : We evaluated 4 patients with deafferntation pain who were intractable to medical therapy. Two of them were brachial plexus injury with root avulsion owing to trauma, one was axillary metastasis of the squamous cell carcinoma of the left forearm, and the last was anesthesia dolorosa after surgical treatment(MVD and rhizotomy) of trigeminal neuralgia. Preoperative evaluation was based on the neurologic examination, radiologic imaging, and electrophysiological study. In the case of anesthesia dolorosa, we produced two parallel lesions in cephalocaudal direction, 2mm in distance, from the C2 dorsal rootlet to the 5mm superior to the obex including nucleus caudalis, after suboccipital craniectomy and C1-2 laminectomy, with use of microelectrode. In the others, we confirmed lesion site with identification of the nerve root after hemilaminectomy. We performed arachnoid dissection along the posterolateral sulcus and made lesion with microsurgical knife and microelectrocoagulation, 2mm in depth, 2mm in distance, to the direction of 30-45 degrees in the medial portion of the Lissauer's tract and the most dorsal layers of the posterior horn at the one root level above and below the lesion. Results : Compared with preoperative state, microsurgical DREZotomy significantly diminished dosage of the drugs and relieved pain meaningfully. One patient showed tansient ipsilateral ataxia, but recovered soon. There was not any serious complication. Conclusion : It may be concluded that microsurgical DREZotomy is very useful and safe therapeutic modality for deafferentation pain, especially segmentally distributed intermittent or evoke pain. Complete preoperative evaluation and proper selection of the patients and lesion making device are needed to improve the result.

• Journal of The Korean Ophthalmological Society
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• v.59 no.11
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• pp.1097-1102
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• 2018

Purpose: To report a case of toxic optic neuropathy caused by chlorfenapyr ingestion accompanied by central nervous system involvement. Case summary: A 44-year-old female visited our clinic complaining of reduced visual acuity in both eyes for 7 days. She had ingested a mouthful of chlorfenapyr for a suicide attempt 2 weeks prior to the visit. Gastric lavage was performed immediately after ingestion at the other hospital. Her best-corrected visual acuity was finger count 30 cm in the right eye and hand motion in the left eye. Both pupils were dilated by 5.0 mm and the response to light was sluggish in both eyes. A relative afferent pupillary defect was detected in her left eye. Funduscopy revealed optic disc swelling in both eyes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a symmetric hyper-intense signal in the white matter tract including the internal capsule, corpus callosum, middle cerebellar peduncle, and brainstem. The patient was diagnosed with toxic optic neuropathy induced by chlorfenapyr ingestion, and underwent high-dose intravenous corticosteroid pulse therapy. Three days later, the best-corrected visual acuity was no light perception in both eyes. Three months later, optic atrophy was observed in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography revealed a reduction in the thicknesses of the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer in the macular area. Conclusions: Ingestion of even a small amount of chlorfenapyr can cause severe optic nerve damage through the latent period, despite prompt lavage and high-dose steroid treatment.

• Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
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• v.95 no.5
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• pp.286-296
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• 2018

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) is widely accepted for staging of melanoma patients. It has been shown that clinico-pathological features such as Breslow thickness, ulceration, age, and sex are better predictors of relapse and survival than SLN status alone. The aims of this study were to evaluate the long-term (10-year) prognostic impact of SLNB and to determine predictive factors associated with SLN metastasis, relapse, and melanoma specific mortality (MSM). Methods: This was a prospective observational study on 289 consecutive patients with primary cutaneous melanoma who underwent SLNB from January 2000 to December 2007, and followed until January 2014, at an Italian academic hospital. Results: SLN was positive in 64 patients (22.1%). The median follow-up was 116 months (79-147 months). Tenyear disease-free survival and melanoma specific survival were poor in patients with positive SLN (58.7% and 66.4%, respectively). Only the increasing Breslow thickness resulted independently associated to an increased risk of SLN metastasis. Cox regression analysis showed that a Breslow thickness >2 mm was an independent predictor of relapse, and male sex and Breslow thickness >2 mm was a predictor of MSM. At 10 years, SLN metastasis was not significantly associated to either relapse or MSM. Conclusion: After the fifth year of follow-up, SLN metastasis is not an independent predictive factor of relapse or mortality which are mainly influenced by the characteristics of the primary tumor and of the patient. Patients with a Breslow thickness >2 mm regardless of the SLN status should be considered at high risk for 10-year relapse and mortality.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.671-678
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• 2018

Objective: This study examined the predictive factors for prolonged length of stays of adult patients with acute appendicitis (AA) in an emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a retrospectively clinical study including patients in an ED. All patients were diagnosed from the clinical symptoms and a typical physical examination, and had undergone a computed tomography (CT) evaluation on the ED visiting date. All data were collected from the electrical medical records. The clinical parameters analyzed were the laboratory data, including the white blood cell count with differential values, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, initial vital signs, duration of admission, coexisting perforation of the appendix in the CT findings. The relationship between the clinical parameters and length of stay was assessed. Results: A total of 547 patients with AA were enrolled in this study. Among them, there were 270 male patients with a mean age of $40.7{\pm}15.8years$. The baseline characteristics, initial clinical features, laboratory, and imaging studies results of 129 patients in the prolonged length of stay (pLOS) group, and 418 patients of the non-pLOS group in AA were compared. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed the predictive factors related to pLOS in AA to be as follows: age 40 years or older, body temperature over $37.3^{\circ}C$, CRP level greater than 5.0 mg/dL, and evidence of perforation in CT findings (P<0.001). Conclusion: If we check age, fever, CRP level and find evidence of perforation, it might be helpful for predicting the increasing period of length of hospital stay for patients with AA in ED.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.191-202
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• 2021

Purpose: A near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is a promising tool for cancer-specific image guided surgery. Human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the candidate markers for gastric cancer. In this study, we aimed to synthesize HER2-specific NIR fluorescence probes and evaluate their applicability in cancer-specific image-guided surgeries using an animal model. Materials and Methods: An NIR dye emitting light at 800 nm (IRDye800CW; Li-COR) was conjugated to trastuzumab and an HER2-specific affibody using a click mechanism. HER2 affinity was assessed using surface plasmon resonance. Gastric cancer cell lines (NCI-N87 and SNU-601) were subcutaneously implanted into female BALB/c nu (6-8 weeks old) mice. After intravenous injection of the probes, biodistribution and fluorescence signal intensity were measured using Lumina II (Perkin Elmer) and a laparoscopic NIR camera (InTheSmart). Results: Trastuzumab-IRDye800CW exhibited high affinity for HER2 (K_D=2.093(3) pM). Fluorescence signals in the liver and spleen were the highest at 24 hours post injection, while the signal in HER2-positive tumor cells increased until 72 hours, as assessed using the Lumina II system. The signal corresponding to the tumor was visually identified and clearly differentiated from the liver after 72 hours using a laparoscopic NIR camera. Affibody-IRDye800CW also exhibited high affinity for HER2 (K_D=4.71 nM); however, the signal was not identified in the tumor, probably owing to rapid renal clearance. Conclusions: Trastuzumab-IRDye800CW may be used as a potential NIR probe that can be injected 2-3 days before surgery to obtain high HER2-specific signal and contrast. Affibody-based NIR probes may require modifications to enhance mobilization to the tumor site.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.156-166
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• 2022

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng), a herb distributed in Korea, China and Japan, exerts benefits on diverse inflammatory conditions. However, the underlying mechanism and active ingredients remains largely unclear. Herein, we aimed to explore the active ingredients of P. ginseng against inflammation and elucidate underlying mechanisms. Methods: Inflammation model was constructed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in C57BL/6 mice and RAW264.7 macrophages. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics, surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) and immunofluorescence were utilized to predict active component. Results: P. ginseng significantly inhibited LPS-induced lung injury and the expression of proinflammatory factors, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Additionally, P. ginseng blocked fluorescencelabeled LPS (LPS488) binding to the membranes of RAW264.7 macrophages, the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Furthermore, molecular docking demonstrated that ginsenoside Ro (GRo) docked into the LPS binding site of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) complex. Molecular dynamic simulations showed that the MD2-GRo binding conformation was stable. SPRi demonstrated an excellent interaction between TLR4/ MD2 complex and GRo (K_D value of 1.16 × 10^-9 M). GRo significantly inhibited LPS488 binding to cell membranes. Further studies showed that GRo markedly suppressed LPS-triggered lung injury, the transcription and secretion levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Moreover, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPKs as well as the p65 subunit nuclear translocation were inhibited by GRo dose-dependently. Conclusion: Our results suggest that GRo exerts anti-inflammation actions by direct inhibition of TLR4 signaling pathway.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.575-585
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• 2022

Due to its biofilm formation and colonization of the osteocyte-lacuno canalicular network (OLCN), Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) implant-associated bone infection (SIABI) is difficult to cure thoroughly, and may occur recurrently subsequently after a long period dormant. It is essential to explore an alternative therapeutic strategy that can eradicate the pathogens in the infected foci. To address this, the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement and Fe3O4 nanoparticles compound cylinder were developed as implants based on their size and mechanical properties for the alternative magnetic field (AMF) induced thermal ablation, The PMMA mixed with optimized 2% Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles showed an excellent antibacterial efficacy in vitro. It was evaluated by the CFU, CT scan and histopathological staining on a rabbit 1-stage transtibial screw model. The results showed that on week 7, the CFU of infected soft tissue and implants, and the white blood cells (WBCs) of the PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group decreased significantly from their controls (p<0.05). PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group did not observe bone resorption, periosteal reaction, and infectious reactive bone formation by CT images. Further histopathological H&E and Gram Staining confirmed there was no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration, neither pathogens residue nor noticeably burn damage around the infected screw channel in the PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF group. Further investigation of nanoparticle distributions in bone marrow medullary and vital organs of heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. There were no significantly extra Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were observed in the medullary cavity and all vital organs either. In the current study, PMMA+2% Fe₃O₄+AMF shows promising therapeutic potential for SIABI by providing excellent mechanical support, and promising efficacy of eradicating the residual pathogenic bacteria in bone infected lesions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.574-585
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is a leading cause of increased medical and nursing care costs among the elderly. In Korea, preventive measures for sarcopenia are mostly targeted toward the general elderly population without specific diseases. However, it is also necessary to implement measures for elderly individuals living in nursing homes and hospitals, where the prevalence of sarcopenia is high. Currently, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging are considered standard diagnostic tools. However, their complexity and time-consuming nature make them unsuitable for clinical use. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms of sarcopenia are unclear, as they involve various molecular biological pathways, including decreased exercise, protein and nutrient intake, changes in testosterone and growth hormone, and inflammation. Sarcopenia symptoms can lead to several diseases, such as osteoporosis, fractures, dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B deficiency is a significant factor in sarcopenia induction, with B vitamins being directly involved in energy and protein metabolism and nerve function. Vitamin B deficiency can lead to neuromuscular and neurogenic disorders, which often overlap with sarcopenia. Suboptimal intake of B vitamins, malabsorption, and anorexia are common among the elderly. This study aims to provide information on the role of water-soluble B vitamins in preventing and controlling muscle mass loss and deterioration among the elderly with sarcopenia. In addition, we discuss the potential of myokines from the B vitamin family in modulating sarcopenia.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.146-157
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• 2024

Objective : Chronic subdural hematomas (cSDHs) are generally known to result from traumatic tears of bridging veins. However, the causes of repeat spontaneous cSDHs are still unclear. We investigated the changes in vasculature in the human dura mater and outer membrane (OM) of cSDHs to elucidate the cause of their spontaneous repetition. Methods : The dura mater was obtained from a normal control participant and a patient with repeat spontaneous cSDHs. The pathological samples from the patient included the dura mater and OM tightly adhered to the inner dura. The samples were analyzed with a particular focus on blood and lymphatic vessels by immunohistochemistry, 3-dimensional imaging using a transparent tissue clearing technique, and electron microscopy. Results : The dural border cell (DBC) layer of the dura mater and OM were histologically indistinguishable. There were 5.9 times more blood vessels per unit volume of tissue in the DBC layer and OM in the patient than in the normal control. The DBC layer and OM contained pathological sinusoidal capillaries not observed in the normal tissue; these capillaries were connected to the middle meningeal arteries via penetrating arteries. In addition, marked lymphangiogenesis in the periosteal and meningeal layers was observed in the patient with cSDHs. Conclusion : Neovascularization in the OM seemed to originate from the DBC layer; this is a potential cause of repeat spontaneous cSDHs. Embolization of the meningeal arteries to interrupt the blood supply to pathological capillaries via penetrating arteries may be an effective treatment option.