• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.242-251
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to isolate a photosensitizer from Pueraria thunbergiana leaves that induces apoptosis in SK-HEP-1 cells. Column chromatography and thin layer chromatography were used to isolate active compounds from extracts of P. thunbergiana leaves. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR, and FAB-mass spectroscopy. A substance, named M4-3, was purified from the leaves of P. thunbergiana using various chromatography methods, and the absorbance of the substance was measured. The absorbance was highest at 410 nm, suggesting that the M4-3 substance was a different compound from chlorophyll a and b, which absorb at 410, 502, 533, and 607 nm. Further analyses revealed that the M4-3 compound was a $13^2$-hydoxy pheophorbide, a methyl ester with a molecular weight of 662. M4-3 was identified as a derivative compound of pheophorbide, with a structure that magnesium comes away from the porphyrin ring. The results of the analysis of the cytotoxicity of the M4-3 substance against the SK-HEP-1 cells revealed that it inhibited rates of cell growth by 40% and 80% at a concentration of 0.04 ${\mu}M$ and 0.08 ${\mu}M$, respectively. The M4-3 compound was found to be a photosensitizer for cytotoxicity because it was appeared only in light condition as examining activity in different irradiation conditions (light condition and nonlight condition) under the same concentration. Analysis of morphological changes in the cells following cell death induced by exposure to the M4-3 substance reveled representative phenomena of apoptosis (nuclear condensation, vesicle formation, and fragmentation of DNA). The induction of apoptosis was attributed to the compound's photodynamic activity.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 1996

Purpose : To evaluate the changes of differential counts and lymphocyte subsets in cancer patients' leukocyte before and after radiotherapy. Materials and Methods : From Dec. 1994 to Mar 1995, the changes of leukocyte and its subsets in 16 patients who received radiotherapy in the Dept. of Radiation Oncology of Dong-A University Hospital were investigated. Radiation was delivered from 2700 cGy to 6660 cGy with median dose of 5400 cGy. The results of pre- and Post-radiotherapy were analyzed by paired T-test. The results of patients Who received < 50 Gy and $\geq$ 50 Gy were analyzed by Wilcoxon test. Results : Before and after radiotherapy, there was not any significant differences in the counts of leukocyte, granulocyte and monocyte. A remarkable decrease was noted in lymphocyte counts after radiotherapy(p=0.015). T cells, B cells and natural killer cells were also decreased in number after radiotherapy but it was not significant statistically. 1 helper cells and T suppressor cells were also decreased in number(p>0.05). The ratio of T helper/suppressor cell was decreased from 1.52 to 1, 11 and it was significant statistically(p=0.016). The portion of T suppressor cell among all T cells was increased after radiotherapy (p=0.0195). No significant difference was observed in the analysis of leukocyte and its subsets between patients who received < 50 Gy and $\geq$ 50 Gy, Conclusion : Radiotherapy caused remarkable decrease in lymphocyte count and its subsets. Among all lymphocyte subsets, T helper cell might be the most vulnerable to radiation, considering decreased ratio of T helper/suppressor cell count after radiotherapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.887-897
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• 2000

Background : Since the exact pathogenesis of sepsis-induced ARDS has not been elucidated, the mechanisms of enhanced neutrophilic respiratory burst were probed in endotoxin primed neutrophils associated with the roles of phospholipase A2(PLA2), platelet activating factor(PAF) and apoptosis. Methods : In isolated fresh human neutrophils, effects of the inhibition of PLA2 and PAF on the apoptosis were examined by the method of Annexin-FITC/dual PIflow cytometry. The roles of PLA2 and PAF on the neutrophilic respiratory burst were also examined by measuring oxidant generation in cytochrome-c reduction assay. Activities of the PLA2 and lysoPAF acetyltransferase (lysoPAF AT) of the neutrophils were determined to understand the effect of endotoxin on these enzymatic activities which may be related to the neutrophilic respiratory burst and apoptosis. In addition, the role roles of PLA2 and PAF in neutrophilic adhesion to bovine endothelial cells were examined in vitro by neutrophil adhesion assay. To investigate the effect of oxidants on pulmonary surfactant, cytochemical ultrastructural microscopy was performed. To inhibit PLA2 and PAF, non-specific PLA2 inhibitor mepacrine (100 nM) and WEB 2086 (100 nM) or ketotifen fumarate (10 ${\mu}g$/ml) were used respectively in all in vitro experimental sets. WEB 2086 is PAF receptor antagonist, and ketotifen fumarate is a lyso PAF AT inhibitor. Results: The mapacrine treatment, provided and the endotoxin (ETX) treatment, resulted in increased apoptosis of neutrophils (p<0.001) while treatments of WEB 2086 and ketotifen did not. The inhibition of PLA2 and PAF decreased (p<0.001) production of oxidants from PMA-stimulated neutrophils. While endotoxin increased the PLA2 activity of neutrophils (p<0.01), mepacrine supressed (p<0.001) the activity, provided after treatment of ETX. The lyso PAF actyltransferase activity (lyso PAF AT) increased (p<0.01) after treatment of ETX. In contrast, mepacrine, WEB 2086 and ketotifen showed a tendency of decreasing the activity after treatment of ETX. The treatment of ETX incresed (p<0.001) neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells, which was reversed by inhibition of PLA2 and PAF (p<0.01). The binding of oxidants to pu1monary surfactant was identified histologically. Conclusions : The enhanced neutrophilic respiratory burst by ETX plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ARDS in terms of oxidayive oxidative stress. Increased production of oxidants from neutrophils is mediated by the activations of PLA2 and lyso PAF AT.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.362-368
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• 2008

Background: LKB1(STK11) is a serine/threonine kinase that functions as a tumor growth suppressor. The functions of LKB1 in lung cancer are not completely understood. This study evaluated the relationship between LKB1 protein expression and the clinicopathological features in lung cancer tissues. Methods: The expression of LKB1 was studied in paraffin-embedded tumor blocks, which were obtained from 77 patients who had undergone surgery at Wonkwang University Hospital. The expression of the LKB1 protein was considered positive if the staining intensity in the tumor tissue adjacent to the normal airway epithelium was >30%. Results: The LKB1 expression was positive in 31 (40%) of samples. Loss of LKB1 expression was significantly associated with being male, smoking history, and squamous cell carcinoma. In the peripheral sites, the loss of LKB1 expression was strongly associated with a smoking history. A loss of LKB1 expression was more frequently associated with progression according to TNM staging, particularly more than T2, N progression. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between the loss of the LKB1 protein and gender, smoking history, and histological type in primary lung cancer. Although LKB1 expression was not found to be a significant prognostic factor, further studies with a larger cohort of patient's lung cancer tissue samples will be needed to confirm this.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.319-325
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• 1984

This experiment aims to observe the nutritive value of blood sausages by manufacturing three kinds of them in order to utilize various by-products of swine when it is processed. In attempt to do so, five different diets were made: one control diet and four diets in which three kinds of blood sausages(blood sausage-1 was made with sausage meat 10%, fat 40%, blood 20%, skin 20% and liver 2%. blood sausage-2 was made with ham meat 30%, fat 20%, blood 20%, liver 2% and skin 20%. blood sausage-3 was made with smoked ham patch 30%, fat 20%, blood 20%, liver 2% and skin 20%) and mixed sausage(sausage meat 20%, fat 10% and fish meat 35%) were mixed with control diet at the rates of 10% respectively. These diets were fed to growing male and female albino rats for 6 weeks. The results obtained through this study are summarized as follows. In body weight gain of male rats, blood sausage-1 and 2 groups were significantly higher than mixed sausage group during the experimental period, and in that of female rats, control group and blood sausage-1 group were similar, but the other groups were lower than control group. Food intake was different in each group every week, but the amount of that was similar to each one throughout all experimental period. Food efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio in male were similar in each group, but slightly different in female during the feeding period. Liver weights of male in mixed sausage group and blood sausage-3 group were lower than those in control group and blood sausage-2 group, but liver weight of female in blood sausage-2 group was lower than that in control group. And all groups were similar in liver weight per 100 g of body weight. Mixed sausage group and blood sausage-1 group were lower than control group in kidney weight of male, and blood sausage-1 group was lower than control group in kidney weight of female. Kidney weight per 100 g of body weight of male showed that blood sausage-1 group was lower than the other groups. Spleen weight was similar in all groups. Hematocrit and hemoglobin contents in blood, total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, total lipid and total cholesterol contents in serum were showed almost similar in all groups.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.455-464
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• 1995

Background: Considering that both humoral and cell mediated immunities play an important role for human tuberculosis infection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to mycobacterial antigens can be used for the serologic diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. Method: We measured absorbance values of IgG antibodies to purified-protein-derivative (PPD) and lipoarabinomannan-B (LAM-B) in the pleural fluid (PF) and the serum in 40 tuberculous (TPE) and 19 nontuberculous pleural effusions (NTPE). Results: 1) The IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B were significantly (P<0.0005) higher in the PF and the serum of TPE compared to NTPE. 2) The IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B in the serum were higher than that in PF. 3) Significant correlations were found between pleural and serum IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B. 4) With a cutoff value for IgG antibody to PPD in the PF of 0.091, sensitivity was 55.0% and specificity 94.7% in the diagnosis of TPE. 5) With a cutoff value for IgG antibody to LAM-B in the PF of 0.337, sensitivity was 50.0% and specificity 94.7% in the diagnosis of TPE. 6) The seropositive rates in TPE were not related to PPD skin test status, the amount of PF and coexisting active pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusion: The assay of IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B might be useful for the diagnosis of TPE. Our study suggests the mechanism of passive transfer of IgG antibodies to PPD and LAM-B from the serum to the PF through pleural tissue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.838-845
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• 1995

The determination of ADA(adenosine deaminase) activity in pleural fluid is useful in differental diagnosis of pleural effusion. The conventional method of determining ADA activity used by Giusti was influenced by contamination of ammonia. Additionally, because Giusti's method was mannual method a determining the ADA activities in sample, was not easily automated. In 1993, Oosthuizen HM with collegues developed simple kinetic method for determining ADA activity. It was reliable and suiable method for automation. In this study, we have measured ADA activity in 162 patients with various pleural effusion by Hitachi 747 autoanalyser using the Oosthuizen kinetic method for the purpuse of determination of new diagnostic cut-off value for the tuberculous effusion and evaluation of the correlation between the conventional method and new automated method. This new method of an enzymatic reaction involves 2, 6-dichlorophenolindophenol dye(DICP), adenosine, xanthine oxidase(XO), and nucleoside phosphorylase(NP). The results were as follows: 1) The mean pleural ADA activity of the tuberculous effusion was $52.53{\pm}16.43\;U/L$ and significantly higher than that of other groups(p<0.001). If the diagnostic cut-off value of pleural ADA activity for tuberculous effusion is above 30 U/L, the sensitivity is 96% and the specificity is 90%. 2) The mean pleural to serum ADA activity ratio of the tuberculous effusion was $2.29{\pm}0.96$ and it was also significantly higher than that of other pleural groups(p<0.001). If the diagnostic cut-off value of pleural to serum ADA activity ratio is 1.5, the sensitivity is 80% and the specificity is 88% in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. 3) The new kinetic method is correlates well to Giuisti's conventional method(r=0.971). In conclusion, the new kinetic method described is easily automated and seems to be suitable for the routine determination of ADA activity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 1991

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme which is essential for the differentiation of lymphoid cells, especially T-cells and ADA plays a role in the maturation of monocyte to macrophage. Therefore ADA levels are related to stimulation of cellular immunity. We have investigated the measurement of ADA activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the patients with active and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and control group. The results obtained are as follows: 1) The ADA activity and corrected ADA activity from the BAL fluid in active tuberculosis group (Total Lavage ADA; $18.4{\pm}22.5\;mU$, Total Lavage ADA/Albumin; $2.45{\pm}1.61\;mU/mg$) were increased when compared with those in inactive tuberculosis (TL-ADA; $5.8{\pm}2.5\;mU$, TL-ADA/Alb; $1.83{\pm}O.53\;mU/mg$) and control (TL-ADA; $6.6{\pm}4.3\;mU$, TL-ADA/Alb; $1.62{\pm}0.60\;mU/mg$) groups. 2) The ADA activity and lavage ADA/serum ADA activity ratio in BAL fluid from the lesion site (TL-ADA; $42.9{\pm}42.3\;mU$, L-ADA/S-ADA; $0.53{\pm}0.32$) were increased when compared with those from the non-lesion site (TL-ADA; $12.5{\pm}11.2\;mU$, L-ADA/S-ADA; $0.29{\pm}0.12$)and normal side (TL-ADA; $12.7{\pm}11.0\;mU$, L-ADA/S-ADA; $0.34{\pm}0.27$) in active tuberculosis group. 3) The ADA activity in BAL fluid from far advanced group (TL-ADA; $62.5{\pm}30.3\;mU$) was increased when compared with those from the mild group (TL-ADA; $10.5{\pm}7.5\;mU$) and moderate advanced group (TL-ADA; $13.2{\pm}11.7\;mU$) in active tuberculosis. 4) The albumin level from the BAL fluid was correlated with the ADA activity (R=0.89). 5) The ADA activity recovered from the BAL fluid was correlated with the recovered lymphocyte percentage (R=0.60). In conclusion, the ADA activity from the BAL fluid in active tuberculosis group was increased when compared with that in inactive tuberculosis and control groups, especially from the lesion site. To evaluated the specificity of ADA determination for diagnosis of active tuberculosis, BAL must be done at lesion site of the diseased lung and the proper correcting material other than albumin must be chosen to correct the dilution factor of lavage fluid.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2004

Background : The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to mediastinal tumors and cysts have changed over the past three decades. This report summarizes our forty-two years of experience with these tumors. Methods : This study retrospectively reviewed 479 patients with primary mediastinal tumors and cysts that were diagnosed and managed over the past 17-year period (1985~2002) and compared them to the report of the previous 25-year result (1960~1985) in Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Results : During the 17 years, there were 479 cases of pathologically proven mediastinal tumors and cysts. Thymoma (38.2%) was the most common mediastinal tumor and has increased noticeably during recent years. The gender ratio showed a male predominance (1.3:1) and the age distributions were even over all the age groups. The most common sites of the tumor and the proportion(28.6%) of malignant tumors were the same as that previously reported. A diagnosis of a tumor in asymptomatic patients was possible in 174 cases (36.3%), which was higher that reported previously. The diagnostic yield of a fine needle aspiration biopsy was 68.6% in the total tumors and 80.9% in the malignant tumors. A surgical resection was the most frequently chosen treatment modality and was performed in 405 cases (84.6%). The complete resection rate was 91.1%, which is higher than the previous result of 78.8%. Conclusion : These results showed that the prevalence of mediastinal tumors and cysts, particularly thymoma, increased. A fine needle aspiration biopsy was a valuable preoperative differential diagnostic method for malignant tumors. The surgical and complete resection rate increased remarkably possibly due to the better applicable chest CT scans, the more frequent health check-up provided by the regular health promotion program for all people as a health insurance policy, and the improved diagnostic techniques in the pathologic, radiological, and clinical fields.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2009

Purpose: Glomus tumors are rare benign vascular tumors, usually located in the skin or soft tissue of extremities. Approximately 30-50% of glomus tumors occur in subungal area, but glomus tumors have been described in every location even where glomus bodies are not or rarely present. The purpose of this study was to identify clinical, histologic and MRI characteristics of soft tissue glomus tumor. Materials and Methods: Between 1993 and 2008, eight patients underwent surgery of soft tissue Glomus tumor at our institution. Exclusion criteria were patients with Glomus tumors in digits, stomach, trachea and glomus tympanicum. We analyzed medical records, interviews, physical examinations, MR findings and histolocial types retrospectively. Results: There were four men and four women. The mean age was fourty-seven years. The mean prevalence time was eight-point-nine years. In the classic triad of symptoms, all eight patients had pain and tenderness. Two patients complained of cold sensitivity. Two showed skin color changes. After surgery, two showed symptom improvement (VAS $9^{\circ}{\rightarrow}8$, $8^{\circ}{\rightarrow}5$) and?six showed complete disappearance of symptoms. Slightly symptom improvemented (VAS $9^{\circ}{\rightarrow}8$) one had additional surgery two times after first surgery due to relapse/remaining Glomus tumor. The mean size was 13.9 mm. In histology, six were 'solid glomus tumor', one was a mixture of 'solid glomus tumor' and 'lomangioma' and one was 'malignant glomus tumor'. MR findings showed isointense signal on T1 image, high signal on T2 image and strong enhancement on the Gadolinium enhanced image. Conclusion: Glomus tumor has low recurrence rate and malignant change, rapid diagnosis and surgical excision is critical in treatment to prevent unnecessary pain of patient.