• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.69-76
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• 2024

Objectives : Hypertension (high blood pressure), one of the world's major chronic diseases, has a high mortality rate due to its high prevalence and complications, but its control rate is low. The proper management and control through appropriate exercise, diet management, and optimal drug choice can reduce the risk of death from hypertension. Although various antihypertensive drugs are used to treat hypertension, they also have numerous adverse effects. Alongside increased interest in the use of Traditional Herbal Formulas (THF) for hypertension treatment, the purpose of this study was to examine the vasodilative effects of 10 THF in the rat thoracic artery pre-contracted by potassiumchloride (KCl). Methods : THF were extracted with distilled water for 2 hours. The rat thoracic artery was suspended and contracted by KCl in the organ bath which contained 10 ml Krebs Henseleit (KH) buffer. THF extracts were added in a dose-dependent increase (10-1,000 ㎍/mL) to examine vasodilative effects. The vasodilative effects produced by THF were expressed as the percentage in response to KCl-induced contraction. Results : Among the 10 THF, Banhasasim-tang, Buhnsimgieum, Sagunja-tang, and Samul-tang showed vasodilative effects. And, Sipjeondaebo-tang, Ssanghwa-tang, Ojeok-san, Onkyung-tang, Yongdamsagan-tang, and Hyangsayukgunja-tang showed no significant vasodilative effects. Also, in co-administration with amlodipine, Banhasasim-tang showed higher vasodilative effects than amlodipine alone, and Buhnsimgieum showed greater vasodilative effects at low concentrations, but inhibited amlodipine's vasodilative effects at high concentrations. Conclusion : As a result of these studies, they will be expected to provide useful data to establish guidelines of combined administration of THF and western antihypertensive drugs for the treatment of hypertension.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1940-1954
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• 1992

Fine grid computations were attempted to analyze the turbulent flows in the near wall low Reynolds number region and the numerical analyses were incorporated by a finite-volume discretization with full find grid system and low Reynolds number k-.epsilon. model was employed in this region. For the improvement of low Reynolds number k-.epsilon. model, modification coefficient of eddy viscosity $f_{\mu}$ was derived as a function of turbulent Reynolds number $R_{+}$ and nondimensional length $y^{+}$ from the concept of two length scales of dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy. The modification coefficient $f_{\epsilon}$ in .epsilon. transport equation was also derived theoretically. In the turbulent kinetic energy equation, pressure diffusion term was added in order to consider low Reynolds number region effect. The main characteristics of this low Reynolds number k-.epsilon. model were founded as : (1) In high Reynolds number region, the present model has limiting behavior which approaches to the high Reynolds number model. (2) Present low Reynolds number k-.epsilon. model dose not need additional empirical constants for the transport equations of turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy in order to consider wall effect. Present low Reynolds number turbulence model was tested in the pipe flow and obtained improved results in velocity profiles and Reynolds stress distributions compared with those from other k-.epsilon. models.s.s.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.1 s.38
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• pp.34-44
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• 1986

In our previous studies, we had clarified many pharmacological effects of majarine: the bacteriostatic effect in vitro; the potentiation of hypnotic action of alcohol; hypotensive effect in rats and hypothermic effect in mice. This study was undertaken to search for a new antihypertensive drug. Red crystalline was obtained from majarine (which was extracted from Berberis koreana Palibin) by chemical methods. And this crystalline was identified as $C_{19}H＿{16}NO＿4$ contained one hydroxy group instead of methoxy group of majarine in isoquinoline ring and named 'Majarol' (5,6-Dihydro-9-hydroxy, 10-methoxybenzo-[g]-1,3-benzodioxolo [5,6-a] quinolizinium). We examined the effects of majarol on blood pressure and heart rate in urethane ancsthetized rats and the rate and amplitude of contraction of isolated frog heart. Several drugs: atropine sulfate, diphenhydramine chloride, hexamethonium bromide, phentolamine, epinephrine, propranolol and isoproterenol were used to clarify the mechanism of the hypotensive action of majarol. The results of experimints were as follows; 1. In low dose (0.5-2mg/kg, i.v.), majarol showed a typical transient hypotensive effect and slight decrease in heart rate. In high dose (5-10 mg/kg, i.v.), majarol showed a typical transient and a subsequent prolonged hypotensive effect and a significant prolonged decrease in heart rate was followed. 2. The hypotensive effects of majarol was not abolished by the pretreatments with atropine sulfate, hexamethonium bromide and diphenhydramine. The pretreatment with phentolamine inhibited significantly the hypotensive effects of majarol and the pretreatment wtih majarol blocked markedly the hypertensive effect of epinephrine. The positive chronotropic effect of isoproterenol was not blocked by the pretreatment with majarol. 3. In low dose, majarol increased the amplitude and decreased rate of contraction, but in high dose, majarol inhibited the amplitude and rate of contraction of isolated frog heart.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.51-59
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• 2022

In this work, virion concentration and its dose changes by HVAC and air cleaners were estimated in a subway station platform to control airborne infection of SARS-CoV-2. Collection efficiencies with particle size were measured for the air filter equipped in a HVAC in one subway station in Daejeon. Indoor PM_2.5 changes according to outdoor PM_2.5 with time were also measured to estimate air infiltration rate in the subway station platform. When infected persons generate virions by 10⁴, 10⁵, 10⁶, 3 × 10⁶ and 5 × 10⁶ h^-1 in a 2,400 m³ volume platform, the concentration and dose were estimated as 9, 92, 275 and 458 virions/m³ and 4, 43, 130 and 217 virions after 1 hour exposure, respectively. The concentration and dose were reduced by 70%, and 64%, respectively by operations of both HVAC (with a flow rate of 16,000 m³/h, MERV 11) and ten air cleaners(with total CADR 10,740 m³/h) compared to those without operation of both HVAC and air cleaners. However, virion dose in the platform was estimated to be too low at the general conditions due to a large space, a high air infiltration (3 h^-1) and a short residence time (usually < 10 mins) in the platform irrespective of the operations of HVAC or air cleaners. HVAC with filters and air cleaners would be more necessary in the concourse or shopping areas in the subway stations to reduce the infection dose from a few hundred to several tens virions in a hour.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.467-474
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• 2014

The relative dose calculated by MCNPX and the relative dose measured by ionization chamber and solid phantoms evaluated the accuracy comparing with Monte Carlo simulation. In order to apply Monte Carlo simulation the intraluminal brachytherapy of extrahepatic bile duct cancer, 192Ir sealed radioactive source replicate, Bile duct and surrounding organs were made using KMIRD phantom based on a South Korea standard man. To check the absorbed dose of normal organs around bile duct, we set the specific effective energy and initial radioactivity to 1 Ci using MCNPX. Evaluation of the accuracy of the Monte Carlo simulation, the difference of the relative dose is the most 1.96% that satisfy the criteria that is the relative error less than 2% suggested by MCNPX code. In addition, The specific effective energy and absorbed dose of normal organs that were relatively adjacent to bile duct such as right side of kidney, liver, pancreas, transverse colon, spinal cord, stomach and small intestine were relatively high. on the contrary, the organs that were relatively distant to bile duct such as left side of kidney, spleen, ascending colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon were relatively low.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2006

Hepatoma is one of 3 most common malignancies in Korea, the survival rate is not improved since last decades because of delayed diagnosis and limited treatment conditions. Radiation was one of treatment options but the impact on the survival is not remarkable. High dose exposure to target area was suggested for improved effect but low tolerance dose of normal liver tissue is the main limited factor. IMRT is the advanced form of 3DCRT, for focusing high dose on target with minimal dose to surrounding normal tissues. Motion of the tumor by respiration, cardiac pulsation and peristalsis is the main treatment harrier of IMRT for treatment of hepatoma patients. Development of QA technique for acceptable geometrical uncertainties and dose error on target volume is essential for IMRT in clinical treatment but proper QA technique is not yet developed. This study compared the verification film dosimetry with measured dose in phantom and calculated dose in planning computer on exactly same conditions of patient treatments. Within 3% dose differences between 3 groups were confirmed. We suggest that our verification QA technique is easy, economic, iterative and acceptable in clinical application for advanced hepatoma patients.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2000

Recently there is increasing interest in the use of structure activity relationships for predicting the biological activity of chemicals. The reasons for the interest include the decrease cost and time per chemical as compared with animal or cell system for identifying toxicological effects of chemicals and the reduction in the use of animals for toxicological testing. This study is to test the validity of the mutagenicity data generated from QSAR (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship) program. Thirty chemicals, which had been evaluated by Ames test during 1997-1999, were assessed with TOPKAT QSAR mutagenicity prediction module. Among 30chemicals experimented, 28 were negative and 2 were positive for Ames test. On the contrary, 23 chemicals showed the high confidence level indicating high prediction rate in mutagenicity evaluation, and 7 chemicals showed the lsow to moderate confidence level indicating low prediction in mutagenicity evaluation. Overall mutagenicity prediction rate was 77% (23/30). The prediction rates for non-mutagenic chemicals were 79% (22/28) and mutagenic chemicals were 50% (1/2). QSAR could be a useful tool in providing toxicological data for newly introduced chemicals or in furnishing data for MSDS or in determining the dose in toxicity testing for chemicals with no known toxicological data.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2003

Chitosan is known to have antibacterial, antitumorogenic, hypolipidemic and immunopotentiating activities, hence finding diverse uses as a component in varying functional foodstuffs. However, some investigators reported it caused mineral absoiption inhibition and excess coagulation. From the chemical viewpoint, conventional chitosans are high-molecule polymers lacking water solubility, which could be related with their possible toxicity. A newly developed low- molecule water soluble chitosan is thought to have low toxicity compared to conventional chitosans. But no investigation was carried out to evaluate its toxicity. In this study, a 28-day subacute oral toxicity study of the water-soluble chitosan was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes. Each 36 male and female rats were orally administered with 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day for 28 consecutive days, respectively. Clinical parameters (growth rate, feed and water consumption, daily inspection, urine analysis) during the 28 days indicated the water-soluble chitosan did not induce any abnonnal changes. There were no abnormal findings due to the administration of the test substance in gross and microscopic findings. We had not found alteration in absolute and relative organ weight between the control and treated groups, with only exception in the liver but lacking dose-dependency. The results of hematology and serum biochemistry examination revealed that no treatment related changes were between control and all dose groups. In conclusion, it was suggested that subacute toxicity of the water-soluble chitosan was low and the no-observed adverse effect level was considered to be over 2,000 mg/kg in rats.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.423-427
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• 2013

Background: Phase II and III trials of docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil (DCF) have shown superior efficacy versus cisplatin and fluorouracil alone but with high rates of hematologic toxicity in metastatic gastric cancer cases. To reduce toxicity while maintaining the efficacy of DCF, we investigated low dose docetaxel (D), cispatin (C) - leucovorin and fluorouracil (De Gramont regimen). Patient and methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) received D 60 mg/$m^2$ on day 1 and cisplatin 30 mg/$m^2$ on day 1-2 and the De Gramont regimen (Folinic acid 400 mg/m2 on day 1 and 5-FU 2400 mg/$m^2$/46h continuous infusion) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was response rate. Results: One hundred twenty patients with a median age of 52.5 years (range, 32-78) received a median of 6 cycles (range, 2-12 cycles). Of the 120 evaluable patients, 4 showed complete remission and 36 achieved a partial response. The overall response rate was 56.6%. Twenty eight patients (23.3%) showed stable disease and 52 (43.3%) progression. The median time to progression was 7 months (95%CI 6-7.9). The median overall survival was 15 months (95%CI 13.7-16.2). The most frequent hematological toxicity was leucopenia, which occurred at grade 3/4 intensity in 24 patients (20%). Conclusions: Low-dose DC-De Gramont regimen is active in MGC with a tolerable toxicity profile.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3949-3953
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• 2013

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness and adverse effects of gemcitabine by fixed-dose rate infusion plus oxaliplatin (GEMOX regimen) as second-line therapy for advanced ovarian cancer. Methods: 64 patients with advanced ovarian cancer were divided into an experimental group (44 cases) and a control group (20 cases). The experimental group was treated with continuous intravenous infusion of gemcitabine at 1000 $mg/m^2$ with a fixed-dose rate of 10 $mg/m^2/min$, on days 1 and 8 and oxaliplatin at 100 $mg/m^2$ on day 1, IVGTT, repeated every 3 weeks. The control group was treated with intravenous infusion of gemcitabine at 1000 $mg/m^2$ within 30 min on days 1 and and oxaliplatin at 100 $mg/m^2$ on day 1, IVGTT, again repeated every 3 weeks. CT scans or MRI were used for review every 1-2 cycles. Results: The effective rate in the experimental group was significantly high than control group (43.2% vs 35.0%; P < 0.05), with no obvious difference of hematologic or non-hematologic toxicity between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: GEMOX regimen is very effective to treat advanced ovarian cancer, with low toxicity, good tolerance and improved life quality in patients.