• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2001

Purpose : Planning target volume (PTV) for tumors in abdomen or thorax includes enough margin for breathing-related movement of tumor volumes during treatment. Depending on the location of the tumor, the magnitude of PTV margin extends from 10 mm to 30 mm, which increases substantial volume of the irradiated normal tissue hence, resulting in increase of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). We developed a simple and handy method which can reduce PTV margins in patients with liver tumors, respiratory motion reduction device (RRD). Materials and methods : For 10 liver cancer patients, the data of internal organ motion were obtained by examining the diaphragm motion under fluoroscope. It was tested for both supine and prone position. A RRD was made using MeV-Green and Styrofoam panels and then applied to the patients. By analyzing the diaphragm movement from patients with RRD, the magnitude of PTV margin was determined and dose volume histogram (DVH) was computed using AcQ-Plan, a treatment planning software. Dose to normal tissue between patients with RRD and without RRD was analyzed by comparing the fraction of the normal liver receiving to $50\%$ of the isocenter dose. DVH and NTCP for normal liver and adjacent organs were also evaluated. Results : When patients breathed freely, average movement of diaphragm was $12{\pm}1.9\;mm$ in prone position in contrast to $16{\pm}1.9\;mm$ in supine position. In prone position, difference in diaphragm movement with and without RRD was $3{\pm}0.9\;mm$ and 12 mm, respectively, showing that PTV margins could be reduced to as much as 9 mm. With RRD, volume of the irradiated normal liver reduced up to $22.7\%$ in DVH analysis. Conclusion : Internal organ motion due to breathing can be reduced using RRD, which is simple and easy to use in clinical setting. It can reduce the organ motion-related PTV margin, thereby decrease volume of the irradiated normal tissue.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2014

This study investigates the free radical-scavenging activities of Amaranth (Amaranthus spp. L.) red and purple flower extracts. The methanol and hot water extracts of flower are being evaluated for its total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, scavenging activities by the DPPH and ABTS analysis, SOD-like activity, and inhibition activities of superoxide radical on the HL-60 cells and nitric oxide of the RAW 264.7 cells. The PFM (purple flower extracted with MeOH) showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content, 606.95 mg GAE/100 g and 254.69 mg CE/100 g, respectively. Amongst the scavenging activities of the DPPH radicals, PFM($RC_{50}=155.06{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) is the highest of all the samples. The ABTS radical-scavenging activity is also highest for PFM (53.16%) at the $250{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration. But, the SOD-like activity of the PFW (purple flower extracted with hot water) increases more than 3 folds of the PFM. In the leukemia HL-60 cell, the PFM shows strongly inhibited superoxide radical generations at a concentration of $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ at 72.34%, which increases with 1.79 folds more than the RFW (red flower extracted with hot water). The inhibition activity of nitric oxide in Raw 264.7 cells is the highest for PMF (46.90%) at a $250{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration. In conclusion, PMF show the highest flavonoid contents and the most powerful free radical-scavenging activity. Our results suggest that the increase of antioxidant activities depend on flavonoid contents. Thus, Amaranth flower can be useful for natural antioxidant compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2001

This study was conducted to reveal stand structure and competition status by site types of natural deciduous forest in Pyungchang, Kangwon-do. The study site was divided by nine different types based on elevation(higher than 1,000m, 700~1,000m. lower than 700m) and topography(ridge, slope, valley). The objective of this study is to provide a basic information necessary for the environment-friendly management methods of natural deciduous forest on the basis of the stand structure and competition status by site types. It is confirmed that the range from 700m to 1,000m in elevation was the most suitable for stand growth. Species diversity and richness index also tended to be increased as elevation decreased. The ridge was the best in terms of stand growth by topography and followed by slope and valley in order. In addition, as expected, species with high importance value showed relatively low evenness index. The distance-independent competition index was selected as the best competition index model in seven site types of natural deciduous forest. On the other hand, the distance-dependent competition index was highly correlated with periodic annual increment of diameter in both ridge at higher than 1,000m and valley of 700m to 1,000m in elevation. It is proved, as a result, that the best competition index model is somewhat different by site types. From the analysis growth characteristics and competition status by site types, it is identified that the species with high importance value performed well in both growth and competition. The growth of Q. mongolica was excellent in the areas of higher elevation than 700m. Although K. pilus had relatively low importance value in higher elevation than 1,000m and ridge of 700m to 1,000m, the species had stronger competition status rather than other species. Also, U. davidiana and M. amurensis were good in competition status at lower elevation than 1,000m. It is necessary, therefore, that appropriate tending practice should be adopted based on the growth pattern and competition status of each species distributed by site types.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 1997

Purpose : Chronic renal failure is often accompanied by severe dyslipidemia, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has recently been characterized as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in adult patients on dialysis. However, there are only limited data available concerning risk factors for atherosclerosis in uremic children. We have measured serum levels of lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and Lp(a) in uremic children with maintenance dialysis. Methods : Ten uremic children with hemodialysis (HD) and 14 with peritoneal dialysis (PD) in our dialysis unit were included in this study. The mean age of HD patients was $162{\pm}59$ months and the male to female ratio was 7:3. The mean age and sex ratio of PD patients were $123{\pm}63$ months and 6:8, respectively. The levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and Lp(a) were measured from serum sampled after 14 hours of fasting. The normal control levels were cited from 2 articles presenting the normal blood lipid and lipoprotein levels of primary school and middle school children in Korea. Results : There was no difference in age, sex ratio, body mass index and duration of dialysis between the HD and the PD group. The serum concentration of the cholesterol, triglyceride and apolipoprotein B were significantly elevated in dialysis patients compared with normal subjects. The serum level of Lp(a) was significantly elevated in only PD group. The serum Lp(a) level was below 30 mg/dl in 13 and above 30 mg/dl in 11 patients. The serum albumin level was significantly decreased in high Lp(a) group than in low Lp(a) group. Conclusion : The uremic children receiving dialysis reveal abnormal serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles. These results suggest that they have a higher risk for coronary heart disease, although there has been no clinical evidence of coronary heart disease at present. A long-term follow-up study of these children to clarify the suggestion should be started now.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 1994

Tc-99m MIBI, a lipophilic cation, was reported as a useful agent for localization of lung cancer. The effect of radiation therapy on the uptake of Tc-99m MIBI in lung cancer, however, was not well evaluated. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the usefulness of Tc-99m MIBI SPECT in the localization and the assessment of radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. Twenty patients(19 males and 1 female, mean age 59, 16 squamous cell ca and 4 adenoca) were studied with Tc-99m MIBI SPECT before radiation therapy. Eleven patients(10 males and 1 female, mean age 59, 8 squamous cell ca and 3 adenoca) were repeated the study 1 month after the completion of radiation therapy(mean dose 6453cGy). All patients showed positive uptakes of Tc-99m MIBI in their tumors. One patient showed a hot uptake in atelectatic area. There was no difference of Tc-99m MIBI uptakes between squamous cell ca and adenoca either on planar or tomographic images. Tc-99m MIBI uptake ratios of squamous cell ca and adenoca were $1.50{\pm}0.16$ and $1.45{\pm}0.15$ on planar images, and $2.73{\pm}0.46$ and $2.54{\pm}0.37$ on tomographic images, respectively. The concordance between radiological change(chest x-ray and CT) and change of Tc-99m MIBI uptakes was 9/11 (81.8% ). In conclusion, Tc-99m MIBI SPECT was useful in the localization of tumor and the assessment of radiation therapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.388-394
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• 2010

Metabolomics aims at the comprehensive, qualitative and quantitative analysis of wide arrays of endogenous metabolites in biological samples. It has shown particular promise in the area of toxicology and drug development, functional genomics, system biology and clinical diagnosis. In this study, analytical technique of MS instrument with high resolution mass measurement, such as time-of-flight (TOF) was validated for the purpose of investigation of amino acids, sugars and fatty acids. Rat urine and serum samples were extracted by selected each solvent (50% acetonitrile, 100% acetonitrile, acetone, methanol, water, ether) extraction method. We determined the optimized liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOFMS) system and selected appropriated columns, mobile phases, fragment energy and collision energy, which could search 17 metabolites. The spectral data collected from LC/TOFMS were tested by ANOVA. Obtained with the use of LC/TOFMS technique, our results indicated that (1) MS and MS/MS parameters were optimized and most abundant product ion of each metabolite were selected to be monitorized; (2) with design of experiment analysis, methanol yielded the optimal extraction efficiency. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to be useful in the endogenous metabolite fields according to validated SOP for endogenous amino acids, sugars and fatty acids.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1014-1020
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• 1996

To develope a manufacturing process of the Korean type hot sauce, ingredients and chemical components of the imported hot sauces were investigated. The major ingredients of the imported hot sauce were chili, vinegar and salt. Chemical analysis of the imported hot sauce showed: moisture; 44.73-95.66%, total nitrogen; 0.11-1.06%, reducing sugar; 0.03-3.18%, crude fiber; 0.42-2.51%, salt; 0.87-10.44%, pH; 3.22-4.05, titratable acidity; 1.18-3.62%, capsanthin; 0.44-1.06% and capsaicin; 2.40-4.28 mg%. With the red pepper powder and/or kochujang, 20 Korean type hot sauces were prepared. Chemical analysis of the Korean type hot sauce showed: moisture; 53.07-78.30%, total nitrogen; 0.34-0.68%, reducing sugar; 1.60-4.34%, curde fiber; 1.31-2.54%, salt; 4.07-5.56%, pH; 3.37-2.54, titratable acidity; 1.15-3.06%, capsanthin; 0.11-1.36% and capsaicin; 0.55-1.42 mg%. Chemical components except capsaicin of the Korean type hot sauce were similar to those of the imported one. As the results of sensory evaluation on the 20 Korean type hot sauces with red pepper powder and/or kochujang developed, three Korean type hot sauces were finally selected. As compared with Sriracha hot sauce, an imported hot sauce, the Korean type hot sauces were evaluated to be superior to the imported one.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2009

Background: Serum procalcitonin level has been considered prognostic during sepsis and septic shock. We investigated the significance of procalcitonin in critically ill patients with respiratory infections. Methods: The patients who had radiographically diagnosed diffuse lung infiltrations were enrolled on a prospective basis. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for the purpose of quantitative cultures (${\geq}10^4$ cfu/mL) was obtained from all patients. Serum procalcitonin levels determined by PCT-Q kit were measured on BAL day and classified as follows; <0.5 ng/mL, 0.5~2.0 ng/mL, 2.0~10.0 ng/mL and >10.0 ng/mL. We analyzed the patient's characteristics according to outcome; favorable or unfavorable, defined as death. Results: Patients from the following categories were included: medical 17 (47.2%), surgical 9 (25%), and burned 10 (27.8%). APACHE II scores on admission to intensive care unit were 11.5${\pm}$6.89 and 11 (30.6%) had unfavorable outcomes. A procalcitonin level ${\geq}$0.5 ng/mL was in 17 (47.2%) of all. On univariate analysis, the frequencies of burn injury, mechanical ventilation, multiple organ failure, and a procalcitonin level ${\geq}$0.5 ng/mL were more often increased in patients with unfavorable outcomes than in those with favorable outcomes (p<.05). Also, a higher procalcitonin range and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were more closely associated with an unfavorable outcome (p<.05). However in multivariate analysis, a strong predictor of unfavorable outcome was burn injury (p<.05). A procalcitonin level ${\geq}$0.5 ng/mL was more sensitive in predicting VAP than unfavorable outcome. Conclusion: A higher procalcitonin level seems to be associated with VAP, but further study is required to know that procalcitonin would be a prognostic marker in critically ill patients with respiratory infections.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.4
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• pp.438-447
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to understand the ecosystem structure and function and soil water changes in Tricholoma matsutake producing pine stands. The investigated stands were pine forest in Sogrisan National Park in Chungbuk-do of Korea. For the purpose we investigated main vegetation, leaf area index(LAI) as ecosystem structural factors and measured photosynthesis, transpiration, xylem water potential, and soil water changes as ecosystem functional factors. Vertical vegetation structure of the site was composed of Pinus densiflora as a overstory species, Quercus mongolica as midstory, Rhododendron mucronulatum, R. schlippenbachii and Fraxinus sieboldiana as understory ones. In the stands LAI was 3.8 during June to September, 2.6 in October and 2.1 during November to April. Photosyntheses of the trees were 6.0 to $7.0{\mu}mol\;CO_2/m^2/s$ in August, and for P. densiflora about $4.0{\mu}mol\;CO_2/m^2/s$ and for Q. mongolica $2.0{\mu}mol\;CO_2/m^2/s$ in mid October. However, R. mucronulatum stopped fixing $CO_2$ and F. sieboldiana shed off the leaves already in mid October. Transpirations were 2.5 to $3.5mmol\;H_2O/m^2/s$ in late August and about $1.0mmol/H_2O/m^2/s$ in mid October. Plant water potentials were -10 to -22 bars for P. densiflora and -5 to -12 bars for the other woody species. The lowest potentials was in late August and highest in late October. Soil water in the stand was closely related to topography. Soil water contents were 7 to 11% at the ridge, 8 to 15% at the hillside and 11 to 19% at the base. Soil temperatures were 0.2 to $0.4^{\circ}C$ higher in T. matustuake colony than noncolony. Mid September soil temperature decreased to $19^{\circ}C$ at which T. matsutake forms primordia. In T. matsutake colony soil moisture was 0.5 to 2.0% lower due to metabolism for consuming water. We suggest that the complicate relationships between ecosystem structure and function in Tricholoma matsutake producing pine stand need to be further investigated.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.113-126
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• 2013

This study was performed to introduce ecological education program as for reporting the current vegetation state within the remaining trees as ecological golf course and to provide basic data. The survey site was S Golf course, which is located in Woonseodong, Incheon city. Its total area was about $3,298,428m^2$, but the relict forest was about $225,143m^2$. Existing landuse, topological structure, the flora, actual vegetation, and plants community structure survey were performed within the relict forest. As result of comparing and analyzing the existing land use, the relict forest was distributed in the forested areas (89.2%) and around the area (10.8%) which had been bare land and SAMMOK earthen ramparts. There were two courses (Ocean and Hanul) with the relict forests. The ocean course was compared of a natural forest, such as Quercus spp. mixed forest, Quercus acutissima forest, Pinus thunbergii forest within the rock fields, and an artificial forest (Ailanthus altissima-Robinia pseudoacacia forest, Robinia pseudoacacia forest) and Quercus acutissima - Elaeagnus umbellata forest. On the Hanul course, Pinus rigida forest and Robinia pseudoacacia forest were the main vegetation, which were artificial forest. It was the contrast aspect of vegetation species in a natural forest, a restoration forest and an artificial forest, which were Q. spp. mixed forest 26~28 species in a natural forest within the vegetation type per investigation area, 3 Pinus thunbergii forest species, and 5~7 artificial forest species on the Hanul course. Based on these vegetation status, the Ocean course was designed into ecological theme spaces named 'Quercus spp.' indigenous forest, 'Pinus thunbergii' restoration forest and ecological story of 'SAMMOK earthen ramparts'. The Hannul course was designed into an artificial forest observation area of 'Robinia pseudoacacia' and 'Pinus rigida' and a fragrance forest area of 'Robinia pseudoacacia'. At the time of the discussion about the introduction of eco-friendly approval system of golf course, it would be estimated that this survey would work as a major material not only raising awareness of the golf course on the ecological environment but also providing programs that can contribute to the community.