• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.903-908
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• 2003

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is notorious for coronary arterial complication which is usually developed as a febrile disease in early childhood. Increased polymorphonucleus(PMN) cell levels in acute phases may be associated with the pathophysiology of Kawasaki disease. We studied the relationship between coronary arterial dilatation and elastase activity which was excreted from PMN cell and roles as an important factor for vasculitis. Methods : Ten patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in Yonsei University Medical Center were examined between November, 2001 and January, 2002. In addition, 15 patients with other febrile diseases were also examined. Echocardiography was done in patients with Kawasaki disease on the first day of admission and four weeks after the onset of the disease. At each time, venous samples were drawn and separated into plasma and leukocytes. In patients with other febrile disease, samples were drawn on admission. Elastase activities in plasma and neutrophil extracts were measured. Results : The significant increased plasma elastase activity, $6.19{\pm}0.74U/mL$, found in Kawasaki disease patients compared with the other febrile disease patients, $4.86{\pm}1.17U/mL$(P<0.05). And there was no significance between the above two diseases in terms of the elastase activity in neutrophil extracts. The relationship between initial elastase activity and the coronary arterial complication which was shown in subacute phase wasn't significant. Conclusion : Plasma elastase activity was increased in Kawasaki disease significantly, but the initial plasma elastase activity in the acute phase could not reflect the range of coronary arterial complication.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 1999

It has long been recognized that dropwort contains specific funtional subtances for protecting human liver and preventing and curing its diseases, and thus it has been widely utilized in traditional folk remedy. In the present study. fresh of fermented extract of dropwort shoots grown on dryland and fresh extract of those grown on flooded fie1d were fed to the rats suffering from acute, subacute or chronical toxication induced by alcohol administration, and their affects were investigated. Administration of alcohol to rats and mice for 2 days at 5ml of 30% EtOH/kg/day raised total cholesterol and total glyceride which were, however, great1y supressed when alcohol was administered to the laboratory animals previously fed on fresh or fermented extract of dryland dropwort, or fresh extract of flooded field-grown dropwort for 20 days, without significant differences among the extracts. The levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase which were raised by alcohol adminstration were also lowered by feeding dropwort extract, among which that of fermented dryland-grown one was more effective than the other two. Chronic alcohol toxication was induced to rats by administering 10% alcohol for 10 months and fermented dropwort extract or tap water was fed to the rats for 5 days. The rats fed on fermented dropwort extract were lower in total cholesterol by 40% and in tota1 glyceride by 60% than the control. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the rats fed on fermented dropwort extract were decreased by 87.2% and 91.7%, respectively, compared to the control, and the rats recovered almost to normal. Activity of alkaline phosphatase, catalase, superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase changed greatly by alcohol administration in the rats suffering from chronic as well as acute toxication. The extract of fermented dry land dropwort significantly lowed the activity of those enzymes, especially, alkaline phosphatase and superoxide dismutase. The present results suggesting the possible medicinal effect of fermented dropwort extract to liver diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2016

Cough is one of the most common symptom of many respiratory diseases. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases organized cough guideline committee and cough guideline was developed by this committee. The purpose of this guideline is to help clinicians to diagnose correctly and treat efficiently patients with cough. In this article, we have stated recommendation and summary of Korean cough guideline. We also provided algorithm for acute, subacute, and chronic cough. For chronic cough, upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), cough variant asthma (CVA), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should be considered. If UACS is suspicious, first generation anti-histamine and nasal decongestant can be used empirically. In CVA, inhaled corticosteroid is recommended in order to improve cough. In GERD, proton pump inhibitor is recommended in order to improve cough. Chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, lung cancer, aspiration, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, habit, psychogenic cough, interstitial lung disease, environmental and occupational factor, tuberculosis, obstructive sleep apnea, peritoneal dialysis, and idiopathic cough can be also considered as cause of chronic cough. Level of evidence for treatment is mostly low. Thus, in this guideline, many recommendations are based on expert opinion. Further study regarding treatment for cough is mandatory.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study 띤as to determine the potential role of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in the treatment of primary unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The preliminary results on the efficacy and the toxicity of 3D-CRT are reported. Materials and Methods : Seventeen patients were enrolled in this study, which was conducted prospectively from January 1995 to June 1997. The exclusion criteria included the presence of extrahepatic metastasis, liver cirrhosis of Child-Pugh classification C, tumors occupying more than two thirds of the entire liver, and a performance status of more than 3 on the ECOG scale. Two patients were treated with radiotherapy only while the remaining 15 were treated with combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Radiotherapy was given to the field including the tumor plus a 1.5 cm margin using a 3D-CRT technique. The radiation dose ranged from $36\~60\;Gy$ (median; 59.4 Gy). Tumor response was based on a radiological examination such as the CT scan, MR imaging, and hepatic artery angiography at $4\~8$ weeks following the completion of treatment. The acute and subacute toxicities were monitored. Results : An objective response was observed in 11 out of 17 patients, giving a response rate of $64.7\%$. The actuarial survival rate at 2 years was $21.2\%$ from the start of radiotherapy (median survival; 19 months). Six patients developed a distant metastasis consisting of a lung metastasis in 5 patients and bone metastasis in one. The complications related to 30-CRT were gastro-duodenitis $(\geq\;grade\;2)$ in 2 patients. There were no treatment related deaths and radiation induced hepatitis. Conclusion : The preliminary results show that 3D-CRT is a reliable and effective treatment modality for primary unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma compared to other conventional modalities. Further studies to evaluate the definitive role of the 3D-CRT technique in the treatment of primary unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 1969

To clarify the hematologic effects of the radioiodine ($^{131}I$) in therapeutic doses ($5{\sim}10$ mCi) on the various thyroid patients, authors studied the peripheral blood pictures of 396 goitrous patients before and after radioiodine ($^{131}I$) administrations in the Isotope Clinic of Seoul National University Hospital. Among these 396 cases of goiters, we gave 5 to 10 mCi of radioiodine ($^{131}I$) with single or fractionated administrations. The blood pictures of peripheral blood were repeated after 3 months in 40 cases of 65 cases who had been treated with $^{131}I$. The blood pictures of non-treated thyroid patients were compared with that of normal Korean values to clarify any difference between normal and goiter. The blood pictures of hyperthyroid patients treated with $^{131}I$ therapy were compared with the blood pictures of non-treated thyroid patients. The results were as following: 1) The incidence according to type: Toxic diffuse goiter: 35.4% Nontoxic nodular goiter: 29.7% Euthyroid: 13.8% Nontoxic diffuse goiter: 12.6% Hypothyroidism: 4.3% Thyroiditis($\bar{s}$ subacute form): 1.8% Toxic nodular goiter: 1.4% Malignancy: 1.0% 2) Age incidence: The range of distribution was 11 to 71 years. The peak incidence was found in the 4th decade of life. $80.6{\sim}82.6%$ of those 396 cases were found among the 3rd, 4th and the 5th decades of life. 3) Sex incidence: Sex ratio of male:female was 1:7.8. 4) The most outstanding findings in peripheral blood before treatment were decreased erythrocyte count and hemoglobin value in all types of thyroid diseases, especially in. the cases of hypothyroidism and thyroiditis. Hook worm-infested patients showed no significant difference in erythrocytes and hemoglobin values from those of other hook worm free patients. 5) Total leukocytes count was within normal range. Differential count of W.B.C. showed increased percentile of lymphocyte in diffuse toxic goiter and thyroiditis. 6) 39 cases of diffuse goiter treated with $^{131}I$ toxic showed amelioration in the anemia and restoration to normal range of lymphocyte count in association with increased percentile of neutrophiles 3 months after administration, except a case of toxic nodular goiter. One can observe anemia in slight degree, and increased lymphocytes count in hypothyroidism. Therapeutic dose of radioiodine ($^{131}I$) does not result any residual effect on the hematopoietic function. Radioiodine ($^{131}I$) therapy resulted in improvement of thyroid function in association of amelioration of pevious abnormal blood pictures. 7) Authors did not observe any myxedema resulted from radioiodine therapy during the 3 months period in this study.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.790-795
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was performed to compare the therapeutic effects according to duration of medium-dose aspirin(50-60 mg/kg/day) therapy at the acute stage of Kawasaki disease(KD). Methods : Total 87 patients with KD were enrolled in this study. We performed retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics and echocardiographic findings based on medical records. Patient were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the duration of aspirin therapy at the acute stage of KD. Long-term group(LG, n=55) was administered medium-dose aspirin for 2 weeks after diagnosis of KD, and short-term group(SG, n=32) for 48 hours after intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) administration. The parameters of therapeutic effects were duration of fever after IVIG administration, incidence of unresponsive patients to single administration of IVIG, and development of transient dilatation or aneurysm of coronary arteries. Results : There was no significant difference in the duration of fever after IVIG between the both group(LG $1.7{\pm}1.1$ days, SG $1.8{\pm}1.1$ days; P=0.588). The incidences of unresponsive patient to the single administration of IVIG were 5.5 percent, 6.3 percent in the each group. Transient dilatation of coronary arteries occurred at 18.2 percent(10/55) in the LG, and 15.6 percent(5/32) in the SG(P=0.761). Prevalence of coronary aneurysm after subacute stage were 7.3 percent(4/55) in the LG, and 9.4 percent(3/32) in the SG(P=0.728). Conclusion : There was no significant difference in the therapeutic effects between long-term(2 weeks) and short-term(48 hours) administration of medium-dose aspirin at the acute stage of KD.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2013

Purpose : To re-evaluate additional clinical significance of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map in the inference of infarction stage, authors studied the evolution patterns of the DWI and the ADC map of the brain infarction. Materials and Methods: In 127 patients with cerebral infarctions, including follow-up checks, 199 studies were performed. They were classified as hourly (117 studies)-, daily (108 studies)-, weekly (62 studies)-based groups. The signal intensity (SI) was measured at the core of the infarction and contralateral area with ROI of 0.3 $cm^2$ or more on the images of the DWI and the ADC map, and calculated the ratios of SI and ADC value of the infarction area / contralateral normal area, and compared the patterns of the change according to the evolution. Results: Infarction was detected as early as 1 hour after the attack, and the ratio of SI in the DWI became over than 2 after 12 hours, which showed a plateau until the 6th day. Thereafter, it decreased slowly to 1 on the 30th day, and changed to lower SI than the surrounding brain. The ratio in the ADC map became 0.46 in 24 hours after the attack, and increased slowly to 1 in the 15th day. Thereafter, it became a higher value than the surrounding brain. Overall, the ratio in the ADC map changed earlier than in the DWI, and the ratio curves showed inverse pattern each other according to the evolution of the infarction. Conclusion: The evolution patterns of infarction on the ADC map showed an inverse curve of DWI curve, which means that the ADC value is accurately predictable from DWI, and the ADC map joined with the DWI seems helpful in the determination of subacute infarction between 15 to 30 days.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 1992

The 20-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ uptake became readily available for routine use and it replaced $^{131}I$ for thyroid imaging. However measuring thyroid uptake during a 5-minute minimizes pertechnetate uptake by the salivary glands and presence of contaminated saliva from those glands in to the pharynx and esophagus. A study was carried out to determine the suitability of the utility of a S-minute and 20-minute interval from administration of $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ to imaging and uptake measurement as a replacement for the 24 hour standard originally established with $^{131}I$, and to evaluate the relationship between 5-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ uptake and other thyroid functions. A 5-minute and 20-minute uptake of $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ were measured in 70 patients with thyroid disease at Yeungnam University Hospital from March 1, 1991 to Feb. 29, 1992. The results were as follows. 1) The 5-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ uptake in Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, simple goiter, non toxic nodular goiter, subacute thyroiditis and euthyroid were 18.2%, 14.6%, 2.8%, 3.2%, 1.2% and 1.1%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the mean of the euthyroid group and the mean of the Graves' disease. So differenciation between them can be easily made. 2) The 5 minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ thyroid uptake was well correlated with 24 hour $^{131}I$ thyroid uptake (r=0.75, p<0.001). These data provided an equation for estimating the 24 hour uptake of iodide given the 5 minute pertechnetate uptake: Estimated 24-hour $^{131}I$ thyroid Uptake= 7.188*ln (5 minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ uptake)+16.94 3) The 20-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ thyroid uptake was well correlated with 24-hour $^{131}I$ uptake (r=0.72, p<0.001) and 5-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ thyroid uptake (r=0.96, p<0.001). 4) In the Graves' disease, The 5-minute $^{99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ thyroid uptake was well correlated with serum $T_3-resin$ uptake (r=0.46, p<0.01), serum total $T_3$ (r=0.55, p<0.05), serum total $T_4$ (r=0.46, p<0.05). These results suggest that 5-minute ${99m}Tc-pertechnetate$ thyroid uptake has been found at least as useful as 24-hour $^{131}I$ uptake for diagnostic confirmation at our hospital, the logistical advantages of completing the diagnosis. The exam in 5-minutes led us to abandon the 24-hour study in the majority of patients, but the 24-hour $^{131}I$ uptake is still obtained in patients with planned or potential radioiodine therapy.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 1998

Ochratoxin A (OA) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus ochraceus as well as other molds. It is a natural contaminant of mouldy food and feed. OA has a number of toxic effects, the most prominant being nephrotoxicity. Futhermore, OA is immunosuppressive, genotoxic, teratogenic and carcinogenic. OA inhibits protein synthesis by competition with phenylalanine in the phenylalanine-tRNA aminoacylation reaction. Recently, lipid peroxidation induced by OA has been reported, indicating that the lesion induced by this mycotoxin could be also related to oxidative pathway. Since it seems impossible to avoid contamination of foodstuffs by toxigenic fungi, detoxification and detoxication of OA are needed. In this study we investigated the protective effects of aspartame (Asp), phenylalanine (Phe), polyphenol 70S (PP) and aloe extract (AE) on the nephrotoxicity induced by subacute exposure to the OA. Asp and Phe are structural analogues of OA. PP, an ingredient of Green Tea and AE have been known as antioxidant and radical scavenger. Phe (40 mg/kg, i.p.) and Asp (25 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered to Sprague-Dawley rats simultaneously with OA (2.0 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks. PP (200 mg/kg, p.o.) and AE (50 mg/kg, i.v.) were pretreated before administration of OA, for 2 weeks and 3 days, respectively. Using enzymuria, BUN level, creatinemia and histophathologic examination as indices of renal damage, we observed that all of four compounds prevented the nephrotoxic effects induced by OA. It seems that structural analogues of OA such as Asp and Phe have better protective effect on the nephrotoxicity of OA than antioxidants. These results indicate that 1) formation of free radical and lipid peroxidation are likely to be involved in the nephrotoxicity of OA in vivo, 2) Asp, PP and AE might be used for prevention of renal lesions in cases of ochratoxicosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.136-147
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• 2002

Background : Interstitial lung disease has various manifestations that are differentiated by their pathology, progress and treatment. However, all manifestations eventually progresses to pulmonary fibrosis. Recent studies have shown that apoptosis of pulmonary epithelial cells might be related to pulmonary fibrosis. The correlation of the apoptotic index with the clinical manifestations, pathological findings, HRCT findings and the response to treatment were examined. Materials and Methods : Twenty subjects (14 men, 16 women), who had been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease through an open lung biopsy, were enrolled in this study. The subtypes were one AIP, two NIP, eight BOOP, and seven UIP cases. The apoptotic index was scaled from 0-2 depending on the fraction of positive staining cells by TUNEL method. The clinical severity was assessed by a modification of a previously developed CRP scoring system. The pathologic scores were based on 4 components: fibrosis, cellularity, desquamation, and granulation. In the HRCT study, each lobe was scored by the radiologists on a scale for both fibrosis and ground-glass attenuation. The treatment response was assessed by an increase in more than 10% of the CRP score, and comparing the results 3 months before and after treatment. Results : The apoptotic index showed no correlation with the CRP and HRCT scoring system. The apoptotic index correlated with the pathologic elements including fibrosis, cellularity and the desquamation score (p<0.05). Of the 16 patients who received corticosteroid therapy, 9 patients (56.3%) responded to therapy. There was no correlation between the response to corticosteroid and the apoptotic index. In the case of patients with acute and subacute ILD, the apoptotic index showed a correlation with the cellularity, desquamation, and the total histological score (p<0.05). In the case of patients with chronic ILD, the apoptotic index correlated with the fibrosis and cellularity score (p<0.05). Conclusion : Apoptosis of the pulmonary epithelial cells is implicated in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung disease particularly on a pathological basis.