• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.283-294
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• 2003

Introduction : Rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (RGM) can produce numerous types of manifestations including a pulmonary infection. Managing a pulmonary infection due to RGM is unusually difficult to treat because the organism is invariably resistant to traditional antituberculous drugs and has a varying susceptibility to other antibiotics. The experiences of treatments for a RGM pulmonary infection with various antibiotics are also limited. This study evaluated the clinical manifestations, treatment, and the therapeutic outcomes of a RGM pulmonary infection. Subjects and method : Fifty-four cases with RGM from respiratory specimens were identified between November of 1996 and September of 2002 in the Asan medical center. The medical records and radiographic findings in 20 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease by ATS guidelines. The clinical, laboratory, and radiological parameters between subgroups. Results : Of the 20 patients, 15 were female. The mean age was 57.7 yrs (${\pm}7.5$), and all of the patients had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Most (90%) had an underlying lung disease. The majority of the isolates (80%) were M. abscessus. Chest radiography showed bilateral involvement in 80% of the patients. Bronchiectasis and multiple nodules were the main findings. Cavitation was present in 35% of the patients. Even though 70 % of the patients received antituberculous drugs prior to the correct diagnosis, all of the patients eventually received antibiotics. A mean of 3.5 antibiotics were given for an average of 439 days(${\pm}168$). After completing treatment, nine patients showed improvement after a mean 591(${\pm}311$) days of treatment, whereas the antibiotic treatment was unsuccessful in 2 patients. Conclusion : Many patients with a RGM pulmonary infection show an atypical pattern of radiological findings (bronchiectasis and multiple centrilobular nodules). It is very important to differentiate between M. tuberculosis and NTM and to identify the causative organisms among the NTM because a misdiagnosis can lead to an inappropriate and prolonged treatment. Combined antibiotic treatment yielded promising results, and is recommended for treating patients with a RGM pulmonary infection.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 1999

Purpose : This multicenter collaboratory study was conducted to see the therapeutic efficacy and side effect of cyclosporine A (Cipol-$N^{(R)}$, Chong Kun Dang) on children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who experienced frequently relapsing (FR), steroid dependent (SD), or steroid resistant (SR) pattern. Patients and methods : Thirty-nine children with SD/FR NS and 3 children with SR NS were enrolled in the study. After induction of remission (SD/FR NS) with steroid or after 4 weeks of steroid therapy (SR NS), cyclosporine A was started in a dose of 4-5 mg/Kg/day in two divided dose and steroid (prednisolone or equivalent dose of deflazacort) was tapered slowly. During 16 weeks of study period, monthly check up of physical examination and various laboratory tests including BUN, creatinine, Ccr and cyclosporine blood level were done. Results : Out of 39 children with SD/FR NS, 35($89.7\%$) maintained sustained remission and at 4 weeks after therapy, values of serum protein, albumin, cholesterol, and 24 hours urinary protein excretion showed normal values. Two out of 3 children with SR NS showed and sustained remission with cyclosporine A therapy. Side reaction to cyclosporine A therapy showed hypertrichosis in 8 cases and hyperuricemia in 5 cases. However, other laboratory tests including CBC, liver profile, BUN, creatinine and GFR (creatinine clearance utilizing 24 hour urine) did not show any abnormalities during the 16 weeks of study period. Conclusion : Cyclosporine A (Cipoi-$N^{(R)}$ Chong Kun Dang) can be utilized quite effectively on children with SD/FR or SR NS and further trial of cyclosporine A on long-term basis (1-2 year period) is needed to determine it's efficacy and side effect (especially nephrotoxicity) of long-term administration of cyclosporine A.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2003

Purpose: Recently, while the authors were experiencing that the epidemic period of rotaviral infection happened more in the early spring, we tried to find out how the outbreaks of rotaviral infection are changing in detail depending on the weather condition since it has something to do with the climate factors and PM10. Methods: Fourteen hundreds seventy nine patients who were proved to be positive to rotavirus were chosen among children less than 5 years old from January 1995 to June 2003. Among various climate factors, monthly average temperature, humidity, rainfall and PM10 were selected. Results: Rotaviral infection was most active in 2002 as 309 (20.9%) patients. It has been the spring that is the most active period of rotaviral infection since 2000. The temperature (RR=0.9423, CI=0.933424~0.951163), rainfall (RR=1.0024, CI=1.001523~1.003228) and PM10 (RR=1.0123, CI=1.009385~1.015248) were significantly associated with the monthly distribution of rotaviral infection. Conclusion: Through this study we determined that the epidemic period of rotaviral infection is changed to spring, which is different from the usual seasonal periods such as late fall or winter as reported in previous articles. As increased PM10 which could give serious influence to the human body, and changing pattern of climate factors such as monthly average temperature and rainfall have something to do with the rotaviral infection, we suppose that further study concerning this result is required in the aspects of epidemiology, biology and atmospheric science.

• 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.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2007

Purpose: This study evaluated the pretreatment expression patterns of MDM2, p53, and pRb proteins to determine if the expression patterns could predict the outcome of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and aid in the decisions for the selection of treatment modalities. Materials and Methods: Fifty-one patients that were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy for stage $I{\sim}IVa$ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were selected for this study. Radiotherapy was administered with daily $1.8{\sim}2\;Gy$ fractions up to a median dose of 54 Gy for primary tumors, and with four cycles of cisplatin/5-fluorouracil chemotherapy that was administered every 4 weeks, the first two cycles of which were administered concurrently with radiotherapy. Expression of MDM2, p53, and pRb was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis using pretreatment biopsy specimens. Results: MDM2, p53, and pRb were detected with high immunoreactivity in 19.6%, 27.5%, and 66.7% of the patients, respectively. However, there was no significant correlation between expression of these factors and clinical outcome. By the use of multivariate analysis with nine covariates-age, tumor location, tumor length, stage, pathological response, clinical response, MDM2 expression, p53 expression, and pRb expression, only pathological response and stage were significant factors for cause-specific survival. Conclusion: Expression of MDM2, p53, and pRb was not found to be clinically significant for predicting outcomes after CCRT in this study. Further studies with a larger patient population and longer follow-up periods are needed to re-evaluate the expression pattern and to identify new predictors for CCRT response.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2011

Background and Purpose: Uniformity is the one of the important quality control features with respect to gamma cameras. To maintain adequate uniformity, we must acquire suitable flood table (=flood map) data because the flood table effects energy, and the type or dose of input radiation. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the difference in uniformity when uniformity does not match between the type of input radiation and the flood table data or collimator type. Subjects and Methods: For input radiation, we prepared 370 MBq of $^{57}Co$, $^{99m}Tc$, and $^{201}Tl$. Using SKYLight (Philips) and Infinia gamma cameras (GE), we acquired nine uniformity data that were corrected by technetium, cobalt flood table and did not corrected image for the three sources. Additionally, we acquired two uniformity images with a collimator that were corrected by intrinsic and extrinsic flood tables. Using this data, we evaluated and compared the uniformity values. Results: In the case of the SKYLight gamma camera, the uniformities of the images that matched between the input radiation and flood table with respect to $^{99m}Tc$ and $^{57}Co$ were better than the unmatched uniformity (3.96% vs. 5.69% ; 4.9% vs. 5.91%). However, because there was no thallium flood table, the uniformities of images at Tl were significantly incorrect (7.49%, 7.03%). The uniformities of the Infinia gamma camera had the same pattern as the SKYLight gamma camera (3.7% vs. 4.5%). Moreover, the uniformity of the $^{99m}Tc$ image acquired with a collimator and corrected by an extrinsic flood table was better than the intrinsic flood table (3.96% vs. 6.28%). Conclusion: Correcting an image by a suitable flood table can help achieve better uniformity for a gamma camera. Therefore, we have to acquire images with suitable uniformity correction, and update the flood table periodically. Whenever we acquire a nuclear medicine image, we always have to check the appropriate flood table according to the acquired condition.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 1997

Purpose : It is well known that the risk of lymph nodes metastases to head and neck cancers are influenced by the location and size of the Primary tumor. as well as the degree and types of histological differentiation. However, data on the statistical analyses of lymph node metastases from the head and neck cancers among Korean Population are not available at present. In order to obtain current status of such data, we have analyzed cancer patients at the department of radiation oncology, korea universityhospital for radiation treatment. Materials and Methods : We have evaluated nine-hundred and ninetyseven (997) head and neck cancer Patients who visited to the Department of radiation oncology, between November 1981 to December 1995. After careful physical examinations and CAT scan, Patients were divided into two groups, those with positive lymph node metastases and with negative lymph node metastases. The nodal status were classified according to the TNM system of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Besults : Four-hundred and sixteen Patients out of the 997 patients were lymph node positive $(42\%)$ and 581 patients were lymph node negative $(58\%)$ when they were first presented at the department of radiation oncelogy. According to the AJCC classification, the distribution of positive lymph node is as follow: Nl:106 $(25.5\%),\;N2a:100\;(24\%),\;N2b:68\;(16.4\%),\;N2c:69\;(16.6\%),\;3:73\;(15\%).$ respectively. The frequency of lymph node metastases according to the primary sites is as follow : larynx 283 $(28.5\%)$, paranasal sinuses: 182 $(18\%),\;oropharynx:144\;(14.5\%)\;nasopharynx:122(12\%),\;oral\;cavity\;92\;(9\%),\;hypopharynx:71\;(7\%),\;falivary\;gland:58\;(6\%)$ unknown primary:31 $(3\%),\;skin:\;14(2\%)$,. The most frequent Primary site for the positive Iymph node metastases was nasopharynx $(71\%)$ followed by hypopharynx $(69\%),\;oropharynx\;(64\%),\;oral\;cavity\;(39\%)$ The most common histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma (652/997: $65.4\%$). followed by malignant lymphoma $(109/997:11\%)$. Conclusion : Statistical results of lymph node metastases from head and neck cancer at our department were very similar to those obtained from other countries. It is concluded that the location of Primary cancer influences sites of metastases on head and neck, and stage of the primary cancer also influences the development of metastatic lesions. Since the present study is limited on the data collected from one institute. further statistical analyses on Korean cancer Patients are warrented.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.484-491
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• 1995

It is well known that hepatobiliary agent are taken up by metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) as well as primary HCC. But the reported cases of the extrahepatic metastasis of HCC diagnosed by hepatobiliary scintigraphy are for the most part hematogenous ones. The relation of the uptake pattern of hepatobiliary agent in the primary and metastatic HCC is also still remains unknown. So we undertook this study to evaluate the relation of the hepatobiliary scintigraphic patterns of primary and metastatic HCC with different metastatic routes. Nine patients with primary HCC and twelve cases of metastatic HCC including four lung metastases, one bone metastasis, one right atrial metastasis, one peritoneal wall metastasis, and five lymph node metastases were studied with $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ scintigraphy. The images were taken on 10, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4-6 hours. The overall detection rates of hematogenous metastases(lung and bone) is 60%(3 of 5), direct metastasis(right atrium and peritoneal wall), 100%(2 of 2) and lymphatic metastases, 0%(0 of 5). In four of five metastatic cases demonstrated with hepatobiliary scintigraphy, biliary agent is also taken up by primary HCC lesions. And the appearing time of the radioactivity in the direct metastatic HCC lesioin is same as that of primary HCC and in the cases of hematogenous metastasis, earlier than that of primary HCC. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is more useful in the diagnosis of the metastatic HCC than primary HCC, in the cases of hematogenous and direct metastasis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.343-350
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• 2007

Three different experiments were carried out to investigate the runoff and erosion losses of endosulfan from sloped-field by rainfall. The mobility of endosulfan and which phase it was transported by were examined in adsorption study, the influence of rainfall pattern and slope degree on the pesticide loss were evaluated in simulated rainfall study, and the pesticide losses from soybean-grown field comparing with bare soil were measured in field lysimeter study. Adsorption parameter (K) of endosulfan ranged from 77 to 131 by adsorption method and K values by the desorption method were higher than those by the adsorption method. By the SSLRC's classification for pesticide mobility endosulfan was classified as non-mobile class ($K_{oc}>4,000$). Runoff and erosion loss of endosulfan by three rainfall scenarios ranged from 3.4 to 5.6%and from 4.4 to 15.6%of the amount treated. Endosulfan residues were mainly remained at the top 5 cm of soil depth after the simulated rainfall study. Pesticide loss in case of 30%-slope degree ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 times higher than those in case of 10%-slope degree. The difference of pesticide runoff loss was related with its concentration in runoff water and the difference of pesticide erosion loss would related closely with the quantity of soil eroded. Endosulfan losses from a series of lysimeter plots in sloped land by rainfall ranged from 5 to 35% of the amount treated. The erosion rate of endosulfan from soybean-plots was 66% of that from bare soil plots. The effect of slope conditions was not great for runoff loss, but was great for erosion loss as increasing to maximum $4{\sim}12$ times with slope degree and slope length. The peak runoff concentration of endosulfan in soybean-plots and bare soil plots ranged from 8 to 10 and from 7 to $9{\mu}gL^{-1}$ on nine plots with different slope degree and slope length. Therefore the difference of the peak runoff concentrations between bare soil plots and soybean-plots were not great.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.553-558
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of premedicated ascorbic acid and hepa-saline irrigation/aspiration on attenuation of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and recovery of renal function in canine nephrotomy model. In the canine model, nine mixed dogs were subjected to renal nephrotomy with premedicated ascorbic acid and hepa-saline irrigation-aspiration (treatment group 2), and only hepa-saline irrigation-aspiration (treatment group 1). The level of renal function and antioxidant enzymes after nephrotomy were measured. And the expression pattern of TNF-${\alpha}$ and INF-${\gamma}$ was examined in the renal tissue at $7^{th}$ day after nephrotomy. BUN and creatinine levels significantly decreased in the treatment group 1 and 2 compared to that of control group at the $3^{rd}$, 5th and $7^{th}$ day after reperfusion (p < 0.05). And, there was significant difference between treatment group 1 and 2 at the $3^{rd}$ day after reperfusion (p < 0.05). The activities of antioxidant enzymes in plasma was significantly increased in the treatment group 1 and 2 compared to that of control group at the $3^{rd}$, $5^{th}$ and $7^{th}$ day after reperfusion (p < 0.05). And, there was significant difference between treatment group 1 and 2 at the $3^{rd}$ day after reperfusion (p < 0.05). TNF-${\alpha}$ was decreased and INF-${\gamma}$ was increased in treatment groups. The result of this study suggested that irrigation-aspiration has effects on attenuation of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, and the exogenous ascorbic acid has a role in the attenuation of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and recovery of renal function in canine nephrotomy model.