• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.104-109
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• 2005

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the expectable current cure operation methods. Tumor tissue is treated by abundant oxygen in a body and generated singlet or free radical from exterior laser diode and photosensitizer. Current problem of PDT is the low penetration power of the light beam in a deep seated large tumor and solid tumor thus results in low treatment outcome. In the study, we tried to develop interstitial photodynamics therapy treatment to solve this problem. As the accurate determination of light dosimetry in biological tissue is one of the most important factors affecting the effectiveness of PDT, parameters used in this study are the optical property of biological tissue. Since biological tissues have large scattering coefficient to visible light the penetration depth of a biological tissue in visible light region is only $15\~20$ mm. We showed that it is possible to measure fluence rate and penetration depth within the biological tissues by Monte Carlo simulation very well. Based on the MC simulation study, the effectiveness of interstitial photodynamic therapy on tumor control in solid tumor was proved through in vivo animal experiment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.155-158
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• 2011

Mechanical ventilation is usually the treatment of choice for severe respiratory failure associated with trauma. However, in case of severe hypoxia, mechanical ventilation may not be sufficient for gas exchange in lungs. Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) undergo difficulties in oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is the ideal therapeutic option for those patients with severe traumatic injuries. ECMO allows lungs to reserve their functions and decreases further lung injuries while increasing survival rate at the same time. We report two cases of patients with traumatic ARDS and Multiple Organ Failure including compromised heart function. The preservation of lung function was successful using ECMO therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.169-176
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• 2012

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent disorder, particularly among the middle-aged. In this study, we report a new approach to improve OSA using oriental medicine and acupuncture. Methods: Three men diagnosed with OSA were enrolled in this study. They took oriental medicine 3 times a day and were given acupuncture twice a week for about 4 months. Results: We analyzed apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), average saturation (AS) and lowest saturation (LS) before and after treatment. AHI highly decreased in all patients and ODI also decreased in two of the three patients. Conclusions: These results indicate that oriental medicine and acupuncture therapy was effective in the improvement of OSA. Further study in a larger group with severity grades is recommended.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.287-290
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• 2007

Intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is one of the major obstacles to effective cancer treatment. Hypoxia is widespread in solid tumors as a consequence of decreased blood flow in the tumor-derived neovasculature. The recent finding of a link between hypoxia and chemoresistance prompted us to investigate whether hypoxia induces doxorubicin resistance in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Low oxygen concentration decreased the doxorubicin sensitivity in MCF-7 cells. The expression of p-glycoprotein, a major MDR-related transporter, and those of apoptosis-related proteins (anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and pro-apoptotic Bax) were not altered by hypoxia in MCF-7 cells. Intracellular uptake of doxorubicin was significantly decreased under hypoxic conditions. Decreased cellular uptake of doxorubicin under hypoxia may contribute to causing doxorubicin resistance in these cells. The use of agents that can modulate the doxorubicin uptake for adjuvant therapy may contribute to improving the therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin in breast cancer patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.3
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• pp.99-104
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• 2014

Pneumothorax-either spontaneous or iatrogenic-is commonly encountered in pulmonary medicine. While secondary pneumothorax is caused by an underlying pulmonary disease, the spontaneous type occurs in healthy individuals without obvious cause. The British Thoracic Society (BTS, 2010) and the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP, 2001) published the guidelines for pneumothorax management. This review compares the diagnostic and management recommendations between the two societies. Patients diagnosed with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) may be observed without intervention if the pneumothorax is small and there are no symptoms. Oxygen therapy is only discussed in the BTS guidelines. If intervention is needed, BTS recommends a simple aspiration in all spontaneous and some secondary pneumothorax cases, whereas ACCP suggests a chest tube insertion rather than a simple aspiration. BTS and ACCP both recommend surgery for patients with a recurrent pneumothorax and persistent air leak. For patients who decline surgery or are poor surgical candidates, pleurodesis is an alternative recommended by both BTS and ACCP guidelines. Treatment strategies of iatrogenic pneumothorax are very similar to PSP. However, recurrence is not a consideration in iatrogenic pneumothorax.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.60-63
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• 2019

The rate of suicide is the 5th leading cause of death in Korea. Moreover, suicide is the 1st cause of death in from 2nd to 4th decade. In order to treat suicide attempters who have visited the emergency room and to prevent retries, it is necessary to understand the nature of the suicide and to take the right approach. Suicide is more than doubled in women, and retry rates are high among patients with a history of suicide. Suicidal means are throat, fall, gas poisoning, poisoning and drowning. All suicide attempters should suspect and treat cervical spine injury and airway management, and rapid hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recommended for carbon monoxide addicts. Interviewing a suicide attempter requires a sympathetic attitude and examines the underlying depression or adaptation disorders. Interdisciplinary care with mental health departments is necessary, and interventions in emergency roombased suicide attempt management work can be helpful to connect with the community.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1408-1413
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• 1997

A 68 year-old male was admitted with complaint of dyspnea and nonproductive cough which developed 6 hours after accidental inhalation of nitrogen dioxide. On admission, acute pulmonary edema and severe hypoxemia were found. With oxygen and bronchodilator therapy, diffuse alveolar consolitation and his dyspnea were improved from the following day. He was discharged at 8th hospital day with prednisolone 30mg daily for prevention of bronchiolitis obliterans. During 6 weeks of follow up, there was no evidence of bronchiolitis obliterans.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2003

Kombucha fermentation broth has been used as a popular health beverage and an alternative therapy with prophylactic and therapeutic benefit. We tried to establish optimal culture conditions for Kombucha fermentation in milk and to investigate cytotoxicity and antioxidative enzyme activity of Kombucha broth against normal human fibroblasts. The optimal conditions of Kombuch culture were established to 3$0^{\circ}C$, 20∼23 hours by DPPH radical scavenging test. There were positive effects on cell growth while no cytotoxicity against primary normal human diploid fibroblasts was found. The activites of glutathione peroxide and catalase in the cells treated by hydrogen peroxide (1 mM) alone and by hydrogen peroxide with Kombucha broth (1 mg/mι) were significantly different (p＜0.05). These results suggest that Kombucha broth could be developed as an antioxidant agent for a new cosmetic material.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.992-997
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• 2007

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug which is widely used for cancer therapy including cervical cancer. The purpose of this study is to elucidate synergistic effect of Cisplatin and Berberine on the apoptosis of HeLa cells and to determine whether oxidants are formed as part of apoptotic process. Apoptotic death of HeLa cells by cisplatin and berberine was confirmed by chromatin condensation of HeLa cells and flow cytometric analysis of intracellular ROS(reactive oxygen species) production. In MTT assay, Cell viability was decreased and enhanced ROS generation in combination of cisplatin and berberine significantly, as compared with cisplatin only. Synergistic effect of Cisplatin and Berberine on the inhibition of cell growth by apoptosis was clearly observed and ROS may play an important role in apoptosis. This effect suggest the possibility lowering the concentration of chemotherapeutic drugs, which alleviate the side effect of drugs.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.244-248
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• 2008

It is well known that excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to oxidative stress, loss of cell function, and ultimately apoptosis or necrosis. To search for natural antioxidants able to modulate cellular oxidative stress, we investigated the protective effect of ethanol extracts of 17 medicinal plants selected from the preliminary antioxidant screening on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH)-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes. The result showed that extracts of the four plants, Distylium racemosum, Astilbe chinensis, Cercis chinensis and Sapium japonicum, exhibited significant cytoprotective activity (over 50% protection) against t-BuOOH-induced cellular injury.