• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.270-276
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The prognosis of Borrmann type IV gastric cancer is poorer than that of the other gastric carcinomas. We compared the clinicopathological features of Borrmann type IV gastric cancer with those of other types of cancer and analyzed the significance of a Borrmann type IV carcinoma as a prognostic factor Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic features, TNM stage and survival rates of 4,389 gastric cancer patients who received surgical management at Samsung Medical Center between January 1995 and December 2004. Results: Patients with a Borrmann type IV gastric carcinoma had a more advanced stage than patients with other types of gastric carcinomas at the initial diagnosis, and the curative resection rate was lower. The 5-year survival rate of patients with Borrmann type IV cancer was 20.7%, and that of patients with other types of cancer was 50.3%. The 5-year survival rate of patients with Borrmann type IV gastric carcinomas was significantly lower than that of patients with other types of gastric carcinomas at the same TNM stage. In univariate and multivariate analyses, the depth of invasion, the nodal state, distant metastasis, the TNM stage, curability and the presence of a Borrmann type IV carcinoma were independent prognostic factors in cases of gastric cancer. Conclusion: Compared to the other types of gastric carcinomas, a Borrmann type IV carcinoma has unique clinicopathological features. The prognosis should be predicated considering the differences between Borrmann type IV qastric carcinomas and other types of gastric carcinomas, and multimodal and intensive therapies are needed in patients with a Borrmann type IV gastric carcinoma.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.237-243
• /
• 2006

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the treatment outcomes and the prognosis for gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastasis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was based on the medical records of 85 gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastasis (62 synchronous and, 23 metachronous) who received chemotherapy with or without resectional therapy from March 1990 to March 2006. The survival rate was analyzed according to clinicopathologic factors and therapeutic factors, such as whether or not a gastrectomy, a hepatic resection, and/or chemotherapy had been performed. Results: The median survival of gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastasis was 11 months (synchronous: 11 months and metachronous: 17 months). The rates of gastrectomies and hepatic resections in the synchronous group were 24.1% and 16.1%, respectively A 23.5% prevalence of extra-hepatic metastasis was observed. The median survivals of patients who underwent a gastrectomy with a hepatic resection, a gastrectomy alone, and non-surgical treatment were 60, 18, and 9 months, respectively (P<0.05). The disease-free median survival of the metachronous group was 8 ($3{\sim}39$) months. There was no difference in initial pathologic stage and frequency of hepatic metastasis after the gastrectomy in the metachronous group. In the synchronous group, extra-hepatic metastasis, a gastrectomy as the operative procedure, a hepatic resection as the operative procedure and the response to chemotherapy were statistically significant in the univariate analysis, and a hepatic resection as the operative procedure, the response to chemotherapy, and extra-hepatic metastasis were independant prognostic factors identified by the multivariate analysis. In the metachronous group, extra-hepatic metastasis, the response to chemotherapy and differentiation were statistically significant in the univariate analysis, and extra-hepatic metastasis was an independent prognostic factor identified by the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: An aggressive surgical therapy and effective chemotherapy are necessary in the treatment of gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastasis. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2006;6:237-243)

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.250-256
• /
• 2006

Purpose: Recently, interest in peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) has increased, although clinical studies of the effect of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression on gastric cancer have not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the role of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression in gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-eight (128) samples of both gastric cancer and normal tissues were obtained from 128 patients who had undergone at a curative gastrectomy at Seoul Medical Center from Jan. 2001 to Dec. 2005. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was determined by using immunohistochemical staining, and the results were analyzed. The statistical analysis was based on clinicopathological findings and the differences in survival rates. Results: The mean age of the patients was 6n, and the male : female ratio was 1.9 : 1. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was significantly higher in cancer tissues than in normal tissue (81.3% vs. 57.0%, p<0.001). There was insignificant difference between well and moderately differentiated types and poorly differentiated types in terms of the expression of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ (87.0% vs. 74.6%, P=0.074). In the univariate analysis the survival rate was significantly increased when $PPAR-{\gamma}$ was expressed in normal tissue (P=0.003). In the multivariate analysis, only the UICC TNM staging had significance related to the survival rate. Conclusion: The rate of $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was higher in cancer tissue than it was in normal tissue from gastric cancer patients. In the univariate analysis, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression in normal tissue had significance with respect to survival, but the multivariate analysis showed no such significance. Thus, we should further evaluate more cases to determine whether or not such a significance exists.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.152-159
• /
• 2007

Purpose: Recently, the use of laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy for early gastric cancer has been on the increase and the procedure has been quickly adopted by clincians. However, there are few reports regarding the safety and risk of this type of surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the morbidity and to verify the safety of laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy for early gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 376 patients that had undergone laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy for early gastric cancer between April 2004 and December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinicopathological characteristics, operative complications, and factors related to complications were evaluated. Results: The overall operative morbidity and mortality rates were 10.6% and 0%, intraoperative morbidity was 1.1% (4 of 376 patients) and post operative morbidity was 9.6% (36 of 376 patients). Most complications required no surgery except for an intestinal obstruction in two cases. Multivariate analysis of risk factors related to operative morbidity determined that age was an independent factor associated with morbidity (P=0.021). Conclusion: The complication rate of laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy is low and most complications can be managed by conservative methods rather than with surgery. There were no specific predicting factors for complications except old age. Laparoscopy is a technically feasible and acceptable surgical modality for early gastric cancer.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.288-292
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to identify the effects of irrigation amount to produce high quality melon fruit in fertigation culture. Irrigation amount of during fruit harvesting period was doubled at the low irrigation point ($(-45{\sim}50\;kPa$) treatment as 115 mm as than that of the high irrigation point ($-20{\sim}25\;kPa$) treatment. The plant growth rates such as stem length, leaf weight and plant height were a little diminished at the low irrigation point ($-45{\sim}50\;kPa$) than those of the other treatments. Internode length was however not affected by irrigation amount. Fruit weight was lighter at the low irrigation point ($-45{\sim}50\;kPa$) than that of at the high irrigation point and fruit height was shorter, but fruit diameter was not affected by irrigation amount. Fruit soluble solid was $0.9^{\circ}Bx$ higher at the low irrigation point ($-45{\sim}50\;kPa$) than at the high irrigation point ($-20{\sim}25\;kPa$) and net index was higher. Total marketable yield was highest by 3,937 kg/10a at the high irrigation point ($-20{\sim}25\;kPa$), but the excellent marketable yield was highest by 2,531 kg/10a at the low irrigation point ($-45{\sim}50\;kPa$). Inorganic contents of the soil N, K, Ca and Mg were not affected by irrigation amount. It was therefore thought that optimum irrigation point to produce high quality melon fruit by fertigation culture was $-45{\sim}50\;kPa$ at ripening stage.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.322-326
• /
• 2012

Recently, researches related to plant factory system has been activated and production of Ssam-vegetables using artificial lighting has been increasing. In South Korea, Ssam-vegetables are very popular and the consumption is increasing every year. Because leaf vegetables cultivated under hydroponic systems are more preferable rather than those cultivated by soil culture in Korea, the plant factory system would be more effective in production of Ssam-vegetables. Therefore, this study was carried out in order to analyze the yield and vitamin C contents in red mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and pak-choi (Brassica campestris var. chinensis), which are used a lot for the Ssam-vegetables in South Korea, as influenced by different concentrations of the nutrient solution in a plant factory system. As a results, there was no significant differences in the plant height among the treatment of EC in the nutrient solution, but for red mustard plants, the number of leaves tended to decrease in the treatment with higher EC. Leaf area of pak-choi plants was significantly increased in the higher EC, while the fresh weight had a tendency to increase along with increasing EC in the nutrient solution for both crops. The photosynthetic rates did not show a distinct tendency by EC levels for red mustard plants, but for pak-choi plants, it tended to be higher at the high EC. The contents of ascorbic acid in leaves were higher with decreasing EC concentration in the nutrient solution for red mustard plants, while the content was the highest at EC $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for pak-choi plants. In summary, considering the marketable yields and vitamin C at different nutrient concentrations in a plant factory, the optimal concentration for red mustard and pak-choi plants was thought to be EC $2.0{\sim}2.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.83-95
• /
• 1990

This study was conducted to estimate influences of pesticides such as carbofuran[2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methyl carbamate] as an insecticide, and pyrazolate [4-(2,4-dichlorobenzolyl)-1,3-dimethyl-5-pyrazolyl-1,3-dimethyl-5-pyrazolyl-p-toluensulfonate], pyrazolate+pretilachlor [2-chlor-2,6-diethyl-N-(n-propoxyethyl) acetanilied] as herbicides on change in numbers of soil microorganisms and pH in planted and unplanted flooded rice paddy soils. The results of weekly investigated change of pH and populations of total bacteria, gram negative bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and fungi after treatments of pesticides were as follows : The change of pH in rice-planted soil gradually decreased in a matter of weeks after treatment with pesticide and the pH increased again from the sixth week, but no change of pH could be observed in nonplanted soil. The total numer of bacteria in the treated plots were slightly less than in the control plot, and the numbers decreased with increasing application rates of pesticides. But the microbial population increased in a matter of days after treatment with pesticide. Number of the gram negative bacteria until the sixth week after treatment of pesticide were fewer than control. The number in the carbofuran-treated plot decreased after a weeks after treatment, but numbers in plots treated with pyrazolate and pyrazolate+pretilachlor increased. The number of anaerobic bacteria in the treated plots were few by comparison with the untreated control, but the number increased after a weeks after treatment with pesticides. The populations of fungi in the carbofuran-treated plot were similar by comparison with the untreated control. The populations in the plots treated with pyrazolate and pyrazolate+pretilachlor decreased in 4 to 5 weeks with increase of application rate, but afterwards increased.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.5
• /
• pp.433-439
• /
• 2006

Background: Although airway hyper-responsiveness is one of the characteristics of asthma. bronchial hyper-responsiveness has also been observed to some degree in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Moreover, several reports have demonstrated that a number of patients have both COPD and asthma. The methacholine bronchial challenge test (MCT) is a widely used method for the detecting and quantifying the airway hyper- responsiveness, and is one of the diagnostic tools in asthma. However, the significance of MCT in differentiating asthma or COPD combined with asthma from pure COPD has not been defined. The aim of this study was to determine the role of MCT in differentiating asthma from pure COPD. Method: This study was performed prospectively and was composed of one hundred eleven patients who had undergone MCT at Chonbuk National University Hospital. Sixty-five asthma patients and 23 COPD patients were enrolled and their MCT data were analyzed and compared with the results of a control group. Result: The positive rates of MCT were 65%, 30%, and 9% in the asthma, COPD, and control groups, respectively. The mean $PC_{20}$ values of the asthma, COPD, and control groups were $8.1{\pm}1.16mg/mL$, $16.9{\pm}2.21mg/mL$, and $22.0{\pm}1.47mg/mL$, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MCT for diagnosing asthma were 65%, 84%, 81%, and 69%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MCT (ed note: please check this as I believe that these values correspond to the one $PC_{20}$ value. Please check my changes.) at the new cut-off points of$PC_{20}{\leq}16mg/ml$, were 80%, 75%, 78%, and 78%, respectively. Conclusion: MCT using the new cut-off point can be used as a more precise and useful diagnostic tool for distinguishing asthma from pure COPD.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.100-109
• /
• 2012

Removal rates of $PO_4-P$ and TP in a free water surface wetland system were investigated. The system was established in 2008 on a floodplain in the middle reach of the Gwangju Stream flowing through Gwangju City. Its dimensions were 46 meters in length and 5 meters in width. Two year old Typha angustifloria L. growing in pots were planted on half of the area and Zizania latifolia Turcz on the other half in 2008. Stream water was funneled into the wetlands by gravity flow, and its effluent was discharged back into the stream. The influent volume was controlled by valves and water depth was adjusted by wires. Volume and water quality of inflow and outflow were analyzed from January to December in 2010. Inflow into the system averaged approximately $710m^3/day$ and hydraulic residence time was about 1.5 hours. Average influent and effluent $PO_4-P$ concentration were 0.144 and 0.103mg/L, respectively, and $PO_4-P$ abatement amounted to 28.6%. Influent and effluent TP concentration averaged 0.333 and 0.262mg/L, respectively, and TP retention reached to 20.7%.$PO_4-P$ removal rate(%) during plant growing season(31.448) was significantly high(p<0.001) when compared with that during plant non-growing season(25.829). TP abatement rate(%) during plant growing season(27.230) was also significantly high(p<0.001) when compared with that of the non-growing season(14.856). Major phosphorous removals in the system resulted from adsorption of phosphorous in the litter-soil layers; sedimentation of particulate phosphorous and Ca, Al, Fe bounded phosphates; and absorption of phosphorous by emergent plants. The adsorption and sedimentation occurred throughout the year, however, the absorption took place during plant growing season. This resulted in higher removals of $PO_4-P$ and TP during plant growing season.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.7978-7989
• /
• 2015

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardio-cerebrovascular disease. Although the prevalence among Korean adults is very high, its management is known to be poor. The aim of this study was to access the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of dyslipidemia according to treatment guideline rather than diagnostic criteria. The risk factors for cardio-cerebrovascular disease were evaluated to apply the appropriate risk-based threshold of the lipid treatment targets according to risk category. Analysis was done using nationally representative data (n = 16,263) collected from adults aged 20 years and older participating the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANS) 2010-2012. The age-standardized prevalence rate of dyslipidemia according to treatment criteria was 34.1%. Of these prevalent cases, however, only 19.2% were aware; 9.5% treated; and 8.7% controlled. The age-standardized control rate among treated persons was 47.5%. Men had a significantly higher prevalence than women (39.7% vs. 28.8%), but a significantly lower rate of awareness, treatment, and control (16.0% vs. 22.3%, 7.7% vs. 11.3%, and 6.1% vs. 11.2%, respectively). As the higher risk category, the prevalence rate was higher but the control rate was lower. The prevalence of patients with diabetes was 82.5% when applying the treatment criteria (LDL-cholesterol level of ${\geq}100mg/dL$ and triglyceride level of ${\geq}200mg/dL$). However, only 11.9 % of these were controlled, whose LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were lower than the treatment goals. Our findings suggest that effective strategies are required to decrease the gap between the prevalence of dyslipidemia and the following treatment. It would be worthwhile to strengthen the follow-up management of patients with dyslipidemia in the National Health Screening Program, especially in the high risk group of cardio-cerebrovascular disease.