• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.785-789
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• 2012

Background and Purpose: Cisplatin is the most common chemotherapeutic agent for loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); however, toxicity is a limiting factor for some patients. We retrospectively compared the efficacy and toxicity of weekly docetaxel-based and cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy in loco-regionally advanced NPC. Methods and Materials: Eighty-four patients with Stage III and IVA-B NPCs, treated between 2007 and 2008, were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty received weekly docetaxel-based concurrent chemotherapy, and 43 were given weekly cisplatin-based concurrent chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was administered using a conventional technique (seven weeks, 2.0 Gy per fraction, total dose 70-74 Gy) with 6-8 Gy boosts for some patients with locally advanced disease. Results: Median follow-up time was 42.3 months (range, 8.6-50.8 months). There were no significant differences in the 3-year loco-regional failure-free survival (85.6% vs. 92.3%; p=0.264), distant failure-free survival (87.0% vs. 92.5%; p=0.171), progression-free survival (85.7% vs. 88.4%; p=0.411) or overall survival (86.5% vs. 92.5%, p=0.298) of patients treated concurrently with docetaxel or cisplatin. Severe toxicity was not common in either group. Conclusions: Weekly docetaxel-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy is potentially effective and has a tolerable toxicity; however, further investigations are required to determine if docetaxel is superior to cisplatin for advanced stage NPC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권24호
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• pp.10729-10733
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• 2015

Background: Adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a treatment option for prostate cancer (PC) patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). Although it can achieve a good progression-free survival rate, some patients still develop clinical metastasis. We here investigated risk factors of clinical metastasis in post-prostatectomy patients who received immediate adjuvant ADT. Materials and Methods: We identified 197 patients with non-metastatic PC who underwent RP at our institution between 2000 and 2012, followed by adjuvant ADT. The associations of various clinicopathologic factors with clinical metastasis (primary endpoint) and cancer-specific survival (secondary endpoint) were assessed. Multivariate analysis was conducted using a Cox proportional hazards model. Median follow-up was 87 months after RP. Results: Nine (4.6%) patients developed clinical metastasis and six (3.0%) died from PC. Eight of nine metastatic patients had a pathologic Gleason score (GS) 9 and developed bone metastasis, while the remaining one had pathologic GS 7 and developed metastasis only to para-aortic lymph nodes. On multivariate analyses, pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ and regional lymph node metastasis (pN1) were independent predictors of clinical metastasis and pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ was an independent predictor of cancer-specific death. Conclusions: Pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ and pN1 were independent predictors of clinical metastasis in post-prostatectomy patients who received immediate adjuvant ADT. Furthermore, pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ was an indispensable condition for bone metastasis, which may imply that patients with GS ${\leq}8$ on adjuvant ADT are unlikely to develop bone metastasis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.5023-5029
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• 2013

Background: To evaluate knowledge about screening tests and tests without proven screening value in a Greek Breast Unit population undergoing benign vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB). Materials and Methods: This study included 81 patients. Three knowledge-oriented items (recommended or not, screening frequency, age of onset) were assessed. Regarding screening tests two levels of knowledge were evaluated: i). crude knowledge (CK), i.e. knowledge that the test is recommended and ii). advanced knowledge (AK), i.e. correct response to all three knowledge-oriented items. Solely CK was evaluated for tests without proven screening value. Risk factors for lack of knowledge were assessed with multivariate logistic regression. A second questionnaire was administered 18 months after VABB to assess its impact on the performance of tests. Results: Concerning screening tests considerable lack of AK was noted (mammogram, 60.5%; Pap smear, 59.3%; fecal occult blood testing, 93.8%; sigmoidoscopy, 95.1%). Similarly lack of CK was documented regarding tests without proven screening value (breast self-examination, 92.6%; breast MRI, 60.5%; abdominal ultrasound, 71.6%; barium meal, 48.1%; urine analysis, 90.1%; chest X-Ray, 69.1%; electrocardiogram, 74.1%; cardiac ultrasound, 75.3%). Risk factors for lack of AK were: place of residence (mammogram), age (Pap smear), personal income (sigmoidoscopy); risk factors for lack of CK included number of offspring (breast MRI, chest X-Ray), BMI (abdominal ultrasound), marital status (urine analysis), current smoking status (electrocardiogram). VABB's only effect was improvement in mammogram rates. Conclusions: A considerable lack of knowledge concerning screening tests and misperceptions regarding those without proven value was documented.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.210-216
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• 2015

Background: Infusion methods during regional analgesia using perineural catheters may influence the quality of postoperative analgesia. This study was conducted to compare the effects of combined or bolus-only infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine on the postoperative analgesia in interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB) with perineural catheterization. Methods: Patients scheduled for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were divided into two groups, one that would receive a combined infusion (group C, n = 32), and one that would receive intermittent infusion (group I, n = 32). A perineural catheter was inserted into the interscalene brachial plexus (ISBP) using ultrasound (US) and nerve stimulation, and 10 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine was administered. After the operation, group C received a continuous infusion of 4 ml/h, and a 4 ml bolus with a lockout interval of 60 min. Group I received only a 4 ml bolus, and the lockout interval was 30 min. Postoperative pain by the numeric rating scale (NRS) and the forearm muscle tone by the manual muscle test (MMT) were checked and evaluated at the following timepoints: preoperative, and postoperative 1, 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h. Supplemental opioid requirements, total consumed dose of local anesthetic, and adverse effects were compared between the two groups. Results: Sixty-four patients completed the study and the postoperative values such as operation time, time to discharge, and operation site were comparable. There were no differences in NRS scores and supplemental opioid requirements between the two groups. The MMT scores of group I at 4 and 12 h after surgery were significantly higher than those of group C (P < 0.05). The total consumed dose of local anesthetic was significantly lower in group I than in group C (P < 0.05). The adverse effects were not different between the groups. Conclusions: The bolus-only administration of 0.2% ropivacaine provided a similar analgesic effect with a lower total volume of local anesthetic and decreased motor weakness compared to combined infusion. Therefore, bolus-only administration is an effective postoperative analgesic method in ISBPB with perineural catheterization after rotator cuff repair.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.232-238
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• 2005

There are growing needs for improving the general performances of the domestic working environment evaluation organizations. For this purpose, introduction of laboratory accreditation program has been suggested. This study was conducted as a part of this effort. With a questionnaire developed in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025, the current status of industrial hygiene (IH) laboratories in terms of manpower, management and technical aspects. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The average working staffs' number of the working environment evaluation organizations was $6.8{\pm}3.3$ persons. In addition, 49% of all organizations are run by less than 5 persons. This suggests that manpower of Korean IH laboratories is very limited. 2. IH laboratories surveyed in this study obtained 53% of the points by the international standard. And there is significant correlation between the number of staffing and total scores (P<0.05). 3. The period of work experience is one of the most important factors to determine the working capability. The average year of work experience of the laboratories' directors was $13.5{\pm}5.3$ years. Directors with more wok experiences obtained higher scores on the questions that ask to prove the appropriateness of the research methodology (p<0.05). 4. As for academic qualifications of laboratory directors, 14% had Ph.D., 31% with Master's, 29% with Bachelor's, and 4% had Associate degree. There was significant correlation between the total scores and the general managers' academic background (p<0.05). The 27% of laboratory directors have majored in either industrial hygiene or health, 8% majored in medicine, another 8% majored environmental studies, and 6% majored in chemistry. 5. Only 14% of all IH laboratories surveyed employ directors with Certified Industrial Hygienist licence, 41% have general managers with Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (Level 1) licence, and 45% of all laboratories either employ directors without relevant qualification or did not respond. When the laboratory manger holds relevant qualification, laboratory health and safety management was better (p<0.05). 6. When compared to the general international standard in terms of the management, and 55% in terms of technological level.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.59-65
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• 2011

Background and Objectives : Papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) frequently metastasize to the regional neck, however, lateral neck lymph node metastasis is less common. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical and immunohistochemical features of PTC with lateral LN metastasis, and determine the predictive factors for lateral LN metastases. Material and Methods : We undertook a retrospective study of 83 patients treated between January 2007 and December 2009 for PTC by thyroidectomy with or without lateral neck dissection. The following criteria were used to study the clinical predictive value of lateral LN. metastases : sex, age, tumor size, multifocality, extracapsular spread(ECS) and lymphovascular emboli. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-A, VEGF-C, Bax, Bcl-2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, $p27^{kip1}$ and $p57^{kip2}$ was performed, and quantified blindly by three pathologists who had no clinical information of the patients. Immunohistochemical expression was scored as high(>50% of cells stained) or low(0-49%). Results : With use of univariate and multivariate analysis, tumor size(>2cm) and ECS were independent correlates of lateral LN metastasis in PTC. Expression of VEGF-C, Bax, and Cyclin D1 in the PTC with lateral LN metastasis was scored higher than in PTC without lateral LN metastasis(p<0.05). Conclusion : The important risk factors for lateral LN metastasis in PTC are primary tumor size and the presence of ECS. And expression of VEGF-C, Bax and cyclin D1 may be considered of lateral LN metastatic potential in PTC.

• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.246-252
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Pesticides are broadly used to control weeds and pests, and the residues remaining in crops are managed in accordance with the MRLs (maximum residue limits). Therefore, an analytical method is required to quantify the residues, and we conducted a series of analyses to select and validate the quick and simple analytical method for tolpyralate in five agricultural products using QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method and LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). METHODS AND RESULTS: The agricultural samples were extracted with acetonitrile followed by addition of anhydrous magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, disodium hydrogencitrate sesquihydrate and trisodium citrate dihydrate. After shaking and centrifugation, purification was performed with d-SPE (dispersive-solid phase extraction) sorbents. To validate the optimized method, its selectivity, linearity, LOD (limit of detection), LOQ (limit of quantitation), accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility from the inter-laboratory analyses were considered. LOQ of the analytical method was 0.01 mg/kg at five agricultural products and the linearity of matrix-matched calibration were good at seven concentration levels, from 0.0025 to 0.25 mg/L (R²≥0.9980). Mean recoveries at three spiking levels (n=5) were in the range of 85.2~112.4% with associated relative standard deviation values less than 6.2%, and the coefficient of variation between the two laboratories was also below 13%. All optimized results were validated according to the criteria ranges requested in the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) guidelines. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we suggest that the selected and validated method could serve as a basic data for detecting tolpyralate residue in imported and domestic agricultural products.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.36-42
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• 1999

Background: The current maximal recommended doses of lidocaine are 7 mg/kg with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine. But in clinical practice, sometimes more doses of lidocaine are required to produce adequate regional anesthesia. Method: Twenty-two healthy women patients were divided into two groups and pretreated with valium 5 mg p.o., morphine 5 mg i.m., and midazolam 2 mg i.v. before operation. Of these, 7 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine were given to 11 patients epidurally. Initial 3 ml of epinephrine mixed lidocaine was given as a test dose and remaining doses were given 5 ml/30 sec with 3 min intervals. Radial arterial blood were drawn at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min to measure plasma lidocaine concentrations. After confirming all of the peak plasma concentrations of 7 mg/kg lidocaine were absolutely under $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, the other 11 patients were given 10 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine epidurally and blood samplings were taken according to the same method of 7 mg/kg group. The peak plasma concentration ($C_{max}$), time to reach to $C_{max}$ ($T_{max}$), time to reach to $T_4$, maximal sensory block level, systemic toxicity, and vital sign changes were investigated. Result: $C_{max}$ was significantly higher in 10 mg/kg group ($5.1{\pm}1.3\;{\mu}g/ml$) than 7 mg/kg group($3.3{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$), but $T_{max}$ ($10.5{\pm}2.7$ min vs $10.9{\pm}3.1$ min) was not different. Time to reach $T_4$ was significantly shorter in 10 mg/kg group ($9.5{\pm}2.7$ min) than 7 mg/kg group ($12.7{\pm}3.2$ min) but maximal sensory block level ($T_{3.7{\pm}0.7}$ vs $T_{2.7{\pm}1.0}$) was not different. In four patients of 10 mg/kg group, peak plasma concentrations exceeded $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, but no systemic toxicities appeared. No significant vital sign changes were observed. Conclusion: The current maximal recommended doses of lidocaine, merely based on body weight are not always appropriate. Further studies are needed to determine more precise guideline of maximal doses that include various pharmacokinetic components.

• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.288-292
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Silicon tetrachloride reacts with moisture in the atmosphere to generate hydrogen chloride, which affects the environment. Since silicon tetrachloride and its by-products are dispersed in the atmosphere in a short time after the silicon tetrachloride release into the atmosphere, it is difficult to directly assess the extent of environmental impact. In the present study, the exposure test of silicon tetrachloride or hydrogen chloride was examined in order to establish the criterion of the range affected by the silicon tetrachloride release, and the actual crops in the area exposed to silicon tetrachloride leakage were analyzed. METHODS AND RESULTS: For the experiment of exposure to silicon tetrachloride or hydrogen chloride, the leaves of red-pepper and corn were used in glass sealed containers. In the actual accident area, 59 samples from 10 different kinds of crops were collected. The pretreatment of the sample was performed by freezing and grinding, and then extracted using distilled water. The pH and concentration of chloride ($Cl^-$) ion of the extracted solution were measured using pH meter and ion chromatograph, respectively. CONCLUSION: Exposure to silicon tetrachloride caused visible damage, increasing the concentration of chloride ion, and decreasing the pH as well as hydrochloric acid. In the actual crops of the affected area, the tendency was the same as the result of the laboratory test, and the range of influence could be estimated through the concentration of $Cl^-$ ion over 2,000 mg/kg, and the correlation evaluation between the concentration of $Cl^-$ and pH. Therefore, the concentration of $Cl^-$ ion and the correlation between $Cl^-$ and pH would be considered as the factors to estimate the influence range of silicon tetrachloride release.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.105-121
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• 2013

본 연구에서는 원격탐사, 전기비저항탐사, 전기전도도탐사(전자기탐사), 시추공 영상촬영법을 융합하여 효과적인 제방의 안정성 및 누수 평가 방법을 서산 A지구 방조제에 적용하여 제시하였다. Landsat ETM+열적외선 밴드를 사용하여 방조제 부근에서 다른 온도의 해수와 담수가 혼합되는 양상을 통해 누수의 존재, 규모 및 기간을 유추하였다. 전기비저항탐사를 방조제를 따라 실시하여 평균비저항 값 83.197 ${\Omega}$-m이하를 보이는 이상대의 수평적 수직적 분포를 확인하였다. 간조와 만조 시의 전기전도도 값의 분석을 통해 배경치의 영향을 최소화한 수평적 이상대 분포를 확인하였다. 시추공영상촬영을 통해 파쇄대의 수직적 분포양상과 기존 탐사법의 정확도를 확인하였다. 그 결과 전체 제방의 연장 중 41.7%에서 세 수평적 이상대 탐사법의 중첩구간이 확인되었으며, 시추공에서 확인된 수직적 파쇄양상을 고려할 때 누수구간이 제방단면의 중심부를 따라 상당부분 수평적으로 연장이 되어 방대한 양의 누수가 존재할 가능성이 높을 것으로 사료된다. 네 탐사법의 융합적 접근은 각 탐사방법이 가지고 있는 장점을 부각하고 단점을 보완하여 수평적 및 수직적인 누수구간과 기간의 확인 및 판별이 가능하고, 시추공에서 확인된 수직적 파쇄양상의 수평적 연장성을 예측하는데 높은 신뢰도를 보인다 할 수 있다.