• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.503-512
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• 2017

Background: Chronic heavy alcohol consumption may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Saponins inhibit apoptosis of pancreatic islet cells and reduce lipid parameters. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of saponin on chronic ethanol-treated diabetic rats. Methods: Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (LETO) and Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats were pair-fed a Lieber-DeCarli diet with and without 5% ethanol for 12 wks. Two weeks after starting the pair-feeding with the Lieber-DeCarli diet, intraperitoneal injection of saponin was performed for 10 wks. To perform the experiments, rats were divided as follows: LETO-Control (LC), LETO-Ethanol (LE), LETO-Ethanol-Saponin (LES), OLETF-Control (OC), OLETF-Ethanol (OE), and OLETF-Ethanol-Saponin (OES). Results: The weights of epididymal and mesenteric fat tissue in LES and OES rats were the lightest from among the LETO and OLETF groups, respectively. The secretion of alanine aminotransferase and cholesterol in OES rats decreased significantly compared to their secretion in OC and OE rats, respectively. The islets of the pancreas in LE and OE rats showed clean, unclear, and smaller morphology compared to those of LC, LES, OC, and OES rats. In addition, the expression of insulin in the islets of the pancreas in LC, LES, OC, and OES rats was higher than in LE and OE rats. Conclusion: Saponin may not only be helpful in alleviating the rapid progress of diabetes due to chronic alcohol consumption in diabetic patients, but may also show potential as an antidiabetic drug candidate for diabetic patients who chronically consume alcohol.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.241-249
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• 2016

Purpose: To evaluate the added value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) to computed tomography (CT) for detecting pancreatic abnormality in patients with clinically suspected acute pancreatitis (AP). Materials and Methods: 203 patients who underwent abdomen CT and subsequent DWI to do a workup for epigastric pain were analyzed. Two blinded radiologists independently performed an interval reading based on CT image sets first, then based on combined CT and DWI image sets. The diagnostic criterion on DWI was the increased signal intensity in the pancreas to that of the spleen. For quantitative analysis, the third radiologist measured ADC value of the pancreas in each patient. Results: For AP (n = 43), the sensitivity for detecting pancreatic abnormality increased, from 42% to 70% for reader 1 (P < 0.05) and from 44% to 72% for reader 2 (P < 0.05). For borderline pancreatitis (n = 42), the sensitivity also increased, from 10% to 26% for reader 1 (P < 0.05) and from 7% to 29% for reader 2 (P < 0.05). The mean ADC values (unit, ${\times}10^{-3}mm^2/s$) were significantly different among the three groups (for AP, $1.09{\pm}0.16$; for borderline pancreatitis, $1.28{\pm}0.2$; for control, $1.46{\pm}0.15$, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Sensitivity for detecting pancreatic abnormality increased significantly after adding DWI to CT in patients with clinically suspected AP.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.663-670
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• 2023

In this study, we aimed to perform a comparative evaluation using quantitative factors between a region-growing based segmentation with noise reduction algorithms and a U-Net based segmentation. Initially, we applied median filter, median modified Wiener filter, and fast non-local means algorithm to computed tomography (CT) images, followed by region-growing based segmentation. Additionally, we trained a U-Net based segmentation model to perform segmentation. Subsequently, to compare and evaluate the segmentation performance of cases with noise reduction algorithms and cases with U-Net, we measured root mean square error (RMSE) and peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), universal quality image index (UQI), and dice similarity coefficient (DSC). The results showed that using U-Net for segmentation yielded the most improved performance. The values of RMSE, PSNR, UQI, and DSC were measured as 0.063, 72.11, 0.841, and 0.982 respectively, which indicated improvements of 1.97, 1.09, 5.30, and 1.99 times compared to noisy images. In conclusion, U-Net proved to be effective in enhancing segmentation performance compared to noise reduction algorithms in CT images.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.522-524
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• 1999

A discontinuous Percoll gradient was used to separate islets from the collagenase-treated mouse pancreas easily and rapidly. Since the osmolality of Percoll is very low, adjustment of its osmolality to 340 mOs/kg $H_2$O was essential for securing the optimal separation. A discontinuous gradient layering with Percoll solution of 1.09 g, 1.07g, and1.05g/m, respectively, when centrifuged at 800$\times$g for 10 min, resulted in an optimal condition for separation and yielded a banding pattern with an even distribution of islet cells. No significant difference was observed in the morphological features between the Percoll-isolated and the manually-isolated islets. In conclusion, the discontinuous Percoll gradient can be effectively used to isolate the pancreatic islets from mice with four-fold higher efficiency compared to the handpicking method.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.609-617
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• 2015

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), an obligatory two-electron reductase, is a ubiquitous cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of quinone substrates. The NQO1- mediated two-electron reduction of quinones can be either chemoprotection/detoxification or a chemotherapeutic response, depending on the target quinones. When toxic quinones are reduced by NQO1, they are conjugated with glutathione or glucuronic acid and excreted from the cells. Based on this protective effect of NQO1, the use of dietary compounds to induce the expression of NQO1 has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer prevention. On the other hand, NQO1-mediated two-electron reduction converts certain quinone compounds (such as mitomycin C, E09, RH1 and β-lapachone) to cytotoxic agents, leading to cell death. It has been known that NQO1 is expressed at high levels in numerous human cancers, including breast, colon, cervix, lung, and pancreas, as compared with normal tissues. This implies that tumors can be preferentially damaged relative to normal tissue by cytotoxic quinone drugs. Importantly, NQO1 has been shown to stabilize many proteins, including p53 and p33ING1b, by inhibiting their proteasomal degradation. This review will summarize the biological roles of NQO1 in cancer, with emphasis on recent findings and the potential of NQO1 as a therapeutic target for the cancer therapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.483-487
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• 1993

From July 1990 to August 1992,78 Hickman catheters and 22 chemoports were inserted in 98 patients for chemotherapy.We analyzed the clinical data of these patients. The results were as follows: 1]Mean age of patients was 42.8$\pm$1.6[SE] years 2]Male to female ratio was 1.09:1 3]The diseases of the cases were leukemia[66] ,lymphoma[8], stomach cancer[8],uterine cervix cancer[5],ovarian cancer[4],lung cancer[3],aplastic anemia[2],maxillary gland cancer[1],pancreas cancer[1],malignant mesothelioma[1] and multiple myeloma[1] 4]Mean values of preoperative WBC counts,platelet counts,PT and APTT were 31,500$\pm$ 8,132[SE]/mm,104,000$\pm$ 12,200 [SE]/mm,82$\pm$ 1.9[SE]% and 32$\pm$ 0.8[SE] sec,respectively. 5]The average duration of catheter uses was 121.7$\pm$ 17.3[SE]days. 6]The complications were subcutaneous tunnel bleeding or hematoma[2],exit site or subcutaneous tunnel infection[2] and catheter related septicemia[1]. 7]The causes of catheter removal were patient`s death or hopeless discharge[22],completion of treatment[6],subcutaneus hematoma or bleeding[2],exit site or subcutaneous tunnel infection[2] and catheter related septicemia[1].So,we concluded that Hickman catheter and chemoport were useful vascular access for chemotherapy in patients with malignant diseases, with low rate of complication and longterm duration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.676-682
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• 2004

Nutritional concentrations by chemical analyses of mushroom fermented milk were protein 2.87%, fat 0.09%, carbohydrates 6.0%, dietary fiber 0.3%, lactose 2.01%, sucrose 1.23%, calcium 95.9 mg/100 g and iron 0.08 mg/100 g. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of the equal volume of either water (streptozotocin (STZ)rontrol rats), mushrooms water-extract (STZ-extrart fed rats), mushroom fermented milk product (STZ-mushroom yogurt fed rats) or mushroom fermented milk supernatant (STZ-supernatant fed rats) (10%, v/w), in STZ-induced diabetic rats for 3 week period. The mushroom fermented milk given to the STZ-diabetic rats decreased the blood glucose significantly and increased the blood insulin, compared with the STZ-control rats. The supernatant and mushroom water extract also slightly retarded the development of hyperglycemia in the STZ-diabetic rats. Taken together the results, the mushroom yogurt may have a potential for the hypoglycemic effect in the STZ-diabetic rats.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1983

For the purpose of prediction and protection of radiation effects on the Korean people, we have collected autoptic data from the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. The mass of organs and the size of brains measured is analysed for 1,921 Korean people. The results obtained are as follows; 1. The weight of the kidney in the Reference Korean is 251.6g in male and 227.7g in female. 2. The weight of the lung in the Reference Korean is 1,204.4g in male and 957.4g in female. 3. The weight of the heart in the Reference Korean is 348.8g in male and 301.6g in female. 4. The weight of the liver in the Reference Korean is 1,863.9g in male and 1,610.9g in female. 5. The weight of the pancreas in the Reference Korean is 56.4g in male and 54.0g in female. ,6. The weight of the spleen in the Reference Korean is 67.3g in male and 58.2g in female. 7. The anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter and vertical diameter of the brain in the Reference Korean are 17.6cm, 15.5cm and 8.6cm in male, respectively, and 17.7cm, 15.4cm and 8.2cm in female, respectively.