Effect of different ingredients in traditional Korean medicine for human uterine leiomyoma on normal myometrial and leiomyomal smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Crude water extracts of 13 traditional Korean medicinal ingredients used for leiomyomal treatment were prepared and used to treat human uterine normal myometrial and leiomyomal cell cultures. All the ingredients inhibited proliferation and altered the morphology of both myometrial and leiomyomal cells. Among the 13 ingredients, n-hexane-, chloroform-, and ethylacetate-soluble fractions were extracted from seven ingredients that potently inhibited cell proliferation in their water extract form.

A Comparative Study of Involvement and Motivation among Casino Gamblers.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to investigate three different types of gamblers (which we label "non-problem", "some problem", and "probable pathological gamblers") to determine differences in involvement and motivation, as well as differences in demographic and behavioral variables.

Methods: The analysis takes advantage of a unique opportunity to sample on-site at a major casino in South Korea, and the resulting purposive sample yielded 180 completed questionnaires in each of the three groups, for a total number of 540. Factor analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan tests, and Chi-square tests are employed to analyze the data collected from the survey.

Feasibility of postmastectomy treatment with helical TomoTherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the potential of helical tomotherapy for postmastectomy radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: By use of the TomoTherapy Hi-Art II treatment-planning system (TomoTherapy Inc., Madison, WI), helical tomotherapy dose plans were developed for 5 patients and compared with the mixed-beam (electron-photon) plans with which they had been treated.

Communicating bilateral coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula with aneurysms.

Bilateral coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula is very rare. We describe a 70-year-old female patient with communicating bilateral coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula identified on coronary angiography and coronary computed tomography angiography.

Association of polymorphisms in thromboxane A2 receptor and thromboxane A synthase 1 with cerebral infarction in a Korean population.

Thromboxane A2 (TBXA2) is a potent vasoconstrictor in cerebral circulation and is a known contributor to the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction. Thromboxane A2 synthase 1 (TBXAS1) and thromboxane A2 receptors (TBXA2R) are key components in TBXA2 function. We examined whether genetic variants in TBXA2R and TBXAS1 are risk factors for cerebral infarction by genotyping 453 Korean patients with noncardiogenic cerebral infarction and 260 controls.

Effect of intra-coronary nicorandil administration prior to reperfusion in acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Intravenous nicorandil infusion with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been reported to reduce reperfusion injury events and improve cardiac function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). However, there is limited information on the use of intracoronary nicorandil.

Methods And Results: In the present study, 73 patients with acute ST segment elevation MI undergoing PCI were randomly assigned to the Nicorandil Group (n=37) or the Control Group (n=36).

A study of South Korean casino employees and gambling problems.

Background: Casino employees are exposed to disproportionately high levels of gambling, drinking and smoking compared to other occupations. Because of their occupation, they have the opportunity to detect and prevent pathological gambling (PG).

Aims: To identify differences in the mental health status and social attitudes towards PG among casino workers in South Korea depending upon whether they report any gambling problems.

Helical tomotherapy for parotid gland tumors.

Purpose: To investigate helical tomotherapy (HT) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) as a postoperative treatment for parotid gland tumors.

Methods And Materials: Helical tomotherapy plans were developed for 4 patients previously treated with segmental multileaf collimator (SMLC) IMRT. A primary planning target volume (PTV64) and two secondary PTVs (PTV60, PTV54) were defined.

Extensive brain stem lesions in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: repeat magnetic resonance findings.

The authors report on an unusual case of extensive brain stem lesions as a manifestation of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A 28-year-old woman developed rapidly progressive neurologic deficits 5 days after a cesarean delivery. Her condition had been normal after delivery.

The energy-dependent electron loss model: backscattering and application to heterogeneous slab media.

Electron backscattering has been incorporated into the energy-dependent electron loss (EL) model and the resulting algorithm is applied to predict dose deposition in slab heterogeneous media. This algorithm utilizes a reflection coefficient from the interface that is computed on the basis of Goudsmit-Saunderson theory and an average energy for the backscattered electrons based on Everhart's theory. Predictions of dose deposition in slab heterogeneous media are compared to the Monte Carlo based dose planning method (DPM) and a numerical discrete ordinates method (DOM).

[The clinical significance of quantitation of HBV DNA in serum-comparison of the branched-DNA assay with the second-generation digene hybrid capture assay and long-term observation].

Background/aims: Serum levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA are direct measures of viral replication in hepatocytes. We compared branched-DNA assay (Quantiplex(TM), bDNA) and Hybridization Capture II (HCII), and evaluated the clinical significance of HBV DNA quantitation in the natural course of HBV infection.

Methods: We analyzed results of bDNA in 324 serum samples from 83 untreated male patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Inhibitory effect of Carthamus tinctorius L. seed extracts on bone resorption mediated by tyrosine kinase, COX-2 (cyclooxygenase) and PG (prostaglandin) E2.

Anti-bone resorption properties of the Korean herbal formulation, Honghwain (HHI; Carthamus tinctorius L. seed) was biochemically investigated. On processing bone metabolism, PGE2 accelerated production of IL-1beta in fetal mouse osteoblast and stimulated physiological activation substance, IL-1beta.