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D H Kim

Publications and source records attributed to D H Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Morphological evolution of Ba(NO3)2 supported on alpha-Al2O3(0001): an in situ TEM study.

A key question for the BaO-based NOx storage/reduction catalyst system is the morphological evolution of the catalyst particles during the uptake and release of NOx. Notably, because the formed product during NOx uptake, Ba(NO3)2, requires a lattice expansion from BaO, one can anticipate that significant structural rearrangements are possible during the storage/reduction processes. Associated with the small crystallite size of high-surface area gamma-Al2O3, it is difficult to extract structural and morphological features of Ba(NO3)2 supported on gamma-Al2O3 by any direct imaging method, including transmission electron microscopy. In this work, by choosing a model system of Ba(NO3)2 particles supported on single-crystal alpha-Al2O3, we have investigated the structural and morphological features of Ba(NO3)2 as well as the formation of BaO from Ba(NO3)2 during the thermal release of NOx, using ex-situ and in-situ TEM imaging, electron diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Wulff shape construction. We find that Ba(NO3)2 supported on alpha-Al2O3 possesses a platelet morphology, with the interface and facets being invariably the eight [111] planes. Formation of the platelet structure leads to an enlarged interface area between Ba(NO3)2 and alpha-Al2O3, indicating that the interfacial energy is lower than the Ba(NO3)2 surface free energy. In fact, Wulff shape constructions indicate that the interfacial energy is approximately 1/4 of the [111] surface free energy of Ba(NO3)2. The orientation relationship between Ba(NO3)2 and the alpha-Al2O3 is alpha-Al2O3[0001]//Ba(NO3)2[111] and alpha-Al2O3(1-210)//Ba(NO3)2(110). Thus, the results clearly demonstrate dramatic morphology changes in these materials during NOx release processes. Such changes are expected to have significant consequences for the operation of the practical NOx storage/reduction catalyst technology.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Phase II study of capecitabine and irinotecan combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen of capecitabine plus irinotecan in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with previously untreated metastatic or recurrent, measurable gastric cancer received oral capecitabine 1000 mg m(-2) twice daily from day 1 to 14 and intravenous irinotecan 100 mg m(-2) on days 1 and 8, based on a 3-week cycle. Forty-one patients were enrolled in the current study, among whom 38 were assessable for efficacy and 40 assessable for toxicity. Three complete responses and 16 partial responses were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 46.3%. At a median follow-up of 269 days, the median time to progression and overall survival were 5.1 and 8.6 months, respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in four patients and grade 3 febrile neutropenia was observed in two patients. Grade 3 diarrhoea and grade 2 hand-foot syndrome occurred in six patients and eight patients, respectively. The combination of capecitabine and irinotecan was found to be well tolerated and effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Accordingly, this regimen can be regarded as one of first-line treatment options for advanced gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2006

Rapid helper T-cell recovery above 200 x 10 6/l at 3 months correlates to successful transplant outcomes after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The current study evaluates the role of quantitative measurement of peripheral lymphocyte subsets, especially CD4+ helper T-cell recovery, in predicting transplant outcomes including overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. A total of 69 allogeneic recipients were included with following diagnoses: acute myeloid leukemia 42, acute lymphoblastic leukemia 5, chronic myeloid leukemia 15, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 5 and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome 2. The peripheral lymphocyte subset counts (CD3+ T cells, CD3+4+ helper T cells, CD3+8+ cytotoxic T cells, CD19+ B cells, and CD56+ natural killer cells) were measured at 3, 6 and 12 months. The CD4+ helper T-cell reconstitution at 3 months was strongly correlated with OS (P<0.0001), NRM (P=0.0007), and opportunistic infections (P=0.0108) at the cutoff value of 200 x 10(6)/l CD4(+) helper T cells. Rapid CD4+ helper T-cell recovery was also associated with a higher CD4+ helper T-cell transplant dose (P=0.006) and donor type (P<0.001). An early CD4+ helper T-cell recovery at 3 months correlated with a subsequent faster helper T-cell recovery until 12 months, yet not with B-cell recovery. In a multivariate analysis, rapid recovery of CD4+ helper T cells at 3 months was a favorable prognostic factor together with higher CD34+ cell transplant dose in terms of OS (P=0.001) and NRM (P=0.005).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Improved therapeutic outcomes of DLBCL after introduction of rituximab in Korean patients.

The addition of rituximab to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) has been shown to improve the outcome in all age groups with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate the impact of this combination therapy on DLBCL outcomes in Korea. From October 2001 to June 2004, newly diagnosed DLBCL patients in nine Korean institutes were included. All of these 81 patients were treated with three or more cycles of rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP) combination chemotherapy (R group), and followed for a minimum of 12 months. For comparison, a historical cohort of patients was used and analyzed for "Clinicopathologic characteristics of Korean non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) based on Revised American Lymphoma (REAL) classification" in 1999. Among the 1,098 NHL patients, the data of 214 DLBCL patients, who were treated with CHOP chemotherapy in first-line, were analyzed (C group). We compared outcomes between the C group and the R group. A total of 295 patients were evaluated (C group, 214; R group, 81). The complete response (CR) rate was higher in R group (73 vs 91%, p=0.001). The 2-year event-free survival (EFS) rate was significantly higher in R group (78 vs 85%, p=0.0194). This survival benefit was maintained in high-risk patients according to the international prognostic index (IPI) (p=0.0039), regardless of age. However, there was no significant difference in low-risk patients. The addition of rituximab to CHOP combination chemotherapy for DLBCLs showed improved outcomes, particularly in high-risk group according to the IPI. Long-term follow-up results will be needed to confirm these results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Prognostic significance of platelet recovery pattern after allogeneic HLA-identical sibling transplantation and its association with severe acute GVHD.

Thrombocytopenia (TP) is a frequent complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) and regarded as a poor prognostic factor when assessed beyond day 100. However, little is known about the clinical significance of the platelet recovery pattern before chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) develops. Eighty-five patients undergoing HLA-identical sibling SCT were stratified according to their platelet recovery pattern between day +30 and +90 and the transplant outcomes analyzed, along with the association of each component of the acute GVHD grading system. Fifteen patients (18%) were classified with persistent TP, 33 patients (39%) with unstable TP, and 37 patients (43%) as non-TP. Persistent TP, which was strongly associated with severe acute GVHD (P<0.001), exhibited the worst 2-year OS (P<0.0001) and highest NRM (P<0.0001) and opportunistic infection rates (P<0.0001). In multivariate analyses, the platelet recovery pattern was identified as an independent prognostic factor (P=0.02) together with the disease risk (P=0.02) in terms of OS, and the only independent prognostic factor in terms of NRM (P=0.005) and the incidence of infectious events (P<0.001). Persistent TP was strongly associated with the development of extensive chronic GVHD (P=0.03). The platelet recovery pattern between day +30 and +90 can be used to predict the prognosis of SCT recipients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Risk-factor analysis for predicting progressive- or quiescent-type chronic graft-versus-host disease in a patient cohort with a history of acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

This study attempts to identify variables that can predict the development of progressive- or quiescent-type chronic GVHD (pq cGVHD) and transplant outcomes after the diagnosis of cGVHD in 99 patients who experienced acute GVHD (aGVHD) after allogeneic SCT. The prognostic significance of various clinical parameters at diagnosis of cGVHD was examined to determine the prognostic factors for GVHD-specific survival (GSS) in patients with pq cGVHD. Among 118 patients who experienced any degree of aGVHD, 99 were evaluated for cGVHD. The incidence of overall and extensive pq cGVHD at 2 years was estimated as 84.4 and 63.1%, respectively. A multivariate analysis showed that severe aGVHD (grade 3, 4) (P=0.022), primary treatment failure (P=0.009) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (P=0.001) were all significant independent factors predicting a higher overall incidence of pq cGVHD. The GSS and probability of systemic immunosuppressive treatment at 2 years after diagnosis of cGVHD were estimated as 55.9 and 51.9%. GVHD-specific survival was significantly associated with performance status (P=0.004) and lymphocytopenia (<or=1000/microl, P=0.022) at diagnosis of cGVHD by Cox's proportional hazard model. Severe aGVHD, primary treatment failure (PTF), lymphocytopenia and elevated alkaline phosphatase may be useful predictive factors for the development of pq cGVHD in patients who experience aGVHD after allogeneic SCT.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Pulmonary tuberculosis in young Korean soldiers: incidence, drug resistance and treatment outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and treatment outcomes of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in young soldiers of South Korea. DESIGN: From 2000 to 2004, all soldiers with a new diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) were enrolled in the study, based on the official records of the Armed Forces Medical Command. The demographic and clinical data of the cases were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 3115 TB cases were reported during the study period, of whom 2071 (66.5%) were reported as PTB. The annual incidence rates of PTB were 96.4 per 100,000 population in 2000, 89.3 in 2001, 67.6 in 2002, 60.2 in 2003, and 63.1 in 2004. A total of 270 patients diagnosed and treated at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital were analysed. Of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, 87.4% were susceptible to all available anti-tuberculosis drugs; 253 (93.7%) patients eventually completed initial anti-tuberculosis treatment. Among the patients with smear-positive PTB, the cure rate was 89.3% (100/112). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the incidence of PTB in Korean soldiers, although still high, was declining steadily. With good case management, the overall success rate of initial treatment was approximately 90%.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The role of TST in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection among military personnel in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: The rapid and accurate diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is crucial in military settings because military personnel live in crowded circumstances and are of an age group with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB). We tried to elucidate whether the tuberculin skin test (TST) accurately reflects the risk of TB infection among military personnel, in a setting of intermediate TB prevalence and where bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is mandatory. METHODS: A multi-stage cluster survey was conducted among military personnel in South Korea. Participants were grouped according to their risk of TB infection: Group 1, no identifiable risk of TB; Groups 2 and 3, recent casual (Group 2) or close (Group 3) contact with smear-positive TB patients. RESULTS: Of 1045 participants, 857 (82.0%) had been BCG-vaccinated. The odds ratio (OR) of a positive TST (10 mm cut-off) for Group 2 (n = 184) and Group 3 (n = 83) compared with Group 1 (n = 778) were 0.95 (95%CI 0.67-1.38) and 1.7 (95%CI 1.06-2.70), respectively (P value for trend 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: The TST does not accurately reflect the risk of LTBI among young military personnel in a setting where there is intermediate TB prevalence and extensive BCG coverage.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Phase II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). In total, 37 patients with stage III or IV SCCHN were enrolled on the study. The chemotherapy consisted of two cycles of intravenous cisplatin of 80 mg m(-2) on day 1 and oral capecitabine 825 mg m(-2) twice daily from day 1 to day 14 at 3-week intervals. The radiotherapy (1.8-2.0 Gy 1 fraction day(-1) to a total dose of 70-70.2 Gy) was delivered to the primary tumour site and neck. The primary tumour sites were as follows: oral cavity (n=6), oropharynx (n=11), hypopharynx (n=8), larynx (n=3), nasopharynx (n=6), and paranasal sinus (n=3). After the chemoradiotherapy, 29 complete responses (78.4%) and 6 partial responses (16.2%) were confirmed. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred only in two patients, plus grade 3 febrile neutropenia was observed only in one patient. At a median follow-up duration of 19.8 months, the estimated overall survival and progression-free survival rate at 2-year was 76.8 and 57.9%, respectively. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin was found to be well tolerated and effective in patients with locally advanced SCCHN.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Pre-operative chemo-radiotherapy improves the sphincter preservation rate in patients with rectal cancer located within 3 cm of the anal verge.

AIMS: To evaluate whether pre-operative chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) improves the sphincter preservation rate for distal rectal cancers within 3 cm of the anal verge. METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2004, 49 patients underwent surgery with or without pre-operative CRT for primary rectal adenocarcinoma within 3 cm of the anal verge. Clinical data were retrospectively reviewed, including stage workups, surgical records and pathology records to determine sphincter preservation rate and the factors influencing sphincter preservation. RESULTS: Of 49 patients with rectal tumours within 3 cm of the anal verge, 31 underwent pre-operative CRT followed by surgery (CRT group), and 18 underwent surgery alone (non-CRT group). Sphincter preservation was possible in 11 of 31 CRT patients, and only one of 18 non-CRT patients (p=0.036). The factors most influencing sphincter preservation were reduction in tumour size (p=0.005) and downstaging (p=0.001) following pre-operative CRT. CONCLUSION: We could observe that sphincter preservation was improved in CRT group with statistical significance when compared to non-CRT group in our study patients with rectal cancer within 3 cm of the anal verge.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Serological and molecular survey of Dirofilaria immitis infection in stray cats in Gyunggi province, South Korea.

The aim of this study was to carry out a serological and molecular survey for the presence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in stray cats using an ELISA kit and PCR assay. One hundred and fifty-five stray cats (77 females and 78 males) in Gyunggi province in South Korea, were used in this study. Four (2.6%) tested with the ELISA kit showed a positive reaction, and all positive samples by the ELISA kit showed a positive reaction by PCR analysis. No significant difference was observed between the male (2.6%) and female (2.6%) cat groups by ELISA kit. The positive rates for dirofilariosis were 2.8% in the 4-6-year-old group, and 18.2% in the > 6-year-old group by ELISA kit. With regard to the age element, older cats showed a higher prevalence of D. immitis infection in this study. A statistical analysis revealed that significant difference was observed in > 6-year-old group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, D. immitis infection in stray cats was present in Gyunggi province, although its incidence was low. Therefore, heartworm treatment and/or prophylaxis for stray cats captured are required in this area.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2005

ER stress-induced caspase-12 activation is inhibited by PKC in neuronal cells.

Caspase-12 is activated when the cells are exposed to excess levels of various stimuli, which cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in many signaling pathways in cells, and the activation of PKC has multiple actions in the signaling function of the ER. This study examined whether or not phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu)-induced PKC activation modulates caspase-12 cleavage and it's processing, using a wild type caspase-12 overexpressing neuronal cell line, known as Cas-12 cells. The thapsigargin treatment induced caspase-12 fragmentation in the Cas-12 cells. This was inhibited by PKC, which had previously been stimulated by PDBu. The PDBu treatment attenuated the ER stress-induced translocation of caspase-12 from the ER to the cytoplasm. The caspase-3 specific inhibitor blocked caspase-12 fragmentation, and purified caspase-12 was cleaved by the active caspase-3 in vitro, suggesting that caspase-12 might be a substrate for caspase-3. In addition, the PDBu treatment influenced the decrease of active caspase-3 fragment. These results suggest that an ER stress induces the activation of caspase-12 via caspase-3, and that PKC regulates both caspase-12 and caspase-3 activations in Cas-12 cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Effectiveness of transdermal fentanyl patch for treatment of acute pain due to oral mucositis in patients receiving stem cell transplantation.

The current study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) fentanyl in the management of acute pain due to oral mucositis in patients receiving stem cell transplantation. A cohort of consecutive patients with painful oral mucositis were enrolled. Initially, 25 microg/h of TTS fentanyl was administered for the treatment of oral mucositis pain. The pain score, based on a visual analogue scale, and mood and quality of sleep as determined by EORTC QLQ-C30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Cancer 30), were all recorded before the treatment, then 2, 6, and 10 days later. Twenty-two patients with hematologic malignancies were enrolled. Three patients were excluded from the response assessment, as their TTS fentanyl treatment was stopped owing to related complaints, including severe dizziness, severe vomiting, and an extensive body rash. The total duration of the treatment was 8 days (range, 6-15 days) and the total amount of TTS fentanyl administered per patient was 2.21 at 25 microg/h and 0.63 at 50 microg/h. Six (31.6%) of the remaining 19 patients required an escalated dose of TTS fentanyl at 50 mug/h. The mean pain scores before treatment and 2, 6, and 10 days later were 6.68, 5.17, 3.42, and 2.13, respectively (P < .001). Eight (42.1%) and seven (36.8%) patients experienced improved sleep and mood after treatment, respectively. The TTS fentanyl was effective in both relieving oral mucositis pain with an excellent tolerability and improving the quality of life for hematological patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Impact of ABO incompatibility on outcome after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Few studies have addressed the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or survival after ABO-incompatible allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). We analyzed the clinical outcome of ABO incompatibility after allogeneic PBSCT. A total of 89 consecutive adult patients with hematological diseases including 49 ABO-identical, 20 major, 15 minor, and five bidirectional ABO-incompatible transplants were enrolled from four medical centers in Korea. No significant difference in engraftment times, graft failure, or transfusion requirements between groups was noted. A clinical diagnosis of severe immune hemolysis or pure red cell aplasia was not made for any patient after transplantation. The incidence of acute or chronic GVHD did not statistically differ between groups. With a median follow-up duration of 13 months (range, 0.5-61 months), the 3-year overall survival estimates for the ABO-identical, major/bidirectional, and minor group were 44.6.0+/-9.0, 43.1+/-11.6, and 43.8+/-13.5%, respectively (P=0.8652), while the 3-year disease-free survival estimates were 33.8+/-7.6, 39.9+/-11.4, and 45.7+/-13.1%, respectively (P=0.8546). We observed that time to neutrophil, platelet, and red blood cell engraftment, transfusion requirements, incidence of acute or chronic GVHD, relapse, and survival were not influenced by ABO incompatibility after allogeneic PBSCT from HLA-matched sibling donors.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed2005

Protective role of interleukin-10 promoter gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The current study attempted to evaluate the association between the IL-10 promoter gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in 105 patients. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms were investigated in the proximal region of the IL-10 promoter gene (-1082/-819/-592). Two haplotypes (1082*A/819*T/592*A [ATA] and 1082*A/819*C/592*C [ACC]) were found in the current study. The overall incidence of IPA was estimated as 14.1+/-4.5% with a median onset at 186 days post-transplant (62 approximately 405 days). An increased occurrence of IPA was noted dependent on the IL-10 haplotype (0% vs 11.5+/-6.4% vs 19.7+/-7.7% for ACC/ACC vs ATA/ACC vs ATA/ATA haplotype, P=0.0307 when comparing ACC with non-ACC haplotype). In a multivariate survival analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model, the IL-10 promoter gene SNPs were identified as an independent predictive factor for the development of IPA (P=0.012, hazard ratio (HR) 9.3), along with an histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical donor (P=0.005, HR 16.3), the CD34+ cell dose transplanted (P=0.004, HR 26.5), and time-dependent chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD; P=0.049, HR 16.0). The IL-10 ACC haplotype was found to have an apparent protective role in the development of IPA after allogeneic transplantation, regardless of HLA-disparity or chronic GVHD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Three-dimensional computed tomographic anatomy of the abdominal great vessels pertinent to L4-L5 anterior lumbar interbody fusion.

A recent accumulation of surgical and radiological literature has helped spine surgeons to better understand the anatomy and establish surgical trajectories to the anterior L4-L5 disc space. However, the preoperative display of anatomic data in individual subjects in the three-dimensional (3-D) mode has rarely been attempted. The objective of this study was to acquire 3-D images of the abdominal great vessels pertinent to the L4-L5 anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), and to better define the radiological vascular anatomy. The 3-D images of 100 subjects with non-spinal diseases, generated from abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA), were analyzed retrospectively. The anatomy of the great vessels pertinent to the L4-L5 ALIF procedure was investigated by measuring the level of the abdominal aorta (AA) bifurcation and that of the inferior vena cava (IVC) confluence in relation to the lumbar vertebral body. These two complexes were segmented into upper or lower parts, or disc level. The visibility of the middle sacral artery (MSA) and the left L4 lumbar artery on the 3-D images was also assessed. The AA bifurcation level was above L4 in 4, at L4 in 55, at L4-L5 in 23, and at L5 in 18 subjects. The IVC confluence level was at L4 in 17, at L4-L5 in 14, at L5 in 68 and below L5 in 1 subject. Levels of the bifurcation of the AA/IVC as combined data showed that the AA bifurcation was usually located 1 - 2 segments above the IVC confluence. The MSA and L4 segmental artery were identified in 79 and 83 subjects, respectively. The 3-D images of the abdominal great vessels together with the lumbar spinal column were reliably depicted. Anatomic data obtained from this study are in accordance with those obtained from conventional 2-D studies, and the 3-D images can serve as a versatile tool for preoperative evaluation for the ALIF candidates and can contribute to the reduction of surgical time and perioperative vascular complications.

Abdomen↗