Purpose: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a valuable and sensitive tool as a marker for diagnosis and follow-up for several thyroid disorders, especially, in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Often, clinical decisions rely entirely on the serum Tg concentration. But the Tg assay is one of the most challenging laboratory measurements to perform accurately owing to antithyroglobulin antibody (Anti-Tg). In this study, we have compared the degree of Anti-Tg effects on the measurement of Tg between availale Tg measuring kits. Materials and Methods: Measurement of Tg levels for standard Tg solution was performed with two different kits commercially available (A/B kits) using immunoradiometric assay technique either with absence or presence of three different concentrations of Anti-Tg. Measurement of Tg for patient's serum was also performed with the same kits. Patient's serum samples were prepared with mixtures of a serum containing high Tg levels and a serum containg high Anti-Tg concentrations. Results: In the measurements of standard Tg solution, presence of Anti-Tg resulted in falsely lower Tg level by both A and B kits. Degree of Tg underestimation by h kit was more prominent than B kit. The degree of underestimation by B kit was trivial therefore clinically insignificant, but statistically significant. Addition of Anti-Tg to patient serum resulted in falsely lower Tg levels with only A kit. Conclusion: Tg level could be underestimated in the presence of anti-Tg. Anti-Tg effect on Tg measurement was variable according to assay kit used. Therefore, accuracy test must be performed for individual Tg-assay kit.
To obtain basic information on the Korean local corn lines a total of 57 lines were selected from 1,000 Korean local collection at Chungnam National University, classified by principal component analysis, and genetic nature was investigated. The results are summarized as follows. 1. There were a great variation in mean values of plant characters of the lines. The mean values of plant characters except for density of kernels varied with types of crossing. All characters except. for tasselling dates were reduced in magnitude when selfed, while those characters were increased when topcrossed. 2. The correlation coefficients among characters studied ranged front 0.99 to -0.59. The correlation coefficients among characters were not greatly changed depending upon types of crosses. 3. In order to classify the lines more effectively, selected 12 plant characters were used to classify 57 local lines by principal component analysis. The first four component could explain 86.4%, 83.4% and 81.1% of the total variations in sibbed lines, selfed lines and topcrossed lines, respectively. 4. Contribution of characters to principal component was high at upper principal components and low at lower principal components. 5. Biological meaning of the principal component and plant types corresponding to the each principal component were explained clearly by the correlation coefficient between principal components and characters. The first principal component appeared to correspond to the size of plant and ear. The second principal component appeared to correspond to the degree of differentiation in organs and the duration of vegetative growing period. But biological meaning of the third and fourth principal components was not clear. 6. The lines were classified into 4 lineal groups by the taxonomic distance. Group I included 52 lines which was 91.2% of total lines, group II 3 lines, group III 1 lines and group IV I lines, respectively. Four groups could be characterized as follows : Group I : early maturity, short-culmed, medium height plant, small ears, medium kernels and medium yielding. Group II : late maturity, medium height plant, small ears, small kernels, prolific ears and higher yielding. Group III : medium maturity, tall-culmed, small ears, small kernels and low yielding. Group IV : medium maturity, tall-calmed, large ears, one ear plant and me yielding. 7. The inbreeding depression varied with plant characters and lines. The characters such as yield, kernel weight per ear, ear weight and plant height showed great degree of inbreeding depression. Group I showed high inbreeding depression in such characters as 100 kernel weight, leaf number, plant height and days to tasselling, while group II showed high inbreeding depression in other plant characters. 8. Heterosis of plant characters varied also with lines. The ear weight, kernel weight per ear, yield, 100 kernel weight, and plant height were some of the plant characters showing high heterosis. Group II showed high values of heterosis in such characters as ear length, ear diameter, ear weight, kernel weight per ear, 100 kernel weight, and leaf length, while group I was high in heterosis in other plant characters. 9. The degree of homozgosity was highest in ear weight (79.1%) and lowest in ear number per plant (-21%). Group II showed higher degree of homozygosity than group I. 10. Correlation coefficients between characters of ribbed and topcrossed lines were positive for all characters. Highly significant. correlation coefficients between ribbed and topcrossed lines were obtained especially for characters such as ear number per plant, plant height, leaf length and yield per plot.
The present study is an attempt to solve the basic problems involved in the control of the Sclerotium disease. The biologic stranis of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., pathogen of Sclerotium disease of Magnolia kobus, were differentiated, and the effects of vitamins, various nitrogen and carbon sources on its mycelial growth and sclerotial production have been investigated. In addition the relationship between the cultural filtrate of Penicillium sp. and the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii, the tolerance of its mycelia or sclerotia to moist heat or drought and to Benlate (methyl-(butylcarbamoy 1)-2-benzimidazole carbamate), Tachigaren (3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole) and other chemicals were also clarified. The results are summarizee as follows: 1. There were two biologic strains, Type-l and Type-2 among isolates. They differed from each other in the mode of growth and colonial appearance on the media, aversion phenomenon and in their pathogenicity. These two types had similar pathogenicity to the Magnolia kobus and Robinia pseudoacasia, but behaved somewhat differently to the soybaen and cucumber, the Type-l being more virulent. 2. Except potassium nitrite, sodium nitrite and glycine, all of the 12 nitrogen sources tested were utilized for the mycelial growth and sclerotial production of this fungus when 10r/l of thiamine hydrochloride was added in the culture solution. Considering the forms of nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen was more available than nitrate nitrogen for the growth of mycelia, but nitrate nitrogen was better for sclerotia formation. Organic nitrogen showed different availabilities according to compounds used. While nitrite nitrogen was unavailable for both mycelial growth and sclerotial formation whether thiamine hydrochlioride was added or not. 3. Seven kinds of carbon sources examined were not effective in general, as long as thiamine hydrochloride was not added. When thiamine hydrochloride was added, glucose and saccharose exhibited mycelial growth, while rnaltose and soluble starch gave lesser, and xylose, lactose, and glycine showed no effect at all,. In the sclerotial production, all the tested carbon sources, except lactose, were effective, and glucose, maltose, saccharose, and soluble starch gave better results. 4. At the same level of nitrogen, the amount of mycelial growth increased as more carbon Sources were applied but decreased with the increase of nitrogen above 0.5g/1. The amount of sclerotial production decreased wi th the increase of carbon sources. 5. Sclerotium rolfsii was thiamine-defficient and required thiamine 20r/l for maximun growth of mycelia. At a higher concentration of more than 20r/l, however, mycelial growth decreased as the concentration increased, and was inhibited at l50r/l to such a degree of thiamine-free. 6. The effect of the nitrogen sources on the mycelial growth under the presence of thiamine were recognized in the decreasing order of