• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.608-615
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• 2002

Background : ADA is an enzyme found in most cells, and is involved in purine metabolism, but its chief role concerns the proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes, especially T-lymphocytes. For that reason ADA has been looked on as a marker of cell-mediate immunity, which is the key mechanism of the tuberculous pleural effusion. Thus, the pleural fluid ADA activity is increased in the tuberculous pleural effusion. Age associated immune decline is characterized by decreases in both B and T-lymphocyte function and the former may be largely a result of the latter. Therefore, the pleural fluid ADA activity would be lower in old rather than in young, patients with tuberculous pleural effusion. We studied the relationship between age, and pleural fluid ADA activity, in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion. Materials and Methods : In the 46 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion enroll in this study, the pleural fluid ADA activities were measured by means of an automated kinetic method. Results : The mean age of the patients was $53.0{\pm}22.0$ years, with a male to female ratio of 30:16. The patients were divided into two groups, young patients, regarded as < 65 and old regarded as ${\geq}65$ years with 28 and 18 patients, respectively. The pleural fluid ADA activity in both groups show significant differences : $99.4{\pm}22.6$ IU/L(young patients) Vs. $75.8{\pm}30.9$ IU/L(old patients)(p<0.05), but a negative correlation with age (r=-0.311, p<0.05). Conclusion : Although pleural fluid ADA activity was not adequately increased, tuberculous pleural effusion, in older patients, would have to be considered clinically suspicious tuberculous pleural effusion.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2010

In this experiment, the effects on the growth and the quality of cut flowers of chrysanthemum 'Jinba' were mainly concerned depending on cultural methods between the pinching and the non-pinching. According to the results, the sufficient period of the vegetative growth was necessary to enter the flower bud differentiation in case of the non-pinching cultivation whereas it was not the case on the pinching. As compared with the pinching, the non-pinching showed 10% higher in the flowering ratio after flower bud differentiation. The flowering ratio of the non-pinching exceeded more than 95% but the pinching showed below 95% of the flowering ratio after flower bud differentiation. Comparing the number of cutting flowers between pinching and non-pinching, it was the non-pinching that showed the production of the first grade cutting flowers about 5 weeks faster than that of the pinching. It seem to be possible that harvesting time and growing period could be shortened. In the non-pinching growing region, above third-grading marketable cut flowers was 100% regardless of planting time. On the contrary, the pinching method showed 84.7% of marketable cutting flowers at first week from the planting, followed by 64.3% at second week, 18.8% at third week, and 2.6% at fourth week. Marketability of cutting flowers indicates that were planted by the pinching is very poor. When draw a comparison between the fourth-week planting of the non-pinching with the first-week planting of the pinching, the non-pinching could cut the growing period 38 days shorter than the pinching and the marketability was better. These results indicate that the non-pinching method can shorten the growing period and harvesting time compared to the pinching and it also resulted in reduction of cost and rapid production of the cutting flowers.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with neuroblastoma aged less than 1 year. Methods : From January 1997 to December 2007, 41 patients aged less than 1 year were diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Patients were divided into 3 risk groups according to the stage of the disease and N-myc amplification. Low-risk patients underwent surgery with (stage 2) or without (stage 1) short-term chemotherapy. Intermediate-risk patients underwent chemotherapy and surgery with or without local radiation therapy. High-risk patients underwent chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and high-dose chemotherapy/autologous stem cell rescue (HDCT/ASCR). Results : While tumor relapse occurred in only 1 patient, 7 patients died of treatment-related toxicities. Causes of treatment- related death included infection during conventional chemotherapy in 5 patients and acute myocarditis during HDCT/ASCR in 2 patients. The overall 5-year survival (${\pm}$ standard error) and 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates after diagnosis for all 41 patients were $82.8{\pm}5.9%$ and $80.0{\pm}$6.3%$, respectively, with a median follow-up of 58 (9-137) months. The 5-year EFS rates for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients were 100%, $68.4{\pm}10.8%$, and $66.7{\pm}19.3%$, respectively. Conclusion : Increased efforts to reduce infection-associated toxicity deaths during conventional chemotherapy are needed to further improve the survival of patients with neuroblastoma aged less than 1 year.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 1994

Surface ultrastructure of Pawctrema timonnauini developmental stages was studied using a scanning electron microscope. The metacercariae were collected from the marine clam, Topes phiLippinam and juvenile and adult worms were recovered at 1, 2, 3 and 7 days after experimental infection of mice. The metacercariae had a large oral sucker and characteristic lateral projections. Around the lip of the oral sucker many type I and type II sensory papillae were observed, and type III papillae were located symmetrically on the medial side of the lateral projection. Numerous type I papillae were grouped around the genital pore. The tegumental spines were distributed over the worm surface except the lip of the suckers and genital pore. The 1-day old worm had a well-developed ventral sucker, with 6 type II sensory papillae on its outer surface and another 6 type I papillae on the inner side. Two small type I papillae were seen on the anterior side of the ventral sucker. The genital pore was small and opened separately from the ventral sucker and 15 type I papillae were grouped around it. The 2-, 3-. and 7-day worms revealed that as they grew to be adults, the spine tips became multipointed, the genital pore formed a genital atrium, and the cytoplasmic process became well differentiated. In 2- and 3-day worms 10 type II papillae encircling the lip of the oral sucker, and additional 4 papillae at the dorsal side of 4 dorsal type II papillae were a characteristic feature. The distribution pattern of sensory papillae around the oral sucker and genital pore, and 2 type I papillae on the anterior side of the ventral sucker, was so peculiar in R timonnnuini, that they seem to be useful keys for taxonomic differentiation from other gymnophallids.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.435-443
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• 2018

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) functions as a metabolic master through regulating and restoring cellular energy balance. In skeletal muscle, AMPK increases myofibril protein degradation through the expression of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases. Mori Folium, the leaf of Morus alba, is a traditional medicinal herb with various pharmacological functions; however, the effects associated with muscle atrophy have not been fully identified. In this study, we confirmed the effects of AMPK activation by examining the effects of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), an activator of AMPK, on the induction of atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes in C2C12 myotubes. We also investigated the effects of the ethanol extract of Mori Folium (EEMF) on the recovery of AICAR-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotubes. It was found that exposure to AICAR resulted in the stimulation of Forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a); an up-regulation of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases such as Muscle Atrophy F-box (MAFbx)/atrogin-1 and muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1), and a down-regulation of muscle-specific transcription factors, such as MyoD and myogenin; with the activation of AMPK. In addition, AICAR without cytotoxicity indicated a decrease in diameter of C2C12 myotubes. However, treatment with EEMF significantly suppressed AICAR-induced muscle atrophy of C2C12 myotubes in a dose-dependent manner as confirmed by a decrease in myotube diameter, which is associated with a reversed stimulation of FOXO3a by the inhibition of AMPK activation. These results indicate that the activation of AMPK by AICAR induces muscle atrophy, and EEMF has preeminent effects on the inhibition of AICAR-induced muscle atrophy through the AMPK signaling pathway.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2006

Telomeres are essential for chromosome stability and are related with cell senescence, apoptosis and cancer. Even though telomere length and telomerase activity have been studied extensively, very little is known to analyze the telomere dynamics in chicken cells. This study was carried out to analyze the telomere distribution and telomerase activity of Korean Native Chicken cells along with aging. The cells were collected from brain, heart, liver, kidney and germinal tissues during physiological stages. Telomere distribution was analyzed by Quantitative-Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (Q-FISH) techniques using the chicken telomeric DNA probe. Telomerase activity was performed by Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) assay. In results, the telomeres of chicken were found at the ends of all chromosomes with the interstitial telomeres on chromosomes 1, 2 and 3. The amount of telomeres on chicken cells was decreased along with aging in most tissues. Furthermore, the telomere quantity was significantly different among tissues. The relative amount of telomeres in proliferous cells such as testis cells had much more than those of liver, brain, heart, blood and kidney cells. The telomerase activity was down-regulated in cells of brain, heart and liver tissues. Whereas gonadal cells showed a constitutive activity of telomerase during all stage of life. In conclusions, the telomere quantity and telomerase activity in chicken are closely relate to cell proliferation and tissue specificity during developmental stages and aging. There is also closely correlated between the amounts of telomeric DNA and telomerase activity in chicken tissues.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.28-31
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• 2016

Purpose $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ is used for the medicine of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and which emits ${\alpha}-ray$ of 28 Mev that is used for therapy. However $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ emits ${\beta}-ray$ of 3.6% and ${\gamma}-ray$ of 1.1%(80,156,270 keV) aside from ${\alpha}-ray$ in decay. Therefore we would like to evaluate external radiation expose dose rate of ${\gamma}-ray$ of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$. Materials and Methods We calculated external radiation expose dose rate using ${\gamma}-constant$ of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$, $^{99m}Tc$ based on Health physics(2012). $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ of 3.5 MBq and $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ of 740 MBq were applied. external radiation expose dose rate 15 times from 1m by survey meter. Results ${\gamma}-contant$ of $^{223}Ra$, $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ from 1m distance based on Health physics(2012) is 0.0469, 0.0215. calculated value of external radiation expose dose rate was $16{\mu}Sy$, $34{\mu}Sy$ which activity is $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ of 3.5 MBq and $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ of 740 MBq from 1 m and measured mean value of 1 m was $0.7{\mu}Sy/h$, $18{\mu}Sy/h$. Conclusion ${\gamma}-constant$ of $^{223}Ra$ is higher than $^{99m}Tc$ based on Health physics(2012). however calculated maximum external radiation expose dose rate of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ is lower than $^{99m}Tc$ due to actually used quantity of activity of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ is small. measured value of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ is also lower than $^{99m}Tc-MDP$. Therefore external radiation expose dose rate of ${\gamma}-ray$ of $^{223}Ra-Dichloride$ is very low.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.53-68
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• 1997

Lake Shihwa, artificially constructed since 1988, shows a typical two-layered system depending on strong haline density stratification. Sill of the water gate at 6 m depth greatly restricts physical mixing with outer seawater and circulation in the lake, and contributes to the enhancement of anoxic environment in the deeper layer. With this enclosed physical environment, Lake Shihwa receives enormous amounts of organics, ammonia, and other pollutants from the neighboring municipal and industrial complexes through six major streams, thus developing biogeochemical differentiation of anoxic to suboxic environment in the high saline bottom water and highly eutrophicated brackish surface water. This study investigated vertical structures, biogeochemical behaviors and processes of various organic and inorganic compounds around oxic-anoxic interface. Nitrite and nitrate rapidly decreased below the pycnocline where about $1{\times}10^8$ tons of hypoxic bottom water exist. In this bottom layer, ammonium ranged from 75 to 360 ${\mu}M$ mainly resulting from deamination of dissolved organic nitrogen and ammonification of precipitated organic particles. Despite large amounts of surface water discharge and dilution by outer seawater inflow about $3{\times}10^8$ tons from April to August, 1996, bottom layer did not show any improvement of water quality and maintained highly reduced environment. The main reason seems to be imbalance between ineffectiveness of dilution due to shallow depth and large surface area, overloaded POC influx from the eutrophicated surface biological activity, and poor replenishment of oxygen in this artificial lake system. Therefore, as long as current salinity dependent two-layered system maintains with its physical limitations, any improvement of water quality cannot be foreseen in Lake Shihwa.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1149-1155
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• 2011

Myostatin (MSTN) belongs to the transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ superfamily or growth and differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8), and functions as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth. Previous studies in mammals have suggested that myostatin knock-out increased muscle mass and decreased fat content compared to those of the wide type. Recently, several studies on myostatin have beenconducted on the block myostatin signal pathway with myostatin antagonists and the MSTN regulation with RNAi to control myostatin function. This study was performed to analyze growth and muscle alteration of Oncorhychus masou by treatment with recombinant myostatin prodomains derived from fish. We designed myostatin prodomains derived from P. olivaceus (pMALc2x-poMSTNpro) and S. schlegeli (pMALc2x-sMSTNpro) in a pMALc2x expression vector, and then purified the recombinant proteins using affinity chromatography. The purified recombinant proteins were treated in O. masou through an immersion method. Recombinant protein treated groups did not show a significant difference in weight, protein, or lipid composition compared to the control. However, there was a difference in the average number and area for histological analyses in the muscle fiber. At twelve and twenty-two weeks from the initial treatment, there were differences in averagefiber number and area between the 0.05 mg/l treated-group and the control, but the numbers were similar to those of the control during the same time period. At twelve weeks, however, 0.2 mg/l treated-group had an increase in average fiber number and decrease in average fiber area compared to the control. At twenty-two weeks, the pMALc2x-sMSTNpro 0.2 mg/l treated-group was induced and showed a decrease in average fiber number and increase in average fiber area. The results between twelve and twenty-two weeks showed that the fiber numbers had decreased, whereas average fiberarea had increased due to sMSTNpro. It is understood that the sMSTNpro induced only hyperplasia at twelve weeks, after which it induced hypertrophy. Recombinant myostatin prodomains derived from fish may induce hyperplasia and hypertrophy in O. masou depending upon the time that has elapsed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2012

Polyamines are essential for cell growth and differentiation; however their precise roles are unclear yet. In the present study, the cytotoxic effect of spermine (spm) on MCF-7 cells was investigated. In the MTT assay of MCF-7 cells treated with spm, cell viability was significantly decreased in a time-and dose-dependent manner. Cell viability measurement was confirmed by trypan blue staining. FACS analysis shows that sub-G1 was increased in a time-and dose-dependent manner too. When the cells were treated with spm, cells started to show morphological changes within 2 hrs. The expression of adhesion proteins (FAK and integrin ${\beta}1$), and cytoskeletal protein (actin) was checked by Western blotting analysis. Integrin ${\beta}1$ levels were slightly decreased, and FAK and actin levels were rapidly decreased with spm treatment. In confocal laser scanning microscopy, the distribution of actin did not change but the expression decreased in a dose-dependent manner with spm treatment. FAK was evenly distributed under the plasma membrane in the untreated control. However, at 10 ${\mu}M$ spm FAK seemed to move toward the cell nucleus. Integrin ${\beta}1$, which was mainly found in the focal point of the plasma membrane in the untreated control, dispersed through the entire plasma membrane in spm treatment. The present results indicate that cytotoxic effects of spm are triggered by the disruption of adhesion proteins and cytoskeletal protein.