• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.492-498
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• 2007

Background: Several lines of evidence suggest that a host's genetic factors influence the outcome of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphism in NRAMP1 (natural resistance associated macrophage protein 1) gene is associated with the susceptibility or resistance to tuberculosis infection for patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis (DS-TB) and multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Methods: Eight genetic polymorphisms of the NRAMP1 gene were investigated in patients suffering with DS-TB (n=100) or MDR-TB (n=102), and in healthy normal controls (NC, n=96). The genetic polymorphisms of NRAMP1 were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: The frequency of D543N A/G heterogygotes was significantly higher in the DS-TB subjects than the NCs (OR=2.10, 95% CI: 1.00 to 4.41, p=0.049). The frequency of 823C/T T/C heterozygotes was significantly higher in the DS-TB subjects (OR=2.79, 95% CI: 1.11 to 7.04, p=0.029) and the MDR-TB subject (OR=3.30, 95% CI 1.33 to 8.18, p=0.010) than in the NCs. However, the frequency of these genotypes was not different between the DS-TB and MDR-TB subjects. Conclusion: A significant association was found between NRAMP1 823 C/T polymorphism and pulmonary tuberculosis. This result suggests that NRAMP1 polymorphism may be involved in the development of pulmonary tuberculosis in Koreans.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.476-486
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• 2008

Background: TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand) is a newly identified member of the TNF gene family which appears to have tumor-selective cytotoxicity due to the distinct decoy receptor system. TRAIL has direct access to caspase machinery and induces apoptosis regardless of p53 phenotype. Therefore, TRAIL has a therapeutic potential in lung cancer which frequently harbors p53 mutation in more than 50% of cases. However, it was shown that TRAIL also could activates $NF-{\kappa}B$ in some cell lines which might inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate whether TRAIL can activate $NF-{\kappa}B$ in lung cancer cell lines relatively resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation using proteasome inhibitor MG132 which blocks $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation can sensitize lung cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Methods: A549 (wt p53) and NCI-H1299 (null p53) lung cancer cells were used and cell viability test was done by MTT assay. Apoptosis was confirmed with Annexin V assay followed by FACS analysis. To study $NF-{\kappa}B$-dependent transcriptional activation, a luciferase reporter gene assay was used after making A549 and NCI-H1299 cells stably transfected with IgG ${\kappa}-NF-{\kappa}B$ luciferase construct. To investigate DNA binding of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activated by TRAIL, electromobility shift assay was used and supershift assay was done using anti-p65 antibody. Western blot was done for the study of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation. Results: A549 and NCI-H1299 cells were relatively resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis showing only 20~30% cell death even at the concentration 100 ng/ml, but MG132 ($3{\mu}M$) pre-treatment 1 hour prior to TRAIL addition greatly increased cell death more than 80%. Luciferase assay showed TRAIL-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity in both cell lines. Electromobility shift assay demonstrated DNA binding complex of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activated by TRAIL and supershift with p65 antibody. $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation was proven by western blot. MG132 completely blocked both TRAIL-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity and DNA binding of $NF-{\kappa}B$. Conclusion: This results suggest that inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ can be a potentially useful strategy to enhance TRAIL-induced tumor cell killing in lung cancer.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2013

Purpose: We evaluated oncologic outcomes of chondrosarcomas and analyzed the disease-free survival rate of chondrosarcomas according to the various factors. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective study for the disease-free survival rate of 48 chondrosarcomas, 44 of which underwent surgical treatment and followed up more than 18 months since 1993, and in the remaining 4 cases, the patients died before 18 months after surgery. The vsariables were location, tumor volume, histologic grade, stage, age at presentation and treatment performed. The mean follow up period was 43.8 months (1-196 months). Results: The overall disease-free survival rate was 77.1% at mean 43.8 month follow up. The 5 year- and 10 year disease-free survival rates were 64% and 58% respectively. The histologic grade, stage, age at presentation revealed statistical significance on disease-free survival. All 9 patients treated with extended curettage for grade 1 central chondrosarcomas revealed disease-free survival with excellent functional outcome. Conclusion: The disease-free survival rate of chondrosarcomas mainly depended on histologic grade, stage and age at presentation. Local recurrence and distant metastasis also revealed statistically significant differences of disease-free survival rate. Comparing to wide resection, extended curettage for low-grade central chondrosarcomas in extremities were efficient methods with similar survival rate and less functional losses and complications.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.37 no.sup2
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• pp.325-338
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• 2007

The purposes of this study were to compare and quantify the expression of IL-6, e1stase and ${\alpha}_1-PI$ in the gingival tissues of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy adults with chronic periodontitis. Gingival tissue samples were obtained during periodontal surgery or tooth extraction. According to the patient's systemic condition & clinical criteria of gingiva, each gingival sample was devided into three groups. Group 1 (n=8) is clinically healthy gingiva without bleeding and no evidence of bone resorption or periodontal pockets, obtained from systemically healthy 8 patients. Group 2 (n=8) is inflammed gingiva from patients with chronic periodontitis. Group 3 (n=8) is inflammed gingiva from patients with chronic periodontitis associated with type 2 diabetes. Tissue samples were prepared and analyzed by Western blotting. The quantification of IL-6, elastase and ${\alpha}_1-PI$ were performed using a densitometer and statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test. 1. The expression levels of IL-6 showed increasing tendency in group 2 and 3, and It was highest in group 3. 2. The expression of elastase showed increasing tendency in group 2 and 3, and It was highest in group 3. 3. The expression of ${\alpha}_1-PI$ showed increasing tendency in group 3 compared to group 1. 4. The ${\alpha}_1-PI$/elastase ratio was decreased in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1, especially most decreased in group 3. 5. As IL-6 levels were increasing, elastase showed increasing tendency in group 3, and although IL-6 and elastase levels were increasing, ${\alpha}_1-PI$ level in group 3 showed slightly increasing pattern comparing to group 1. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the expression levels of IL-6 and elastase will be inflammatory markers of periodontal inflammed tissue and DM. The ${\alpha}_1-PI$/elastase ratio also may be important measuring inflmmatory factors in the progression of periodontal inflammation associated to type 2DM.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2015

The objective of this paper is to look into the growth of Cryptomeria japonica stand in South Korea along with the evaluation on their yields, followed by their carbon stocks and removals. A total of 106 sample plots were selected from Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, and Jeju, where the groups of standard are grown. We only used 92 plots data except outlier. As part of the analysis, the Weibull diameter distribution was applied. In order to estimate the diameter distribution, the growth estimation equation for each of the growth factors including the height, the diameter at breast height, and the basal area was drafted out and the verification for each equation was examined. The site index for figuring out the forest productivity of Cryptomeria japonica stand for each district was also developed as a Schumacher model and 30yr was used as a reference age for the estimation of the site index. It was found that the site index for Cryptomeria japonica stand in South Korea ranges from 10 to 16 and this result was used as a standard for developing the stand yield table. According to the site 14 in the stand yield table, the mean annual increment (MAI) of the Cryptomeria japonica reaches $7.6m^3/ha$ on its 25yr and its growing stock is estimated to be at $190.1m^3/ha$. This volume is about $20m^3$ as high as that of the Chamaesyparis obtusa. Furthermore, the annual carbon absorptions for a Cryptomeria japonica stand reached the peak at 25yr, which is 2.14 tC/ha/yr, $7.83tCO_2/ha/yr$. When compared to the other conifers, this rate is slightly higher than that of a Chamaecyparis obtusa ($7.5tCO_2/ha/yr$) but lower than that of the Pinus koraiensis ($10.4tCO_2/ha/yr$) and Larix kaempferi ($11.2tCO_2/ha/yr$). With such research result as a base, it is necessary to come up with the ways to enhance the utilization of Cryptomeria japonica as timbers, besides making use of their growth data.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.332-340
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• 2014

Purpose : A relative increase in deoxyhemoglobin levels in hypoperfused tissue can cause prominent hypointense signals in the draining veins (PHSV) within areas of impaired perfusion in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of SWI in patients with acute cerebral infarction by evaluating PHSV within areas of impaired perfusion and to investigate the usefulness of PHSV in predicting prognosis of cerebral infarction. Materials and Methods: In 18 patients with acute cerebral infarction who underwent brain MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging and SWI and follow-up brain MRI or CT, we reviewed the presence and location of the PHSV within and adjacent to areas of cerebral infarction qualitatively and measured the signal intensity difference ratio of PHSVs to contralateral normal appearing cortical veins quantitatively on SWI. The relationship between the presence of the PHSV and the change in the extent of infarction in follow-up images was analyzed. Results: Of the 18 patients, 10 patients showed progression of the infarction, and 8 patients showed little change on follow- up imaging. On SWI, of the 10 patients with progression 9 patients showed peripheral PHSV and the newly developed infarctions corresponded well to area with peripheral PHSV on initial SWI. Only one patient without peripheral PHSV showed progression of the infarct. The patients with infarction progression revealed significantly higher presence of peripheral PHSV (p=0.0001) and higher mean signal intensity difference ratio (p=0.006) comparing to the patients with little change. Conclusion: SWI can demonstrate a peripheral PHSV as a marker of penumbra and with this finding we can predict the prognosis of acute infarction. The signal intensity difference of PHSV to brain tissue on SWI can be used in predicting prognosis of acute cerebral infarction.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 1984

In order to assess the protein nutritional quality of salted and dried yellow corvenia, which was prepared using the different salting methods like dry and brine salting, the changes of trypsin indigestible substrate(TI) and in vitro apparent protein digestibility were studied during storage at room temperature($24{\pm}1^{\circ}C$). It was also examined the retention of available lysine and formation of nonenzymatic brown pigments under the same conditions of preparing and storage mentioned above and confirmed the relationship between in vitro digestibility and the antinutritional factors, such as nonenzymatic browning, unavailability of lysine and TI content, TI content was gradually increased during the storage and in showed $1.5{\sim}2$ times more after 57 days storage than at the initial stage which ranged from 0.11 to 0.17mg/g solid. Of all the products, $25\%$ brine salting product contained the least TI content in 0.21 mg/g solid, while $10\%$ dry salting products was the most abundant in 0.30 mg/g solid using Hamerstrand method(1981). In vitro protein digestibility of all dried products was decreased significantly up to 30 days as the contents of TI increased, except $25\%$ brine salted products. After storing for 57 days, the in vitro digestibility was only $4\%$ drip showed in $25\%$ brine salted products. The nonenzymatic brown pigments were also developed on the level of available lysine reduced as in vitro protein digestibility was decreased throughout storage. Of all the various salted and dried products of yellow corvenia, $25\%$ salting product showed the lowest rate of browning development and loss of available lysine. Therefore, it was revealed that unavailability of lysine and development of nonenzymatic brown pigments were major factors influencing the protein quality in salted and dried yellow corvenia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1370-1377
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• 2005

Purpose : Delineation of serum lipid and lipoprotein values in children after Kawasaki disease(KD) is important because of the predilection of this disease for the coronary arteries. Methods : The KD group was composed of 51 patients who were hospitalized from Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2003. Control was 25 patients with non-KD febrile illness. The levels of total lipid, phospholipid, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol(HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1(apo A1), apolipoprotein B, and Lipoprotein(a) were measured and compared with Echocardiographic findings. Measurements were obtained in four time periods: acute febrile, subacute, convalescent phase and 1 year after KD. Results : HDL-C($33.64{\pm}7.49mg/dL$ vs $50.43{\pm}14.41mg/dL$, P<0.01) and apo A1($99.75{\pm}6.39mg/dL$ vs $113.34{\pm}11.35mg/dL$, P<0.05) were decreased more in the acute febrile period of KD than in the control, but these changes were not correlated with cardiac complications. All lipid profiles were markedly elevated in the subacute stage and normalized in the convalescent stage; there were no changes until 1-year follow up. There were no significant differences in the changes of lipid profiles, including Lp(a) and coronary dilatation, in any time periods. Conclusion : KD is associated with important abnormalities in lipid metabolism, but these changes were transient and appear to be due to the disease itself. These data lead us to infer that KD dose not cause such permanent changes in lipid abnormalities as to be considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis, beyond that caused by the disease itself.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.10 no.E
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• pp.371-386
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• 1994

Ecological examinations of the radial growth Patterns of pine trees(Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc) growing on Mt. Namsan in central Seoul were made to test a Proposition that the pine trees decline due to the influence of air pollution and acid rain, which was proposed by some researchers in Korea, and the potential effects of current level of air pollutants to the growth of the Pine trees in central Seoul have been speculated. Tree-rings of 40 trees sampled at 3 sites of Mt. Namsan were prepared and examined using a Computer-aided Tree-Ring Measuring System at Kookmin University, Korea. Air Pollutant data collected by the Ministry of Environment( MOE ) and the Forestry Research Institute(FRI) were used to infer the general conditions of the environment. Correlation analysis was applied to the data set of tree growth and the other environmental factors. General information derived from the close examination of the tree-rings and the data on air pollution, drought and the other biological conditions suggested that the growth of the pine trees was severely affected by the occurrence of drought(climatic variation), the prevalence of the pine leaf gall midges(insects), and the suppression by the black locust trees(Robinia pseudo-acacia L.) (competition among trees). While the current condition of air pollution in Seoul cannot be categorized as good, the concentrations of air pollutants are not so high as to cause acute damages to the trees. In addition, while the data of rain acidity showed episodic low PHs of under 4.0, the average of them is far less acidic than those which were observed in either northeastern United States or central Europe, where the decline of trees were not solely attributed to any of the air pollutants. Considering the sequential facts that one of the most important environmental factors that affect the growth of trees is weather condition of the forest that the proposition of the decline of the pine trees was made without careful examination of the growth patterns and past growth history of them as well as the complex influences of many other factors including the weather conditions to the growth of trees, and that no objective explanation has been made on the causal relationships between the current condition of air pollution and the growth of the trees, such a proposition should be evaluated as invalid for the explanation of tree growth on Mt. Namsan in central Seoul, Korea. The author evaluates the factors of air pollution (including acid rain) as the predisposing factors, which may have the Potentials to chronically affect the tree growth at the forest ecosystem on Mt. Namsan for a long period of time. Ecosystem ecological studies should be further carried out to carefully explain both the functional and the structural aspects of the ecosystem processes, which include the biogeochemistry and the long-term changes of soil conditions as well as the growth of the other tree species on the mountain.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.86 no.3
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• pp.399-404
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• 1997

This paper is presenting a practical result of environmental manipulation effect on pine mushroom Tricholoma matsutake yield and a discussion of key factor seeking for improving pine mushroom production by analyzing the effects on mushroom yield for 10 years with applying five kinds of environmental control at the pine stands located in Namwon, Chollabuk-do, Korea. The environmental controls included density control and forest floor manipulations, and the treatments were applied during early summer of 1983. The mushroom yield itself did not show statistically significant differences among the treatments. But, we could manifest the treatment effects by calculating the relative yield in percent on the basis of pretreatment yield collected in 1982. The forest floor manipulation with density control may affect pine mushroom yield in short term, and continuous management should be applied to keep and improve the mushroom production. The fine root activity was the most important factor of pine mushroom production at the Namwon research site since the floor raking resulted in the largest effect on the mushroom yield although the environmental condition for the growth of fungi is important for pine mushroom production. In addition, the pine mushroom forest with sandy soils demands adequate litter layer since the litter removal showed relatively detrimental effects on pine mushroom yield compared to that in litter covered plot at the research site. That is, soil texture should be considered for forest floor manipulation, and it is reconfirmed that the environmental control to improve pine mushroom production should be applied differently by each region.