• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.52-60
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• 2006

Muscle weakness in the hemiplegia following stroke is an important factor which determines the quality of life in the future. Therefore, muscle strengthening exercise is essential for functional recovery in hemiplegic patients. Even though the popular conception is that muscle strengthening exercise causes spasticity and associated reaction that hemiplegia patients don't want, and that it disturbs functional recovery, recently there have been many new reports against that opinion. Therefore, the effects of strengthening exercise programs on functional recovery in hemiplegic patients are still controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of strengthening exercise programs for the knee joint using isokinetic exercise on the associated reaction of the upper extremities. Comparing the muscle activities of biceps brachii and triceps brachii during, before, and immediately after 2 and 5 minute intervals of isokinetic exercise, we examined the increase and decrease of associated reaction. Twenty stroke inpatients participated in this study. Surface electromyography was used to get muscle activity data from biceps brachii and triceps brachii. The major findings of this study were as follows: 1. The flexor and extensor peak torque were significantly higher on the sound side than the affected side (p<.05). 2. Before and after strengthening exercise, there was no significant difference in muscle activities (surface electromyographic root mean square values) between the sound and affected side. 3. Muscle activities were examined during, before, and immediately after 2 and 5 minute intervals of isokinetic exercise. There were significant differences in muscle activities between, before and during the exercises, during exercise and 5 minutes after exercise in the biceps brachii (p<.05), and during exercise and 5 minutes after exercise in the triceps brachii (p<.05). In conclusion, there was no relation between strengthening exercise and associated reaction in the upper extremities. Rather, muscle activities after exercise had a tendency to decrease relative to before the exercise. Thus, it is considered that intensive strengthening exercise contributes to improvement of functional recovery without increase in associated reaction in hemiparetic patients.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.200-206
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• 1996

Virus associated hemophagocytic syndrome(VAHS), a class II histiocytosis syndrome, is characterized by high fever, liver dysfunction, coagulation abnormalities, and generalized histiocytic proliferation with marked hemophagocytosis in bone marrow and lymph nodes. VAHS is associated with several viral infections including Epstein Barr virus which has a relatively high mortality rate. We report a fatal case of Epstein Barr virus associated hemophagocytic syndrome and its diagnosis by mRNA in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. A brief review of related literaure is also presented.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.334-339
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Telomere length is a useful biomarker for determining general aging status. Some studies have reported an association between alcohol consumption and telomere length in a general population; however, it is unclear whether the alcohol flush reaction, which is an alcohol-related trait predominantly due to acetaldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, is associated with telomere length. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations of alcohol consumption and alcohol flush reaction with leukocyte telomere length (LTL). SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study included 1,803 Korean adults. Participants provided blood specimens for LTL measurement assay and reported their alcohol drinking status and the presence of an alcohol flush reaction via a questionnaire-based interview. Relative LTL was determined by using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis used multiple linear regression models stratified by sex and age groups, and potential confounding factors were considered. RESULTS: Age-specific analyses showed that heavy alcohol consumption (> 30 g/day) was strongly associated with a reduced LTL in participants aged ${\geq}65years$ (P < 0.001) but not in younger participants. Similarly, the alcohol flush reaction was associated with a reduced LTL only in older participants who consumed > 15 g/day of alcohol (P < 0.01). No significant alcohol consumption or alcohol flush reaction associations with LTL were observed in the sex-specific analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that older alcohol drinkers, particularly those with the alcohol flush reaction, may have an accelerated aging process.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.262-266
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to screen scrotal hernia in domesticated swine from selected breeders in the Philippines. This defect is associated with a cytosine to thymine mutation in the BCL-2 associated X protein (BAX) gene of swine. Methods: Genetic screening was done by DNA extraction followed by amplification and digestion using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, amplifying the 416 bp region of the BAX gene that was subjected to digestion using the Ear I enzyme. Sequencing was also conducted to validate the results. Results: Results revealed that out of 538 samples tested, 411 (76.4%) of the samples were found to be normal whereas the remaining were carriers of the mutation in which 80 (14.9%) were heterozygous mutants and 47 (8.7%) were homozygous mutants. Pietrain breed was found to have the highest incidence. Conclusion: Having a scrotal hernia eliminates the chances of using the boar as a breeder stock because the following generations arising from it would most likely exhibit herniation. It is therefore advised to establish a genetic screening method for Scrotal Hernia in the Philippines to eliminate the negative gene from the herd.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.28
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• pp.15.1-15.8
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• 2013

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the association between low-level mercury exposure and neurobehavioral functions in adults living in coastal regions of Korea. Methods We selected 172 adults aged 20-65 years living in a city in the coastal region of Korea. A sociodemographic survey was conducted, mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were measured, and the associations according to computerized neurobehavioral tests were determined using univariate analysis. After adjustment for associated variables, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed. Results The geometric mean mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were $5.41{\mu}g/L$ (range, $0.00-15.84{\mu}g/L$), $1.17{\mu}g/g$-creatinine (range, $0.00-32.86{\mu}g/g$-creatinine), and 1.37 mg/kg (range, 0.42-6.56 mg/kg), respectively. Variables that were associated with simple reaction time according to the neurobehavioral test results were age and urine mercury level. Variables associated with choice reaction time were the recent use of Korean traditional medicine and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the right-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, smoking behavior, education level, monthly household income, and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the left-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, education level, and urine mercury level. After adjustment for associated variables, there was no significant association between urine mercury level and simple reaction time (${\beta}=25.96$; p =0.47), choice reaction time (${\beta}=50.37$; p =0.32), or the number of left-hand finger taps (${\beta}=-1.54$; p =0.21). However, urine mercury level was significantly associated with the number of right-hand finger taps (${\beta}=-3.86$; p =0.01). Conclusions We found no evidence that low-level mercury exposure in adults is associated with deficits in neurobehavioral functions. A longer follow-up study is required to confirm this conclusion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.187-194
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• 2018

Background: Death domain-associated protein (DAXX), originally identified as a pro-apoptotic protein, is now understood to be either a pro-apoptotic or an anti-apoptotic factor with a chromatin remodeler, depending on the cell type and context. This study evaluated DAXX expression and its clinical implications in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissues from 60 cases of esophageal squamous carcinoma were analyzed immunohistochemically. An immune reaction with more than 10% of tumor cells was interpreted as positive. Positive reactions were sorted into 2 groups: reactions in 11%-50% of tumor cells and reactions in more than 51% of tumor cells, and the correlations between expression and survival and clinical prognosticators were analyzed. Results: Forty-three of the 60 cases (71.7%) showed strong nuclear DAXX expression, among which 19 cases showed a positive reaction (31.7%) in 11%-50% of tumor cells, and 24 cases (40.0%) showed a positive reaction in more than 51% of tumor cells. A negative reaction was found in 17 cases (28.3%). These patterns of immunostaining were significantly associated with the N stage (p=0.005) and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (p=0.001), but overall survival showed no significant difference. There were no correlations of DAXX expression with age, gender, or T stage. However, in stage IIB (p=0.046) and stage IV (p=0.014) disease, DAXX expression was significantly correlated with survival. Conclusion: This investigation found upregulation of DAXX in esophageal cancer, with a 71.7% expression rate. DAXX immunostaining could be used in clinical practice to predict aggressive tumors with lymph node metastasis in advanced-stage disease, especially in stages IIB and IV.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.181-194
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• 1992

Two hundred and eighty nine strains of Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from healthy pigs were tested for the presence of 40~50 Megadalton virulence-associated plasmids and plasmidmediated in vitro virulence-associated properties, i.e., congo red uptake, calcium dependency, autoagglutination, CRMOX reaction, crystal violet binding and pyrazinamidase reaction. The correlationships between in vitro virulence-associated properties and the presence of 220 Kdalton outer membrane protein(OMP) were examined in strains with or without virulence-associated plasmids. The correlationships between the presence of plasmids on the production of the OMP and the expression of in vitro virulence-associated properties were studied with $CRMOX^+$ strains and acridine orangecured $CRMOX^-$ mutants. The results were as follows : 1. Of the in vitro virulence-associated tests with 289 strains of Y enterocolitica, 275 strains (95.2%) were positive for pyrazinamidase test, and followed by in order of crystal violet binding test, 226 (79.2% ) ; CRMOX test, 190 (65.7%) ; autoagglutination test, 1.85(64.0%) : calcium dependency test, 86 (29.8%) and congo red uptake test, 47(16.3%). 2. The correlationship between autoagglutination and CRMOX test(r=0.90) was highly significant (p<0.01). 3. In 190 strains(65.7%) bearing the virulence-associated plasmids(MW 40~50 Mdalton), the correlation between the presence of plasmids and their in vitro virulence-associated properties were highest with CRMOX test(r=0.93) and followed by in orders of AAG test(0.81), CV test(0.46), PYZ test(0.37) and CD test(0.18), but no correlationship between the presence of plasmids and CR test(-0.11). 4. The $CRMOX^+$ strains produced the 220 Kdalton OMP when they were cultured at $37^{\circ}C$, but not at $26^{\circ}C$. The presence of 220 Kdalton OMP was correlated significantly with in vitro virulence properties and the presence of virulence-associated plasmid, respectively. 5. In the isogenic $CRMOX^-$ mutant strains, of which plasmid were cured by treatment with acridine orange not only in vitro virulence-associated properties(CR 100%, CD 100%, AAG 82.6%, CV 58.3%) disappeared but also 220 Kdalton OMP(100%) was not produced. These results indicate that the positive CRMOX reaction is plasmid-mediated and the CRMOX test is potential as an in vitro virulence tests with Y enterocolitica.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.43-46
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• 2016

We present a case of tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a 14-year-old girl. The patient presented with weight loss, malaise, fatigue, prolonged fever, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Laboratory investigation revealed pancytopenia (white blood cells, $2,020cells/{\mu}L$; hemoglobin, 10.2 g/dL; platelets, $52,000cells/{\mu}L$), hypertriglyceridemia (229 mg/dL), and hyperferritinemia (1,420 ng/mL). Bone marrow biopsy showed a hypocellular bone marrow with a large numbers of histiocytes and marked hemophagocytosis; based on these findings, she was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with both the bone marrow aspiration and sputum samples revealed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antitubercular therapy with immune modulation therapy including dexamethasone and intravenous immunoglobulin was initiated. The results of all laboratory tests including bone marrow biopsy and PCR with both the bone marrow aspiration and sputum samples were normalized after treatment. Thus, early bone marrow biopsy and the use of techniques such as PCR can avoid delays in diagnosis and improve the survival rates of patients with tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to establish reliability of the Tone Assessment Scale (TAS) translated into Korean in patients with stroke. The TAS consists of resting posture, response to passive movement, and associated reaction to active effort. Fifteen patients (14 males, 1 female) were examined by two raters. Surface electromyography (EMG) data at elbow flexor muscle and joint excursion were collected from 6 patients. To identify the correlation between muscle activity and angular changes of elbow muscle, Pearson product moment correlation was used. The inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the TAS ranged from very good to good (K/Kw=.61~1.00 for intra-rater and K/Kw=.73~1.00 for intra-rater comparisons) in the sections of resting posture and associated reaction. However, in the section of response to passive movement, the reliability coefficients ranged from very good to fair (Kw=.29~1.00). In the 11th item, correlation between EMG ratio of elbow flexor and angular changes of elbow joint showed statistically strong positive relationship (r=.94, p<.05). These results indicate that the TAS is selectively reliable in the sections of resting posture and associated reaction.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2012

We investigate the doublet and quartet potential energy surfaces associated with the gas-phase reaction between $Ti^+$ and $CF_3COCH_3$ for two plausible reaction pathways, $TiF_2^+$ and $TiO^+$ formation pathways by using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The molecular structures of intermediates and transition states involved in these reaction pathways are optimized at the DFT level by using the PBE0 functional. All transition states are identified by using the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) method, and the resulting reaction coordinates describe how $Ti^+$ activates $CF_3COCH_3$ and produces $TiF_2^+$ and $TiO^+$ as products. On the basis of presented results, we propose the most favorable reaction pathway in the reaction between $Ti^+$ and $CF_3COCH_3$.