• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.381-385
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• 2005

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease associated with a novel coronavirus (CoV) that was identified and molecularly characterized in 2003. Previous studies on various coronaviruses indicate that protein-protein interactions amongst various coronavirus proteins are critical for viral assembly and morphogenesis. It is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV replication and rationalize the anti-SARS therapeutic intervention. In this study, we employed an in vitro GST pull-down assay to investigate the interaction between the membrane (M) and the nucleocapsid (N) proteins. Our results show that the interaction between the M and N proteins does take place in vitro. Moreover, we provide an evidence that 12 amino acids domain (194-205) in the M protein is responsible for binding to N protein. Our work will help shed light on the molecular mechanism of the virus assembly and provide valuable information pertaining to rationalization of future anti-viral strategies.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the polysomnographic characteristics and prescription status of restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients in naturalistic setting. Methods: We reviewed medical record of the patients over 18 years olds who (i) satisfied the clinical RLS diagnostic criteria and (ii) had the polysomnography and got treatment related thereto. As a baseline, we evaluated the four diagnostic criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) and the International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) of the subjects. Then the polysomnography and the suggested immobilization test (SIT) were conducted and, after one month of pharmacotherapy using dopamine agonist, the IRLS was evaluated again. Results: A total of 211 subjects participated in this analysis and 94 (44.5%) of them were male and the other 117 (55.5%) were female and the average age of the 211 subjects was $46.9{\pm}14.2$. Out of such 211 subjects, 136 subjects (64.5%) also had the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and 53 subjects (25.1%) also had the periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). 185 subjects (87.7%) out of the 211 subjects had some other sleep disorders except RLS. The results of the polysomnography were as follows : 78.0% of sleep efficiency, 86.8 min of wake after sleep onset, and 3.4% of N3. More specifically, 12.4/h of the average apnea hypopnea index, 14.8/h of the periodic limb movement during sleep (PLMS), 41.2/h of the periodic limb movement during wake during SIT and 21.6/h of total arousal index during sleep. Out of the total subjects, 149 (70.6%) of them took the ropinirole and 47 (22.3%) of them took the pramipexole, and the average dosage of ropinirole was 0.9mg(dosage range 0.125-5 mg) while the average dosage of pramipexole was 0.5 mg (dosage range 0.125-4 mg). The dosage of the ropinirole showed a significant positive correlation with the age (r=0.25, p=0.002) and also with the IRLS (r=0.23, p=0.038). The IRLS at the baseline was 24.9 while the same was decreased down to 13.4 after one month. Conclusions: Analyzing the result of this study, a majority of clinical RLS subjects demonstrated comorbidity with some other sleep disorder such as the OSA or PLMD. 25.1% of the subjects showed a PLMD, which was less than in previous researches and the average PLMS was not very high as 14.8/h. The dosage of dopamine agonist taken was often a bit more than the amount recommended in Korea. A prospective research using a large scale controlled subjects will be necessary with respect to this topic.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.113-119
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• 2014

Fire fighters should eat their meal very fast in order to arrive in the emergency scene on time. The purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of eating speed on the health of the fire fighters. The subjects were fire fighters, National maritime police, soldiers, public officials, university students, and company employees. The fire fighters had the shortest eating time of 8 minutes 29 seconds, and eating speed of National maritime police was 8 minutes 33.17 seconds, and public officials had 12 minutes 49.33 seconds. Soldiers had 10 minutes 15 seconds, university students had 14 minutes 15 seconds, and company employees had 16 minutes 51 seconds in eating their meals. The previous studies said that eating speed had influenced on the metabolic syndrome and the survey on the American fire fighters showed that the fire fighters gained 7.7 pounds during the past 8 years. Through this study, it is necessary to implement the right eating habit that is able to slow down the eating speed in the Korean fire fighters. The Fire Academy should provide the right eating habit education program to the fire fighters.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2016

Objective: The long interspersed elements (LINE-1, L1s) are a group of genetic elements found in large numbers in the human genome that can translate into phenotype by controlling genes. Growing evidence supports the role of epigenetic in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the DNA methylation levels in LINE-1 in a tissue-specific manner using cumulus cells from patients with PCOS compared with normal controls. Methods: The study included 19 patients with PCOS and 22 control patients who were undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. After oocyte retrieval, cumulus cells were extracted. LINE-1 DNA methylation levels were analysed by bisulfite treatment, polymerase chain reaction, and restriction enzyme digestion. The Connection Up- and Down-Regulation Expression Analysis of Microarrays software package was used to compare the gene regulatory functions of intragenic LINE-1. Results: The results showed higher LINE-1 DNA methylation levels in the cumulus cells of mature oocytes in PCOS patients, 79.14 (${\pm}2.66$) vs. 75.40 (${\pm}4.92$); p=0.004, but no difference in the methylation of cumulus cells in immature oocytes between PCOS and control patients, 70.33 (${\pm}4.79$) vs. 67.79 (${\pm}5.17$); p=0.155. However, LINE-1 DNA methylation levels were found to be higher in the cumulus cells of mature oocytes than in those of immature oocytes in both PCOS and control patients. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the epigenetic modification of LINE-1 DNA may play a role in regulating multiple gene expression that affects the pathophysiology and development of mature oocytes in PCOS.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1999

Objective: Heat shock protein 70-2 (Hsp70-2) gene knockout mice are found to have premeiotic arrest at the primary spermatocyte stage with a complete absence of spermatids and spermatozoa. This observation led to the hypothesis that hspA2 may be disrupted in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we studied the mRNA expression of hspA2 in infertile men with azoospermia. Design: The mRNA expression were analyzed by competitive RT-PCR among testes with normal spermatogenesis, pachytene spermatocyte arrest, and sertoli-cell only syndrome. Materials and methods: Testicular biopsy was performed in men with azoospermia (n=15). Specimens were subdivided into three groups: (group 1) normal spermatogenesis (n=5), (group 2) spermatocyte arrest (n=5), (group 3) Sertoli-cell only syndrome (n=5). Total RNA was extracted by Trizol reagent. Total extracted RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified by PCR using specific primers for hspA2 target cDNAs. A competitive cDNA fragment was constructed by deleting a defined fragment from the target cDNA sequence, and then coamplified with the target cDNA for competitive PCR. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as an internal control. Results: On Competitive RT-PCR analyses for hspA2 mRNA, significant amount of hspA2 expression was observed in group 1, whereas a constitutively low level of hspA2 was expressed in groups 2 and 3. Conclusion(s): The study demonstrates that the hspA2 gene expression is down-regulated in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis, which in turn suggests that hspA2 gene may play a specific role during meiosis in human testes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cross bag weight and carrying bag position type on vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis muscle activity ratio during step up. Method : Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study. subjects randomized performed step up with bag weight less than 15%, more than 15% of totalbody weight and without bag and carrying bag position ipsilateral and contralateral. muscle activity was measured with surface electromyography. One-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was used with a significance level of 0.05 Result : The results of this study were as follows: 1. The muscle activity ratio decreased significantly ipsilateral bag position more than 15% of body weight(p<.05). Also, the muscle activity ratio increased significantly contra lateral bag position more than 15% of body weight(p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, it was found that applied carrying bag position with weight on VMO,VL muscle activity ratio during step up down. Therefore carrying bag position can be used to selective activate vastus medialis oblique muscle in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.902-906
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• 1994

Between May 1991 and August 1993, 16 patients underwent repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect without another major anomaly at Cardiovascular Center,Yonsei University College of Medicine. Ages of the patients ranged from 3 months to 38 years with a mean of 42 months. Among 16, 10 patients[63%] are associated with Down`s syndrome. All patients underwent primary repair except and one who received had been repaire of coactation of aorta and patent ductus arteriosus 2 month before. Preoperative mitral valve regurgitation [MR] was evaluated with Doppler echocardiography and angiography which revealed absent or grade I in 1, grade II in 8, grade III in 4, and grade IV in 3. Operative technique was performed under the moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass with crystalloid cardioplegia. Intraoperative echocardiography was performed epicardial approach [n=7] in the operative table or transthoracic approach [n=9] at intensive care unit. In all patients except 3, MR were improved. But in 3 patients, was not improved or exagerated comparing preoperative one. All of them were died.One patient was showed MR grade IV in intraoperative echocardiography, we re-repaired atriventricular valve with cardiopulmonary bypass. During follow-up period [at a mean of 11 months after repair], doppler echocardiography was performed in all patients. The follow up echocardiography revealed that the degree of MR in immediate postoperative period was not changed except in two patients in whom it was aggravated. Thus it seems that intraoperative and early postoperative echocardiography was employed important role of survival and can be predictable for long term results.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2007

Patients of mental disorder have more missing teeth than general population because of the difficulty of oral hygiene management. In addition, especially Down syndrome patients etc., congenital dental problems develop more frequently. Therefore, prosthetic rehabilitation treatments for missing teeth in mental disorder patients are required more urgently. In other words, a removable partial denture may be very difficult for such patients to wear and manage. So in this review article we reviewed implant therapeutic modes for mental disorder patients based on previous reports. It should be understood that implant treatments are not impossible for mental disorder patients, and if implants could be a good method that could provide them good quality care, so implant should be included in treatment plans before surgery. Before surgery it should be evaluated that patients ability to manage themselves their ability to manage themselves should be evaluated and also should be evaluated whether general anesthesia or sedative treatment is required for the treatment, and whether their cooperation is good enough.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2001

$\alpha$-Fetoprotein(AFP) is a good marker for the detection of several diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma, gonadal germ cell tumor, gastric tumor, and Down's syndrome. In this study, we developed ELISA, using synthetic peptides corresponding to the epitopes of AFP. Five kinds of peptides were synthesized from AFP to produce antibodies in rats that recognize AFP in human plasma as well as amniotic fluid and do not cross-react with serum albumin. All five kinds of antibodies showed good reactivities with their peptide-keyhole limpet hemocyanin conjugates. Anti-synthetic peptide 1 (R-N-E-Y-G-I-A-S-I-L, 4-13) antibody, in particular, reacted well with AEP as well as synthetic peptide 1-KLH but not with human serum albumin. The binding affinity(Kd) was 2.7$\times$10$^{-9}$M for peptide 1 and 6.8$\times$10$^{-8}$M for AEP. The range for measurement of AFP was 10~1,000 ng/ml. The within-assay and between-assay coefficients of variance(CV) were 4.83% and 10.97%, respectively. In a sample of 31 sera and 33 amniotic fluids, there was a good correlation between AFP values determined in this assay and those in a commercial kit. These results indicate that the antibodies against synthetic peptides corresponding to the epitopes of AFP are highly specific to APP and synthetic peptide-based ELISA would be useful for the measurement of human AFP.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 1981

A total and consecutive 46 patients have undergone cardiac valvular surgery including 8 open mitral commissurotomy and 38 mitral, aortic, mitral-aortic, mitral-tricuspid, tricuspid valve replacements using 46 artificial valves in a period between September 1976 and July 1981. They were 19 males and 27 females with the age ranging from 16 to 50 (mean 32.6) years. Out of 46 valves replaced, 6 were prosthetic valves and 40 were tissue valves, and 33 were replaced in mitral, 9 in aortic and 3 In tricuspid position. Isolated replacements were 33 mitral valves, 6 aortic valves and 1 tricuspid valve; double valve replacements were 6 mitral-aortic valves and 2 mitral-tricuspid valves. . Early mortality within 30 days after operation was noted in 4 cases; 3 after MVR and 1 after open mitral commissurotomy. Causes of death were thrombus obstruction of Beall-Surgitool, Cerebral air embolism, acute renal shut down due to low output syndrome, and left upper pUlmonary vein rupture after open mitral commissurotomy (early mortality 8.7%). 3 late deaths were noted during the follow-up period from 2 to 59 months; 1 due to cerebral hemorrhage from warfarin overdose 3 months, 1 due to miliary tuberculosis 9 months, and another 1 due to cardiac failure after open mitral commissurotomy 42 months postoperatively. Total survival rate 59 months after valvular surgery was 84.8%; there were no early and late death in the group of AVR, TVR and double valve replacements. Preoperative NYHA Class III & IV were 35 cases (76%) out of total 46 cases, and 38 cases (94.8%) out of 39 survival cases were included In NYHA Class I & II during the follow-up period.