• Development and Reproduction
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2022

The differentiation and development of preadipocyte into mature adipocyte are regulated by transcription factors, such as CCAAT enhancer binding protein (Cebp) gene family and sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (Srebp1). Steroid hormones give influences on the development and function of adipocyte. The present research examined expression patterns of CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (Cebpa), CCAAT enhancer binding protein beta (Cebpb), CCAAT enhancer binding protein gamma (Cebpg), sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (Srebp1), androgen receptor (Ar), and estrogen receptors (Esr) among different epididymal fat parts during postnatal period by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In the distal epididymal fat, expression of Cebpa, Cebpb, Cebpg, Srebp1, Ar, and Esr2 was increased until 12 months of age, while expression of Esr1 was decreased at 5 months of age and was not detectable after 8 months of age. In the proximal epididymal fat, transcript levels of Cebps and Srebp1 were increased at 8 months of age, followed by decreases of Cebpb and Cebpg transcript levels at 12 months of age. An additional increase of Srebp1 expression was observed at 12 months of age. Expression of Ar and Esr2 were increased until 8 months of age, followed by a drop of Ar expression level at 12 months of age. Expression pattern of Esr1 was similar to that in the distal epididymal fat. In the tail epididymal fat, expression of Cebpa, Cebpg, Srebp1, Ar, and Esr2 was increased with age. Esr1 was not detectable at all. The highest level of Cebpb was observed at 8 months of age. These data suggest the possibility of developmental and functional differentiation among the epididymal fat parts.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.84-88
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• 2002

Dating and dosimetry using electron spin resonance (ESR) in 20th Century developed at both Yamaguchi University and Osaka University have been reviewed with emphasis on new prospects and strategies in 21th century. Natural radiation have been generating radicals that accumulated in archaeological and geological materials. ESR detects these radicals and the ESR signal intensity is proportional to the radiation dose and therefore the age. The assessment of the total dose of natural radiation and the annual dose rate give their ESR ages. The ESR dating of stalactites and stalagmites ant Akiyoshi cave in Yamaguchi prefecture in 1975 was extended to anthropological dating using bones and tooth enamel excavated in Greek Petralona cave. Fossils of shells and corals gave the ages of marine terraces and sea-level changes. Quartz grains gave the ages of geothermal alteration and fault movements. Future ESR dating of ices at outer planets anf their satellite are also investigated as basic studies for ices od $H_2O,\;CO_2,\;SO_2$ as well as terrestrial hydrates in laboratory. Atomic bomb radiation dosimetry at Hiroshima and Nagasaki using ESR lead to the dosimetry of personnel, Chemobyl and JCO criticality accidents. Monitoring of radiation dose with sensitive materials with tissue equivalence are being developed. finally a new scanning ESR imaging apparatus (a near field microwave microscope) developed in our laboratory gave ESR images of Radicals from fossils to Si-CVD and diamond films as summarized in my book in 2002.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) evaluation is a useful tool for monitoring disease activity in various inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions. ESR is known to be influenced by a multitude of confounding factors. The present study aimed to assess the possible determinants of the ESR and its relationship with various risk factors involved in ischemic stroke. ESR and other hematological and biochemical parameters were investigated in 163 ischemic stroke patients (107 males and 56 females) selected based on imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 16.0 software. Linear regression analysis showed a significant inverse relationship of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit or packed cell volume (PCV) (P<0.001 for females; P<0.01 for males) with the ESR. It was observed that the red blood cell (RBC) count was not strongly correlated with the ESR (P<0.05 for both males and females). It was also observed that sex significantly affected the variables determining the ESR levels, whereas age had no effect. Gender differences were also observed with respect to Hb, RBC, PCV, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and ESR. The possible determinants of higher ESR levels in ischemic stroke may be sex, Hb, hematocrit, and RBC count, but the role of other clinical and laboratory parameters cannot be underestimated.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.147-150
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• 2010

Background: Chronic low back pain can be a manifestation of lumbar degenerative disease, herniation of intervertebral discs, arthritis, or lumbar stenosis. When nerve roots are compromised, low back pain, with or without lower extremity involvement, may occur. Local inflammatory processes play an important role in patients with acute lumbosciatic pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measurements in patients with chronic low back pain or radiculopathy. Methods: ESR and hsCRP were measured in 273 blood samples from male and female subjects with low back pain and/or radiculopathy due to herniated lumbar disc, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and other diseases. The hsCRP and ESR were measured prior to lumbar epidural steroid injection. Results: The mean ESR was 18.8 mm/h and mean hsCRP was 1.1 mg/L. ESR had a correlation with age. Conclusions: A significant systemic inflammatory reaction did not appear to arise in patients with chronic low back pain.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2021

Objective: Poor ovarian response (POR) refers to a subnormal follicular response that leads to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the eggs retrieved after ovarian stimulation during assisted reproductive treatment (ART). The present study investigated the associations of multiple variants of the estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes with POR in infertile Jordanian women undergoing ART. Methods: Four polymorphisms, namely ESR2 rs1256049, ESR2 rs4986938, FSHR rs6165, and FSHR rs6166, were investigated in 60 infertile Jordanian women undergoing ART (the case group) and 60 age-matched fertile women (the control group), with a mean age of 33.60±6.34 years. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism and then validated using Sanger sequencing. Results: The p-value of the difference between the case and control groups regarding FSHR rs6166 was very close to 0.05 (p=0.054). However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the other three SNPs, namely ESR2 rs1256049, ESR2 rs4986938, and FSHR rs6165 (p=0.561, p=0.433, and p=0.696, respectively). Conclusion: The association between FSHR rs6166 and POR was not statistically meaningful in the present study, but the near-significant result of this experiment suggests that statistical significance might be found in a future study with a larger number of patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2005

To find out the effectiveness of clinical examination for detection of dermatophagoides farinae allergen asthma disease, 50 patients (control group) and 50 healthy persons matched by sex and age to the control group, were tested for allergen asthma. The results of the study follow. The ESR there was significantly different from the comparisons of the patients' normal reference values, 95.3 % in ESR, patient groups allergen asthma and heamatology values with control group. The ESR level of allergen asthma patients, $62.23{\pm}35.09$ mm/hr, was higher than that of the controls, $9.47{\pm}5.36$ mm/hr (p<0.001). The eosinophil count level of the patients, $370.65{\pm}365.45mm^3$, was higher than that of the controls with $171.99{\pm}131.80mm^3$ (p<0.001). The IgE level of the patients, $1137.79{\pm}784.69IU/ml$, was higher than that of the controls with $71.29{\pm}14.28 IU/ml$ (p<0.001).

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between cytokine and chemokine levels and the clinical severity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory parameters were performed. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, interferon-${\gamma}$-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), macrophage inflammatory $protein-1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ were measured. The severity of patients' clinical course and radiologic findings were also assessed. Results: Seventy-two patients (35 males and 37 females) with a median age of 3.9 years (range, 1-16 years) were enrolled. Patients with lobar pneumonia (n=29) had significantly higher C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and IL-18 values than those with broncho-interstitial pneumonia (n=43). However, the cytokine and chemokine values did not differ between the group that was treated with corticosteroids (n=31) and the one that was not (n=41). The CRP, ESR, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), IL-18, and IP-10 values showed positive correlations with fever duration prior to admission. The CRP and ESR values were positively correlated with IL-18, and LDH, with IP-10 levels. Conclusions: CRP, ESR, LDH, IL-18, and IP-10 values were associated with the severity of the disease, manifesting lobar pneumonia or prolonged fever duration prior to admission.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.998-1003
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• 2005

Purpose : We evaluated the occurrence of renal scarring in children with unilateral vesicoureteral reflux(VUR), and the relationships between renal scar formation and risk factors such as VUR, duration of fever, acute-phase reactant, age, and sex. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the data of 35 children newly diagnosed with unilateral vesicoureteral reflux after urinary tract infection(UTI) in Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital between January 1996 and December 2004. Ultrasonography, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), and C-reactive protein(CRP) were performed initially. Voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) was performed 1 to 3 weeks after treatment with UTI. $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan was performed 4 to 6 months after treatment. Results : Scintigraphic renal damage was present in 29 percent of the refluxing and in 3 percent of the nonrefluxing kidneys(P<0.05). The severity of VUR was significantly correlated with renal scar formation(P<0.05). The duration of fever before treatmen($5.0{\pm}1.3$ vs $2.6{\pm}1.3$) and prolonged fever of over 5 days were significantly different between renal scar group and non-renal scar group(P<0.05). ESR($56.3{\pm}23.8$ vs $27.9{\pm}18.1mm/hr$, P<0.05) and CRP($12.8{\pm}7.3$ vs $3.9{\pm}3.8mg/dL$, P<0.05) at the diagnosis of UTI in the renal scar group were higher, compared to those of the non-renal scar group. There were no significant differences in age and sex between the two groups. Conclusion : The presence and grade of VUR, the duration of fever before treatment, prolonged fever over 5 days, ESR, and CRP were risk factors for renal scarring, irrespective of age and sex. Diagnosis and management of VUR, in children with UTI, is important to prevent renal scars.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.758-762
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• 2003

Purpose : Our examination was designed to determine the diagnostic properties of the cutoff point for the prediction of bacteremia in febrile children less than 3 years of age. Cutoff point is the value that simultaneously maximizes both sensitivity and specificity. Methods : We conducted a retrospective study of febrile children, less than 3 years of age, who clinically have no identifiable source of fever. Peripheral blood leukocyte count(WBC), absolute neutrophil count(ANC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were measured at the same time. All patients received blood culture, urine culture and/or CSF culture. Bacterial infection was defined as single pathogen isolated from the CSF or blood or a urinary tract infection (UTI). Patients were dichotomized into two groups : those with bacterial infection and no bacterial infection. We analyzed the characteristics of the children in the two groups. Results : Seventy-one patients(44 males; 27 females) were enrolled in the study. Twenty patients (28%) had a serious bacterial infection(twelve urinary tract infection, five bacteremia, three meningitis) and fifty-one(72%) had no serious bacterial infection. WBC, ESR and CRP were significantly different between the two groups(P<0.05). The cutoff point of WBC, ESR and CRP were $20,000/mm^3$, 30 mm/hr and 3.0 mg/dL, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of each cutoff point were WBC(75%, 75%), ESR(79%, 68%) and CRP(83%, 77%), respectively. Conclusion : These data show the ability of predictors to identify febrile children less than 3 years of age with bacterial infection. Febrile children who reach the cutoff point must be treated intensively and those who do not reach the cutoff point can be carefully managed without administering antimicrobial agents.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 1995

For studying the effect of different dietary fats on carcinogenesis, fatty acid composition of membrane and lipid peroxidation were measured. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on diet containing 15%(w/w) beef tallow or soybean oil. A single dose of 50 mg 2-AAF/kg B.W. was injected i.p. in each diet group 10 times. Rats were sacrifled after 1, 5, 10, and 15 weeks from the first injection. By 2-AAF injection, !ipid peroxidation increased slightly compared to control group. The rats fed on different fats had similar MDA production and those fed on soybean oil had slightly higher free radical concentration measured by ESR. In young rats, iipid peroxidation level was high and hydroxy radical production was higher in soybean oil group than in beef tallow group. With age, the lipid peroxidation values were decreased initially then increased. The fatty acid composition in microsomal membrane was reflected by dietary fatty acid composition. In soybean oil group, monoenoic acid was lower and polyunsaturated fatty acid was higher than beef tallow group. Linoleic acid contents showed the most discrepancy among groups. By 2-AAF treatment, iinoleic acid content and unsaturation index increased in soybean oil group. But in beef tallow group, there was no difference in fatty acid contents.