• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2018

B cell leukemia/lymphoma 3 (Bcl3) plays a pivotal role in immune homeostasis, cellular proliferation, and cell survival, as a co-activator or co-repressor of transcription of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ family. Recently, it was reported that Bcl3 positively regulates pluripotency genes, including Oct4, in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, the role of Bcl3 in the maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal activity is not fully established. Here, we report the dynamic regulation of the proliferation, pluripotency, and self-renewal of mESCs by Bcl3 via an influence on Nanog transcriptional activity. Bcl3 expression is predominantly observed in immature mESCs, but significantly decreased during cell differentiation by LIF depletion and in mESC-derived EBs. Importantly, the knockdown of Bcl3 resulted in the loss of self-renewal ability and decreased cell proliferation. Similarly, the ectopic expression of Bcl3 also resulted in a significant reduction of proliferation, and the self-renewal of mESCs was demonstrated by alkaline phosphatase staining and clonogenic single cell-derived colony assay. We further examined that Bcl3-mediated regulation of Nanog transcriptional activity in mESCs, which indicated that Bcl3 acts as a transcriptional repressor of Nanog expression in mESCs. In conclusion, we demonstrated that a sufficient concentration of Bcl3 in mESCs plays a critical role in the maintenance of pluripotency and the self-renewal of mESCs via the regulation of Nanog transcriptional activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.320-324
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• 2012

Osteoporosis is an important public health issue in postmenopausal women. It is a major public health concern and is widely believed that osteoporosis results from imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. Recently natural products from plants have been extensively studied as therapeutic drugs to treat and prevent various diseases. Hoelen (scientific name, Poria cocos) is a mushroom that is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Hoelen exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and has a protective effect on tumor progression. However, the effect of hoelen in osteoclast differentiation remains unknown. Thus, we examined the effect of hoelen in receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. Hoelen significantly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) in dose dependent manner without toxicity. Also, we showed that hoelen significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of tartrate-resistant acid phophatase (TRAP) and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) in BMMs treated with RANKL. In Particular, hoelen greatly inhibited the protein expression of NFATc1. Ectopic expression of NFATc1 partially reverses hoelen-mediated inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, our results demonstrated that hoelen may be useful treatment option of bone-related disease such as osteoporosis, reumatoid arthritis, and periodontitis.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2009

We have previously isolated a CCCH type zinc-finger protein gene, OsZF2 (Oryza sativa Zinc Finger 2), from the cold-treated rice cDNA library. To investigate the potential role of OsZF2, transgenic rice lines over-expressing OsZF2 under the control of CaMV 35S promoter have been developed through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Elevated level of OsZF2 transcripts was confirmed by RNA gel blot analysis in transgenic rice. Under the 100 mM NaCl condition, the transgenic rice showed significantly enhanced growth rate in terms of shoot length and fresh weight, implicating that OsZF2 is likely to be involved in salt response of rice. In the field condition, however, the transgenic rice showed a dwarf phenotype and flowering time was delayed. Genome expression profiling analysis of transgenic plants using the 20K NSF rice oligonucleotide array revealed many up-regulated genes related to stress responses and signaling pathways such as chaperone protein dnaJ 72, salt stress-induced protein, PR protein, disease resistance proteins RPM1 and Cf2/Cf5 disease resistance protein, carbohydrate/ sugar transporter, OsWAK kinase, brassinosteroid LRR receptor kinase, and jasmonate O-methyltransferase. These data suggest that the CCCH type zinc-finger protein OsZF2 is a upstream transcriptional factor regulating growth and stress responsiveness of rice.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2013

Purpose: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) has various clinical manifestations, and diagnosis or selectection of proper diagnostic tools is not easy. This study was conducted in order to assess the clinical differences of MD diagnosed by scintigraphic and non-scintigraphic methods and to find the proper diagnostic tools. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review ofthe clinical, surgical, radiologic, and pathologic findings of 34 children with symptomatic MD, who were admitted to Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Inha University Hospital, and The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2000 and December 2012. The patients were evaluated according to scintigraphic (12 cases; group 1) and non-scintigraphic (22 cases; group 2) diagnosis. Results: The male to female ratio was 7.5: 1. The most frequent chief complaint was lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in group 1 and nonspecific abdominal pain in group 2, respectively. The most frequent pre-operative diagnosis was MD in both groups. Red blood cell (RBC) index was significantly lower in group 1. MD was located at 7 cm to 85 cm from the ileocecal valve. Four patients in group 1 had ectopic gastric tissues causing lower GI bleeding. The most frequent treatment modality was diverticulectomy in group 1 and ileal resection in group 2, respectively. Conclusion: To diagnose MD might be delayed unless proper diagnostic tools are considered. It is important to understand indications of scintigraphic and non-scintigraphic methods according to clinical and hematologic features of MD. Scintigraphy would be weighed in patients with anemia as well as GI symptoms.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 1998

Purpose : Renal duplication is a common occurrence, and the range of ureteral and renal anomalies draining the two poles of the duplex kidney leads to a variety of clinical presentations. Method : A series of 61 children with duplicated systems was studied retrospectively who were admitted during last 12years. Results : Of the children $60.6\%$ were accompanied with urologic anomalies that required surgical treatment, and most children initially were presented with urinary tract infection. $42.6\%$ of children were either diagnosed incidentally during evaluation of other non-urologic disease or during follow-up evaluation of abnormal antenatal renal sonogram. Conclusion : From our point view, children with history of abnormal antenatal renal sonogram, or with symptoms such as urinary tract infection, hematuria, abdominal pain should be evaluated radiologially fully to confirm further abnormality and accompanied complications. And routine follow-up using abdominal ultrasonogram, VCUG, and urine culture should be used to prevent and detect early treatable complications.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 1984

Seven cases of surgically proven sparganosis were serologically tested by means of microELISA for their specific IgG antibody levels. For that purpose, crude saline extract of spargana from snake, Natrix tigrina lateralis was prepared and used as antigen. The sparganosis sera were also tested with Paragonimus and Cysticercus antigens to observe the cross reactivity. A total of 71 sera from normal control, ectopic and pulmonary paragonimiasis, clonorchiasis, cysticerCOSIS and Taenia saginata cases were also included. Except for one case of old calcified infection, all of 6 human sparganosis showed higher serum levels of specific IgG antibody when the differential point of positive reaction was set at the absorbance value of 0.25 (the sensitivity being 85.7%). In control and other helminthic infections, all except 3 cases of T. saginata infection showed negative reaction to sparganum antigen (the specificity being 90.7%). None of sparganosis cases showed cress reactivity to Paragonimus and Cysticercus antigens. Undiluted cerebrospinal l1uid also showed high levels of antibody when central nervous system was invaded. The serologic diagnosis by means of micro ELISA could be a useful tool in epidemiological study of human sparganosis in susceptible population, as well as in individual diagnosis.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2012

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), an inherited connective tissue disorder, is caused by mutations in genes encoding different types of collagen or collagen-processing enzymes. EDS most typically affects the joints, ligaments, skin, and blood vessels. Oral health may be severely compromised in EDS as a result of specific alterations of collagen in orofacial structures. Dental hard tissue defects, root dilaceration, pulp stones, ectopic or delayed eruption, impaction, and periodontal disease could be observed. Therefore, a number of tissue responses related to collagen and precautions should be anticipated when considering dental treatment in EDS. Long-term and comprehensive dental management is required. The purpose of this report is to describe a clinical case of eruption disorders in a patient with EDS.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.534-547
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• 2006

Ectopic eruption and impaction of canines is a frequently encountered clinical problems. The incidence of impaction ranges between 1-3%. The cause of canine impaction can be the result of localized factors or can be a polygenic multifactorial inheritance and associated with other dental anomalies. The general dentist and pediatric dentist should know how to properly diagnose and manage potential disturbances in the eruption of maxillary canine. Diagnosis of impacted canine at age 8-10 years can significantly reduce serious ramifications, including surgical exposure and orthodontic traction as well as root resorption of the lateral incisors. Extraction of primary canine would be one of the method to prevent the impaction. The surgical procedure should be designed to minimize the destruction of periodontal tissue of impacted canine. Closed eruption technique is thought to be optimal method of surgical exposure compared with other methods. An overview of the incidence, sequela as well as the surgical periodontal, and orthodontic consideration in the management of impacted canine was presented.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.333-338
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• 2008

Supernumerary teeth are characterized by an excess number of teeth, which can be responsible for a variety of irregularities in the primary and transitional dentition. Supernumerary teeth, especially in the maxillary anterior region, may prevent the eruption of adjacent permanent teeth and cause their ectopic eruption, diastema, root resorption, or formation of dentigerous cyst. Therefore, early diagnosis of supernumerary teeth is important for prevention of such complications, and adequate treatment should be given according to their location, number, and morphologic features. In this case, four supernumerary teeth in the maxillary anterior region were disturbing the eruption of adjacent permanent incisors. Two of them were located in proximity to the central incisor tooth germs that their immediate removal may injure the permanent tooth germs. In order to minimize such complications, surgical extraction of the four supernumerary teeth was performed in two stages. At first, only two inverted conical supernumerary teeth were extracted. The other two tuberculous supernumerary teeth, close to the permanent tooth germs, were extracted later after their natural dislocation. In that way, we could minimize affects on the neighboring permanent tooth germs and also the amount of alveolar bone removed during surgery.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.647-653
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• 2009

Tooth transposition is an anomaly of eruption characterized by the interchanged positions of two adjacent teeth, which is divided into complete and incomplete transposition. There are three common approaches for treating transposition: aligning the involved teeth in their transposed positions, moving them to their correct anatomic position in the arch and extracting one of the transposed teeth. Considerations in treatment plans are esthetic, function, risk of jeopardizing the roots and damaging the supporting structures, position of the root apex, developmental stages of teeth and expected compliance. The presented case reports described one maxillary canine-the first premolar transposition and two mandibular lateral incisor-canine transpositions. The former transposed teeth were arranged in their transposed position, and the latter transposed teeth were rearranged into their normal position.