• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.245-262
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• 2020

In recent years, nanotechnology has revolutionized global healthcare and has been predicted to exert a remarkable effect on clinical medicine. In this context, the clinical use of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis, fertility preservation, and the management of infertility and other pathologies linked to pubertal development, menopause, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has substantial promise to fill the existing lacunae in reproductive healthcare. Of late, a number of clinical trials involving the use of nanoparticles for the early detection of reproductive tract infections and cancers, targeted drug delivery, and cellular therapeutics have been conducted. However, most of these trials of nanoengineering are still at a nascent stage, and better synergy between pharmaceutics, chemistry, and cutting-edge molecular sciences is needed for effective translation of these interventions from bench to bedside. To bridge the gap between translational outcome and product development, strategic partnerships with the insight and ability to anticipate challenges, as well as an indepth understanding of the molecular pathways involved, are highly essential. Such amalgamations would overcome the regulatory gauntlet and technical hurdles, thereby facilitating the effective clinical translation of these nano-based tools and technologies. The present review comprehensively focuses on emerging applications of nanotechnology, which holds enormous promise for improved therapeutics and early diagnosis of various human reproductive tract diseases and conditions.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.148-150
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• 2013

Intracranial calcifications are relatively common computed tomographic findings in the field of neurosurgery, and cysticercosis, tuberculosis, HIV, and cryptococcus are acquired intracranial infections typically associated with calcifications. However, intracranial calcification caused by a bacterial brain abscess is rare. Here, we present a rare case of intracranial calcification caused by a bacterial brain abscess, from which staphylococcus hominis was isolated. To the best of our knowledge, no previous report has been published on intracranial calcification caused by bacterial brain abscess after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury. In this article, the pathophysiological mechanism of this uncommon entity is discussed and relevant literature reviewed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.195-198
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• 2013

Herpes zoster is a cutaneous infection that is characterized by an acute vesicobullous rash with ipsilateral one or two dermatomal distribution and painful allodynia, while predominantly being found in the elderly. Extensive cutaneous dissemination has been reported in immune-compromised patients, such as those who suffer from HIV infections, cancer, chemotherapy, and corticosteroid therapy patients. However, we report a case of disseminated herpes zoster infection in an immuno-competent elderly individual.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.365-370
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• 2006

Viral, bacterial and fungal infections can be transmitted via allografts such as bone, skin, cornea and cardiovascular tissues. Allogenic bone grafts have possibility of transmission of hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), human T-Cell leukaemia virus (HTLV), tuberculosis and other bacterias. The tissue bank should have a policy for obtaining information from the patient's medical report as to whether the donor had risk factors for infectious diseases. Over the past several years, improvements in donor screening criteria, such as excluding potential donor with "high risk" for HIV-1 and hepatitis infection, and donor blood testing result in the reduction of transmission of these diseases. During tissue processing, many allografts are exposed to antibiotics, disinfectants and terminal sterilization such as irradiation, which further reduce or remove the risk of transmitting diseases. Because the effectiveness of some tissue grafts such as, fresh frozen osteochondral grafts, depends on cellular viability, not all can be subjected to sterilization and processing steps and, therefore, the risk of transmission of infectious disease remains. This article is review of the transmission of considering infectious disease in allogenic bone transplantation and the processing steps of reducing the risk. The risk of viral transmission in allografts can be reduced in several standards. The most important are donor-screening tests and the removal of blood and soft tissues by processing steps under the aseptic environment. In conclusion, final sterilizations including the irradiation, can be establish the safety of allografts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권8호
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• pp.1367-1375
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• 2018

Silver nanoparticles have been widely applied for biomedical areas owing to their potent antiviral and antibacterial activities. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using biomacromolecules is more efficient, environment-friendly, and cost-saving compared with the traditional approach. In this paper, a novel approach was developed to establish a reaction system with $Ag^+-BH4^--sericin$ to synthesize silver nanoparticles conjugated to sericin (AgNPs-Sericin). Sericin could be as a good dispersant and stabilizing agent, which is able to modify nanoscaled AgNPs, the average diameter of which was only $3.78{\pm}1.14nm$ prepared in a 0.3 mg/ml sericin solution. The characterizations of the AgNPs-Sericin were determined by FTIR, thermogravimetry, and XRD analyses. The results showed that the synthesized AgNPs conjugated with sericin as organic phase. Via SAED and XRD analysis, we showed that these AgNPs formed polycrystalline powder with a face-centered cubic structure of bulk metals. Moreover, we investigated the antiviral and antibacterial activities of AgNPs-Sericin, and the results showed that AgNPs-Sericin exhibited potent anti-HIV-1 activity against CCR5-tropic and CXCR4-tropic strains, but no significant cytotoxicity was found toward human genital epithelial cells compared with free silver ions, which are accepted as a commonly used potent antimicrobial agent. Moreover, its antibacterial activity was determined via flow cytometry. The results showed that AgNPs-Sericin could suppress gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria, but more was potent for the gram-negative one. We concluded that our AgNPs-Sericin could be a potential candidate as a microbicide or antimicrobial agent to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

• 한국융합학회논문지
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• 제8권6호
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• pp.275-281
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• 2017

인간 내인성 레트로 바이러스는 약 3~4 천만 년 전 인간게놈에 통합되기 시작했던 화석바이러스로서 인간게놈의 약 8%를 구성하고 있다. 이러한 고대의 레트로 바이러스는 연속된 유전자변이로 인해 본래의 기능을 잃게 됨으로써 "쓸모없는 DNA (junk DNA)"로 여겨져 왔다. 그러나 최근 연구는 모든 인간 내인성 레트로 바이러스가 단지 침묵을 지키는 승객만이 아님을 보여준다. 현재까지는 이들 바이러스가 인간 질병의 직접 원인이 된다는 것은 밝혀지지 않았으나, 다발성 경화증, 정신 분열증 및 근 위축성 측삭경화증을 포함한 신경학적 장애와 인간면 역결핍바이러스 (HIV)나 헤르페스 등의 바이러스 감염, 여러 유형의 암과 같은 질환을 가진 환자에서 인간 내인성 레트로 바이러스의 DNA가 과도발현 됨을 보여주는 연구들이 다양하게 이루어지고 있다. 이 리뷰논문은 신경학적 질환에 대한 인간 내인성 레트로 바이러스의 가능한 관련여부를 다루고 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.799-802
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• 2012

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted disease affecting both men and women and is responsible for different ano-genital cancers in either sex. Co-existing sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV have been considered as important co-factors for carcinogenesis induced by HPV. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of any HPV, HPV 16 and HPV 18 and also concomitant STIs among female sex workers (FSW), men having sex with men (MSM) and injectable drug users (IDU). Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 45 FSWs, 26 MSMs and 58 IDUs who attended the STI or de-addiction clinics. Genital scrape samples collected from glans penis and coronal sulcus in males and cervical squamo-columnar junction in females were tested for HPV DNA by PCR using HPV L1 consensus primer. Type specific PCR to detect HPV 16 and 18 was done on the samples positive on consensus PCR. All participants were tested for associated STIs including HIV and hepatitis B and cervical cytology was done on all females. Results: Among the FSWs, HPV was detected in 73.3% and HPV 16 and 18 was detected in 25.7%. Though the HPV prevalence was similarly high among MSMs (69.2%) and IDUs (72.4%), the prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 was much lower in these groups compared to the FSWs. Prevalence of cervico-vaginal infection with Trichomonas vaginalis and syphilis was significantly higher in the HPV positive women compared to the HPV negative women. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of other STIs among HPV positive and negative women and men. Conclusion: HPV infection is highly prevalent among FSW, MSM and IDUs. Trichomonas vaginalis infection is more frequent in HPV positive women.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.156-163
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• 2012

Objectives: It is necessary to examine groups carrying out sexually risky behavior because the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is high among them. In this study, the prevalence of STDs among homosexuals and sexbuying men in South Korea was investigated, along with their sexual risk factors. Methods: Men who have sex with men (MSMs, n=108) were recruited in Seoul and Busan by applying the time location sampling method, while sex-buying men (n=118) were recruited from a john school in Gyeonggi province, the suburbs of Seoul. Dependent variables included past or present infection with syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and human immunodeficiency virus. Independent variables included health behavior, social support, sexual behavior, and safe sex. Results: It was found that when the MSMs were non-drunk while having sexual intercourse (odds ratio [OR], 0.132), they showed a higher STD infection rate when they had a higher number of anal sex partners (OR, 5.872), rarely used condoms (OR, 1.980), had lower self-efficacy (OR, 0.229), and were more anxious about becoming infected with an STD (OR, 3.723). However, the men who paid for sex showed high STD infections when they had more sex partners (OR, 2.286) and lower education levels (OR, 3.028). Conclusions: STD infections among the two groups were high when they were engaged with many sex partners and not having protected sex. In other words, there was a gap in risky sex behavior within such groups, which was significantly related to the possibility of developing an STD. Therefore, the preventive intervention against STDs for these groups needs to be expanded to include management of sex behaviors.

• 한국건강관리협회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.9-25
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• 2004

Along with a development of medical technology, a variety of tests, such as laboratory tests, x-ray and endoscopies are being used in health screening tests. As the tests determine the quality of health screening, test items of major health screening program in Korea. Most, of the health screening programmes focused upon detection of risk factors and diagnosis of life-style related diseases(diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, overweight, drinking, smoking, cerebrovascular diseases, osteoporosis), cancers(stomach, cervix, lung, breast, liver, colon, prostate, ovary, pancreas, thyroid, esophagus), infections diseases(hepatitis, tuberculosis, sexually-transmitted diseases, parasites), chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, chronic renal diseases(bacteriuria, hematuria, proteinuria), anemia, glaucoma, hearing loss, Alzheimer disease, stress and earlypsychiatric diseases. The health screening tests were basic physical examination, basic laboratory tests( CBC, urinalysis, liver function tests, lipid tests, glucose, HbA1c, uric acid, electrolytes, serological tests(HBsAg, HBs-Ab, HCV-Ab, HIV-Ab, VDRL) EKG, x-ray(chest PA, CT) endoscopy(gastroscopy, colonoscopy), sonography (abdomen, thyroid, pelvis, breast), cytology(cervix), bone density, tumor markers(NMP22, alpha-FP, CEA, CA-19-9, CA125, PSA and eye tests. Advanced technologies, like CT, PET, MRI, MRI/Angio, molecular testing were widly used in hospital based health screening programmes. In summary, a variety of tests were untilized in health screening in Korea. Those tests were utilized by stages or according to sex and age in most of health screening programmes, however a few programs used tests excessvely disregarding health screening subjects.

• BMB Reports
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.217-231
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• 2011

T cell exhaustion develops under conditions of antigen-persistence caused by infection with various chronic pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and myco-bacterium tuberculosis (TB), or by the development of cancer. T cell exhaustion is characterized by stepwise and progressive loss of T cell function, which is probably the main reason for the failed immunological control of chronic pathogens and cancers. Recent observations have detailed some of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the severity of T cell exhaustion. Duration and magnitude of antigenic activation of T cells might be associated with up-regulation of inhibitory receptors, which is a major intrinsic factor of T cell exhaustion. Extrinsic factors might include the production of suppressive cytokines, T cell priming by either non-professional antigenpresenting cells (APCs) or tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs), and alteration of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Further investigation of the cellular and molecular processes behind the development of T cell exhaustion can reveal therapeutic targets and strategies for the treatment of chronic infections and cancers. Here, we report the properties and the mechanisms of T cell exhaustion in a chronic environment.