• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.559-565
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• 2003

By improving the flow pattern in Fontan circuit, total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) could result in a better outcome than atriopulmonary connection Fontan operation. For the patients with impaired hemodynamics after atriopulmonary Fontan connection, conversion to TCPC can be expected to bring hemodynamic and functional improvement. We studied the results of the revision of the previous Fontan connection to TCPC in patients with failed Fontan circulation. Material and method: From October1979 to June 2002, eight patients who had failed Fontan circulation, underwent revision of previous Fontan operation to TCPC at Yonsei University Hospital. Intracardiac anomalies of the patients were tricuspid atresia (n=4) and other functional single ventricles (n=4). Mean age at TCPC conversion was 14.0$\pm$7.0 years (range, 4.6~26.2 years) and median interval between initial Fontan operation and TCPC was 7.5 years (range, 2.4~14.3 years). All patients had various degree of symptoms and signs of right heart failure. NYHA functional class was 111 or IV in six patients. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (n:f), cyanosis (n=2), intraatrial thrombi (n=2), and protein losing enteropathy (PLE) (n=3) were also combined. The previous Fontan operation was revised to extracardiac conduit placement (n=7) and intraatrial lateral tunnel (n=1). Result: There was no operative death. Major morbidities included deep sternal infection (n=1), prolonged pleural effusion over two weeks (n=1), and temporary junctional lachyarrhythrnia (n=1). Postoperative central venous Pressure was lower than the preoperative value (17.9$\pm$3.5 vs. 14.9$\pm$1.0, p=0.049). Follow-up was complete in all patients and extended to 50,1 months (mean, 30.3$\pm$ 12.8 months). There was no late death. All patients were in NYHA class 1 or 11. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia developed in a patient who underwent conversion to intraatrial lateral tunnel procedure, PLE was recurred in two patients among three patients who had had PLE before the convertsion. There was no newly developed PLE. Conclusion: Hemodynamic and functional improvement could be expected for the patients with Fontan circulatory failure after atriopulmonary connection by revision of their previous circulation to TCPC. The conversion could be performed with low risk of morbidity and mortality.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.666-676
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• 2013

The study was carried out to examine the initial point of dormancy, breaking time of internal dormancy, and to find out the accumulated hours of low temperature (under $7.2^{\circ}C$ from $0.0^{\circ}C$ to $7.2^{\circ}C$) for bud-breaking. Over-all, the chilling requirement for breaking of internal dormancy in the commercial apple cultivars ('Fuji' and 'Tsugaru') and apple cultivars bred in Korea ('Hongro', 'Sunhong', 'Honggeum', 'Hongan', 'Hongso', 'Gamhong', 'Summer dream') at the Gunwi region for 4 years (from 2009 to 2012) was investigated. Also, the breaking time of internal dormancy in the field at the Gunwi region and the breaking time of dormancy if air temperature of Gunwi region rises $4^{\circ}C$ higher than the current one were investigated using the same data. The initial point of dormancy was set at the time when the lateral bud breaking did not occurred (when heading back cutting was done in the middle of terminal shoots). The occurrence of the breaking of internal dormancy was decided if the breaking of the terminal bud of bourse shoot occurred within 15 days or not in growth chamber. About 100 bourse shoots were collected by cultivar classification in early December every year and were stored at $5.0^{\circ}C$, and they were placed in growth chamber at one week interval. The chilling requirement of cultivars was expressed in accumulated hours in the field and in the growth chamber under $7.2^{\circ}C$ and $0.0-7.2^{\circ}C$ from the initial point of dormancy to the breaking time of internal dormancy. The results showed that the initial point of dormancy in selected cultivars could occur at the end of September. The breaking time of internal dormancy could occur from the end of January to the early of February. The accumulated hours under $7.2^{\circ}C$ for breaking of internal dormancy were 1,600-2,000 hours, while those of $0.0-7.2^{\circ}C$ were 1,300-1,800 hours. In comparing the different apple cultivars, the chilling requirement of the early flowering cultivars seemed lower than that of the late-flowering cultivars. Based on these results, if the air temperature of Gunwi region rises about $4.0^{\circ}C$ higher than the current one, the breaking time of internal dormancy will be delayed by 2-4 weeks.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.344-360
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• 2017

Zoysiagrasses are important turf plants used for school playgrounds, parks, golf courses, and sports fields. The two most popular zoysiagrass species are Zoysia japonica and Zoysia sinica. These are widely distributed across different growing zones and are morphologically distinguishable from each other; however, it is phenotypically difficult to differentiate those that grow along the coastal line from those in beach area habitats. A combination of morphological and molecular approaches is desirable to efficiently identify these two plant cultivars. In this study, we used a rapid identification system based on DNA barcoding of the nrDNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. The nrDNA-ITS regions of ITS1, 5.8S nrDNA, and ITS2 from Z. japonica, Z. sinica, Agrostis stolonifera, and Poa pratensis were DNA barcoded to classify these grasses according to their molecular identities. The nrDNA-ITS sequences of these species were found at 686 bp, 687 bp, 683 bp, and 681 bp, respectively. The size of ITS1 ranged from 248 to 249 bp, while ITS2 ranged from 270 to 274 bp. The 5.8S coding region ranged from 163 - 164bp. Between Z. japonica and Z. sinica, nineteen (2.8%) nucleotide sites were variable, and the G+C content of the ITS region ranged from 55.4 to 63.3%. Substitutions and insert/deletion (indel) sites in the nrDNA-ITS sequence of Z. japonica and Z. sinica were converted to cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers, and applied to the Zoysia grasses sampled to verify the presence of these markers. Among the 62 control and collected grass samples, we classified three groups: 36 Z. japonica, 22 Z. sinica, and 4 Z. japonica/Z. sinica hybrids. Morphological classification revealed only two groups; Z. japonica and Z. sinica. Our results suggest that used of the nrDNA-ITS barcode region and CAPS markers can be used to distinguish between Z. japonica and Z. sinica at the species level.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.829-837
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds on cholesterol adsorption capacity and UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity. In vitro cholesterol adsorption capacity of 2%, 5% and 10% ethanol extracts from red pepper seed groups were significantly higher than that of the control group. Sprague-Dawley strain male rats weighing $100{\pm}10$ g were randomly assigned to one normal diet N group and experimental groups fed high fat and high cholesterol diet, which were divided into HF (0.0%), HEA (0.1%), HEB (0.2%), and HEC (0.5%) groups according to the amount of ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds added to their basal diet. The body weight gain in the HF group was higher than that in the N group, and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that in the HF group However, there were no statistically significant differences among the all the groups. The hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol contents in the N group was significantly lower than that in the HF group, and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that in the HF group. The hepatic UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity in the N group was lower than that of the HF group and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents of the HF group were significantly higher than that of the N group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The serum HDL-cholesterol contents in all groups supplemented with the ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds were significantly higher than that of the HF group. The serum LDL-cholesterol contents of the HF group were significantly higher than that of the N group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The fecal total cholesterol contents were significantly higher in the HF group compared to the N group, and those of the HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The fecal triglyceride contents in the N group was higher than that of the HF group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. This study suggested that the ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds have powerful health benefits by the UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity and lipid metabolism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the effect of Rhei Rhizoma (RR; 大黃) water extract on gene expression in a hypoxia model of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. RR water extract $(2.5{\mu}g/ml)$ was added to the culture media on day 10 in vitro (DIV10), and a hypoxic shock (2% $O_2$/5% $CO_2$, $37^{\circ}C$, 3 h) was given on DIV13. After maintaining the cultures in normoxia for 24 hr, total RNA was isolated and used for microarray analysis. The MA-plot indicated that most genes were up- or downregulated within 2-fold. There were more downregulated genes (725 ea) than upregulated ones (472 ea) when larger than Global M value 0.2 (i.e., >15% increase) or smaller than Global M value -0.2 (i.e., >15% decrease) were considered. Antiapoptosis genes such as Tegt (2.4-fold), Nfkb1 (2.4-fold) Veg (1.8-fold), Ngfr (1.6-fold) were upregulated, while pro-apoptosis genes such as Bad (-64%), Cstb (-66%) were downregulated. Genes for combating environmental stress (stress response genes) such as Defb3 (2.7-fold), Cygb (2.2-fold), Ahsg (2.18-fold), Alox5 (2-fold) were upregulated. Genes for cell proliferation (cell cycle-related genes) such as Erbb2 (1.84-fold), Mapk12 gene (1.8-fold) was upregulated. Therefore, RR water extracts upregulate many pro-survival genes while downregulating many pro-death genes. It is interpreted that these genes, in combination with other regulated genes, can promote neuronal survival in a stress such as hypoxia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.123-128
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• 2009

Production of highly valuable immunotherapeutic proteins such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines using plant biotechnology and genetic engineering has been studied as a popular research field. Plant expression system for mass production of such useful recombinant therapeutic proteins has several advantages over other existing expression systems with economical and safety issues. Immunotherapy of multiple monoclonal antibodies, which can recognize multiple targeting including specific proteins and their glycans highly expressed on the surface of cancer cells, can be an efficient treatment compared to a single targeting immunotherapy using a single antibody. In this study, we have established plant production system to express two different targeting monoclonal antibodies in a single transgenic plant through crossing fertilization between two different transgenic plants expressing anti-colorectal cancer mAbCO17-1A and anti-breast cancer mAbBR55, respectively. The F1 seedlings were obtained cross fertilization between the two transgenic parental plants. The presence, transcription, and protein expression of heavy chain (HC) and light chain (LC) genes of both mAbs in the seedlings were investigated by PCR, RT-PCR, and immunoblot analyses, respectively. Among all the seedlings, some seedlings did not carry or transcribe the HC and LC genes of both mAbs. Thus, the seedlings with presence and transcription of HC and LC genes of both mAbs were selected, and the selected seedlings were confirmed to have relatively stronger density of HC and LC protein bands compared to the transgenic plant expressing only each mAb. These results indicate that the F1 seedling plant with carrying both mAb genes was established. Taken together, plant crossing fertilization can be applied to generate an efficient production system expressing multiple monoclonal antibodies for immunotherapy in a single plant.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1339-1344
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• 2014

Inflammatory bowel disease is an immune disorder associated with chronic mucosal inflammation and severe ulceration in the gastrointestinal tract. Antibodies against proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF${\alpha}$, are currently used as promising therapeutic agents against the disease. Stabilization of the transcript is a crucial post-transcriptional process in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. In the present study, we assessed the expression and histological distribution of the HuR protein, an important transcript stabilizer, in tissues from experimental animals and patients with Crohn's disease. The total and cytosolic levels of the HuR protein were enhanced in the intestinal epithelia from dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-treated mice compared to those in control tissues from normal mice. Moreover, the expression of HuR was very high only in the mucosal and glandular epithelium, and the relative localization of the protein was sequestered in the lower parts of the villus during the DSS insult. The expression of HuR was significantly higher in mucosal lesions than in normal-looking areas. Consistent with the data from the animal model, the expression of HuR was confined to the mucosal and glandular epithelium. These results suggest that HuR may contribute to the post-transcriptional regulation of proinflammatory genes during early mucosal insults. More mechanistic investigations are warranted to determine the potential use of HuR as a predictive biomarker or a promising target against IBD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.461-466
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• 2014

Three plant species, Aster sphathulifolius, Sedum oryzifolium, and Lysimachia mauritiana, native to the Dokdo Islands in South Korea, were examined for rhizosphere microorganisms by using 16S rDNA sequences. Nine species of rhizosphere microorganisms were isolated from the three native plant species, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the microorganisms could be classified into 19 species belonging to four phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria), and the characteristics of the microbes were confirmed. Rhizosphere microorganisms from the six orders (Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated from S. oryzifolium. From L. mauritiana, microbes belonging to the seven orders (Bacillales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, Rhizobiales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated. From A. sphathulifolius, the six orders of rhizosphere microorganisms (Alteromonadales, Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, and Rhizobiales) were isolated. These data showed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla for the rhizosphere of all three plants. To confirm the bacterial diversity in rhizospheres, Shannon's diversity index (H') was used at the genus level. In these data, the rhizosphere from S. oryzifolium and L. mauritiana had more diverse bacteria compared to that from A. sphathulifolius.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1025-1031
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• 2013

From a 95% ethanolic extract of H. diffusa, four marker compounds (HD1~HD4) were isolated, which were relatively unique and exist in comparably high contents. The structures of marker compounds were identified as digitolutein (1), 2-hydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone (2), (E/Z)-6-O-p-coumaroyl scandoside methyl ester (4:1 mixture) (3), and (E/Z)-6-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl scandoside methyl ester (4:1 mixture) (4), respectively, on the basis of $^{13}C$ and $^1H$-NMR analyses. The calibration curves of marker compounds showed high linearity, as their correlation coefficient ($R^2$) were in the range of 0.9991~0.9999. In addition, the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were $0.03{\sim}0.07{\mu}g/ml$ and $0.099{\sim}0.231{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The intra-day/inter-day precision and accuracy were 0.23~2.00%/0.25~1.16% and 94.60~108.44%/94.73-110.23%, respectively. The optimal HPLC conditions for the simultaneous quantification of HD1~HD4 were as follows: stationary phase; Merck Chromolith RP-18e ($100{\times}4.6mm$, $5{\mu}m$), column temp.; room temperature, UV detection at 280 nm, flow rate; 2.0 ml/min, injection volume; $10{\mu}l$, mobile phase; start with the mixture of 80% solvent A ($H_2O$ containing 0.5% acetic acid) and 20% solvent B (methanol containing 0.5% acetic acid) and gradually decrease solvent A to 40% in 9 min., then retain this condition to 18 min. Under the HPLC condition, the four marker compounds 1~4 were successfully separated without any interference of other constituents. The results obtained in this study are expected to be helpful for the development of nutraceutics and natural medicines and for the quality control of this plant.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2012

I-cell disease (mucolipidosis type II; MIM 252500) and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy (mucolipidosis type III; MIM 252600) are disorders caused by abnormal lysosomal transport in cells. The presence of numerous inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, a lack of mucopolysacchariduria, increased lysosomal enzyme activity in serum, and decreased GlcNAc-phosphotransferase activity are hallmark. Here, we attempted to investigate phenotypical and biochemical characteristics of the knockoutmouse of GlcNAc-phosphotransferase ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ subunits; in addition, we also attempted to determine whether the lysosome enriched fraction derived from placenta can be beneficial to phenotype and biochemistry of the knockout mouse.We found that the knockout mouse failed to thrive and had low bone density, as is the case in human. In addition, skin fibroblasts from the animal had the same biochemical characteristics, including increased lysosomal enzyme activity in the culture media, in contrast to the relatively low enzyme activity within the cells. Intravenous injection of the lysosome rich fraction derived from placenta into the tail vein of the animal resulted in a gain of weight, while saline injected animals didn't.In conclusion, our study demonstrated the phenotypical and biochemical similarities of the knockout mouse to a mucolipidosis type II patient and showed the therapeutic potential of the lysosome enriched fraction. We admit that a larger scale animal study will be needed; however, the disease model and the therapeutic potential of the lysosome enriched fraction will highlight the hope for a novel treatment approach to mucopolipidosis type II, for which no therapeutic modality is available.