• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.595-597
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• 2013

In December 2011, we reported an autochthonous case of Echinococcus multilocularis infection in a 42-yearold woman in Korea. The diagnosis was based on histopathological findings of the surgically resected liver cyst. In the present study, we evaluated the serological and molecular characteristics of this Korean E. multilocularis case. The patient's serum strongly reacted with affinity-purified native Em18 and recombinant Em18 antigens (specific for E. multilocularis) but negative for recombinant antigen B8/1 (reactive for Echinococcus granulosus). In immunoaffinity chromatography, the serum also strongly reacted with E. multilocularis and only weakly positive for E. granulosus. We determined the whole nucleotide sequence of cox1 (1,608 bp) using the paraffin-embedded cystic tissue which was compared with E. multilocularis isolates from China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Austria, France, and Slovakia. The Korean case showed 99.8-99.9% similarity with isolates from Asia (the highest similarity with an isolate from Sichuan, China), whereas the similarity with European isolates ranged from 99.5 to 99.6%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6269-6272
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• 2012

We conducted a case-control study to determine the association between several potential SNPs of excision repair cross complementing group 5 (XPG) and gastric cancer susceptibility, and roles of XPG polymorphisms in combination with H.pylori infection in determining risk of gastric cancer. In our study, we collected 337 newly diagnosed gastric cancer cases and 347 health controls. Three SNPs of XPG, rs2296147T>C, rs2094258C>T and rs873601G>A, were genotyped using the Taqman real-time PCR method with a 7900 HT sequence detector system. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by ELISA. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the rs2296147 CC genotype was associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.27-0.97), and rs2094258 TT was associated with elevated risk (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.22-3.35). Positive H.pylori individuals with rs2094258 TT genotypes demonstrated increased risk of gastric cancer (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.22-3.35), while rs2296147 CC was associated with lower risk among patients with negative H.pylori (OR=0.45, 95%CI=0.22-0.89). Our findings suggested that XPG polymorphisms might contribute to risk of gastric cancer among Chinese populations, but the effect needs to be further validated by larger sample size studies.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 1993

The effects of ${\alpha}_1$-adrenergic stimulation on membrane potential, intracellular sodium activity $(a_N{^i{_a}})$, and contractility were investigated in the isolated papillary muscle of euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid guinea pigs. Cardiac alterations in the thyroid state have been shown to induce marked changes in action potential characteristics, the most pronounced shortening of action potential duration by hyperthyroidism and an increase in duration by hypothyroidism. $10^{-5}M$ Phenylephrine produced a decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in euthyroid and hypothyroid preparations, but an increase in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in hyperthyroid ones. The major findings were that phenylephrine produced a stronger positive inotropic effect(PIE) without initial negative inotropic effect(NIE) in hyperthyroid preparations, while phenylephrine produced markedly NIE in hypothyroid ones. The alterations in membrane potential, $(a_N{^i{_a}})$, and contractility were abolished by $3{\times}10^{-5}M$ prazosin in hypothyroidism. In hypothyroid ventricular muscle, the decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ caused by phenylephrine were not abolished or reduced by $10^{-5}M$ strophanthidin, $10^{-5}M$ TTX, $3{\times}10^{-4}M$ lidocaine, or $100^{-5}M$ verapamil. These results indicate that the ${\alpha}_1$-adrenoceptor-mediated decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ is not associated with a stimulation of the $Na^+$-$K^+$ pump, inhibition of the $Na^+$ or $Ca^+$ channel in hypothyroid ventricular muscle. $10^{-5}M$ Phenylephrine decreased $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ but increased $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in the presence of a PKC activator phorbol dibutyrate$(PDB_u)$. In conclusion, it is suggested that the following sequence of events in response to phenyleplhane occur in guinea pig ventricular muscle. First, changes in thyroid state may contribute to the ventacular electrophysiological propeties or ion transport system. Second, the adrenoceptor-mediated initial transient NIE may be associated with the decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ by PKC activation.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.66-84
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• 2003

Objectve : Recent stuides suggested that there is a strong correlation between acupuncture stimulation and its cortical activation. Another study showed that either positive or negative BOLD effects could be observed depending on anatomical structure in acupuncture. Methods : 1) Subjects and paradigms: Two separate stimulation paradigms were performed in this study. To see the effects of electro-acupuncture stimulation on K7(Fuliu), the experiment was carried out on six healthy volunteers, using the gradient echo sequence with the 3.0T whole-body MRI system(ISOL). After the needle insertion on right K7(Fuliu), 2 Hz of electric stimulation was given for 30 seconds, repeated five times, with 30 seconds' intervals. During the intervals while there was no electro-stimulation, the subjects performed motor task as a reference. The image analysis including motion correction, talairach transformation, and smoothing was done using SPM99. Results: The electro-acupuncture stimulation on K7(Fuliu) activated Brodmann's Areas of 9, 19, 23, 24, 31, 32, 39 which may be the central pathways of the electro-acupuncture stimulation on K7(Fuliu) and those brain areas may be related with the function of the electro-acupuncture stimulation on K7(Fuliu).

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, is a representative bony fish that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and the order Scorpaeniformes. It has high ecological and economic value and is widely cultivated in many East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and China. One of streptococci, Streptococcus iniae, is Gram-positive cocci with a negative reaction for catalase and oxidase. The Korean rockfish shows clinical signs when infected with S. iniae, such as body darkening, bleeding, enlarged kidneys, blurred eyes, abdominal distension, etc., ultimately leading to death. The Korean rockfish causes significant economic losses every year in South Korea due to streptococcosis. In this study, we identified bacteria from the fish using polymerase chain reaction and conducted analyses of hemolytic activity and biochemical tests using API 20 STREP and API ZYM systems. Results of confirming the hemolytic activity (n=4) observed in alpha-type hemolysis (25%), beta-type hemol- ysis (50%), and gamma-type hemolysis (25%) of isolates. The biochemical test results exhibited sig- nificant variation among S. iniae. Additionally, we performed intraperitoneal injection with S. iniae in the fish and analyzed the phylogenetic tree using housekeeping genes of S. iniae, including cpsD, arcC, glnA, groEL, gyrB, mutS, pheT, prkC, rpoB, and tkt, via multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The lethal dose (LD₅₀) showed strong pathogenicity, such as 3.34 × 10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml for 23FBStr0601 strain and 7.16 × 10 CFU/ml for 23FBStr0602 strain. 23FBStr0603 strain showed relatively low pathogenicity at 1.73 × 10⁵ CFU/ml. The strains 23FBStr0601 and 23FBStr0602, which showed strong pathogenicity, clustered into one monophyletic group. The 23FBStr0603 strain showed weak pathogenicity and formed a monophyletic group with KCTC 3657.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2001

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for monitoring the response to radiation therapy in metastatic bone marrow of the spines. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with metastatic bone marrow of the spines were examined with MRI. Diffusion-weighted and spin-echo MRI were performed in 10 patients before and after radiation therapy with or without systemic chemotherapy, and performed in 11 patients after radiation therapy alone. Follow up spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MRI were obtained at 1 to 6 months after radiation therapy according to patients' condition. The diffusion-weighted imaging sequence was based on reversed fast imaging with steady-state precession (PSIF). Signal intensity changes of the metastatic bone marrows before and after radiation therapy on conventional spin-echo sequence MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI were evaluated. Bone marrow contrast ratios and signal-to-noise ratios before and after radiation therapy of diffusion- weighted MRI were analyzed. Results: All metastatic bone marrow of the spinal bodies were hyperintense to normal bone marrow of the spinal bodies on pretreatment diffusion-weighted MRI and positive bone marrow contrast ratios(p<0.001), and hypointense to normal spinal bodies on posttreatment diffusion-weighted MRI and negative bone marrow contrast ratios(p<0.001). The signal to noise ratios after treatment decreased comparing with those of pretreatment. Decreased signal intensity of the metastatic bone marrows on diffusion-weighted MRI began to be observed at average more than one month after the initiation of the radiation therapy. Conclusion: These results suggest that diffusion-weighted MRI would be an excellent method for monitoring the response to therapy of metastatic bone marrow of the spinal bodies, however, must be investigated in a larger series of patients with longer follow up period.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.331-340
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• 1997

Hyalophora cecropia attacin-like antibacterial gene was isolated from Bombyx mori induced with nonpathogenic bacteria. It was expressed in Spodopfera frugiperda 9 (Sf9 cells using baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), and examined its antibacterial activity. With a cDNA library constructed from fifthinstar B. mori injected with Escherichia coli(4 X IOhcellsllarva), differential screening was performed using naive and induced mRNA probes. BmInc6 clone was screened by partial nucleotide sequence and GenBank database analysis. A complete nucleotide sequence of Bmlnc6 cDNA was determined (GenBank, AF005384). Its insert size was 852 bp and had open reading frame that started translation at position 35 and stopped at 679. And its putative polyadenylational signal existed at 812 bp. The number of amino acid deduced from Bmlnc6 cDNA was 214 and hydropathy analysis showed that this peptide was hydrophilic. This peptide deduced by BmInc6 was named nuecin. When the nuecin gene was expressed in Sf9 cells using BEVS, about 950 bp of the transcripts was detected. In addition, SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the molecular weights of intracellular expressed protein and the mature protein secreted to culture media were approximately 23 and 20 kDa, respectively. The antibacterial activity of nuecin against E. coli and Bacillus subtilis was significantly high, demonstrating that nuecin had a wider antibacterial spectrum with gram negative and positive bacteria than attacin.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

Among mitigation techniques for electric and magnetic field (EMF) from an overhead transmission line a passive loop is a way that can be cheap and easily installed on the existing towers and have a satisfactory effect as well. However current induced in the passive loop causes transmission power loss and the phase imbalance increases since geometrical asymmetry of the transmission lines becomes larger. So in order to evaluate the power loss and the phase imbalance due to a passive loop, this paper represent a 345[kV] 1-circuit flat type transmission line as asymmetrical 3-phase distributed parameter line model where the effect of a passive loop is embedded in the line parameters, and then formulates differential equations. By solving these equations voltages and currents of each phase at receiving end become known. We find out that power losses occur differently at each phase and positive sequence component decreases at receiving end while negative sequence component increase. In general phase imbalance due to a passive loop is slight, but it increases in proportional to the induced current and length of section where the passive loop is installed. Thus the phase imbalance should be included in terms of cost for introducing a passive loop.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.139-147
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• 2004

We have isolated two bacterial strains, FM-02 and AL-02, which produced EPS from forest soil for the restoration of forest fire by promoting soil aggregation. FM-02 was found to be Gram negative rod and belong to Beta Proteobacterium sp. through 16s-rDNA sequence analysis, and AL-02 was Gram positive rod and showed 81% of similarity to Zoogloea sp. through the analysis of 16s-rDNA sequence. FM-02 and AL-02 produced about 1.8g and 8.3g of EPS, respectively, per 1L of culture as dry weight. Flocculation activity (FA) was also measured in two strains. FM-02 showed 2.31 FA against active carbon, and AL-02 showed 6.21 FA against kaolin clay. From these results, we expect that AL-02 strain will be applied as a good biological material for the reduction of forest soil erosion by wild and rain after fire through promoting coagulation of soil particles.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 1998

In Korea, all domestic made test systems for detecting antibodies in HIV-1 contain the antigens from human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) subtype B. However, because HIV-1 subtype O is significantly different in amino acid sequences from all other subtypes of HIV-1, there has been a need for developing a test for detecting antibodies in subtype O. For this purpose, the entire nucleotide sequence corresponding to the extracellular domain of the transmembrane glycoprotein of HIV-1 subtype O was synthesized with consideration of Escherichia coli condon usage. Various regions of the extracellular domain were cloned into E. coli expression vectors and tested for levels of protein production. The nucleotide sequence, named ECTM, that can encode a 129 amino acid-long peptide, was found to be expressed at a high level in E. coli. The protein of approximately 17 kDa specifically reacted with sera from individuals infected with HIV-1 subtype O. The ECTM protein was purified to near homogeneity by the CM-T gel chromatography, using concentrated, denatured inclusion bodies. In Western blot analysis, the purified viral antigen reacted with sera from individuals infected with subtype O more efficiently than subtype B. The enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) system was developed using the subtype O viral protein and compared with the commercially available kit lacking the antigens from subtype O. The ELISA kit containing the subtype O antigen ECTM alone efficiently reacted with sera from individuals infected with subtype O. The subtype O antigen-containing kit produced a positive absorbence even when sera were diluted 512-fold, suggesting a high sensitivity. The commercially available kit also reacted with subtype O sera, but produced a negative result at a dilution of 8-fold. Our results suggest that the currently available kit may not be able to efficiently detect subtype O sera and that the viral protein developed in this study may be added to the current system to maximize the detection of sera from individuals infected with subtype O.