• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.322-334
• /
• 2013

Objectives: This study describes the results of a mass screening and secondary questionnaire conducted among sampled residents around Camp Carroll. Methods: The subjects were sampled based on Waegwan groundwater ingestion history via a primary health questionnaire survey. However, the study population included voluntary participants and there were no grounds for disqualification. Among the 1,033 residents, excluding people living outside Waegwan, 844 subjects age 30 and over were analyzed. History of physician-diagnosed disease (including detailed history of cancer), eating habits, drinking and smoking histories were queried through questionnaires. Health screening consisted of a blood pressure check and blood test (complete blood cell, liver enzyme, lipid, blood sugar test, etc.). Results: The proportion of abnormal gamma-glutamyltransferase levels was higher in the groundwater ingesting female group than the non-ingesting female group. The odds ratios of the ingested '1 to 9 years' and '10 years and over' groups were 3.09 and 0.87, respectively. Proportions of hypertension in males, abnormal serum triglyceride levels in all and in females, and abnormal serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in males were higher in the '10 to 29-year' resident group than in the '1 to 9 year' group. However, there were no significant trends according to length of residence. Conclusions: Physician-diagnosed prevalence and laboratory test results are not different by histories of Waegwan groundwater ingestion and by length of residence. Even if there are partially significant differences, they do not tend to follow increases of exposure amount and trends.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.65-69
• /
• 2002

To elucidate the effect of microsphere coinjection on the administration of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), we have investigated biodistribution of ［S-35］-labeled antisense ODN targeted to cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) RI-$\alpha$ subunit in nude mice xenografted with WiDr (human colon cancer, ATCC CCL218). The strategy of using microsphere has been proposed for cancer treatment as a carrier of therapeutic ODN so that it could offer an advantage with respect to maintaining constant ODN levels in blood and obtaining higher therapeutic ODN concentration at tumor sites. Comparative biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice (female, 20 g of body weight, n = 4-6) xenografted with WiDr cancer cells, when 0.1 $\mu$Ci (specific activity, 2.94 mCi/$\mu$mole) of ［S-35］-labeled RI-$\alpha$ antisense ODN was injected alone or with microsphere (PLG-18, polylactic copolymer with cationic surfactant DDAB18). Peak tumor uptake of ［S-35］-labeled ODN was significantly increased from 17.7% (at 6 h) of injected dose per gram of tissue (ID/g) to 42.5% (at 24 h) ID/g when microsphere was coinjected with ODN. The different biodistribution in the kidney accumulation (e.g., 100.2% ID/g for ODN alone and 54.9%/ID/g for microshpere coinjection) may contribute to higher blood concentration (e.g., 21.5%ID/$m\ell$ for ODN alone and 37.5%ID/$m\ell$ for microsphere coinjection) of radiolabeled ODN. Of importance is the fact that the whole body retention of radioactivity increased with microsphere coinjection from 50.8%ID/g to 68.0%ID/g after 24-h of injection. This decreased kidney accumulation and increased whole body retention of ［S-35］-labeled ODN resulted in a significant improvement of ODN targeting to the tumor site. In conclusion, the coinjection of microsphere appears to be an important carrier system in vehiculation of antisense oligonucleotide to the tumor tissue in vivo.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.166-172
• /
• 2001

Silicone fluid is a biomaterial widely used in modern cosmetic procedures because there are few side effects, considerable chemical stability and predictable physical properties. However, many local and systemic adverse reactions have reported. In particular some serious pulmonary complications have been reported such as pulmonary thromboembolism, acute respiratory distress syndrome with some cases leading to mortality. Most of the serious complicated cases were induced by an illegal silicone fluid injection. We experienced two cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome with pulmonary hemorrhage induced by an illegal silicone fluid injection. The patients were 41 & 51 year old women, who complained of dyspnea. The chest X-ray and HRCT scan findings showed a bilateral ground glass attenuation on the bilateral dependent portion of the upper and middle lung zone. The patients clinical symptoms and the radiologic and other laboratory findings were compatible with acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by the silicon fluid injection. Here we report two cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome with pulmonary hemorrhage induced by an illegal silicone injection with a review of the relevant literature.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 1998

Age-related changes in the lens capsule and epithelium of cataractous patients, ranging from 20 to 7o years old, were studied by means or LM, immunohistochemistry, and TEM. The lens capsule was divided into four zones; the anterior, subanterior, middle, and basal zone. The van Gieson staining reaction for collagen was prominent at the anterior and subanterior parts of the lens capsule. The reaction was more decreased in the elder group than the younger group. The collagen type IV reaction was prominent at the anterior zone of the lens capsule and around the cell. The reaction was more decreased in the elder group than the younger group. 3. The Periodic Acid Shiff-Alcian Blue reaction for mucopolysaccharide was prominent at the anterior zone of the lens capsule. The reaction was more decreased in the elder group than the younger group. The Apoptotic reaction was prominent at the nucleus of the lens epithelial cell. In the elder the cataractous group, the number of the apoptotic cells was more decreased. The electron microscopic change of lens epithelial cells were characterized by the increase of lateral fold and the cytoplasm with various vacuoles and Golgi complex. In the basal part, lens epithelial cell protruded toward the lens capsule in the 20-year-old group. The basal part of the 40-year-old group was flattened and covered with the cytoplasmic processes of adjacent cells. In the 60-year-old group, the mass of rough filaments separated lens capsule and the basal part of the lens epithelial cell. The electron microscopic change of the middle part of lens capsule was characterized by the aggregation of electron dense materials in the 40-year-old group, and the appearance of filamentous materials and the decrease of electron dense granules in the 60-year-old group.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 1998

To investigate the distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent in ticks, adult ixodid ticks of Ixodes spp. and Haemaphysalis spp. were collected from the high mountain areas of Kangwon Province. Using DNAs extracted and purified in the collected ticks, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify the specific nucleotide sequences of both agents. Of the 516 ticks, a total of 68 (13.2%) ticks was positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato with PCR analysis (2 for B. burgdorferi sensu stricto； 1 for B. afzelii；33 for B. garinii； 8 for B. tanukii；4 for B. turdae). However a little more than half of PCR-positive ticks (37/68) was found to be positive in the southern blot analysis with Bl6S oligonucleotide probe. One hundred and one (19.2%) ticks were positive for Ehrlichia spp. in PCR, and a quarter of them (25/101) was positive in southern blot with El6S oligonucleotide probe. But none of them was found to be the DNA of HGE agent. And 0.6% (3/516) ticks were positive for both of B. burgdorferi sensu late and Ehrlirhia spp. These findings might implicate the possibility of the outbreak of Iyme borreliosis and ehrlichiosis in Korea, and more extensive studies may be need for the diagnosis of multiple tick-borne diseases.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 1999

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in immunologic defense, and influences upon the functioning of secretory tissues and cells. It also exhibits cytotoxic/cytostatic activity as one of major operating effectors of the cellular immunity system. We investigated the effects of serum on the cell damages and NO production in the mouse liver cell line BNL CL.2 to establish the role of NO. We observed that, when BNL CL.2 cells were cultured in serum-free medium, they were induced to cell damage by the stimulation of IFN-$\gamma$ alone or IFN-$\gamma$ plus LPS. Serum-starved cells showed large amount of nitrite accumulation and NO synthase (NOS) expression in response to IFN-$\gamma$ alone in dose- and time- dependent manners, but serum-supplied cells did not The production of NO was blocked by protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, genistein and herbimycin. These results suggest that the deprivation of serum in the BNL CL.2 cell culture medium might primed with the cells to produce NO when the cells are triggered by IFN-$\gamma$ and the involvement of PTK signal transduction pathway in the expression of NOS gene in murine hepatocytes.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 1999

This study was attempted to generate a monoclonal antibody against human $\alpha$-fetoprotein (AFP) and to produce an immunoassay, recognizing AFP in plasma and amniotic fluid. AFP was purified from human amniotic fluid and used to immunize mice. Spleens were taken from the mice and the cells were fused with mouse myeloma cells (Sp2/0-Ag-14) for the production of monoclonal antibodies by employing the hybridoma technology. As a result, a hybridoma cell line producing anti-AFP monoclonal antibody was cloned out and designated as MabF22. From isotyping analysis, it was found that monoclonal antibody MabF22 was IgG type with IgG1 heavy chain and k light chain. The binding specificity of MabF22 was analyzed by immunoblotting as well as by ELISA. MabF22 was highly specific, reacting with only AFP-containing samples. The binding affinity was determined by ELISA (free-capture mode) and Scatchard analysis. As a result, the value of Kd was 0.8$\times$10$^{-10}$M. The validity of the MabF22 for AFP assay was examined by two kinds of ELISAs, i.e., non-competitive and competitive ELISA. Both assays revealed that MabF22 reacted well with AFP in sample in a concentration-dependent manner. Standard curve and antibody titration curve were obtained by using purified AFP and MabF22. These results indicate that the monoclonal antibody produced in this study would be useful not only for research purposes but also for further development of immune-diagnostic kit for the measurement of AEP concentration.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.17-26
• /
• 1999

To evaluate the spreading possibilities of the marRAB mutation of E. coli Mar mutant among gram-negative bacilli, chromosomal marRAB mutations of Mar mutants were transduced by $\lambda$placMu9 into pUC19 (Lac$^{+}$, Ap$^{r}$) cloning site in another strains of E. coli or onto the chrmosome of S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa, selected for transduction by Mar phenotype, Lac$^{-}$, or Ap$^{r}$, and tested for their antimicrobial resistance with or without addition of salicylate (SAL). Compared with wild type strains of JM109, NM522, harboring pUC19 or not, respectively, all strains of JM109 or NM522 carrying pUC19::marRAB mutation showed higher levels of antimicrobial resistance and SAL induction of Mar phenotype than those of wild type. However, in contrast to the original Mar mutants, there were some tendencies of decreased antimicrobial resistance of JM109 or NM522 harboring pUC19::marRAB mutation with SAL induction against chlorarnphenicol (Cm) and tetracycline (Tc), or Tc and ciprofloxacin (Cp), respectively. Almost the same results, as shown as the cases of E. coli JM109 or NM522, were obtained from all transductants of S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa, except Cp, against which increased antimicrobial resistance with SAL induction was shown. This study, employed the methods of transformation or transduction among intercellular gene transfer methods between gram-negative bacteria, shows the evidences that suggest indirectly the spreading possibilities of marRAB mutation among gram-negative bacilli.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 1999

To investigate the effect of the circadian variations on the toluene metabolism, 50％ toluene in olive oil (0.2 m1/100 g body weight) was intraperitoneally administered to the rats every other day for 6 days both in the night; 24:00 and the day; 12:00. Each group of animals was sacrificed at 8 hr after last injection of toluene. Hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity was more increased in control rats of night phase than those of day phase. On the other hand, the activities of hepatic benzylalcohol dehydrogenase in control rats of night phase showed the similiar value with that in those of day phase and in case of toluene treatment, these enzyme activities in rats of night phase were rather more decreased than those of day phase. Furthermore, hepatic benzaldehyde dehydrogenase activities were more or less higher in the control rats of night phase than those of day phase and by toluene treatment, enzyme activities of rats of night phase were somewhat decreased than those of day phase. in vitro, benzylalcohol or benzaldehyde inhibited the activities of benzylalcohol or aldehyde dehydrngenase prepared from the rats liver supematant. There were no differences in urinary hippuric acid contents between the night phase and day phase both in the control and toluene treated group. The increasing rate of liver weight per body weight (％), serum xanthine oxidase activities were higher in rats of night phase than in those of day phase by toluene treatment. In conclusion, these results indicate that the producing rate of benzylalcohol and benzaldehyde from toluene may be higher in rats of night phase than those of day phase.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.175-185
• /
• 1996

The mitogen-activated protein(MAP) kinase signal transduction pathway represents an important mechanism by which mitogen, such as serum and PMA, regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Target substrates of the MAP kinase are located within several compartments containing plasma membranes and nucleus. We now report that serum addition induces proliferation of the P388 murine leukemia cell, but PMA does not, while both serum and PMA treatment cause translocation of the MAP kinase, mainly p42$^{mapk}$ isoform, from cytosol into the nucleus, which was monitored by immunoblot analysis using polyclonal anti-ERK1 antibodies. We investigated whether the MAP kinase was capable of phosphorylating c-Jun protein and GST-fusion proteins, the P562$^{kk}$N-terminal peptides (1-77 or 1-123 domain) of the T cell tyrosine kinase, using the partially purified MAP kinase by SP-sephadex C-50, phenyl superose and Mono Q column chromatography. We found that the partially purified MAP kinase was able to phosphorylate c-Jun protein and the GST-fusion protein expressed using E.coli DH5$\alpha$ which is transformed with pGEX-3Xb plasmid vector carrying of p562$^{kk}$N-terminal peptide-encoding DNA. These results imply that tyrosine kinase receptor/Ras/Raf/MAP kinase pathway is a major mechanism for mitogen-induced cell proliferation in P388 murine leukemia cell and that the various MAP kinase isoforms may have their own target substrates located in distinct subcellular compartments.