• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

Objective : The subgenual cingulate cortex, a part of default-mode network, has been known to playa key role in the pathophysiology of depression. The previous studies have reported abnormal functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and other brain regions in the patients with depression. The goal of this shldy was to explore the resting-state functional connectivity of the subgenual cingulate cortex between the patients with depression and healthy subjects. Methods : Twenty patients with major depression and age- and sex-matched 20 healthy subjects underwent 5-minute resting state fMRI scans. The functional connectivity map in each subject was acquired using seed-based correlation analysis with the seed located in the subgenual cingulate cortex (Talairach coordinates; x=-10, y=5, z=-10). The functional connectivity maps were calculated using AFNI and compared between the patient and healthy subject group via two-sample T-test using 3dttest++ in AFNI package. Results : Functional connectivity was decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus in depressed subjects. Connectivity was also decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum in the patient group. There was no correlation between the severity of depression and the degree of functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the regions showing decreased functional connectivity. Conclusion : Decreased resting-state functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus, and decreased connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum found in the patients with major depression in comparison to the healthy subjects might be related to abnormal emotional and cognitive processing of depressed patients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.483-487
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• 2013

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha protein, encoded by the PPARGC1A gene, plays an important role in energy homeostasis. The genetic variations within the PPARGC1A gene promoter region were scanned in 808 Chinese native bovines belonging to three cattle breeds and yaks. A total of 6 SNPs and one 4 bp insertion variation in the promoter region of the bovine PPARGC1A gene were identified: SNP -259 T>A, -301_-298insCTTT, -915 A>G, -1175 T>G, -1590 C>T, -1665 C>T and -1690 G>A, which are in the binding sites of some important transcription factors: sex-determining region Y (SRY), myeloid-specific zinc finger-1 (MZF-1) and octamer factor 1(Oct-1). It is expected that these polymorphisms may regulate PPARGC1A gene transcription and might have consequences at a regulatory level.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.6155-6158
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• 2015

Background: The human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) gene is highly expressed in cancer pathologies and is one strategy used by tumor cells to escape immune surveillance. A 14-bp insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphism of the HLA-G gene has been suggested to be associated with HLA-G mRNA stability and the expression of HLA-G. The aim of present study was to assess any genetic association between this polymorphism and breast cancer among Iranian-Azeri women. Materials and Methods: In this study 227 women affected with breast cancer, in addition to 255 age-sex and ethnically matched healthy individuals as the control group, participated. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis assays. The data were compiled according to the genotype and allele frequencies, compared using the Chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: In this case-control study, no significant difference was found between the case and control groups at allelic and genotype levels, although there is a slightly higher allele frequency of HLA-G 14bp deletion in breast cancer affected group. However,when the stage I subgroup was compared with stage II plus stage III subgroup of affected breast cancer, a significant difference was seen with the 14 bp deletion allele frequency. The stage II-III subgroup patients had higher frequency of deletion allele (57.4% vs 45.8%) than stage I cases (${\chi}^2=4.16$, p-value=0.041). Conclusions: Our data support a possible action of HLA-G 14bp InDel polymorphism as a potential genetic risk factor for progression of breast cancer. This finding highlights the necessity of future studies of this gene to establish the exact role of HLA-G in progression steps of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3437-3441
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• 2012

Background: Oncogenic Bmi-1 (B-lymphoma Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region-1) belongs to the Polycomb-group (PcG) family of proteins and plays an important role in the regulation of proliferation, senescence, cell cycle and apoptosis, chromosome stability, activation of gene transcription. Methods: To clarify the roles of Bmi-1 in tumourigenesis and progression of gastric carcinomas, it was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time RT-PCR in gastric carcinomas, dysplasia, intestinal metaplasia (IM), and gastritis with a comparison of its expression with clinicopathological parameters of carcinomas. Results: There was gradually increased Bmi-1 protein expression from gastritis, IM, dyplasia to carcinoma (p<0.001). Bmi-1 expression was positively linked to tumor size, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and worse prognosis of carcinomas (p<0.001), but not to age or sex of carcinoma patients (p>0.05). There was higher Bmi-1 protein expression in intestinal-type carcinomas than diffuse-type ones (p<0.001). At mRNA level, Bmi-1 protein expression was increased from gastritis, IM, dysplasia and carcinoma (p<0.001). Bmi-1 overexpression was observed in gastric carcinoma with larger diameter, deeper invasion, lymph node metastasis, and intestinal-type carcinoma (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that up-regulated Bmi-1 expression is positively linked to pathogenesis, growth, invasion, metastasis and differentiation of gastric carcinomas. It was considered as a promising marker to indicate the aggressive behaviors and prognosis of gastric carcinomas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권12호
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• pp.5179-5183
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• 2016

Background: Prior series investigated the expression of prepro-gastrin releasing peptide (prepro-GRP) in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients. Our aim was to assess any prepro-GRP role as a prognostic factor for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and NSCLC and correlations with clinical presentation and treatment outcome. Methods: A prospective study was conducted during the time period from the beginning of January 2012 till the end of January 2014. Prepro-GRP expression was analysed using a nested RT-PCR assay in peripheral blood of 62 untreated lung cancer patients attending the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University, and 30 age and sex matched healthy volunteers. Results: Among the 62 lung cancer cases, there were 24 (38.7%) SCLC, and 38 (61.3%) NSCLC (10 squamous cell carcinomas, 12 adenocarcinomas, 11 large cell carcinomas, 4 undifferentiated carcinomas, and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma). Twenty six patients (41.9%) were prepro-GRP positive. Prepro-GRP expression was higher (58.3%) among SCLC patients compared to NSCLC (squamous cell carcinoma (15.4%), large cell carcinoma (36.4%), and adenocarcinoma (25%)). Mean OS among prepro-GRP negative cases was longer than that among preprogastrin positive cases (17.6 vs 14.9 months). The mean PFS durations among preprogastrin negative versus positive cases were 7.7 vs 4.6 months (p= 0.041). No difference in response to chemotherapy was identified between the groups (p=0.983). Conclusion: Prepro-GRP is suggested to be a useful prognostic marker for lung cancer patients, especially with the fast- growing, bad prognostic SCLC type. More studies should aim at detailed understanding of the mechanisms of prepro-GRP action and its use in monitoring the response to treatment in a larger cohort.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.166-172
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• 2016

Objectives We investigated whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and serotonin related gene polymorphisms may be associated with agoraphobia in patients with panic disorder in Korea. Methods The COMT gene (rs4680), 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) gene (rs25531), serotonin receptor 1A (HTR1A) gene (rs6295) genotypes were analyzed in 406 patients with panic disorder and age-sex matched 206 healthy controls. Patients with panic disorder were dichotomized by the presence of agoraphobia. The following instruments were applied : the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Results There was a significant difference in the distribution of 5-HTTLPR genotype between panic patients with agoraphobia and without agoraphobia (p = 0.024). That is, the panic patients with agoraphobia had a significant excess of the less active 5-HTTLPR allele (S allele). (p = 0.039) Also, we replicated previous western reports which indicated a significant difference in the distribution of COMT genotype between the patients with panic disorder and the healthy controls (p = 0.040). However, no significant associations of agora-phobia or panic disorder with HTR1A gene polymorphisms were found. Conclusions This result supports that the COMT polymorphisms may be associated with panic disorder and suggests that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of agoraphobia in the Korean patients with panic disorder.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1963-1969
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• 2012

Objectives: Recent data show that the metabolic syndrome may play a role in several cancers, but the etiology for biliary tract cancer is incompletely defined. The present aim was to evaluate risk factors for biliary tract cancer in China. Methods: A case-control study in which cases were biliary tract cancer patients referred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Controls were randomly selected from an existing database of healthy individuals at the Health Screening Center of PUMCH. Data on the metabolic syndrome, liver diseases, family history, and history of diabetes and hypertension were collected by retrospective review of the patients' records and health examination reports or by interview. Results: A total of 281 patients (102 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), 86 extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) and 93 gallbladder carcinoma (GC)) and 835 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. $HBsAg^+/anti-HBc^+$ (P=0.002), history of diabetes (P=0.000), cholelithiasis (P=0.000), TC (P=0.003), and HDL (P=0.000) were significantly related to ICC. Cholelithiasis (P=0.000), Tri (P=0.001), LDL (P=0.000), diabetes (P=0.000), Apo A (P=0.000) and Apo B (P=0.012) were significantly associated with ECC. Diabetes (P=0.017), cholelithiasis (P=0.000) and Apo A (P=0.000) were strongly inversely correlated with GC. Conclusion: Cholelithiasis, HBV infection and metabolic symptoms may be potential risk factors for the development of biliary tract cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.2759-2763
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• 2013

Background: Impaired oxidative/antioxidative status plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases like cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the novel marker ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and albumin adjusted-IMA (Adj-IMA) in patients with bladder cancer (BC) as well as its association with total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI). Materials and Methods: Forty male patients with BC (mean age, $67.4{\pm}12$ years) and forty age-sex matched healthy persons (mean age $56.0{\pm}1.7$ years) were included in this study. Serum levels of IMA, TAS, TOS were analyzed and Adj- IMA and OSI was calculated. Results: Serum IMA, TOS and OSI values were significantly higher in patients with BC compared to controls (p<0.0001, p=0.01 and p=0.01, respectively), whereas TAS was significantly lower in BC patients (p=0.04). There was no significant difference for serum albumin-adjusted IMA levels between groups (p=0.4). Conclusions: In this study, it was found that there was an impaired oxidative/antioxidant status in favor of oxidative stress in BC patients. This observation was not confirmed by Adj-IMA calculation. There is no published report about serum concentrations of IMA in patients with BC. Further studies are needed to establish the relationship of IMA and oxidative stress parameters in BC and the significance of IMA to other cancers.

• 대한간호
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.83-93
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• 1989

This study analysed marital comflicts, related factors, and adjustments to those conflicts described by urban Korean women. The purpose was to discover directions for resolution that would enhance the helpfulness of volunteers or prfessionals working with women in counselling settings. The investigator interviewed 20 married women, all mothers and housewives living in Seoul, attending marriage encounter programs and the Lifeline telephone counselling service. An interview schedule using six open-ended questiona guided the data colleciton which took place between May 31 and December 29, 1988. Content analysis of the data revealed, in order of reported frequency, the following areas of conflict: relationships between husband wife, relationships with children, relationships between the wife and her mother-in-Law, unsatisfied sexual needs, the husband's extra marital relationships, lack of self actualization and finacial matters. Analysis of the data suggested the following factors were related to the conflicts: reasons for marriage, traditional views about marriage and divorce including to accept a marriage arranged by the parents, the husband's traditonal attitude toward the sex role of the wife, the husband's patriarchical authoritarianism, and his attitude toward the wife;s empolyment outside the home. The women thought these conflicts severely affected their relationships within the famaily, particularly with their children. Literature suggests links with such poor parent-child-family relationships and adolescent or young people's social problems. Volunteers or professionals working with married women in counselling situation need to be conscious of the possibility of these conflict during assessment, and direct their guidance toward such conflict resolution. The researcher makes several suggestions which include the need for the husband to give emotional supports to his wife, to recognize the worth of housework, to share the work of the home, to fine ways to enhance the wife's self-actualization and to ease dreary housework routines by prviding modern appliances.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제63권6호
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• pp.757-766
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• 2020

Objective : Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a severe and life-threatening disease. Although commonly performed, the effect of timing in surgical treatment on patient outcome is still unclear. With this study, we aim to provide evidence for early surgical treatment in patients with SEA. Methods : Patients treated for SEA in the authors' department between 2007 and 2016 were included for analysis and retrospectively analyzed for basic clinical parameters and outcome. Pre- and postoperative neurological status were assessed using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS). The self-reported quality of life (QOL) based on the Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) was assessed prospectively. Surgery was defined as "early", when performed within 12 hours after admission and "late" when performed thereafter. Conservative therapy was preferred and recommend in patients without neurological deficits and in patients denying surgical intervention. Results : One hundred and twenty-three patients were included in this study. Forty-nine patients (39.8%) underwent early, 47 patients (38.2%) delayed surgery and 27 (21.9%) conservative therapy. No significant differences were observed regarding mean age, sex, diabetes, prior history of spinal infection, and bony destruction. Patients undergoing early surgery revealed a significant better clinical outcome before discharge than patients undergoing late surgery (p=0.001) and conservative therapy. QOL based on SF-36 were significantly better in the early surgery cohort in two of four physical items (physical functioning and bodily pain) and in one of four psychological items (role limitation) after a mean follow-up period of 58 months. Readmission to the hospital and failure of conservative therapy were observed more often in patients undergoing conservative therapy. Conclusion : Our data on both clinical outcome and QOL provide evidence for early surgery within 12 hours after admission in patients with SEA.