• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 1994

Background: The cell mediated immunity has an important role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. sIL-2R has been known as a sensitive marker of T lymphocyte activation Elevated serum levels of sIL-2R have been found in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and various granulomatous diseases. Elevated levels of sIL-2R have been also found in the serum and pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculosis. To evaluate the diagnostic value of sIL-2R in the differentiation of tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy. We measured the level of sIL-2R in the sera and pleural fluids of 12 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 32 patients with nontuberculous pleurisy. Method: Samples of pleural fluid and serum were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 10 min to remove cell pellets. Soluble IL-2R was measured with a sandwitch enzyme immunoassay using the Cellfree(r) Interleukin-2 Receptor Test kit(T-cell science,Inc. Cambridge, MA). Results: The results obtained were as follows: 1) The sIL-2R level in pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with nontuberculous pleurisy(P<0.005). 2) When the sIL-2R level above 5,000 u/ml in pleural fluid was used as the cut-off value to diagnose tuberculous pleurisy, it had a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 90.9%. 3) The sIL-2R level in the sera of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with bacterial pleural effusions and normal control group(P<0.05) and there was no difference of levels compared with malignant pleural effusions and transudative pleural effusions(P>0.05). 4) In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentration of sIL-2R in pleural fluid was higher than that in serum(P<0.005). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the measurement of elevated levels of pleural fluid sIL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy may be useful in the differential diagnosis between patients with tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.52-59
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• 2003

Purpose : The renin-angiotensin system(RAS) plays an important role in renal growth and development. We have studied the prevalence of renal anomalies and documented the association between karyotype and renal anomalies using IVP and ultrasonography. Furthermore, to investigate the impact of RAS gene polymorphism on renal anomaly in Turner syndrome, we examined the ACE I/D genotype, angiotensinogen(AGT) gene M235T, angiotensin receptor type 1(ATR) gene A1166C. Methods : Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 33 Turner syndrome patients on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Ultrasonography(US) of the kidneys and collecting system and intravenous pyelography(IVP) were perfomed in all patients. Nuclear scintigraphy{Tc 99m dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan} was also performed for the definite renal diagnosis if indicated. And, ACE I/D genotype, angiotensinogen(AGT) gene M235T, angiotensin receptor type 1(ATR) gene A1166C were examined by PCR amplification of genomic DNA samples. Results : The prevalence of renal anolmalies in Turner syndrome was 36.4%(12/33). The Karyotype 45, X was observed in 18 of the 33 girls(54.5%), of whom 8(44.4%) had renal anomalies. Mosaic karyotypes were observed in 11(33.3%) and four(12.2%) had a non-mosaic structural aberration of the X chromosome. In this group 4(25.7%) had renal anomalies. More renal anomalies were associated with the 45, X karyotype than those with mosaic/structural abnormalities of X chromosome, but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). And, there was no significant differences in the RAS gene polymorphism and allele frequencies between renal anomaly group and normal group in Turner syndrome. Conclusion : The prevalence of renal anolmalies in Turner syndrome was 36.4%. There is no significant differences in the RAS gene polymorphism and allele frequencies between the renal anomaly group and the normal group in Turner syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.640-651
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• 2019

The study analyzed the relationship between harmful cyanobacteria and physicochemical factors in Lake Juam from 2005 to 2018. The research locations were designated St. 1 (Juam-Dam) and St. 2 (Sinpyong). Harmful cyanobacteria was found in four genera (Microcystis sp., Anabaena sp., Aphanizomenon sp., Oscillatoria sp.). The average standing crops of harmful cyanobacteria in both locations were 2,575 cells mL^-1 and 2,557 cells mL^-1 from 2005 to 2011. Since 2012, there has been a significant decrease that the measurements were 42 cells mL^-1 and 82 cells mL^-1 from 2012 to 2018. To analyze the reason for the decrease in harmful cyanobacteria, Pearson's correlation and t-tests were performed on data collected during the summer period (June-September). Pearson's correlation showed a significantly positive correlation with total nitrogen(TN), outflow, and storage and a negative correlation with electrical conductivity. T-tests were conducted in two different periods and showed decreases in total nitrogen, electrical conductivity, and residence time. The average rainfall was decreased from 263.3 mm (2005-2011) to 219.9 mm (2012-2018) and total nitrogen was decreased from 0.912 mg L^-1 (2005-2011) to 0.811 mg L^-1 (2012-2018) and the same variability was seen in TP (total phosphorus). Therefore, it seems that the low-rainfall decreased the nutrients (TN) and variability in the TP, resulting in a decrease in harmful cyanobacteria in Lake Juam.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2014

Ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation is a negative factor that induces skin damage, inflammation, and aging. UVB irradiation induces the inflammatory response through interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 expression in keratinocytes. In addition, it induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which plays an important role in collagen 1 degradation in the extracellular matrix. We investigated the antiaging effects of five kinds of berry in human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells using juice of black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), blueberry wild (Vacciniun angustifolium) and cultivar (Vacciniun corymbosum), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott), and mulberry (Morus abla). HaCaT cells irradiated with UV-B exhibited increased ROS generation, as well as IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-1 gene expression, when compared to the control cells that were not irradiated with UV-B. However, pre-treatment of berry juice before UV-B irradiation significantly down-regulated the UV-B-induced ROS generation and inflammatory cytokine and MMP-1 expression. The results suggest that all berries have anti-aging effects including lowering inflammatory cytokine levels, ROS generation, and MMP-1 expression in HaCaT cells during UV-B irradiation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.226-232
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• 2000

Purpose :This study was performed to find out the prognostic factors affecting local control in early glottic cancer treated with radiation therapy alone. Materials and Methods :We analysed 37 patients of histologically confirmed early glottic cancer treated at Chonnam National University Hospital between July Im and December 1995, retrospectively. Age of patients ranged from 30 to 73 years (median; 59 years). Thirty-five (95$\%$) patients were male. Histological type was all squamous cell carcinoma. According to the staging system of 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer, 37 patients were restaged as follows: Tla; U (73$\%$), Tlb; 3 (8$\%$), 72: 7 (19$\%$). Radiation therapy was done using 6 MV X-ray of linear accelerator The range of total radiation dose delivered to the glottic lesion was between 5,040 cGy and 7,020 cGy (median; 6,600 cGy). Median follow-up period was U months. local control rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Generalized Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate the difference of control rates between comparable groups. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model was done to find out prognostic factors affecting local control. Results:5 year survival rate of 37 patients was 89$\%$. Local control rate of 37 patients was 74$\%$ in 5 years. We included age, 7-stage, anterior commissure involvement, fraction size, total radiation dose, treatment time of radiotherapy as potential prognostic factors in univariate and multivariate analysis. As a result, treatment time had statistical significance in local control rate in both univariate (p=0.026) and multivariate (p=0.017) analysis. Complication was not recorded except one patient with hypothyroidism. Conclusion :This study revealed that overall treatment time of radiation was a significant factor affecting local control rate.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.161-171
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• 2019

Four-week-old male Korean native chicks (KNC) were assigned to 3 groups with 6 replicates (8 birds/replicate) in each group: a basal diet (CON, 100 ppm of Zn), basal diet fortified with 50 ppm of Zn with zinc oxide (ZnO), or basal diet fortified with 50 ppm of Zn with Zn-methionine (ZnM). Immediately after a 4-week-feeding trial, 6 birds per group were used to evaluate the effects of zinc supplements on antioxidant indicators and the mRNA expression of zinc transport genes. The nitrogen components, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant status in blood were not influenced by Zn fortified diets. However, the ZnM group showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in uric acid levels than those in the ZnO group. In the small intestine, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were unaffected by zinc supplements. The activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) was significantly (P<0.05) enhanced by Zn-methionine supplementation. In the liver, the activity of GST was significantly (P<0.05) increased by Zn-methionine supplement without affecting SOD, GPX, and MDA levels. With respect to the mRNA expression of zinc transport genes, the ZnM group displayed a strong tendency for increases in intestinal ZnT-1 (P=0.09) and ZnT-5 (P=0.06) levels, compared to those in the CON group. Moreover, the ZnM group showed a tendency (P=0.10) for up-regulation of hepatic metallothionein mRNA as compared with the CON group. In conclusion, the Zn-fortified diet with 50 ppm of Zn-methionine helped to improve GST activity and Zn transport gene expression in the small intestine or liver of KNC.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2020

A 22-month-old girl who had taken iron supplements due to iron deficiency anemia, presented bloody mucoid stool for one month. She had a bruise at the right periorbital area due to minor trauma and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory studies showed anemia, thrombocytopenia, elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP), hypophosphatemia, decreased haptoglobin, hypocomplementemia, negative direct/indirect Coomb's test, normal vitamin D3 level and high PTHi. Wrist x-ray showed no signs of rickets. The abdominal ultrasound showed only accessory spleen. Tandem mass spectrometry was normal. During follow up, bloody stool regressed after seven days of withdrawal of iron supplement and cow milk, and the total CO2 level had been within 15-20 mEq/L with normal anion gap. NGS (next generation sequencing) panel test for evaluation of renal tubular acidosis showed negative results. After low dose steroid and vitamin D supplements under the impression of hypocomplementemic vasculitis, thrombocytopenia, C3/C4, decreased haptoglobin, and elevated ALP level became normal. At 57 months of age, laboratory findings showed elevated liver enzyme, ALP and gamma-glutamyl transferase again. And liver cirrhosis with splenomegaly and diffuse renal disease were reported with abdomen CT scan. Liver biopsy reported macro- and micronodular cirrhosis. Urine organic acid profile showed elevated succinylacetone level. Whole exome sequencing revealed novel compound heterozygous mutations (NM_00137.2:c.107T>C, NM_00137, 2:c.614T>C) in FAH gene and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed as chronic hereditary tyrosinemia type I. She started low phenylalanine/tyrosine diet and nitisinone treatment. Our case had presented symptoms very slowly, which is the first case of chronic tyrosinemia type I in South Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.248-255
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• 2006

Background: LOH11A is a region with frequent allele loss (>75%) in lung cancer that is located on the centromeric part of chromosome 11p15.5. Clinical and cell biological studies suggest that this region contains a gene associated with metastatic tumor spread. RRM1 encoding the M1 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, which is an enzyme that catalyses the rate-limiting step in deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, is located in the LOH11A region. Methods: Polymorphisms were found at nucleotide position (-)37 (C/A) and (-)524 (C/T) from the beginning of exon 1 of the RRM1 gene that might regulate the expression of RRM1. We studied the polymorphisms in 127 Korean individuals (66 lung cancer and 61 normal controls) and compared with those of 140 American patients with lung cancer. Results: CC, AC and AA were found at the (-)37 position in 64(50.4%), 55(43.3%), and 8(6.3%) out of 127 Korean individuals (66 cancer, 61 non-cancer patients), respectively. There was a similar frequency of allele A at (-)37 in the American(27.9%) and Korean population(28.0%). CC, CT and TT was found at the (-)524 position in 24(18.9%), 44(34.6%), and 59(46.5%) out of the 127 Korean individuals, respectively. There was a similar frequency of allele C at (-)524 in the American(34.6%) and Korean population(36.2%). There was no difference in the frequency of the (-)37 and (-)524 genotypes between the cancer and non-cancer group. However there was a significant correlation of the genotypes between (-)37 and (-)524 (p<0.001), which suggests the possible coordination of these polymorphisms in the regulation of the promoter activity of the RRM1 gene. Conclusion: RRM1 promoter polymorphisms were not found to be significant risk factors for lung cancer. However, a further study of the promoter activity and expression of the RRM1 gene according to the pattern of the polymorphism will be needed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.591-599
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• 2009

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play important roles in nervous system functions and are involved in a variety of diseases. We previously demonstrated that ginsenosides, the active ingredients of Panax ginseng, inhibit subsets of nAChR channel currents, but not ${\alpha}7$, expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Mutation of the highly conserved Leu247 to Thr247 in the transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) channel pore region of ${\alpha}7$ nAChR induces alterations in channel gating properties and converts ${\alpha}7$ nAChR antagonists into agonists. In the present study, we assessed how point mutations in the Leu247 residue leading to various amino acids affect 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ ($Rg_3$) activity against the ${\alpha}7$ nAChR. Mutation of L247 to L247A, L247D, L247E, L247I, L247S, and L247T, but not L247K, rendered mutant receptors sensitive to $Rg_3$. We further characterized $Rg_3$ regulation of L247T receptors. We found that $Rg_3$ inhibition of mutant ${\alpha}7$ nAChR channel currents was reversible and concentration-dependent. $Rg_3$ inhibition was strongly voltage-dependent and noncompetitive manner. These results indicate that the interaction between $Rg_3$ and mutant receptors might differ from its interaction with the wild-type receptor. To identify differences in $Rg_3$ interactions between wild-type and L247T receptors, we utilized docked modeling. This modeling revealed that $Rg_3$ forms hydrogen bonds with amino acids, such as Ser240 of subunit I and Thr244 of subunit II and V at the channel pore, whereas $Rg_3$ localizes at the interface of the two wild-type receptor subunits. These results indicate that mutation of Leu247 to Thr247 induces conformational changes in the wild-type receptor and provides a binding pocket for $Rg_3$ at the channel pore.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.992-998
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• 2004

Background: The decision of staging of esophageal cancer have great effect on the resectability of the lesion and estimation of the patient's prognosis. Today, CT is one of the most popular modality for staging of esophageal cancer. However, it has some limitations because of false-positive or false-negative findings on cancer staging. The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of CT in preoperative staging of esophageal cancer. Material and Method: We retrospectively analysed the difference of staging of esophageal cancer between CT and histopathological findings for the 114 patients with histologically proven esophageal cancer who underwent operation at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Chonnam national university hospital, between January 1999 and June 2003. We evaluated the efficacy of chest CT in the staging of esophageal cancer compared to postoperative histopathologic findings by calculating sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and reproducibility of chest CT to detect abnormality. Result: The reproducibilities between chest CT and histopathologic findings were 0.32 (p<0.01) for primary tumor (T), 0.36 (p<0.01) for lymph node invasion (N), and 0.62 (p<0.01) for distant metastasis (M). The reproducibilities between chest CT and histopathologic findings for lymph node invasion (N) and distant metastasis (M) were superior to that of primary tumor (T). The accuracy of primary tumor (T) was 65.8% and 98.2% in group III and IV, which was significantly higher than that of group I and II (78.9% and 62.3%). In general, specificity of chest CT for TNM staging was superior to sensitivity. Conclusion: In conclusion, preoperative CT scanning can provide important information on lymph node invasion and metastasis of lesion than primary tumor invasion.