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Scale and Scope Economies and Prospect for the Korea's Banking Industry (우리나라 은행산업(銀行産業)의 효율성분석(效率性分析)과 제도개선방안(制度改善方案))

  • Jwa, Sung-hee
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.109-153
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    • 1992
  • This paper estimates a translog cost function for the Korea's banking industry and derives various implications on the prospect for the Korean banking structure in the future based on the estimated efficiency indicators for the banking sector. The Korean banking industry is permitted to operate trust business to the full extent and the security business to a limited extent, while it is formally subjected to the strict, specialized banking system. Security underwriting and investment businesses are allowed in a very limited extent only for stocks and bonds of maturity longer than three year and only up to 100 percent of the bank paid-in capital. Until the end of 1991, the ceiling was only up to 25 percent of the total balance of the demand deposits. However, they are prohibited from the security brokerage business. While the in-house integration of security businesses with the traditional business of deposit and commercial lending is restrictively regulated as such, Korean banks can enter the security business by establishing subsidiaries in the industry. This paper, therefore, estimates the efficiency indicators as well as the cost functions, identifying the in-house integrated trust business and security investment business as important banking activities, for various cases where both the production and the intermediation function approaches in modelling the financial intermediaries are separately applied, and the banking businesses of deposit, lending and security investment as one group and the trust businesses as another group are separately and integrally analyzed. The estimation results of the efficiency indicators for various cases are summarized in Table 1 and Table 2. First, security businesses exhibit economies of scale but also economies of scope with traditional banking activities, which implies that in-house integration of the banking and security businesses may not be a nonoptimal banking structure. Therefore, this result further implies that the transformation of Korea's banking system from the current, specialized system to the universal banking system will not impede the improvement of the banking industry's efficiency. Second, the lending businesses turn out to be subjected to diseconomies of scale, while exhibiting unclear evidence for economies of scope. In sum, it implies potential efficiency gain of the continued in-house integration of the lending activity. Third, the continued integration of the trust businesses seems to contribute to improving the efficiency of the banking businesses, since the trust businesses exhibit economies of scope. Fourth, deposit services and fee-based activities, such as foreign exchange and credit card businesses, exhibit economies of scale but constant returns to scope, which implies, the possibility of separating those businesses from other banking and trust activities. The recent trend of the credit card business being operated separately from other banking activities by an independent identity in Korea as well as in the global banking market seems to be consistent with this finding. Then, how can the possibility of separating deposit services from the remaining activities be interpreted? If one insists a strict definition of commercial banking that is confined to deposit and commercial lending activities, separating the deposit service will suggest a resolution or a disappearance of banking, itself. Recently, however, there has been a suggestion that separating banks' deposit and lending activities by allowing a depository institution which specialize in deposit taking and investing deposit fund only in the safest securities such as government securities to administer the deposit activity will alleviate the risk of a bank run. This method, in turn, will help improve the safety of the payment system (Robert E. Litan, What should Banks Do? Washington, D.C., The Brookings Institution, 1987). In this context, the possibility of separating the deposit activity will imply that a new type of depository institution will arise naturally without contradicting the efficiency of the banking businesses, as the size of the banking market grows in the future. Moreover, it is also interesting to see additional evidences confirming this statement that deposit taking and security business are cost complementarity but deposit taking and lending businesses are cost substitute (see Table 2 for cost complementarity relationship in Korea's banking industry). Finally, it has been observed that the Korea's banking industry is lacking in the characteristics of natural monopoly. Therefore, it may not be optimal to encourage the merger and acquisition in the banking industry only for the purpose of improving the efficiency.

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A Study on the Liturgical Vestments of Catholic-With reference to the Liturgical Vestments Firm of Paderborn and kevelaer in Germany (카톨릭교 전례복에 관한 연구-독일 Paderborn 과 kevelaer의 전례복 회사를 중심으로)

  • Yang, Ri-Na
    • The Journal of Natural Sciences
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    • v.7
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    • pp.133-162
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    • 1995
  • Paderborn's companies, Wameling and Cassau, produce the liturgical vestments, which have much traditional artistic merit. And Kevelaerer Fahnen + Paramenten GmbH, located in Kevelater which is a place of pilgrimage of the Virgin Mary, was known to Europe, Africa, America and the Scandinavia Peninsula as the "Hidden Company" of liturgical vesments maker up to now. Paderborn and Kevelaer were the place of the center of the religious world and the Catholic ceremony during a good few centries. The Catholic liturgical vestiments of these 3 companies use versatile design, color, shape and techniques. These have not only the symbolism of religion, but also can meet our's expectations of utilization of modern textile art, art clothing and wide-all division of design. These give the understanding of symbolic meanings and harmony according to liturgical vestments to the believers. And these have an influence on mental thinking and induction of religious belief to the non-believers as the recognition and concerns about the religious art. The liturgical vestments are clothes which churchmen put on at the all ceremonial function of a mass, a sacrament, performance and a parade according to rules of church. These show the represen-tation of "Holy God" in silence and distinguish between common people and churchmen. And these represent a status and dignity of churchmen and induce majesty and respect to churchmen. Common clothes of the beginning of the Greece and Rome was developed to Christian clothes with the tendency of religion. There were no special uniforms distinguished from commen people until the Christianity was recognized officially by the Roman Emperor Constantinus at A.D.313. The color of liturgical vestments was originally white and changed to special colors according to liturgical day and each time by the Pope Innocentius at 12th century. The color and symbolic meaning of the liturgical vestments of present day was originated by the Pope St. Pius(1566-1572). Wool and Linen was used as decorations and materials in the beginnings and the special materials like silk was used after 4th century and beautiful materials made of gold thread was used at 12th century. It is expected that there is no critical changes to the liturgical vestments of future. But the development of liturgical vestments will continues slowly by the command of conservative church and will change to simple and convenient formes according to the culture, the trend of the times and the fashion of clothes. The companies of liturgical vestments develop versatile design, embroidery technique and realization of creative design for distinction of the liturgical vestments of each company and artistic progress. The cooperation of companies, artists and church will make the bright future of these 3 companies. We expect that our country will be a famous producing center of the liturgical vestments through the research and development of companies, participation of artists in religeous arts and concerts of church.

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Measuring Consumer-Brand Relationship Quality (소비자-브랜드 관계 품질 측정에 관한 연구)

  • Kang, Myung-Soo;Kim, Byoung-Jai;Shin, Jong-Chil
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.111-131
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    • 2007
  • As a brand becomes a core asset in creating a corporation's value, brand marketing has become one of core strategies that corporations pursue. Recently, for customer relationship management, possession and consumption of goods were centered on brand for the management. Thus, management related to this matter was developed. The main reason of the increased interest on the relationship between the brand and the consumer is due to acquisition of individual consumers and development of relationship with those consumers. Along with the development of relationship, a corporation is able to establish long-term relationships. This has become a competitive advantage for the corporation. All of these processes became the strategic assets of corporations. The importance and the increase of interest of a brand have also become a big issue academically. Brand equity, brand extension, brand identity, brand relationship, and brand community are the results derived from the interest of a brand. More specifically, in marketing, the study of brands has been led to the study of factors related to building of powerful brands and the process of building the brand. Recently, studies concentrated primarily on the consumer-brand relationship. The reason is that brand loyalty can not explain the dynamic quality aspects of loyalty, the consumer-brand relationship building process, and especially interactions between the brands and the consumers. In the studies of consumer-brand relationship, a brand is not just limited to possession or consumption objectives, but rather conceptualized as partners. Most of the studies from the past concentrated on the results of qualitative analysis of consumer-brand relationship to show the depth and width of the performance of consumer-brand relationship. Studies in Korea have been the same. Recently, studies of consumer-brand relationship started to concentrate on quantitative analysis rather than qualitative analysis or even go further with quantitative analysis to show effecting factors of consumer-brand relationship. Studies of new quantitative approaches show the possibilities of using the results as a new concept of viewing consumer-brand relationship and possibilities of applying these new concepts on marketing. Studies of consumer-brand relationship with quantitative approach already exist, but none of them include sub-dimensions of consumer-brand relationship, which presents theoretical proofs for measurement. In other words, most studies add up or average out the sub-dimensions of consumer-brand relationship. However, to do these kind of studies, precondition of sub-dimensions being in identical constructs is necessary. Therefore, most of the studies from the past do not meet conditions of sub-dimensions being as one dimension construct. From this, we question the validity of past studies and their limits. The main purpose of this paper is to overcome the limits shown from the past studies by practical use of previous studies on sub-dimensions in a one-dimensional construct (Naver & Slater, 1990; Cronin & Taylor, 1992; Chang & Chen, 1998). In this study, two arbitrary groups were classified to evaluate reliability of the measurements and reliability analyses were pursued on each group. For convergent validity, correlations, Cronbach's, one-factor solution exploratory analysis were used. For discriminant validity correlation of consumer-brand relationship was compared with that of an involvement, which is a similar concept with consumer-based relationship. It also indicated dependent correlations by Cohen and Cohen (1975, p.35) and results showed that it was different constructs from 6 sub-dimensions of consumer-brand relationship. Through the results of studies mentioned above, we were able to finalize that sub-dimensions of consumer-brand relationship can viewed from one-dimensional constructs. This means that the one-dimensional construct of consumer-brand relationship can be viewed with reliability and validity. The result of this research is theoretically meaningful in that it assumes consumer-brand relationship in a one-dimensional construct and provides the basis of methodologies which are previously preformed. It is thought that this research also provides the possibility of new research on consumer-brand relationship in that it gives root to the fact that it is possible to manipulate one-dimensional constructs consisting of consumer-brand relationship. In the case of previous research on consumer-brand relationship, consumer-brand relationship is classified into several types on the basis of components consisting of consumer-brand relationship and a number of studies have been performed with priority given to the types. However, as we can possibly manipulate a one-dimensional construct through this research, it is expected that various studies which make the level or strength of consumer-brand relationship practical application of construct will be performed, and not research focused on separate types of consumer-brand relationship. Additionally, we have the theoretical basis of probability in which to manipulate the consumer-brand relationship with one-dimensional constructs. It is anticipated that studies using this construct, which is consumer-brand relationship, practical use of dependent variables, parameters, mediators, and so on, will be performed.

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Korean Local Maize Lines for New Germplasm (새로운 육종자원확보(育種資源確保)를 위(爲)한 재래종(在來種) 옥수수의 연구(硏究))

  • Choe, Bong Ho;Lee, In Sup;Park, Jong Seong;Kim, Yong Rae
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.12-26
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    • 1980
  • A new, improved maize varieties are greatly needed to meet the national demand for the maize, and a new germplasm should be investigated to supply necessary breeding materials for the required maize breeding. The Korean local maize lines, which has never been wholly studied for the purpose of breeding should be enough to supply such breeding materials at least in Korea. The objectives of this study were to maintain useful Korean local lines, to investigate good plant characters and to analyze the Korean local maize lines in the respect of genetic make-up. A total of 820 lines and 200 lines were used for the present study. Lines to maintain were planted at experimental farm of the Crop Experiment Station, Office of Rural Development, Suwon and the lines to study genetic make-up were planted in Dae-jon. The summarized results are as follows : 1. A total of 1200 lines from 820 collections were sibbed for future use. 2. Two hundred collection were sibbed, selfed and testcrossed for genetic study in 1980. 3. Ten lines were surely confirmed as resistant lines to virus disease epidemic in most introduced maize varieties. 4. A dozen Lines were having three to four ears per plant. 5. Five lines were showing three to four tillers per plant. 6. One of the most significant and important finding through the study was to obtain the lines with three to four tillers bearing all together eight to nine ears. The lines of multi-ears and multi-tillers must have great breeding potential for the future use. 7. A great variation was observed in the tasselling days, 100 kernel weight and protein content. 8. From the genetic study of local maize lines for plant height and 100 kernel weight, the following findings were obtained. a. On the average six percent of inbreeding depression expressed in percent decrease over sibbed counterpart were found for the plant height. b. Fourty percent of heterosis expressed in percent increase over sibbed counterpart were observed in the plant height. c. The homogeneity or degree of homozygosity calculated from heterosis minus inbreeding depression was on the average 34 percent for plant height. d. The average inbreeding depression expressed in percent decrease over sibbed counterpart was 15 percent for 100 kernel weight. e. The average heterosis expressed in percent increase over sibbed counterpart was 43 percent for 100 kernel weight. f. The degree of homozygosity calculated from the heterosis minus inbreeding depression was 28 percent for 100 kernel weight.

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Clinical Indices Predicting Resorption of Pleural Effusion in Tuberculous Pleurisy (결핵성 늑막염에서 삼출액의 흡수에 영향을 미치는 임상적 지표)

  • Lee, Joe-Ho;Chung, Hee-Soon;Lee, Jeong-Sang;Cho, Sang-Rok;Yoon, Hae-Kyung;Song, Chee-Sung
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.42 no.5
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    • pp.660-668
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    • 1995
  • Background: It is said that tuberculous pleuritis responds well to anti-tuberculous drug in general, so no further aggressive therapeutic management is unnecesarry except in case of diagnostic thoracentesis. But in clinical practice, we often see some patients who need later decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or thickening despite several months of anti-tuberculous drug therapy. Therefore, we want to know the clinical difference between a group who received decortication due to complication of tuberculous pleuritis despite of anti-tuberculous drug and a group who improved after 9 months of anti-tuberculous drug only. Methods: We reviewed 20 tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 1) who underwent decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or severe pleural thickening despite of anti-tuberculous drug therapy for 9 or more months, and 20 other tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 2) who improved by anti-tuberculous drug only and had similar degrees of initial pleural effusion and similar age, sex distribution. Then we compared between the two groups the duration of symptoms before anti-tuberculous drug treatment and pleural fluid biochemistry like glucose, LDH, protein and pleural fluid cell count and WBC differential count, and we also wanted to know whether there was any difference in preoperative PFT value and postoperative PFT value in the patients who underwent decortication, and obtained following results. Results: 1) Group 1 patients had lower glucose level{$63.3{\pm}30.8$(mg/dl)} than that of the group 2{$98.5{\pm}34.2$(mg/dl), p<0.05}, and higher LDH level{$776.3{\pm}266.0$(IU/L)} than the group 2 patients{$376.3{\pm}123.1$(IU/L), p<0.05}, and also longer duration of symptom before treatment{$2.0{\pm}1.7$(month)} than the group 2{$1.1{\pm}1.2$(month), p<0.05}, respectively. 2) In group 1, FVC changed from preoperative $2.55{\pm}0.80$(L) to postoperative $2.99{\pm}0.78$(L)(p<0.05), and FEV1 changed from preoperative $2.19{\pm}0.70$(L/sec) to postoperative $2.50{\pm}0.69$(L/sec)(p<0.05). 3) There was no difference in pleural fluid protein level($5.05{\pm}1.01$(gm/dL) and $5.15{\pm}0.77$(gm/dl), p>0.05) and WBC differential count between group 1 and group 2. Conclusion: It is probable that in tuberculous pleuritis there is a risk of complication in the case of showing relatively low pleural fluid glucose or high LDH level, or in the case of having long duraton of symptom before treatment. We thought prospective study should be performed to confirm this.

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The Effect of Heat Shock Response on the Tumor Necrosis Factor-$\alpha$-induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats (Tumor Necrosis Factor-$\alpha$로 유도되는 백서의 급성 폐손상에 열충격반응이 미치는 효과)

  • Koh, Youn-Suck;Lim, Chae-Man;Kim, Mi-Jung;Cho, Won-Kyung;Jeoung, Byung-O;Song, Kyu-Young;Shim, Tae-Sun;Lee, Sang-Do;Kim, Woo-Sung;Kim, Dong-Soon;Kim, Won-Dong
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.6
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    • pp.1343-1352
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    • 1997
  • Background : Heat-treated cells are known to be protected from lysis by TNF, which is considered to play a central role in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced acute lung injury. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of heat shock response by heat-pretreatment on the acute lung injury of the rats induced by intratracheally administered TNF-$\alpha$, Methods : We intratracheally instilled either saline or TNF (R&D, 500ng) with and without heat pretreatment in Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250~350 g. The heated rats were raised their rectal temperature to $41^{\circ}C$ and was maintained thereafter for 13 minutes at 18 h before intratracheal administration of saline or TNF. After 5 h of intratracheal treatment, lung leak, lung myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and heat shock proteins were measured in rats. Lung leak index was defined as counts per minute of $I^{25}$ in the right lung divided by counts per minutes of $I^{25}$ in 1.0 ml of blood. All data are expressed as means ${\pm}$SE. Results : There is no difference in acute lung leak index ($0.099{\pm}0.024$ vs $0.123{\pm}0.005$) among the rats given saline intratracheally with and without heat pretreatment, but MPO activity showed a decreased tendency in heat-pretreated rats ($4.58{\pm}0.79\;U/g$) compared with heat-unpretreated rats ($7.32{\pm}0.97\;U/g$) (P=0.064). Rats administered TNF intratracheally with heat-pretreatment had decreased lung leak index ($0.137{\pm}0.012$) and lung MPO activity ($5.51{\pm}1.04\;U/g$) compared with those of heat-unpretreated and TNF-administered rats ($0.186{\pm}0.016$, $14.34{\pm}1.22\;U/g$) (P<0.05 in each). There were no significant difference of lung leak index and MPO activity between TNF-treated rats with heat-pretreatment and saline-treated rats with and without heat-pretreatment. Conclusion : The heat shock response attenuated neutrophil recruitment and acute lung leak induced by intratracheal instillation of TNF-in rats.

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Clinical Efficacy of Erdosteine in Patients with Acute or Chronic Bronchitis -A Randomized, Double Blind, Comparative Study vs. Ambroxol- (급.만성 기관지염 환자에서 엘도스$^{(R)}$(Erdosteine)의 임상효과 -염산 암브록솔과의 무작위 이중맹검 비교시험-)

  • Kim, Seok-Chan;Lee, Sang-Hoak;Song, So-Hyang;Kim, Young-Kyoon;Moon, Hwa-Sik;Song, Jeong-Sup;Park, Sung-Hak
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.6
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    • pp.1296-1307
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    • 1997
  • Background : Erdosteine is a thiol derivative developed for the treatement of chronic obstructive bronchitis, including acute infective exacerbation of chronic bronchitis. Erdosteine has mucomodulating and antioxidant properties and especially exhibits excellent gastrointestinal tolerability. Methods : The study was conducted as a prospective evaluation, with 2 comparative groups orally treated with erdosteine 300mg (bid.) or ambroxol 30mg (b.i.d.) for 7 days and the design of trial was double-blind. The treatments have been assigned randomly to patients (n=80) with acute or chronic bronchitis. The primary end-point used to determine efficacy in this study was subjective symptoms including expectorating frequence, expectoration volume, expectorating difficulty, expectoration viscosity, cough intensity and dyspnea. The secondary end-points of efficacy was the result of arterial blood gas analysis and pulmonary function test. Safety was evaluated with adverse drug reactions and laboratory tests monitoring. 61 patients was included in the efficacy analysis, due to the fact that 19 patients drop-out for different reasons. The obtained values have been analyzed with paired Hest., ANOVA test., multivariate $t^2$-test, repeated measures analysis of covariance, two sample t-test, loglinear-logit model analysis, Fisher's exact test. Results : 1) There was no significant difference on demographic data and vital signs between erdosteine and ambroxol treated groups. 2) The comparison between erdosteine and ambroxol treated groups showed no significant difference in improvement of each symptom in spite of the more favorable efficacy obtained with erdosteine. No difference on the contrary was observed for arterial blood gas analysis and pulmonary function test. 3) As safety is concerned, no clinical significant changes in laboratory test and symptom were induced in erdosteine and ambroxol treated group and two patients in ambroxol treated group drop-out for adverse reactions in symptom. 4) In the evaluation of final clinical efficacy, erdosteine improved more effectively patient's overall symptoms {very good effect (11/31), good effect (12/31), moderate effect (6/31), no effect (2/31), aggravation (0/31)} than ambroxol {very good effect (6/30), good effect (14/30), moderate effect (5/30), no effect (4/30), aggravation (2/30)}. And the probability of symptomatic improvement by erdosteine compared to ambroxol was 2.5 times. (p<0.05). Conclusion : This study showed that erdosteine was clinically effective and safe drug for treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis.

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Triptolide-induced Transrepression of IL-8 NF-${\kappa}B$ in Lung Epithelial Cells (폐상피세포에서 Triptolide에 의한 NF-${\kappa}B$ 의존성 IL-8 유전자 전사활성 억제기전)

  • Jee, Young-Koo;Kim, Yoon-Seup;Yun, Se-Young;Kim, Yong-Ho;Choi, Eun-Kyoung;Park, Jae-Seuk;Kim, Keu-Youl;Chea, Gi-Nam;Kwak, Sahng-June;Lee, Kye-Young
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.50 no.1
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    • pp.52-66
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    • 2001
  • Background : NF-${\kappa}B$ is the most important transcriptional factor in IL-8 gene expression. Triptolide is a new compound that recently has been shown to inhibit NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. The purpose of this study is to investigate how triptolide inhibits NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent IL-8 gene transcription in lung epithelial cells and to pilot the potential for the clinical application of triptolide in inflammatory lung diseases. Methods : A549 cells were used and triptolide was provided from Pharmagenesis Company (Palo Alto, CA). In order to examine NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent IL-8 transcriptional activity, we established stable A549 IL-8-NF-${\kappa}B$-luc. cells and performed luciferase assays. IL-8 gene expression was measured by RT-PCR and ELISA. A Western blot was done for the study of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and an electromobility shift assay was done to analyze NF-${\kappa}B$ DNA binding. p65 specific transactivation was analyzed by a cotransfection study using a Gal4-p65 fusion protein expression system. To investigate the involvement of transcriptional coactivators, we perfomed a transfection study with CBP and SRC-1 expression vectors. Results : We observed that triptolide significantly suppresses NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent IL-8 transcriptional activity induced by IL-$1{\beta}$ and PMA. RT-PCR showed that triptolide represses both IL-$1{\beta}$ and PMA-induced IL-8 mRNA expression and ELISA confirmed this triptolide-mediated IL-8 suppression at the protein level. However, triptolide did not affect $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and NF-$_{\kappa}B$ DNA binding. In a p65-specific transactivation study, triptolide significantly suppressed Gal4-p65T Al and Gal4-p65T A2 activity suggesting that triptolide inhibits NF-${\kappa}B$ activation by inhibiting p65 transactivation. However, this triptolide-mediated inhibition of p65 transactivation was not rescued by the overexpression of CBP or SRC-1, thereby excluding the role of transcriptional coactivators. Conclusions : Triptolide is a new compound that inhibits NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent IL-8 transcriptional activation by inhibiting p65 transactivation, but not by an $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$-dependent mechanism. This suggests that triptolide may have a therapeutic potential for inflammatory lung diseases.

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Prognostic Value of the Expression of p53 and bcl-2 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (비소세포폐암에서 p53과 bcl-2의 발현이 예후에 미치는 영향)

  • Yang, Seok-Chul;Yoon, Ho-Joo;Shin, Dong-Ho;Park, Sung-Soo;Lee, Jung-Hee;Keum, Joo-Seob;Kong, Gu;Lee, Jung-Dal
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.45 no.5
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    • pp.962-974
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    • 1998
  • Background: Alteration of p53 tumor suppressor genes is most frequently identified in human neoplasms, including lung carcinoma. It is well known that bcl-2 oncoprotein protects cells from apoptosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that bcl-2 expression is associated with favorable prognosis for patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma. However, the precise biologic role of bcl-2 in the development of these tumors is still obscure. p53 and bcl-2 have important regulatory influence in the apoptotic pathway and thus their relationship is of interest in tumorigenesis, especially lung cancer. Purpose: The author investigated to know the prognostic significance of the expression of p53 and bcl-2 in radically resected non-small cell lung cancer. Method: 84 cases of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks from resected primary non-small cell lung cancer from 1980 to 1994 at Hanyang University Hospital were available for both clinical follow-up and immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies for p53 and bcl-2. Results : The histologic classification of the tumor was based on WHO criteria., and the specimens included 45 squamous cell carcinomas(53.6%), 28 adeonocarcinomas(33.3%) and 11 large cell carcinomas(13.1 %). p53 immunoreactivity was noted in 47 cases of 84 cases(56.0%). bcl-2 immunoreactivity was noted in 15 cases of 84 cases(17.9%). The mean survival duration was $64.23{\pm}10.73$ months in bcl-2 positive group and $35.28{\pm}4$. 39 months in bcl-2 negative group. The bcl-2 expression was significantly correlated with survival in radically resected non-small cell lung cancer patients(p=0.03). The mean survival duration was $34.71{\pm}6.12$ months in p53 positive group and $45.35{\pm}6.30$ months in p53 negative group(p=0.21). The p53 expression was not predictive for survival. There was no correlation between combination of the different status of p53 and bcl-2 expression in our study. Conclusions : The interaction and the regulation of new biologic markers, such as those involved in the apoptotic pathway, are complex. bcl-2 overexpression is a good prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer and p53 expression is not significantly associated with the prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer.

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Evaluation of Tuberculosis Activity in Patients with Anthracofibrosis by Use of Serum Levels of IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TBGL(Tuberculous Glycolipid) Antibody (Anthracofibrosis의 결핵활동성 지표로서 혈청 IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$, 그리고 TBGL(tuberculous glycolipid) antibody 측정의 의의)

  • Jeong, Do Young;Cha, Young Joo;Lee, Byoung Jun;Jung, Hye Ryung;Lee, Sang Hun;Shin, Jong Wook;Kim, Jae-Yeol;Park, In Won;Choi, Byoung Whui
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.55 no.3
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    • pp.250-256
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    • 2003
  • Background : Anthracofibrosis, a descriptive term for multiple black pigmentation with fibrosis on bronchoscopic examination, has a close relationship with active tuberculosis (TB). However, TB activity is determined in the later stage by the TB culture results in some cases of anthracofibrosis. Therefore, it is necessary to identify early markers of TB activity in anthracofibrosis. There have been several reports investigating the serum levels of IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TBGL antibody for the evaluation of TB activity. In the present study, we tried to measure the above mentioned serologic markers for the evaluation of TB activity in patients with anthracofibrosis. Methods : Anthracofibrosis was defined when there was deep pigmentation (in more than two lobar bronchi) and fibrotic stenosis of the bronchi on bronchoscopic examination. The serum of patients with anthracofibrosis was collected and stored under refrigeration before the start of anti-TB medication. The serum of healthy volunteers (N=16), patients with active TB prior to (N=22), and after (N=13), 6 month-medication was also collected and stored. Serum IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$ were measured with ELISA kit (R&D system, USA) and serum TBGL antibody was measured with TBGL EIA kit (Kyowa Inc, Japan). Results : Serum levels of IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$ in healthy volunteers, active TB patients before and after medication, and patients with anthracofibrosis were $640{\pm}174$, $1,611{\pm}2,423$, $953{\pm}562$, and $863{\pm}401$ pg/ml, respectively. The Serum IFN-${\gamma}$ levels were 0, $8.16{\pm}17.34$, $0.70{\pm}2.53$, and $2.33{\pm}6.67$ pg/ml, and TBGL antibody levels were $0.83{\pm}0.80$, $5.91{\pm}6.71$, $6.86{\pm}6.85$, and $3.22{\pm}2.59$ U/ml, respectively. The serum level of TBGL antibody was lower than of other groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference of serum IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$ and IFN-${\gamma}$ levels among the four groups. Conclusion : The serum levels of IL-2 $sR{\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TBGL antibody were not useful in the evaluation of TB activity in patients with anthracofibrosis. More useful ways need to be developed for the differentiation of active TB in patients with anthracofibrosis.