• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.102-111
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• 2007

Dementia is a major burden for many countries including South Korea, where life expectancy is continuously growing and the proportion of aged people is rapidly growing. Neurodegenerative disorders, such as, Alzheimer disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Huntington disease, can cause dementia, and cerebrovascular disease also can cause dementia. Depression or hypothyroidism also can cause cognitive deficits, but they are reversible by management of underlying cause unlike the forementioned dementias. Therefore these are called pseudodementia. We are entering an era of dementia care that will be based upon the identification of potentially modifiable risk factors and early disease markers, and the application of new drugs postpone progression of dementias or target specific proteins that cause dementia. Efficient pharmacologic treatment of dementia needs not only to distinguish underlying causes of dementia but also to be installed as soon as possible. Therefore, differential diagnosis and early diagnosis of dementia are utmost importance. F-18 FDG PET is useful for clarifying dementing diseases and is also useful for early detection of the diseases. Purpose of this article is to review the current value of FDG PET for dementing diseases including differential diagnosis of dementia and prediction of evolving dementia.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제42권6호
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• pp.349-355
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• 2009

Biomarkers are characteristic biological properties that can be detected and measured in a variety of biological matrices in the human body, including the blood and tissue, to give an indication of whether there is a threat of disease, if a disease already exists, or how such a disease may develop in an individual case. Along the continuum from exposure to clinical disease and progression, exposure, internal dose, biologically effective dose, early biological effect, altered structure and/or function, clinical disease, and disease progression can potentially be observed and quantified using biomarkers. While the traditional discovery of biomarkers has been a slow process, the advent of molecular and genomic medicine has resulted in explosive growth in the discovery of new biomarkers. In this review, issues in evaluating biomarkers will be discussed and the biomarkers of environmental exposure, early biologic effect, and susceptibility identified and validated in epidemiological studies will be summarized. The spectrum of genomic approaches currently used to identify and apply biomarkers and strategies to validate genomic biomarkers will also be discussed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제57권6호
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• pp.422-427
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• 2015

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic, progressive, cerebrovascular occlusive disorder that displays various clinical features and results in cerebral infarct or hemorrhagic stroke. Specific genes associated with the disease have not yet been identified, making identification of at-risk patients difficult before clinical manifestation. Familial MMD is not uncommon, with as many as 15% of MMD patients having a family history of the disease, suggesting a genetic etiology. Studies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MMD have mostly focused on mechanical stress on vessels, endothelium, and the relationship to atherosclerosis. In this review, we discuss SNPs studies targeting the genetic etiology of MMD. Genetic analyses in familial MMD and genome-wide association studies represent promising strategies for elucidating the pathophysiology of this condition. This review also discusses future research directions, not only to offer new insights into the origin of MMD, but also to enhance our understanding of the genetic aspects of MMD. There have been several SNP studies of MMD. Current SNP studies suggest a genetic contribution to MMD, but further reliable and replicable data are needed. A large cohort or family-based design would be important. Modern SNP studies of MMD depend on novel genetic, experimental, and database methods that will hopefully hasten the arrival of a consensus conclusion.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권5호
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• pp.589-592
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• 2020

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an apicomplexan protozoan and is one of the most common pathogens causing chronic diarrhea worldwide. Eight stool samples with diarrheal symptom out of 18 Korean residents who traveled to Nepal were obtained, and examined for 25 enteropathogens including 16 bacterial species, 5 viral species, and 4 protozoans in stool samples as causative agents of water-borne and food-borne disease. Only C. cayetanensis was detected by nested PCR, and 3 PCR-positive samples were sequenced to confirm species identification. However, the oocysts of C. cayetanensis in fecal samples could not be detected by direct microscopy of the stained sample. As far as we know, this is the first report of a group infection with C. cayetanensis from a traveler visiting Nepal, and the second report of a traveler's diarrhea by C. cayetanensis imported in Korea.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.164-168
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• 1999

Background: Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper transport and characterized by degenerative changes in the brain, liver dysfunction, and Kayser-Fleischer rings due to toxic accumulation of copper. Since the identification of Wilson disease gene (ATP7B), more than 80 mutations have been detected among the different ethnic groups. Methods: Twenty three children with Wilson disease were included in this study. They were all diagnosed by low serum ceruloplasmin and increased 24 hour urinary copper excretion with characteristic clinical findings. We analysed WD gene mutation by assessing the nucleotide sequence of exon 7, 8, 9 and 10 including intron-exon boundaries of ATP7B gene from genomic DNA. Results: Arg778Leu mutation was identified in 16 WD patients; three were homozygous and 13 were heterozygous for this mutation. Of the 46 alleles, 19 alleles had a Arg778Leu mutation (19/46=41%). Homozygote patients had neurologic forms of WD. Arg778Leu mutation was not found among 50 normal healthy persons. Conclusion: Arg778Leu mutation is a common mutation in Korean WD gene. Arg778Leu mutation screening might be used as a useful supplementary diagnostic test in some patients to confirm Wilson disease in Korea.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2003년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.31-34
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• 2003

The monitoring of genotoxic effect or oxidative DNA damage in workers exposed to hazardous materials is increasingly applied for hazard identification or risk assessment purposes in workplaces. The current generation of biomarkers has the potential to allow for the earlier detection of occupational disease, for the reduction of misclassification of exposure and outcome. (omitted)

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.238-248
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• 2017

Pokkah Boeng is a serious disease of sugarcane, which can lead to devastating yield losses in crop-producing regions, including southern China. However, there is still uncertainty about the causal agent of the disease. Our aim was to isolate and characterize the pathogen through morphological, physiological, and molecular analyses. We isolated sugarcane-colonizing fungi in Fujian, China. Isolated fungi were first assessed for their cell wall degrading enzyme capabilities, and five isolates were identified for further analysis. Internal transcribed spacer sequencing revealed that these five strains are Fusarium, Alternaria, Phoma, Phomopsis, and Epicoccum. The Fusarium isolate was further identified as F. verticillioides after Calmodulin and EF-$1{\alpha}$ gene sequencing and microscopic morphology study. Pathogenicity assay confirmed that F. verticillioides was directly responsible for disease on sugarcane. Co-inoculation of F. verticillioides with other isolated fungi did not lead to a significant difference in disease severity, refuting the idea that other cellulolytic fungi can increase disease severity as an endophyte. This is the first report characterizing pathogenic F. verticillioides on sugarcane in southern China.

• 대한상한금궤의학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.53-84
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• 2023

Objective : The purpose of this study is to explore the therapeutic potential of Shanghanlun for neuropsychiatric disorders through a comparative review of five neuropsychiatric disorder cases diagnosed with Greater yin disease pattern/syndrome (太陰病). Methods : We collected and compared five neuropsychiatric cases diagnosed and treated with Greater yin disease pattern/syndrome (太陰病) from four korean medicine clinics. Clinical symptoms common to the five cases were analyzed by connecting them with Shanghanlun provision 273 and 279. Results : In all five cases, the improvement of chief complaints and decrease in general anxiety were observed after administration of Gyejigajakyak-tang (桂枝加芍薬湯) and Gyejigadaehwang-tang (圭支加大黃湯). In addition, neuropsychiatric symptoms and physical symptoms that are mentioned in Shanghanlun provision 273 and 279 were confirmed in all five cases. Conclusions : We not only reconfirmed that the core features of Greater yin disease pattern/syndrome(太陰病) proposed in previous studies; zi-tong (自痛), yin-er (因爾), jie-ying (結硬), but also that the physical symptoms associated with fu-man (腹満), tu (吐) and zi-li (自利) were common in the presenting symptoms and past histories of the five patients.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.305-309
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• 2002

Raw soybean sprouts were tested for contamination with the following bacteria which have potential for pathogenesis or food spoilage : Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio parahae-molyticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesidomonas shigeloides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Lis-teria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, Erwinia spp., and Fusarium spp. Three of the above strains were isolated from the sprouts, and identified by morphological and biochemical methods including an API kit and ATB automated identification system. The isolate cultured in Cereus selective agar, a selective medium, was a Gram-positive, rod shaped, anaerobic spore former. The biochemical and culture tests revealed the following characteristics: catalase-positive, no growth on Simmon's citrate, NO₂ production and requirement of arginine for growth; the ATB automated identification system gave 99.8 % agreement for the identification of Bacillus cereus to the species level. The isolate cultured in Macconkey agar selective medium was Gram-negative, rod shaped and a gas former; the ATB-system gave 99.9% agreement for the identification of Aeromonas hydrophila to the species level. The isolate found in Pseudomonas isolation agar was Gram-negative, rod shaped, cytochrome oxidase-positive, a reducer of nitrates to nitrogen, and pyocyanin producer; the ATB-system gave 99.9 % agreement for the identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the species level. These results indicate that the three bacteria species present in the soybean sprouts were Bacillus cereus, Aero-monas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Yersinia enter-ocolitica, which are associated with serious disease in humans, were not isolated from soybean sprouts examined in this study.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.163-167
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• 2015

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a major diarrhea-causing agent in puppies. Since CPV type 2 (CPV-2) emerged in 1978, new antigenic variants including CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and CPV-2c have been identified in many countries. Two puppies died suddenly at a veterinary clinic in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. Two viruses were isolated in A72 cells, confirmed as CPV strains based on a CPV rapid kit and an indirect fluorescence test and designated QIACP1403 and QIACP1404. The nucleotide sequences of complete VP2 genes of QIACP1403 and QIACP1404 were determined, and the corresponding amino acid sequences were deduced. Molecular analyses revealed that the QIACP1403 and QIACP1404 isolates were type CPV-2b. Several mutated amino acids were detected on VP2 gene residues of the two isolates. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the two isolates were most closely related to strain CPV-BM11, which was isolated from Chinese dogs in 2011. Our results suggest that these isolates may be a candidate for a vaccine to prevent CPV infection in dogs after conducting passages of the isolates in an in vitro culture system.