• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1266-1271
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• 2017

Lactobacillus fermentum strain JDFM216, isolated from a Korean infant feces sample, possesses the ability to enhance the longevity and immune response of a Caenorhabditis elegans host. To explore the characteristics of strain JDFM216 at the genetic level, we performed whole-genome sequencing using the PacBio system. The circular draft genome has a total length of 2,076,427 bp and a total of 2,682 encoding sequences were identified. Five phylogenetically featured genes possibly related to the longevity and immune response of the host were identified in L. fermentum strain JDFM216. These genes encode UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyltransferase (E.C. 2.5.1.7), ErfK/YbiS/YcfS/YnhG family protein, site-specific recombinase XerD, homocysteine S-methyltransferase (E.C. 2.1.1.10), and aspartate-ammonia ligase (E.C. 6.3.1.1), which are involved in peptidoglycan synthesis and amino acid metabolism in the gut environment. Our findings on the genetic background of L. fermentum strain JDFM216 and its potential candidate genes for host longevity and immune response provide new insight for the application of this strain in the food industry as newly isolated functional probiotic.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.375-384
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• 2021

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the clinical features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients who attended a Korean medicine hospital and the treatment effects through retrospective chart reviews. Methods: The medical records of 82 outpatients who had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and visited the Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department of Kyung Hee Korean Medicine Hospital from 8 January 2015 to 8 January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. To assess the treatment outcomes, we used the FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), DLCO (Diffusing capacity of the Lung for CO), 6-minute walk test, and HRCT (High Resolution Computed Tomography). Results: The study group consisted of 28 females and 54 males. The median age of the patients was 67.98±11.44 years. The chief complaints were cough (n=51) and dyspnea (n=49). Other frequent symptoms were general weakness (n=8), weight loss (n=4), and a fever (n=2). A total of 77 (93.90%) patients were prescribed Korean herbal medicine, and 52 (63.41%) patients were treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, ICT, or pharmacopuncture. After treatments, FVC, DLCO, the 6-minute walk test, and HRCT were maintained or worsened slightly. Conclusions: This study presented the characteristics of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients treated by Korean medical therapies, and further studies of Korean medical treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients would be valuable.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.55-62
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• 2003

The mucosal immune system provides a first line of defense against invasion of infectious agents via inhalation, ingestion and sexual contact. For the induction of protective immunity at these invasion sites, one must consider the use of the CMIS, which interconnects inductive tissues, including PP and NALT, and effector tissues of the intestinal, respiratory and genitourinary tracts. In order for the CMIS to induce maximal protective mucosal immunity, co-administration of mucosal adjuvant or use of mucosal antigen delivery vehicle has been shown to be essential. When vaccine antigen is administered via oral or nasal route, antigen-specific Th 1 and Th2 cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTLs) and IgA B cell responses are effectively induced by the CMIS. In the early stages of induction of mucosal immune response, the uptake of orally or nasally administered antigens is achieved through a unique set of antigen-sampling cells, M cells located in follicle-associated epithelium(FAE) of inductive sites. After successful uptake, the antigens are immediately processed and presented by the underlying DCs for the generation of antigen-specific T cells and IgA committed B cells. These antigen-specific lymphocytes are then home to the distant mucosal effector tissues for the induction of antigen-specific humoral(e.g., IgA) and cell-mediated (e.g., CTL and Th1) immune responses in order to form the first line of defense. Elucidation of the molecular/cellular characteristics of the immunological sequence of mucosal immune response beginning from the antigen sampling and processing/presentation by M cells and mucosal DCs followed by the effector phase with antigen-specific lymphocytes will greatly facilitate the design of a new generation of effective mucosal antigen-specific lymphocytes will greatly facilitate the design of a new generation of a new generation of effective mucosal adjuvants and of a vaccine deliver vehicle that maximizes the use of the CMIS.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2014

Genomic organization, including the structural characteristics of 5'-flanking regions of two 65-kDa protein (WAP65) isoform genes associated with warm temperature acclimation, were characterized and their transcriptional responses to immune challenges were examined in the intestine, kidney and spleen of the mud loach (Misgurnus mizolepis; Cypriniformes). Both mud loach Wap65 isoform genes displayed a 10-exon structure that is common to most teleostean Wap65 genes. The two mud loach Wap65 isoforms were predicted to possess various stress- and immune-related transcription factor binding sites in their regulatory regions; however, the predicted motif profiles differed between the two isoforms, and the inflammation-related transcription factor binding motifs, such as NF-${\kappa}B$ and CREBP sites, were more highlighted in the Wap65-2 isoform than the Wap65-1 isoform. The results of qRT-PCR indicated that experimental immune challenges using Edwardsiella tarda, lipopolysaccharide or polyI:C induced the Wap65-2 isoform more than Wap65-1 isoform, although modulation patterns in response to these challenges were tissue- and stimulant-dependent. This study confirms that functional diversification between the two mud loach Wap65 isoforms (i.e., closer involvement of Wap65-2 in the acute phase of inflammation and innate immunity) occurs at the mRNA level in multiple tissues, and suggests that such differential modulation patterns between the two isoforms are related to the different transcription factor binding profiles in their regulatory regions.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07c
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• pp.1372-1373
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• 2006

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device, so called, N-type SCR with P-type MOSFET pass structure (NSCR_PPS), was analyzed for high voltage I/O applications. A conventional NSCR_PPS device shows typical SCR-like characteristics with extremely low snapback holding voltage, which may cause latchup problem during normal operation. However, a modified NSCR_PPS device with proper junction/channel engineering demonstrates highly latchup immune current- voltage characteristics.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.396-412
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the efficacy and safety of Korean medicine treatment. Methods: This study was conducted on 15 patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome who visited the outpatient Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from January 10, 2021 to April 10, 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 15 patients and collected clinical characteristics, Korean medicine treatments, outcome variables (Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Quality of Life Visual Analog Scale (QOL-VAS), The Post-COVID-19 Functional Status (PCFS)), adverse events, etc. Results: Of the 15 patients, seven (46.7%) were men, and the average age of all patients was 49.7±13 years. The most common symptom was cough (n=9, 60%), and it was followed by dyspnea or increased respiratory effort, fatigue, insomnia, anosmia, etc. The herbal medicine was prescribed for all 15 patients, and Saengmaek-san (n=8, 53.5%) was the most prescribed. Additionally, acupuncture and cupping were performed in four patients (26.7%) each, and electroacupuncture was applied to one patient (6.7%). As a result of Korean medicine treatment, NRS, mMRC, LCQ, QOL-VAS, and PCFS showed improvement, and adverse events were mild. Conclusions: This study presented the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and suggested that Korean medicine treatment may be effective in alleviating related symptoms and enhancing quality of life.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.955-970
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this observational study was to identify and analyze the patterns to compare the characteristics of asthma patients. Methods: The subjects were 40 asthma patients who had satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were divided into deficiency syndrome and excess syndrome groups, and cold syndrome and heat syndrome groups. Their quality of life was measured by the quality of life questionnaire for adult Korean asthmatics (QLQAKA) and VAS. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured, and the degree of obesity was evaluated by body mass index (BMI). Hematological, biochemical, and immunoglobulin (Ig) E laboratory tests were included. Results: Based on pattern identification, the 40 asthma patients could be divided into two categories of groups: 1) the deficiency syndrome (N=18) and the excess syndrome (N=22) groups: 2) the cold syndrome (N=35) and the heat syndrome (N=5) groups. The mean value of HF differed significantly between the deficiency and excess syndrome groups. The mean value of IgE in blood tests of asthmatics was greater than four times the reference value. For BMI, the subjects were classified into three groups: normal weight (N=12), overweight (N=12), and obese (N=16). Conclusions: Development of a more accurate asthma-specific pattern identification tool could play a crucial role in asthma control. In addition, good control of asthma can improve the quality of life. Obesity is one of the factors associated with asthma exacerbation.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2002

Background: The chemical characteristics of the exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus (referred to as exo-secretion) including the compositions of amino acids and monosaccharides were investigated. In addition, cytotoxicity of the exo-secretion on 5 tumor cell lines derived from human cancers and its antitumor activity against ascitic sarcoma-180 cells were examined. Methods: The antitumor activity of exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus was determined by measuring parameters including tumor weight, life span of mice, chemotatic activity of leukocytes, counts of immune cells, and activity of cytokines. Results: The exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus showed no direct cytotoxicity to the five tumor cell lines tested, but it had a strong antitumor activity against sarcoma-180 cells in ICR mice as measured by tumor weight and life span of mice. The exo-secretion stimulated the chemotaxis of leukocytes and production of immune cells and cytokines. Conclusion: These results suggest that the exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus do not act as a direct cytotoxic substance to cancer cells but as an immunomodulator.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2015

Vaccines are the most effective and cost-efficient method for preventing diseases caused by infectious pathogens. Despite the great success of vaccines, development of safe and strong vaccines is still required for emerging new pathogens, re-emerging old pathogens, and in order to improve the inadequate protection conferred by existing vaccines. One of the most important strategies for the development of effective new vaccines is the selection and usage of a suitable adjuvant. Immunologic adjuvants are essential for enhancing vaccine potency by improvement of the humoral and/or cell-mediated immune response to vaccine antigens. Thus, formulation of vaccines with appropriate adjuvants is an attractive approach towards eliciting protective and long-lasting immunity in humans. However, only a limited number of adjuvants is licensed for human vaccines due to concerns about safety and toxicity. We summarize current knowledge about the potential benefits of adjuvants, the characteristics of adjuvants and the mechanisms of adjuvants in human vaccines. Adjuvants have diverse modes of action and should be selected for use on the basis of the type of immune response that is desired for a particular vaccine. Better understanding of current adjuvants will help exploring new adjuvant formulations and facilitate rational design of vaccines against infectious diseases.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2003

Background : This study was to investigate existing studies on the mushroom Phellinus linteus for possible applications in treating hard to cure diseases and uses in herbal acupuncture as the above is known to have an anti-cancer effects and stimulating the immune system. Results : Based on the literary consideration, the following results were obtained : 1. Proteins and polysaccharides of the Class Basidiomycetes activate the host immune system for anti-cancer action without known side effects, thus it can be given for the prevention and treatment of cancer as a supplement. Phellinus linteus mushroom showed the most significant effects. 2. The Phellinus linteus mushroom is a fungi in the family Hymenochaetaceae and Phellinus, under the class Basidiomycetes. Phellinus linteus can be often found on the trunk of mulberry trees and other latifoliate trees. 3. The characteristics of Phellinus linteus are sweet, neutral in temperature, non-toxic, dissipate the stagnated blood, stop bleeding, invigorate the blood circulation and remove stasis, and nourish qi. It has been used for treating continuous menstrual discharge among the female patients and removing masses in the abdomen to name a few. 4. Phellinus linteus contains agaric acid, fatty acid, C23 and other numerous enzymes. 5. Phellinus linteus is known to have anti-cancer and anti-oxidant effects, stimulation of the immune system, as well as anti-inflammatory effects, inhibition of angiogenesis, and analgesic actions.