• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.164-171
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• 2021

In August 2020, 377 anthracnose strains were isolated from anthracnose-infected peppers collected from 25 farms in Sunchang-gun, Jeollabuk-do. Inhibition rate of mycelial growth of 11 pepper anthracnose fungicides registered in Korea was investigated for 62 strains selected by region and the degree of susceptibility to each fungicide was investigated. As a result of the fungicide susceptibility test of anthracnose to the fungicide, no resistant strains were observed in fluazinam, prochloraz manganese, and benomyl, but resistant strains appeared in at least three areas for other fungicides, and all strains in all regions were resistant to dithianon. Through this, it was confirmed that the fungicide resistance was expressed in the strain group due to the continuous treatment of the fungicide in some areas. By region, resistant strains to seven pesticides appeared in Sunchang-eup and Paldeok-myeon, and resistant strains to six pesticides appeared in Geumgwa-myeon, Bokheung-myeon, Ssangchi-myeon, Yudeung-myeon, and Pungsan-myeon. There was no significant correlation between fungicide registration time and emergence of resistant strains.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is major cancer with high incidence and mortality worldwide. It is known that most CRCs arise from precursor adenomatous polyps (APs). Recently, microRNA (miRNA) has been proposed as a biomarker for various cancers including CRC. In this study, the expression patterns of miR-29a in the whole blood (WB) of CRC, AP, and control groups were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to evaluate the expression level of miR-29a in patients with colorectal neoplasm (CRN) including CRC and AP. As a result, the relative expression of miR-29a was significantly decreased in the patients with CRN compared to the control group (P<0.001). The results were in agreement with previous in vitro cell studies and studies that used tissue and feces samples, suggesting that miR-29a in WB may be useful in demonstrating the status of colorectal tissue. Additionally, we divided the control group into healthy control (HC) without any colorectal symptoms and non-tumor control (NTC) with colorectal symptoms but without any CRN. And then the relative expression of miR-29a was also significantly decreased in the NTC group compared to the HC group (P<0.001). Therefore, our study revealed that miR-29a can differentiate patients with CRN from HC group, but they are also involved in the early stage of inflammatory response and cannot be specific biomarkers for CRN.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2022

The critical bandwidth represents response interactions with respect to a signal tone and their neighboring bands. This study was to analyze the critical bandwidths of a clinically important 500 Hz tone in Korean young male and female subjects (male = 10, female = 10) at a conversational level (60 dB HL). Data were measured with notched band noise and two alternative forced choice methods. Results showed that the critical bandwidth was slightly greater (95 Hz) than the previous Western measures. There were no statistically significant differences in gender, nor were there any significant differences in lateralization of the ear (p > 0.05). These results may have implications in optimizing effective tinnitus masking or the related clinical applications.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.200-208
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• 2021

Background: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an increasingly recognized form of diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is now classified as a human MUC1 mucin protein, and regenerating type II pneumocytes are the primary cellular source of KL-6/MUC1 in the affected lungs of patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Serum KL-6/MUC1 levels have been demonstrated to be useful for the evaluation of various ILD. To determine the role of circulating KL-6 in evaluating the disease activity and management of HP. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 51 patients with HP and 20 healthy controls. Serum KL-6 levels were measured in both groups. Patients were further assessed based on chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), pulmonary function test, 6-minute walk test, echocardiography, bronchioalveolar lavage, and/or transbronchial biopsy. Patients were divided into the fibrotic and non-fibrotic groups according to the HRCT findings. Results: The median serum KL-6 levels were significantly higher in HP patients as compared to the control group. The median serum KL-6 levels were found to be higher in the non-fibrotic HP group (1,900 IU/mL) as compared to the fibrotic group (1,200 IU/mL). There was a significant inverse correlation between serum KL-6 serum level and the dose of steroids as well as the duration of steroid therapy. Conclusion: The presence of higher KL-6 levels in the non-fibrotic HP group implies its enhanced production by regenerating pneumocytes in response to alveolar injury. The significant association between serum KL-6 levels and the dose and the duration of steroid therapy emphasizes the significant role of steroids in the stabilization of the disease.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2022

Purpose: In dental avulsion, delayed replantation usually has an uncertain prognosis. After tooth replantation, complex inflammatory responses promote a return to periodontal tissue homeostasis. Various types of cytokines are produced in the inflammatory microenvironment, and these cytokines determine the periodontal tissue response. This study aimed to identify the gene expression profiles of replanted teeth and evaluate the functional differences between immediate and delayed replantation. Methods: Maxillary molars from Sprague-Dawley rats were extracted, exposed to a dry environment, and then replanted. The animals were divided into 2 groups according to the extra-oral time: immediate replantation (dry for 5 minutes) and delayed replantation (dry for 60 minutes). Either 3 or 7 days after replantation, the animals were sacrificed. Periodontal soft tissues were harvested for mRNA sequencing. Hallmark gene set enrichment analysis was performed to predict the function of gene-gene interactions. The normalized enrichment score (NES) was calculated to determine functional differences. Results: The hallmark gene sets enriched in delayed replantation at 3 days were oxidative phosphorylation (NES=2.82, Q<0.001) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signaling via the nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway (NES=1.52, Q=0.034). At 7 days after delayed replantation, TNF-α signaling via the NF-κB pathway (NES=-1.82, Q=0.002), angiogenesis (NES=-1.66, Q=0.01), and the transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway (NES=-1.46, Q=0.051) were negatively highlighted. Conclusions: Differentially expressed gene profiles were significantly different between immediate and delayed replantation. TNF-α signaling via the NF-κB pathway was marked during the healing process. However, the enrichment score of this pathway changed in a time-dependent manner between immediate and delayed replantation.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how analyzing movies, including mental symptoms, according to a certain method, might affect the understanding of psychiatric disorders. Methods: Forty-four oriental medicine students who had completed Korean medicine neuropsychiatric science were required to submit reports on episode analysis, psychiatric personal history investigation, diagnostic criteria, and the connection between Korean medicine and psychiatric diseases after watching a movie, including psychiatric symptoms. After submitting the report, a questionnaire related to understanding before and after watching the movie was asked to be filled out. Demographic survey, frequency analysis, and response sample t-test were performed based on 42 questionnaires. Results: Results of analyzing the questionnaire were as follows. 1. The average number of movies watched was three. 2. Psychiatric disorders and psychiatric symptoms, diagnostic criteria, psychiatric personal investigation, and understanding of the connection between Korean medicine and psychiatric diseases all increased statistically significantly. 3. A separate process might be needed to improve the understanding of psychiatric personal strength investigation and oriental medicine connection. Conclusions: Movie analysis, including individual mental symptoms, could improve students' understanding of psychiatric disorders in psychiatric symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and psychiatric personal investigation, but some students might need feedback.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.230-238
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• 2022

Myocarditis was previously attributed to an epidemic viral infection. Additional harmful reagents, in addition to viruses, play a role in its etiology. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine-induced myocarditis has recently been described, drawing attention to vaccine-induced myocarditis in children and adolescents. Its pathology is based on a series of complex immune responses, including initial innate immune responses in response to viral entry, adaptive immune responses leading to the development of antigen-specific antibodies, and autoimmune responses to cellular injury caused by cardiomyocyte rupture that releases antigens. Chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the myocardium eventually result in cardiac failure. Recent advancements in molecular biology have remarkably increased our understanding of myocarditis. In particular, microRNAs (miRNAs) are a hot topic in terms of the role of new biomarkers and the pathophysiology of myocarditis. Myocarditis has been linked with microRNA-221/222 (miR-221/222), miR-155, miR-10a^*, and miR-590. Despite the lack of clinical trials of miRNA intervention in myocarditis yet, multiple clinical trials of miRNAs in other cardiac diseases have been aggressively conducted to help pave the way for future research, which is bolstered by the success of recently U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved small-RNA medications. This review presents basic information and recent research that focuses on myocarditis and related miRNAs as a potential novel biomarker and the therapeutics.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.366-373
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• 2022

Regulation of proper gene expression is important for cellular and organismal survival, maintenance, and growth. Abnormal gene expression, even for a single critical gene, can thwart cellular integrity and normal physiology to cause diseases, aging, and death. Therefore, gene expression profiling serves as a powerful tool to understand the pathology of diseases and to cure them. In this study, the difference in gene expression in Flammulina velutipes was compared between the wild type (WT) mushroom and the mutant one with clogging phenomenon. Differentially expressed transcripts were screened to identify the candidate genes responsible for the mutant phenotype using the DNA microarray analysis. A total of 88 genes including 60 upregulated and 28 downregulated genes were validated using the real-time quantitative PCR analysis. In addition, proteomic differences between the WT and mutant mushroom were analyzed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Interestingly, the genes identified by these genomic and proteomic analyses were involved in stress response, translation, and energy/sugar metabolism, including HSP70, elongation factor 2, and pyruvate kinase. Together, our data suggest that the aberrant expression of these genes attributes to the mutant clogging phenotype. We propose that these genes can be targeted to foster normal growth in F. velutipes.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the early stages of periodontal disease and determine the optimal period for its evaluation in a mouse model. The association between the duration of ligation and its effect on the dentogingival area in mice was evaluated using micro-computed tomography (CT) and histological analysis. Methods: Ninety mice were allocated to an untreated control group or a ligation group in which periodontitis was induced by a 6-0 silk ligation around the left second maxillary molar. Mice were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, and 14 days after ligature placement. Alveolar bone destruction was evaluated using micro-CT. Histological analysis was performed to assess the immune-inflammatory processes in the periodontal tissue. Results: No significant difference in alveolar bone loss was found compared to the control group until day 3 after ligature placement, and a gradual increase in alveolar bone loss was observed from 4 to 8 days following ligature placement. No significant between-group differences were observed after 8 days. The histological analysis demonstrated that the inflammatory response was evident from day 4. Conclusions: Our findings in a mouse model provide experimental evidence that ligature-induced periodontitis models offer a consistent progression of disease with marginal attachment down-growth, inflammatory infiltration, and alveolar bone loss.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The antioxidant ebselen will be able to limit or prevent the ototoxicity arising from 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD). Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease is a disorder of lysosomal storage manifested in sphingolipidosis. Recently, it was noted that experimental use of HPβCD could partially resolve the symptoms in both animals and human patients. Despite its desirable effect, HPβCD can induce hearing loss, which is the only major side effect noted to date. Understanding of the pathophysiology of hearing impairment after administration of HPβCD and further development of preventive methods are essential to reduce the ototoxic side effect. The mechanisms of HPβCD-induced ototoxicity remain unknown, but the resulting pathology bears some resemblance to other ototoxic agents, which involves oxidative stress pathways. To indirectly determine the involvement of oxidative stress in HPβCD-induced ototoxicity, we tested the efficacy of an antioxidant reagent, ebselen, on the extent of inner ear side effects caused by HPβCD. Materials and Methods: Ebselen was applied prior to administration of HPβCD in mice. Auditory brainstem response thresholds and otopathology were assessed one week later. Bilateral effects of the drug treatments also were examined. Results: HPβCD-alone resulted in bilateral, severe, and selective loss of outer hair cells from base to apex with an abrupt transition between lesions and intact areas. Ebselen co-treatment did not ameliorate HPβCD-induced hearing loss or alter the resulting histopathology. Conclusions: The results indirectly suggest that cochlear damage by HPβCD is unrelated to reactive oxygen species formation. However, further research into the mechanism(s) of HPβCD otopathology is necessary.